"The Bridges at Toko-Ri" (1954) - Aircraft footage (HD)

[@tnitron9750]

My uncle was the pilot of the 209 plane in this movie. He went to the premier in hollywood and retired in 1975. Great movie!

[@smeyphone1319]

កើឮឮឧឯឯឯឮឫឧឫឰឧឰឧឯឰឰឯឰឯឰឰឰឪ

[@carlosmejia1398]

Que bueno que su tío fue el actor de la película creo q fue de mucha acción

[@FalconKPD]

Thats awesome. Is he still around? I bet he has a lot of stories to tell!

[@sournablim7358]

N. N

[@bigeye4520]

I salute him.

[@JeffersonHI]

My uncle flew F9F-5 Panthers off the USS Princeton (CVA-37) with VF-154. The scenes showing deck operations scrambling to accommodate the mix of both jet fighters and AD Skyraiders and Corsairs captures the frantic pace during launch and recovery. The Panther was a gas guzzler and only had a flight time duration of 1.5 hours, so the Skyraiders and Corsairs were launched first, followed later by the Panthers, who would rendevous with the props just about at target. My uncle said they'd drop in first to "wake up" the AAA for the bombers that followed (using their unguided rockets and 20mm cannons). LOL My uncle, Harvey Kitaoka, was the first Nisei (2nd generation Japanese American) jet fighter pilot and wound up flying 77 combat missions in Korea, and was awarded a Commendation Ribbon with Combat Distinguishing Service medal by then Vice Admiral J.J. "Jocko" Clarke himself - awarded for taking selfless action that saved the life of his flight leader, LCDR Bruce A. Bell. My uncle flew as "Dinger 2" - LCDR Bell's wingman in the "Dinger Division." Yup, I'm writing a book about him.

[@AntoineMackie]

That's fascinating! Please leave another comment when the book is out :)

[@toddewire13]

That was a great story thank you for sharing that with us about your uncle

[@jimmythrift1983]

Thanks , Enjoyed your short story .

[@davidwatson9984]

I saw the movie sometimes in the mid-50's and simply fell in love with the thought of flying helicopters and/or "fast movers". I flew Cobra Gunships in Nam and was shot down in July, 1968 and had to run for it. I ran into a bomb crater and as I leaned against the side of the crater I thought of William Holden in the ditch and wondered what the hell I was doing "here". I then realized that if "Charlie" tossed a grenade into the crater I had no place to hide and was a dead man which motivated me to climb out and run for the rescue LOACH. After I was rescued I could not stop thinking about Holden in that ditch... after 50+ years I still do.

[@George-pp2hr]

That's an amazing story. I was born 1965. So I was a toddler sometime while you were in crater after being shot down in Vietnam. I can't even imagine what it would have been like. I guess that movie would be playing in your mind.👍🇭🇲🦘🐨✌️

[@toyman81]

My brother was there in 1967-68 and has his days where he is fighting his demons, I pray he finds his peace before God calls him home.

[@George-pp2hr]

@@toyman81 I'm so sorry. I wish you and your brother well. That's very sad. Fortunately I was born at a time in between wars 1965. So the experiences I know of is from documentaries some reading and the news. I'm nearly 60 years and my eyes have seen many things and wander where the world is headed right now. I wish you all the best. George from down under Australia.👍🇭🇲🦘🐨✌️

[@gregj831]

Thank you fellow vet

[@davidwatson9984]

The other pilot had exited the burning Cobra​ ahead of meas it took me several trys to realize that you ain't goin' nowhere unless you undo your harness...he had a headstart and I was shooting in the opposite direction as the LOACH's door gunner was spraying the bamboo about 40/50 yards behind me. I figured he wasn-t target practing so I hauled ass in the direction the LOACH indicated at which time I ran off the edge of the crater and tumbled down and then compared my situation to Holden's in the movie. When I got to the LOACH my co-pilot was already sitting in the back.@rascalferret

[@rickprice6312]

This movie was spot on. Really takes me back. The conflict between your duty and your family. The preflight nerves. Listening to those catapults going all night long (I lived beneath cat 1 on the Saratoga). This movie and Flight of the Intruder really capture the essence of carrier aviation.

[@RW4X4X3006]

My dad was there, destroyer. They spent a lot time fishing Panther/AD pilots out of the water during flight ops, when they weren't cruising up and down the NK coast thumping Red artillery.

[@jeffeverett274]

My dad served on varied destroyers and lsts. He had a captain that thought he was manning a machine gun part time. Rat tat rat tat rat. Probably effects of WW2.

[@IDansing]

I saw the movie in December 1954. Earlier that day I was accepted into the USN Aviator Training Program and pinned wings 1.5 years later, training in the same aircraft you see in this clip. It was a great experience.

[@fredfungalspore]

Erik McMillan Sir what were they like to fly compared to other fighters they look very small. Was it an easy aircraft to fly and land what was the max altitude you could fly them at and lastly what range did they have.They had no after burners right ? All the best Sir.

[@TheGV50]

Erik was a college degree required for USN Aviator training back then?

[@Erniegrow]

I salute you sir. Awesome

[@dubb9020]

how many pilots would crash on landing you think? it seems incredible hard... how do you train on landing on a ship?

[@johnsexton2028]

I would like to clarify some of this Movie since I was a Flight deck AB all of Korean War and served 30 years in Fighter squadrons after as a AM, First off the Carrier Oriskany and others was used to film movie, But the Squadron with Letter B on Tail was CAG 19 and was on the USS Princeton cva37 the first two tours of war, and actually was on the Bridges, Also its Miss Pronounced as Its Bridges at KOTO -RI Mitchener spelled it wrong, The Brubaker Crash Happened but not as shown in Movie, Take time to google the story of Ens Jessie Brown the First and only Back Naval aviator at that time , and his crash behind enemy lines and his wing man Hudner trying to rescue him and the real Hilo pilots attempt. Some of us are still alive that was there and know the story well, 1954 I was still on The USS Princeton after return of Korean war, And I will admit it was a pretty well made movie but its a Movie, Some carriers I have noticed got lots of PR after Korean war, Like Bon Homme Richard, and Oriskany, ,How ever Princeton Is one of 4 carriers that served all three tours and there were four Essex class that was first on Line of war, one was British. If You Google CAG 19 it claims that it was first assigned to Bon Homme Richard, Not True, Cag 19 also had the squadron VF181 and was the Blue Angels squadron and its skipper at beginning of War and was assigned to USS Princeton cv37, I was on deck as AB then so think I pretty well new our history, The only Blue Angel killed in Combat was the first cruise in war he was LCDR JJ Magda. Oh the Flack Blind Pilot landing led in By wing man was true. But on the Phil sea our relief carrier and back up.,lol

[@lesliepeterrson7867]

Born in 1945, my mom took me into Manhattan to see this movie in the 50s. It's become my favorite movie of all time. William Holden, Grace Kelly, Mikey Rooney, and others were superb in their acting roles. When you consider this was filmed 65+ years ago, the cinematography is superb and real. For me it's #1.

[@johnmarshall4442]

Yes , great movie

[@marksauck8481]

Man, those old carriers were so little compared to the huge super carriers today. The jets today are so much bigger to.

[@raybin6873]

I always liked this movie and The Sand Pebbles!

[@octaviovaladaoferreirinhad2689]

Born in 1977 and an aviation enthusiast since the, my favourite part of the aviation history is the dawn of the jet age. In 1994 I watched this great classic for the first time on tv. I was hooked, amazed, dazzled. I still keep my DVD copy, I have two miniatures of the Panther and recently I read the novel in which this movie was based. And talking about models, I took sometime to realize back then why this movie won the Oscar for special effects, I could barely notice in the movie when models were used.

[@ssmm3240]

@@marksauck8481 ឥ

[@robertf3479]

The A-1 Skyraiders were still performing duty flying cover for downed aviators and rescue helos well into the Vietnam War, both Navy and Air Force planes. There is one at the Aviation Museum here in Virginia Beach that (to my knowledge) still flies regularly. When I first saw it I was surprised at how big the thing is.

[@marktercsak9728]

The A1 Sky Raiders, were only 5 years old if you will when the Korean War Broke out, they could carry a heavier Bomb load then the B17, Dad was with the 1st Marines then the Air Wing, they had a radar version, the Radar operator and Radio operator sat side by side in a crew compartment behind and below the Avaitor , dad said it was the most miserable flight he was ever on, no room and you had to crawl into it, but he said it sure beat the trenches.

[@andythomas898]

My brother flew Skyraiders off the Oriskany in 1966.

[@Pupixario]

Interesting fact: The carrier, USS Oriskany (CV-34), has been laid to rest in 2006 and is now serving as the largest artificial reef. There is a documentary about it. What a mighty ship this was!

[@jdewitt77]

When i was 10 years old I built a model of the USS Oriskany.

[@michaelmartin5632]

Named after the Battle of Oriskany, part of the Saratoga campaign. Lost by the American Germans, who were ambushed by Tories and fought hand to hand, eventually retreating. Elsewhere the British and natives were smoked.

[@WilliamPickett75]

Yep, that's true. She's currently 22 miles south of Pensacola, Florida. In around 250ft deep

[@timsparks1858]

John McCain was flew off the Oriskany when was on the mission that he was shot down on in 1967.

[@HobokenEscapee]

The Great Carrier Reef.

[@TorchMagick]

My Dad flew one of the Skyraiders in the latter part of the movie. He told me that William Holden really wanted to learn about Naval Aviation and that Mr. Holden was a true gentleman. He also said that Mickey Rooney was a real twit ( not his exact words ). RIP Dad. I Love You.

[@alohathaxted]

Amazing how huge those Skyraiders are when you stand next to one. They had the longest run and were much loved.

[@dmutant2635]

@@alohathaxted My uncle was Spad pilot in Vietnam. This movie was required watching whenever I visited my cousins...and it happened to be on TV...!

[@Howrider65]

Yup Mickey Rooney was an A$$.

[@josephstevens9888]

Those A-1 Skyraiders were one beast of a warplane!

[@TorchMagick]

@@josephstevens9888 No doubt about it! L L A P ✈️🎸🖖😀

[@HenryGill-bk6mn]

My Dad had been called back to active duty and flew CAS missions in a P-51 Mustang at the start of the Korean War. He took me to see "The Bridges at Toko-Ri" not too many years after his return from Korea. In the dark movie theater, Dad seemed to be twitching and not sitting still during the film. It was years later that I realized that Dad was unconsciously 'flying' the missions portrayed in the movie. His unit suffered high casualties as they ranged up and down the Korean Peninsula in search of targets, and he was very lucky to have survived. He never spoke of his time in Korea, and took his memories to the grave.

[@DunedinMultimedia2]

This has got to be the best movie about naval aviaition. Amazing cinematography.

[@Glen.Danielsen]

I am thinking same, Robert. The natural lighting here with the cinematography seems to make the actually glow somewhat. 💛🙏🏽

[@777Outrigger]

These scenes are excellent, especially for 1954. "The Bridges at Toko-Ri" won an Academy Award for "Best Special Effects". Well deserved.

[@FallenPhoenix86]

A lot of what you see was real, the carrier sequences were filmed as the carrier made its way to Korea during the war. "Men of the Fighting Lady" was also filmed during the same transit on the same ship if I remember right.

[@regologelliniromacivis]

I love those aircraft nearly as much as I loved the Corsair . It has the configuration of a T33, but I believe it is something else . Can you or anyone else help me with the name of it ? Thanks in advance !

[@donaldkgarman296]

F9f PANTHER

[@regologelliniromacivis]

Thank you so much !

[@SiliconBong]

9:55 Chemtrails, or pilots emptying their pissbags? You be the judge !

[@bangs4551]

Saw the movie sev. times in 1954 (I was 11yr. old carhop at a drive-in movie theater). This movie stuck in my mind; joined the navy in '63. Was an enlisted lineman in a fighter sqd. at Miramar NAS. Movies sometime motivate people's decisions yrs. later--this one did that for me. Loved airplanes as a child & still do.

[@thomasmoje5926]

My brother-in-law was an aircraft crew chief on a carrier about 1955 or so..he was crew chief on the squadron skipper's airplane. They flew the F9F Panthers like the ones in this video. Certainly an iconic Navy fighter that paved the way for much more advanced and capable naval aircraft.

[@donaldparlettjr3295]

Those early "Jet Jocks" were gutsy guys. Flying under-powered aircraft from the wooden decks of WW2 era carriers before the slant decks truly ballsy. They were landing them with open canopies with a LSO. There was a crash net before you. Truly insane.

[@rodolforioja7328]

Únicamente para reconocer que el diseño del mig es impresionante, por algo son toda una dinastía,

[@pavelkopenec2766]

then being a pilot required a real guy, not some lady today :-)) ..

[@kkteutsch6416]

Those undercarriage of navy based aircrafts needed to be very though and strong, those planes literally falls at the deck, flying pre stalled due to poor's aerodynamics designs .

[@RW4X4X3006]

My dad's destroyer pulled a lot of them from the ocean. In most cases the carrier operations were more dangerous for everyone involved than the actual missions.

[@fridayray8891]

underpowered is THE understatement

[@anonymoustaiwan5632]

Those aircrafts were so beautiful!😍 Classic and elegant!

[@johnmattioli9077]

What a great reminder as to how good the movie was and its impact on a very young boy. Thanks for sharing the flight sequences on their own.

[@BwoahBwoahBwoah]

I hear people say this movie is the original Top Gun. I say it is the golden standard for movies about naval aviation.

[@nickmariotti4241]

It's a way better, and more realistic film than Top Gun. Although Top Gun is fun, this film is much more serious and has something important and profound to say.

[@Ulleval73]

F9s and the USS Oriskany....doesn't get any cooler than this! An EPIC film.....

[@samuelrodriguez6683]

I serve on the ORISKANY CVA 34 7th fleet Vietnam. Westpac

[@stuartgarfatth1448]

FUCK YEAH!.

[@vansandy8184]

ឲឲឲ

[@hauemthichkolo4077]

Dc lam bay kieu nay hay

[@hauemthichkolo4077]

Thanks the nay xuong

[@Agwings1960]

One of the big reasons I like old movies like this, is because you get to watch lots of aircraft operate you would rarely see otherwise. The two old Sikorsky helicopters are probably the most rare aircraft, in terms of what you might see flying today.

[@CSRIII]

That’s the S51. It was first copter deployed by US Navy in 1946 for massive Adm Byrd expedition to Antarctica in Operation High Jump. My old man was AMM factory trained by Igor himself on first four the navy bought. He was in Korea keeping the S51 flying too. Love the footage showing dawn of jet aircraft and helos in naval aviation.

[@shoominati23]

@@CSRIII I doubt there's even any gas burners like that flying anymore

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

Want to see some old planes? Check this out. It's an edit of flying scenes from the Errol Flynn movie _Dive Bomber_ kzbin.info/www/bejne/aH3LiGdonN91jtE This movie was released on August 30, 1941 just a few months before Pearl Harbor. .

[@TorToroPorco]

First movie I remember seeing that showed carrier ops. I’ve been a fan of naval aviation ever since. Soooo cool and William Holden was one of my favourite movie stars from that era.

[@lynnwright3993]

When I was 11 or 12, there was an F9F-6 on display at a city park about 2 blocks from my house. Spent many an hour sitting in that cockpit shooting down enemy aircraft.

[@hhoward14]

I saw it when it first came out. I would have been about eleven. I never ever expected that anyone could make a film as good as this, and the older it gets: the better it gets. First rate.

[@Moredread25]

Classic filmmaking. Planes fly inbound left to right, return right to left. You really managed to scrub everything about the plot of the movie from this footage; it's been a long time since I partially saw the movie so it's hard for me to recall much about it. They really do a great job mixing in the real footage with what I assume have to be models.

[@tomb1198]

My father was a carrier pilot during the Korean war. He says this movie is Exactly what it was like flying missions in Korea. Flying thru the Valley of Death. He did several tours there. After the war became a test pilot. Then flew E-2's in Viet Nam. Ended his career with almost 600 carrier landings

[@CFITOMAHAWK2]

Salutes...

[@박영두-w4q]

Thank you for your father.

[@zerozone24]

Thank you very much from South Korea

[@redveiner]

My uncle flew the Banshee for the Marines in Korea. Would fly in at tree top level to take pics of important bridges while under the nose of the enemy. Flew Corsairs in WW2, as well. Downed 6 enemy planes in the Pacific .

[@andreyznigalov4289]

Я так понял у вас fatne воевал воевал в Корее . Он был летчик ? Кому нужна была эта война ? Не успели люди оправится от 2 мировой , и снова война . Во время 2мировой мы были друзьями а сейчас ? Как вы думаете . Здоровья и мирного неба вам . Если вам не сложно то ответьте , всего вам доброго. Андрей, г Челябинск .

[@g.a.c.4139]

When this movie was made in 1954, my father-in-law (Joseph Volz) was serving aboard the USS Kearsarge as an aircraft electrical specialist (I can't remember his actual title). He worked extensively with the film surveillance jets at that time. Those planes had extra long noses with windows to accommodate the camera equipment. I don't see any long-nosed planes in these scenes...it's either a directors technical oversight, or I just missed seeing them. These crucially important planes, pilots, and crews are frequently over-looked today since they aren't as romanticized as fighter planes/pilots. Joe always said he hated the Navy, but knowing his personality, I don't think the Navy was totally at fault! However, when you spoke to him about those planes and pilots, he lit up like a lighthouse. Thanks for your service Joe. RIP

[@josephstevens9888]

The aircraft you're describing is the McDonnell F2H Banshee, which looks very similar to the F9F Panther. There was a recon version of the Banshee that had an extra long nose to house the cameras and other sensors. In fact, in the novel, Brubaker and the rest of the squadron flew F2H Banshees.

[@myusername3689]

This looks like it was filmed in 2008, not 1954. That is some great video quality.

[@johndwayne3481]

It was probably filmed in technicolor. That's three lenses filtered in red, green, and yellow "tracks" and combined in a final product. Amazing results.

[@This_is_my_real_name]

@@johndwayne3481 -- One lens, using beamsplitters. IIRC it used _two_ film spools, one for one primary, two on the other (emulsion coated on both sides of the film, one side sensitized to one color, the opposite side sensitized to the third of the primaries). BTW the colors were yellow, magenta, and cyan which were then "translated" to red, green, and blue. Look up subtractive primaries and additive primaries with respect to color photography. Gets kinda crazy but it works. In any event, stunningly beautiful photography. Modern filmmakers could learn a thing or three from what these masters accomplished with equipment that must seem incredibly crude and convoluted by modern standards. Then you had people like Ansel Adams, who'd lug his 8x10 view camera up a mountain road, looking for just the right composition, spend a lot of time setting it up, then, waiting for the light to be _just_ right -- at which point he'd take ONE photo, and pack everything up and leave. Contrast that with _modern_ photographers who are constantly striving for the most sophisticated equipment available, snapping off thousands of exposures, hoping to find _some_ that are worth seeing. Pardon a cranky old fart's grumbling...

[@terryallen9546]

Video? Didn't know it had been invented that early.

[@kcdancevid]

@@terryallen9546 Working television was already a couple of decades old at that time although the origins go back into the late 1800's and cathode ray research and commercial network television as we think of it today was only a few years old (1940's, 1941, and late 1940's), although (again) you can go back to the 1920's and then 30's for television watchable by the public. It just wasn't full on marketplace machines. As for video, Ampex brought out its reel-to-reel tape machine in 1954. It was about the size of a desk but allowed the networks to record a program on the est coast and then send a feed to the west coast a couple of hours later. Or, to send the feed and record it on the west coast for later broadcast. Except at the early cost it was easier for a network to buy. This was a development which came out of Ampex's experience with reel-to-reel audio recorders which were the result of technical information captured from the Germans who had conquered sound floor noise problems with applications of bias. This technology lasted more than 40 years until, in the 1990s digital storage replaced analog tape storage.

[@terryallen9546]

@@kcdancevid Very interesting. Thanks. This is a topic I know little about.

[@abrahamdozer6273]

Spectacular footage ... even a RAS. The F9F Panther was a pretty, little airplane.

[@3ducs]

In 1953-54 my Dad was a F9f-6 pilot on the Tarawa on it's round the world cruise. Those were graceful planes. I was seven or eight years old at the time but I did get to see him fly his plane and went aboard the carrier on it's return.

[@jessetanner6012]

3ducs i

[@johnsexton2028]

I was Mechanic on F9F 6 and the F9F8 in VF111 Sundowners.

[@赖志强-m9h]

@@johnsexton2028 0

[@urbanocanales5557]

3ducs h.

[@yafuker6046]

Wow, that is SO COOL! Loved this movie and the Panther was a badazz jet!

[@RohanGillett]

When I was a kid, I hoped this movie would be on every Sunday afternoon. I loved it then and love it now. Great stuff!

[@fw1421]

I’ve always loved this film. William Holden,Mickey Rooney,Earl Holloman,and Grace Kelly. What a cast!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@TricksterDa123]

And don't forget Frederic March as the Admiral and Charles McGraw as the squadron commander who gave Brubaker the assignment as lead plane because Brubaker was known to come in low over the target before releasing his bombs, the very manuever that ultimately cost Brubaker his life.

[@angloaust1575]

Rooney as the irishman who lost his girl to guy from Essex as she said Essex not at sea I lose my heart to essex man Not in my dress you dont and rips it off it cost me two months pay!

[@fw1421]

@@angloaust1575 yep,Mickey was a real class act. Still one of my favorite actors from his generation.

[@millardwashington6216]

@@TricksterDa123 scrapping your belly, the ground troops were most appreciative of the details.

[@htos1av]

WOW! I haven't seen this since the 60's, at the drive-in, with the family as a little kid. I'm SO getting this DVD just because.

[@mikebtrfld1705]

My dad was a lieutenant commander in the navy who served in the Solomons during WW2. By Korea he was in the reserves, wife and us 3 kids. Mom served in the army in WW2. I didn't know when our family went to see this beautifully made film, that dad might be pulled back in like this Film's main character.

[@bigeye4520]

I watched the movie 60 years ago, barely turned 10. Then many times afterwards. One of the most memorables of mine.，

[@joydivisionisnotdead67]

Great camera work, very vivid and colorful. It's like I'm there on the deck or in the air with them. Love it.

[@spreadeagled5654]

Cool ! The F-9F Panther jets are nostalgic. Those early straight wing jets are classic! That carrier is the USS Oriskany. CV-34. My dad worked on her as a machinist at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco in the ‘50s to the ‘60s. 🇺🇸👏👍

[@dmutant2635]

When they stripped the O-Boat for the last time at Hunter's Point, before her departure for the Gulf of Mexico, many of the spare parts were given to the USS Hornet Museum across the Bay in Alameda. Although I was sorry to see Oriskany scrapped at least she wasn't chopped up into razor blades.

[@MrGaryGG48]

I was going to school at Hunter's Point in 1967 and saw the Oriskany tied to a pier after they had that fire in the magnesium flare locker, on the hanger deck. There was about a 30' hole in the port side and you could see clear into the hanger bay. They fixed her up and she went back to Vietnam after that. I don't remember when the Oriskany was retired but that was the last time I saw her.

[@jamesroberts2115]

Those F-9's were fine looking jets. I think the straight wings make them look even better. Great movie by the way with a very sad but heroic ending.

[@jjeppson]

Saw this at an outdoor theatre for my birthday. It turned me on to Naval Aviation and went on to get my "Wings of Gold" in '73

[@ccvxfcbb7871]

e

[@shadowjack8]

Airdale!

[@michaelmappin4425]

The flight deck scenes are incredible. I served on 7 flight decks over 26 years in the Navy and this is great stuff. Bridle launch and guiding aircraft with no nose wheel steering with a tiller bar. The straight deck operations meant a ton of accidents.

[@katsu-graphics5634]

I've seen this 20 times on Black & White TV back in the day. . .First time I saw it in color Hi Def. . . Wow. . . Thank you Antoine.

[@LightningGuitar]

No CGI, amazing footage from the past.

[@williammawk1720]

This is fabulous footage and looks a lot newer than 1954, in addition these f-9's were a super neat looking plane real BADASS...

[@douglasdaniel4504]

The F9 was a sexy plane, no doubt about it.

[@DCSNURE]

They were exciting days with both props and jets on a straight deck. carrier. 32 knots of wind down the deck plus jet blast of aircraft forward while crawling in the stack of props, ADs and F4Us wing butt to wing butt and nose to tail, pulling chocks. At 86, I remember those 17 and 18 years of age as if they were yesterday

[@hangarrat]

Sounds like good times buddy. Thanks for sharing.

[@leonardkemp550]

Wasn't it just yesterday? Seems so to me, too. I was stationed in the Philippines when the movie came out, and it was super popular on our base. (We had a couple of Panthers there.)

[@brunotellarini104]

Musica

[@patfontaine5917]

Filmed on board the USS Oriskany. My dad was a member of the air wing (aviation bos’wain’s mate) assigned to a Skyraider squadron. Great pictures of the movie set in his cruise book.

[@nickmariotti4241]

I remember the Oriskany taking part in space capsule recovery ops in the 60s when I was a kid.

[@way2muchNFO]

props to the film maker and all the people who brough the world of 1953/54 naval aviation so clear and lovingly 65 years into the future, thank you! This ranks right with my other favorite military film , 1979 Final Countdown, Thx again

[@xray86delta]

One of my favorite movies! Beautifully shot.

[@paulbfields8284]

As a kid seeing this in around 64 I remember the final seen of the movie when he gets shot in the ditch.. it really affected me as a ten year old. It made me realize immediately that war was far from glorious for those in it. And I remember Rooneys character automatically going right after him without any thought of his own life…both of them. It also affected me in terms of understanding commitment and valor. Probably my favorite Holden movie ever. The Panthers are gorgeous early 2nd gens.. perfect in all respects but couldn’t climb fast.. the F86 was soon to solve that.

[@bogthing1]

Good scene with the Tin Can along side for unrep, as well. Great color in the film in those days. Thanks!

[@FactsRFearless]

USS Putnam Sumner Class

[@ellisonlowrimore7751]

Great movie! William Holden was one of my favorite actors!

[@terrybell912]

A favourite childhood film of mine. Loved the action but especially the sound of those Panther engines! Seeing the helo today I have to giggle a bit. Not what I'd call aerodynamic! Got the job done, though. Imagine having to use "Tilly" these days! I got up close and personal with a Panther while on board the "Intrepid" Museum in New York City. Many other planes there, too. Loved it! Fortunately, advances in ship design have ruled out a lot of the problems highlights in this film. Thanks for posting.

[@sargintrock2538]

Check out the "The Eternal Sea". Free on you tube. Great naval story about a gutsy Admiral and the advent of jet aircraft on carriers!

[@Lancaster4926]

This is the best video I've ever seen of the Panther. It's rare to find excellent footage of this beautiful plane. Nice to see.

[@ramirosauce8764]

There's another movie similar to this one called "Men of the fighting lady", starring Van Johnson, about a Panther pilot who lost vision during an air raid and had to land back on the carrier not seeing anything, guided by his wingman.

[@davegeisler7802]

I always thought the Grumman F9F Panther was a beautiful jet , even though obsolete by the Korean War with its straight wings. I loved that whistling sound that the Pratt & Whitney J48 made.

[@marcelomarconi2857]

Argentine naval aviation 1956

[@sd906238]

Ask Royce Williams if the F9F was obsolete. He shot down 4 Russian Mig-15's flown by Soviet pilots with a F9F Panther.

[@murraykriner9425]

She was a truly amazing aircraft. Recall reading a few years back that only one flying example exist today. Hopefully that isn't the last one they restore to flying condition.

[@seltaeb3302]

Reminds of the ME262 which is the best looker ever.

[@murraykriner9425]

@@marcelomarconi2857 so thankful that other's saw the merits in this Grumman fighter from the 1950's. Hope that some still remain in that area of its use with Argentinean Navy Pilot's. That would make a great static model for display.

[@petergarrison1861]

My Dad had a walk-on part in the movie Wings Over Honolulu. He escorted the admiral’s daughter down the ship’s ladder. Later he became an admiral. Flew in the first class of Aviation Cadets at Pensacola. The jet type in this movie was the only jet-powered airplane he ever flew. Single seat, so he had to read the manual and get it right the first time…

[@pedrolistacarey4880]

It's mind blowing to remember that these events took place in 1950, when only 5 years had gone by since the end of WW2.... Those great looking Panther jets seem to belong to a much modern era, post Vietnam for instance, and yet they were the US Navy's best just a couple of years after Hiroshima...Combat planes took such a giant step forward after 1945.

[@peterruiz6117]

You said it. Leaps and bounds. Ive been studing fighters all my fifty seven yrs. Whats funny is the disinfo...Not really on purpose,but romantisizing pretty planes, when less lookers were better at ...u know, U.S. planes were always overbuilt and heavily armed...The future.

[@frankatchison2519]

My Father's Squadron with different paint, some of the scene's you can read the origional #s my Dad remembered the name's of all the origional pilot's that flew them. Stationed at (Whidbey Island Naval Air) Whidbey island Washington.1957- 1959. 20 mm Cannon's in the nose. Panther's + Cougar's.

[@frankatchison2519]

Grumman Panthers

[@mariocisneros911]

Yeah but I think engineers and the governments went to fast . Many , many great WW2 pilots lost their lives because jet propelled planes weren't built slower and carefully to insure the safety of human life

[@jebbroham1776]

Aided greatly by the capture of Germany's jet technology of course. The Me-262 was literally decades ahead of its time.

[@00BillyTorontoBill]

Only time i saw my Dad's 1000yrd stare.... when he took me on a tour of the uss yorktown in charleston sc... (sister ship to CV-34). He flew f9f's When he saw the plaque for the Oriskany.... he was 1000miles away.

[@RW4X4X3006]

My pop's was there with TF 77 during the filming. They all got to see Holden, Rooney, Kelly, and others on the pier at Yokosuka .. or thereabouts. As he put it, everyone was there to see Grace, of course!

[@stuartgarfatth1448]

The actors were nice, the planes were great, but Grace....WOW!.

[@MrAtsugi53]

My Squadron (Fasron 11) furnished the TBM for the camera plane you can see it in the Yokosuka scene parked on the flight deck. The TBM later crashed at Atsugi Japan ( I placed a Pic in VP Navy site Fasron 11 page) also when I was working at Paramount Studios I saw the F9F model used for the flight deck crash scene in the prop shop. I was a TBM Plane Capt at the time but my plane was not chosen to be used as my shipmate (Airman Phillips) was selected and went aboard with his plane and met the Stars) The TBM/TBFs were used for COD duty from our Detachment at K18 Korea. Those were interesting times for sure. When Carriers in port they flew many of the Squadrons to Atsugi (Fasron 11 to operate while ship was in Port)

[@caribman10]

Some of the very best jet-age miniature work ever done in a Hollywood film, period.

[@johnolson5289]

My Pops was on this Carrier when they filmed this movie.

[@00BillyTorontoBill]

same here... 781 squadron and then vf-121.

[@davidballard7903]

What was the carrier name?

[@zeedub8560]

@@davidballard7903 USS Oriskany. I had to look up CV-34, I didn't know it. My favorite part of the movie is when they do the personnel transfer between ships and the band plays "The Man on the Flying Trapeeze." Actual practice, back when big ships had big bands.

[@finntastique3891]

This film is an absolute classic and I think that it has aged with dignity - still looks really good.

[@Lipo]

Fantastic footage. Thanks for posting. My dad flew F4U's and later F2H Banshees.

[@thomastarwater2989]

This movie scored an Academy Award in the Best Special Effects category, particularly for the visual effects supervised by John Fulton; he was in charge of Paramount’s effects department after his predecessor Gordon Jennings passed away in 1953.

[@lorenzomaximo1818]

I also served aboard the Oriskany from 1971 to 1974 with VA 155 it was a Grand Old Ship I slept right below the flight deck between the two catapults. Yankee Station South Vietnam

[@thewaywardwind548]

> You were able to sleep?!?! Musta been one tired puppy.

[@Foomba]

My cousin in-law did the same during the Vietnam War. Have sent him the link ti this video.

[@maddocpax788]

museack Yeah, that was the one. He served on the Forrestal until the fire; he requested a transfer afterwards and got on the Oriskany.

[@samuelrodriguez6683]

Served on the MIGHTY O..1972 /1975

[@pedrolistacarey4880]

What a pity to think the Oriskany was finally scuttled by the Navy in the early 2000s.....

[@stephenhagen234]

USAF F-86 had the right design----swept wing, all moving tail. This Grumman F9F still clinging to WW2 designs!

[@abc64pan]

Yeah, but more maneuverable and easier to land. Slower yes, but perfect for its role of interdiction and ground support. F-86 was faster and designed to be a fighter for clearing the skies of the enemy.

[@40MileDesertRat]

I still watch this movie from time to time. I may just watch it again today. Thanks for sharing!

[@anthonydebski5814]

That Period between 1946-56 was FULL of NEW Aircraft, the transition from Panther to Cougar, for example, was an entry to the Essex Class carriers on the model market, & the seemingly endless kits of ALL those Navy & USAF classics, culminating in the F-110 Phantom, as was, Project Vulcan 20mm Cannon for the Starfighter etc...I was sent huge B/W photos of the F-105 Thunderchief by Republic, Grummen, Douglas, Lockheed, Boeing, Fairchild, etc.....being a kid in the 'fifties was TOO COOL!

[@rezarahardian8629]

The quality of this movie is stunning

[@stanleyyager4941]

This film is based on the novel by writer and playwright James A. Michener and starring William Holden, Grace Kelly, Mickey Rooney and Frederic March, was filmed in 1953 shortly after the end of the Korean War (July 1953) and released in 1954, one of the locations it was the USS Oriskany aircraft carrier and the aircraft used were the Grumman F-9F Panther and the Sikorsky S-55 helicopter (the other protagonists of the film), for that time the F-9Fs were already to be retired and replaced with the Grumman F-9 Cougar instead which is why it is observed in the film that two F-9Fs suffer an accident, one falls into the sea and the other falls to the ground, both of which were probably piloted remotely or maybe film trickery was used.

[@abc64pan]

The splashdown scene looks like they used a model plane or remotely piloted, but the water appears real. Not sure how they did it.

[@troy9477]

Nice compilation. Great movie. Read the book in my early teens and saw the movie quite a few years later.

[@rodneywilkerson9854]

I served three tours in Vietnam attached to VF-191 onboard the U S S Oriskany, 1971-1974 she was a great ship.

[@dmutant2635]

And the Crusader was a great plane!

[@patriot8554]

The Grumand Panther was one good looking fighter jet. This amazing film did it justice. In my top ten war films.

[@DylansPen]

Grumman. Just a grammar note not a derisive comment.

[@itsaflyingtiger]

Thanks for making such a great cut of this classic movie.

[@tysoncott7402]

there are some superb “actual” flying scenes in this movie!

[@pajtxosxeemvaj1627]

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[@pajtxosxeemvaj1627]

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[@CEOkiller]

This was the "Top Gun" of the '50's...

[@milano61]

CEOkiller Yeah, if you remove all the crap aimed at teenagers!

[@milano61]

+galaxiesaver My comment was not clear. "Bridges" was a good movie because it was unlike "Top Gun" which was saturated with jingoism, pounding music, sex, motorcycles, and reckless flying.

[@nunyerbeeznaz2906]

still gives me chills just like it did in 1958....[matinee- with Mom]

[@jackobtthoronn5388]

Jacob Zondag They dont know what else to do, maybe another the 3 stooges sequel "The curly Revenge"..or something like that..😉✋👏👀🇩🇪

[@rbeck3200tb40]

If someone in Hollywood does a remake of Top Gun I promise you it will have , women pilots and anti Christian bigotry and politically correct nonsense thats ruining modern movies today

[@ScoutSniper3124]

Top Gun ain't got NOTHING on The Bridges at Toko-Ri, and William Holden would kick Tom Cruises ass any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

[@thewaywardwind548]

> Yeah, buddy!

[@larrystimely5628]

Tom said he got several rides in the F-14 and they were just like a Cadillac inside. It's a shame that they had to go.

[@johnsexton2028]

LOL, I agree But you do know it's a Movie and William Holden wasn't there,, But I am sure as I was,, And the story was true but not as it is shown in the movie.

[@spacepatrolman]

The stunt pilots were John Glenn and Flee Bailey

[@johnsexton2028]

FYI, The real name of the Bridges was Koto Ri. Mitchener got it wrong, That info from some of us thatwas there not Google,, lol

[@josephstevens9888]

I remember seeing this movie for the first time as a Saturday late show on Detroit's Channel 7 with my brother and Dad around 1974. Since then, the Bridges at Toko-Ri was been one of my all-time favorite war movies. love the Grumman F9F Panther - one of my favorite aircraft as well!

[@seavee2000]

The adage "if it looks right it must be right" would apply to the F9F,and the Hawker Seahawk, contemporaries and serving the same function, in 2 different navies. Thanks for posting the extracts.

[@davidvaughn7752]

My primary flight instructor A. J. Crone, was one of the pilots who flew in this movie. He talked about going to the movie premier and meeting the Hollywood stars like Grace Kelly and William Holden. He was also a very good flight instructor who passed a lot of great information on to me as any experienced pilot should.

[@Saguanay]

The actual raids were with Banshees I read. Panthers substituting in the movie. Sweet compilation taking out the drama. :)

[@indiwcvv]

Because they were beautiful

[@michaelsheedy]

A great war movie. And great at conveying what it's like to work and fly off a carrier during a war. Exceptional flight scenes.

[@rustykilt]

This movie makes the TOP GUN movie look like some Hollywood cartoon.

[@KyleCowden]

It was some Hollywood Cartoon. The second one was decent but yeah, this was fantastic with the sexiest of the "classic" jets.

[@mattosullivan9687]

I fly radio controlled model planes. I had just got an A-1 Skyraider that was (supposedly) marked out with the squadron from the Oriskany. I was getting my gear set up to fly at our club field. I turn around and noticed an older gent giving my plane a really close onceover. So I say hi. He informs me that it has the wrong squadron number on it. The squadron it showed was for the jet fighters. He was deck crew on the Oriskany when this movie was being filmed. He said that William Holden and Mickey Rooney were the most polite and respectful people. When they were not actually working they were hanging out with the ships crew talking, answering questions, signing autographs etc. Unlike Scientology boy Tom in Top Gun. It was an honor for me to speak with that man.

[@TheDude4077]

This is pretty jaw dropping stuff now, I can't even imagine how seeing this in theaters in 1954 must've felt!

[@quaintken]

これは楽しそうな映画だなぁ・・・時代背景は朝鮮戦争か？

[@cat-lw6kq]

I got to see it on the big screen at the Navy base theater in Japan. It's something I will never forget.

[@pedrolistacarey4880]

It must have felt pretty much like it did in '86 when we saw in theaters "Top Gun" !

[@terrybell912]

Well, I was 11 when the film was released and I enjoyed it to the point where I have had a lifelong romance with fighter jets, aircraft in general and aircraft carriers. Oh, and then there was my short RCN naval career.

[@abc64pan]

This movie is rich in file footage showing vivid details of carrier deck and flight operations. This is gold for enthusiasts.

[@harryplummer6356]

Fantastic flying scenes! Thank you! Cheers!

[@MrSunlander]

you did an excellent job with the film's footage! including, sadly, the desperate effort to rescue Brubaker....

[@AntoineMackie]

MrSunlander Thank you! I'll probably edit together a similar video for The Hunters, with Robert Mitchum, so stay tuned :)

[@MrSunlander]

I wish I had your skill..... Thanks for sharing it.

[@henryvagincourt]

Fantastic footage, I love the old jets.

[@Wilett614]

Outstanding video footage of F9F Panther aircraft Carrier ops THANK YOU !!!

[@williamc.1198]

Interesting how the AD-1 Skyraiders were used to help dock the carrier. Bet that was hard on the engines! I noticed the panthers used bridle cat launches. The EA-3Bs I flew in also used a bridle launch. Our VQ-2 Whales were about the last aircraft to use that method of launch.

[@animaltvi]

Did that actually make a difference docking the ship ?

[@Konabish]

"The Bridges at Toko-Ri" premiered in the U.S. on January 1, 1955. At that exact time my dad Bill was a U.S. Navy AD-1 and bombardier, flying in the North American AJ-1 Savage (carrier-based) atomic bomber. I was 9, my parents were separated, and on different coasts; not having my father around I don't recall knowing anything about his aircraft. Sadly, my dad would be lost in July, 1955 in the crash of his AJ-1 Savage, in Italy. Soon after, I became even more aware of the Navy and its aircraft and ships (which remains an interest to this day). Seeing this film may have been the first of its kind that I saw right after having lost my dad, and it made a big impression on me. It was exactly how an aircraft carrier and its aircraft looked to my dad, and William Holden reminded me of him.

[@paulelliot1065]

Gorgeous cinematography.

[@pflqr]

A1 Skyraider was such an awesome aircraft

[@63DW89A]

The only problem with the A1 Skyraider is that there were not enough built. Probably the best ground support plane of all time. The F4U Corsair is a close second.

[@b3j8]

My late Father-in-Law was a radar operator on the USS Intrepid. He once told me he couldn't get over the size of the Avenger. All business, great aircraft!

[@herbboucher816]

When those skyraiders leave you just have an empty feeling

[@twoZJs]

Still saying that line in Nam '67. That last fly over created the quietest of quite, could hear the heart beats. The same saying for the last night air dropped flare burn out at 3 and that many hours to sunrise.

[@00calvinlee00]

Grew up with friends in my father's old Squadron which had A-10s. The modern Skyraider. Yeah seeing the ADs RTB you knew it was curtains.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

I wish they get away everytime. They never do....😥

[@George-pp2hr]

Classic movie. What I am seeing is a movie combined with real footage of the time. Plenty of great footage of the actions on board the carrier. Love the Panther Jets and the Skyraiders. Fantastic.👍🇭🇲🦘🐨✌️

[@magnustorque5528]

You really get an appreciation for just how long the USA has been launching jets from carriers. Even back then they had evolved it to a very reliable and sophisticated system with amazing innovations and hardware that has continued to evolve. The management systems that make it all happen like a theatre production behind the scenes are amazing.

[@FREDOGISFUUN]

Would love to see the whole move again. Still looks great to watch today.

[@ronsmith1986]

William Holden is a good actor I miss him and I still enjoy watching the old movies

[@clydesuckfinger7097]

Who would have guessed that over a decade later the most effective close air ground support aircraft would the be the post WWII A1 Skyraider? A radial motor, propeller driven aircraft that was capable of providing cover so close to ground troops it took their breath away .

[@tkelly411]

1st generation warthog

[@Buelligan88]

He was talking about a decade after the Korean War, not currently.

[@milano61]

Yes, even in this movie it was the most effective CAS aircraft available.

[@julosx]

The good ole A1 aka the Spad. 1954 : possibly the oldest Sandy missions ever.

[@tsu8003]

Who would have guessed 60 years later there's no replacement for the A-10, despite LM trying to fool us into thinking otherwise!

[@nickmariotti4241]

Those Panthers are just gorgeous. Glad films like this and Strategic Air Command were made if for no other reason than to have such a terrific cinematic record of the aircraft of those times. When I see two of them flying alongside each other I think of Ted Williams (yes, THAT Ted Williams) and his wingman, John Glenn, (yes, THAT John Glenn) living that for real. Incredible.

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

I remember reading Michener's book in one sitting. It's not that thick, 147 pages but I couldn't put it down. I was 13 or 14. .

[@davidsmith1898]

Yup, remember reading it in one sitting as a teen.

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

@@davidsmith1898 Yep. Just couldn't put it down and this was one of the most moving experiences I ever had reading a book. .

[@sophiewilder7803]

Wow, Michener wrote a short book? :)

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

@@sophiewilder7803 Yes. He did. .

[@davidsmith1898]

@@BobSmith-dk8nw I wish I would have read the book before seeing the movie, but if I recall correctly the movie mirrors the book pretty closely.

[@Paul1958R]

Thank you for your service. My father was a B-29 navigator in the Pacific 1944-1945.