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
Category: Periods
Search specific decades for cutaway drawings.
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
Dry-Land Submarine Trainer, 1950
Its proper name was the Mark VII Attack Teacher and it was housed in a 3 story building in New London, CT. In an age before computers could process graphics, vehicle and nautical simulations had to be done with models. Trainees sat in a submarine mockup on the second floor, with a periscope jutting up… Continue reading Dry-Land Submarine Trainer, 1950
Deep Diver “Ferry” Submarine Cutaway, 1967
A gorgeous late 1960s cutaway from Pierre Mion for the “Deep Diver,” a ferry submarine designed by Edwin A. Link and built by Perry Submarine Builders, Riviera Beach, FL. This 22-foot, 4-man craft was meant for work, not play–underwater construction or research. Interestingly, Perry Submarines is still around and making submersibles, one of which is… Continue reading Deep Diver “Ferry” Submarine Cutaway, 1967
Inflatable Vietnam War-Era Quonset Hut Cutaway, 1967
This Quonset hut-style hospital was kept inflated by compressed air from a utility unit. Standing 20 x 52 feet, this portable hospital’s utility unit provided the positive air flow, power, heat, hot and cold water, and most welcome in the Southeast Asia jungles–air conditioning. Note: poor alignment of pages cuts off part of structure. Click… Continue reading Inflatable Vietnam War-Era Quonset Hut Cutaway, 1967