American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1926)

Eight AMERICAN CINEM ATOGR APIIEK December, 1926 it was shooting straight down. Army regulations require every person going aloft to wear a regulation pack carrying an emergency parachute, one of which I wore. We made several practice flights and dropped dummy bombs over the village to get the range. I soon found that the parachute pack was too cumbersome and interfered with the proper handling of my camera. 1 then was forced to secure a model of 'chute that hung on the front, instead of the back; this gave me a trifle more room, as I was shooting from a kneeling position, at an altitude of less than 600 feet. Three Eyemos In addition to my Akeley, I had three Eyemo automatic cameras shooting down, one opcrated by Art Lane, an assistant, and the other two by an electrical device. The call then came "This is the picture." Everything seemed safe and snug perhaps to those on the ground but with 1200 pounds of T.N.T. six inches away in a space so small that I could scarcely move my legs in my kneeling position, suppose something went wrong and we had to make a forced landing or perhaps crash with these twelve 100-pound missies, primed to go off in contact! Captain S. R. Stribling was pilot. Twice we circled the village, convoyed by two Fokker ships, while two Martin bombers and three smaller planes were at an altitude of about 1200 feet with cameras mounted on them to show the three invading planes below bombing the village. From Above Harry Perry, Faxon Dean and Paul Perry, all A.S.C. members, covered these shots from the bombers above. On the first two trips Captain Stribling dropped a "dud'' to get the range. A thin rope was fastened to my left arm which led to Captain Stribling's cockpit through the interior of the bomber from which he released the bombs. A signal of two sharp pulls was the word to tell me the bombs would be released within fifteen seconds and to start cranking. 1 could sec nothing fore or aft, only a hole in the "bombay" directly in front of me, 2 by 4 feet. I could not see what was coming, hence the signal. Naturally the scene would be a short one as the ship was doing 90 miles and I must get the explosions of all the bombs as they hit the village. Intense Interest By this time, I was so interested in making a successful shot that I forgot all about the T.N.T. and everything going on. I had to keep my eye glued to the finder eyepiece — the slightest jar would knock my eye away from it and a foot or two of film lost was not to be considered. Captain Stribling gave the two yanks. The moment had come! Looking through the finder, it was my job to grind and pick up the bombs as they dropped an inch or two from my cranking arm, keep them in the center of the picture until each one exploded. There was dynamite planted in the village to augment the explosions. Down they went all in a row; they slipped out of the compartment like grease for I did not hear or see them until I picked them up in my finder. Sure Shoolini) It was a wonderful sight to sec these deathdealing messengers speeding down — the terrible explosions took place right on schedule, due to the unerring eye and hand of Captain Stribling. I do not know how far the concussion lifted the ship, but for several seconds it shook and trembled with each explosion until I thought it might possibly be out of control which of course it was not. The sensation of being rocked and thrown about in the air in a giant bomber a scant 600 feet above the ground while dropping 1200 pounds of T.N.T. is a thrill not often given to a man. In my cramped quarters it would have been very difficult if not impossible to get away with my parachute, but my confidence in the pilot kept me in repose. Destruction Complete The village was totally wrecked by this German invader and the scene was a great success and will be incorporated in the picture "Wings," along with the thrilling shots of the three ships, bomber and two escorts, from above. There were nine planes; it must have been a beautiful sight but J for one did not see it, until the rushes were shown. All I saw was straight below. It will be a long time before I could get a thrill that this stunt gave me. It took about an hour to do the stunt. I was confined so tightly in my cramped quarters that I had to be lifted out as my legs were totally numb below the knees. th(