A windsurfer, like any sailboat, needs wind. Meanwhile, on its hull-float it is possible to swim even in calm weather if necessary. In the magazine “Modelist-Konstruktor” there was once a mention of using the hull in a rowing version — with a two-blade kayak oar, or with an ordinary pair of oars (though in the Read more…
Today we introduce readers to two such works, interesting above all because they address an area of home farming that is still only weakly covered by technical creativity: beekeeping. For it, club members of the Palace of Pioneers and Schoolchildren of the Bauman District in Moscow have created a very convenient original hive for use, Read more…
Before introducing the material below, we’d like to recall a short note in issue No. 2 of our journal for 1979 — “Folding sleds.” The reason is that the author of both designs is the same — our reader from Kazan, E. Zakharov. His technical creativity was prompted by a little son who every morning Read more…
Winter in our northern parts is long. There aren’t many roads, and even those don’t manage to clear snow in time. That’s why it’s hard for people here to get by without snowmobile machines, especially when you often have to ride completely off-road (for example, into the forest for firewood) — right across piled-up snowdrifts. Read more…
At the end of winter in 1974, on snow-covered fields near the airport “Domodedovo”, an unusual machine appeared—something like the egg of a fairy bird Rukh, or like a gigantic cocoon. Leaving behind clouds of snowy dust, it slid over the plain at an impressive speed and easily overcame fairly steep climbs. Its maneuverability astonished Read more…
Choosing a suitable engine for aerosleds is a far from simple task. Series engines, for many parameters (in particular, specific power), do not satisfy amateur designers. That is why some enthusiasts choose a rather complex, but correct, path: to create motors of their own design using units and parts from series engines. The editorial office Read more…
The best delta glider of amateur construction that took part in the «Dombai Peaks» competition in 1978 was recognized as the «Sokol-2». Its creator was V. D. Mikhailov, a Master of Sport from Leningrad, a well-known specialist in designing and sewing yacht sails. Therefore, his desire to use the latest achievements in sailing sports when Read more…
To begin with, I suggest that car‑enthusiast readers run a small experiment. Next time you drive out of town, stop on a high‑speed stretch of highway and watch the passenger cars rushing past. In fact, you shouldn’t so much watch as listen. After fifteen minutes you’ll learn to recognize the main car makes by ear: Read more…
The simplicity of the “Arfa” design is probably unique. The vehicle has only six main parts: a frame with an engine, a rear axle, wheels, a ski with a steering rod, and a steering wheel. The snowmobile’s reliability and low maintenance match the very highest requirements imposed on a vehicle intended for autonomous runs across Read more…
One day I came across an article “Vitamin jack” (“M-K” No. 7 for 1985), where the author writes that when preparing juices he crushes apples with a wooden mallet in a small barrel. His argument in favor of such a technology — purely manual — seemed unconvincing to me. Therefore, I decided to share with Read more…
