HMS ARK ROYAL OPERATES SEA HAWKS AND SEA VENOMS [Main Title]

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  • Title: HMS ARK ROYAL OPERATES SEA HAWKS AND SEA VENOMS [Main Title]
  • Film Number: ADM 1839
  • Other titles: POST-WAR NAVAL OPERATIONS - MISCELLANEOUS [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Air operations onboard HMS Ark Royal in the early months of 1957.
  • Description: Aerial view of Ark Royal underway - Sea Hawks start up, clouds of smoke rising from the starter cartridges. Sea Hawks are launched by catapult, followed by a Venom. Skyraider AEW.1 takes off , followed by three Gannet AS.1s. Cut to HA from the island onto a range of Sea Hawk FGA.6s of 804 Squadron. A Sea Hawk is launched from port catapult - a second aircraft follows, a Sea Hawk FGA.4 (serial WV 902) of 898 Squadron. 804 Squadron Sea Hawk 161 makes a landing approach but comes in too high, misses the wire, and climbs away for a second attempt. Sea Hawks 164 and 162 land on, followed by two Gannet AS.1s. HA.MS from a helicopter keeping station forward on the portside - two 898 Squadron Sea Hawks are on the catapults, and the portside aircraft is launched. A Sea Hawk lands on - a second comes in too high and goes round again - a third lands on, followed by a Skyraider which taxies forward, wings folding, to join the Sea Hawks parked forward. A formation of three Sea Hawks overfly the camera aircraft. Another Sea Hawk lands on. Cut to camera on deck shooting LA to 893 Squadron Venoms parked along the portside of the flightdeck - deck crew and parked diesel towing tractors in the foreground. HA.MS from island to Sea Hawk as it is positioned on port catapult and launched - another aircraft waits on the starboard catapult and a third stands in line for the vacated portside launcher. Reel Two. HA from the island to Whirlwind helicopter hovering to port of Ark Royal - on deck in the foreground is parked Sea Hawk FGA.6, XE 409. Two Venoms taxi forward onto the catapults - the port aircraft is launched. A Skyraider takes off followed by two Gannets. Sea Hawks are launched from both catapults. Venom FAW.21 WW 203 is launched. Cut to the mens' mess where food is being served with tea. CU as a Lieutenant-Commander (Air) makes up a crew and duty list board in a briefing room - a weather map is hung up and the briefing begins - the operational area is the western approaches to the English Channel. CU as a Venom's drop tank is fuelled. A Sea Hawk's main tank is topped up - the pilot boards, straps in, and dons helmet and mask. HA onto the starboard catapult as Venom is launched. Pan over interior of ops room and MSs of radar operators and plotters at work.
  • Alternative Title: POST-WAR NAVAL OPERATIONS - MISCELLANEOUS [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: ADM 1839
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1946-1975
  • Production Date: 1957
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Admiralty (Production sponsor)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Royal Navy, Ark Royal (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm, Sqdn 804 (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm, Sqdn 898 (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm, Sqdn 849 (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm, Sqdn 815 (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm, Sqdn 893 (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: ships, British naval - aircraft carrier, fleet: Ark Royal (object name) aircraft, British naval - combat: Hawker Sea Hawk (object name) aircraft, British naval - combat: Fairey Gannet (object name) aircraft, British naval - helicopter: Westland Whirlwind (object name) aircraft, United States naval - combat: Douglas A-1 Skyraider & [British] (object name) aircraft, British naval - combat: De Havilland Sea Venom (object name)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: None Subtitle language: None
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 2 Footage: 1537 ft; Running time: 17 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    ADM 1839

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