Echoes in the Sky
@exoticaviation.bsky.social
old aeromachines. oddities. concepts. old tales. sleek silver cigars. pedal-o-trons. war. action. occasional flying animal, stellar, and terrestrial guest stars
Culley engaged & downed the Zeppelin - the last of the war - at 19,000ft
the lighter he launched from was being towed by HMS Redoubt, and Cullen managed to find the destroyer, ditch, and be rescued, along with his Sopwith Camel - now at IWM London!
(rafmuseum.org.uk/blog/flying-...)
2/2
the lighter he launched from was being towed by HMS Redoubt, and Cullen managed to find the destroyer, ditch, and be rescued, along with his Sopwith Camel - now at IWM London!
(rafmuseum.org.uk/blog/flying-...)
2/2
November 25, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Culley engaged & downed the Zeppelin - the last of the war - at 19,000ft
the lighter he launched from was being towed by HMS Redoubt, and Cullen managed to find the destroyer, ditch, and be rescued, along with his Sopwith Camel - now at IWM London!
(rafmuseum.org.uk/blog/flying-...)
2/2
the lighter he launched from was being towed by HMS Redoubt, and Cullen managed to find the destroyer, ditch, and be rescued, along with his Sopwith Camel - now at IWM London!
(rafmuseum.org.uk/blog/flying-...)
2/2
the ornithopter may have been operated by Concorde pilot Jeremy Rendall, seen here bothering fellow Concorde pilot (and brother) Neil at a Heathrow Airport photoshoot
November 10, 2025 at 8:27 PM
the ornithopter may have been operated by Concorde pilot Jeremy Rendall, seen here bothering fellow Concorde pilot (and brother) Neil at a Heathrow Airport photoshoot
How about it in pink? 🫦
October 20, 2025 at 2:32 PM
How about it in pink? 🫦
(I think we’re going to go with outer space daydreaming/escapism for a while)
September 23, 2025 at 8:38 PM
(I think we’re going to go with outer space daydreaming/escapism for a while)
Ah, so the reason Andre Delprat’s ornithopter “summerhouse” - built in Alexandra Park, 1906 - failed was mainly due to lack of legs..
September 11, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Ah, so the reason Andre Delprat’s ornithopter “summerhouse” - built in Alexandra Park, 1906 - failed was mainly due to lack of legs..
it was simply the most suitable photo I could find at the time
September 7, 2025 at 7:11 PM
it was simply the most suitable photo I could find at the time
more good news: after consulting NATO document
ATP-3.3.4.6 - "AIR-TO-AIR (AERIAL) REFUELING EQUIPMENT: PROBE–DROGUE INTERFACE CHARACTERISTICS"
An F-22-sized hummingbird’s 8cm diameter tongue would fit in the refuelling nozzle tip
BUT, the tongue does widen into forks - could be an issue 🤷♂️
3/3
ATP-3.3.4.6 - "AIR-TO-AIR (AERIAL) REFUELING EQUIPMENT: PROBE–DROGUE INTERFACE CHARACTERISTICS"
An F-22-sized hummingbird’s 8cm diameter tongue would fit in the refuelling nozzle tip
BUT, the tongue does widen into forks - could be an issue 🤷♂️
3/3
September 7, 2025 at 7:03 PM
more good news: after consulting NATO document
ATP-3.3.4.6 - "AIR-TO-AIR (AERIAL) REFUELING EQUIPMENT: PROBE–DROGUE INTERFACE CHARACTERISTICS"
An F-22-sized hummingbird’s 8cm diameter tongue would fit in the refuelling nozzle tip
BUT, the tongue does widen into forks - could be an issue 🤷♂️
3/3
ATP-3.3.4.6 - "AIR-TO-AIR (AERIAL) REFUELING EQUIPMENT: PROBE–DROGUE INTERFACE CHARACTERISTICS"
An F-22-sized hummingbird’s 8cm diameter tongue would fit in the refuelling nozzle tip
BUT, the tongue does widen into forks - could be an issue 🤷♂️
3/3
If we take a Rufous Hummingbird, magically made the length of a fighter jet, with the same basal metabolic rate (BMR), all muscle/square cube law/biomechanics stuff discarded, and a (generous) weight of 200kg
it would need ~80t of nectar per day, which is what a KC-135 can carry!
2/3
it would need ~80t of nectar per day, which is what a KC-135 can carry!
2/3
September 7, 2025 at 6:54 PM
If we take a Rufous Hummingbird, magically made the length of a fighter jet, with the same basal metabolic rate (BMR), all muscle/square cube law/biomechanics stuff discarded, and a (generous) weight of 200kg
it would need ~80t of nectar per day, which is what a KC-135 can carry!
2/3
it would need ~80t of nectar per day, which is what a KC-135 can carry!
2/3