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Crashing PLANES for the Movie

by DICK GRACE – the world’s most famous movie stunt man

FOREWORD
Dick Grace is by long odds the world’s most famous movie plane crasher. He has cracked-up 34 planes intentionally, and lived to spend the money. The reasons why he has been able to climb alive out of these wrecks he tells in this thrill-packed article. Crashing planes for movie shots, such as Grace did in “Wings,” “Lilac Time,” “The Flying Circus,” and many other films, is done scientifically, by physics and mathematics. How he does it Grace explains in this personal story written expressly for Modern Mechanics’ readers, and his thrilling narrative is told with the same gusto and cool assurance that makes him the most famous stunt flyer in the world. Dick Grace is also author of the book “Squadron of Death,” an amazing autobiography telling his own story and that of countless other stunt men.
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Ads Stenciled on Walk with Water

AN INGENIOUS device which paints signs on the sidewalks, but which in no way permanently defaces the street, is used by a Barcelona wine merchant to advertise his products. The ad painter consists of a large rolling drum filled with water and enveloped in a stencil. As the drum rolls along the water emerges around the stencil and paints an outline of the letters on the walk. As the water evaporates in a short time, no damage is done. No signs, however, can be painted on a rainy day.

Toy Automobiles With Real Motors Displayed in England for First Time

IN THESE modern times when motor cars are playing such a prominent part in family life, the children have such an advanced knowledge of the auto that they demand that their toys he correct in every detail. These miniature cars, which were recently displayed at a British automobile show, are equipped with motorcycle engines, pneumatic tires, electric lights, starters, and all other modern accessories. The little fabric coupe pictured here is the first of its kind.

Undersea Sledge HUNTS Sunken GOLD

THE tedious and dangerous task of searching the ocean’s bottom for sunken ships laden with treasures is simplified by a diving sled perfected in Germany.

The floor of the ocean is literally strewn with ships which went down, taking with them to Davy Jones’ locker hundreds of millions of dollars in gold.
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Gas Sounds Cable Damage Alarm
THE Pacific Telegraph and Telephone company has recently put into use a method to locate cable troubles which uses gas as the detecting agency. Pressure of escaping gas, which has been pumped into the cable, sounds an alarm which sends a trouble shooter on his way to repair the damage.

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TELEVISION Advances ON MANY FRONTS

THOUGH the outdoor Olympic Games experiment was a “flop” and patent litigation has slowed development, television continues to advance on many fronts.

The Don Lee Broadcasting System has started daily experimental broadcasting from station W6XAO in Los Angeles under direction of Harry R. Lubcke. He offers plans for a home receiver to experimenters who send a stamped envelope. The W6XAO schedule is from 3 to 5 and 6:30 to 8:30 p. m., P. S. T.
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This was the cutting edge in aviation technology until the introduction of the minutemeter in WWII.

Invents Hourmeter to Time Hops

THROUGH an electrical contact attached to the landing gear, the recently invented hourmeter timing device records trip and total flying time the moment the plane leaves the ground. The same contact stops the clock when the landing is made. Spreading and contracting of the landing gear actuates the electrical circuit. Current is supplied by two dry cells, or from the ship’s battery.

Aeronautical experts declare that this instrument will fill in one of the gaps of aviation.

Check out the predictions at the end of the article.

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COMPUTERS THAT ARE REALLY PORTABLE

By Philip L. Harrison & Margaret A. Taylor

IN 1946, the first American electronic digital computer, ENIAC (for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator), was unveiled. It ran on 18,000 vacuum tubes, 70,000 resistors, 6,000 switches and 10,000 capacitors. It weighed more than 30 tons, occupied 1,500 square feet of floor space and consumed 140,000 watts of electricity. Commercial versions of this machine ran to the tune of $5 million.
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If she drives so fast, why would anyone be tempted to scream “Woman driver” at her? Or did people just scream that every time they saw a woman driving a car?

World’s Fastest Woman Driver

NEXT time you feel the urge to yell “Woman driver” at that car in front of you, think it over. It might be Mrs. Richard L. Winton, one of the world’s greatest woman drivers.

In her hot rod, “Drool,” the decorative Mrs. Winton (see photo above) has been officially clocked at 126 mph! Her sleek speedster is actually a 1941 Mercury hopped-up by Mel Ord, the famous race-car builder. He also designed the body which Frank Kurtis executed and constructed. Before it was finally completed the model cost over $10,000. Read the rest of this entry »

Telegraph Office Moves To Emergency By Trailer

TRAILER telegraph offices that can be rushed to the scene of major news events for use by newspapermen and the general public have been developed by the Western Union Telegraph Co. The mobile offices can operate at any point where wire facilities are, or can be made available.

The trailer interiors provide writing desks for customers, a counter, and telegraphic equipment for both automatic and Morse operations.

To attract attention the trailers are painted with an aluminum roof and blue bodies. The words—”Mobile Telegraph Office” and “Send Your Telegrams Here”—are painted in large yellow letters.

Who can forget the horrifying newsreel footage of Germany’s subterranean bore worm tanks crashing through the tunnel walls of the Maginot line?

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CAN THIS WAR BE WON?

Modern fortifications along the Maginot and Siegfried lines have made France and Germany “invasion proof.” The result may be a war no nation can win!

by Maxwell Hamilton

WHAT happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?

This age-old problem in physics, a familiar question to every school boy, seems destined to find an answer in Europe’s latest armed conflict. For the present “war to end wars” is a contest between two of the world’s! greatest immovable objects—the Siegfried and the Maginot lines!
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No Other Typewriter Can Do This—

Change instantly from

Miniature Roman to Large Gothic.
Medium Roman to Italics.
Vertical Script to CLARENDON.
English to Russian.
TURKISH TO PUNJABI.
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