This World War II Army Air Forces Combat Report newsreel, a combat film report titled “It Can Be Done,” promotes America’s “get it done” attitude during World War II. This begins with the premise that sometimes, less is more. At mark 00:52 we see a 60-gallon airplane belly tank made of bamboo and mud, originally designed by the Chinese to give Curtiss P-40 Warhawks extra miles of range. “It was a case of now, not tomorrow. And it was done,” the announcer proudly proclaims at mark 01:42. As patriotic music swells, the viewer is then taken to North Africa and at mark 01:54 introduced to “Armor for the B-26,” when the death of a crewman in the plastic nose of the bomber led an officer to design armor-plated protection for the gunner. “This crude, homemade section of armor saved the life of the bombardier-navigator on its very first flight,” we are told. “Emergency Repair in the Field” is spotlighted beginning at mark 03:37 as a mobile repair shop refurbishes a damaged bomber for its next battle. Not even fog over England can deter American or British ingenuity as soil is lit afire on either side of a runway so returning aircraft have a clear view. Nor the cold of Adak Island in the Aleutians as workers improvise tools while waiting for supply ships. In the South Pacific, an enterprising soldier is shown at mark 06:00 creating a motorized “puddle jumper” — a vehicle similar to a go-cart — to move about the jungle. In New Guinea, troops are shown making improvised tools and scales, as well as learning how to wrap wire around bombs to produce more lethal and incendiary shrapnel, traveling more than 50 yards. From towing stranded bombers on Guadalcanal to “washing machines” made of a jeep transmission and gasoline drums in the South Pacific, the film continues to tout American creativity and the theme, “It Can Be Done.” At mark 11:40, the viewer is taken back to Guadalcanal for “Gunnery Training,” where the commander of a heavy bomber group used his imagination to devise a high-pressure water cannon and mock aircraft to train untested turret gunners. Even throngs of Chinese nationals, shown flattening the ground by foot for landing strips, are given their due, driving home the point that such creative endeavors are not confined to American know-how.

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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 and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com