Conquest of the Air is a 1936 documentary film or docudrama on the history of aviation up to that time. The film features historical footage, and dramatic re-creations, of the developments of commercial and military aviation; including the early stages of technological developments in design, propulsion, and air navigation aids. The film was a London Films production, commissioned by the British Air Ministry.

Conquest of the Air
Directed by
Written by
Produced byAlexander Korda
StarringLaurence Olivier
Narrated byCharles Frend
CinematographyWilkie Cooper
George Noble
Hans Schneeberger
Lee Garmes
Edited byPeter Bezencenet
Charles Frend
Richard Q. McNaughton
Music byArthur Bliss
Production
company
Alexander Korda Productions
Distributed byLondon Films (UK)
Release date
  • December 1936 (1936-12) (UK)
Running time
71 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Synopsis

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Cast

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Production background

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The film was initially commissioned by Alexander Korda prior to the advent of World War II, and the Air Ministry saw the value in promoting Britain's contribution and leadership in aviation during this period. Some notable footage is featured of the early phases of automated flight, navigational equipment, and the transitions between civil and military developments, including heavy bombers; fast fighter aircraft; and the advent of naval aviation (aircraft carrier), plus the initial experiments with vertical rotary flight (helicopters).

An updated version was released in 1940 and released in the United States on 20 May 1940.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Conquest of the Air (1936) - Release dates". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
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