Never seen before in public - 8mm WW2 footage of the 325th Fighter Group
The following footage was filmed by Flight Surgeon Lt. Col. Morris Grayson, MD, who served with the 325th Fighter Group
"The Checkertail Clan" during WW2.
The film was last viewed at some point before 1971 by his friends and family and soon after they were placed in a drawer at the family home and lay there, undisturbed, effectively forgotten.
Morris Grayson passed away in 1971.
In 2015 his son Fred Grayson found the films and then transferred the footage to video and sent it to me to use if required for the third and final part of my Checkertails films, which I subsequently did.
Where the footage is over-exposed I have done my best to recover any detail that may exist and so apologies in advance if the following video isn't perfect for everyone watching it.
The first few clips are the only known footage that survives from their time in North Africa where they flew P-40's
I have put the video into sections starting with footage captured on and around the bases and finishing with footage captured in various locations where Morris took his camera during
his time away from the base.
Sadly there is no documentation with the footage and as such most of the individuals and events shown are unknown, as are the locations where they were filmed.
For the first time since 1971 this film is now available to view , this time not just by close friends but all who wish to view it.
This is "The Lost Film of the Checkertail Clan"
https://youtu.be/RJ5LzU1zF3g?t=1s
Never seen before in public - 8mm WW2 footage of the 325th Fighter Group
Moderators: Board of Directors, Command
- Mysticpuma
- Posts: 363
- Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2014 5:07 pm
Re: Never seen before in public - 8mm WW2 footage of the 325th Fighter Group
Many many thanks for sharing this MP
Re: Never seen before in public - 8mm WW2 footage of the 325th Fighter Group
+1Wiggy wrote:Many many thanks for sharing this MP
"Always treat your kite like you treat your woman, climb inside her five times a day and take her to heaven and back.."
i7 8700K @ 5Ghz H100X Water cooled, Asus Maximus X Hero, 32gb DDR4 3000mhz ram, GTX1080ti 11gb , 250gb SSD, Thrustmaster warthog stick, X-55 H.O.T.A.S, Combat Rudder pedals, TrackIR5, GHD Hair straightners, Quite a nice kettle. Oh! and one of those Oculus majiggy thingys
Re: Never seen before in public - 8mm WW2 footage of the 325th Fighter Group
Loving your stuff about the Checkertail boys. Keep'em coming.
Re: Never seen before in public - 8mm WW2 footage of the 325th Fighter Group
Just watched your main Checkertails vid MP.... fantastic work, really interesting and enjoyable! What an amazing bunch!
BD
BD
We are the Pilgrims, master; we shall go always a little further; it may be beyond that last blue mountain barred with snow across that angry or that glimmering sea
Re: Never seen before in public - 8mm WW2 footage of the 325th Fighter Group
Thanks for posting MP! ..and in the middle of these P-47s and B-24s a `lone Do-17P, yellow and with US markings. Looks strange.
"We were the last bastion of defence.
After us, there was nothing."
Fighter Pilot Ken Wilkinson No 19 Sqn. Summer 1940.
Re: Never seen before in public - 8mm WW2 footage of the 325th Fighter Group
Top banana MP!
Cheers,
Paddy
Paddy
Group Captain John 'Paddy' Hemingway, we salute you