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

“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…

- Kind: Film
- Genres: War, Industrial and advertising
- Archive: [Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/81724TheFightForTheSky)
- Licence or status: none stated by the archive
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (the archive gives no rating; placed by Invisible Network from its collection and subjects)

[Watch now](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/watch/archive/ia/81724TheFightForTheSky?play=1)