A trio of Model 473 jetliner concepts from 1949-1950, from ebay. Note that the one at bottom is a double-decker configuration.
Boeing press release (well, part of it, anyway):
Aug 142013
Aug 122013
A mid/late 1960’s Lockheed concept for a heavy lift “flying crane” cargo helicopter. It could carry 150 passengers, or 10 tons of cargo 1000 miles; length given as 104 feet.
Aug 102013
One of the original selling points of the Space Station was that it would be useful as an assembly station and launch point for manned missions to the Moon and Mars. One such concept was the one illustrated below, a “dual keel” station concept from 1989 with a partially enclosed “hangar” below and an aeroshell-equipped Mars vehicle above.
This space station design features a wealth of electrical power, both from rectangular photovoltaic arrays and segmented-mirror solar dynamic generators.
Aug 082013
Boeing artwork (from ebay) depicting the Model 367 (probably -65) turboprop airliner. Derived from the C-97, this was a step on the road to the 707. Dates from 1950.
Boeing press release:
Aug 062013
US Bomber Projects issue #5 or #6 will probably include this… a concept for a hovercraft packing an MX missile. Stay tuned!
Make sure to check out USBP #01 and USBP #02 . USBP #03 and #04 are scheduled for September.
Aug 042013
An illustration (found on ebay) from 1949 depicting the Model 473 (-31, or possibly -51), a four-engine jetliner derived from the B-47.
The Boeing press release:
Aug 032013
A 1967 North American concept for a hypersonic (Mach 6) passenger transport. Sadly, no further data. If anyone has more – such as a diagram – I’d love to see it.
Aug 022013
If this reminds you of “1984,” it’s only because you’re paranoid.
Your TV might be watching you
The flaws in Samsung Smart TVs, which have now been patched, enabled hackers to remotely turn on the TVs’ built-in cameras without leaving any trace of it on the screen. While you’re watching TV, a hacker anywhere around the world could have been watching you.
Awesome.
Jul 292013
A NASA painting of a 1969-vintage Space Shuttle concept. This was known as the “DC-3” configuration, and was designed – or at least heavily pushed – by Maxime Faget, and was adopted by several McDonnell-Douglas designs. It featured two manned and reusable rocket powered stages, both burning hydrogen & oxygen, both with straight wings. The smaller orbiter would basically “belly flop” into the atmosphere when re-entering. The straight wings would not provide a whole lot of lift, but they would also not be very massive. Thus the vehicles were relatively lightweight, but with restricted crossrange. Both stages also had turbofan engines mounted in the nose for cruise and landing assist.
Jul 282013
The project to draft up all the US nuclear weapons, with a secondary emphasis on delivery systems, continues at a low level. Some of these will pop up in future US Bomber Projects issues, but the purpose of the project as a whole… dunno. A “Know Your Nukes” guidebook seems like a good idea to me but… dunno.
