Free Fall Parachuting (1965)

Aldershot, Hampshire and Cornwall. Fantastic aerial shot of a parachutist jumping out of a helicopter, probably taken from another airborne helicopter. Various point of view shots looking out of the helicopter at the ground below, parachutists jump out. Various shots of the parachutists with their chutes open, they are seen landing in a sawdust circle on an airfield. More shots of parachutists leaping out of the plane into the clouds, one parachutist waves at the camera as he descends. C/U of parachutists waiting to jump. Various shots of parachutists descending with coloured smoke flares attached to their chutes. C/U of two army officers and a woman watching from the ground, all look upwards. Various M/Ss of the parachutists, still emitting coloured smoke, coming to earth with a bump. C/U of a man in a harness suspended from a tree, training for his jump, he is watched by several R.A.F. men in the red boiler suits of the Red Devils. M/S of a Red Devil practising pulling his parachute cord, he is watched by his colleagues who help him unfold the chute. M/S of a Royal Navy helicopter, Red Devils are seen practising jumping from the grounded helicopter. C/U of an instructor showing a Red Devil the correct way to position his arms on the jump. C/U of the 'Sport Parachute Team' badge on one of the red boiler suits. The Red Devils are to jump with Golden Knights (the American equivalent). M/S of Colonel Commandant of the Parachute Regiment, Lt. General Sir Kenneth Darling meeting the teams, he is presented with an "inscribed baton", to be passed between parachutists in mid-air. The Americans wear yellow suits. Various shots of the men from both teams carefully packing their parachutes, checking their altimeters and stop watches. Final adjustments are also made to the 'crash hat camera'. Panning shot of the helicopter taking off. Various aerial shots of the helicopter and the Cornish landscape. Various shots, inside the helicopter, of the men preparing for the jump. Point of view shot from 'crash hat camera' as the parachutists drops into the fog away from the helicopter. We see, from the hat camera, a blurry image of a Red Devil and a Golden Knight linking hands as they drop. Amazing shot of a Golden Knight free falling towards the hat camera, a Red Devil does the same - good C/U of his face as he descends. Notes: cuts exist - please refer to separate record. FILM ID:345.01 FOR LICENSING ENQUIRIES VISIT http://www.britishpathe.com/