This color educational film is THE CHALLENGE, a military film about the new McDonnell F-4 Phantom jets and their role in the war in Vietnam. There is no copyright at the beginning or end of the film so the date of the production remains unclear although is appears to be the late 1960s/early 1970s as Vietnam is referenced. A man walks along with a military official on an airstrip, pilots inspect and get into the cockpit of military jets, jets ready for takeoff, jets line up and take off (:06-1:09) Title card: ‘The Challenge.’ (1:10-1:12) This film is narrated by Gen. James “Jimmy” Doolittle (retired), United States Air Force Medal of Honor recipient, who speaks to the camera from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. Shots of a jet taxi-ing, pilot removing his helmet, exiting the cockpit (1:13-1:56) Nellis is called the Home of the fighter pilot, Col. J.J. Burns speaks to the viewer followed by Doolittle, they talk about the USA airpower in the air (1:57-2:50). Black & white footage of the USA planes used for WWI, France had the best airfare at the time, the USA had a tiny, ineffective airforce at the time, statistics are given, it is then mentioned that most countries didn’t care about air superiority until the 1930s (2:51-3:51). WW2 discussed, Nazi Germany ruled the skies over Europe, rare footage taken of Nazi Planes shooting, Britain burning, Britain using are artillery to shoot back, England on fire, firemen trying to contain the flames, a deluge of flames engulfs Britain, buildings collapse, The Royal Airforce, although outnumbered, had better planes and ultimately won the skies, ships at sea in the distance on fire, statistics about Britain’s superior airpower in WW2, battle of Dunkirk, tired soldiers, rescue ship at Dunkirk (3:52-5:55). Neutral USA builds planes, American pilots on battleship, Japanese planes take off, America is attacked and dragged into the war, Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, ships burn, statistics are given about Pearl Harbor, war footage (5:56-7:10). Doolittle leads 16 planes in the first air raid on Tokyo, planes take off, fly over Japan, bomb targets (7:11-7:39). America’s planes in Europe during WW2, what they bombed, bombing footage, blowing up an enemy jet, The Nazi’s created a new, more sophisticated twin engine aircraft the ‘Messerschmitt 262’ but it was too little too late, dogfighting footage (7:40-8:46). Doolittle appears again, talks about air superiority being needed, modern jets are shown in color, black & white Korean War footage is shown, artillery being fired, dogfights, American planes shoot down and blow up Communist planes, cockpit pov footage of the American pilots in F-86 Sabrejets shooting Korean targets (8:47-10:04). Color footage of new jets and bomber planes, how American planes helped Chinese Nationalists stave off China(10:05-10:44). Currently the USA is engaged in conflict in South Vietnam, shots of Vietnam everyday life, aerial shots, General George S. Brown talks, bombing over Vietnam, different planes used, lots of pov footage of pilots taking down targets/planes over Southeast Asia (10:45-12:48). At 11:12 B-52s bomb Vietnam and a series of spectacular explosions are seen as C-47 gunships and F-4 Phantoms hit ground targets. At 12:25 an enemy MiG is destroyed in air to air combat. Capt. Feighny talks about our air superiority (12:49-13:44) Maintenance teams, a crewman talks with Col. Stuyvesant about his flight (13:45-14:08) Doolittle speaks again, talks about what we need for our planes, Communist fighters are shown, our new modified planes are shown, including our F-4 Phantom planes, aerial footage (14:08-16:25). Doolittle talks, our new young ‘tigers’ (aka fighter pilots are shown) marching, Airforce Academy in Colorado Springs (16:25-17:04). Doolittle discusses our new pilots, our new jets are shown in various flying formations (17:04-18:30) End credits begin superimposed over the U.S. Air Force Thunderbird F-4 Phantoms flying maneuvers including upside down. This film was presented by the McDonnell Aircraft Company (18:31-20:14).

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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