WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 73 [Main Title]
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- Title: WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 73 [Main Title]
- Film Number: WPN 73
- Other titles:
- Summary: Relentlessly... Unceasingly !!! [RAF Air Raids]
- Description: I. 'DAY AND NIGHT-ruthless and methodical destruction of German power to resist is Allied air plan for victory.' North American Mustang Mk I fighter/ground attack aircraft of 2 Squadron RAF make repeated high-speed low-level passes for the cameras as the commentary introduces them as "The fastest army cooperation aircraft in the world." An Avro Lancaster (BI ?) of 83 Squadron RAF is shown in flight as the commentary states that it is the principle type of aircraft used in the bombing of Germany and "the deadliest bomber in the world." An account of the RAF's "thousand bomber" raid on Bremen (25/26 June 1942) follows. RAF aircrew assemble in crewrooms to be briefed prior to a sortie. Elsewhere, tinned rations, flares and survival equipment is packed by stores personnel. Male and female packers fold parachutes with dexterity as the commentary stresses the importance of such support jobs in the overall success of a mission. Pigeons are held in transport containers as an emergency communications measure should aircraft radios fail. The commentary outlines the RAF's "master plan" to destroy German centres of industry and goes on to compare British and German offensive bombing performance in terms of bomb tonnage dropped. A ground controller signals to a taxiing Lancaster using an Aldis lamp. An Avro Manchester bomber, shown in silhouette, takes off from an undisclosed location. Interior cockpit views of a Lancaster on take off are shown as the commentary states "The ever growing menace of the RAF over Germany foretells the doom of the Third Reich." A Lancaster bomber is silhouetted over clouds as actual footage of the raid on Bremen is shown with air to ground views of numerous incendiary fires spreading throughout the city. 'The day shift takes over.' Douglas Boston bombers taxi in columns as the commentary outlines daylight air operations against France by the RAF. The Boston is described as being an accurate bomber, ideally suited to daylight raids. Six Bostons fly in low level formation on a raid against chemical works at Lille and the docks at St Mâlo. Air to ground views show the Bostons overflying the English countryside and the coastline at the start of their sortie. Air to ground footage of the raid on the chemical plant at Lille highlights the low level nature of this type of raid. Bombs burst on the dock area of St Mâlo described by the commentary as the secondary objective. The commentary states "As lightning shatters a tree, so will Bomber Command blast Germany from the face of Europe."
- Alternative Title:
- Colour: B&W
- Digitised: Yes
- Object_Number: WPN 73
- Sound: Sound
- Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM (WPN 73)
- Featured Period: 1939-1945
- Production Date: 1942-09-28
- Production Country: GB
- Production Details: Ministry of Information, Middle East (Production sponsor) War Pictorial News (Production company) Martin, Charles (Production individual)
- Personalities, Units and Organisations: Royal Air Force (regiment/service)
- Keywords: combat, British - air raid (object name) operations, British military air - preparation (object name) Lille, Nord, France (geography) Saint-Malo, Ille-et-Vilaine, France (geography) Germany & Bremen, Bremen (geography)
- Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Sound Soundtrack language: English Title language: English Subtitle language: French & Arabic
- Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 823 ft; Running time: 9 mins
- HD Media:Yes
- Link to IWM Collections page:
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