About an hour original footage - German WW1 aviation in motion

[Ace of SPADs]

Dear fellow observers, here’s a lot of footage from our latest reconnaissance missions.

About 20 international archives have digitized film clips from their collections. The project is called European Film Gateway 1914 or short: EFG1914. The clips now can be watched on different portals. The following clips are mainly from the German Federal Archive and published on filmportal.de. I didn’t manage to check all other contributors (like the Imperial war Museum) until now. So this is just the smaller piece of the cake. Further Information: www.project.efg.1914.eu)

In total, there are hours of aviation related footage available now. Some commom scenes, but also many I never watched before). Enjoy!

Zeppelin-Staaken R-planes (total 12 min )
http://www.filmportal.de/video/riese...en-bei-spandau

First Zeppelin over Berlin
http://www.filmportal.de/video/der-2...erste-zeppelin

Seaplanes & submarines (first 6 minutes)
http://www.filmportal.de/video/weltk...ontflieger-u-a

Aviation on the Western front (collection of WW1 clips published in 1940. Total 17:36 min )
http://www.filmportal.de/video/krieg...-der-westfront

AA on trucks (Made in 1921)
http://www.filmportal.de/video/kraftwagen-flaks

Balloonatics-unit at the Western Front (total 18:36 min )
http://www.filmportal.de/video/bei-e...lung-im-westen

Reconnaissance flight over Laon and Albatros D-III landing (Total 5:49 min )
http://www.filmportal.de/video/ein-flug-ueber-laon

Flight over Flanders battlegrounds (about 8 min )
http://www.filmportal.de/video/im-fl...18-aufnahme-de

Another reconnaissance flight over Laon (total 9:14 min )
http://www.filmportal.de/video/im-in...emin-des-dames

A fighting day at the Champagne.region. Albatros fighters and (first 12 min )
http://www.filmportal.de/video/ein-k...-der-champagne

The Airship Destroyer – Sci-Fi movie made in 1908 (7 min )
http://www.filmportal.de/video/the-airship-destroyer

Battlefield Aisne-Marne. Courville airfield (min 09:10 – end )
http://www.filmportal.de/video/die-s...isne-und-marne

Balloonatics directing artillery fire (21cm mortars)
http://www.filmportal.de/video/einsc...-der-westfront

Seaplane over Travemuende (Northern Germany, Baltic Sea )
http://www.filmportal.de/video/im-fl...er-travemuende

Test flight of two naval airships
http://www.filmportal.de/video/probe...ineluftschiffe (total 10:35)

Here’s another funny one.
A classic late war propaganda film for buying war bonds. The protagonist, a man called Kulicke, is a ‘rentier’. That out of date term was meaning someone who makes a living by investing money and collecting the investment gain and interest. First, in the pub, he shows his pals a call-up order. He has to serve as an aid at the aerodrome in Adlershof / Berlin, beginning October 23th 1918. When asked about his financial share to fund the war, he refuses to buy any war bonds (‘Kriegsanleihen’) not intending to spend a single penny.
At night, he’s dreaming. Suddenly two airmen are dragging him out of his bed and take him to a flight in their reconnaissance plane. (10 minutes!) They show him the destroyed towns in France, until he begs to be returned. Kulicke now wants to tell all folks at home how grateful they should be. Thanks to the German soldiers, all devastation is taking place on enemy territory and not in his beloved Fatherland… So, lesson learned, he immediately spends a fortune in buying war bonds…
http://www.filmportal.de/node/1220496/video/1220549


Next links from more European sources – German, Italian, British &French planes

AEG G. III/IV squadron (at 00:00 – 03.28)
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...10ZXh0LTEtNA==

Seaplanes at Wilhelmshaven (total 06:50 min. Northern Germany – not far from my home)
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...10ZXh0LTEtNA==

Drachen balloons & monoplanes (in Serbia?) at 09:16 – 10:55
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...10ZXh0LTEtNA==

Passenger flight with a Handley-Page 0/400 Gardemoen – Kjellerl / Norway after the war (total 03:25 min)
http://www.nb.no/nbsok/nb/9690ba9780...gital3?lang=en

French (?) seaplanes and carrier ships (total 08:28 min)
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...QtdGV4dC0xLTQ=

Flight to Vienna, August 1918. Caproni bombers, SPADs, Aviatik(?). Gabriele D’Annunzio and a propaganda flight from Italy to Austria, dropping leaflets (total 04:31 min)
http://cinestore.cinetecamilano.it/i...id=104&lang=it

Seaplanes, Van Berkel monoplane, Zeppelin Staaken & many different after war types.
(total 07:31 min)
Attention – click the white ‘play video’ button (bottom right of the screenshot). Not the ‘View on filminnederland – link which leads to a shorter version.
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...RleHQtMS0xNg==

Airplane factory 1914 (total 02:27 min)
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...10ZXh0LTEtNA==


Some more clips….

French aviation on the western front 1915 (total 09:05 min)
http://www.cnc-aff.fr/internet_cnc/I...FR/178598.html

Aviatik over Zuave camp (at 04:50 - 05:20)
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...10ZXh0LTEtNA==

Ikarus. Feature film, Germany 1918. Different aircraft sczenes during the second half oft he movie. Description by the EFG1914 project: ‘Two French spies, Baron d’Aubigny and Clemence de Montignon, blackmail German engineer Günther Ellinghaus with his gambling debts into handing over his construction plans for the new Ikarus engine. He flees to New York and works as a waiter. When World War I breaks, he signs on as a fireman on a Dutch ship and returns to Europe. He becomes a fighter pilot in Germany and faces the former spies as his enemies. After an emergency landing he is taken into their headquarters. He escapes an attempted murder and fights his enemies in an air battle. Both of them survive and after the war Ellinghaus offers them his hand in reconciliation’.
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...10ZXh0LTEtNA==

Pictures from the great battle part 2. Shot-down airplanes (at 06:35 – 07:05)
http://www.filmportal.de/video/bilde...chlacht-2-teil

Pictures from the great battle part 3. Shot-down English airplane (at 03:55 – 04:28)
http://www.filmportal.de/video/bilde...chlacht-3-teil

Pictures from the great battle part 4. Destroyed English hangars (at 02:59 – 03:43)
http://www.filmportal.de/video/bilde...chlacht-4-teil

Messter Woche 23/1918 (newsreel). Charity air show at Leipzig/Germany for the orphans of the fallen pilots (at 01:11 – 02:35)
http://www.filmportal.de/video/messter-woche-nr-23

The Austro-Hungarian navy. Seaplane (at 00:00 – 00:31)
http://www.filmportal.de/video/die-o...e-im-weltkrieg

Zwei blaue Jungen (Two Blue Boys). Fragment of a feature Film 1917. German airplane attacking, gunner firing Parabellum gun
Two Seamen, kept POW by French troops in Northern Africa, are rescued by a German airplane and taken to Constantinople (at 00:17 – 04.25)
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...10ZXh0LTEtNA==

AA training school at Blankenberghe (near Zeebrugge) (total 02:37 min)
http://www.filmportal.de/video/flaks...-blankenberghe

Shot-down Zeppelin (total 01:08 min)
http://www.cnc-aff.fr/internet_cnc/I...FR/212007.html

Training: Dropping bombs (total 02:02)
http://www.cnc-aff.fr/internet_cnc/I..._FR/37627.html

Flight simulation device ‘Le Piloteur’ (total 02:33 min)
http://www.cnc-aff.fr/internet_cnc/I...s_FR/4161.html

Propeller tests (total 06:32 min)
http://www.cnc-aff.fr/internet_cnc/I..._FR/19236.html

Inflatable Hangar (total 04:18)
http://www.cnc-aff.fr/internet_cnc/I..._FR/31410.html

[skyking20]

Awesome! I have my lunch times filled for a few days!

[Lt. S.Kafloc]

Fantastic film strips. Great find.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

What an archive.
Thanks for posting this Heiko.
Rob.

[csadn]

The Airship Destroyer – Sci-Fi movie made in 1908 (7 min :D )
http://www.filmportal.de/video/the-airship-destroyer

"Look out -- it's the forces of Emperor Clipper The Merciless!" ;)

[Jager]

The Airship Destroyer – Sci-Fi movie made in 1908 (7 min )
http://www.filmportal.de/video/the-airship-destroyer

"Look out -- it's the forces of Emperor Clipper The Merciless!"

Karl

[Blackronin]

Excellent footage. Thanks.

[gully_raker]

Thank you Heiko! What a great collection of Clips.
Well found.

[somaliavet]

Very nice collection. Great find!

[Captain Chum]

Awesome! I have my lunch times filled for a few days!

Ha!....Great stuff Heiko, thanks for the links!

[Ace of SPADs]

My pleasure! Here’s another funny one.

A classic late war propaganda film for buying war bonds. The protagonist, a man called Kulicke, is a ‘rentier’. That out of date term was meaning someone who makes a living by investing money and collecting the investment gain and interest. First, in the pub , he shows his pals a call-up order. He has to serve as an aid at the aerodrome in Adlershof / Berlin, beginning October 23th 1918. When asked about his financial share to fund the war, he refuses to buy any war bonds (‘Kriegsanleihen’) not intending to spend a single penny.

At night, he’s dreaming. Suddenly two airmen are dragging him out of his bed and take him to a flight in their reconnaissance plane. (10 minutes!) They show him the destroyed towns in France, until he begs to be returned. Kulicke now wants to tell all folks at home how grateful they should be. Thanks to the German soldiers, all devastation is taking place on enemy territory and not in his beloved Fatherland… So, lesson learned, he immediately spends a fortune in buying war bonds…

http://www.filmportal.de/node/1220496/video/1220549

BTW: The aerodrome Johannisthal-Adlershof was the well known birthplace of German motorized aviation and a research center where many companies and developers had their workshops. Also famous for the WW1 fighter plane design contests.
BTW2: Just a month later, with the armistice, Kulicke's war bonds would have become worthless

(If possible, I'll add this to my first post, too to keep the 'collection' together)

[flash]

Tremendous footage - Thanks Heiko

[Ace of SPADs]

Hello fellow pilots,
many thanks for the reputation points! As newbie to this forum I’m a little bit struggling with some options like answering to messages. So I’d like to say ‘thanks’ to all of you just here.

I’m still digging in that gold mine of WW1 clips. Total there are 1,500 films in the EFG1418 project covering warfare themes, civilian life or feature films of that period. Some clips are all about aviation. Some other scenes also are hidden in multi-topic films like news reels. Hope I’m able to post the next bunch of links within a week or two. Wonder why I’ll check the Imperial War Museum’s contribution (775 clips) last? Compared to the other archives, navigation is more difficult there and I’m too curious to see some new scenes. Already found a squadron of rare AEG G III/IV and a Caproni bomber taking off with the observer/gunner standing in his cage…
Stay tuned.

[skyking20]

I think we need an archival spot where links to actual historical footage sites can be stored in some sort of indexed way. That way these modeling and historical gold mines will not be spread all over our forum. We need some sort of way for a caretaker to move these links to the archive (if they are worthy) and then make a general announcement about it to the pilots. I have watched a couple of these and I would love to see this happen!

[Flying Officer Kyte]

I actually started a sticky on the U.K. forum some time ago entitled WWI Aviation on you tube, somewhat naively.
We could do with something a little more expansive than this for the whole membership.
As usual it would need a dedicated curator to monitor it.
Rob.

[billingspike]

Just fantastic!

[Zoe Brain]

Thanks to the German soldiers, all devastation is taking place on enemy territory and not in his beloved Fatherland…

Those in enemy territory might just get a little peeved about that. I think such an attitude would now be called "insensitive".

I was born in the UK. I'm ashamed that the attitude of my parents and grandparents generation because of this led to us doing things that were unworthy of us, or indeed, any civilised nation. With the only tools we had, they might have been necessary. But we took joy in it. That was not.

[Ace of SPADs]

Those in enemy territory might just get a little peeved about that. I think such an attitude would now be called "insensitive".

I was born in the UK. I'm ashamed that the attitude of my parents and grandparents generation because of this led to us doing things that were unworthy of us, or indeed, any civilised nation. With the only tools we had, they might have been necessary. But we took joy in it. That was not.

Propaganda always simplifies everything into good and bad, black or white. I live in a town which was destroyed about 85% in WW2, my father was forced from school into the army in 1944 and returned 6 years later from Siberia (still being lucky, because about 140 of his pals from school died). My great grand uncle fought in WW1 until his unit was nearly completely wiped out. He just got a ‘thanks from the fatherland –letter’ from the HQ, suggesting the survivors should join other units. British WW1 posters did show Germany as a King Kong like ape wearing a spiked helmet. German cartoon films featured “John Bull” as an Octopus. Reading W.E. Johns’ Biggles books (I enjoyed all of them), the German ‘huns’, from the British view, are to be shot down in flames… That was reality back then and less convenient than just sticking a flame marker to the flight stand… I’m happy that we live in a very different Europe today. Like this forum – no plain patriotic views, but respect and finding friends all over the world.

[Zoe Brain]

I’m happy that we live in a very different Europe today.

Stimmt.

[skyking20]

I know we generally think of Propaganda as bad but in terms of the black and white good and bad thing, it may be needed. I have never been in combat but from what I have read and been told (by combat vets) you make split second decisions in order to protect yourself and your men. If you have "what are we fighting for" debate going on in your head can you make that call correctly?

I do agree that things are better today. We can communicate with our friends all over the globe directly. When I first started working over in Europe I was pleased to see people from several warring nations working together just as people.

[Ace of SPADs]

I think it's a big difference whether to be in the real line of fire, having to make that split second decision or to sit calmly at a desk and paint posters, depicting the people of another country as animals. I guess most WW1 pilots would have honored their 'enemies' far more than most propaganda producers of at least that kind. And of course there also were other propaganda posters or films which praised the 'good' side without declaring the opponent to be a non-human monster
Back to topic: Just liked the aircraft - and the plot about a civilian who suddenly finds himself up in the air, still wearing his night cap
Why is there never a reconnaissence crew at hand who will invite me? I'd be ready for it day and night!

[Ace of SPADs]

Next 8 links from more European sources – German, Italian, British &French planes - ebjoy!

AEG G. III/IV squadron (at 00:00 – 03.28)
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...10ZXh0LTEtNA==

Seaplanes at Wilhelmshaven (total 06:50 min. Northern Germany – not far from my home)
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...10ZXh0LTEtNA==

Drachen balloons & monoplanes (in Serbia?) at 09:16 – 10:55
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...10ZXh0LTEtNA==

Passenger flight with a Handley-Page 0/400 Gardemoen – Kjellerl / Norway after the war (total 03:25 min)
http://www.nb.no/nbsok/nb/9690ba9780...gital3?lang=en

French (?) seaplanes and carrier ships (total 08:28 min)
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...QtdGV4dC0xLTQ=

Flight to Vienna, August 1918. Caproni bombers, SPADs, Aviatik(?). Gabriele D’Annunzio and a propaganda flight from Italy to Austria, dropping leaflets (total 04:31 min)
http://cinestore.cinetecamilano.it/i...id=104&lang=it

Seaplanes, Van Berkel monoplane, Zeppelin Staaken & many different after war types.
(total 07:31 min)
Attention – click the white ‘play video’ button (bottom right of the screenshot). Not the ‘View on filminnederland – link which leads to a shorter version.
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...RleHQtMS0xNg==

Airplane factory 1914 (total 02:27 min)
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...10ZXh0LTEtNA==

[calm]

Thanks for posting !

[Captain Chum]

Wonderful! Maybe we need a video library for these (and others).

[Flying Helmut]

great stuff - many thanks for posting this!

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Wonderful! Maybe we need a video library for these (and others).

Agreed Kelly.
See my post 15.
Tap up the Herr Oberst about it.
Rob.

[Ace of SPADs]

Dear fellow observers,

a few weeks ago, I never thought that such a lot of footage does exist. An aviation video archive would be great. For a start, a ‘sticky’ thread might be sufficient. WW1 aviation clips remain rare compared to WW2. All new finds could be added to post #1 by the curator of that thread. Every contributor should write a short summery of the content and the position of a scene within a film.

Maybe other museums/archives worldwide have published videos on their sites, too?
BTW: Someone interested in checking the IWM collection? I’m nearly done with scanning the rest of the EFG1914 project. (There are about 10 more finds which will follow soon). During the next weeks I’ll be busy with my job and the vast IWM archive will be a bonanza of its own. I'd like to see more SPADs, Sopwiths and Nieuports now

[Ace of SPADs]

Some more clips….

French aviation on the western front 1915 (total 09:05 min)
http://www.cnc-aff.fr/internet_cnc/I...FR/178598.html

Aviatik over Zuave camp (at 04:50 - 05:20)
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...10ZXh0LTEtNA==

Ikarus. Feature film, Germany 1918. Different aircraft sczenes during the second half oft he movie. Description by the EFG1914 project: ‘Two French spies, Baron d’Aubigny and Clemence de Montignon, blackmail German engineer Günther Ellinghaus with his gambling debts into handing over his construction plans for the new Ikarus engine. He flees to New York and works as a waiter. When World War I breaks, he signs on as a fireman on a Dutch ship and returns to Europe. He becomes a fighter pilot in Germany and faces the former spies as his enemies. After an emergency landing he is taken into their headquarters. He escapes an attempted murder and fights his enemies in an air battle. Both of them survive and after the war Ellinghaus offers them his hand in reconciliation’.
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...10ZXh0LTEtNA==

Pictures from the great battle part 2. Shot-down airplanes (at 06:35 – 07:05)
http://www.filmportal.de/video/bilde...chlacht-2-teil

Pictures from the great battle part 3. Shot-down English airplane (at 03:55 – 04:28)
http://www.filmportal.de/video/bilde...chlacht-3-teil

Pictures from the great battle part 4. Destroyed English hangars (at 02:59 – 03:43)
http://www.filmportal.de/video/bilde...chlacht-4-teil

Messter Woche 23/1918 (newsreel). Charity air show at Leipzig/Germany for the orphans of the fallen pilots (at 01:11 – 02:35)
http://www.filmportal.de/video/messter-woche-nr-23

The Austro-Hungarian navy. Seaplane (at 00:00 – 00:31)
http://www.filmportal.de/video/die-o...e-im-weltkrieg

Zwei blaue Jungen (Two Blue Boys). Fragment of a feature Film 1917. German airplane attacking, gunner firing Parabellum gun
Two Seamen, kept POW by French troops in Northern Africa, are rescued by a German airplane and taken to Constantinople (at 00:17 – 04.25)
http://www.europeanfilmgateway.eu/no...10ZXh0LTEtNA==

AA training school at Blankenberghe (near Zeebrugge) (total 02:37 min)
http://www.filmportal.de/video/flaks...-blankenberghe

Shot-down Zeppelin (total 01:08 min)
http://www.cnc-aff.fr/internet_cnc/I...FR/212007.html

Training: Dropping bombs (total 02:02)
http://www.cnc-aff.fr/internet_cnc/I..._FR/37627.html

Flight simulation device ‘Le Piloteur’ (total 02:33 min)
http://www.cnc-aff.fr/internet_cnc/I...s_FR/4161.html

Propeller tests (total 06:32 min)
http://www.cnc-aff.fr/internet_cnc/I..._FR/19236.html

Inflatable Hangar (total 04:18)
http://www.cnc-aff.fr/internet_cnc/I..._FR/31410.html