Equipment Type: anti-aircraft robot, series 05

Government: U.N. Spacy

Manufacturer: Viggers/Chrauler

Introduction: August 2012

Unofficial codename: Whistler, Lawn Mower

Accommodation: 1 pilot and 1 radar operator

Dimensions: height 10.7 meters (hull only), 12.4 meters (incl. extended surveillance antenna); length 5,6 meters; width 6,8 meters

Mass: 29.8 metric tons

Power Plant: Kranss-Maffai MT830 thermonuclear reactor developing 2750 shp; auxillary fuel generator AOS-895-3 rated at 810 kW.

Propulsion: many x low-thrust vernier thrusters beneath multipurpose hook/handles.

Design Features: 'Nimrod' Mk. III tracking radar with dish antenna, MPDR 'Argus' range setting and surveillance radar, starlight scope; fully enclosed cockpit.

Armament: 4 x 37 mm air-cooled 6-barrel gatling guns, Type Bofors KDF-11B (firing at 2.000 or 4.000 RPM, standard 1.550 rounds each).

Optional Equipment: 2 x large capacity ammunition drums.

Production of the Manticore already stopped in 2014, though. Being very specialized and limited, and only a supportive unit, the ADR-04-Mk. XI never saw much action in the open field, just as an addendum to the more versatile ADR-04-Mk.X. Like its long range counterpart, the few Manticores were mainly used as point defense unit for selected, vital potential enemy targets. They fulfilled their intended role well, esp. against missiles and Fighter Pods, but had only limited success against Zentraedi Tactical Pods: even a simple Regult was hard to crack. Hence, the Manticores remained in the background. Since the Manticore Destroids proved to be very vulnerable to close range attacks, more than 30 were lost in open field battles before they were retired into pomit defense roles and consequently already taken out of active service in 2021.

The kit and its assembly:

Did you like the story? This mecha was inspired (or better triggered) by a post about an anti aircraft robot project in a German SF forum. I remembered that I once had the plan to convert a Defender into a lighter aerial defense robot with Gatling gun armament. I had a kit for that purpose stashed away years ago, but never the drive to do the conversion job.

But as I thought about the project, I had another weird idea: I also had a leftover "chassis" from a Tomahawk (legs and lower torso), as well as two sets of impressive double Gatling hand guns from Gundam kits (two 1:144 "Serpent Customs", from Endless Waltz, actually part donation kits for other projects). This basis, combined with a new torso and some radar equipment... Looking for a torso option (and a dramatic radar equipment in the correct size), I came across a 1:72 kit of the Russian S6R "Tunguska" anti-aircraft tank, a limited edition kit from Military Wheels, a Polish company, and the rest is glue, putty and free drifting of ideas.

Putting the things together went pretty straightforward. The legs were already complete, but hidden under lots of old paint (I counted four layers...). These old parts consequently needed some cosmetic surgery. The material was already quite brittle, so I did not dare a brake fluid bath and tried my best with sand paper. Results are so so, so that many details were later added with small polystyrene strips. But at least, the spare parts found new and good use!

The Gatling gun stub arms were 100% taken from the Gundam kits, just minor things added. With internal vinyl caps they'd fit onto the original breast part and allow free rotation as well as side movement of about 20° to the left and right - good for a "natural" pose.

Most attention went into the crew compartment and upper torso, which was placed on top of one Serpent Custom's shoulder pieces. It consists mainly of the Tunguska's box-shaped central turret section, with added pieces on the hull's sides/shoulders which are supposed to be ammunition storage containers for a quick change. These parts, which blend very well into the overall design, are actually shortened halves of a camera pod from a 1:72 scale F-14 kit from Italeri!

The radar equipment was taken from the Tunguska tank, too, only the rear antenna had to be modified because the original parts were so crude that I did not want to use them. Finally, flexible hydraulic hoses and ammunition belts were added between mecha hull and arms, as well as small details like the hydraulic telescopes at the hips, searchlights, vents, handles, etc.

The result looks very compact, functional and plausible. I wanted to stay true to the Destroids' design as grungy tank-like vehicles with massive firepower and a menacing look, and that's what I think I achieved pretty well.

Painting and markings:

For the mecha's livery, I also wanted to stay true to the Destroid look: only a single overall ground color (brown or green, even though I have seen dark blue Phalanx') and some white 'decoration stripes'. Additionally, some 'nose art' was to be added, because it is a frequent sight on these mecha.

To set it apart from the Defender in my collection (olive drab), I went for a brown tone. After long search, the Manticore's basic paint became 'Israel Armor Sand/Grey' (Testors 2138), a murky, almost undefineable tone. Some details were painted in a dark brown (Burnt Umber, Testors 2005), the stripes were painted by hand in flat white.

Then, standard weathering was done with a black ink wash and dry painting with lighter tones like Humbrol 83 (Ochre), 140 (Gull Gray), 84 (Mid Stone) and 121 (Pale Stone). Decals came from the scrap box and are only few, the 'nose art' piece is a donation of a friend of mine (many thanks, André!) and actually belongs to a Czech MiG-21(!). Finally, everything was sealed under matte varnish.

All in all, this build-up was rather simple, since I had most components at hand and the paint job did not require much effort. But I like the simple look, and this fictional Manticore Destroids blends well into the line of the official Macross mecha. And finally, the leftover Tomahawk chassis has found a good use after waiting for resurrection for more than 15 years.

This is the original prototype NAS (North American Specification) Range Rover, codenamed ‘Eagle’.

It was built in 1986 using the ‘facelift’ body and trim from that period. This is the only known prototype and did most of the engineering testing. It had many advanced features for its time, including amber side lamps, strengthened front and rear chassis, square tow ball socket, higher trim specification, US emissions control with charcoal canister, multi-vent fuel tank, county badge on dashboard, US VIN plate and ‘bing-bongs’!

This vehicle was the beginning of Land Rover’s re-launch in the USA.

Although a little scruffy it is completely original and works perfectly.

The Dunsfold Collection

Alfold - Surrey

England - United Kingdom

June 2015

Equipment Type: anti-aircraft robot, series 05

Government: U.N. Spacy

Manufacturer: Viggers/Chrauler

Introduction: August 2012

Unofficial codename: Whistler, Lawn Mower

Accommodation: 1 pilot and 1 radar operator

Dimensions: height 10.7 meters (hull only), 12.4 meters (incl. extended surveillance antenna); length 5,6 meters; width 6,8 meters

Mass: 29.8 metric tons

Power Plant: Kranss-Maffai MT830 thermonuclear reactor developing 2750 shp; auxillary fuel generator AOS-895-3 rated at 810 kW.

Propulsion: many x low-thrust vernier thrusters beneath multipurpose hook/handles.

Design Features: 'Nimrod' Mk. III tracking radar with dish antenna, MPDR 'Argus' range setting and surveillance radar, starlight scope; fully enclosed cockpit.

Armament: 4 x 37 mm air-cooled 6-barrel gatling guns, Type Bofors KDF-11B (firing at 2.000 or 4.000 RPM, standard 1.550 rounds each).

Optional Equipment: 2 x large capacity ammunition drums.

Production of the Manticore already stopped in 2014, though. Being very specialized and limited, and only a supportive unit, the ADR-04-Mk. XI never saw much action in the open field, just as an addendum to the more versatile ADR-04-Mk.X. Like its long range counterpart, the few Manticores were mainly used as point defense unit for selected, vital potential enemy targets. They fulfilled their intended role well, esp. against missiles and Fighter Pods, but had only limited success against Zentraedi Tactical Pods: even a simple Regult was hard to crack. Hence, the Manticores remained in the background. Since the Manticore Destroids proved to be very vulnerable to close range attacks, more than 30 were lost in open field battles before they were retired into pomit defense roles and consequently already taken out of active service in 2021.

The kit and its assembly:

Did you like the story? This mecha was inspired (or better triggered) by a post about an anti aircraft robot project in a German SF forum. I remembered that I once had the plan to convert a Defender into a lighter aerial defense robot with Gatling gun armament. I had a kit for that purpose stashed away years ago, but never the drive to do the conversion job.

But as I thought about the project, I had another weird idea: I also had a leftover "chassis" from a Tomahawk (legs and lower torso), as well as two sets of impressive double Gatling hand guns from Gundam kits (two 1:144 "Serpent Customs", from Endless Waltz, actually part donation kits for other projects). This basis, combined with a new torso and some radar equipment... Looking for a torso option (and a dramatic radar equipment in the correct size), I came across a 1:72 kit of the Russian S6R "Tunguska" anti-aircraft tank, a limited edition kit from Military Wheels, a Polish company, and the rest is glue, putty and free drifting of ideas.

Putting the things together went pretty straightforward. The legs were already complete, but hidden under lots of old paint (I counted four layers...). These old parts consequently needed some cosmetic surgery. The material was already quite brittle, so I did not dare a brake fluid bath and tried my best with sand paper. Results are so so, so that many details were later added with small polystyrene strips. But at least, the spare parts found new and good use!

The Gatling gun stub arms were 100% taken from the Gundam kits, just minor things added. With internal vinyl caps they'd fit onto the original breast part and allow free rotation as well as side movement of about 20° to the left and right - good for a "natural" pose.

Most attention went into the crew compartment and upper torso, which was placed on top of one Serpent Custom's shoulder pieces. It consists mainly of the Tunguska's box-shaped central turret section, with added pieces on the hull's sides/shoulders which are supposed to be ammunition storage containers for a quick change. These parts, which blend very well into the overall design, are actually shortened halves of a camera pod from a 1:72 scale F-14 kit from Italeri!

The radar equipment was taken from the Tunguska tank, too, only the rear antenna had to be modified because the original parts were so crude that I did not want to use them. Finally, flexible hydraulic hoses and ammunition belts were added between mecha hull and arms, as well as small details like the hydraulic telescopes at the hips, searchlights, vents, handles, etc.

The result looks very compact, functional and plausible. I wanted to stay true to the Destroids' design as grungy tank-like vehicles with massive firepower and a menacing look, and that's what I think I achieved pretty well.

Painting and markings:

For the mecha's livery, I also wanted to stay true to the Destroid look: only a single overall ground color (brown or green, even though I have seen dark blue Phalanx') and some white 'decoration stripes'. Additionally, some 'nose art' was to be added, because it is a frequent sight on these mecha.

To set it apart from the Defender in my collection (olive drab), I went for a brown tone. After long search, the Manticore's basic paint became 'Israel Armor Sand/Grey' (Testors 2138), a murky, almost undefineable tone. Some details were painted in a dark brown (Burnt Umber, Testors 2005), the stripes were painted by hand in flat white.

Then, standard weathering was done with a black ink wash and dry painting with lighter tones like Humbrol 83 (Ochre), 140 (Gull Gray), 84 (Mid Stone) and 121 (Pale Stone). Decals came from the scrap box and are only few, the 'nose art' piece is a donation of a friend of mine (many thanks, André!) and actually belongs to a Czech MiG-21(!). Finally, everything was sealed under matte varnish.

All in all, this build-up was rather simple, since I had most components at hand and the paint job did not require much effort. But I like the simple look, and this fictional Manticore Destroids blends well into the line of the official Macross mecha. And finally, the leftover Tomahawk chassis has found a good use after waiting for resurrection for more than 15 years.

Little Boy was the codename for the type of atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 by the Boeing B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay, piloted by Colonel Paul W. Tibbets, Jr., commander of the 509th Composite Group of the United States Army Air Forces. It was the first atomic bomb to be used as a weapon. The Hiroshima bombing was the second artificial nuclear explosion in history, after the Trinity test, and the first uranium-based detonation. Approximately 600 to 860 milligrams (9.3 to 13.3 grains) of matter in the bomb was converted into the energy of heat and radiation. It exploded with an energy of 16 kilotons of TNT (67 TJ).

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 uranium-235. This was accomplished by shooting a hollow cylinder of uranium over another hollow enriched uranium cylinder by means of a charge of nitrocellulose propellant powder. It contained 64 kg (141 lb) of enriched uranium, of which less than a kilogram underwent nuclear fission. Its components were fabricated at three different plants so that no one would have a copy of the complete design.

Omaha Beach - Fox Red sector, 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.

On the photo

Standing on the beach of Fox Red sector near the Easy-3 Exit looking towards the east. Note the cliffs used as shelter against the German fire by the first waves of infantry .

Tonemapped using three (Handheld) shots made with a Nikon D70 and a Tokina 12-24 mm f/4.0, augustus 2012.

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.

Click here for a (large) panorama shot taken from the exact position of the German MG42 which was responsible for many casualties on Easy Red and Fox Green

Omaha Beach, Fox Red sector, 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 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)

Shot with a Nikon D7000 and Tokina AT-X Pro SD 12-24mm F4 lens, august 2012. Tonemapped using three differently exposed (handheld) shots.

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 545005106.

NATO codename:- Hoplite

Previously marked as ’51 red’.

On display at the Central Armed Forces Museum,

Moscow, Russia.

26th August 2017

The GT Hawk's styling was a fairly radical facelift by designer Brooks Stevens of the older Hawk shape; Stevens went after a European-inspired, clean look for the car he codenamed the "Hawk Monaco" (his prototype even had Monegasque license plates!). The hood from the older Hawk was retained, but was given a more pronounced (imitation) radiator frame to more closely resemble the cars of Mercedes-Benz, which at the time were distributed by Studebaker. The grille inside the radiator frame was patterned after the Mercedes as well.

Despite the European influence, the Gran Turismo Hawk drew on American influences, too; the roofline was heavily inspired by the Ford Thunderbird, with thick C-pillars. A chrome edge running from front to rear highlighted the top of the bodywork in very similar fashion to that on the contemporary Lincoln Continental. The taillights were particularly fashioned after the Lincoln's, and the trunk lid was given a faux brightwork "grille" overlay (to hide the grooves of the otherwise carryover 1956-61 lid) that resembled the Lincoln as well.

Stevens's extensive yet inexpensive modifications to the body finally rid the car of the 1950s-style tailfins and bodyside trim of previous models. The rear window was nearly flat and recessed, reducing the cost of an ordinarily expensive piece of glass. Overall, the exterior look kept the smooth, aerodynamic style of previous Studebakers but moved up to date. (Wikipedia)

www.brooksstevenshistory.com/home.html

The Kargil War of 1999, codenamed Operation Vijay by the Indian Army, saw infiltration by Pakistani troops into parts of Western Ladakh, namely Dras, Kargil and Batalik sectors, overlooking key locations on the Srinagar-Leh highway. Extensive operations were launched in high altitudes by the Indian Army on May 20, 1999. Pakistani troops were evicted from the Indian side of the Line of Control which the Indian government ordered was to be respected and which was not crossed by Indian troops.

The recapture of Tololing was one of the most crucial tasks undertaken by the Indian Army during 'Operation Vijay'. Due to its height of over 15,000 ft and its proximity to NH 1D, Tololing is considered one of the most important features of the Kargil-Dras sector. From this height, the intruders, entrenched at safe heights, could observe movement on the Indian side and also disrupt traffic on NH 1D, thereby dominating the entire area. The Indian soldiers were at a disadvantage who had no cover from the onslaught of intruder's bullets and artillery. The initial task of recapturing the height was handed over to 18 Grenadiers who commenced operations on the 21st May 1999. On the night of the final assault (12th June 1999), 2 RAJ RIF was brought in to take advantage of the inroads made by the Grenadiers. They launched a multi directional attack on the Tololing height. After fierce hand to hand encounters, on the early morning of 13th June 1999, Indian soldiers recaptured Tololing.

With initial disaster of one MiG-27 and a MiG-21 on May 26, Mi-17 gunship helicopter units of the Indian Air Force (152 HU - The Mighty Armour and 129 HU - The Nubra Warriors) successfully assaulted the Pakistani intruders on mountainous heights at Tiger Hill complex and Tololing Ridge on subsequent days (26th, 27th and 28th May). On May 28, when Nubra-3, one of the four gunships of Nubra Warriors, was shot down, Indian Air Force withdrew gunships and stopped all air operations. Without air support and as the intruders safely lodged in crevices and bunkers, it was a difficult battle to win.

In contemporary terms this was an expensive war. The Indian forces suffered numerable losses through militarily suicidal missions which left, officially, 413 Indian soldiers killed and 584 injured. Between the Pakistani Army and Mujaheddin 696 fell though there was no official record. The Indian government was criticized by the Indian public because India respected geographical co-ordinates more than India's opponents by not crossing the actual Line of Control. In introspection, intelligence failure and the impatience at the decision-making level in the government occasioned by the political need to conclude operations quickly, led to the army losing many of its men in near-impossible missions. Read: Kargil Post Mortem

Rockets Away - IAF Mi17 Attack on Tololing Hill (youtube video)

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.">

www.afarmamentmuseum.com/

Nuclear Bomb

"Fat Man" was the codename for the nuclear bomb that was detonated over the Japanese city of Nagasaki by the United States on 9 August 1945. It was the second of the only two nuclear weapons ever used in warfare, the first being Little Boy, and its detonation marked the third nuclear explosion in history. It was built by scientists and engineers at Los Alamos Laboratory using plutonium from the Hanford Site, and it was dropped from the Boeing B-29 Superfortress Bockscar piloted by Major Charles Sweeney. The name Fat Man refers to the early design of the bomb because it had a wide, round shape; it was also known as the Mark III. Fat Man was an implosion-type nuclear weapon with a solid plutonium core. The first of that type to be detonated was the Gadget in the Trinity nuclear test less than a month earlier on 16 July at the Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range in New Mexico. Two more were detonated during the Operation Crossroads nuclear tests at Bikini Atoll in 1946, and some 120 were produced between 1947 and 1949, when it was superseded by the Mark 4 nuclear bomb. The Fat Man was retired in 1950. Robert Oppenheimer held conferences in Chicago in June 1942, prior to the Army taking over wartime atomic research, and in Berkeley, California, in July, at which various engineers and physicists discussed nuclear bomb design issues. They chose a gun-type design in which two sub-critical masses would be brought together by firing a "bullet" into a "target". Richard C. Tolman suggested an implosion-type nuclear weapon, but the idea attracted scant consideration. The feasibility of a plutonium bomb was questioned in 1942. Wallace Akers, the director of the British "Tube Alloys" project, told James Bryant Conant on 14 November that James Chadwick had "concluded that plutonium might not be a practical fissionable material for weapons because of impurities." Conant consulted Ernest Lawrence and Arthur Compton, who acknowledged that their scientists at Berkeley and Chicago respectively knew about the problem, but they could offer no ready solution. Conant informed Manhattan Project director Brigadier General Leslie R. Groves Jr., who in turn assembled a special committee consisting of Lawrence, Compton, Oppenheimer, and McMillan to examine the issue. The committee concluded that any problems could be overcome simply by requiring higher purity. Oppenheimer reviewed his options in early 1943 and gave priority to the gun-type weapon, but he created the E-5 Group at the Los Alamos Laboratory under Seth Neddermeyer to investigate implosion as a hedge against the threat of pre-detonation. Implosion-type bombs were determined to be significantly more efficient in terms of explosive yield per unit mass of fissile material in the bomb, because compressed fissile materials react more rapidly and therefore more completely. Nonetheless, it was decided that the plutonium gun would receive the bulk of the research effort, since it was the project with the least amount of uncertainty involved. It was assumed that the uranium gun-type bomb could be easily adapted from it.

Specifications

Type Nuclear weapon

Designer Los Alamos Laboratory

Produced 1945–1949

Weight 10,300 pounds (4,670 kg)

Filling Plutonium

Length 128 inches (3.3 m)

Blast yield 21 kt (88 TJ; 1 g mass equivalent)

No. built 120

Equipment Type: anti-aircraft robot, series 05

Government: U.N. Spacy

Manufacturer: Viggers/Chrauler

Introduction: August 2012

Unofficial codename: Whistler, Lawn Mower

Accommodation: 1 pilot and 1 radar operator

Dimensions: height 10.7 meters (hull only), 12.4 meters (incl. extended surveillance antenna); length 5,6 meters; width 6,8 meters

Mass: 29.8 metric tons

Power Plant: Kranss-Maffai MT830 thermonuclear reactor developing 2750 shp; auxillary fuel generator AOS-895-3 rated at 810 kW.

Propulsion: many x low-thrust vernier thrusters beneath multipurpose hook/handles.

Design Features: 'Nimrod' Mk. III tracking radar with dish antenna, MPDR 'Argus' range setting and surveillance radar, starlight scope; fully enclosed cockpit.

Armament: 4 x 37 mm air-cooled 6-barrel gatling guns, Type Bofors KDF-11B (firing at 2.000 or 4.000 RPM, standard 1.550 rounds each).

Optional Equipment: 2 x large capacity ammunition drums.

Production of the Manticore already stopped in 2014, though. Being very specialized and limited, and only a supportive unit, the ADR-04-Mk. XI never saw much action in the open field, just as an addendum to the more versatile ADR-04-Mk.X. Like its long range counterpart, the few Manticores were mainly used as point defense unit for selected, vital potential enemy targets. They fulfilled their intended role well, esp. against missiles and Fighter Pods, but had only limited success against Zentraedi Tactical Pods: even a simple Regult was hard to crack. Hence, the Manticores remained in the background. Since the Manticore Destroids proved to be very vulnerable to close range attacks, more than 30 were lost in open field battles before they were retired into pomit defense roles and consequently already taken out of active service in 2021.

The kit and its assembly:

Did you like the story? This mecha was inspired (or better triggered) by a post about an anti aircraft robot project in a German SF forum. I remembered that I once had the plan to convert a Defender into a lighter aerial defense robot with Gatling gun armament. I had a kit for that purpose stashed away years ago, but never the drive to do the conversion job.

But as I thought about the project, I had another weird idea: I also had a leftover "chassis" from a Tomahawk (legs and lower torso), as well as two sets of impressive double Gatling hand guns from Gundam kits (two 1:144 "Serpent Customs", from Endless Waltz, actually part donation kits for other projects). This basis, combined with a new torso and some radar equipment... Looking for a torso option (and a dramatic radar equipment in the correct size), I came across a 1:72 kit of the Russian S6R "Tunguska" anti-aircraft tank, a limited edition kit from Military Wheels, a Polish company, and the rest is glue, putty and free drifting of ideas.

Putting the things together went pretty straightforward. The legs were already complete, but hidden under lots of old paint (I counted four layers...). These old parts consequently needed some cosmetic surgery. The material was already quite brittle, so I did not dare a brake fluid bath and tried my best with sand paper. Results are so so, so that many details were later added with small polystyrene strips. But at least, the spare parts found new and good use!

The Gatling gun stub arms were 100% taken from the Gundam kits, just minor things added. With internal vinyl caps they'd fit onto the original breast part and allow free rotation as well as side movement of about 20° to the left and right - good for a "natural" pose.

Most attention went into the crew compartment and upper torso, which was placed on top of one Serpent Custom's shoulder pieces. It consists mainly of the Tunguska's box-shaped central turret section, with added pieces on the hull's sides/shoulders which are supposed to be ammunition storage containers for a quick change. These parts, which blend very well into the overall design, are actually shortened halves of a camera pod from a 1:72 scale F-14 kit from Italeri!

The radar equipment was taken from the Tunguska tank, too, only the rear antenna had to be modified because the original parts were so crude that I did not want to use them. Finally, flexible hydraulic hoses and ammunition belts were added between mecha hull and arms, as well as small details like the hydraulic telescopes at the hips, searchlights, vents, handles, etc.

The result looks very compact, functional and plausible. I wanted to stay true to the Destroids' design as grungy tank-like vehicles with massive firepower and a menacing look, and that's what I think I achieved pretty well.

Painting and markings:

For the mecha's livery, I also wanted to stay true to the Destroid look: only a single overall ground color (brown or green, even though I have seen dark blue Phalanx') and some white 'decoration stripes'. Additionally, some 'nose art' was to be added, because it is a frequent sight on these mecha.

To set it apart from the Defender in my collection (olive drab), I went for a brown tone. After long search, the Manticore's basic paint became 'Israel Armor Sand/Grey' (Testors 2138), a murky, almost undefineable tone. Some details were painted in a dark brown (Burnt Umber, Testors 2005), the stripes were painted by hand in flat white.

Then, standard weathering was done with a black ink wash and dry painting with lighter tones like Humbrol 83 (Ochre), 140 (Gull Gray), 84 (Mid Stone) and 121 (Pale Stone). Decals came from the scrap box and are only few, the 'nose art' piece is a donation of a friend of mine (many thanks, André!) and actually belongs to a Czech MiG-21(!). Finally, everything was sealed under matte varnish.

All in all, this build-up was rather simple, since I had most components at hand and the paint job did not require much effort. But I like the simple look, and this fictional Manticore Destroids blends well into the line of the official Macross mecha. And finally, the leftover Tomahawk chassis has found a good use after waiting for resurrection for more than 15 years.

The comic pack Snake Eyes.

Equipment Type: anti-aircraft robot, series 05

Government: U.N. Spacy

Manufacturer: Viggers/Chrauler

Introduction: August 2012

Unofficial codename: Whistler, Lawn Mower

Accommodation: 1 pilot and 1 radar operator

Dimensions: height 10.7 meters (hull only), 12.4 meters (incl. extended surveillance antenna); length 5,6 meters; width 6,8 meters

Mass: 29.8 metric tons

Power Plant: Kranss-Maffai MT830 thermonuclear reactor developing 2750 shp; auxillary fuel generator AOS-895-3 rated at 810 kW.

Propulsion: many x low-thrust vernier thrusters beneath multipurpose hook/handles.

Design Features: 'Nimrod' Mk. III tracking radar with dish antenna, MPDR 'Argus' range setting and surveillance radar, starlight scope; fully enclosed cockpit.

Armament: 4 x 37 mm air-cooled 6-barrel gatling guns, Type Bofors KDF-11B (firing at 2.000 or 4.000 RPM, standard 1.550 rounds each).

Optional Equipment: 2 x large capacity ammunition drums.

Production of the Manticore already stopped in 2014, though. Being very specialized and limited, and only a supportive unit, the ADR-04-Mk. XI never saw much action in the open field, just as an addendum to the more versatile ADR-04-Mk.X. Like its long range counterpart, the few Manticores were mainly used as point defense unit for selected, vital potential enemy targets. They fulfilled their intended role well, esp. against missiles and Fighter Pods, but had only limited success against Zentraedi Tactical Pods: even a simple Regult was hard to crack. Hence, the Manticores remained in the background. Since the Manticore Destroids proved to be very vulnerable to close range attacks, more than 30 were lost in open field battles before they were retired into pomit defense roles and consequently already taken out of active service in 2021.

The kit and its assembly:

Did you like the story? This mecha was inspired (or better triggered) by a post about an anti aircraft robot project in a German SF forum. I remembered that I once had the plan to convert a Defender into a lighter aerial defense robot with Gatling gun armament. I had a kit for that purpose stashed away years ago, but never the drive to do the conversion job.

But as I thought about the project, I had another weird idea: I also had a leftover "chassis" from a Tomahawk (legs and lower torso), as well as two sets of impressive double Gatling hand guns from Gundam kits (two 1:144 "Serpent Customs", from Endless Waltz, actually part donation kits for other projects). This basis, combined with a new torso and some radar equipment... Looking for a torso option (and a dramatic radar equipment in the correct size), I came across a 1:72 kit of the Russian S6R "Tunguska" anti-aircraft tank, a limited edition kit from Military Wheels, a Polish company, and the rest is glue, putty and free drifting of ideas.

Putting the things together went pretty straightforward. The legs were already complete, but hidden under lots of old paint (I counted four layers...). These old parts consequently needed some cosmetic surgery. The material was already quite brittle, so I did not dare a brake fluid bath and tried my best with sand paper. Results are so so, so that many details were later added with small polystyrene strips. But at least, the spare parts found new and good use!

The Gatling gun stub arms were 100% taken from the Gundam kits, just minor things added. With internal vinyl caps they'd fit onto the original breast part and allow free rotation as well as side movement of about 20° to the left and right - good for a "natural" pose.

Most attention went into the crew compartment and upper torso, which was placed on top of one Serpent Custom's shoulder pieces. It consists mainly of the Tunguska's box-shaped central turret section, with added pieces on the hull's sides/shoulders which are supposed to be ammunition storage containers for a quick change. These parts, which blend very well into the overall design, are actually shortened halves of a camera pod from a 1:72 scale F-14 kit from Italeri!

The radar equipment was taken from the Tunguska tank, too, only the rear antenna had to be modified because the original parts were so crude that I did not want to use them. Finally, flexible hydraulic hoses and ammunition belts were added between mecha hull and arms, as well as small details like the hydraulic telescopes at the hips, searchlights, vents, handles, etc.

The result looks very compact, functional and plausible. I wanted to stay true to the Destroids' design as grungy tank-like vehicles with massive firepower and a menacing look, and that's what I think I achieved pretty well.

Painting and markings:

For the mecha's livery, I also wanted to stay true to the Destroid look: only a single overall ground color (brown or green, even though I have seen dark blue Phalanx') and some white 'decoration stripes'. Additionally, some 'nose art' was to be added, because it is a frequent sight on these mecha.

To set it apart from the Defender in my collection (olive drab), I went for a brown tone. After long search, the Manticore's basic paint became 'Israel Armor Sand/Grey' (Testors 2138), a murky, almost undefineable tone. Some details were painted in a dark brown (Burnt Umber, Testors 2005), the stripes were painted by hand in flat white.

Then, standard weathering was done with a black ink wash and dry painting with lighter tones like Humbrol 83 (Ochre), 140 (Gull Gray), 84 (Mid Stone) and 121 (Pale Stone). Decals came from the scrap box and are only few, the 'nose art' piece is a donation of a friend of mine (many thanks, André!) and actually belongs to a Czech MiG-21(!). Finally, everything was sealed under matte varnish.

All in all, this build-up was rather simple, since I had most components at hand and the paint job did not require much effort. But I like the simple look, and this fictional Manticore Destroids blends well into the line of the official Macross mecha. And finally, the leftover Tomahawk chassis has found a good use after waiting for resurrection for more than 15 years.

Die Mikojan-Gurewitsch MiG-21 (NATO-Codename: „Fishbed“) ist ein in der Sowjetunion entwickelter einstrahliger Abfangjäger. 1959 in Dienst gestellt, wurde die MiG-21 in den Luftstreitkräften von mehr als 50 Staaten eingeführt und in vielen Varianten in Lizenz gefertigt. In der Volksrepublik China werden bis heute MiG-21-Varianten unter der Bezeichnung J-7 produziert. Insgesamt gab es rund 15 verschiedene Versionen der MiG-21. Die MiG-21 ist mit rund 11.000 Exemplaren eines der seit dem Zweiten Weltkrieg meistgebauten Kampfflugzeuge der Welt.

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (NATO reporting name: Fishbed) is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek (English: pencil) by Polish pilots due to the shape of its fuselage. Early versions are considered second-generation jet fighters, while later versions are considered to be third-generation jet fighters. Some 50 countries over four continents have flown the MiG-21, and it still serves many nations a half-century after its maiden flight. The fighter made aviation records. At least by name, it is the most-produced supersonic jet aircraft in aviation history and the most-produced combat aircraft since the Korean War, and it had the longest production run of a combat aircraft (1959 to 1985 over all variants).

Omaha Beach - approaching Easy 3 exit - Fox Green sector, Colleville-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 and Fox Green 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.

Robert Capa and the battle for Easy Red

Amongst the second wave of infantry (app. 07.00) at Easy Red was the famous war photographer Robert Capa. He came ashore with the men of Easy Company, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. They left their LCVP and waded ashore towards Widerstandsnest 62.

Judging from the photo's Capa made with his Zeiss Ikon Contax II they disembarked on the edge of Easy Red and Fox Green sectors, directly opposite WN62. Capa is the last man to leave the "Higgins Boat" which probably carries the support team of the Company. His first photos were shot from the ramp of the Higgins boat as the men in front of him wade towards the beach. In the next hour or so Capa shoots several more shots before he manages to embark on an LCI which takes wounded men towards the bigger ships.

Example; See: www.flickr.com/photos/herbnl/7002443857/in/photostream (one of the first shots; note the men of Easy Company wading towards the DD tanks which arrived minutes before the infantry to support them. Most of them were either sunk before reaching the beach or consequently destroyed by the German AT fire.

On the Photo:

View from the sea towards the beach and easy-3 exit aka the Colleville draw. Strongpoints WN62 and WN63 were located on the bluffs on the western and eastern shoulder of the Colleville draw. Note the Colleville church which is clearly visible and was the scene of intense fighting in the afternoon of d-day.

I made the shot during high tide (on D-day this would have been around 11 AM) .

Note: famous war photographer Robert Capa landed here with the first waves of troops on 06.35 and made his famous photo's here: check: "The Magnificent Eleven: The D-Day Photographs of Robert Capa" . The high ground visible on the last four of Capa's frames can be seen here directly in front.

Nikon D7000 DSLR with a Tamron 28-75mm, Augustus 2012. Photo was tonemapped using two differently exposed handheld shots

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.

Police have launched a 48 hour crackdown on offenders wanted for incidents of domestic abuse.

Hundreds of officers will take to the streets ahead of Valentine’s weekend to look for wanted offenders.

The operation – codenamed Olympus – will see local officers working alongside Force resources such as tactical aid unit and ANPR Intercept officers to locate culprits.

Superintendent Craig Thompson said: “Our priority is to protect victims and we will be out in force over the next two days to ensure offenders are brought in and locked up before they cause any further misery.

“We will leave no stone unturned and do all we can to locate those trying to evade capture. Anybody with information on somebody who may be wanted should do the right thing and contact police before they cause more harm.”

Detective Chief Inspector Nicky Porter said: “Valentine’s Day should be a celebration of love and romance but unfortunately for many it will serve as a reminder that their relationship is far from happy and is instead masked by fear, control and violence.

“Domestic abuse comes in many guises and can be emotional as well as physical. In December we welcomed a change in legislation which means for the first time perpetrators who control their partners through threats or by restricting their personal or financial freedom could face prison in the same way as those who are violent towards them.

“Taking these abusers off our streets is a huge part of what we do but we also want to stop this type of crime happening in the first place. I urge people to take a step back and consider the relationship they are in – if their partner is controlling, threatening or violent, it’s time to ask for help. Whether it be a relative, friend, charity or the police, we are here to support people to live safely and without fear.”

Victims of domestic abuse are urged not to suffer in silence - call the Women’s Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0161 636 7525 or report incidents to Greater Manchester Police on 101 or 999 in an emergency. Visit gmp.police.uk or endthefear.co.uk for information on how to stop the abuse.

Anybody with information on somebody who is wanted by police should call 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Follow #OpOlympus on Twitter for live updates from the operation.

Draggone elite fighter codename "Komodo Dragon". Micro scale fighter of the main enemy in the GAIA universe.

c/n unknown

NATO codename:- Beast.

The Il-10 was designed as a replacement for the famous Il-2 Sturmovik. While it resembled the earlier type in basic layout, it was an entirely new aircraft. The original production run was from 1944 to 1949, with Avia building 1,200 of the type in Czechoslovakia as the B-33 between 1951 and 1956. In 1951, experience in the Korean War showed a further use for lower speed ground attack aircraft and a new version, the Il-10M went into production with 146 being built from 1953 to 1954. The ‘M’ variant was larger overall, had four cannons in the wings and was almost capable of all-weather operation thanks to newer navigation equipment.

This Il-10M was previously on display outside in all weathers, but is now safely in Hangar 6A (the first new hangar near the entrance) at the Central Air Force museum, Monino, Moscow Oblast, Russia.

27th August 2017

codename: POINTER

nickel-plated steel and stone

22"H x 13"W x 16"D

2019

c/n 7001407.

NATO codename:- Hoodlum-A

This is a purely civil machine which has been painted in Soviet Navy markings, using a Bort code created by painting out part of the original civil registration.

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

This model was specifically built for the Arawasi Wild Eagles blog's "Hayabusa Model Contest" in April/May 2017 (arawasi-wildeagles.blogspot.de/2017/03/japanese-aircraft-...) - and it is the guesstimate, based on a conversion set and a vague frontal picture of a real aircraft.

Inspiration struck when I came across a Rising Decals conversion (from the Czech Republic)set for an experimental Ki43 with wooden, retractable skis - tested in Manchuria in 1944. The set comes with finely crafted and moulded resin skis, plus a decal sheet for the rather bleak aircraft in natural metal finish. Anyway, I found the idea worth to become an entry, and took action.

The kit and its assembly:

The basis is the venarable 1:72 Hasegawa kit of the Ki43-II, a simple kit with good detail and fit, even though you get raised (though very fine) panel lines. The kit was basically built OOB, with only some detail additions in the cockpit, and I modified the wings and lower fuselage in so far that the "butterfly flaps" were added in extended position.

Concerning the ski landing gear, I did some legwork, and eventually found a Ki43-II with the same landing gear arrangement as the conversion set, but it also featured a four-bladed propeller!

The wheeled landing gear was simply replaced by the resin struts from the conversion set, the skis are separate pieces that fit neatly into each other and into the kit.

The propeller was scratched from the three OOB blades, plus a trimmed donor blade. The spinner is the front end of a German 250 kg bomb. Inside of the engine, a styrene tube was added as propeller mount, which received a long metal axis.

A venturi tube was added under the fuselage, too, and the canopy separated into two pieces for better display.

The frontal benchmark picture of "my" Ki43-II shows the aircraft in clean configuration, but I decided to use/add the underwing tanks in order to avoid filling the respective holes in the wings - and it makes the aircraft look more interesting, IMHO.

Painting and markings:

Concerning the aircraft's livery, I basically stuck to the machine depicted in the conversion set and on the few pictures of such machines - even though the info sheet states that "markings are uncertain".

Anyway, I went the suggested overall NMF route with grey-green fabric (individually mixed from Humbrol 90 and 155) on all rudder surfaces. As a personal note, and as an interpretation of the benchmark photograph of the Ki43-II I tried to build, the model received a worn and flaking cowling in IJA Green and Grey. The latter was also used for the drop tanks, with red primer showing through the tanks' front end. A black anti glare panel was added in front of and behind the canopy.

The cockpit interior was painted, based on Hasegawa's recommendations, in a greenish brown tone (a mix of Revell 45 and 16). The landing gear wells and the interior of the flaps was painted with Aodake Iro - and instead of mixing a metallic blue tone as a single tone I rather laid down an Aluminum base and added a clear, greenish blue lacquer on top - just like the real thing. The deep yellow ID markings on the wings' leading edges were painted with RAL 1028 (Lufthansa Gelb, Revell 310).

The skis appear to be massive wood pieces, and they were painted accordingly with a wet-in-wet mix of red brown and cream, for a streaky look, mimicking the wooden structure.

After basic painting (a basic coat with acrylic Aluminum, Revell 99), everything done with brushes and minimal masking, the kit received a light black ink wash, in order to emphasize engravings. For some "depth" effect, panels were post-shaded with Polished Aluminum Metallizer (Humbrol 27002) on top of the acrylic Aluminum base. During the polishing process with a piece of soft cloth, some grinded graphite was rubbed over all surfaces, too, creating a slightly worn and uneven look. This little trick also enhances the metallic shine of the surface, making it look less "painted". Graphite was also used in order to simulate light exhaust stains on the Hayabusa's flanks.

Once the (very thin and delicate) decals were in place, they received a light treatment with Aluminium and sand paper, in order to simulate some wear on the aircraft's surface. Finally, everything was sealed with a coat of semi-matt acrylic varnish, just the rudders and the anti-glare panels received a completely matt coat.

A quick build, done in less than three days from sprues to photo shots. Anyway, the model should rather be regarded as fictional, since my information basis has been rather corny and relied on very limited references. But I am, nevertheless, happy with the result, and I hope the model conveys the original idea of the converted Ki43 with skis?

Eighteen suspects were arrested, cash, drugs and vehicles were seized, and over 100 motorists were summonsed for driving offences as part of our blitz on crime across the city of Salford on Tuesday 26 October 2021.

The action was part of our new force-wide initiative - codenamed Operation AVRO - which will run each month in a different district, and began this October in Salford.

Over 200 officers were involved in the operation - maximising resources from across our districts and specialist units - and flooded the city with a surge of activity, including warrants, arrests, community engagement, traffic enforcement, and crime-prevention advice.

The day was bookended with two public street briefings; one of which was led by Chief Constable Stephen Watson in Walkden town centre - moments after a shoplifting suspect was arrested in a nearby superstore - before over 30 neighbourhood officers embarked on anti-social behaviour patrols in the area.

A total of 13 warrants were executed during the day which saw 18 people arrested - including a teenager found in his attic in possession of four stolen phones and car keys believed to have been stolen overnight in Pendleton.

One of the more unique arrests was in Weaste alongside partners in the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) as a man was taken to custody to be questioned for the illegal trade of birds; over 20 exotic birds were taken to safety by RSPCA officers who later questioned the suspect.

Our traffic cops underwent a day of intensified traffic enforcement on A57 Regent Road which resulted in 19 uninsured vehicles seized, 104 motorists reported for traffic offences, and 10 unsafe vehicles prohibited from the road.

Community officers dropped leaflets through the doors of hundreds of local residents to let them know about the AVRO activity taking place through the day, and councillors and other local community members joined our local patrols in engaging with the public and discussing ways of tackling crime.

Multi-agency visits to 26 addresses took place through the afternoon with Salford City council where officers from our Salford Connect safeguarding team spoke to a number of suspected victims of 'cuckooing' where criminals target and criminally exploit vulnerable adults.

The day's action has been pledged to be more than a one-off; instead an exemplification of the new era GMP has launched itself into, where more criminals are arrested, more assets are seized, and more police are in our neighbourhoods.

Assistant Chief Constable Scott Green, GMP's joint-lead on local policing, said: "I hope that yesterday was a reminder to all of our communities that GMP is very much here and able to show a really visible presence on our streets.

"It has served as a reminder to the criminals that are causing harm to our communities, to families, that GMP is on its front foot and we will - based on intelligence - conduct enforcement activity.

"This is what a new and resurgent GMP looks like and we have shown - and are committed to continuing to show - that we are really capable of putting on these key enforcement activities.

"GMP is a big team and we should have our head held high. We should be out there, engaging with the public, conducting enforcement and reminding the criminals that are causing harm that this is what we're here to do.

"This is the start of a new era of policing in Greater Manchester and the people of Salford experienced just the start of this yesterday; we hope communities in the city should start to feel closer to their neighbourhood teams and reporting the issues that matter to them.

"For the rest of the region: Operation AVRO will be coming to a town near you soon where you can expect to see something just as big, if not bigger. This will only enhance - not detract - from our day-to-day work as we pledge to bring more criminals to book and make our streets a safer place."

Praising GMP's Operation AVRO, Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “Yesterday was a successful operation with drugs, cash and stolen property recovered from warrants and uninsured drivers caught on the roads.

"I’d like to thank local people for their support. Their information is vital so that the enforcement agencies can take action. I’d encourage anybody with information that may be useful to authorities to make contact."

Police have launched a 48 hour crackdown on offenders wanted for incidents of domestic abuse.

Hundreds of officers will take to the streets ahead of Valentine’s weekend to look for wanted offenders.

The operation – codenamed Olympus – will see local officers working alongside Force resources such as tactical aid unit and ANPR Intercept officers to locate culprits.

Superintendent Craig Thompson said: “Our priority is to protect victims and we will be out in force over the next two days to ensure offenders are brought in and locked up before they cause any further misery.

“We will leave no stone unturned and do all we can to locate those trying to evade capture. Anybody with information on somebody who may be wanted should do the right thing and contact police before they cause more harm.”

Detective Chief Inspector Nicky Porter said: “Valentine’s Day should be a celebration of love and romance but unfortunately for many it will serve as a reminder that their relationship is far from happy and is instead masked by fear, control and violence.

“Domestic abuse comes in many guises and can be emotional as well as physical. In December we welcomed a change in legislation which means for the first time perpetrators who control their partners through threats or by restricting their personal or financial freedom could face prison in the same way as those who are violent towards them.

“Taking these abusers off our streets is a huge part of what we do but we also want to stop this type of crime happening in the first place. I urge people to take a step back and consider the relationship they are in – if their partner is controlling, threatening or violent, it’s time to ask for help. Whether it be a relative, friend, charity or the police, we are here to support people to live safely and without fear.”

Victims of domestic abuse are urged not to suffer in silence - call the Women’s Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0161 636 7525 or report incidents to Greater Manchester Police on 101 or 999 in an emergency. Visit gmp.police.uk or endthefear.co.uk for information on how to stop the abuse.

Anybody with information on somebody who is wanted by police should call 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Follow #OpOlympus on Twitter for live updates from the operation.

The Volkswagen Golf Mk5 (codenamed Typ 1K) is a compact car, the fifth generation of the Volkswagen Golf and the successor to the Volkswagen Golf Mk4. Built on the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35) platform, it was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in October 2003 and went on sale in Europe one month later.

Mk5 GTI

The Golf GTI features a 2.0 litre turbocharged inline 4-cylinder petrol engine with Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) direct-injection technology, which produces 200PS (147 kW/197 bhp). It is available in both 3-door and 5-door hatchback body shapes, and comes with a choice of either 6-speed manual or a 6-speed Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG) which greatly reduces shift time to only 8ms.

The concept GTI was first shown to the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2003. The first production model was initially unveiled at the Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris in September 2004, and went on sale around the world shortly thereafter. At the Los Angeles Auto Show in January 2006, the GTI made its long awaited North American debut in 3-door guise (a 5-door variant has since become available), where it is marketed solely under the 'GTI' moniker, with no reference to the Rabbit.

The innovative DSG transmission and the 200 PS (147 kW; 197 hp) TFSI engine all helped raise the retail price of the car. The Mk5 GTI was named 2007 Automobile of the Year by Automobile Magazine, in December 2006.

This generation marked the only generation in Canada to have the GTI as a separate nameplate rather than a trim of the Golf. When Volkswagen announced the revival of the Golf in the United States & Canada for the 2010 model year, Volkswagen reverted the GTI nameplate as a Golf trim, although the GTI remains a separate nameplate in the United States.

[Text from Wikipedia]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Golf_Mk5

Equipment Type: anti-aircraft robot, series 05

Government: U.N. Spacy

Manufacturer: Viggers/Chrauler

Introduction: August 2012

Unofficial codename: Whistler, Lawn Mower

Accommodation: 1 pilot and 1 radar operator

Dimensions: height 10.7 meters (hull only), 12.4 meters (incl. extended surveillance antenna); length 5,6 meters; width 6,8 meters

Mass: 29.8 metric tons

Power Plant: Kranss-Maffai MT830 thermonuclear reactor developing 2750 shp; auxillary fuel generator AOS-895-3 rated at 810 kW.

Propulsion: many x low-thrust vernier thrusters beneath multipurpose hook/handles.

Design Features: 'Nimrod' Mk. III tracking radar with dish antenna, MPDR 'Argus' range setting and surveillance radar, starlight scope; fully enclosed cockpit.

Armament: 4 x 37 mm air-cooled 6-barrel gatling guns, Type Bofors KDF-11B (firing at 2.000 or 4.000 RPM, standard 1.550 rounds each).

Optional Equipment: 2 x large capacity ammunition drums.

Production of the Manticore already stopped in 2014, though. Being very specialized and limited, and only a supportive unit, the ADR-04-Mk. XI never saw much action in the open field, just as an addendum to the more versatile ADR-04-Mk.X. Like its long range counterpart, the few Manticores were mainly used as point defense unit for selected, vital potential enemy targets. They fulfilled their intended role well, esp. against missiles and Fighter Pods, but had only limited success against Zentraedi Tactical Pods: even a simple Regult was hard to crack. Hence, the Manticores remained in the background. Since the Manticore Destroids proved to be very vulnerable to close range attacks, more than 30 were lost in open field battles before they were retired into pomit defense roles and consequently already taken out of active service in 2021.

The kit and its assembly:

Did you like the story? This mecha was inspired (or better triggered) by a post about an anti aircraft robot project in a German SF forum. I remembered that I once had the plan to convert a Defender into a lighter aerial defense robot with Gatling gun armament. I had a kit for that purpose stashed away years ago, but never the drive to do the conversion job.

But as I thought about the project, I had another weird idea: I also had a leftover "chassis" from a Tomahawk (legs and lower torso), as well as two sets of impressive double Gatling hand guns from Gundam kits (two 1:144 "Serpent Customs", from Endless Waltz, actually part donation kits for other projects). This basis, combined with a new torso and some radar equipment... Looking for a torso option (and a dramatic radar equipment in the correct size), I came across a 1:72 kit of the Russian S6R "Tunguska" anti-aircraft tank, a limited edition kit from Military Wheels, a Polish company, and the rest is glue, putty and free drifting of ideas.

Putting the things together went pretty straightforward. The legs were already complete, but hidden under lots of old paint (I counted four layers...). These old parts consequently needed some cosmetic surgery. The material was already quite brittle, so I did not dare a brake fluid bath and tried my best with sand paper. Results are so so, so that many details were later added with small polystyrene strips. But at least, the spare parts found new and good use!

The Gatling gun stub arms were 100% taken from the Gundam kits, just minor things added. With internal vinyl caps they'd fit onto the original breast part and allow free rotation as well as side movement of about 20° to the left and right - good for a "natural" pose.

Most attention went into the crew compartment and upper torso, which was placed on top of one Serpent Custom's shoulder pieces. It consists mainly of the Tunguska's box-shaped central turret section, with added pieces on the hull's sides/shoulders which are supposed to be ammunition storage containers for a quick change. These parts, which blend very well into the overall design, are actually shortened halves of a camera pod from a 1:72 scale F-14 kit from Italeri!

The radar equipment was taken from the Tunguska tank, too, only the rear antenna had to be modified because the original parts were so crude that I did not want to use them. Finally, flexible hydraulic hoses and ammunition belts were added between mecha hull and arms, as well as small details like the hydraulic telescopes at the hips, searchlights, vents, handles, etc.

The result looks very compact, functional and plausible. I wanted to stay true to the Destroids' design as grungy tank-like vehicles with massive firepower and a menacing look, and that's what I think I achieved pretty well.

Painting and markings:

For the mecha's livery, I also wanted to stay true to the Destroid look: only a single overall ground color (brown or green, even though I have seen dark blue Phalanx') and some white 'decoration stripes'. Additionally, some 'nose art' was to be added, because it is a frequent sight on these mecha.

To set it apart from the Defender in my collection (olive drab), I went for a brown tone. After long search, the Manticore's basic paint became 'Israel Armor Sand/Grey' (Testors 2138), a murky, almost undefineable tone. Some details were painted in a dark brown (Burnt Umber, Testors 2005), the stripes were painted by hand in flat white.

Then, standard weathering was done with a black ink wash and dry painting with lighter tones like Humbrol 83 (Ochre), 140 (Gull Gray), 84 (Mid Stone) and 121 (Pale Stone). Decals came from the scrap box and are only few, the 'nose art' piece is a donation of a friend of mine (many thanks, André!) and actually belongs to a Czech MiG-21(!). Finally, everything was sealed under matte varnish.

All in all, this build-up was rather simple, since I had most components at hand and the paint job did not require much effort. But I like the simple look, and this fictional Manticore Destroids blends well into the line of the official Macross mecha. And finally, the leftover Tomahawk chassis has found a good use after waiting for resurrection for more than 15 years.

codename: SAMURAI

brass-plated steel and oak

15"H x 10"W x 29"D / 41 lbs

2016

c/n 9340504.

NATO codename:- Camp

First flying in 1956, the An-8 was designed as a replacement for the Lisunov Li-2 and was preferred by the military to the more expensive four-engined An-12 which followed. Retired from use in Russia in the early 1990’s some remained in civil use, registered in the Middle East, until the early 2000’s.

This now rare example was built in September 1959. It was retired to Monino on 20th May 1976, at which time it was coded ’10 red’, but in a change to the usual practice of changing codes to red, this one ended up as ’10 green’. The colour has now faded anyway. The c/n is just visible in its usual place behind the starboard cockpit window.

Central Air Force museum, Monino, Moscow Oblast, Russia.

27th August 2017

Codenamed CW170 during its development, and briefly known to some Ford contractors as the Ford Fusion,[citation needed] the original Focus took its eventual name from a Ghia concept car which was shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1991. Certain elements of the design had been seen even earlier in prototypes used by Ford to demonstrate forthcoming safety features, such as the eye-level rear lighting clusters. As a continuation of Ford's New Edge styling philosophy, first seen in the Ford Ka in 1996, and Ford Cougar in 1998, the Focus' styling had been often described as polarising. The styling had been overseen by Jack Telnack and executed by Claude Lobo and Australian designer, John Doughty.

The decision to name the new car the Ford Focus was made in early 1998, as Ford's overheads had been planning to keep the "Escort" nameplate for its new generation of small family cars. A last minute problem arose in July 1998 when a Cologne court, responding to a case brought by the publishers Burda, ordered Ford to avoid the name "Focus" for the German market cars since the name was already taken by the publisher's Focus magazine. This eleventh hour dispute was overcome, however, and the car was launched without a different "German market" name.

RS

The Focus RS Mk1 was produced from 2 October 2002 to 11 November 2003 and was Ford's return to the RS (Rallye Sport) badge after the demise of the tweaked Escorts, particularly the fabled Ford Escort RS Cosworth. Production was limited to 4501 units only. The car was largely built on its own assembly line in Ford's Saarlouis plant, with some additional specialist off-line assembly performed by the ACÜ group at Überhern. The RS was offered all over Europe, but 2147 were sold in the United Kingdom, by far its largest market. The Mark 1 Focus RS was a limited production run available in 21 European countries.

Using a turbocharged version of the 2.0-litre Ford Zeta engine, the Focus RS rated at 212 horsepower (158 kW).

It would generate a steady 0.98G in lateral acceleration due to racing parts such as Sachs dampers, lightweight O.Z Alloy Wheels and a Quaife ATB Differential. It would also allow 1.0G of braking force due to the standard Brembo braking system 326 mm (Front) 280 mm (Rear).

The development of the Focus RS was undertaken by a mixed team of mainstream Ford engineers (not SVE or the TeamRS group which replaced it later on) and Tickford Engineering in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom. Originally it was to be released as the Racing Focus, however after the poor selling Racing Puma,[citation needed] Ford decided to revive the RS badge.

More bespoke than the prior Ford Focus SVT (badged as the Focus ST170 in Europe), the Focus RS upgraded or replaced 70% of the standard Focus mechanicals. The turbocharged straight-4 engine produced a minimum of 215 PS (158 kW; 212 hp) and 310 N·m (229 lb·ft) of torque, which was then mated to the 5-speed MTX-75 and not the Getrag transmission used in the ST 170. Mechanically, most notably, the car incorporated a Quaife automatic torque biasing differential to improve traction from the front-wheel drive setup. The steering used a similar quick-ratio rack as the ST170 while the brakes used fixed-caliper, four-piston Brembo units with 324 mm (12.8 in) discs at the front and single-piston floating calipers and 280 mm (11.0 in) discs at the back. Wheels were 18" alloys specially developed by OZ Racing. The engine was heavily modified with forged aluminium pistons, hardened valve seats, sodium-filled exhaust valves, stainless steel exhaust system. The forced induction system comprised a Garrett turbocharger with a water-cooled charge air cooler and an electric water pump. To transmit the higher torque an upgraded AP clutch was used.

The Focus RS was available in one metallic colour, Imperial Blue. The body looked similar to the standard Focus or to the ST170, although the RS featured unique front and rear bumper assemblies required for the wider wheel arches which accommodated the 65 mm (2.6 in) wider front track. Internally, the theme is blue and black with sections of blue leather trim on the door trim panels, the steering wheel and the Sparco seats which were trimmed in blue/black leather and Alcantara. A green starter button starts the engine. The instruments have a blue background and in place of the coolant temperature gauge, the RS was equipped with a boost pressure indicator (up to 1.5 bar). The gear lever knob, handbrake lever, and pedals were all custom made by Sparco.

All-around performance was roughly equal or better to its other competitors, including hatchbacks such as the Honda Civic Type-R and some four-wheel drive cars in the same price field.[citation needed] Power was a diminished priority and the handling on a track, courtesy of the front differential, was considered by most observers to be its strongest characteristic. In a Top Gear review, Jeremy Clarkson noted that "it lacks the straightforward oomph of a Subaru Impreza. [...] The reason it was quick round our track is simple: this car handles like it's in a cartoon." Clarkson and other motor journalists also commented on the car's torque steer on bumpy British roads.

[Text from Wikipedia]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Focus_(first_generation)

This Lego miniland scale Ford Fous RS (C170 - 2002) has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 96th Build Challenge - The 8th Birthday, titled - 'Happy Crazy Eight Birthday, LUGNuts' - where all previous build challenges are available to build to. This model is built to the LUGNuts 58th build challenge, - &quotOrder by Numbers" featuring vehicles built to one of ten themes available in that challenge. The Focus RS is built to theme 1: "A Legendary Vehicle... In Europe" - due to the unavailability of the RS in Global Markets outside of Europe.

NATO-Codename: Fulcrum

Polish Air Force

Canon EF 100-400mm @400mm on Canon EOS 7D

c/n unknown

NATO codename:- Beast.

The Il-10 was designed as a replacement for the famous Il-2 Sturmovik. While it resembled the earlier type in basic layout, it was an entirely new aircraft. The original production run was from 1944 to 1949, with Avia building 1,200 of the type in Czechoslovakia as the B-33 between 1951 and 1956. In 1951, experience in the Korean War showed a further use for lower speed ground attack aircraft and a new version, the Il-10M went into production with 146 being built from 1953 to 1954. The ‘M’ variant was larger overall, had four cannons in the wings and was almost capable of all-weather operation thanks to newer navigation equipment.

This Il-10M was previously on display outside in all weathers, but is now safely in Hangar 6A (the first new hangar near the entrance) at the Central Air Force museum, Monino, Moscow Oblast, Russia.

27th August 2017

The Ford EA Falcon is a car which was produced by Ford Australia from 1988 to 1991. The vehicle was developed under the codename EA26, representing a large 'E' segment car, developed in 'A' Australia. The 26 represented the nominal 26th engineering project. The program launched as the EA in 1988, with EB, ED, EF and EL major updates in 1991, 1993, 1994 and 1996 respectively.

The EA series was available in eight model variants. Comprising Base (GL), sporty (S), mid-spec (Fairmont) and luxury (Fairmont Ghia). These models were available in four-door sedan and 5-door wagon variants.

The Falcon nameplate was not used on Fairmont & Fairmont Ghia models.

No commercial vehicle variants of the EA were developed and the existing XF Falcon utility and panel van both continued in production alongside the EA passenger vehicles.

Long-wheelbase sedans (Fairlane and LTD) were further developed from the standard Falcon, sharing the longer wheelbase and doors of the wagon models.

Engines and transmissions:

Engine choice comprised three straight-six units: the 3.2 litre and 3.9 litre with ”CFI” throttle body injection and a 3.9 litre with ”MPI” multi-point fuel injection. The Falcon GL was equipped with the 3.2 L straight-six, although most were sold with the 3.9 CFI. The 3.9 L CFI engine was available in the Falcon S and in the Fairmont and the MPI version was standard in the top of the range Fairmont Ghia. The return of the V8 "Windsor" engine did not occur until the EB update.Engines for all Falcon models were manufactured and assembled at Ford's Geelong operations (also home to the Stamping Plant)

A five-speed T50D fully synchronised manual and Borg-Warner Model M51 three-speed automatic transmission were offered, however the latter was replaced by a four-speed BTR Model 85LE in the Series II range then updated to the BTR 95LE in the EB update in 1991. Taxi owners, however, would continue to fit reconditioned 3-speed M51 automatic transmissions (as these were less costly) to these cars, until the bellhousing design was finally changed in later models preventing this practice[citation needed].

Development:

The result of a A$700 million development program, the EA Falcon bore a passing resemblance to the European Ford Scorpio. However under the skin, it remained an entirely Australian design, and is credited as the first Falcon model to employ wind tunnel testing. It would retain the traditional Falcon hallmarks of width and rear-wheel drive. This proved to be the correct move as sales of the Falcon began to climb after the fuel crisis aftermath, while those of the rival Commodore slipped. It became clear that Australian buying patterns had not truly changed and what the public wanted was a full-size (albeit smaller) family car.

The story of what might have been, regarding Falcon is as interesting as what 'was'. The furl crises of the 1970s caused a significant down-sizing of vehicles in the US, whilst in all markets a larger number of smaller vehicles were introduced from manufacturers who previously had focused on larger cars. Also. at this time, the Ford Motor Company had taken a large shareholding in Toyo Kogyo (more commonly known as Mazda). Ford intended to use Mazda's expertise in designing small efficient vehicles to provide a range of platforms that Ford (through its joint venture studio in Hiroshima) and also Ford Australia's design and engineering operations, to make suitable alterations to these platforms such that the vehicles could be sold as Fords throughout Asia-Pacific, and even the US.

Project Capricorn was the codename for a vehicle derived from the front-wheel-drive Mazda 626, utilising a longer wheelbase, that was to replace the Falcon XF (the last update of the XD-XE-XF series launched in 1979). Work commenced shortly after the XD launch.

An image and small amount of text is shown at the following link:

www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11301296

The EA, however retained much of the platform from preceding generations of Falcon model, dating back to the 1960s. This allowed the vehicle to retain its 'full-size' status, something that was considered an asset in the Australian market prior to the rise in popularity of 4WD wagons, crossovers, or comfortable 5-seat pickup trucks.

In addition, Ford's dominance of the taxi market in Australia meant that a car that could comfortably seat three along the back seat—and even the front, with a bench seat installed—was necessary. It also ensured that Ford could retain, at least until Holden released the new Statesman/Caprice in 1990, the market for official cars for governmental use.

Success of the EA generation Ford Falcon allowed Ford to be the top selling car brand through much of the 1980s and into the 1990s, along with Falcon being the most popular car for much of this time.

[Some text taken from Wikipedia].

This Lego miniland-scale Ford Falcon S Sedan (EA26) has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 85th Build Challenge, - "Like, Totally 80's", - for vehicles created during the decade of the 1980's.

c/n 108M39.

NATO codename Hip-H.

Operated by 221 lbvr, Czech Air Force, based at Námest.

Seen during the 2016 NATO Tiger Meet (NTM) held at Zaragoza Air Base, Spain.

20th May 2016

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 - on this sector units of the 1st American division "The Big Red One" and combat engineers of the 299th - landed on 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 on this spot were especially heavy amongst the first waves of soldiers and the demolition teams - at Omaha these were tasked with blasting 16 channels through the beach obstacles, each 70 meters wide. 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 here on Easy Red and at Dog Green 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.

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 was taken on the west part of WN60 which overlooks the whole of Omaha beach to the west, note the curve in the beach. In the foreground a "Tobruk MG Ringstand" can be seen.

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 2012) with a Nikon D7000 and Tokina AT-X Pro SD 12-24mm F4 lens.

See my other Omaha beach photo's for more viewpoints, panorama shots and notes on the fighting

c/n unknown.

NATO codename:- Hound-A

Previously marked as ’05 red’.

The Mi-4A was an assault transport variant.

On display at the Central Armed Forces Museum,

Moscow, Russia.

26th August 2017

Draggone elite fighter codename "Komodo Dragon". Micro scale fighter of the main enemy in the GAIA universe.

Operation Ashbourne Codename "Coronation", 7th May 2023.

c/n 1880302.

NATO codename:- Badger-E

The Tu-16 first flew in 1952 and over 1,500 were built. The ‘R’ was a reconnaissance variant.

On display at the Central Air Force museum, Monino, Moscow Oblast, Russia.

27th August 2017

c/n 49083503002.

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

W114.023, also codenamed W114 V28, this car has a 2.8 litre inline-six although it carries "250" labels. Mercedes badging anarchy is nothing new.

This is a very early 1972, built around September 1971. The 250C 2.8 was reserved for the North American market until May 1972. An automatic, of course. Has a largish front bumper, US headlights, and extra side marker lights. Chassis number 114.023 12-005600.

c/n M-17-4

NATO codename:- Mystic-A

This is the third prototype of the M-17 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft and first flew in 1985. It set a class altitude record of 71,620ft on 28th March 1990. It later carried out test flights for the twin-engined M-55 development.

The damaged airframe has been stored at Monino since 1995 but has never been reassembled and is now rapidly becoming overgrown in a far corner of the site.

Monino, Moscow Oblast, Russia.

27th August 2017

c/n 10MK51401.

NATO codename ‘Flanker-C’

Operated by the 237th Centre for Display of Aviation Equipment (tSPAT) as part of the Russian Knights (Russkiye Vityazi) formation team.

Seen taxiing out to display at the Aviation cluster of the ARMY 2017 event.

Kubinka Airbase, Moscow Oblast, Russia.

23rd August 2017

The current generation of the Ford Ranger (codenamed T6) is a range of midsize pickup trucks that is manufactured and sold by Ford Motor Company worldwide. Designed and engineered by Ford of Australia, the Ranger T6 replaces two previous Ford light-truck platforms: the North American-designed Ford Ranger sold in the Americas and the Ford Ranger derived from Mazda BT-50 sold in Latin America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions.

To develop North American specifications, Ford made several changes to the Ranger T6. To better meet US crash standards and to increase its payload, the frame rails were redesigned, becoming fully boxed. The front fascia was redesigned slightly, with Ford modifying the design to a steel, frame-mounted, front bumper separate from the bodywork. The tailgate was changed; along with the addition of a spoiler, the tailgate gained a locking capability (from the F-Series).

For the 2019 launch, the sole powertrain for North America-specification Rangers will be a 2.3L EcoBoost inline-4 paired to a 10-speed automatic; while output is not currently announced, the engine makes between 280hp (in the Ford Explorer) and 310hp (in the Ford Mustang EcoBoost).. Both two-wheel and four-wheel drive configurations are available. Although the Ranger is available as a two-door, only four-door SuperCab and SuperCrew configurations will be sold in North America; all Rangers will be sold as "HiRiders".

Following the F-150, the Ranger will be sold in base XL trim, XLT trim, with Lariat as the top-level trim. Each trim level will also have its own set of sub-model option packages, with the XL having the STX, with the XLT and Lariat having FX4 (4x4 only) and Chrome packages. Currently, neither the Wildtrak nor the Raptor are announced models in the United States or Canada.

Vancouver International Auto Show 2018

Convention Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

For a video; youtu.be/U0KH92iOrcI

Codenamed Operation Iceberg. Largest amphibious assault in the Pacific. Diorama complete, Thanks to al for following the progress !!

SHADE Corps Forward Operating Base, codenamed Vengeance - P16, is the Corps's command base on the region. Heavily fortified, it became the center of all SHADE Corps operations in this region of the Big World.

According to the intel we received from the Recon ops, the base has quite a number of facilities on the site. There is a heavily fortified command center, with a missile launcher, rapid fire anti-air/infantry cannon, an artillery cannon and a machine gun nest. The base is also guarded with the elite guard soldiers.

There are also a launch strip for SHADE Corps attack drones which patrols the area. There are also a teleportation device that connects the base with another SHADE Corps base on another region. and The last, there is a special station that processes strange tech substance, which has unknown purpose.

The defense elements of the base consists of walls, pillbox, anti-air turret, and anti-vehicle emplacements, guarded by Shadow Company soldiers.

If CSF wishes to secure the area, the Forward Base must be destroyed. Capture or Kill the base commander, and eliminate the soldiers inside the region.

PS. yup, another build with so many scraps and limited lego bricks (seriously, i dont have money to buy it :( but my minifigures need a base of operation on both sides to make it cool!

PS. PS. please check the album since some pics are not included in some groups 😂

The Volkswagen Golf Mk5 (codenamed Typ 1K) is a compact car, the fifth generation of the Volkswagen Golf and the successor to the Volkswagen Golf Mk4. Built on the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35) platform, it was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in October 2003 and went on sale in Europe one month later.

Mk5 GTI

The Golf GTI features a 2.0 litre turbocharged inline 4-cylinder petrol engine with Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) direct-injection technology, which produces 200PS (147 kW/197 bhp). It is available in both 3-door and 5-door hatchback body shapes, and comes with a choice of either 6-speed manual or a 6-speed Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG) which greatly reduces shift time to only 8ms.

The concept GTI was first shown to the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2003. The first production model was initially unveiled at the Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris in September 2004, and went on sale around the world shortly thereafter. At the Los Angeles Auto Show in January 2006, the GTI made its long awaited North American debut in 3-door guise (a 5-door variant has since become available), where it is marketed solely under the 'GTI' moniker, with no reference to the Rabbit.

The innovative DSG transmission and the 200 PS (147 kW; 197 hp) TFSI engine all helped raise the retail price of the car. The Mk5 GTI was named 2007 Automobile of the Year by Automobile Magazine, in December 2006.

This generation marked the only generation in Canada to have the GTI as a separate nameplate rather than a trim of the Golf. When Volkswagen announced the revival of the Golf in the United States & Canada for the 2010 model year, Volkswagen reverted the GTI nameplate as a Golf trim, although the GTI remains a separate nameplate in the United States.

[Text from Wikipedia]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Golf_Mk5

c/n 89A-817

NATO codename:- Careless

Built in October 1989 as CCCP-85663 and only flew with Aeroflot for its entire career. Reregistered as RA-85663 in mid/late 1992 and finally retired in 2009. It was donated to the Moscow Technical University of Civil Aviation as an instructional airframe and remains in use there on their ‘off-airport’ ramp.

Sheremetyevo International Airport, Moscow, Russia.

27th August 2017