[1959 SURVEY & CONSTRUCTION OF CAMP CENTURY ARCTIC RESEARCH BASE]

Year Published: 1959

Description: Likely dating to 1959 or 1960, this raw footage shows what might be survey work performed to finalize a site for, and the early stages of the construction of, Camp Century, an Arctic United States military scientific research base in Greenland. Camp Century was publicized as a demonstration for affordable ice-cap military outposts and a base for scientific research. The film begins with footage of what might be either the Camp Century site, or a supply area set up to support the construction of the facility. At (1:46), personnel muster outside of a red painted trailer that is marked with a sign reading "U.S. Army Signal Corps Weather Station". At 3:57, the metal gantry for a weather station and likely also a radio antenna, is assembled. At (4:20) a long train of trailers on skis is shown, with a large snow tractor, probably a Caterpillar S-D8 arctic dozer, at one end. The large, spherical building shown on skis at (4:30 / 5:28) is a prefabricated arctic research station building. At (4:53) a helicopter buzzes over the tractor train traverse system. At (5:46), a U.S. Air Force Convair C-131 Samaritan is shown at a snowy runway. At (6:30), an airport building with a radar dish on the top is shown; a group of men come out of it and launch a weather balloon. At (7:26), a large assemblage of equipment is shown including some of the tractor train traverse system components such as the research station (7:25). At (8:04) individuals in snow gear are seen moving through white out conditions. At (8:40) a snow depth gauge is used to assess snowfall. At (9:24) a weather station is shown automatically taking air temperature recordings. Crew are shown actively monitoring the weather station including wind speed and direction at a remote location. At (12:12) the interior of what might be a C-131 cockpit is shown, and then aerial views of Greenland. At (13:40) bulldozers and other equipment is shown lined up and ready to be put to use in the construction of Camp Century. At (15:10) more aerial footage. At (16:20) the train is shown on the move across the frozen snow and ice sheet. At (17:40) more snow core samples are shown being taken. At (18:58), more aerial footage of Greenland. At (20:47), more footage of the remote weather station, followed by interior shots in the station trailer. At (22:08) a radio antenna is erected. At (22:50) a bulldozer carves into a snowbank. At (23:35), one of the characteristic snow tunnels that helped define the look of Camp Century is shown. At (24:00) a large folding antenna is seen being emplaced by crane, followed by shots of a snow bank with a large door visible on it (24:24). At (24;31) a weather balloon is launched. At (24:48) a snow machine blasts snow into the air. At (25:28) the machine cuts a tunnel into the snowbank. At (26:27) personnel are seen building out the antenna / weather station tower. At (27:32), a Snow Cat moves at high speed across the landscape.

Complete Record: Likely dating to 1959 or 1960, this raw footage shows what might be survey work performed to finalize a site for, and the early stages of the construction of, Camp Century, an Arctic United States military scientific research base in Greenland. Camp Century was publicized as a demonstration for affordable ice-cap military outposts and a base for scientific research. The film begins with footage of what might be either the Camp Century site, or a supply area set up to support the construction of the facility. At (1:46), personnel muster outside of a red painted trailer that is marked with a sign reading "U.S. Army Signal Corps Weather Station". At 3:57, the metal gantry for a weather station and likely also a radio antenna, is assembled. At (4:20) a long train of trailers on skis is shown, with a large snow tractor, probably a Caterpillar S-D8 arctic dozer, at one end. The large, spherical building shown on skis at (4:30 / 5:28) is a prefabricated arctic research station building. At (4:53) a helicopter buzzes over the tractor train traverse system. At (5:46), a U.S. Air Force Convair C-131 Samaritan is shown at a snowy runway. At (6:30), an airport building with a radar dish on the top is shown; a group of men come out of it and launch a weather balloon. At (7:26), a large assemblage of equipment is shown including some of the tractor train traverse system components such as the research station (7:25). At (8:04) individuals in snow gear are seen moving through white out conditions. At (8:40) a snow depth gauge is used to assess snowfall. At (9:24) a weather station is shown automatically taking air temperature recordings. Crew are shown actively monitoring the weather station including wind speed and direction at a remote location. At (12:12) the interior of what might be a C-131 cockpit is shown, and then aerial views of Greenland. At (13:40) bulldozers and other equipment is shown lined up and ready to be put to use in the construction of Camp Century. At (15:10) more aerial footage. At (16:20) the train is shown on the move across the frozen snow and ice sheet. At (17:40) more snow core samples are shown being taken. At (18:58), more aerial footage of Greenland. At (20:47), more footage of the remote weather station, followed by interior shots in the station trailer. At (22:08) a radio antenna is erected. At (22:50) a bulldozer carves into a snowbank. At (23:35), one of the characteristic snow tunnels that helped define the look of Camp Century is shown. At (24:00) a large folding antenna is seen being emplaced by crane, followed by shots of a snow bank with a large door visible on it (24:24). At (24;31) a weather balloon is launched. At (24:48) a snow machine blasts snow into the air. At (25:28) the machine cuts a tunnel into the snowbank. At (26:27) personnel are seen building out the antenna / weather station tower. At (27:32), a Snow Cat moves at high speed across the landscape.