Made for pilot trainees by Wilding, this black & white, U.S. Navy film is about airplane attitude. It is one of a series of films made during WWII, to rapidly teach cadets the principles of flying. Copyright 1945. (N.B.: This version of the film was likely released after the end of WWII, as the end card has the Navy’s post-WWII motto: “Keep the Fleet to Keep the Peace”.)

Opening titles: United States Navy Training Film – Primary Flight Training – Attitudes Of Flight (:06-:32). Instructor speaks to the viewer about flying. He then writes on a chalkboard about the difference between driving a car and flying in a plane. The Instructor holds a model of a standard Navy training plane — the Stearman (Boeing) Model 75, known in the Navy as the NS and N2S. He writes ‘gravity’ and ‘drag’ on the board. A hand goes through water (:33-2:34). Pull through the air is known as thrust. He writes ‘lift.’ Instructor makes the model plane move with his hand (2:35-3:59). On a chalkboard, he explains how a plane is going up and how it depends on your throttle. Stearman bi-plane flies through air. Close-up on gauges in the plane. Plane flies. Hand on the throttle (4:00-5:17). Pilot in a plane. Angle of flight is shown. Altitude is explained and shown. Hand on the throttle. Plane in the air, POV shot. Propeller spins (5:18-6:59). Pilot flies, POV from behind. Hand on throttle. Hand pulls throttle back. Plane in the sky at a slight angle. Instructor explains how the plane must do certain things in order to end up in a certain field (7:00-9:07). Plane glides in the air. Pilot flies, POV from behind. Plane in the sky (9:08-10:30). Overhead shot in the cockpit of hands on a throttle. Foot comes off the rudder pedal. Pilot flies, POV from behind. Feet off the pedals. Pilot flies, POV from behind. Hand cuts the throttle by pulling back (10:31-11:52). Planes on the tarmac. Pilot flies, POV from behind. Pilot in the cockpit. Aerial shot of streets below. Instructor holds a model of a plane and demonstrates a certain motion (11:53-13:22). Overhead shot in the cockpit of hands on a throttle. Pilot flies, POV from behind. Plane is moving to the right side slowly, seen from inside the plane. Plane in the sky starts to ascend (13:23-14:30). Pilot flies, POV from behind. Overhead shot in the cockpit of hands on a throttle. Plane banks a little to the left. Feet move and throttle shifts slightly. Plane turns slightly to the right (14:31-16:06). End credits (16:07-16:15).

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