24 Hour Alert

I loved watching this 31 minute short movie. This was a very good , 1955 historical account of the 1950's USAF inventory. Millville Army Air Force Base, NJ was a WWII training base between 1940-1946, near Dover AFB, DE. The photography was really good and I enjoyed Jack Webbs narration and story.

My older brother and I were both in the Air Force. He was a 1963 USAFA grad and I was a 1971 grad. Many of those planes were still flying in the 1960's when we were both in the USAF. I flew in several of them.

Unfortunately, most of the reviewers made some mistakes in identifying the aircraft. Jack Webb got a ride in a T-33 Trainer (note the "TR" number on the fuselage".) His description of the plane was inaccurate. I made two flights in T-33's from Peterson Field, Colo. Springs in 1967 and 1970.

An F-86 "nudged" the landing gear of the B-25, not an F-100.

The cargo plane was a C-123 Provider, not an "early C-130". I have flown in both types.

This movie was very relevant for its period. Some of the reviewers don't have the perspective of the seriousness of the Cold War situation in 1955. I woke up on my seventh birthday in May 1956, afraid that Kruschev was going to attack the US that day. I had recurring dreams for over twenty years of Russian Bombers and Missles flying over Main Street of my home town.

I saw it for the first time this morning (April.24,2023) on TCM, as a filler between two other movies. I can't believe that I never saw it, while a Cadet at the Air Force Academy or since.

I am watching 24 Hour Alert right now on TCM. Jack Webb stars in and narrates this documentary style short film about a fictional town that wants the nearby temporary Air Force base to move. The locals don't like the noise the jets make. There are numerous 1950s jets shown in action and they are really the stars of this tribute to the Air Force and the great work it does protecting the country. Jack gets to go for a ride in a T-33 trainer with the base commander as pilot and gets to see what a jet can do. An uncredited role is the film is "2nd pilot in ready room" with Gordon Cooper as that pilot. I don't know if that is the Gordon Cooper who later became an astronaut. 24 Hour Alert is only 31 minutes long and is well worth a look, especially if you are interested in vintage aircraft.

Warner Bros. And the United States Air Force make a bit of propaganda for public consumption. It is about thirty minutes. Actor Jack Webb visits a fictional military commander. There are noise complaints from the local mayor and much of the public.

This actually got an Oscar nomination. There are lots of 50's era American warplanes. The footage is up close and personal. The filming probably doesn't get much better than this for the public. The flying is absolutely amazing. It's super cool. It is Top Gun Plus. The other amazing part is seeing all these old silver beauties parked on the tarmac.

The story with Webb narrating is bland enough, as far as jack Webb can make it.

But the real treats are the flying sequences.

We get to see some of the great mid-50s jets, including an early look at the B-52.

The "drama" includes an F-100 assisting an old B-25 in deploying its landing gear.

And, what Webb off-handedly describes as a turbo-prop cargo aircraft, which turns out to be the early version of the famous workhorse C-130 Hercules.

Those are worth the price of admission.

Outstanding aerial shots of 1950's USAF fighter jets. If you like warplanes, this little gem of a movie is an absolute must see.

Great narration by Jack Webb. This film honors those who served in the USAF back in the Cold War 1950's. There are no combat scenes, but there is plenty of aerial action.

At the end, there is extensive high quality footage of a 1950's USAF air show. B-52's, F-100's, B-47's, early C-130's, and F-86's. The highlight was the Pre-Thunderbirds USAF aerial demonstration team called the Sabre Knights.

Never heard of this short movie. But it was great.

Jack Webb did a great job honoring the USAF.