Scale Model Testing and High-Speed Wind Tunnel Analysis in Modern Missile Development

USA - Circa 1957: A towering 16-story test stand secures a full-size missile during powerful engine firing tests, but development begins with precise scale models used for extensive pre-testing. Footage shows engineers crafting and analyzing miniature replicas, some costing up to $15,000, and testing them in supersonic and vacuum wind tunnels at speeds approaching 4,000 mph. These models contain internal measuring devices that record aerodynamic loads, which are automatically converted to IBM punch cards for analysis in electronic computers. The process highlights the shift from single-method testing to a comprehensive, data-driven approach in modern missile design. US Army Ballistic Missile Agency. (Footage by Roberto Machado Noa/Getty Images).