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Mark XIV bomb sight

Mark XIV bomb sight.
The Mark XIV bomb sight was developed by Royal Air Force Bomber Command during the Second World War. It was their standard bombsight for the second half of the War, replacing the First World War-era CSBS beginning in 1942. Essentially an automated version of the CSBS, it used a mechanical computer to update the sights in real-time. It required only 10 seconds of straight flight before a bomb drop, and automatically accounted for shallow climbs and dives. It contained a gyro stabilization platform that kept the sight pointed at the target as the bomber manoeuvred, dramatically increasing its accuracy and ease of sighting. It demonstrated accuracy roughly equal to the contemporary Norden bombsight, and was smaller, easier to use, faster-acting and better suited to night bombing. A post-war upgrade, the T-4, connected directly to the Navigation and Bombing System computers to automate the setting of wind speed and direction.

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Venture Science Fiction

Venture Science Fiction.
Venture Science Fiction was an American science fiction magazine published from 1957 to 1958, and revived for a brief run in 1969 and 1970. There were ten issues of the 1950s version, and six in the second run. Robert P. Mills edited the 1950s version, and Edward L. Ferman was editor for the second run. A British edition ran for 28 issues between 1963 and 1965 reprinting material from The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction as well as from the US edition of Venture. An Australian edition was identical to the British version but dated two months later. The 1950's version was only moderately successful, failing due to poor sales within two years. The publisher, Joseph W. Ferman, said that he wanted well-told stories of action and adventure; the resulting fiction contained more sex and violence than was usual for the genre in the late 1950s, and science fiction historian Mike Ashley noted that the magazine was ahead of its time. The second US version was also unsuccessful, with poorer cover art and little in the way of notable fiction. By the end of 1970, Venture had ceased publication permanently.

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Cyclone Ada

Cyclone Ada.
Cyclone Ada was a small but intense tropical cyclone that severely impacted the Whitsunday Region of Queensland, Australia, in January 1970. It formed over the far eastern Coral Sea early in the month, remaining weak and disorganised for nearly two weeks before being named. The extremely compact cyclone, with a reported gale radius of 55 km (35 mi), intensified into a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone just before striking the Whitsunday Islands on 17 January. Resorts on Daydream, South Molle, Hayman and Long islands were obliterated. Based on the severity of the damage, wind gusts were later estimated at 220 km/h (140 mph). Near the point of Ada's landfall, almost all the homes in Cannonvale, Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour were destroyed. Rainfall totals as high as 1.25 m (49 in) caused massive river flooding in coastal waterways between Bowen and Mackay. Ada killed 14 people, including 11 at sea, and caused A$12 million in damage.