EAGLES OF THE FLEET
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Year Published: 1950
Format: 16mm
Description: This black & white educational film "Eagles of the Fleet" was made by the British Government as a recruiting and information aide for the Royal Navy. The first part of the film shows shore training at HMS Heron aka Yeovilton, a facility sited a few miles north of Yeovil, Somerset. The second part of the film shows flight operations, training and a mock attack staged by HMS Vengeance (R71), a Colossus-class light aircraft carrier. The film features Fairey Firefly and Hawker Sea Fury aircraft. Copyright 1950, with narration by Sir Ralph Richardson. Opening titles: Crown Film Unit - EAGLES OF THE FLEET (:08-:34). Sailboats on the ocean. Royal Navy aircraft fly over civilian sailboats and warships at sea. Naval Air Station HMS Heron. Men and women at work, side by side, at the naval station. Oil is changed on a plane by a female mechanic aka Rosie the Riveter type. Men and women play pool. Men drink pints of beer. A man gets a trim at the barber. A couple gets married. A child. Homes, women walk (:35-2:24). A group of men and women at attention. Commanding officer saluting lower ranked men. Band plays. Men and women march. The naval base at the Rock of Gibraltar. A Royal Navy aircraft carrier with men on deck. At 3:40, HMS Gabbard D-47m a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Navy, is seen leaving Gibraltar. Carriers sail out onto the Mediterranean Sea, with Fairey Firefly and Hawker Sea Fury aircraft visible on deck (4:14). The particular one visible can be ID'd by the marking on the wing, Hawker Sea Fury FB11, VW702. (This plane was destroyed in a fatal accident in 1953.) Royal Navy plane crew crank a plane's propeller (3:42). Officers look over charts. The men smoke (2:25-4:08). On the flight deck, planes are rolled out and getting prepared to go. Pilots below deck get their orders and move fast. (Note at 4:32 is a prominent shot of a pin-up in the ready room!) Pilots climb into their cockpits. Propellers start. The ship sails on and planes begin taking off. Planes fly into the air, one after the other (4:09-6:04). At (6:10) anti-submarine variant Fairefly AS.Mk 6 is seen and at (6:36) a Hawker Sea Fury FB.II. Enemy cruiser is seen. The planes fire at the ship and the ship's guns fire back. Men on the carrier relax, rest, eat. Men below deck review the radars. On deck, a plane comes in to land. One after the other, the planes come in and land. The planes get hooked when they land. Quickly, they are unhooked and moved (6:05-8:12). At (7:50) the name of the pilot of the aircraft, T.E.M. Kirby, is visible. Landing officer signals the planes and tell the planes where to go and when to shut off. A plane lands and crashes down on it's left side, the wheel is damaged. Sailors and fire crew race to assist. The last few planes return. A sunset seen from the deck. The flag of the Union Jack. Men look out at sea, HMS Vengeance visible on their caps. Planes in the air and ships at sea. A plane does a quick maneuver (8:13-9:53). End credits (9:54-10:01). HMS Vengeance (R71) was a Colossus-class light aircraft carrier built for the Royal Navy during World War II. The carrier served in three navies during her career: the Royal Navy, the Royal Australian Navy (as HMAS Vengeance, 1952-55), and the Brazilian Navy (as NAeL Minas Gerais, from 1956 to 2001).
Complete Record:
Transcription
the when the forces of the Royal Navy take the ocean they are accompanied by naval aircraft to command the sky above to observe to defend to attack carat home let's enter the gates of a typical Naval Air Station where the flying sailors learn their trade they unravel the mysteries of the jet seek to master the problems of mechanics tomorrow they'll thrust the planes forward fighting fit into the first line behind closed doors pilots and observers keep track of secret electronic weapons and there's dirty work at hand and smiling faces to work over there's time to play a pint of beer the snack before turning you freshen up in the barber's chair if his permission to grow well then a trim or two around the chin yes there's time for weddings to the Navy works fast and for families homes like these are springing up right left and center on parade there's a reward each month for the smartest turnout and for the most shipshape mystic the commanding officer offers his congratulations hems the winner a shield of honor and triumph of the galley 24 pounds of sugar plums of marzipan side by side men and women of Naval Aviation march forward fully-fledged now prepared to take their places with the squadron's on land and on board the carriers all over the world the Rock of Gibraltar beneath the shadow of the rock The Home Fleet prepares for see now the naval aviators will test out their skill under battle conditions leading the fleet the carrier's sail out into the glittering Mediterranean the destroyer escorts hasten to take station alongside soon gibraltar fades astern and the head somewhere beyond the horizon lurks an enemy force to be destroyed on board the aircraft carrier the Admiral chops out his tactics reconnaissance planes have spotted an enemy Cruiser a strike force were handed out hit first and hit hard up on the flight deck the planes are made ready spotted for takeoff zero are approaching the air crews spin out the remaining minutes man aircraft standby start up twenty thousand horsepower set the minute Decker quiver as the great ship altered course and turns into the Mediterranean win you I'm Alva catapult 20-25 2700 ribs in battle formation the Strikeforce set out seeking their quarry enemy Cruiser to port 340 degrees 90 miles away the carrier steams ahead the aircraft handlers enjoy a short spell of Sun soon the planes will be hitting hope combing the skies the men below business kanda radar screens steering the plane safely back to base here comes the first one now easing around the bend she approaches her tiny floating runway deck landing is the trickiest and the toughest test of all one after another planes into the circuit eyes dude on the batsman leveling wings poised for the touchdown watch that hook catch the arrest a wire unhooked the planes taxi forward now the air cloth directors tegeler passing the planes from one to another right up to the video edge of the bowels safely part Indian cotton hold your wings hold it Katie forward switch off far as the danger the firefighters dash in their hoses of the ready incoming claims was fly around again hooks down until the deck is clear preservation of life and limb that's the motto on dick the last stragglers return yesterday it was the wooden walls of Nelson now the naval aviators carry the enduring traditions of the waves up into the skies you regal's of the fleet
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