Vintage Magazines Predicted a Wacky Future

By Johnny Cat in Auto & Transportation, History, Science & Tech on Dec 14, 2009 at 12:43 pm

(More scans at Woot!)

(More scans at Woot!)

Yes, the glorious days of publishing were characterized by whatever could grab your attention on the cover. Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, and Modern Mechanix led the way in eye-popping art that seemed all the more plausible because of who was publishing it. Scientists and mechanics know what they’re talking about, and what would make more sense than those commies developing a scary skiing weapon? Woot! blog reviews and ponders this and other covers.

Holy crap. How did this get past Quality Control? First off, is this actually supposed to have military applications? I know this was back when Russia was pretty scary to everyone Stateside, but a fire engine red propeller on skis with an infantryman strapped to the front isn’t very stealthy. Imagine a squad of 10 or 20 guys motor-skiing around the Siberian plains wondering why the enemy is always gone at least a half hour before they show up. Suppose they find some bad guys. Do they just park that thing and hop off? It’s a pretty easy marker for a sniper down range. And what the hell happens if a guy lets go of the handles accidentally while he’s moving? I have to assume he turns into an Army guy smoothie.

Tags: covers, magazine, Modern Mechanix, popular mechanics, Popular Science

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Mitch
Dec 14th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
It might be better to have the propeller in front in case the skiier wipes out.
Gauldar
Dec 14th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
@Mitch

Safer? Possibly. Better? I think they need more R&D.
Susano
Dec 14th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Some of the vehicles mocked in the article actually exist today (in various forms).
Brooks
Dec 14th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
The red color is no less stupid than putting the American star insignia over the weakest armor of the Sherman tank in World War II. “Hit it here!”
Brooks
Dec 14th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Of course… maybe the prop is in front of the solider and its pulling him up hill. He can always just ski downhill, eh?
ted
Dec 14th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
I think I read about the propellor/ski device in Dante’s Inferno.
Foreigner1
Dec 15th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Woot misses the mark completely on at least 2 inventions: The Jetpack and the bus that lets passengers enter straight into the bus instead of letting them walk over the tarmac.

The jetpack is still being developed, but it has other disadvantages than named here by Woot.

And that bus- Well, not all airports are situated in moderate climatezones. And this is just a drawing so this gnawing about windowless buses is just a case of like “duhhhhhh….”

and that icescooter with open prop upfront- In the 1920′s and 1930′s there were several machines that worked with a same kind pusherprop. So these machines weren’t all that outlandish at the time.

Woot is a bit shortsighted and void of insight itself if you ask me.
rdennis
Dec 15th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
When you look at this, just thnk of the snowmobiles, we have now. This kind of stuff lead others to think of better and other ways to accomplish the same task. Don’t be short sighted, look outside the box.
Gauldar
Dec 17th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
@rdennis

This is a 1950s magazine, and the snowmobile was invented in 1924. It is possible that imagination can pave the way to innovation, but these ideas shown look like the focus was on form over function.

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