Bricktop,

For complexity, I don't think I have seen anything to top a Line-o-type type setting machine. The first job I can remember my father having was as a Line-o-type operator. It was truly a marvel to watch. Dad told me that Merganthaeler (not sure about the spelling) was totally nuts by the time he perfected it.

I think I saw one of these in action when I was a kid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linotype_machine

Maybe a school tour. I remember, how could people build something so complex, (probably not those exact words at the time).

well my favorite machine from the movies has to be

The orgasmatron from barbarella

The most beautiful aircraft ever:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-104_Starfighter

That's my second favorite. Here's my favorite.

The T38/F-5

The T38 were also well represented at the show. The Canadian Air force also has an air exhibition team that made two or three appearances here. I think they were T38s, but I am sure some of our friends to the north will know for sure. when the Canadian Snowbirds first flew into Ft Lauderdale they decided to take off and land in a pack of about a dozen or so planes as a group. The air traffic control tower personnel were not pleased with this. The following year(s) they parked at Fort Lauderdale Executive airport instead. I have many great memories of the ground related things that go on behind the scenes at the shows.

Oh man, I always wanted to fly on Concorde. I could just never justify the $10,000+ price tag.

I know they don't fly them commercially anymore, but are any flying at all these days?

I don't think any are flying now, unless anyone knows otherwise??????????

They retired the fleet after the last ceremonial flights to air/space museums in various locations (I think the Smithsonian got one). I doubt anyone now alive will see its like.

I was very fortunate in that my wife arranged a Concorde trip for my 50th birthday. Took off from London Gatwick and landed in Paris. The flight took us over the Bay of Biscay where it reached the Mach 2 speed. There was a large LCD screen which displayed the Mach number for all passengers to view. TBH I don't remember too much of the flight other than drinking the fizz and the triangular sandwiches.

I really don't know what the cost was (wife paid) but this was a fairly regular charter flight that Air France put on. I am sure that BA did the same for maybe several (low to middle hundreds) of Pounds. I appreciate that you would have needed to get to to London first, but there were a lot of non British passengers aboard.

Sorry but you have missed the boat .....er flight!

I would not have considered this plane as beautiful. In the first few years of the Ft. Laud. air shows there were two of these planes that were in privet hands. the wing protectors were kept on the forward edge of the wings whenever they were parked. I was told that they still hold some very low altitude air speed records as well as some very high altitude records. I don't remember if the high altitude record was hight or speed though. That was ten years ago, and the records may have changed since then. My best memory of the general appearance of the plane was that it had the biggest engine stuffed into the smallest plane that it could fit into. ALL business. A plane that looked like it was built with a mission. And that mission was SPEED.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Johnson

Need I say More?

"Re: What are your favorite machines of the world?"

How come all you guys choose killing machines?

I find myself fascinated by mechanical excellence, weather it is the giants of the marine propulsion industry, or the complex workings of an automatic transmission. I just like mechanical things.

i can put up a Nissan skyline GTR but can also be a killing machine.

Thank you for a very informative link. I now know how much Kelly Johnson contributed to the success of Lockheed.

yes Holland had them before the F16

with the be-head wings a turn circle of about 3kilometers?

a rocket with wings.

Dam beautiful airplane:

Considering the subject of beautiful flying machines, I would have to agree that the Spitfire would be my NO. 1

No 2 = Concorde

No 3 = P54 Mustang

Ummmmm

P-51 Mustang??????????

.......No I prefer the later version!

(thanks for correcting me).

That would be the P 51D, with the bubble canopy

and the P 51A razorback:

Yes, the P51D for Definately!

Or the the P 51B, the first with the Merlin engine:

Does not tick my box.......looks a bit like the Hurricane which was functional, but not pretty.

No problem. I just happen to be on my third cuppa coffee so I'm awake for once.

For a plane that I looked great, one of my favorites was the Corsair.

How about the Beech Staggerwing:

had never considered bi-planes as pretty, but this is getting there.

I don't know that I have ever seen a Beech Staggerwing. Unlike the Bit-- Staggering. That I have seen too often.

I have seen some Bi planes that were performers at the air shows here. I am not a real "plane" person, I still have to get the book out to tell the difference between a 747 and a Chinook.

Try to get a ride in a Chinook sometime. I promise you will never have that problem again.

Way back when hurricane Andrew visited So. Fla, the US Customs was operating out of Homestead general aviation airport. (not homestead AFB) When that airport was turned upside down , Fort Lauderdale Int airport sent an airport fire truck down there to provide protection while cleanup of the airport took place. I was scheduled to go from Ft. Laud. to Homestead G.A.,for some repairs on the truck, by the customs Blackhawk (they used Ft.Laud Int.till Homestead G.A.was operational). At the last min. I was bumped by a supervisor. I wound up taking a 2 hr ride there and back, instead.

Bummer, but that brings back some memories. When I got out of the Army in late '70's, I spent 3 months mooching off my parents in Homestead before I had to go back to my pre-military job in Virginia. Most of those 3 months were spent at Homestead G.A acquiring my private pilot's license. I was also a member of the Homestead AFB aero club which saved me a ton on rental and training fees.

Fortunately, my parents moved back north a few years before Andrew. I still miss those days though. I have been back and things were never the same after Andrew.

Inside the one hanger were huddled many small planes. The most notable of these was a wonderfully restored Ford Tri-motor. I only went there after about 2 weeks. When I was there the hanger had been ripped from it's foundations and pealed back. The planes in that hanger were piled into about half the space. The Ford was still upside down, and the rare skin on was ripped to shreds. As of about 5 years later, the owner was still trying to determine if it was practical to restore it.

The Corsair F-4U was one badass looking airplane

So was the Lockheed Vega...

...and the Boeing Stearman...

I got a chance to fly a Stearman back in the 80's a few times, (with the owner). He was more than happy to let me take it up as long as I payed for the gas, and it used a lot of gas! I can't imagine what it would cost to fill it up today.

I hated landing it, being a tail dragger, on a grass field. A few times it was a real good thing I had the owner with me!

This might be almost as much fun...

A 1937 Delahaye 135 M Roadster.

LOL, I'd love to take credit for being good, but, nay, I must be honest. I just looked at the photo's name. I didn't have a clue.

Does kinda look like a Staggerwing of the road though. Same years, I guess the styling of the era.

Veeeery nice!

here a more defensive weaponry the dutch Goalkeeper

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goalkeeper_CIWS

Yah Epke,

I can get behind a weapon like that. I definately wouldn't want to be in front of it.

It's interesting that the same gun used on the Warthog for offense can work on a ship for defense. I guess there's just nothing like a lead (or tungsten) shower to cool things off.

I recall some of my Nam era buddies telling me that more than one of our planes was brought down by the VC standing in a line and fireing their machine guns into the flight path.

The Hog's cannon is 30mm and fires a depleted uranium slug. The dang things probably weigh about 10-12 pounds apiece (I handled one once) and go out at 65-70 rounds per second.

Thus, the moniker "tank buster".

PS - it took years for the NVA/VC to teach their troops to lead helicopters and planes when they shot at them. Once they figured it out they got quit good at it and eventually taught them the weak points on various aircraft.

Check out this bad boy:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalanx_(weapon)

See the vid:

http://www.videotiger.com/vids/amazingmilitarydefensiveweapon.wmv

Yes but the goalkeeper is somewhat better longer range and can track more targets but it is more expensive. those are the most expensive zippo lighters on ships

Yes - below is a pic of the GAU-8...the drum in the rear is the magazine!

Yes , i do not want a gun just a goalkeeper on my roof

I hope they never shot that thing if they do it would go straight to mach one on those tiny wheels

And to think they wanted to decommission the warthog a few times. it is a but-ugly plane but good for what is was designed for.

those anyone know if this weapon was ever used against ships? the newer stealth ships would probably don't stand a chance but the 2^nd world war battle ship had tremendous amount of armour, maybe through the deck armour?

"...straight to mach one on those tiny wheels..."

That's a maintenance cart - they're typically safed and all ammo removed prior to putting the gun on the cart. Although I was nearby once when a hang-fire round discharged in the maintenance shop while the gun was on a cart. Put an aluminum practice round through a steel door frame, concrete block wall, and maintenance chief's desk (he was out of the office)!

Guess that could be described as 'friendly fire'.

Any history of friendly fire?