Danger Flight (1939)

No renewal found Free in the US since 1 January 1968, on the registry's reading: registration LP9227 of 1939 by Monogram Pictures Corp was not renewed in the volumes searched. Record.

A comic-strip pilot offers a way out of trouble, in a film whose copyright record turns on a missing renewal.

For Monogram, Danger Flight was an ending presented as another adventure. It was the fourth and final entry in the studio’s Tailspin Tommy feature series.³ Nothing in that position requires the film to behave like a farewell. John Trent plays Tommy as a working pilot with problems to solve.³ The story places a boy’s possible future alongside the immediate hazards of flying and crime. Getting an aircraft safely home is only part of the undertaking. Giving a young person something useful to do supplies the adventure with its longer horizon.

The characters came from the aviation strip created by Hal Forrest and Glenn Chaffin.¹ Tailspin Tommy had begun in 1928.⁵ It continued until 1942, outlasting this run of screen adaptations.⁵ In the film, aviation is a shared occupation. Tommy’s colleagues belong to the everyday framework through which another flying emergency can become another story.

Paul Malvern produced all four of Monogram’s Tailspin Tommy pictures.⁴ Howard Bretherton directed Danger Flight.¹ Byron Morgan and Edwin C. Parsons wrote the screenplay.¹ The film was released on November 1, 1939.¹ Its alternate title was Scouts of the Air.² The two strands of the story occupy the same practical world: a juvenile-reform story becomes part of an aviation thriller rather than a separate undertaking.

The model-aircraft activity is the link between those two kinds of story. Tommy’s effort to turn a boy away from crime gives flight a purpose beyond transport or excitement. Making and understanding something becomes an alternative to getting into trouble. The payroll-robbery plot supplies the adult danger against which that alternative must prove useful. Model planes are therefore not merely smaller versions of the machines the audience has come to see. They connect the boy’s capacities with Tommy’s work, giving practical knowledge a place in the action. The film’s moral scheme rests less on punishment than on redirecting attention from the opportunities offered by crime towards the demands of a craft.

The film travelled beyond its American release. By March 1940 it was being advertised in Australia as Tailspin Tommy in ‘Danger Flight’.⁹ That billing preserved the strip character’s name as part of the attraction. The advertisement designated the Monogram release for general exhibition.⁹ Its later routes involved arrangements less visible than a character’s name above the title. One account of the film’s rights history places its initial television rights with M&A Alexander Productions, Inc.¹¹ The same account reports that Monogram’s copyright was not renewed.¹¹ Neither statement by itself establishes how the film reached particular television or home-video markets.

Those are distinct parts of its afterlife. A television-rights holding describes an arrangement for exploitation, not the duration of copyright. The renewal history bears on the latter. Neither tells us what condition a surviving print will be in. A short feature can remain in circulation long after its original place in a release schedule has ceased to matter. Its continued availability does not mean that every copy preserves the same evidence of its theatrical form.

The record: Registration LP9227 by Monogram Pictures Corp is dated 23 October 1939. The registry found no renewal in the renewal volumes for 1966 to 1968, nor in the Copyright Office's records from 1978 on; on that reading the term ended on 31 December 1967 and the film has been free in the US since 1 January 1968. That record does not settle the provenance or completeness of any particular surviving copy.

Written 6 September 2026 by gpt-6-astra from the registry record, the atlas's own evidence and the sources below, gathered by Qwen/Qwen3.8-Max with web search and questioned by deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V4-Pro. Numbered notes are the sources; a claim marked unverified has no source yet; times open the atlas at that second. How these are made and checked.

catalog.afi.com https://catalog.afi.com/Film/7544-DANGER-FLIGHT?cxt=filmography
catalog.afi.com https://catalog.afi.com/Search?searchField=ReleaseDate&searchText=1%20November%201939&s...
en.wikipedia.org https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danger_Flight
catalog.afi.com https://catalog.afi.com/Film/7550-MYSTERY-PLANE?sid=041cac07-72a0-426e-b331-bb6fc18a7ec...
sites.lsa.umich.edu https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/bcoppola/2022/06/03/tailspin-tommy-october-31-1939/
lambiek.net https://www.lambiek.net/artists/f/forrest_hal.htm
archive.org https://archive.org/stream/variety136-1939-12/variety136-1939-12_djvu.txt
archive.org https://archive.org/download/variety136-1939-11/variety136-1939-11.pdf
trove.nla.gov.au https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17660055
archive.org https://archive.org/stream/filmdailycavalca00film/filmdailycavalca00film_djvu.txt
dukefilmography.com https://dukefilmography.com/monogram_pictures_library.html

Inside the film

713 shots over 59:55 · 508 transcript lines · JSON

Every shot, 713 frames with timestamps and on-screen text

How this page was made

713 shots over 59:55, read from the Internet Archive copy danger_flight (danger_flight.mp4, 640×480, 29.97 fps). Shot boundaries by PySceneDetect's adaptive detector; each frame links to the Archive's player at that second. Registry dossier: Danger Flight No renewal found. JSON

Measurements: black-and-white film on its keyframes (0 of 713 shots judged colour), average shot 5.0s long, a frontal face detected in 24% of keyframes. Shots are detected automatically and each is represented by its midpoint frame.

Transcript

Machine transcription of the Archive copy's audio with Whisper large-v3-turbo (temperature 0); the model heard it as en. 508 segments kept, 87 dropped as the kind of hallucination the model produces over music and silence. Each timestamp links to the Archive's player at that second. This has not been checked against the film and can be wrong.

0:01 We'll never be there, never care, when e'er we need the field. Never be there, we never despair, the fear we never yield. Ready for flight in the dead of the night, over land or sea or storm. Even the fighters are dead in the light, we give her the gun and go. On silver wings we take the air.
0:31 On silver wings without a curve Swinging our way across the sky Ready to bear and do or die Till the flying men on silver wings Sing it out with a voice that rings In the jungle anywhere we'll be there On silver wings
1:06 Look, look. Boy, that's what I call real flying, huh? Oh, that ain't so hot. My job can fly rings around your old crate. That's what you think. Want a bet? Sure, I'll bet you. Just as soon as Tailspin gets here to referee it, he's the only one around here that knows real flying.
1:28 Things fly kind of good, huh, Whitey?
1:31 and have some fun. Who me? Say, wouldn't that look just too sweet playing with them baby toys?
1:38 Think you're all grown up and tough, huh? What do you think? I think you're all right, kid. You know that. Nobody's gonna push you around any more than they're gonna push me.
1:53 Nothing to be alarmed over, Mr. Browns.
1:56 Gee, that's what you call flying, huh? Gosh, I wonder what Tailspin will say.
2:02 Hey, you kids, watch out what you're doing out there.
2:05 They haven't started bombing Americans yet. But if they wait until Tompkins scouts of the air go up, they're at to get a mighty warm reception. Yes, Colton.
2:13 Oh, you mean those kids with the model planes, eh? Yeah, it's a flying club Tompkins got up. And they are using our field. And it's a good idea, too, Mr. Brown.
2:22 Tommy says it's as natural for kids today to want to fly as to...
2:26 Swim or play football.
2:28 He's teaching them the rudimentary ideas of flying.
2:31 And he says it may save time. And maybe lives too someday. Oh excuse me Betty Lou, but I think you're overselling Mr. Brown.
2:37 And he may not think it necessary to pay his taxes for the support of the Army and the Navy. Well?
2:42 Tompkins will be in with your payroll money in a few minutes.
2:45 Never have to worry when he's on the job. Is that why he's flying transport today? No, not exactly. The regular pilot wasn't feeling well.
2:52 But a trip now and then helps Tompkins keep his hand in. I suppose so. And with that much money on board and cold, hard cash...
2:59 It's wise to have a good man at the control.

488 more segments

3:02 Here comes tailspin.
3:11 Yeah, we better scram. You know what Tommy said about keeping the field clear. Planes to land. Where do I get my ship?
3:28 That's my plane. Get away.
3:32 big transport. Don't you do it, you'll burst it. Take it away from her, Johnny. I see me the nose. You're getting shit wrong with dirt.
3:43 Okay, shrimp, go chase it.
4:29 What did I tell you kids about keeping the field clear?
4:32 Do it, Tommy? On a level. We were obeying your orders. That Whitey Lewis picked up Johnny's plane and threw it right out in front of you. Johnny couldn't help it, honestly, Tommy. That's right, Tommy. It was that Lewis kid. I saw him. Where is he? Right over there.
4:48 Beat it, kid.
4:49 I got a special reason for not wanting no trouble around here right now. He ought to have a good punch in the nose. Here's a buck. I'll be back tomorrow or the next day. Now get going.
4:59 Okay, Mike, but I just don't want that stuffy to think he can make me go. Go on, get out of here.
5:11 Here you are, Mr. Brown.
5:13 Sign right here and the money's all yours. Thank you, Duncans.
5:17 Don't thank me. This is one time it's a pleasure to get rid of money. Yes, and I'll feel the same when I deliver it to my construction crew up at the dam. I don't like to think about that five-hour drive. It's a mighty rough country between here and there. That's right.
5:37 Well, good luck.
5:38 Thanks, Mark.
5:40 You know, Ash, if you had a landing field up at your camp, I'd talk to you about a deal for Tompkins to fly the payroll all the way. Then you wouldn't have any worry. Maybe not, but Tompkins would.
5:49 A forced landing up in that country would mean a nasty crack up. Well, you let us worry about that.
5:54 We could transfer the money to a small plane here and have it up there in a little more than an hour. Well, maybe a few tractors could clear a landing field. Worth thinking about. All right, think it over. Good luck again. Good luck, Paul. So long again, Tompkins. So long.
6:29 Keep it low, Steve, and be ready to move fast.
6:34 I'm stuck. I guess my battery's dead. Will you see if you can get me started? I'm stuck.
6:39 Up with him. Get out of the car. Step on it.
6:52 They plugged your tire.
6:53 So you had this job all figured out so it couldn't mess, eh? Yeah, yeah. How was I... Never mind get that tire changed. We've got to get out of here.
7:02 Yeah.
7:03 This country will be plenty hot as soon as that guy gets to a phone. You're right, Mike.
7:10 You know, Pa, that one attempt to hold me up sold me on flying.
7:14 I've had every spare tractor up at the camp for the last two weeks grading that landing field and it's ready.
7:20 Then Tompkins can make the first trip tomorrow and be welcome to the job or believe me.
7:25 Say you didn't get a good description of those thugs, did you know everything worked too fast?
7:30 For all I know, one of them might have looked like little Annie Rooney. They'll have to chase Tompkins pretty high to hijack him.
7:47 How much you get for this cap?
7:49 This is $2, Sonny.
7:51 It's one of the best kits I've got in the shop.
7:54 I ain't got that much. I...
7:56 They only have a dollar.
7:58 But I have lots of kits for an hour.
8:00 Now, like this pursuit ship here.
8:03 No.
8:04 I don't want them.
8:09 Hi, Cap. Hello, Tommy. Did you get that package of parts for my air scouts? I sure have.
8:13 I'll get it right away.
8:15 He just came in and I haven't had time to unpack it.
8:17 when he took me a minute.
8:18 Okay, no hurry.
8:25 Hi, kid.
8:29 I said, "Hi."
8:30 Don't you speak to people when they say hello to you?
8:32 No.
8:33 Not the fatheads I don't like. Whoa. You're a lot bigger than me, you big stiff. But if you try to beat me up... What made you think I was going to beat you up?
8:42 None of your business.
8:44 Hmm.
8:45 Pretty tough, huh?
8:47 Whoa, I'm just trying to feel your muscle.
8:50 Well, I didn't know.
8:52 Philip!
8:55 Amen.
8:56 Pretty good.
8:57 You know, Whitey,
8:58 I thought I was pretty tough too when I was about your age.
9:02 I had to hustle for myself. I thought the tougher I was, the more I'd get.
9:07 I got to hating all the things the other kids had.
9:10 just because I couldn't have them.
9:12 Well, I got into a lot of trouble before I started getting smart.
9:16 Then I started flying and... How'd you get the job flying? Oh, I did a lot of things.
9:21 Worked around the field, studied.
9:24 But it was more... You see, why do you gotta work hard? I had a job.
9:27 But old man Jenkins fired me.
9:29 You mean Jenkins down at the grocery store? Yeah.
9:31 He found out about my pop.
9:33 He's in stir.
9:35 and stirred.
9:36 Uh-huh.
9:37 You know...
9:38 The big house.
9:39 Pot was a fighter, see?
9:41 In the rain. A champ?
9:43 No, he was never a champ.
9:46 I guess he wouldn't keep in condition.
9:48 But he had a left hook that was a honey. Like this.
9:52 Pretty good, pretty good. Say, are you going to be a fighter?
9:56 Maybe, I don't know.
9:58 Maybe if I can't be a flyer...
10:00 Oh, you want to be a flyer?
10:02 Maybe.
10:03 I guess it'll be okay.
10:05 Why don't you come out to the field with the kids?
10:07 No.
10:08 I ain't got no ship.
10:11 Hey, you're allowed to bust it.
10:13 Oh, I didn't see that.
10:16 See, that's all right. That ought to make a pretty swell shift. Yeah, I was looking at it.
10:19 But it's two dollars and I only got one.
10:23 It is tough.
10:24 Well there it is Tommy. I checked it and there's everything you ordered.
10:28 Thanks, Captain.
10:30 So long, kid.
10:31 - So long.
10:33 Who kept?
10:34 What did you decide about giving my air scouts a half discount? Remember? I asked you.
10:39 Well, I reckon I can and some of the things.
10:41 You mean on ones like this?
10:43 This'll be only a dollar?
10:45 Yes, I guess so. I've had it to stop quite some time and the box is kind of torn.
10:50 Here you are.
10:52 Guess it was kind of lucky you came in. Yes, I guess it was.
10:55 I'll be out on the field as soon as I can get it together.
10:58 Thanks a lot, Tommy.
10:59 Song.
11:00 So long, dear.
11:06 Nice work, Tommy.
11:08 - So long, Captain. - So long.
11:14 Hey, you kids, you ought to be home. We've got to finish our ship. We're just about through. Wants your letters tested tonight? Not a chance. This is a swell night for good flyers to keep their ships on the ground. Now run along. Okay, Tommy. So long. Good night. Well, I've seen some storms in my time, but this one has the air marks of being the granddaddy of them all. Yes, it's going to be a swell night for the flyers to sit by the fire. You said it. What's the news on flight 14?
11:41 We haven't reported in at Twin Rivers yet. So they're gonna be down a little. Can't you? Well, that's a footbreak. Now you mean 'cause you're not flying flight 14 or not? No, but this is our first trip with the payroll for Brown and we're gonna be many hours late.
11:58 Well, what are you raving about? You haven't got any silly ideas about getting out of here tonight, have you? Well, I wasn't thinking about rowing a boat in the park. You didn't have an accident or anything all the way over here, did you? Well, no, why?
12:10 You talk like a man who'd been dropped on his head. Will you stop it? The arguments are draw. Anyway, you're both crazy. I resent that. I may be crazy, but I'm not stupid. Listen, Wonder Boy, if you have the luck to get off the ground and get up to the camp against this headwind, how are you going to land? It'll be black as... Night? It'll be dark. And there's no lights at that field. Well, drop a couple of flares. Drop a couple of flares. Listen, they'll point to a hole in the ground tomorrow morning and say there's where he hit, fellas. Start digging. Well, you two quit it.
12:40 tonight.
12:40 And you two aviators can go fly a kite.
12:45 Come up to my house for a sandwich. Okay, honey, that's a date. But just the same, if flight 14 should get through, I'm not going to have that payroll money kicking around here all night. It'd be a swell chance for somebody to grab it.
13:01 You don't think he's serious? I mean, he won't try. Don't worry, baby. He won't get off the ground tonight unless he licks me first. Yes, I know, skier.
13:10 We all clown around a lot together, but... I know that in a pinch you'd give your life to Tommy. Oh, yeah, sure. All nine of them.
13:22 Pumpkins? It's been a bad slide up at the dame. A bunch of the men are all smashed up. The hospital shack is under tons of rock. I've got to get these medical supplies up to the doctors.
13:38 Guess you came to the right place.
13:41 So that was thoughtful.
13:42 I hate to ask you to do this, but there's no other way. This storm has washed the roads completely out. My car was the last one to get through. Tommy, I don't recommend this, but I'll leave it to your judgment. If you think you can't make it, don't take a chance.
14:02 Okay.
14:04 Ryan, roll the ship out. Put that in front of me. And I'm going with you. Not a chance. I want to fly light. Hey, wait a minute.
14:12 with you. Say, why does everybody think this is an excursion? Oh, Tommy, we'll be careful, won't you? We've got a date tonight, haven't we?
14:20 Of course. I'll be careful.
14:50 QX478. 3 point to QX478. Come in, Tommy. Come in, Tommy. Well, can't you get him to answer? Well, what do I do? I'm going to tell him a thing or two. What does he mean running off without me? Who does he think he is, anyway?
15:09 QX478 to 3 point. QX478 to 3 point. 3 point to QX478. Well, it's about time you started to think of the old folks at home.
15:20 How's it going? How's the weather? Very slow. Having fine time. Wish you were here. The nerve of that mug. Well, what's your position? Where are you? Position near dam.
15:35 As soon as I can make out.
16:20 Can't land.
16:23 Drop a couple of flares. They've dropped flares, but they're washed out.
16:30 Well, what are you going to do now?
16:34 Wait until the moon comes out.
16:50 Dropping bundle of supplies with chute.
17:06 But Tommy only had one chute, and he's wearing it. Yes, we know, Whitey. What if he gets in trouble if there's motor cars?
17:50 3.2 QX478. 3.2 QX478. Come in, Tommy. Come in.
18:11 I'm on command, but I must be near the field. Watch your foot.
18:17 There isn't any, Tommy. It's right on the ground.
18:20 The center of the storm has hit us. I was in hopes we'd miss the worst of it.
18:33 Look at that nail. I can hardly see the lights from here. The visibility is zero. Yes, it's pretty low. Low? It's right on the ground. Oh, how can any plane land?
18:50 I can't see a thing, but I'm coming down.
18:56 Let me know when you hear my motor. You can't sure he tries that. But we've got to do something, Skeeter. What do we do? I know, I know. I'll talk him down. I'll get him down. Open that door.
19:15 Tommy. Tommy, I can hear you. You reached to the field.
19:20 Stand up that sneaker.
19:23 Okay, Skeeter, keep on talking.
19:29 Yeah, Tommy, now you're lower. You're lower now. You're almost directly over the field.
19:35 Tommy! Tommy! It's a light stand. That boat hit close. All the lights in the field are out.
19:44 Skeeter! Skeeter, I can't hear you. Skeeter!
19:50 That's flashing a transformer with all the juices off it. We'll try it on the batteries.
20:06 The power tubes are gone!
20:11 It's over shopper Gale! He's home to us and freeze! Tommy! Tommy!
20:30 better. QX 478 to Twin Rivers. QX 478 to Twin Rivers. Come in, Twin Rivers. Twin Rivers to QX 478. Twin Rivers to QX 478. Go ahead, Tompkins. Lost contact with three points. Can you hear them?
21:16 What's your position, Tompkins? Position uncertain. Somewhere east of the north of three-point, I think. Not sure.
21:28 Gas on.
21:38 I'm going over the side.
21:50 My mistake. I seem to have mislaid my chute.
21:56 Well, try and pancake in.
21:58 They'll signal every hour on the hour if I'm able to signal anything. Come in, Twin Rivers. Okay, Tompkins. Plains will take off to locate you the minute the ceiling lifts. Okay, Twin Rivers. When you contact Three Point, tell them I may be a little late for a certain date tonight.
22:18 They'll understand. Okay, Tompkins. Good luck and happy landings.
22:58 3 point. Flight 12 eastbound calling 3 point. 3 point to flight 12.
23:03 Three point to flight 12.
23:04 Go ahead, Flight 12. Blue, blue on zigzag course from Fleet Point to Twin Rivers.
23:09 No trace of Tompkins plane.
23:11 Okay, Flight 12.
23:12 Thank you just the same. But I tell you, they ain't looking in the right place. Twin Rivers to three points.
23:18 Twin Rivers to three points.
23:19 Come in, Twin Rivers.
23:21 Three of searching planes just landed.
23:23 Covered territory north and east of Three Point.
23:25 Report no trace of Thompson.
23:27 Planes will resume search as soon as serviced.
23:30 Thank you, Twin Rivers.
23:31 But listen to me, please!
23:39 Mike, Commander of Attack Sporter and Seven to Three Point.
23:42 Flight commander, have attached one and seven to three point.
23:44 The Army ships. Come in, Squadron 7. No report on Tompkins.
23:48 Wreckage of his plane must be
23:50 so badly scattered it is hard to identify from there.
23:54 Thank you, Commander.
23:55 Will you please?
23:57 Please continue search.
23:59 My orders are to continue search until necessary to return to base field for refueling.
24:09 Late this afternoon, all hope of finding the lost payroll and mercy fire Tommy Tompkins alive had been virtually abandoned.
24:16 Now, ain't that just too bad?
24:18 Try to cross us up, having that eagle fly the payroll, and look what happens.
24:22 Maybe it'd pay us to conduct a search for the plane or...
24:25 What it was carrying, let's...
24:27 Hear the rest of this.
24:29 A few ships, however, still continue the vain hunt
24:32 for a glimpse of the shattered wreckage of the Mercy Pilots plane
24:35 or the charred remnants of it.
24:37 if it's burned in a crash.
24:39 But it was learned today that pilot Tommy Tompkins did not have the payroll of the Brown Construction Company on board his plane
24:44 when he crashed last night.
24:46 What do you think of that?
24:48 But if it wasn't carrying the dough, what are they worried about?
24:55 Any news? They've all reported. Even the Army squadron. Listen, Skeeter. The last time I heard Tommy's plane, it was going west, it was. I tell you...
25:04 They ain't looking in the right direction. Well, he's been saying that all morning. Well, you're all wrong, kid.
25:09 Tommy's last report to Twin Rivers said he was east and north at three point. He could have been wrong, couldn't he? Anybody could have gotten mixed up in that storm.
25:16 Didn't a fellow fly east of Europe when he thought he was going west? Yeah, yeah, I know, but his name wasn't Tompkins.
25:21 I'm going up against to take on some gas. No, I'm going with you, Skeeter. Okay, you go ahead. I'll take over the radio. Please fly west, Skeeter.
25:30 It won't hurt the looking. Now, take it easy, kid.
25:32 We've got no time to waste. It's been 12 hours since Tommy crashed and...
25:36 Well, we got to find him quick.
25:42 Look at that kid that says I'm a liar.
25:52 What are you gonna do if nobody will believe you?
25:55 Listen, I'll tell you what we're going to do. We're going to go out on a hunt for Tommy. Let's get it, see? Gee, that's a small idea. We'll spread out and cover every foot of them hills. I know them hills. Dad used to take me fishing out there. Bring your planes along. We'll send them up with signals. We'll meet by Tommy. Come on, let's go.
26:28 Believe me, I'm tired. Come on, if Whitey finds this lope, then he'll be plenty mad. He can hear a person. Oh, I'm gonna make him like it.
27:14 Tom! Tommy!
27:27 We've covered this ground twice. It's went last. Whitey was so sure. Okay, we'll try it.
28:25 This is a wild goose chase.
28:33 There's a plane down there.
28:39 No, no, that's a miniature. What's it doing out here?
28:44 Look!
28:53 - It's Whitey!
28:57 It's Tommy's plane! - Hang on, I'm gonna set her down!
29:23 You better stay here. It looks bad. No, I'm going with you.
29:32 Is he badly hurt? I don't know. I just found it. Oh, he's in there, but... Come on.
29:43 We gotta move this tree.
30:17 Yeah, I'd kind of like it. It's the first time I've ever had my picture in the paper. And I bet it's in all the papers. All over the country, huh?
30:25 Yes, it probably is. Well, you earned it, Whitey. It hadn't been for you. Those other fellas hadn't been so dumb and listened to me. We could have found him sooner. I knew he was mixed up in that storm. Well, it was easy to do in a storm like that. Oh, sure. I wouldn't feel bad about it. It could happen to anybody.
30:47 How are you Tommy? Swell. After two weeks of this I'll sure be glad to get out of here tonight. Well mighty lucky Duncan. Well I don't know maybe it was lucky.
30:57 Maybe it wasn't.
30:59 Here it is, Tommy. Just came in on the transport. Whisper Whitey. For me? Sure, open it up.
31:10 Oh, boy, a model plane.
31:17 And an Oscar goodness gas engine.
31:21 Like it? I'll say. Boy, I bet the other kids will be jealous when they see this.
31:42 Look at my plane fly. You see, fellas, what I've been trying to get through your six goals? You gotta get the center of gravity just right. Not too far forward and not too far back.
31:56 Whitey certainly has taken charge of those boys.
31:59 Oh, Whitey's all right.
32:00 He'll settle down in a few days.
32:02 I hope so.
32:03 for your sake.
32:05 He was such a swell fellow before the accident.
32:09 That's why we've got to be patient with him.
32:11 He's been through enough to
32:13 Turn any kid's head. Pictures in the paper and reporters out here every day.
32:18 That sort of thing has ruined many a grown man.
32:21 Whitey says to Kidd,
32:27 So that's the kid brother who's been acquiring all his fame. Yeah, that's what I've been telling you, see?
32:33 That kid's chest's out of foot with all this hero bunk and his being unsofted with Tompkins.
32:39 Now all we gotta do is shuffle our cards right and we deal ourselves right in on that payroll, though. Yes, and if my memory serves me correctly, you had another perfect plan for acquiring this money. Yeah, yeah, I know. Perhaps.
32:53 You leave the kid to me. I know how to work on him.
33:02 Okay, fellas. That'll be all for today.
33:07 Hello, kid. Hi, Mike. Say, did you see the papers? You bet I did. Pictures of you and everything. Say, I was so proud I nearly busted. How have you been doing otherwise? Eating, sleeping okay? Yeah, I'll say. I've been staying with Betty Lou. You know, uh, Telspin's girlfriend. Well, smart kid.
33:27 Oh, no, it's a reporter. I don't want to see him. I'm sick of news rounds bothering me and asking me questions. This is no reporter. This is a big shot. Come on.
33:40 Mr. Dawson, this is my kid brother. Oh, how do you do, young man? I've read a great deal about you. Yes, I guess a lot of people heard about me. Yes, indeed, young man. That was a most noteworthy accomplishment. Most noteworthy. And, uh, is this the, uh, sturdy plane with which you signaled for help? Well, uh, the other one didn't have a motor. Oh, most interesting, young man. Tell me, can you learn very much about the art of flying from these little planes? You bet.
34:10 You see?
34:10 Me and Telspin, we figure that the kids can learn a lot of groundwork.
34:14 Then when they get old enough to go up, they'll know what it's all about.
34:18 Very good. Very good. I believe your brother's idea may prove quite profitable. Yeah, I was telling him there's a fortune in making these things. Quite right. Quite right. You see, I'm a manufacturer of toys, and your brother has been trying to persuade me to make quite a number of these planes. Thousands, in fact. Of course, I would call them the Whitey Lewis Scout ships, and we would pay you for the use of your name.
34:43 Yeah, but you couldn't sell them. Unless the kids that bought them had some kind of a secret club. You know, some sort of signal. If one of you got in a jam, you could use it, see? And the others would know that it was a pal in trouble. You mean a secret code? Like the G-Men or the Army, huh? Possibly, yes. But it would have to be absolutely secret to be used only in case of life or death. Oh, that'll be easy, Mr. Dawson. Me and Tailspin will figure out something. Tailspin? Yeah, Tailspin Tommy, the pilot I rescued. Listen, kid.
35:13 I wouldn't say nothing to nobody about your deal with Mr. Dawson. Big businessmen don't like a lot of people in on what they're doing. Oh, no. I won't say anything about it. I'll just tell tellspin about the idea for the signal, see? Okay, kid.
35:35 Just like a Skyrider, huh, Tommy?
35:38 Seems to be working fine.
35:40 It's a pretty good idea. How did you come to think of it?
35:43 I was thinking how close Betty Lou and Skit are nearly missing my plane. You know, when you crash. It's sort of come to me. Well, no pilot will ever miss a signal like that. And the scout on the ground will give the three-point call letters.
35:57 That's the idea.
35:59 Then the pilot will know it's one of our boys. Yeah.
36:03 Twin Rivers to three point.
36:04 Twin Rivers to three points.
36:06 Three point to Twin Rivers.
36:08 Three point to Twin Rivers.
36:09 Go ahead, Twin Rivers. Flight 14, clearing Twin Rivers.
36:13 Due 3.357. Advise Tompkins...
36:16 Okay, Twin Rivers.
36:21 Brown's payroll is on flight 14. I'm going to tell Tommy.
36:31 I'll put the smoke signal on the other fellas' planes and teach them the call signal.
36:35 All right, but remember to warn them it's only to be used for an emergency. A matter of life or death. Sure, I'll put them on their armor.
36:42 Hey, Tommy.
36:43 Oh, Whitey. Flight 14 just left Flynn Rivers. You better get that flying tank ready. Okay, I'm all set. And you gotta know which way you're flying today, boy. If you get lost with that payroll, they'll have the G-Men on you. So long, Whitey. So long.
37:01 Mind if I use the phone? Of course not.
37:07 Who is she? I'm jealous.
37:09 It's my brother Mike!
37:10 Tell me, call him up at Pete's place.
37:12 I didn't know he was back in town.
37:14 Yeah, he's been back a couple of days.
37:18 Hello?
37:19 Peach ball pot.
37:20 Uh, is this Pete?
37:23 Oh, yeah. I'd like to speak to mine.
37:25 Yeah, Mike Lewis.
37:26 But I bet you I could have a girl, see?
37:28 I got a couple of letters from them pictures in the papers.
37:31 I mind?
37:32 Yeah.
37:33 Tell a big shot I'm all set to talk business.
37:36 Okay.
37:37 I'll meet you there.
37:39 So long.
37:43 My, that sounded important. Oh, that's nothing. Just a little business deal I got on. So long. Bye.
37:58 Very interesting young man. And of course you've worked out the emergency signals with the three-point call letters. That's right. But they're only to be used in case of life and death. Quite right, quite right. A very wise provision, eh, Mike? Yeah, I told you the kid was smart.
38:15 The more I see of this sturdy little plane, the more I'm convinced it will bring us quite a sum of money. Sure, it's in the bag.
38:22 That's swell, Miss Dawson, and you think it'll make me rich, huh? No doubt, no doubt. Rich and famous. Especially famous.
38:33 Say, this looks like a good spot to test the kid's crate.
38:37 Perfect, perfect. And that mountain meadow, that'll provide a nice landing field in case your plane encounters trouble. Sure, that's big enough for a regular plane to make a forced landing.
38:47 This is it.
38:58 Well...
38:59 Here we are, young man, at the great crossroads of your life, perhaps. Say, we'd better get going. Quite right.
39:05 Williams, I want you to take the car down there and wait for Whitey's plane to come to you. He says he'll drop it right in your lap.
39:11 Is that right, my boys? That's right. Hold it. I'll go with you. All right.
39:35 You better stall a few minutes. That transport should be landing at three point about now.
40:01 Nice autograph, Tompkins, for a lot of money. Yeah, too much for my autograph.
40:14 Good luck. Happy landing. Good luck.
40:40 They hop on a ship fly in a minute at 120 miles an hour.
40:44 I don't know. Let's see. Skip it. I guess it's time.
41:00 All right, give me the blood.
41:01 Okay, I got it right here.
41:04 Don't you think them fellas are ready by now? Why, yes.
41:08 I didn't realize it's been so long.
41:10 Hey, look!
41:15 What's happened?
41:23 What happened here?
41:24 Got him!
41:25 What happened to you? The Braxton hole.
41:27 We went off the road into the canyon.
41:29 I think Mike's hurt bad.
41:31 Here.
41:32 Help me put him in the shade of this drink.
41:36 We gotta get a doctor, Mr. Dawson!
41:39 Do you think he's gonna die?
41:40 I hope not. Here.
41:42 Let me have a look at you. Oh, don't worry about me. Get help for Mike.
41:45 I'll go.
41:47 But it's 30 miles, my boy. That means hours.
41:50 And your brother may be dying. But there's nothing else we can do.
41:55 It's a plane.
41:58 It's a plane, maybe from Three Port.
42:04 Too bad he isn't low enough to see us. He could get your brother to town, perhaps in time. Wait. Wait until he gets closer and maybe I can tell who it is.
42:20 I'll get him down.
42:50 It's coming lower. He appears to have recognized the signal. I told you he'd lay that money right in our laps.
43:29 Tompkins to three point.
43:31 Tompkins to three point.
43:33 Three point to Tompkins.
43:34 Three point to Tompkins. Go ahead, Tommy. Over Long Meadow. Spotted plane with smoke attack. There's a kid signaling for help.
43:44 Looks like one of our gang's in trouble.
43:47 Well, Whitey's the only kid with a smoke gag. Yeah, I know, but I'm gonna land and check up. Stand by, will ya?
43:54 OK, but set her down easy. You know, that's not hay you're flying.
44:31 Come on, Tommy, hurry up! Hello, Whitey, what are you doing up here? My brother, he's all busted up. Car crack up, it went off the road. Well, are you all right? Sure, yeah, I wasn't in it, but Mike...
44:41 Where is he? Up on the road. He's hurt bad, Tommy.
44:44 Come on, we gotta get him to a doctor. Wait till I check with Skeeter.
44:50 Tompkins to three point.
44:51 - Tompkins to three points.
44:53 Okay, Tommy, go ahead. Hello, Skeeter?
44:57 Landed okay.
44:58 There seems to be a...
45:01 What is this, a hold-up?
45:06 Tommy!
45:07 Coming!
45:09 Tommy's been held up.
45:11 Call the sheriff. Get busy on that phone. I'll get a ship ready. Well, Skeeter. Skeeter, that miniature plane. Well? Tommy said it had a smoke attachment. Yeah? Well, it was Whitey's. Well, sure, sure. Quit stalling and get the sheriff on the phone. Listen, Skeeter. Whitey called his brother about four hours ago right from this phone. Well, all right. So what? Well, I'm trying to tell you.
45:27 He said, "Tell the big shot I'm all set to talk business."
45:30 What?
45:31 Tell that to the sheriff.
45:35 Take it easy and you won't get hurt. Easy, easy.
45:39 Don't be a sap.
45:41 You'd be a lot less trouble to us cold.
45:44 You lied to me!
45:45 You'll frame me, and I'm your brother. Hey, I'll get wise to yourself.
45:49 Yes, kid, you've done a fine job.
45:52 You'd better forget the act. But I didn't have anything to do with this.
45:57 You gotta believe me, Tommy.
45:59 You gotta! You gotta! Pipe down, kid.
46:02 You're it, and Squawkin ain't changing it.
46:05 I'll handle him. Come here.
46:15 Oh, so you'd plug me, huh? Yeah.
46:19 I don't care if you're my brother.
46:22 And that's the best description I can give you of the Lewis brothers. All right.
46:25 That's all we need.
46:27 I want all the rules leading on a long metal block.
46:30 Yeah, but if they can force Tommy to fly him, they'll try to get out of there. I got a ship all ready to take off. That's good.
46:35 Jim, you fly with Skeeter.
46:37 Keep in touch with me with your radio. Right.
46:39 You better contact all airports and all planes that you can reach in the air. Give them the description of Tompkins plane.
46:47 Three-point to Twin Rivers.
47:03 You dumb fool, why'd you hit him so hard?
47:05 We could have been miles away from here and flying fast.
47:08 Okay, forget it.
47:10 We can't stall around here all day. Now we'll have to use the car. What'll we do with him? Bring him along and we'll dump him somewhere tonight.
47:17 If we leave him here, he'll give our descriptions to the first sheriff's posse that gets here.
47:21 And get rid of the plane. You probably smeared your fingerprints all over it.
47:25 Hurry up!
47:31 R-65...
47:33 Car six five.
47:36 Cover Hill Junction on road 105.
47:44 Car 7-0.
47:46 go to Andrews Cut-Off.
47:54 That's a description of Lewis Brothers, but another man, possibly two, believed implicated in robbery.
47:59 No description of them as a bedwell, as yet.
48:08 That's the last open road out of here. We'll have to pick a spot and crash through. That's just what those cops have been waiting for. Well, where to? Back to the cabin.
48:16 By the time they search these hills, we'll have found a way to slip through.
48:39 Calling three point. Calling three point.
48:43 Just spotted Tommy's plane in Lone Meadow.
48:47 It's burned.
48:48 I'm landing to investigate.
48:51 Here, here now. Keep your chin up.
48:55 Those crooks wouldn't go that far.
48:57 We'll find Tommy.
48:59 But I wish the officers had a description of the men with Mike and Whitey.
49:02 It would certainly help.
49:17 Skeeter!
49:18 Hello!
49:19 Oh, it's you.
49:21 What time is it? It's almost six o'clock. Any news? No, no, not a word all night. The sheriff thinks the gang must have slipped through the net last night. Yeah, maybe so.
49:30 Well, I'm going up again. I can see now. Oh, Skeeter, you're all in. Well, you were flying most of the day yesterday. You've been awake all night. I'm all right.
49:37 But if they did slip through the blockade... Well, don't worry. They didn't take Tommy with them.
49:42 - Oh, you...
49:43 You don't think they... Listen, Tommy's the only one who can put a finger on those crooks, and until we get them or find Tommy, anything can happen.
50:00 Well, by tonight, those coppers ought to be sick enough of their jobs to ease off and we can slip through. How about that eagle and the kid? Are they going with us? No, we leave them down on the cellar.
50:08 Yeah, sing to the first copper. They won't sing. Not after we leave them.
50:16 You think it'll fly?
50:19 I don't know, kid.
50:21 Pretty badly busted up and we haven't got much to work with here. It's good you know a lot about fixing them things. Yeah.
50:27 When I started fooling around with the kids at the field, I didn't think one of these little ships might be getting us out of a tough spot. Well, it got you into it.
50:34 That my dumb swell-headed...
50:37 Oh, forget her, boy.
50:39 We all make mistakes.
50:40 Then you do believe me, don't you?
50:42 You know I wasn't trying to help them to frame you. Sure.
50:45 How many tons will that tell you?
50:47 Somehow, I can't believe you think so.
50:49 Not on the level, Tommy.
50:51 Things look too bad again, Neil.
50:54 I'll tell you why I don't believe you. That's great. Now I don't care what them thugs do to me.
50:59 They're not going to do anything to either one of us, if we can get this wing to hold together in the air for a couple of minutes.
51:06 It's kind of wobbly. Yeah.
51:08 But it'll hold, kid. Don't you worry for one minute.
51:11 Now all we gotta do is to figure some way to get this thing in the air when we hear one of those patrol planes overhead. But how are we gonna do it?
51:20 I don't know yet, but I've got an idea.
51:23 It's a plane!
51:40 All right, Whitey, hand me your ship. Shh!
51:52 Wait a minute, Tommy. I'll fix it.
52:27 All set, Whitey? Sure. All right, then I'll make enough noise so they won't hear the motor start.
52:38 Cut that out down there.
52:58 Climbing. Look, Gelspin. That butt of wings holding fine.
53:04 Yeah. Now, if the pilot only sees it, everything will be okay.
53:23 He's going further away. Yeah. Yeah, I guess he didn't see it.
53:47 Calling three point calling three point calling sheriff's office calling sheriff's office just spotted kids playing with smoke attachment
53:56 must be Whitey Lewis's.
53:57 It looks like signal for help.
54:25 It landed on east side of Pine Mountain. I'll circle spots.
54:30 to guide sheriff's cars.
54:32 Good work, Skeeter. Be careful.
54:34 Car 44.
54:36 CAR 4-4-
54:38 Move to Pine Mountain.
54:41 search for child's model airplane
54:44 ship circling over exact location
55:05 There it is. Pull it.
55:14 There's a message on it.
55:20 Payroll bandits are in cabin. Hey, this is a description of the whole gang and their car. Better radio that in right now, Steve.
55:29 Car 44 to headquarters. Car 44 to headquarters.
55:33 All cars.
55:35 Converge on cabin near Crest Road.
55:38 One mile beyond Pine Flats.
55:47 Well, kid, there's one more thing we might try.
55:50 I'm game for anything.
55:52 I know you are waiting.
55:53 I don't think they'd hurt you.
55:55 Or I wouldn't take the chance.
55:57 Oh, don't worry about me.
55:58 But what about you? That's a chance we gotta take.
56:01 They gotta get one of them down here.
56:05 Hand me that glove.
56:10 Didn't I tell you to cut that out?
56:16 - Ask for some water.
56:17 Give us some water!
56:19 Pipe down!
56:22 Williams.
56:23 Take that kid some water.
56:28 And Dawson, remember, no matter what happens, that kid goes with us. All right, Mike.
56:33 I guess it would be better if we took them along.
56:36 Yeah, much better.
56:45 Remember now.
56:46 The minute he gets down here, you duck up the stairs.
57:08 Hey!
57:19 Get back down!
57:22 Didn't I tell you to keep your hands off of that kid?
57:38 What's up? Little mind, what's up? That plane is cycling closer. We're getting out of here.
57:57 Get the car out. I'll get the money.
58:38 Heidi, kid.
58:47 Are you hurt much?
58:49 No, I... I just am kind of tough, Tommy.
59:08 Say, you look like a million. It's Mr. Brown's reward for what Whitey did to help catch those crooks and save all that money. Isn't it swell? You bet. But it's no more than you deserve. You know, I understand the head of Whitey's school is going to organize a branch unit there, Scott. He says it'll spread to lots of other kids' schools all over the country. And they're going to make you national commander. Oh, General Tailspin Tommy Tompkins. You'll be famous. Hey, cut the kidding. Say, now, after all, wait a minute. I did help catch those crooks, you know.
59:36 I get out of here. Here's your reward, Skeeter. Hey, wait a minute, Skeeter. Hey, come on, you kids. Time to get flight 14 out of here. Okay. Come on.