Speed Week webpages starting 24 August 2011
contact Ken Fletcher
kenfletch'at)comcast.net
[ You know what to substitute for the 'at) ]
Request
for
Contributions:
1930s "Speed Week" theme. The website "Spontoon Island" will publish a set of special webpages (beginning 24 August, 2011) about an island celebration, "Speed Week": http://spontoon.rootoon.com/SPwRacCn.html Additional contributions to the future pages for 2012 are very welcome! This is a link to the entrance of the general Spontoon Island pages. http://spontoon.rootoon.com/ The setting is a semi-tropical island in the North Pacific in the 1930s, with a population of anthropomorphs ('furry' humanoids). There are some 1930s modern built-up areas on the island that include resorts and hotels for upper-income travelers and tourists. During the last week of August, the native government sponsors races ("Speed Week") that attract extra visitors and have extensive radio, newspaper & newsreel coverage. (Speed Week is always the 24th through 31st of August, every year.) The races include courses for seaplanes (of various styles and sizes), land aircraft, racecars, racing motorcycles, and powerboats. Since 1935, a version of the Schneider Trophy seaplane races have also taken place at Spontoon Island during Speed Week. There is is a page about the Spontoon Island Racing Association (SIRA) that has some earlier information on Speed Week. Contributors are invited to send in art or short text anecdotes related to the theme of "Speed Week" on the Spontoon Islands. The contributions may be about racing on these islands for any year, approximately 1915 through 1950 (1930s preferred). The web page is organized more like a scrapbook, rather than covering one specific race or year. Reposts of your previously posted art of racing vehicles or racing scenes are welcome, although any pilots or mechanics seen should be 'anthropomorphs'. I regret that I can't pay for contributions. You will be credited (and given a link, if you wish). Contributors retain their copyrights and may post the material in other locations. Display art (on the webpages) will usually be limited to within 600 by 600 pixels and under 256 Kbytes of storage. Art files can be larger, but they are likely be viewed from a text link, or from a thumbnail link of under 150 x 150 pixels. Ask about exceptions. Text contributions should be submitted in plain text (.txt) or rich text files (.rtf). Email before doing stories much over 1000 words. The website is for grown-ups, yet most of the material on the website would be G-rated. This is what is preferred for contributions to "Speed Week". Some mature situations and 30s-style mature art are allowed. The setting and its population can range from serious-anthropomorphic to funny-animal in style. It is a 1930s semi-tropical island. The clothing (or lack of clothing) should reflect that setting. There are some clothing references on the website, but 1930s pulp & adventure movies are acceptable clothing models: King Kong, the early Indiana Jones, etc. The local natives control the government and administration. Many of the locals are skilled pilots and mechanics. They are a mixture of species, and they are modern and Polynesian in attitude. The very independent natives enjoy playing to the visitors' expectations and may choose to act unsophisticated. The visitors for Speed Week include many locals from other regional islands, and a layer of relatively rich visitors from across the Pacific.The main urban areas (Casino Island, South Island, Eastern Island) may get crowds at the best viewing spots for the races. The racing vehicles should be based on 1930s models, with some allowance for pulp-magazine science. Drawings of racing vehicle drivers with typical tropical accessories or background scenes would be very acceptable. Additional images that would be very welcome: Scenes from Spontoon Island, showing island life during the Speed Week races: Reporters at work, restaurants and food vendors, natives selling souvenirs, hotel workers, crowds of prosperous tourists, and similar subjects. LINKS: There are reference links at the Spontoon website. Here are a couple of very good websites (via Robert Bartrop) related to 1930s aircraft and seaplane racing: General info & images, air racing, circa 1920-1950: http://www.air-racing-history.com/ * The Society of Air Racing Historians * http://www.airrace.com/ Schneider Trophy (unlimited seaplane) racing (plus links to European seaplane images): http://www.hydroretro.net/indexen.html Another excellent reference site (via Bob Martin), with extensive links: http://www.schneider-cup.com/ (Thanks are due to R.J.Bartrop for coming up with the ideas of the Spontoon Island Racing Association and "Speed Week"!) Questions are welcome- Thank you, Ken Fletcher kenfletch'at)comcast.net [ You know what to substitute for the 'at) ]  A photo finish - Art by M.
Mitchell Marmel
|