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June 15, 1936: What Was the Most Produced British Bomber of World War II?

By Major Dan on June 15, 2018 Inventions, June 15, Military

A Brief History On June 15, 1936, the Vickers Wellington twin engine bomber made its maiden flight. The bomber would be produced from 1936 until the end of World War II in 1945, with a massive production run of well over 11,400 copies, over 4 000 more than the larger and more famous 7377 Avro Lancasters built. The Wellington was quickly found to be inadequate for a role as a daylight heavy bomber but proved highly effective in other roles as a medium bomber, both versatile and resilient. Digging Deeper Designed by inventive genius Barnes Wallis, the guy that gave…

June 14, 1986: 9 Horrible and Gruesome Recreational Accidents

By Major Dan on June 14, 2018 June 14, Travel, Vehicles

A Brief History On June 14, 1986, the Mindbender, the world’s largest indoor triple-loop roller coaster, derailed and killed three riders at Galaxyland inside West Edmonton Mall, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Today we list 9 horrible accidents that occurred when people were trying to have a good time. Amusement parks, sailing/boating, cycling, hiking, bowling, jogging, sightseeing, just about any recreational activity can be deadly. What other incidents would you include on this list? Digging Deeper 1. Mindbender Derailment, 1986. The accident occurred just a few months after the ride’s opening on March 16, 1986. On a Saturday evening in June of…

June 13, 1817: When Was the Bicycle Invented?

By Major Dan on June 12, 2018 Cinema & TV, Inventions, June 13, Sports, Travel, Vehicles

A Brief History On June 13, 1817, Karl Drais of Germany invented a contraption he called the “Laufmaschine,” German for “running machine” as the two wheeled single rider vehicle was powered by the rider scooting his feet along the ground. Also known as a “draisine” (German) or “draisienne” (French), this earliest form of bicycle later became known broadly as a “velocipede,” a term covering all types of bicycles and other people powered ground vehicles. Drais patented his invention in France in 1818, and the name continued to evolve to become known as “The Dandy Horse.” Digging Deeper The evolution of…

June 11, 1919: What Was the First Horse to Win the Triple Crown?

By Major Dan on June 11, 2018 Animals/Pets, June 11, Sports

A Brief History On June 11, 1919, Sir Barton, a chestnut Thoroughbred race horse, won the Belmont Stakes, the third jewel in America’s horse racing Triple Crown, the “Big Three” horse races held in the United States each year. Sir Barton’s victory made it a sweep, the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes, making Sir Barton and his jockey, Johnny Loftus, the first man/horse team to win the fabled Triple Crown of horse racing. In the 99 years since then, there have been 12 more horses to win the coveted Triple Crown Trophy, the most recent being Justify…

June 9, 1959: 10 More Weapons Milestones (Modern and Ancient, that Changed the Game)

By Major Dan on June 9, 2018 Inventions, June 9, Lists, Military

A Brief History On June 9, 1959, the United States Navy launched the USS George Washington, the first ballistic missile submarine capable of launching nuclear missiles. We used that occasion to publish the article “10 Weapons Milestones (Modern Systems that Changed the Game)” in which we named 10 of the most interesting and important advances in weaponry of the 19th and 20th Centuries. Today we list 10 more of those weapons and or weapons systems, and we branch out to include the 21st Century and Olden times as well. As always, please share your nominations for other weapons we could…