Summary: An explanation of the increasingly important tactical rôle of air power, and the difficulties inherent in fulfilling this rôle on occasions, exemplified by the Salerno landings.
Description: Film opens with RAF equipment, vehicles and groundcrews embarking into landing craft. Film of the voyage (recreation, food etc) alternates with film of RAF Baltimore and USAAF Mitchell bombers flying sorties (including some good link-shots of bombers over landing craft), stressing need for fighters as cover for bombers and as ground-support. Disembarkation at Salerno: commentary provides good idea of scale of problem (basic equipment needs, daily consumption of fuel and ammunition etc) with the special problem of exposure to attack on narrow Salerno beach-head. Construction of an airstrip with bulldozers etc (interrupted by bombardment); fighters arrive (Kittyhawks and Spitfires of RAF and USAAF) and begin operations; infantrymen look up to watch fighters. Closes with stock shots of Tedder (leaving aircraft) and burning Swastika insignia.
Production Details: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor)
Royal Air Force Film Production Unit (Production company)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Tedder, Arthur William (person)
British Army (regiment/service)
Royal Air Force (regiment/service)
Royal Navy (regiment/service)
United States Army (regiment/service)
United States Army Air Forces (regiment/service)
Keywords: aircraft, British - combat: Supermarine Spitfire (object name)
aircraft, United States - combat: Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk (object name)
aircraft, United States - combat: Douglas Baltimore & [British] (object name)
aircraft, United States - combat: North American B-25 Mitchell (object name)
engineering, military, Allied: airfield (object name)
operations, Allied air - sortie (object name)
operations, Allied military - amphibious (object name)
operations, Allied military - routine (object name)
transport, British military - engineering: bulldozer (object name)
Italy & Salerno, Campania (geography)
Mediterranean Sea (geography)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Subtitle language: None
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 761 ft; Running time: 8 mins
