6 ms·

The Germans were really keen on aerodynamics for surface vehicles in the 30s; trains too! Here's some video footage of the Schienenzeppelin (propeller-driven di

by cstross 12y ago

The Germans were really keen on aerodynamics for surface vehicles in the 30s; trains too! Here's some video footage of the Schienenzeppelin (propeller-driven diesel train) during it's preliminary 1930 test runs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-ID_ktSoLY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-ID_ktSoLY (Part two of the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY7PIIV0nIs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY7PIIV0nIs ) It later set a 143mph land speed record for a petrol-powered train, although it didn't exactly catch on (in no small part due to safety concerns concerning the passenger-mincer at the back). More here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schienenzeppelin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schienenzeppelin

cc439 12y ago
They really advanced the automotive arts in that era. Here's another great example, the Mercedes T80: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_T80 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_T80 It was designed and built in 1939 to achieve 750km/h and very likely would have if it the war hadn't interrupted its development. It had rudimentary traction control and wings that generated downforce using the ground effect! That 750km/h design target wasn't surpassed by a wheel driven vehicle until 2001!
- jacquesm 12y ago
  I love this thread. Did you notice that it has spoked wheels?
- wojt_eu 12y ago
  Batmobile?
gwern 12y ago
> The Germans were really keen on aerodynamics for surface vehicles in the 30s For good reason; _Wages of Destruction_ covers repeatedly how concerned the German government and corporations were about how much fuel Germany needed to import, which made the country more vulnerable and exacerbated their parlous foreign-exchange/currency situation. They went to the brink repeatedly and naturally, cutting down on petroleum consumption would have been very helpful.
- ArkyBeagle 12y ago
  "The Prize" makes this point as well. Throw in that the Japanese were cut off from American-produced oil in reaction to the Rape of Nanking. I can't recall the source, but there are those who posit that the international spot markets mean war never need be fought over oil supply again.
jacquesm 12y ago
That's a really amazing find, incredible how it looks right next to the other trains of its time.
bch 12y ago
That is excellent. I feel like there must have been a tremendous amount of interest in air, considering air cooled VW/Porsche and BMW boxer engines at that time, and indeed through the 1990 (and beyond).

by cstross 12y ago

cc439 12y ago

They really advanced the automotive arts in that era. Here's another great example, the Mercedes T80: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_T80 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_T80 It was designed and built in 1939 to achieve 750km/h and very likely would have if it the war hadn't interrupted its development. It had rudimentary traction control and wings that generated downforce using the ground effect! That 750km/h design target wasn't surpassed by a wheel driven vehicle until 2001!

jacquesm 12y ago
I love this thread. Did you notice that it has spoked wheels?
wojt_eu 12y ago
Batmobile?

gwern 12y ago

> The Germans were really keen on aerodynamics for surface vehicles in the 30s For good reason; _Wages of Destruction_ covers repeatedly how concerned the German government and corporations were about how much fuel Germany needed to import, which made the country more vulnerable and exacerbated their parlous foreign-exchange/currency situation. They went to the brink repeatedly and naturally, cutting down on petroleum consumption would have been very helpful.

ArkyBeagle 12y ago
"The Prize" makes this point as well. Throw in that the Japanese were cut off from American-produced oil in reaction to the Rape of Nanking. I can't recall the source, but there are those who posit that the international spot markets mean war never need be fought over oil supply again.

jacquesm 12y ago

That's a really amazing find, incredible how it looks right next to the other trains of its time.

bch 12y ago

That is excellent. I feel like there must have been a tremendous amount of interest in air, considering air cooled VW/Porsche and BMW boxer engines at that time, and indeed through the 1990 (and beyond).