Jan 262012
 

A Boy Scout booklet on making models (printed sometime in the 1980′s or later, but was originally printed in 1964) contained a number of rather tiny black and white futuristic automobile, ship, aircraft and spacecraft artists concepts. Sadly, there were no notations as to who created the artwork. Several of the pieces I recognize as having been created for Real Projects by Real Companies or Real Government Organizations, so I assume that at least most of the ones I *don’t* recognize were also “real” projects, as opposed to, say, artwork created for Mechanix Illustrated.

Three of the illustrations show large ships preparing to launch large missiles. These can be safely assumed to be space launch rockets rather than ICBMs.

The first illustration seems to show an Atlas launch vehicle being launched off the back of a large ship… apparently a modified aircraft carrier. The payload on the Atlas has an escape tower… indicating that it’s a manned Atlas (perhaps Mercury). Oddly, the ship seems to be underway to judge from the wake. This seems unlikely, unless it’s a tactic to keep up with the wind. Chances are fair that this might be a Convair concept.

The second concept shows a smaller ship and a smaller rocket. Perhaps a Scout?

The third concept shows another large ship, heavily modified with what look to be armored domes. The rocket appears to be an Atlas-Centaur.There appear to be propellant tanks amidships… perhaps liquid hydrogen tanks. Again, chances are fair that this is a Convair concept.

 

 Posted by at 4:04 pm

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