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c/n 2960710039.
NATO codename:- Fulcrum-C
Originally retired to the adjacent Zhukovski Engineering Academy, this sad looking MiG has made its way to the grounds of the nearby museum, but with several other similar airframes already present it may not be here long-term. It is currently stored behind the Tu-144 and sometime during 2017 the starboard main undercarriage has collapsed which is not going to help!
Central Air Force museum, Monino, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
27th August 2017
Utah Beach - Normandy, France , august 2020
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 Tobruk stand - a defensive position for a MG or mortar crew. Part of the "Atlantic wall," on Utah beach.
Shot 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 a 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.
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.
Since the exchange would take place in an area within the Russian sphere of influence, no ISR or air asset would be available. The plan was to insert reconnaissance teams before the exchange to perform advanced force operations (AFO) and to provide overwatch during the exchange. An assault team would then enter the area of operations (AO) by high altitude high opening (HAHO) insertion and setup an ambush at the exchange.
A ground extraction team will infiltrate the AO by vehicles (including HMMWVs and Grizzly LAVs) under the guise of a routine patrol to extract the assault team once the radioactive material and the HVI have been secured.
The remaining of the task force would be the quick reaction force (QRF) loaded in helicopters waiting at a forward operating base (FOB) and called upon if needed.
A 6-man team from the Deep Reconnaissance Platoon (callsign Talon-2-1) was tasked with route reconnaissance to ensure the ground convoy has a safe route for insertion and extraction.
To be continued...
Note: The story, all names, characters, and incidents are fictitious.
Underlined = General Karpov
Bold = Winter Soldier
Italics =Lieutenant Shostakov
All conversations are translated from Russian, into English.
__
Date: 1951
Location: The Red Room, CLASSIFIED, Russia
Codename: Winter Soldier was led into a room by two guards. General Karpov was waiting for him. The room was completly bare, except for a black mirror, and a small table. He knew that the mirror was in fact two-way. He had been trained to spot them. He also knew behind the mirror, were at least 5 soldiers, ready to get him, if he did anything suspicious.
Karpov nodded to the two guards, they left the room.
"You are ready for your first mission."
Karpov handed him a file. The Winter Soldier took it, silently.
He spoke very little. Karpov's superior's - aswell as the guards - found it disturbing, but not Karpov. Karpov believed that a Soldier should be known for his actions, not his talking. Back in the War he had served with a lot of younger Soldiers, who talked and joked a lot. Did any of them make it home? No. But Codename: Winter Soldier was the perfect soldier. He only talked when he needed to, Executed orders without questioning them, and most importantly, killed, without remorse.
"This is Karl Friedriechen. He was a Nazi Bomber. He often worked alongside Hydra."
Karpov carefully studied The Winter Soldier's face, for any reaction, after mentioning Hydra. There was nothing. Just the usual cold and empty nothingness.
"The CIA found him a year ago, he's cut a deal with them, in exchange for information about Hydra Soldiers in hiding, they put him in a witness protection program. We finally found him two months ago. He has killed many Russians. Soldiers, aswell as inocent civilians, with his bombs. Now, it's time for payback. The Americans are hiding him out in an apartment penthouse, in Frankfurt, Germany. I want you to kill him. It has to look like an accident. Otherwise the Americans might wonder how someone found him, understood?"
The Winter Soldier simply nodded. The two guards returned and led him out. They would bring him to the weapons depot, so he could select the weapon, or weapons, he would bring on the mission. Shortly after they left, the door to the room opened again. Karpov's protegé, Lieutenant Shostakov came in.
"General, are you sure this is a good idea? This is an important Mission. Do you really believe Codename: Winter Soldier should be trusted with this mission? There will be a lot of trouble from above, if he fails--"
"Alexi! You forget your place. I am the head of Department X, and that includes The Red Room. This is my descision. And of course I have a back-up plan in mind."
"I hope you're right. Beccause if not, there could be grave consequnses..."
___
Next: Mercyless Death
___
I'm trying to get a lot of Winter Soldier's out, beccause I'm just hyped for Volume 2.
However, I do know that I'm pretty much miles behind on GA, so I'll try to catch up on those aswell. ;P
Anyways, I hope you like it. :D
Omaha Beach - Easy Red Sector - View towards one of the blockhauses of WN62.
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.
On the Photo
WN-62 is overlooking the Easy Red and Fox Green sectors of Omaha beach. It was 345 meters long by 320 meters wide and consisted of several blockhauses, "Tobruks" and trenches. View is towards one of two type H-669 bunkers. In 1944 it was housing a Czech made 7.65 cm gun in a perfect position to enfillade the beach towards the west while being protected from the seaside. Note the heavy damage this bunker received from direct fire from naval gunfire.
When the US troops landed here on july 6; 1944, WN-62 was one of their most formidable obstacles . Overlooking the Easy-1 exit aka the "Colleville draw" it was of strategic importance because this is one of the few places where armoured vehicles and troops would be able to penetrate the inland through the hills which form a natural barrier in this area.
Fierce fighting commenced from the early morning into the afternoon of d-day resulting in numerous casualties - especially on the US side. Elements of the First Infantry Division (The Big Red One) and Combat Engineers landed in the vicinity of the Colleville draw from H-Hour (06.30) when the tide was lowest and suffered heavy casualties crossing the obstacled beach which is very exposed from the MG nests and gun emplacements of this WN. WN62 was defended bij some 20 German soldiers.
See my other Omaha beach photo's for more viewpoints, panorama shots and notes on the fighting
Shot with a Nikon D610 and Nikkor 24mm f/2.8. Tonemapped using three differently exposed (handheld) shots, augustus 2017.
For a map of the eastern part of Omaha click here. The German WN's are marked as well as the Draws and beach sections.
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.
Since the exchange would take place in an area within the Russian sphere of influence, no ISR or air asset would be available. The plan was to insert reconnaissance teams before the exchange to perform advanced force operations (AFO) and to provide overwatch during the exchange. An assault team would then enter the area of operations (AO) by high altitude high opening (HAHO) insertion and setup an ambush at the exchange.
A ground extraction team will infiltrate the AO by vehicles (including HMMWVs and Grizzly LAVs) under the guise of a routine patrol to extract the assault team once the radioactive material and the HVI have been secured.
The remaining of the task force would be the quick reaction force (QRF) loaded in helicopters waiting at a forward operating base (FOB) and called upon if needed.
A 6-man team from the Deep Reconnaissance Platoon (callsign Talon-2-1) was tasked with route reconnaissance to ensure the ground convoy has a safe route for insertion and extraction.
To be continued...
Note: The story, all names, characters, and incidents are fictitious.
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 teams in the TF were assigned with different tasks. Team 8: the assault team, Team 55: the extraction team, and Team 7: the Quick Reaction Force (QRF). 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.
After conducting a high altitude high opening (HAHO) insertion, the assault team successfully infiltrated into the AO undetected and setup an ambush at the exchange site. Initially things seemed to be going according to plan as only two insurgents arrived at the exchange in two vehicles. However, Panther arrived at the exchange in a BTR armored personnel carrier along with a Russian Spetsnaz Unit. The assault team immediately radioed the TOC for instructions.
Will the assault team get the authorization to engage? To be continued...
Note: The story, all names, characters, and incidents are fictitious.
I've been saving these figures for a while, hoping to upload them when FusionFall Retro's first big expansion came out. But, if you haven't heard, that won't be coming.
For those outside the know, FusionFall Retro was a project from a dedicated group of Cartoon Network fans who had successfully rebuilt and re-released the classic MMO for free, and were actively developing a from-the-ground-up sequel in FusionFall Legacy. Cartoon Network was well aware of the project, and willfully let it be for years as it was entirely non-profit. However, after a disgruntled member of the community emailed Cartoon Network's higher-ups, baselessly accusing the Retro developers of money laundering among other even more heinous crimes, the team received a take-down request and were legally obligated to comply. So, with but a single damning email, countless years of unpaid labor and passion were wiped from every corner of the Internet. FusionFall is as it was in 2013: unflinchingly dead.
That being said - for those who care, anyway - please don't lash out at Cartoon Network, or the former player I won't be naming, and take the end of this era with grace and dignity. There's very little reason to believe that Cartoon Network hasn't been made aware of the issue, and either can't or has no interest in walking back their legal action. Enjoy our still-thriving community across YouTube, Twitter, Discord, and Reddit - and these figures! The time is still now! The hero is still you!
Rover 75 Club CDT Tourer (2001-04) Engine 1951cc S4 (BMW) Turbo Diesel
Registration Number GX 1113 (Cherished number, originally issued for allocation from Belfast)
ROVER SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623690660271...
Designed by Richard Woolley, work on the new model, codenamed R40, progressed with little operational interference from BMW; the styling received an enthusiastic response from the management and both companies believed the classical look would be the ideal direction for Rover The Rover 75 was unveiled to the public at the 1998 Birmingham Motor Show, with deliveries commencing in February 1999. Assembly originally took place at Cowley but in 2000, following the sale of the company by BMW to Phoenix Venture Holdings, production was moved to Longbridge in Birmingham, The 75 featured a range of petrol and diesel engines from 1.8- to 2.5-litre sizes, transmission on all models were either the Getrag 283 5-speed manual, or the JATCO 5-speed automatic unit
The Estate version, or Tourer was launched in 2001 running through to 2004 available with a variety of petrol engines and the BMW derived Diesel .The diesel unit was BMW's common rail motor, designated M47R. This unit was a mildly de-tuned BMW 2.0-litre turbodiesel, the same core engine being used at the same time in the parent company's 3 & 5-Series models and later found in the Land Rover Freelander from 2001.
In 2004 the 75 received a major facelift with a revised front fascia with a mesh lower grille, one-piece headlights with halogen projectors, revised front and side indicators and fog lights as well as a larger chrome grille. The rear also featured a revised fascia with a chrome boot handle
Thanks for 19.7 million views
Diolch am 73,685,932 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pawb yn cael eu gwerthfawrogi'n fawr, Gan ddymuno Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i bawb
Thanks for 73,685,932 amazing views, everyone is very much appreciated, Happy New Year everyone
Shot 06.05.2019 at Gawsworth Hall, Classic Car Show Ref 141-451
Voronezh is a city and the administrative centre of Voronezh Oblast in southwestern Russia straddling the Voronezh River, located 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) from where it flows into the Don River. The city sits on the Southeastern Railway, which connects western Russia with the Urals and Siberia, the Caucasus and Ukraine, and the M4 highway (Moscow–Voronezh–Rostov-on-Don–Novorossiysk). In recent years the city has experienced rapid population growth, rising in 2021 to 1,057,681, up from 889,680 recorded in the 2010 Census, making it the 14th-most populous city in the country.
The first chronicle references to the word "Voronezh" are dated 1177, when the Ryazan prince Yaropolk, having lost the battle, fled "to Voronozh" and there was moving "from town to town". Modern data of archeology and history interpret Voronezh as a geographical region, which included the Voronezh river (tributary of the Don) and a number of settlements. In the lower reaches of the river, a unique Slavic town-planning complex of the 8th – early 11th century was discovered, which covered the territory of the present city of Voronezh and its environs (about 42 km long, about 13 forts and many unfortified villages). By the 12th – 13th centuries, most of the old towns were desolate, but new settlements appeared upstream, closer to Ryazan.
For many years, the hypothesis of the Soviet historian Vladimir Zagorovsky dominated: he produced the toponym "Voronezh" from the hypothetical Slavic personal name Voroneg. This man allegedly gave the name of a small town in the Chernigov Principality (now the village of Voronizh in Ukraine). Later, in the 11th or 12th century, the settlers were able to "transfer" this name to the Don region, where they named the second city Voronezh, and the river got its name from the city. However, now many researchers criticize the hypothesis, since in reality neither the name of Voroneg nor the second city was revealed, and usually the names of Russian cities repeated the names of the rivers, but not vice versa.
The linguistic comparative analysis of the name "Voronezh" was carried out by the Khovansky Foundation in 2009. There is an indication of the place names of many countries in Eurasia, which may partly be not only similar in sound, but also united by common Indo-European languages: Varanasi, Varna, Verona, Brno, etc.
A comprehensive scientific analysis was conducted in 2015–2016 by the historian Pavel Popov. His conclusion: "Voronezh" is a probable Slavic macrotoponym associated with outstanding signs of nature, has a root voron- (from the proto-Slavic vorn) in the meaning of "black, dark" and the suffix -ezh (-azh, -ozh). It was not “transferred” and in the 8th - 9th centuries it marked a vast territory covered with black forests (oak forests) - from the mouth of the Voronezh river to the Voronozhsky annalistic forests in the middle and upper reaches of the river, and in the west to the Don (many forests were cut down). The historian believes that the main "city" of the early town-planning complex could repeat the name of the region – Voronezh. Now the hillfort is located in the administrative part of the modern city, in the Voronezh upland oak forest. This is one of Europe's largest ancient Slavic hillforts, the area of which – more than 9 hectares – 13 times the area of the main settlement in Kyiv before the baptism of Rus.
In it is assumed that the word "Voronezh" means bluing - a technique to increase the corrosion resistance of iron products. This explanation fits well with the proximity to the ancient city of Voronezh of a large iron deposit and the city of Stary Oskol. As well as the name of Voroneț Monastery known for its blue shade.
Folk etymology claims the name comes from combining the Russian words for raven (ворон) and hedgehog (еж) into Воронеж. According to this explanation two Slavic tribes named after the animals used this combination to name the river which later in turn provided the name for a settlement. There is not believed to be any scientific support for this explanation.
In the 16th century, the Middle Don basin, including the Voronezh river, was gradually conquered by Muscovy from the Nogai Horde (a successor state of the Golden Horde), and the current city of Voronezh was established in 1585 by Feodor I as a fort protecting the Muravsky Trail trade route against the slave raids of the Nogai and Crimean Tatars. The city was named after the river.
17th to 19th centuries
In the 17th century, Voronezh gradually evolved into a sizable town. Weronecz is shown on the Worona river in Resania in Joan Blaeu's map of 1645. Peter the Great built a dockyard in Voronezh where the Azov Flotilla was constructed for the Azov campaigns in 1695 and 1696. This fleet, the first ever built in Russia, included the first Russian ship of the line, Goto Predestinatsia. The Orthodox diocese of Voronezh was instituted in 1682 and its first bishop, Mitrofan of Voronezh, was later proclaimed the town's patron saint.
Owing to the Voronezh Admiralty Wharf, for a short time, Voronezh became the largest city of South Russia and the economic center of a large and fertile region. In 1711, it was made the seat of the Azov Governorate, which eventually morphed into the Voronezh Governorate.
In the 19th century, Voronezh was a center of the Central Black Earth Region. Manufacturing industry (mills, tallow-melting, butter-making, soap, leather, and other works) as well as bread, cattle, suet, and the hair trade developed in the town. A railway connected Voronezh with Moscow in 1868 and Rostov-on-Don in 1871.
20th century
During World War II, Voronezh was the scene of fierce fighting between Soviet and combined Axis troops. The Germans used it as a staging area for their attack on Stalingrad, and made it a key crossing point on the Don River. In June 1941, two BM-13 (Fighting machine #13 Katyusha) artillery installations were built at the Voronezh excavator factory. In July, the construction of Katyushas was rationalized so that their manufacture became easier and the time of volley repetition was shortened from five minutes to fifteen seconds. More than 300 BM-13 units manufactured in Voronezh were used in a counterattack near Moscow in December 1941. In October 22, 1941, the advance of the German troops prompted the establishment of a defense committee in the city. On November 7, 1941, there was a troop parade, devoted to the anniversary of the October Revolution. Only three such parades were organized that year: in Moscow, Kuybyshev, and Voronezh. In late June 1942, the city was attacked by German and Hungarian forces. In response, Soviet forces formed the Voronezh Front. By July 6, the German army occupied the western river-bank suburbs before being subjected to a fierce Soviet counter-attack. By July 24 the frontline had stabilised along the Voronezh River as the German forces continued southeast into the Great Bend of the Don. The attack on Voronezh represented the first phase of the German Army's 1942 campaign in the Soviet Union, codenamed Case Blue.
Until January 25, 1943, parts of the Second German Army and the Second Hungarian Army occupied the western part of Voronezh. During Operation Little Saturn, the Ostrogozhsk–Rossosh Offensive, and the Voronezhsko-Kastornenskoy Offensive, the Voronezh Front exacted heavy casualties on Axis forces. On January 25, 1943, Voronezh was liberated after ten days of combat. During the war the city was almost completely ruined, with 92% of all buildings destroyed.
Post-war
By 1950, Voronezh had been rebuilt. Most buildings and historical monuments were repaired. It was also the location of a prestigious Suvorov Military School, a boarding school for young boys who were considered to be prospective military officers, many of whom had been orphaned by war.
In 1950–1960, new factories were established: a tire factory, a machine-tool factory, a factory of heavy mechanical pressing, and others. In 1968, Serial production of the Tupolev Tu-144 supersonic plane was established at the Voronezh Aviation factory. In October 1977, the first Soviet domestic wide-body plane, Ilyushin Il-86, was built there.
In 1989, TASS published details of an alleged UFO landing in the city's park and purported encounters with extraterrestrial beings reported by a number of children. A Russian scientist that was cited in initial TASS reports later told the Associated Press that he was misquoted, cautioning, "Don't believe all you hear from TASS," and "We never gave them part of what they published", and a TASS correspondent admitted the possibility that some "make-believe" had been added to the TASS story, saying, "I think there is a certain portion of truth, but it is not excluded that there is also fantasizing".
21st century
From 10 to 17 September 2011, Voronezh celebrated its 425th anniversary. The anniversary of the city was given the status of a federal scale celebration that helped attract large investments from the federal and regional budgets for development.
On December 17, 2012, Voronezh became the fifteenth city in Russia with a population of over one million people.
Today Voronezh is the economic, industrial, cultural, and scientific center of the Central Black Earth Region. As part of the annual tradition in the Russian city of Voronezh, every winter the main city square is thematically drawn around a classic literature. In 2020, the city was decorated using the motifs from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. In the year of 2021, the architects drew inspiration from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale The Snow Queen as well as the animation classic The Snow Queen from the Soviet Union. The fairy tale replica city will feature the houses of Kai and Gerda, the palace of the snow queen, an ice rink, and illumination.
Rover 75 Connoisser CDT Tourer (R40 PreFacelift) (1998-05) Engine 1991cc M47R S4 Turbo Diesel 114bhp
Production 211,178
Registration Number RE 51 ZMX (Reading)
Designed by Richard Woolley, work on the new model, codenamed R40, progressed with little operational interference from BMW; the styling received an enthusiastic response from the management and both companies believed the classical look would be the ideal direction for Rover The Rover 75 was unveiled to the public at the 1998 Birmingham Motor Show, with deliveries commencing in February 1999. Assembly originally took place at Cowley but in 2000, following the sale of the company by BMW to Phoenix Venture Holdings, production was moved to Longbridge in Birmingham, The 75 featured a range of petrol and diesel engines from 1.8- to 2.5-litre sizes, transmission on all models were either the Getrag 283 5-speed manual, or the JATCO 5-speed automatic unit
The Estate version, or Tourer was launched in 2001 running through to 2004 available with a variety of petrol engines and the BMW derived Diesel .The diesel unit was BMW's common rail motor, designated M47R. This unit was a mildly de-tuned BMW 2.0-litre turbodiesel, the same core engine being used at the same time in the parent company's 3 & 5-Series models and later found in the Land Rover Freelander from 2001.
In 2004 the 75 received a major facelift with a revised front fascia with a mesh lower grille, one-piece headlights with halogen projectors, revised front and side indicators and fog lights as well as a larger chrome grille. The rear also featured a revised fascia with a chrome boot handle
Diolch am 75,371,629 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.
Thanks for 75,371,629 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.
Shot 14.07.2019 at Walsall Classic Car Show, Walsall Arboretum, Walsall 143-305
Thought of bringing back L this time around. This was still taken in Malaysia by the way, in one of the nearby parks.
Truth be told, I already miss how simple life is back there =)
Omaha Beach, Fox Red sector, Normandy , France
Shot with a full frame Nikon D610 and Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 prime lens, august 2017. Tonemapped using three differently exposed (handheld) shots.
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.
On the Photo:
Standing on Fox Red and looking east towards Ste. Honorine des Pertes and Port-en-Bessin. Fox Red is the easternmost sector of Omaha Beach and has a natural barrier of sand stone cliffs near the edge of the beach. On june 6 troops men of the 3/16th RCT used the cliffs here as a natural protection against the relentless MG fire from the German Widerstandsneste WN-60 and WN-61 guarding the Easy-3 exit near Colleville; one of the biggest "draws" in the terrain which would allow heavy weapons and tanks to go inland.
Some of the iconic pictures of d-day were taken here in the early hours of june 6 when the first assault waves of the 1st infantry division attacking the Colleville draw were pretty much pinned down on the beach. Many assault boats designated for the Easy Red sector ended up here due to the strong current, the heavy fire from the Germans at Easy-3 and the proximity of the cliffs here which offered at least some protecion. Check this photo.
A smaller exit, code named Fox-1 near here was used to breach the german defenses and eventually take the strong WN's to the west.
Official US Army history:
"Four sections of Company L had landed and reorganized on the western end of Fox Red sector, where the bluff, merging here into a partial cliff just beyond the highwater shingle, afforded good cover. The company commander was killed as he exposed himself to direct the fire of some nearby tanks, and 1st Lt. Robert R. Cutler, Jr., took command. The sections were moved west, out of the shelter of the cliff and to a position where they were just below the strongpoint commanding F-1 draw. Two tanks were called on for fire support. As a scheme of maneuver, Lieutenant Cutler sent three sections and headquarters, 2d and 3d Sections leading, up the draw a little to the west of the strongpoint. There were no hostile prepared positions at the head or the west side of the draw. The heavy brush gave good cover from enemy small-arms fire, and the 2d and 3d Sections worked to the top in squad columns without serious losses, despite crossing enemy minefields. Here the 2d Section moved left and got in position to take the strongpoint from behind; a little to the right, the 3d and 5th Sections moved a short distance inland and organized a hasty defensive position. The three sections kept in contact with each other and with the beach." ("Omaha Beachhead", AMERICAN FORCES IN ACTION official US War department series)
"Private Steve Kellman's story:
"In the pre-dawn darkness aboard the HMS Empire Anvil, 21-year-old Private Steve Kellman, a rifleman in L Company, 16th Infantry, felt the crushing weight of the moment: "In the hours before the invasion, while we were below decks, a buddy of mine, Bill Lanaghan said to me, ‘Steve, I’m scared.’ And I said, ‘I’m scared, too.’"
Then, about three or three-thirty that morning, an officer gave the order and Kellman and Lanaghan and the nearly 200 men in L Company began to climb awkwardly over the gunwales of their transport and descend the unsteady "scramble nets," just as they had done in training so many times before.
"The nets were flapping against the side of the vessel, and the little landing craft were bouncing up and down," said Kellman.
"It was critical that you tried to get into the landing craft when it was on the rise because there was a gap - the nets didn't quite reach and you had to jump down. That was something we hadn¹t practiced before. We had practiced going down the nets, but the sea was calm. This was a whole new experience."
"We circled in our landing craft for what seemed like an eternity," recalled Steve Kellman. "The battleships opened up and the bombers were going over.
Every once in a while, I looked over the side and I could see the smoke and the fire, and I thought to myself, ‘we're pounding the hell out of them and there isn¹t going to be much opposition.’
As we got in closer, we passed some yellow life rafts and I had the impression that they must have been from a plane that went down, or maybe they were from the
amphibious tanks that might have sunk; I don’t know.
These guys were floating in these rafts and, as we went by, they gave us the ‘thumbs up’ sign. We thought, ‘they don't seem very worried - what the hell do we have to be worried about?’ But, as we got in closer, we could hear the machine-gun bullets hitting the sides of the vessel and the ramp in front." "While in training, we were told of all the things that would be done in order," recalled Harley Reynolds. "But to see it all come together was mind-boggling." What Reynolds saw was a heavily fortified, enemy-held beachhead that had barely been touched by Allied bombs and shells. (..) All but five of the 32 amphibious Sherman tanks had sunk, carrying their crewmen to their deaths.
There was not so much as a single bomb crater on the beach in which to hide, and the German gunners were all alert and zeroed in on the narrow strip of beach, five miles long, code-named "Omaha."
(The Battle for Easy Red, Fox Green By Flint Whitlock)
See my other Omaha beach photo's for more viewpoints, panorama shots and notes on the fighting
For a map of the eastern part of Omaha click here. The German WN's are marked as well as the Draws and beach sections.
c/n 03905502020.
NATO codename:- Fulcrum-A
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 10MK51405.
NATO codename ‘Flanker-C’
Operated by the 43rd Independent Naval Assault Aviation Regiment (OMShAP) Russian Navy, based at Saki.
Seen landing after displaying at the ARMY 2017, event held at Kubinka Airbase, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
23rd August 2017
Corporal Cuvier, armed with his Thompson and 1911. His codename is Boss.
A light gunnery dino. His codename is Sprite.
c/n 4201004.
NATO codename:- Badger-G
Previously coded ’53 blue’
One of over 240 Naval Tu-16s which were converted to carry the K-26 missile system, consisting of two underwing KSR-5 missiles.
Although a Soviet Navy aircraft, it is a long term and popular exhibit at the Central Air Force museum, Monino, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
27th August 2017
UKRAINIAN AIR FORCE SU-27 FLANKER
The Sukhoi Su-27 heavy air superiority fighter - codenamed 'Flanker' by NATO - was designed during the Cold War as a Soviet counter to potential Western opponents such as the US Air Force's F-15 Eagle. It first flew in 1977. Service entry began during 1985, and when the 'Flanker' started appearing at Western air displays in the hands of Sukhoi test pilots, starting at Paris in 1989, it astounded spectators with its manoeuvrability. In the post-Soviet era, the original Su-27 series has continued to equip the Russian armed forces, and carried on serving with the Ukrainian Air Force as well as other former Soviet states and several export customers. The design has continued to be developed for both Russia and overseas markets, some of the latest derivatives incorporating thrust vectoring. The Ukrainian Su-27s (one P model and one UB model) that are coming to Fairford for RIAT 2018 are on the strength of the 831st Tactical Aviation Brigade, based at Myrhorod in central Ukraine.
Omaha Beach, Widerstandsnest 60, Fox Red sector , Normandy
Omaha Beach
Omaha was divided into ten sectors, 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 ("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 Germans were not stupid; they knew the draws were vital and concentrated their limited resources in defending them. To this end they built "Widerstandsneste" with AT guns, mortars, MG's in Tobrul's, trenches and bunkers, manned by soldiers of the German 716th and - more recently - 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 of over 5 miles.
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.
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 300 yards (270 m) of beach just ahead of the incoming tide. Casualties were especially heavy amongst the first waves of soldiers and the gap assault teams - at Omaha these were tasked with blasting channels through the beach obstacles. German gunfire from the bluffs above the beach took a heavy toll on these men. The demolition teams managed to blast only six complete gaps and three partial ones; more than half their engineers were killed in the process.
Situation at Dog Green and on Easy Red on the other end of Omaha 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 US first waves assault forces and combat engineers landing directly opposite the "draws" were pinned down it was up to forces landing on the flanks of the strongpoints to penetrate the weaker German defences by climbing the bluffs. Doing this they had to overcome the 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.
The Defenses
"Widerstandsnest" 60 or WN60 is the easternmost of the 14 Widerstandsneste that guarded Omaha Beach in june 1944. It It guarded the small "Fox-1" exit and has a perfect view over Omaha beach. It was at this spot that the real Major Werner Pluskat first saw the invasion fleet approach, a scene made famous in the 1962 movie "The Longest Day" (though shot on a location several miles to the east , the Longueville Battery).
WN60 was manned by some forty soldiers of the German 716th Static Inf.Division. For armament it had a 7.5 cm Gun, several Mortar positions and some MG's as well as a 2cm Flak 38 gun.
For a map of the eastern part of Omaha click here. The German WN's are marked as well as the Draws and beach sections.
D-Day
This area was designated to the 1st US infantry division (The Big Red One) and elements of the 3/16th RCT landed here from 06.30 (writer Ernest Hemingway was among them - check his book "Voyage to Victory"). Despite the heavy casualties inflicted on them by WN60 and WN61 around 08.00 US soldiers started to climb the bluffs. Among them was 1st Lt. Jimmy W. Monteith who directed the fire of destroyers and two Sherman tanks. He was to be awarded with the Medal of Honor for his role in the taking of WN60, posthumously. The men of L/116th managed to reach te top of the bluff some time before nine 'o clock and attack the WN60 from the rear. Throwing grenades and satchel charges they blasted the Germans out and were able to report the taking of WN60 around 09.00. This was the first of the German strongpoint to be taken and it opened up the small Fox-1 exit through the bluffs though it was not before evening that the first tanks were able to use it.
the Photo
The photo shows the view from one of the "Tobruk" Mortar positions of WN60.
Even nowadays WN60 is well hidden near a wheatfield and can be reached only by using some unpaved small farmer's roads. The rocky road down to the beach using Fox-1 damn well near cost me the front axle of my car.
Photo was Tonemapped using three differently exposed (handheld) shots (august 2017) with a Nikon D610 and Nikkor 24mm lens.
See my other Omaha beach photo's for more viewpoints, panorama shots and notes on the fighting</a
c/n 93076.
Built 1978.
NATO codename:- Hip
According to the online Scramble database, this example was initially operated by the Soviet Strategic Rocket Force. By August 1992 it had become ‘RA-22167’ with operator Vertikal-T, before returning to Russian Air Force service as ’64 yellow’ by 2005.
It was refurbished at Kubinka (121ARZ) in early 2016 and is now on display in Area 1 of the Patriot Museum Complex.
Park Patriot, Kubinka, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
25th August 2017
In 2017 Ford of Europe refreshed their Fiesta product. The new model, codenamed B479 replaced the B299 launched in 2008. The B479 continues on the same platform as the B299 and inherits many of the engines and engine families of the previous car.
Headline act is the Fiesta ST with a 150 kW (200PS) version of the 1.5 L GTDi (Ecoboost) 3-cylinder engine. Other Fiesta models have either 3-Cylinder petrol engine in 1.1 L Ti-VCT or 1.0 L Ecoboost (in various power outputs), or a 1.5 L, 4-cylinder diesel.
In addition to the 3 and 5-door hatch bodies, the new Fiesta also has a 'Fiesta Active' version, which is similar to the 5-door hatch, but configured as a higher-riding semi-crossover vehicle. This reflects the trend to this type of vehicle across all size segments.
Shown here is the ST-Line, replacing the previous 'Sport', and capitalising on the strength of the ST sub-brand. The ST-Line has the looks, but is mechanically configured per the other Fiesta models (ST excluded).
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
Although the TF conducted several raids to ascertain the whereabouts of the Russian nuclear scientist (codename Pale Horse) with little result, it remained the allied nations primary object to capture Pale Horse to prevent future attacks. The intelligence task force continued to support intelligence units to acquire information on Pale Horse’s location.
An asset belonging to an intelligence officer from Victoria (codename Grayhawk) indicated that he was aware of the location of Pale Horse. The asset revealed that a Russian was seen being held captive in a market near Jannatabad, an insurgency stronghold.
Due to the heavy insurgent presence in the area, a covert “snatch” mission was planned. Grayhawk hand-picked six men from the combined task force, drawing personnel from Team-7, DEVGRU and Delta Force. The team first staged at a safe house in the region. They changed in local apparels to blend into the environment.
To be continued…
Note: The story, all names, characters, and incidents are fictitious.
c/n 17532372510.
NATO codename:- Fitter-G
The UM-3 was the trainer equivalent of the M-3 fighter-bomber. It was exported as the Su-22UM-3.
Since my previous visit in 2012 this is one of many exhibits which have been moved from their previous location under a covered pavilion and are now on display in a new ‘Cold War’ area of ‘Victory Park’.
Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Poklonnaya Hill, Moscow, Russia.
26th August 2017
After building the first black clamshell I wanted to build more in different colors and slightly different design
Name: Paul Butcher.
Codename: Alpha.
Abilities: Werewolf.
Nationality: English.
Bio: A close combat specialist. Often assigned tracking missions.
He was found in a lab, secured to a table. His captors believed his blood held the key to immortality. During the period he was experimented on, Alpha appeared to have lost a portion of his memory. The earliest memory he has, is the news breaking of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and the start of WWI. This puts Alpha at least 104 years of age despite looking like hes in his late 20s. But Alpha believes he was a fully matured adult at the time of the memory making him much older.
When he was brought back to the Black Falcon HQ, it was Doc who patched him up and initially placed him in a cell until she had developed a trust with him. Once he was out of his cell and living a relatively normal life, he was released from Docs care and offered a chance of a 'normal' life. Admitting he would never have a normal life, he made a home in the Black Falcon HQ and eventually joined the task force.
Although released from Docs care, Doc had promised to help Alpha regain his lost memories and as the pairs friendship grew, they ended up in a romantic relationship. Due to Black Falcon operating regulations, the pair kept their relationship to themselves. This is a shame, as the biggest breakthrough in identifying Alphas origins and regaining his memories came when Alpha was talking in his sleep. But as it would give away the relationship, Doc was unable to document the finding officially.
Doc woke one night to hear Alpha talking in distress in his sleep. About to wake him, she realised he was talking coherently about being on a ship, the Admiral Gardner, and refusing to follow orders. She started to transcribe his dream when he woke up. Research showed the Admiral Gardner was a ship that sailed for the British East India Company and sank in 1804. The level of information that turned out to be true from the dream suggests the dream must be a manifested memory, putting Alpha at at least 214 years of age now.
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.
Did Team 7 capture the radioactive material? To be continued...
Note: The story, all names, characters, and incidents are fictitious.
#109
Luftfilterungsanlage für den Fall einer atomaren biologischen oder chemischen Verseuchung der Aussenluft (ABC).
Air filtration for the case of a nuclear, biological or chemical event. NBC
...24 photos following in this series...
c/n 773970.
NATO codename:- Fishbed-D
Previously marked as ’01 red’.
Although the FL was the export model of the PF all weather interceptor, some remained in Russia for training foreign pilots.
This example is on display just outside the Northern gate to Kubinka Air Base, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
24th August 2017
c/n 9-04
NATO codename:- Fulcrum
I believe, from the c/n, that this is a pre-production aircraft. It was previously part of the museum collection at the old Khodynka Airport site in Central Moscow.
It is now on display at the Vadim Zadorozhny Technical Museum, Arkhangelskoye, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
26th August 2017
c/n unknown
Previously marked as ’01 red’
NATO codename:- Fantail
After its success with piston-engined fighters such as the La-7, Lavochkin also tried its hand at jet powered fighters. The resulting La-15 was very similar in layout and performance to the rival MiG-15 and had some technical advantages, but was more complicated and expensive to produce. The MiG-15 was chosen instead and only 235 La-15s were built.
After many years exposed to the elements, this sole surviving example is now on display in Hangar 8 (the original large hangar) at the Central Air Force museum, Monino, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
27th August 2017
Romuan Craft - Codename "Capsize"
Circa 2225 A.D.
(Work in Progress)
Visit this location at Starbase 23 "The Crucible" (Retro*Trek! Star Trek Fan RP Site) in Second Life
c/n 10MK51412.
NATO codename ‘Flanker-C’.
Interestingly, this current Russian Air Force fighter does not carry the usual ‘RF-.....’ serial.
On static display at the Aviation cluster of the ARMY 2017 event.
Kubinka Airbase, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
23rd August 2017
c/n T.10-1
NATO codename:- Flanker-A
The T-10 was the original prototype for what became the Su-27. While the layout is the same it is otherwise a completely different airframe. This is the first prototype which made its initial flight on 20th May 1977.
On display at the Central Air Force museum, Monino, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
27th August 2017
D-day, 70 years ago. The Normandy landings, codenamed Operation Neptune, were the landing operations on 6 June 1944 (termed D-Day) of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. The largest seaborne invasion in history, the operation began the Allied invasion of German-occupied western Europe, led to the restoration of the French Republic, and contributed to an Allied victory in the war.
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.
Since the exchange would take place in an area within the Russian sphere of influence, no ISR or air asset would be available. The plan was to insert reconnaissance teams before the exchange to perform advanced force operations (AFO) and to provide overwatch during the exchange. An assault team would then enter the area of operations (AO) by high altitude high opening (HAHO) insertion and setup an ambush at the exchange.
A ground extraction team will infiltrate the AO by vehicles (including HMMWVs and Grizzly LAVs) under the guise of a routine patrol to extract the assault team once the radioactive material and the HVI have been secured.
The remaining of the task force would be the quick reaction force (QRF) loaded in helicopters waiting at a forward operating base (FOB) and called upon if needed.
3 AFO teams (callsigns Sparrowhawk 2,3 &12) in UTVs were inserted into the AO by Chinook helicopters and setup observation posts (OPs) to conduct reconnaissance and to provide overwatch.
To be continued...
Note: The story, all names, characters, and incidents are fictitious.
The P-72A gunship, codenamed “Skyhammer” was developed by Arcadia Aeronautics for the Kovlakian Airborn Artillery. It was devised as a counter measure to the threat of the new armoured Zeppelins, and proved extremely effective against them. It also saw extensive use in the Battle of Syrrah where squadrons flew low in night attacks to destroy the city’s heavily fortified walls. The plane here is painted in night camo colours and is piloted by Lt Colonel Dirk Salvo. It is armed with two 20mm front–firing machine guns and a 400mm artillery cannon which carries a maximum of six shells.
An asset belonging to an intelligence officer from Victoria (codename Grayhawk) indicated that he was aware of the location of a Russian nuclear scientist (codename Pale Horse). The asset revealed that a Russian was seen being held captive in a market near Jannatabad, an insurgency stronghold.
Grayhawk hand-picked six men from the combined task force, to conduct a covert “snatch” mission. The team changed in local apparels and drove into the market in two vehicles. The 6-man team scattered around the market to conduct covert reconnaissance and located a building guarded by insurgents. The team positioned themselves opposite of the target building and setup an observation post. After several hours of surveillance, the team positively identified Pale Horse in the building.
To be continued…
Note: The story, all names, characters, and incidents are fictitious.
c/n 3532431622374.
NATO codename:- Hind-F
Previously coded ’09 white’.
The ‘P’ was a gunship version with the nose mounted 12.7mm machine gun replaced with a side mounted 30mm cannon.
In a poor state, the aircraft is stored in a far corner of the site at Monino, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
27th August 2017
c/n 0390325365.
NATO codename:- Flogger-G
Stored in a far corner of the site at Monino, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
27th August 2017
c/n 52350034117804, l/n 76-03.
Built 1984.
NATO codename:- Helix-B
The Ka-29 was an assault helicopter with accommodation for 2 pilots and sixteen troops.
This example was previously coded ’62 red’. It was refurbished at Kubinka (121ARZ) in early 2016 and is now on permanent display in the main exhibition area of the Park Patriot site, Kubinka, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
25th August 2017