Civil Aviation, Modern Flight History, Lindbergh +more, 2 DVD's.

Civil Aviation - The History of Modern Flight

2 DVD set!

An original production published by The Classic Archives!

Take a trip back in time when air travel was more exciting.  When going on a plane was one of the most exciting parts of the trip.  When the miracle of flight was recognized for what it was, a miracle.  Back in the 50's, we had pretty much mastered flight already, yet it was still new enough to be exciting and rare.  Watch the flight pioneers Charles Lindbergh and Kay Stinson.  Learn how the modern airport works.

Great collection for historians, scholars, students, and flying fans alike.  This collection surely won't disappoint.

These 2 DVD's run about 4 hours total time and have a fully interactive menus.  A list of films is as follows:

The comfort and delight of transatlantic air travel at the beginning of the jet age.  Shows Pan-AM service from NY to London and gives you a look at how nice and elegant air travel was before the cost reductions took hold.

Sound, Color, 12:30

This film shows the workings of a commercial airline before air travel became a mass phenomenon.  Learn how all the functions work together to provide you with service.

Sound, B&W, 10:42

Advocates increased airport construction, especially in rural America. Describes the centrality of general aviation to the U.S. economy. With many images of American townscapes, especially in rural areas; small-town airports; and businesspeople using small airplanes to expedite their activities. Tech Director: Chet Moulton. Narrator: Marx Hartman.

Sound, Color, 13:58

Functions of the modern airport, showing all aspects of airline passenger service.  Find out how your bags get to where they are supposed to and everything else that happens behind the doors after you arrive at the airport and all the way up until you leave the ground.

 Sound, B&W, 10:31

Aviation's elite converges on Oakland for the Dole race to Hawaii.  This is a newsreel story documenting a big air race from Oakland, California to Hawaii in 1927. This was in the early days of flight and a poignant note is added when the title cards tell us that a number of the competitors they show us didn't make it back alive. That, and the fact that one of the planes doesn't even make it off the ground, emphasizes how much of an adventure flying still was at that time. A historically interesting document from the early days of aviation.

Silent, B&W, 9:42

This 50s film shows us all about how planes and air travel are used in business. It starts with a section on airline travel, and we see lots of grey-flannel-suited white men on airline flights, back in the days when air travel was relatively comfortable and luxurious. Then there's a section on custom-designed company planes, and we get to see similar businessmen and secretaries doing work, and also resting and watching TV on luxurious-looking company planes. Then there's a long section on businessmen learning to fly, and we get to see just what it's like to take flying lessons, which is pretty interesting. The final section shows us a bunch of different brands and varieties of planes, including weird ones like the Aerocar, a flying car that never caught on but is a wonderful little obscurity in the history of flight. All in all, this is a fun film with lots of great visuals, as well as historical interest in documenting business flight during the 50s.

Sound, Color, 12:56

The Lindberg Trail is a circa 1940 Pan American Airways (PAA) promotional film that follows a trip from Miami to Buenos Aires. The trip starts from PAA’s Dinner Key Sea Plane base in Miami on a Sikorsky S-42 Flying Boat. We see take off and some interior cabin shots. After a visit to the Caribbean Islands, we re-board for the flight to the South American Mainland where we transfer to a new Boeing B-307 four engine land plane. (You can see this plane at the new Smithsonian Air and Space Museum Annex at Dulles International, VA). We see a take off and more interior cabin shots.  A wonderful nostalgic view at air travel during the Golden Age of Aviation.

2 Part, Sound, B&W, 47:51

Arthur Godfrey hosts this film, sponsored by Eastern Airlines, where he tells us that although broadcasting is his bread and butter, his real passion is flying airplanes. He tells us all about his flying history, and shows us some early planes, but the real meat of the film is an extended section of him piloting a routine Eastern Airlines domestic flight in a Lockheed Super-Constellation. This is actually quite interesting, as he goes into detail about how a commercial airline is piloted, how to navigate over water, and how pilots use instruments to guide them when the weather prevents a visual approach. Then he shows us one of the Air Force's latest jets, and an air force pilot does some stunts for us, as well as showing us what it's like to be in a plane when the sound barrier is broken. The film ends with an Eastern Airlines bigwig accurately predicting that jets would soon take over commercial airline flights, and inaccurately predicting that the airlines would run helicopter shuttle services between downtown areas and airports. This is an engaging film that typifies the genre of the company feel-good film.

2 Part, Sound, Color, 48:02

Kay Stinson, noted woman aviatrix, breaks the speed record from San Diego to San Francisco with an average speed of 66 mph.

Silent, B&W, 3:08

A vastly entertaining film which gives an overview of a plane operation, and a little peek behind the scenes. A pilot gets a letter from a passenger who loved his flight so much he wanted to know what goes on into flying a plane.  The pilot responds by talking about how he prepares for the flight, how airline food is made, how planes are refurbished, and how they keep on target even when they're so high above the clouds. Really entertaining, it was a nice snapshot of plane travel during the 50's. (Extinguish your cigarettes please).

2 Part, Sound, B&W, 22:50

Aviator Charles A. Lindbergh takes off from New York on his solo transatlantic flight between America and Europe and arrives in Paris; newsreels conclude with his return to the U.S.

Silent, B&W, 7:04

Promotional film about Lockheed aircraft using test pilots and speed records to show how Lockheed is at the forefront of aviation technology. Wright Brothers, Amelia Earhart, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lindbergh and Howard Hughes are shown. Also airplane construction is shown.
 

2 Part, Silent, B&W, 31:49

DVD Menu Sampler: