“ADVENTURES IN IMAGINATION” 1948 MODEL PLANE CONTEST DETROIT, MICHIGAN 74602

Want to support this channel and help us preserve old films? Visit Visit our website Color version: This film, presented by The Plymouth Motor Corporation, is a black-and-white version of “Adventures in Imagination”, although a technicolored version also exists. The film is a York production, sanctioned by The Academy of Model Aeronautics, and it shows the run-up to the 2nd International Model Plane Contest and the event itself in Detroit, Michigan, including the awarding of trophies and prizes for the contest winners. The first International Model Plane Contest, sponsored by Plymouth Motor Corporation, was held in 1947, and the success led to the 2nd annual event depicted in this film. Credits (00:06). Informational text written on screen (00:47). A rotating globe on a black backdrop (01:09). A filled bookshelf (01:22). Close-up scenes of the books (01:32). “Adventures in Imagination” title banner written on a book spine (01:47). A kettle hanging over a fireplace (01:52). Illustrations in a book of James Watt’s steam engine invention (01:56). The book’s pages are turned (02:01). A pot of boiling rubber depicting how Charles Goodyear developed vulcanized rubber (02:09). A radio-controlled airplane (02:17). A rotating globe on a black backdrop (02:27). A radio-controlled airplane (02:44). Scenes from the crowd of the 2nd International Model Plane Contest (02:54). The audience is gathered around an open field (02:57). Contesters fly their model airplanes on the field (03:04). Views of the audience (03:13). Views of the contesters flying their model airplanes (03:18). Scenes from the participants in the model airplane meet (03:26). Birds-eye-views of the capacity of the contest (03:30). Two young boys work on a model plane as part of the ‘Pal Club’ initiative (03:39). A ‘Pal Club’ meeting (03:47). A map of North America and a list of all the cities participating in the model plane contest (04:05). A parade (04:50). Crows watching the contest (04:54). Many cars parked (04:57). Crowds participating in the annual meet (05:01). Contesters preparing their model planes (05:05). Trophies are displayed (05:18). The sign for “The 2nd International Model Plane Contest” (05:21). A hotel in Detroit (05:29). Contesters register and prepare at the contest’s headquarters (05:33). Plymouth Motor Corporation provided tools for the contesters to repair and adjust their planes (06:09). Plymouth’s assistant general sales manager holds a meeting to brief the contesters (06:24). Contesters ride busses to the scene of the contest (06:44) and test their planes upon arrival (07:32). Four children eating lollipops (07:48). The test-flights continue (07:52). Contestant are weighing their planes (08:10). Spectators watch the test-flights (08:22). Model planes is wound up by rubber strings (09:08). The audience watches stunt and speed-flying at the stadium at the University of Detroit (09:52). Contesters prepare their plans for stunts on the sidelines (11:02). An 11-year-old girl competes, and the audience applauds (11:22). Views of contesters starting their planes (11:40). Views of the audience (12:35). Views of model plane-stunts (12:58). A children’s bagpipe orchestra (14:10). Crowds arriving at the stadium (14:36). Stunt-flying begins (14:48). The gas-powered-flight arena at Newport Field (15:02). Contesters weigh their planes (15:09) and assemble their model planes (15:29). Contesters test-fly their planes (16:15). Trucks are used to retrieve crashed planes (17:16). A sailplane-model (17:46). Contesters adjust and repair their planes (18:01) and continue flight-testing (18:28). The Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum (19:45). Contesters of the indoor-flight arena test their planes (20:06). One contester assembles his plane (20:48). Spectators watch the flights (21:24). A contester demonstrates how the surface of an indoor plane is made (21:34). Contesters fly their indoor rubber-powered planes (22:19). Guests visit the US Naval Air Station (23:33), swim at hotel pools (23:43), play piano (23:48), play Ping-Pong (23:57), and watch music-performances in between watching contests (24:06). The leading contesters arrive to watch the musical performance (24:37). Plymouth’s general sales manager, alongside Chrysler’s and the US Air Forces’ premier members, award the trophies to the contest’s winners (24:59). A ‘Pal Club’ meeting (29:13). Contesters winding up and flying their model planes (29:20). Four children eating lollipops (29:44). A model plane flying (29:48). “The End” written on screen on a rotating globe (30:06). This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit