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Documentaries, Army Films, and Newsreels

The films listed here are usually found in a DVD or online collection. Because of this films are listed by collection or source rather than title as would be typical in a bibliography. Some films are part of multiple collections.

Archive.org
These films are available for free on Archive.org.

• B-29s Rule Jap Skies — http://www.archive.org/details/1944-12-18_B-29s_Rule_Jap_Skies (Part of a Universal newsreel with other topics).
• Birth of a B-29 — A documentary about building a B-29. http://www.archive.org/details/Birthoft1945.
• Target Invisible — A postwar film created by the Army to sell Victory Bonds. This film explains the newly declassified radar equipment carried aboard the B-29 and the duties of the radar operator. http://www.archive.org/details/TargetIn1945.
• Target Tokyo from Saipan — A documentary of the first B-29 mission to Tokyo (November 24, 1944). http://www.archive.org/details/1944-11-27_Target_Tokyo_From_Saipan (Part of a Universal Newsreel with other topics, soundtrack missing).

B-29 Flight Procedures
A collection of material on DVD from Non-Fiction Video.
Copyright 2004.
Non-Fiction Video does not appear to have a web site, but searching for "B-29 Non-Fiction Video" should find their products at several online stores. (This particular DVD is catalogue number DV582.)

• B-29 Flight Procedures — The Army training film for B-29 pilots.
• Two Nine Nine Foxtrot — A video about one of the last surviving B-29s.

B-29 Flight Procedures
A collection of material on DVD from Zeno's Flight Shop.
Copyright 2005.

• B-29 Flight Procedures — The Army training film for B-29 pilots. The DVD-ROM part of this disc features a PDF version of the B-29 Pilot's Manual.
• The Last Bomb — The story of the XXI Bomber Command.
• Target Invisible — A postwar film created by the Army to sell Victory Bonds. This film explains the newly declassified radar equipment carried aboard the B-29 and the duties of the radar operator.
• Air War Against Japan — This film shows footage of B-29 missions against Japan including on camera footage from P-51s participating in these missions.
• B-29s Over Dixie — The story of B-29 production in Marietta, Georgia.
• B-29s on Saipan — Filmed in January 1945 by the 11th Combat Camera Unit. This is a collection of footage of the 73rd Bomb Wing.

Saipan to Tokyo
Produced by Mark Natola
Copyright 2008.
This DVD was made available for purchase to members of the 73rd Bomb Wing Association. The film features interviews with veterans of the 73rd with vintage footage.

The Twentieth Air Force: Pacific B-29s
A collection of material on DVD from Victory Films.
Copyright 2005.

Disc 1

• Target Tokyo — A documentary of the first B-29 mission to Tokyo (November 24, 1944)¹. Narrated by Ronald Reagan.
• B-29s on Saipan — Filmed in January 1945 by the 11th Combat Camera Unit. This is a collection of footage of the 73rd Bomb Wing.
• The Last Bomb — The story of the XXI Bomber Command.

Disc 2

• A-Bomb Interviews — Interviews with the B-29 crews that dropped the atomic bombs.
• United Newsreels — Eleven United newsreel clips about B-29s.
• B-29s on Tinian — Filmed in August 1945 showing preparations for and the actual atomic bomb missions.

Theatrical Releases

These movies are great films as they are dramatic presentations of historical evens and are related to B-29s.

Flags of Our Fathers
A 2006 film directed by Clint Eastwood.

An adaption of the book Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley, son of John Bradley who helped raise the American flag on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima as pictured in the iconic photograph by Joe Rosenthal. This film tells the story of the men who raised the flag and their involvement in the battle.

It should be noted that Eastwood produced Letters from Iwo Jima in 2006 as a companion to this Flags of Our Fathers. This movie is almost entirely in Japanese and depicts the Japanese defenders on Iwo Jima. Some characters are fictional.

Memphis Belle
A 1990 film directed by Michael Caton-Jones.

This film was inspired by a 1944 documentary titled Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress. Both movies tell the story of the 25th and final mission against Germany of a B-17 named Memphis Belle. The Belle became famous during World War II after returning home and making a cross country tour to promote War Bonds.

While some artistic license was taken the 1990 film is based in fact. All incidents shown on the final mission in this movie are true, but none of them actually happened on the same mission. Col. Robert K. Morgan, pilot of the Belle, went on to fly with the 73rd Bomb Wing on Saipan and led to November 24, 1944, mission against Tokyo in a B-29 nicknamed Dauntless Dottie.

Windtalkers
A 2002 film directed by John Woo.

This film tells the story of the Navajo code talkers and their participation on the Battle of Saipan.