Support provided by:
The Case:
A woman in Portland, Oregon has a portable projection screen that may have helped save the Free World.
It came with a letter stating that in 1962, it was borrowed from a club of 3D photography enthusiasts in Dayton, Ohio to show President John F. Kennedy the aerial spy photos that helped him resolve the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Is it possible that, as the world faced nuclear Armageddon, the U.S. Air Force turned to an amateur club to help identify Russian missiles? Did this unassuming screen play a role in preventing World War III?
History Detectives visits Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and learns how the world's first supersonic photo-recon aircraft was rigged with 3D cameras to improve its vantage on Cuba's camouflaged missiles.
Related Content
Video:
Technique:
Technique:
Related Links
Explore
-
Also with Wes Cowan
Lawrence Billy Club
Was this truncheon used in the famous Bread and Roses labor strike?
-
Also with Wes Cowan
Confederate Eyeglass
Is this how southern sympathizers identified each other during the Civil War?
-
Also in Post War: 1945-1970
Charlie Parker's Saxophone
Could this be jazz legend Charlie "Bird" Parker's saxophone?
-
Also with Wes Cowan
Slave Songbook
Are these tattered pages the earliest record of music created by slaves?
-
Related Investigation
Poison Pin
Are these prototypes for poison suicide pins carried by spy plane pilots during the Cold War?
-
Also in this episode
Women's Suffrage Painting
What role did this watercolor painting play in securing women the right to vote?
Comments
This is a place for opinions, comments, questions and discussion; a place where viewers of History Detectives can express their points of view and connect with others who value history. We ask that posters be polite and respectful of all opinions. History Detectives reserves the right to delete comments that don’t conform to this conduct. We will not respond to every post, but will do our best to answer specific questions, or address an error.
Anyone wishing to submit an artifact for investigation should do so through Submit a Story.
- Submit your StoryDo you have a Post War object? Submit your story now.
- Latest CommentI am tremendously happy i have come across this particular website. (14 hours ago)
- TwitterHappy Birthday, Bob Dylan! 71-y o today. Our premiere episode explores the Dylan guitar that changed R&R history. July 17, 9p/8p C. Watch! (2 days ago)
- FacebookIt wasn't until I sat in a class taught by Inez Turley at Mesa Community College that the study of the past became a passion for me. Who was the teacher that inspired you? --Eduardo (2 days ago)