UPCYCLE A MILITARY MICROPHONE

"Upcycling" now there's a phrase that's a euphemism for repurposing old junk into something either aesthetically pleasing and/or useful.    There again from my standpoint, my definition would be the occasional ruin of scarce and historical artefacts.

But pressing things into alternative uses is not a new thing and one such example that may pique the interest of the military radio collector is the particular example shown in the film, The Earth Dies Screaming from 1964.

The  film, using Shere in Surrey as a the location has a plot that goes something like this........  A small group of survivors  are penned in by marauding invaders, here in the form of slow-moving robots.    Since the invaders never do move beyond a slow walk, they never seem to pose a serious threat unless you run right up to them  or if you show a turn of speed similar to that of a geriatric tortoise in which case they run up to you!

If the robot catches you then they zap you with a touch of their cold hand and you eventually turn into a controlled zombie with boiled egg -white eyes and a similar creakily slow gait!!!!!!!

No reason was ever given for the robot's plodding perambulation, but look closer and the reason is clearly evident as the poor robots have their respiratory orifices blocked so they cannot breathe properly, I would be slow too if my breathing was restricted as I wheezed like an asthmatic grampus trying to gain my second wind, or come to that even my first wind!

And the source of that blockage.... yes.... you've guessed it......... the "upcycling" of an old favourite military microphone for a nose in the form of a handset from a Telephone, Loudspeaking, No 2 , the venerable Microphone, Hand, Power, No 1B, YA2814 or its close relative the Microphone, Hand, Power, No 1A, YA2813  which was used in conjunction with Telephone, Loudspeaking No 3 and Emergency Tank Crew Control through a WS19.