Following on my Earth-shattering report on the availability of a PDF version of 1960’s space science book Thrust Into Space, I can now report that you can download a PDF version of a childrens book based on David Bowie’s 1960’s gloomsong “Space Oddity.” The art? Really good (a very definite early-60’s vibe to it). The story? Well… just like damn near every song about spacetravel that has ever become even vaguely popular… it’s depressing.
Perfect for the kiddies!
One of the more influential books on spaceflight engineering was Maxwell Hunter’s “Thrust Into Space.” It’s one of those rare volumes that not only explains the physics and requirements well with appropriate math, it does so in a readable way. Sadly, it was only released in a few editions back in the late 60’s, and can be damned difficult to find, and expensive (there’s been one on ebay for several years now with a buy-it-now price of $350).
I’ve often thought that “Thrust” would be a good book to re-release. Since it’s a copyrighted work, I’ve not made the effort, but I always wished that someone would. Well… turns out that in 2009, someone did. And made it available for free as a PDF. Huh.
After spending yet more time going through my files arranging things in preparation for maybe doing the Shuttle Wind Tunnel Models collection, I find I have north of 500 reports, at nearly 8 gig. Of those, about 250 reports/2.8 gig are of pre-Shuttle program manned lifting entry vehicles and lifting bodies… NASA reports on Dyna Soar, HL-10, M2, X-24, etc. What I’m now contemplating is breaking it up further… a “X-24A Wind Tunnel Models” book,” an “M2F1/F2/F3 Wind Tunnel Models” book, etc. and work up to various aspect of the Shuttle program. By breaking it up, the books become individually more affordable. A dozen books of 30 pages might be better than one book of 360 pages, especially if someone only wants the info on the unbuilt logistics spacecraft concepts.
The books themselves would be largely restricted to the relevant graphics… photos of the models (which in some cases were the actual vehicles), diagrams, cross-sections, that sort of thing. The books would be for people who want to model the designs or render them or… whatever. But the actual *data* simply would not pack into affordable books. So I’m thinking of having a CD-ROM or DVD supplement with all the reports that go with a particular book, available separately.
In any event, these would be fairly low priority publications. Comments welcome.
I have a big fat pile of early Space Shuttle wind tunnel test reports, and it’s occurred to me that they could serve as the basis of an attractive book (or couple of books). I have put together a small, short, hastily-assembled prototype/mockup, downloadable below in PDF form, to give a rough idea of what I mean. Would something like this be of interest to y’all? It would be interesting not only from a historical standpoint, but also or model makers.
If interested, let me know… if I get enough “yes, I’d buy if the price wasn’t insane” comments, then I will go ahead. It’ll be something of a back-burner project, unless the response is overwhelming.
shuttle wind tunnel models proto.pdf
NOTE: the PDF was saved with maximum compression to save filesize, and the illustration s received minimal massaging to improve image quality. This is simply a test to gauge potential customer interest.
I’m in serious need of jacking up business around here. Basically, this would seem to mean that I need to get the word out, especially regarding Aerospace Projects Review and the Aircraft & Spacecraft Drawings & Documents. I’ve done some magazine advertising in the past (most notably Fine Scale Modeler) with limited success. I need a return of print ads, or website ads, or something. Posts I’ve made on fora and newsgroups seem to have been of almost zero value, and nowadays seem to come with a “you’re a spammer” backlash.
I am open to practical suggestions, advice or flat-out help in this matter. Magazines, websites, relevant newsletters (I write the “APR Corner” bit for the Houston AIAA “Horizons” newsletter, for instance), what-the-hell-ever. Getting product reviews would be good, I think… but where/how? I know APR is a niche market… but come on, there have to be more than a few dozen people interested in this stuff on the entire freakin’ planet.
The actual “Archangels” are done. However, there were a few more drawings…
Twenty-fourth in the series of reconstructed drawings from Paul Suhler’s book “From RAINBOW to GUSTO.” This is the Lockheed D-33 design as drawn in mid 1966. This particular drawing has a Source Grade of four:
“RAINBOW to GUSTO” is available from Amazon:
To download the high-rez version of the D-33 drawing, simply click THIS LINK. You will be prompted for a username and a password. For the D-33 drawing, use these:
Username: the FIRST word in the body of the text on page 243
Password: the LAST word in the body of the text on page 243
(Remember: Case Sensitive!)
ALSO NOTE: if all you get is a “red X,” that means the image is too large for your browser to display (I’ve not had a problem with Firefox, but have had with IE). In that event, simply hit the Back button to this page, and right click on the link above and save the image directly to your computer and view from there.
Up next: Arrow configuration
At the end of the 1950’s, the future of aviation was to be the supersonic transport. In order to get there, Convair suggested that their Mach 2 B-58 “Hustler” bomber be converted into testbeds for SST technologies and operations. Several aircraft were designed, from pure test aircraft to planes designed for combined passenger transport and recon… all the way to a Mach 3 transport capable of carrying 135 passengers 4000 miles.
This book describes these designs, and is richly illustrated with contemporary and modern diagrams and full-color photos and artwork.
Article 35, “B-58 Derived SSTs,” is available in three forms. It is available in printed through Magcloud ($13.00 plus shipping):
http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/227294
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It is also available for purchase directly from me as a downloadable PDF ($4.00):
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And now for the first time, it is available in both printed and digital form through MagCloud ($15.00 plus shipping):
http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/258319
I’ve never done this last option before, so… let me know how it goes!
Twenty-third in the series of reconstructed drawings from Paul Suhler’s book “From RAINBOW to GUSTO.” This is the Lockheed A-11 design as drawn by Ed Baldwin in March 1959. This particular drawing has a Source Grade of four:
“RAINBOW to GUSTO” is available from Amazon:
To download the high-rez version of the A-11 drawing, simply click THIS LINK. You will be prompted for a username and a password. For the A-11 drawing, use these:
Username: the FIRST word in the body of the text on page 157
Password: the LAST word in the body of the text on page 157
(Remember: Case Sensitive!)
ALSO NOTE: if all you get is a “red X,” that means the image is too large for your browser to display (I’ve not had a problem with Firefox, but have had with IE). In that event, simply hit the Back button to this page, and right click on the link above and save the image directly to your computer and view from there.
Up next: D-33 configuration
NOTE: Slightly out of sequence.
Twenty-second in the series of reconstructed drawings from Paul Suhler’s book “From RAINBOW to GUSTO.” This is the Lockheed A-12 design as drawn by Dick Fuller in mid 1959. This particular drawing has a Source Grade of four:
“RAINBOW to GUSTO” is available from Amazon:
To download the high-rez version of the A-12 drawing, simply click THIS LINK. You will be prompted for a username and a password. For the A-12 drawing, use these:
Username: the FIRST word in the body of the text on page 173
Password: the LAST word in the body of the text on page 173
(Remember: Case Sensitive!)
ALSO NOTE: if all you get is a “red X,” that means the image is too large for your browser to display (I’ve not had a problem with Firefox, but have had with IE). In that event, simply hit the Back button to this page, and right click on the link above and save the image directly to your computer and view from there.
Up next: A-11 configuration
As mentioned previously, I’m still plugging away on my Nuclear Pulse Propulsion book I’ve got the Daedalus diagrams mostly done… most of the actual drafting is probably done, but there’s some line formatting and layering to work on yet. Shown below is the full British Interplanetary Society Daedalus starship design in all its two-stages of glory on the left, with the stages separate on the right, the vehicle as a unit. Wedged in between ’em are the Saturn V and the Space Shuttle, looking small and inoffensive.
The Daedalus is at a scale where the Shuttle is just not doing the job as a scale reference. Does anyone know where I could get an *accurate* side view (either a CAD drawing or a detailed GIF/JPG) of the Empire State Building?
