This black-and-white 1953 United States Navy training film by Reid H. Ray Film Industries covers the fundamentals of formation flying in 3-plane and 4-plane North American SNJ trainer aircraft. (The Navy designation was S=Scout, N = trainer, J= North American with the 1 representing the first trainer built for the Navy by that company.) The film opens with a 4-plane formation flying low across an airfield (0:53). Narration first talks about 3-plane formations and the wingman role, as three Navy planes fly over a field. A key tenet of formation flying is to keep wings parallel to your leaders at all times. A diagram shows 75 feet and 45 degrees between both wing planes in parade formation (1:50). A closeup of a U.S. Navy plane in the inside wingman position as the film emphasizes maintaining a 10-foot step down between the lead plane and wings (2:55). Positions for maintaining distance while turning left and right using the throttle are shown from the point-of-view of planes in the air. The film then shows how to form an echelon, using diagrams of 4 planes with clouds in the background (5:31). Execute, right echelon, left echelon, and return-to-V signals are shown. The wingman drops down or pulls up on the throttle to maintain position relative to the other planes. The maneuvers are shown both in formation and from the perspective of a wingman plane (8:19). The film then shows planes taking off on a runway and the procedure to get into formation. The planes pick a landmark before taking off, then meet at a predetermined altitude and rendezvous point (9:57). The first plane to reach the rendezvous point is the leader. A diagram over a map shows the leader’s left 30-degree bank turn over the rendezvous point, maintaining a circular pattern around the point (10:07). A diagram shows the CV Rendezvous used by the Navy as the quickest way for planes to join up after leaving a carrier (11:31), and the three planes’ paths are marked. Three planes fly in column, maintaining speed and position to the leader (12:31). The film emphasizes keeping all air traffic ahead of you in sight at all times. A closeup of the CV Rendezvous procedure from the wingman view (13:55). The second plane crosses next to the viewer’s wing (16:26). Another tenet of formations is to always keep your eyes on the leader for any signals. A pilot pats his head and points to himself to acknowledge a signal (17:09). The film then shows 4-plane formations (17:47), composed of two 2-plane sections. The first man is the division leader and the third man is the section leader. Bearings and distances between planes are the same as in 3-plane formations. The formation is shown forming an echelon and turning (19:23); in a 4-plane formation, turns are never made into an echelon. The 4-plane division in free cruise, the standard tactical formation, is shown on a diagram (20:14), turning, and from the view of the Number 4 position. The planes make turns into and out of the echelon. Procedure for rotating wingmen is shown (22:29). The film ends with the motto “Sea Power for Security.”

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