Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Although several people come immediately to mind, the most obvious is Howard Hughes. Hughes was an icon in the aerospace industry, owned RKO Studios and produced several flying related movies. Among them is the movie Hells Angels. Thanks; Ernie P.

Redback

No Ernie, not Howard Hughes.

Some people run away to joint the circus, this guy left the family act to take up engineering which (according to accounts) he was very good at.


Terry

Top_Gunn

My Feedback: (6)

I think I know the answer (though my source says Bockscar, rather than Enola Gay). But I am flat out of questions, and in any event I don't want to hog the thread. Good question, though! Off the top of my head, the only people who came to mind were Hedy Lamarr and Howard Hughes, who we know weren't the answer.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

I didn't think you wanted Howard Hughes; although I'm pretty sure I know the answer you do want. If no one else steps forward, I'll take it. But let's give it a bit more time. This is really a fascinating story, and it deserves more time to explore the subject. It's an area of history not known to very many and should be highlighted. Please continue. Thanks; Ernie P.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Yeah; I'll bet you have it, Top_Gunn. Hard to keep you stumped for long. Thanks; Ernie P.

Redback

Yep, I reckon Al has got it. My first source said Enola Gay, however I have seen others that cite Bock's Car. Likehood is that the ****** ***** was used on both.

Will leave this a little longer before trying to dig up another clue.

Terry

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Redback; Check your private mail. Your original statement is, strictly speaking, correct. Thanks; Ernie P.

Redback

OK another clue. Before leaving to take up engineering as a clue he joined the family act when his brother joined the army.

Terry

Redback

One more. The person I am looking for shares a name with a very famous WW1 fighter pilot.

Terry

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

All;

Not to distract from Terry's question, but a quick question: How many people want this thread to continue? Interest appears to be waning as the questions and answers necessarily become more obscure. So; should we strike the tent or continue? If you want this thread to continue, let us know please. Otherwise, we'll close it down. Thanks; Ernie P.

zippome

I would like it to continue! I unfortunately don't get to choose check in on it as often as I like, but I think there's still life in the "old girl".

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

I would like it to continue as well.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Guys;

Well, at least a few diehards still think this forum is worth continuing. But, if there are only a half dozen or so of us, we're all going to have to get used to the idea of being up more often. Speaking of which, I'm off on a trip tomorrow; and I'll be gone for a week. See you all when I return. Have fun and thanks; Ernie P.

Redback

Since the consensus is to continue remember that there is still a question on the table!

I have posted a couple more clues and I know that at least 2 people (Ernie is one) have the answer!!

No marks until you submit the correct answer!!

Terry

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

I've been at Jets Over Kentucky covering the event and I've kind of lost track of where we are in the current quiz. Can you post the current quiz with it's current clues???

Thanks

Ken

Redback

Ken

Mine is the current question, started on the previous page:-

Getting harder and harder to come up with questions, so thought I would try something a little different. We will see how it goes:-

I am looking for a link between Enola Gay and Hollywood. Hint - it has nothing to do with movies about either the aircraft or its mission

Unfortunately I didn't aggregate the clues so I am not able to easily paste them onto one page.


Terry

uncljoe

My Feedback: (8)

I was under the impression that one would get a daily clue if no one correctly answered it .If ernie has the correct answer why not post it.
Semper Fi

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

I was hoping you would re-post the current quiz and it's clues so that I didn't have to go back and dig them out. The last week was a bit crazy for me as I was at Jets Over Kentucky to produce a DVD of the event.

Ken

Redback

In response to popular request I have aggregated the clues so far: I am running short of new clues and I know that at least two people already have the answer!

I am looking for a link between Enola Gay and Hollywood (the Movie Industry). Hint - it has nothing to do with movies about either the aircraft or its mission.
The link relates to a component used in aircraft and in other applications
The company that made the component referred to also made a twin cylinder motor cycle, as well as other products for the aerospace industry
I am looking for is a person whose career ranged from Hollywood to the aerospace industry.
Some people run away to joint the circus, this guy left the family act to take up engineering which (according to accounts) he was very good at.
Before leaving to take up engineering as a clue he joined the family act when his brother joined the army
The person I am looking for shares a name with a very famous WW1 fighter pilot

Terry

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Thanks Terry. Now I can put the thinking cap back on and see if I can come up with something!!!!

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

I've been out of town for the past week, as I indicated in my last post. Okay; since no one else wants to step forward; I believe the answer is Herbert Manfred "Harpo" Marx. If I'm correct, I'll post a new question. BTW; I think this was a great question, and Terry deserves high marks for coming up with it. Until I was researching this question, I never knew Harpo Marx had this side of his life. Thanks; Ernie P.


Herbert Manfred "Zeppo" Marx (February 25, 1901 – November 30, 1979) was an American actor, theatrical agent, and engineer. He was the youngest of the five Marx Brothers. He appeared in the first five Marx Brothers feature films, from 1929 to 1933, but then left the act to start his second career as an engineer and theatrical agent. Zeppo Marx was a multi-millionaire due to his engineering efforts.

Offstage, Marx had great mechanical skills and was largely responsible for keeping the Marx family car running. Marx later owned a company which machined parts for the war effort during World War II, Marman Products Co. of Inglewood, California, later known as the Aeroquip Company. This company produced a motorcycle, called the Marman Twin and the Marman clamps used to hold the "Fat Man" atomic bomb inside the B-29 bomber, Bockscar. He also founded a large theatrical agency with his brother Gummo, and invented a wristwatch that would monitor the pulse rate of cardiac patients and give off an alarm if the heartbeat became irregular.

A Marman clamp is a type of heavy-duty band clamp; it allows two flat cylindrical interfaces to be simply clamped together with a ring clamp. It is sometimes also known as a "Marman ring".

A common use for Marman clamps is as quick-disconnect connectors in flexible aircraft fuel lines.

Marman clamps are used extensively in spaceflight systems, and are common mechanical load transfer and clamping mechanisms for connecting the upper stage and the satellite payload of space vehicles, for example on the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer on the Cassini orbiter. They may also be used to join stages of a booster rocket.

Early separation systems using Marman clamps used explosive bolts for release. These have problems of unpredictability, the need to contain debris and difficulties in testing them. A more recent approach uses a screw thread. The tension of the clamp band itself is used to power the unscrewing of a central bolt, when released by a NASA standard initiator (NSI), a pyrotechnic pin puller.

The Marman clamp was first produced by Herbert Marx, better known by his stage name of Zeppo Marx; it was manufactured by his company, Marman Products.
At the time it was designed to secure cargo during transport. The U.S. Military used it to transport the atomic bombs used at the end of the Second World War.
Marman clamps are found in many modern moving vehicles, though the screw band type clamp is becoming more popular.
The name is often incorrectly spelled "Marmon".

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

I've been out of town for the past week, as I indicated in my last post. Okay; since no one else wants to step forward; I believe the answer is Herbert Manfred "Harpo" Marx. If I'm correct, I'll post a new question. BTW; I think this was a great question, and Terry deserves high marks for coming up with it. Until I was researching this question, I never knew Harpo Marx had this side of his life. Thanks; Ernie P.


Herbert Manfred "Zeppo" Marx (February 25, 1901 – November 30, 1979) was an American actor, theatrical agent, and engineer. He was the youngest of the five Marx Brothers. He appeared in the first five Marx Brothers feature films, from 1929 to 1933, but then left the act to start his second career as an engineer and theatrical agent. Zeppo Marx was a multi-millionaire due to his engineering efforts.

Offstage, Marx had great mechanical skills and was largely responsible for keeping the Marx family car running. Marx later owned a company which machined parts for the war effort during World War II, Marman Products Co. of Inglewood, California, later known as the Aeroquip Company. This company produced a motorcycle, called the Marman Twin and the Marman clamps used to hold the "Fat Man" atomic bomb inside the B-29 bomber, Bockscar. He also founded a large theatrical agency with his brother Gummo, and invented a wristwatch that would monitor the pulse rate of cardiac patients and give off an alarm if the heartbeat became irregular.

A Marman clamp is a type of heavy-duty band clamp; it allows two flat cylindrical interfaces to be simply clamped together with a ring clamp. It is sometimes also known as a "Marman ring".

A common use for Marman clamps is as quick-disconnect connectors in flexible aircraft fuel lines.

Marman clamps are used extensively in spaceflight systems, and are common mechanical load transfer and clamping mechanisms for connecting the upper stage and the satellite payload of space vehicles, for example on the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer on the Cassini orbiter. They may also be used to join stages of a booster rocket.

Early separation systems using Marman clamps used explosive bolts for release. These have problems of unpredictability, the need to contain debris and difficulties in testing them. A more recent approach uses a screw thread. The tension of the clamp band itself is used to power the unscrewing of a central bolt, when released by a NASA standard initiator (NSI), a pyrotechnic pin puller.

The Marman clamp was first produced by Herbert Marx, better known by his stage name of Zeppo Marx; it was manufactured by his company, Marman Products.
At the time it was designed to secure cargo during transport. The U.S. Military used it to transport the atomic bombs used at the end of the Second World War.
Marman clamps are found in many modern moving vehicles, though the screw band type clamp is becoming more popular.
The name is often incorrectly spelled "Marmon".

Redback

Ernie is correct, Zeppo Marx is the name I was looking for.

I though that this story might have been common knowledge in the USA, but clearly not.

Ernie, looking forward to your next question.


Terry

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Okay; here we go again. And again, thanks to Terry for a great question. It's great to learn things. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It was the first of its kind for the country which built it; and the first to perform a feat which is, today, not only commonplace, but essential.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Early morning clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It was the first of its kind for the country which built it; and the first to perform a feat which is, today, not only commonplace, but essential.

(2) It was also the first of its kind for a group of allies.