"TESTING AT ABERDEEN" 1966 U.S. ARMY WEAPONS TESTING AT ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND (APG) 72172

This historic film from 1966 gives an overview of the U.S. Army's Aberdeen Proving Ground where tanks, missiles, ammunition, and all other kinds of vehicles and ordnance are evaluated. Firing tests, drivability tests, and maneuvering tests are performed with tanks, recoil limits are tested with artillery pieces, and helicopter mini guns test fired. The APG is the U.S. Army's oldest active proving ground, established on October 20, 1917, six months after the U.S. entered WWI. Its location allowed design and testing of ordnance materiel to take place near contemporary industrial and shipping centers. At the peak of WWII, APG had billeting space for 2,348 officers and 24,189 enlisted personnel. The film provides a comprehensive overview of the Aberdeen Proving Ground, highlighting its role as a premier engineering testing and evaluation center for military and government agencies. It details the wide range of testing capabilities, from small arms accuracy to missile breakup characteristics, and emphasizes the importance of experienced personnel, particularly test engineers, in the evaluation process. The film describes the meticulous inspection and adjustment of test items, followed by rigorous performance testing on various terrains and obstacles. It covers the collection of engineering data, durability and reliability testing, and specific procedures for heavy artillery and ammunition. The narrative also includes advanced testing methods like high-speed photography, pressure sensing, and ballistic track tests. The importance of data analysis and evaluation is underscored, leading to formal reports that inform production decisions. The conclusion emphasizes the critical role of superior weapons in military success and the pride of Aberdeen personnel in their work. 00:00: Introduction to Aberdeen Proving Ground, its facilities, and its mission to provide objective engineering evaluations for military and government agencies. 1:13: Overview of the wide range of testing capabilities, from small arms accuracy to missile breakup characteristics. 2:04: Importance of experienced personnel in the testing process, highlighting the role of the test engineer. 3:13: Initial inspection of test items to establish baseline conditions before testing. 4:03: Detailed inspection and adjustment of vehicle components to ensure proper performance. 5:07: Testing vehicle performance on various terrains and obstacles, including sand, rivers, and trenches. 6:06: Evaluation of vehicle mobility, including wall climbing, free span crossing, and hill climbing. 7:26: Testing wheeled vehicles on obstacles like the frame twister course and side slopes. 8:26: Brake tests, dynamic behavior analysis, and vibration testing on various courses. 10:30: Collection of engineering data, including drawbar pull and temperature measurements. 12:22: Durability and reliability testing on cross-country courses with varying severity. 13:42 : Evaluation of vehicle wear and maintenance requirements after testing. 15:09: Low temperature testing and firing tests to evaluate vehicle firepower and safety. 16:00: Overview of the depth of facilities and experience at Aberdeen for automotive vehicle testing. 17:03 : Similar testing procedures applied to heavy artillery, including inspection and preparation. 18:00: Detailed inspection of artillery components and preparation for firing tests. 19:40: Ammunition preparation and inspection, including x-ray and cobalt 60 equipment. 21:21: Firing tests to evaluate interior ballistics and propellant ignition systems. 22:23: Over-the-water firing range tests to evaluate air burst performance and fuse function. 23:40 : High-speed photography and pressure sensing to evaluate projectile and vehicle behavior. 25:00: Lethality data acquisition through fragment analysis and velocity recording. 26:21: Testing of missile systems on aircraft, including ground and operational tests. 27:13 : Ballistic track tests to evaluate performance under dynamic conditions. 28:06: Helicopter armament system testing, including flight tests and safety evaluations. 29:18: Importance of data analysis and evaluation, leading to formal reports and production decisions. 30:28: Conclusion emphasizing the importance of superior weapons for the army and the pride of Aberdeen personnel in their work. Motion picture films don't last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. We collect, scan and preserve 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have films you'd like to have scanned or donate to Periscope Film, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the link below. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com