Summary: An edition of the British official newsreel "World Pictorial News", produced by the Ministry of Information, Middle East.
Description: I. 'WORLD'S LARGEST AIRCRAFT.' An unliveried Avro Tudor II airliner is rolled out of a hangar for its maiden flight (March 10 1946). The commentary outlines the aircraft's dimensions and performance specifications over views of the parked and chocked aircraft. A small number of passengers wait to board the aircraft (A.V.Roe and Co Ltd employees ?). The aircraft's 1770-hp Rolls-Royce Merlin 621 engines are run up prior to take off. Avro Tudor II G-AGSU takes off and is later shown making a low-level pass to camera. Tudor II G-AGSU banks away from the camera aircraft.
II. 'GRAND NATIONAL 1946.' Large crowds assemble for the 1946 Grand National steeplechase held at Aintree, Lancashire. Panoramic footage shows crowds thronging around tipster's stands (Sarsfield, Lipson, Harry Bradford and Percy Edmons). Fashionably dressed women display for the cameras. A member of the Royal Corps of Signals studies a race card with his Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) companion. Highlights of the four and a half mile race follow.
III. 'AGA KHAN'S JUBILEE.' Bombay crowds are entertained by a parade held in honour of the Aga Khan's diamond jubilee. Elephants, horse-drawn chariots, and motorised floats pass the camera position which is situated opposite the premises of the Bombay Gas Company Ltd. Panoramic footage taken inside a Bombay Stadium shows the jubilee delegation benches from Iran, Central Asia and Burma. Diamonds are brought into the stadium under armed guard and are later used as a counter-balance to the Aga Khan's body weight (243 lbs) as he sits on a weighing machine. Bombay illuminations and fireworks are ignited in celebration of the Aga Khan's diamond jubilee.
Production Details: Ministry of Information, Middle East (Production sponsor)
World Pictorial News (Production company)
Martin, Charles (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Shah, Mahomed (person)
Aga Khan III (person)
Keywords: recreation, British civilian - sport: horseracing (object name)
ceremonies, Indian - event-related: diamond jubilee of Aga Khan (object name)
GB, England & Liverpool, Lancs <Aintree racecourse> (geography)
India & Bombay (geography)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Subtitle language: Arabic
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 791 ft; Running time: 9 mins
