| Friday, June 26, 2009 |
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| Learjet 45 |
SpotlightFighter planes and business jets... The inventors of the Messerschmitt and the Learjet were both born on this date. Wilhelm Emil Messerschmitt (1898-1978) designed what became the German Luftwaffe's most important fighter — the Messerschmitt Bf 109 — which is still the most produced fighter ever. Post WWII, Messerschmitt spent some time in prison for having used slave labor in his factories. After his release, he was forbidden to produce airplanes for a short period, and his factory turned to building cars and prefabricated homes, before returning to the production of airplanes. The more luxurious Learjet was created by William Lear (1902-1978). Originally, the Learjet was designed as a fighter plane; later it was adapted for the business industry. Lear also invented the slightly less durable 8-track cartridge tape system.
Quote"When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it."
Question of the DayWhat does a jet engine do?
A jet engine operates on the same principal as four-stroke piston engines in which it intakes air and mixes it with fuel, compresses the air-fuel mixture, ignites the mixture, and expels the exhaust gases. The difference is in how the engines use that cycle of intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust and translate it into motion.
Piston engines rotate a crankshaft, which also rotates series of gears and shafts that ultimately rotate the wheels of a car or propeller blade on a prop aircraft or boat.
Jet engines create jet streams from the exhaust gas; that is, the force of the pressurized gas pushing through the air. Think of an inflated balloon with the untied end pinched and then suddenly let go: the balloon goes flying due to the pressure of the air escaping through the small opening. ... More
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cooper
One that makes or repairs wooden barrels and tubs.
The job market is nothing to write home about, but nevertheless this week we'll take a look at some words relating to professions.
Today's History
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| CN Tower |
- United Nations: was founded (1945)
- Ich bin ein Berliner: John F. Kennedy declared "I am a Berliner," emphasizing US support for democracy in West Germany (1963)
- UPC bar code: the first item marked in this way was scanned, in Troy, Ohio; the 10-pack of Juicy Fruit is now in the Smithsonian (1974)
- CN Tower: a Toronto landmark, the world's tallest free-standing structure on land, opened to the public (1976)
- Human Genome Project: completion of the first rough map of the human genetic code was announced at the White House (2000)
Today's Birthdays
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| Derek Jeter |
- Lord Kelvin (1824-1907): physicist who specialized in thermodynamics, Kelvin scale
- Dave Grusin (75): pianist and Oscar-winning composer for The Milagro Beanfield War; plus, musicians Billy Davis Jr. (69), Chris Isaak (53) and Patty Smyth (52)
- Paul Thomas Anderson (39): director and screenwriter, Boogie NIghts, There WIll Be Blood; authors Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973) and Charlotte Zolotow (94) share this birth date
- Derek Jeter (35): NY Yankees star shortstop; other athletes born on this date include Babe Didrikson Zaharias (1911-1956), Greg LeMond (48), Shannon Sharpe (41), Chad Pennington (33) and Michael Vick (29)
- Jason Schwartzman (29): actor, Rushmore, The Darjeeling Limited; also, actors Peter Lorre (1904-1964), Josef Sommer (75), Chris O'Donnell, Matt Letscher and Sean Hayes (all 39) and Rebecca Budig (36)
