Mitchelj1121 Posted September 26, 2020 Share #1 Posted September 26, 2020 Found a really cool piece of history straight from the Cold War at its height of nuclear paranoia. I’ve been working in a old army warehouse doing fairly routine work when I came across a small dirt pile in a corner under a shelving unit. At first it seemed like maybe someone had torch cut a mount, but after further inspection I realized it was an 8”x8”x2” plate of steel with a hole burned in the middle of it. I thought maybe it was an example of a capable armor piercing ordnance or something, but encrusted in the dirt was a placard. It reads “US Army Quartermaster Corps Solar Furnace February 1959”. After looking up what a solar furnace is, I realized that I had just come across something that’ll decorate my living room for decades to come. I did not take this off of the base without first getting permission, just to be clear. If anyone has any info on this project or questions I’d love hear. https://youtu.be/0tK3s1Vnol0 link to video describing the solar furnace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted September 27, 2020 Share #2 Posted September 27, 2020 Well that is something very unique. You don’t see those everyday. If I understand correctly, the piece you found was the test piece that was subjected to the focusing point of the solar furnace amplified mirrored beams. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchelj1121 Posted September 27, 2020 Author Share #3 Posted September 27, 2020 Yes, I believe it might be from the original testing and probably a show for the press, themselves to display, or maybe even a gimmick to give away or to sell. Either way it shows the power and efficacy of solar engineering, especially considering they were able to do it during a New England winter in the 50’s. The original furnace was moved from Natick Massachusetts to the southwest. If you want to see something really cool check out solar power towers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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