The Vanguard Fails

Series

Series Name
British Movietone News

Issue

Issue No.
1488A
Date Released
12 Dec 1957
Date submitted
9 Dec 1957
Stories in this Issue:
  1. 1Cyprus Flare Up
  2. 2The Vanguard Fails
  3. 3The Malayan Scene
  4. 4Title Fight
  5. 5Disaster in the Blue Mountains

Story

Story No. within this Issue
2 / 5
Summary
MOVIETONE CARD TITLE: Vanguard Explodes. DESCRIPTION: A six-inch moon, that was to have been America’s first Earth Satellite, and a Vanguard rocket that was to have sent it on its globe-circling career from Cape Canaveral in Florida. A moment or two of high expectation after the firing button had been pressed. Disaster followed. Fire followed the explosion and the launching of an American moon had still to be accomplished. Over to London Airport, where Britain’s Minister of Defence, Mr Duncan Sandys, was present to greet his American opposite number’, Mr Neil McElroy. He was stopping off in Britain on his way to the NATO meeting in Paris. SHOTLIST: LS launching site. LS launching tower. MCU missile rises from it’s launching pad, then falls back and topples over, exploding in ball of flame and dense smoke. VANGUARD FIRING - CARD 72332 Shot of launching site. Shots of missile rising a few feet and then exploding. Shots of smoke. MR McELROY ARRIVES - CARD 72313 Shots of plane arriving and Mr McElroy leaving same. Shots of Mr Duncan Sandys greeting Mr McElroy. Shots of Mr McElroy making statement regarding the failure of the Satellite being launched.
Keywords
Politics and government; Buildings and structures; Weapons; Aviation; Science and technology; Explosions; Space; Accidents and disasters
Locations
United States of America; Florida; London Heathrow Airport
Footage sources
United States of America
Gaumont British
Card file number
72308
Credits:
Camera
Godfrey Kenneth Hanshaw
Commentator
Jeffrey K. Shearley
Camera
Phil John Turner
Length of story (in feet)
158
Story extras:
Film clip

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