A Brigham Young University Film Music Archive Production. All proceeds from this limited edition compact disc go towards the acquisition, preservation of film music elements and future public releases.
FIGHTER SQUADRON is what some film music fans refer to as a “barn burner”. Composer Max Steiner goes all out with jaunty marches, spirited comedy motifs, and rousing action sequences for this 1948 tribute to the Army Air Corps during the Second World War. Director Raoul Walsh took the brakes off this free-flying re-working of THE DAWN PATROL with the accent on domineering officers, girl-chasing non-coms and thrilling enemy encounters,. While Steiner revives his famous DIVE BOMBER march, the presentation here is far more aggressive and it is presented in a superb-sounding recording. Brilliant fidelity is matched by a sweeping symphonic presentation that will leave you breathless by score’s end. Recorded at Warner Bros. with orchestrations by Murray Cutter and conducted by Max Steiner.
In addition to the soundtrack itself, the album features a 24 page full-color booklet with essays by James V. D’Arc and Ray Faiola, as well as a generous amount of original photographs and publicity material. Disc mastering by Ray Faiola, Chelsea Rialto Studios. Package design by Jim Titus.
1. Main Title / Foreword 1:39
2. Sgt. Dolan 1:56
3. Black Cat :32
4. Pitching Woo / Squadron Leader Returns 2:32
5. Hard Landing 2:46
6. Air Raid :49
7. Letters From Home 1:07
8. Frisky Business 1:10
9. Private Wilbur's Sewing Leafs For Hardin 1:02
10. New Orders 1:00
11. Cats 'N Jammies 1:06
12. Assembly :32
13. Drop Tanks! 1:14
14. Take-Off 3:35
15. Rescue 4:13
16. Homeward Bound :38
17. A Single Man's Game :55
18. Bombing Raids 1:16
19. Jeepers, Major Hardin! 1:36
20. Shorty’s Triumph 2:13
21. A Pilot's Prerogative 4:55
22. Insubordination 1:50
23. Kinsey On Report 2:01
24. D-Day 3:04
25. Conclusion 4:28
