V2-B7/B8_v_bw_o_n (original press/USAF photo, no.41008 A.C., ca. 1950/51, G536 eq)
“SILHOUETTES OF DEFENSE:
A lone sentry (right) walks his post in front of a V-2 rocket readied for firing, at the Joint Long Range Proving Ground in Cocoa, Fla. The weird-looking structure, silhouetted against the sky, presents a picture symbol of America’s preparedness for her defense.”
7" x 9".
Although the photograph is dated 1951, prior to that, the only two V-2s launched from Cape Canaveral were Bumper-7 and Bumper-8. Hence, this photo must be of one or the other, and originally, taken prior to July 29, 1950.
In fact, an original print of this photograph bears the following, and is viewable at the amazing Spaceline link further below:
"G536, LRPG, 18 JULY 50, (RESTRICTED), ROCKET AT DAWN"
A plethora of good reading & additional photos are readily available. A few of them:
weebau.com/rock_us/bumper_bu8.htm
www.spaceline.org/bumper/bumper8.html
More specifically, this very photo, referenced above...full frame...outstanding:
www.spaceline.org/galleries/bumper/preparation/g-0537.jpg...
Credit: Spaceline website. Home to tons of other wonderful photos.
www.nasa.gov/pdf/171684main_Bumper8.pdf
www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/bumper-8/
www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_765.html
Wonderful footage/report:
Credit: rocket.aero
www.wired.com/2009/07/dayintech-0724/
Excellent background & contextual information:
“BUMPER 8 and BUMPER 7
Toward the end of 1946, the Army Ordnance Corps became interested in the concept of a "step-rocket." It asked the General Electric Company to mount a WAC-Corporal missile atop of a German V-2 rocket and launch a series of those hybrid "Bumper" vehicles at the White Sands Proving Ground. Six BUMPER missiles were launched at White Sands in 1948 and 1949, and those flights verified the satisfactory operation of both missile stages and their separation system. Two more flights were planned with relatively low, flat trajectories (i.e., less than 150,000 feet in altitude), but White Sands was too short to accommodate them. The Long Range Proving Ground had the requisite length (250 miles), so BUMPERs 8 and 7 were launched from Cape Canaveral on 24 July and 29 July 1950 respectively. The General Electric Company was responsible for launching the vehicles, and the Army's Ballistic Research Laboratories (Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland) provided instrumentation support. Among the Army and Air Force units that supported the BUMPER flights from the Cape, the 550th Guided Missiles Wing provided several aircraft and crews to monitor the Range for clearance purposes. The Long Range Proving Ground Division provided overall coordination and range clearance.”
Above extract from:
V2-B7/B8_v_bw_o_n (original press/USAF photo, no.41008 A.C., ca. 1950/51, G536 eq)
“SILHOUETTES OF DEFENSE:
A lone sentry (right) walks his post in front of a V-2 rocket readied for firing, at the Joint Long Range Proving Ground in Cocoa, Fla. The weird-looking structure, silhouetted against the sky, presents a picture symbol of America’s preparedness for her defense.”
7" x 9".
Although the photograph is dated 1951, prior to that, the only two V-2s launched from Cape Canaveral were Bumper-7 and Bumper-8. Hence, this photo must be of one or the other, and originally, taken prior to July 29, 1950.
In fact, an original print of this photograph bears the following, and is viewable at the amazing Spaceline link further below:
"G536, LRPG, 18 JULY 50, (RESTRICTED), ROCKET AT DAWN"
A plethora of good reading & additional photos are readily available. A few of them:
weebau.com/rock_us/bumper_bu8.htm
www.spaceline.org/bumper/bumper8.html
More specifically, this very photo, referenced above...full frame...outstanding:
www.spaceline.org/galleries/bumper/preparation/g-0537.jpg...
Credit: Spaceline website. Home to tons of other wonderful photos.
www.nasa.gov/pdf/171684main_Bumper8.pdf
www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/bumper-8/
www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_765.html
Wonderful footage/report:
Credit: rocket.aero
www.wired.com/2009/07/dayintech-0724/
Excellent background & contextual information:
“BUMPER 8 and BUMPER 7
Toward the end of 1946, the Army Ordnance Corps became interested in the concept of a "step-rocket." It asked the General Electric Company to mount a WAC-Corporal missile atop of a German V-2 rocket and launch a series of those hybrid "Bumper" vehicles at the White Sands Proving Ground. Six BUMPER missiles were launched at White Sands in 1948 and 1949, and those flights verified the satisfactory operation of both missile stages and their separation system. Two more flights were planned with relatively low, flat trajectories (i.e., less than 150,000 feet in altitude), but White Sands was too short to accommodate them. The Long Range Proving Ground had the requisite length (250 miles), so BUMPERs 8 and 7 were launched from Cape Canaveral on 24 July and 29 July 1950 respectively. The General Electric Company was responsible for launching the vehicles, and the Army's Ballistic Research Laboratories (Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland) provided instrumentation support. Among the Army and Air Force units that supported the BUMPER flights from the Cape, the 550th Guided Missiles Wing provided several aircraft and crews to monitor the Range for clearance purposes. The Long Range Proving Ground Division provided overall coordination and range clearance.”
Above extract from: