Simanaitis Says

On cars, old, new and future; science & technology; vintage airplanes, computer flight simulation of them; Sherlockiana; our English language; travel; and other stuff

Monthly Archives: April, 2014

1964 WORLD’S FAIR

IT’S SAID you never forget your first kiss, your first love, your first…. But what about your first taco? Wife Dottie almost rolled on the floor in laughter today when … Continue reading

April 29, 2014 · 1 Comment

MILES AIRCRAFT LTD AND ITS M.57 AEROVAN

THE BRITISH Miles Aircraft Ltd was a family business, and what a family it was: See http://wp.me/p2ETap-24M. The varied talents of F.G. Miles, his wife Blossom and his brother George … Continue reading

April 27, 2014 · 3 Comments

HAPPY (SORT OF) BIRTHDAY, WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

RECORDS INDICATE William Shakespeare was baptized on April 26, 1564, precisely 450 years ago. Well, not precisely, because of England’s Gregorian Calendar change in the 1700s. In fact, his actual … Continue reading

April 26, 2014 · 2 Comments

BLOSSOM MILES—AIRCRAFT DESIGNER

I WAS researching the Miles M.57 Aerovan, but got sidetracked by romance. Maybe you’ll share my enthusiasm for F.G. Miles and his wife Blossom as well as their aircraft, about … Continue reading

April 25, 2014 · 5 Comments

CREATIVE HEARING, TAKE 2

PART OF the fun of listening is trying to figure out what is being said. I mentioned a few family classics of this creative hearing in http://wp.me/p2ETap-1rY. Things like “penguins” when … Continue reading

April 24, 2014 · 2 Comments

THE LEICA FREEDOM TRAIN

GERMAN CAMERA-maker Ernst Leitz II and his daughter Elsie Kühn-Leitz quietly rescued hundreds of Jews by smuggling them out of Nazi Germany during the 1930s. Their efforts came to light … Continue reading

April 23, 2014 · Leave a comment

MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS TURBO

ALL THE teams are using new engines in Formula 1 this season, turbocharged direct-injected 1.6-liter V-6s. But innovative packaging of familiar technology is putting the Mercedes AMG Petronas team at … Continue reading

April 20, 2014 · Leave a comment

MAZDA MIATA AT QUARTER CENTURY

MAZDA IS celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Miata at the New York International Auto Show, taking place April 18 – 27, 2014. Given my personal involvement with Miatas, it’s … Continue reading

April 19, 2014 · 3 Comments

ENGLAND AT WAR: TWO NOTEWORTHY BOOKS

MY PRIMARY source for yesterday’s SimanaitisSays item on the Jane comics (http://wp.me/p2ETap-23p) is the book Little Friends. Plus, Go To It! is another worthy book in a similar genre. The … Continue reading

April 18, 2014 · 1 Comment

JANE’S WARTIME ADVENTURES

WINSTON CHURCHILL called her “Britain’s secret weapon” and, indeed, her marriage became one of World War II’s better kept secrets. I’m talking about Jane, the leggy, curvaceous blonde scatterbrain seen … Continue reading

April 17, 2014 · Leave a comment