Assassination 3D animation by Mark Tyler

[Walt Cakebread]

Here is the latest release of Motorcade 63 (version 1.7):

https://www.marktyler.org/mc63.html

As well as general tweaking to improve the accuracy (thanks to everyone who helped out this time!), I added a yellow triangle for the Dillard 2 photo (just seconds after the final shot was fired).

Perhaps more importantly, I added the Jack Weaver photo which I calculate as happening at the same time as Zapruder frame Z035 based on the triangulated position of the motorbike turning the corner:





If you look closely, you can see JFK's crooked elbow in Muchmore frame 267 as he pushes his hair back:



The full details are in appendix D.2 of the updated handbook.  Crucially this spell of the Zapruder film was recorded while the Hughes and Muchmore films were also being recorded, which means I have been able to calculate the relative speeds that the films were all recorded at.  For example if the Hughes film was recorded at 18 FPS, then the Zapruder and Muchmore film rates were 18.4 FPS.  If the Hughes film was recorded at 19 FPS, then Zapruder and Muchmore were recording at 19.4 FPS.  We can never know the exact rates, only the numerical relationships between them.

This correlation of different films was possible by matching unique events that were recorded in each of the films, and by doing split second comparisons.  For example I was able to calculate the relative speeds of the Muchmore film and the Hughes film using the front blinking lights on the Presidential Limo.  These observations prove that the Muchmore film was recorded fractionally faster than the Hughes film.

As always, if anyone disagrees with the animation, my calculations, or methodology, please let me know as I am keen to make the work as accurate as possible.

Hi Mark,    If I'm reading the animation correctly.....The shots that are depicted from the SE corner of the TSBD  at 12:30 pass right through the tree....   And Nobody could have fired a rifle through that tree and hit JFK.

FWIW...  I completely agree with your animation at 12:30.....   I created a scale cardboard model of Dealey Plaza many years ago and I used a small tube ( like a soda straw)  to sight down from the sixth floor window to the point where JFK was struck by the bullets that blew out the back of his skull.   I was stunned to find that the scale model tree that I had placed in my model obstructed the view of the Lincoln through the tube from the sixth floor window.    Which is exactly what you depict in your animation.

[Mark Tyler]

Hi Mark, First  allow me to congratulate you on your producing Motorcade 63, and thank you for spending what had to have been many many hours in researching and producing Motorcade 63. 

Please allow me to focus on just one tenth of one second from 12:29: 59  to 12:30:00 ....  You indicate that Tom Dillard snapped his photo of the face of the TSBD at 12:29:59, and the first shot from the window took place at 12:30:00 ....If I'm correct in reading your presentation then Tom Dillard would have had to have captured any gunman who would have been firing a rifle out of the window ( and the rifle definitely would have had to have been OUTSIDE the window) but Dillards photo shows no trace of a rifle or gunman behind that SE corner window.

P.S.    I must be misreading .... Because Dillard didn't take a photo of the TSBD BEFORE the shots were fired   

Thanks Walt.  It has been a lot of work, but it has been worth the effort as I now have a better grasp of the events.

If you check on the web page https://www.marktyler.org/mc63.html and look at the table of photos, the "Dillard 1" photo is listed as happening at 12:30:10.45.  The yellow flash at 12:29:59 is where David Wiegman starts his film and captures the two cars in front of the TSBD:

[Mark Tyler]

Possible other ideas would be to color JFKs limo black, rather than the same color as all the other cars. This way you can see at a glance more easily what car is JFKs.

Also, the driver of the Queen Mary gave a quick swerve to the right when Clint Hill jumped off to run to JFK. The driver did this in order to move the front of the car out of Clints way so he could run more directly to JFK. I'm not sure how much he swerved the car as the films do not pick this up. It was only probably a slight swerve in terms of trying to represent it on your animation. Off hand i can't remember the source of this info, but i have come across it.

Changing the colour of the limo is an interesting idea so I tested out some different colours and decided that the red was probably my favourite:



Black didn't really stand out, so I preferred a bolder primary colour.

A swerve of the Queen Mary is possible, so I shall have a look to see if I can find reference to one.  As you say it's not a large swerve, perhaps mostly due to the bikes on the right hand side (Chaney and Jackson).

One certainty is that several of the Secret Service agents seemed to get off the car soon after Clint Hill.  This is in the testimony and is partially seen in the Nix film as agents on both sides seem to jump off.  They all get back on very quickly, but I think this delays the Queen Mary by a second or two as it departs Dealey Plaza.

[Walt Cakebread]

Thanks Walt.  It has been a lot of work, but it has been worth the effort as I now have a better grasp of the events.

If you check on the web page https://www.marktyler.org/mc63.html and look at the table of photos, the "Dillard 1" photo is listed as happening at 12:30:10.45.  The yellow flash at 12:29:59 is where David Wiegman starts his film and captures the two cars in front of the TSBD:

Hi Mark... If Wiegman took the photo before Dillard the there is something drastically wrong... Because the Weigman photo( 12:29:59 ) is clearly taken from the intersection of Houston and Elm. ...But Tom Dillard's photo's were taken from a spot about half way between Main and Elm on Houston.   And that would mean that Dillard snapped his photos BEFORE the shots were fired.   

[Mark Tyler]

Hi Mark,    If I'm reading the animation correctly.....The shots that are depicted from the SE corner of the TSBD  at 12:30 pass right through the tree....   And Nobody could have fired a rifle through that tree and hit JFK.

FWIW...  I completely agree with your animation at 12:30.....   I created a scale cardboard model of Dealey Plaza many years ago and I used a small tube ( like a soda straw)  to sight down from the sixth floor window to the point where JFK was struck by the bullets that blew out the back of his skull.   I was stunned to find that the scale model tree that I had placed in my model obstructed the view of the Lincoln through the tube from the sixth floor window.    Which is exactly what you depict in your animation.

Unfortunately the 2D nature of the animation is a little deceptive here as the gunman on the 6th floor had a clear view of the limo after Z210.  After this time the sniper was able to take his aim carefully before the shot at Z313.

Here is a useful photo from the Warren Commission (CE 893 & 894) that shows the snipers view:

[Walt Cakebread]

Unfortunately the 2D nature of the animation is a little deceptive here as the gunman on the 6th floor had a clear view of the limo after Z210.  After this time the sniper was able to take his aim carefully before the shot at Z313.

Here is a useful photo from the Warren Commission (CE 893 & 894) that shows the snipers view:

Mark, I constructed a scale model of Dealey..... That was not  TWO dimensional.....When I looked down from the sixth floor window through the "soda straw"....I could not see JFK in the limo because the tree was blocking the view.

Here is a useful photo from the Warren Commission (CE 893 & 894) that shows the snipers view:



If you study the photo...I believe that you'll find that the photo ( depicting the cross hairs on JFK's back) was taken from the Daltex building....

[Mark Tyler]

Hi Mark... If Wiegman took the photo before Dillard the there is something drastically wrong... Because the Weigman photo( 12:29:59 ) is clearly taken from the intersection of Houston and Elm. ...But Tom Dillard's photo's were taken from a spot about half way between Main and Elm on Houston.   And that would mean that Dillard snapped his photos BEFORE the shots were fired.

Dillard said that he took his photos just after Camera car #3 stopped on the corner from Houston to Elm Street.  Here is his quote from the Warren Commission:

"He states that upon hearing the third shot the car in which he was riding was stopped almost in front of the Texas School Book Depository building. He states at that time he heard Bob Jackson of the Dallas times Herald exclaim "I see a rifle. It’s up there in the open window." Then Jackson pointed toward the Texas School Book Depository Building located at Elm and Houston Streets.
Mr. Dillard stated he looked upward toward the building and saw nothing resembling a rifle protruding from an open window. He states he did, however, take two photographs of the building at that time."

https://www.history-matters.com/analysis/witness/witnessMap/Dillard.htm

This makes sense if you look at the photo as the angle shows he is almost exactly in line with the eastern side of the building on the right hand frame:

https://emuseum.jfk.org/objects/45067/image-of-the-top-floors-of-the-texas-school-book-depository?ctx=61e7fb5e-726a-4b7d-b463-10f299217156&idx=26

https://emuseum.jfk.org/objects/22812/photograph-of-the-texas-school-book-depository-shortly-after?ctx=61e7fb5e-726a-4b7d-b463-10f299217156&idx=29