FLEET AIR ARM AIRSTRIKE FROM ROYAL NAVY AIRCRAFT CARRIER IN THE INDIAN OCEAN [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: FLEET AIR ARM AIRSTRIKE FROM ROYAL NAVY AIRCRAFT CARRIER IN THE INDIAN OCEAN [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: MWY 207
  • Other titles: INDIAN INTER-SERVICE PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTORATE COLLECTION - INDIAN HOME FRONT AND MILITARY OPERATIONS, AND ALLIED OPERATIONS IN ITALY AND THE PACIFIC DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Footage taken in January 1945 aboard Royal Navy aircraft carrier(s) by possibly two American cameramen, showing flight operations by Grumman Avenger and Hellcat aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm, and aerial footage of an attack on an enemy target.
  • Description: On the deck of a Royal Navy aircraft carrier a landing Grumman Avenger stops just in front of camera. Deckhands rush to the aircraft. A Grumman Hellcat taxiing on deck with its wings folding. An aircraft landing as another folds its wings in the foreground. Crewmen playing football on the deck. On deck; a man pushes a bomb trolley. Fitting a tail unit to a 500lb bomb. Looking out towards another aircraft carrier; a signalman uses an Aldis lamp. Working on an aircraft. Armourers with belts of 0.50-calibre ammunition. Loading a magazine. On deck; a man working on a length of cable with close-ups (the man sitting next to him a cameraman?). Pushing an Avenger on deck. Out of focus footage of aircraft rising up on deck lift. Focus corrected; cameraman on the hangar lift looking up to men on deck. Parked aircraft at the stern. Against the backdrop of a setting sun with clouds, another aircraft carrier with a sailor’s silhouette foreground. Hellcat R6:F (probably 1844 Naval Air Squadron, therefore onboard HMS Indomitable) taking off. An Avenger taking off; a deck officer waves a flag in a circle above his head before dropping his hand; the Avenger is catapulted forwards. Aircraft passing overhead. Hellcat taxiing. Deck hands unfolding a wing. Deck officer waving flag. Deck officer waving and Avenger rolling forward; its wing passes over camera. Avenger landing. Avengers overhead. An aircraft makes a messy take off (or aborted landing?) and sailors watch as the pilot recovers. Aircraft landing. Aerial views of aircraft in flight, apparently taken from an Avenger. Somewhat unclear terrain views and aerial footage showing an attack on a position near a river close to the coast. A thick column of smoke rises vertically (an oil target?). The camera aircraft returns to the carrier but the landing is not seen. On deck; servicing a Vought Corsair marked 7:X ('7' marking suggests 1834 Naval Air Squadron, therefore this section shot aboard HMS Victorious). A man sits on the propeller boss. Work on the engine and in the cockpit. Servicing machine guns.
  • Alternative Title: INDIAN INTER-SERVICE PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTORATE COLLECTION - INDIAN HOME FRONT AND MILITARY OPERATIONS, AND ALLIED OPERATIONS IN ITALY AND THE PACIFIC DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: MWY 207
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM
  • Featured Period:
  • Production Date: 1945-01-03
  • Production Country: United States of America
  • Production Details: SEAC Photo Unit (US) (Production company) Bennett, D (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Royal Navy, Eastern Fleet (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm, 1844 Naval Air Squadron (regiment/service) Royal Navy, HMS INDOMITABLE, aircraft carrier (1940) (regiment/service) Royal Navy, VICTORIOUS (HMS), aircraft carrier (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: Indian Ocean (geography) Royal Navy 1939-1945 (theme) Fleet Air Arm 1939-1945 (theme) Indian Ocean 1939-1945, Second World War (event)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 801 ft; Running time: 9 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    MWY 207

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    MWY 204 (OPERATION BANQUET: FLEET AIR ARM OPERATIONS AGAINST SUMATRA FROM AIRCRAFT CARRIER HMS VICTORIOUS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN [Allocated Title]) MWY 201 (HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH AND ALLIED CAPITAL SHIPS OPERATING IN THE INDIAN OCEAN [Allocated Title]) MWY 228 (OPERATION MILLET: AIRSTRIKE AGAINST NICOBAR ISLANDS BY HMS VICTORIOUS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN [Allocated Title])
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