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See the 1952 Popular Science Article about War of the Worlds
Martian War Machine
Web site by: Phil
Broad
Without doubt the "Martian War Machine" (as envisioned here by studio designer Al Nozaki) rates as one of the most original designs to appear on film. Much copied by later designers, the War Machine was beautiful in its simplicity yet sinister and menacing too. It achieved its goals thoroughly, it was threatening, powerful, simple yet totally alien. The full size War Machine (if there were one) would be 48 feet from tip to tip which made it little more than an alien "tank" in terms of size. It did not fly but rather it "walked" on three electronic beams which supported it like legs, thus remaining true to the original story while at the same time modernizing it in concept. Although not seen in the film, it probably had a crew of three (with a 48 foot span the main body was quite small, even for creatures 3 or 4 feet high). The Machine mounts a "heat ray" and two disintegrating batteries as main weapons. It also possesses a defensive force field capable of deflecting almost any high energy source directed against it.
It is believed that the miniatures use in the film were formed of hand beaten copper, as was the "electronic eye" that Dr. Forester captures, although none of the three original miniatures is known to survive. They were built at 1 inch to the foot scale making them 4 feet in span. These complicated and heavy models contained electric drives for rotating, elevating and deflecting the gooseneck weapon mounted on the back as well as lighting and flashing. They were supported by 36 wires, necessary to control as well as support them, which all had to move along a track so that they could be seen in transit across the given terrain. Only one scale of War Machine is believed to have been built.