View allAll Photos Tagged Compactor
These tiny leaves are sort of peculiar. I don't know if the plant is dehydrated or if it's just a part of the physiology of the plant, but the stem of the leaf looks rather flat, doesn't it? Plants are such bizarre creatures in the first place when you compare them to animals.
Almost exclusively do they not rely on other animals for direct nutrition. Almost all of them are rooted in one way or another to a substrate. Their gross anatomy is so unlike ours.
Then again. Earth teems with plants. Maybe we're the odd ones.
The theme for today in the Kerrisdale Cameras daily photo challenge is “Compact”. I struggled with this one until I saw one of my daughters CD’s (Compact Disc) sitting on the table reflecting light from a nearby window #kcphotochallenge
Web: www.sollows.ca
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When I noticed those small droplets suspended in a spider web on the tip of a maple tree gem, I decided it was worth it a shot. I only had a compact camera with me, but I am still pleased with the result.
Guardando attentamente un acero
Quando ho notato quelle goccioline sospese sulla ragnatela in punta alla gemma di un acero, ho pensato che valesse la pena di una foto. Avevo con me solo la compattina, ma il risultato mi ha comunque soddisfatto.
Konica Autoreflex T3
Fuji Superia 100 expired (date unknown)
AR Hexanon 1.8/40
PP in Pixlr-O-Matic
I must be one of the very few people who don't like the Petri Color 35. There, I've said it. Don't get me wrong, from the collector's standpoint it is a great camera: Great looks, intuitive design, a marvel of camera engineering, all this from a maker of budget cameras who tried (and partially succeded) to come up with a "Rollei 35 killer" at a time when Rollei was still a premium name in the camera business.
Me, I like to judge cameras as a user first and the Color 35 has a very serious drawback for a viewfinder guess-focus camera: There is no way to focus the lens without bringing the camera to your eye, as there is no distance scale on the retracting lens barrel. You have to either keep the camera at eye level throughout focusing (with the added risk of getting your finger in your eye while turning the focusing knob at the back) in order to watch the needle move over the distance indicators in the viewfinder, or use it hyperfocally which somehow defeats the whole purpose of having manual control over aperture and thus DOF. All this led me to sell the Color 35 I had and declare the original Rollei 35 (which gives you the opportunity to fully control every aspect of shooting without the need to bring the camera at eye level other than at the exact moment of framing) as the undisputed winner of this duel.
Now to the camera pictured here: After the commercial success of the Color 35, Petri decided to release another camera based on it, retaining some of its virtues (compact size, retractable lens) but replacing the fully manual exposure with a fully automatic one which would make the camera much more appealing to the casual user. This way, the Petri Color 35E (for "Electronic") was born. Wisely enough, Petri added a distance indicator on the lens barrel, correcting the fundamental drawback of the Color 35. With time, the name changed a bit, the camera also existed as "Petri 35E" then renamed "Petri Micro Compact" which also involved a change in finish from the classic chrome to black. The latter can also be found as "Carena Micro Compact".
Sadly, as the camera evolved, it slowly lost the good build quality that characterised the first Color 35, probably reflecting the gradual decline of Petri into bankruptcy. Although the size is identical to the Color 35 and features like the completely removable back or the freely rotating strap lugs remain, almost all metal has been replaced by plastic, resulting in an overall feel very close to a toy camera, much worse than what pictures of the camera online suggest at first glance. Everything feels very flimsy and easily breakable. The VF is decent but without any exposure or distance indicators at all and the only amenity to the user is a battery test button. Perhaps the early Color 35E model retains some of the quality of its mechanical sibling, but working ones are rather uncommon to find at low prices, probably a spill-over effect from the reputation and collectability of the original Color 35.
The small size of the Black Hills Central's Baldwin 2-6-6-2 tank locomotives--38 foot wheelbase-- can really be seen from above--in this aerial view, #108 has topped the steep initial climb out of Hill City and is now winding between the hills on a light downgrade before the drop into Keystone.
Slowenien - Piran
View from belltower of St. George's Parish Church
Aussicht vom Glockentrum der Domkirche des heiligen Georg
Piran (Slovene pronunciation: [piˈɾáːn]; Italian: Pirano [piˈraːno]) is a town in southwestern Slovenia on the Gulf of Piran on the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the three major towns of Slovenian Istria. A bilingual city, with population speaking both Slovene and Italian, Piran is known for its medieval architecture, with narrow streets and compact houses. Piran is the administrative seat of the Municipality of Piran and one of Slovenia's major tourist attractions.
History
In the pre-Roman era, the hills in the Piran area were inhabited by Illyrian Histri tribes who were farmers, hunters and fishermen. They were also pirates who disrupted Roman trade in the northern Adriatic.
The Piran peninsula was incorporated into the Roman Empire in 178 and 177 BC and settled in the following years with rural homes (villae rusticae).
The decline of the Roman Empire, from the 5th century AD onward, and incursions by the Avars and Slavs at the end of the 6th century, prompted the Roman population to withdraw into easily defensible locations such as islands or peninsulas. This started local urbanisation and by the 7th century, under Byzantine rule, Piran had become heavily fortified. Despite the defences, the Franks conquered Istria in 788 and Slavs settled in the region. By 952, Piran had become a part of the Holy Roman Empire.
The earliest reliable records of the area are in the 7th century work Cosmographia by an anonymous cleric of Ravenna. The name of the town most probably originates from the Greek pyrrhos, which means 'red', because of the reddish flysch stones commonly found in the town's area. Some historians also refer it to pyros, meaning 'fire', due to ancient lighthouses which were supposed to be on the edge of the marina.
From 1283 to 1797, the town became part of the Republic of Venice, where it was governed in a semi-autonomous way, with a council of local noblemen assisting the Venetian delegate. Several enemy (e.g. from the Republic of Genoa) and pirate assaults were repelled during the late Middle Ages; a great pestilence hit the town in 1558, killing about two thirds of the population. The last decades of Venetian rule were marked by decadence, due to the competition with the nearby Austrian port town of Trieste.
The town was annexed to the Austrian Empire in 1797; but during the years from 1806 to 1814, it was ceded to the Napoleonic Empire. On 22 February 1812, the Battle of Pirano was fought between a British and a French ship of the line in the vicinity of Piran. This was a minor battle of the Adriatic campaign of the Napoleonic Wars.
At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Piran was an Austro-Hungarian town with over 15,000 inhabitants, roughly the same size as nearby Koper. Around 80% of the population was ethnically and culturally Italian, with a Slovene minority of around 15%. It was a flourishing market and spa town with good transport connections. The first trolleybus line in the Balkans was introduced to public service on 24 October 1909 in Piran. In 1912, it was replaced by a tramway that operated on the same route till 1953.
After the First World War, together with Trieste and all Istria, the town was ceded to Italy. There were no particular events in those years, until Italy entered the Second World War in 1940. With the defeat of the Axis powers and the rise of Tito's rule, Piran was assigned to the Free Territory of Trieste, Zone B, under Yugoslavian administration, changing the official name in "Piran". The town was annexed to Yugoslavia in 1954, according to the London Memorandum signed together with Italy. A significant part of Piran's population chose to emigrate to Italy or abroad in the final phase of the Istrian–Dalmatian exodus, rather than stay in socialist Yugoslavia. The annexation to Yugoslavia was finally ratified with the Osimo Treaty in 1975, with the municipality becoming part of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia. Until the mid-20th century, Italian was the dominant language, but it was replaced by Slovene following the Istrian exodus. Since 1991, Piran has been part of independent Slovenia.
On 24 October 2010, Slovenia became the first country of former communist Europe to elect a black mayor. The physician Peter Bossman, who came from Ghana in the late 1970s, was elected the Mayor of Piran. He officially took office at the first constitutional meeting of the Municipal Council on 12 November 2010, succeeding Tomaž Gantar. He represents the Social Democrats.
The territorial claims of Croatia and Slovenia in the Gulf of Piran remain an important matter of debate in the Croatia–Slovenia border disputes that began after the dissolution of Yugoslavia.
Culture and education
Piran is the birthplace of the Italian[ composer and violinist Giuseppe Tartini, who played an important role in shaping its cultural heritage. The town's main square, Tartini Square (Slovene: Tartinijev trg, Italian: Piazza Tartini), is named after him. In 1892, the 200th anniversary of his birth, a monument to Tartini was erected in Piran. Venetian artist Antonio Dal Zotto was commissioned to create a larger-than-life bronze statue, which was mounted on its pedestal in 1896. The statue dominates the square, overlooked by the Cathedral of Saint George. The painter Cesare Dell'Acqua was also born in Piran.
Piran is the seat of the Euro-Mediterranean University of Slovenia (EMUNI), founded in 2008 as one of the cultural projects of the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean. The Piran Coastal Galleries, a public institution encompassing a group of six public contemporary art galleries, is based in Piran.
Cultural events
Musical evenings have taken place for decades in the Greyfriars Franciscan monastery's atrium, one of the most beautiful cloister atriums in the Slovenian Littoral, which has good acoustics.
The municipality's festival is 15 October, which celebrates the foundation of the first Slovenian partisan naval detachment, named Koper, in 1944.
Geography and climate
Piran is located at the tip of the Piran peninsula, part of the Gulf of Trieste.
To the east of the town, along the northern coastline (in the direction to Strunjan) there is a small tourist settlement named Fiesa. Piran and Fiesa are connected by a promenade along the beach. Piran has a humid subtropical climate with warm summers and cool rainy winters. Snow is rare (usually 3 days per year, almost always in traces). There are 22 days a year with maximum temperatures of 30 °C (86 °F) or higher; on one day a year the temperature does not exceed 0 °C (32 °F). Fog appears about 4 days per year, mainly in winter.
Demographics
According to the Austrian language census of 1910, there were 7,379 inhabitants in the town proper, 95.97% Italians and 0.09% Slovenes. In 1945, the town proper had 5,035 inhabitants, 91.32% Italian and 8.54% Slovene speakers. After World War II, when Piran became a part of Yugoslavia, there was an exodus of the Italian-speakers from the region. They were replaced by Slovene settlers, both from other areas of Slovenian Istria and from interior areas of the country. In 1956 there were 3.574 inhabitants, 67.6% Slovene and 15.5% Italian.
Monuments
Piran was heavily influenced by the Venetian Republic and Austria-Hungary, therefore the monuments differ greatly from those in inner parts of Slovenia. The Piran town walls were constructed to protect the town from Ottoman incursions; many parts of the town walls from different eras remain, and are of interest to tourists. In the middle of the town is the Tartini Square, with a monument in memory of Giuseppe Tartini. Nearby are located various important buildings, such as Tartini’s house, first mentioned in 1384 and one of the oldest in town, the Municipal Palace, Loggia and Benečanka, among others. On the hill above the town is the biggest and most important church, the Saint George's Church, with a Franciscan monastery nearby.
Communications and transport
There is an international airport and a marina in the vicinity of the town. The medium-wave transmitter of Radio Koper is in Piran. It transmits on 1170 kHz and has a 123.6-metre-tall guyed mast with cage antenna. The town is connected with Koper, Izola, Portorož (the location of the airport), Sečovlje and Lucija by a cheap bus line. The lines of other coastal settlements operate mostly during the tourist season.
The first trolleybus line in Slovenia entered public service on 24 October 1909 in Piran, then part of Austria-Hungary. It ran from Tartini Square along the coast and the shipyard to Portorož and Lucija. The town authorities bought five trolleybuses manufactured by Austrian company Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft. In 1912, it was replaced by a tram system that operated until 1953, when it was superseded by buses.
Sports
Pod Obzidjem Stadium (Slovene: Stadion pod obzidjem) is a multi-purpose stadium in Piran. It is used for football matches and is the home ground of football team NK Portorož Piran. The stadium currently holds 750 spectators, 500 of them can be seated.
(Wikipedia)
Die Stadt Piran, italienisch: Pirano ist der Hauptort der aus elf Ortschaften bestehenden Gemeinde Piran in Slowenien. Piran liegt im äußersten Südwesten des Landes auf einer Halbinsel am Adriatischen Meer. Mit ihrer Lage, ihrer Altstadt und venezianischen Architektur ist die Stadt an der Slowenischen Riviera eines der bekanntesten Touristenzentren des Landes.
Name der Stadt
Der Stadtname stammt wohl vom griechischen Wort pyros für Feuer. Der Legende nach soll auf der Landzunge Punta, wo der Ort errichtet wurde, anstelle eines Leuchtturmes ein Feuer den Schiffen den Weg zur griechischen Kolonie Aegida (Koper) gewiesen haben. Piranum wird im 7. Jahrhundert erstmals schriftlich erwähnt.
Geschichte
In den Jahren 177/178 v. Chr. wurde die istrische Halbinsel von den Römern erobert. In dieser Zeit begann die allmähliche Kolonisierung und Romanisierung des Gebietes. Dadurch kam es in der Gegend des heutigen Piran zu vereinzelten Streusiedlungen. Unter byzantinischer Herrschaft begann im 7. Jahrhundert mit einer befestigten Siedlung die urbane Entwicklung von Piran. 788 wurde Istrien durch die Franken besetzt und politisch in die Mark von Friaul eingegliedert. Nach der Aufteilung des fränkischen Kaiserreiches wurde die Grafschaft Istrien 843 ins Italienische Königreich eingegliedert und im Jahre 952 dem Heiligen Römischen Reich bzw. in diesem dem Herzogtum Bayern einverleibt.
In der zweiten Hälfte des 13. Jahrhunderts begann Venedig mit der Eroberung istrischer Städte und besetzte im Jahr 1283 auch Piran. 1692 wurde in Piran der Geiger und Komponist Giuseppe Tartini geboren. Ihm zu Ehren wurde 1894 der Tartiniplatz benannt.
1809 bis 1813 gehörte Piran kurz zu den Illyrischen Provinzen Napoleons. Danach kam es wieder zur Habsburgermonarchie. Das kaiserliche Österreich hatte hier die Republik Venedig beerbt und brachte im 19. Jahrhundert Piran eine neue Zeit des Wohlstands. Dazu haben vor allem die Salinen beigetragen, da Österreich mit der Wiederbelebung der Salzproduktion die Salinen von Sečovlje auf eine Produktion von 40.000 Tonnen jährlich aufstockte.
Nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg fiel Istrien mit dem Vertrag von Rapallo 1920 an den Kriegssieger Italien, der Istrien seit November 1918 besetzt hatte. Es folgte eine strenge Italianisierungspolitik, und die slowenische Sprache wurde in der Öffentlichkeit verboten.
Das faschistische Italien war im Zweiten Weltkrieg zunächst mit dem Deutschen Reich verbündet. Im September 1943 hatte eine neue italienische Regierung jedoch den Waffenstillstand von Cassibile mit den Alliierten geschlossen. Daraufhin besetzten Wehrmachts- und SS-Einheiten das ganze Land, so auch Istrien. Nach dem Krieg war die Region um Triest wieder zwischen Italien und Jugoslawien umstritten. Das Gebiet wurde daher unter UN-Verwaltung in zwei Zonen aufgeteilt. Piran gehörte dabei der südlichen Zone B an, die den westlichen Teil von Istrien bis zur Mirna umfasste. Erst im Londoner Abkommen von 1954 wurde das Freie Territorium Triest aufgelöst und die Zone B offiziell Jugoslawien angegliedert. Die meisten Italiener verließen daraufhin die Stadt.
Sehenswürdigkeiten
An der westlichen Spitze der Landzunge befindet sich die burgartig wirkende Kirche Sv. Klementa (St. Clementa), die als Wahrzeichen der Stadt gilt.
Etwa 100 Meter östlich des Tartiniplatzes steht ein Franziskanerkloster, das im Sommer für Konzerte genutzt wird und in dessen Untergeschoss eine Gemäldesammlung venezianischer Maler zu sehen ist.
Auf der nördlichen Klippe der Halbinsel überragt die Kathedrale Sv. Jurij (St. Georg) die Stadt, die 1637 errichtet wurde. Der Kirchturm der Kathedrale ist dem venezianischen Markusturm nachempfunden. Die Kirchturmspitze schmückt eine schwerttragende Statue des Stadtpatrons Sankt Georg. Die Figur dreht sich entsprechend der Windrichtung und dient den Bürgern der Stadt somit als Wetterfahne.
Altstadt
Die Altstadt mit ihren engen Gassen erstreckt sich auf einer etwa einen Kilometer langen, spitz zulaufenden Landzunge in ost-westlicher Richtung. Zur Landseite hin wird sie durch eine teilweise erhaltene historische Verteidigungsanlage mit Wehrgängen und -türmen abgegrenzt.
Im Stadtkern im italienisch-venezianischen Stil gibt es einige Baudenkmäler und Aussichtspunkte. Die südliche Strandpromenade, vom kleinen Hafen bis zur Spitze der Landzunge, ist gesäumt von zahlreichen Restaurants für das touristische Publikum.
Tartiniplatz
Zentrum des städtischen Lebens ist der restaurierte Tartinijev trg (it. Piazza Tartini, dt. Tartiniplatz). Er entstand im Jahr 1894, als der damals an dieser Stelle liegende, zu klein gewordene und als Müllkippe verwendete Hafen endgültig zugeschüttet wurde. Zentral auf dem Platz steht eine vom venezianischen Künstler Antonio Dal Zotto geschaffene überlebensgroße Bronzestatue des namensgebenden Komponisten Giuseppe Tartini, die anlässlich dessen 200. Geburtstages am 2. August 1896 enthüllt wurde.
Zum 300. Geburtstag des Komponisten wurde eine Neugestaltung des Platzes in Auftrag gegeben. Die vom Architekten Boris Podrecca gelegte Ellipse aus weißem Stein soll an den Wendeplatz der elektrischen Straßenbahn (1912–1953) sowie an den Fischerhafen erinnern, der das städtische Leben früher an diesem Ort prägte.
Zum Ensemble des Platzes gehören das klassizistische Rathaus an der Nordseite und rechts davon ein gotisches Patrizierhaus. Das Benečanka (Venezianerhaus) wurde von einem reichen venezianischen Kaufmann für seine in Piran lebende Geliebte gebaut. Die Hausecke gibt das Antlitz der Geliebten wieder. Die zum Tartiniplatz gerichtete Fassade enthält ein Relief mit der italienischen Aufschrift lassa pur dir („Lass sie reden“).
Museen
Am Hafen der Altstadt sind drei Museen rund um das Thema Meer zu besichtigen. Das Aquarium (Akvarij Piran[8]) unter der Adresse Kidriĉevo nabrežje 4 zeigt die Meeresfauna der Adria. Das Pomorski muzej (Meeresmuseum) im Gabrielli-Palast in der Cankarjevo nabrežje 3 präsentiert die wirtschaftliche Nutzung des Meeres (Fischerei, slowenische Seefahrt, Meersalzgewinnung). Das Muzej podvodnih dejavnosti (Museum für Unterwasseraktivitäten) in der Župančičeva 24 beschäftigt sich thematisch mit dem Tauchen und zeigt beispielsweise Schiffswracks.
Landschaft
Küstenwanderweg („Uferpromenade“) mit interessanten Gesteinsschichtungen an den Steilwänden von Piran zum See und Strand von Fiesa im Norden der Halbinsel.
Salinen von Strunjan und von Sečovlje
Schutzpatron
Der Schutzheilige der Stadt Piran ist Sankt Georg. Dies findet sich wieder im blau umrahmten roten Georgskreuz des Stadtwappens. Weiterhin zeigt sich eine Darstellung des Drachentöters mit einem Schwert auf der Spitze des Kirchturms der Stadtkirche St. Georg.
(Wikipedia)
CAT CB32B Compactor built in scale 1:40.
Two Non-Lego clips were used for the foldable ROPS.
More pictures in the album.
strobist info : 2 speelihgt behind the model, left n right for side light. 1 speedlight on my back upper right(with umbrella octagon softbox). and 1 more speedlight with square softbox on my below left.
Architect: James Herbert Brownell (1962)
Developer: Pearce & Co.
Builder: Fergin-Griffin Co.
Location: San Diego (Pacific Beach), CA
Brownell was an architect based in Corona Del Mar, just up the road in Orange County. These sixteen homes demonstrate an ingenious solution to a series of narrow, sloping lots with views on one side. The solution was to build them as row homes, and push them as far up the hill as possible to maximize the views. More information can be found here
Car: BMW 316 Compact (E36/5)
Date of first registration: 6th March 1995.
Registration region: Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.
Latest recorded mileage: 61,125 (MOT 9th November 2018).
Date taken: 19th March 2019.
Album: Street Spots
Car: BMW 316i Compact.
Year of manufacture: 1999.
Date of first registration in the UK: 20th May 1999.
Place of registration: Chelmsford.
Date of last MOT: 7th April 2021.
Mileage at last MOT: 100,621.
Last change of keeper: 9th August 2020
Date taken: 3rd June 2021.
Album: Carspotting 2021
It started with the LC-A, that I got in a 2nd hand shop in Budapest 2 years ago, I took it to test it the next days on my way by train across Bulgaria/Romania to Istambul, and I finally figured out that P&S were the way to travel without worries. always ready, and in a simple pocket. SET
Eventually the lc-a fell and so I could try to fix the frame counter it had to get a new dress.
Also, missing some shots because of the zone focus it was not ideal, so I started looking for some cheep AF ones, and they had to be as pocketable as the lc-a, on that area the mju II is the winner.
I don't think this collection will grow much more, unless I stumble upon some expensive models or so, for very cheap (ricohs gr, minolta TC-1 etc...) I'm happy with these ones for now, let's see what comes next.
(1 week after)
I just came back from the fleamarket with some more P&S cameras, Mju I (another),
Ricoh FF70(it's a DOA after all), Fuji HD-M, Konica EU-min and a Porst 135AE
#2 UPDATE
additions : Olympus XA2, Ricoh FF-1, Leica C2-zoom, Nikon AF600, Rollei 35B
A very basic Compact. Top spotting points if you see one of these now.
Plate comes back to a Piaggio T5 (a scooter?)
From where I sit at this moment, Orkney seems so remote. It's easy to forget that it sits just off John o' Groats and was a bit of Scotland nibbled away and submerged at the end of the Last Glacial Period. Prior to that, the lowered sea levels left Doggerland high and dry — a convenient stepping stone for humans to repopulate Britain from the rest of Europe. Yes, I've been to the very north of the archipelago, to North Ronaldsay. Today I'm away to South Ronaldsay — ironically juxtaposed at opposite ends from its northern namesake. This won't take me to Orkney's most southerly isle, Stroma, which to be honest has less water between it and Scotland that it has between itself and the rest of Orkney.
Here's a reminder of how compact these islands are. This is the northern tip of Glimps Holm looking back across Lamb Holm to Mainland. By now I've crossed two of the causeways constructed as navigation barriers in WWII. There are what appears to be military installations, there on the cliffs of Lamb Holm. In the middleground lie relics of the block ships sunk here early in WWI. I think this was the SS Numidian, an almost 5000 ton steel hulled steamer scuttled here on 30 December 1914. She was sunk in the company of SS Aorangi, SS Thames and SS Minieh with, I think, Numidian in the shallow water near this spot. I could be wrong. If you need a better answer there's a kind of trainspotters' guide to the wrecks of Scapa Flow.
Orkney is so user-friendly. It's a small place, compact, packed to the gunwales with history; so much that with sea level rise its, Plimsoll line is in peril of disappearing beneath the waves. Getting about is quick and easy; all that and it has a village named Twatt.
Car: BMW 316i Compact.
Date of first registration: 17th March 1999.
Region of registration: Swansea.
Latest recorded mileage: 13,578 (MOT 28th March 2019).
Date taken: 16th August 2019.
Album: Street Spots
Not many if any places to see a pair of SD35's running now days in the US, here GLC 383 and 384 work the interchange with the Ann Arbor RR at Osmer siding just north of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Nice compact packages these SD35's seen from above, if only EMD had cataloged an SD30, that would have been a pretty swell looking unit - August 23, 2024.
As usually, this Easter was an opportunity to take a walk around the countryside. This time, with my father, and using slightly different cameras. The weather was (evidently) nice, so we took roads I hadn't been to for quite some time. Nice!
Taken with Nikon AF240SV, a plastic compact film camera, with its 28mm lens, on a roll of Kodak Color+ 200 film. Scanned with Plustek OpticFilm 8100 film scanner.
The news of the passing of the Dutch engineer who invented the audio Compact Cassette, Lou Ottens, got me to thinking how useful and handy these were back in the day and efficient - even a provision to prevent accidental ereasure. The quality of the audio wasn't up there with reel-to-reel, but they paved they way for portable music. Even after portable compact disc (which Mr. Ottens was involved in the development of) players came out, portable cassette players were the best way to go - easier to fit into a pocket and slower battery drain - though it took many years to get the player down to the size of the cassette itself. Until at least MP3 players came out, which like everything else digital revolutionized everything.
My first pass at the building was only three stories, then I added an additional three. If I had to fit the building in a more compact space or if looked out of place in a layout, I could go back to three.
Car: BMW 316i Compact.
Date of first registration: 20th May 1999.
Registration region: Chelmsford.
Latest recorded mileage: 126,397 (MOT 10th June 2019).
Last V5 issued: 20th June 2020.
Date taken: 8th July 2020.
Album: Carspotting
The Foxtrot fighter is a modified GARC viper. She's equipped with 2 short-range ballistic guns and 4 low-frequency phase cannons for shield dampening. Though she's low on firepower, she makes up for it with sheer speed. All this coupled with the ability to compact into a small cargo bay makes her a bounty hunter's best friend.
This has got to be my absolute favorite out of all the fighters I have built for the 14x14x6 starfighter challenge because it's just so fun to convert, and it's pretty dang swooshable too.
Compact is a neat little studs up font. Basic, but gets the job done. Perfect for signing mosaics.
Try writing with the font or check the details on Swooshable.
Here's a nice way to create a compact 2x2 brick with studs on both sides. Pointed out by the awesome o0ger - thanks man!
Parts, details and a short video: swooshable.com/snot/compact-inverted-bracket-brick
My prototypes for the 4 hood's i've designed so far.
The two for CV 21mm and CV 25mm are still going through testing at the moment, so aren't yet on sale.
Some background:
Simple, efficient and reliable, the Regult (リガード, Rigādo) was the standard mass production mecha of the Zentraedi forces. Produced by Esbeliben at the 4.432.369th Zentraedi Fully Automated Weaponry Development and Production Factory Satellite in staggering numbers to fill the need for an all-purpose mecha, this battle pod accommodated a single Zentraedi soldier in a compact cockpit and was capable of operating in space or on a planet's surface. The Regult saw much use during Space War I in repeated engagements against the forces of the SDF-1 Macross and the U.N. Spacy, but its lack of versatility against superior mecha often resulted in average effectiveness and heavy losses. The vehicle was regarded as expendable and was therefore cheap, simple, but also very effective when fielded in large numbers. Possessing minimal defensive features, the Regult was a simple weapon that performed best in large numbers and when supported by other mecha such as Gnerl Fighter Pods. Total production is said to have exceeded 300 million in total.
The cockpit could be accesses through a hatch on the back of the Regult’s body, which was, however, extremely cramped, with poor habitability and means of survival. The giant Zentraedi that operated it often found themselves crouching, with some complaining that "It would have been easier had they just walked on their own feet". Many parts of the craft relied on being operated on manually, which increased the fatigue of the pilot. On the other hand, the overall structure was extremely simple, with relatively few failures, making operational rate high.
In space, the Regult made use of two booster engines and numerous vernier thrusters to propel itself at very high speeds, capable of engaging and maintaining pace with the U.N. Spacy's VF-1 Valkyrie variable fighter. Within an atmosphere, the Regult was largely limited to ground combat but retained high speed and maneuverability. On land, the Regult was surprisingly fast and agile, too, capable of closing with the VF-1 variable fighter in GERWALK flight (though likely unable to maintain pace at full GERWALK velocity). The Regult was not confined to land operations, though, it was also capable of operating underwater for extended periods of time. Thanks to its boosters, the Regult was capable of high leaping that allowed the pod to cover long distances, surprise enemies and even engage low-flying aircraft.
Armed with a variety of direct-fire energy weapons and anti-personnel/anti-aircraft guns, the Regult offered considerable firepower and was capable of engaging both air and ground units. It was also able to deliver powerful kicks. The armor of the body shell wasn't very strong, though, and could easily be penetrated by a Valkyrie's 55 mm Gatling gun pod. Even bare fist attacks of a VF-1 could crack the Regult’s cockpit or immobilize it. The U.N. Spacy’s MBR-07 Destroid Spartan was, after initial battel experience with the Regult, specifically designed to engage the Zentraedi forces’ primary infantry weapon in close-combat.
The Regult was, despite general shortcomings, a highly successful design and it became the basis for a wide range of specialized versions, including advanced battle pods for commanders, heavy infantry weapon carriers and reconnaissance/command vehicles. The latter included the Regult Tactical Scout (リガード偵察型). manufactured by electronics specialist Ectromelia. The Tactical Scout variant was a deadly addition to the Zentraedi Regult mecha troops. Removing all weaponry, the Tactical Scout was equipped with many additional sensor clusters and long-range detection equipment. Always found operating among other Regult mecha or supporting Glaug command pods, the Scout was capable of early warning enemy detection as well as ECM/ECCM roles (Electronic Countermeasures/Electronic Counter-Countermeasures). In Space War I, the Tactical Scout was utilized to devastating effect, often providing radar jamming, communication relay and superior tactical positioning for the many Zentraedi mecha forces.
At the end of Space War I in January 2012, production of the Regult for potential Earth defensive combat continued when the seizure operation of the Factory Satellite was executed. After the war, Regults were used by both U.N. Spacy and Zentraedi insurgents. Many surviving units were incorporated into the New U.N. Forces and given new model numbers. The normal Regult became the “Zentraedi Battle Pod” ZBP-104 (often just called “Type 104”) and was, for example, used by Al-Shahal's New U.N. Army's Zentraedi garrison. The related ZBP-106 was a modernized version for Zentraedi commanders, with built-in boosters, additional Queadluun-Rhea arms and extra armaments. These primarily replaced the Glaug battle pod, of which only a handful had survived. By 2067, Regult pods of all variants were still in operation among mixed human/Zentraedi units.
General characteristics:
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in main body
Overall Height: 18.2 meters
Overall Length: 7.6 meters
Overall Width: 12.6 meters
Max Weight: 39.8 metric tons
Powerplant & propulsion:
1x 1.3 GGV class Ectromelia thermonuclear reaction furnace,
driving 2x main booster Thrusters and 12x vernier thrusters
Performance:
unknown
Armament:
None
Special Equipment and Features:
Standard all-frequency radar antenna
Standard laser long-range sensor
Ectromelia infrared, visible light and ultraviolet frequency sensor cluster
ECM/ECCM suite
The kit and its assembly:
I had this kit stashed away for a couple of years, together with a bunch of other 1:100 Zentraedi pods of all kinds and the plan to build a full platoon one day – but this has naturally not happened so far and the kits were and are still waiting. The “Reconnaissance & Surveillance” group build at whatifmodellers.com in August 2021 was a good occasion and motivation to tackle the Tactical Scout model from the pile, though, as it perfectly fits the GB’s theme and also adds an exotic science fiction/anime twist to the submissions.
The kit is an original ARII boxing from 1983, AFAIK the only edition of this model. One might expect this kit to be a variation of the 1982 standard Regult (sometimes spelled “Reguld”) kit with extra parts, but that’s not the case – it is a new mold with different parts and technical solutions, and it offers optional parts for the standard Regult pod as well as the two missile carrier versions that were published at the same time, too. The Tactical Scout uses the same basis, but it comes with parts exclusive for this variant (hull and a sprue with the many antennae and sensors).
I remembered from a former ARII Regult build in the late Eighties that the legs were a wobbly affair. Careful sprue inspection revealed, however, that this second generation comes with some sensible detail changes, e. g. the feet, which originally consisted of separate toe and heel sections (and these were hollow from behind/below!). To my biggest surprise the knees – a notorious weak spot of the 1st generation Regult kit – were not only held by small and flimsy vinyl caps anymore: These were replaced with much bigger vinyl rings, fitted into sturdy single-piece enclosures made from a tough styrene which can even be tuned with small metal screws(!), which are included in the kit. Interesting!
But the joy is still limited: even though the mold is newer, fit is mediocre at best, PSR is necessary on every seam. However, the good news is that the kit does not fight with you. The whole thing was mostly built OOB, because at 1:100 there's little that makes sense to add to the surface, and the kit comes with anything you'd expect on a Regult Scout pod. I just added some lenses and small stuff behind the large "eye", which is (also to my surprise) a clear part. The stuff might only appear in schemes on the finished model, but that's better than leaving the area blank.
Otherwise, the model was built in sub-sections for easier painting and handling, to be assembled in a final step – made possible by the kit’s design which avoids the early mecha kit’s “onion layer” construction, except for the feet. This is the only area that requires some extra effort, and which is also a bit tricky to assemble.
However, while the knees appear to be a robust construction, the kit showed some material weakness: while handling the leg assembly, one leg suddenly came off under the knees - turned out that the locator that holds the knee joint above (which I expected to be the weak point) completely broke off of the lower leg! Weird damage. I tried to glue the leg into place, but this did not work, and so I inserted a replacement for the broken. This eventually worked.
Painting and markings:
Colorful, but pretty standard and with the attempt to be authentic. However, information concerning the Regults’ paint scheme is somewhat inconsistent. I decided to use a more complex interpretation of the standard blue/grey Regult scheme, with a lighter “face shield” and some other details that make the mecha look more interesting. I used the box art and some screenshots from the Macross TV series as reference; the Tactical Scout pod already appears in episode #2 for the first time, and there are some good views at it, even though the anime version is highly simplified.
Humbrol enamels were used, including 48 (Mediterranean Blue), 196 (RAL 7035, instead of pure white), 40 (Pale Grey) and 27 (Sea Grey). The many optics were created with clear acrylics over a silver base, and the large frontal “eye” is a piece of clear plastic with a coat of clear turquoise paint, too.
The model received a black ink washing to emphasize details, engraved panel lines and recesses, as well as some light post-shading through dry-brushing. Some surface details were created with decal stripes, e. g. on the upper legs, or with a black fineliner, and some color highlights were distributed all over the hull, e. g. the yellowish-beige tips of the wide antenna or the bright blue panels on the upper legs.
The decals were taken OOB, and thanks to a translation chart I was able to decipher some of the markings which I’d interpret as a serial number and a unit code – but who knows?
Finally, the kit received an overall coat of matt acrylic varnish and some weathering/dust traces around the feet with simple watercolors – more would IMHO look out of place, due to the mecha’s sheer size in real life and the fact that the Regult has to be considered a disposable item. Either it’s brand new and shiny, or busted, there’s probably little in between that justifies serious weathering which better suits the tank-like Destroids.
A “normal” build, even though the model and the topic are exotic enough. This 2nd generation Regult kit went together easier than expected, even though it has its weak points, too. However, material ageing turned out to be the biggest challenge (after all, the kit is almost 40 years old!), but all problems could be overcome and the resulting model looks decent – and it has this certain Eighties flavor! :D