https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/cb5c7a80-6e42-42cf-9c78-7887b22c0799 PART 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNJNdQdrJCg&feature=youtu.be Produced in the early 1970s, "Hook Down, Wheels Down" was one of the most comprehensive (and expensive) films made by the U.S. Navy. It covers the history and development of the U.S. aircraft carrier, and does so through interviews with many of the men who made it happen. While dozens of aircraft carriers are featured, it is the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) that takes center stage -- and the material shot on her deck looks like it is right out of "Top Gun". Shown in this film are very rare images of the first aircraft carrier USS Langley (CV-1) (formerly collier USS Jupiter AC-3). The follow on vessels are widely featured including USS Lexington (CV-3) and the USS Yorktown (CV-5) in the Battle of Coral Sea. Also featured: USS Saratoga (CV-2), USS Enterprise (CV-6), USS Hornet (CV-8), USS Wasp (CV-7), USS Ranger (CV-4), USS Yorktown (CV-5), USS Essex (CV-9), USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60), the British carrier HMS Furious, the destroyer USS Zeilin (DD-313), and many other warships. Various incidents are shown from Pearl Harbor, Midway, Coral Sea, the capture of the submarine U-505, the Marianas Turkey Shoot, the Doolittle Raid on Japan, and more. Includes interviews or appearances by many WWII naval aviators and aces including Wade McClusky, John Jay Courtney, Billy Mitchell, Gerald Bogen, Leslie Generes, John S. Thatch (of "Thatch Weave" fame), Ensign George Gay, David Campbell (whose Minsi III appears in the film), Edward "Butch" O'Hare, Charles Lindbergh, Glenn Curtiss, Clark Gable and Wallace Beery. Planes seen in the film include the Wright Brothers flier, biplanes, Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, the NC-4 Flying Boat, Hellcat, Avenger, Corsair, Vindicator, Devastator, Wildcat, and Japanese Zero. The film shows how the aircraft carrier emerged from WWII not just as a ship but as a powerful symbol of modern naval power. 0:00 – The Battle of the Coral Sea marks a revolution in naval warfare, fought entirely by aircraft launched from carriers, with no surface ships coming into direct contact. 1:43 – The Battle of Midway in June 1942 further demonstrates the strategic power of aircraft carriers and changes the tide against Japan. 2:23 – Dive bombers attack the Japanese fleet under intense anti-aircraft fire. 3:38 – Fighter pilots work in teams but ultimately fly alone 4:06 – To be a good fighter pilot, one must love combat but also avoid recklessness and know their aircraft's capabilities. 4:34 – Landing on a carrier is incredibly difficult and unforgiving. 5:50 – The aircraft carrier evolves into a floating airfield and command center, requiring thousands of trained personnel. 6:43 – Modern carriers like the USS Kennedy are mobile airbases capable of global reach, symbolizing U.S. power and readiness. 8:00 – Naval aviation begins in the early 1900s, with officers like Lt. George Sweet recognizing the plane’s potential for the Navy. 9:01 – The Navy first experiments with seaplanes, then tests shipboard takeoffs and landings by Eugene Ely in 1910–1911. 10:01 – The Navy’s first pilots train with aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss 11:02 – During WWI, Navy planes patrol for submarines, limited by range. Admiral Sims predicts carriers as the ships of the future. 12:00 – The USS Jupiter is converted to become the Navy's first aircraft carrier, USS Langley, in 1922. 13:01 – The Langley introduces innovations like arresting wires. 15:00 – Veterans recall early carrier landings. 16:00 – The Washington Naval Treaty leads to conversion of battlecruisers Lexington and Saratoga. 17:04 – 1929 exercises at the Panama Canal prove the strategic power of carrier-based aviation. 18:29 – The U.S. expands its carrier fleet with ships like Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown. Japan learns from and tries to match U.S. capabilities. 20:31 – 1938 fleet exercises show how carrier-launched air power can destroy fixed island targets like Pearl Harbor—mirroring the real attack years later. 22:49 – After Pearl Harbor, U.S. carriers are used in hit-and-run attacks by Admiral Halsey to maintain a U.S. presence in the Pacific. 24:02 – U.S. pilots develop the Thach Weave tactic to counter superior Japanese Zero fighters. 25:01 – Ace Edward O’Hare becomes a hero, scoring five kills in one mission and pioneering night fighting. He later dies in combat. 26:02 – In April 1942, Doolittle’s Raid launches Army bombers from the USS Hornet to bomb Tokyo. 27:55 – Carriers Yorktown and Lexington prepare to meet the Japanese in the Coral Sea in May 1942. 28:23 – The Battle of the Coral Sea becomes the first naval battle fought entirely in the air, proving the carrier’s dominance. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLyjsqOlBYE Mirrored from Periscope Film (https://www.youtube.com/@PeriscopeFilm) Sat, 13 Jun 2026 13:28:00 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://peertube.dngr.us https://peertube.dngr.us/lazy-static/avatars/41a6fee9-7f57-42d0-a5fc-5db4f1af2e31.png https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/cb5c7a80-6e42-42cf-9c78-7887b22c0799 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://peertube.dngr.us/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.