V2 Bumper

Research is under way to find pictures showing personnel working on V2 Bumper operations at Cape Canaveral. If you can contribute, please do so using the comments box.

NOTE:  No copyright protection is asserted for these photographs. If a recognizable person appears in any photograph, use for commercial purposes may infringe a right of privacy or publicity. It may not be used to state or imply the endorsement by NASA employees of a commercial product, process or service, or used in any other manner that might mislead. Accordingly, it is requested that if any photograph is used in advertising and other commercial promotion, layout and copy be submitted to NASA prior to release.

 

The photos below are from the KSC Archives. Most of them have nothing on the back but are clearly V2 Bumper. Some are identified with writing on the front. Although none of the people shown have been identified, the photos are shown here with brief comments to help show the history that contributed to the Redstone Program and the establishment of the Missile Firing Lab under Dr. Kurt Debus. Some of the people shown may be recognized. Any comments would be appreciated. Click on the photos to expand.

Aerial View of Cape Canaveral, Mar 17, 1951

 

Aerial View of Pad 3 prior to Bumper Launch

The above 1950 image shows a Bumper V2 on it’s launch stand on Pad 3, with the Firing Room, a frame building in a bunker at lower right. Pad 4 will be built to the lower left and pads 1 and 2 to the upper right. Redstone will use pad 4 for the initial launches. Click here to see the view of the four completed pads during the Redstone operations.

“Blockhouse”

This frame building built by the Army situated in a sand bunker served as the control center for the Bumper launches. The first photo shows the entrance, the second shows the mirror set up to provide an indirect view of the Launch Pad.

Bumper B7 on it’s transporter

B7 was the second Bumper launch

Fueling of the WAC Bumper second stage, July 27, 1950

Mating of the WAC to the B7 V2 July 27, 1950

Erection of Bumper 8 on July 17, 1950

Bumper 8 was the first Bumper launch. Note the scaffold service stands ready to roll in for vehicle access. The vehicle still has a cover over the propellant tanks.

Positioning the Missile on the Launch Stand – Photo undated

Pushing the scaffold access stands in

The scaffold was on castor type wheels. Some of these fellows may be recognized

Bumper 8 on the Launch Pad July 18, 1950

The telephone pole serves as the umbilical tower. This good resolution photo may show some recognizable people.

Bumper 8 on the Launch Pad July 19, 1950

Work on the Corporal from the access stand

Above photo courtesy of John Hilliard shows workers on the scaffold

Bumper with access stands removed

Undated, unidentified photo

Bumper 8 about to take off, July 28, 1950

The missile during engine start. The second Bumper launch.