1976 "AIR FORCE NOW" NEWS MAGAZINE STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND COMPETITION GERMAN F-4 PHANTOMS 58134

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One of a series of "Air Force Now" news magazine films made by the U.S. Air Force, this edition dates to 1976. It begins with a bicentennial look at the Revolutionary War fought in 1775-1783. The film opens with the narrator standing in Middlesex County, Massachusetts at the site of the Lexington Green (:31). The British were met with resistance from Minutemen fighters here as a reenactment of this event takes place (:42). A monument honoring the fallen Minutemen stands near the narrator (:56). The Old North Church in Boston is pointed to (1:01) as well as a plaque for Paul Revere (1:06). From this church, the signal “one if by land, two if by sea” was sent out. The Bridge of Concord was the sight of combat between the British and American Minutemen (1:23). During the first year of the Revolution, the US Army and Navy were born (1:40). Later years led to the development of the Air Force. The title screen follows (2:38). The film turns to a modern Air Force base in Barksdale, Louisiana presenting how far the Air Force has come (3:11). The Strategic Air Command’s Bombing and Navigation Command Station includes the top air crews in SACS (3:13). They take part in the 1974 Strategic Air Command Combat Competition. The contest includes personnel from the British Royal Air Force as well (3:29). A few of the station’s aircrafts including a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress (3:38), an FB-111 Aardvark (3:40), a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker (3:43) and the General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark (3:47) are shown in succession. The Commander of SAC, General Russell Dougherty explains the importance of the selected loaded weapons crew (3:55) and the need for competition to keep the men efficient. Men from the 93rd Bomb Wing from Castle Air Force base in California stand as the winners of the competition (4:15). Tests are conducted which use real actions. Only the bombs are fake (4:54). The trophy from the Strategic Air Command Combat Competition stands in the Plattsburg Air Force Base in New York (5:16). General Dougherty returns to comment on the winners of the competition (5:32). The massive expanse of the Community College of the Air Force in Alabama is "as nearly as large as the entire Air Force" (6:09). Colonel Phipps, President of this college (6:29) addresses the need for the community college of the Air Force (6:29). Some of the men partake in physical trainings at the Lackland Air Force Base in Texas (7:00). Students are seen studying at the school for Applied Aerospace Science (7:21). From here they will move to operational bases (7:30). The cockpit of the Grumman F4F is inhabited by a German Air Force fighter crew pilot (8:35). An instructor informs viewers the German crews were to transition to the F-4 Phantom (9:33). Pilots learn techniques in a flight simulator (10:04). A pilot climbs into the cockpit of an F4F (11:27). A few of these crafts are then shown flying in formation (12:01) conducting air to air and air to ground combat maneuvers (12:16). The Tops in Blue are looked at next (13:05). This was a touring performance ensemble which was made up of active duty members which existed from 1953 to 2016. These performers traveled across the country to entertain over 5,400 members of the Air Force. Trunks and baggage are removed from the tour bus with the words ‘Tops in Blue’ on them (13:37) as the performers unload and begin setting up for their show (13:59). A warm up game played between the Air Force entertainers ensues known as the ‘Whose ever night it is in the barrel’ (14:21). Some of the performances are captured in montage including singing and dancing (15:16). The film was presented by the United States Air Force (17:29)

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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