1949 ... XC-99

... when you build the world's biggest airplane - it gives you strange ideas! The Convair company was busily cranking out the B-36 'Peacemaker' (Gigadinosaurous Strategicus) and began to think; what else can you do with such a large airplane besides drop atomic bombs on people's heads? 

One answer was the XC-99; a cargo and troop carrier version of the strategic bomber. Another idea was to create the world's first Jumbo-Jet Prop airliner. One military cargo version was built. Sadly no commercial airliners were ever ordered; with hot and cold running martinis and wall to wall sirloin steaks.

top photo: XC-99 which saw a lot of service during the Korean War
other photo: observer sits in former gunner's bubble making sure both wings are still on.


 

1954 ... sewing up the curtain!

... as USSR long range bombers continue to be tested and brought into service the USA scrambles to complete a reliable and comprehensive system to warn of attack by aircraft.

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... check out the old posts!

'Blogs' are weird. They load from the top down. So there is a lot of great stuff way back in the earlier 'pages' of Atomic Annihilation. There is a listing of posts by year and month on the right side.

... super-duper war!

... have no idea what context these illustrations were originally done for. But they are totally cool and I'm going to be playing this in my basement with my friends right after school.

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"... what are you lookin' at!"

... actor Slim Pickens takes a break during the filming of the iconic bomb riding scene of 1964's 'Dr. Strangelove'

"... to say nothing of nuclear weapons!"

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... get prepared!

... Bosnia & Herzegovina?

... previously I mentioned that there was a very large spike in the number of our friends in Russia tuning into this blog. Sadly; as soon as I mentioned this, the tune in precipitously  dropped off. But China has come online! (this site was previously blocked in the PRC).

Now it seems that Bosnia & Herzegovina are the big new viewers; with equal numbers to all of us Yankees in the USA.

... just to clarify things; when I refer to my agents 'Boris and Natasha' that's these guys

... they are opposed by these US agents: 'Honey West and Maxwell Smart'

2016 ... everything you want to know about Nuclear Weapons!

1982 ... one megaton blast above London

... well made - basically accurate - step by step analysis of how a nuclear weapon will permanently ruin your day! Keep in mind this is a reference to a one megaton weapon. At the time the USSR regularly fielded warheads ten times that size!

... sexy rear-end (B-1b - bomber)

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1952 ... attack of the Communist Chinese Muslim Jihadists!

1958 ... boom - bam - pow !!!

1956 ... a sky-full of delta wing!

LINK

 

... Editor's Note:

... recent domestic and international developments have moved conflict between the Superpowers and the horror of Nuclear War uncomfortably back into the forefront of people's minds. It makes the serious-humor-nostalgic theme of 'Atomic-Annihilation' a little harder to maintain. But even as we enlarge our bunker to much deeper levels of bedrock, we will soldier on and try to put the happiest face on the end of the world we can manage!

... seriously; this blog (besides being a lot of fun for the sick and warped) - is a good resource for a lot of very relevant and important information for you and your loved ones.

... entrance to 'Command Capsule"

... looking through the 'blast-door' of a Minuteman underground launch complex into the manned area where control and launch procedures are performed. Notice the sign "no lone zone" which is a reminder, that for security reasons, no solitary wandering nut-jobs will be tolerated. 

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1957 ... remove BB's before detonation!

... in the late 1950's Great Britain was struggling to develop it's own H-bomb. The US had been rather ticked off at the amount of atomic secrets that British double agents had stolen from the WWII 'Manhattan Project' and subsequently had shared very little with out English allies in terms of information or resources. 'Blue Violet' (they had a strange code-name system) was an interim design. An interesting feature was that the hollow core was rendered 'safe' by filling it with ball-bearings which would prevent it from imploding to create a critical mass. Presumably ground-crews would have performed the needed arming operation (as described above) before the V-bombers took to the air. After which everyone would have been slipping, falling and swearing all over the tarmac!

1955 ... those pesky Russians again!

... Why Not?!?

... if you have a long simmering resentment that you grew-up and have no Flying Car or Personal Rocket Pack you can blame Frank Tinsley! He was one of many artists having great fun in the 1950's dreaming up whatever new technologies there overly-creative minds could summon forth. (notice that he is both the author and illustrator the above article). We all loved this sort of stuff- which sold magazines - which helped to fuel the super consumer economy and optimism of the mid-twentieth century.

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... my illustrations are now available as Fine Art Prints and Posters!

... for all you official and non-official members of the Dr. Stranglove club; much of my photography and illustration work is now available at 'mass-market' prices!

There are two web addresses:

for Northrop-Grumman aircraft and spacecraft; including the Flying Wing, Stealth bomber. Tomcat, Apollo Lunar Lander etc... (t-shirts also!)

https://customartproducts.com/store/c5/Posters.html

for all other Aircraft and Spacecraft, as well as hot babes, sci-fi, fashion etc... 

https://www.jamesvaughanstore.com/index.html