Thursday Overnight Open Thread - March 5, 2026 [Doof]

Thomas Point Shoal Light Station in the Chesapeake Bay

Howdy Hordelings! Welcome to the Thursday night ONT. Today may or may not be an important day for your humble host. Either way, thanks for stopping by!

Kewl Stuff!

The aerial refueling aircraft used in Operation Epic Fury were created from a single $16 million Boeing prototype.

In the 1950s, Boeing made a $16 million bet.

As Boeing manufactured newer, faster jet bombers for the Air Force, mid-air refueling aircraft lagged behind. The standard refueling aircraft at the time, the propeller-powered KC-97, flew much slower than the jet-powered bombers it was meant to refuel. To Boeing president William Allen, it seemed like only a matter of time before a jet tanker became necessary.

The Air Force hadn't requested a jet-powered refueling aircraft, but Allen was sure that they'd buy it once they saw it fly. His $16 million bet eventually led to the creation of the 707 jetliner and the Air Force's KC-135 tanker.

Development began in 1952. To keep the project under wraps and ensure they were the first to market, Boeing named the prototype the 367-80, nicknamed "Dash 80," to disguise it as a piston-powered aircraft from Boeing's 300 series.

Really interesting backstory on this technology. Check it out!

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Secrets of Animation

Here’s How Animators Make Stop-Motion Masterpieces Like ‘Wallace & Gromit’ Come Alive

A new exhibition in London takes visitors behind the scenes of the beloved stop-motion franchise featuring Wallace and Gromit. The show marks 50 years since the founding of Aardman, the animation studio behind classics like The Curse of the Were-Rabbit and “The Wrong Trousers.”

“Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends” is now on view at the Young V&A museum. Through set models, props, demonstrations and interactive exhibits, the show illustrates how Aardman producers brought to life characters like Wallace, Gromit, Shaun the Sheep and Morph for half a century.

“Aardman is an incredibly complex and skilled operation,” Alex Newson, the museum’s chief curator, tells the Guardian’s Catherine Shoard. “It’s also slow. Each animator only produces around two seconds of footage a day. Yet it’s one of the most accessible creative processes; even a small child can grasp it.”

Interesting article. Lengthy. Check it out!

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WTF??

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Why didn't I already know this?

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posted by Open Blogger at 10:00 PM

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