Here’s a bit of history that didn’t make it into my novel, but it’s fascinating nonetheless: the Silbervogel, aka The Nazi Space Plane. Designed by Eugen Sänger and Irene Bredt, the Silbervogel (translated as The Silver Bird) was to be a liquid-fueled rocket-powered sub-orbital bomber.
It goes without saying that one of the biggest influences of O.L.D. — A Good Way to Die was the granddaddy of secret agents himself: Ian Fleming’s James Bond. As a topic, there’s a lot of cool rabbit holes we can jump down and explore: there are the war-time experiences of Ian Fleming (hint: they’re badass), the cool details of how (the late) Sean Connery was cast (hint: he was a badass), but today, let’s focus on an object that’s both synonymous with the character AND also serves as a significant plot device in O.L.D. — A Good Way to Die: the Walther PPK.
For years, the CIA had been flying ultra top-secret (and highly illegal) espionage flights over the Soviet Union. Their vehicle: the U-2 spy plane, a technological marvel seemingly lightyears ahead of anything the Soviets could throw at it. Flying at heights of 70,000 feet, the plane was assumed to be untouchable by Russian anti-aircraft weaponry. In other words, the U-2 spy plane (and the state-of-the-art cameras mounted in its nose) had free reign over Soviet airspace, to photograph whatever they pleased. But — as so often happens — the unthinkable became doable…
In O.L.D. — A Good Way to Die, our heroine Hunter Gunne drives a badass gold and black Corvette Stingray, which Steven immediately notes is similar to the cars that the NASA astronauts drove. So, let’s take a look at these iconic ASTROVETTES…
So not all the research that went into O.L.D. — A Good Way to Die dealt with Cold War top-secret missions. Case in point: presidential breakfasts. A real perk of being the Commander in Chief is the personal staff at your disposal. This includes culinary chefs ready and waiting to prepare anything you might desire. So, naturally, I wondered what the hell these presidents have eaten for breakfast over the years…
Today’s tidbit of Cold War research might not have actually made it into my novel — but it’s just too good not to share. So, sit back, relax and let me tell you about PROJECT A119… aka THE MISSION TO NUKE THE MOON…
What’s one of the most enjoyable things about reading a fast-paced action-adventure like The Da Vinci Code or an edge-of-your-seat techno-thriller like The Hunt for Red October? — THE HISTORY, right?
Yeah, there’s a lot of liberties taken. But you still feel smarter just thumbing through the pages. Without a doubt, all that real-world history makes the read that much more fulfilling for you, the reader. And, glancing through the research that went into O.L.D. — A Good Way to Die, it’s just too good not to share with you here, especially if Cold War history is your thing. Sure, some of it’s rather mundane (like what Ronald Reagan ate for breakfast), but some of it is astonishing.
Take, for example, Project Azorian…
