"HURRICANE HUNTERS" (59TH WEATHER RECON FLIGHT) Part 1

Description

Summary: A WB-29 crew of the 59th Weather Reconnaissance Flight receiving weather briefings, taking off and in-flight, flying over and into storm clouds, releasing dropsonde, recording and transmitting weather data, and returning to the base. (Shot list to follow.) Reel 1, 802': SLATE: 30 SEPTEMBER. HURRICANE HUNTERS. CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. Starts at 2': Series of shots looking through nose of WB-29, simulating the aircraft flying in turbulent weather through heavy overcast. 57' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 58' MS 3/4 FV INT WB-29, aircraft commander simulating rough flying in overcast -- inboard engine on left wing is visible. 99' SLATE: 22 SEPTEMBER. CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 102' MS EXT pan to right WB-29 crew walking alongside of building. They walk behind sign which reads: 59TH WEATHER RECON FLIGHT OPERATIONS, then enter doorway into building behind the sign. 142' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 147' MS INT 3/4 RV two navigators working out flight plans on large table. 164' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 165' MS INT 3/4 RV two navigators complete their work on flight plans and then place flight plan and charts into a briefcase. 203' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 205' LS EXT pan to left of WB-29 rolling down runway and just starting to take off from Kindley AFB, Bermuda. 253' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 255' MCU low angle INT radar navigator climbs up into astrodome on WB-29 and uses a sextant to shoot the sun. 279' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 291' MS INT camera is positioned in center of aircraft, behind the aircraft commander, looking through nose of WB-29, as aircraft taxis down runway and takes off from Kindley AFB, Bermuda. Aircraft flies out over a small bay with an outlet to the ocean. 340' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 342' MCU INT SV aircraft commander at controls of WB-29 in flight. 364' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 366' MS RV INT co-pilot at controls of WB-29 in flight, clouds are visible below the aircraft. 378' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: HEALEY. 380' LS EXT 3/4 FV two fire guards behind the left wing engines of WB-29, backing toward camera right with fire extinguisher. 406' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: HEALEY. 409' MCU SV WB-29 taxiing toward and out camera right, right wing of aircraft passes over camera. A second WB-29 is parked in bg, in front of several small buildings. 443' CU 3/4 FV left wing engine of WB-29 in flight, nimbus rain clouds are visible beyond the engines. 462' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 463' CU INT WB-29 flight instrument panel, aircraft commander's right hand iso n control wheel as he simulates maneuvering aircraft. 488' SLATE: ROLL P-14. SCENE 1A. 490' A/G ELS Kindley AFB, Bermuda -- strato-cumulus clouds partially filled sky over the base. 513' MS looking through nose of WB-29 as aircraft lands on runway at Kindley AFB. 537' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 538' MLS EXT SV WB-29 crew lined up for inspection in front of right wing engines. Crew members are fastening their parachute harnesses. 558' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 561' MS EXT SV aircraft commander making pre-flight inspection of WB-29 crew, lower portion of the belly of the aircraft is visible beyond the last man. 578' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 581' CU EXT looking over right shoulder of one crewman as the aircraft commander checks him over during pre-flight inspection. 589' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 592' MCU looking over left shoulder of aircraft commander as he checks one of the WB-29 crew during inspection, second man can be seen at camera right in the lineup -- part of the aircraft is visible in bg. Aircraft commander then steps in front of next man, out of frame left. 610' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 612' LS EXT aircraft commander finishes pre-flight inspection of WB-29 crew lined up in front of right wing of the aircraft. 633' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 635' CU INT WB-29, weatherman speaking into headset mike. 660' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 664' MCU INT SV left leg and arm of aircraft commander as he pushes the throttles into full forward position as he pulls the control wheel back with his right hand. 680' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 683' Repeat of above scene. 700' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 701' CU INT high angle flight engineer's hands and arms as he moves throttles into full forward position on control panel. 718' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 722' CU INT high angle the dropsonde operator at his position in WB-29, recording information on form. 737' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: HEALEY. 738' LS 3/4 FV WB-29 on parking ramp. Ground crewman unhooks power unit from aircraft, folds away the cables, closes panel on back of power unit. 781' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: HEALEY. 783' MCU low angle EXT of No. 3 engine (right inboard engine) on WB-29 -- camera is positioned by the nose wheel. Engine has been started and is revving up. Reel 2, 783': A/A high angle of cumulus clouds. 99' A/A SV LS WB-29 just after appearing from behind large cloud mass, flying toward camera left. Aircraft is flying over stratocumulus clouds. 119' MS SV the above scene. 136' A/A MS 3/4 RV WB-29 flying toward camera left, scattered cirrus clouds in bg. As aircraft proceeds in flight, a cumulonimbus cloud becomes visible. 179' A/A LS SV WB-29 flying toward camera left -- sky is very overcast. 198' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 199' A/A cumulus cloud. 210' A/A CU cumulus cloud, as aircraft is flying past it to the left. Beyond the cumulus cloud are cirrus clouds. 225' A/A several MSs & CUs of cumulus clouds. 295' A/A aircraft is flying under altostratus clouds. 333' A/A 3/4 SV slight high angle WB-29 flying toward camera left, over scattered cumulus clouds. 397' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: HEALEY. 399' LS to MS pan to left WB-29 rolling just after touchdown, out camera frame left. 415' A/A high angle MS dense cumulus clouds. 430' A/A cumulus cloud as aircraft starts to enter it. 438' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 446' LS EXT flight line at Kindley AFB, Bermuda, two WB-29s are parked on ramp. Camera then pans to left to show three more on flight line, half-ton truck drives by in fg. 470' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 472' Repeat of the above scene. Truck does not drive by in fg. 483' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 486' Repeat of above scene. 512' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 514' MLS EXT WB-29 crew lined up during pre-flight inspection by aircraft commander. The crew is standing inf ront of the right inboard engine of WB-29 parked on flight line. Aircraft commander then dismisses the men. 539' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 542' MS INT low angle FV aircraft commander simulating rough action at controls of WB-29 in flight. 591' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 593' MCU FV aircraft commander seated at controls of WB-29, eating a sandwich and drinking from a paper container. 608' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 613' MS INT, navigators working out flight plan on table, completing their work, and starting to place the forms and charts into briefcase. 644' CU INT high angle a right hand holding a protractor over navigation chart, measuring distance between two points. There are two takes of this scene. 674' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 677' MS to LS pan to right WB-29 taking off from Kindley AFB, in either early dawn or late dusk. 699' LS to CU, LS pan to left WB-29 rolling down and taking off from runway at Kindley AFB -- thick cumulus clouds are over the field. 741' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: HEALEY. 742' LS to CU to LS EXT B-50 taking off from runway, directly over camera. Camera pans quickly to right and follows the aircraft as it climbs into the bg. 756' LS, CU, to LS WB-29 just after takeoff from runway. Aircraft flies directly over camera, grabbing toward the left. Camera pans with the aircraft as it flies into the bg. 781' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: HEALEY. Reel 3, 661': MS INT camera positioned behind weather observer in nose of WB-29 in flight, aircraft flying over cirrus clouds. 15' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 19' MS INT camera positioned behind weather observer in nose of WB-29, sky is completely overcast. 40' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 44' MCU EXT 3/4 FV two right wing engines on WB-29 in flight, sky is completely overcast. 61' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 63' A/A high angle of altostratus clouds. 90' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 91' CU INT 3/4 FV aircraft commander seated in WB-29, left outboard engine is visible through the side window of the cockpit. Beyond the engine can be seen the circular shaped clouds which denote a hurricane. 102' MS 3/4 FV two right wing engines of WB-29 in flight, stratocumulus clouds are visible below the engines. 120' A/A stratocumulus clouds, left outboard engine on WB-29 is visible at camera left. 138' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 139' MCU INT SV silhouette of right waist scanner on WB-29 as aircraft flies over stratocumulus clouds. 170' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 172' MCU 3/4 RV wing engines of WB-29, aircraft is flying over thick stratocumulus clouds. 186' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 187' A/A LS, MS to LS camera is positioned along the left side of WB-29, two dropsondes are released from the aircraft as it flies over thick stratocumulus clouds. 196' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 198' MS 3/4 FV low angle of co-pilot at controls of WB-29 simulating rough flight. 218' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 222' CU FV INT WB-29, co-pilot eating sandwich and drinking from paper cup. 249' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: HEALEY. 251' LS to CU to LS pan to left, WB-29 landing on runway at Kindley AFB. 278' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 280' A/A Camera positioned at nose of plane as aircraft flies into thick stratocumulus clouds. 328' LS EXT camera positioned at windshield of WB-29 as aircraft flies toward stratocumulus clouds -- rain is streaking the windshield. 343' A/A thick stratocumulus clouds as aircraft flies over and toward it. 349' END SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 350' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 352' MS 3/4 FV right outboard engine as WB-29 starts to leave thick cumulus cloud -- rain starts to streak the window. 381' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 383' MS INT 3/4 RV radio operator in WB-29 transmitting a message on the key. 399' Change of angle, same as above. 416' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 423' MS INT SV the dropsonde operator in WB-29 opening airlock cover, then placing dropsonde into the airlock and securing it. 452' CU INT high angle looking down into the airlock at the dropsonde. Dropsonde operator then closes the airlock cover. 464' CU INT high angle dropsonde operator looking down through window in airlock. 478' Series of LSs, camera positioned in nose of WB-29, as aircraft makes an approach and lands on runway at Kindley AFB, Bermuda. The time is apparently late evening, as the horizon over a layer of clouds is well lit, although the runway lights are one. 516' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 518' MS INT SV high angle of dropsonde operator seated inside WB-29, recording telemetered information on form. He then rises and leaves camera right. 544' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 546' CU INT, the hand of the dropsonde operator releasing the dropsonde from the airlocik. 558' MLS INT, officer seated in front of large polar map covering the wall. 563' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 565' MCU INT 3/4 view flight engineer in WB-29 making notes in log. (Scene is poorly lit.) 594' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 596' MS INT SV navigator on WB-29 computing location on charts. (Scene is rather dark.) 607' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 608' MS INT high angle over the shoulder of first navigator who is checking radar scope and logging information on charts. (Scene is dark.) 639' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 642' MS INT high angle 3/4 view, change of angle of above scene. Reel 4, 830': SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 16' MS INT high angle over the shoulder of radio operator typing message. 37' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 42' CU INT typewritter as radio operator types message. 58' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 63' MS INT 3/4 RV high angle radio operator finishes typing message on typewriter, NCOIC enters frame right and takes the message from the operator. 88' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 92' MS INT high angle RV teletype operator sending out message. 128' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 132' MS INT SV weather observer working on weather charts on a large table. He turns, removes message from teletype machine behind him, and then starts to denote the information on the large chart. 163' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 167' CU INT hand, holding pen, denotes storm in the Caribbean area. Weather information is noted on the chart and hand is removed. 187' Repeat of the above scene. 200' END SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 205' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 208' MS INT high angle of teletype operator sending message. 230' NG. SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 237' MS EXT radio tower, camera pans up tower to the antenna at top. 272' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 277' MS INT slight high angle of a newscaster seated at desk in front of mike. (Caption sheets state public information on hurricane being broadcasted.) 303' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: HEALEY. 314' CU INT face of large clock, hands denote the time of 12 minutes past 1. Second hand moves approximately 20 seconds. 335' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: HEALEY. 341' CU weather chart, pointer denotes position of hurricane off the coast of Florida and above Cuba. Arrows denote the flight path of WB-29s, through the hurricane. 364' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: HEALEY. 368' CU INT position of hurricane on large chart, pointer denotes the hurricane. 382' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 384' MCU INT navigator's watch lying on navigation chart -- a hand is resting on the chart, next to the watch. Hand then picks up the watch to show it more clearly. Time denoted on the watch is 7:28. 409' MS INT FV head and shoulders of briefing officer speaking toward camera. Briefing officer takes a pointer and points at the lower left portion which is out of view of camera. There is a large map, behind him, of the Caribbean and Atlantic coastline. 461' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: HEALEY. 472' SLATE: ILLEGIBLE. 482' MS INT briefing officer standing at podium at rear of room, two rows of military personnel are seated with their backs to camera in front of him. A large weather chart has been drawn on the blackboard at camera left behind the briefing officer. 517' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 521: Repeat of the above scene. Flight officer takes pointer and indicates flight path on chart, which is on blackboard behind him. 545' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 551' Repeat of above scene. 582' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: LITTLE. 584' MS INT slight change of angle from above scene as the briefing officer briefs the military personnel seated in front of him. 612' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 614' MS INT briefing officer standing at podium, two rows of military personnel seated with backs to camera in fg. Briefing officer then hands pointer to weather officer who rises from front seat and denotes hurricane on the weather chart. 638' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. Repeat of above scene. 681' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 682' MS INT briefing officer standing behind podium -- weather officer standing next to him denoting hurricane on chart on blackboard, using pointer. Two rows of military personnel seated with backs to camera in fg. Weather officer finishes, speaks briefly with one of the men in first row, and returns to his seat. 716' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 718' MS INT the crew, in the above briefing scene, rising and leaving camera left. 744' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 746' MS INT high angle past left shoulder of briefing officer as he speaks to the crew, seated in two rows, facing camera. 782' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 784' MCU 3/4 FV WB-29 crew seated in briefing room, looking toward camera right. 806' SLATE: CAMERAMAN: PHILLIPS. 809' MCU 3/4 FV change of angle of above scene of one row of military personnel seated during briefing, looking toward camera left. Good (Basic: Orig neg)

Collection

Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations

Series

Moving Images Relating to Military Aviation Activities