Category Archives: World War 2

X-Ray Film for Record Blanks

1943JanPMEighty years ago, this couple owned a home recorder, visible in the background, for cutting their own 78 RPM records. It was probably a Wilcox-Gay Recordio like the one we previously featured.

The problem, however, was that you had to pay for the blank discs, and you could only use them once. The least expensive blanks were six for 75 cents for the 6-1/2 inch size, up to six for $2.25 for ten-inch discs. If you wanted to do some experimenting, it could prove expensive. And there was a war going on, so it wasn’t very patriotic just to make excessive use of resources.

This couple figured out that they could make their own blank discs by using used x-ray film. You could get this by asking your friendly family doctor, and in the days before HIPAA, he would gladly give you a bunch, since they would otherwise go in the trash.

Using an old blank disc as a guide, a wooden template was made for the spindle hole as well as a locking hole that held the disc in place while being cut. These were drilled out with a hand drill. Then, a divider was used to mark the edge, and scissor and a razor blade were used to cut the form. Since these were thinner than the standard blanks, you would put them on top of a standard blank while cutting. The magazine noted that the film records could be recorded on both sides.

According to the January 1943 issue of Popular Mechanics., these homemade blanks were ideal for practicing sound effects and making practice recordings before making the final cut on commercial blanks.

Soviet bone records. Wikipedia imagge.

Soviet bone records. Wikipedia imagge.

I’ve never seen any other American use of this idea, but it did catch on in the Soviet Union, where “jazz on bones” (Джаз на костях) became a popular black-market method of producing records. For a ruble or two, and probably a bottle of vodka, the local physician could be talked into giving you old x-rays, which would have wound up in the trash anyway. These were used to produce bootleg copies of otherwise banned music.



1942 WERS Transceiver

1942DecRadioNewsThis woman is providing civilian defense communications as part of the War Emergency Radio Service, using a 112 MHz transmitter-receiver shown in the December 1942 issue of Radio News.

The set was completely self-contained. It’s transmitter section put out a hefty ten watts, and the batteries and dynamotor were built in to the cabinet. Both the transmitter and receiver could tune the entire 112-120 MHz band.

1942DecRadioNews2



Lonely Wife: 1942

1942Dec21LifeEighty years ago today, the December 21, 1942, issue of Life Magazine featured on its cover this portrait of a lonely wife whose husband had gone to war. The cover actually depicts a model, namely actress Joan Thorsen, playing the role of the lonely wife. But the accompanying feature details the plight of a number of real ones, along with advice from author Ethel Gorham, who had written a handbook for them, So Your Husband’s Gone to War.

The magazine noted that no two situations were the same, but it showed the example of one lonely wife who put many of the couple’s goods in storage and moved to a smaller apartment. But author Gorman stressed the importance of keeping the overall living style similar to that enjoyed before the war, since the husband will undoubtedly be home on furlough.

1942Dec21Life2The book also provided pointers on finding a job. The woman shown in the Life article took a job in a record store, shown here. According to the magazine, work which involved meeting and talking to people was advisable for women living alone. She also had a civilian defense job answering the telephone in a New York precinct station house report center.



Science Fair Ideas: Fun With a Homemade Galvanometer

1942DecPS4Eighty years ago, there was a war going on, but that didn’t stop young scientists on the home front from conducting experiments with the items available. If Junior’s science fair project is due tomorrow, he can take a cue, and whip together a great project from these ideas in the December 1942 issue of Popular Science.

Both experiments involve a galvanometer, and the magazine presupposes that young scientists know how to make one, because the instructions merely state to use “your homemade galvanometer.” But in case Junior doesn’t know, it’s easy enough. You just take a compass (a toy one from the dollar store will work just fine) and wrap a few turns of wire around it. The smallest of electric currents will cause the compass to move.  If there’s a little extra time before the science fair, we’ve previously shown how to make a deluxe galvanometer.

In the first experiment, shown above, Junior can demonstrate that water, contrary to popular opinion, is an insulator. It’s only when a little bit of salt is added to the water that it starts to conduct electricity, and the compass moves. To accentuate the effect, we recommend starting with distilled water.  And don’t worry about not being able to find the old-fashioned dry cell batteries.  These experiments will work just as well with modern alkaline D cells, especially if you purchase battery holders for them.

The second experiment, shown below, shows how to make a thermocouple. Two pieces of wire–copper and iron (or steel)–are twisted together. When the twisted wires are put into a flame of a candle, the dissimilar metals produce an electric current, as shown by a movement of the compass.  And as we always remind parents about experiments involving flames, don’t forget to give Junior a box of matches!

As with many of our projects, Junior is almost guaranteed to take home the blue ribbon, and the teacher won’t have a clue that the project was put off until the last minute.

1942DecPS3



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1942 Expedient Chassis

1942DecPracWirThe December 1942 issue of the British Practical Wireless carries this self-explanatory hint sent in to the magazine by one J.M. Firth of Beckenham. He noted that there was a great shortage of aluminum and sheet iron for making chasses for radios. Quite possibly to Mrs. Firth’s chagrin, he found a suitable replacement in the kitchen in the form of a tinplate baking tin. He noted that the pan would take solder easily.



Fashion Pointers for Winter Fuel Shortages

1942Nov16LifeThe young woman shown here is about to turn 100, and she’s probably thinking about the prospects for fuel shortages this winter. But she’s undaunted and prepared for them, because she’s been through it before.

In 1942, there were also fuel shortages brought on by the war.  The radiator was turned down many places, but according to the November 16 issue of Life Magazine, this girl learned a few tricks for keeping warm from her grandmother. Today, she’s probably teaching her grandchildren and great grandchildren the same pointers. The secret to stay warm was then, and is now, quilted fabrics. This young woman is showing off her quilted rayon taffeta slacks, quilted booties, and a closely knit long-sleeved sweater.

After you have your winter wardrobe picked out, don’t forget to check our earlier post about other preparations for winter power outages.

While we don’t know the name of the model, the photographer was Walter Sanders.  The German-born photographer emigrated to the U.S. after being hounded by the SS for non-Aryan activities.  As an enemy alien, his cameras were initially confiscated shortly after Pearl Harbor, but he was soon back in business.



1942: Car Radios for Slow Driving

1942Nov7RadioGuideOn this date 80 years ago, the November 7, 1942, issue of Radio Guide carried this ad for Motorola car radios. Production of civilian radios had ceased on April 22, 1942, but Motorola dealers still had prewar sets in stock.

We previously featured ideas for bringing the car radio inside. With gas being strictly rationed, the radio would do more good inside. But Motorola took another view: Since you had to drive slowly to conserve gas and rubber, the radio would make the slow drive more enjoyable.

But those prewar stocks wouldn’t last forever, so you were reminded to get yours before they were gone, because there would be no more for the duration.



Air Raid Alarm: 1942

1942NovPMWe’ve previously shown (here and here) this air raid alarm that could be attached to a radio, the Model AR-101 Air Raid Alarm from National Union Radio Corp., 57 State Street, Newark, NJ. The simple device would activate a siren-like sound if the station to which it was tuned left the air, which would presumably be because an air raid was in progress.

Here, in this illustration from the November 1942 issue of Popular Mechanics, we see it in action. While Junior looks on, Mom gathers the flashlight and shovel that Dad will use in his duties as air raid warden.



1942 Home Master-Slave Clock System

1942OctPracMechEighty years ago this month, the October 1942 issue of the British Practical Mechanics
noted that battery clocks were in great demand because of the war. In the event of a cut-off of the electric mains, householders would be without a means of keeping track of time, and the battery clock was a solution. As shown above, you could build a system of clocks for your house. The master clock could be anywhere in the house, and it could be wired to any number of “slave” clocks. Plans for the master clock had appeared in an earlier edition of the magazine, and complete blueprints were available for two shillings. Once the time was set on the master clock, all other clocks in the house would keep accurate time.

1942OctPracMech2To build the slave clocks, “the first thing to obtain is an old clock.” Most of the innards were removed, leaving only the two cogs behind the face, controlling the minute and hour hands (or “fingers,” as the author called them). At that point comes the task of making a cog wheel with 60 teeth, which “requires some care, but it may be easily made” by cutting a sheet of steel or brass, and then filing out 60 teeth.

Once a minute, the mater clock would send a pulse, which would advance the long hand–er, finger–by one minute. The author reported that he powered his system by a battery tucked away, floating on a trickle charger, and that his had been in operation for a few years with no problems.

1942OctPracMech3The 1942 clock is quite elegant. But of course, today it would be of little practical value, since the cost of an extremely accurate battery operated clock is close to zero, as shown below. But for the person who constructed the 1942 version, I’m sure there was a sense of pride that the modern version can’t deliver.



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First Flight From Aircraft Carrier, 1922

USS Langley. Wikipedia photo.

USS Langley. Wikipedia photo.

A hundred years ago today, October 17, 1922, marked the first time that an aircraft took off from a U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS Langley (CV-1).  While aircraft had previously taken off from ships, this was the first time that a ship specifically designed for that purpose had been used.  The ship had previously been a collier in World War 1, and had been newly converted.  That first plane was piloted by Lt. Virgil C. Griffin.

The ship had served as a collier in World War I, and was converted to a seaplane tender prior to World War II, in which she also served.  The ship was damaged in 1942 and scuttled.