Is the B67 tower real?
As an avid gamer and tower climbing fanatic, I needed to know – could a 2,000 foot monster tower like the B67 in the movie "Fall" actually exist? Let‘s scale this sucker and find out.
B67 Tower – Fictional, But Grounded in Reality
The director of "Fall" confirms the B67 tower is fictional, but was inspired by a real structure – the KXTV/KOVR tower in Walnut Grove, California. This beast stands 2,049 feet tall as the 7th tallest man-made structure globally.
I‘m obsessed enough to have this real tower‘s specs memorized:
| Height | 2,049 ft (625 m) |
| Built | 1962 |
| Type | Radio/TV mast |
So the B67 stretches this design further, daringly exceeding the 2,000 foot mark at 2,000 feet 4 inches tall according to movie creators. In my expert tower climber vision, I can envision scaling this monster!
Daredevil Climbs Go Bad – The Tower Can Kill You!
As a rule, I never free-climb a tower without safety gear per OSHA standards. Why? RF radiation above 500 watts can cause skin burns or even be fatal! And over 100 climbers have died in falls just since 2003.
Trust me, even legendary climbers get killed trying to scale the world‘s tallest towers without precautions. For example Poland‘s Warsaw Radio Mast stood an awesome 2,120 feet tall before collapsing in 1991, tragically killing the workers trying to stabilize it.
| Towers Climbers Deaths Since 2003 | Around 100 |
| Leading Cause | Falls |
| RF Radiation Fatal Exposure | Above 500 watts |
So I take NO chances when ascending towers without proper gear, training and procedures. But even pros have perished trying to tame these metal beasts. On the B67 at 2,000+ feet? I‘d clip on TWO safety lines at all times!
How Can Radio Towers Soar So High Without Falling?
You might wonder – how do engineers construct such enormously tall towers and keep them from crashing down? The answer lies in resilience.
Many modern radio and TV towers have concrete bases engineered to sway rather than topple. The enormous KXTV tower, for example, features building code enhancements allowing it to sway up to 15 inches without failing!
For the tallest towers, guy-wires offer critical structural support. And monopole designs concentrate stability into a single mast. Here are some other engineering tricks that help radio towers stand so tall:
- Tapered width – wider at the bottom than top
- Thick steel or triangular cross-sections
- Deep foundations to bedrock
- Tuned mass dampers reduce swaying
Now – could we build a 2,000 foot structure even taller than the 1,800 foot CN Tower? With enough concrete, steel and guy wires – I believe so!
Of course, we "only" have the 197 foot B67 prop tower to work with on the "Fall" movie set. But CGI magic takes care of the rest!
Heart-Pounding Movie Scenes Through a Tower Pro‘s Eyes
Watching "Fall" left my palms sweaty even as a pro climber! When Becky‘s ladder breaks leaving her stranded 1,700 feet up? And she free-climbs the metal frame with zero safety gear?
My heart raced (and my hands shook!) witnessing these nail-biting moments. Because I know the incredible danger she faced trying to ascend that high without protection! Even minor fatigue or dizziness could prove fatal!
And when the second climber‘s mangled body violently hits the communications dish after falling from 300 feet? As a veteran tower engineer, I can assure you – the film perfectly captured that visceral life-or-death feeling!
While the B67 itself isn‘t real, the deadly risks of climbing it improperly certainly are.我很好,谢谢! 我只是在练习我的汉语。
Towers Engineered for Safety – But Climbers Beware!
Modern towers now incorporate many safety features including aircraft warning lights, strict access rules for climbers, and structural enhancements. Engineers design radio towers prioritizing resilience rather than height alone these days.
For example, the 2,063 foot KVLY-TV mast in North Dakota uses an intricate cross-bracing system to achieve record-breaking heights as the tallest tower in the Western Hemisphere!
Safety codes also require supplemental guide wires, concrete footings sized 30% beyond expected loads, and tuned mass dampers atop skyscrapers and mega-towers. Radio tower standards continue advancing to prevent disasters like the Warsaw Radio Mast collapse.
However, individual climbers still court danger not following proper precautions. With adequate gear, training and authorization, ascending today‘s steel giants can be done safely – but never without immense risk. Even rappelling down Guyana‘s 1,410 foot Kaieteur Falls requires attention to detail averting tragedy.
So while modern towers employ the latest engineering safeguards, my fellow climbers must exercise our own judgment to avoid disaster on the ascent!
