SAGA OF THE SUNDSTEDT-HANNEVIG “SUNRISE”
IN THE SPRING of 1919, a dozen aeronautical teams declared their intentions of flying across the Atlantic. This was in quest of Lord Northcliffe’s Daily Mail newspaper prize of £10,000, … Continue reading
SUNDSTEDT (ALMOST) FLIES THE ATLANTIC
CAPTAIN HUGO SUNDSTEDT failed to cross the Atlantic in his Sunrise seaplane in 1919. But this sure wasn’t for the lack of trying. Today I’ll offer tidbits on Sundstedt; tomorrow, … Continue reading
CHEAP GAS—THE LATEST INFO
RARELY HAS gasoline in the U.S. been so cheap. So where are all those Congressional committees yammering about conspiracies? The fact is, if you seek a modern economic model of … Continue reading
THE STATE OF CITIES
GIVEN THAT YOU’RE an Earthling, the probability is better than half that you live in an urban area. In the United States, this increases to 80 percent. So it’s most … Continue reading
YOU WANT CYLINDERS? WE GOT ‘EM!
THE VOLKSWAGEN W16 is a brilliant example of modular engineering. In this world of high mpg/low carbon footprint, this 8.0-liter 987-hp engine may smack of overkill. But, like a Buckshot … Continue reading
EDITH MEISER—SHERLOCKIAN EXTRAORDINAIRE
SHERLOCKIANS RECOGNIZE Irene (pronounced I-re-nee) Adler as “The Woman,” the most highly respected of her gender by Holmes. Another woman, perhaps lesser known, was a Sherlockian extraordinaire: Edith Meiser. Like … Continue reading
AUTOMOTIVE ART—IN PAINT AND PRINT
IN MY CONTINUING quest of bringing a modicum of order to 33 years of R&T memorabilia, I came upon several 24 x 36-in. poster boards that were part of the … Continue reading
THEATRICAL TIDBITS OF EMANUEL SCHIKANEDER
I KNEW the name Schikaneder only vaguely: librettist of Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute and also a bit character in the Mozart biopic of sorts, Amadeus (Director’s Cut). I’m gleaning a … Continue reading
VOISIN FARMAN BIPLANE, 1907
MILESTONES OF THE AIR: Jane’s 100 Significant Aircraft includes the biplane of Frenchmen Gabriel and Charles Voisin as its second entry, directly following the Wright Flyer, and for good reason. … Continue reading
SWEDISH ADVENTURING WITH SAAB’S BJÖRN ENVALL
IT’S O-DARK-THIRTY, pitch-black along a bridle path in wintery 1991 Karlstad, Sweden. People are savoring sips of akvavit from flasks and waiting patiently behind tape loosely strung between the trees. … Continue reading
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