Vegas Demotivational

And a bit of real history:

Days after the first bomb was detonated on January 27, 1951, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce issued a stream of press releases excitedly describing the new testing grounds as one of the many attractions Las Vegas had to offer. As one official described, "The angle was to get people to think the explosions wouldn't be anything more than a gag."

Source: Atomic Tourism, PBS

1972: Real Heathrow

In the Strangers' World, Mark saw black-white-red flags in Heathrow, commemorating Albert Speer's visit.

Two pictures of Heathrow in Summer 1972 (OTL)*:

"Виккерс" описал полукруг почета в лондонском небе, медленно накренился на левое крыло, затем выровнялся и стал сбавлять скорость. По-моему, никто в салоне не понял, когда именно колеса коснулись бетона. И остановился самолет почти незаметно. "Леди и джентльмены, мы благополучно приземлились в аэропорту Хитроу, время восемь часов ноль три минуты по Гринвичу. Напоминаю, что температура за бортом – 61 градус по Фаренгейту, 16 градусов по Цельсию. Капитан Хартли и экипаж благодарят вас..."

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* OTL = Our Timeline = Real History
Images: andygolfer, on Civilian Aviation forum (1), Ben Brooksbank via Wikimedia Commons (2)

1930: Real Ostend-Vienna Express

A luxury train service from Ostend (Belgium) to Vienna was established in 1894.

Like the 'original' Orient Express, it was operated by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits:

The service provided connections from London and Amsterdam, as well as to Bucharest, Belgrade and Istanbul:

It also provided a setting for Graham Greene's Stamboul Train (1932) - and for our new project. Stay tuned.

 

Images: Wikipedia (NL)

Carved Umbrella Handle

Back in May 1993, a certain 13-year old girl entered Smith's umbrella store in Bloomsbury...

 

... отец непременно хотел лично осмотреть ручку зонта, заказанного некоторое время назад у Джеймса Смита в Блумсбери. Туда-то мы и направлялись, к Хейзелвуд-хаусу на Нью Оксфорд стрит, где папа придирчиво осмотрел «острого пойнтера», «брыластого бульдога» и «бородатого терьера», остановил свой выбор на том самом заранее заказанном набалдашнике в виде головы эрделя. Отец официально оформил приобретение. Вот зачем мы тогда ездили в Лондон!

1930: Real Cardington

Cardington became one of the major British sites involved in the development of airships when Short Brothers bought land there to build airships for the Admiralty. They constructed a 700-foot-long (210 m) airship hangar (the No. 1 Shed) in 1915 to enable them to build two rigid airships, the R-31 and the R-32. The airships site was nationalised in April 1919, becoming known as the Royal Airship Works.

In preparation for the R101 project the No 1 shed was extended between October 1924 and March 1926; its roof was raised by 35 feet and its length increased to 812 feet. The No. 2 shed (Southern shed), which had originally been located at RNAS Pulham, Norfolk, was dismantled in 1928 and re-erected at Cardington.

 

Press to watch a (sad) 1930 newsreel

Info: Wikipedia
Images: mikeyashworth, on Flickr (1), Rotary Club of Bedford (2)

Fritz Todt

In the Strangers' World, just like in OTL*, Reichsminister Todt died in a plane crash on February 8, 1942. The circumstances were different, although. Mark Toma never heard of Organisation Todt (or the Siegfried Line) until the name surfaced in one of his 'visions'.

Я знал и о том, что Фриц Тодт погиб в авиационной катастрофе в 1942-м. Какая организация? И что делала германская группа армий в венгерском Дебрецене?

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* Our Timeline = Real history

1930: Real Buffalo Revisited

Built by the New York Central Railroad from 1927 - 1929, the Buffalo Central Terminal was constructed to serve the booming Buffalo rail industry. Designed by architects Alfred T. Fellheimer and Steward Wagner, the art deco station was designed to accommodate 200 trains per day, or 3,200 passengers per hour. Along with the main concourse, the station also consists of a 17-story office tower, a four story baggage building, a two story mail building, and train concourse.

 

Images & info: opacity.us

See also: Real Buffalo (I)

Normandie Poster

Should we remind you what happened to the magnificent Normandie in 1942 (OTL)?

Real Berlin at Night

Karstadt Department Store

 

Street view (Ku-Damm?)

 

Kaiser Hotel

 

via fantomas-en-cavalle

 

See also:

Real Berlin

Real Berlin Revisited

Prince Henry

Mark's college was officially called 'Prince Henry Institute'. There were portraits of two princes in the main entrance hall, both named Henry - a (fictitious) Medieval ruler and Prince of Prussia, Kaiser Wilhelm's younger brother. A career naval officer who held various commands and eventually rose to the highest rank in the Imperial Navy, Prince Henry (Prinz Albert Wilhelm Heinrich von Preußen) had a multitude of modern hobbies. He received one of the first pilot’s licenses in Germany, promoted motor sports and was also an avid yachtsman, becoming one of the first members of the "Marine-Regatta-Verein" (Navy Regatta Union).

According to the plot, Prince Henry of Prussia visited the institute in 1911, two years after his retirement from the Navy. In the 1880s image above he's a Korvettenkapitän (Commander), still a long way to go to the High Seas Fleet command. And below, we see him wearing a Großadmiral's insignia:

 

Слева – принц Генрих, князь-просветитель, друг ученых и художников, в честь которого назвали это учебное заведение, не особо задумываясь над тем, что в хрониках XV века его имя связано как минимум с тремя премерзкими историями. Справа – другой принц Генрих, брат кайзера Вильгельма и гросс-адмирал германского флота, осчастлививший институт визитом в год открытия. А дата основания – 4 мая 1911 года – была выбита на мраморной доске вместе с изречением Цицерона: "Assiduus usus uni rei deditus et ingenium et artem saepe vincit".

1930: Real Fashion

Evening ensembles by Lucien Lelong

Afternoon dress by Lucien Lelong

Jeanne Lanvin and a model

Special thanks to fantomas-en-cavalle

Princess Elizabeth at War

While visiting an optometrist at the Special Research Bureau, Mark Toma looks at the portrait of Elizabeth II (then Princess Elizabeth) in the ATS uniform. Her Royal Highness was photographed changing a Land Rover wheel. OK, Princess Elizabeth said goodbye to the ATS before the advent of the Land Rover (1948 in OTL) but in the Strangers' World, she served during the Asian War, i.e. in the late 1940s.

Here are some real photographs of the future Queen during her service as a 2nd Subaltern, Auxiliary Territorial Service:

And - a link to a British Pathe newsreel showing Princess Elizabeth receiving a clock from the ATS personnel.

Я оказался в кабинете окулиста – самом обыкновенном кабинете с таблицами на стенах. Без портрета королевы и тут не обошлось, правда этот портрет выглядел весьма необычно: совсем юная Елизавета Вторая в кепи и замасленном комбинезоне меняет колесо у "Лендровера".