Terry Buckridge Alaskan Aviation Film Collection

The Terry Buckridge Alaskan Aviation Film Collection is a small collection containing two privately-shot films from the 1940s relating to Alaskan aviation.

The first film depicts a Star Air Service aircraft and a fishing trip to Lake Iliamna, Alaska, circa 1940s. It begins with footage of an unidentified group of men with fishing equipment, followed by shots of a Star Air Service Bellanca CH-400 Skyrocket seaplane (tail number NC-10795) and aerial views of towns, bodies of water, and mountains taken during flight. The next segment shows the men landing and fishing at Lake Iliamna; one clip shows a line of fish hanging from the CH-400 while the men pose with their catches. The footage then transitions to wildlife footage of ducks, salmon swimming upstream, and a grizzly bear. The final segment features scenes of various Star Air Service aircraft, including seaplanes in flight over a body of water and a crowd gathered around a Beech D17F Staggerwing (tail number NC19473).

The second film includes footage of Christensen Air Service WACO ZKS-7 aircraft and a hunting trip in Alaska, circa 1940s. The footage begins with several shots of a Christensen Air Service ZKS-7 (tail number NC2335) on the ground, in flight, and taxiing across the snow on skis. Also included are views of mountains and tundra, and shots filmed from inside the aircraft in flight. Two men are present in some scenes, one of whom is likely Hakon Christensen, operator of Christensen Air Service. At 00:04:14, three aircraft are shown in flight; each of the aircraft is fitted with a different type of landing gear: wheels, pontoons, and skis. This is followed by several shots of ZKS-7 aircraft landing and performing spins in a marsh, landing on a body of water, and flying over a field. The aircraft's tail number, NC2335, is visible in the marsh scenes. The next segment, which begins at 00:01:16, features short clips from a hunting trip, showing a group of men capturing and trussing a caribou. The caribou is then loaded onto an unidentified Star Airways aircraft.

The two films are each about ten minutes and 18 minutes in length. Both are in color and are silent.

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