Dead Media: War Tubas

How freaking amazing are these? That’s Japanese Emperor Hirohito touring his war tubas. No, they weren’t a deafeningly loud section of the military marching band, they were a pre-radar acoustical listening technology, designed to pick up the distant rumble of aircraft engines. I wonder if any of them survive?

[Via The Proceedings of the Athanasius Kircher Society]

Thanks, Alberto!