Online Vids: Recon P-38s, Target Tokyo & Gables Combat America

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Zeno's Warbird Video Drive-In July 2006 Newsletter

You are invited to drop by Zeno's Drive-In - Zeno's Warbird Video Drive-In - World War 2 airplane videos playing live online - and watch this month's World War II aviation features for free online video viewing. "At the Matinee," we're showing s cool collection of World War II air action guaranteed to beat the summer heat: “P-38 Reconnaissance Pilot," " Target Tokyo," and a Drive-In favorite, “Combat America.”

“P-38 Reconnaissance Pilot” Starring William Holden ("Bridge on the River Kwai") as Lt. "Packy" Cummings. Photo recon pilots (Photo Joes) had one of the riskiest, highest impact jobs in the war. Flying camera equipped, unarmed, often unescorted aircraft -- in this case the Lockheed F-5, a "stripped down" P-38 -- pilots flew deep into enemy territory. "Reconnaissance Pilot" follows Packy Cummings. from basic training to the skies over New Guinea. He's not particularly happy to be flying reconnaissance -- his Dad was a renowned World War I ace recently killed by the Japanese and he wants revenge. The story of the film is how Packy comes to realize the absolutely essential nature of photo recon and how one Foto Joe can have more deadly impact than a whole squadron of combat '38s. Along the way, you'll learn about photo recon and see some nice F-5 footage, The climax of the film, an action packed clash with a Japanese Zero, is based on a real incident where Alex Gary, the most decorated US recon pilot of the War, deep sixed his opponent without firing a shot.
“Target Tokyo” Follow the men of the 21st Bomber Command and their B-29 Superfortresses from their training base in Grand Island, Nebraska, to the newly built air base at Saipan and right into the first 3,000 mile raid on Tokyo. Great up close and personal footage of the lives of air & ground crews, along with rare B-29 combat film shot on that first big raid on the Nakajima aircraft plant. Features cameos of crewmembers of the famous B-17 "Memphis Belle," who signed up for another tour of duty to fly B-29s against Japan. Narrated by Ronald Reagan.
"This film is especially memorable for it's dramatic use of photo-journalistic style black and white cinematography. It's as if one of those great photo essays from a World War II issues of "Life" magazine was put right on the screen." Zeno

“Combat America”
This warm hearted documentary was produced, written, directed, and narrated by movie star Clark Gable while he was on assignment with the 8th Air Force, developing a gunnery training film. Though it contains plenty of combat footage and doesn't flinch in showing the high cost of war in the air, in many ways, it's more of a warm home movie than a hard-bitten, wartime "information" film. Gable chronicles the experiences of the men of the 351 Bombardment Group from the cool early morning mists of Colorado to the frigid skies over Germany. His affection and admiration for these men comes through loud and clear. This film is like a Kodachrome album out of the past, giving us snapshots of life on a front line air base in 1943.

If you haven't stopped by Zeno's Drive-In before, we also feature 1940-45 vintage WWII Army & Navy films and pilot’s manuals on how to fly the F4U, F6F, P-38, P-39, P-40, P-47, P-51, P-61, TBF/TBM, AT-6/SNJ, B-17, B-24, B-25, A-20, A-26, B-26, B-29, and Stearman N2S. And there are different WWII documentaries every month "At the Matinee." That's over 14 hours of rockin' props for free viewing over the internet.

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Zeno's Warbird Video Drive-In
World War II Aviation Videos Playing Online 24/7
Zeno's Warbird Video Drive-In - World War 2 airplane videos playing live online