The four-engined turboprop had much greater flying performance than the ancient “Gooney Bird” and carried much heavier firepower, four 7.62 mm and four 20 mm Gattling guns compared to the AC-47’s three 7.62 mm guns. The AC-130 also carried more equipment than the AC-47 for detecting targets at night: a side-looking radar, an infrared device that could detect the engines of trucks by their heat, and a starlight scope that could amplify images in dim light. Header/banner images courtesy of Great Big Story via YouTube.The Evolution of Puff, the Magic Dragon Plane The mighty dragon Puff evolved from very humble beginnings. As he says in the video above, "People want to think it's about pot, that's fine with me." But after decades of disputing rumors, he's learned to live with the fact that this one may never die. He was the lead inventor of the technology used to project 3D films in theaters, and his work has also been used in the development of 3D TVs.Īnd for all the "Puff the Magic Dragon" fans who believe the song isn't really about a dragon, Lipton still insists otherwise.
He's also an accomplished writer, filmmaker, and inventor. The poem he wrote would eventually be used as the lyrics for Peter, Paul and Mary's hit song.Ĭo-writing one of the most beloved folk songs of the '60s isn't Lipton's only claim to fame. Perhaps this video from Great Big Story will finally put those rumors to bed.Īccording to the song's lyricist Lenny Lipton, the idea was inspired by Ogden Nash's children's poem " The Tale of Custard the Dragon." The same day he read the poem, Lipton went over to a friend's house and felt compelled to sit down in front of their typewriter and start writing. A song about the adventures of a magical dragon sounds innocent enough, but like many songs written in the '60s, "Puff the Magic Dragon" is regarded by many as a metaphor for drug use.
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