This movie is a treasure in uncovering the history of United Airlines. You'll see aircraft from the earliest biplanes used for air mail service to the DC7 - the epitome of prop airliners.
The movie begins with footage from the first air mail service between Washington and New York in 1918. President Wilson is seen officiating at this historic event. The air mail army pilots are seen consulting their maps for the inaugural air mail flight. The flight skips down the field and heads for New York.
Footage from the first transcontinental air mail flight from Hazelhurt Field at Mineola, New York is shown. Sacks of mail are handed to the biplane pilot and stuffed into the front of the plane.
Loads of great early footage is shown along with film of night operations in the very early days. Night flying became safer with more lighted fields. Planes from National Air Transport are shown being readied and loaded with mail. The pilot crawls into the cockpit, parachute and all.
We watch Bill Boeing's wife christen the first Boeing 40, the first plane designed for air mail and passengers. Boeing Air Transport operated between Chicago and San Francisco. Passengers are seen crawling into the nose of the biplane. We see a Varney Air Lines Boeing 40 loading with four passengers.
The Ford tri-motor finds its place in history as a fourteen passenger transport that can carry people in lounge chair comfort. The tri-motor is shown in flight and prepared for flight.
The Boeing 80, the big tri-motor aircraft is shown in flight. In July 1931, National, Boeing, Varney and Pacific Air Transport merge to become United Air Lines. Early United flights are shown.
Next we see the United Boeing 247, the first all metal, low winged, twin engine transport. It is strange to see baggage being loaded into the nose of the airplane. Passengers are seen boarding a United Air Lines Boeing 247. It takes flight and cabin shots are shown.
The DC-3 joins the United fleet. A nice segment on a DC-3 flying over the Golden Gate Bridge is shown along with passengers enjoying swivel chairs in flight. Night transports were equipped with beds.
World War II flight operations are shown. Bomb runs show the bombs leaving the aircraft and striking the target.
The DC-4 enters service as the C-54 for military operations and later to be used to carry more passengers for United than ever before.
In 1947 the DC-6 enters service. Passengers are seen climbing stairs and entering the United DC-6 for takeoff. Great shots of the United DC-6 in flight are shown over puffy clouds, up close and over metropolitan areas. We see the DC-6 landing and operating at night.
In 1954 the DC7 plane comes on the scene and leads the way for United Air Lines. Lots of views of the United Air Lines DC-7 in operation. We see the huge United logo under the wings of the plane while it is flying.
In NTSC DVD format and region-free with a run time of 19 minutes. Please note that because of the age and rarity of these films, quality can vary. Packaged in a clear plastic C-Shell case without paper graphics.
