June 2018 APR Patreon Rewards

 aircraft, art, history, nukes, Patreon, projects, spacecraft  1 Response »
Jun 302018
 

In just under the wire for June, 2018 are the rewards for APR Patreon patrons. Included this month:

  • A sizable January, 1945 technical description of the YP-80 “Shooting Star” by Lockheed. 300 or so pages, filled with illustrations of the aircraft and components.
  • “On The Utility of the Moon in Space Transportation: the Lunatron Concept.” A 1963 NASA concept for using an electromagnetic accelerator to hurl payloads from the lunar surface onto high energy trajectories, up to solar system escape.
  • A scan of a large-format Sikorsky lithograph of an ABC (advancing blade concept) VTOL airliner (basically a 727 fuselage turned into a high-speed helicopter).
  • An all-new CAD diagram of the Soviet Chelomei LKS spaceplane with an inboard profile showing the military (nuclear bombardment) payload. The first in a series on the LKS.

If you are interested in helping to preserve (and get copies of) this sort of thing, consider signing up for the APR Patreon.

 

patreon-200

 

 Posted by at 11:39 am

Some “Huh”-worthy titles coming to BluRay

 art, blather, Crazy, nukes, science fiction  4 Responses »
Jun 222018
 

So I looked up the season 3 BluRay of The Expanse on Amazon to see when it’s coming out (July 17), and saw some interesting titles that may be of interest to those who are interested in this sort of thing, available or soon to come out on BluRay. As always, if you are interested in buying these, please click on the links here… if you buy through these links, I’ll get a pittance!

Anyway, first up there’s The Day After, the all-kinds-of-fun TV movie from the 80’s that showed the US getting the bejeebers nuked out of it by the Soviets. Due out August 8.


Also available is the somewhat similar “Threads,” a British TV movie from about the same time that shows Britain getting the bejeebers nuked out of it by the Soviets… and carries that forward another generation or so showing just how thrilling a Mad Max version of Britain would be. Came out in February.

 

Then there’s Lifeforce. This one has been out on BluRay for a while, but this one is a “limited edition” which seems like it’s longer, or maybe has more extras. It’s… it’s about space vampires. It’s not what you’d probably really call “good,” but as an aerospace engineer there are two designs shown in the movie that have always appealed to me: there’s the UK/US modified Space Shuttle “Churchill,” which features vast solar panels and a NERVA engine distressingly close to the crew. The other design that’s really quite remarkably well done is the chassis of Mathilda May. Yeah, you know what I mean. Out August 14.

Then there’s “The Martian Chronicles.” A TV miniseries from the 80’s which at the time I loved. Then I saw it again a couple years ago and, wow, does it not hold up. Still, might be of interest. Due out June 26.

 

There’s “Deep Rising,” another one that has been available on BluRay before. I’m not sure if they’ve extended or otherwise tinkered with the movie itself, but it looks like there are a lot of extras. This is a goofy sea monster movie that is *way* more entertaining than it has any right to be. Due out August 21.


And two Lovecraftian flicks:

John Carpenters criminally underrated “In The Mouth of Madness,” which doesn’t feature the “Lovecraftian monster” so much as the “welp, it’s Lovecraft, so I’m’a gonna go nuts now” that most Lovecraftian movies tend to get wrong. Due out July 24.

The Spanish-made, English-language, relatively low-budget movie “Dagon,” which despite its title is actually more of a “Shadow Over Innsmouth.” Been a decade+ since I’ve seen it, but I seem to recall that it was fairly good. Also out July 24.

 Posted by at 12:32 am

Submersible Nuclear Ramjet art: launch

 aircraft, art, awesomeness, Crazy, history, Hmm..., new products, nukes, projects, rockets, ships, US Bomber Projects  6 Responses »
May 032018
 

Artwork was created for USBP 21 by Rob Parthoens depicting the Convair Submersible Nuclear Ramjet launching vertically from the ocean. This is approximately the craziest design for a manned aircraft I’ve seen from the post-war period.

Be sure to check out US Bomber Projects issue 21 to read more about this design.

 

 Posted by at 2:16 am

Submersible Nuclear Ramjet art: Downtown Moscow

 aircraft, art, history, Hmm..., new products, nukes, projects, rockets, weapons  15 Responses »
Apr 292018
 

Artwork was created for USBP 21 by Rob Parthoens depicting the Convair Submersible Nuclear Ramjet paying a visit to 1970’s-era Moscow. If you think that this looks like Project Pluto, you’re not far off; this was also a Mach 4, treetop-level nuclear ramjet powered bomber. But there were a few minor differences. Notice that little bump above the nose? That’s the cockpit, a necessary addition because this design was manned. It was also designed to operate as a submarine, cruising the oceans of the world faster than 100 knots before launching upwards and taking flight. Because the 1950’s were rather more optimistic when it came to technological advancement.

Be sure to check out US Bomber Projects issue 21 to read more about this design.

 Posted by at 8:18 pm

APR Patreon April 2018 rewards issued

 aircraft, drawings, history, Nuclear Pulse Propulsion, nukes, Patreon, projects, rockets, spacecraft, weapons  1 Response »
Apr 292018
 

Rewards have been issued to APR Patreon patrons for April, 2018. This month, the “Diagram” is a Sikorsky lithograph of a Heavy Lift Helicopter concept. The Documents include a US Army catalog of airborne weaponry; a paper describing possible additional missions for the Saturn launch vehicles, and BOAC brochure extolling the virtues of the Comet 4 jetliner. The CAD diagram is of the British Interplanetary Society’s “Deadalus” starship design.

 

If you are interested in helping to preserve (and get copies of) this sort of thing, consider signing up for the APR Patreon.

 

patreon-200

 Posted by at 3:06 pm

US Bomber Projects #21 and Spacecraft Projects #05

 aircraft, history, new products, nukes, projects, rockets, spacecraft, US Bomber Projects, US Spacecraft Projects, weapons  9 Responses »
Apr 262018
 

US Bomber Projects #21 and Spacecraft Projects #05 are now available.

US Bomber Projects #21

Cover art was provided by Rob Parthoens, www.baroba.be

US Bomber Projects #21 is now available (see HERE for the entire series). Issue #21 includes:

  • Convair Submersible Nuclear Ramjet: a Mach 4 manned nuclear powered flying submarine
  • Bell MX-776: an early post-war pilotless airplane
  • Convair Manned Flyback Atlas: an unconventional recoverable ICBM
  • DTNSRDC PAR-WIG Strategic Deterrent: a low-flying aircraft packing 4 Trident ballistic missiles
  • Boeing Model 464-197: a supersonic B-52
  • Martin Model 151-K: a pre-war twin-engined medium bomber
  • Boeing Cruise Ballistic Missile: an entire aircraft packed into a silo, carrying an ICBM
  • MC-747 Air Mobile System: a 1973 concept for carrying up to seven ICBMs in a modified cargo jet

 

 

USBP #21 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4.25:

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US Spacecraft Projects #5

US Spacecraft Projects #05 is now available (see HERE for the entire series). Issue #05 includes:

  • Project HORIZON Lunar Lander: a late 1950’s US Army concept for a manned Lunar lander
  • Lockheed-Martin Mars Ascent/Descent Vehicle: A very recent concept for a future manned Mars vehicle
  • JPL Interstellar Precursor: a 970’s design for a space probe to interstellar space
  • Lockheed Modular Rotating Space Station: a truly gigantic design circa 1970
  • Lockheed Payload Carrier: an early 1960’s spaceplane for space station logistics
  • Martin-Marietta Winged NIMF: a nuclear powered “hopper”
  • Lockheed CL-414: a capsule for Man in Space Soonest
  • NASA HAVOC: High Altitude Venus Operational Concept, a 2015 project for manned exploration of the atmosphere of Venus

USSP #05 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $5.25:

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The previous releases of US Aerospace Projects:

US VTOL Projects #2

  • SOS Interceptor: A US Navy Mach 3 aircraft with jettisonable wings
  • Lockheed GL-224-3: A small battlefield surveillance and ground attack plane
  • Phalanx Dragon MP-18: An unconventional small civilian transport
  • Lockheed L-161-1: An early concept for a variable geometry roadable helicopter
  • GE Supersonic V/STOL: A supersonic strike fighter with flip-out lift fans
  • Convair ANP-VTOL: A nuclear-powered ground-effect craft of the Navy of unusual configuration
  • Piasecki 16H-3: A compound helicopter for high speed passenger transport
  • Boeing Vertol Model 147: A tilt-wing close support fire support design for the US Army

USVP #2 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4.25:

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US Research & Recon Projects #2

  • Lockheed A-1: The first true design leading to the SR-71
  • Bell MX-2147 Model 105: The high altitude “X-16”
  • Boeing/CRC/AMROC X-34 Reference Configuration: A reusable launcher test vehicle
  • Martin Model 159: A scout/observation float plane
  • NASA-Langley Low-Boom Demonstrator: a recent design to demonstrate quiet SST tech
  • McDonnell-Douglas DC-9 Super 80 Propfan Configuration 1: A fuel efficient transport demo
  • Convair “HAZEL” MC-10: An inflatable Mach 3 plane for the Navy
  • Republic Manned Hypersonic Reconnaissance Vehicle: an early scramjet concept

 

USRP #2 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4.25:

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 Posted by at 11:18 pm

Pop goes the Sarmat

 awesomeness, nukes, rockets, russian empire, weapons, youtube  4 Responses »
Mar 302018
 

Tell me this ain’t impressive lookin’:

This is a test of the launch system of the Russian RS-28 Sarmat superheavy ICBM, capable of hurling 10 heavy MIRVs or 15 standard ones or up to 24 light warheads. Keep in ind that the American Minuteman III ICBM carries a grand total of *one* warhead. It’s likely a fractional orbital system, meaning that it could actually put its warheads into low orbit, where they’d rather suddenly drop from the sky as required. Additionally, it could launch over the *south* pole, bypassing whatever remains of the North American early warning system.

Note the tuna-can-shaped little booster used to shove the ICBM up out of the silo before main engine ignition.

 Posted by at 2:51 am

Nukes for NASA

 news, nukes, science, spacecraft  6 Responses »
Mar 232018
 

After a criminal lapse in judgement allowed the US RTG manufacture capability to decline, it seems NASA is finally getting back to the stage where they can proposed future space probes with that very basic, reliable and *good* power source:

NASA to Allow Nuclear Power Systems for Next Discovery Mission

Even so, the projections are for a production of only 1.5 kilograms of PU-238 per year by 2022. Even though this is  a great improvement, production of three and a third pounds of this strategically vital material per year seems pretty anemic to me. A better world would see NASA doing its job of exploration and science by launching a few *dozen* long range probes every year.

 Posted by at 10:24 pm
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