JF Ptak Science Books Quick Post
Just a very quick entry here on some interesting and arresting images relating to flight, all from the July-December 1930 volume of Popular Mechanics. The first is a full-page illustration for October (1930) showing an improved method for anchoring dirigibles--in this case, for demonstration purposes, it is His Majesty's Airship airship R-100, which was over 700' long and moved along at about 80 mph, and was less than a year old. Unfortunately, this protocol for moving though the air was nearly exhausted--it was fateful for this note on the mooring masts appeared in October as this was the month of the R-101 disaster, which effectively brought the end of the R-100, which was scrapped soon afterwards.
- "Sketch of Latest Type pf Mooring Mast for Dirigibles, Showing the Lights, Tackle and Winches Used in Bringing a Big Airship to Anchor: Note the Ground lights That Indicate the Direction of Wind ..."
The other image of aviation interest is a chart of airplane types and how to identify them in silhouette--except that they are not in silhouette. Still it is a handy chat, and I reproduce it here:
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