Zeno's Complete World War II Warbird Video Collection - Now 35 DVDs!

You'll receive thirty five professionally produced, full screen home DVDs, with up to seven World War 2 aviation films per DVD. Disk titles are: the F4U, F6F, P-38, P-39, P-40, P-47, P-51, P-61, A-20/A-26, B-17, B-24, B-25, B-26, B-29 (Volumes 1 & 2), AT-6/SNJ, Stearman N2S/PT-13/17S (2 DVD set), Winning Your Wings, US Navy Bombers, US Bombers Go to War, Target For Today, Target for Tonight, Combat America, Memphis Belle, Thunderbolt!, P-47 Thunderbolts Attack, B-24 Liberators Go to War, Operation Titanic, US Carriers go to War, The Rabaul Campaign, Colossus: the Rise of the Army Air Force 1939-43, World War 2 Fighter Tactics, Land and Live in Extreme Environments and The Fighting Lady. The DVDs also include more than 20 detailed pilot's manuals for the featured aircraft, with flight instructions, performance charts, systems diagrams, photographs & much more. And, unlike other historic film publishers, we have digitally restored many of our videos. Your collection is delivered in a handsome Case Logic Koskin carrying case. Pilot's manuals are in Adobe Acrobat file format and are viewable on any computer equipped with a DVD player.

Fighter DVDs

The F4U Corsair DVD Three films & 64 page F4U pilot's manual

* How to Fly the Vought F4U "Corsair" (1944, B&W, 20:30) "A big, tough, shipboard fighter." This was the plane flown by Pappy Boyington's infamous "Black Sheep" VMF-214 Marine squadron. Initially rejected by they US Navy as a carrier fighter, it was loved by island based Marine squadrons who found it to be both an excellent air superiority fighter and outstanding ground support bomber, a trait much prized and loved by the Corps. Known to Japanese pilots as "Whistling Death" for good reason, the F4U had an amazing 11-1 kill ratio The Corsair went on to perform with distinction through the Korean War and for the French in Indochina.

* Offensive Fighter Tactics (1943, Color, 21:00) Learn the tactics US Navy fighter pilot's developed -- the hard way --during the first two years of the War. Covers everything from situational awareness & assessing enemy capabilities to one-on-one dog fights and squadron tactics. Full of detailed illustrations & examples. A must have for virtual combat pilots and World War II fighter enthusiasts alike!

* Hook Down, Wheels Down (1968, Color & B&W, 55:00) This fine documentary was produced by the Department of the Navy to celebrate the first 50 years of carrier based aviation, with an emphasis on World War II operations. The Navy Archives were opened to provide footage ranging from precarious landings on the old Langley, to the Battle of the Coral Sea, to CVEs facing the Japanese at Leyte Gulf and more. Along with some great Navy action, the highlight of the film are the numerous interviews with famous naval aviators, including George Gay, the only survivor at Midway from Torpedo Squadron 8, John Thatch, who tells how he invented the famous "Thatch Weave," Gene Valencia, a top USN ace, and Adm Wade McClusky, also of Midway fame.

* The Saga of the Franklin (1945, Color, 24:00) This inspiring documentary shows how the gallant officers and men of the carrier Franklin overcame incredible battle damage inflicted by a devastating bomb hit to save their ship. Also contains rare and informative color footage of late war F4U Corsair carrier ops and daily life on board the ship.

* 64 page F4U Corsair pilot's manual in .pdf file format with photos, systems diagrams, performance charts, flight procedures & more.

The Grumman F6F Hellcat DVD Three films & 60 page F6F pilot's manual

* Flight Characteristics of the Grumman F6F "Hellcat"(1944, B&W, 19:26) The Navy's workhorse fighter/bomber, faster and more durable than a Zero, easy to fly and produced in great numbers, the Hellcat became the US Navy's number one weapon in securing air superiority over the Pacific. Takeoff through landing, this Navy Department films puts the nimble Hellcat through it's paces/

* Recognition of the Japanese Zero Fighter (B&W, 1944, 20:00) Lieutenant "Jimmy Saunders" (Ronald Reagan) learns how to tell a P-40 from Japanese A6M Zero, the hard way. (That's a very angry Craig Stevens aka "Peter Gunn" on the receiving end.) Contains plenty of interesting info about what US pilots were told about Japan's most produced and feared fighter and how to spot it. Includes seldom seen footage of a captured Zero doing spectacular aerobatics.

* Spins & Stalls (B&W, 1944) Why they happen & what to do about them. F6F, F4U & more.

* Don't Kill Your Friends -- Range Safety for fixed gun aircraft (B&W, 1944, 15:00) Believe it or not, "Dilbert" cartoons started in World War II, and, no they didn't feature those poor shmucks stuck in corporate quick sand. The first "Dilbert" cartoons were created by U.S. Navy Lt. Richard Osborn, based on the Navy flier name for operational errors --"dillies." The "Don't be a Dilbert" warning and character was featured on a wide variety of posters promoting safety As played here by "Dead End Kid" Huntz Hall Dilbert is a deadly combination of over confidence and bumbling incompetence who wreaks havoc among Naval personnel and innocent civilians. A nice feature of this film is a good look inside and outside the Navy F4F/FM carrier fighters used in training. In this humorous, yet deadly serious US Navy training film, Dilbert fearlessly provides a string of negative examples of what not to do during aerial gunnery practice.

* 60 page F6F pilot's manual in .pdf file format with photos, detailed systems diagrams, performance charts, procedures & more.

The P-38 Lightning DVD Six P-38 films with 72 page P-38 pilot's manual all on one DVD

* The Back Door Gang: 430th FS Color Scrapbook (1945, COLOR 15:00) NEW! Drive-In Exclusive Newly discovered film of the 430th FS, 474th FG, 9th Air Force. From the get go, the 474th was configured as a ground attack unit, but they also provided bomber escort and level bombing, led by Norden equipped "Droop Snoops." One of three P-38 squadrons in the 474th, the 430th's call sign was "Back Door," and its planes and pilots are featured in the film in the Spring of 1945 at their base in Florennes, Belgium. You'll see some intense (and rare) color gun camera film showing strafing attacks inside Germany, as well as color footage of B-26s and a P-61 Black Widow. Perhaps most memorable are the all too brief, silent portraits of the men who flew those dangerous missions. It's amazing how color film brings 60+ year old images to life.

* Flight Characteristics of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning (1943, color, 34:00). 'Lockheed's top WW2 test pilots do the check out on this very thorough pilot training video. The aircraft of choice of top American Aces, Dick Bong and Tommy McGuire, the '38 was America's fastest and most advanced fighter in 1941 and served with distinction in a variety of roles throughout the war -- from bomber escort and dive bomber in Europe to the Army's air superiority fighter in the Pacific.

* P-38 Reconnaissance Pilot (1944, B&W 29.00) New Starring William Holden ("Bridge on the River Kwai") as Lt. "Packy" Cummings. Photo recon pilots Photo Joes) had one of the riskiest, highest impact jobs in the war. Flying camera equipped, unarmed, and often unescorted aircraft -- in this case the Lockheed F-5, a "stripped down" P-38 -- pilots flew deep into enemy territory. "Reconnaissance Pilot" follows Packy Cummings. from basic training to the skies over New Guinea. He's not particularly happy to be flying reconnaissance -- his Dad was a renowned World War I ace recently killed by the Japanese and he wants revenge. The story of the film is how Packy comes to realize the absolutely essential nature of photo recon and how one Photo Joe can have more deadly impact than a whole squadron of combat '38s. Along the way, you'll learn about photo recon and see some nice F-5 footage, The climax of the film, an action packed clash with a Japanese Zero, is based on a real incident where Alex Gary, the most decorated US recon pilot of the War, deep sixed his opponent without firing a shot.

* Angel in Overalls (1945, B&W, 15:00) This film was developed to show US Lockheed P-38 production line workers the Lightning at war in a wide variety of combat roles. The dramatic framing for the piece involves a straggling B-24 that is saved from certain destruction by the arrival of "Angels in Overalls" -- P-38s. You'll see all aspects of Lightnings in action, including air-to-air gun camera, bombing, rocketing and photo recon. There's a cameo by Air Corps P-38 ace of aces Dick Bong too. This dramatic film is a must see for all P-38 fans!

*Yamamoto shot down! (1944, B&W, 4:00) See the P-38 Squadron that shot down Admiral Yamamoto in an incredible long distance interception in the Pacific. Includes purported P-38 gun camera footage of the Admiral's Betty going down in flames, This truly amazing mission -- the result of super secret code breaking and meticulous planning-- was one of the most astounding feats of the war. See why it's been called "the equivalent of shooting down an arrow with a bullet from a mile away"

* Dick Bong Pacific Ace (1944, B&W, 4:00) This short film pays tribute to Richard "Dick" Bong, the leading American ace of World War II. Flying P-38s, he had 40 victories in the South Pacific and was renowned for being a remarkably accurate shot. After 28 victories, he could have withdrawn completely from combat to instruct, but he continued to fly combat missions at his own request. He died test flying the new Lockheed P-80 jet fighter on August 6, 1945, the day the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. His death received equal billing in newspapers across the country, a testament to the high esteem in which he was held.

* 72 page Lockheed P-38 pilot's manual in .pdf file format with photos, detailed systems diagrams, performance charts, procedures & more. This pilot's handbook is essential for a clear understanding of the operation & performance capabilities of one of the most innovative aircraft of World War II-- the P-38 Lightning." -- Zeno

The Bell P-39 Airacobra DVD 3 films including 36 page P-39 pilot's manual

* Introduction to the P-39 (1943, B&W, 37:43) The basics of flying the P-39 Airacobra. Very detailed

* How to Fly the P-39 (1943, B&W, 23:11) Explores more advanced P-39 maneuvers and capabilities.

Two very thorough and informative fighter pilot training films covering all aspects of Airacobra operation. One of the Russian Air Force's favorite US. Imports, the Airacobra was an outstanding tank buster on the Eastern Front. It's mid engine and 37mm canon were virtually unique. The '39 was widely used as a trainer in the US and had a reputation for weeding out poor pilots -- permanently.

* Collecting And Reporting Enemy Information by Fighter Pilots (1942, B&W 17:00) This rare early war training films features P-39 "the 181st Squadron" carrying out a complete mission, with an emphasis on briefing sessions, gathering intelligence during a combat mission, and how to give accurate after action reports. Basic squadron tactics are also covered .

*36 page Bell P-39 Airacobra pilot's manual in .pdf file format with photos, detailed systems diagrams, performance charts, procedures & more.

The Curtiss P-40 WarHawk DVD Three films with 32 page pilot's manual

* How to Fly the Curtiss P-40 "WarHawk" (1943: Color, 35:00) Newly discovered extended (34-minute) color version of with original narration. A detailed checkout produced by manufacturer Curtiss Wright. Claire Chenault's Flying Tigers deadly weapon in China, the P-40 was the Army Air Corp's main front line fighter at the outbreak of the War. This rugged plane served the Allies around the world , from the deserts of North Africa to the jungles of SE Asia..

* China Crisis: The Story of the 14th Air Force (1943, B&W, 35:00) After Pearl Harbor, the American Volunteer Force (AVG) Flying Tigers and their P-40s were incorporated into the new 14th Air Force, and their CO, Claire Chennault, was put in command. This is story of the 14th in action, including P-40 gun camera footage, the epic airlift over "The Hump, and a rare look at air operations in China

* Why We Fight: The Battle of China (1943: B&W 63:00) NEW This is the sixth installment of Academy Award winner Frank Capra's legendary "Why We Fight" series and it is devoted to the conflict between China and Japan from the early 1930's through America's entry into the conflict after Pearl Harbor. As such, it is an excellent background piece on the war that the Flying Tiger's fought in China as "The American Volunteer Force." As might be expected, the film does not stint on wartime propaganda, but it is also a unique repository of film from this seldom covered theater, including captured footage of the Imperial Japanese Army and Air Force in action.

* 32 page P-40 Warhawk pilot's manual in .pdf file format with photos, detailed systems diagrams, performance charts, procedures & more,

The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt DVD All four P-47 films and pilot's manual

How to Fly the Republic P-47 "Thunderbolt" in three parts (1943 B&W )Ungainly in appearance, the Thunderbolt was a lethal weapon in the ETO. Aces like Zemke and Gabreski racked up most of their kills in a "Jug," and as the war progressed, it became the ground attack weapon of choice for the Americans in Europe.

* Pilot Familiarization for the P-47 ( 23:00) We've finally located a copy of "Part 1" of Republic's three part "How to Fly the P-47!" The good news is that this film is more than worth the wait. You'll see a detailed, step-by-step rundown on the Thunderbolt's lay out, specs, design and capabilities. Especially informative are a tour of all the major cockpit instruments and components and a look inside the mechanical workings of the turbo supercharger

*Ground Handling, Takeoff, Normal Flight and Landing(24:34) Basic pilot instructions for operating the "T-Bolt"

* High Altitude Flight and Aerobatics (21:08) See the Jug Rock & Roll. Loops, Immelmens, power dives -- the Thunderbolt is really put through her paces. A good overview of operating the P-47 at high altitude too.

* Uncrating and Assembly of the P-47 Thunderbolt (1943, B&W, 40:00) This truly remarkable step-by-step training film shows how a ground support crew could assemble a P-47 in a field using nothing more than muscle, unpowered hand tools, and pieces of the shipping crate it came in. A must see for P-47 fans and shade tree mechanics alike!

Part 1: Failure to S Turn while taxiing; Wheels up landings; Landing short of the runway; Stalls & Spins; and Colliding with a ground target during gunnery practice.
Part 2: Retracting landing gear on the ground; Improper tank selection leading to gasoline starvation; Colliding with a towed target; Flying too low under a low ceiling & crashing into the water, and Overshooting the runway.
Part 3: Violent braking leading to a nose plant; Oxygen starvation at high altitude; Blocking an active runway; Mid air collisions during head on attack exercises; Dropping in to, land from too high an altitude.

* 50-page Republic P-47D Thunderbolt pilot's manual in .pdf file format with photos, systems diagrams, performance charts, procedures & more.

P-47 Thunderbolts Go to War: Thunderbolt! Restored DVD - Three Films

* Thunderbolt! (color documentary, 1944, 45:00) chronicles the exploits of the P-47 Thunderbolt pilots of the "Fighting Gamecocks" of the 65th Fighter squadron, 57th Fighter Group. Based on the island of Corsica off the northwest coast of the Italian boot, they flew from behind the enemy's flank. As part of "Operation Strangle," they continuously attacked highways, bridges, ammo dumps, railroads and just about anything that moved to choke off the flow of supplies to the Axis front line. This film not only features one-of-a-kind P-47 combat footage, it also shows day-to-day life on a MTO forward air base, including vintage pilot slang. "This has to be finest combination of great photography, a hard bitten, realistic script, stirring music, powerful narration and full bore Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59W Double Wasp radial engine roar I have seen or heard in a World War II documentary. Truly memorable and highly recommended." Zeno

* P-47 Combat Operations (1945, Black & White, 16:30) This film was shown to fledgling "Jug "pilots before they shipped out to forward air bases around the world. This engrossing video features a half dozen real pilots flying real missions in a variety of roles in all theater of war, including very rare footage of Thunderbolt napalm attacks against Japanese pill boxes in the Pacific. You'll hear the action described in their own words, including a liberal sprinkling of vintage pilot slang.

* Ramrod to Emden (1945, B&W, 34:00) The 56th Fighter Group (made up of the 61, 62 & 63 squadrons) was one of the most storied Air Corps units of World War II. Home to aces like David Schilling (22 kills), Frances "Gabby" Gabreski (28), Robert S. Johnson (27), Fred Christensen (21.5), Walker Mahurin (21), and CO Hubert "Hub" Zemke (18), the 56th blazed an early trail across the skies of the ETO in their massive but deadly P-47 Thunderbolts. "Ramrod to Emden" is the action packed story of their Dec 11, 1943 bomber escort mission (aka "a ramrod") to Emden, Germany.

P-47 Thunderbolts Attack! DVD Three Films -- Exclusive

* The 362nd Fighter Group: On the prowl over Germany (Color 30:00) Exclusive ProductionThis video contains some of the most exciting color air action sequences to come out of World War II. Select 362nd Fighter Group P-47 Thunderbolt fighter/bombers were especially equipped with extra color movie cameras to capture thrilling ground and air attacks as they happened. These squadrons were tasked with striking targets inside Nazi Germany as the war against the Third Reich entered it"s final act in Spring, 1945. The result is unique "from the cockpit" views putting you in the middle of attacks on tanks, airfields, trucks, rail yards, bridges, trains, fighters, and more. You'll even see antiaircraft fire arcing up from the ground, bursting around the big Thunderbolts as they make their low level strikes. You'll meet 362nd CO Col. Joe Laughlin and the pilots and crews of the 377th, 378th and 379th Fighter Squadrons and their aircraft in living color. As an added bonus, there's rare color footage of the "Operation Varsity," the airborne assault across the Rhine.

*The 365 Fighter Group "Hell Hawks" (Color 15:00) Exclusive ProductionMore exciting P-47 Thunderbolt action from the skies over Germany, Spring, 1945. Lt. Col. Louis T Houck leads the men of the 386th, 387th, and 388th Fighter Squadrons into action. You'll see extensive color footage of the 365th Thunderbolts in their forward bases in France and Belgium and exciting air-to- air and air-to-ground attacks, including rare gun camera film of the shoot down of an Messerschmidt Me 262 jet fighter!

* Bonus feature: Gun camera slow motion replay. When an aircraft is traveling at 300+ mph during an attack run, things happen in a hurry. It's often difficult to make sense of everything you're seeing in the gun camera film. So, we have taken the very extensive gun camera footage in these two videos, isolated it into an additional video, and slowed it down so you have time to see what's really happening.

The P-51 Mustang Goes to War DVD including 130 page P-51 pilot's manual and six films

* Flight Characteristics of the North American P-51 "Mustang" (1944, B&W, 30:36) Covers all aspects of the theory & practice of P-51 operations, including takeoffs, landings, aerobatics, dive limits, and laminar wing airflow theory. Oscar nominee Lee J. Cobb plays Mustang designer "Dietz" in this detailed pilot training film. Often called the best all around piston engine fighter of World War 2, Chuck Yeager became an Ace in the '51. The Mustang's very high speed and all 'round qualities as a fighter coupled with extreme range for use as a bomber escort and interdicting fighter bomber were crucial factors when the 8th Air Force turned the tide of the Air War over Europe.

* The 354th Fighter Group "Mustang Pioneers" Color Scrapbook (Color 9:00) New! Exclusive production. Rare color footage of the legendary 354 Fighter Group, with over 700 Kills, the highest scoring American unit in Europe. You'll see great aces like G.T.Eagleston and B.W. Carr at work and at play in their newly captured base in Germany in Spring, 1945, only a few months before war's end. Nice shots of the groups well known P-51Ds too, including "Margie Maru" and "Angel's Playmate." This was the first group to fly P-51s in the ETO

* Fight for the Sky (1945, B&W, 40:00) Hard-to-find 40-minute version In February of 1944, General Jimmy Doolittle "turned loose" his fighters for the first time to go after the Luftwaffe where they lived. This marked a radical change in strategy from the disastrous tactics of 1943 that kept escorting fighters chained to bombers. Now, US fighters, including the super long range P-51, probed deep into Germany, catching the opposition on the ground, inflicting mortal damage. This tactic marked a turning point in the war in the air in the ETO, and contributed to critical total air superiority over the beaches of Normandy. This feature combines thrilling combat footage filmed by 8th Air Force cameramen with some of the most action packed World War II gun camera footage you'll ever see!

* A Day with the A-36s (1944, Color, 14:00) Unique extended color version with newly discovered footage. Very rare combat film of an A-36A fighter-bomber squadron in action in Sicily. The A-36 was the ground attack variant of the P-51 and was known as "the Invader" or "the Mustang." The A36A was equipped with the Mustang's original Allison engine, as opposed to the Rolls Royce Merlin adapted so successfully in the escort versions, which worked just fine for low level work. Note the quad 20mm canons on this fast and powerful attack plane, very unusual on an American fighter.You'll see ground crews doing their critical support work, including fueling, rearming and maintaining these sleek birds. This exciting film includes incredible cockpit views of screaming ground attack runs as well as fascinating scenes from a captured Italian air base. Hidden gems in this film are up close views of captured or destroyed Axis aircraft, including an He 111, FW-190, Ju 88, and a rare view of an intact Italian Macchi 202 "Folgore" in full desert cammo.

* Air Attacks Against Italy (1945, B&W, 6:00) More exciting "from the cockpit" views of A-36 bombing & strafing attacks near Rome in 1944. This is a short film, but it's nonstop action! Some of the best footage of US dive bombing attacks you will find anywhere.

* Luftwaffe Finis Bonus feature (Color 12:00) New! Exclusive production. Newly discovered color footage of top Luftwaffe leaders and pilots taken as they fell into Allied hands at the end of World War II. You'll see startlingly realistic color footage of Herman Goering, Adolf Galland, Hans Ulrich Rudel and many more. Captured aircraft are shown as well, including an Me 262, the first jet fighter, and an FW 190. You'll be amazed when you see these color images

*130 page North American P-51D's pilot's manual in .pdf file format with photos, color illustrations, detailed systems diagrams, performance charts, procedures & more. "If you don't have this comprehensive manual, you're only getting half the story of the P-51." -- Zeno

The Northrop P-61 Black Widow DVD 3 films & 64 page P-61 pilot's manual

* Northrop P-61 Black Widow Night Fighters in Color Color New! (1945, 6:00) Exclusive production from recently discovered materials. Very rare color P-61 footage shot at the end of World War II. See the 422nd NFS operating out of Florennes, Belgium, where you'll get an up close look at P-61 "No Nothin II." Then you'll move on to the Pacific and the island of Saipan, where you'll see legendary 548th NFS P-61 "Bat Outa Hell." One the highlights of this program is P-61 gun camera film showing a night attack with bombs, rockets and 20mm cannon

*Flying the P-61 Series Airplane: The Northrop "Black Widow" Night Fighter (1944, B&W, 27:40) Was this the Air Corp's first stealth fighter? Here's a rare look at one of the least seen, wildest looking, and most specialized American production aircraft of WW2. Armed to the teeth with powerful engines, radar, a remotely controlled 50 cal. machine gun turret, and four 20mm canon, this black beauty was designed to sneak up on unsuspecting prey and quickly blow them right out of the sky.

* Night Vision for Airmen (1942, B&W, 10:00) Hollywood legend & real life WWII hero Jackie Cooper stars in this short film for night fighter pilots. A dark film on a dark subject.

* 64 page P-61 "Black Widow" pilot's manual in .pdf file format with photos, detailed systems diagrams, performance charts, procedures & more.

World War 2 Fighter Tactics, Aerial Gunnery, Gun Camera Film & More NEW! Eight exciting videos - all on one DVD!

* Fighter Combat Formations: Attack & Escort with Ronald Reagan (1943, 14:00, Restored B&W)An experienced Army Air Force fighter pilot, played with his usual verve by Ronald Reagan, is called back from the front to lead a fighter tactics class in Flight School for rookie pilots. (On first hearing he's headed stateside, the Gipper exclaims, "Two solid weeks of babes & beverages!") The film starts with the AAF way for forming. deploying and maneuvering fighter formations from two ship elements to 12 plane squadrons & how to take on enemy fighters. Then the focus turns to tactics for escorting friendly bombers and attacking enemy bomber formations, including close escort, top cover, using the sun to blind opponents and employing decoys in the attack - and more. Well illustrated.

* Offensive Tactics Against Enemy Fighters with John "Jimmy" Thach (1943, 21:00, Restored Color) Learn the tactics US Navy fighter pilot's developed -- the hard way -- during the first two years of World War 2 fighting the Japanese. Narrated and produced by legendary World War 2 fighter ace John "Jimmy" Thach ("The Thach Weave") & animated by Disney. Covers everything from situational awareness & assessing enemy capabilities to one-on-one dog fights and squadron tactics. Full of detailed illustrations & examples. A must see for virtual combat pilots and World War II fighter enthusiasts alike!

* Acrobatics for Fighter Pilots featuring the Fairchild PT-19 (1943, 20:00, Restored B&W) This Army Air Corps training film covers the basic acrobatic maneuvers every fighter pilot should master before heading into combat, including Immelmans, loops, snap, half & slow rolls, vertical reverses and more. This is a very detailed, hands on training film, showing the role of control surfaces, precise live action stick and rudder movements for each maneuver and common errors and how to avoid them. The agile Fairchild PT-19 trainer is a star performer

* Flexible Aerial Gunnery: Making A Gunner (1943,13:00, Restored B&W) This Army Air Force training film is the best look inside a World War 2 aerial gunnery school we have seen. Developed to be shown to trainees at the beginning of their course, its a thorough step by step preview of what to expect. Some of the many things you'll see: the role of the instructor, .30 &.50 caliber machine guns, dealing with jams, compensating for bullet drop, estimating range and leading targets, bore sighting and harmonization & a lot more. Live highlights include action on the firing range using transplanted motorized .50 cal gun turrets shooting at moving targets and in the air firing at towed targets. There's even a training session shooting enemy fighters projected on a movie screen -- high tech in 1943

* 8th Air Force Gun Camera Film (1945,11:00, Restored B&W) The origin of this video is a silent 8th Air Force information film showing 8th AF P-51 gun camera film shot in the snow covered Winter of 1944-1945, with brief unit IDs for each pilot. We've restored the video, added sound effects from real P-51s and included photos of most of the featured pilots with additional info and pictures of their Mustangs. You'll see film from legendary aces like "Kit" Carson & his P-51 "Nooky Booky IV" & many more. Includes exciting air to air & air to ground attack film from the 35th, 55th, 78th, 357th, 364th, 379th & 479th Fighter Groups

* 9th Air Force Gun Camera Film (1945,10:00, Restored Color) This color video is taken from archival collection of dark, faded silent film that we've been able to restore using digital technology. Once again we've added additional info about the pilots and planes and added real P-47 Thunderbolt sound effects. Featured pilots from the 362nd Fighter Group are Alvin Lieberman, Robert A Jackson and the legendary Wilfred Crutchfield, flying his P-47 "Kentucky Colonel," attacking a wide variety of ground targets in March, 1945. (The 362nd FG is also featured on our very popular "P-47 Thunderbolts Attack!" DVD. This is all new footage!) Then you'll see action packed film from the 389th Fighter Squadron, 366th FG giving a railyard what was known as "a .50 caliber hosing" -- relentless strafing runs!

* Recognizing the Focke Wulf Fw 190 (1943, 7:00, Restored B&W) This informative aircraft recognition film was produced by the RAF. Telling friend from foe was an essential skill for every combat pilot. Fine in flight footage shot from many angles of a captured Fw 190. The 'Butcher Bird" was many Luftwaffe ace's favorite fighter: fast, heavily armed and maneuverable, with an outstanding roll rate. One of the highlights of this film is a mock dog fight between a captured 190 and a P-47 Thunderbolt. Can you tell them apart?

* Recognizing the Junkers Ju 88 (1943,7:00, Restored B&W) Another excellent RAF aircraft recognition film. There's some very good Ju 88 footage here, including one of the intact examples that landed in Britain, shown in flight from many angles. Originally designed for the Luftwaffe as a fast ("schnell") medium bomber in the 1930s, the '88 ended up performing more roles than any other aircraft in World War 2, including level bomber, dive bomber, night fighter, torpedo bomber, reconnaissance aircraft, heavy fighter and as a radio controlled flying bomb.

Bomber DVDs

The Boeing B-17 DVD Five films & Pilot's Manual

* How to Fly the Boeing B-17 in four parts (1943, B&W) Amazingly durable and bristling with guns, the B-17 led the charge over Europe. Four very detailed & well produced films presented in an easy going pilot-to-pilot format. These are the complete original films -- not edited summaries.

* Part 1: Ground Operations (34:00) Veteran actor Arthur Kennedy ("Lawrence of Arabia") takes a rookie pilot through a complete preflight check, including exterior, interior and instruments. Your guided step by step through the complete procedure, including engine stat up and run up.

* Part 2 Flight Operations( 29:00) Part 2 takes up where Part 1 left off with takeoff, flight characteristics and landing. An entertaining animation shows the importance of proper attitude in the B-17 during takeoff, and once again, you'll see a hands on demonstration of the proper use of all instruments during the flight.

* Part 3: Emergency Operations (25:00)This films literally a "hot stove" session where veteran pilots give hands on advice on how to overcome some of their most challenging B-17 emergency situations. You'll learn how to handle dangerous situations like in flight engine fires, CG induced flight instability, stalls, emergency Takeoffs & landings and more.

* Part 4: The Induction system (23:00) Your admiration for the knowledge and skill of Fortress pilots will soar when you learn all about how to manage the B-17s complex and temperamental Turbo Supercharger system! Animations provide a detailed, yet easy to understand, explanations of the proper operation of the interdependent elements of the big Fort's high altitude breathing system. A gear heads delight!

* B-17 25 Hour Inspection (28:00.1943, B&W ) This fascinating film is told from a B-17 crew chief's perspective. You'll literally get under the skin of the mighty Fortress as skilled mechanics perform comprehensive 25 hour maintenance and check out of everything from flight control system cables to oil filters and turret operation.

109 page Boeing B-17 pilot's manual with photos, systems diagrams, performance charts, flight procedures & more. "You don't really know the inside workings of the Boeing B-17 until you've been through this comprehensive handbook. They reference it many times during the B-17 training films. One of my favorites," -- Zeno

The Memphis Belle DVD -- Three Flims & B-17 Mechanic's Manual

* The Memphis Belle (1944, Technicolor, 43:00) The film chronicles the 25th mission of the Boeing B-17 Memphis Belle, flying deep into Germany to strike the all important U-boat submarine pens at Wilhemshaven. This is the original wartime documentary, written and directed by legendary Academy Award winner William Wyler. If this film looks mad sounds familiar, it's because this is the same production crew that brought you another wonderful classic, "Thunderbolt!." (Don't confuse this "original" Memphis Belle with the well intentioned but flawed Hollywood fluff piece produced in the 1990s.) You'll see Capt Robert Morgan and the men of the B-17 "Memphis Belle," 324th Squadron, 91st BG, going about their deadly business in rare Technicolor footage. The mission shown in the film is both routine and climactic, because 25 missions completed meant the crew could rotate out of combat. (Too many never made it to 25 missions. Bomber losses were high.) It's a measure of both the times and the men who flew these planes that several of the Belle's crew signed on for more missions, finishing the War flying B-29s against Japan. See them in Target Tokyo.

* B-17E 25 Hour Inspection "The Crew Chief" (Produced by Army Air Force -- 1943, B&W, 44:00) This is another fascinating B-17 maintenance film, aimed at the B-17 crew chief. Although it covers the same general procedures as the Boeing produced film, the film is twice as long and goes into significantly more detail. And not surprisingly , this Army Air Force film covers some different ground than the Boeing film, and vice versa. Taken together with the "B-17F E&M Mechanic's Instructions Manual" (see below) provides a treasure trove for B-17 Fans

* Winning Your Wings (1942, B&W, 20:00) The United States entry into World War II seemed to happen almost over night. The Army Air Corps needed thousands qualified air and ground officers and crew yesterday. "Winning Your Wings" is an early war recruiting film hosted and enthusiastically narrated by Capt Jimmy Stewart. (Stewarts stirring delivery is a highlight of the film.) Already an accomplished pilot, Stewart enlisted early. He served stateside as a B-17 flight instructor and then as a combat bomber pilot and squadron leader in Europe throughout the war. The film shows how joining the Air Corps provides a quick path to noncom and officer status and an advanced (for the time) training program. It also emphasizes that lack of a college degree is not a prerequisite for advance rank or pilot training. And last, not but not least, the girls sure go for those pilot's wings! "Winning Your Wings" is also notable for glimpses inside the relatively rare prewar vintage B-17s used to film some of the in-flight sequences. "This film is over 60 years old, but by the end, Jimmy Stewart had me ready to sign up!" Zeno

* B-17F E&M Mechanic's Instructions Manual: 506 pages with color illustrations This manual is known as the "B-17 Bible" for good reason. Mechanics and ground crew used it every day for servicing and assembly of the big Flying Fortress. Armaments, engines, instruments, electrical systems, bomb loading, fuselage assembly, landing gear -- that's just a small portion of what is covered in over 500 pages of charts, illustrations, tables and detailed instructions. This is an indispensable resource for B-17 fans, but it's also an absorbing way for any World War II aviation fan to get under the skin of a classic World War II heavy bomber to see what made it tick. Great fun with many hours of exploring. And any vet who worked on one of these birds will be instantly transported back in time.

The Douglas A20 Havoc & A-26 Invader DVD Five films on one DVD including two pilot's manuals

*A-26 Invaders Attack! (21:00 Color, 1945) ) New Exclusive production from Military Arts Pictures. Legendary SFP 186 combat cameramen rode along with 416th bomb Group A-26 Invaders during March and April, 1945 with color film loaded in their cameras. The results are some of the most beautiful and dramatic footage to come out of the World War II.You'll see fleets of silver Invaders soaring through towering cumulus clouds before unloading torrents of bombs deep inside the Third Reich. An added bonus is a cache of remarkable still pictures taken by 416th Group (668th, 669th, 670th and 671st Bomb Squadrons) staff photog "Sergeant Cachat" showing A-26s and their crews. (Thanks to Carl Sgamboti at The Douglas A-26C Preservation Project for permission to use these pics.)

* A-20 Havocs in Color with 416th Bomb Group Scrapbook New (20:00 Color film with Black & White stills) Rare color footage of 416th Bomb Group A-20 Havocs (aka Bostons) taken before the Group transition to A-26s in the fall of 1944 -- plus many memorable still photos from Group photog, Sergeant Cachat. Includes over 200 pictures, including dramatic combat shots, detailed photo analysis of target strikes in France, Belgium, and Germany, and some of the most memorable crew photos we've ever seen..

* Flying the A-20 Bomber The Douglas A-20 "Havoc"(20:00 --1943, B&W) Flown as "the Boston" by the Brits on daring hedge hopping low level '"ramrod' raids over the Continent and as the "Havoc" by the US Army Air Force skimming the jungles of SE Asia, this magnificent attack bomber is one of the most under appreciated aircraft of World War II.

* A-26 Flying Tips: The Douglas A-26 "Invader"(1945--B&W, 16:00) WWII, Korea, Indochina, the Bay of Pigs, Laos, Vietnam, the Congo, South America, fire fighting in the Pacific North West -- this fantastic aircraft has seen it all! The most advanced attack plane of World War II. Interesting demonstration of the properties of the Invaders advanced wing design too.

* FLAK (1944, B&W, 17:00) "FLAK" is a fascinating World War II training film for pilots on the theory and practice of evading antiaircraft fire. The specifications, capabilities, and targeting methods of a variety of German and Japanese AAA pieces are discussed as well as both high and low altitude evasions tactics . Well illustrated with charts, animations, and combat film.

* 143 page Douglas A-26 Invader pilot's manual in .pdf file format with photos, systems diagrams, performance charts, flight procedures & more.

* 78 page A-20 Havoc pilot's manual with color and b&w illustrations, charts, flight procedures & more.

Flying the B-24 Liberator DVD Four films including 146 page B-24 pilot's manual

* Pre-flight Inspection of the B-24 (1943, B&W, 30:00) Told from the ground crew's perspective, Crew Chief Kelly & the boys do the check in this inside & out point by point inspection of the big Liberator.

* Flying the B-24D (1943, color, 58:00)The most detailed systems & flight procedures checkouts for the B-24 pilot you will ever see. The B-24 was technologically more advanced than the B-17, but due to rush to production had some early teething problems. Nevertheless, Liberator squadrons flew many outstanding missions, including the epic low level raid on the Romanian oil fields at Ploesti, and crew members were proud of their ship.

* B-24s Get Back! (1945, B&W,16:30) A remarkable film that shows how B-24s overcame incredible battle damage to bring their crews home. Numerous examples of seemingly critically damaged B-24s making it back. This is a fascinating instructional training film with specific techniques to bring your badly crippled ship down safely. Some great B-24 combat footage too.

* Medal of Honor: Ploesti August 1, 1943 (1944, B&W 7:00) On August 1, 1943, specially trained elements of the 8th and 9th Air Forces flying B-24 Liberators based in Benghazi Libya launched a daring low level attack on Ploesti, over 1,200 miles away. They struck and struck hard, but the cost was very high. Unescorted by fighters and coming in literally at tree top level to surprise the enemy, 54 out of 162 of the attacking bombers were lost, along with 540 American air crew. Every member of the attacking force was awarded a medal, including 5 Medals of Honor, the highest decoration awarded by the U. S. military. Of the Medal of Honor recipients, only Col. Leon Johnson, 44th Bomb Group, and Col. Jon "Killer" Kane, 98th Bomb Group, survived the mission. This film features dramatic action that has been excerpted for countless documentaries. This is the original.

* 145 page B-24 "Liberator" pilot's manual in .pdf file format with detailed photos, systems diagrams, performance charts, procedures & more.* "This incredibly informative manual is an essential reference for every B-24 fan!" - Zeno*

The B-25 Mitchell DVD Four films & 94 page B-25 pilot's manual

* How to Fly the North American B-25 "Mitchell" (1944, Black & White, 21:47) Is that Tom Clancy at the controls? Named after Billy Mitchell, the controversial pioneer of heavy bombing, this is the plane that Jimmy Doolittle chose to fly off the deck of carrier Hornet for the dramatic raid on Tokyo. Extremely versatile, the '25 was the US's most produced medium bomber, fighting in all theaters and exported to virtually all Allied air forces. An effective level bomber, it could also be equipped with a multitude of additional machine guns, rockets, and even a 75mm canon, for low level ground attack. The Navy produced this film for use by all services.

* Medium Bombardment & Attack featuring the B-25 (1945, B&W, 20:00) This fascinating film was made to indoctrinate B-25 & A-20 squadrons transitioning from Europe to the Pacific, with a focus on the B-25. Covers operating in the tropics, squadron staff duties, planning missions, converting B-25s for low level ground attack and tactics for land & sea attacks “on the deck.” Some great footage of extremely low level operations!

* Air Operations Lae-Salamaua (1944, B&W, 47:42) covers a key battle of the oft overlooked 1943 New Guinea campaign in the South Pacific. General Douglas MacArthur and his staff put together a brilliant combined arms strategy that utilized Air Power as a key element to leap frog over rugged jungle terrain and isolate and destroy Japanese strongholds. . In this almost impassable terrain, that made transport of heavy guns slow and difficult, air power functioned as "flying artillery." You'll see spectacular in cockpit views of B-25 Mitchell medium bombers making strafing runs on Japanese bases at tree top level as well as some of the first ever "on the deck" tail gunner views of delayed action and "para frag" bombs dropping & exploding right behind the hedge hopping Mitchells. Some nice A-20, B-24 & P-38 action footage too!

* Winged Artillery (1944 color 25:00) Nine 75mm canon firing B-25Gs of the 48th Bomb Squadron, 7AAF, based on Apamama in the Gilbert Islands, conduct a hair raising tree top level strike on the Japanese air base on Mille. Features amazingly well preserved color footage of base construction and daily life on Apamma and Tarawa.

* A 94 page North American B-25 pilot's manual in .pdf file format with detailed photos, systems diagrams, performance charts, procedures & more.

The Martin B-26 Marauder DVD Four films including 106 page B-26 pilot's manual

* White Tailed Marauders: The 323rd Bomb Group and their B-26s (1945, Color, New, 12:00) Exclusive Production Rare color film of B-26 Marauders in action in the Spring of 1945. See the 453rd, 454th, 455th, and 455th Bomb Squadrons operating against Germany from their base in France. All color footage really brings this bygone era startlingly back to life. A must for Marauder fans everywhere.

* How to Fly the Martin B-26 "Marauder" (1944, B&W, 47:42) This video is highly recommended, combining Hollywood drama with great attention to detail. That's "Peter Gunn" in the right seat. Although rookie pilots found her tricky to handle during take off and landing because of her abrupt stall , the B-26 was liked and respected by more experienced air crew. Appropriately called "the Marauder," the high speed, good bomb load, and durability of this bomber made it well suited for low & medium level raids over Europe and the Pacific.

* The Rear Gunner(1943, B&W, 24:00) Starring Lt. Ronald Reagan and Lt. Burgess Meredith, follows "PeeWee" Williams through gunnery school and into battle in this vintage WWII information film produced for the Army Air Corps. A seldom seen look inside an actual World War II bomber gunnery school featuring a wide variety of methods for increasing shooting accuracy and weapons proficiency.

* Building a Bomber: The B-26 (1945, B&W 20:00) See production of a B-26 from metal casting through final assembly.

* 105 page Martin B-26 Marauder pilot's manual in .pdf file format with photos, systems diagrams, performance charts, procedures & more.

The Boeing B-29 Superfortress DVD Volume 1 Six films including 94 page B-29 pilot's manual

* Boeing B-29 "Superfortress" Flight Procedures and Combat Crew Functioning (1944, B&W,36:17) This is a thorough pilot's view introduction to the premier bomber of World War II. Faster than a Zero, the peak of piston engine technology, with remote controlled gun turrets and a pressurized cabin, the Superfortress was the prime instrument in the Air Corp's very long range attack on the Japanese home islands. Stalin was so impressed with this plane that he ordered the Tupolev bureau to copy interned B-29s exactly. Over 1,000 of these "Tu4" clones formed the core of the Soviet Air Force during the early years of the cold war.

* The Last Bomb (1945, color, 37:00) "The Last Bomb" vividly documents one of the almost forgotten chapters of World War II: the extreme long range B-29 bombing raids on Japan. Launched from hard won Pacific islands, these missions were over 3,000 miles round trip and could take 12 hours or more to complete. You'll also see the huge B-29 bases that were carved out on Guam, Tinian and Saipan. This rare late war color film, shot by combat camera men, documents all aspects of a XXI Bomber Command long distance daylight strike carried out at just 12,000' (!) on Tokyo in 1945. The mission is covered from initial planning stage by General Curtis LeMay and his staff, through fighter action and "bombs away" over target, to final touch down. As an added bonus, there's plenty of spectacular gun camera footage taken by escorting P-51 Mustangs ranging over southern Japan seeking targets of opportunity in the air and on the deck. These Mustang sorties were some of the longest and riskiest missions undertaken by any fighters during World War II. Just imagine -- flying thousands of miles over trackless ocean in a single en gin ship to take on the enemy over their own territory!

* Saipan Superforts color Exclusive! Newly discovered color footage of Saipan's 73rd Bomb Wing. Pulse pounding B-29 action plus memorable pin up nose art.

* Air War Against Japan: XXI Bomber Command A concise history of XXI Bomber Command Bomber Command's strategic B-29 campaign against the Japanese home islands. Both day and night B-29 actions.

* B-29s Over Dixie (1944, B&W 20:00) A fascinating look inside the huge B-29 production facility built from scratch in Marrietta, Georgia. Includes detailed views of revolutionary new production techniques, assembly line work, and the training and care of thousands of new workers. The Georgia operation was much more than a manufacturing plant, it involved the creation of a complex community in an amazingly short time. This film is a tribute to the massive American war effort that was an essential element in the victory of the Allies.

* Target Invisible (1945, B&W 8:00) Remarkable documentary on how air bourne radar was used for navigation and bombing on B-29 night strikes against Japan. Rare footage of radar in action on an actual Super Fortress mission. This story was so highly classified, it couldn't be told to the American people until after Japan surrendered.

Boeing B-29 Superforts Go to War DVD- Volume 2 Four films & two B-29 manuals

* B-29s Over North Korea: The 19th Bomb Group Attacks Bridges Near Sinanju plus 19th BG Nose Art Color Scrap Book (B&W & Color, 1950, 22:00) Exclusive release from Military Arts Pictures. We created this video from a recently released reel of silent, raw and unedited and undocumented footage shot by the US Air Force in Korea in August-September, 1950, apparently intended for a documentary that was never released. The highlight of the film shows an early morning briefing for 19th Bomb Group (28th, 30th and 98th Bomb Squadrons) at Kadena Air Base on Okinawa. Reminiscent a scene from the World War 2 classic "Target for Today," the briefing is for mission against the all important rail bridges near Sinaju Station, North Korea and the port of Nampo, as part of the preparation for the Inchon landings and the breakout from the Pusan perimeter. (The film also has incidental footage taken of B-29s from the 307th Bomb Group, "Square Y.") Through careful research, we've been able to reconstruct the briefing and the mission, including target footage taken at the time, along with corresponding satellite photos showing the same locations today. And as a special bonus, we've added "19th BG Color Nose Art Scrap Book," a collection of remarkable Kodachrome slides taken of 19th BG B-29s by SSgt. George J. Amthor, an armorer with the 19th BG, 30th Squadron, at Kadena in 1950-51. Footage of the heroic and very costly B-29 operations in Korea is extremely rare, so we are very pleased to release this new documentary.

* The Last Bomb Outtakes Reel (Color 1945, 23:00) Exclusive from Military Arts Pictures. From the vaults of the National Archives comes a newly discovered reel of outtakes, expanded scenes, and new footage from the Academy Award winning World War 2 B-29 classic, "The Last Bomb." Includes never before seen footage showing an B-29 engine repair facility on Saipan, expanded scenes showing General Curtis Le May and XX Bomber command planning a mission to Tokyo, inside the cockpit photos from an actual B-29 mission and more. (Inside the aircraft shots in the theatrical release of "The Last Bomb" are all recreations shot in a Hollywood studio.) The good news for the B-29 fans is that almost all of the footage on this reel is in better condition than the best surviving copies of the theatrical release and we've added much more realistic sound effects taken from actual B-29s,P-51s and 50 cals. machine guns. And there's a big bonus for fighter fans. The section of the original film that shows P-51 Mustang squadrons ranging over the Japanese mainland seeking targets of opportunity is expanded and in very good condition, yielding some of the most exciting color gun camera footage we have seen from World War 2.

* Birth of the B-29 (1944, B&W, 20:00) This documentary was produced during World War 2 to introduce the American public to the fabulous new Boeing B-29 Superfortress. The film shows how the war against Japan necessitated the development of a super long range bomber that could strike the Japanese Empire from distant bases in Japan, India, and the Marianas Islands. A highlight of the film focuses on a tour of a giant B-29 plant, showing all aspects of production, including the extensive use of sub assemblies that were manufactured elsewhere, using the worlds biggest flow chart to achieve high precision and amazing output.

* Air Strikes Against Japan (1950, B&W 25:00) This documentary was produced after the War using archival footage, complimented with additional maps and graphics. It gives a clear overall picture of the Allied air offensive against the Japanese home islands. While the video focuses on the deployment and use of the revolutionary B-29 Superfortress, you'll see much more, including Jimmy Doolittle's inspiring raid on Tokyo and rare late War footage of carrier based strikes against the Japanese mainland. A good overview of an under reported aspect of World War 2 Air combat operations.

* How NOT to Fly the B-29: A file of recent accident cases presented for study and discussion. Vol 1, Number 2 1945 12 pages in Adobe Acrobat .pdf file format. This neat little booklet is part of a series that was produced by the Army Air Corps to alert pilots to the causes and possible solutions for recent stateside B-29 accidents. Five actual case studies are discussed in detail, along with a review by a panel of experts on how each mishap might have been avoided or handled better.

* B-29 Pilots' and Flight Engineers' Training manual (51-126-6) 12/15/1945 194 pages with color highlights in Adobe Acrobat .pdf file format. This is the final and definitive flight manual for the B-29 produced during World War 2. Extensive documentation includes charts, diagrams and performance index.

* Flight Operating Instructions USAF Model YB-29J Aircraft (Basis for the RB-29J reconnaissance Aircraft) 12/15/1950 125 pages with color highlights. The YB-29J was a short series of 6 aircraft produced by Boeing to test upgraded engines and other enhancements designed to improve B-29 performance and reliability. Although this version wasn't rolled out into full production, four of these test planes were converted to fast and high flying RB-29J reconnaissance aircraft that were used extensively during the Korean War. This edition of the B-29 manual was probably produced for those few crews, making it very rare. Extensive documentation includes charts, diagrams and performance index.

The US Navy Bombers DVD 5 US Navy films & 66 page Douglas SBD3 "Dauntless" dive bomber pilot's manual

* Black Cat PBY (1945, B&W 20:00) Exclusive restoration What was that mysterious plane swooping down out of the night sky on unsuspecting Japanese ships and bases, hundreds of miles from any known American airstrip? The answer was, as you'll see in this good humored, affectionate film, the slow, ungainly, but deadly "Black Cat" PBY. Originally designed primarily as a reconnaissance and antisubmarine amphibious patrol plane, the big twin engined Catalina's super long range, all weather capability, capacity to lug both bombs and radar, ability to loiter for hours hunting convoys and operate from anywhere in the watery PTO, made it an ideal naval night attack bomber. One of the least known stories of the war in the Pacific, these black painted PBY "VPB" ('Patrol Bombing") squadrons spread destruction and chaos far out of proportion to their relatively small numbers. A frequent tactic was to cut their engines and float in almost silently on their prey. As this film shows, night ops were very risky, but the rewards could be huge, including the sinking of a 6,000 ton Katori class light cruiser by Lt. William B Sumpler, of VPB-33, for which he was awarded the Navy Cross.

* Flying the TBF Avenger(1943, B&W, 23:30) The Grumman TBF/TBM "Avenger" Torpedo Bomber. This was Dubya's Dad's WWII ride. The Avenger was a tough and accurate bomber that had a reputation for taking punishment and bringing it's crew home. Relatively easy to fly, the big Avenger was surprisingly nimble. The TBF could pack up to 500 bombs or one Mk1 13-2 torpedo, and with all three tanks topped up with 335 gallons of fuel, could strike targets up to 260 miles away. More than 7,500 TBF/TBM Avengers were produced in 20 variants, which fought with distinction in most major naval battles in the Pacific and was well liked by the Royal Navy.

* 117 page GrummanTBF/TBM pilot's manual

* The Brewster SB2A-4 "Buccaneer" Scout/Dive Bomber (1943, B&W, 17:00) Was it really "the worst aircraft of World War II?" See the video and judge for yourself! (Look for the little clues in the narration.) Though this training film goes out of it's way to sing the Buccaneers praises, her flaws are all too obvious if you watch and listen carefully. Even so, many Marine trainee pilots learned the ropes of dive bombing in the big Brewster.

* Introduction to Dive Bombing (1943, B&W, 24:00) Before you leave the deck in that Dauntless, you'd better learn how to dive bomb properly. The US Navy pioneered dive bombing techniques after World War I and it shows in this informative film, produced by the Department of the Navy in 1943. You'll learn everything from the basic theory of dive bombing to how to put your egg on a real target, including ships at sea.

* Deploying Aerial Mines (1944, B&W, 16:34) New This film describes World War II aerial mine warfare at sea,. You'll learn the basics of mine laying, including strategy and tactics. You'll also find out how mines were fused and armed to be ready for deployment, along with detailed diagrams of their inner workings. You'll see rare footage of actual aerial mine laying missions by PBJs in the Pacific. Although seldom dealt with in general histories of World War II, aerial mines were often used with deadly effect by both Axis and Allies

* 66 page Douglas SBD3 "Dauntless" dive bomber pilot's manual

Trainers

Primary Flight Training with the Boeing/Stearman PT-13 -17 N2S Kaydet

Two DVD Set (3 Hours, B&W, 1944-45) & two flight manuals

Nine films featuring the Stearman N2S: * Flying Sense * Before You Fly * Your First Flight (Parts 1&2) * Attitudes of Flight * Taxiing & Takeoffs * Landings * Race Track Patterns (Parts 1&2) These films lay a fine ground work for primary flight skills

This series of basic flight training films was produced and directed for the US Navy by actor and Hollywood legend Robert "Bob" Taylor, who starred in over 80 films including "Waterloo Bridge," "Bataan," Ivanhoe," and "Billy the Kid." Taylor was a Lieutenant in the USNR and an active flight instructor during the War, and it shows in this comprehensive presentation. You'll learn everything from ground school chalk talks on the theory of aeronautics and flight to hands on throttle, stick, and rudder training on turns, banks, trimming, climbs, stalls approaches and much more. The films also give plenty of insights into a war time flight school, punctuated by humorous vignettes, illustrations and animations. The other star of these films is the beloved Stearman N2S biplane trainer, aka "The Yellow Peril." This sweet biplane was the first step up into the sky for tens of thousands of pilots during World War II, and many are still flown to this day by it's legion of loyal fans. You'll get to know the Stearman inside & out!

* 42 page Stearman Navy N2S -1, -2, -3 pilot's manual

* 25 page Stearman Army PT-13B,-17,-18 pilot's manual

Advanced Flight Training with The North American AT-6/SNJ "Texan" DVD (2 hours, B&W, 1953)

9 AT6/SNJ training videos & manual

* Nine training films featuring the SNJ: Preflight Walk Around * Takeoffs, Approaches & Landings * Small Fields * Cross Winds * Emergencies * Wingovers & Chandelles * Wingover Rolls * Barrel Rolls * Formation Flying

Another great overview for any pilot in training! Probably the most produced "Advanced Trainer" in history, used by both the US Air Corps (AT-6) and the Navy (SNJ) and by many other nations as the "Harvard." Renowned for her nimble, forgiving handling, it's only natural that this was the aircraft chosen when a double was needed for the Japanese Zero in numerous war movies and TV shows, including "Ba Ba Black Sheep" and "Tore Tora Tora!" This is the ship that thousands of pilots used to master more advanced skills before climbing into a real fighter.

* Plus a 44 page AT6/SNJ/Harvard pilots manual in .pdf file format with photos, systems diagrams, performance charts, procedures & more .

Winning Your Wings U.S. World War II Aviation Training DVD - Four Films All Rights Reserved Exclusive: These films have been digitally restored

* Naval Aviation Cadet (Color, 1942, 18:00) Narrated by Joseph Cotton (Citizen Kane, The Third Man). This color film follows the career of a Navy cadet from enlistment soon after Pearl Harbor through Primary and Advanced Flight training and on into combat.. Especially memorable are the many scenes shot at Pensacola Naval Air Station flight school. You'll see all aspects of cadet training, including flight, gunnery, navigation and bombing, along with a generous serving of cadet social life.. This film is also notable for extensive, rare color footage of a wide variety of USN training and early war combat aircraft, including Vought OS2U Kingfisher catapult float planes, Boeing N2S Kaydets, North American SNJs, Vultee SNV-1 Valiants, Brewster F2A Buffaloes and SB2A Buccaneers in flight, Consolidated PBY Catalinas and Grumman F4F Wildcats operating off a carrier deck.

* Winning Your Wings (B&W, 1943,18:00) Narrated by Oscar Winner and decorated bomber pilot, Jimmy Stewart This rousing recruiting film was designed to show the many benefits of joining the Air Corps. The United State's entry into World War II seemed to happen almost overnight. That meant that the Air Force needed thousands qualified air and ground crew yesterday. "Winning Your Wings" is hosted and narrated by Capt Jimmy Stewart. Already an accomplished pilot, Stewart enlisted early and served as a bomber pilot and squadron leader through out the war. The film shows that joining the Air Corps provides a quick path to non com and high paying officer status and an advanced training program that would prove beneficial after the War. The film points out that every U.S. Air Force bombardier, navigator and pilot was an officer (a sore point with the RAF). It also emphasizes that lack of a college degree is not a prerequisite for advance rank or pilot training. And last, not but not least, that the girls sure go for those pilot's wings! "Winning Your Wings" is also notable for interior and exterior footage of rare prewar vintage B-17s used to film in-flight sequences. "If you're not ready to sign up after hearing the enthusiastic, stirring pitch from Jimmy Stewart, well brother, you're just a Palooka from Palookaville!" Zeno

* Cadet Classification (B&W, 1943, 18:00) Narrated by Lt. Ronald Reagan. Most young men who joined the Air Corps, wanted to be a pilot, but was up to the training schools to determine where they made the best fit, "Bombardier, Navigator or Pilot." Candidates went through an extensive screening process, including physical fitness, high, altitude survival, mental aptitude under stress (graded by an early computer), physical reaction time, ordination and agility, and more. One of the pleasures of this film is seeing the wide variety analog of "high tech" equipment (circa 1943) used to test the recruits. One of the purposes of the film is to show that classifications are reached through scientific methodology rather than subjective opinion that gives a war winning result.. It's better for the air Corps to have a great Bombardier or Navigator than a mediocre pilot.

* Wings Up (Originally released as "Sustineo Alas," B&W, 1943, 18:00 ) Narrated by Academy Award Winner Capt. Clark Gable. This film was developed by the Army Air Corps to show men what to expect when they entered Officer's Candidate School in Miami, Fla. There was a lot more to becoming an officer than learning how to fly You'll see the physical and mental testing and screening process that winnowed a thousand prospective candidates down to a couple of dozen officer candidates who include (in this class) Olympic athletes, a circus performer, symphony conductor, a Mayor refugees from fascism, baseball & football players, veteran enlisted men, and actors Gilbert Roland and Robert Preston.This diverse group is sent through 12 weeks of tough physical training, and classroom training in 33 subjects including camouflage, strategy, leadership, and administration. A year of college & West Point all rolled into one!

World War 2 Aviation Action Documentaries

US Carriers Go to War: World War II Flat Tops in Action DVD Five Films

* The Battle of Midway (1942, Color, 18:00) Academy Award Winning Documentary, Directed by four time Oscar Winner John Ford (The Quiet Man, The Grapes of Wrath, Stage Coach, The Informer) New Color Corrected Edition from archival sources. This stirring documentary was shot by Director John Ford during the intense June 4th Japanese carrier plane attacks on Midway Island and by Navy Combat Cameramen aboard the USS Yorktown during the epic carrier battle, along with color gun camera film of air to air and air to sea combat.. Highlights include memorable scenes from the Marine Base on Midway, airfield B-17s leaving to attack the Japanese fleet, patrolling PBYs, action packed Japanese attacks on the Yorktown and Midway, and up close shots of the Yorktown's squadron VF3 and their F4F Wild Cats, including aces John S. "Jimmy' Thach ("The Thach Weave") and Lt. E. Scott McCuskey. And it wouldn't be a John Ford movie without some of the most vivid combat cinematography you have ever seen, a touching and dramatic score by nine time Oscar winner Alfred Newman, and some folksy narration by Henry Fonda. Like many World War II period pictures, the facts presented in "The battle of Midway" are not always historically accurate, but there is no denying that these are some of the most powerful images we have of this epic battle, a turning point in World War II. The America people needed a shot in the arm after Pearl Harbor and '"The Battle of Midway" supplied it in spades!

* The Fleet that Came to Stay (1945, B&W, 22:00) In March, 1945, the US Army, Navy and Marines, with the support of the British Pacific Fleet, launched "Operation Iceberg" against the Japanese Island of Okinawa, in the Ryukus, a key stepping stone for the invasion of the Japanese home islands. US troops landed successfully, leading to one of the bloodiest land battles in world War II. In response over the next tree months, the Japanese launched a series of terrifying kamikaze suicide aircraft attacks from land bases only 350 miles away against the screening Allied naval forces. The Japanese flew 1,900 sorties, sinking dozens of Allied ships and killing more than 5,000 U.S. sailors at the cost of 1,465 kamikaze planes. 2,200 other Japanese and 763 U.S. aircraft were also destroyed during the battle. Although no major warships were lost, several fleet carriers were severely damaged and knocked out of action. "The Fleet that came to stay" tells the high tension story of the defense of the landing beaches with some of the most exciting and dramatic air combat footage to come out of World War II. You'll see nonstop action including determined Kamikaze attacks through a forest of FLAK, extensive gun camera film taken from US carrier planes defending the ships, and exciting air to ground attacks as Admiral Mitcher's planes struck back at Japanese air bases. An added bonus are some remarkably clear shots of a captured (?) Japanese Kawasaki KI 61 Hien "Tony" fighter.

* The Second Battle of the Philippines: The Battle of Leyte Gulf (1945, B&W, 22:00) The Second Battle of the Philippines, popularly known today as 'The Battle of Leyte Gulf," was the largest Naval engagement in history, swirling around the 1944 invasion of Leyte Island and the Japanese navy's surprise counter strike. You'll see dramatic naval surface battles and carrier air footage from several engagements, including "The Battle of the Sibuyan Sea" (24 October), battleship action at "The Battle of Surigao Strait" (25 October), "The Battle off Samar" (25 October) where the gallant jeep carriers and destroyers of Task Unit 77.4.3 turned back Japanese Admiral Kuita's massive Center Force Fleet on Leyte's door step, and "The Battle off Cape Engao" (25"26 October) where Admiral Mitscher's Task Force 38 carriers pounded Japanese Admiral Ozawas carrier force which was being used to decoy American forces away from Kurita's strike on the Leyte landing. Not to be missed!

* The Life and Death of the USS Hornet (1943, B&W, 18:00) This documentary tells the dramatic story of the legendary aircraft carrier, the USS Hornet (CV-8) , from her launching by Newport News Shipbuilding on Dec 14, 1941 through her dramatic loss on 27 October 1942 after the Battle of Santa Cruz off Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. In between , you'll see some of the best footage we have of the Hornet's role in the launching of Col. Jimmy Doolittle's amazing B-25 bomber strike on Tokyo from here heaving flight deck on 18 April, 1942. You'll also see memorable scenes from her participation in the Battle of Midway, including up close footage of the immortal heroes of Torpedo Squadron 8 (VT-8), all of whose members, except one lone survivor, Ensign George Gay, lost their lives flying unescorted against the Japanese fleet in their out-dated Douglas TBD Devastators. Their sacrifice helped draw protecting Japanese fighters away from their carriers, leading to the loss of three of them that day to US dive bombers. Hornet received four battle stars for World War II service. Torpedo Squadron 8 was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation "for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service beyond the call of duty" in the Battle of Midway.

* The Saga of the USS Franklin (1945, Color, 24:00) New Print! This inspiring documentary shows how the gallant officers and men of the distinguished Essex class carrier USS Franklin overcame incredible battle damage inflicted by a devastating bomb hit to save their ship and bring it home. Remarkably, combat cameramen happened to be aboard ship to capture the action. The film also contains rare and informative color footage of late war Vought F4U Corsair and Curtiss SB2C Helldiver combat operations from the Franklin right off the coast of Japan. Perhaps most memorably, you'll see the officers and men of the USS Franklin first ably going about their daily business and then catapulted by fate into performing selfless acts of heroism under extraordinarily difficult circumstances.

The Fighting Lady/Carrier Ops DVD Three films plus Wildcat pilot's manual

* The Fighting Lady (1944, New Color Print, 60:00) "The Fighting Lady follows the fictional career of an Essex Class aircraft carrier from the Marcus Islands campaign, through Tinian, Truk, the "Mariana's Turkey Shoot" and much more. But don't let the term "fictionalized" miss lead you. All of the footage shown in this fascinating composite documentary is real -- shot by combat cameramen on board ship and in the air, showing actual Navy and Marine pilots and crewmen up close and personal. ("The Fighting Lady was actually the nickname given to the Yorktowns, CV-5 & CV-10.) You'll see dramatic action showing Hellcats, Hell Divers, Corsairs on deck and in the air, including exciting dive bombing, anti-aircraft, and gun camera footage and some amazing walkaway crash landings. And there's a fascinating tour below decks too. But most memorably, you'll see the faces of the officers and enlisted men of the Fighting Lady at work and at rest, making it all possible -- in some cases by giving their lives. Powerfully narrated by Lt. Robert Taylor.

Plus two new videos:

* Flight Deck Crews: Landing & Re-Spotting Aircraft(1943, Color 25:00)

* Flight Deck Crews: Catapulting from an Aircraft Carrier (1944, Color,25:00) Major air battles in the Pacific turned on the ability of each side to quickly launch, land, re-arm, re-fuel, and then re-launch aircraft. During the battle of Midway, when American dive bombers caught the Japanese carriers Akagi and Kaga with decks full of refueling and re-arming planes, the resulting catastrophe for the IJN was a turning point in World War II. These unique films offer a rare look (in color) at how US Navy carrier flight deck crews were trained to quickly land, park, fuel & re-arm incoming and relaunch aircraft. As a bonus, you'll see GM FM-1 "Wildcats" and Grumman TBF "Avengers" up close, handled expertly on the tiny deck of a CVE "jeep" escort carrier. "Not to be missed by any carrier fan!" Zeno

* 76 page F4F/FM2 Wildcat pilot's manual in .pdf file format with photos, systems diagrams, performance charts, procedures & more.

US Bombers Go to War DVD -- 7 films

* Target Tokyo (1944, B&W, 22:00) Follow the men of the 21st Bomber Command and their B-29 Super Fortresses from their training base in Grand Island, Nebraska, to the newly built air base at Saipan and right into the first 3,000 mile raid on Tokyo. Great up close and personal footage of the lives of air & ground crews, along with rare B-29 combat film shot on that first big raid on the Nakajima aircraft plant. Features cameos of crew members of the famous B-17 "Memphis Belle," who signed up for another tour of duty to fly B-29s against Japan. Narrated by Ronald Reagan.

* Medal of Honor: Ploesti August 1, 1943 (1944, Black & White, 7:00) On August 1, 1943, specially trained elements of the 8th and 9th Air Forces flying B-24 Liberators based in Benghazi Libya launched a daring low level attack on Ploesti, over 1,200 miles away. They struck and struck hard, but the cost was very high. Unescorted by fighters and coming in literally at tree top level to surprise the enemy, 54 out of 162 of the attacking bombers were lost, along with 540 American air crew. Every member of the attacking force was awarded a medal, including 5 Medals of Honor, the highest decoration awarded by the U. S. military. Of the Medal of Honor recipients, only Col. Leon Johnson, 44th Bomb Group, and Col. Jon "Killer" Kane, 98th Bomb Group, survived the mission. This film features dramatic action that has been excerpted for countless documentaries. This is the original.

* Air Siege Ploesti : March to August 1944 (1945, Black & White,19:30) The capture of Foggia in Italy in 1944 provided the 15th Air Force with a base to launch a new series of air attacks on Ploesti. This time, B-17s and B-24s attacked with fighter escort at high altitude. Losses were heavy, with over 1,800 air crew lost to FLAK and enemy fighters. Accuracy suffered when smoke pots were used to obscure the target, so P-38s were used as dive bombers to penetrate the defenses. Soon P-51s helped to achieve total air superiority. By the fall of 1944, 90% of Romanies oil production was knocked out. Narrated by Ronald Reagan.

* Bombers Over North Africa (1942 Black & White 22:00) This is a rare look at early war US Air Operations in North Africa. B-25 and B-17 bombers of the 321st and 97th Bomb Group help cut off Rommel's retreat from Tunisia. Part of the "North West African Strategic Air Force," these groups were initially tasked with preventing men and material from reaching the Afrika Korps, and later with preventing them from escaping. The missions for the day of this film were to strike from bases in Algeria at the junction at Manouba, near Tunis, and the air field at Sidi Ahmed, near Bizerte, where a large number of extremely valuable JU 52 transports were based, a key element in German evacuation plans. (Ironically, the 321st would soon occupy Sidi Ahmed as their new base for the Sicilian campaign.) The film features an introduction by the theater commander, then 4 star General, Dwight Eisenhower and an afterword by Air Operations Commanding General "Jimmy" Doolittle. Perhaps most memorably, this film is notable for it's extended "up close and personal" look at the men of the 97th & 321st BGs. You'll see real pre mission and after action debriefing sessions with the men who flew them, including a B-17 crew's account of an FW 190 shoot down and the water ditching of a heavily damaged B-25.

* Conquest by Air (1946, B&W, 20:00) This is an excellent summary of the strategic air campaign in Europe. Produced right after the war, it benefits from captured enemy evaluations of allied bombing and after action photos of important targets. You'll also hear testimony form German leadership on the effects of the bombing on their war effort. Extensive footage of before and after bomb damage on oil refineries, tank production factories, as well as gun camera footage of air-to-ground attacks. Plenty of B-17 & B-24 air combat action too!

* Mission Accomplished: The Story of the Flying Fortress (1942, B&W, 11:00) On August 17, 1942 eighteen B-17Es from the 97th Heavy Bombardment Group, Eighth Bomber Command (later Eighth Air Force) from Graft on Underwood, performed the first daylight raid over Northern Europe by US heavy bombers. Escorted by RAF Spit Vs & IXs, 6 bombers ran a diversion along the French coast, while 12 more Fortresses attacked the primary target., the important rail yards at Sotteville, France, near Rouen. This mission was a crucial first step in establishing the efficacy of American daylight precision bombing doctrine. Success of the raid was vital so that VIA Bomber Command CO Gen. Ira C. Eaker went along for the ride in B-17E "Yankee Doodle. Though small in scale, the raid was a success, with precision hits on important rail assets, with only two Fortresses sustaining minor damage. Lucky for us, combat cameramen recorded this historic action from briefing through "bombs away!">

* Doolittle Strikes Japan! (1943, B&W, 5:00) Actual footage from Jimmy Doolittle's daring raid on Japan. See B-25 Medium Bombers take off from the storm tossed deck of the carrier Hornet Truly classic footage.

The B-24 Liberators Go to War DVD - 4 Films

* The 98th Bomb Group: Liberators Over Africa (1943, B&W, 27:00) Exclusive production. This recently discovered footage shows Medal of Honor winner Col. John R. "Killer " Kane and the men of the 98th Bomb Group in the Summer of 1943, shortly before the heroic, costly Ploesti mission, at their desert base in Benghasi/Benina, Libya. You'll see legendary B-24s like "The Vulgar Virgin," "The Sandman," and "War Cloud." Sadly, several of these ships were filmed here for the last time before they were lost over Romania. There's an unexpected gem too. Soon after the Axis surrender in Tunisia, 9th combat cameraman Jim Bray hitched a ride on a B-24 and filmed all the major North African targets the 98th had hit from the air, from El Alemein to Tunis. You'll see Tobruk, Tripoli, Benghazi, Bizerte and more from the air, the way pilots and crew saw them during the Desert War. And the big Liberator goes in low too so you can take in sunken warships, clamoring liberty ships unloading their cargoes, and bombed out harbors that have long since been rebuilt. This is a priceless time capsule.

* Liberators Over Europe, 1942-45 (1945, B&W, 22:00)A remarkable film produced by the Eighth Air Force from combat camera footage showing B-24s in action over Europe. From Ploesti to Berlin, you'll discover memorable Liberator scenes not found anywhere else, including pulse pounding air attacks. You'll see B-24 crews up close too, along with their ships.

* 1st Air Division Bombing Highlights 1944-45 (1945, B&W 28:00) Another priceless film produced by the 8th Air Force to document the War as it happened. During the last six month of the conflict in the ETO, ball turret gunners were given 16mm cameras and told to film what they saw on bombing missions over the Third Reich. Most documentaries concentrate on what happens leading up to and then after the bombs drop.This one shows what happened in between. You'll see raids on Berlin, Luneberg, the U-Boat pens at Bremen, Muenster, Ingolstadt, Regensburg, and many more cities, including the only known footage of the controversial bombing of Dresden on Feb 14th & 15th, 1945. These scenes of concentrated destruction, shot from bombing altitude, are by turns fascinating and horrific. There are also some unflinching shots of US bombers going down. This film was not shown on the home front. The video transfer was taken from the only surviving copy of this important document and is often grainy, but still watchable. If you are serious about educating yourself about World War II bombing as it happened, you should to see this film.

Bonus film Captured Luftwaffe film shows the downing of 9 US bombers one at a time by FW 190 fighters. You may have seen snippets of this gun camera film before in documentaries. This is the original source.

The Operation Titanic DVD: Three unique films New All three films with digital sound and video restoration

* Operation Titanic: Shuttle Bombing Missions to Russia (1944, B&W, 40:00) The problem: key Axis strategic assets were located so deep in Eastern Europe that they either could not be reached by Allied bombers or involved a lengthy round trip that exposed aircraft to heavy German attacks twice. The Russians were closer to these targets, but they were committed to tactical air support and lacked strategic bombers. The solution was "Operation Titanic," aka "Operation Frantic" one of the most audacious and least known strategic operations of the war. During the Tehran Conference, 27 November - 2 December 1943, the Americans, British and Russians hammered out plans for a "shuttle bombing" campaign. This film tells that story

U.S. 15 Air Force bombers and fighters based in Italy would bomb targets in the East, land in Russia, refuel & rearm, and then hit another target on the way back. 8th Air Force bombers based in the UK did the same. The Soviets provided three bases in the Ukraine; heavy bombers at Poltava and Mirgorod and the fighters at Piryatin. The US provided material to substantially upgrade them. The Fifteenth Air Force flew its first mission on 2 June 1944 when 130 B-17 Flying Fortresses, escorted by 70 P-51 Mustangs, bombed the rail yards at Debreczen, Hungary. The Eighth Air Force flew its first mission on 21 June when 123 B-17s bombed the Schwartzhelde synthetic oil plant at Ruhland, south of Berlin and 21 attacked the Elsterwerda industrial area. But, unknown to the Americans, a Luftwaffe He-177 followed the B-17s to the Russian base at Poltava and after midnight Luftwaffe aircraft attacked and destroyed 43 B-17s and damage 26.

Frantic flights continued into September with success, but the June 21st attack by the Luftwaffe on Poltava had revealed the Achilles heal of the operation. The Soviets lacked radar working with an organized air defense with night fighters to defend the bases, and they would not turn that role over to the Americans. That made the operation too risky and it was discontinued. But, despite some prickly spots, it marked the high point of East-West direct co-operation during World War II. In "Operation Titanic" you'll see unique scenes of Russian and American fliers and crews working together, shoulder to shoulder, life at their "secret bases," along with exciting air action on the shuttle missions. After the War, this film was buried and forgotten during the Cold War. Directors who worked on films sympathetic to the Soviets (though this is no "Mission to Moscow") could be black listed and Russians who had close contacts with Americans during the War often ended up in the Gulag for that reason alone. So, nobody had much motivation to share their memories. We're lucky that "Operation Titanic" has been resurrected to tell this remarkable story.

* Hochfrequenz Kriegsfurung (High Frequency Warfare) (1944, B&W, 25:00, In German) We get many requests for World War II military films produced by the Axis, but other than a few newsreels, they are hard to find. We released "Sky Blitz" recently; "High Frequency Warfare" is our second. Developed by the Luftwaffe, this film showed the German people how high frequency signals were used to in radio direction finding, signals jamming and radar detection. An attacking British bomber force is identified, their navigation signals are jammed, and fighters are vectored to intercept. Radar is employed to protect convoys in the Mediterranean, and radar jamming is used to cover the "Channel Dash" of the Battle cruisers Scharnhorst & Gneisenau during their escape from Brest. You'll see a working Luftwaffe air defense control room and contemporary equipment like Lichtenstein airborne radar. Most of the participants appear to be non actors. "I don't speak German, but I found it pretty easy to follow the plot. Seeing this film is like having a look inside another world." Zeno

* Low Level Photo Reconnaissance of Bomb Damage, Germany, May 9, 1945 (1945, B&W, 20:00) On May 9, 1945,the day after the German surrender, a B-17G of the 652 BS (Heavy Reconnaissance), 25th BG was dispatched on a far ranging mission to document bomb damage on key targets all over Germany from very low altitudes that would have been impossible during hostilities. These were special Flying Fortresses that were stripped of most armament and stuffed with gas so they could fly 12 hour weather missions over the North Atlantic. On this day, they carried 8th Combat Camera Unit cameramen with 16mm cameras who photographed what they saw through the Big B-17's perspex nose and the open waist gunner positions. You'll see remnants of the freak spring snow storm that fell the day before on the day of the end of the war in the ETO, surrounding partially bombed out factories near Weimer and Plauen and the almost intact Luftwaffe base at Bernburg, near the Czech border, along with many other locations. You can only guess at what was going through the heads of the men taking these pictures the day after their war ended and the German civilians who saw them fly overhead. A unique record.

Target for Today DVD

* Target for Today (Documentary 1943, B&W, 91:00) This is the classic World War II feature length documentary detailing a "maximum effort" daylight bombing mission deep into Germany. There are no actors in "Target For Today". This film was shot on location under combat conditions and features the officers and men of the 8th Air Force going about their deadly business. All aspects of an actual major raid in 1943, from early planning through final touch down and crew debriefings, are covered in this very thorough account. Anklam. Danzig and the FW-190 plant at Marienburg are the targets hit. Although inflating the strategic bombing campaign's effectiveness through 1943, this is no sugar coated propaganda film. Heavy losses and the bomber crew's justifiable trepidation about making unescorted daylight deep penetration raids on heavily defended targets in Germany are graphically portrayed. Over 1 and 1/2 hours of engrossing World War II footage.

Battle of Britain & Target for Tonight DVD with Vickers Wellington & Spit V Pilots Manuals

* The Battle of Britain (Documentary 1943, B&W, 52:00) Produced by Academy Award Winner Frank Capra, "The Battle of Britain" is a wartime documentary with the limitations and virtues that that implies. German air losses are highly exaggerated, on the order of two to three times their actual numbers. The key roll of the (at the time) still highly secret British radar early warning system and British Intelligence's ability to read the Germans "enigma" code were not revealed until years after the war. But this film is still a dramatic window on the times and features excellent wartime footage (much of it not to be found anywhere else) and provides an illuminating glimpse of how the Allies represented the Battle during the war.The Battle of Britain was the first battle in history fought entirely in the air to decide the fate of a major strategic campaign. Before the battle, Hitler was master of Europe, leading what appeared to be an unstoppable war machine in an unbroken string of victories. The French Army lay vanquished and the British Army was a mere shell of it's former self, having abandoned virtually all of it's modern equipment on the beaches of Dunkirk. The Wehrmacht was poised on the coast of France, rushing ahead with its preparations for Operation "Sea Lion," the invasion of England. Only one barrier stood between Germany and the shores of England: the Royal Air Force. The Luftwaffe could keep the Royal Navy at bay and protect cumbersome barges that would ferry the German army across the narrow waters of the channel only if the Luftwaffe could establish air superiority first . The RAF was the only effective fighting force that the British had left. Their epic encounter with the Luftwaffe marked a major tuning point in the war. Operation Sea Lion was canceled, Britain gained an invaluable breather, and Hitler turned his attention instead to Russia.

* Target for Tonight (Documentary 1941, B&W, 50:00) RAF Bomber Command in a Night Action Target for Tonight" follows the crew "F for Freddie, " a Vicker's Wellington medium bomber (Millerton Station, Group 33), through an entire low level night mission attacking an oil storage depot at a rail yard.. Notice how the film highlights the participation of not only servicemen from all classes from around the British Iles, but also Canadians and a navigator that sounds a lot like an American RAF volunteer.The film exemplifies the understatement, dry humour, and "business as usual" approach typical of British information films of the period, along with a clear "get the job done" attitude.

* 50 page Vicker's Wellington pilot's manual in pdf file format with photos, detailed systems diagrams, performance charts, procedures & more. Covers Wellington III, X, Xi, XII, XIII, & XIV

* 30 Page Spitfire V (A,B &C) Pilot's Notes in pdf file format with photossystems diagrams, performance information, procedures & more. Also covers Seafire IB,IIC & III

The Rabaul Campaign DVD

Two exciting films showing the reduction and neutralization of the mighty Japanese island Fortress, Rabaul, a large natural harbor on the eastern end of the huge Island of New Britain (located northeast of New Guinea in the Southwest Pacific) was an essential strategic linchpin for the Japanese from which they could project their forces throughout the region. They poured tens of thousands of troops, hundreds of airplanes, and thousands of tons of supplies and material into this base to make it a mighty fortress. The Allies' brilliant solution to the Rabaul conundrum was to isolate it, slowly starve it, and bypass it -- rather than assault it directly.

* Mission to Rabaul (1944, B&W, 60:00) (New! - Digital Audio & Video restoration) This dramatic, high impact documentary film shows some of the most memorable, exciting, and extensive footage of 5th Air Force B-25G bombers conducting tree top level attacks with machine guns and delayed action bombs to come out of World War 2 .The first step in the reduction of Rabaul was the seizure of a string of Japanese bases along the Northeast coast of New Guinea. The film focuses on the decisive and revolutionary impact of the air component in the strategy, including high & low level attacks, parachute drops, and resupply, accompanied by a magnificent musical score drawn from Holst's "The Planets."You're literally sitting in the cockpit or in the tail gunners seat watching amazing low level attack runs. You'll also see P-38s, A-20s, B-25s and B-24 cooperating with US Australian and New Zealand Forces securing forward air bases to strike against Rabaul and for the invasion of New Britain. "Mission to Rabaul" shows how each piece of this classic strategy culminated inevitably in the 1rst escorted, massed bomber strike on Rabaul on 12th October, 1943 an essential goal in the reduction of Japanese defenses.

* Attack! The Battle for New Britain (1944 B&W 60:00) Stage two of the isolation and reduction of the Japanese fortress of Rabaul was the seizure of key bases at the opposite (Western) end of the 370-mile long island of New Britain, cutting enemy supply lines and providing advance airfields for continuing attacks on the stronghold. You'll see all aspects of the invasion, including planning, training, air attacks, amphibious assaults, and the intense jungle fighting to secure objectives. And there's more of those exciting low level B-25 strikes! An initial diversionary attack was carried out on the Arawe Peninsula on they south side of the island by Task Force "Director," a sub division sized mix of US Army units, led by the 112th Cavalry and landed by US Marine amphibious tractor forces. The main attack on Cape Glouster followed on December 25th, led by the 1st Marine Division, supported by US and Australian Naval and Air Forces. After a week of intense jungle fighting, including numerous Japanese air and ground force counterattacks, the Marines with tank support, secured it's main objective, the Cape Gloucester Airdrome.You'll see jungle fighting in truly unbelievable terrain.

Colossus: The Rise of the US Army Air Corps 1939-1943 DVD -- Four Films

The inspirational story of how a nation pulled itself up by its bootstraps to create the mightiest Air Force the world had ever seen. Four films with more than 2 hours of dramatic World War 2 footage, digitally restored.

* Expansion to Air Power (1944, B&W, 43:00) Between the eve of World War 2 in June 1939 to December 1943, the US Army Air Force grew from 2,402 aircraft and 24,700 personnel to 65,000 aircraft and 2.4 million personnel - an unprecedented leap! FDRs goal of producing 50,000 planes a year was met and surpassed! This engrossing film combines easy to grasp information with memorable graphics and dramatic historic film footage that makes it all real. You'll learn about pilot and technical training programs, logistics, new aircraft production, billions in appropriations, Air Force organizational structure and much more. Planners had to estimate everything from bomb production according to type and usage to fuel consumption per hour by a myriad of different aircraft types performing hundreds of thousands of sorties. Depots and bases were set up around the world. Millions of tons of supplies had to get to thousands of locations on time. Giant aircraft plants sprang up inthe wilderness. Hundreds of specific personnel requirements had to be planned and implemented -- from pilots to WACs to navigators & mechanics. Entire Air Force units had to be created from scratch. A treasure trove of archival film, including captured enemy footage, takes you year by year starting in 1939 through 1943 to show you not only what was happening in the US, but how it related to world events like the fall of France, "The Blitz," and more. This inside information was so secret, it was restricted to audiences with sufficient security clearance.

* The AAF Report (1944, B7W, 42:00) This fascinating film report on the state of the Army Air Force was prepared by the Office of Strategic Services (forerunner to the C.I.A.) and delivered to the American people by Air Force C-in-C General Hap Arnold in early 1944. We know of no better picture of the organization and operation of US Air Force power in the midst of World War 2. You'll take a tour of all of all 15 "Air Forces" spread around the World, from the 5th in the South Pacific to the 8th in the U.K to the 15th in the Mediterranean to the 14th in China and many more. You'll learn how they started, what their strength and missions were, and best of all, there's a ton of vivid documentary footage showing daily operations from aircraft plants, training and transport to air exciting air combat.

* Report from the Aleutians (1943, Restored Color, 44:00) Starting on June 3, 1942, 6 months after Pearl Harbor, a small Japanese force occupied US territory on the Alaskan islands of Attu and Kiska in the Aleutian chain. It took US Forces a year to dislodge them under harsh arctic conditions. Though remote, the island's strategic value was their ability to control Pacific "great circle" ocean and air routes. General Billy Mitchell told Congress, "I think it is the most important strategic place in the world." This classic color film, directed and narrated by Academy Award Winner John Huston, shows the first offensive steps of the rapidly expanding Army Air Corps at the dawn of world War 2 in the Pacific. Rare early war color footage includes P-39 Airacobras, the first operational deployment of P-38E Lightning fighters, B-25 Mitchells, Navy PBYs and some of the first missions flown by B-24 Liberator bombers by US forces. You'll also see one of the first the of many far flung bases forward forces carved out of the frozen wastes of Adak Island, a springboard to attack the Japanese. Typical of a great John Huston film, you'll meet the smiling yet determined sailors, airmen, and soldiers, some of them still wearing "dough boy" helmets, who risked their lives to take the war to the enemy..

* Air War in Europe 1943 (1943, B&W, 10:00) This is a series of dramatic films showing the rapidly maturing Army Air Force moving into high gear in the Fall of 1943. You'll see the B-17 "Berlin Sleeper" on one of her record breaking 102 missions. B-25 Mitchells battle the North African mud to move out to their new base in occupied Italy. "Thunderbolts Over Europe" shows P-47s taking on the Luftwaffe on a dramatic bomber escort mission . Thirty-three Martin B-26 bombers, protected by RAF Spitfires, hit ship yards, power plants and workshops near Le Trait, France. You'll see the original newsreel footage of "The Memphis Belle's" last mission against the U Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany, with combat footage not shown in the later classic feature film of the same name.

Clark Gable's Combat America

"Combat America" (1943 color 65:00) was produced, written, directed, and narrated by Clark Gable while he was on assignment with the 8th Air Force, developing a gunnery training film. Though it packs plenty of very exciting color combat footage and doesn't flinch in showing high cost of the war in the air, in many ways, it's as much a warm home movie as a hard bitten, wartime "information" film. Gable chronicles the experiences of the men of the 351st Bombardment group, flying from the cool early morning mists of Colorado to the frigid skies over Germany. His affection and admiration for these men comes through loud and clear. This film is like a Kodachrome album out of the past, giving us snapshots of life on a front line American bomber base in the U.K. in 1943.
Operation Clarion Report - NEW! (1945 B&W 12:00) This report was produced by the 8th Air force to review a strategic bombing offensive launched against transportation infrastructure in Germany February 22-23 1945. The operation was designed to interrupt the flow of key war materials & men to the fighting fronts. Lt General Walter E. Todd, Assistant Chief of Operations, delivers a detailed analysis. Rather than hitting major rail yards that were too big to put out of action in a short time, 43 smaller key locations were identified & bombed. Maps are supplemented by footage shot from bombers during the missions. A fascinating time capsule showing the planning and execution of late World War 2 bombing strategy.

Land and Live in Extreme Environments for World War 2 Airmen

Digitally Restored audio and Video The complete three film series on survival training for air crew, produced by the Army Air Force Film Production Laboratory at Wright Field.