Chrysler air raid siren - Cold War era - 1/1 Racing & Rides (2024)

MG Brown

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The Chrysler air raid siren is an outdoor warning siren produced during the Cold War era that has an output of 138 dB at 100 feet.

It was known as the Chrysler-Bell Victory Siren during its first generation, which was between the end of World War II and the fall of the Berlin Wall. It is reputed to be the loudest air raid siren ever produced in the US.

Built during the Cold War era from 1952 to 1957 by Chrysler, its power plant contained a newly-designed Firepower Hemi V8 engine with a displacement of 331 cubic inches (5.42 L) and producing 180 horsepower (130 kW).

They are 12 feet (3.7 m) long, built atop a quarter section of a Dodge truck chassis rail, and weigh an estimated 3 short tons (2.7 t). Its six horns are each 3 feet (91 cm) long. The siren has an output of 138 dB© (30,000 watts), and can be heard as far as 25 miles (40 km) away.

In 1952, the cost of a Chrysler air raid siren was $5,500 (equivalent to $65,076 as of May 2024). The United States government helped buy sirens for selected state and county law enforcement agencies. In Los Angeles county, six were placed around key locations of populated areas, and another ten were sold to other government agencies in the state of California. These "Big Red Whistles" (as they were nicknamed) only saw testing use. Some were located so remotely that they deteriorated due to lack of maintenance.

The main purpose of the siren was to warn the public in the event of a nuclear attack by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The operator's job was to start the engine and bring it up to operating speed, then to pull and release the transmission handle to start the wailing signal generation. The Chrysler air raid siren produced the loudest sound ever achieved by an air raid siren.

Some sirens are still located above buildings and watchtowers. Many are rusted, and in some cases, the salvage value is less than the cost to remove them. A majority have been moved to museums, and some have been restored to fully functioning condition.

In Seattle's Phinney Ridge neighborhood, a decommissioned air-raid siren remains standing as a local landmark. Since 2014, the air raid tower is decorated as a Holiday GloCone annually from Thanksgiving to New Year's.

That's thirty minutes away. I'll be there in ten.

Dave Crevie

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My father told me about these when I was a little kid. I didn't believe it, though.

https://youtu.be/9QR...0Pw8iZOO3VuFHhl

https://youtu.be/IAM...pzIfnJZnQwRbjau

Of course, these were a product of the panic after WWII that the Russkies were going to nuke us.

Remember the bomb shelters everyone thought they needed?

The first one I saw was in a car culture magazine, with photos of actual uses for the 392 cubic inch Chrysler Hemi.

One photo showed one of these sirens with a full-blown 392 from an AA/FD dragster. A bit of overkill, over the overkill?

John Luongo

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Thanks, Dave and MG.

Brings back memories of air raid drills from the '50s. Run, duck, and cover.

People building fallout shelters typically had contractors masquerading them an "in-ground pool."

Stay well.

Bill from NH

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The town where I grew up, Freeport, ME, had a large external siren mounted on the L.L. Bean building because it was open 24/7 all year except Christmas & New Years.

I don't know what this thing was or if it was leftover from WW 2. We lived 4 mi. out of town & could hear it clearly. The town rang it every night at 9:00 PM to alert all the kids to be off the streets.

They also had a unique code of long & short rings for every road in town that was used to call out the volunteer fire department. Each home was given a card with all the codes printed on it to be kept in an open space.

I remember my parents posting it on the kitchen wall. After a couple years, you had most of the codes memorized.

I moved away in 1969, so I doubt it's still used or if the town even has it. I'll ask my sister who still lives there.

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Bill Fernald

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Dave Crevie

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The old fire bell for the fire station in my town was mounted in front of the new station in 1968. It first went from the original fire house to the lawn in front of the town library. It just sat on the ground.

Later, it was raised up and placed on a granite slab.

In 1968 it was dedicated as a memorial to the still volunteer fire department by the newly formed Elmhurst Historical Commission.

It sat there until it was moved to the newest fire house a few years later, where it was mounted on a bracket so it could be rung. A little brass mallet on a chain was provided so looky-loos could ring the bell to hear what it sounded like. I could hear that bell all the way over to my house, a little more than a mile away.

It has been moved once again, to make room for a first responder's memorial sculpture featuring a piece of railroad rail supposedly from the World Trade Center. Don't know where they would have used railroad rail in the construction of the twin towers, but the intent is good.

This is where the bell was once displayed.

Bill from NH

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Perhaps there was a subway or rail line that ran underground & through the WTC basem*nts or in close proximity. It was probably something similar to the underground levels of the Sears Tower,

Bill Fernald

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Dave Crevie

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There was. I'm not sure I would consider that as part of one of the actual towers. But with everyone and his brother vying for a piece of the wreckage, maybe every last piece from that block was called part of the buildings.

Bill from NH

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The town of Hudson, NH has a section of one or the WTC tower beams.

I don't understand the significance of it.

One of the pilot crews lived in NH as did 10 or 12 of the passengers. Perhaps some were from Hudson.

Bill Fernald

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Dave Crevie

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Just another piece of war memorabilia. I have a couple. A 105 howitzer shell casing. It works great as a stand for my walking sticks. Plus a bunch of live 7.62 rounds for I believe the WWII issued Colt automatic. With the belt pouch. Both given to me by my uncle who served in the Army. Was a radioman in the invasion of Okinawa.

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