From Harry Harrison
Andy Macqueen makes some sound points on natural gas consumption (Letters, 3 February, p 56). But I take exception to his question: “Can you imagine a car or plane powered by coal?” The answer is yes.
In my novel A Transatlantic Tunnel, Hurrah! there is a coalfired flying ship. When John W. Campbell serialised this in Analog in the early 60s he did not think it would work (he was a physicist as well as an editor).
When I explained that the coal was very finely pulverised and burnt in a turbine, he let it stand. Though he did mutter “It would be hell on the blades.”
