Comments on: NEW OBSERVATION CAR FOR AIRSHIP http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/09/27/new-observation-car-for-airship/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:00:37 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Chakolate http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/09/27/new-observation-car-for-airship/comment-page-1/#comment-552412 Chakolate Fri, 28 Sep 2007 04:52:08 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/09/27/new-observation-car-for-airship/#comment-552412 So how did Hitler get into the thing? So how did Hitler get into the thing?

]]> By: James Schend http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/09/27/new-observation-car-for-airship/comment-page-1/#comment-551974 James Schend Fri, 28 Sep 2007 02:08:20 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/09/27/new-observation-car-for-airship/#comment-551974 Kudos to Kris for referencing Hell's Angels. I would guess the propeller was related to keeping the car level and facing forward. Except there's no real vane at the back to orient it, so maybe I'm wrong. Kudos to Kris for referencing Hell’s Angels.

I would guess the propeller was related to keeping the car level and facing forward. Except there’s no real vane at the back to orient it, so maybe I’m wrong.

]]> By: Jeffk http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/09/27/new-observation-car-for-airship/comment-page-1/#comment-551808 Jeffk Fri, 28 Sep 2007 01:01:01 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/09/27/new-observation-car-for-airship/#comment-551808 It strikes me how little information is in some of these old blurbs. What is the name of the "Viennese engineer"? How to reel it in and out? Has this thing actually flown? If so, when? Where? How well did it work? It strikes me how little information is in some of these old blurbs.

What is the name of the “Viennese engineer”? How to reel it in and out? Has this thing actually flown? If so, when? Where? How well did it work?

]]> By: Kris http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/09/27/new-observation-car-for-airship/comment-page-1/#comment-551800 Kris Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:57:44 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/09/27/new-observation-car-for-airship/#comment-551800 There's a scene in the old Howard Hughes film from 1930, Hell's Angels, that includes a slightly different version of this. A German Zeppelin was spying on London from above the cloud deck by dangling an observer in an 'observation car' on a long cable that extended just below the clouds. Of course, when they needed to escape from the avenging RAF it took too long to reel it back in and a simple expedient was found in the form of wirecutters. Part of the hazards of early spycraft. There’s a scene in the old Howard Hughes film from 1930, Hell’s Angels, that includes a slightly different version of this. A German Zeppelin was spying on London from above the cloud deck by dangling an observer in an ‘observation car’ on a long cable that extended just below the clouds. Of course, when they needed to escape from the avenging RAF it took too long to reel it back in and a simple expedient was found in the form of wirecutters. Part of the hazards of early spycraft.

]]> By: Eamonnanchnuic http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/09/27/new-observation-car-for-airship/comment-page-1/#comment-550475 Eamonnanchnuic Thu, 27 Sep 2007 16:11:08 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/09/27/new-observation-car-for-airship/#comment-550475 I'm not really sure how much maneuvering you could actually do seeing how it's a giant pendulum. You'd probably make a fortune today if you could market it to the hang-gliding crowd. I’m not really sure how much maneuvering you could actually do seeing how it’s a giant pendulum. You’d probably make a fortune today if you could market it to the hang-gliding crowd.

]]> By: Firebrand38 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/09/27/new-observation-car-for-airship/comment-page-1/#comment-550235 Firebrand38 Thu, 27 Sep 2007 14:27:47 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/09/27/new-observation-car-for-airship/#comment-550235 The airship USS Macon had a "spy basket" for observation http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/ac-usn22/z-types/zrs5-o.htm I read in a book titled "Giants in the Sky" that indeed sailors hated riding in the sky car. The cable was so long guys could forget there was a dirigible above them. It probably wouldn't be under a blimp though, but a dirigible. The airship USS Macon had a “spy basket” for observation http://www.history.navy.mil/ph.....zrs5-o.htm
I read in a book titled “Giants in the Sky” that indeed sailors hated riding in the sky car. The cable was so long guys could forget there was a dirigible above them.
It probably wouldn’t be under a blimp though, but a dirigible.

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