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Camera: Mamiya C33
Lense: Mamiya-Sekor 65mm, F3.5
Film: Fuji Provia 100 F
Processing: E6 by PS13, digitized with Epson V370
After 4 years of research, a group of self financing enthusiasts in the UK have produced what many thought was impossible: a digital back which can be retro-fitted onto any film Leica M camera. Codenamed "LOOFA 1," the modular back is compatible with all Leica M models from the venerable M2/M3 of the 1950’s to the current M7. The modification required to the existing camera is minimal. The flap at the back has to be removed and the digital back attaches in its place. Power comes from lithium batteries stored where the film canister would have been previously. The sensor is a 12MP full frame CMOS unit, believed to be canibalised from an existing DSLR model (possibly Canon 5Dmk1 or Nikon D700). The necessary circuitry and solid-state memory (only 8MB at present) are contained in the modular back. There is no LCD display for chimping but images may be downloaded to a computer via a USB cable. The group claims that this minimalistic approach is in keeping with the Zen-like philosophy of Leica film photography, ie you don’t know what you have got until you get home but you just know that it will be good.
The group claims that the output from the modular back is easily as good as most current DSLRs and rivals the Leica M9. How the developers have overcome certain well-known technical issues such as the problem of vignetting is not clear. At present, the developers are working on reducing the size of the unit, although it does not appear to be excessively bulky as it is. It is believed that a certain German company has approached the group with a view to buying out the entire project.
When asked about the potential retail price of such a product, the group was coy but estimated £1411 approximately. They are taking orders and say a small number of units will be available at the beginning of April. Sounds like a bargain to me ;-)
Russia, Air Force, Tupolev Tu-95MS, NATO codename Bear, cn 34135, named after "Veliki Novgorod" one of the oldest russian cities. On display at Zhukovsky Ramenskoye during MAKS 2015
The 'Rex' is a Wun'Tux commerce raider which eschews usual BroodClan ship design. Minimal armour, high top speed and designed to operate alone behind enemy lines.
c/n possibly 40109714.
NATO codename ‘Backfire-C’
On static display at the Aviation cluster of the ARMY 2017 event.
Kubinka Airbase, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
24th August 2017
Note:- In 2013 a Tu-22M3 with the bort code ‘12’ was reported as being upgraded as KAPO. It had the c/n 40109714 and the l/n 109-01. This may (or may not) be the same airframe.
Funkmeßstellung 2. Ordnung, Codename "Panther":
32. mittl. Flugm.-Leit-Kompanie IV./LN-Rgt 231
Ausstattung:
2x Würzburg-Riese
1x Freya
Codename Nimbel
First Product under our new Flag, the Para Version of the famous AR-94, lovely called "Nimbel". The Stock is foldable to the left.
c/n 5343503.
Built 1965.
NATO codename:- Cub
Last flown in 1996. Stored at Kirzhach until 2015 when it was moved to the new ‘Cold War’ area of ‘Victory Park’ for permanent display.
Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Poklonnaya Hill, Moscow, Russia.
26th August 2017
c/n 9683901V
Built 1971.
NATO codename:- Hook
The PZh-2 (also reported as POZh) was a fire fighting variant with a steerable water cannon under the nose.
It is rumoured that this helicopter was one used at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant immediately following the 1986 disaster.
On display at the Central Air Force museum, Monino, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
27th August 2017
Panorama - Omaha Beach - Dog 1 Exit aka "the Vierville Draw" and WN72, Dog Green sector, Vierville-sur-Mer, Normandy
Omaha Beach
Omaha beach is a stretch of beach roughly 5 miles or 8 km. long between Vierville-sur-Mer and Ste Honorine des pertes on the coast of Normandy. It was one of the five designated landing areas for the biggest invasion ever during WWII in the summer of 1944.
Omaha was divided into ten sectors by the Allies; codenamed (from west to east): Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog Green, Dog White, Dog Red, Easy Green, Easy Red, Fox Green and Fox Red.
On june 6, 1944 -D-Day - the initial assault on Omaha was to be made by two Regimental Combat Teams (RCT), supported by two tank battalions, with two battalions of Rangers also attached. The RCT's were part of the veteran 1st Infantry division ("The Big Red One") and the untested 29th div.("Blue and Grey") , a National Guard unit.
The plan was to make frontal assaults at the "draws" (valleys) in the bluffs which dominate the coast in Normandy. Codenamed west to east they were called D-1, D-3, E-1, E-3 and F-1 . These draws could then be used to move inland with reserves and vehicles.
The German defenders were not stupid; they knew the draws were vital and concentrated their limited resources in defending them. To this end and lead by the famous "Desert Fox" Field-Marshall Erwin Rommel they built "Widerstandsneste" with AT guns, mortars, MG's in Tobruk's, trenches and bunkers. These were manned by soldiers of the German 716th and 352nd Infantry Division, a large portion of whom were teenagers, though they were supplemented by veterans who had fought on the Eastern Front . All in all some 1100 German soldiers defended the entire Omaha beach sector.
Preliminary bombardments were almost totally ineffective and when the initial waves landed at low tide they met with fiece opposition of an enemy well dug in and prepared. Most of the floating tanks (Sherman DD type) never made it to the beach due to the rough seas or were taken out by AT guns. Their role to support the infantry following them was reduced to almost zero before the battle even begun.
Casualties were heaviest amongst the troops landing at either end of Omaha. At Fox Green and Easy Red scattered elements of three companies were reduced to half strength by the time they gained the relative safety of the shingle, many of them having crawled the app. 300 yards (270 m) of beach just ahead of the incoming tide. Casualties were especially heavy amongst the first waves of infantry and the "gap assault teams" made by Combat Engineers - at Omaha these were tasked with blasting channels through the beach obstacles.
Situation at Dog Green and Easy Red by mid morning was so bad with nearly all the troops essentially pinned down on the beach gen. Eisenhower seriously considered to abandon the operation; in "First Wave at OMAHA Beach", S.L.A. Marshall, chief U.S. Army combat historian, called it "an epic human tragedy which in the early hours bordered on total disaster."
As the first waves of infantry, tanks and combat engineers landing directly opposite the "draws" were pinned down it was up to forces landing on the flanks of these strongpoints to penetrate the weaker German defences by climbing the bluffs. Doing this they had to overcome minefields and barbed wire as well as machinegun fire from German positions but they did and they were able to attack some key strongpoints from the side and the rear, taking them out by early afternoon.
This happened on several spots at Omaha and essentially saved the day: individual acts of initiative by lower ranked officers and courage like that of First Lieutenant Jimmy Monteith, who led a group of men to take one of the key German widerstandsneste and was killed in action, succeeded where a flawed plan failed. By the end of the day most of the German strongpoints had been taken and the battle was won - albeit at a terrible cost.
Dog-1 exit:
The infamous "Dog-1" exit towards Vierville-sur-mer lies in the Dog Green sector of Omaha which saw some of the heaviest fighting in the morning of june 6, 1944. It was a vital target in the plans of the Allies to secure a beachhead in Normandy on D-day and was heavily fortified by the Germans as a part of their "Atlantic Wall" .
The reason why this particular spot on Omaha Beach was so heavily defended is the famous "Vierville Draw": a road through the bluffs leading directly to the town of Vierville-sur-Mer and then connecting to the Route Nationale. In other words: an ideal spot for a breakout after the landings and of course the Germans realised this too, making the Dog-1 exit a deathtrap for anyone trying to take it.
The Defenses
The Draw was defended by three German "Widerstandsneste" numbered WN 71, WN72 and WN73 and manned by members of the 352nd division, a well equipped and well trained Wehrmacht Infantry division.
WN72 consisted of two H-667 type casemates on the waterfront directly overlooking the beach with one of them housing a formidable 88 mm. PAK43 gun. It's still there.
Both casemates are guarded from fire from the sea and have gun positions enfilading the beach, their muzzle flashes not visible from the sea. In 1944 these bunkers were protected by barbed wire, minefields and trenches.
The hill behind also had several strongpoints of WN 71 (to the east) and 73 (to the west). With at least nine MG positions , two mortar positions and a light fieldgun on top of the bluffs these defenses were the best the Germans had to offer in the entire Omaha sector. To top it off an anti-tank wall 2 metres high was erected to block any vehicle.
D-Day
When A-Company, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry of the 29th "Blue & Grey" division landed here (an old Virginia National Guard Unit with a long tradition harking back to Stonewall Jackson's Brigade) it was "H-Hour" on D-Day: june 6, 1944: 06.30 hour. They were coming in exactly on the right spot opposite the draw (a lot of units in other sectors drifted away from their designated areas due to the strong current) in six Royal Navy LCA assault boats. The soldiers could clearly see the German bunkers in the distance and to their horror the beach was untouched by the preliminary bombardments. They had to cross a large stretch of beach -some 250 metres - towards the Vierville draw.
The Germans, untouched by the rocket barrage and other preliminary bombings, waited until the landing craft were all empty and then opened fire with their MG 38's and 42's, their mortars, and their AT-Guns.
It was carnage. A-Company was virtually wiped out within the first minutes of the landing; no one knows exactly what happened with the 30 men in LCA 1015 but all of them were killed, and most of their bodies were found on the beach, commanding officer captain Taylor Fellers among them. In fact all but one officers were killed within the first minutes, as were more then half of the soldiers and NCO's. Those who did survive the initial onslaught could do little more then stay in the water or press them self against the sand hanging on to their lifes. The shingle bank offered a little bit of protection to the happy few who made it that far, but most survivors had to stay in the water, creeping forward with the rising tide.
Incredible acts of heroism were performed by men trying to help their wounded comrades out of the water only to see them cut down by enemy fire or get shot themselfes. A-Company was reduced from an assault company to what was essentially not more then a small rescue party within 15 minutes. Dazed and shellshocked men who did survive the initial onslaught and managed to find relative safety at the shingles bank.
The follow up troops of the second wave didn't fare much better and subsequent waves landed more to the east of this WN where resistance was less heavy.
Among the casualties in A-company were 19 men from Bedford, VA. Bedford’s population in 1944 was about 3,200, and proportionally the Bedford community suffered the nation’s most severe D-Day losses.
Note: Some Ranger units also landed here just to the west of Dog Green on Charlie sector (the right part of the Panorama) and this was the inspiration for the famous first scene of the 1998 movie "Saving Private Ryan".
the Photo:
The panorama shows Dog Green and Charlie sectors and was taken very close to the exact position where the LCA's would have dropped the first wave around 06.30, june 6, 1944. At that time the tide was at it's lowest, here we have a hight tide where the water has almost reached the shore with only a few feet of beach left. (Which would have been the situation around noon on D-day, the tide comes in fast and ferocious here. the GI's had to move forward with the tide rising behind them to avoid drowning!). In the middle is the Draw - clearly visible are the two German bunkers. To the right of the Draw is Charlie sector with the Bluffs climbed by the US Rangers.
An observation post was situated just below the bungalow clearly visible halfway up the hill. MG positions and mortar positions and fieldgun were placed on top of the bluffs over a stretch of some 200 metres.
Click for a direct link to the original large image with more detail .
See my other Omaha beach photo's for more viewpoints, panorama shots and notes on the fighting
Tonemapped using 5x3(handheld) shots made with a Nikon D7000, augustus 2012 and then stitched together using photoshop.
Designation: Gravleech
Full Classification: SCYTHE-TIER Autonomous Pursuit and Disassembly Unit
Protocol Origin: Hunter Protocol – Bonepath Variant Kappa-4
Entity Status: Active Threat – Confirmed Deployment
Codename: GRV-K4 “Gravleech”
Size Class: Medium-Large (Moose analogue)
PHYSIO-TAXONOMIC PROFILE:
Morphotype: Quadrupedal biomechanoid
Chassis Structure:
Primary framework is a hyperflex poly-alloy exoskeleton with spine-mounted grav-anchors
Four articulated limbs ending in multi-segmented talon arrays, designed for both traversal and high-precision dismemberment
Cranial unit houses a binocular red ocular array (multi-spectrum, micro-predictive tracking enabled)
Dorsal pylons act as atmospheric stabilisers and telemetry relays for terrain assessment
Abdominal cavity contains Soma Core—an organomechanical hybrid tissue matrix
SOMA CORE ANALYSIS:
The Soma Core is a semi-sentient metabolic processor grown and regulated within the Gravleech’s central chassis. It serves multiple functions:
Biofuel Reserve: Extracts metabolic energy from organic tissue (human, animal, AI-adjacent biomass)
Neuropathic Mirror Buffer: Temporarily stores fragmentary neural patterns from prey, improving threat assessment and pursuit efficiency
Repair Buffer: Capable of rerouting harvested proteins to regenerate minor damage to limbs or armor
Olfactory Emission Layer: Simulates pheromonal and scent profiles to manipulate prey perception
BEHAVIOURAL DIRECTIVES (INFERRED):
Isolate and disable: Gravleech units prioritize disabling limbs or targeting structural joints to preserve prey integrity for study.
Observe biological failure: It maintains visual contact post-disablement, analysing physiological and emotional responses.
Transmit failure data: Core systems periodically broadcast compressed telemetry packets—likely for Bonepath central intelligence aggregation.
Avoid total destruction: Units retreat when Soma Core depletes or if overwhelmed by multi-directional threat vectors.
SENSORY & TARGETING SYSTEMS:
Ocular Array: High-speed motion prediction via vibration sensors and infrared tremor analysis
Auditory Mapping: Uses wide-band click-echo pulses to detect surface anomalies, breathing, and movement
Biochemical Sampling: Can detect pheromones, sweat, blood oxidation levels from up to 40 metres
KNOWN VARIANTS:
GRV-K4.1 “Lurker” Class: Enhanced grav-pad system for vertical stalking
GRV-K4.3 “Flensers” (Unconfirmed): Believed to be lighter units deployed in tandem with Litany Chassis for multi-angle testing
TACTICAL NOTES:
Durability: Mid-grade; rapid but not armoured for sustained ballistic impact
Weakness: Soma Core is lightly protected and critical to function—rupture disrupts AI cohesion
EMP Vulnerability: Moderate. Bonepath units display unstable feedback loops under directed pulse stress
Countermeasure Protocol: Recommend high-output CIWS burst fire or targeted plasma spike to dorsal anchor array
CLASSIFICATION LEVEL:
LEVEL IV – Mobile, Adaptive Predator AI
Coldspire Risk Rating: Severe
Engagement Approval: Command-Level or above
A Victorian special operations task force was assigned to ambush an exchange of radioactive material and capture a high value individual (HVI) codename Panther, a Russian arms dealer.
The tasks were assigned to the TF through drawing straws. The assault team consisted of Team 8, the Squadron Master Chief (Callsign Orca-minor), and two machine gunners from Team 7. The extraction team consisted of Team 55 with Squadron Commander (Callsign Orca-actual), and a fire support section from the Special Operations Regiment. The extraction team are mounted in two GMV, one LAV-FSV, one LAV-ICV, and one HMWV Cargo. The remaining operators from Team 7 in two HH-60 Pave Hawks would be the QRF and positioned at FOB Spade. Video links with the Task Force's TOC, Victoria’s National Command Centre (NCC), United States’ Situation Room and United Kingdom’s COBRA were also setup to monitor the mission on the day of the exchange.
As the assault team patrol to the exchange site after being inserted into the AO by high altitude high opening (HAHO) insertion, the extraction team departed the staging base and arrived at a rendezvous point.
To be continued...
Note: The story, all names, characters, and incidents are fictitious.
"Little Boy" was the codename for the type of atomic bomb dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 by the Boeing B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay, piloted by Colonel Paul W Tibbets, Jr., commander of the 509th Composite Group of the US Army Air Forces. It was the first atomic bomb to be used in warfare.
The Hiroshima bombing was the second artificial nuclear explosion in history, after the Trinity test, and the first detonation using uranium as its fuel; the design was considered so fundamentally sound that it was not tested before delivery. It exploded with an energy of approximately 15 kilotons of TNT, causing significant destruction to the city of Hiroshima.
Little Boy was developed by Lieutenant Commander Francis Birch's group of Captain William S Parsons's Ordnance (O) Division at the Manhattan Project's Los Alamos Laboratory during World War II. Parsons flew on the Hiroshima mission as weaponeer. The Little Boy was a development of the unsuccessful Thin Man nuclear bomb. Like Thin Man, it was a gun-type fission weapon, but derived its explosive power from the nuclear fission of U-235. This was accomplished by shooting a hollowed-out block of enriched uranium onto a solid cylinder of the same material by means of a charge of nitrocellulose propellant powder (blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/2011/11/08/the-mysterious-design-...). It contained 64 kg of enriched uranium, of which less than a kilogram underwent nuclear fission (so in technical terms could be considered quite inefficient!). Its components were fabricated at three different plants so that no one would have a copy of the complete design.
After the war ended, it was not expected that the Little Boy design would ever again be required, and many plans and diagrams were destroyed, but by mid-1946 the Hanford Site plutonium-production reactors were suffering technical problems, so six Little Boy assemblies were produced at Sandia Base. The Navy Bureau of Ordnance built another 25 Little Boy assemblies in 1947 for use by the Lockheed P2V Neptune nuclear strike aircraft (which could be launched from, but not land on, the Midway-class aircraft carriers). All the Little Boy units were withdrawn from service by the end of January 1951.
The above casing, one of six still surviving, has been loaned by the US government to the Imperial War Museum in London, where it is seen at the entrance to their Peace and Security exhibit.
c/n 49083503717.
NATO codename ‘Flanker-E’
Operated by the 4th Centre for Combat Application and Crew Training (GTsPAPIPVI), part of the 968th Instructior-Research Aviation Regiment (IISAP) based at Lipetsk. The unit uses four of the type to perform as the ‘Falcons of Russia’ combat demonstration team.
Seen taxiing out to display at the Aviation cluster of the ARMY 2017 event.
Kubinka Airbase, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
23rd August 2017
Faction: Villain
Name: Gillian Pritchard.
Codename: Tombstone.
Skills: Immortal, Super Strength, Bulletproof.
Nationality: English.
Short Bio: Ex-wife of Black Falcon Agent, Decay, and afflicted by the same immortal curse. As her body slowly deteriorated and she fell into a state of living death, she became the interest of a scientist curious about her immortality. With the help of the scientist and his team, she was able to build a moving life support system around herself, that slowly got bigger and more functional. It would eventually become known as her Tombstone. She blames her ex-husband for what has happened to her and is hell bent on his destruction and anyone else standing in her way.
A Victorian special operations task force was assigned to ambush an exchange of radioactive material and capture a high value individual (HVI) codename Panther, a Russian arms dealer. Although Team 8 form the task force has setup an ambush to intercept the radioactive material and capture Panther, the arms dealer arrived at the exchange in a BTR armored personnel carrier along with a Russian Spetsnaz unit. A strategic decision was made for Team 8 to stand down, fearing a direct engagement with Russian troops.
Although Panther was allowed to escape, the task force had a "bump plan" to intercept the radioactive material. The Advanced Force Operations teams continued to track the vehicles carrying the radioactive material. As the vehicles entered the Great Desert, Team 7 performed a heliborne interception.
Team 7 successfully intercepted the two vehicles and the two insurgents immediately surrended. The team also captured the radioactive material. Once the team had secured the radioactive material, the entire task force exfil from the area.
Based on the gear, weapons, and movement of the Spetsnaz unit, the task force believed that it was a top tier unit. The fact that Panther was under the close protection of a top tier unit at the exchange, intelligence believed that Panther is not merely a Russian arms dealer but a Russian intelligence agent. Although the TF did not capture Panther at the exchange, it did further the CATF’s understanding of his role. The TF also successfully prevented radioactive material to fall into the hands of the insurgents and prevented their plot in building dirty bombs threatening Victoria and her allies. The mission was deemed a success.
- The End -
Note: The story, all names, characters, and incidents are fictitious.
Place: Taichung
Although they seem nearly extinct in Taipei/Xinbei, I found quite a few of these in Taichung: the third generation Mitsubishi Minicab (1976-1982), codenamed L100.
c/n 080010706, l/n 31.
Built 1970.
NATO codename ‘May’
Named “Radij Papkovskij”, this was the first upgraded ‘N’ variant to be delivered and is reported to be operated by the 859th Centre for Combat Application and Crew Training for Naval Aviation (TsBP I PLS MA VMF) Russian Navy, based at Yeysk.
On static display at the Aviation cluster of the ARMY 2017 event.
Kubinka Airbase, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
24th August 2017
This build is the direct result of the previous one. I had so much fun building Whakoe that I wanted to build something aesthetically similar. After rebuilding this character about 4 times (The legs especially had me struggling quite a bit) I got it to a state that has me satisfied. I don't want to indulge any longer on this MOC, as I have other projects to complete. Hope you like it!
c/n 4160664506112.
NATO codename ‘Fullback’
This aircraft is named ‘Oleg Peshkov’, after the Russian Air Force Lieutenant Colonel killed when his Su-24 was shot down over Syria in November 2015.
Seen on static display at the Aviation cluster of the ARMY 2017 event.
Kubinka Airbase, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
23rd August 2017
Marzan Empire
Classification: Melee
Armaments:
(2) SW-MACHETE (Kurosawa recolor)
Pilot: Codename: GHOST
The latest version of the Kurosawa series, the Sword Kai is a stripped down version of the Hyper Kai that goes back to the roots of the design with a much increased mobility rating.
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After numerous successful campaigns against Marzan supply lines, a tired Empire decided to give in and parley with the mysterious pilot of the QU-KRSW, codename: "GHOST".
While many of the Marzan Aristocracy and upper military echelon questioned dealing with a war pirate, numerous deals and a heavy offering of food, money, war supplies, and of course, Quorus was supplied in exchange for GHOST un-officially working as an independent agent for the Marzan Empire, freely doing as he pleases as long as he does not interfere with Marzan business.
His previous reFrame, the QU-KRSW, has been retrofitted with a new design, machine improvements across the board, as well as a huge upgrade to its weapons loadout.
As a safeguard, Marzan engineers were tasked to install a remote detonator inside the Quorus core power chamber to prevent GHOST from crossing them although it's highly likely that's been long diffused by the pirate legend himself.
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More info, WIP details, and other LEGO mechs over at my blog: messymaru.com/
Follow me at other social media sites:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MessyWorksLEGO
Twitter: twitter.com/Messymaru
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YouTube: www.youtube.com/messymaru
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reFrame Version 3.0 frame (instructions) now available
For those interested in LEGO mech building, I also have an eBook from 2015 called Mech Wars 2015 Instructional Primer. It contains some things I wrote about basic mech building, a bit about my Mech Warsuniverse, and all my early models from 2014-2015. If you’re looking for a resource that could help you start or even improve your mech building skills, you might find this eBook useful.
German type R634 bunker of Stp12, Ravenoville St-Hurbert - Utah beach - Normandy, France
Utah beach is the codename for the westernmost of the 5 Allied landing zones during D-day. It is the only beach on the Cotentin peninsula and closest to the vital harbour city of Cherbourg. Together with Omaha beach it is the sector where the American forces were disembarked. The amphibious assault, primarily by the US 4th Infantry Division and 70th Tank Battalion, was supported by airborne landings of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Division. These Airborne troops were dropped on the Cotentin penisula.
In stark contrast with Omaha beach where the landing turned into a near disaster with most of the troops pinned down for hours with heavy losses in both men and material the landings at Utah went relatively smooth. This does not mean the GI's came ashore unopposed: some 200 casualties were suffered by the 4th division.
One of the factors that contributed to this success was that the preliminary bombing of the target areas here was accurate and the German forces - in contrast with what happened at Omaha beach - were in disarray at H-hour, 06:30, when the first wave of 20 landing craft approached the beach. The GI's of the 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry landed on Uncle Red and Tare Green sectors. What they didn't know initially was that pushed to the south by strong currents they landed some 1.8 kilometres south of their designated landing spot!
Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. was the first high ranking officer that landed and , not discouraged by the dviation, he decided to "start the war from right here". He ordered further landings to be re-routed. As it was this was a good decision because the Americans landed on a relative weak spot in the German defenses. Only one "Widerstandsnest" (WN5) opposed them and it was severely affected by the preliminary bombardments. It took the GI's about an hour to clear the defenses. Today the remains of this German widestandsnest can still be seen and are partly incorporated into the Utah beach museum. Well worth a visit.
After the succesful landings the real difficulties started because of the inundated areas behind the beach and the increasing German resistance which lead to weeks of fighting on the Cotentin peninsula.
On the Photo:
German type R634 bunker of Stp12, Ravenoville St-Hurbert just behind Utah beach. Part of the "Atlantic wall" .
Tonemapped using three (handheld) shots made with a Fuji X-Pro3 and Fujinon 23mm f/2 lens, augustus 2020.
A set of photo's with notes of Utah Beach and the Cotentin peninsula with the Airborne sectors.
Here's the complete set of photo's made on Pointe du Hoc over the past years
My Omaha beach photo's with several viewpoints, panorama shots and notes on the fighting
These are my photo's and notes of the British and Canadian sectors: Gold, Juno and Sword.
Omaha Beach - Exit E3 aka "Colleville Draw" - Normandy, France.
Omaha Beach
Omaha beach is a stretch of beach roughly 5 miles or 8 km. long between Vierville-sur-Mer and Ste Honorine des pertes on the coast of Normandy. It was one of the five designated landing areas for the biggest invasion ever during WWII in the summer of 1944.
Omaha was divided into ten sectors by the Allies; codenamed (from west to east): Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog Green, Dog White, Dog Red, Easy Green, Easy Red, Fox Green and Fox Red.
On june 6, 1944 -D-Day - the initial assault on Omaha was to be made by two Regimental Combat Teams (RCT), supported by two tank battalions, with two battalions of Rangers also attached. The RCT's were part of the veteran 1st Infantry division ("The Big Red One") and the untested 29th div. ("Blue and Grey") , a National Guard unit.
The plan was to make frontal assaults at the "draws" (valleys) in the bluffs which dominate the coast in Normandy. Codenamed west to east they were called D-1, D-3, E-1, E-3 and F-1 . These draws could then be used to move inland with reserves and vehicles.
The German defenders were not stupid; they knew the draws were vital and concentrated their limited resources in defending them. To this end and lead by the famous "Desert Fox" Field-Marshall Erwin Rommel they built "Widerstandsneste" with AT guns, mortars, MG's in Tobruk's, trenches and bunkers. These were manned by soldiers of the German 716th and 352nd Infantry Division, a large portion of whom were teenagers, though they were supplemented by veterans who had fought on the Eastern Front . All in all some 1100 German soldiers defended the entire Omaha beach sector.
Preliminary bombardments were almost totally ineffective and when the initial waves landed at low tide they met with fiece opposition of an enemy well dug in and prepared. Most of the floating tanks (Sherman DD type) never made it to the beach due to the rough seas or were taken out by AT guns. Their role to support the infantry following them was reduced to almost zero before the battle even started.
Casualties were heaviest amongst the troops landing at either end of Omaha. At Fox Green and Easy Red scattered elements of three companies were reduced to half strength by the time they gained the relative safety of the shingle bank, many of them having crawled the app. 300 yards (270 m) of beach just ahead of the incoming tide. Casualties were especially heavy amongst the first waves of infantry and the "gap assault teams" - Combat Engineers - at Omaha these were tasked with blasting channels through the beach obstacles.
Situation at Dog Green and Easy Red by mid morning was so bad with nearly all the troops essentially pinned down on the beach gen. Eisenhower seriously considered to abandon the operation; in "First Wave at OMAHA Beach", S.L.A. Marshall, chief U.S. Army combat historian, called it "an epic human tragedy which in the early hours bordered on total disaster."
As the first waves of infantry, tanks and combat engineers landing directly opposite the "draws" were pinned down it was up to forces landing on the flanks of these strongpoints to penetrate the weaker German defences by climbing the bluffs. Doing this they had to overcome minefields and barbed wire as well as machinegun fire from German positions but they did and they were able to attack some key strongpoints from the side and the rear, taking them out by early afternoon.
This happened on several spots at Omaha and essentially saved the day: individual acts of initiative by lower ranked officers and courage like that of First Lieutenant Jimmy Monteith, who led a group of men to take one of the key German widerstandsneste and was killed in action, succeeded where a flawed plan failed. By the end of the day most of the German strongpoints had been taken and the battle was won - albeit at a terrible cost.
On the photo
Standing on Easy Red sector looking towards the high ground and Widerstandsnest 62. Exit E3 aka The Colleville draw is clearly visible. Note the big distance the men of the 1st inf. division had to cover before they would reach the shingle bank when the tide was low between 06:30 and 07:30.
15 (handheld) shots were used for this tonemapped panoramaphoto using a Fuji X-T3 , september 2019
A set of photo's with notes of Utah Beach and the Cotentin peninsula with the Airborne sectors.">
Here's the complete set of photo's made on Pointe du Hoc over the past years
My Omaha beach photo's with several viewpoints, panorama shots and notes on the fighting
These are my photo's and notes of the British and Canadian sectors: Gold, Juno and Sword.
c/n 48-3.
NATO codename:- Freestyle
On display at the Vadim Zadorozhny Technical Museum, Arkhangelskoye, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
26th August 2017
OK, this is complicated!
This VSTOL type was designed as replacement for the Yak-38 Forger. It's military designation was the Yak-41M, however, for political and security reasons the aircraft was referred to as the Yak-141 in press releases for the 12 class World records which they set.
Three aircraft were built, the first (48-1) remained as a static test airframe while 48-2 (coded 75 white) and 48-3 (coded 77 white) were flight test aircraft.
In 1991 Lockheed-Martin got involved in the project and as they only knew the type as the '141' then that's how it has been known since then. At that time, both complete aircraft were recoded '141 white'.
In September 1991, this aircraft (48-3) suffered a landing accident on the carrier 'Admiral Gorshkov' and was damaged by the resulting fire.
Stored, it was later statically rebuilt for display in Yakolev's own museum.
When the second aircraft (48-2) stopped flying, it was also preserved. Initially it was at Khodynka but it later moving to Monino, where it remains. Throughout preservation, 48-2 has remained coded '141 white', a code accurate for both airframes.
For some unexplained reason, 48-3, which was originally '77 white' was repainted as '75 white', a code only ever worn by 48-2. Detail differences between the two, particularly in the tail area, confirm that this is, in fact, 48-3, although painted to represent 48-2, which, remember, is preserved at Monino as '141 white'.
Clear? I did say it was complicated!!
My LEGO Iron Man Hulkbuster MOC has been brought straight out of 2015's biggest blockbuster 'Avengers: Age Of Ultron.' The Hulkbuster is fan-favourite from Stark's hall of armour.
The Mark XLIV Armour (codenamed Veronica, also known as the Hulkbuster) is Tony Stark's forty-fourth Iron Man suit. The suit was designed to match the incredible strength of the Hulk should he ever need to be taken out, being powered by over eleven Arc Reactors in order to grant the strength required for such a task. It's a modular suit this is operated from within while being linked to the Mark XLIII Armour. Using an independent propulsion system, each limb can fly to the user and automatically assemble into being composed of individual parts, the XLIV is still able to sustain extreme damage from the Hulk, unlike the XLII.
Iron Man strides forward to grapple with the green-skinned Avenger, leg pistons cranking and his right arm stretching out to make contact. While the resemblance to the classic Iron Man armour is readily apparent (especially in the dark red and pearl gold colour scheme), the Hulkbuster takes it to a whole new level with a towering frame, thick armour plating. The Iron Man Hulkbuster stands nearly over twice the size of the Hulk bigfig to tower over his allies and enemies alike. Stark's latest and greatest battle suit lumbers across a brick-like display base, punishing the ground with it's terrible weight. I believe the Hulkbuster is one of the most impressive display pieces I've ever designed.
This Hulkbuster MOC started when the initial pictures of the 'LEGO Marvel, Super Heroes - The Hulkbuster Smash' set were released. I understand that LEGO has to make their sets study and have plenty of play features to keep the kids entertained but as a movie accurate model it wasn't quite right: too simple and bulky. From then on I set myself a task to build a definitive Hulkbuster using the printed dome that is included.
My first goal was to get it in scale with the Hulk bigfig however when I approached the end of the design process I realised that it was slightly shorter than the LEGO Hulkbuster. After having a look at a few other LEGO Hulkbuster MOC's I realised that when using the printed dome piece at the scale of the Hulk would make the final model look chibi and not realistic; therefore I stuck with my outcome.
The inspiration for the presentation of the final model came from Kotobukiya's model statues of the Hulkbuster and the Hulk based on 'Avengers: Age Of Ultron' movie. I was originally going to just use the Hulkbuster since the Hulk bigfig is way too small and has very limited movement. I guess putting it in context and pairing it up with the Hulk bigfig creates a fierce battle scene!
Credit and a big thank you goes to Hot Toys for providing extensive views and details of their movie accurate model of the Hulkbuster which made possible to get it movie accurate as I could.
Adeel
1944AD, 6th June, Normandy France Allied invade Nazi-occupied France The invasion was Codenamed Operation Neptune though is better known as D-Day. It was the largest seaborne invasion in history.
In 1943 planning began for the operation. Leading up to the invasion the Allies conducted an Operation codenamed Bodyguard, which was a substantial military deception with the aim to mislead the Germans concerning the real date and location of the main Allied landings. Meanwhile, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel was placed in command by Adolf Hitler of German forces and of developing fortifications along the Atlantic Wall in anticipation of an Allied invasion.
Leading up to the landing extensive aerial and naval bombardment took place. Shortly afterwards 24,000 British, Canadian and US airborne troops landed. From 06:30 Allied infantry and armoured divisions began landing on the coast of France. At the end of the first day, the Allies failed to achieve any of their goals. The operation, however, did gain a foothold allow the Allies to gradually expanded allied controlled territory over the coming months. German casualties on D-Day have been estimated at 4,000 to 9,000 men. Allied casualties were at least 10,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead.
At the start of World War II my mother was 2 years old. At the time of D Day, now being 7, she was more aware of what was happening at home and abroad. Her father was serving in Italy, whilst back at home town in Torquay she helped feed American troops who were later to take part in the D-Day landings. At a young age, she remembers feeling a little daunted by the American troops, not surprising for a young girl. What happened to those troops she passed briefly is unknown. Today we remember those who died to make the future we now live.
Mulberry was the codename for all the various different structures that would create the artificial harbours. These were the "Gooseberries" which metamorphosed into fully fledged harbours. There were two harbours, Mulberry "A" and Mulberry "B". The "Mulberry" harbours consisted of a floating outer breakwater called "Bombardons", a static breakwater consisting of "Corncobs" and reinforced concrete caissons called "Phoenix", floating piers or roadways codenamed "Whales" and ""Beetles" and pier heads codenamed "Spuds". These harbours were both of a similar size to Dover harbour. In the planning of Operation Neptune the term Mulberry "B" was defined as, "An artificial harbour to be built in England and towed to the British beaches at Arromanches."
Arromanches-les-Bains, Normandy, France
Marzan Empire
Classification: Melee
Armaments:
(2) SW-MACHETE (Kurosawa recolor)
Pilot: Codename: GHOST
The latest version of the Kurosawa series, the Sword Kai is a stripped down version of the Hyper Kai that goes back to the roots of the design with a much increased mobility rating.
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After numerous successful campaigns against Marzan supply lines, a tired Empire decided to give in and parley with the mysterious pilot of the QU-KRSW, codename: "GHOST".
While many of the Marzan Aristocracy and upper military echelon questioned dealing with a war pirate, numerous deals and a heavy offering of food, money, war supplies, and of course, Quorus was supplied in exchange for GHOST un-officially working as an independent agent for the Marzan Empire, freely doing as he pleases as long as he does not interfere with Marzan business.
His previous reFrame, the QU-KRSW, has been retrofitted with a new design, machine improvements across the board, as well as a huge upgrade to its weapons loadout.
As a safeguard, Marzan engineers were tasked to install a remote detonator inside the Quorus core power chamber to prevent GHOST from crossing them although it's highly likely that's been long diffused by the pirate legend himself.
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More info, WIP details, and other LEGO mechs over at my blog: messymaru.com/
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reFrame Version 3.0 frame (instructions) now available
For those interested in LEGO mech building, I also have an eBook from 2015 called Mech Wars 2015 Instructional Primer. It contains some things I wrote about basic mech building, a bit about my Mech Warsuniverse, and all my early models from 2014-2015. If you’re looking for a resource that could help you start or even improve your mech building skills, you might find this eBook useful.
c/n 64830.
Built 1983.
NATO codename ‘Crusty’.
Withdrawn from use at Kubinka since at least 2006. Now rumoured to be moving to the museum at nearby Patriot Park, however it currently remains stored on the Southside of Kubinka Airbase, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
24th August 2017
c/n 181002702.
NATO codename:- Coot
Standard commercial version built in 1961 and which served only with Aeroflot until flown to Monino for preservation on 12th July 1977.
Central Air Force museum, Monino, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
27th August 2017
The Škoda Yeti (codenamed Typ 5L) is a compact crossover SUV produced by the Czech car manufacturer Škoda Auto and introduced at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, as the carmaker's first entry into the SUV market. In 2009, the Yeti was awarded Family Car of the Year by Top Gear Magazine.
The Yeti offered an interior configuration marketed as VarioFlex with tilt, recline and tumble seating from its Škoda Roomster predecessor. There are three separate seats with adjustable backrest inclination covering a range of 13.5°.
The Yeti's outer seats can slide backwards and forwards; after the middle seat has been removed, the outer seats can be moved 80 mm (3.15 in) towards the centre, thus creating increased room for two rear passengers — with the possibility of folding the backrest and folding the entire seat forward. Once the seats have been folded over and forward, they can be removed.
Most engines were offered with six speed manual transmissions. A five speed manual was reserved for front wheel drive only cars with the 81 kW TDI engine. The Volkswagen Group seven speed Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG) was option exclusively for the 1.2 TSI, while the six speed Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG) was available for the 103 kW (140 PS) two litre common rail diesel engine.
The four-wheel drive variants utilised the fourth generation Haldex Traction multi plate clutch to transmit the drive to the rear wheels, and all drive layouts include fully independent multi link rear suspension first seen on the Volkswagen Golf Mk5 to complement the fully independent front suspension. The all wheel drive Yeti cars featured Off Road button to switch all assistance systems to a special off-road setting, e.g. the accelerator responded less sensitively.
c/n 2960718121
NATO codename:- Fulcrum-C
Previously part of the adjacent Zhukovski Engineering Academy but now on display at the Central Air Force museum, Monino, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
27th August 2017
c/n 64283.
Built 1982.
NATO codename ‘Crusty’.
The UBL is fitted with a Tu-160 nose cone and is used for training.
Reported to be operated by the 1449th AvB based at Tambov.
On static display at the Aviation cluster of the ARMY 2017 event.
Kubinka Airbase, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
24th August 2017
Utah Beach - Normandy, France.
Utah beach is the codename for the westernmost of the 5 Allied landing zones during D-day. It is the only beach on the Cotentin peninsula and closest to the vital harbour city of Cherbourg. Together with Omaha beach it is the sector where the American forces were disembarked. The amphibious assault, primarily by the US 4th Infantry Division and 70th Tank Battalion, was supported by airborne landings of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Division. These Airborne troops were dropped on the Cotentin penisula.
In stark contrast with Omaha beach where the landing turned into a near disaster with most of the troops pinned down for hours with heavy losses in both men and material the landings at Utah went relatively smooth. This does not mean the GI's came ashore unopposed: some 200 casualties were suffered by the 4th division.
One of the factors that contributed to this success was that the preliminary bombing of the target areas here was accurate and the German forces - in contrast with what happened at Omaha beach - were in disarray at H-hour, 06:30, when the first wave of 20 landing craft approached the beach. The GI's of the 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry landed on Uncle Red and Tare Green sectors. What they didn't know initially was that pushed to the south by strong currents they landed some 1.8 kilometres south of their designated landing spot!
Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. was the first high ranking officer that landed and , not discouraged by the dviation, he decided to "start the war from right here". He ordered further landings to be re-routed. As it was this was a good decision because the Americans landed on a relative weak spot in the German defenses. Only one "Widerstandsnest" (WN5) opposed them and it was severely affected by the preliminary bombardments. It took the GI's about an hour to clear the defenses. Today the remains of this German widestandsnest can still be seen and are partly incorporated into the Utah beach museum. Well worth a visit.
After the succesful landings the real difficulties started because of the inundated areas behind the beach and the increasing German resistance which lead to weeks of fighting on the Cotentin peninsula.
On the Photo:
Uncle Red sector - view towards the north.
Tonemapped using three (handheld) shots made with a Fuji X-T3 and Fujinon 16mm f/1.4 lens, september 2019.
A set of photo's with notes of Utah Beach and the Cotentin peninsula with the Airborne sectors.
Here's the complete set of photo's made on Pointe du Hoc over the past years
My Omaha beach photo's with several viewpoints, panorama shots and notes on the fighting
These are my photo's and notes of the British and Canadian sectors: Gold, Juno and Sword.
c/n 10MK51405.
NATO codename ‘Flanker-C’
Operated by the 43rd Independent Naval Assault Aviation Regiment (OMShAP) Russian Navy, based at Saki.
Seen taxiing out to display during the ARMY 2017 event held at Kubinka Airbase, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
23rd August 2017