Warner-Robins Air Force Base Georgia Tornado

April 30th, 1953
B&W
With non-genuine audio

Incredible footage at Warner-Robins AFB, Georgia. The twister, which struck just after 5pm, was F4 & killed 19 people (including the person who captured this footage) and injured around 300.

The audio is not of the actual tornado, but sounds surprisingly realistic.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• tornado
• Warner-Robins
• Georgia
• Air
• Force
• Base
• twister
• 1953
• environment
• twisters
• history

[natjo1986]

I may have my facts wrong, but I remember hearing that this was the very first tornado ever caught on film. If I knew how to do it I would bold the word ever.

[Anticyclonic]

Well, people generally credit the Corn, OK twister of 1951 as the first one ever caught on film...but that's not the case, either. The very first one was in 1933, allegedly in Cuba.

[fallout1111]

@aaKayeaa Nope, the Warner Robins Pubic Library was built on part of the old Ziegler south site during the 1970's (replacing the one in the 1950's-era city hall structure across the street). For decades afterwards you could walk out behind the library and see the foundations though.

[AJTwister97]

didnt the tornado kill the videographer. also, since i cant comment the video of the corn tornado, credit goes to John Gossen. he is the one who filmed the corn oklahoma tornado.

[wmpmacm]

I was there. I was 6 years old. We lived off base in Macon and I saw the funnel headed our way while my mother conferred with others in the street as to whether we should leave the area. We stayed huddled in the house while the tornado wiped out houses a quarter of a mile away.

[spindalis79]

A special on the Weather Channel called "Target Tornado" in 1994 said that film was taken that is not exceeded even today in it's depiction of buildings being blown apart." (this video) Does this still hold true?

[UnseenCaller]

@pdorn777 Yeah, people love to say things like "the guy died...." doing this or that. That said, it does look like he was mighty close and it does look to be approaching him. If he made it through, I'd bet he had a good story to tell.

[gamma21285]

@LetsDoIt4Johnny1 thats kinda creepy how it gets hit every 20 years!! i live in winder ga, so i know pretty much about warner robins!

[Peroxide055]

@natjo1986 it was the third. jussayin :D

[vivalascam]

I have a still shot hung up in my dining room of this tornado.