Zeno’s Warbird Video Drive-In Big October 2009 Newsletter
You are invited to drop by Zeno’s Drive-In http://zenoswarbirdvideos.com to take in this month’s 6-pack of six exciting air combat documentary films playing over the Internet, including three Drive-in Premiers showing for the first time.
BREAKING NEWS! Due to our move to a spacious new web server, all films showing this month “At the Matinee” are now available for viewing in “Windows Media Player” video format, as well as “Real Player-Real Video.” Soon, all videos at the Drive-In will have Windows Media as a viewing option.
As always, all of the videos showing on our web site are for your free viewing pleasure.
Now showing “At the Matinee” at Zeno’s Drive-In
“The Story of the Northrop YB-49 Flying Wing ” New - Premier! It may be hard to believe today, but Northrop original Flying Wing’s innovative design was often used against it by detractors from competing aircraft companies (“An airplane that doesn’t have a tail??!!”) So, in 1949, Northrop Aircraft produced this information film to extol the Wing’s virtues and answer her critics. The result is a documentary that gives a compelling overview of the principle advantages of the Wing design, delivered by Northrop’s Director of Engineering, Harrison F. Burke. You’ll see color film of the jet powered YB-49 Wing in operation, supplemented by an extensive use of instructive animations. You’ll learn about the role of drag in flight in relation to efficiency in aircraft design, the advantages of a swept wing, the inherent advantages in structural integrity of the Wing design, simplicity and ease of maintenance, the role of center of gravity in tail design and much more.
“Winning Your Wings” New - Premier! 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 overnight. The Air Force needed thousands qualified air and ground crew “yesterday.” Capt. Jimmy Stewart was already an accomplished pilot and enlisted early, serving as a bomber pilot and squadron leader throughout the war. The film points out that every U.S. Air Force bombardier, navigator and pilot was an officer. The film is also notable for interior and exterior footage of rare prewar vintage B-17s .And last, not but not least, the girls sure go for those pilot’s wings!
“Thunderbolt!” A Drive-In Classic. This exciting film 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.
“Rifle, Automatic Cal .30 Browning M1918A2 Principles of Operation New Premier! A World War II Classic Theater Presentation. The “BAR” is one of the legendary weapons of the Twentieth Century. First introduced at the end of World War I, it served in all theaters of World War II and was widely used in Korea, and was not fully phased out of the US arsenal until 1970. Used as both an automatic rifle and light machine gun, it added extra punch down to the squad level, where every man was trained in its use in case “the BAR man” was put out of action. This film gives a through introduction to the operation of the BAR, including operational features, magazines and tripods, and a detailed strip down using live action and animated illustrations.
“We Flew the Mig"-In September, 1953, a North Korean defector handed over the first Russian Mig 15 to fall into US hands. This was a momentous occasion because the Mig had proven to be a worthy adversary for the North American F-86 Sabre in the skies over Korea. The Mig was immediately subjected to comprehensive testing. You’ll see Chuck Yeagar and other top test pilots putting the aircraft through it’s paces and hear what they learned, along with a point by point performance comparison with the F-86. Nice footage of the Mig’s armaments too.
Attentive Russian aircraft fans will no doubt pick up on the fact that some of the “faults” listed by the US test pilots - like problems with the heating & defrosting systems – were malfunctions in this particular aircraft and not endemic to the Mikoyan bureau’s design.
“The Last Bomb” A Drive-In Classic --Academy Award Nominee, “The Last Bomb” vividly documents an almost forgotten chapter of World War II: the long range B-29 “Superfortress” 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 see the huge B-29 bases that were carved out on Guam, Tinian and Saipan. Rare late war Technicolor film, shot by combat camera men, documents all aspects of a XXI Bomber Command daylight strike carried out at just 12,000’ (!) on Tokyo in 1945. The mission is covered from planning by General Curtis Le May and his staff, through fighter action and “bombs away,” to final touch down. You’ll also see spectacular color gun camera footage taken by escorting P-51 Mustangs, based on Iwo Jima.
If you haven’t stopped by Zeno’s Drive-In before, we also feature 1940-45 vintage WWII Army & Navy films and pilot’s manuals on how to fly the F4U, F6F, P-38, P-39, P-40, P-47, P-51, P-61, TBF/TBM, AT-6/SNJ, B-17, B-24, B-25, A-20, A-26, B-26, B-29, and Stearman N2S . Alert! – Alert! There’s been an F-86 sighted over Zeno’s Drive-In!
That’s over 14 hours of rockin’ World War II props & jets for free viewing over the Internet!
Zeno
Zeno’s Warbird Video Drive-In
World War II Aviation Videos Playing Online 24/7
http://www.zenoswarbirdvideos.com
ON Line Videos: Flying Wings, Thunderbolts, the BAR, Yeager’s Mig, Superforts & More