History of the Helicopter | Shell Historical Film Archive

Witness the birth of vertical flight in this 1952 documentary. We delve into the 19th and 20th centuries - a time marked by diligent inventors and their pursuit of aeronautical progress. Rare old film footage, reveals the hard work of early aviation pioneers and their bold experiments and groundbreaking inventions that forever changed the way we see the sky.
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Shell’s surprising and captivating Historic Film Archive dates from 1934 and covers a rich mix of topics from technology, science and engineering to craftsmanship, motorsport and travelogue.
The Shell Film Unit, responsible for the content, was a highly celebrated part of Britain’s Documentary Movement. Key figures from that movement were involved, including: Jack Beddington, Edgar Anstey, Arthur Elton, John Grierson, Kay Mander, Stuart Legg and Douglas Gordon.
Its films were wide reaching, often screened in cinemas and through the non-theatric film distribution circuit, which brought film to educational establishments and organisations across the UK. While many films covered technological themes related to Shell’s activities, others were entirely unrelated and served purely to educate the general public.
As Shell innovated in technologies that would provide oil and gas products for the world, the Shell Film Unit also innovated in the technological advancement of film, incorporating graphics and different forms of animation as early as the 1930s.
During WW2 the Shell Film Unit was co-opted into war effort, making films for the Ministry of Information’s film division. Its prowess in technological documentary suited the MoI’s need for technical training films.
While the name and the medium has changed many times over the years, the documentary tradition lives on at Shell. Its contemporary film team is part of Shell’s multi-disciplinary in-house agency, Creative Solutions. It continues making award-winning factual content that informs and educates the public, now usually released on social media platforms.
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#Shell #ShellFilmUnit #HistoricFilmArchive #Documentary #History #Helicopter #Aerospace #Aeronautical #Engineering #Aviation
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For more information about Shell’s Historic Film Archive please contact: [e-mail]

[@mitchelldakelman7006]

Great you posted the original version. The copy I have is a 16mm American version with the Tom Shirley narration, Shirley was a radio announcer and did a lot of work for AT&T in their films and announcer of the Bell Telephone hour. The Shell Film Library gave me a very nice film print in 1970, that's 54 years ago and is still part of my collection.

[@delauneyfrancois7411]

The first man to take off from the ground with a rotary wing (helicopter) was the French (Norman...) Paul CORNU in 1906, near LISIEUX (Normandy), Coquainvilliers, at a place called "la Goulafre"

[@rubemaragao2368]

Very interesting video about helicopter evolution! I felt the absence of the Germans helicopters, operational during WW2. I remember the small Kolibri (used at navy ships ) and the other (larger) for general transport.

[@davidpawson7393]

"Invasion of the Flying Banannas" featured the soundtrack from Gilligan's Island when the natives are restless.

[@cabaneencac5168]

I would like to know how many beheadings there were at the beginning

[@APBinVTA]

All of them!😂 Be well...

[@dutchsailor6620]

Only when they jumped from happiness because the concept worked.

[@anthonyg638]

The French were going to retire their guillotines and just put ejector seats in the first helicopters ......

[@archivalfootageservice]

wow, nice footage

[@joaoalbertodosanjosgomes1536]

I WAS BORN ON 1952.

[@terryhayward7905]

Personal helicopters have finally arrived, in the form of single person drone style machines. So we eventually got there :)

[@marcoortiz4579]

Juan de la Cierva was a genius... The Germans built the Colibrí a small autogiro, very practical, still in use today...

[@PRH123]

The Flettner Colibri (if that's the one you mean) was a helicopter, not a gyro.

[@joaoalbertodosanjosgomes1536]

The 🌎 ❤ SHELL. The best oil company.

[@markthomasson5077]

First time I have seen a three rotor helicopter

[@nealsausen4651]

AIRSHIP also could hover

[@ivanlaurent6156]

et le colibri d'antone flatener??

[@lance8080]

No report on the German UBoats using them in WW2 ???

[@darleytransportandtravel6353]

The music at the starts sounds like the Church of England hymn Holy Holy Holy as the camera shows a light house which brings to mind Trinity House. Intentional or coincidence?

[@CaptainRon1913]

wonder how many people died trying to develop the helicopter

[@tonywright8294]

5

[@truthful3777]

They sacrificed themselves and help many thousand in air rescue, disaster and medical aid...

[@syazwansyafiq2491]

1505 Tasik

[@user-hm2gb6pm6b]

Cardiff

[@ralf7817]

at 12:30 I think he got it backwards?

[@lowtus7]

I think you are right that he got it wrong, however, due to gyroscopic precession,it is actually 90 deg out.

[@Ben-Dixey]

@@lowtus7 Nose tilts down in sympathy with the rotor, yes, the helicopter follows the rotor. Its not gyroscopic precession its rotor phase lag. Aerodynamic forces control the rotor and that overpowers gyroscopic forces, that's why the rotor slows down when using the cyclic to tilt the rotor.

[@lowtus7]

Thanks for the clarification.

[@Ben-Dixey]

@@lowtus7 No problem, I'm glad you didn't ask to explain further because it gets much more complicated. I'm trying to understand it well enough to make a video about it. Lots of people think rotor phasing is due to gyroscopic precession, including some big KZbinrs, it needs to be demonstrated as incorrect.

[@lowtus7]

@@Ben-Dixey After your reply, I did some more reading on the topic, but I'm still confused, lol. I only have experience with model helis, with rigid rotor heads, and always thought it had something to do with gyroscopic precession, but thanks for pointing out my mistake. Happy flying

[@angloaust1575]

Korean and indochina wars saw their use for medical Evacuation Valerie andre french aviator Surgeon and parachutist Piloted her flimsy machine Into war zones!

[@Deshbhakt-hx9du]

❤😂😂🎉🎉😂😂❤❤😂🎉😂❤😂😂🎉

[@davidpawson7393]

What Joe Biden sees on the teleprompter. ⬆️

[@CaymanIslandsCatWalks]

Helicopter is made of two words Helico Pter Latin

[@autumn_rain]

why is shell making movies? i thought they do the pumping.

[@Tinker1950]

1. What conceivable relevance has that to the video? 2. 'Pumping', pumping of what ? Their main business is oil extraction not merely pumping. Digitum extractum.

[@mitchelldakelman7006]

Many industrial firms, large and small, produced informational films relevant to the industry in which they served. Shell had their own production department, as did Union Pacific Railroad, while other firms would contract out to companies such as Jam Handy, Audio Productions, Henry Charles, Walt Disney, Jerry Fairbanks, even Thomas Edison, and many more. There were thousands of excellent films of this genre that have been not seen in years, or lost. Many are preserved by private collectors such as myself that had an interest. These films were usually loaned without a charge, only the return postage.

[@autumn_rain]

I mean, why would they? just get your sweet oil money and thats it. leave movie making to movie companies.

[@kiwitrainguy]

It's called Public Relations, showing your company in a good light.

[@Paiadakine]

@@kiwitrainguyI am glad shell made these films.

[@BIBIWCICC]

When is She’ll going to remove its old abandoned platforms in the North Sea and take responsibility for its lethal pollution legacy?

[@paulreilly3904]

There's always one. Leave it alone mate. We're not here for that.

[@davidpawson7393]

Found one. Al? Is that you the hypocrite?

[@philhealey4443]

Who the he'll is she'll ?

[@jamesrecknor6752]

Those old platforms are monuments to greatness