1930’S U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS FILM “ AERONAUTICAL ODDITIES ” WHACKY FLYING MACHINES & AIRPLANES 84434

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This pre-war U.S. Army Air Corps film presents footage of experimental planes and flying contraptions from the 1920’s through the 1930’s. The collection was assembled by the US Army Air Corps (:17) and Paramount News presents the first newsreel (:37). Vehicles are seen riding down a public highway in Coatesville, Pennsylvania (:41). A glider type craft swoops in through the crowds and cars (:44). It is then seen in a field with it’s turntable wings spun by the inventor (:58). Pathe News presents D. T. Granville demonstrating his tail first plane in Springfield, Massachusetts (1:46). The craft is driven by automobile controls (1:57). The wheel is adjusted to show how it controls the rudders and ailerons (2:05). The plane takes off and flies with it’s tail facing forward (2:14). A Universal Newspaper Newsreel (2:34) brings the film to Orangeburg, New York. A windmill type flying craft is seen (2:41) invented by Johnathan Caldwell. The craft, named Gray Goose (3:09), is unable to take off from the ground. Harvest Metrotone News presents a tubular plane (3:25). It is shown in Milan and it’s rudders are viewed from the back of the cylindrical plane with long flat wings (3:32). Another craft presented by Harvest is the C. L. Synder plane in South Bend, Indiana (4:05). The craft is shown to be fairly similar to more modern air planes except for the long wing extensions which make it appear to represent a butterfly (4:26). Due to its shape, in the event of motor failure, it could be flown as a glider (4:35). Paramount News (4:58) shows a spindle plane invented by C. Popper (5:14). Popper gives an explanation as to how the spindles work (8:23). It is wingless and the larger spindles are the main lifting lifters (5:32). The spindles are shown to be revolving and creating a lifting vacuum above (5:48). A Universal Newspaper Newsreel shows a craft known as the “potato bug” (6:16) which is seen flying low over a crop field (6:27). The pilot waves and steps from the cockpit at (6:51). In Greenville, Illinois a plane with a large circular top mount heads down a runway for take off (7:05). It moves over the country side (7:14) and lowers smoothly due to the flat circular top side (7:23). A tailless plane is seen in Glendale, California (7:41) with only a cockpit and wings. The craft takes off (7:58). A device on the wingtips controls the craft’s direction (8:13). In Czechoslovakia, Unzez Chalupsky is seen with his model plane (8:22). The contraption is seen flapping it’s wings (8:36) and taking off (8:44). A self-flying plane is presented by Pathe News in Glendale California (8:56). It’s stabilizers are pointed to (9:04). The pilot is viewed as he steps from the cockpit (9:13). The automatic controls are seen in action (9:18). The pilot stands on the fuselage (9:24). Another Universal Newsreel shows an aero-bike (9:41). In Baltimore, the pilot pedals to move the wings (9:46). The craft is unable to take off (10:03). In Paris, France a pilot climbs into an elliptical plane (10:25). The tail is shown to stick up from the middle (10:30). Willard E. Blain conducts tests on his ornithopter in New London, Connecticut (11:10). Willard addresses the camera with the invention on his back as he believed it would enable him to fly as a bird (11:26). He jumps from a bridge over water (11:43) and drops straight into the waterway (11:47). He tests it again as he runs to jump from a rock, though he comically lands on his frontside (12:11). W. P. Kindree and his ‘sky car’ are presented by Hearst in Detroit (12:14). The inventor and machine follow (12:29). As the craft is started up, it simply jostles violently up and down without taking off (13:41). A butcher is shown in Van Nuys, California demonstrating his rocket device (14:37). The device blows (14:40) and the butcher’s bicycle glider is then shown at the Metropolitan airport (14:50). A dog collar is attached around his neck which was supposed to enable him to help the wings flap (15:11). As his helpers run behind him and light the power plant (15:27), the bike tips over and the butcher’s pants catch fire (15:57).

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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