We have proclaimed ourselves history dweebs many times here on the electronic pages of BangShift, so it should come as no surprise that we’ve dug up a killer old Army video that is quite BangShifty, even though it is about missiles and not cars. Made in the early 1950s, this film is an educational piece designed to inform the viewers about the awesome technology that the Army is working on and also the training activities that surround it. In this case, the mind-blowing technology is the guided missile, something that the Germans rolled out in WWII and rapidly became the focus of armies around the world, especially those of the USA and the then Russian state.
We think this video is cool for a number of reasons. Often, we talk about the places where old school hot rodders got their skills. As you’ll see in this video, the soldiers chosen to be so-called “missile men” were trained in the service, and innerworkings of these machines of destruction. At the time they were some of the most advanced technology in the world. You don’t think a guy that could rewire a missile didn’t apply that to his hot rod once he was out of the service? Another reason is the cool array of vehicles and equipment used to move, set up, and launch these huge explosive lawn darts into the atmosphere. At the end of the day it was these missiles and men that began the initial technological steps that led to the construction to the ultimate hot rod, the Lunar Lander used in the Apollo missions.
Forgive our “off track” excursion, but we really think this video is the stuff! Press play below for an awesome 28-minute trip back in time.
Next time you come this way I’ll take you up to Topsail Island. Some of the very earliest (predates this film) missile firings were conducted there and a bit of the history survives. The MAD (missile assembly building) and some of the observation towers are still there, with the MAD serving as a museum. Very cool tour, for sure.
Dan