Testing Military Tanks / Manufacturing Ford Liberty Motors / Air Passenger Service, Stout Airlines / What Uncle Sam Had Up His Sleeve

The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: a. [Ford Model 1918 3-ton M1918 tank is test run across very rough field - civilians observe -knocks down posts driven into ground - tank stuck in deep ditch is pulled out by another tank. [1918] b. Interior of foundry - silhouettes of workers and machinery - welding - the ‘Liberty’ V-12 motor - Statue of Liberty superimposed. [1918] c. Ford airport. pilot stows passenger luggage on Ford Tri-Motor - plane takes on passengers - Tri-Motor plane takes off - sign on plane, ‘Stout Air Lines, Detroit-Cleveland-Chicago’ - interior of plane - aerial views of ground [country, lakes, towns] from plane - Tri-Motor in flight from another plane - air view of unfinished bridge with ship passing under it. [1927] d. “Now one of the first things we did -- naturally, was the things the Kaiser said we couldn’t do. Transport millions of men to France, safely. And to replace a depleted merchant marine, we built ships.” Ship launching and canoe. “While all of this was going on your Uncle Samuel was busy selling Liberty Bonds and collecting your income tax. The balance, if any, was yours.” Woman worker counts and inspects Liberty Bonds - man buying bonds. “Great training camps sprang into being overnight where young America went into intensive training for the great adventure.” Military camp - soldiers marching, flag, ‘Fort Sheridan Training Camp.’ “And while the income tax sent most of us up in the air, American flyers went up in big Caproni’s practicing for ‘little journeys to Berlin.’” [U.S. made] Caproni [CA-5] bombing biplane with three [Ford built] Liberty motors, No. SC40070 - plane in flight. “While Liberty motors, America’s greatest mechanical tribute to the war, took to flight in flocks.” Planes in flight - interior of airplane manufacturing plant - workers build fuselages - mount motors. “And Eddie Rickenbacker (whom Uncle Sam had up his sleeve), became America’s ‘Ace of Aces’ and returned to little old New York with 26 Hun scalps hanging at his belt.” Rickenbacker greeted by officer and small boy - close-up of Rickenbacker. “Then came the American Red Cross whose record in field, camp and canteen will ever be a bright page in their history and ours.” Railroad siding, band, ladies in Red Cross uniforms, soldiers - Red Cross lady hands out cards to soldiers - soldiers in line at Red Cross canteen. [1918]