Poster

Sky Trooper

A Donald Duck Cartoon

Release Date : November 6, 1942

Running Time : 7:15

Synopsis

Donald dreams of flying so much that Pete finally gives him the chance. What he doesn't realize is that flying also includes jumping out of the plane as a paratrooper.

Characters

Pete
Donald Duck

Credits

Director
Jack King
Animation
Paul Allen
Ed Love
Jim Armstrong
Story
Carl Barks
Jack Hannah

Video

United States
Cartoon Classics : Limited Gold Editions II : An Officer and a Duck
France
Donald Vedette de Television
Italy
Paperino Marmittone

Laserdiscs

United States
Cartoon Classics : Limited Gold Editions II : An Officer and a Duck
Japan
This is Your Life Donald Duck

DVD

United States
Disney Treasures : On the Front Lines
Disney Treasures : Wave 5 : The Chronological Donald Volume 2
Germany
Disney Treasures : Wave 5 : The Chronological Donald Volume 2

Television

The Ink and Paint Club: Episode 31: The Unseen Disney
The Mickey Mouse Club : December 10, 1957

Technical Specification

Color Type: Technicolor
Animation Type: Standard animation
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 1.37 : 1
Negative Format: 35mm
Print Format: 35mm
Cinematographic Process: Spherical
Original Language: English

Released by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

Comments

From Ryan Kilpatrick at The Disney Film Project : Back to war with Donald Duck today, as his adventures in the Armed Forces continue in Sky Trooper. This series is very entertaining, after the travails of Donald Gets Drafted and The Vanishing Private. This short picks up on a thread from Donald Gets Drafted, in that Donald wants to be in planes, not peeling potatoes and marching on the ground.

Again, I have to say that using Pete as the sergeant is an inspired touch. Since he had not been featured as the main antagonist for Donald before, his interaction with Pete feels fresh and original. In a way, he sort of plays as a Mickey character from Mickey’s earlier days, but coming off a little more mischievous.

The story here picks up with Donald peeling potatoes, as he did at the end of Donald Gets Drafted, but this has still not crushed Donald’s dream of flying. He carves a potato into a plane that ends up getting him in trouble with Pete. The Sarge decides to put the kid through his paces, having him touch his fingers together with his eyes closed, and pinning the tail on the airplane, blindfolded of course.

After this last trick ends badly, Pete decides to get his revenge and sends Donald up in the plane with the parachute troopers. There’s a nice humorous effect on this part of the short. As the scene shifts over to the men entering the plane, the animation goes to a propaganda style outline, with Donald trailing the muscular men. It’s hysterical.

Even better, though, are the scenes of Donald desperately trying to cling to the plane, and by extension, Pete, as he falls out with his chute. Donald pulls Pete’s leg, rides below the plane in Pete’s pants, and eventually ends up pulling the sergeant out with him.

The two of them end up falling down with a bomb in between them, passing it back and forth. After an explosion, both Donald and Pete end up peeling potatoes. This series of shorts is so enjoyable, that I somewhat wish that there were more of them. Pete and Donald are good foils for each other, because Donald is just trying to help, but he also doesn’t take a lot of grief off of Pete. It’s a good combination.

From Jerry Edwards : Donald is doing KP again - peeling potatoes. He continually bugs his sergeant Pete, saying "I want to fly." Pete retaliates by tricking Donald into becoming a member of a parachuting team. Donald refuses to jump and in their struggle, both Donald and Pete fall without a parachute - passing back and forth a bomb they dislodged from the plane when they fell. The bomb destroys the general's headquarters and both Donald and Pete end up doing KP peeling potatoes.

One of the fun things about this cartoon that I remember is the animation "goof" - Donald's parachute disappears and reappears in his struggle with Pete. The ending is also fun. While both are peeling potatoes - both in bandages from the bomb explosion, Donald says "Boy, was that big shot (the general) surprised!" Pete growls, "Oh, shut up!" and sticks a potato over Donald's beak.

From Ryan : While Donald is peeling potatoes in the bunker, he longingly looks out the window at the airplanes flying off in a distance. Pete tells him that he may fly after he peels the second batch of potatoes. I enjoyed the part where Pete and Donald were parachuting out of the airplane. I believe, if I can recall, that Donald grabs a bomb off the plane while desperately holding on for dear life. Pete and Donald keep handing the bomb to each other and soon it lands right on the general's headquarters. This time BOTH DONALD AND PETE are peeling potatoes. Wonderful cartoon and definitely worth watching.
From Baruch Weiss : This is one of my favorite Donald cartoons. I loved the music and I laugh at the part where Donald plays "Pin the Tale on the Airplane", but instead ends up pinning the "Tale" on Pete's butt!
From j.p.hope : I like it when both Donald and Pete try to give the bomb to each other before blowing up! I also like it when the bomb destroys the general's headquarters, accidently killing the general in the process.

Submit Your Comments

(Note: you must be logged in to submit comments)

Referenced Comments