The Unwanted Blog (2)

The “Maybe” Binary

February 27, 2026

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scottlowther

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A note for those who need it: science and engineering are processes that produce binary outputs. But rather than “No” or “Yes,” they produce “No” or “Maybe.” Any scientist/engineer who says “this WILL work, 100%” is lying, delusional or using shorthand for “this will probably work, until something happens that has not been accounted for.”…

1959 Electric Space Vehicle

January 19, 2026

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scottlowther

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history, Nukes, projects, spacecraft

A 1959 NASA illustration of a manned spacecraft using nuclear-electric propulsion, with the crew and ion engines at one end, the reactor at the other, and a long structure in between to provide separation and space for the vast radiators needed. Even though ion engines provide almost laughably weak thrust levels, the design could have…

“Star Trek IV” and the timeline divergence

January 14, 2026

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scottlowther

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blather, history, Hmm…, Science Fiction, youtube

I have long argued that the Star Trek timeline is not *our* timeline. This was obvious as far back as 68 when “Assignment Earth” aired, showing a mythical nuke-armed Sat V launching from a mythical USAF base & crashing in Asia. But there is also this: STIV had a number of events that simply…

Grumman G-12 Design 128

January 5, 2026

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scottlowther

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Aircraft, eBay, Models, projects

Someone recently sold on ebay a display model of the Grumman G-12 Design 128, a single-seat derivative of the A-6A Intruder. Designed in 1963 for the US Navy, this design slimmed-down the nose of the Intruder.

General Dynamics Trans Atmospheric vehicle art

January 4, 2026

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scottlowther

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Aircraft, Art, history, Monthly Historical Documents Program, Patreon, projects, rockets, spacecraft

General Dynamics artwork from the 80’s depicting a Trans Atmospheric Vehicle launching from the back of a 747. The original lithograph suffered badly from decades of reddening; I used an “AI photo editor” to correct it. Sadly, the editor spat out a smaller version of the image. I used “PhotoEditorAI;” it says it supports high-rez…

Own your very own Racketenschiff

January 4, 2026

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scottlowther

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Art, Awesomeness, eBay, history, Models, projects, rockets, science, Science Fiction, spacecraft

I’m selling my one and only 1/72 Max Valier “Racketenschiff.” See the ebay link for info on how this might become a kit. https://www.ebay.com/itm/257288840453

Max Valier “Raketenschiff”

December 12, 2025

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scottlowther

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Art, Awesomeness, Models, projects, rockets, spacecraft

Here is the one and only 1/72 “Racketenschiff,” Max Valier’s 1920’s idea for a rocket powered transatlantic passenger transport. I made this as something of an art project, to see if scaling up the original 1/288 version modeled for Fantastic Plastic would work (it does) and to see how it’d look when painted simply, with…

November 2025 APR rewards

December 1, 2025

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scottlowther

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Uncategorized

Rewards for November, 2025, are now available. This include: Document: “Man Will Conquer Space Soon,” article from Collier’s magazine, March 22, 1952 Document: “Close Support Aircraft NA-452, Design/Manufacture Maximum System Effectiveness” A 1966 North American Aviation concept for something of a proto-A-10. Document: “Boeing YC-14 photographs.” 20 scans of 8.5X11 glossy photos of the prototype…

Curtiss-Wright CW-32

November 4, 2025

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scottlowther

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Aircraft, Politics

An early post-war (November, 1946) concept for a commercial cargo transport, the four-engined Curtiss-Wright CW-32. The crew compartment would be pressurized, but not the cargo compartment. Options included raising the entire tail so that large ground vehicles could drive straight in.

1/72 Max Valier Racketenschiff

October 27, 2025

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scottlowther

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Art, Awesomeness, Cats, history, Models, projects, rockets

My 3D printed scaleup of the model I created for Fantastic Plastic is coming along. I’m approaching this as more of an art project than engineering… partially because I think it better fits the aesthetics of a 1920’s “project” by painting it with rattlecans and pens rather than an airbrush, partially because I just want…

The “Maybe” Binary

1959 Electric Space Vehicle

“Star Trek IV” and the timeline divergence

Grumman G-12 Design 128

General Dynamics Trans Atmospheric vehicle art

Own your very own Racketenschiff

Max Valier “Raketenschiff”

November 2025 APR rewards

Curtiss-Wright CW-32

1/72 Max Valier Racketenschiff

This is now the “official Unwanted Blog”

“At the Mountains of Madness”

Avatar 3: Review and idea

Manned Aircraft Progress Report 1956-1958

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