Thursday, September 30, 2010

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Confederation

In 1936 the Montreal Locomotive Works built five locomotives (6400-6404) for the Canadian National Railway. The CNR did extensive research using wind tunnel tests to keep smoke from swirling around the locomotive cab in their streamlined 4-8-4 design, however, they were fitted with non-streamlined Vanderbilt tenders. CNR gave the name Confederation to this 4-8-4 wheel arrangement. The Grand Trunk Western used the same design for their class U-4-b 6405-6410. CNR 6400 was displayed at the New York World's Fair of 1939. It is now on display at the National Museum of Science & Industry in Ottawa, Ontario.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Magnifico!

1937 Fiat 1500
body designed by Mario Revelli di Beaumont for Bertone

Photo: Mauricio Boi @ Flickr

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Sea Eagle

ORP Orzel, 1939

Orzel means eagle in English. The boat, built in the Netherlands for the Polish Navy, arrived in Poland on February 7, 1939.
She famously escaped the German forces in September 1939 and reached England where she served during the war.
Orzel (commander Jan Grudzinski) sailed on her seventh patrol on May 23, 1940. She was sent to the central region of the North Sea. A wireless message was sent from Rosyth on the 1st and 2nd of June to the Orzel, with an order to change her patrol area and proceed for the Skagerrak. No signals had been received from the Orzel since her departure and on the 5th of June the order was sent for her to return. She failed to acknowledge reception of this signal (as well as the other signals) and she never came back to her base. The 8th of June, 1940, has been officially accepted as the day of the Orzel's loss.

Text: U-boat.net (click for full version)
More here (EN) and here (PL, Google translation available)

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Monday, September 20, 2010

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Flying Tube

Stipa-Caproni tubular fuselage monoplane
1932

It basically was a flying venturi tube with a 120 h.p. de Havilland Gipsy III engine fitted inside it, while the propeller turned in the front edge of the tube. The crew sat in a bulge on top of the fuselage.

Australian 3/5-scale replica built by Bruce Wolf for Aerotec Pty. Ltd.,
powered by a 75 h.p. Simmonini Vee Twin engine.

Source

Friday, September 17, 2010

The Mighty T

The Pennsylvania Railroad's 52 T1 class duplex-drive 4-4-4-4 steam locomotives, introduced in 1942 (2 prototypes) and 1946 (50 production), were their last-built steam locomotives and their most controversial.
They were ambitious, technologically sophisticated, powerful, fast, and uniquely streamlined by Raymond Loewy. However, they were also prone to violent wheelslip both when starting and at speed, complicated to maintain, and expensive to run. In 1948, the PRR vowed to place diesel locomotives on all express passenger trains, leaving unanswered whether the T1's flaws were solvable (Wiki).

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Radio in Every Room

Opened on June 11, 1929, the Royal York was designed by Ross and Macdonald (with Sproatt and Rolph) and built by the Canadian Pacific Railway across the street from Union Station. With 28 floors, the Château-style building was the tallest building in Toronto at that time, and the tallest building in the British Empire until the construction of Toronto’s Canadian Bank of Commerce tower on King Street one year later. It was a state-of-the-art hotel when it was constructed, with ten elevators, a radio in each of its 1,048 rooms, and a private shower or bath in each room. (Wiki).

Monday, September 13, 2010

Bidirectional

This 28-seat trolleybus with two driver's positions was build in 1932 for the RELSE (Belgium). It was converted into conventional unidirectional vehicle in 1940 and remained in service untill 1963. Later it was restored into original form - its front and rear are identical.
Public transport museum of Liège

Source

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Reflex-Korelle

Presented in 1935 by Franz Kochmann Fabrik (Dresden, Germany), this 6 x 6 cm roll film camera paved the way for many medium-format SLR designs. Here's a Korelle I from the first batch.
More photos of the Korelle (1939 model II) and info @ the Tomei Collection

Image: Kameramuseum

Captain America is Back

As a comic book star of the Forties, Captain America was as patriotic emblem for his country, often depicted fighting the Nazi powers of World War II.
But it seems the Captain America in the forthcoming movie based on the iconic cartoon character is going to be bringing his powers to Britain as well.
American actor Chris Evans, who also starred in the Fantastic Four comic book films, is playing the title role in the film.
There was also a magnificent Forties-style car on set, which was seen being driven through a woodland location, as well as some more futuristic looking motorcycles.
The film started shooting in June, when Tommy Lee Jones was confirmed as playing US Army Colonel Chester Phillips.

Read the Daily Mail article (more pictures!)

via Meredith @ io9 & Clinton @ Dieselpunks.org

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Soviet Underground

Komsomolskaya metro station, Moscow
Designed by DN Chechulin & AF Tarkhov
1935

Photo © МУАР

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Fantasy Fighter

Twin-boom pusher against Northrop Flying Wing
Actually, this fantasy is not too far from reality - Swedish SAAB 21 had the same configuration.
The pusher is Mansyu Ki-98 attacker (never built).

Image © Ronnie Olsthoorn, Ian Allan Publishing

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Lady Victory II

New Lady V is a multi-purpose floatplane powered by 1150-hp V12 engine and armed with two 20mm Oerlikon cannons and two MGs.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

WWW Watch

1945 Longines WWW (above)
2009 Longines Heritage WWW Re-Issue (below)