German 1978 TV-Broadcast/Relay aircraft concept

[hesham]

Hi,


From Luftfahrt 8/1979,here is a strange aircraft,may be a HALE or surveillance
design,and the wrote "Grobe Flugzeuge" on it,may be they meant Grob company,
who can help ?.

 

[flateric]

Re: What was that strange project ?

A look into the future offered an exhibition of the Vereins- und Westbank Association under the motto "technique between fantasy and reality." Given the oil crisis it may appear doubtful whether the project of the large aircraft constantly circling in the sky and taking over the relay functions and make television towers obsolete, could ever become a reality. Interesting is the silhouette of the "Television aircraft": she is strongly reminiscent of a glider, and equipped with counter-rotating turbine-driven propellers that could actually once again take the place of jet engines. (GT)

 

[hesham]

Re: What was that strange project ?

Many many thanks to you my dear Flateric.

 

[Michel Van]

Re: What was that strange project ?

the exhibition is from the "Vereins- und West Bank", a Hamburg finance instute (today Unicredit Bank Munich)

 

[hesham]

Re: Grob Aircraft 1978 TV-Broadcast/Relay aircraft concept

Thank you my dear Michel,


and how a beauty design.

 

[Stargazer]

Re: Grob Aircraft 1978 TV-Broadcast/Relay aircraft concept

the wrote "Grobe Flugzeuge" on it,may be they meant Grob company,
who can help ?.

This doesn't say Grob at all but "große" ("groß means big in German)!!! The letter ß exists only in German and replaces two "s"...

 

[flateric]

thanks! corrected topic name

 

[Richard N]

The concept of this late 1970s HALE aircraft was made real by Rutan's Proteus HALO (High Altitude Long Observation) aircraft in 1998: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaled_Composites_Proteus

The modern concept described in "Angels, HALOs and Atmospheric Networks" by Carlo Kopp-1999: http://www.ausairpower.net/AC-0999.html

Much of todays TV broadcast signals come from satellites. Proteus was conceived as a low cost satellite that could be deployed quickly where needed and could easily be brought back to the ground for servicing. Conventional satellites require years of planning and expense before a launch happens and once in orbit are very difficult and expensive to service.

 

[hesham]

Great info Richard N,thanks.

 

[martinbayer]

The concept is almost seventy years old: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratovision

Martin

 

[hesham]

The concept is almost seventy years old: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratovision

Martin

Great find Martinbayer.

 

[Jemiba]

"An exhibition under the motto "Technology between phantasy and reality" , launched by the Vereins-
und Westbank allowed a look into the future. Considering the oil crisis, there are doubts, that the idea
to keep large aircarft in the air all the time to allow TV-broadcasts and make big TV-antenna masts
redundant will ever be realised. Interesting is the shape of the "TV-aircraft": It reminds to a glider and
the turboprop engines with contra-props actually could replace jet engines one day"

So, it was more a "what-could-be-in-the-future", than a project, although the sketch looks quite professional.
But using such a big, manned aircraft as a relay seems quite strange to me, too.

 

[hesham]

And strange to me too my dear Jens.

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

Here's another article on the 1950 Stratovision concept:
http://www.rfcafe.com/references/radio-news/stratovision-answer-january-1950-radio-television-news.htm

 

[hesham]

Here's another article on the 1950 Stratovision concept:
http://www.rfcafe.com/references/radio-news/stratovision-answer-january-1950-radio-television-news.htm

I never saw it before,thank you XP67_Moonbat.

 

[Stargazer]

Boeing really had everything going "Strato" at the time...


Next thing we'll hear that the Fender Stratocaster was a Boeing design!

 

[Jemiba]

;D ... and that B-29 conversion, used as a TV transmitter was called "Telecaster"
The Fender naming was just an attempt to hide those secret projects !

 

[martinbayer]

There was indeed concrete aeronautical inspiration of the name.

http://www.samash.com/opncms/opencms/samash/buyers-guides/fender-stratocaster-history.html: "The name “Stratocaster” came from Fender’s business partner, Don Randall. It was intended to be reminiscent of aircraft technology, and reflect forward thinking and modern design."

http://www.rwonline.com/printblog.aspx?EntryId=987: "Fender salesman Don Randall already had a name for the guitar long before it was finalized. Taking advantage of the word/prefix “strato” coming into vogue (the B-52 “Stratofortress” was being flight tested at the time) and remembering the successful use of “tele” with the Telecaster a few years before, he christened the expected guitar — Stratocaster."

Martin

 

[Stargazer]

Thanks for this, martinbayer!!

 

[Jemiba]

Many thanks Indeed ! Those little side notes keep a subject
even more interesting !
But such naming could have had detrimental effects on sales, too.
Don't think, that a musician like, say Joan Baez (ok, she probably
never used an electric guitar, of course) would have bought a Fender
then !