PACKAGING AND STORAGE OF RAF EQUIPMENT [Main Title]

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  • Title: PACKAGING AND STORAGE OF RAF EQUIPMENT [Main Title]
  • Film Number: AMY 104
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: Detailed instructional film produced for the Air Ministry, studying different methods of packing various items of equipment used by No7 Maintenance Unit at RAF Quedgeley, for storage or shipping to RAF units around the world.
  • Description: Reel 1: Beehive honeycomb used to illustrate principles of storage – absolute economy of storage space, efficient preservation and immediate identification. Aspects of supply chain and storage used to ensure that RAF is kept supplied with essential equipment, food etc. Various examples of how Maintenance Units (MU) operate. Transportation of equipment overseas and exposure of equipment/goods to rough handling when outside RAF control (e.g. foreign docks). Airdrop of stores from Dakota. Deterioration whilst items are in store – various climatic conditions which affect equipment. Examples of equipment damaged or destroyed in transit due to poor packing, preservation or storage. Reel 2: Detail of handling and packing equipment. Checking delicate instruments prior to packing by specialist inspectors. Four stages of packaging explained. Example of crankshaft – first stage is to ensure it is clean. Next stage is preservation using DTD 66. Next is proper packing, ensuring that correct labelling is easily visible. Reel 3: Next example is bicycle inner tube. This simple item chosen as many items used by RAF are made from rubber. French chalk used to help preserve and same care taken to package as with larger items. Sealing items in wax paper then wax dipped to seal. Packing of typewriters, moisture proof wrap and desiccant sachet, then vacuum packed in foil bag. Reel 4: Continuation of typewriter packing – final stage packed in wooden crate. Provision of uniforms and domestic married quarter equipment. Sorting and baling blankets. Dealing with crockery and packing/storage. Furniture packing/storage. Parachute inspection and packing procedures for storage or shipping units. Reel 5: Lancaster landing. Preservation of large items of equipment such as aircraft by spraying with plastic coating. Method of spraying and covering large openings (undercarriage bays/radiator grilles) with tape and sprayed with webbing (similar to cobweb) proceeds spraying with plastic (method called cocooning). Avro Lincoln cocooned and desiccant bags placed inside to absorb moisture. Bitumastic coat sprayed on for external storage. Final coat is aluminium colour to reflect heat. Humidity indicators installed - example Miles Master(?) VS 391 shown completely wrapped and stored externally. Reel 6: End of preservation and packing story. Scene in warehouse and packing crates being stacked and palleted – process called palletisation – and explanation of benefits of palletisation. Last stage of story – selection and issue of equipment – explanation of methods of tracking demands etc. and issue. Reel 7: Specialist cases for protecting delicate equipment. The “Tropican” (?) storage and packing case. Cylindrical engine case. Wooden crates for equipment. Cases weighed then marked for transportation. Crates being loaded for dispatch by road and rail.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: AMY 104
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions:
  • Featured Period: 1946-1975
  • Production Date: 1950
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details:
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords:
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Sound
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 7 Footage: 5769ft
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    AMY 104

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