240:"Ace" commercial airline pilot Chick Faber (Dennis Morgan) is grounded by Flight Superintendent Bill Graves (Ralph Bellamy) when a flight physical reveals that his eyesight is failing. Aided by stewardess Mary Norvell (Virginia Bruce) and her friend, Nan Hudson (Jane Wyman), Graves persuades Chick to take a job as teacher in the school for stewardesses. While he remains at the airline, along with engineer, Artie Dixon (Wayne Morris), he continues work on the design of a secret research aircraft, he calls the "stratosphere ship" that will revolutionize commercial aviation by flying faster and higher than any current type.
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is going to test his aircraft, he attempts to get permission to make the first flight, but is refused due to his failing eyesight. Coming back after hours, Farber takes off and puts his secret aircraft through a high altitude test although Graves warns him by radio that the aircraft is too dangerous
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Angrily giving up his pilot's license, he decides to leave his wife and join the newly formed
Chinese mercenary air force fighting against Japan. Air Corps officers intercept him in San Francisco and call him back to active duty in the military to keep the secret of the "stratosphere ship" in US
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The use of
American Airlines Douglas Sleeper Transport, the initial variant of the ubiquitous Douglas DC-3 airliner, that had accommodations for 24 passengers during day and fitted out with 16 sleeper berths in the cabin for night, gave an air of authenticity to the film.
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The basic premise of the film follows the operational conditions of a commercial airline, while also following its stewardesses and pilots as they go through their daily routines, punctuated with the details of their personal lives.
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to fly without further development. At height, windows blow in and Farber barely recovers from going unconscious and pulling out of a high-speed dive, to make a crash landing back at his base.
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Real-life events such as the development of US commercial aviation in pre-WWII war years are featured but the underlying story of US military aviation preparation is also evident.
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hands. Graves rearranges Mary's flight schedule, sending her to San
Antonio, where she is met by newly promoted Capt. Farber, now a flight instructor at
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After Farber and
Norvell get married, he finds that teaching is too restrictive and yearns to get back to his secret project. When he learns that the
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December 2001 Another detailed history of the
Lockheed 12. (Note: The online article has combined it with the subarticle: "Junior Bomber".)
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NC17342, also known as X17342, became CF-BRK, served as RCAF 7653, before going back to
American registry as NC17342, later N83U and N505.
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has been decried in contemporary reviews as demeaning to women and stereotypical in its treatment of pilots and aviators.
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subbing for the "stratosphere ship." Lockheed 12A, registration number NC17342, was owned by Lang
Transportation,
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When
Hollywood Ruled the Skies: The Aviation Film Classics of World War II
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Hardwick, Jack and Ed
Schnepf. "A Buff's Guide to Aviation Movies".
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Douglas DC-3/DST airliners (in
American Airlines "Flagship" livery)
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as the airliner begins to taxi from the gate and then becomes the
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in 1940, Wayne Morris became interested in flying and became a
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As appearing in screen credits (main roles identified):
579:"Sleeping Car of the Air Has Sixteen Sleeping Berths."
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617:"Civil Aircraft Register: United States."
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595:"Lockheed Model 12A Electra Junior."
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564:"Credits: 'Flight Angels' (1940)."
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844:The Great K & A Train Robbery
451:Lockheed Model 12A Electra Junior
343:as Marilyn (as Marilyn Merrick)
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1004:You Can't Get Away with Murder
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1220:The True Story of Lynn Stuart
661:. London: Bison Books, 1985.
224:as airline employees, flying
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674:Brassey's Guide to War Films
529:Distinguished Flying Crosses
480:Considered only a "B" film,
204:, from an original story by
706:"Shining Stars (Part Two)."
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607:Retrieved: August 15, 2011.
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122:Heinz Roemheld (uncredited)
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639:"Flight Angels (1940)."
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627:goldenyears.ukf.net.
105:L. William O'Connell
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409:Grumman F6F Hellcat
194:commercial aviation
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1020:Dust Be My Destiny
980:Heart of the North
932:Here Comes Trouble
892:A Song of Kentucky
814:Films directed by
755:TCM Movie Database
704:O'Leary, Michael.
694:O'Leary, Michael.
642:Classic Film Guide
622:2011-09-20 at the
605:Ancient Airliners.
600:2012-03-24 at the
518:is only hinted at
386:Flagship Tennessee
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382:Flagship Illinois
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202:Lewis Seiler
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161:Running time
138:Release date
114:James Gibbon
91:Wayne Morris
43:Lewis Seiler
593:Nagl, Roy.
467:(1938) and
335:Jan Clayton
228:airliners.
226:Douglas DST
69:Produced by
64:Maurice Leo
39:Directed by
1243:1940 films
1237:Categories
1100:Pittsburgh
876:Wolf Fangs
533:Air Medals
488:References
438:Boeing 247
357:Production
352:as "Texas"
299:John Litel
293:Jane Wyman
206:Jerry Wald
196:film from
192:is a 1940
165:74 minutes
149:1940-06-18
53:Jerry Wald
49:Written by
1132:Doll Face
908:Deception
552:Citations
476:Reception
455:Las Vegas
384:becoming
331:as Bonnie
325:as Thelma
111:Edited by
1148:Whiplash
766:AllMovie
620:Archived
598:Archived
531:and two
471:(1938).
429:Aircraft
411:off the
313:as Mabel
307:as Rita
178:Language
119:Music by
79:Starring
775:at the
753:at the
460:Rosalie
181:English
170:Country
147: (
1223:(1958)
1215:(1956)
1207:(1956)
1199:(1955)
1191:(1954)
1183:(1952)
1175:(1952)
1167:(1951)
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911:(1932)
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855:(1927)
847:(1926)
839:(1926)
831:(1924)
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220:, and
567:IMDb.
493:Notes
444:logo)
418:Essex
744:IMDb
720:ISBN
678:ISBN
663:ISBN
416:USS
405:Navy
260:Cast
236:Plot
764:at
742:at
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