Wednesday, October 31, 2007
World Champion
Italian MC.72 seaplane made its maiden flight in July '31, too late to win the Schneider Trophy. In 1933 it set the world speed record: 424 mph. And in on 23 October 1934, with Francesco Agello at the controls it improved its own record, making 440 mph!
This achievement was beaten in summer '39 by two German planes - first He 100 (464 mph) and then Me 209 (470 mph).
Since 1989, the world speed record for piston-engined planes is far more impressive and far less famous: 528 mph (set by US F8F Rare Bear)
Friday, October 19, 2007
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Sunday, October 7, 2007
The Tallest Tower in Gotham City
Metropolitan Life Insurance North Building, NY, as designed (1930).
1410 ft, 104 storeys.
Finished in 1932 as a 32-storeyed structure.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Dieselpunk Age Hits
Jazz? No. Post-industrial? Nada. Electronica? Not here, pardon.
So what?
Just a home-made compilation of nice music from four so different decades. That's what makes me think of dieselpunk. That's what dieselpunk makes me think of.
Tracklist:
1. Sparks - Propaganda (0:22)
2. DAF - Der Mussolini (3:55)
3. Sparks - Get in the Swing (4:33)
4. Queen - Flick of the Wrist (3:19)
5. Roxy Music - Love is the Drug (3:58)
6. Nazareth - This Flight Tonight (3:22)
7. Black Sabbath - Am I Going Insane (Radio) (4:17)
8. The Buggles - Johnny on the Monorail (5:26)
9. T. Rex - Carsmile Smith and the Old One (3:16)
10. The Strokes - New York City Cops (3:35)
11. The Kinks - Dead End Street (Live) (2:30)
12. David Bowie- Modern Love (3:
13. The Who - Pinball Wizard (3:01)
14. Muse - Space Dementia (6:20)
Link here
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Bugatti 100, 1937
Designed in 1937 by Belgian engineer Louis D. de Monge for Coupe Deutsch air race, this extraordinary plane never flew.
Now, fully restored, it is an exhibit of EAA Museum in Oshkosh (USA).
Now, fully restored, it is an exhibit of EAA Museum in Oshkosh (USA).
Worlds of Iron
Nice collection of dieselpunk oddities from Iron Grip: The Oppression game. Airships, battle stations, guns, tanks and more.
The game is based on Half Life 2.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
A True Visionary
Arthur Radebaugh was a top-notch Anerican commercial illustrator. A Grand Master of Airbrush.
Image: Lost Highways Archive & Research Library, by exclusive arrangement with The Grand Review
Radebaugh Website (link)
Image: Lost Highways Archive & Research Library, by exclusive arrangement with The Grand Review
Radebaugh Website (link)