All Articles Tagged '1930s' (620)

Swiss vehicles are far less famous than Swiss watches, Swiss cheese and Swiss pocket knives. Let's give some Dieselpunk love to Helvetic omnibuses!

In Switzerland, dozens of Saurer, FBW and Berna buses, as good as new, are the stars of numerous automotive events. Thanks to…

Welcome to Two-Fisted Tuesdays, where we throw on our trench coats, don our fedoras, and walk down the mean streets of classic crime fiction.

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was a crime drama that ran for over 12 years during the golden age of radio. The main character, Johnny Dollar, was a smart, tough, wisecracking insurance detective who tossed silver-dollar tips to waiters and bellhops. While always a friend of…

This Friday, in the midst of Gatsby Craze, it's time to remember a true supercar - the most ambitious creation of W O Bentley:

The 8-Liter Bentley was introduced at the 1930 London Motor Show*. It featured an 8-liter engine which was a development of Bentley's race-winning 6.5-liter unit. The main purpose of this model was to add competition…

Welcome to Two-Fisted Tuesdays, where we throw on our trench coats, don our fedoras, and walk down the mean streets of classic crime fiction. This week, we’re pumping two new bullets into your hard-boiled ear drums, Yours Truly Johnny Dollar and Boston Blackie.

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was a crime drama that ran for over 12 years during the golden age of radio. The main character, Johnny…

The Piaggio P.108 was the only four-engine heavy bomber used by the Regia Aeronautica during World War II.

In 1938 the Regia Aeronautica issued a request for proposal for a BGR (Bombardiere a Grande Raggio, long-range bomber); proposals came from Caproni with their Ca.204 and Ca.211 projects, CRDA with…

It's time for the Auto Union Type D racer - the last but not the least in line.

By limiting the maximum weight of Grand Prix cars from the 1934 season onwards to 750 kg, the sport's governing body, the Association Internationale des Automobiles Clubs…

This is the last chapter of the Early Lockheed's Saga.

The Lockheed Model 9 Orion was the last of Lockheed's single engine transports, seated six passengers and was powered by a 420hp P&W Wasp engine. The Orion cruised at 180-195 mph and is claimed to be the first transport capable of 200 mph. The Orion was also the first commercial…

A front-wheel drive posh car in the early 1930s? A few thousand bucks will buy you a Cord... or a Ruxton.

The Ruxton is a forgotten manufacturer, often overlooked when considering early pioneers in automotive design and mechanics. One of their biggest automotive achievements was the use of front-drive…

If we're in forgotten car makes already, what about another one?

Richard Lea and Graham Francis entered into partnership in August 1895 to make advanced and relatively expensive cycles of quality in Lower Ford Street, Coventry, which soon gained a high reputation*. Less successful was their first experiment with cars in…

What about giving some dieselpunk love to a remarkable car make, sadly overshadowed by its German and Italian neighbors?

The Austro-Daimler Motor Company produced automobiles from 1899 through 1934. Their factory was located in Wiener-Neustadt, which is located south of Vienna, in…

Given its origin, the Blenheim could be called "fast and spurious". The aircraft was initially envisaged as a luxury transport and wasn't a part of any military programme.

The often told story of the six-seat executive aircraft built for Lord Rothermere, proprietor of the aviation-supporting Daily Mail, usually misses the vital point. Why did…

Another page of the Mercedes-Benz racecar saga: the W154:

Shortly after the first races were held organizers created rules and regulations to create a somewhat level playing field and to keep things relatively safe. In that light the rules setup for Grand Prix racing from 1934 to 1936 made little…

When we say 'weird' we mean it. Definitely.

With the issue of a specification for a successor to the Potez 631 twin-engined fighter in service with the Armee del'Air, P-E Mercier and Jacques Lecarme of the Societe Nationale de Constructions Aeronautiques de Sud-Est (SNCASE) tendered the design of a highly innovative aircraft, the SE 100…

Although best known for his post war Volkswagen illustrations, Bernd Rueters (1901 - 1958) produced a wide variety of excellent work before WWII. His work for the Adler 2.5L. is so exceptional, I've decided to do a separate article on them.

The Adler 2.5 L. was produced from 1937-1940. The streamlined body was the work of Karl Jenschke (1899 - 1969). The four door sedans were built by Ambi-Budd, the cabrios by Karmann, and a few sport models by Buhne.…

Another Bugatti? Well, we just can't have enough. And this one is truly unique.

Most Type 57s feature bodywork penned by Jean Bugatti in one of four distinct styles named after Mont Ventoux, the Col du Galibier and the Stelvio Pass, but this custom coupe took the best traits from each*. It was built…

By the end of 1920s, front-wheel drive configuration found its way into one of the most ambitious automotive designs ever.

The Cord L-29 was revolutionary, using a front-wheel drive system rather than the popular rear-wheel drive configuration. Many believed that having the front wheels be responsible for turning, carrying the…

Another British car make - maybe not so famous, it's not forgotten. Actually, it's alive.

The Invicta Car Company was a British based automotive manufacturer that produced cars from 1925 through 1950. In the early 2000s, the name was revised and placed on a high-performance sports car. From 1925 to 1933, the company was based in…

Overshadowed by more famous and spectacular German aircraft, the Siebel Si 204 boasted a distinctive Dieselpunk appearance and played at least four different roles.

Used in substantial numbers by the Luftwaffe as a light communications aircraft and crew trainer, the Siebel Si 204 was essentially a scaled-up …

New times, new rules, smaller engines...

Sport in general and motorsport in particular was a popular method of displaying a country's abilities without taking up the arms*. With the rise of nationalistic governments in the 1930s, the desire to prove the country's worth on the track also increased. Especially in Germany and Italy…