The Mig-25 was fairly famous for using vacuum tubes - initially this was seen as rather funny in the West then people realised that they actually had some distinct advantages, including alleged resiliance to the EMP from nuclear explosions:
You can't really "measure" or double-blind test how well this thing kills people. Only if you have well developed taste can you appreciate the finer details, the warmth, the clarity, the fidelity.
> Only if you have well developed taste can you appreciate the finer details, the warmth, the clarity, the fidelity.
There are reports of ground crews for MiG-25's drinking the hydraulic fluid for the planes, which was apparently based on ethanol. Truly an aircraft for those with a discerning palette.
I've heard similar stories of soviet soldiers in Afghanistan in the 80's draining the hydraulic fluid from their armored vehicles because it was ethanol, and drinking it...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-25