The Chrysler Air Raid Siren was originally designed to deafen, or at least scare the lunch out of enemy troops during World War II. This 1956 model had more peaceful purposes--warning the good folks of Trenton, Michigan, downriver from Detroit, of impending tornadoes.

How loud is the siren's racket? Oh, the loundest continuous noise ever created by mechanical means-- 170 decibels at its throat, "quieting" to 138 db 100 feet away. That's enough to cause instant damage to unprotected ears.

That noisemaking ooomph is powered by a 180-horsepower HEMI ® V-8 engine. It's 11' 3" long, 4' 7" wide and 5' 2" tall and weighs about 5,000 pounds.

In service from 1958 until the 1970's, the siren, built at the Trenton Engine plant, was removed from its 90-foot tower at the Trenton Fire station in 2002 for restoration by the Archives and Vehicle Collection staff at the Chrysler Group Quality Improvement Center.

It made an appearance at Trenton's Memorial Day parade last Saturday and will join the collection at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills this fall.

For more on the Chrysler Air Raid Siren, go to http://www.victorysiren.com/x/index.htm

Courtesy of DaimlerChrysler