This brief film displays some of the innovative and experimental aircrafts of the 1950’s at the well-known Edwards Air Force Base. The footage likely dates to the late 1950s or early 1960s. Edwards Air Force Base is situated in Kern County, California. The base was constructed in 1933 and saw much activity during WWII, the Cold War and in the present day as a flight test center. The base is also used for ground research and has a NASA facility as well. Nearly all aircrafts purchased by the USAF since the Second World War were developed there. Originally, the base was known as Muroc Air Force Base of California though it was rechristened in 1948 after an experimental flying wing bomber, the Northrop YB-49, crashed into the Mojave Desert. All five crew members perished; one being Glen Edwards and this is who the base was renamed for. During the time period following the war, a promise of a turbojet revolution and supersonic breakthrough was vitalized.
The film opens with a welcome sign to the Air Force Base (:13). A 1953 Chevrolet Corvette hardtop glides down a California highway (:53) as the camera car follows behind. Air Force men stand in a circle before their jets (1:09) as the camera peels up higher showing the noses of the great crafts. The Convair (1:30) XF-92A sits to the left bottom of the screen. The North American F-100 Super Sabre sits to the right at (2:16). The F101 Voodoo fighter (2:39) was crafted by McDonnell. The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger; an interceptor aircraft was introduced in 1956 (2:57). The F-104 Starfighter was crafted by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (3:48). Modern jet fighters sit in a circle (4:25). The F-4 Phantom appears with a close look at (5:54). The F-100 Super Sabre reappears at (6:28). The camera pans around the innovative crafts providing an aerial view (6:53) as the film concludes.
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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
