The Flying Fleet | 1929 | Drama, Romance

Title: The Flying Fleet | 1929 | Drama, Romance Director: George W. Hill Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Starring: Ramon Novarro, Ralph Graves, Anita Page Based on: Story by Frank Wead and Byron Morgan Release Date: January 19, 1929 Runtime: 87 Format: Black-and-white; synchronized music and effects ; silent with English intertitles Country: United States Language: Silent with English intertitles Genres: Drama, Romance, Aviation --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Annapolis commencement eve 00:14:30 Pensacola flight training 00:32:00 San Diego arrival and courtship 00:49:00 Carrier operations and rivalry 01:06:30 Honolulu attempt and crash 01:22:00 Search, rescue, and return --- Summary: Six close friends at the United States Naval Academy dream of becoming naval aviators. After a disciplinary incident alters one classmate’s future, the remaining men serve at sea, regroup for flight training, and confront the rigors of learning to fly. In San Diego, two of them—Tommy Winslow and Steve Randall—become rivals for the attention of Anita Hastings, straining their friendship as they advance in the service. Assigned to a long-distance flight toward Honolulu, the fliers face severe weather and a forced water landing that tests their endurance and loyalty. The drama balances aviation spectacle with themes of camaraderie, competition, sacrifice, and duty. --- Background: Produced with the cooperation of the United States Navy, the film features real naval facilities and aircraft, including sequences shot at Naval Air Station North Island and Naval Air Station Pensacola, as well as appearances by the carrier USS Langley. It was released during the transition from silent to sound cinema as a synchronized-score feature with effects and English intertitles. Developed under the working title “Gold Braid,” the picture introduced screenwriter and former naval aviator Frank “Spig” Wead’s story to audiences and capitalized on public interest in modern military aviation. --- Trivia: The film opens with an onscreen dedication acknowledging the cooperation of U.S. Naval Aviation, reflecting extensive access to bases, aircraft, and personnel. The aerobatic trio known as the “Three Sea Hawks” appears in flight sequences; their public demonstrations helped popularize naval stunt flying in the late 1920s. Although a silent narrative, the release carried a synchronized music-and-effects track, allowing engine sounds, bugle calls, and other cues to accompany the imagery. Anita Page’s water scenes were doubled by a local 18-year-old, Patricia Ingle, because Page could not swim. The working title “Gold Braid” was used during production beginning in August 1928. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: January 19, 1929 Original Studio / Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Copyright Status: Public Domain Renewal: Unknown --- Hashtags: TheFlyingFleet 1929 SilentFilm Aviation RamonNovarro AnitaPage MGM PublicDomain ClassicCinema Source page: https: //commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Flying_Fleet_(1929).webm Direct media URL: https: //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/The_Flying_Fleet_%281929%29.webm