Invisible Themepark

Category: 1950s

Cutaways from the 1950s (1950 to 1959).

  • Atomic Submarine Engine Testing Sphere Cutaway, 1952

    Atomic Submarine Engine Sphere Cutaway 1952
    Atomic Submarine Engine Sphere Cutaway 1952

    This cutaway, drawn by Rolf Klep in 1952, is of a $2 million, 225 foot diameter steel hull built in Schenectady, NY.

    Essentially, it was a spherical proving ground for an atomic engine that would be installed in a submarine.  GE scientists would have:

    1. Built the engine.
    2. Encased that engine in a section of submarine hull.
    3. Submerged that hull section in a water tank.
    4. Built this giant steel hull, with its 1,364 X-ray-checked welds, around everything to contain potential leaks.

    Source: LIFE Dec 15, 1952

  • Convair B-36 Bomber Cutaway Drawing, 1950

    Cutaway Drawing of Convair B-36 Bomber, 1950
    Cutaway Drawing of Convair B-36 Bomber, 1950

    In 1950, Popular Science issued a cutaway drawing of the most exciting object to grace the skies to that point:  Convair’s B-36 Bomber.  At that time, it was the world’s biggest bomber.

    Its 13 man crew could ride at altitudes as high as 50,000 feet, the magazine noted.

    Here is a closeup of the cockpit area:

    My favorite part of the B-36 is its pressurized 87 foot-long tunnel that allowed crew members to shuttled from one end of the craft to the other.  They laid on a four-wheeled cart and pulled themselves along by cable.

    B-36 Bomber Communications Tunnel

  • Ranch House Cutaway Drawing, 1956

    I love this kind of house cutaway.  Unlike one of our hotel cutaways that had the front end removed, this type of building cutaway has the roof popped off.  Almost as if a giant lifted it off and left everything else intact.

    This great cutaway comes from the October 1956 Popular Mechanics–always an abundant source of cutaway drawings–and has plans, detailed interior views, and descriptions.  As they say:

    Cutaway of completely furnished PM [Popular Mechanics] Big-Family House gives an over-all view of its livability.  The front part of the house–living room, family room and kitchen, and the parents’ bedroom with bath just across the hall–is “adult territory.”  The rear section with three bedrooms and bath opening on a playroom is the children’s section.  Folding walls of two of the bedrooms can be pushed back for more play and living space during the day.  The rear patio is accessible both from ktichen and playroom.

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