This is a 1952 ad for the engine-driven BN52 model Mobil Directo air raid siren, which used a 25HP Wisconsin air-cooled engine to drive both the chopper (the noisemaker) and two belt-driven pulleys to spin the siren around. Later BN44E models would switch the engine to an electric motor. It was one of the first rotational sirens, and would later redeveloped into the “Allertor” and “Penetrator” electric sirens.

  • mkwt@lemmy.world
    1·
    7 months ago

    From the copy it’s “civil defense directors”. So presumably, those were local officials in at least a quasi-governmental capacity with a budget to buy stuff like this.