View allAll Photos Tagged Capability
AMISOM Commanders listen during a capability assessment meeting attended by both AMISOM and SNA in Mogadishu, Somalia, on 14 April 2018. AMISOM Photo
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Shelby Johnson, squad leader, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, observes the area around Forward Operating Base Torkham while wearing the new Capability Set 13 communications suite.
An off the cuff handheld shot of the moonrise over South Florida. Why I love the D800 and the excellent high ISO capability.
Disability rights protest at DWP HQ against Work Capability Assessments - London 01.04.2014
A small group of disability rights activists from DPAC, WinVisible and Mental Health Network protested outside the London headquarters of the Dept for Work and Pensions in Tothill Street (where it's rumoured Iain Duncan Smith keeps his coffin full of soil from Milton Keynes), to demand an end to the discredited, hated Work Capability Assessments which have been used as a blunt weapon by the Tories through their (now-dismissed) henchmen at ATOS to drive many sick and disabled people to their deaths in the dishonest name of 'Austerity'.
Their numbers were few because of last minute changes, but their words - as ever - were poignant, angry and defiant.
This photo © Pete Riches
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Onuoha Raymond, RANTIP | Prof. Peter Fussey, University of Essex | Jimmy Haguma,
Uganda Police | Corynne McSherry, EFF | Moderator: Berhan Taye
The airlift capability of the Philippine Air Force received a big boost with the return to Manila on Wednesday of a C-130H Hercules transport aircraft that was earlier sent to the United States for scheduled maintenance. The arrival of the aircraft, with tail number 4704, brings to two the number of C-130s currently in service with the Philippine Air Force. Photo shows the aircraft being prepared for departure from the British Aerospace facility in Mojave, California, where it underwent a P190-million maintenance program. The crew consisted of Col. Jose Mirandilla Jr., Deputy Wing Commander of the 220th Airlift Wing and aircraft commander; Lt. Col. Ramil Oloroso, test pilot; Maj. Michael Edrik Encarnacion, pilot-in-command; and Capt. Dexter Danes and Capt. Merrito Quijano, co-pilots. The other members of the crew were MSgt. Edgardo Llmada; MSgt. Ma. Majella Querubin; TSgt. Lucio Cosep; TSgt. Manuel Savadera; TSgt. Edgar Comoda; SSgt. Joel Magdadaro; SSgt. Romeo Tusil Jr.and SSgt. Susano Albaracin. Col. Arnel Duco, Air Force Attaché at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. accompanied the aircraft home. (Photo by TSgt. Richard Oliva, Office of the Defense and Armed Forces Attaché, Philippine Embassy)
With their wings fully swept-back the Royal Air Force No. 15 Squadron Tornado GR.4 duo streak across the Yeovilton skies as they demonstrate their role capability. The simulated 'Brimstone' missile explosion was something to behold!
Croome Court is a mid 18th century Neo-Palladian mansion surrounded by an extensive landscaped parkland at Croome D'Abitot, near Pershore in south Worcestershire. The mansion and park were designed by Lancelot "Capability" Brown for George Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventry, and was Brown's first landscape design and first major architectural project. Some of the internal rooms of the mansion were designed by Robert Adam.
The mansion house is owned by Croome Heritage Trust, and is leased to the National Trust who operate it, along with the surrounding parkland, as a tourist attraction. The National Trust own the surrounding parkland, which is also open to the public.
Location[edit]
Croome Court is located near to Croome D'Abitot, in Worcestershire,[1] near Pirton, Worcestershire.[2] The wider estate was established on lands that were once part of the royal forest of Horewell.[3] Traces of these older landscapes, such as unimproved commons and ancient woodlands, can be found across the former Croome Estate.[4]
House[edit]
Croome Court South Portico
History[edit]
The foundations and core of Croome Court, including the central chimney stack structure, date back to the early 1640s.[5] Substantial changes to this early house were made by Gilbert Coventry, 4th Earl of Coventry.[6]
In 1751, George Coventry, the 6th Earl, inherited the estate, along with the existing Jacobean house. He commissioned Lancelot "Capability" Brown, with the assistance of Sanderson Miller, to redesign the house and estate.[7][1] It was Brown's "first flight into the realms of architecture" and a "rare example of his architectural work",[8] and it is an important and seminal work.[9] It was built between 1751 and 1752, and it and Hagley Hall are considered to be the finest examples of Neo-Palladian architecture in Worcestershire. Notable Neo-Palladian features incorporated into Croome Court include the plain exterior and the corner towers with pyramidal roofs (a feature first used by Inigo Jones in the design of Wilton House in Wiltshire).[1] Robert Adam worked on the interior of the building from 1760 onwards.[10]
The house has been visited by George III,[2][11] as well as Queen Victoria[7] during summers when she was a child, and George V (then Duke of York).[11]
A jam factory was built by the 9th Earl of Coventry, near to Pershore railway station, in about 1880, to provide a market for Vale of Evesham fruit growers in times of surplus. Although the Croome connection with jam making had ceased, during the First World War, the building was leased by the Croome Estate Trust to the Huddersfield Fruit Preserving Company as a pulping station.[12]
The First World War deeply affected Croome, with many local casualties, although the house was not requisitioned for the war effort. This is possibly because it was the home of the Lord Lieutenant of the County, who needed a residence for his many official engagements.[13]
During the Second World War Croome Court was requisitioned by the Ministry of Works and leased for a year to the Dutch Government as a possible refuge for Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands; to escape the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. However, evidence shows that they stayed two weeks at the most, perhaps because of the noise and fear created by the proximity of Defford Aerodrome. They later emigrated to Canada.[14]
In 1948 the Croome Estate Trust sold the Court, along with 38 acres (15 ha) of land, to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham, and the mansion became St Joseph's Special School, which was run by nuns[15] from 1950[11] until 1979.[15]
The house was listed on 11 August 1952; it is currently Grade I listed.[10]
In 1979 the hall was taken over by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Hare Krishna movement), who used it as their UK headquarters and a training college[16] called Chaitanya College,[15] run by 25 members of the movement.[16] During their tenure they repainted the Dining Room.[17] In 1984 they had to leave the estate for financial reasons. They held a festival at the hall in 2011.[16]
From 1984 onwards various owners tried to use the property as a training centre; apartments; a restaurant and conference centre; and a hotel and golf course,[15] before once more becoming a private family home,[2][15] with outbuildings converted to private houses.[15]
The house was purchased by the Croome Heritage Trust, a registered charity,[18] in October 2007,[19] and it is now managed by the National Trust as a tourist attraction. It opened to the public in September 2009, at which point six of the rooms had restored, costing £400,000, including the Saloon. It was estimated that another £4 million[2][20] to £4.8 million would be needed to restore the entire building. Fundraising activities for the restoration included a 2011 raffle for a Morgan sports car organised by Lord and Lady Flight. After the restoration is complete, a 999-year lease on the building will be granted to the National Trust.[21] An oral history project to record recollections about Croome was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.[15] As of 2009, the service wing was empty and in need of substantial repair.[22]
Exterior[edit]
The mansion is faced with Bath stone,[7] limestone ashlar, and has both north and south facing fronts. It has a basement and two stories, with three stories in the end pavilions. A slate roof, with pyramid roofs over the corner towers, tops the building, along with three pair-linked chimneys along the axis of the house.[10]
Both fronts have 11 bays, split into three central sets of three each, and one additional bay each side. The north face has a pedimented centre, with two balustraded staircases leading to a Roman Doric doorcase. The south face has a projecting Ionic tetrastyle portico and Venetian windows. It has a broad staircase, with cast stone sphinxes on each side, leading to a south door topped with a cornice on consoles. The wings have modillion cornice and balustrade.[10]
A two-story L-shaped service wing is attached to the east side of the mansion. It is made of red brick and stone, with slate roofs.[10] It was designed by Capability Brown in 1751-2.[22] On the far side of the service wing, a wall connects it to a stable court.[10]
Interior[edit]
The interior of the house was designed partially by Capability Brown, with plasterwork by G. Vassalli, and partially by Robert Adam, with plasterwork by J. Rose Jr. It has a central spine corridor. A stone staircase, with iron balusters, is at the east end.[10]
The entrance hall is on the north side of the building, and has four fluted Doric columns, along with moulded doorcases. To the east of the entrance hall is the dining room, which has a plaster ceiling and cornice, while to the west is a billiard room, featuring fielded panelling, a plaster cornice, and a rococo fireplace. The three rooms were probably decorated around 1758-59 by Capability Brown.[10] The dining room was vibrantly repainted by the Hare Krishnas in the 1970s-80s.[17]
The central room on the south side is a saloon, probably by Brown and Vassalli. It has an elaborate ceiling, with three panels, deep coving, and a cornice, along with two Ionic fireplaces, and Palladian doorcases.[10] George III was entertained by George Coventry, the 6th Earl, in the house's Saloon.[2] A drawing room is to the west of the saloon, and features rococo plasterwork and a marble fireplace.[10]
To the east of the saloon is the Tapestry Room.[10] This was designed in 1763-71, based on a design by Robert Adam, and contained tapestries and furniture covers possibly designed by Jacques Germain Soufflot, and made by Manufacture Nationale des Gobelins.[23] Around 1902 the ninth Earl sold the tapestries and seating to a Parisian dealer. In 1949 the Samuel H. Kress Foundation purchased the ceiling, floor, mantlepiece, chair rails, doors and the door surrounds, which were donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, in 1958. In 1959 the Kress Foundation also helped the Metropolitan Museum acquire the chair and sofa frames, which they recovered using the original tapestry seats.[7][23] A copy of the ceiling was installed in place of the original.[10] As of 2016, the room is displayed as it would have looked after the tapestries had been sold, with a jug and ewer on display as the only original decoration of the room that remains in it. The adjacent library room is used to explain what happened to the tapestry room;[17] the former library was designed by Adam, and was dismantled except for the marble fireplace.[10]
At the west side of the building is a long gallery,[10] which was designed by Robert Adam and installed between 1761 and 1766. It is the best preserved of the original interior (little of the rest has survived in situ).[1] It has an octagonal panelled ceiling, and plaster reliefs of griffins. A half-hexagonal bay faces the garden. The room also contains a marble caryatid fireplace designed by J Wilton.[10] As of 2016, modern sculptures are displayed in empty niches along the Long Gallery
wikipedia
Prior Park Landscape Garden, designed by Capability Brown and Alexander Pope. The Palladian Bridge added by Richard Jones to the original plans of John Wood designer of Prior Park (far in the distance.)
Bath, Somerset, UK.
All rights reserved. No use & distribution without express written permission. Strictly enforced.
going through files & folders in the archives, bringing back images from a 2011 UK trip.
Croome Park is a landscaped country park surrounding Croome Court, in Worcestershire. It was Lancelot 'Capability' Brown's first complete landscape design, begun in 1751 for George Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventry. The mansion house was also designed by Brown and is a rare example of his architectural work.
A great deal of the internal fittings of the house were designed by Robert Adam
The Court has recently been acquired by the National Trust and is currently being renovated.
Croome Court is a grade 1 listed building.
A C-17 Globemaster III and aircrew from the 176th Wing’s 249th Airlift Squadron prepare to depart Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, with 24 personnel and a Joint Incident Site Communications Capability system bound for Puerto Rico to provide disaster relief assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria Oct. 6, 2017. In Puerto Rico, a 10-member communications and maintenance team from the Alaska Air Guard’s 168th and 176th Wings and the Alaska Army National Guard will operate and maintain the JISCC system, which will increase overall communication connectivity between the territory and mainland. Fourteen aerial port personnel from the 176th Wing will also operate logistical functions such as processing personnel and cargo, loading equipment, and preparing air cargo for transport. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Balinda O’Neal Dresel)
XL231, above, is owned by businessman Andre Tempest and is pampered by Roger Brooks and his crew at Elvington. First flown on 28th December 1961, she was picked up by a crew from RAF Wittering and flown into service with 139 Squadron on 31st January 1962. She served with 139 in the conventional bomber role until November 1963 when she was returned to HP for upgrade to Blue Steel carrying capability (B.2R as termed by HP, though not the RAF). She was returned to Wittering on 17th July 1964 and served on until 139 Squadron was disbanded in late 1968. Returned to HP once more in early 1969, she was stored awaiting a decision on being converted to a K.2 tanker. HP was driven to collapse and so in late April 1970 XL231 was ferried to Woodford and became the K.2 development aircraft, undergoing many modifications and not flying again until 1st March 1972. Over the next two years she carried out development and trials work for the K.2 programme and service clearance flights with the A&AEE at Boscombe, returning to Woodford in January 1974 for work to complete her to the final K.2 standard. She was finally delivered back to the RAF - 57 Squadron at RAF Marham - on 8th July 1977, and quickly appeared as part of the static display at the Queens Silver Jubilee Review of the RAF at RAF Finningley later that month.
Communications capability was the primary focus for more than 50 Soldiers from the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade during their two-week annual training at Fort Indiantown Gap. In an elaborate configuration of tents, generators and specialized trailers, Maryland National Guard Soldiers set up classified and non-classified computer networks, switches, and routers all in a field environment.
Un-distracted by the lusts and passions of organic life, he had pursued that goal with absolute single-mindedness of purpose.
Air Force Space and Missile Museum
The Atlas Radio Guidance System was used to control the initial flight path of an Atlas missile. The Atlas gave the U.S. its first Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) capability, being declared operational in September 1959. Guidance systems similar to this were used in the control of the Atlas during the late 1950's and early 1960's.
This guidance system was made up of four distinct subsystems:
1. The position measuring subsystem determined the location of the missile during flight.
2. The velocity measuring subsystem calculated the speed and direction of the missile.
3. The missile-borne subsystem provided a continuous data link between the missile and ground systems.
4. The computer subsystem tied all the systems together.
A van contained all of the radio transmitting equipment necessary to send guidance commands to the Atlas during the early portion of its flight. An automated flight program was fed to the van from a guidance computer like the one on display in the Blockhouse.
The two antennas located outside the van were used to determine the position and velocity of the missile. These data were fed to the guidance computer, which measured any deviations in the flight path and calculated any course corrections needed. Course corrections were transmitted by radio to the missile.
The dish antenna is the Atlas Position Measuring Antenna, and was used to measure the velocity of the missile. Its 6-foot diameter dish and other hardware were manufactured by General Electric. The entire unit weighs more than 3,700 pounds and is about 14 feet long, 6 feet wide and 9 feet tall.
The other antenna is the Mod I radar. It weighs 20,000 pounds and was used to provide position data on the Atlas during its flight.
This magnificent informal landscape garden was laid out in the 18th century by 'Capability' Brown and further developed in the early years of the 20th century by its owner, Arthur G. Soames. The original four lakes form the centrepiece. There are dramatic shows of daffodils and bluebells in spring, and the rhododendrons and azaleas are spectacular in early summer. Autumn brings stunning colours from the many rare trees and shrubs, and winter walks can be enjoyed in this garden for all seasons. Visitors can now also explore South Park, 107 hectares (265 acres) of historic parkland, with stunning views.
Disability rights protest at DWP HQ against Work Capability Assessments - London 01.04.2014
A small group of disability rights activists from DPAC, WinVisible and Mental Health Network protested outside the London headquarters of the Dept for Work and Pensions in Tothill Street (where it's rumoured Iain Duncan Smith keeps his coffin full of soil from Milton Keynes), to demand an end to the discredited, hated Work Capability Assessments which have been used as a blunt weapon by the Tories through their (now-dismissed) henchmen at ATOS to drive many sick and disabled people to their deaths in the dishonest name of 'Austerity'.
Their numbers were few because of last minute changes, but their words - as ever - were poignant, angry and defiant.
This photo © Pete Riches
Do not reproduce, alter, re-transmit, blog or otherwise exploit my images without my written permission. I remain at all times the copyright owner of this image.
Media buyers and publications can access this story on Demotix. Standard industry rates apply.
Hi-Res, un-watermarked versions of these files are available on application solely at my discretion
If you want to use any image found in my Flickr Photostream, please Email me directly.
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The Light Capability Rough Terrain Forklift (LCRTF) is a C-130 and CH-47 sling load transportable, 5,000-pound capacity, variable-reach, rough-terrain forklift with fork tine oscillation and side-shift cab controls.
Read more at asc.army.mil/web/portfolio-item/cs-css-light-capability-rough-terrain-forklift-lcrtf/.
Spc. Erik Wellman troubleshoots a software issue during a brigade communications exercise at Camp Ripley Training Center on Nov. 22, 2014. The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team conducted the communication exercise to ensure the brigade is prepared for future, large-scale training events like the Exportable Capability Training Exercise and Warfighter exercise in 2015, followed by a National Training Center rotation in 2016.
China's new-style missile boats reach combat capability
According to a report by CCTV, a fleet of new-style catamaran missile speedboats independently developed by China recently entered a designated sea area for a live-ammunition confrontation exercise on schedule. All missiles hit the target, marking the comprehensive formation of combat capability of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's first new-style missile boat force.
In light of the sophistication and high technological content of the new military equipment, a speedboat brigade of the PLA Navy's East Sea Fleet successfully completed training courses by adopting the approach of "synchronizing deployment and training, testing and training," and by gradually strengthening the training for night-time multi-round missile attacks, interference and anti-interference. It took just one year to complete all necessary full-function, full-system training related to the new equipment.
The new-style missile speedboats have already safely sailed tens of thousands of nautical miles and completed multiple key exercises. The missile boat force has basically acquired combat capabilities such as attacks under a complex electromagnetic environment and long-range missile attacks.
By People's Daily Online
Communications capability was the primary focus for more than 50 Soldiers from the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade during their two-week annual training at Fort Indiantown Gap. In an elaborate configuration of tents, generators and specialized trailers, Maryland National Guard Soldiers set up classified and non-classified computer networks, switches, and routers all in a field environment.
Soldiers from Field Artillery Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment conduct new equipment training on the Counter – Unmanned Aircraft System Mobile Integrated Capability at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany. The training, conducted in February and March, put rapidly produced prototypes into the field to close capability gaps of the kind targeted by the Army RCO. Shoffner sees parallels between the kinds of solutions the RCO is seeking and the Army’s interest in new talent management solutions. (Photo by Sgt. Devon Bistarkey, 2nd Cavalry Regiment Public Affairs)
This has been a turning point in the history of the Headquarters Multinational Corps Northeast (HQ MNC NE). With the successful completion of the exercise „Brilliant Capability 2016”, the Corps – Custodian of Regional Security – has become operationally capable to assume command of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, also referred to as the “spearhead force”. I strongly believe that our team effort will provide tremendous value to NATO. – said Lieutenant General Manfred Hofmann, the Corps Commander, on the occasion of the Distinguished Visitors Day, which took place in Szczecin, 2nd June.
Virginia National Guard aviation crews assigned to the Sandston-based 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, 29th Infantry Division conduct air movement training with Kentucky National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment and Arkansas National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 1036th Engineer Company, 875th Engineer Battalion July 18, 2019, during the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team eXportable Combat Training Capability Rotation 19-4 at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Read more about the XCTC at go.usa.gov/xyPx6. (U.S. National Guard photo by Cotton Puryear)
The ruined old castle at Sherborne which now stands in the gardens of the new castle (actually a stately home). A large lake in the gardens created by Capability Brown stands between the two.
The interpretation board at the small end of Langley Park Lake, with details of Lancelot Capability Brown's previous involvement within the Park.
Communications capability was the primary focus for more than 50 Soldiers from the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade during their two-week annual training at Fort Indiantown Gap. In an elaborate configuration of tents, generators and specialized trailers, Maryland National Guard Soldiers set up classified and non-classified computer networks, switches, and routers all in a field environment.
Merlin on operations in Helmand A Flight, No 78 Squadron, Royal Air Force are currently deployed in Afghanistan. The Merlin Force has now declared Initial Operating Capability
This magnificent informal landscape garden was laid out in the 18th century by 'Capability' Brown and further developed in the early years of the 20th century by its owner, Arthur G. Soames. The original four lakes form the centrepiece. There are dramatic shows of daffodils and bluebells in spring, and the rhododendrons and azaleas are spectacular in early summer. Autumn brings stunning colours from the many rare trees and shrubs, and winter walks can be enjoyed in this garden for all seasons. Visitors can now also explore South Park, 107 hectares (265 acres) of historic parkland, with stunning views.
This magnificent informal landscape garden was laid out in the 18th century by 'Capability' Brown and further developed in the early years of the 20th century by its owner, Arthur G. Soames. The original four lakes form the centrepiece. There are dramatic shows of daffodils and bluebells in spring, and the rhododendrons and azaleas are spectacular in early summer. Autumn brings stunning colours from the many rare trees and shrubs, and winter walks can be enjoyed in this garden for all seasons. Visitors can now also explore South Park, 107 hectares (265 acres) of historic parkland, with stunning views.
161205-N-WF272-037 SASEBO, Japan (Dec. 5, 2016) Petty Officer 3rd Class Nick Belsito, a damage control central phone talker, communicates with import emergency team personnel during a toxic gas drill aboard amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6). Bonhomme Richard, forward-deployed to Sasebo, Japan, is serving forward to provide a rapid-response capability in the event of a regional contingency or natural disaster. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Diana Quinlan/Released)
Compton Verney's Chapel was built in 1772 by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown to replace the medieval church that stood by the lake nearby. It has not been used for services since the Verney family left in 1921.
Inside the rectangular room has plaster decoration influenced by Robert Adam's work. The main items of interest are the Verney monuments including a large centrally placed tomb with effigies of Sir Richard & wife by Nicholas Stone c1630. However given the long term disuse of the building most of the monuments have been boxed in for protection. They will remain hidden until funding is found to restore and re-open the chapel as part of the visitor attraction here,
The 16th century glass once contained here was sold in the 1920s and is now in New York. Nobody seems to know what's become of the brasses. They may still be there under all the clutter that the building's mothballed state has generated.
Compton Verney House stands in a beautiful setting overlooking a lake. The grounds were landscaped by Capability Brown who also built the chapel.
The House itself is largely the work of Robert Adam, who in the 1760s who added extra ranges to an existing west range of 1714,
From the early 20th century the house passed through various owners, and after requisitioning in World War II was never lived in again, and thus remained in a state of disuse, slowly falling apart, until rescued and converted into a highly successful art gallery in the 1990s.
www.comptonverney.org.uk/?page=home
The house is now almost fully restored and in use. The chapel however remains closed and awaits proper restoration.
This magnificent informal landscape garden was laid out in the 18th century by 'Capability' Brown and further developed in the early years of the 20th century by its owner, Arthur G. Soames. The original four lakes form the centrepiece. There are dramatic shows of daffodils and bluebells in spring, and the rhododendrons and azaleas are spectacular in early summer. Autumn brings stunning colours from the many rare trees and shrubs, and winter walks can be enjoyed in this garden for all seasons. Visitors can now also explore South Park, 107 hectares (265 acres) of historic parkland, with stunning views.
This magnificent informal landscape garden was laid out in the 18th century by 'Capability' Brown and further developed in the early years of the 20th century by its owner, Arthur G. Soames. The original four lakes form the centrepiece. There are dramatic shows of daffodils and bluebells in spring, and the rhododendrons and azaleas are spectacular in early summer. Autumn brings stunning colours from the many rare trees and shrubs, and winter walks can be enjoyed in this garden for all seasons. Visitors can now also explore South Park, 107 hectares (265 acres) of historic parkland, with stunning views.
Croome Court is a mid 18th century Neo-Palladian mansion surrounded by an extensive landscaped parkland at Croome D'Abitot, near Pershore in south Worcestershire. The mansion and park were designed by Lancelot "Capability" Brown for George Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventry, and was Brown's first landscape design and first major architectural project. Some of the internal rooms of the mansion were designed by Robert Adam.
The mansion house is owned by Croome Heritage Trust, and is leased to the National Trust who operate it, along with the surrounding parkland, as a tourist attraction. The National Trust own the surrounding parkland, which is also open to the public.
Location[edit]
Croome Court is located near to Croome D'Abitot, in Worcestershire,[1] near Pirton, Worcestershire.[2] The wider estate was established on lands that were once part of the royal forest of Horewell.[3] Traces of these older landscapes, such as unimproved commons and ancient woodlands, can be found across the former Croome Estate.[4]
House[edit]
Croome Court South Portico
History[edit]
The foundations and core of Croome Court, including the central chimney stack structure, date back to the early 1640s.[5] Substantial changes to this early house were made by Gilbert Coventry, 4th Earl of Coventry.[6]
In 1751, George Coventry, the 6th Earl, inherited the estate, along with the existing Jacobean house. He commissioned Lancelot "Capability" Brown, with the assistance of Sanderson Miller, to redesign the house and estate.[7][1] It was Brown's "first flight into the realms of architecture" and a "rare example of his architectural work",[8] and it is an important and seminal work.[9] It was built between 1751 and 1752, and it and Hagley Hall are considered to be the finest examples of Neo-Palladian architecture in Worcestershire. Notable Neo-Palladian features incorporated into Croome Court include the plain exterior and the corner towers with pyramidal roofs (a feature first used by Inigo Jones in the design of Wilton House in Wiltshire).[1] Robert Adam worked on the interior of the building from 1760 onwards.[10]
The house has been visited by George III,[2][11] as well as Queen Victoria[7] during summers when she was a child, and George V (then Duke of York).[11]
A jam factory was built by the 9th Earl of Coventry, near to Pershore railway station, in about 1880, to provide a market for Vale of Evesham fruit growers in times of surplus. Although the Croome connection with jam making had ceased, during the First World War, the building was leased by the Croome Estate Trust to the Huddersfield Fruit Preserving Company as a pulping station.[12]
The First World War deeply affected Croome, with many local casualties, although the house was not requisitioned for the war effort. This is possibly because it was the home of the Lord Lieutenant of the County, who needed a residence for his many official engagements.[13]
During the Second World War Croome Court was requisitioned by the Ministry of Works and leased for a year to the Dutch Government as a possible refuge for Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands; to escape the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. However, evidence shows that they stayed two weeks at the most, perhaps because of the noise and fear created by the proximity of Defford Aerodrome. They later emigrated to Canada.[14]
In 1948 the Croome Estate Trust sold the Court, along with 38 acres (15 ha) of land, to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham, and the mansion became St Joseph's Special School, which was run by nuns[15] from 1950[11] until 1979.[15]
The house was listed on 11 August 1952; it is currently Grade I listed.[10]
In 1979 the hall was taken over by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Hare Krishna movement), who used it as their UK headquarters and a training college[16] called Chaitanya College,[15] run by 25 members of the movement.[16] During their tenure they repainted the Dining Room.[17] In 1984 they had to leave the estate for financial reasons. They held a festival at the hall in 2011.[16]
From 1984 onwards various owners tried to use the property as a training centre; apartments; a restaurant and conference centre; and a hotel and golf course,[15] before once more becoming a private family home,[2][15] with outbuildings converted to private houses.[15]
The house was purchased by the Croome Heritage Trust, a registered charity,[18] in October 2007,[19] and it is now managed by the National Trust as a tourist attraction. It opened to the public in September 2009, at which point six of the rooms had restored, costing £400,000, including the Saloon. It was estimated that another £4 million[2][20] to £4.8 million would be needed to restore the entire building. Fundraising activities for the restoration included a 2011 raffle for a Morgan sports car organised by Lord and Lady Flight. After the restoration is complete, a 999-year lease on the building will be granted to the National Trust.[21] An oral history project to record recollections about Croome was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.[15] As of 2009, the service wing was empty and in need of substantial repair.[22]
Exterior[edit]
The mansion is faced with Bath stone,[7] limestone ashlar, and has both north and south facing fronts. It has a basement and two stories, with three stories in the end pavilions. A slate roof, with pyramid roofs over the corner towers, tops the building, along with three pair-linked chimneys along the axis of the house.[10]
Both fronts have 11 bays, split into three central sets of three each, and one additional bay each side. The north face has a pedimented centre, with two balustraded staircases leading to a Roman Doric doorcase. The south face has a projecting Ionic tetrastyle portico and Venetian windows. It has a broad staircase, with cast stone sphinxes on each side, leading to a south door topped with a cornice on consoles. The wings have modillion cornice and balustrade.[10]
A two-story L-shaped service wing is attached to the east side of the mansion. It is made of red brick and stone, with slate roofs.[10] It was designed by Capability Brown in 1751-2.[22] On the far side of the service wing, a wall connects it to a stable court.[10]
Interior[edit]
The interior of the house was designed partially by Capability Brown, with plasterwork by G. Vassalli, and partially by Robert Adam, with plasterwork by J. Rose Jr. It has a central spine corridor. A stone staircase, with iron balusters, is at the east end.[10]
The entrance hall is on the north side of the building, and has four fluted Doric columns, along with moulded doorcases. To the east of the entrance hall is the dining room, which has a plaster ceiling and cornice, while to the west is a billiard room, featuring fielded panelling, a plaster cornice, and a rococo fireplace. The three rooms were probably decorated around 1758-59 by Capability Brown.[10] The dining room was vibrantly repainted by the Hare Krishnas in the 1970s-80s.[17]
The central room on the south side is a saloon, probably by Brown and Vassalli. It has an elaborate ceiling, with three panels, deep coving, and a cornice, along with two Ionic fireplaces, and Palladian doorcases.[10] George III was entertained by George Coventry, the 6th Earl, in the house's Saloon.[2] A drawing room is to the west of the saloon, and features rococo plasterwork and a marble fireplace.[10]
To the east of the saloon is the Tapestry Room.[10] This was designed in 1763-71, based on a design by Robert Adam, and contained tapestries and furniture covers possibly designed by Jacques Germain Soufflot, and made by Manufacture Nationale des Gobelins.[23] Around 1902 the ninth Earl sold the tapestries and seating to a Parisian dealer. In 1949 the Samuel H. Kress Foundation purchased the ceiling, floor, mantlepiece, chair rails, doors and the door surrounds, which were donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, in 1958. In 1959 the Kress Foundation also helped the Metropolitan Museum acquire the chair and sofa frames, which they recovered using the original tapestry seats.[7][23] A copy of the ceiling was installed in place of the original.[10] As of 2016, the room is displayed as it would have looked after the tapestries had been sold, with a jug and ewer on display as the only original decoration of the room that remains in it. The adjacent library room is used to explain what happened to the tapestry room;[17] the former library was designed by Adam, and was dismantled except for the marble fireplace.[10]
At the west side of the building is a long gallery,[10] which was designed by Robert Adam and installed between 1761 and 1766. It is the best preserved of the original interior (little of the rest has survived in situ).[1] It has an octagonal panelled ceiling, and plaster reliefs of griffins. A half-hexagonal bay faces the garden. The room also contains a marble caryatid fireplace designed by J Wilton.[10] As of 2016, modern sculptures are displayed in empty niches along the Long Gallery
wikipedia
Messer Building, Bad Soden/Ts, Hessia, Germany
Lens Capability Assessment. Distance to target approximately 170m.—Crop of main images, left shot at f/3.5 and right at approximately f/48.
Image shot using a Nikon D800 with Rokuoh Sha Hexar Ser IIa 20cm f/3.5 lens (s/n 3795) (originally from a SK-100 aerial camera), adapted for Nikon F mount using spacers, step-up rings (67-72, 62-67, 58-62, 55-58 and 52-55mm), a 62mm spacer tube, a M42 36–90mm focussing helicoid, M42 to M39 setp-down ring and a M39 to Nikon F adapter.— As part of the Antique Camera Simulator project.—Image shot wide open at f/3.5.—RAW to JPG processing in Nikon View NX2. NO adjustments of settings
© Dirk HR Spennemann 2014, All Rights Reserved
The five "super configuration" mine-resistant, ambush-protected prototype vehicles equipped with Capability Set 13 assets were built and integrated at the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center, in Warren, Mich., and shipped to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., in late August 2012 to undergo safety release testing prior to fielding to the 10th Mountain Division for New Equipment Training, beginning this October. The mine-resistant, ambush-protected All-Terrain Vehicle, or M-ATV-Lite (shown here) was the first vehicle shipped. Photo Credit: Katie Cain, System of Systems Integration (SoSI) Directorate, Public Communications
Type: Boeing C-17A Globemaster III
Operator: Heavy Airlift Wing, Strategic Airlift Capability
Identity: 01
Date: 22 July 2019
Location: RAF Fairford, UK
Event: Royal International Air Tattoo
+++ DISCLAIMER +++Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The Gudkov Gu-1 was a Soviet fighter aircraft produced shortly after World War II in small numbers at the start of the jet age, but work on the Gudkov Gu-1 already started in 1944. Towards the end of World War II the Soviet Union saw the need for a strategic bombing capability similar to that of the United States Army Air Forces. The Soviet VVS air arm had the locally designed Petlyakov Pe-8 four-engined heavy bomber in service at the start of the war, but only 93 had been built by the end of the war and the type had become obsolete. By that time the U.S. regularly conducted bombing raids on Japan from distant Pacific forward bases using B-29 Superfortresses, and the Soviet Air Force lacked this capability.
Joseph Stalin ordered the development of a comparable bomber, and the U.S. twice refused to supply the Soviet Union with B-29s under Lend Lease. However, on four occasions during 1944, individual B-29s made emergency landings in Soviet territory and one crashed after the crew bailed out. In accordance with the Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact, the Soviets were neutral in the Pacific War and the bombers were therefore interned and kept by the Soviets. Despite Soviet neutrality, America demanded the return of the bombers, but the Soviets refused. Three repairable B-29s were flown to Moscow and delivered to the Tupolev OKB. One B-29 was dismantled, the second was used for flight tests and training, and the third one was left as a standard for cross-reference.
Stalin told Tupolev to clone the Superfortress in as short a time as possible. The reverse-engineering effort involved 900 factories and research institutes, who finished the design work during the first year. 105,000 drawings were made, and the American technology had to be adapted to local material and manufacturing standards – and ended in a thorough re-design of the B-29 “under the hood”. By the end of the second year, the Soviet industry was to produce 20 copies of the aircraft ready for State acceptance trials.
While work on what would become the Tupolev Tu-4 was on the way, the need for a long range escort fighter arose, too. Soviet officials were keen on the P-51 Mustang, but, again, the USA denied deliveries, so that an indigenous solution had to be developed. With the rising tension of international relationships, this became eventually the preferred solution, too.
While the design bureau Lavochkin had already started with work on the La-9 fighter (which entered service after WWII) and the jet age was about to begin, the task of designing a long range escort fighter for the Tu-4 was relegated to Mikhail I. Gudkov who had been designing early WWII fighters like the LaGG-1 and -3 together with Lavochkin. Internally, the new fighter received the project handle "DIS" (Dalnij Istrebitel' Soprovozhdenya ="long-range escort fighter").
In order to offer an appropriate range and performance that could engage enemy interceptors in the bombers’ target area it was soon clear that neither a pure jet nor a pure piston-engine fighter was a viable solution – a dilemma the USAAF was trying to solve towards 1945, too. The jet engine alone did not offer sufficient power, and fuel consumption was high, so that the necessary range could never be achieved with an agile fighter. Late war radials had sufficient power and offered good range, but the Soviet designers were certain that the piston engine fighter had no future – especially when fast jet fighters had to be expected over enemy territory.
Another problem arose through the fact that the Soviet Union did not have an indigenous jet engine at hand at all in late 1945. War booty from Germany in the form of Junkers Jumo 004 axial jet engines and blueprints of the more powerful HeS 011 were still under evaluation, and these powerplants alone did neither promise enough range nor power for a long range fighter aircraft. Even for short range fighters their performance was rather limited – even though fighters like the Yak-15 and the MiG-9 were designed around them.
After many layout experiments and calculation, Gudkov eventually came up with a mixed powerplant solution for the DIS project. But unlike the contemporary, relatively light I-250 (also known as MiG-13) interceptor, which added a mechanical compressor with a primitive afterburner (called VRDK) to a Klimov VK-107R inline piston engine, the DIS fighter was equipped with a powerful radial engine and carried a jet booster – similar to the US Navy’s Ryan FR-1 “Fireball”. Unlike the FR-1, though, the DIS kept a conservative tail-sitter layout and was a much bigger aircraft.
The choice for the main powerplant fell on the Shvetsov ASh-82TKF engine, driving a large four blade propeller. This was a boosted version of the same 18 cylinder twin row radial that powered the Tu-4, the ASh-73. The ASh-82TKF for the escort fighter project had a rating of 2,720 hp (2,030 kW) while the Tu-4's ASh-73TK had "only" a temporary 2,400 hp (1,800 kW) output during take-off. The airframe was designed around this massive and powerful engine, and the aircraft’s sheer size was also a result of the large fuel capacity which was necessary to meet the range target of at least 3.000 km (1.860 mi, 1.612 nmi).
The ASh-82TKF alone offered enough power for a decent performance, but in order to take on enemy jet fighters and lighter, more agile propeller-driven fighters, a single RD-20 axial-flow turbojet with 7.8 kN (1,754 lbf) thrust was added in the rear-fuselage. It was to add power for take-off and in combat situations only. Its fixed air intakes were placed on the fuselage flanks, right behind the cockpit, and the jet pipe was placed under the fin and the stabilizers.
Outwardly, Gudkov’s DIS resembled the late American P-47D or the A-1 Skyraider a lot, and the beefy aircraft was comparable in size and weight, too. But the Soviet all-metal aircraft was a completely new construction and featured relatively small and slender laminar flow wings. The wide-track landing gear retracted inwards into the inner wings while the tail wheel retracted fully into a shallow compartment under the jet pipe.
The pilot sat in a spacious cockpit under a frameless bubble canopy with very good all-round visibility and enjoyed amenities for long flights such as increased padding in the seat, armrests, and even a urinal. In addition, a full radio navigation suite was installed for the expected long range duties over long stretches of featureless landscape like the open sea.
Armament consisted of four 23 mm Nudelman-Suranov NS-23 cannons with 100 RPG in the wings, outside of the propeller arc. The guns were good for a weight of fire of 6kg (13.2 lb)/sec, a very good value. Five wet hardpoints under the fuselage, the wings outside of the landing gear well and under the wing tips could primarily carry auxiliary drop tanks or an external ordnance of up to 1.500 kg (3.300 lb).
Alternatively, iron bombs of up to 500 kg (1.100 lb) caliber could be carried on the centerline pylon, and a pair of 250 kg (550 lb) bombs under the wings, but a fighter bomber role was never seriously considered for the highly specialized and complex aircraft.
The first DIS prototype, still without the jet booster, flew in May 1947. The second prototype, with both engines installed, had its fuel capacity increased by an additional 275 l (73 US gal) in an additional fuel tank behind the cockpit. The aircraft was also fitted with larger tires to accommodate the increased all-up weight, esp. with all five 300 l drop tanks fitted for maximum range and endurance.
Flight testing continued until 1948 and the DIS concept proved to be satisfactory, even though the complicated ASh-82TKF hampered the DIS’ reliability - to the point that fitting the ASh-73TK from the Tu-4 was considered for serial production, even if this would have meant a significant reduction in performance. The RD-20 caused lots of trouble, too. Engine reliability was generally poor, and re-starting the engine in flight did not work satisfactorily – a problem that, despite several changes to the starter and ignition system, could never be fully cured. The jet engine’s placement in the tail, together with the small tail wheel, also caused problems because the pilots had to take care that the tail would not aggressively hit the ground upon landings, because the RD-20 and its attachments were easily damaged.
Nevertheless, the DIS basically fulfilled the requested performance specifications and was, despite many shortcomings, eventually cleared for production in mid 1948. It received the official designation Gudkov Gu-1, honoring the engineer behind the aircraft, even though the aircraft was produced by Lavochkin.
The first machines were delivered to VVS units in early 1949 - just in time for the Tu-4's service introduction after the Russians had toiled endlessly on solving several technical problems. In the meantime, jet fighter development had quickly progressed, even though a purely jet-powered escort fighter for the Tu-4 was still out of question. Since the Gu-1 was capricious, complex and expensive to produce, only a limited number left the factories and emphasis was put on the much simpler and more economical Lavochkin La-11 escort fighter, a lightweight evolution of the proven La-9. Both types were regarded as an interim solution until a pure jet escort fighter would be ready for service.
Operationally the Gu-1s remained closely allocated to the VVS’ bomber squadrons and became an integral part of them. Anyway, since the Tu-4 bomber never faced a serious combat situation, so did the Gu-1, which was to guard it on its missions. For instance, both types were not directly involved in the Korean War, and the Gu-1 was primarily concentrated at the NATO borders to Western Europe, since bomber attacks in this theatre would certainly need the heavy fighter’s protection.
The advent of the MiG-15 - especially the improved MiG-15bis with additional fuel capacities and drop tanks, quickly sounded the death knell for the Gu-1 and any other post-WWII piston-engine fighter in Soviet Service. As Tu-4 production ended in the Soviet Union in 1952, so did the Gu-1’s production after only about 150 aircraft. The Tu-4s and their escort fighters were withdrawn in the 1960s, being replaced by more advanced aircraft including the Tupolev Tu-16 jet bomber (starting in 1954) and the Tupolev Tu-95 turboprop bomber (starting in 1956).
The Gudkov Gu-1, receiving the NATO ASCC code “Flout”, remained a pure fighter. Even though it was not a success, some proposals for updates were made - but never carried out. These included pods with unguided S-5 air-to-air-rockets, to be carried on the wing hardpoints, bigger, non-droppable wing tip tanks for even more range or, alternatively, the addition of two pulsejet boosters on the wing tips.
There even was a highly modified mixed powerplant version on the drawing boards in 1952, the Gu-1M. Its standard radial powerplant for cruise flight was enhanced with a new, non-afterburning Mikulin AM-5 axial flow jet engine with 2.270 kgf/5,000 lbf/23 kN additional thrust in the rear fuselage. With this temporary booster, a top speed of up to 850 km/h was expected. But to no avail - the pure jet fighter promised a far better performance and effectiveness, and the Gu-1 remained the only aircraft to exclusively carry the Gudkov name.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 12 m (39 ft 4 in)
Wingspan: 14 m (45 ft 11 in)
Height: 4.65 m (15 ft 3 in)
Wing area: 28 m² (301.388 ft²)
Airfoil:
Empty weight: 4,637 kg (10,337 lb)
Loaded weight: 6.450 kg (14.220 lb)
Maximum take-off weight: 7,938 kg (17,500 lb)
Powerplant:
1× Shvetsov ASh-82TKF 18-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, rated at 2,720 hp (2,030 kW)
1x RD-20 axial-flow turbojet with 7.8 kN (1,754 lbf) thrust as temporary booster
Performance
Maximum speed: 676 km/h (420 mph) at 29,000 ft (8,839 m) with the radial only,
800 km/h (497 mph/432 kn,) with additional jet booster
Cruise speed: 440 km/h (237 kn, 273 mph)
Combat radius: 820 nmi (945 mi, 1,520 km)
Maximum range: 3.000 km (1.860 mi, 1.612 nmi) with drop tanks
Service ceiling: 14,680 m (48,170 ft)
Wing loading: 230.4 kg/m² (47.2 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 0.28 kW/kg (0.17 hp/lb)
Climb to 5,000 m (16,400 ft): 5 min 9 sec;
Climb to 10,000 m (32,800 ft): 17 min 38 sec;
Climb to 13,000 m (42,640 ft): 21 min 03 sec
Armament
4× 23 mm Nudelman-Suranov NS-23 cannons with 100 RPG in the outer wings
Five hardpoints for an external ordnance of 1.500 kg (3.300 lb)
The kit and its assembly:
This whif is the incarnation of a very effective kitbashing combo that already spawned my fictional Japanese Ki-104 fighter, and it is another submission to the 2018 “Cold War” group build at whatifmodelers.com. This purely fictional Soviet escort fighter makes use of my experiences from the first build of this kind, yet with some differences.
The kit is a bashing of various parts and pieces:
· Fuselage, wing roots, landing gear and propeller from an Academy P-47D
· Wings from an Ark Model Supermarine Attacker (ex Novo)
· Tail fin comes from a Heller F-84G
· The stabilizers were taken from an Airfix Ki-46
· Cowling from a Matchbox F6F, mounted and blended onto the P-47 front
· Jet exhaust is the intake of a Matchbox Me 262 engine pod
My choice fell onto the Academy Thunderbolt because it has engraved panel lines, offers the bubble canopy as well as good fit, detail and solid material. The belly duct had simply been sliced off, and the opening later faired over with styrene sheet and putty, so that the P-47’s deep belly would not disappear.
The F6F cowling was chosen because it looks a lot like the ASh-73TK from the Tu-4. But this came at a price: the P-47 cowling is higher, tighter and has a totally different shape. It took serious body sculpting with putty to blend the parts into each other. Inside of the engine, a styrene tube was added for a metal axis that holds the uncuffed OOB P-47 four blade propeller. The P-47’s OOB cockpit tub was retained, too, just the seat received scratched armrests for a more luxurious look.
The Attacker wings were chosen because of their "modern" laminar profile. The Novo kit itself is horrible and primitive, but acceptable for donations. OOB, the Attacker wings had too little span for the big P-47, so I decided to mount the Thunderbolt's OOB wings and cut them at a suitable point: maybe 0.5", just outside of the large main wheel wells. The intersection with the Attacker wings is almost perfect in depth and width, relatively little putty work was necessary in order to blend the parts into each other. I just had to cut out new landing gear wells from the lower halves of the Attacker wings, and with new attachment points the P-47’s complete OOB landing gear could be used.
With the new wing shape, the tail surfaces had to be changed accordingly. The trapezoid stabilizers come from an Airfix Mitsubishi Ki-46, and their shape is a good match. The P-47 fin had to go, since I wanted something bigger and a different silhouette. The fuselage below was modified with a jet exhaust, too. I actually found a leftover F-84G (Heller) tail, complete with the jet pipe and the benefit that it has plausible attachment points for the stabilizers far above the jet engine in the Gu-1’s tail.
However, the F-84 jet pipe’s diameter turned out to be too large, so I went for a smaller but practical alternative, a Junkers Jumo 004 nacelle from a Me 262 (the ancestor of the Soviet RD-20!). Its intake section was cut off, flipped upside down, the fin was glued on top of it and then the new tail was glued to the P-47 fuselage. Some (more serious) body sculpting was necessary to create a more or less harmonious transition between the parts, but it worked.
The plausible placement of the air intakes and their shape was a bit of a challenge. I wanted them to be obvious, but still keep an aerodynamic look. An initial idea had been to keep the P-47’s deep belly and widen the central oil cooler intake under the nose, but I found the idea wacky and a bit pointless, since such a long air duct would not make much sense since it would waste internal space and the long duct’s additional weight would not offer any benefit?
Another idea were air intakes in the wing roots, but these were also turned down since the landing gear wells would be in the way, and placing the ducts above or below the wings would also make no sense. A single ventral scoop (looking like a P-51 radiator bath) or two smaller, dorsal intakes (XP-81 style) behind the cockpit were other serious candidates – but these were both rejected because I wanted to keep a clean side profile.
I eventually settled for very simple, fixed side intakes, level with the jet exhaust, somewhat inspired by the Lavochkin La-200B heavy fighter prototype. The air scoops are simply parts from an Italeri Saab 39 Gripen centerline drop tank (which has a flat, oval diameter), and their shape is IMHO a perfect match.
Painting and markings:
While the model itself is a wild mix of parts with lots of improvisation involved, I wanted to keep the livery rather simple. The most plausible choice would have been an NMF finish, but I rather wanted some paint – so I used Soviet La-9 and -11 as a benchmark and settled for a simple two-tone livery: uniform light grey upper and light blue lower surfaces.
I used RAF Medium Sea Grey (Humbrol 165) and Soviet Underside Blue (Humbrol 114) as basic tones, and, after a black ink wash, these were lightened up through dry-brushed post-shading. The yellow spinner and fin tip are based on typical (subtle) squadron markings of the late 40ies era.
The cockpit as well the engine and landing gear interior became blue-grey (Revell 57), similar to the typical La-9/11’s colors. The green wheel discs and the deep blue propeller blades are not 100% in the aircraft's time frame, but I added these details in order to enhance the Soviet touch and some color accents.
Tactical markings were kept simple, too. The "38" and the Red Stars come form a Mastercraft MiG-15, the Guards badge from a Begemoth MiG-25 sheet and most of the stencils were taken from a Yak-38 sheet, also from Begemoth.
Finally, the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (Italeri) and it received some mild soot stains and chipped paint around the cockpit and on the leading edges. Some oil stains were added around the engine (with Tamiya Smoke), too.
A massive aircraft, and this new use of the P-47/Attacker combo results again in a plausible solution. The added jet engine might appear a bit exotic, but the mixed powerplant concept was en vogue after WWII, but only a few aircraft made it beyond the prototype stage.
While painting the model I also wondered if an all dark blue livery and some USN markings could also have made this creation the Grumman JetCat? With the tall fin, the Gu-1 could also be an F8F Bearcat on steroids? Hmmm...
Voice (1973) - Virgin/Charisma JPN CD, original edition - 2nd and final album by this vastly under-rated British band...new Japanese CD issue coming in 2011!
A british harmony singing band like CSN&Y. Some of the musician started as Tony Rivers & The Castaways, later Harmony Grass.
Marketed as a road legal race bike, Mike Hailwood won a world championship on one. 5 speed gearbox, 95mph capability.
Scottish Classic Motorcycle Show 2013 at Ayr Racecourse,
Photo by Alan Kempster for Ayr Classic Motorcycle Club.
Sprint: Edinburgh showcased the progress and potential of digital transformation across Scotland and the UK.
We heard from ministers, senior civil servants and digital practitioners about work to transform services, develop capability and ensure Scotland and the UK are world-leading digital nations.
U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with Company B, 4-118th Combined Arms Battalion, South Carolina National Guard, conduct single vehicle hasty defense and live fire exercises of the M1A1 Abram tank during a capability demonstration held at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, July 24, 2021. The 4-118th Combined Arms Battalion hosted the event for families, employers and future recruits. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly D. Calkins, South Carolina National Guard).
This magnificent informal landscape garden was laid out in the 18th century by 'Capability' Brown and further developed in the early years of the 20th century by its owner, Arthur G. Soames. The original four lakes form the centrepiece. There are dramatic shows of daffodils and bluebells in spring, and the rhododendrons and azaleas are spectacular in early summer. Autumn brings stunning colours from the many rare trees and shrubs, and winter walks can be enjoyed in this garden for all seasons. Visitors can now also explore South Park, 107 hectares (265 acres) of historic parkland, with stunning views.
Now here's one that I'd forgotten about.
It's the Adam Bridge (aka Upper Bridge) at Compton Verney - designed by Robert Adam for Lancelot 'Capability' Brown's landscaping of the lake and grounds in 1769-72.
Another one for Guess Where UK
U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with 4-118th Combined Arms Battalion, South Carolina National Guard, held a capability demonstration for trainees, Aug. 31, 2022 at McCrady Training Center in Eastover, South Carolina. Nearly 370 trainees attending Basic Training at Fort Jackson had the opportunity to see and touch equipment that they will see in their Advanced Individual Training and future units, as well as speak with and ask questions of Guard Soldiers to get more information about vehicles, equipment and weapons. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Brad Mincey, South Carolina National Guard)