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Sean Casey's Tornado Chaser — a reinforced Ford F-450 diesel dually — is just a tool, like his IMAX camera, with which he's planning to record a direct hit by a catastrophic twister on film. It'll be the ultimate atmospheric money shot, and Casey needs the truck to fulfill two basic needs on the mission: transportation and shelter, not only from the high winds, but also from the deconstruction materials, vehicles and cows swirling around inside the average cyclone. How Stuff Works takes a look at what went into building such a reinforced basement on wheels, and what might keep it from becoming a projectile before the deed is done. More »
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Outside of Natalia Vodianova, our knowledge of Russian exports starts with Stolichnaya and ends with us trying our Yacoff Smirnoff impression on a pair of late-night beat cops. But this Cold-War era Tupolev Russian ground-effect boat, which sports a nine-cylinder, 365hp radial engine, may be worth broadening our horizons for. Despite — or perhaps because of — its six-figure price tag (and that it has no wheels), the gullwing beast — which once patrolled the coasts of Mother Russia for US subs and wayward whales — would be equally handy for wooing supermodels in Miami as for daily commutation from a private Bahamian island. [Thanks to Martin O. for the tip.] More »
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