This incredible black & white educational/promotional film is about women in the U.S. Air Force and the traing & jobs they can get while in the USAF. This was made in 1951, when women were not allowed to serve as pilots but were instead relegated to other jobs — some of them quite technical in nature such as air traffic controller. (The roles women were assigned in this era was a bit of a reversal from WWII when the Women’s Air Service Pilots or WASPs ferried planes around the world for the Air Corps.)

Opening: United States Air Force presents WOMEN IN THE AIR FORCE (:08-:26). Through clouds, a man is writing at a desk amongst the clouds. A woman, an Angel appears and talks to the man. The Angel will be sent to earth to observe the Women in the Air Force (WAFs). Women from all over the USA awake in the barracks. One jumps up out of bed (:27-2:53). A woman wanders from her group in formation. Women march in uniform perfectly. A man teaches the women. Grooming is taught as well as etiquette. A woman does first aid to an injured person as part of an exercise. A man gets into a Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star jet with markings that read FT-033. The woman look at the plane. Two jets take off (4:47-4:48). Career Guidance counselors discuss choices with the women. Men board a plane which takes off. The Angel talks with the man about WAF jobs (4:54-6:20). A woman is a parachute rigger, she prepares the chute. Equipment technician position helps prepare a man to fly. Flight control service position, making sure where every plane is on a giant board. A woman makes a call. Women in the control tower watch planes land and give instructions. WAF Specialists send messages by teletype. Women take pictures with a camera and then develop them. They also run 16mm films and show the men a film. A jet flies over a town in the movie being viewed (6:21-8:29). WAFs work as radar mechanics. Women work as medical technicians, a draftsman or a commercial artist. WAFS observe the weather to assist those in flight. A woman prepares a fax machine. Women collect data with weather balloons. A balloon is caught by the man in the clouds (8:30-10:14). Men and women in officer school. As officer candidates they attend classes with the men. A woman salutes. A graduation ceremony where a woman is a 2nd Lieutenant. Women walk around the grounds of where they are staying. Women do laundry. A woman has her hair washed. A woman shops. WAFs dine with others. A sign reads: “Please wipe lipstick off cups and glasses.” Men and women sit around together. Women walk to church. Steeple of a church (10:15-12:18). Back in the clouds, the Angel looks down. A woman plays golf, others ride bikes, and bowl a strike. Women on horseback, play tennis a man dives into a pool and chats with women. An Air Force Man dances with a WAF. The guy in the clouds winks at the Angel and she gets her Air Force wings. Women and men of the USAF. Women salute. The United States flag in the breeze. Women of the Air Force march (12:19-15:09). End credits (15:10-15:20).

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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