Short Silver Streak

The Short Silver Streak was the first British all-metal aircraft. Designed and built by Short Brothers at Rochester, Kent, England. Although Flight magazine claimed that it was the first instance of stressed skin construction in the world, it was preceded by a number of Dornier designs, including the Dornier-Zeppelin D.I, which was ordered into production.

Development

The Silver Streak was a single-seat biplane with a semi-monocoque duralumin fuselage and duralumin covered wings. It had a conventional landing gear and was powered by a 240 hp (179 kW) Siddeley Puma engine. The Silver Streak was exhibited in July 1920 at Olympia in London. Registered G-EARQ, it was first flown at Grain on the 20 August 1920 by test pilot J.L. Parker. It was later modified as a two-seater and delivered to the Air Ministry in February 1921 for both flight and static testing. The Air Ministry issued a specification for a two-seat reconnaissance biplane and Shorts produced the Springbok based on the Silver Streak.

Silver Streak

Silver Streak may refer to:

AJS Silver Streak, a British motorcycle

Short Silver Streak, a British aircraft

Silver Streak (bus), a bus rapid transit system

Silver Streak (comics), a comic book character

Silver Streak (film), a 1976 comedy, action and mystery film

Silver Streak (ride), an amusement ride

"Silver Streak", a nickname for the Pioneer Zephyr

Silver Streak Zephyr, a passenger train

"Silver streak" trainspotter's nickname for LNER Class A4 for the original silver color scheme

The Silver Streak, a 1934 film

SEMTA Commuter Rail, also known as "Silver Streak"

Music Express

A Music Express is an amusement ride based on the original Caterpillar rides of Germany. Several near-identical ride designs are also produced by other companies; Musik Express by Italian company Bertazzon and US Majestic Rides, Himalaya by American company Wisdom Rides, German company Mack, and French company Reverchon, and Silver Streak by Wisdom Rides. This ride is a modern adaption of the famous Harry Traver Caterpillar rides.

Design and operation

The ride features twenty 3-passenger cars connected in a circle. These cars rotate on a track with alternating sloped and flat sections. Rotation is possible in both a backward and forward direction, as the ride is manually operated. The ride is powered by 4 DC motors, and can reach a maximum speed of 12 revolutions per minute. (Certain older models have a hydraulic tire/rim drive and they have a tendency to go faster).

The riders in each car are restrained by a single solid lap bar that is locked across the body of the car, making the ride unsuitable for young children or people of short stature. The bar must be manually locked or unlocked, and only locks in one position. Lights and music are also controlled by the operator, which (as the name suggests) contribute heavily to the ride experience. After a certain amount of rotations or minutes, the ride operator will be alerted by the control box that the speed is going to increase, usually by a light on the box. At that time the operator will speak on a microphone asking the riders if they would like to go faster. Sometimes the ride operator can do this earlier than the alert light to built suspense. After a minute or two of faster speed, the ride will then slow down, and the operator can then ask the riders if they would like to go backwards. The speed up element is then repeated again only done in reverse. The Most parks and carnivals require all riders to be at least 42 inches or even taller, depending on circumstances and ride design.

Silver Streak (comics)

Silver Streak is a fictional superhero character created by Joe Simon that first appeared in Silver Streak Comics #3 (March, 1940), from Lev Gleason Publications. He is believed to be the second-ever comic book superhero whose primary power is speed;All-American Publications' The Flash preceded him by two months. However, Silver Streak beat out National Allied Publications' Johnny Quick (who debuted in 1941) as the first superhero whose two powers were speed and flight. Silver Streak has a kid sidekick called "Mercury" (soon changed to "Meteor"); he is also assisted by a hawk named "Whiz".

Publication history

Silver Streak Comics was originally published by Arthur Bernhardt’s Rhoda Publications, and the title was inspired by Bernhardt's car, a Pontiac Silver Streak. With issue #3, the title was taken over by Lev Gleason Publications and Silver Streak himself first appeared.

Silver Streak appeared in Silver Streak Comics until issue #19 (March, 1942); the title itself ended with #22, and was renamed Crime Does Not Pay. Also during this run, Silver Streak appeared in Lev Gleason's Daredevil #1.