Air-Powered Snow Sled

Air-Powered Snow Sled MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous 19-1-17 "It gives me the feel of the outdoors with-out being exposed to the cold," says a Minnesota inventor who built an air-powered "snow sled" that's powered by a big 3-blade airplane propeller and rides on three 10-ft. long aluminum skis - two in back and one in front. Jeff Benson, of Wanamingo, built the "Air Sled" last January. The body is made from a steel tube frame covered with .040 aluminum skin, and the fully enclosed cab is fitted with large Lexan windows. Power is supplied by a 1962 Oldsmobile 215 cu. in. aluminum V-8 gas engine. The 66-in. dia., 3-blade propeller is bolted to the engine's flywheel. It rides smooth and comfortable and is a lot of fun to drive," says Benson. "I'm surrounded by large windows so I have a great view of the countryside. It's ideal to use on large areas such as a frozen lake. The big, wide skis ride on top of the snow. It has a heater and defroster so I always stay warm. I had the blades custom made by a propeller company in Oklahoma. The blades are surrounded by a steel rod safety cage. The electric start engine has an advance throttle - when the engine is idling the propeller doesn't produce enough thrust to move." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Jeff Benson, 617 2nd Ave. S., Wanamingo, Minn. 55983 (ph 507 824-2908).

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