PREPARE TO LAND! The first rocket ship ever to land on a building in Kansas City (or anywhere else?) comes to rest atop the new TWA “Midtown” office building. Half the size of TWA’s rocket ship at Disneyland, the futuristic model was built by Artkraft-Strauss in New York and was trucked to Kansas City. For more pictures of its construction turn to page three.
WORKMEN from Artkraft-Strauss in New York study a tiny model of the rocket in drawing up plans for the large metal ship.
INTERIOR of main section of rocket shows — steel pole which forms center. Core for legs is welded and bolted to centerpiece.
EXTERIOR of main section is about half finished in this view. One leg support protrudes through slit in side.
STREAMLINED landing gear is shaped by molding aluminum sheets over carefully constructed ribwork on inside.
BUSINESS END of rocket gives idea of its size. A workman takes measurements for fitting outside skin to landing gear.
DRESSING-DOWN the welded seams in the exterior section is the final step before applying the glistening white paint.
STEEL FRAMEWORK running the entire length of the rocket adds up to most of the 3,000 pounds in the finished model.
COMPLETED rocket, polished, painted and ready to be shipped, rests on the workshop floor before starting trip to K. C.
OFF-LOADED from truck which brought it to Kansas City, the 34-foot rocket swings from a crane in front of the new TWA office building.
FINAL ASSEMBLY of needle-nose and tripod landing gear sections Legins as rocket rests on sidewalk. TWAers inside building watched.
FUTURE PILOT, John Barone, 3, takes a cautious look into the rocket as it is held upright by the crane.
STANDING UPRIGHT the rocket easily reaches the level of the third-floor windows.
TAKING OFF for its perch atop the building where it will add the final touch to the modernistic structure, the rocket actual'y seems to be in flight. Hoisting took about five minutes to complete.
BOLTED & WELDED into place on the previously prepared platform, the rocket can now be seen from miles around, especially from the south part of city.
CABIN SECTION is last to be installed and the job is completed. Rocket is on corner of building at 18th and Baltimore and can be seen under floodlights at night.
