McDonnell XF-85 Goblin
The remarkable looking McDonnell XF-85 Goblin was developed as a “Parasite-Fighter” and was designed to be carried and deployed from the bomb-bay of USAF heavy bombers to do battle with intercepting fighter jets.
Military
Railway Penny-farthing
This exceedingly old photograph shows a group of Russian Gendarmes in Moscow around 1890, the chap in the middle of the frame is sitting atop what is quite clearly a Penny-farthing designed for use on the railway lines.
.50 Caliber Bottle Opener by Bullets2Bandages
This rather handsome .50 caliber cartridge has been carefully converted into a bottle opener, the powder and primer have been removed but (thankfully) but the full metal jacket bullet and brass casing remain unmodified.
Monowheel Tank
Okay so in the grand scheme of things this invention seems a little mad. It’s also incredibly cool and if it actually worked it’d be revolutionary, but the inventor’s claim that he hit 100mph and managed 280 miles per gallon in his test monowheel does seem a little far fetched. As does his claim that…
Steve McQueen On Set
This great shot of Steve McQueen on the British set of 1962′s The War Lover, it’s the story of a daring WWII bomber pilot with a death wish.
Hawker Hurricane IIA Fighter Plane
The Hawker Hurricane never quite achieved the notoriety of the Spitfire, this may be a bit of an historical oversight though when you look back at the actual statistics of the Second World War.
Reliant Rugged Robin
Meet the Reliant Rugged Robin, it’s an original Robin that’s been pulled to bits and rebuilt A-Team style. The matte green little beast has tank tracks fitted at the rear as well as a Browning .50 cal machine gun…
Whistle Creek Survival Kit in a Sardine Can
The Whistle Creek Survival Kit in a Sardine Can is one of those clever little items that we should probably all take with us when we venture off the beaten trail, it contains…
Amy Johnson
In some respects, Amy Johnson was the British version of Amelia Earhart. Although she never achieved the same fame both of the women were pioneers in flight, both set multiple world records and both died young in tragic, water related accidents.
M-41 Walker Bulldog Tank
The M-41 Walker Bulldog Tank was put into production in 1950 and first saw action in Korea in 1953, the tank was designed to be light enough for air transport and was used mostly for scouting missions.
Enamel Mug
The humble enamel mug might be an odd thing to love but the little tin cups hold enormous personal significance for me, they remind me of my Grandfather and of camping trips with my Dad when I was still wearing short trousers.
Bomber Boys
WWII documentaries always fascinate me, this film by Ewan MacGregor is a brilliant insight into lives of the Lancaster crews of the war. There is some special significance here for me because my Great Uncle Alf was a bombardier or bomb aimer on the Lancaster during the war, he was one of the lucky ones who survived.