“P-38 Lightning” is a short film promoting the American P-38 fighter plane, otherwise known as the P-38 Lightning. Used during WWII, it was developed in 1941 for the U.S. Army Air Corps by the Lockheed Corporation, which eventually merged with the Martin Marietta Corporation to form Lockheed Martin in 1995. The plane was the only American fighter aircraft in large-scale production throughout the entire duration of the war. Directed by S.C. Burden with a script by Walter Wise, and animation by Disney studios’ Lester Norvos. It was narrated by Pat McGeehan.
(0:14) View of clouds in the sky from a moving plane. Three American P-38 fighter planes fly over a mountainous landscape. Shots of the planes climbing, taking off from a runway (probably Palmdale, California), and shooting ammunition (1:45) People on the ground view the P-38s as they fly above them (2:19) The men and women who build the planes. Shots of workers putting the planes together, from rivets and bolts to plate assembly. The planes include 4,800 feet of wire, 66 switches, and 1,500 feet of aluminum tubing (3:03) Pilots in uniform walk onto the runway as they prepare to fly the planes. Primary trainer planes line up on the tarmac for pilot training. Includes close-up of the seating area with the plane’s door raised (3:59) A “Lightning piggyback,” the trainer / instruction version of the plane, is built to accommodate a trainer and a student. Two men board the piggyback plane and the student asks his trainer a series of questions (4:57) Windows must be closed before takeoff to help ensure normal airflow. An open window can cause turbulence. Close-up of the pilot’s hands checking the plane’s settings and his feet revving the engine. The plane takes off on the runway (5:57) The passenger/instructor in the rear looks out the window as the plane turns. Includes views of the landscape below from the plane as it flies by (6:32) Shot of the plane flying steadily in the air and then accelerating, climbing to a higher altitude, and doing 360-degree flips, known as Aileron rolls (7:35) The plane prepares for landing. The gear goes down, half flaps are engaged, and the plane descends for the final approach and the two main wheels touch down on the runway (8:27) The passenger/instructor exits the plane. The pilot continues on alone and takes off on the runway yet again. Shots of the plane flying steadily and doing turns in the air. Should one engine fail or get damaged, the plane has another one. The gear goes down and the plane lands (10:59) The plane flies closely along a beach with a close view of the ground below. It then does a rapid climb in the air and flies over clouds in the sky.
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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
