Comments on: Airplanes May Replace Cannon in Laying Telegraph Wire (Sep, 1931)

By: Bendarr

Bendarr — Thu, 20 May 2010 23:37:50 +0000

It’s almost a pity that Cannons are no longer used for such a purpose. There is a bunch of the sheer “fun factor” that has vanished when Air Planes took over laying cable.

“yeah, I’ll fly that cable over the gorge…… Yawn.”

vs.

“ready…. aim ….. Kawooooommmmm!!!!”

By: George

George — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:52:32 +0000

There’s a bunch of videos of it being done on youtube, here’s one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMSN3U1juaE

By: Toronto

Toronto — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:47:10 +0000

George – really? Neat. I’ve seen banner planes take off with the banner laid ‘backwards’ on the runway (so it doesn’t get dragged) but never seen it done with a hook.

I *did* see a Herc pick up a loaded stretcher via a hook once. I would not want to be the guys who beta tested that maneuver.

By: George

George — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:39:37 +0000

Toronto, they could take off normally, then drag a hook and pick it up that way. In the summer I see them picking up banners that way to fly up and down the beaches advertising stuff. (Cape Cod Airport, Marston’s Mills, MA)

By: Toronto

Toronto — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:11:17 +0000

Two things bother me – first, the weight of the rope on the aircraft, and its drag, would be increasing quickly for the aircraft.

Second, how’d he pick up the cable? Did he take off very nearby? There doesn’t seem to be much of a landing zone nearby.

Chopper, definitely.

By: KD5ZS

KD5ZS — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:02:26 +0000

Helicopters worked even better.

By: Zyzzyva

Zyzzyva — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:55:11 +0000

It’s not so much the “New things to do with planes!” aspect that surprised me, it’s the fact that they used to do it with cannon.

(OTOH, it’s not that unreasonable on a little reflection.)

By: Christopher

Christopher — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:37:44 +0000

Whales? Wow.