Released by the Australian Department of Information Pictures, this black & white news film is about the Battle of the Bismarck Sea (March 2-24, 1943) which took place in the South West Pacific Area during World War II when aircraft of the U.S. Fifth Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force attacked a Japanese convoy carrying troops to Lae, New Guinea. Follow-up attacks by PT boats and aircraft were made on 4 March. All eight transports and four of the escorting destroyers were sunk. Of 6,900 troops who were badly needed in New Guinea, only about 1,200 made it to Lae. Another 2,700 were rescued by destroyers and submarines and returned to Rabaul. The Japanese made no further attempts to reinforce Lae by ship, greatly hindering their ultimately unsuccessful efforts to stop Allied offensives in New Guinea.
Opening titles: Cinesound Review Bismarck Convoy Smashed! (:06-:34). March 2, Japanese ships are near Lae, New Guinea. Map of the Bismarck Sea. Planes at the Allied air base. USAF (United States Air Force) and the RAF (Royal Australian Air Force) discuss plans. Writing on a chalk board, Japanese Zeros are in the vicinity. Men scramble and get into a truck. Planes to be used include: P-40 Kittyhawks, Cobras, P-38 Lightnings, Bostons, Beafighters, Bristol Beauforts, B-25s, and Liberators. Planes take off (:35-1:47). B-17 Flying Fortress in the sky. Bristol Beaufighters fly. Allied planes fill the sky. Liberator comes in from another base (1:48-3:00). Allied planes bomb Japanese ships. Ships on fire. Cockpit POV approaches smokey ship. Pilots fire at the ships. Cockpit footage of firing down at the Japanese ships (3:01-4:47). Beaufighters return to base. Back on base, planes are worked on. Cannon shells are lined up. Allied planes take off again. 22 ships were destroyed (4:48-5:58). Cockpit POV of firing at a tiny boat coming to get Japanese survivors. Allied planes fire at anything on the sea. Pilot waves. Pilot takes a sip of water. Chalk board shows list of planes shot (5:59-7:10). Map of New Britain, New Guinea. Officers review maps. RAF pilots. Some of the USAF and RAF are introduced. The men talk and joke with one another. Planes and men (7:11-9:23). End credits (9:24-9:25).
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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
