RAF CLOSE AIR SUPPORT DEMONSTRATION NEAR BISHENPUR, MANIPUR, INDIA [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: RAF CLOSE AIR SUPPORT DEMONSTRATION NEAR BISHENPUR, MANIPUR, INDIA [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: ABY 52
  • Other titles: ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: The RAF demonstrates close support techniques in cooperation with a British armoured unit.
  • Description: Wide shot of an open plain with a pall of smoke. Series of bomb impacts and explosions with smoke rising. RAF Hawker Hurricanes overhead making shallow dive attacks. In several cases bombs can be seen to fall from the aircraft. Wide shot of a line of tanks, probably British Shermans (255th Indian Tank Brigade?), some of them firing their main guns. Tanks advancing and firing with aircraft above. Two aircraft make a low pass with explosion and smoke trail below. Two aircraft pass directly overhead before flying away from the camera and breaking left.
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1944-11-24
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Air Ministry, Directorate of Public Relations (Production sponsor) Royal Air Force Film Production Unit (Production company) Goozee, S (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Royal Air Force (regiment/service) Indian Army, 255th Indian Tank Brigade (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: Bishenpur, Manipur, India (geography) Fighter operations, Air operations over Burma, Burma 1942-1945, Second World War (event) India 1939-1945 (theme) Far East 1939-1945 (theme) Royal Air Force 1939-1945 (theme) British Army 1939-1945 (theme)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 539 ft; Running time: 6 minutes
  • HD Media:
  • Notes: Date from slate. Dopesheet date 14 December 1944. Dopesheet mentions bombing by Liberator and Mitchell (heavy and medium bombers respectively) however these aircraft not seen in this film. Dopesheet adds: 'This is a demonstration of the perfect coordination between heavies, lights, fighter-bombers and tanks operating over the same area - [a]s our power grows in the Far East combined operations of this nature will do much towards bringing the Jap war machine to a standstill'. For other film of RAF close support exercises, see related items.
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    ABY 52

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    ABY 78 (HURRICANE GROUND ATTACK OPERATIONS FROM ONBAUK AIRSTRIP, ON THE RIVER IRRAWADDY, BURMA [Allocated Title]) ABY 50 (FIREPOWER DEMONSTRATION NEAR IMPHAL [Allocated Title]) ABY 164 (HURRICANE CLOSE SUPPORT EXERCISE NEAR MEIKTILA [Allocated Title])
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