Ram air

Bertie the Bunyip wrote:
cavedweller wrote in news:ecad1ae9-5348-4dfc-b881-
:

On Jun 5, 11:21 am, Bertie the Bunyip wrote:

Actually, "Foo" came from Smokey Stover, and was a corruption of the
french "feux" ( Smokey was a fireman) He called himself a "Foo fighter"
and juxtaposed with the term UFO (which at the beginning of it's life
just meant anything that pilots couldn't identify and had nothing to do
with little gray men) a UFO became a foo fighter to USAAC pilots in WW2.
While I'm sure the Forward Observation Officer thing is also true,
Smokey Stover was really popular at the time and was the source of a
large number of slang words used during the war.
I always loved his car!

The car(s) had two wheels - predating the Segway.

--
nuts

mixed nuts wrote in
:

Bertie the Bunyip wrote:
cavedweller wrote in
news:ecad1ae9-5348-4dfc-b881-
:

On Jun 5, 11:21 am, Bertie the Bunyip wrote:

Actually, "Foo" came from Smokey Stover, and was a corruption of the
french "feux" ( Smokey was a fireman) He called himself a "Foo
fighter" and juxtaposed with the term UFO (which at the beginning of
it's life just meant anything that pilots couldn't identify and had
nothing to do with little gray men) a UFO became a foo fighter to
USAAC pilots in WW2. While I'm sure the Forward Observation Officer
thing is also true, Smokey Stover was really popular at the time and
was the source of a large number of slang words used during the war.
I always loved his car!

The car(s) had two wheels - predating the Segway.


Yeah, that's right. I have a vague memory of an article in Popular
Mechanics about someone building one. I think they might have published
plans for it, even, as they did back then. Quite a challenge to make
something like that! I suspect it must have had a single castering wheel
hidden underneath fore or aft.


Bertie

On Jun 6, 9:04 am, Bertie the Bunyip wrote:
Yeah, that's right. I have a vague memory of an article in Popular
Mechanics about someone building one. I think they might have published
plans for it, even, as they did back then. Quite a challenge to make
something like that! I suspect it must have had a single castering wheel
hidden underneath fore or aft.

Nope. Those things had two smaller wheels that ride inside
each tire. The main tires have no inner sidewalls, and the actual
suspension is a bar that reaches into the inside of the main and has
two small wheels on each end of it that ride on the inside of the
mains' treads. They have a wheelbase of 10" or so, enough to keep the
machine upright. Fools lots of people. The flattish-looking main tires
give the game away to anyone with any mechanical knowhow.
A guy here in our area built one and drives it in the local
parades. Has hydrostatic drive, too. Runs the smaller wheels.

Dan

wrote in news:2789e107-b5ff-401c-b261-
:

On Jun 6, 9:04 am, Bertie the Bunyip wrote:
Yeah, that's right. I have a vague memory of an article in Popular
Mechanics about someone building one. I think they might have published
plans for it, even, as they did back then. Quite a challenge to make
something like that! I suspect it must have had a single castering wheel
hidden underneath fore or aft.

Nope. Those things had two smaller wheels that ride inside
each tire. The main tires have no inner sidewalls, and the actual
suspension is a bar that reaches into the inside of the main and has
two small wheels on each end of it that ride on the inside of the
mains' treads. They have a wheelbase of 10" or so, enough to keep the
machine upright. Fools lots of people. The flattish-looking main tires
give the game away to anyone with any mechanical knowhow.
A guy here in our area built one and drives it in the local
parades. Has hydrostatic drive, too. Runs the smaller wheels.

Wow! never expected to hear from anone who knew of one! That sounds pretty
complicated. There can't have been many guys who built those. So the outer
tire just flexes and acts as a sort of track for the inners and, i suppose,
they just use differential power and/or braking to steer.
Cool!
I must have a look for the old plans..


Bertie

On Jun 6, 9:20 am, Bertie the Bunyip wrote:
wrote in news:2789e107-b5ff-401c-b261-
:



On Jun 6, 9:04 am, Bertie the Bunyip wrote:
Yeah, that's right. I have a vague memory of an article in Popular
Mechanics about someone building one. I think they might have published
plans for it, even, as they did back then. Quite a challenge to make
something like that! I suspect it must have had a single castering wheel
hidden underneath fore or aft.

Nope. Those things had two smaller wheels that ride inside
each tire. The main tires have no inner sidewalls, and the actual
suspension is a bar that reaches into the inside of the main and has
two small wheels on each end of it that ride on the inside of the
mains' treads. They have a wheelbase of 10" or so, enough to keep the
machine upright. Fools lots of people. The flattish-looking main tires
give the game away to anyone with any mechanical knowhow.
A guy here in our area built one and drives it in the local
parades. Has hydrostatic drive, too. Runs the smaller wheels.

Wow! never expected to hear from anone who knew of one! That sounds pretty
complicated. There can't have been many guys who built those. So the outer
tire just flexes and acts as a sort of track for the inners and, i suppose,
they just use differential power and/or braking to steer.
Cool!
I must have a look for the old plans..

Bertie

http://www.schlattersinc.com/foo_mobile.shtml
http://www.pbase.com/lassaline/image/45060622

Dan

wrote in
:

On Jun 6, 9:20 am, Bertie the Bunyip wrote:
wrote in news:2789e107-b5ff-401c-b261-
:



On Jun 6, 9:04 am, Bertie the Bunyip wrote:
Yeah, that's right. I have a vague memory of an article in Popular
Mechanics about someone building one. I think they might have
published plans for it, even, as they did back then. Quite a
challenge to make something like that! I suspect it must have had
a single castering wheel hidden underneath fore or aft.

Nope. Those things had two smaller wheels that ride inside
each tire. The main tires have no inner sidewalls, and the actual
suspension is a bar that reaches into the inside of the main and
has two small wheels on each end of it that ride on the inside of
the mains' treads. They have a wheelbase of 10" or so, enough to
keep the machine upright. Fools lots of people. The
flattish-looking main tires give the game away to anyone with any
mechanical knowhow.
A guy here in our area built one and drives it in the
local
parades. Has hydrostatic drive, too. Runs the smaller wheels.

Wow! never expected to hear from anone who knew of one! That sounds
pretty complicated. There can't have been many guys who built those.
So the outer tire just flexes and acts as a sort of track for the
inners and, i suppose, they just use differential power and/or
braking to steer. Cool!
I must have a look for the old plans..

Bertie

http://www.schlattersinc.com/foo_mobile.shtml
http://www.pbase.com/lassaline/image/45060622

So, someone did do at least one copy of it. Might write to Mr Schlatter
and see if he has any plans copies.. Not that I need another project!

Bertie

wrote in news:2789e107-b5ff-401c-b261-
:

On Jun 6, 9:04 am, Bertie the Bunyip wrote:
Yeah, that's right. I have a vague memory of an article in Popular
Mechanics about someone building one. I think they might have published
plans for it, even, as they did back then. Quite a challenge to make
something like that! I suspect it must have had a single castering wheel
hidden underneath fore or aft.

Nope. Those things had two smaller wheels that ride inside
each tire. The main tires have no inner sidewalls, and the actual
suspension is a bar that reaches into the inside of the main and has
two small wheels on each end of it that ride on the inside of the
mains' treads. They have a wheelbase of 10" or so, enough to keep the
machine upright. Fools lots of people. The flattish-looking main tires
give the game away to anyone with any mechanical knowhow.
A guy here in our area built one and drives it in the local
parades. Has hydrostatic drive, too. Runs the smaller wheels.

Dan


Found it. This your guy?

Looks like probably only one was made.


http://www.schlattersinc.com/Foo_Mobile_PM.htm

Bertie

Bertie the Bunyip wrote:

Found it. This your guy?

Looks like probably only one was made.


http://www.schlattersinc.com/Foo_Mobile_PM.htm

Bertie

*TWO* wheels?!?! Pshaww, how about this "one":

http://tinyurl.com/3zxn4k

(be sure to watch the linked video)

Happy Flying!
Scott Skylane

Scott Skylane wrote in news:KsGdnQ6Sje-
ommunications:

Bertie the Bunyip wrote:

Found it. This your guy?

Looks like probably only one was made.


http://www.schlattersinc.com/Foo_Mobile_PM.htm

Bertie

*TWO* wheels?!?! Pshaww, how about this "one":

http://tinyurl.com/3zxn4k

(be sure to watch the linked video)

That's pretty cool. I always thought those one wheel motorcyles you drive
from inside the wheel would be a blast to try too.


Bertie

"Bertie the Bunyip" wrote in message ...

That's pretty cool. I always thought those one wheel motorcyles you drive
from inside the wheel would be a blast to try too.


Bertie

Until you slam on the brakes!