"A Donald Duck Cartoon"

Release Date September 1, 1944

Synopsis

In much the same spirit as 1941's "Chef Donald", Don decides to build an airplane with instructions from a radio show. Unfortunately, his airplane has less longevity that his waffles did.

Characters

Donald Duck

Credits

Director : Jack King

Story

Jack Hannah

Carl Barks

Animation

Paul Allen

Ed Aardal

Videos

Germany

Donald Duck's 50 Verrückte Jahre

France

Bon Anniversaire Donald

Italy

I 50 Anni Folli di Paperino

Laserdiscs

Japan

The Hunting Instinct

Donald Duck's 50 Crazy Years

DVD

United States

Disney Treasures : The Chronological Donald Duck Volume 2

Television

The Ink and Paint Club : #45 : More Donald

Mickey's Mouse Tracks : Episode #74

Technical Specifications

Color Type : Technicolor

Animation type : Standard

Sound mix : Mono

Aspect ration : 1.37 : 1

Negative format : 35mm

Print format : 35mm

Cinematographic process : Spherical

Original language : English

Released by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

Comments

From J. D. Weil : "The Plastics Inventor" contains a hidden wartime reference in it. When the U.S. entered World War II, the government clamped restrictions on certain strategic materials, (i.e. steel, copper, lumber, etc.) and consumer manufacterers (those that were left) had to scramble to find suitable replacement materials. The plastics industry, still in its swaddling clothes, was suddenly placed in a position of prominence it was ill prepared to handle. The plastics that were produced during this period were weak, brittle, melted at the slightest change of temperature (though I never heard of a water soluble plastic as depicted in this cartoon) and gave the plastics industry a black eye that would take decades to remove. It also made them an easy target for ridicule, as this cartoon shows.

From Ryan : This is similar to the 1941 short "Chef Donald." This time, however, Donald is "baking" an airplane instead of waffles. Like the waffles, Donald didn't have much luck with the airplane as it melted in the rain (plastic doesn't do that). This is one of my favorite Donald Duck shorts.

From Trae Robinson : Donald doesn't do much talking in this cartoon. I wonder why. Like "The Flyng Jalopy" and "A Good Time For A Dime" Donald flies a airplane again in a cartoon.

From Andrew : I thank Mr. Weil for the history lesson. Like probably many people who only saw this cartoon on the Disney Channel (or YouTube), when I was little I used to think plastic could melt when wet thanks to this cartoon. Some great Daliesque imagery here, but even by cartoon standards, it seems a bit far-fetched compared to Donald's previous "simple" attempts to make waffles or work as a lumberjack.

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