Motor Vehicles
The Aerowagon
The Wikipedia page.The Aerowagon or Aeromotowagon (Russian: Аэроваго́н, аэродрези́на, romanized: aerovagon, aerodrezyna) was an experimental high-speed railcar fitted with an aircraft engine and propeller traction invented by Valerian Abakovsky, a Soviet engineer from Latvia. It produced speeds of up to 140 kilometres per hour (87 miles per hour).[1] The Aerowagon was originally intended for the express transportation of important documents, and to carry Soviet officials on government business.[2]
Good article and more pics here.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Jun 28, 2023 -
Comments (2)
Category: Death, Inventions, Motor Vehicles, 1910s, Russia
Motor Mouse and Autocat
The Spanish dubbing in the second clip only adds to the mystique.More info here.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jan 29, 2023 -
Comments (2)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Motor Vehicles, Cartoons, 1970s
The Orukter Amphibolos
We've seen many amphibious vehicles at WU, but mostly from the 20th century. Here's one of the earliest, from 1804.Wikipedia page of the inventor, Oliver Evans.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Nov 04, 2022 -
Comments (1)
Category: Inventions, Motor Vehicles, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, Nineteenth Century
GI Joe Trouble Shooter
The video is a hoot, what with a deranged bird and the famous "Kung Fu Grip." But I am also intrigued by the descriptions of the control panel buttons. Did the set come with labels so you could change the button names? I suspect not. So..."Washington" is a given. Stay in touch with HQ. "Code X7" is suitably mysterious. But "Jungle" and "Arctic" are ultra-generic, whereas "Burma" and "Tibet" are ultra-specific. Why those two countries anyhow? Commie (Cobra) hotspots?A page devoted to the toy.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Sep 24, 2022 -
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Category: Animals, Military, Motor Vehicles, Toys, 1970s
Unlikely Reasons for Murder No. 7
Full article here.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Feb 06, 2022 -
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Category: Death, Food, Motor Vehicles, Twenty-first Century
Fish-Operated Vehicle
Scientists at Israel's Ben-Gurion University of the Negev trained goldfish to drive a "fish-operated vehicle" or FOV. Details from scmp.com:So how long before your Uber driver is a fish?
More info: "From fish out of water to new insights on navigation mechanisms in animals"
Posted By: Alex - Thu Jan 13, 2022 -
Comments (3)
Category: Motor Vehicles, Experiments, Fish
Unique Bus of the Future
Lots of swimming pool sloshing when you hit a speedbump.Source.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Dec 13, 2021 -
Comments (4)
Category: Excess, Overkill, Hyperbole and Too Much Is Not Enough, Motor Vehicles, 1930s
Two Milk Trucks
Posted By: Paul - Wed Sep 15, 2021 -
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Category: Motor Vehicles, Advertising, Twentieth Century
Follies of the Madmen #514
A face to inspire confidence?The source.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Aug 30, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Business, Advertising, Intelligence, Motor Vehicles, 1900s
Square-Wheeled Tank
In 1957, Albert Sfredda secured a patent (No. 2,786,540) for a square-wheeled tank. He explained:
Sfredda was correct that square wheels would provide better traction on rough terrain than circular wheels would. The video below explains why. But the problem, of course, was that his tank would have difficulty moving on a regular, flat road.
Along similar lines, Macalester College has had a square-wheeled bicycle on permanent display since 1997. More info: macalester.edu
image source: StanWagon.com
Posted By: Alex - Wed Jul 21, 2021 -
Comments (2)
Category: Motor Vehicles, War, Weapons, Patents, 1950s
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |