Mechatastrophe

Videomania

Since I post here infrequently, here are various DVD sets I have added to my collection since the last post:

Space Pirate Captain Harlock (1978)
French dub/ no subs

Arcadia of My Youth:Endless Orbit SSX (1982)
FR/JP dub / FR subs

Neo Human Casshan (1973)
IT/JP dub /IT subs

Hurricane Polymar (1974)
IT/JP dub /IT subs

Space Carrier Blue Noah (1979)
IT/JP dub / IT subs

Submarine Super 99 (2003)
FR/JP dub /FR subs

GREY: Digital Target (1986)
FR/JP dub / FR subs

Mobile Suit Gundam:Unicorn (Eps 3+4) (2011)
Eng/JP dub / Eng subs

Space Sheriff Gavan (1982)
FR/JP dub / FR subs

Space Sheriff Sharivan (1983)
FR/JP dub / FR subs

Mobile Suit Gundam 0079 (2nd half) (1979)
EN/JP dub / EN subs

Ruins Legend Acrobunch (1982)
FR/JP dub / FR subs

Space Symphony Maetel (2004)
FR/JP dub / FR subs

Message from Space: Galactic Battle (1979)
FR/JP dub / FR subs

Super-Electronic Bioman (1984)
FR/JP dub / FR subs

RemoCon War

Forthcoming book about Horten wing aerodynamics!

I am looking forward to the release of this book.

"Only the Wing: Reimar Horten's Epic Quest to Stabilize and Control the All-Wing Aircraft"

From the publisher:

"In the late 1920s, Reimar Horton started experimenting with flying models equipped with fuselages, stabilizers, rudders, and elevators, but his life's work involved systematically removing these components from the models until he could achieve flight with only the wing. Not only were the pure wings more difficult to design with the stability and control needed to fly, they were harder to place in practical roles not already filled by conventional aircraft operating for less support and operational costs. Always seeking to increase performance and efficiency, Reimar adopted a multi-disciplinary approach after flying his first piloted wing in 1933, eventually breaking new ground in cockpit design and construction materials. His most important innovation was the unique pattern he developed to distribute the lift over his wings, the result of his efforts to refine the aerodynamic control of all-wing aircraft, often while working alone and in difficult circumstances. Two days after he passed away in 1993, the Royal Aeronautical Society awarded Reimar Horten the British Gold Medal for Outstanding Achievement in Aeronautics.

About the Author
Russell E. Lee is curator in the Aeronautics Division at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum."

Publisher page: Rowman & Littlefield

Recall that the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum has the only remaining H.IX/Ho 229 and is supposed to be restoring the plane for display.

Smithsonian Horten

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Other Horten wing books I have recently received:
Ho 9/229 Retrospective (vol.1)

Ho 9/229 Technical History (vol.2)

and, Nurflügel: The Story of the Horten Aircraft 1933-1960
This book was written by Reimar Horten!

Avro Arrow

http://www.avro-arrow.org/

Uchu Daisenso

Growing up during the 1980's I have long been obsessed with the so-called "Star Wars" program. It has led to an enduring interest in (mostly outdated) books about the projects and concepts of that time. Recently I added a few books to my collection:

The Shape of Wars to Come by David Baker, 1982

Beam Weapons: The Next Arms Race, by Jeff Hecht, 1984

War Without Men: Robots on the Future Battlefield, by Shaker and Wise, 1988

Military Space Forces: The Next Fifty Years, by John Collins, 1989

The Origins of SDI: 1944-1983, by Donald Baucom, 1992
(cover illustration is that great painting of the Homing Overlay Experiment kill vehicle)
Wikipedia on HOE with pics!

Lastly, I present the 1986 tune on related subjects "SDI & ABM" by S.O.B. From the record "Leave Me Alone"

Shoot the Core!!!

My copy of Armored Core: Formula Front Extreme Battles should arrive in the next few days. Looking forward to finally trying it out. The regular AC games have been favorites of mine since the first entry in the series. Formula Front is interesting in that it also includes a 'programming' mode where you can program an 'AI' controlled 'Core. Then send it in to battle Vs. other 'Cores.

So the great custom bits of standard AC, plus a (more rudimentary) programming bit similar to Carnage Heart.

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Update!
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I've since also been able to get Armored Core:FF-International. The "International" version is a budget Japanese re-release of Formula Front, with more missions, etc. Includes English language for everything other than the tutorial videos.

Stand by...........for action!

After almost exactly one year of delays, I have today at last received:

"Filmed in Supermarionation: A History of the Future"

Be sure to visit the author's site!
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Update: also now have "What Made Thunderbirds Go!"

and "My FAB Years"

Desperate Living

Just read Kambayashi's 'Yukikaze'. I am better at picking up new concepts rather than underlying (implied) themes in novels. Which is one reason I rarely read novels anymore. Also, I am generally not very interested in characters individually, and more the overall content. the multiple afterwords and commentaries included at the end of the book pointed out that each chapter featured a different situation where the nature of what is "human" or "alive" is examined. I honestly had not noticed, being focused on rushing to each description of the amazing fictional aircraft in the book. I started reading Yukikaze having already seen the OVA adaptation . In the novel, the JAM remain mysterious, as do the characters (largely). Which is supposed to make them seem cold and distant, 'machinelike'. So over the course of the conflict the JAM (a probably mechanical lifeform, it remains uncertain) attempt to deceive the humans, initially by making copies of human planes that are (externally at least) indistinguishable from the human craft and later by trying to make artificial human replicas. Meanwhile there is increasing use of computers and AIs by the humans. From selecting automatically who should receive a commendation, to the instance when a AI releases all limiters on the plane and takes over control to save itself from incoming missiles, with the result being the death of the pilot from internal bleeding while the plane successfully returns on its own. When I started this book, I'd hoped for some great aircraft scenes and ended up with that and an interesting story as well.

I give this book my highest recommendation. I hope very much that the follow-up novels, 'Good Luck, Yukikaze' and 'Unbroken Arrow' may be translated and released someday.

More book info including an excerpt: Haikasoru

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