Friends around the world
Recognising this time of the year is notable for the imparting of 'useless
knowledge' to those who seek to be informed, I thought the item below might
be of passing interest.
Over the last week or so, UK TV advertising has seen the promotion of a set
of writing tools - among which is a fountain pen which allegedly can be
smashed into an empty drinks can without adversely affecting the writing
quality of the nib.
On the basis of "what goes around, comes around," I thought the following
extract from The Autocar of Aug 26, 1932 might amuse:
"If a fountain pen will remain unbroken after being dropped from a height of
900 feet on to concrete, there can be little wrong with the materials used
in its manufacture. Such drastic tests were actually caried out at
Brooklands the other day when a number of Parker Duofold fountain pens were
dropped on to the track from an aeroplane flying at heights between 200 to
900 feet. In all, twelve pens were subjected to this harsh treatment, and
without exception were picked up undamaged and, in most cases, without a
single scratch."
It makes me wonder what damage an Army biscuit (which shattered the rudder
of my late father's WW1 Sopwith Camel) might have done if it had landed on
the concrete of Brooklands high speed banking from the same altitutde?
Jonmac
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