Si vis pacem parabellum If I agreed with you, we would both be wrong We can thank public education for American gullibility... When did individualism and self reliance come to depend on the government? "A Liberal is a person who will give away everything he doesn't own." Capital punishment means never having to say, "You again?" Liberals Use Guilt As Moral Weapon Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Obama: I'll Determine How Much of Your Paycheck 'You Need' - Warren Buffett - Fox Nation
Obama: I'll Determine How Much of Your Paycheck 'You Need' - Warren Buffett - Fox Nation
Obama: I'll Determine How Much of Your Paycheck 'You Need'
Starts at 1:29
"But in return, we need to change our tax code so that people like me, and an awful lot of Members of Congress, pay our fair share of taxes. Tax reform should follow the Buffett rule: If you make more than $1 million a year, you should not pay less than 30 percent in taxes. And my Republican friend Tom Coburn is right: Washington should stop subsidizing millionaires. In fact, if you're earning a million dollars a year, you shouldn't get special tax subsidies or deductions. On the other hand, if you make under $250,000 a year, like 98 percent of American families, your taxes shouldn't go up. You're the ones struggling with rising costs and stagnant wages. You're the ones who need relief."
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Moonbattery » Unions or Employment?
Moonbattery » Unions or Employment?
Unions or Employment?
Paul Munsch, owner of St. Louis Paving, explains what it’s like to try to run a business in a country run by union thugs and politicians beholden to them:
Obviously businesses that haven’t had their kneecaps broken by Obama’s union cronies are in a better position to provide employment.
On a tip from Hillman.
Unions or Employment?
Paul Munsch, owner of St. Louis Paving, explains what it’s like to try to run a business in a country run by union thugs and politicians beholden to them:
Obviously businesses that haven’t had their kneecaps broken by Obama’s union cronies are in a better position to provide employment.
On a tip from Hillman.
Moonbattery » Greenies Trash Park on Earth Day
Moonbattery » Greenies Trash Park on Earth Day
Greenies Trash Park on Earth Day
Nothing could be more emblematic of the irresponsibility, self-indulgent slovenliness, and hypocrisy of moonbats than the aftermath of their sanctimonious Earth Day festivities. Here’s what San Francisco’s Fort Mason park looked like when they were done praising Gaia in honor of Vladimir Lenin’s birthday:
Via SFist, on tips from Bob Roberts and Whotothewhat. Hat tip: Fox Nation.
UPDATE:
SFist posted an update denying that the San Fransickos responsible for the mess were green activists.
Greenies Trash Park on Earth Day
Nothing could be more emblematic of the irresponsibility, self-indulgent slovenliness, and hypocrisy of moonbats than the aftermath of their sanctimonious Earth Day festivities. Here’s what San Francisco’s Fort Mason park looked like when they were done praising Gaia in honor of Vladimir Lenin’s birthday:
Via SFist, on tips from Bob Roberts and Whotothewhat. Hat tip: Fox Nation.
UPDATE:
SFist posted an update denying that the San Fransickos responsible for the mess were green activists.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
~Marcus Tullius Cicero~
"A nation can survive its fools and even the ambitious.
But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less
formidable, for he is known and he carries his banners openly against the city.
But the traitor moves among those within the gates freely, his sly whispers
rustling through all alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For
the traitor appears no traitor; he speaks in the accents familiar to his
victim, and he wears their face and their garments and he appeals to the baseness
that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation; he works
secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of a city; he
infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to
be feared. The traitor is the plague."
~ Dr. Joseph M. Goebbels ~
“The lie can be maintained only for such time, as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and or, military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State, to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, The Truth Becomes The Greatest Enemy of The State.”
~ Dr. Joseph M. Goebbels ~
(Nazi Propaganda Minister & Hitler's Successor as Chancellor of Germany.)
~ Thomas Jefferson ~
“The Amount of Tyranny You WILL Have ... IS,
The Exact Amount of Tyranny, YOU Are Willing To Put-Up With.”
~ Thomas Jefferson ~
TEN PLANKS OF THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO
Could this be happening in America? If so, how?
Our "elected representatives" have passed laws implementing these anti-freedom concepts. The communists have achieved a de facto FEDERAL SOCIALIST GOVERNMENT in America.
In 1848 Karl Marx and Frederick Engels wrote a book outlining a political ideology, titled "The Communist Manifesto". Marxism's basic theme is that the proletariat (the "exploited" working class of a capitalistic society) will suffer from alienation and will rise up against the "bourgeoisie" (the middle class) and overthrow the system of "capitalism." After a brief period of rule by "the dictatorship of the proletariat" the classless society of communism would emerge. In his Manifesto Marx described the following ten steps as necessary steps to be taken to destroy a free enterprise society!! Notice how many of these conditions, foreign to the principles that America was founded upon, have now, in 1997, been realized by the concerted efforts of socialist activists? Remember, government interference in your daily life and business is intrusion and deprivation of our liberties!
First Plank: Abolition of property in land and the application of all rents of land to public purposes. (Zoning - Model ordinances proposed by Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover widely adopted. Supreme Court ruled "zoning" to be "constitutional" in 1921. Private owners of property required to get permission from government relative to the use of their property. Federally owned lands are leased for grazing, mining, timber usages, the fees being paid into the U.S. Treasury.)
Second Plank: A heavy progressive or graduated incometax. (Corporate Tax Act of 1909. The 16th Amendment, allegedly ratified in 1913. The Revenue Act of 1913, section 2, Income Tax. These laws have been purposely misapplied against American citizens to this day.)
Third Plank: Abolition of all rights of inheritance. (Partially accomplished by enactment of various state and federal "estate tax" laws taxing the "privilege" of transfering property after death and gift before death.)
Fourth Plank: CONFISCATION OF THE PROPERTY OF ALL EMIGRANTS AND REBELS. (The confiscation of property and persecution of those critical - "rebels" - of government policies and actions, frequently accomplished by prosecuting them in a courtroom drama on charges of violations of non-existing administrative or regulatory laws.)
Fifth Plank: Centralization of credit in the hands of the State, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly. (The Federal Reserve Bank, 1913- -the system of privately-owned Federal Reserve banks which maintain a monopoly on the valueless debt "money" in circulation.)
Sixth Plank: Centralization of the means of communications and transportation in the hands of the State. (Federal Radio Commission, 1927; Federal Communications Commission, 1934; Air Commerce Act of 1926; Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938; Federal Aviation Agency, 1958; becoming part of the Department of Transportation in 1966; Federal Highway Act of 1916 (federal funds made available to States for highway construction); Interstate Highway System, 1944 (funding began 1956); Interstate Commerce Commission given authority by Congress to regulate trucking and carriers on inland waterways, 1935-40; Department of Transportation, 1966.)
Seventh Plank: Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State, the bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan. (Depart-ment of Agriculture, 1862; Agriculture Adjustment Act of 1933 -- farmers will receive government aid if and only if they relinquish control of farming activities; Tennessee Valley Authority, 1933 with the Hoover Dam completed in 1936.)
Eighth Plank: Equal liability of all to labor. Establishment of industrial armies especially for agriculture. (First labor unions, known as federations, appeared in 1820. National Labor Union established 1866. American Federation of Labor established 1886. Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 placed railways under federal regulation. Department of Labor, 1913. Labor-management negotiations sanctioned under Railway Labor Act of 1926. Civil Works Administration, 1933. National Labor Relations Act of 1935, stated purpose to free inter-state commerce from disruptive strikes by eliminating the cause of the strike. Works Progress Administration 1935. Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, mandated 40-hour work week and time-and-a-half for overtime, set "minimum wage" scale. Civil Rights Act of 1964, effectively the equal liability of all to labor.)
Ninth Plank: Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries, gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country, by a more equitable distribution of population over the country. (Food processing companies, with the co-operation of the Farmers Home Administration foreclosures, are buying up farms and creating "conglomerates.")
Tenth Plank: Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children's factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production. (Gradual shift from private education to publicly funded began in the Northern States, early 1800's. 1887: federal money (unconstitutionally) began funding specialized education. Smith-Lever Act of 1914, vocational education; Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 and other relief acts of the 1930's. Federal school lunch program of 1935; National School Lunch Act of 1946. National Defense Education Act of 1958, a reaction to Russia's Sputnik satellite demonstration, provided grants to education's specialties. Federal school aid law passed, 1965, greatly enlarged federal role in education, "head-start" programs, textbooks, library books.
(Research source: Encyclopedia Britannica.)
Online Guide To The Communist Manifesto: click here
~Dwight D. Eisenhower~
THEY TRIED TO WARN YOU ...
“In the counsels of Government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the Military Industrial Complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together.”
“In the counsels of Government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the Military Industrial Complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together.”
~ President, (and 5-Star General) Dwight D. Eisenhower, February 1961 ~
~ Adolf Hitler, Führer of Nazi Germany, 1933-1945 ~
Remember Adolf Hitler's Quote:
“National Socialism Will Use Its Own Revolution,
For The Establishing of a New World Order!”
~ Adolf Hitler, Führer of Nazi Germany, 1933-1945 ~
~ Thomas Jefferson ~
“If people let government decide, what foods they eat and what medicines they take,
their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state, as are the souls of those who live under tyranny.”
~ Thomas Jefferson ~
The Elegant P-51 Mustang
The Elegant P-51 Mustang « RED STATE WITCH
The Elegant P-51 Mustang
Truly one of the most beautiful aircraft ever designed is the North American P-51 Mustang. A few interesting facts:
1. The Brits asked North American to build the prototype in 120 days. They did it in 117. Nowadays it would take 120 days just to set up the committee to decide on the shape of the conference table to meet at to discuss choosing the name of the plane.
2. The most common variant, the P-51D model, had a top speed of 437 mph at 25,000 feet. By way of comparison, the Cessna Citation Mustang light-jet business aircraft introduced in 2007 has a top speed of 0.63 Mach at 25,000 feet, which is 436 mph. The performance of a 70+ year-old propeller-driven, reciprocating-engine design is just as impressive as the most modern, high-tech, computer-designed jet aircraft.
3. When the US changed its tactics from defensive use of the Mustang to offensive use, the Luftwaffe lost 17% of their pilots in just a one-week period. The great German ace Adolph Galland stated that that was the moment Germany lost the air war.
4. Civilian-owned Mustangs have dominated the Reno Air Races Unlimited Gold category. The course record in that race at Reno is held by the highly-modified P-51 Dago Red, which averaged over 500 mph during the race.
Just amazing. And as beautiful as they come:
The Elegant P-51 Mustang
Truly one of the most beautiful aircraft ever designed is the North American P-51 Mustang. A few interesting facts:
1. The Brits asked North American to build the prototype in 120 days. They did it in 117. Nowadays it would take 120 days just to set up the committee to decide on the shape of the conference table to meet at to discuss choosing the name of the plane.
2. The most common variant, the P-51D model, had a top speed of 437 mph at 25,000 feet. By way of comparison, the Cessna Citation Mustang light-jet business aircraft introduced in 2007 has a top speed of 0.63 Mach at 25,000 feet, which is 436 mph. The performance of a 70+ year-old propeller-driven, reciprocating-engine design is just as impressive as the most modern, high-tech, computer-designed jet aircraft.
3. When the US changed its tactics from defensive use of the Mustang to offensive use, the Luftwaffe lost 17% of their pilots in just a one-week period. The great German ace Adolph Galland stated that that was the moment Germany lost the air war.
4. Civilian-owned Mustangs have dominated the Reno Air Races Unlimited Gold category. The course record in that race at Reno is held by the highly-modified P-51 Dago Red, which averaged over 500 mph during the race.
Just amazing. And as beautiful as they come:
~ John Adams ~
“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution, as a whale goes through a net ... Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
~ John Adams (Address to the Military - October 11, 1798 ~
- Thomas Jefferson -
“What country can preserve its liberties,
if its rulers are not warned from time to time
that its people preserve the spirit of resistance?”
- Thomas Jefferson -
Everythings NOT Going To Be OK!
Dan's Darker Side: Conspiracies & Political Insight
Everythings NOT Going To Be OK!
“The lie can be maintained only for such time, as the State can shield the people from
the political, economic and or, military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important
for the State, to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie,
and thus by extension, The Truth Becomes The Greatest Enemy of The State.”- Dr. Joseph M. Goebbels
(Nazi Propaganda Minister & Hitler's Successor as Chancellor of Germany.)
Since Our Republic Is Now Changing Into a National, Fascist, Socialistic, Communist, Police State,
I Thought It Would Be a Good Idea For You To Understand Exactly What We're Getting Ourselves Into.
Adolf Hitler's 1934 - “Triumph of the Will” Speech, (Nurenberg, Germany).
Everythings NOT Going To Be OK!
“The lie can be maintained only for such time, as the State can shield the people from
the political, economic and or, military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important
for the State, to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie,
and thus by extension, The Truth Becomes The Greatest Enemy of The State.”- Dr. Joseph M. Goebbels
(Nazi Propaganda Minister & Hitler's Successor as Chancellor of Germany.)
Since Our Republic Is Now Changing Into a National, Fascist, Socialistic, Communist, Police State,
I Thought It Would Be a Good Idea For You To Understand Exactly What We're Getting Ourselves Into.
Adolf Hitler's 1934 - “Triumph of the Will” Speech, (Nurenberg, Germany).
NBC Fires Producer of Misleading Zimmerman Tape - NYTimes.com
NBC Fires Producer of Misleading Zimmerman Tape - NYTimes.com
NBC Fires Producer of Misleading Zimmerman Tape
NBC Fires Producer of Misleading Zimmerman Tape
By BRIAN STELTER
NBC News has fired a producer who was involved in the production of a misleading segment about the Trayvon Martin case in Florida.
The person was fired on Thursday, according to two people with direct knowledge of the disciplinary action who declined to be identified discussing internal company matters. They also declined to name the fired producer. A spokeswoman for NBC News declined to comment.
The action came in the wake of an internal investigation by NBC News into the production of the segment, which strung together audio clips in such a way that made George Zimmerman’s shooting of Mr. Martin sound racially motivated. Ever since the Feb. 26 shooting, there has been a continuing debate about whether race was a factor in the incident.
The segment in question was shown on the “Today” show on March 27. It included audio of Mr. Zimmerman saying, “This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black.”
But Mr. Zimmerman’s comments had been taken grossly out of context by NBC. On the phone with a 911 dispatcher, he actually said of Mr. Martin, “This guy looks like he’s up to no good. Or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around, looking about.” Then the dispatcher asked, “O.K., and this guy — is he white, black or Hispanic?” Only then did Mr. Zimmerman say, “He looks black.”
The editing of the segment was initially noticed by NewsBusters, an arm of the Media Research Center, a conservative media monitoring group. On March 31, NBC told The Washington Post that it would investigate.
Inside NBC, there was shock that the segment had been broadcast. Citing an anonymous network executive, Reuters reported that “the ‘Today’ show’s editorial control policies — which include a script editor, senior producer oversight and in most cases legal and standards department reviews of material to be broadcast — missed the selective editing of the call.”
On April 4, the network news division said in a statement that it deeply regretted the “error made in the production process.”
“We will be taking the necessary steps to prevent this from happening in the future and apologize to our viewers,” the network said.
It did not specify what steps it would take. But one day later it dismissed a Miami-based producer who had worked at NBC for several years.
The people with direct knowledge of the firing characterized the misleading edit as a mistake, not a purposeful act.
NBC News has fired a producer who was involved in the production of a misleading segment about the Trayvon Martin case in Florida.
The person was fired on Thursday, according to two people with direct knowledge of the disciplinary action who declined to be identified discussing internal company matters. They also declined to name the fired producer. A spokeswoman for NBC News declined to comment.
The action came in the wake of an internal investigation by NBC News into the production of the segment, which strung together audio clips in such a way that made George Zimmerman’s shooting of Mr. Martin sound racially motivated. Ever since the Feb. 26 shooting, there has been a continuing debate about whether race was a factor in the incident.
The segment in question was shown on the “Today” show on March 27. It included audio of Mr. Zimmerman saying, “This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black.”
But Mr. Zimmerman’s comments had been taken grossly out of context by NBC. On the phone with a 911 dispatcher, he actually said of Mr. Martin, “This guy looks like he’s up to no good. Or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around, looking about.” Then the dispatcher asked, “O.K., and this guy — is he white, black or Hispanic?” Only then did Mr. Zimmerman say, “He looks black.”
The editing of the segment was initially noticed by NewsBusters, an arm of the Media Research Center, a conservative media monitoring group. On March 31, NBC told The Washington Post that it would investigate.
Inside NBC, there was shock that the segment had been broadcast. Citing an anonymous network executive, Reuters reported that “the ‘Today’ show’s editorial control policies — which include a script editor, senior producer oversight and in most cases legal and standards department reviews of material to be broadcast — missed the selective editing of the call.”
On April 4, the network news division said in a statement that it deeply regretted the “error made in the production process.”
“We will be taking the necessary steps to prevent this from happening in the future and apologize to our viewers,” the network said.
It did not specify what steps it would take. But one day later it dismissed a Miami-based producer who had worked at NBC for several years.
The people with direct knowledge of the firing characterized the misleading edit as a mistake, not a purposeful act.
Beckel Praises Environmentalist Rachel Carson; Leaves Out Millions of Deaths Her Activism Caused | MRCTV
Beckel Praises Environmentalist Rachel Carson; Leaves Out Millions of Deaths Her Activism Caused | MRCTV
Beckel Praises Environmentalist Rachel Carson; Leaves Out Millions of Deaths Her Activism Caused
After the successful eradication of malaria in the United States, Rachel Carson led a crusade to rid the world of the evil pesticide DDT. Millions have died as a result and Beckel failed to mention that "One more thing...".
What's sad is that none of the so-called conservatives on "The Five" thought to call him on it.
Beckel Praises Environmentalist Rachel Carson; Leaves Out Millions of Deaths Her Activism Caused
After the successful eradication of malaria in the United States, Rachel Carson led a crusade to rid the world of the evil pesticide DDT. Millions have died as a result and Beckel failed to mention that "One more thing...".
What's sad is that none of the so-called conservatives on "The Five" thought to call him on it.
MRC Calls on Congress to Investigate Comcast / NBC for Journalistic Fraud in Trayvon Martin Reporting | Media Research Center
MRC Calls on Congress to Investigate Comcast / NBC for Journalistic Fraud in Trayvon Martin Reporting | Media Research Center
MRC Calls on Congress to Investigate Comcast / NBC for Journalistic Fraud in Trayvon Martin Reporting
Rejects fake “apology,” activates 100,000+ calls, emails and letters to parent company Comcast and cites FCC involvement in pending Comcast / Verizon deal
MRC Calls on Congress to Investigate Comcast / NBC for Journalistic Fraud in Trayvon Martin Reporting
Rejects fake “apology,” activates 100,000+ calls, emails and letters to parent company Comcast and cites FCC involvement in pending Comcast / Verizon deal
Alexandria, VA – Today, Media Research Center President Brent Bozell announces the media watchdog is calling upon Congress to investigate Comcast / NBC News for the intentional editing of the George Zimmerman audio that was broadcast multiple times and subsequently flamed the fires of racial hatred and animosity:
“NBC is laughing at the public. Last week we said we would have more to say if their behavior in this matter didn’t change. Given their continued irresponsibility, today we open up a new front. “
To review:
1. From March 19th to March 27th, NBC used their doctored versions of the Trayvon Martin audio clip to give the impression that Zimmerman was a racist. The fraudulently doctored audio clip was used at least five times by the Today Show and NBC Nightly News. We called on NBC to a) apologize to the public, b) disclose who was responsible, c) explain what disciplinary action they were taking, and d) explain why the public should ever trust NBC again.
2. On March 31st, NBC announced they would investigate themselves. This is like Nixon investigating Watergate. So we called on Comcast to investigate NBC. To date, more than 100,000 emails, phone calls, and letters from Media Research Center members have been made/sent to Comcast’s board of directors demanding such an investigation.
3. On April 3rd, NBC’s public relations department issued a ridiculous, two-sentence non-apology ‘apology.’ No names were provided. No disciplinary action was taken. The ridiculous statement blamed ‘an error made in the production process that we deeply regret.’ Reuters reported an anonymous NBC source called it ‘a very bad mistake, but not deliberate.’ And still no apology to NBC’s viewers. MRC rejected NBC’s non-apology out of hand.
4. Last Friday, NBC informed a reporter for Reuters that a senior producer had been fired. The excuse given this time was that it was a simple editing decision to save time, which is not only unbelievable, but also proves it was deliberate and contrary to their previous position. And still no apology to its viewers.
“So where does that leave us? This is a complete violation of the public trust. Comcast is in the midst of a business deal with Verizon requiring approval by the Federal Communications Commission and the United States Department of Justice; the public policy issues related to the approval of this deal are so critical that the United States Senate held hearings on the matter.
“Some organizations and elected officials have raised anti-trust concerns. We are now joining them.
“Today we are contacting appropriate committees in Congress asking them to investigate Comcast / NBC’s public deception in view of the proposed Comcast / Verizon business deal; and Comcast’s duty to the public trust given one of their premier properties – NBC – has advanced this deception and arrogantly refuses to apologize to its own broadcast viewers."
LETTER to the Senate Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights Subcommittee on Comcast NBC investigation
LETTER to The House Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet on Comcast NBC investigation
“NBC is laughing at the public. Last week we said we would have more to say if their behavior in this matter didn’t change. Given their continued irresponsibility, today we open up a new front. “
To review:
1. From March 19th to March 27th, NBC used their doctored versions of the Trayvon Martin audio clip to give the impression that Zimmerman was a racist. The fraudulently doctored audio clip was used at least five times by the Today Show and NBC Nightly News. We called on NBC to a) apologize to the public, b) disclose who was responsible, c) explain what disciplinary action they were taking, and d) explain why the public should ever trust NBC again.
2. On March 31st, NBC announced they would investigate themselves. This is like Nixon investigating Watergate. So we called on Comcast to investigate NBC. To date, more than 100,000 emails, phone calls, and letters from Media Research Center members have been made/sent to Comcast’s board of directors demanding such an investigation.
3. On April 3rd, NBC’s public relations department issued a ridiculous, two-sentence non-apology ‘apology.’ No names were provided. No disciplinary action was taken. The ridiculous statement blamed ‘an error made in the production process that we deeply regret.’ Reuters reported an anonymous NBC source called it ‘a very bad mistake, but not deliberate.’ And still no apology to NBC’s viewers. MRC rejected NBC’s non-apology out of hand.
4. Last Friday, NBC informed a reporter for Reuters that a senior producer had been fired. The excuse given this time was that it was a simple editing decision to save time, which is not only unbelievable, but also proves it was deliberate and contrary to their previous position. And still no apology to its viewers.
“So where does that leave us? This is a complete violation of the public trust. Comcast is in the midst of a business deal with Verizon requiring approval by the Federal Communications Commission and the United States Department of Justice; the public policy issues related to the approval of this deal are so critical that the United States Senate held hearings on the matter.
“Some organizations and elected officials have raised anti-trust concerns. We are now joining them.
“Today we are contacting appropriate committees in Congress asking them to investigate Comcast / NBC’s public deception in view of the proposed Comcast / Verizon business deal; and Comcast’s duty to the public trust given one of their premier properties – NBC – has advanced this deception and arrogantly refuses to apologize to its own broadcast viewers."
LETTER to the Senate Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights Subcommittee on Comcast NBC investigation
LETTER to The House Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet on Comcast NBC investigation
Patterico's Pontifications » How I learned to stop worrying about “manufactured” outrage
Patterico's Pontifications » How I learned to stop worrying about “manufactured” outrage
Filed under: 2012 Election — Karl @ 7:03 am
[Posted by Karl]
Or perhaps it is how I learned to start being concerned about “manufactured” outrage. It depends on how you look at it, I suppose.
After all, when I read generally conservative columnists like Matt K. Lewis or John Podhoretz disdaining “manufactured” outrages from different angles — even when the GOP may enjoy some temporary advantage from the kerfuffles of the current campaign – I am not entirely unsympathetic. Indeed, I am already on record arguing that institutionally, the GOP should not engage in these controversies, but note that
Democrats have been generating them to distract from the anemic economy and the Obama administration’s record on the issues Americans care most about. I think that’s pretty close to Podhoretz’s position, if I’m reading him correctly.
On the other hand, I recognize at least two problems inherent in the position of disdaining these distractions entirely.
First, there is at least a whiff of condescension involved. I do not think those upset by the Obama administration’s plans to infringe on religious liberty as part of Obamacare are just pretending to be upset. I doubt the progressives who seem so passionate about increasing access to abortion and birth control are playing make-believe (beyond the notion that such access is “free” in terms of money or overall liberty). People who denounce a Democratic honcho who let her mask slip to suggest stay-at-home mothers don’t really work are notentirely engaged in hype. I may think economic growth, exploding public debt and the entirety of Obamacare to be bigger issues, but it would be elitist to deny there are real issues at the heart of most of the supposed sideshows of the campaign so far.
This is even arguably true about this campaign’s dog tales. Admittedly, whether Mitt Romney once transported his family dog atop his car or Obama ate dog as a child in Indonesia (with little apparent regret as an adult) has no direct policy consequences. On the other hand, Podhoretz admits Democrats became interested in the Romney dog tale because of the effect it had on Mitt’s favorability in focus groups. Moreover, the intersection of moral psychology and politics is a hot topic these past months. And in this regard, it is notable that when asked whether it would be wrong for a family to eat the family dog after it was killed by a car, it turns out that the only group that thinks it alright is college-educated liberals. The swingiest of swing voters are almost by definition not particularly moved by policy arguments, or they would be partisans. America is still a free enough country that we get to tell this key bloc that dog tales are unimportant, but they don’t have to listen.
The second major problem with ignoring campaign sideshows is Utopianism. As Podhoretz notes, opposition research is democratized in the Internet Age. And Lewis concedes that ceding the field to Democrats on these issues may be necessary to win elections (and thereby address those “real” issues). There is nothing in American history, let alone the history of the Internet Age, suggesting that a handful of pundits — or even concerted efforts by candidates and their teams — are going to stop these controversies. To rhetorically shovel against this tide is in one sense noble, but also unconservative to the degree that it pretends human nature is so easily molded by the political realm.
In short, while I still think it helps the GOP to use these kerfuffles to say Democrats want to avoid discussing the economy and Obama’s record, there is probably a role for those who want neutralize or reverse their effect.
–Karl
This is even arguably true about this campaign’s dog tales. Admittedly, whether Mitt Romney once transported his family dog atop his car or Obama ate dog as a child in Indonesia (with little apparent regret as an adult) has no direct policy consequences. On the other hand, Podhoretz admits Democrats became interested in the Romney dog tale because of the effect it had on Mitt’s favorability in focus groups. Moreover, the intersection of moral psychology and politics is a hot topic these past months. And in this regard, it is notable that when asked whether it would be wrong for a family to eat the family dog after it was killed by a car, it turns out that the only group that thinks it alright is college-educated liberals. The swingiest of swing voters are almost by definition not particularly moved by policy arguments, or they would be partisans. America is still a free enough country that we get to tell this key bloc that dog tales are unimportant, but they don’t have to listen.
The second major problem with ignoring campaign sideshows is Utopianism. As Podhoretz notes, opposition research is democratized in the Internet Age. And Lewis concedes that ceding the field to Democrats on these issues may be necessary to win elections (and thereby address those “real” issues). There is nothing in American history, let alone the history of the Internet Age, suggesting that a handful of pundits — or even concerted efforts by candidates and their teams — are going to stop these controversies. To rhetorically shovel against this tide is in one sense noble, but also unconservative to the degree that it pretends human nature is so easily molded by the political realm.
In short, while I still think it helps the GOP to use these kerfuffles to say Democrats want to avoid discussing the economy and Obama’s record, there is probably a role for those who want neutralize or reverse their effect.
–Karl
Model Engineers—Louis Chenot
Model Engineers—Louis Chenot
FEATURING EXTRA PHOTOS!
The craftsman featured on this page has produced a large volume of extraordinarily high quality work. We have provided more photos than normal as a teaching experience. Certain craftsmen set the standards in their area of expertise, and studying the details of their work can be helpful for anyone wishing to follow in their footsteps or take their work to the next level. Not every viewer will want to enlarge every photo, but those interested in achieving this level of craftsmanship will find doing so instructive and, hopefully, inspiring.
The Internet Craftsmanship Museum Presents:
Louis Chenot
Joe Martin Foundation Metalworking Craftsman of the Decade, 2011
Added to museum: 6/8/07
The Joe Martin Foundation has selected Louis Chenot as "Metalworking Craftsman of the Decade" award winner for 2011.
His award was presented April 30th at the North American Model Engineering Society Expo in Southgate, MI. Lou received a check for $2000.00, an engraved gold medallion, award certificate and commemorative book. Lou is seen here with his wife June as he is presented with the award by Craig Libuse, Director of the Joe Martin Foundation. (Click on photo to view a larger image.)
A multi-year project in process to build a complete 1932 Duesenberg in 1/6 scale
The Duesenberg model is seen at the 2010 NAMES show in Southgate Michingan.
Every year for the past five years or so at the NAMES show in Detroit and now Toledo, one of the first things many people who attend the show each year want to see is how Lou Chenot is coming along on the Duesenberg project. Most of us, therefore, see the project in one-year jumps with new major components showing up each time. We have to keep in mind it took a year of work on Lou's part to bring the car to the next stage. As the project continued to take shape with the engine near completion and the bodywork beginning to take shape, we thought it would be fun to bring the rest of you up to date on Lou's work and then to follow along as he completes this ambitious project. Like the other projects featured in the "Model Engineering Masterpieces" section, this is not just a model car, but rather a complete car in miniature. The engine has now been successfully run and just about every feature that worked on the real car will work on the miniature version. A project like this requires the mastery of so many skills that we have created a special category for them.
2011 UPDATE: The tiny straight eight, 32-valve Duesenberg engine ran for the first time in March, 2010 and the model was declared finished. All that remains is to re-install the engine in the chassis. Read on to see what it takes to create a miniature masterpiece that is quite possibly the finest model automobile ever built..
Lou Chenot is seen in his shop with the partially completed Duesenberg. (Click photo for larger image.)
(The following is from an article that appeared in the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club Newsletter, Vol LIV, No. 10, 2006
My Duesenberg
by Louis Chenot, updated 6/07
When about five years old, I began building models and continued off and on all my life—cars, airplanes, boats, trains, finally learning about 25 years ago that people were building models that actually ran under their own power! Some simple models followed with steam power leading to an 1895 American-LaFrance fire engine, a 9-cylinder Bentley rotary aircraft engine and finally the Duesenberg, beginning about six years or 15,000 hours ago.
It was necessary to earn a living until retirement. The above early interests had led to a 40-year career in mechanical engineering, the last ten as Director of Engineering of the Leggett & Platt Corporation Automotive Group, then on to become a full-time model engineer.
J.L. Elbert’s “Duesenberg” book was purchased in 1955 followed by acquiring anything I could about the car. I was around them in the early 60's when we had a 1930 Cadillac convertible used in Grand Classic contesting (a seven-year restoration).
When the decision was reached to model the Duesenberg, June and I made a trip to the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum in Auburn, Indiana. Jon Bill helped me through the drawers of drawings, pulling about 60, which he had reproduced. They were the basis although about half weren’t applicable. When traveling to Auburn, stops at the restoration shop of Charles Glick in Paris, IL also proved very informative.
Upon learning about Brian Joseph’s Classic and Exotic Car Service in Troy, Michigan I telephoned and asked if I could visit. This was the first of twelve or so trips there with Brian allowing me to remove parts from inventory, photographing and measure them, and, of course, answering questions and later telling me the model was out of scale here or there. He was very much a mentor on this project, and it is difficult to thank him sufficiently for his time and consideration.
Visits were made to Randy Ema’s shop in Orange, California where he verified from record the last “J” number and frame number, hence my use of J-589 that is now the last operating Duesy built. He has an eight-branch exhaust manifold that I scaled and was able to note detail from a supercharged engine belonging to Jay Leno in Randy’s shop. Jay allowed photographing and detailing from his roadable chassis, an appreciated courtesy. Skip Marketti with the Nethercutt Museum helped on supercharged engines and answered questions during two visits there. He offered the compliment of exhibiting the model in the museum at some point.
Bill Miller has graciously permitted the measuring of body contour from his LaGrande dual cowl phaeton. A unique project does require research and help from many, doesn’t it?
Data from the research trips needed to be reduced to scale, sketched and dimensioned. I don’t formally draft any more than necessary and use CAD minimally. The sketches are scribbled all over during part production and finally corrected to what I actually did!
Following the research stage, much time was spent building tooling: jigs, fixtures, cutters, ad nauseum, to where typically more time is invested in preparation than in making parts. I often wondered if the engine really needed 32 valves, couldn’t 16 do? At some time in the future I wish to have a meeting with Fred and his designers and ask why it had to have all those parts.
These photos of the installed engine, dash and driveline were taken at the 2007 NAMES show. (Click on any photo to enlarge.)
With a 5-year history and perhaps 2 years to go it should be running by year’s end. That will be exciting or truly frightening. It has over 6000 parts (966 in the wheels and over 300 in the head, for example.) Most fasteners had to be made and all are stainless steel. It is very much built from raw materials. Unfortunately there is no 1/6 scale Duesenberg store to go to for shopping.
My basic drive seems to be learning how to make something where skills must be developed. This also indicates how large my development bin is. (Some use the vulgar word scrap, but even unusable Duesenberg parts are to be revered.) It doesn’t bother me a great deal to start again on something if it isn’t suitable—nine starts were made on the radiator shell!
After restoring our 1930 Cadillac (sold long ago) and supporting friends owning Packards and other large cars of that era, I am still amazed at how advanced Duesenberg’s engineering was for 1928.
Our experience with the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club at the ACD Festival in Auburn, Indiana over Labor Day weekend was a trip June and I will remember. We weren’t certain how to exhibit the model or even if it would be welcome, but the members settled those issues quite quickly. I hope the model is a credit to their cars.
Lou's display at the April, 2007 NAMES (North American Model Engineering Society) Expo in Toledo, Ohio.
Lou Chenot's Shop
Here are some shots of Lou's well-organized shop featuring a lifetime collection of fine tools, a carpeted floor, heating, air conditioning and plenty of light.
Lou Chenot's shop is well equipped for model work including a 12-inch lathe that is 24 years old, modified in many ways, that is very accurate. A Bridgeport type mill is installed which friends think is silly because it runs 1/16" cutters very often. Many auxiliaries were built including a horizontal and vertical index table (4"), tube benders from 1/16 to 1/4 x 1/32", a Quorn tool and cutter grinder and a 1 x 42" belt sander that is used daily if not hourly. Other machines are there but rarely used, such as a 7" South Bend shaper and a 7-inch Atlas horizontal mill, but they are restored and look pretty! This shop area occupies about 800 square feet and is carpeted. It is nice to have built-in custodial service in the form of his wife, June, who also is the chief cook, gardener/landscaper, secretary/typist and finds time to enjoy her garden railroad and the little white American Eskimo dog they adopted from their son.
The back shop (dirty area) was designed for woodworking equipment, welding, investment casting, blasting, garden railroad work area and stores the lawn tractor in heated/air-conditioned comfort along with a full size Continental aircraft engine. It is about 1500 square feet.
You will find Lou in his shop seven days a week, 8-10 hours per day and looking forward to each and every one of them.
Lou Chenot accepts a Lifetime Achievement award from the Foundation's Craig Libuse at the 2009 North American Model Engineering Society Expo in Toledo, OH April 18, 2009. The award includes a check for $500.00. Lou's Duesenberg was also the featured project at this years NAMES show. In this photo the body had yet to be painted and the motor had not yet run. It has now been completed—see photos at bottom of photo section below. (Click on photo to view a larger image.)
Duesenberg model Completed!
by Lou Chenot (10/14/10)
The Duesenberg is hereby declared finished! It started for the first time at 3:05 PM on March15th, 2010.
The engine has turned out not to be a docile, friendly mechanism. It requires a drill motor at 2500 rpm to start it which in turn needs a power cord. I've started it many times, and it consistently must be rotated 30 sec or so until it is warm enough to self sustain, where it will re-start easily. Its rpm range isn't very great, top end at 4100, may be down to 2000.
Propane is the fuel. It has scale carburation now and more of its shiny bits. I've decided to keep the engine on its stand and run it at Cabin Fever Show in York, PA (January, 2011) and then NAMES (April, 2011) after which I'll install it in the car and not run it again. We will take another video of the engine and the car, body off, then add back pieces so they can be described.
CLICK HERE to see and hear the "first pop" of the Duesenberg engine on YouTube. (3/15/10)
CLICK HERE to see video of the Duesenberg chassis and the engine run at Cabin Fever on YouTube.
CLICK HERE to see the last running of the Duesenberg before the engine is installed in the car for permanent display. (9/2/11)
Lou's next project—a V-12 powered boat
That said, and while a bit disappointing, my energy is now directed towards Liberty V-12 aircraft engines marinized to power lovely triple cockpit mahogany hulled speed boats from 1920 to 1940. They were an inexpensive 500 HP engine. I've been corresponding with people around the country trying to find lofting data for a Model 50 GarWood hull, and because information on the Liberty is on hand, I've started on the crankcase. (That is, Crankcases—I'm building 2, don't ask why.) This is going a bit slowly because of having to recover from back surgery (spinal fusion) the end of August. The boat itself will be built in 1/6 scale, the same as the Duesenberg. Even so, the 33' GarWood will be 5'-4" long in that scale!
The first two photos show the early progress on the Liberty V-12 engine as shown at the 2011 NAMES show in Southgate, MI. The third photo shows the two engines at the Craftsmanship Museum on display September 2nd, 2011. (Click on either photo to view a larger image.)
Here are several examples of Lou Chenot's work:
Captions provided by Lou (Click photos for larger images.)
The 1/6 scale Duesenberg SJ Project
3/4 view of the chassis, 1/6 scale so it is about 38 in. long and weighs 40 lb. This scale results in an engine of about 2 cu. in displacement. Square and cubic laws change things dramatically. 6 cubed is 216 and divided into 420 in (full size) is about 2 cu. in. Frictions are much higher than full size, but somewhat compensated by lower inertia.
Engine exhaust side with its beautiful 8 branch manifold. Carburetors have barrel throttles, the front one has a small Venturi for idling, and the rear most a much larger one progressively linked. The barrels move outward when rotated to open their jets farther for acceleration. The intended fuel is propane. (Non-scale fuel lines can be seen leading off the engine.)
Engine (seen from intake side) shows features such as the Y-branch intakes—chosen simply because they look nice. Ignition points are in the generator to keep the distributor within scale. Its block started as a 38 lb. chunk of grey iron—it weighs 4 lbs. now.
Underside—Lou likes this photo. Size is indicated by the hands holding it at either end.
Trial assembly, fitting on frame front is attachment for a rotary fixture.
Lou in his shop.
The block after 4-5 weeks of attention. Most components in the model are of the same material existing in the prototype, hence cast iron here. It was decided to fit cylinder liners in order to cut water passages. Liners were turned from Cummins diesel engine valve guides, a very tough grey iron. Piston rings are also from Cummins valve guides. Two compression rings (.025 thick) and one oil ring (.040 thick) were made.
Internal components for the block. Its crankshaft is 4130 steel; a drive extension is installed to run in bearings which are .010 silver, also used in connecting rod big ends. Bronze bushes are fitted to the pin.
Piston assemblies.
Bottom of block—main and connecting rod big end bearings are silver; crank is 4130 steel.
A highly ventilated lump of cast iron, 338 holes and milling operations, plus lapping cam bearings and all those valve seats! The spark plugs are from stainless steel with a Corian insulator.
32 Cam followers, 32 "C" clips, 32 keepers, 32 springs, etc. etc., etc. Lou says, "I think I'm going to cry."
Rear axle with components. The differential contains 4 bevel gears which are hidden inside their cage. Many trials were required to cut the ring and pinion. Hypoid gear cutting requires solving equations for 13 degrees of freedom if a Gleason machine is available (a little one)! Only trial and error and finally filing tooth entry profiles could be used in my shop. The banjo housing is cut from 1 piece of steel.
A T-72 Warner transmission in 1/6 scale. Designing such an assembly is a good example of nature not being very scalable. Dividing full-size bearings by 6 doesn't agree with any listing of miniature bearings, therefore bores and shaft diameters are changed as necessary. This cannot be allowed to interfere with the gears kept to 1/6 scale exactly so the centers and ratios are correct. Full size diametrical pitches are multiplied by 6 from which the small gears are calculated. Special cutters had to be made at 60 Dp and 48 Dp along with a shaving tool for the compound set of internal gears used in the second gear position.
While many parts appear to be castings, none are; the differential housing is a typical build-up from pieces silver brazed together. Castellated nuts were machined and polished and are fitted with .015 dia. cotter pins.
Instrument panel, damascened, or engine turned stainless steel. Not particularly difficult but about 5 hours with the milling machine and its digital read-outs. Steering wheel controls do work.
Clutch components.
Rough fan sketch (drawing) background—no formal drawings exist; layouts such as this are drawn if complicated, but mostly freehand sketches.
Steering box and levers for throttle, spark retarding and lights, altogether 42 parts in the steering column. Also visible is the left side front engine mount, a highly contoured part made from solid steel then bolted and riveted to the frame.
Servo valve and brake master cylinder. Very modern design especially if compared to Rolls-Royce contemporary use of a very complex mechanical servo.
Electric fuel pumps backed up the engine's mechanical one.
Bumpers required about a week, half of which time was to prepare stainless steel and make bending jigs, forms and a fixture to keep the bolt centers exact. All bending was at red heat and even then, stainless will still have springback to complicate the issue.
Radiator shell from brass sheet. Bent over a cherrywood buck, or form, with a rawhide mallet, then a plannishing hammer, filed, sanded and polished, then chromed. Not being experienced in this skill, I ruined 8 blanks before finishing this one. Hopefully the fenders will not require the same experience!
Radiator shell and tools, cherrywood buck, punch and die for neck, .015 brass.
Fuel pump/Chassis pump with full-size equivalents.
Firewall being machined, 40 hours or so.
Cam grinding lash up.
Pan, machined.
Oil pump—gears are 13 teeth 1/4 diameter; it pumps 8 psi and will be relieved to 3 - 4.
Lapping—Cams, garnet compound because it doesn't imbed. Cams are from tool steel, drilled 1/8 dia. through (7 in.). Four sets—attempts due to set up trials and foolishness.
Exhaust system, stainless steel.
Operator and over-center linkage for the supercharged car exhaust cut-out.
Intake manifold -- parts, copper, 9 parts each.
Intake manifold mounted for fitting on engine.
All manifold and exhaust parts; 4 special tube benders were made; exhaust is stainless steel; water manifold is chromed brass; intake pieces are copper.
Paper pattern for front fenders. (Ya gotta start somewhere!)
Cherry wood forming bucks were bandsawn to shape.
First fender bashing—the ugly stage!
Initial sheet metal fitting to chassis.
Lou Chenot and Joe Martin talk at the end of the 2007 NAMES show in Toledo. Lou was loading up the Duesenberg to head home and had stopped to talk to Joe as they both watched Pierre Scerri's Ferrari model being photographed for an upcoming magazine article.
As of February, 2008 the bodywork is coming along nicely. This level of progress represents almost a year of work since the NAMES show last April. Top bows and irons were made in a single plane study, adjusting hinge points until folding could be accomplished. They were then copied in stainless steel. Technically speaking, the mechanism is a triple set of unequal arm 4-bar linkages.
The windshield is made from 11 individual components. It will contain glass that is .8 mm thick. Fitting hinges, windshield, etc. to the body contours was a time consuming process. The doors now make the proper "click" when closed and the vents work.
Running boards are cherry wood to simulate English walnut...another example of nature not being scaleable at times. Installed in the wood are chrome strips with rubber inserts.
Leather upholstery consists of one entire goatskin sewn as per full scale. In making the interior parts, allowances had to be made for the thickness of the upholstery. The body is still in primer and will have to be completely disassembled for painting later in the year. Some parts still remain to be chromed.
These photos were taken in April, 2009 at the NAMES show in Toledo, OH. The bodywork is almost complete and is now primered and ready for paint. Lou has since removed the engine and it is back on the test stand with the final modifications to be made to get it running. Once the engine is running and ready for re-installation the final two-tone blue paint job will be done. Lou is waiting for the last minute to minimize the chance of scratching the paint during the labor-intensive engine installation process.
At the 2010 NAMES show, the model was finally shown in complete and painted form. The engine was not installed at the time, as it has just been successfully run on the test stand. All components have now been completed and further work is scheduled to be done on the engine to get it to run on gas instead of the propane first used to test run it. The two-tone blue car is every bit the masterpiece the original cars were with the additional challenge of building each part in miniature.
Now that the engine is running, it will be shown at model engineering shows in York, PA and Southgate, MI in 2011 and then re-installed it in the car. The mirrored wooden display stand is completed as well. Most likely everyone will get their chance in 2011 to see the engine run outside the car. Once it is re-installed in the body it will probably not be run again, so bring your video camera to the 2011 shows.
At the 2011 NAMES show, Lou was presented with his award as the Joe Martin Foundation's Metalworking Craftsman of the Decade. He received a check for $2000.00 and becomes the foundation's 15th winner of their top award. He joins a very elite group of other craftsmen who have won this award. In the second photo, one of those craftsmen, Bill Huxhold, inspects Lou's model.
Here are some additional photos of the Duesenberg taken at the 2011 NAMES show featuring some details you might not have seen before. The engine was displayed out of the car, although it was not cooperating that weekend and Lou was not able to get it to start.These photos show some of the frame and transmission details that can best be seen when the engine is not in the vehicle.
The model Duesenberg straight-eight engine has four valves per cylinder just like the full-size version. Here you can see some details of the bell housing and clutch. Show-goers will have one last chance to see the engine out of the car at the Western Engine Model Exhibition in Pleasanton, CA August 26, 27 and 28, 2011. After that it will be reinstalled an will not be run again.
Here are some close-ups of the interior and dashboard. The photo with the rear door open shows how passengers could enter the rear seat area by swinging up the cover that goes over their legs when down.
Additional photos show some details of the exterior of the car. The last photo shows the car on its display stand with the engine in the foreground. The paint job is as flawless as one on a real Duesenberg.
Lou talks to a show-goer at the 2011 NAMES show in Michigan. Lou displayed his Duesenberg and Liberty V-12 engine at the Joe Martin Foundation booth there. In the second photo, a show-goer examines the car in detail.
WEME Show, Pleasanton, CA 8/26-28, 2011Lou and June Chenot speak with visitors the Western Engine Model Exhibition held at the GoodGuys Nationals car show August 26-28, 2011. The show brought in a lot of hotrodders that had not seen the tiny engines before, and Lou's Duesenberg was a hit as always. The car was still being displayed with the engine out and it was run on Friday and early Saturday.
Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum, September 2, 2011Lou runs the engine for visitors for what is to be the last time before it goes back into the car. A YouTube video was shot to commemorate the event athttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QesbGKTKnnQ.
The car is displayed in the museum shop with the top up and down. It was the only chance for the Southern California public to see the car before it goes back to the midwest.
The Duesenberg dash is fully detailed, and the lights work. In the second photo of the wire wheel, Lou can be seen reflected in the mirrored display base.
With the engine removed and on a test stand so it can be run, details inside the engine compartment can be easily seen. Here we see the transmission bell housing and the steering gearbox.
This was the last chance for the public to view the engine out of the car. Once Lou returns to his home shop in Missouri after this trip the engine will be re-installed in the car never to be run again. Lou started the engine several times during the day for visitors to the Craftsmanship Museum. These photos show the rear, left side, front and right side. The extra large distributor was made necessary due to the fact that it still requires 10,000 volts to fire the tiny spark plugs, just like on the real engine. The miniature distributor Lou tried first couldn't contain the spark, so this one was built that is hidden behind the firewall when the engine is installed in the car.
Rear view of a true classic. Note the words "STOP" in the tail lights and the tip of the dual exhaust. Congratulations to Lou for a true masterpiece and thanks for letting us be final venue for its last run.
1/6 scale 1895 American LaFrance Fire Engine Project
The fire engine was built over a 25-year period and finished in the first year of retirement. It probably required 4000 to 5000 hours. Initially a set of plans from Cole's was purchased along with engine and pump castings. Charlie Cole's drawings were not very well scaled but are a facsimile of an American LaFrance 1895 pumper, which he points out in his description. However, books on such machines, photographs and the fact that the original exists in the company museum allowed it to be built more nearly accurate. Also, the castings at that time were not very good. Porosity caused most of the connecting engine links to be scrapped. I decided to build with original materials, so that the wheels are cherry wood (constructed as would a wheelwright) and the frames are steel with working leaf springs.
The engine/pump was run on air for several hours and the boiler was hydrostatically tested to 100 psi. It has not been run after assembly. It is very difficult to clean, and so resides in a glass case. It is also heavy, about 60 lb. and has become difficult to show. Incidentally, it is about 30" long.
The fire engine model was recently sold at auction at the Cabin Fever model engineering show in York, PA.
1/6 scale Bentley Rotary Aircraft Engine Project
W.O. Bentley is well known for his racing automobiles, but he was a very good engineer in other efforts such as this 1918 9-cylinder rotary engine. The crankshaft is bolted to the aircraft frame, a Sopwith "Snipe" of which approximately 5000 were built, consequently cylinders rotate with the prop. Seems strange now, but it cooled the engine. The design was very modern for its time and produced 240 HP.
A model in 1/6 scale seemed appropriate to me. Even so it swings an 18-inch propeller. Another 4000 hours went into this project that incorporated learning something about investment casting for the intake elbows. The prototype crankcase pieces were steel, but being concerned with rust, I chose to use stainless steel everywhere except for aluminum finned barrels which are authentic.
If you have additional information on a project or builder shown on this site that your would like to contribute, please e-mail craig@CraftsmanshipMuseum.com. We also welcome new contributions. Please see our page at www.CraftsmanshipMuseum.com/newsubmit.htm for a submission form and guidelines for submitting descriptive copy and photos for a new project.
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FEATURING EXTRA PHOTOS!
The craftsman featured on this page has produced a large volume of extraordinarily high quality work. We have provided more photos than normal as a teaching experience. Certain craftsmen set the standards in their area of expertise, and studying the details of their work can be helpful for anyone wishing to follow in their footsteps or take their work to the next level. Not every viewer will want to enlarge every photo, but those interested in achieving this level of craftsmanship will find doing so instructive and, hopefully, inspiring.
The Internet Craftsmanship Museum Presents:
Louis Chenot
Joe Martin Foundation Metalworking Craftsman of the Decade, 2011
Added to museum: 6/8/07
The Joe Martin Foundation has selected Louis Chenot as "Metalworking Craftsman of the Decade" award winner for 2011.
His award was presented April 30th at the North American Model Engineering Society Expo in Southgate, MI. Lou received a check for $2000.00, an engraved gold medallion, award certificate and commemorative book. Lou is seen here with his wife June as he is presented with the award by Craig Libuse, Director of the Joe Martin Foundation. (Click on photo to view a larger image.)
A multi-year project in process to build a complete 1932 Duesenberg in 1/6 scale
The Duesenberg model is seen at the 2010 NAMES show in Southgate Michingan.
Every year for the past five years or so at the NAMES show in Detroit and now Toledo, one of the first things many people who attend the show each year want to see is how Lou Chenot is coming along on the Duesenberg project. Most of us, therefore, see the project in one-year jumps with new major components showing up each time. We have to keep in mind it took a year of work on Lou's part to bring the car to the next stage. As the project continued to take shape with the engine near completion and the bodywork beginning to take shape, we thought it would be fun to bring the rest of you up to date on Lou's work and then to follow along as he completes this ambitious project. Like the other projects featured in the "Model Engineering Masterpieces" section, this is not just a model car, but rather a complete car in miniature. The engine has now been successfully run and just about every feature that worked on the real car will work on the miniature version. A project like this requires the mastery of so many skills that we have created a special category for them.
2011 UPDATE: The tiny straight eight, 32-valve Duesenberg engine ran for the first time in March, 2010 and the model was declared finished. All that remains is to re-install the engine in the chassis. Read on to see what it takes to create a miniature masterpiece that is quite possibly the finest model automobile ever built..
Lou Chenot is seen in his shop with the partially completed Duesenberg. (Click photo for larger image.)
(The following is from an article that appeared in the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club Newsletter, Vol LIV, No. 10, 2006
My Duesenberg
by Louis Chenot, updated 6/07
When about five years old, I began building models and continued off and on all my life—cars, airplanes, boats, trains, finally learning about 25 years ago that people were building models that actually ran under their own power! Some simple models followed with steam power leading to an 1895 American-LaFrance fire engine, a 9-cylinder Bentley rotary aircraft engine and finally the Duesenberg, beginning about six years or 15,000 hours ago.
It was necessary to earn a living until retirement. The above early interests had led to a 40-year career in mechanical engineering, the last ten as Director of Engineering of the Leggett & Platt Corporation Automotive Group, then on to become a full-time model engineer.
J.L. Elbert’s “Duesenberg” book was purchased in 1955 followed by acquiring anything I could about the car. I was around them in the early 60's when we had a 1930 Cadillac convertible used in Grand Classic contesting (a seven-year restoration).
When the decision was reached to model the Duesenberg, June and I made a trip to the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum in Auburn, Indiana. Jon Bill helped me through the drawers of drawings, pulling about 60, which he had reproduced. They were the basis although about half weren’t applicable. When traveling to Auburn, stops at the restoration shop of Charles Glick in Paris, IL also proved very informative.
Upon learning about Brian Joseph’s Classic and Exotic Car Service in Troy, Michigan I telephoned and asked if I could visit. This was the first of twelve or so trips there with Brian allowing me to remove parts from inventory, photographing and measure them, and, of course, answering questions and later telling me the model was out of scale here or there. He was very much a mentor on this project, and it is difficult to thank him sufficiently for his time and consideration.
Visits were made to Randy Ema’s shop in Orange, California where he verified from record the last “J” number and frame number, hence my use of J-589 that is now the last operating Duesy built. He has an eight-branch exhaust manifold that I scaled and was able to note detail from a supercharged engine belonging to Jay Leno in Randy’s shop. Jay allowed photographing and detailing from his roadable chassis, an appreciated courtesy. Skip Marketti with the Nethercutt Museum helped on supercharged engines and answered questions during two visits there. He offered the compliment of exhibiting the model in the museum at some point.
Bill Miller has graciously permitted the measuring of body contour from his LaGrande dual cowl phaeton. A unique project does require research and help from many, doesn’t it?
Data from the research trips needed to be reduced to scale, sketched and dimensioned. I don’t formally draft any more than necessary and use CAD minimally. The sketches are scribbled all over during part production and finally corrected to what I actually did!
Following the research stage, much time was spent building tooling: jigs, fixtures, cutters, ad nauseum, to where typically more time is invested in preparation than in making parts. I often wondered if the engine really needed 32 valves, couldn’t 16 do? At some time in the future I wish to have a meeting with Fred and his designers and ask why it had to have all those parts.
These photos of the installed engine, dash and driveline were taken at the 2007 NAMES show. (Click on any photo to enlarge.)
With a 5-year history and perhaps 2 years to go it should be running by year’s end. That will be exciting or truly frightening. It has over 6000 parts (966 in the wheels and over 300 in the head, for example.) Most fasteners had to be made and all are stainless steel. It is very much built from raw materials. Unfortunately there is no 1/6 scale Duesenberg store to go to for shopping.
My basic drive seems to be learning how to make something where skills must be developed. This also indicates how large my development bin is. (Some use the vulgar word scrap, but even unusable Duesenberg parts are to be revered.) It doesn’t bother me a great deal to start again on something if it isn’t suitable—nine starts were made on the radiator shell!
After restoring our 1930 Cadillac (sold long ago) and supporting friends owning Packards and other large cars of that era, I am still amazed at how advanced Duesenberg’s engineering was for 1928.
Our experience with the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club at the ACD Festival in Auburn, Indiana over Labor Day weekend was a trip June and I will remember. We weren’t certain how to exhibit the model or even if it would be welcome, but the members settled those issues quite quickly. I hope the model is a credit to their cars.
Lou's display at the April, 2007 NAMES (North American Model Engineering Society) Expo in Toledo, Ohio.
Lou Chenot's Shop
Here are some shots of Lou's well-organized shop featuring a lifetime collection of fine tools, a carpeted floor, heating, air conditioning and plenty of light.
Lou Chenot's shop is well equipped for model work including a 12-inch lathe that is 24 years old, modified in many ways, that is very accurate. A Bridgeport type mill is installed which friends think is silly because it runs 1/16" cutters very often. Many auxiliaries were built including a horizontal and vertical index table (4"), tube benders from 1/16 to 1/4 x 1/32", a Quorn tool and cutter grinder and a 1 x 42" belt sander that is used daily if not hourly. Other machines are there but rarely used, such as a 7" South Bend shaper and a 7-inch Atlas horizontal mill, but they are restored and look pretty! This shop area occupies about 800 square feet and is carpeted. It is nice to have built-in custodial service in the form of his wife, June, who also is the chief cook, gardener/landscaper, secretary/typist and finds time to enjoy her garden railroad and the little white American Eskimo dog they adopted from their son.
The back shop (dirty area) was designed for woodworking equipment, welding, investment casting, blasting, garden railroad work area and stores the lawn tractor in heated/air-conditioned comfort along with a full size Continental aircraft engine. It is about 1500 square feet.
You will find Lou in his shop seven days a week, 8-10 hours per day and looking forward to each and every one of them.
Lou Chenot accepts a Lifetime Achievement award from the Foundation's Craig Libuse at the 2009 North American Model Engineering Society Expo in Toledo, OH April 18, 2009. The award includes a check for $500.00. Lou's Duesenberg was also the featured project at this years NAMES show. In this photo the body had yet to be painted and the motor had not yet run. It has now been completed—see photos at bottom of photo section below. (Click on photo to view a larger image.)
Duesenberg model Completed!
by Lou Chenot (10/14/10)
The Duesenberg is hereby declared finished! It started for the first time at 3:05 PM on March15th, 2010.
The engine has turned out not to be a docile, friendly mechanism. It requires a drill motor at 2500 rpm to start it which in turn needs a power cord. I've started it many times, and it consistently must be rotated 30 sec or so until it is warm enough to self sustain, where it will re-start easily. Its rpm range isn't very great, top end at 4100, may be down to 2000.
Propane is the fuel. It has scale carburation now and more of its shiny bits. I've decided to keep the engine on its stand and run it at Cabin Fever Show in York, PA (January, 2011) and then NAMES (April, 2011) after which I'll install it in the car and not run it again. We will take another video of the engine and the car, body off, then add back pieces so they can be described.
CLICK HERE to see and hear the "first pop" of the Duesenberg engine on YouTube. (3/15/10)
CLICK HERE to see video of the Duesenberg chassis and the engine run at Cabin Fever on YouTube.
CLICK HERE to see the last running of the Duesenberg before the engine is installed in the car for permanent display. (9/2/11)
Lou's next project—a V-12 powered boat
That said, and while a bit disappointing, my energy is now directed towards Liberty V-12 aircraft engines marinized to power lovely triple cockpit mahogany hulled speed boats from 1920 to 1940. They were an inexpensive 500 HP engine. I've been corresponding with people around the country trying to find lofting data for a Model 50 GarWood hull, and because information on the Liberty is on hand, I've started on the crankcase. (That is, Crankcases—I'm building 2, don't ask why.) This is going a bit slowly because of having to recover from back surgery (spinal fusion) the end of August. The boat itself will be built in 1/6 scale, the same as the Duesenberg. Even so, the 33' GarWood will be 5'-4" long in that scale!
The first two photos show the early progress on the Liberty V-12 engine as shown at the 2011 NAMES show in Southgate, MI. The third photo shows the two engines at the Craftsmanship Museum on display September 2nd, 2011. (Click on either photo to view a larger image.)
Here are several examples of Lou Chenot's work:
Captions provided by Lou (Click photos for larger images.)
The 1/6 scale Duesenberg SJ Project
3/4 view of the chassis, 1/6 scale so it is about 38 in. long and weighs 40 lb. This scale results in an engine of about 2 cu. in displacement. Square and cubic laws change things dramatically. 6 cubed is 216 and divided into 420 in (full size) is about 2 cu. in. Frictions are much higher than full size, but somewhat compensated by lower inertia.
Engine exhaust side with its beautiful 8 branch manifold. Carburetors have barrel throttles, the front one has a small Venturi for idling, and the rear most a much larger one progressively linked. The barrels move outward when rotated to open their jets farther for acceleration. The intended fuel is propane. (Non-scale fuel lines can be seen leading off the engine.)
Engine (seen from intake side) shows features such as the Y-branch intakes—chosen simply because they look nice. Ignition points are in the generator to keep the distributor within scale. Its block started as a 38 lb. chunk of grey iron—it weighs 4 lbs. now.
Underside—Lou likes this photo. Size is indicated by the hands holding it at either end.
Trial assembly, fitting on frame front is attachment for a rotary fixture.
Lou in his shop.
The block after 4-5 weeks of attention. Most components in the model are of the same material existing in the prototype, hence cast iron here. It was decided to fit cylinder liners in order to cut water passages. Liners were turned from Cummins diesel engine valve guides, a very tough grey iron. Piston rings are also from Cummins valve guides. Two compression rings (.025 thick) and one oil ring (.040 thick) were made.
Internal components for the block. Its crankshaft is 4130 steel; a drive extension is installed to run in bearings which are .010 silver, also used in connecting rod big ends. Bronze bushes are fitted to the pin.
Piston assemblies.
Bottom of block—main and connecting rod big end bearings are silver; crank is 4130 steel.
A highly ventilated lump of cast iron, 338 holes and milling operations, plus lapping cam bearings and all those valve seats! The spark plugs are from stainless steel with a Corian insulator.
32 Cam followers, 32 "C" clips, 32 keepers, 32 springs, etc. etc., etc. Lou says, "I think I'm going to cry."
Rear axle with components. The differential contains 4 bevel gears which are hidden inside their cage. Many trials were required to cut the ring and pinion. Hypoid gear cutting requires solving equations for 13 degrees of freedom if a Gleason machine is available (a little one)! Only trial and error and finally filing tooth entry profiles could be used in my shop. The banjo housing is cut from 1 piece of steel.
A T-72 Warner transmission in 1/6 scale. Designing such an assembly is a good example of nature not being very scalable. Dividing full-size bearings by 6 doesn't agree with any listing of miniature bearings, therefore bores and shaft diameters are changed as necessary. This cannot be allowed to interfere with the gears kept to 1/6 scale exactly so the centers and ratios are correct. Full size diametrical pitches are multiplied by 6 from which the small gears are calculated. Special cutters had to be made at 60 Dp and 48 Dp along with a shaving tool for the compound set of internal gears used in the second gear position.
While many parts appear to be castings, none are; the differential housing is a typical build-up from pieces silver brazed together. Castellated nuts were machined and polished and are fitted with .015 dia. cotter pins.
Instrument panel, damascened, or engine turned stainless steel. Not particularly difficult but about 5 hours with the milling machine and its digital read-outs. Steering wheel controls do work.
Clutch components.
Rough fan sketch (drawing) background—no formal drawings exist; layouts such as this are drawn if complicated, but mostly freehand sketches.
Steering box and levers for throttle, spark retarding and lights, altogether 42 parts in the steering column. Also visible is the left side front engine mount, a highly contoured part made from solid steel then bolted and riveted to the frame.
Servo valve and brake master cylinder. Very modern design especially if compared to Rolls-Royce contemporary use of a very complex mechanical servo.
Electric fuel pumps backed up the engine's mechanical one.
Bumpers required about a week, half of which time was to prepare stainless steel and make bending jigs, forms and a fixture to keep the bolt centers exact. All bending was at red heat and even then, stainless will still have springback to complicate the issue.
Radiator shell from brass sheet. Bent over a cherrywood buck, or form, with a rawhide mallet, then a plannishing hammer, filed, sanded and polished, then chromed. Not being experienced in this skill, I ruined 8 blanks before finishing this one. Hopefully the fenders will not require the same experience!
Radiator shell and tools, cherrywood buck, punch and die for neck, .015 brass.
Fuel pump/Chassis pump with full-size equivalents.
Firewall being machined, 40 hours or so.
Cam grinding lash up.
Pan, machined.
Oil pump—gears are 13 teeth 1/4 diameter; it pumps 8 psi and will be relieved to 3 - 4.
Lapping—Cams, garnet compound because it doesn't imbed. Cams are from tool steel, drilled 1/8 dia. through (7 in.). Four sets—attempts due to set up trials and foolishness.
Exhaust system, stainless steel.
Operator and over-center linkage for the supercharged car exhaust cut-out.
Intake manifold -- parts, copper, 9 parts each.
Intake manifold mounted for fitting on engine.
All manifold and exhaust parts; 4 special tube benders were made; exhaust is stainless steel; water manifold is chromed brass; intake pieces are copper.
Paper pattern for front fenders. (Ya gotta start somewhere!)
Cherry wood forming bucks were bandsawn to shape.
First fender bashing—the ugly stage!
Initial sheet metal fitting to chassis.
Lou Chenot and Joe Martin talk at the end of the 2007 NAMES show in Toledo. Lou was loading up the Duesenberg to head home and had stopped to talk to Joe as they both watched Pierre Scerri's Ferrari model being photographed for an upcoming magazine article.
As of February, 2008 the bodywork is coming along nicely. This level of progress represents almost a year of work since the NAMES show last April. Top bows and irons were made in a single plane study, adjusting hinge points until folding could be accomplished. They were then copied in stainless steel. Technically speaking, the mechanism is a triple set of unequal arm 4-bar linkages.
The windshield is made from 11 individual components. It will contain glass that is .8 mm thick. Fitting hinges, windshield, etc. to the body contours was a time consuming process. The doors now make the proper "click" when closed and the vents work.
Running boards are cherry wood to simulate English walnut...another example of nature not being scaleable at times. Installed in the wood are chrome strips with rubber inserts.
Leather upholstery consists of one entire goatskin sewn as per full scale. In making the interior parts, allowances had to be made for the thickness of the upholstery. The body is still in primer and will have to be completely disassembled for painting later in the year. Some parts still remain to be chromed.
These photos were taken in April, 2009 at the NAMES show in Toledo, OH. The bodywork is almost complete and is now primered and ready for paint. Lou has since removed the engine and it is back on the test stand with the final modifications to be made to get it running. Once the engine is running and ready for re-installation the final two-tone blue paint job will be done. Lou is waiting for the last minute to minimize the chance of scratching the paint during the labor-intensive engine installation process.
At the 2010 NAMES show, the model was finally shown in complete and painted form. The engine was not installed at the time, as it has just been successfully run on the test stand. All components have now been completed and further work is scheduled to be done on the engine to get it to run on gas instead of the propane first used to test run it. The two-tone blue car is every bit the masterpiece the original cars were with the additional challenge of building each part in miniature.
Now that the engine is running, it will be shown at model engineering shows in York, PA and Southgate, MI in 2011 and then re-installed it in the car. The mirrored wooden display stand is completed as well. Most likely everyone will get their chance in 2011 to see the engine run outside the car. Once it is re-installed in the body it will probably not be run again, so bring your video camera to the 2011 shows.
At the 2011 NAMES show, Lou was presented with his award as the Joe Martin Foundation's Metalworking Craftsman of the Decade. He received a check for $2000.00 and becomes the foundation's 15th winner of their top award. He joins a very elite group of other craftsmen who have won this award. In the second photo, one of those craftsmen, Bill Huxhold, inspects Lou's model.
Here are some additional photos of the Duesenberg taken at the 2011 NAMES show featuring some details you might not have seen before. The engine was displayed out of the car, although it was not cooperating that weekend and Lou was not able to get it to start.These photos show some of the frame and transmission details that can best be seen when the engine is not in the vehicle.
The model Duesenberg straight-eight engine has four valves per cylinder just like the full-size version. Here you can see some details of the bell housing and clutch. Show-goers will have one last chance to see the engine out of the car at the Western Engine Model Exhibition in Pleasanton, CA August 26, 27 and 28, 2011. After that it will be reinstalled an will not be run again.
Here are some close-ups of the interior and dashboard. The photo with the rear door open shows how passengers could enter the rear seat area by swinging up the cover that goes over their legs when down.
Additional photos show some details of the exterior of the car. The last photo shows the car on its display stand with the engine in the foreground. The paint job is as flawless as one on a real Duesenberg.
Lou talks to a show-goer at the 2011 NAMES show in Michigan. Lou displayed his Duesenberg and Liberty V-12 engine at the Joe Martin Foundation booth there. In the second photo, a show-goer examines the car in detail.
WEME Show, Pleasanton, CA 8/26-28, 2011Lou and June Chenot speak with visitors the Western Engine Model Exhibition held at the GoodGuys Nationals car show August 26-28, 2011. The show brought in a lot of hotrodders that had not seen the tiny engines before, and Lou's Duesenberg was a hit as always. The car was still being displayed with the engine out and it was run on Friday and early Saturday.
Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum, September 2, 2011Lou runs the engine for visitors for what is to be the last time before it goes back into the car. A YouTube video was shot to commemorate the event athttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QesbGKTKnnQ.
The car is displayed in the museum shop with the top up and down. It was the only chance for the Southern California public to see the car before it goes back to the midwest.
The Duesenberg dash is fully detailed, and the lights work. In the second photo of the wire wheel, Lou can be seen reflected in the mirrored display base.
With the engine removed and on a test stand so it can be run, details inside the engine compartment can be easily seen. Here we see the transmission bell housing and the steering gearbox.
This was the last chance for the public to view the engine out of the car. Once Lou returns to his home shop in Missouri after this trip the engine will be re-installed in the car never to be run again. Lou started the engine several times during the day for visitors to the Craftsmanship Museum. These photos show the rear, left side, front and right side. The extra large distributor was made necessary due to the fact that it still requires 10,000 volts to fire the tiny spark plugs, just like on the real engine. The miniature distributor Lou tried first couldn't contain the spark, so this one was built that is hidden behind the firewall when the engine is installed in the car.
Rear view of a true classic. Note the words "STOP" in the tail lights and the tip of the dual exhaust. Congratulations to Lou for a true masterpiece and thanks for letting us be final venue for its last run.
1/6 scale 1895 American LaFrance Fire Engine Project
The fire engine was built over a 25-year period and finished in the first year of retirement. It probably required 4000 to 5000 hours. Initially a set of plans from Cole's was purchased along with engine and pump castings. Charlie Cole's drawings were not very well scaled but are a facsimile of an American LaFrance 1895 pumper, which he points out in his description. However, books on such machines, photographs and the fact that the original exists in the company museum allowed it to be built more nearly accurate. Also, the castings at that time were not very good. Porosity caused most of the connecting engine links to be scrapped. I decided to build with original materials, so that the wheels are cherry wood (constructed as would a wheelwright) and the frames are steel with working leaf springs.
The engine/pump was run on air for several hours and the boiler was hydrostatically tested to 100 psi. It has not been run after assembly. It is very difficult to clean, and so resides in a glass case. It is also heavy, about 60 lb. and has become difficult to show. Incidentally, it is about 30" long.
The fire engine model was recently sold at auction at the Cabin Fever model engineering show in York, PA.
1/6 scale Bentley Rotary Aircraft Engine Project
W.O. Bentley is well known for his racing automobiles, but he was a very good engineer in other efforts such as this 1918 9-cylinder rotary engine. The crankshaft is bolted to the aircraft frame, a Sopwith "Snipe" of which approximately 5000 were built, consequently cylinders rotate with the prop. Seems strange now, but it cooled the engine. The design was very modern for its time and produced 240 HP.
A model in 1/6 scale seemed appropriate to me. Even so it swings an 18-inch propeller. Another 4000 hours went into this project that incorporated learning something about investment casting for the intake elbows. The prototype crankcase pieces were steel, but being concerned with rust, I chose to use stainless steel everywhere except for aluminum finned barrels which are authentic.
If you have additional information on a project or builder shown on this site that your would like to contribute, please e-mail craig@CraftsmanshipMuseum.com. We also welcome new contributions. Please see our page at www.CraftsmanshipMuseum.com/newsubmit.htm for a submission form and guidelines for submitting descriptive copy and photos for a new project.
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