Episode 062 - The Evolution of Airplanes

K: This is KSU podcast. Hi! I'm Keisuke. This is Shigeki.
S: Hi! So... Keisuke. What's up?
K: Nothing, and you?
S: I'm so-so.
K: By the way, where did you go last year?
S: I went to San Francisco.
K: Wow! That's cool! So... What did you use to go there?
S: I went to by the airplane.
K: Oh! You have the knowledge of airplane, right?
S: Yeah. Why?
K: Because I want to know about airplanes. Please tell me.
S: OK. So...do you know Da Vinci?
K: Yeah! I know! He was such a genius.
S: Well....Did you know he drew a plan for an airplane, too?
K: Really? I didn't know. You mean...he created the airplane?
S: No, just drew a plan. The plan was a secret until the 19 century. And, in the 19 century,  Langley created a flying machine. It flew for about 1 minute.
K: Oh! Fantastic! But, I don't know him. Is he a famous person?
S: No, he isn't. Actually he created a flying machine without a pilot. However, he couldn't create a flying machine with a pilot. So, he isn't famous.
K: I see. So...Who did create the plane with a pilot?
S: It's the Wright brothers. Maybe you know their name.
K: I know them! But, I don't know their machine. What was it?
S: Simply put, it was like a glider, called the Wright Flyer.
K: Does the Wright Flyer exist even now?
S: Yes, it does. The place is National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.
K: Well...and...how about the evolution of the airplane later?
S: Uh...airplanes have evolved with the World Wars.
K: Oh...that's irony. Can you tell me about it?
S: Of course. World War means life or death to Nations. So, Nations develop many stronger weapon than other countries.
K: Uh...For instance?
S: Airplanes. Around World War One, equipped machine guns and the max speed was 200 kilometers per hour. And in World War two, airplanes rapidly advanced. Airplanes equipped bombs and torpedoes. The max speed was more than 500 kilometers per hour.
K: I see. They were terrible as weapons. But they were evolved as airplanes.
S: Furthermore, Germany developed jet engines in 1942. Also famous airplanes were developed. For example, Zero, Grumman, Spitfire, and Messerschmitt.
K: Uh...Only German? Other countries didn't develop jet engines?
S: No, jet engines were developed all around the world. Even Japan did it. And now, we can board such an airplane.
K: I didn't know such a things. Well...I think they are great men. Because we can use the technology to search space now!
S: That' right. And pilotless aircraft is also useful.
K: You mean... uh...drone something?
S: Yeah! It's famous recently. So...what did you think about airplanes?
K: I didn't know that such a great men created airplane and airplanes have a sad history. Thank you for talking to me today. By the way, I'm going to go somewhere. Do you want to go with me?
S: Cool. Where will we go?
K: Let see... Thank you for listening our podcast.