Paleo-Future has posted a wonderful video clip from a December 18, 1966 episode of the Disneyland TV program “Disneyland Around the Seasons” which features a man taking off in a jetpack and flying around Disneyland.
Of course this reminds me of last year’s book “Where’s My Jetpack?” by Daniel H. Wilson, about all of the things promised by science fiction that have yet to arrive.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
The mid point of the video with the overview of space mountain is an insert shot by a helicopter – it wasn’t actually from the guy in the suit. The Bell Rocket Belt shown had a flight time of 30 seconds on a good day. It was powered by super pure hydrogen peroxide, and was loud as hell (like, 120 dB loud). Totally impractical for anything. A few companies have tried to improve the design, but the energy density of H2O2 will never make it practical as a rocket fuel.
The Williams company came out with an actual jet pack in the 60’s which was whisper quiet, had a great flight time, but was almost as big (in volume, not mass) as a VW bug. Ran on kerosene I think. The army ordered like 100 of them and stuffed ‘em in Fulda waiting for a war that never transpired (the idea being very Rocketeer-esque mobility). They’re still out there – myabe sold for scrap in the 90’s. The actual plans are very secret, and very cool. The wikipedia entry of the Willams’ packs really doesn’t cover them.
What a great footage. Pilot Bill Suitor (the same as piloted the latest Thunderbolt Aerosystems rocketbelt “Thunderpack” a few weeks ago, made more than 1200 flights, and flew 4 different types of rocketbelts. The Bell types could fly for 21,5 seconds. The Bell Jet flying belt, with a williams motor was not whisper quiet, but even louder than a rocketbelt. It had not the mass of a VW beetle, but a bit more bulky than a rocketbelt. It ran on Kerosene. They only made one, now still in a hangar at Williams (not used for decades), and they are absolute not sold. If you want to know more on rocket- and jetbelts, visit my webpage: http://www.rocketbelt.nl. You will be amazed.
Looks like fun. I need to get myself one of these.