[cheesesteak]

While watching the first episode, I was surprised that Henry Ford was a prominent force in the developing and manufacturing of tractors with a company named Fordson. I'd never heard of Fordson. Then the show explained that he bailed on the tractor business early on to concentrate on his auto business which helped explain why I'd never heard of Fordson.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Just watching the second episode. Sad they are waving the 50-star flag in 1910 or so, we’ll before there were 50 states!

 

[jcondon]

While watching the first episode, I was surprised that Henry Ford was a prominent force in the developing and manufacturing of tractors with a company named Fordson. I'd never heard of Fordson. Then the show explained that he bailed on the tractor business early on to concentrate on his auto business which helped explain why I'd never heard of Fordson.

When I was a teen to young adult I remember going to upstate NY to a farm. The farmer had an old Ford tractor. I want to say 1909 or 191x tops. It ran but wasn't much for stopping. My dad's friend would use it to go up the mountain to the cabin. For that no brakes was fine. Be lucky to hit 5 mph. But going down the road between the house and the hanger (he had a small air strip) was pretty scary. I also never heard of Fordson.

 

[mattack]

I'd never heard of Fordson either (and IIRC the trivia question said it was a Fordson used on Green Acres, called something else).

I *think* I noticed something else too.. Some of these shows have now re-covered the same area (from slightly different angles).. which I actually don't think is bad, as long as they're consistent.. obviously they have to keep churning these out somehow!!

But this show seemed to imply Ford was totally in on doing airplanes until he stopped doing it. Didn't one of the previous shows state that it was Edsel's dream to do airplanes, and Ford basically let Edsel work on airplanes as a whim?

 

[Steveknj]

I'd never heard of Fordson either (and IIRC the trivia question said it was a Fordson used on Green Acres, called something else).

I *think* I noticed something else too.. Some of these shows have now re-covered the same area (from slightly different angles).. which I actually don't think is bad, as long as they're consistent.. obviously they have to keep churning these out somehow!!

But this show seemed to imply Ford was totally in on doing airplanes until he stopped doing it. Didn't one of the previous shows state that it was Edsel's dream to do airplanes, and Ford basically let Edsel work on airplanes as a whim?

That was my impression as well, Edsel was all in on planes, Henry wasn't that keen. And I thought it had more to do with declining sales on planes than Henry just wanting to focus on cars, at least that's how it was in the previous telling.

 

[cheesesteak]

I'd never heard of Fordson either (and IIRC the trivia question said it was a Fordson used on Green Acres, called something else).

I *think* I noticed something else too.. Some of these shows have now re-covered the same area (from slightly different angles).. which I actually don't think is bad, as long as they're consistent.. obviously they have to keep churning these out somehow!!

But this show seemed to imply Ford was totally in on doing airplanes until he stopped doing it. Didn't one of the previous shows state that it was Edsel's dream to do airplanes, and Ford basically let Edsel work on airplanes as a whim?

Yes, I had the same thought. A previous Ford-centric show made it seem that it was Edsel who was the driving force behind Ford's entry into airplanes while Henry thought it was a waste of time and money.

 

[mattack]

Well, this show DID mention about the son starting the plane interest. but then seemed to imply the father was gung ho.

 

[AntiPC]

I set up the series after seeing this thread.

I didn't recall seeing a Fordson tractor, but when they mentioned the singular engine/transmission/rear axle assembly, I knew I'd seen one at a local farm museum.

The passenger airplane episode kept making me think of the current space tourism industry that's just beginning. Branson and Bezos have to demonstrate that their vehicles are safe by flying in them, and one mishap could really set things back.

 

[Worf]

Wikipedia has a nice entry on the history of Ford and aircraft
Stout Metal Airplane - Wikipedia (Stout Metal Airplane was the aircraft division of Ford Motor Company)

The most well known plane is the Ford Trimotor.

 

[Steveknj]

I liked the current episode on the television, even though I knew most of the history and how screwed Farnsworth got.

 

[cheesesteak]

I liked the current episode on the television, even though I knew most of the history and how screwed Farnsworth got.

I knew nothing about the evolution of tv and the people who were involved.

 

[mattack]

yeah I read some book about Farnsworth and the invention of a teen a few decades ago.. don't remember which book it was though.

 

[mattack]

They're doing the "Bite Sized" version of the Machines show too, so you need a new OP for that..
(Remember, it's likely at least 90% recycled content from the regular shows, but they successfully got me to watch largely 'the same' info again on the other Bite Sized show.. though of course I watch it sped up like I watch the reg show too.. They seem to add a LITTLE bit of new info and/or more quiz questions and a bit of other trivia not in the main longer documentary episodes.)

 

[Worf]

Well, bite size is presented more as a documentary, while the main series adds drama elements. Some people really hate docudramas, so they would prefer a more fact-based show.

It's a minor difference, but for some, it's pretty big. Even though the content is mostly recycled, some people are just turned off by the drama.

 

[cheesesteak]

I briefly saw a commercial for an upcoming spinoff named something like The Monuments That Built The World

 

[Worf]

This started airing in Canada. Only thing I miss is the way they used to put the place names in the style of the brand logo... that's a stable of "The (thing) that built (America) or (the world)".series...

 

[cheesesteak]

The episodes about household appliances was interesting. I had no idea that the washing machine was invented by a woman.

 

[Worf]

I believe the dishwasher was also invented by a woman who was fed up with washing the dishes after hosting a party.

I'm not surprised though - it really makes a lot of sense given the women of a household would be the ones actually doing the chore back in the day, and necessity is the mother of invention. Washing clothes back in the day with a washboard and washtub was hard work, so mechanizing it would make a lot of ense.

 

[mattack]

Well, bite size is presented more as a documentary, while the main series adds drama elements. Some people really hate docudramas, so they would prefer a more fact-based show.

It's a minor difference, but for some, it's pretty big. Even though the content is mostly recycled, some people are just turned off by the drama.

yeah but I just point that out because I watch BOTH.. and it sort of annoys me to re-watch the same thing.. but there's JUST enough new stuff that I watch both.

(not really the same, but it also makes me think of that there are a whole bunch of separate "Expedition Unknown" shows/onepasses.. and none seem to actually be different/have Pop Up factoids or new footage or anything.. so I'm finally just deleting recordings of non-main Expedition Unknown episodes.... and many of them have wrong OADs so old eps record as new..)