The United States Government Presents Jap Zero, “Product of the First Motion Picture Unit Army Air Force”, “Dedicated to the Flyers who are Helping to Make the Total Number of Zeros Zero”, “Recognition of the Japanese Zero Fighter”, Audio might be lost?
This black & white short film was made to instruct pilots in the Pacific during World War II about recognizing hostile planes at long distances and to avoid friendly fire incidents. This is probably one of the most famous WWII era training films, in that it features future President of the United States, then-actor Ronald Reagan, as a pilot. Made in 1943 by the U.S. Army Air Forces, a division of the War Department.
Opening titles: Recognition of the Japanese Zero Fighter (:21). A Japanese Zero flies in the sky (:40). A close look at a Japanese Zero (1:29). A breakdown of how the Japanese Zero looks (1:45). Underneath a Japanese Zero (2:14). Rounded wings of the Japanese Zero (2:25). Tail of the Japanese Zero (2:35). An American P-40 Warhawk comes quickly toward the viewer (2:57). A P-40 and a Japanese Zero as seen from the front (3:05). A P-40 and a Japanese Zero as seen from underneath (3:38). Engine of the A P-40 and a Japanese Zero (4:09). A P-40 and a Japanese Zero as seen from the side (4:28). P-40 and Japanese Zero tails (4:47). A P-40 flies in the far east (5:04). Ronald Reagan as a Lieutenant (5:20). Reagan is a pilot who flew a P-40, he speaks with his superior about being able to recognize the difference between a P-40 and a Japanese Zero (5:37). The Major has Reagan’s pilot look at a poster of planes and indentify (7:14). The Lieutenant points at planes on the map (8:52). The Lieutenant and Major discuss (9:45). Outlying islands on a map (10:26). Lieutenant in his P-40 flying (10:32). The Lieutenant sees a plane and must figure out what it is (10:50). The P-40 flies and tries to figure out what it is, he fires at the plane (11:40). The Lieutenant realizes he made a mistake, it wasn’t a Zero, it was a P-40 (12:10). The Lieutenant feels bad about firing on his own men (12:31). The pilot of the P-40 speaks to the Major about the problem; the Lieutenant shows up and admits to the error (12:57). Film of the incident is reviewed on a screen (14:06). The other pilot realizes that there was a Zero up there with them (14:44). The Lieutenant is in his cockpit and he sees a Japanese Zero (15:22). The Lieutenant does checks to make sure the plane was a Zero (15:49). The Lieutenant takes his P-40 and starts to fire on the Zero (16:14). A dogfight in the sky ensues (16:38). The Lieutenant takes aim at the Zero and fires (17:20). Zero crashes on the ground below (17:30). The Major stresses how identification is crucial (18:00). A Japanese Zero flies in the sky (18:32). A Japanese Zero is circled in the sky (19:15). End credits (19:20).
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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
