The Big Picture: 50 Years of Aviation

National Archives and Records Administration
ARC Identifier 2569639 / Local Identifier 111-TV-370
Big Picture: Fifty Years of Aviation

DVD Copied by Katie Filbert – Department of Defense. Department of the Army. Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. U.S. Army Audiovisual Center. (ca. 1974 – 05/15/1984).

Army TV series begins new series with salute to aviation progress — In a salute to aviation progress, the Army’s TV series, THE BIG PICTURE, has packaged a neat surprise for viewers in this half-hour episode, “Fifty-Years of Aviation.” Beginning with historical footage from 1907 when the United States Army purchased the first military plane, this documentary examines the miracle of flight and pauses to consider what man has done in such a short half century. Apart from the hitherto, seldom-seen footage in this program, THE BIG PICTURE salutes the brave men and women whose courage, tenacity, and skill have directly resulted in Army, Navy and Air Force aviation power second to none. This is the Army’s tribute to the pilots, the mechanics, the engineers and the countless others who have given wings to man’s dreams. Seen on the screen is the Army’s Delackner Aerocycle and the Hiller Flying Platform and pictures of the proposed Aerial Assault Vehicle and the Aerial Jeep.