British Pathe

Old Aviation - Civil Aviation Begins.

Location of events unknown.

Early passenger aeroplanes & mail plane. 2 passengers climb ladder to enter aeroplane (Airco Deluxe?). They sit at small table inside the plane, smoking; talking. One picks up deck of cards. Another pair; one banging...

Old Aviation - Civil Aviation Begins.

Location of events unknown.

Early passenger aeroplanes & mail plane. 2 passengers climb ladder to enter aeroplane (Airco Deluxe?). They sit at small table inside the plane, smoking; talking. One picks up deck of cards. Another pair; one banging on typewriter like travelling journalist on a deadline; the other reading. Shot of plane w/ a man walking away from it; looks like woman passenger inside; laughing. A few men & fashionable women are apparently saying goodbye to friend who is boarding aeroplane. Man helps to raise windows by passenger seat (seat is directly behind pilot; not inside body of aeroplane). Woman passenger wears cap pulled down; goggles; etc. Then repeat of first story.

Next; aeroplane being loaded. Shot of a line of men holding bags (mail?) & boxes on their shoulders (heads not seen!); standing in front of a biplane. The first man in line hands his bag to another man who packs it in the aeroplane. CU 2 men on ground by aeroplane; pilot in cockpit; one man hands up papers; pilot signs document. Plane starts to move. Shot from behind; aeroplane taxis away. Another aeroplane being loaded; another pilot signing. CU pilot laughing as he fastens seatbelt. Several guys help to give plane a push; it takes off.

Title: 'Hounslow. London - Paris Airway Opened. Passports are examined and the first "Air Special" leaves for France.'

Man & woman passengers fill out forms; give them to officials standing next to the small plane. Plane taking off in field; watched by 30-40 people. Plane flying away.

Shots of an unusual old (year unknown) strutted biplane; sitting in middle of field; guarded by troops. Nothing known about this but the aeroplane itself is quite bizarre. The soldiers (French?) march back & forth in front of the plane. CU young soldier. MS pilot sitting in plane; he starts to laugh. CU pilot standing up in plane; talking and gesticulating.

Soldiers (unidentified - possibly Austrian?) inflating balloon. Balloon completely filled; perfectly round; hovers just over soldiers' heads. It has a tail of papers attached to its string - propaganda? (Could be observation balloon? SL.) The men start to walk w/ the balloon; then release it. Balloon rising; the sheets of paper seen before appear darker in this shot. World War One?

Charles Lindbergh makes historic transatlantic flight from New York to Paris; May 20-21; 1927. Film of both his departure and arrival. Roosevelt Field; Long Island, United States of America. Shot of Lindbergh w/ small crowd of men around him; he is helped into one-piece overall worn over his clothing. Lindbergh's Ryan NYP monoplane; named 'The Spirit of Saint Louis' taxiing on runway; picking up speed. Camera pans; following plane. Aeroplane; weighed down by large supply of gasoline; bounces a few times before leaving ground; and barely misses row of trees as it flies away.

Le Bourget Airport, Paris, France. Shot from above of large crowd. People are moving about madly - chaotic scene. There is a stark contrast between the dark night and the reflection of a spotlight playing over the people. Later; there are more official honours: shot of Lindbergh on a balcony with French leader President Gaston Doumergue (?). Lindy holds US flag; is also handed French flag and stands there waving the 2 flags. Someone at another window (off-camera) hands over another French flag to President. Finally; CU of Lindy. (For more of this; many more shots of much better quality; see ON 494 K.)