Daily archives: September 16, 2003


Fireball

As I look into the early history of jet powered flight, I’m finding some interesting creations. Right now I’m bidding on EBay for a model of a Ryan XFR-1 ‘Fireball’, which was a dual powered plane- prop at the front, jet at the back- commissioned by the US Navy.

More info, and other dual power US planes- Convair XP-81, Grumman XTB3F-1 “Guardian”, Curtiss XF-15 C-1.

This page has a comprehensive list of jets designed and built during the war.


It's rude to point

Team Spinneyhead knows one of the people who turned up last week to flash mob and point lasers at David Blaine (who isn’t the Messiah, he’s just a very stupid man). A difference between American and English culture is shown in Blaine’s reaction-

Laser pens have been shone at him – which reportedly caused concern because he thought they may have been from rifle sights.

And some of the distractions have been even more inventive.