AIR ROAD TO MANDALAY - RAF LIBERATORS OF STRATEGIC AIR FORCE, EASTERN AIR COMMAND [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: AIR ROAD TO MANDALAY - RAF LIBERATORS OF STRATEGIC AIR FORCE, EASTERN AIR COMMAND [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: ABY 55
  • Other titles: ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Scenes of RAF Liberator heavy bomber operations over Burma.
  • Description: RAF Consolidated Liberator heavy bombers of RAF 99 Squadron at dispersal with local labourers passing in the foreground. Bomb train being towed by a tractor with ground crew riding astride the bombs. Airman standing on tailplane working on port fin. Fitter reaching inside an engine cowling. A (probably 1000-lb Medium Capacity) bomb is rolled along the ground. An armourer works on one of a Liberator's two waist guns. Cut back to man on tailplane. Bombs hoisted into a Liberator's bomb bay. Airmen board a lorry and a number of lorries drive off. Aircrew are briefed by Wing Commander Ercolani, the squadron commander. Men talking amongst themselves with Liberators in the background. One pilot wearing 'Australia' shoulder flash. Aircrew boarding their aircraft. Officer fires a Very pistol to signal the start of the operation. Engines starting up. 'Australia' flash seen again, this time on ground crew. Liberators starting up and propellors spinning. Rear-quarter angle of Liberator kicking up dust. Liberators taxiing before taking off. Airborne footage. View directly below the aircraft. Air-to-air footage with some fine views of Liberators in flight. Pilot with 'Australia' shoulder flash at controls of the aircraft. An air gunner eats a sandwich (the dopesheet remarks 'Long flights from base don't help to curtail the appetite'). Air-to-air footage of aircraft in flight. Aerial view of city below. Bombs falling away from the aircraft. Liberator interior - gunner climbs out of ventral ball turret before using a lever to retract the turret into the fuselage. Six Liberators in flight.
  • Alternative Title: ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: ABY 55
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1945-01-16
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Air Ministry, Directorate of Public Relations (Production sponsor) Royal Air Force Film Production Unit (Production company)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Ercolani, Lucian Brett (person) Royal Air Force (regiment/service) Royal Australian Air Force (regiment/service) Royal Air Force, 159 Squadron (regiment/service) Air Command South East Asia, Eastern Air Command, Strategic Air Force (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: Bomber operations, Air operations over Burma, Burma 1942-1945, Second World War (event) Royal Air Force 1939-1945 (theme) Far East 1939-1945 (theme) Royal Australian Air Force 1939-1945 (theme) Burma 1942-1945 (theme) Aerial Warfare (theme)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 414 ft; Running time: 5 minutes
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    ABY 55

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    GEN 12 (THE GEN NO 12 [Main Title]) C 4755 (ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN THE FAR EAST, 1941-1945.) C 4802 (ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN THE FAR EAST, 1941-1945.) CI 123 (ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN THE FAR EAST, 1941-1945.) CI 271 (ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN THE FAR EAST, 1941-1945.) CI 677 (ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN THE FAR EAST, 1941-1945.) CI 678 (ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN THE FAR EAST, 1941-1945.) CI 764 (ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN THE FAR EAST, 1941-1945.) CI 766 (ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN THE FAR EAST, 1941-1945.)
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