Ah, OK. I think "That's a strange idea. Let's try it!" was a quote from one of the stories, rather than a motto. Of course, it might have been a quote from someone else's story, and I'm mixing them up.Yeah, I remember reading about the submersible VF-1, and finding the idea amusing.
“They planned their campaigns just as you might make a splendid piece of harness. It looks very well; and answers very well; until it gets broken; and then you are done for. Now I made my campaigns of ropes. If anything went wrong, I tied a knot; and went on.”
-- Arthur Wellesley, First Duke of Wellington