Скачать или смотреть Rare 1935 China Clipper Over San Francisco – Restored 4K Aviation Film

Witness a breathtaking moment in aviation history as a Pan American China Clipper soars over San Francisco Bay in 1935, passing between the unfinished towers of the Bay Bridge and near the rising pylons of the Golden Gate Bridge. This rare archival film captures commercial flight at the dawn of the trans-Pacific era—when flying boats connected continents and transformed global travel.

About This Film
Filmed in 1935 by Clyde Sunderland, this short aviation reel documents Pan American Airways Clipper aircraft operating in and around San Francisco Bay. The footage shows the China Clipper flying over Oakland and Alameda and threading past the incomplete towers of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, with sweeping aerial views of San Francisco, Alcatraz, and Marin County. These scenes provide a rare perspective on both early commercial aviation and the city’s iconic infrastructure mid-construction.

Historical Background
During the 1930s, Pan American’s Clippers were among the most advanced passenger aircraft in the world. Designed for long-range ocean crossings, these flying boats pioneered scheduled trans-Pacific service, linking the United States with Asia years before long-runway airports were common. The film’s timing is especially significant: the Golden Gate Bridge was still under construction, and the Bay Bridge towers had only begun to rise—placing this footage at a precise crossroads of aviation and engineering history.
Seen together, the aircraft and bridges symbolize the rapid technological ambition of the era, when air routes and monumental public works reshaped commerce, travel, and geography along the Pacific Rim.

Restoration Notes
This edition has been restored and upscaled to 4K resolution, improving image stability, contrast, and detail while preserving the original character of the black-and-white footage. The enhancement allows modern viewers to clearly observe aircraft movement, bridge structures, and the San Francisco skyline as it appeared in the mid-1930s.

Source & Credits
Original film sourced from Archive.org
Public Domain Source: archive.org/details/ChinaCli1935

Public Domain Disclaimer
This motion picture is confirmed to be in the Public Domain. It is presented for historical and educational purposes. No ownership of the original footage is claimed.

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