Draft:Tornado Attack Vehicles

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The Tornado Attack Vehicle, or the TA-1, is an armored vehicle created specifically by Steve Green, who was previously a NASCAR driver from Canton, Ohio, for the purpose of driving into tornadoes to capture data and footage.¹ Green drove the TA-1 on June 12, 2004, in Mulvane, Kansas, in what is believed to be the first recorded case of a human driving purposely into a tornado in an armored car and surviving.² It became popular in the media and was featured on the Discovery Channel, The Weather Channel, and other TV shows.

The Tornado Attack Vehicle concept was initiated by Steve Green, an ex-NASCAR racing driver from Canton, Ohio, whose stated objective was to gather information on tornadoes by going inside the tornado itself.² The rationale behind this project is that it would provide an opportunity for him to do something that has never been done before, much like breaking the sound barrier or early flights into space.²

It should be noted that prior to undertaking the construction of the Tornado Attack Vehicle, Green was not a certified meteorologist. He formed a team, which consisted of a meteorologist and storm chaser named Reed Timmer who worked as the project's meteorologist aslong with his friend Joel Taylor and others, Scott Currens, Mike Hammer (rumored).² This project went under the name of "Team Tornado."¹

The starting platform for the TA-1 car came from a Jeep that was built for races in Baja California.³ Modifications made to this platform by Green and his team took around five years and cost in excess of $500,000.¹

The body of the car comprises steel panels that are 16 gauge thick and which have been covered with an impact resistant coating of polyurethane.¹ Windows and wheel well areas have been treated with M10 Lexan polycarbonate plastic, which is bullet proof. The windshield is covered with three layers of DuPont Mylar film, which is reported to be able to stop a .38 caliber bullet with just one layer.¹

The power source for the machine is a 700 horsepower V-8 engine.² The machine uses a hydraulics system made by Parker Hydraulics which allows the entire structure to be lowered in a hurry onto a belly pan where it creates a suction force that is intended to keep it grounded in case of high winds.² Green explains that the vehicle was designed in such a way as to literally ''attack a tornado.''

The TA-1 was driven into the path of a tornado by Steve Green on June 12, 2004 in Kansas near the town of Mulvane.² The occurrence took place amidst a weather outbreak that was prevailing in the area. The driver drove the TA-1 directly into the path of the tornado, which subsequently passed around the vehicle.¹

Coverage of the car was done by The Weather Channel as part of a feature story on tornado chasing technology.⁴ Both the TA-1 and Green's efforts were the focus of press releases released via PR Newswire in both 2010 and 2011. These press releases stated Green's plan to walk into a tornado, following up on his earlier drive into one back in 2004, as well as the car’s for-sale listing on eBay. ¹²

After the successful interception in 2004, Green made further announcements regarding several other plans, one of which was intended to be the attempt to physically walk into a tornado while wearing a special suit resistant to impacts after being tested in a wind tunnel in North Carolina.² The motivation behind such actions was to gain attention through these ventures for an alternative energy plan, known as the "Yellowstone Energy Plan."²¹

In 2014, Green stated his intent to walk into a tornado within the tornado season of 2014 due to a prominent tornado chaser having died, which was his motivation to complete the project he had worked on for ten years. It was intended that Green would have his attempt broadcast through cameras attached to his helmet, wrist, and chest.⁵

In May 2011, Green announced the listing of the TA-1 for sale on eBay, with a reserve price of $75,000 and a buy-it-now price of $100,000.³ Green stated that proceeds from the sale were intended to fund the "Walk into a Tornado Project."¹ Bidders who exceeded the reserve price were offered the option of accompanying Green and Team Tornado on a ten-day tornado-chasing expedition in Tornado Alley during the peak season period of 15 May to 15 June.¹ TA-1 was never sold and was kept under Steve Green's garage. It was not sold as potential buyers described the car as "mostly malfunctioning" and that "Green was trying to rip them off".

TA-2 was announced to be made shortly after 2010, but no information was disclosed after so.