Artist unknown, as this was a tossed-off illustration in the middle of a Popular Science, but what interested me: This is one helluva massive radio station. It’s still around. It’s called the Jim Creek Naval Radio Station, and the Center for Land Use Interpretation tells us: One of the world’s most powerful transmitters, this million… Continue reading Jim Creek Naval Radio Station Illustration 1950
Category: 1950s
Cutaways from the 1950s (1950 to 1959).
Ship-Based Anti Submarine Defense Cutaway, 1950
Illustration by Ray Quigley shows an anti-sub device from 1950 termed “the hedgehog.” It lobbed multiple depth charges all at once at the presumed submarine location. Charges were slightly angled so that they would land in a spreadout, scattershot pattern, covering a wider range. Click to Enlarge to 695 x 768 px: Source: Popular Science… Continue reading Ship-Based Anti Submarine Defense Cutaway, 1950
Railroad Boxcar Sweeper Arm Cutaway, 1950
This unusual device, made by Stephens-Adamson Co. of Los Angeles, CA, reached deep into boxcars that had loose contents and swept the contents out of the open door. As it turns out, Stephens-Adamson Co. is still around today. Click to Enlarge to 1350 x 517 px: Source: Popular Science March 1950
Photo-Realistic Transparent Movie Set Backdrop, 1950
For most of movie history, set backdrops had been opaque (non-transparent) sheets of fabric stitched together to form larger, set-sized sheets. In 1950, photographer M.B. Paul was profiled creating transparent set backdrops from actual photographs. Because they were transparent, they could be lit from the back as well as the front. Click to Enlarge to… Continue reading Photo-Realistic Transparent Movie Set Backdrop, 1950
Arctic Wanigan Cutaway, 1950
The “wanigan” was an 8 x 24 foot mobile caboose that was attached to the back of Arctic explorers’ tracked wagon trains. The wanigan had four bunks, refrigerator, coal stove, table, sink, and latrine. Click to Enlarge to 594 x 478 px: Source: Popular Mechanics May 1950