B e r t S i m o n s
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In the late 1940 's, during the last years of WWII, when a german V2 rocket soared over his home town my father got an idea for a "rocket-belt". He was very convinced his invention would change the balance of powers and in fear his idea would fall into the wrong hands since the gestapo posted on every street corner he smuggled the drawings and his first prototype to the United States. Limited by the poor technical resources of this era also in the land of possibilities his prototype never took off and the invention got into oblivion. Although the fact my father is quite happy with his fame as the inventor of "het vingerhoedje" and some less known inventions as a Do It Yourself liposuction kit he felt extremly honored with my idea to finish his invention. |
a rare photograph of my father with a mock-up model of his jet-pack. Many thanks to C.Yeager Houston, USA for sending me this photo.
The drawing my father made in 1944 of his jet-pack idea.
Rare picture of one of the first test flights on t... ....(read more)
My fathers worst nightmare; "fliegende sturmtruppe... ....(read more)
In the 50's my father's invention occasionaly appeared in some tv series like Captain Cody.
Here commando cody flies to save the world. The jet-pack didn't work off course. The take off scenes were made by using an trampoline
So it was probably in my genes that I already started experimenting with jet-packs when I was young. In 1990 I tried to launch myself using gunpowder.
but Hmp2O is a much more environmental friendly ex... ....(read more)
assembly of pressure tank
the finished 24l pressure tank
first pressure test
1:5 test model of figure shaped frame
enjoying the view after the first succesfull test launch of the scale model.
started on a 1:1 model and found an aluminium pan ... ....(read more)