Insanely dangerous prop-driven machines of the early 20th Century

I'm still waiting on the return of my camera so I wanted to share some history with you. The early 1900's was the golden-age of invention of motor-driven vehicles. For some reason, people wanted to put aircraft propellers on everything, even when other means of propulsion just made more sense.
All images and music pre-date 1920, hence copyrights do not apply.

[@kasuraga]

logic back then on safety: "But what if you got caught in the chain/belt/fan?" "Simple! Just dont touch them, duh!"

[@cephasmartin8593]

Too simple for modern man.

[@laszlokocsi1825]

If nowadays didnt needed to pay my ass off to create such a beautyful vehicle (heh), then why dont do it, i mean if its hit the minimal recuirements of safety its good to go

[@incandescentwithrage]

Yeah when people didn't need warnings on the cup that Coffee was hot

[@baskoning9896]

On the one hand: its amazing to see old lorries and such with exposed shafts etc. But on the other hand..... 'just dont touch them!' should be enough. We, the Dutch, have canals in our big cities. We dont even have railings or fences around them. You see the water. Dont step/drive into it. Easy. www.discoverholland.com/product-images/9e58dd88-e207-4f04-b573-7e0bd0453655.jpg

[@randomconsumer4494]

Anyone else dying to see video of these "vehicles" in action?

[@Kualinar]

Like that short film of someone on ice skates, with a rocket back pack and holding a pair of wings with his arms in an attempt to get air born ...

[@TheMattc999]

random consumer yup.

[@alexmalyarchuk1723]

Here you go. kzbin.info/www/bejne/e16sdZKhqbiigrs Germans in early 30" had done some of that ideas to quite logical and efficient. Max speed - 230 km per hour!

[@ericssmith2014]

"Dying."

[@kevinsullivan3448]

Well, I am in the mortuary business so it can only help me...

[@Rumpleskin]

Only things those guys were worried about was getting their huge balls in the prop

[@taofledermaus]

lol

[@jayj.7524]

​@@taofledermaus check out an eyerly aircraft acroplane an amusement park prop device you'll find interesting !!

[@LecherousLizard]

This comment is grossly underrated.

[@johnparrish9215]

Don't forget, Alexander Graham Bell's HD-4 Hydrofoil boat set the world speed record on water at 70 mph in 1919, a record that stood for 10 years.

[@nehbahdi2240]

Alexander Graham Bell's family came out need a press release generations after he had passed already, to inform the world of the news that they foundundeniable evidence that their ancestors did not in fact invent the telephone, it was in fact his black apprentice that conceptualized, and then threw up the original designs of the telephone. So how legitimate were his other things

[@eldermorecare4299]

@@nehbahdi2240....hey, i got some beach front property in iraq i'm trying to sell, would you be interested? the title got lost in my last move, but you can trust me, ...have i ever lied to you before?

[@bubbajenkins123]

I’m digging the new historical series Jeff. Great fun

[@davidsquall351]

Its great!

[@C-Henry]

Probably safe from demonitization as well, probably.

[@disgruntledegghead6923]

@@C-Henry hopefully, but as usual his video is shrouded.

[@taofledermaus]

@@C-Henry Lol, yeah, I hope it is.

[@micahphilson]

It's monetized!

[@farmhandlocal7635]

Safety came along with an uptick in lawyers

[@m.b.82]

and numerous horrific accidents

[@m.b.82]

@Josh Jones Indeed

[@blackbird_actual]

4:15 "Railroad Boat Thingy" Being the early-1900s, that could legitimately be its name lol

[@taofledermaus]

haha

[@Earthenfist]

To be fair, the Russians were also the ones to have jet-engine powered trains, in a similar manner.

[@ksw4951]

Earthenfist And U.S.

[@yelllowtaill22]

I love this wacky old timey stuff ! I love that you do this stuff when you have down time

[@taofledermaus]

thank you very much!

[@stoneomountain2390]

That military vehicle was probably a decoy unit. The dust would look like a full battalion traveling.

[@LongBinh70]

I do believe the Russian Railroad Prop Thingy had the prop in the front, not the rear. When I was a teen in the 60's my folks belonged to an antique car club. There was a gent there who was an inventor in the past, and had built one of these contraptions -- a Model A Ford/prop-powered ice boat. He had laminated and carved the prop by hand! On his maiden voyage across frozen Bantam Lake he had just reached terminal velocity when, to his horror, he saw open water ahead. No brakes - nothing could be done. He said he heard a tremendous noise, then everything went black. When he awoke his whole field of vision was blue. He was sure that he'd died and gone to heaven. But soon the cold water penetrating his clothing brought him back to reality. He looked around to see he was laying in very shallow water - the ice had sunk in a large area of the lake and was covered by several inches of water. He could then see the many pieces of debris that had previously been his ice machine. He then noticed a strange and somewhat painful sensation on one of his thighs. He looked down to find a long piece of wood had perforated his pant leg, but only left a superficial scratch on it's way through! He never "flew" again. But there WAS the incident of the weather balloon filled with oxy/acetylene in the narrow alleyway...

[@thedevilinthecircuit1414]

Yes, you can tell from the *heavily* retouched photo that it's a puller--not a pusher prop.

[@chadb1878]

Enjoyed the video, especially the quip about the getting more a$$...cholera outbreak on the last one, that's funny!

[@taofledermaus]

thanks Chad

[@bubbajenkins123]

“Exposed Shaft”

[@Clark_808]

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@TrojanHorse1959]

Yeah, you'd get arrested for that nowadays...

[@cacete7]

Demonetized!

[@holdmybeer]

they also used it to cure feminine hysteria.

[@pdittrich]

@@holdmybeer with literal "orgasm therapy". our medical system sure has deteriorated over the last hundred years

[@etoineschrdlu9382]

Just about as dangerous as the jet and rocket propelled vehicles that came in the next 50 or so years. Also, I am reminded of the great racing driver, Dan Gurney, who recently died of old age! He survived formula one racing in the sixties when you raced on Sunday and went to the funeral(s) later that week. He designed, built, and drove his own F1 racer. The car had titanium suspension arms: super strong but springy and gave the car's handling a rubbery feel. The entire car was a fuel tank that the driver sat inside of. Yes the driver was entirely surrounded by racing fuel! To make it worse, the monocoque of the car was formed entirely of riveted and bonded sheet Magnesium, a metal slightly less flammable than Sodium. The car had a 400 HP V12 racing engine. Dan's comment: "It was like driving a Ronson cigarette lighter."

[@Seelenschmiede]

And now look on F1s nowadays. Made with rollover cages with middle posts so you can't see the track anymore. So they made the track more curvy so you can see it again and not only racetrace side pannels :D

[@bradleyweiss1089]

I remember those F1’s when I was a kid. They were ground breaking wonderful futuristic looking cars that were beautiful to behold and awe inspiring tech. Miss those days. Only thing that seems invented now is electronic or software.

[@TravisTLK]

Personal responsibility was a thing back then.

[@potato4dawin1]

@Josh Jones back then people could make dangerous crap like that and nobody would bat an eye nowadays people stick forks in toasters and sue the toaster companies for harming them.

[@icemaiop]

@Josh Jones Your picture makes me think you are an adult, but your comments make you look like a 6 year old.

[@mzflighter6905]

Man, you are simply stupid. There is a difference between acting risky and wearing a fucking trenchcoat 5 centimeters away from a belt.

[@ders972]

@Josh Jones I hope you are trolling.

[@ders972]

@Josh Jones OK moron. The man was talking about how people took responsibility for their actions in the past and now we live in a sue culture where no one wants to be accountable for their own actions. You said he had delusions of grandure. Either you are that dense, or hopefully you are just being a douche. Either way, you are a turd.

[@johnpossum556]

What's funny is that during the winter I see sail powered ice sleds not much different than those of yesteryear.

[@kadmow]

And an air propeller is probably the most efficient way to (motor) power an ice yacht. - with an enclosed cabin and guarding of the machinery, what's not to love.

[@deadeyedsam850]

That last one ROFL ,thats some Wile E. Coyote/Acme Sht there .

[@JenniferinIllinois]

I was thinking the same thing. 🤣🤣🤣

[@captainthunderbuns677]

Randy Voss LOL!!! That is a great observation!!

[@uss_04]

“Hey lets just try it out, and I move and I dont die, it works” Gotta love that reckless era of discovery.

[@samvittoria9692]

What fun is life if you don't take a chance now and then. The spice of life.

[@Skankhunter420]

People were truly of a different breed back then.

[@Skankhunter420]

I ❤ you guys too! Thanks for all the work you do to keep me entertained and informed.

[@schwarzerritter5724]

They had to work a lot harder to get attention back then. All you need to do these days is eat laundry detergent.

[@lemmingscanfly5]

Were they though?

[@CraftsmanOfAwsomenes]

Probably because this breed all culled themselves with hare-brained deathtraps.

[@Sgrunterundt]

@@CraftsmanOfAwsomenes Hair-brained. Lol. All the hair got pulled out of their brains after it got caught in the gears. The ideas are still quite hare-brained though.

[@TheNulloverride]

That unicycle one was the best one I think.

[@bubbajenkins123]

Jeff Taofledermaus: Prop Comic of KZbin

[@briandady9030]

Ha I see whatyoudid there...

[@sliceofbread2611]

hehe

[@texasdeeslinglead2401]

That 1st one would fly if it had enough distance. We use good ole air boats down here in south east Texas and south west Louisiana . Many of ours use LS1 , and Cadillac Northstar motors. Those old clunkers had one big hindrance compared to today's airboats. The motors they had back then were gutless compared to the hopped up LS1 variety with carbon fiber props. Oh heck , I have to ride the prop driven vertical hula hoop !

[@RAkers-tu1ey]

... but, at least he has a bucket seat! made from a real bucket!

[@taofledermaus]

haha

[@Enes-wj5xq]

I love to see another gyrojet video if you could find another gyrojet gun.

[@dattebenforcer]

He should build his own shells/rockets.

[@Enes-wj5xq]

@@dattebenforcer Would be nice to do so

[@taofledermaus]

I'm thinking of buying a set of gyrojet signal flares.

[@Enes-wj5xq]

@@taofledermaus Omg !! That's awesome sir..

[@looking_33]

We look at these through the crazy lens and then put on our paramotors.

[@micahphilson]

5:14 "This dude probably got more ass than a public toilet during a cholera outbreak!" Well, that sure is *_one_* way of putting it!

[@Khan.WrathOf]

60 mph on a single rim, prop driven bike?! The ones they tried to make in the early 2000's were deathtraps. How the hell did *that* *guy* survive?

[@jonanderson5137]

Low center of gravity due to his enormous brass balls. Just my guess.

[@richard6133]

My top guess would be that the angled thrust from the prop probably did something with angular momentum and the gyroscopic effect. Well, someone had to be Johnny Yuma's father... /Born To Be Wild, as loud as your speakers can go

[@jonathangrey2183]

@@richard6133 Actually I think that would have made it harder to control on account of the magnus effect. That was a rotary engine if not mistaken.

[@Khan.WrathOf]

@@richard6133 the main issue ive seen with that type of vehicle isnt forward momentum but stopping. Every time they tried to slow down or brake on the early 2000's prototypes ive seen in videos, you get a speed wobble-type effect. Would be interesting to see a video of that design in action.

[@stephanhelms3282]

Who said he survived?

[@gregmalden9809]

5:37 looks like the thing from South Park

[@itswift]

"It"

[@Latrodectus_vv_]

Hahaha omg!!! It does!!!

[@Jameson1776]

Still better than flying.

[@GiantArtProductions]

Imagine driving one of these things with a stereo system blasting "Flirtin' with disaster" lol

[@dunxy]

When men were men and didn't give any F's! That last one is seriously insane!

[@ponthis1]

That was absolutely awesome Jeff. Thank You I enjoyed every second of it!

[@IzzyTheEditor]

I LOVE these vids! The extra/different content is a great change of pace! Thanks guys!

[@MankeySock]

Thanks for another great upload. i had never seen any of these before. Always nice to see new (old) content!

[@jeffussery4884]

Oh we long for the days before DOT or OSHA.

[@kengamble8595]

Hahaha, reminds me of what happened when I was ten years old ! I had an engine from a RC plane that somehow got destroyed when it hit the ground, imagine that, and a RC car with a burnt motor........ so emerges the bright idea to put them together ! 😊 😉 Worked great for a couple of seconds and then the car started turning over faster than the prop ! Dang good thing I didn't have access to bigger stuff or I probably wouldn't be here because I sure as hell would have tried riding in it ! 😉 Thanks for sharing and take care. 👍

[@Kumquat_Lord]

I want people to try remaking those ridiculous flying contraptions today with modern technological advancements. Miniature drones of their silly flapping machines with lightweight polymer wings and electric motors

[@sliceofbread2611]

i did see a video somewhere of some people making a drone that flies with wings, the same way a hummingbird flies. also there was someone who made a drone that was basically a stick with just two propellers that where thrust-vectoring. and if you like crazy flying miniature thingies, check out the channel of PeterSripol, he makes some strange stuff, maybe we can even convince him to make some of these weird machines...

[@BEder-it4lf]

He wore shorts during the making of this video!!!! 😂😂😂

[@blackstone1a]

If the Scheinerzeppelin ain’t on this list... Ehh, close enough

[@roberthill3207]

Most of our ancestor where missing digits ,appendages or eyes upon death i know mine did. Thumbs up stay awesome everyone.

[@nytrunner9009]

What if you're missing the thumbs

[@bradleyweiss1089]

Yes thumbs up while you still can.

[@roberthill3207]

@@bradleyweiss1089 aahhhh funny .

[@TheArQu]

But their balls were made of steel

[@roberthill3207]

@@TheArQu and catcher mit sized hands

[@Dsdcain]

Love these slices of interesting history in your last couple of vids. *:-)*

[@TrikeRoadPoet]

I could see Danny and OG tearing down the road at the range while you catch every disastrous moment on the hi-speed. Love this look at the insanity of a younger day!

[@rusty1850]

Thank You for Your Video. Like your comments in this video. Entertaining. Informative. Believable.

[@taofledermaus]

thanks

[@ProlificInvention]

After one particular heavy drinking night in my late 20's I decided to weld up a rig in the back of my S10 that featured a 68" propeller and a "freewheel" hub that was to be driven off the driveshaft by a belt drive...luckily I passed out mid build, but still laugh when I see my garage ceiling fan featuring said propeller.

[@chemusvandergeek1209]

"[...]than a public toilet during a cholera outbreak." Yes he looks very manly in that... thing.

[@kenhelmers2603]

I enjoy seeing these old contraptions! Thanks :)

[@poppopscarvinshop]

Great Video Jeff!! Thanks Much!!

[@JETWTF]

Someone found a box of old Popular Mechanics magazines?

[@hansbjaeke3414]

Cool video!!! Thanks for that Jeff!

[@numbnutz9398]

That last one is priceless. Crowds of pedestrians? No problem! Face shield and rain coat mandatory and don't wear anything white.

[@luissantiago5163]

That thumbnail. This is going to be so neat!

[@ChongMcBong]

wow, some proper crazy machines. this would make a good series i think :)

[@randymorris8740]

The last one reminds me of the Men In Black 3 Monocycles...

[@BasicConcepts93]

I'd love to see more videos like this! Old "Concept" stuff is very interesting :D

[@volvo09]

That wind unicycle is insane! "All the comfort of sitting on an airplane engine, but on land!" I bet the rider couldn't hear a bomb blast feet away while that thing was at full throttle!

[@skipsch]

I love this stuff, thanks a lot

[@marklarson8121]

Yeah I really enjoyed it and very interesting! I have never heard of these contraptions before! Great archive hunting! Have a good one buddy and see you next time:D

[@allentremper8243]

Thanks for a great video!!!

[@curm1778]

What is truly astounding is that these days we have vastly surpassed these inventions' scope, they're FAR safer, more reliable, and affordable to anyone. Somehow, people still yearn for "the good old days", though. That was the good old days, right there. Crazy, dangerous, unreliable, and inefficient for the task it was designed for. Fun to look at, but I don't want anything to do with those machines, not when I can get on my skidoo and go for a spin.

[@gvii]

That last one was darn cool! I'd jump in that thing in a heartbeat! Probably wouldn't end well, but I'd go with a mile wide smile on my face, lol...

[@anthonywstanton]

Thank you for the excellent video sir!

[@warrenmasters3036]

"More ass than a public toilet during a cholera outbreak" .... OMG Jeff didn't think you would go there... OUTSTANDING!

[@captainrick9379]

That wa cool! Thanks for sharing!

[@Wetcorps]

I dig this, feel free to do it again.

[@RIPPER95D]

Please make more videos like this . I laughed way too much at this.

[@RobertSmith-ub6tk]

Awesome video appreciate it people are crazy back then

[@STB-jh7od]

Safety, safety---WE DIE LIKE REAL MEN!! :)

[@Seelenschmiede]

and 10 persons standing nearby...

[@randomconsumer4494]

DUDE! the unicycle is BAD ASS! SICK!

[@ghostindamachine]

Super fun! Crazy oldtimers!

[@sliceofbread2611]

mazing video, your narration is buttersmooth and it always makes me feel comfortable and happy.

[@whitetrashbandit2704]

This video was AWESOME!

[@philyamascunt7518]

I bet these contraptions didn't have PITA metric fasteners all over them.

[@Big31sky]

A true mechanic knows what he needs just by looking at it.

[@rogermarshall8991]

The insanaty of early America. Everyone was a inventor. No copy writes then. It was build it if you dare. During the winter months it was basically a free for all. Great video man. It truly was the land of opportunity.

[@artsshorts]

Cool vid Like evolution of the fan boat

[@kurttanner5855]

Awesome info.. Thank you

[@urbexandbrokenthings4806]

these All look hella fun!!!

[@jerryjohnsonii4181]

Very interesting !!!!! That last machine looks like the one from Men in Black 3 movie. Thanks for showing this Sir

[@petersmythe6462]

Someone get Peter Stripol. We need more of these.

[@chriswesney]

In the arctic sled you wouldn't need to be behind the prop to be miserable. The prop would be pulling frozen air across the crew in front as well.

[@thespook1482]

This is definitely some fun information, I’d like to see you recreate one of these and ride it through the desert with Danny and OG.

[@tommyjacks876]

I loved that one thanks

[@bmxscape]

these are insanely cool to look at

[@willmakeseverything3829]

Haha that's a great vid, more of this kind of thing please! 😁

[@Jackshaft]

This is a pleasant change of content. Taofledermaus is reaching all of my interests! Keep it up!

[@SuperBadVideos]

Love the video 🔥👍🏻

[@beeleo]

You're quite the Safety Sally... for a guy who shoots giant gummy bears for a living. LOL... Thanks for another fun video.

[@daveshrum1749]

I love stuff like this. You should do a second Channel with odd stuff like this and more science stuff. I noticed some of your older videos are science type videos. Love the shooting videos but this stuff is cool too.

[@darkoflight4938]

Give me one of each and a bottle of something... to go! Keep it up guy´s!!!

[@totenkopfan6296]

Living dangerous was stylish in the Edwardian era.

[@xlx350gringo]

You are just so random that I just love it...👊🏼👍🏼

[@mercoid]

I love this kind of stuff. 👍

[@donnybrookinhooligan1088]

Thanx for sharing Jeff, mortality and safety were hindsight in our yesterday's

[@overlorddante]

The last one was pretty sick. I can imagine a steampunk vehicle chase, few of those hunting down the hero.

[@hotord205]

hi Jeff keep up the great work 👍👍🤘🤘

[@thewingedpotato6463]

The propeller unicycle guy certainly doesn't have to worry about pedestrians getting in the way.....

[@bobschwaller5293]

Driving those things had to be fun as hell.

[@bmxscape]

i saved a lot of these photos they are truly spectacular!! while researching did you find any sources that you would recommend? i would love to know more about literally any of these, especially the russian railroad boat thingy

[@Limescale12]

I have always very much enjoyed your narration; in particular your very rational, off-script sense of humor during your videos over the years. You should do more videos like this one. KZbin can't do shit about this one 😉

[@1fanger888]

One of my father`s friends built an air boat. It had a big block V8 engine without any exhaust. The prop had a steel frame around it but was essentially unshrouded. It was directly bolted to the engine crank. There were two fins mounted behind the prop for steering. I saw it once in action down on the Passaic River in my home state of NJ, right near the local tavern. My dad and Tootie, the owner and builder more than once took that boat up to full throttle and Dad fell off at least one time. Tootie once drove my dad home driving backwards for at least 2 miles on a bet. Yes, our fathers and grandfathers had big brass ones. The last of the breed, in my opinion.

[@sinformant]

Crazy. I watched a documentary on the shackleton antartic expedition and I dont even remember this contraption being mentioned

[@jerrysmith7166]

Don’t know how he steers that? There is a steering wheel on that one wheeled beast!!! 😂