1937 FILM WESTERN AIR EXPRESS AIRLINE PALM SPRINGS AIRPORT FLIGHT LOCKHEED 12-A

Description

16mm Film. Rare circa 1930s Kodachrome full motion three-color film showing the sequence of events for an early Western Air Express commercial passenger pilot (and his flight) to Palm Springs, California aboard a Lockheed 12-A including footage of: in-flight interior showing passengers, one man looking out the window while two women have a conversation, the pilot up front with sunglasses smiling while flying, views of the California desert as the plane descends into Palm Springs, the aircraft follows a wonderful view of a steam train chugging billowing black smoke for a spell. Besides the in-flight footage, there’s a nice shot of the young pilot and his girlfriend/wife posing in the California desert in front of his c1937 Plymouth Roadster Deluxe 2 Door Convertible (with a rumble seat full of suitcases for the journey), enjoying a smoke, then following the flight, a number of shots of the Palm Springs Airport including the original hanger, the small parking lot of the day (including a shot of the pilot going to wish one of the passengers well), white stones set out along the runway, and a duo of high power lights that would have been used for takeoffs and landings in the dark. In-flight, there are multiple views of the desert over the metal wing including an aerial Palm Springs itself, then the aircraft lands at the Palm Springs Airport. According to the Delta Museum this Western Air Express plane (NC 20Y) was in operation from 1937-1938. [Palm Springs, California][ca. 1937-1938] Original 16mm Kodachrome three-color silent home movie. Approximately 100 feet (approx. run time 3 minutes and 28 seconds). This circa 1930s film shows an early Western Air Express commercial passenger flight to Palm Springs in a Lockheed 12-A aircraft
(NC 20Y).
Although this is a hobbyist film, it was clearly shot by a professional newspaper photographer who made 16mm home movies in his spare time as a hobby. His knowledge of photography, his use of high quality Kodachrome film, and the cooperation he received (likely as a result of his press credentials), resulted in a better than average home movie. This previously unknown home movie may possibly be the earliest extant film of its kind to document a WAE Lockheed 12-A passenger service flight. Western Air Express became Western Airlines was later acquired by Delta Airlines. This film is the original negative. For archival preservation, and research viewing purposes, the original negative has recently been professionally transferred by Kodak onto a thumb drive, which will accompany the 16mm original film. The transfer was a professional wet-gate digital transfer,  brightness adjustment, and other corrections, which were recommended to obtain optimal results. The condition of this film negative is overall about very good. This listing is for the original negative and thumb drive of the Kodak transfer. I only have this one original negative and thumb drive (which has not been copied or digitally stored elsewhere), and no other copies of this rare footage. Thanks and have a great day!