Ace in the Hole 1942

Woody dreams of flying at the base

At the U.S. Army Air Corps base, Woody Woodpecker longs to pilot a plane. He fills the air with noisy enthusiasm and playful mischief aimed at impressing the pilots. The dream of flight sets the stage for the day’s wild events.

Sergeant’s patience wears thin

The sergeant grows fed up with Woody’s reckless piloting imitation and constant stunts. He warns Woody to stop and finally ejects him from the barracks as a punishment. The confrontation pushes Woody toward the pilots’ quarters.

Woody sent to the pilots’ quarters

The sergeant throws Woody out of the barracks and into the pilots’ quarters. Woody takes the opportunity to explore the equipment and imagine himself among real pilots. The move isolates him from the other soldiers but brings him closer to the flight gear he desires.

Discovery of the flying suit

In the quarters, Woody trips over a clothes tree and crashes into a flying suit. He becomes fascinated by the suit and examines its features with childlike curiosity. The stage is set for the next clumsy mishap.

A flare-prone zipper sequence

As Woody tries to figure out the suit, he accidentally knocks over a box of flares. He fumbles with the zipper, triggering a cascade of comic consequences around him. The tension between desire to fly and carelessness escalates.

The flare pin is pulled

During the chaotic attempt to zip the suit, Woody accidentally pulls the pin from a flare. A sudden, cartoonish launch launches him toward the open sky. The incident launches the day into full flight mode.

Parachute and the PU-2 cockpit

The suit inflates and bursts around Woody as he plummets toward the PU-2 aircraft. He manages to parachute safely into the cockpit, where he finds himself in control of someone else’s ride. The close call underscores the peril and comedy of his stunt.

The takeoff that defies rules

The sergeant orders Woody out of the cockpit, but Woody blithely pulls a lever, sending the aircraft into a wild takeoff. The plane jumps forward in a blur, disobeying normal procedures. The unintended launch underscores the chaos caused by Woody’s flight fixation.

A paint-stripping ascent

In a reckless burst of speed, the aircraft climbs away, leaving behind paint and insignia etched by the frantic flight. Ground crew and the sergeant watch in disbelief as the plane rapidly outpaces its markings. The visual gag emphasizes the absurdity of the situation.

The lasso and the uniform torn

The sergeant somehow lassos the aircraft from the ground, generating a sharp jolt that rips him from his own uniform. He clings to the rope while the plane fights through the air. The moment blends slapstick with the danger of Woody’s runaway flight.

Bottom-hatch confrontation

The sergeant climbs up into the cockpit through a bottom hatch as Woody opens it. In a comic twist, bombs tumble into the sergeant’s union suit underwear. The attack is accidental, but its effects are both humiliating and embarrassing.

Aftermath and fallout

The encounter leaves the sergeant battered by mishaps but still upright, while Woody remains unharmed and defiant. The sergeant’s day ends in frustration, setting up the ongoing feud between the two. The chaos resolves into a lingering, comic stalemate.