XD12834 1955 PAN AM AIRLINES IN-FLIGHT RADAR PROMO FILM ” SENTINEL IN THE SKY “

This color animated educational film is how Pan Am flights will have and use Radar (Radio detection and ranging). This is from 1955.

Opening credits: Pan American World Airways presents “Sentinel in the Sky” (:06-:24). All animated. A man seeks his golf ball. Animals. A caveman looks around with a torch is eaten by a sabertooth tiger. A pioneer pushes westward. He falls over a cliff and meets a bear. A sailor on a big ship as it sails. A mermaid on a rock. The same man still seeks his golf ball. New inventions to see better. A small biplane flies and rocks back and forth. A giant compass, two way radio, a gyro horizon, voice radio communication, auto direction equipment, high frequency navigational systems (:25-3:01). The golfer speaks. Narrator explains: Pan American planes are getting radar – brand new. The golfer is on a mountaintop yelling. Soundwaves are shown and explained. Radar principles are explained. Radio detection and ranging is RADAR abbreviated. The world. The golfer. A plane and where the radar will go. The golfer is asking questions (3:02-5:49). Radar is explained. A plane and it’s ‘pulse’ are shown. The scope. Radar antenna. The sweep. Golfer continues to ask questions. How radar works. The sweep line is continually revolving. Radar helps the plane as it’s in fog and near clouds. The pilot will know its terrain and warn of approaching storms (5:50-9:06). The plane goes and the radar helps. Pan American plane flies. Land on the 50 mile point of the radar. How land and water will appear on the radar is explained. Map weather conditions. Pilot in cockpit. Plane going through clouds (9:07-11:32). How storms appear on the radar. The golfer is amazed. Contour is explained. Contour reverses the brightness of the echo so the worst part of a storm can be ‘seen.’ The golfer. Several Pan Am pilots talk about how radar works (11:33-13:04). Golfer in the cockpit with the pilot to test radar. The golfer checks the radar. Thunderstorm on the screen. Plane flies through a squall. The golfer is pleased. Then he’s even happier as he thinks he found his golfball (13:05-14:41). End credits (14:42-14:50).

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