The Giant Step is a film that celebrates the 25th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force in 1972 by telling the story of the people and developments of flight in the U.S. The film begins with a single prop plane sitting on a runway with a sunrise or sunset in the background (01:07). A montage of photos and footage shows a brief history of flight, starting with some of the earliest developments and attempts of flight, up through the Spirt of St. Louis flight and on to the modern military achievements of aviation. German planes fly in the sky around or during WWI (03:54). General Henry Harley “Hap” Arnold (04:32) addresses the country announcing the need for a massive aviation industry in America. Colonel Bruce Arnold, Hap Arnold’s son, talks about his father’s contribution to air power. A supersonic jet, an SR-71 Blackbird, takes off (06:37). Harry Truman signs off on the creation of a separate Air Force on 18 September 1947 (06:54). The film then shows viewers a montage of photos from the 1940s. Next, General Carl “Tooey” Spaatz, the first Air Force Chief of Staff, discusses the need to have a separate air force (08:30). Footage shows trains stopping their travel to Berlin (09:08) and the beginning of the Berlin Blockade. The U.S. prepares for the Berlin Airlift during Operation Vittles, using C-47 Skytrains, Douglas DC-3s, C-74 Globemasters, and C-54 Skymasters. Footage shows various aircraft flying, firing up their engines and taking off, as well as landing at Tempelhof Airport. Men load supplies onto planes during Operation Vittles (10:59). Children eat soup outside at picnic tables (presumably the children of Berlin). B-29 Superfortresses taxi on a runway (12:03); the film then shows the B-29s flying in formation. General Curtis E Lemay, who led the Strategic Air Command following WWII, discusses the need to have a strong deterrent force (12:45). A B-36 Peacemaker taxis on a runway (13:30) then flies off with storm clouds in the background. Footage shows a Bell X-1 (14:50) and Chuck Yaeger sitting in the aircraft’s cockpit. A Bell X-2 is moved into a hanger (15:56). The film also shows an X-3. Planes of the F Century Series are shown flying and/or during takeoff or landing (16:30). A KC-135 Stratotanker flies through the sky (17:48). A B-47 Stratojet sits in a hanger (18:17). Footage shows other bombers taking off from a runway and a YB-52 Stratofortress on a runway. A B-52 Stratofortress taxis on a runway and then takes off. A B-52 launches an X-15 (19:43). General Bernard Schriever (20:34) talks about ICBMs and the wherewithal of the military to go into space. A Thor rocket is launched (21:16); this is followed by the launching of a Titan II (22:05). The Apollo 15 crew takes off (22:21), marking the fourth mission to land on the moon. Ann Scott, wife of Colonel David R. Scott, talks about her husband’s mission on Apollo 15 (23:22). Two of the three astronauts from the Apollo 15 mission are shown on the moon (22:49). Old monochrome footage shows various pilots receiving awards and honors (23:34). General Lucius Theus (24:29) discusses his experience in the Air Force and its ability to create change and opportunity before and after the segregation era of the military. Major General Jeanne M. Holm (25:44), the first female general in the Air Force, discusses the integration of women in the Air Force. Footage shows members of the Air Force working the various jobs necessary to make the Air Force operate. Missiles are launched from an unknown site (27:40). The film then presents a montage of footage of the Air Force’s efforts in Vietnam (28:47), including transporting equipment, dropping bombs on targets, patrolling the air, dropping paratroopers, and evacuating wounded soldiers. An RF-4C reconnaissance plane flies in the night sky (30:10). Eldora Ford, wife of Vietnam POW David Ford, discusses learning that her husband is shot down over Hanoi during a reconnaissance mission flying an RF-4C. A model of the B-1 Lancer bomber (34:33) is shown. The film ends by showing images and footage of recent space missions.

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com