“ THE FIGHT FOR THE SKY ” 1945 WWII AIR COMBAT OVER EUROPE EIGHTH AIR FORCE RONALD REAGAN 81724

About

“The Fight for the Sky” is a WW2 propaganda documentary commissioned by the US government in order to display victories of the Allied Air Forces over Europe prior to the Normandy Invasion. It features the American air base in East Anglia on the east coast of England during WW2. Various fighter planes are featured in battle including the P-47 Thunderbolt, P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang. It begins with preparations for a mission and shots of aerial combat over Europe. The narrator; Ronald Reagan, digs into mission preparations, including the briefing and planning process as well as the expected enemy opposition and coordination required. In February of 1944, a new initiative began. American forces switched from defensive to offensive position and began to seek out German installations. They specifically targeted enemy transportation methods. This initiative lead to the possibility of the Normandy landings and opening of the western front possible. This film was distributed and exhibited for the Office of War Information as a public service by the War Activities Committee Motion Picture Industry (:08). It is an Army Air Forces Film (:14). It was presented by the Eighth Air Forces Fighter Command and photographed by the 3rd Combat Camera Unit (:36). Planes head down the runway at East Anglia (:45). P-47’s fly over in formation (:55). A P-38 pushes forward (1:10). The P-38 was used most successfully in the Pacific and China-Burma-India Theaters of Operations. A side view of the Mustang, P-51 follows (1:24). Airmen enjoy recreation; read newspapers (1:45), play ping pong (1:47) and tune into the radio (1:48). General Jimmy Doolittle looks over plans for fighter protection at the 8th Air force headquarters (2:14). Major General Kepner (2:25) commands. Close shots show a field order (2:32) for the 62nd group. Servicemen are called for a briefing about a missions into Germany’s industrial region, the Ruhr (2:42). Thunderbolt propellers spin and engines warm up (3:22). P-38’s get moving as escorts (4:06). Mustangs drive over dirt for takeoff (4:11) headed for the interior of Germany. Thunderbolts climb over headed for rendezvous (4:49). Thunderbolts maneuver for escort positions (5:00) and later break from their positions (5:32). Sirens wail on the German side (6:23) and Luftwaffe fighter pilots run for crafts (6:24) such as Focke-Wulf 190’s. A formation of Mustangs watch the skies for enemy pilots (7:06). Long range wind tanks fall from the tail (7:28). Captured footage (8:04) from enemy fighters reveal the attack on Allied bombers from behind. A B-17 catches fire (8:20). Another is captured after having its tail shot off (8:26). Combat footage watches as Mustangs and Thunderbolt’s explode in the gunfight (9:02). Great shots watch bombs spill from the bomb bay (10:39). An 8th Air Force bomber mission (10:49) with full fighter plane escorts head to Berlin. Another group of Thunderbolts, Lightings and Mustangs (11:12) head for a mission. Combat erupts over European skies (11:50). Stunning footage capture strafing runs against ground targets and low flying enemy planes (12:50). Air fields are targeted (14:30). Train cars pop from aerial strafing (16:11). Barges (17:25), oil tanks (17:41), flak towers (17:47), radio and radio tower installations (17:55) and supply trucks explode. A staff car is hit (18:07). Tank guns blow (18:20). Notable pilots from this combat are featured; Major Gerald Johnson (18:48), Major Duane Beeson (18:58), Captain Eugene O’Neil (19:04), Don Blakeslee (19:15) and Major Bob Johnson among others (19:25). The narrator looks to the Pacific theater (19:54) as the historic flag raising of Iwo Jima is featured (19:54). An advertisement for the purchase of war bonds for the 7th War Loan (19:57) closes the film. This was produced for the War Finance Division US Treasury Department (20:13).

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