Aircraft Carrier Steam Catapult Cutaway, 1953

Aircraft Carrier Steam Catapult, 1953

Pictured is a 1953 cutaway of the planned HMS Perseus, showing the novel introduction of a steam catapult to replace the customary cylinder, ram, pulley, and wire catapults. The plane is hooked to a long, slotted cylinder.  High pressure steam is released from the ship’s boilers into the cylinder. As of the date of that… Continue reading Aircraft Carrier Steam Catapult Cutaway, 1953

Community Bomb Shelter Under Bridge, 1962

Community Bomb Shelter Under Bridge, 1962

In addition to small residential bomb shelters built in backyards or in basements, some communities planned–and in some cases, built–larger shelters for the community. Most community bomb shelters were based in existing buildings–church or school basements, in particular.  But this cutaway drawing shows a bomb shelter under a bridge built for this express purpose. Click… Continue reading Community Bomb Shelter Under Bridge, 1962

Home Fallout Shelter, 1960

Home Fallout Shelter 1960

Home-based nuclear fallout shelters combined everything that magazines needed in the 1960s to attract readers:  fear, home remodeling, and the opportunity for producing great cutaways. Just going into your basement during nuclear attack would decrease your chance of radioactive exposure to 10% of the exposure if you had stayed outside. By undertaking some pretty major… Continue reading Home Fallout Shelter, 1960

British DeHavilland Comet Passenger Jet, 1950

British DeHavilland Comet Passenger Jet, 1950

  In 1950, easy passenger jet travel was still a dream that could excite the public.  The deHavilland Comet was still in its infancy when, for a test flight, it flew from London to North Africa, a distance of 3,000 miles, at a top speed of 450 miles per hour. See Another Cutaway View of… Continue reading British DeHavilland Comet Passenger Jet, 1950