Comments on: NEW in SCIENCE

By: mickey

mickey — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:01:13 +0000

i find it amazing that even in 1951, people still believed that they could fly by strapping chunks of plywood to their arms.

By: Eliyahu

Eliyahu — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:41:37 +0000

I hope the thing on our birdman’s chest is a parachute, because he’s gonna need it.

By: Don

Don — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 01:03:47 +0000

Oh. I see. How disappointing!

By: Toronto

Toronto — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 00:46:55 +0000

Don – I think the horse is either cantilevered or resting on at most two small wheels, inside the left rear and right front foot. If you look carefully, there’s a drive belt and pully on the rear axle. The horse is just for show.

By: Don

Don — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 00:28:51 +0000

I want to read more about the horse! Pulling 300 pounds to 25 mph with an electric horse sounds like quite a feat . . . .

By: rsterling78

rsterling78 — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 00:28:30 +0000

“…a non-com in the French Air Force, plans to soar at 10,000 feet over Italy wearing only plywood wings and webbed trousers. He hopes to be more successful than his predecessors.”

Meaning an open casket funeral?

By: David Moisan

David Moisan — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 23:44:01 +0000

The FAF guy was obviously a customer of Acme–the only bat suits actually worn by bats!

By: slim

slim — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:04:39 +0000

A veritable cornucopia of scientific wonders.

By: Kent

Kent — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 16:16:01 +0000

Leo Valentin?

By: StanFlouride

StanFlouride — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 16:15:07 +0000

I use a similar rear-view mirror called a ‘Take-a-Look’ when I ride my bicycle, very handy, clips on to the frame of my glasses and turns 360 degrees through 3 different axis.

The ’streamlined’ tractor is that shape because of the way hops is grown- on tall racks, close together. The streamlining avoids catching on the plants as it moves between the racks.

By: Rick

Rick — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:04:54 +0000

Glasses with outboard mirrors for spotting lady drivers. Attitudes were quite different back in 51 weren’t they.

Rick

By: Sean

Sean — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 14:35:18 +0000

Shouldn’t this be “What’s New in Hobbies”?

They also don’t explain the tractor very well. The purpose of ’streamlining’ orchard/hops field tractors is to avoid damaging crops. It has nothing to do with aerodynamics.

for instance:
http://www.antiquewhs.com/1996012.htm