Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Dutch Art Deco

Facade of the Atlantic House, Rotterdam
Architect: Piet Buskens
1928

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Submarine Cruiser

French Surcouf was the largest sub of the 30s:
2880 t deadweight, 4304 t fully submerged.
Armed with two 8-in guns, she also had a hangar for reconnaissance airplane.
Surcouf was powered by two diesels, 7600 h.p., and two electric motors, 3200 h. p.
She was lost in 1942 after a collision with American ship not far from Panama.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Two Bodies, One Soul

Italian multi-purpose SM.92 warplane was asymmetric from the start. And very well armed - according to Alessandro Marchetti's design it should bear 3 cannons and 5 MGs.
The only prototype (shown here with German markings) was destroyed by the Allies in 1944.

TV Set, 1937

Stalin's Diesel Tractor

Stalinets S-65
Powered by 65 h.p. M-17 diesel and heavily influenced by the American Caterpillar design, it appeared in 1937. Served with the Red Army artillery in the WWII, towing 6-in guns.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Gosprom, Kharkiv


State Industry House a.k.a.Industry Palace
This striking example of Constructivist architecture once was the tallest building in Europe.
Built in 1925-1928 in Kharkiv - capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Republic, it housed various government institutions and was the official seat of the government itself.

Photos by Richard Pare

More info (EN, Wiki) More pictures (RU, Wiki)

French Blue

Record-breaking Citroën Petite Rosalie

Monday, June 22, 2009

SLRs are Coming

Contax S
Production of this first successful post-war SLR started in East Germany in September 1949.
It was the first in the long line of equally successful models with different names for different export markets. One of its registered names was Pentax. Just a few steps forward to the ubiquitous Spotmatic...

Streamlined Armored Car

Built by Skoda in 1923 and armed with 4 Maxim MGs,
this Želva ("little turtle") car was too heavy - more than 7 tons.
By any means it was not an ultimate off-road vehicle. It served with the Czechoslovak police.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Poster

2006

Aeroflot Building, Moscow

Designed by Dmitry Chechulin in the 30s,
this impressive structure has never been built.
But in the 60s the architect used its concept in the design of Russian Supreme Council building that became world-famous as the 'Moscow White House' during two coup attempts - in 1991 and 1993.

© МУАР

What Made Milwaukee Famous

1974 Excalibur Series II Phaeton

Excalibur is Brooks Stevens' brainchild
designed in 1963 for Studebaker and produced from 1966 at an independent facility in Milwaukee.
Inspired by 1928 Mercedes-Benz SSK, it was favourite mount of many celebrities in the 70s and 80s.

Excalibur Story by Camelot
More photos @ LJ Dieselpunk community

Friday, June 19, 2009

Main Battle Walker Mk1


First introduced in the European Theatre by British forces in 1943, the Mk1 was an introduction that changed the battlefield. As unreliable and temperamental as the first tanks in WW1 were, the Mk1s still functioned as an incredibly versatile, all-purpose weapon. This particular model is fitted with a 105mm howitzer.

by Keith Thompson

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Naval Oddity

Soviet battleship Oktyabr'skaya Revolutsia
("October Revolution", ex-Gangut)

Launched in 1911, this 23.000-ton dreadnought went through extensive modernisation in the 30s to become one of the most awkward-looking warships of all time.
Decommissioned: 1952

Reel Tape Recorder. The Beginning


AEG Magnetophone
1935

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Stylish Casemod

From Dieselpunk

All-metal computer case built in 2006.
Solid bronze front plate.
Passive cooling.

Website (EN, DE)
via steampunkworkshop

Laco Aerial Observer Watch

During WWII Lacher company supplied the Luftwaffe with B-uhr - large (55 mm) wristwatch for aerial observers.
Today the watch is still in production - in both original and scaled-down (42 mm) forms. To those who do not care about authencity there are models with quartz movement.

LACO Website

Dieselpunk Miniatures

by Stephane Halleux from Belgium
Artist's website

via vitapito @ Dieselpunk LJ community

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Heaviest of all

This huge five-turreted tank built in 1933–38 was the heaviest inter-war AFV.
Three guns (one 76 mm and two 45 mm), 5 or 6 0.3 in MGs.
Despite thin armour (11-30 mm) the beast weighed 45 tons.
It was powered by 12-cylinder 500 HP petrol engine and developed speed up to 30 km/h.
About 60 were built, none survived.

Picture © Battlefield.ru

Teletypist

March 1943.
"Seligman, Arizona. Teletype operator in the telegraph office of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad. The time here changes from Mountain to Pacific time."
Medium-format safety negative by Jack Delano

Special thanks to Shorpy

Monday, June 15, 2009

Airships Invasion

"Airships Invasion" (Sciame di Dirigibili)
is a brainchild of Hector Zamora, a Mexican artist who is dealing not only with doctored snapshots, but also with installing dummy airships into urban landscape and creating audiovisual shows.
His project has been presented at the 53d Venetian Biennale.

via st_fuodoroff @ LJ

Dieselpunk Steamer

Pre-war Type 386 Locomotive
of the Czechoslovak State Railway