Canadian Screen Magazine No. 8

Canada's progress in jet aviation is seen in relation to that of other countries. Aerial exhibitions show the performance of jet aircraft produced by countries foremost in the field, particularly Britain's Comet and her Sapphire-powered jet fighter, American stratojet bombers and Russia's fast-climbing MiG-15. At Canadair we see production of the Royal Canadian Air Force Sabre jets; at the Avro plant the Jetliner transport and the sleek, black night fighter CF-100. The film concludes with glimpses of aircraft of the future.

Big Liz Brings Home 12 000 Happy Canadians: Canadian soldiers return home from Europe on the S.S. Queen Elizabeth. Troop Carrier to Airliner: Military aircraft are converted for use as commercial airplanes. B.C. Salmon Run: Commercial salmon fishing and processing in British Columbia is shown. Vets Regain Efficiency with Artificial Limbs: Rehabilitation programs for Canadian veterans allow them to become proficient in the use of artificial limbs. Students Produce Art China in New Industry: In Woodstock, Ontario, high school students participate in local ceramic-ware production.

This short documentary celebrating a half-century of flight (the first human flight, powered by the Wright brothers, took place on 17 December 1903) examines the state of aviation in the late 1950s. The question, at that juncture, no longer was whether men could fly, but how fast and how far, and the film describes and reviews the top aircraft of the day: turbo-jets, stratocruisers, and missiles that outstrip the speed of sound. Part 3 of Salute to Flight, a 3-part film series about aviation.

This documentary is about Bob Diemert of Carman, Manitoba, and his dream of building the world's next great fighter plane. His worldwide reputation as a genius at restoring "warbirds" enables him to finance his dream. The Defender is a lively, sometimes wild and funny, tale about a remarkable, modern-day folk hero.

For more background information about this film, visit the NFB.ca blog.

This feature documentary follows the development of Canadair's super-executive jet. A totally new type of aircraft, it is faster, cheaper to fly, and more comfortable than any other business jet. Would it make it off the drawing board and into the air? The film captures the spirit of the Canadian air transport industry and its attempt to compete with its American counterparts.

For more background info on this film, visit the NFB.ca blog.

Vocational Training for Repats: Vocational training for Canadian veterans includes courses in the building trades, haircutting, mechanics and electronics, as well as home economics and hairdressing. Canadian Soap for UNRRA: Soap is manufactured in Canada for distribution throughout Europe by the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration. Railway Cars for Russia: Railway cars are produced in Canada and shipped to the Soviet Union to help rebuild the Russian transportation system.

The Eye Witness series is a collection of short documentaries featuring Canadian news stories from the 1940s and '50s. This segment includes Prairie Harbour: The Port of Flowing Grain, a look at the lakehead cities of Fort William and Port Arthur, funnelling centres for western grain on its way to world markets. In Modern Miracle: Surgery is Safe, the appendectomy of patient Henry Brown demonstrates the advances in modern medicine. Co-Op Carpenters: Home-Made Community illustrates the principles behind the cooperative housing program for veterans in Carleton Heights near Ottawa.

Ferries, Tankers, Frigates - "Made in Canada": Craftsmen of Lauzon, Québec, carry on their forefathers' shipbuilding skills. Caviar Comes from Canada's Queerest Fish: Much in demand for export markets, sturgeon provide a profitable business for fishermen of the upper Ottawa River and for Mrs. Harry Donaldson of Temiscaming, who processes caviar. New Aircraft Joins Maritime Command: The Royal Canadian Air Force tests and approves the electronically equipped Neptune, the new medium-range aircraft of the Maritime Air Command.

This documentary from the Salute to Flight series links the barnstormers and bush pilots who explored Canada's vast hinterland with the aviation heroes who flew the Bolingbrokes, Ansons, Mosquitoes and Hurricanes of World War II.

In his laboratory, an oceanographer conducts temperature and salinity tests to determine the necessary conditions for the micro-algae Protoceratium reticulatum to survive in the Saint Lawrence Estuary. The filmmaker, moving between the seen and the unseen, follows the scientist as he studies the dinoflagellate, an amazing microscopic monster organism responsible for red tides and other phenomena.

In this edition of the Eye Witness series from 1947, we track the first shipment of milk heading out to Europe's starving children, witness millions of bushels of grain being loaded onto a boat on Hudson's Baby headed for Britain, and, in BC, we watch acres of seed being grown, tested, and loaded for the gardens of the world.