Company/Owner: Victory Liner, Inc.

Fleet/Bus Number: 8068

Classification: Air-conditioned Provincial Bus

Coachbuilder: Hyundai Motor Company

Body Model: Hyundai Aero City (Hyundai Super Aero City fascia)

Engine Model: Hyundai D6AB (Q300)

Chassis Model: Hyundai Aero City (KMJTC18BP3C)

Transmission: Manual (5-speed forward, 1-speed reverse)

Suspension: Leaf Spring Suspension

Seating Configuration: 2×2

Seating Capacity: 45

Route: Monumento, Caloocan City–Apalit, Pampanga via NLEX-Balintawak–NLEX-Tabang / MacArthur Highway

Municipalities/cities passing: Tabang (Guiguinto)/Malolos City/Calumpit

Type of Operation: Provincial Operation Public Utility Bus (Economy Class)

Area of Operation: Central Luzon (Region III)

Shot Location: MacArthur Highway (Manila North Road), Barangay Sumapang Matanda, Malolos City, Bulacan

Date Taken: June 30, 2015

Notices:

* Please DON'T GRAB A PHOTO WITHOUT A PERMISSION. If you're going to GRAB IT, please give A CREDIT TO THE OWNER. Also, don't PRINT SCREEN my photos.

** If I have mistakes on the specifications, please comment in a good manner so that I can edit it immediately.

*** The specifications and routes (for provincial, inter-provincial, and city operation) mentioned above are subjected for verification and may be changed without prior notice.

**** The vehicle's registration plate(s), conduction sticker(s), and/or persons (if applicable) were pixelated/blurred to prevent any conflict with the photographer, the bus company and/or to the car owner for their security and/or privacy purposes. So, don't use their plate number, conduction sticker, and vehicle tag as an evidence for any incident. And, I have taken this photo for bus fanatics, bus enthusiasts, and bus lovers purposes.

Pangasinan Five Star

Truck Manufacturer: International Truck

Model: Navistar

Chassis:

Engine:

Suspension:

Axle Configuration: 6x4

NTI and JJV Transport

Truck Manufacturer: MAN Truck & Bus AG

Company/Owner: Strathcona County Transit

License Plate/Registration Number: BTR-3345

Fleet/Bus Number: 8015

Classification: Air-conditioned/Heater-centralized Double Decker Commuter City Bus

Coachbuilder: Alexander Dennis

Body Model: Alexander Dennis Enviro500

Engine Model: Cummins ISL9 380

Chassis Model: Trident E500 (SFETAM841FGN)

Transmission: 6-speed Automatic Transmission

Suspension: Tri-axle Air Suspension

Seating Configuration: 2×2 and Side-facing seats (lower deck only)

Seating Capacity: 84 (U56 + L28) + 2 wheelchair bay

Bus Route Number and Route: 414: University of Alberta, Edmonton–Bethel Transit Terminal, Sherwood Park via 98 Avenue NW/Capilano

Special Features: CCTV-equipped, wheelchair ramp, wide legroom, bike rack, and kneeling bus

Date Taken: June 30, 2016 (Mountain Daylight Time: GMT -6:00); July 1, 2016 (Manila (Philippines) Time: GMT +8:00)

Notices:

* Please DON'T GRAB A PHOTO WITHOUT A PERMISSION. If you're going to GRAB IT, please give A CREDIT TO THE OWNER. Also, don't PRINT SCREEN my photos.

** If I have mistakes on the specifications, please comment in a good manner so that I can edit it immediately.

*** The specifications and routes mentioned above are subjected for verification and may be changed without prior notice.

Shown in 'kneeling configuration', which was a feature of this version of the Andover where the main undercarriage could be 'folded' to allow the rear of the a/c nearer the ground for loading/unloading.

31 C1s were delivered in the late 60's as light/medium tactical transports, but their service, for the bulk of them, was short lived.

10 a/c were passed on to the RNZAF.

One RAF example (XS596) became the sole C1(PR) as the British 'Open Skies' aircraft.

The machine seen here was the 'jump ship' for the Falcons parachute display team at that years airshow.

It survived to be de-mobbed and was last reported operating in Africa under a UN contract.

The Citroën DS (French pronunciation: [si.tʁɔ.ɛn de.ɛs]) is a front mid-engined, front-wheel drive executive car manufactured and marketed by Citroën from 1955 to 1975, in fastback/sedan, wagon/estate, and convertible body configurations, across a single generation comprising three series.

Marketed with a less expensive variant, the Citroën ID, the DS was known for its aerodynamic, futuristic body design; unorthodox, quirky, and innovative technology. It set new standards in ride quality, handling, and braking,[3] thanks to both being the first mass production car equipped with hydropneumatic suspension, as well as disc brakes.[4] The 1967 Series 3 also introduced directional headlights to automotive mass-production.[nb 2]

Italian sculptor and industrial designer Flaminio Bertoni and the French aeronautical engineer André Lefèbvre styled and engineered the DS, and Paul Magès developed the hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension. Robert Opron designed the 1967 Series 3 facelift. Citroën built 1455746 examples in six countries, of which 1330755 were manufactured at Citroën's main Paris Quai de Javel (now Quai André-Citroën) production plant.[5]

The DS was used competitively in rally racing during almost its entire 20‑year production run, and achieved multiple major victories, as early as 1959, and as late as 1974. It was named the most beautiful car of all time by Classic & Sports Car magazine.[6]

The name DS and ID are puns in the French language. "DS" is pronounced exactly like déesse, lit. 'goddess', whereas "ID" is pronounced as idée ('idea').

Model history

Turn indicators were mounted in the upper corners of the rear window, tail and brake lights integrated in chromed rear bumper.

After 18 years of secret development as the successor to the Traction Avant, the DS 19 was introduced on 6 October 1955, at the Paris Motor Show. In the first 15 minutes of the show, 743 orders were taken, and orders for the first day totalled 12,000.[7] During the 10 days of the show, the DS took in 80,000 deposits; a record that stood for over 60 years,[8] until it was eclipsed by the Tesla Model 3 which received 180,000 first day deposits in March 2016.[9] The original list price for a 1959 ID19 was US$2,833 ($31,289 in 2025 dollars).[10][11]

Contemporary journalists said the DS pushed the envelope in the ride vs. handling compromise possible in a motor vehicle.[12][13][14]

To a France still deep in reconstruction after the devastation of World War II, and also building its identity in the post-colonial world, the DS symbolized French ingenuity.[15] The DS was distributed to many territories throughout the world.[16]

At the 1963 Amsterdam International Autoshow, Citroën presented a DS body as a sculpture, upright like a rocket, on a rotating platform.

It also posited the nation's relevance in the Space Age, during the global race for technology of the Cold War.[15] Structuralist philosopher Roland Barthes, in an essay about the car, said that it looked as if it had "fallen from the sky".[17] An American advertisement summarised this selling point: "It takes a special person to drive a special car".[18]

Because the company was owned by the technologically aggressive tyre manufacturer Michelin, Citroën had designed their cars around the technologically superior radial tyre since 1948, and the DS was no exception.[19][20]

The car used double wishbone suspension with L-shaped arms at the front and trailing-arms at the rear, with totally novel hydropneumatic spring and damper units. The car's advanced hydraulics included automatic self-levelling and driver adjustable ride-height,[21] developed in-house by Paul Magès. This suspension allowed the DS to travel quickly on the poor road surfaces then common in France.[22]

In addition, the vehicle had power steering and a semi-automatic transmission (the transmission required no clutch pedal but gears still had to be shifted by hand,[23] with the shift lever controlling a powered hydraulic shift mechanism in place of a mechanical linkage). It had a fibreglass roof which lowered the centre of gravity, and so reduced weight transfer. Inboard front disc brakes (as well as independent suspension) reduced unsprung weight. Different front and rear track widths reduced the unequal tyre loading, which is well known to promote understeer, typical of front-engined and front-wheel drive cars.[24] Although disc brakes had been tried on a car as early as 1902 by British Lanchester, volume production had not been applied until 1949, by USA small car manufacturer Crosley, but without success. The Citroën DS was the first successful fielding of disc brakes on a mass-produced car.[4]

Furthermore, at launch the DS featured innovative centerlock wheels which used a captive allen bolt as the central fastener whilst a hexagonal protrusion transferred the drive to a matching recess in the wheel. This made it possible to change the wheel very quickly in the event of a puncture and proved an advantage in motor racing.[25]

As with all French cars, the DS design was affected by the tax horsepower system, which effectively encouraged smaller engines. Unlike the Traction Avant predecessor, there was no top-of-range model with a powerful six-cylinder engine. Citroën had planned an air-cooled flat-6 engine for the car, but did not have the funds to put the prototype engine into production.

The DS placed fifth on the 2005 list of "100 Coolest Cars" by Automobile Magazine.[26] It was also named the most beautiful car of all time by Classic & Sports Car magazine after a poll of 20 world-renowned car designers, including Giorgetto Giugiaro, Ian Callum, Roy Axe, Paul Bracq, and Leonardo Fioravanti...Wikipedia

Quoting Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum | Hiller YROE-1 Rotorcycle:

In 1953, Hiller Helicopters developed the Rotorcycle to meet a U. S. Marine Corps requirement for a single-person collapsible helicopter that could support special operations missions or be air-dropped to pilots trapped behind enemy lines. Hiller built the prototype, and the British firm, Saunders-Roe built ten production models, including the five YROE-1s requested by the Marine Corps, including this one. The first flight of a Rotorcycle occurred in 1956.

The Rotorcycle was so stable a non-pilot could fly it after only eight hours of instruction. However, The Marine Corps did not accept the YROE-1 for military service because of its slow speed of 84 kph (52 mph), its minimal range of 64 km (40 miles), its vulnerability to small-arms fire and the lack of visual references on the structure, which could cause the pilot to experience spatial disorientation at all but very low altitudes.

Transferred from the United States Navy.

Rotor Diameter:5.64 m (18 ft 6 in)

Length:3.81 m (12 ft 6 in)

Height:2.29 m (7 ft 6 in)

Weight:Empty, 140 kg (309 lb)

Gross, 255 kg (562 lb)

Engine:Nelson YO-65-2 four-cylinder, two-cycle engine, 43 hp

Manufacturer:Saunders-Roe for Hiller Helicopters, United Kingdom, 1961

Manufacturer:

United Helicopters Incorporated

Country of Origin:

United States of America

Dimensions:

Rotor diameter 18 feet 6 inches, height 7 feet, length 16 feet 6 inches, width 8 feet 9 inches.

• • • • •

Quoting Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum | P-V Engineering Forum PV-2:

When Igor Sikorsky began to publicly demonstrate his VS-300 helicopter in 1941, he called it the automobile of the future. This idea quickly captured the public imagination and enthusiastic helicopter designers stepped forward to produce the next aerial version of the Model T. On April 11, 1943, Frank Piasecki became the second American to successfully fly a helicopter of his own design, the Piasecki-Venzie PV-2. He built it with far fewer resources than Sikorsky had available to construct the VS-300, yet the PV-2 flew with an unprecedented smoothness and stability. Ironically, Frank Piasecki intended his first helicopter design to be the forerunner of a revolution in personal transportation, but his company actually evolved into one of the foremost manufacturers of large cargo helicopters sold primarily to the military.

Gift of Frank Piasecki

Manufacturer:

Piasecki Helicopter Corporation

Country of Origin:

United States of America

Dimensions:

Rotor Diameter: 7.7 m each (25 ft 2 in)

Length: 7.7 m (25 ft 5.25 in)

Height: 2.36 m (7 ft 9 in)

Weights: Empty, 327 kg (720 lb)

Gross, 454 kg (1,000 lb)

• • • • •

Quoting Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum | Hiller Model 1031-A-1 Flying Platform:

In the mid-1950s, Hiller constructed a series of innovative Flying Platforms for an Army-Navy program as a one-man flying vehicle that the pilot could control with minimal training. The pilot simply leaned in the desired direction and the platform would follow. The platforms, which utilized the aerodynamic advantages of the ducted fan, were incapable of tumbling, because if the pilot leaned over too far, the platform would pitch up and slow down.

The 1031-A-1 is the second of the Flying Platform prototypes and was the first to operate out of ground effect (aerodynamic cushion caused by thrust hitting the ground). The Army contracted for a larger, improved model - the VZ-1 - but the extra engines required for redundancy if the primary failed made the platform so heavy that it was impossible for the pilot to control the craft kinesthetically (by leaning), defeating the purpose of the design.

Transferred from the United States Department of the Army and the United States Department of the Navy.

Fan Diameter (x2):2.13 m (7 ft) each

Platform Diameter:2.54 m (8 ft 4 in)

Height: 2.13 m (7 ft)

Weight:Empty, 168 kg (370 lb)

Gross, 252 kg (555 lb)

Engine:2 x Nelson H-59 two-cycle engines, 40 hp each

Top Speed:26 km/h (16 mph)

Manufacturer:Hiller Aircraft, Palo Alto, Ca.,1957

Country of Origin:

United States of America

Dimensions:

Rotor Diameter: 2.1 m (7 ft) each

Platform Diameter: 2.5 m (8 ft 4 in)

Height: 2.1 m (7 ft)

Weights:

Empty, 167.8 kg (370 lb)

Gross, 251.7 kg (555 lb)

Materials:

Duct is fiberglass; rotor blades, operator platform, and guide vanes are made from aluminum sheet. Operator platform railing is made of aluminum tubing.

Physical Description:

One-man, twin-engine, flying platform with two counter-rotating rotors turning on vertical axis inside ducted fan.

• • • • •

Quoting Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum | Hiller XH-44 Hiller-Copter:

In 1944, at the age of 19, Stanley Hiller, Jr. designed, built, and test flew the first helicopter with coaxial rotors to fly successfully in the United States. The XH-44 was also the first helicopter to fly successfully with all-metal blades and a rigid rotor. Hiller used the counter-rotating coaxial configuration to distinguish his designs from Sikorsky's single main rotor designs that dominated the helicopter industry in the mid-1940s.

The first tie-down tests of the XH-44 took place on his parents' driveway and the initial flight tests occurred at the University of California at Berkeley's football stadium, where Hiller was a student. He initially tested the XH-44 with amphibious floats in his family's swimming pool. Up-scaled coaxial Hiller designs failed to sell, but his company prospered with the introduction of the popular UH-12 single rotor model.

Gift of the Hiller Aircraft Company.

Manufacturer:

United Helicopters Incorporated

Date:

1943-1945

Country of Origin:

United States of America

Dimensions:

Rotor Dia:7.6m(15ft); Fuselage Length:4.1m(13ft4in);

Height:2.7m(9ft); Weight Empty: 564kg(1,244lb)

Materials:

Steel tube and fabric fuselage; 2 2-blade metal rotors

Peñafrancia Tours & Travel

Company/Owner: Bicol Isarog Transport System, Inc./VS Pintados Corporation

Fleet/Bus Number: 502

Classification: Air-conditioned Provincial Bus

Coachbuilder: (Suzhou) Higer Bus Company, Ltd.

Body Model: Higer KLQ6122KA

Engine Model: Yuchai YC6L310-30 (L360A/L52SA)

Chassis Model: Higer KLQ6122KE3 (LKLA1L1J9EB)

Transmission: 6-speed Manual Transmission

Suspension: Air Suspension

Seating Configuration: 2×2

Seating Capacity: 49

Franchise route: Liloan (Southern Leyte)–Cubao (Quezon City) (new); Tacloban–Metro-South Intermodal Transport Terminal (former)

Route: Cubao, Quezon City (CUB, QC)–Maasin City, Southern Leyte (MSN, SL) via Bicol Region / Samar /Leyte / N693 (Bato–Bontoc Road) or Cubao, Quezon City (CUB, QC)–Ormoc City, Leyte (OMC, LY) via Bicol Region / Samar / N70 (Palo–Carigara–Ormoc Road)

Municipalities/cities passing: Makati City–Calamba City [CLM]/Santo Tomas City/Alaminos/San Pablo City/Tiaong/Candelaria/Sariaya/Lucena City [LUC]/Pagbilao/Antimonan/Plaridel/Gumaca/Lopez/Calauag [CUG]/Tabugon (Santa Elena)/Tagkawayan/Del Gallego/Ragay/Lupi/Sipocot/Libmanan/Pamplona/San Fernando/Milaor/Naga City [WNP]/Pili/Bula/Baao/Nabua/Bato (Camarines Sur)/Polangui/Oas/Ligao City/Guinobatan/Camalig/Daraga/Pilar/Castilla/Sorsogon City [SOR]/Casiguran/Juban/Irosin/Matnog [MTG]~San Bernardino Straight~Allen/Victoria/San Isidro/Calbayog City [CYP]/Santa Margarita/Gandara/San Jorge/Tarangnan/Catbalogan City [CBN]/Jiabong/Motiong/Paranas/Hinabangan/San Sebastian/Calbiga/Pinabacdao/Santa Rita/Basey/Tacloban City [TAC]/Palo; from Palo to Ormoc City (if bound to Ormoc City): Santa Fe/Alangalang/Jaro/Tunga/Abango (Barugo)/Carigara/Capoocan/Kananga or from Palo to Maasin City (if bound to Maasin City): Tanauan/Tolosa/Dulag/Mayorga/MacArthur/Javier/Abuyog/Mahaplag/Sogod [SGD]/Bontoc/Bato (Leyte)/Matalom

Type of Operation: Provincial Operation Public Utility Bus (Regular Class)

Area of Operation: Eastern Visayas (Region VIII)

Shot Location: EDSA-Boni, Mandaluyong City

Date Taken: May 14, 2018

Notices:

* Please DON'T GRAB A PHOTO WITHOUT A PERMISSION. If you're going to GRAB IT, please give A CREDIT TO THE OWNER. Also, don't PRINT SCREEN my photos.

** If I have mistakes on the specifications, please comment in a good manner so that I can edit it immediately.

*** The specifications and routes (for provincial, inter-provincial, and city operation) mentioned above are subjected for verification and may be changed without prior notice.

**** The vehicle's registration plate(s), conduction sticker(s), and/or persons (if applicable) were pixelated/blurred to prevent any conflict with the photographer, the bus company and/or to the car owner for their security and/or privacy purposes. So, don't use their plate number, conduction sticker, and vehicle tag as an evidence for any incident. And, I have taken this photo for bus fanatics, bus enthusiasts, and bus lovers purposes.

Commander Configuration: 2Rd / 2Y / 1B / 2W

Mobile Frame Hangar Post

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Built for Mobile Frame Zero - a tabletop wargame.

Mobile Frame Hangar (MFZ Community Forums).

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FiveStar Bus Company Inc.

jsc2022e062413 (July 29, 2022) - A view of the full Gateway configuration with Orion attached.

Credit: NASA

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

The Cessna Model 336 and 337 “Skymaster” were American twin-engine civil utility aircraft built in a unique push-pull configuration. Their engines were mounted in the nose and rear of its pod-style fuselage. Twin booms extended aft of the wings to the vertical stabilizers, with the rear engine between them. The horizontal stabilizer was aft of the pusher propeller, mounted between and connecting the two booms.

The type’s versatility, low noise level, high travel speed and good loitering time in the operational area at low speed proved to be vital assets for these public service operators and justified its relatively high maintenance costs. A handful of the modernized Spectrum SA-550 machines were still in active service after the Millennium, primarily in the USA.

General characteristics:

Crew: 1 + 3 passengers (up to 5 passengers possible in special seat configuration)

Length: 32 ft 6½ in (9.94 m)

Wingspan: 38 ft ¾ in (11.62 m)

Height: 9 ft 2 in (2.79 m)

Wing area: 201 sq ft (18.81 m²)

Aspect ratio: 7.18:1

Airfoil: NACA 2412 at root, NACA 2409 at tip

Empty weight: 2,655 lb (1,204 kg)

Max takeoff weight: 4,400 lb (1,996 kg)

Fuel capacity: 92 US gal (77 imp gal; 350 l) normal,

128 US gal (107 imp gal; 480 l) with auxiliary tank

in the cabin instead of two passenger seats

Powerplant:

1× Pratt & Whitney PT6A-27 turboprop engine, delivering 550 shp (410 kW) and

driving a four-blade McCauley fully-feathering, constant-speed propeller, 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) diameter

Performance:

Maximum speed: 199 mph (320 km/h, 173 kn) at sea level

Cruise speed: 144 mph (232 km/h, 125 kn) at 10,000 ft (3,000 m) (econ cruise)

Stall speed: 69 mph (111 km/h, 60 kn)

Range: 1421 mi (2.288 km, 1.243 nmi) at 10.000 ft (3.050 m) altitude and economy cruise

Service ceiling: 19,500 ft (5,900 m)

Rate of climb: 1,200 ft/min (6.1 m/s)

Takeoff distance to 50 ft (15m): 1,545 ft (471 m)

Landing distance from 50 ft (15m): 1,650 ft (500 m)

The kit and its assembly:

This build is the combination of ingredients that had already been stashed away for a long time, and the “Red Lights” Group Build at whatifmodellers.com in early 2021 was a good motivator and occasion to finally put everything together.

The basis is an ARII 1:72 Cessna T337 model kit – I had purchased it long ago with the expectation to create a military Skymaster from it, but I was confused by a fixed landing gear which would make it a 336? Well, without a further concrete plan the kit preliminarily landed in The Stash™…

However, the ARII model features the optional observation windows in the doors on the starboard side, in the form of a complete(!) fuselage half, so that it lends itself to a police or firefighter aircraft of some sort. This idea was furthermore fueled by a decal sheet that I had been given from a friend, left over from a 1:72 Italeri JetRanger, with three optional police helicopter markings.

The final creative element was the real-world “Pelican” conversion of six O-2As for the US Navy, as mentioned in the background above: the front engine was replaced with a longer nose and the engine configuration changed to a pusher-only aircraft with a single powerful turboprop engine. This looked so odd that I wanted to modify the ARII Cessna in a similar fashion, too, and all these factors came together in this model.

My Arii Cessna 337 kit is a re-boxing from 2009, but its origins date back to Eidai in 1972 and that’s just what you get: a vintage thing with some flash and sinkholes, raised (but fine) surface details and pretty crude seams with bulges and gaps. Some PSR is direly necessary, esp. the fit of the fuselage halves is cringeworthy. The clear parts were no source of joy, either; especially the windscreen turned out to be thick, very streaky (to a degree that I’d almost call it opaque!) and even not fully molded! The side glazing was also not very clear. I tried to improve the situation through polishing, but if the basis is already poor, there’s little you can do about it. Hrmpf.

However, the kit was built mostly OOB, including the extra O-2 glazing in the lower doors, but with some mods. One is a (barely visible) extra tank in the cabin’s rear, plus a pilot and an observer figure placed into the tight front seats. The extended “Pelican” nose was a lucky find – I was afraid that I had had to sculpt a nose from scratch with 2C putty. But I found a radome from a Hasegawa RA-5C, left over from a model I built in the Eighties and that has since long fallen apart. However, this nose fitted almost perfectly in size and shape, I just “blunted” the tip a little. Additionally, both the hull in front of the dashboard and the Vigilante radome were filled with as many lead beads as possible to keep the nose down.

The kit’s OOB spatted, fixed landing gear was retained – even though it is dubious for a Cessna 337, because this type had a fully retractable landing gear, and the model has the landing gear covers actually molded into the lower fuselage. On the other side, the Cessna 336’s fixed landing gear looks quite different, too! However, this is a what-if model, and a fixed landing gear might have been a measure to reduce maintenance costs?

The propeller was replaced with a resin four-blade aftermarket piece (from CMK, probably the best-fitting thing on this build!) on my standard metal axis/styrene tube adapter arrangement. The propeller belongs to a Shorts Tucano, but I think that it works well on the converted Cessna and its powerful pusher engine, even though in the real world, the SA-550 is AFAIK driven by a three-blade prop. For the different engine I also enlarged the dorsal air intake with a 1.5 mm piece of styrene sheet added on top of the molded original air scoop and added a pair of ventral exhaust stubs (scratched from sprue material).

Another addition is a pair of winglets, made from 0.5 mm styrene sheet – an upgrade which I found on several late Cessna 337s in various versions. They just add to the modernized look of the aircraft. For the intended observation role, a hemispherical fairing under the nose hides a 180° camera, and I added some antennae around the hull.

However, a final word concerning the model kit itself: nothing fits, be warned! While the kit is a simple affair and looks quite good in the box, assembling it turned out to be a nightmare, with flash, sinkholes, a brittle styrene and gaps everywhere. This includes the clear parts, which are pretty thick and blurry. The worst thing is the windscreen, which is not only EXTRA thick and EXTRA blurry, it was also not completely molded, with gaps on both sides. I tried to get it clearer through manual polishing, but the streaky blurs are integral – no hope for improvement unless you completely replace the parts! If I ever build a Cessna 337/O-2 again, I will give the Airfix kit a try, it can only be better…

Painting and markings:

The choice between the operator options from the JetRanger sheet was hard, it included Sweden and Italy, but I eventually settled for the LAPD because the livery looks cool and this police department not only operates helicopters, but also some fixed-wing aircraft.

I adapted the LAPD’s classic black-and-white police helicopter livery (Gloss White and Black, Humbrol 22 and 21, respectively) to the Cessna and extended it to the wings. At this point – already upset because of the poor fit of the hardware – disaster struck in the form of Humbrol’s 22 turning into a pinkish ivory upon curing! In the tin, the paint and its pigments looked pretty white and “clean”, and I assume that it’s the thinner that caused this change. What a crap! It’s probably the third tin with 22 that causes trouble, even though in different peculiarities!

The result was total rubbish, though, and I tried to rub the paint off as good as possible on the small model with its many windows, the fixed, delicate landing gear and the wing support struts. Then I overpainted the areas with Revell 301 (Semi-matt White). While this enamel yielded the intended pure white tone, the paint itself is rather gooey and not easy to work with, so that the overall finish turned out worse than desired. At least the black paint worked properly. The demarcations were created with black decal stripes (TL Modellbau), because the tiny model left little room for complex masking measures – and I did not risk any more painting accidents.

Since the aircraft would be kept shiny and clean, I just did a light black ink washing to emphasize surface details and did a light panel post-shading on the black areas, not for weathering but rather to accent surface structures. No further weathering was done (and necessary).

The markings/decals come – as mentioned above – from an Italeri 1:72 JetRanger, but they were augmented with some additional markings, e. g. grey walkways on the wings and “L-A-P-D” in large black letters under the wings, to distract from the poor finish of the white paint around them…

Finally, the kit was sealed overall with Italeri semi-gloss acrylic varnish, just with a matt anti-glare shield in front of the windscreen, which received thin white trim lines (generic decal stripes).

A challenging build due to the Arii kit’s rather poor basis, the massive rhinoplasty and the crisp paint scheme. However, I like the result – what-if models do not always have to be armed military vehicles, there’s potential in other genres, too. And this mono-engine “Pelican” Skymaster plays its role as a “flying eye” in police service credibly and well. However, this was my first and last Eidai kit…

The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle and Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen (VW) from 1938 until 2003. With over 21 million manufactured in an air-cooled, rear-engined, rear-wheel drive configuration, the Beetle is the longest-running and most-manufactured automobile of a single design platform anywhere in the world.

Although designed in the 1930s, the Beetle was only produced in significant numbers from 1945 onwards, when the model was internally designated the Volkswagen Type 1, and marketed simply as the "Volkswagen". Later models were designated VW 1200, 1300, 1500, 1302 or 1303, the former three indicating engine displacement and the latter two being derived from the type number and not indicative of engine capacity. The model became widely known in its home country as the Käfer (German for "beetle") and was later marketed as such in Germany and as the Volkswagen Beetle in other countries.

In the 1950s, the Beetle was more comfortable and powerful than most European small cars, having been designed for sustained high speed on the Autobahn. It remained a top seller in the U.S., owing much of its success to high build-quality and innovative advertising, ultimately giving rise to variants, including the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia and the Volkswagen Type 2 van.

Along with cars including the Morris Minor, Fiat 500, Renault 4CV and Dauphine, and Citroen 2CV, the Beetle pioneered the modern continental economy car and later served as the benchmark for the initial two generations of North American compact cars, including the Chevrolet Corvair and Ford Falcon, as well as later subcompact cars such as the Chevrolet Vega and Ford Pinto.

The Beetle had marked a significant trend led by Volkswagen, Fiat, and Renault whereby the rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout had increased from 2.6 percent of continental Western Europe's car production in 1946 to 26.6 percent in 1956. The 1948 Citroen 2CV and other European models marked a later trend to front-wheel drive in the European small car market, a trend that would come to dominate that market. In 1974, Volkswagen's own front-wheel drive Golf model succeeded the Beetle, and in 1998 VW introduced the "New Beetle", built on the Golf platform with styling that recalled the original Beetle.

In a 1999 international poll for the world's most influential car of the 20th century the Beetle came fourth after the Ford Model T, the Mini, and the Citroën DS.

The Beetle featured a rear-located, rear-wheel drive, air-cooled four cylinder, boxer engine in a two-door bodywork featuring a flat front windscreen, accommodating four passengers and providing luggage storage under the front bonnet and behind the rear seat – and offering a Cx or coefficient of drag of 0.41. The bodywork attached with eighteen bolts to its nearly flat chassis which featured a central structural tunnel. Front and rear suspension featured torsion bars along with front and rear stabilizer bars – providing independent suspensions at all wheels. Certain initial features were subsequently revised, including mechanical drum brakes, split-window rear windows, mechanical direction-indicators and the non-synchronized gearbox. Other features, including its distinctive overall shape, endured.

Its engine, transmission, and cylinder heads were constructed of light alloy. An engine oil cooler (located in the engine fan's shroud) ensured optimal engine operating temperature and long engine life, optimized by a thermostat that bypassed the oil cooler when the engine was cold. Later models of the carburetor featured an automatic choke. Engine intake air passed through a metallic filter, while heavier particles were captured by an oil bath. After 1960, steering featured a hydraulic damper that absorbed steering irregularities.

Indicative of the car's simple, no-nonsense design, the interior featured painted metal surfaces, a metal dash consolidating instruments in a single, circular binnacle, adjustable front seats, a fold-down rear seat, optional swing-out rear windows, front windows with pivoting vent windows, heating via air-to-air exchange manifolds operating off the engine's heat, and a windshield washer system that eschewed the complexity and cost of an additional electric pump and instead received its pressurization from the car's spare tire (located in the front luggage compartment) which was accordingly overinflated to accommodate the washer function.

While the overall appearance of the Beetle changed little over its life span, it received over 78,000 incremental changes during its production.

Dr. (h.c.) Ferdinand Porsche

In 1931, Ferdinand Porsche developed the Porsche Type 12, or "Auto für Jedermann" (car for everybody) for Zündapp. Porsche already preferred the flat-4 cylinder engine, and selected a swing axle rear suspension (invented by Edmund Rumpler), while Zündapp insisted on a water-cooled 5-cylinder radial engine. In 1932, three prototypes were running. All of those cars were lost during the war, the last in a bombing raid in Stuttgart in 1945.

The Zündapp prototypes were followed by the Porsche Type 32, designed in 1933 for NSU Motorenwerke AG, another motorcycle company. The Type 32 was similar in design to the Type 12, but had a flat-4 engine. NSU's exit from car manufacturing resulted in the Type 32 being abandoned at the prototype stage.

In 1933, Adolf Hitler gave the order to Ferdinand Porsche to develop a Volkswagen (literally, "people's car" in German, pronounced [ˈfɔlksvaːɡən]). The epithet Volks- literally, "people's-" had been previously applied to other Nazi sponsored consumer goods such as the Volksempfänger ("people's radio"). Hitler required a basic vehicle capable of transporting two adults and three children at 100 km/h (62 mph). The "People's Car" would be available to citizens of the Third Reich through a savings scheme, or Sparkarte (savings booklet), at 990 Reichsmark, about the price of a small motorcycle (an average income being around 32RM a week).

Development

KDF Propaganda – "A family playing by a river with a KDF-Wagen and radio receiver"

Initially designated the Porsche Type 60 by Ferdinand Porsche, the design team included Erwin Komenda and Karl Rabe. In October 1935 the first two Type 60 prototypes, known as the V1 and V2 (V for Versuchswagen, or "test car"), were ready. In 1936, testing of three further V3 prototypes, built in Porsche's Stuttgart shop, began. A batch of thirty W30 development models, produced for Porsche by Daimler-Benz, underwent 1,800,000 mi (2,900,000 km) of further testing in 1937. All cars already had the distinctive round shape and the air-cooled, rear-mounted engine. Included in this batch was a rollback soft top called the Cabrio Limousine. A further batch of 44 VW38 pre-production cars produced in 1938 introduced split rear windows; both the split window and the dash were retained on production Type 1s until 1952. The VW38 cars were followed by another batch of 50 VW39 cars, completed in July 1939.

The car was designed to be as simple as possible mechanically, so that there was less to go wrong; the aircooled 25 hp (19 kW) 995 cc (60.7 cu in) motors proved especially effective in actions of the German Afrika Korps in Africa's desert heat. This was due to the built-in oil cooler and the superior performance of the flat-4 engine configuration. The suspension design used compact torsion bars instead of coil or leaf springs. The Beetle is nearly airtight and will float for a few minutes on water.

The Volkswagen was officially named the KdF-Wagen by Hitler when the project was officially announced in 1938. The name refers to Kraft durch Freude ('Strength Through Joy'), the official leisure organization of the Third Reich. The model village of Stadt des KdF-Wagens was created near Fallersleben in Lower Saxony in 1938 for the benefit of the workers at the newly-built factory. After World War II, it was known as the Volkswagen Type 1, but became more commonly known as the Beetle.

Influence of Tatra

The Austrian car designer Hans Ledwinka was a contemporary of Porsche working at the Czechoslovakian company Tatra. In 1931, Tatra built the V570 prototype, which had a air-cooled flat-twin engine engine mounted at the rear. This was followed in 1933 by a second V570 prototype with a streamlined body similar to that of the Porsche Type 32. The rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout was a challenge for effective air cooling, and during development of the much larger V8 engined Tatra T77 in 1933 Tatra registered numerous patents related to air flow into the rear engine compartment. The use of Tatra's patented air cooling designs later became one of ten issues for which Tatra filed suit against VW.

Both Hitler and Porsche were influenced by the Tatras. Hitler was a keen automotive enthusiast, and had ridden in Tatras during political tours of Czechoslovakia. He had also dined numerous times with Ledwinka.[9] After one of these dinners Hitler remarked to Porsche, "This is the car for my roads". From 1933 onwards, Ledwinka and Porsche met regularly to discuss their designs, and Porsche admitted "Well, sometimes I looked over his shoulder and sometimes he looked over mine" while designing the Volkswagen. The Tatra T97 of 1936 had a 1749 cc, rear-located, rear-wheel drive, air-cooled four-cylinder boxer engine. It cost 5600 RM and accommodated five passengers in its extensively streamlined 4-door body, which provided luggage storage under the front bonnet and behind the rear seats. It also featured a similar central structural tunnel found in the Beetle.

Just before the start of the Second World War, Tatra had ten legal claims filed against VW for infringement of patents. Although Ferdinand Porsche was about to pay a settlement to Tatra, he was stopped by Hitler who said he would "solve his problem". Tatra launched a lawsuit, but this was stopped when Germany invaded Czechoslovakia in 1938, resulting in the Tatra factory coming under Nazi administration in October 1938. The T97, along with the T57, were ordered by Hitler to be removed from the Tatra display at the 1939 Berlin Autosalon and Tatra was later directed to concentrate on heavy trucks and diesel engines, with all car models, except for the V8-engined Tatra T87, being discontinued. The matter was re-opened after World War II and in 1961 Volkswagen paid Ringhoffer-Tatra 3,000,000 Deutsche Marks in an out of court settlement.

Wartime production

The factory had only produced a handful of cars by the start of the war in 1939; the first volume-produced versions of the car's chassis were military vehicles, the Type 82 Kübelwagen (approximately 52,000 built) and the amphibious Type 166 Schwimmwagen (about 14,000 built).

A handful of Beetles were produced specifically for civilians, primarily for the Nazi elite, in the years 1940–1945, but production figures were small. Because of gasoline shortages, a few wartime "Holzbrenner" Beetles were fueled by wood pyrolysis gas producers under the hood. In addition to the Kübelwagen, Schwimmwagen, and a handful of others, the factory managed another wartime vehicle: the Kommandeurwagen; a Beetle body mounted on the Kübelwagen chassis. 669 Kommandeurwagens were produced up to 1945, when all production was halted because of heavy damage to the factory by Allied air raids. Much of the essential equipment had already been moved to underground bunkers for protection, which let production resume quickly after hostilities ended.

Post-war production and boom

1949 Volkswagen Type 1

In occupied Germany, the Allies followed the Morgenthau plan to remove all German war potential by complete or partial pastoralization. As part of this, in the Industrial plans for Germany, the rules for which industry Germany was to be allowed to retain were set out. German car production was set at a maximum of 10% of the 1936 car production numbers.

Mass production of civilian VW automobiles did not start until post-war occupation. The Volkswagen factory was handed over by the Americans to British control in 1945; it was to be dismantled and shipped to Britain. Thankfully for Volkswagen, no British car manufacturer was interested in the factory; "the vehicle does not meet the fundamental technical requirement of a motor-car ... it is quite unattractive to the average buyer ... To build the car commercially would be a completely uneconomic enterprise." The factory survived by producing cars for the British Army instead. Allied dismantling policy changed in late 1946 to mid 1947, although heavy industry continued to be dismantled until 1951. In March 1947, Herbert Hoover helped change policy by stating

"There is the illusion that the New Germany left after the annexations can be reduced to a 'pastoral state'. It cannot be done unless we exterminate or move 25,000,000 people out of it."

The re-opening of the factory is largely accredited to British Army officer Major Ivan Hirst (1916–2000). Hirst was ordered to take control of the heavily bombed factory, which the Americans had captured. His first task was to remove an unexploded bomb that had fallen through the roof and lodged itself between some pieces of irreplaceable production equipment; if the bomb had exploded, the Beetle's fate would have been sealed. Hirst persuaded the British military to order 20,000 of the cars, and by March 1946 the factory was producing 1,000 cars a month, which Hirst said "was the limit set by the availability of materials". During this period, the car reverted to its original name of Volkswagen and the town was renamed Wolfsburg. The first 1,785 Volkswagen Type 1's or "Beetles" were made in 1945.

Following the British Army-led restart of production, former Opel manager (and formerly a detractor of the Volkswagen) Heinz Nordhoff was appointed director of the Volkswagen factory. Under Nordhoff, production increased dramatically over the following decade, with the one-millionth car coming off the assembly line by 1955. During this post-war period, the Beetle had superior performance in its category with a top speed of 115 km/h (71 mph) and 0–100 km/h (0–60 mph) in 27.5 seconds with fuel consumption of 6.7 l/100 km (36 mpg) for the standard 25 kW (34 hp) engine. This was far superior to the Citroën 2CV which was aimed at a low speed/poor road rural peasant market and Morris Minor that was designed for a market that had no motorways / freeways, and even competitive with more advanced and fragile small cars like the Austin Mini.

In Small Wonder, Walter Henry Nelson wrote:

"The engine fires up immediately without a choke. It has tolerable road-handling and is economical to maintain. Although a small car, the engine has great elasticity and gave the feeling of better output than its small nominal size."

Opinion in the United States was not flattering, however, perhaps because of the characteristic differences between the American and European car markets. Henry Ford II once described the car as "a little box." The Ford company was offered the entire VW works after the war for free. Ford's right-hand man Ernest Breech was asked what he thought, and told Henry II, "What we're being offered here, Mr. Ford, isn't worth a damn!"

During the 1950s, the car was modified progressively: the obvious visual changes mostly concerned the rear windows. In March 1953, the small oval two-piece rear window was replaced by a slightly larger single-piece window. More dramatically, in August 1957 a much larger full width rear window replaced the oval one. 1964 saw the introduction of a widened cover for the light over the rear licence plate. Towards the end of 1964, the height of the side windows and windscreen grew slightly, giving the cabin a less pinched look: this coincided with the introduction of a very slightly curved ("panoramic") windscreen, though the curve was barely noticeable. The same body appeared during 1966, with a 1300 cc engine in place of the 1200 cc engine: it was only in the 1973 model Super Beetle that the Beetle acquired an obviously curved windscreen. The flat windscreen remained on the standard Beetle.

There were also changes under the bonnet. In 1954, Volkswagen added 2 mm to the cylinder bore, increasing the displacement from 1,131 cc to 1,192 cc.[30] This coincided with upgrades to various key components including a redesign of the crankshaft. This increased power from 33 bhp to a claimed 40 bhp and improved the engine's free revving abilities without compromising torque at lower engine speeds. At the same time, compression ratios were progressively raised as, little by little, the octane ratings of available fuel was raised in major markets during the 1950s and 1960s.

There were other, less-numerous models, as well. The Hebmüller cabriolet (officially Type 14A), a sporty two-seater, was built between 1949 and 1953; it numbered 696. The Type 18A, a fixed-top cabriolet, was produced by Austro-Tatra as a police and fire unit; 203 were assembled between January 1950 and March 1953.

Beetle sales boomed in the 1960s, thanks to clever advertising campaigns, and the Beetle's reputation for reliability and sturdiness. On 17 February 1972, when Beetle No. 15,007,034 was produced, Beetle production surpassed that of the previous record holder, the Ford Model T. By 1973, total production was over 16 million, and by 23 June 1992, over 21 million had been produced.

As of 2009, the Beetle is arguably the world's best-selling car design. More units of the Toyota Corolla brand have been sold, but there have been 10 total redesigns of the Corolla, each amounting to a new car design with the same name.

Diesel

In 1951, Volkswagen prototyped a 1.3 L diesel engine. Volkswagen made only 2 air-cooled boxer diesel engines that were not turbocharged, and installed one engine in a Type 1 and another in a Type 2. The diesel Beetle was time tested on the Nürburgring and achieved 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) in 60 seconds.

Introduction to Ireland

Volkswagen began its involvement in Ireland when in 1949, Motor Distributors Limited, founded by Stephen O'Flaherty secured the franchise for the country at that years Paris Motor Show. In 1950, Volkswagen Beetles started arriving into Dublin packed in crates in what was termed "completely knocked down" (CKD) form ready to be assembled. The vehicles were assembled in a former tram depot at 162 Shelbourne Road in Ballsbridge. This is now the premises for Ballsbridge Motors who are still a Volkswagen dealer. The first Volkswagen ever assembled outside Germany was built here.[35] This vehicle is now on display at the Volkswagen Museum in Wolfsburg.

Introduction to the UK

The first Volkswagen Beetle dealer in the UK was J.Gilder & Co. Ltd. in Sheffield, which began selling Volkswagens in 1953. Jack Gilder had been fascinated by both the design and engineering of the Beetle when he came across one in Belgium during the war.[citation needed] He applied for the franchise as soon as the opportunity presented itself and became Volkswagen’s representative in the North of England.

VW Beetle 1953–1957

During this period, the rear window of the VW Beetle lost the "bar" in the center and as a result has been referred to as the "oval" or "oval window" Beetle.

VW Beetle 1967

Engine1500 cc OHV H4, 40 kilowatts (54 hp) @ 4200 rpm, 105 N·m (77 lb·ft) @ 2600,

bore 83 mm,

stroke 69 mm,

comp ratio 7.5:1

Transmission4-speed manual

Wheelbase2,400 mm (94.5 in)

Length4,079 mm (160.6 in)

Width1,539 mm (60.6 in)

Curb weight840 kg (1,900 lb)

The Volkswagen Beetle underwent significant changes for the 1967 model. While the car appeared similar to earlier models, much of the drivetrain was noticeably upgraded. Some of the changes to the Beetle included a bigger engine for the second year in a row. Horsepower had been increased to 37 kW (50 hp) the previous year, and for 1967 it was increased even more, to 40 kW (54 hp).

On US models, the output of the electrical generator was increased from 180 to 360 watts, and upgraded from a 6-volt to a 12-volt system. The clutch disc also increased in size, and changes were made to the flywheel, braking system, and rear axle. New standard equipment included two-speed windscreen wipers, reversing lights, a driver's armrest on the door, locking buttons on the doors, and a passenger's side exterior mirror.

In February 1967, inventor Don P. Dixon of San Antonio, Texas filed and was ultimately granted a patent for the first air conditioning unit specifically designed for the Beetle, which were soon offered by US dealerships.

The 1967 model weighed 840 kg (1,900 lb), which was a typical weight for a European car at this time. Top speed was 130 km/h (81 mph).[citation needed]

That same year, in accord with the newly enacted U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108, the clear glass headlamp covers were deleted; the headlamps were brought forward to the leading edge of the front fenders, and the sealed-beam units were exposed and surrounded by chrome bezels. For the 1968 model year, Beetles sold outside North America received the same more upright and forward headlamp placement, but with replaceable-bulb headlamps compliant with ECE regulations rather than the U.S. sealed beams.

The Super Beetle and final evolution

In 1971, alongside continued production of the "standard" Beetle, a Type 1 variant which featured MacPherson strut front suspension and a redesigned front end. Officially known (and marketed in Europe) as the VW 1302 from 1971–1972, and VW 1303 from 1973 onwards, but commonly called Super Beetle, the new stretched nose design replaced the dual parallel torsion bar beams which had compromised trunk space and relocated the spare tire from a near vertical to a low horizontal position. The redesign resulted in a tighter turning radius despite a 20 mm (0.79 in) longer wheelbase, and a doubling of the front compartment's cargo volume. As with previous models, air pressure from the spare tire pressurized the windshield washer canister, in lieu of an electric pump.

1972 Super Beetles had an 11% larger rear window (4 mm (0.16 in) taller), larger front brakes, four rows of vents (versus two rows previously) on the engine deck lid, tail lights incorporating reverse lights, a four-spoke energy-absorbing steering wheel and steering column, and an engine compartment socket for a proprietary VW Diagnosis system.

In 1973, the VW 1303 introduced a curved windscreen, pushed forward and away from the passengers, allowing a redesigned, padded dashboard to replace the pre-1973 vertical dash. A 2-speed heater fan, higher rear mudguards, and larger tail lights were added. The changes to the heater/windshield wiper housing and curved windshield resulted in slight redesign of the front hood, making the 1971 and 1972 Super Beetle hoods unique.

For 1974, the previous flat steel bumper mounting brackets were replaced with tubular "self restoring energy absorbing" attachments, effectively shock absorbers for the bumpers, on North American market Beetles. These cars also got stronger "5mph" bumpers that added an inch to the length of the car. The steering knuckle and consequently the lower attachment point of the strut was redesigned to improve handling and stability in the event of a tire blowout. This means struts from pre-1974 Super Beetles are not interchangeable with 1974–79s.[39]

1975 models featured Air Flow Control (AFC) Fuel Injection on U.S., Canadian, and Japanese Beetles, a derivative of the more complex Bosch fuel injection system used in the Volkswagen Type III – and equivalent to Bosch L-jetronic. The fuel injected engine also received a new muffler and the option of an upstream catalytic converter required on some models (e.g. California), necessitating a bulge in the rear apron sheet metal directly under the rear bumper, and replacing the distinctive dual "pea shooter" pipes with a single offset tailpipe – making fuel injected models identifiable at a glance. Other changes were rack and pinion steering replacing the traditional worm and roller gearbox on Super Beetles, and a larger license plate lamp housing below the engine lid. The front turn indicators were moved from the top of the fenders into the bumper bars on European models.

In 1976, the optional "Auto-stick" transmission and the Super Beetle sedan were discontinued, with VW continuing to market the standard sedan and VW 1303 convertible. 1976-on convertibles received no significant engineering changes, only a few cosmetic touches and new paint options, including the "Champagne Edition" models (white on white was one example) to the final 1979 "Epilogue Edition" black on black, in salute to the first Beetles produced in the 1930s. 1977 model sedans received front seats with separate head restraints.

Beetle Cabriolet

The Beetle Cabriolet began production in 1949 by Karmann in Osnabrück. It was in 1948 when Wilhelm Karmann bought a VW Beetle limousine and converted it into a four-seated convertible. After successfully presenting it at VW in Wolfsburg, production started in 1949. After a number of stylistic and technical alterations made to the Karmann Cabriolet (corresponding to the many changes VW made to the Beetle throughout its history), the last of 331,847 cabriolets came off the conveyor belt on 10 January 1980.

Decline

Though extremely successful in the 1960s, the Beetle was faced with stiff competition from more modern designs. The Japanese had refined rear-wheel-drive, water-cooled, front-engine small cars to where they sold well in the North American market, and Americans introduced their own similarly sized rear-wheel-drive Chevrolet Vega, Ford Pinto and AMC Gremlin in the 1970s. The superminis in Europe adopted even more efficient transverse-engine front-wheel-drive layouts, and sales began dropping off in the mid 1970s. There had been several unsuccessful attempts to replace or supplement the Beetle in the VW product line throughout the 1960s; the Type 3, Type 4, and the NSU-based K70 were all less successful than the Beetle, though aimed at more upscale markets for which VW lacked credibility. The over-reliance on the Beetle meant that Volkswagen was in financial crisis by 1974. It needed German government funding to produce the Beetle's replacement. Only when production lines at Wolfsburg switched to the new watercooled, front-engined, front-wheel drive Golf designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro in 1974, (sold in North America as the "Rabbit") did Volkswagen produce a car as successful as the Beetle. The Golf would be periodically redesigned over its lifetime – entering its sixth generation in 2008 – with only a few components carried over between generations, while the Beetle used only minor refinements of its original design.

The Golf did not kill Beetle production, which continued in smaller numbers at other German factories until 19 January 1978, when mainstream production shifted to Brazil and Mexico, markets where low operating cost was more important. It is important to note that the Beetle Cabriolet was still produced for the North American and European markets in Germany until 10 January 1980. The last Beetle was produced in Puebla, Mexico, in July 2003. The final batch of 3,000 Beetles were sold as 2004 models and badged as the Última Edición, with whitewall tires, a host of previously discontinued chrome trim, and the choice of two special paint colors taken from the New Beetle. Production in Brazil ended in 1986, then started again in 1993 and continued until 1996. Volkswagen sold Beetle sedans in the United States until August 1977 (the Beetle convertible/Cabriolet was sold until January 1980) and in Europe until 1985, with private companies continuing to import cars produced in Mexico after 1985. The Beetle outlasted most other automobiles which had copied the rear air-cooled engine layout such as those by Subaru, Fiat, Renault and General Motors. Porsche's sport coupes which were originally based on Volkswagen parts and platforms continue to use the classic rear engine layout (which later became water-cooled) in the Porsche 911 series, which remains competitive in the first decade of the 21st century.

Worldwide end of production

The final original Beetle (No. 21,529,464, VIN 3VWS1A1B54M905162)

As of 2002 over 21 million Type 1s had been produced, but by 2003, annual production had fallen to 30,000 from a peak of 1.3 million in 1971. VW announced the end of production in June 2003, citing decreasing demand, and the final original Type 1 VW Beetle (No. 21,529,464) rolled off the production line at Puebla, Mexico, on 30 July 2003[40] – 65 years after its original launch and unprecedented 58-year production run (counting from 1945, the year VW recognizes as the first year of non-Nazi funded production). This last Beetle, nicknamed El Rey (Spanish for "The King" after a legendary Mexican song by José Alfredo Jiménez). was delivered to the company's museum in Wolfsburg, Germany.

To celebrate the occasion, Volkswagen marketed a final special series of 3,000 Beetles marketed as "Última Edición" (Final Edition) in light blue (Aquarius Blue) or beige (Harvest Moon Beige). Each car included the 1.6 engine, whitewall tires, a CD player with four speakers, chrome bumpers, trim, hub caps and exterior mirrors, a Wolfsburg emblem above the front trunk's handle, chrome glove box badge, body coloured wheels, tinted glass, a rear parcel shelf, and VW Ultima Edicion plaque. At 84,000 pesos, the model cost approximately $1,300 more than the typical model.

A mariachi band serenaded production of the last car. In Mexico, there was also an advertising campaign as a goodbye for the Beetle. For example, in one of the ads was a very small parking space on the street, and many big cars tried to park in it, but could not. After a while, a sign appears in that parking space saying: "Es increíble que un auto tan pequeño deje un vacío tan grande" (It is incredible that a car so small can leave such a large void). Another depicted the rear end of a 1954 Beetle (year in which Volkswagen first established in Mexico) in the left side of the ad, reading "Erase una vez..." (Once upon a time...) and the last 2003 Beetle in the right side, reading "Fin" (The end). There were other ads with the same nostalgic tone.[41] The Volkswagen Sedan is used as a taxi in Mexico City up to 2013. The Mexican government is removing this type of taxi and already made the green colours change into red-gold.

Engine: Fuel injected (Bosch Digifant) 4 Cyl horizontally opposed,1584 cc, 50 hp (37 kW), 98.1 N·m (72.4 lb·ft) @2200 rpm, 3-way catalytic converter

Rated fuel milage: 32.5 mpg-US (7.24 L/100 km; 39.0 mpg-imp)

Max cruising speed: 130 km/h (81 mph)

Brakes: front disc, rear drum

Passengers: Five

Tank: 40 L (11 US gal; 9 imp gal)

Colours: Aquarius blue, Harvest Moon beige.

(Source Wikipedia)

Bataan Transit

Shot Location: Balintawak

The James Webb Space Telescope is shown folded into its launch configuration. It successfully underwent tests during Fall 2020 to ensure that it can endure the rigors of launch.

Read more here:

www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2020/nasa-s-james-webb-space...

Image credit: Northrop Grumman

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The baseline configuration of the Oshkart SMTV (Scalable Medium Tactical Vehicle) family, the Mk601A is the standard two-door 6x6 cargo hauler configuration.

Features include opening doors and top hatch, a cab capable of seating 2 minifigs with body armor and headgear, foldable gunner’s seat, turning front wheels, center-pivoting rear axles, and spare tire with lift arm.

A special thanks needs to be given to Abdullah750Pakistan. This originally started as a project to clean up and make a buildable and more minifig-friendly version of his Ural 63708. As you can see though, it’s turned into a project to create a series of trucks in the same vein of the Oshkosh MTVR, Navistar 7000 MV, and Ural 63704-0010 families.

As with my other builds, all parts used in this are real production pieces.

If you're interested in this build, a file can be found here:

www.bricklink.com/v3/studio/design.page?idModel=230421

This configuration uses the Vello LA-CEF-CFD adapter to attach the Canon Extender FD 2x-A with Canon FD 70-210mm f4 lens. The photo was taken with an effective 400mm.

The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries during and after the Second World War. The Spitfire was built in many variants, using several wing configurations, and was produced in greater numbers than any other British aircraft. It was also the only British fighter to be in continuous production throughout the war. The Spitfire continues to be a popular aircraft, with approximately 55 Spitfires being airworthy, while many more are static exhibits in aviation museums all over the world.

The Spitfire was designed as a short-range, high-performance interceptor aircraft by R. J. Mitchell, chief designer at Supermarine Aviation Works (which operated as a subsidiary of Vickers-Armstrong from 1928). In accordance with its role as an interceptor, Mitchell designed the Spitfire's distinctive elliptical wing to have the thinnest possible cross-section; this thin wing enabled the Spitfire to have a higher top speed than several contemporary fighters, including the Hawker Hurricane. Mitchell continued to refine the design until his death from cancer in 1937, whereupon his colleague Joseph Smith took over as chief designer, overseeing the development of the Spitfire through its multitude of variants.

During the Battle of Britain (July–October 1940), the Spitfire was perceived by the public to be the RAF fighter, though the more numerous Hawker Hurricane shouldered a greater proportion of the burden against the Luftwaffe. However, because of its higher performance, Spitfire units had a lower attrition rate and a higher victory-to-loss ratio than those flying Hurricanes.

After the Battle of Britain, the Spitfire superseded the Hurricane to become the backbone of RAF Fighter Command, and saw action in the European, Mediterranean, Pacific and the South-East Asian theatres. Much loved by its pilots, the Spitfire served in several roles, including interceptor, photo-reconnaissance, fighter-bomber and trainer, and it continued to serve in these roles until the 1950s. The Seafire was a carrier-based adaptation of the Spitfire which served in the Fleet Air Arm from 1942 through to the mid-1950s. Although the original airframe was designed to be powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine producing 1,030 hp (768 kW), it was strong enough and adaptable enough to use increasingly powerful Merlin and, in later marks, Rolls-Royce Griffon engines producing up to 2,340 hp (1,745 kW); as a consequence of this the Spitfire's performance and capabilities improved, sometimes dramatically, over the course of its life.

Mk V (Types 331, 349 & 352)

Spitfire LF.Mk VB, BL479, flown by Group Captain M.W.S Robinson, station commander of RAF Northolt, August 1943. This Spitfire has the wide bladed Rotol propeller, the internal armoured windscreen and "clipped" wings.

Late in 1940, the RAF predicted that the advent of the pressurised Junkers Ju 86P bomber series over Britain would be the start of a new sustained high altitude bombing offensive by the Luftwaffe, in which case development was put in hand for a pressurised version of the Spitfire, with a new version of the Merlin (the Mk VI). It would take some time to develop the new fighter and an emergency stop-gap measure was needed as soon as possible: this was the Mk V.

The basic Mk V was a Mk I with the Merlin 45 series engine. This engine delivered 1,440 hp (1,074 kW) at take-off, and incorporated a new single-speed single-stage supercharger design. Improvements to the carburettor also allowed the Spitfire to use zero gravity manoeuvres without any problems with fuel flow. Several Mk I and Mk II airframes were converted to Mk V standard by Supermarine and started equipping fighter units from early 1941. The majority of the Mk Vs were built at Castle Bromwich.

The VB became the main production version of the Mark Vs. Along with the new Merlin 45 series the B wing was fitted as standard. As production progressed changes were incorporated, some of which became standard on all later Spitfires. Production started with several Mk IBs which were converted to Mk VBs by Supermarine. Starting in early 1941 the round section exhaust stacks were changed to a "fishtail" type, marginally increasing exhaust thrust. Some late production VBs and VCs were fitted with six shorter exhaust stacks per side, similar to those of Spitfire IXs and Seafire IIIs; this was originally stipulated as applying specifically to VB(trop)s. After some initial problems with the original Mk I size oil coolers, a bigger oil cooler was fitted under the port wing; this could be recognised by a deeper housing with a circular entry. From mid-1941 alloy covered ailerons became a universal fitting.

Spitfire VC(trop), fitted with Vokes filters and "disc" wheels, of 417 Squadron RCAF in Tunisia in 1943.

A constant flow of modifications were made as production progressed. A "blown" cockpit hood, manufactured by Malcolm, was introduced in an effort to further increase the pilot's head-room and visibility. Many mid to late production VBs - and all VCs - used the modified, improved windscreen assembly with the integral bullet resistant centre panel and flat side screens introduced with the Mk III. Because the rear frame of this windscreen was taller than that of the earlier model the cockpit hoods were not interchangeable and could be distinguished by the wider rear framing on the hood used with the late-style windscreen.

Different propeller types were fitted, according to where the Spitfire V was built: Supermarine and Westland manufactured VBs and VCs used 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) diameter, 3 bladed de Havilland constant speed units, with narrow metal blades, while Castle Bromwich manufactured VBs and VCs were fitted with a wide bladed Rotol constant speed propeller of either 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) diameter, with metal blades, or (on late production Spitfires) 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) diameter, with broader, "Jablo" (compressed wood) blades. The Rotol spinners were longer and more pointed than the de Havilland leading to a 3.5 in (8.9 cm) increase in overall length. The Rotol propellers allowed a modest speed increase over 20,000 ft (6,100 m) and an increase in the service ceiling. A large number of Spitfire VBs were fitted with "gun heater intensifier" systems on the exhaust stacks. These piped additional heated air into the gun bays. There was a short tubular intake on the front of the first stack and a narrow pipe led into the engine cowling from the rear exhaust.

The VB series were the first Spitfires able to carry a range of specially designed "slipper" drop tanks which were fitted underneath the wing centre-section. Small hooks were fitted, just forward of the inboard flaps: when the tank was released these hooks caught the trailing edge of the tank, swinging it clear of the fuselage.

With the advent of the superb Focke Wulf Fw 190 in August 1941 the Spitfire was for the first time truly outclassed, hastening the development of the "interim" Mk IX. In an effort to counter this threat, especially at lower altitudes, the VB was the first production version of the Spitfire to use "clipped" wingtips as an option, reducing the wingspan to 32 ft 2 in (9.8 m).The clipped wings increased the roll rate and airspeed at lower altitudes. Several different versions of the Merlin 45/50 family were used, including the Merlin 45M which had a smaller "cropped" supercharger impeller and boost increased to +18 lb. This engine produced 1,585 hp (1,182 kW) at 2,750 ft (838 m), increasing the L.F VB's maximum rate of climb to 4720 ft/min (21.6 m/s) at 2,000 ft (610 m).

VB Trop of 40 Squadron SAAF fitted with the "streamlined" version of the Aboukir filter, a broad-bladed, 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) diameter Rotol propeller, and clipped wings.

The Mk VB(trop) (or type 352) could be identified by the large Vokes air filter fitted under the nose; the reduced speed of the air to the supercharger had a detrimental effect on the performance of the aircraft, reducing the top speed by 8 mph (13 km/h) and the climb rate by 600 ft/min (3.04 m/s), but the decreased performance was considered acceptable. This variant was also fitted with a larger oil tank and desert survival gear behind the pilot's seat. A new "desert" camouflage scheme was applied. Many VB(trop)s were modified by 103 MU (Maintenance Unit-RAF depots in which factory fresh aircraft were brought up to service standards before being delivered to squadrons) at Aboukir, Egypt by replacing the Vokes filter with locally manufactured "Aboukir" filters, which were lighter and more streamlined. Two designs of these filters can be identified in photos: one had a bulky, squared off filter housing while the other was more streamlined. These aircraft were usually fitted with the wide blade Rotol propeller and clipped wings.

Triumph Spitfire Mk I Roadster

The Triumph Spitfire is a small English two-seat sports car, introduced at the London Motor Show in 1962.[3] The vehicle was based on a design produced for Standard-Triumph in 1957 by Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti. The platform for the car was largely based upon the chassis, engine, and running gear of the Triumph Herald saloon, and was manufactured at the Standard-Triumph works at Canley, in Coventry. As was typical for cars of this era, the bodywork was fitted onto a separate structural chassis, but for the Spitfire, which was designed as an open top or convertible sports car from the outset, the ladder chassis was reinforced for additional rigidity by the use of structural components within the bodywork. The Spitfire was provided with a manual hood for weather protection, the design improving to a folding hood for later models. Factory-manufactured hard-tops were also available.

The Triumph Spitfire was originally devised by Standard-Triumph to compete in the small sports car market that had opened up with the introduction of the Austin-Healey Sprite. The Sprite had used the basic drive train of the Austin A30/35 in a light body to make up a budget sports car; Triumph's idea was to use the mechanicals from their small saloon, the Herald, to underpin the new project. Triumph had one advantage, however; where the Austin A30 range was of unitary construction, the Herald featured a separate chassis. It was Triumph's intention to cut that chassis down and clothe it in a sports body, saving the costs of developing a completely new chassis / body unit.

Italian designer Michelotti—who had already penned the Herald—was commissioned for the new project, and came up with a traditional, swooping body. Wind-up windows were provided (in contrast to the Sprite/Midget, which still featured sidescreens, also called curtains, at that time), as well as a single-piece front end which tilted forwards to offer unrivaled access to the engine. At the dawn of the 1960s, however, Standard-Triumph was in deep financial trouble, and unable to put the new car into production; it was not until the company was taken over by the Leyland organization funds became available and the car was launched. Leyland officials, taking stock of their new acquisition, found Michelotti's prototype hiding under a dust sheet in a corner of the factory and rapidly approved it for production.

Spitfire 4 or Mark I (1962-1964)

Overview:

Production1962–1964

45,753 made

Powertrain:

Engine1,147 cc (1.1 l) I4

Transmission4-speed manual with optional overdrive on top and third from 1963 onwards

Dimensions:

Curb weight1,568 lb (711 kg) (unladen U.K.-spec)

The production car changed little from the prototype, although the full-width rear bumper was dropped in favour of two part-bumpers curving round each corner, with overriders. Mechanicals were basically stock Herald. The engine was an 1,147 cc (1.1 l) 4-cylinder with a pushrod OHV cylinder head and 2 valves per cylinder, mildly tuned for the Spitfire, fed by twin SU carburettors. Also from the Herald came the rack and pinion steering and coil-and-wishbone front suspension up front, and at the rear a single transverse-leaf swing axle arrangement. This ended up being the most controversial part of the car: it was known to "tuck in" and cause violent over steer if pushed too hard, even in the staid Herald. In the sportier Spitfire (and later the 6-cylinder Triumph GT6 and Triumph Vitesse) it led to severe criticism. The body was bolted to a much-modified Herald chassis, the outer rails and the rear outriggers having been removed; little of the original Herald chassis design was left, and the Spitfire used structural outer sills to stiffen its body tub.

The Spitfire was an inexpensive small sports car and as such had very basic trim, including rubber mats and a large plastic steering wheel. These early cars were referred to both as "Triumph Spitfire Mark I" and "Spitfire 4", not to be confused with the later Spitfire Mark IV.

In UK specification the in-line four produced 63 bhp (47 kW) at 5750 rpm, and 67 lb·ft (91 N·m)of torque at 3500 rpm. This gave a top speed of 92 mph (148 km/h), and would achieve 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 17.3 seconds. Average fuel consumption was 31mpg.

For 1964 an overdrive option was added to the 4-speed manual gearbox to give more relaxed cruising. Wire wheels and a hard top were also available.

Text regarding the Supermarine Spitfire aeroplane and Triumph Spitfire Roadster has been taken from excerpts of Wikipedia articles on each model.

The Supermarine Spitfire Mk VB aircraft and 1962 Triumph Spitfire Mk I road car have been modelled in Lego miniland-scale for Flickr LUGNuts' 79th Build Challenge, - 'LUGNuts goes Wingnuts, ' - featuring automotive vehicles named after, inspired by, or with some relationship to aircraft.

Company/Owner: CHER Transport Corporation

Fleet/Bus Number: 14-301

Classification: Air-conditioned City Bus

Coachbuilder: Autodelta Coach Builders, Inc.

Body Model: Volvo/Autodelta B7R Coach

Engine Model: Volvo D7E-290

Chassis Model: Volvo B7R (YV3R6R622HA)

Transmission: 6-speed Automatic Transmission

Suspension: Air Suspension

Seating Configuration: 3×2

Seating Capacity: 66

Franchise route: Pacita Complex (San Pedro, Laguna)–Navotas via EDSA

Route: Pacita Complex, San Pedro City, Laguna [PCT, LA]–Navotas City [NAV] via AH26 (Manila South Road; EDSA) / E2 (South Luzon Expressway–Metro Manila Skyway); N2 (MacArthur Highway); N120 (Samson Road, Gen San Miguel Street, C-4 Road); R-10

Areas/landmarks/stations passing: Shopwise\Cataquiz Avenue\BBL Trans Terminal/Savemore San Pedro\Super 8 Grocery Warehouse\SM Center Muntinlupa\Pepsi-Cola Plant Muntinlupa\Susana Heights–Magallanes\Ayala Avenue\Buendia Avenue\Estrella\Guadalupe\Boni/Pioneer\Reliance\Shaw Boulevard\SM Megamall\Ortigas Avenue\Robinsons Galleria\Boni Serrano\Main Avenue\Araneta Center Cubao\Baliwag Transit/Five Star\Ermin Garcia Avenue\Kamuning/Kamias\East Avenue/GMA/Timog/MRT GMA Kamuning Station\NIA Road\ETON Centris/Quezon Avenue\Vertis North\Trinoma/Paramount\SM North

Muñoz/Roosevelt/LRT Roosevelt Station\Kaingin\LRT Balintawak Station/Royal\Bagong Barrio\General Tinio\Serrano\MCU Caloocan/Monumento Circle\Jollibee Pinagtipunan Circle, Potrero\Gov Pascual Avenue\Araneta Avenue\Caimito Road\University of the East Caloocan\SM Center Sangandaan\Letre\Malabon Citysquare/Fisher Mall Malabon\Dagat-Dagatan Avenue\Longos\Tañong/M. Naval Street

Type of Operation: City Operation Public Utility Bus (unknown bus segregation | Regular Class)

Area of Operations: CALABARZON (Region IV-A)/National Capital Region (NCR)

Shot location: EDSA-Boni, Mandaluyong City

Date and time taken: May 14, 2018 (6:36H)

Notices:

* Please DON'T GRAB A PHOTO WITHOUT A PERMISSION. If you're going to GRAB IT, please give A CREDIT TO THE OWNER. Also, don't PRINT SCREEN my photos.

** If I have mistakes on the specifications, please comment in a good manner so that I can edit it immediately.

*** The specifications and routes (for provincial, inter-provincial, and city operation) mentioned above are subjected for verification and may be changed without prior notice.

**** The vehicle's registration plate(s), conduction sticker(s), and/or persons (if applicable) were pixelated/blurred to prevent any conflict with the photographer, the bus company and/or to the car owner for their security and/or privacy purposes. So, don't use their plate number, conduction sticker, and vehicle tag as an evidence for any incident. And, I have taken this photo for bus fanatics, bus enthusiasts, and bus lovers purposes.

Date Taken: September 16, 2019

Basic Details:

Operator: Queen's Express, Inc.

Fleet Number: 888-JD

Classification: Provincial Operation Bus

Seating Configuration: 2x2 Seats

Seating Capacity: 45 Passengers

Body:

Coachbuilder: Hyundai Motor Co.

Body Model: Hyundai Universe Space Comfort

Chassis:

Chassis Model: Hyundai Universe Space Comfort

Layout: Rear-Longitudinally-Mounted Engine Rear-Wheel Drive

Suspension: Leaf Springs Suspension

Engine:

Engine Model: Hyundai D6CB-38 Powertec

Cylinder Displacement: 12.3 Liters

Cylinder Configuration: Straight-6

Engine Aspiration: Turbo-Intercooler

Max. Power Output: 380 hp @ 1,800 rpm

Peak Torque Output: 1,451 N.m @ 1,200 - 1,500 rpm

Emission Standard: Euro 3

Transmission:

Type: Manual Transmission

Gears: 5-Speed Forward, 1-Speed Reverse

* Some parts of the specifications may be subjected for verification and may be changed without prior notice...

View on Sub-Reddit r/bus

Our Official Facebook Fan Page: Philippine Bus Enthusiasts Society (PhilBES)

Nikon D800E 70-200mm F/2.8 Nikkor Lens vs. Sony A7r 35mm F/2.8 Carl Zeiss Lens! Both in 45surfer bracket configurations, with Sony NEX-6 cameras attached to the upper cameras with a bracket, for shooting stills and video at the same time! Guess which is heavier! :) The new 45surfer rig is a bit lighter, but that will change a bit when Sony comes out with longer zooms for the Sony A7r.

Both are great! The Sony NEX-6 bracketed to the D800E has the 50mm F/1.8 lens on it, while the Sony NEX-6 bracketed to the Sony A7R has the 35mm F/2.8 lens on it!

Check out some video!

vimeo.com/45surf

The Sony ILCE7R A7r rocks! Was using the B W 49mm Kaesemann Circular Polarizer MRC Filter on partly cloudy day with some intermittent sun, but mostly cloudy. Check out the low glare off the rocks and water and dramatic, polarizwer-enhanced sky! Super sharp images and crystal-clear pictures!

Was testing the Sony HVL-F60M External Flash on the Sony A7r. You can see it going off in some of the photos (check the exif if in doubt)--worked great, but it overheated a bit sooner than my Nikon flash on the D800E. But it's all good!

Here's some epic goddess video shot at the same time as stills using my 45surfer method/philosophy:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUbE0ay7UeI

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC-M9fVwk9k

Join Johnny Ranger McCoy's youtube channel for goddess video shot @ the same time as the stills with the Sony A7 !

www.youtube.com/user/bikiniswimsuitmodels

Beautiful swimsuit bikini model goddess on a beautiful December Malibu afternoon! Shot it yesterday. :) Love, love, love the new Sony A7 R!

Was a fun test shoot. Many, many more to come!

All the best on your Epic Hero's Journey from Johnny Ranger McCoy!

Join my facebook!

www.facebook.com/45surfHerosJourneyMythology

Follow me on facebook www.facebook.com/elliot.mcgucken !

GSDC

"This is a cutaway illustration of the Saturn V command module (CM) configuration. The CM was crammed with some of the most complex equipment ever sent into space at the time. The three astronaut couches were surrounded by instrument panels, navigation gear, radios, life-support systems, and small engines to keep it stable during reentry. The entire cone, 11 feet long and 13 feet in diameter, was protected by a charring heat shield. The 6.5 ton CM was all that was finally left of the 3,000-ton Saturn V vehicle that lifted off on the journey to the Moon."

Obviously, the preceding description is contemporary, and most likely even subsequent to the 1968 version of the image that's readily seen/available. Note the different command module data as well...and amazingly, a last name:

images.nasa.gov/details-0101138.html

And THAT, my fellow Flickr sufferers, provided the opportunity for another HUGE "WIN". This meticulous & exquisite work was by the hand of a woman...back when her "place" was in the kitchen and/or being "barefoot & pregnant".

She is Rosemary A. Dobbins:

www.findagrave.com/memorial/95670671/rosemary-ann-dobbins

mobileobits.al.com/obituaries/huntsville/obituary.aspx?n=...

And her devoted husband, Edward B. Dobbins, himself an Apollo team member:

mobileobits.al.com/obituaries/huntsville/obituary.aspx?n=...

I hope I'm wrong; however, if the men who (IMHO) contributed mightily (from my possibly skewed perspective, that is) to the rich visual legacy of Apollo have been forgotten, then sure as death & taxes, Rosemary is most likely even more absent from any accounting or remembrance of her groundbreaking & pioneering contribution. If so, that is a shameful and egregious omission. Again, I hope I'm wrong, but I seriously doubt it. Who knows what else she produced that no one, ever, will know!

Fortunately, - and this is the only other conclusive evidence I've found - only because the 'censors' overlooked removing her initials, "RAD"::

images.nasa.gov/details-0101139

My heartfelt gratitude Rosemary...and I am so sorry.

BTW, Rosemary Dobbins’ daughter: YOU’RE WELCOME.

Some of the original warships of the modern Grand Fleet of Aritannia. Despite being commissioned in 1896 hey are still in service (though through several refits). This here is their 1896 configuration, eventually I might make their 1919 refit.

Ships in class:

HMS Churchill (lead)

HMS Burnside

HMS Rea

HMS Hermes

Kahawig nya ang Aero Space kapag nakagilid.

Company/Owner: RVTJ Tours

Fleet/Bus Number: 20619

Classification: Air-conditioned Intra-provincial Bus

Coachbuilder: Kia Motors Corporation

Body Model: Kia Granbird SD-II Parkway

Engine Model: Hyundai D6AC (Q340)

Chassis Model: Kia KM949S (KN2GBK122YK)

Transmission: 5-speed Manual Transmission

Suspension: Air Suspension

Seating Configuration: 2×2

Seating Capacity: 55

Franchise route: Tuguegarao–Santa Fe via Ilagan

Route: Tuguegarao City, Cagayan–Santiago City, Isabela via N1/AH26 (Pan-Philippine Highway/Maharlika Highway)

Municipalities/cities passing: Peñablanca/San Pablo/Cabagan/Tumauini/Ilagan City/Gamu/Naguilian/Reina Mercedes/Cauayan City/Alicia/Echague/San Isidro

Type of Operation: Intra-regional, Inter-provincial Operation Public Utility Bus (Economy/Regular Class)

Area of Operation: Cagayan Valley (Region II)

Shot Location: Santiago Bus Terminal (local runner cooperative group buses of Cagayan Valley), Barangay Villasis, Santiago City, Isabela

Date Taken: May 18, 2018 (14:15H)

Notices:

* Please DON'T GRAB A PHOTO WITHOUT A PERMISSION. If you're going to GRAB IT, please give A CREDIT TO THE OWNER. Also, don't PRINT SCREEN my photos.

** If I have mistakes on the specifications, please comment in a good manner so that I can edit it immediately.

*** The specifications and routes (for provincial, inter-provincial, and city operation) mentioned above are subjected for verification and may be changed without prior notice.

**** The vehicle's registration plate(s), conduction sticker(s), and/or persons (if applicable) were pixelated/blurred to prevent any conflict with the photographer, the bus company and/or to the car owner for their security and/or privacy purposes. So, don't use their plate number, conduction sticker, and vehicle tag as an evidence for any incident. And, I have taken this photo for bus fanatics, bus enthusiasts, and bus lovers purposes.

Taken @ Northstar Transport, Inc. Terminal Station near Philippine National Railway (Pambansang Daangbakal ng Pilipinas) Sampaloc Terminal Station, Sampaloc, Manila - February 27, 2010

NORTHSTAR TRANSPORT, INC.

Bus number: 988

Classification: Airconditioned Provincial Operation Bus

Coachbuilder: Hyundai Motor Company

Chassis: KMJRJ18SP

Model: Aero Queen

Engine: Hyundai D6CA-38B POWERTEC

Displacement: 788.249 cu. inches (12,920 cc / 12.9 Liters)

Cylinders: I-6

Aspiration: Turbocharged

Power Output: 374.79 bhp (380 PS - metric hp / 279.49 kW) @ 1,800 rpm

Torque Output: 1,069.62 lb.ft (1,450.40 N.m) @ 1,400 rpm

Transmission: 5-Speed Forward, 1-Speed Reverse

Maximum Speed: 83.89 mph (135 km/hr)

Layout: Rear-Mounted Engine Rear-Wheel Drive

Airconditioning Unit: Overhead Unit

Suspension: Air-Suspension

Seating Configuration: 2x1

Seating Capacity: 29 Passengers

Fuel Tank Capacity: 105.560 Gallons (400 Liters)

Overall length: 39.57 feet (11.99 Meters)

Overall width: 8.20 feet (2.49 Meters)

Overall height: 11.27 feet (3.4 Meters)

Ground Clearance: 7.68 inches (195 Millimeters)

Body Overhang (Front): 8.71 feet (2.64 Meters)

Body Overhang (Rear): 10.56 feet (3.20 Meters)

Body Inside Length: 36.78 feet (11.14 Meters)

Body Inside Width: 7.22 feet (2.34 Meters)

Body Inside Height: 6.27 feet (1.90 Meters)

Tread (Front): 6.73 feet (2.05 Meters)

Tread (Rear): 6.14 feet (1.86 Meters)

Curb Weight: 27,819 lbs. (12,645 kg)

Gross Vehicle Weight: 38,060 lbs. (17,300 kg)

> Front: 14,300 lbs. (6,500 kg)

> Rear: 23,760 lbs. (10,800 kg)

JET-AI

Company/Owner: Jasper Jean Services, Inc.

Fleet/Bus Number: 90221

Classification: Air-conditioned City Bus

Coachbuilder: (Xiamen) King Long United Automotive Industry Company, Ltd.

Body Model: King Long XMQ6117Y Team Star

Engine Model: Hino J08E-UT

Chassis Model: King Long XMQ6102R (LA6R1FSF49B)

Transmission: 6-speed Manual Transmission

Suspension: Air Suspension

Seating Configuration: 2×2

Seating Capacity: 49

Franchise route: Pala-pala (Dasmariñas, Cavite)–Navotas via EDSA (new); Dasmariñas (Cavite)–Bacoor via Coastal Road (old)

Route: Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City and Mandaluyong City–SM City Dasmariñas, Pala-Pala, Dasmariñas City, Cavite via N1 (EDSA) / E3 (CAVITEX) / Radial Road 2 and/or N419 (Aguinaldo Highway) / N. Guevarra Street / Don Placido Campos Avenue

Areas passing (underlines are designated stops for this bus scheme - EDSA area only: Ortigas–Mantrade): Mandaluyong City: POEA Ortigas\Shaw Boulevard/Starmall EDSA-Shaw\Reliance\Pioneer/Boni Avenue; Makati City: Guadalupe\Estrella\Buendia Avenue\Ayala Avenue\Magallanes\Mantrade\Magallanes\Evangelista; Pasay City: Malibay/Pasay Rotunda/Taft Avenue\Heritage Hotel\Double Dragon/Macapagal Boulevard\City of Dreams\DFA Office of Consular Affairs/Aseana Avenue/City of Dreams\Seaside Drive\Coastal Mall; Bacoor City: Longos-CAVITEX\Talaba\Real Street\Bacoor City Police Station\Niog\Puregold Bacoor\SM City Bacoor\Angelus Eternal Garden; Imus City: FRC Mall/Puregold Imus\Lumina Point Mall\Robinsons Place Imus\Patindig Araw Road/South Supermarket Imus\SM Hypermarket Imus\CityMall Anabu\S&R Imus\EMI-Yazaki\Puregold Anabu/Anabu Kostal Road/Shopwise Anabu\Daang Hari Road\Metro Department Store Imus\The District Imus\Patio Tirona; Dasmariñas City: Central Mall Dasmariñas\Dasmariñas Elementary School/Immaculate Concepcion Parish\Dasmariñas City Hall\Sacred Heart Memorial Gardens\The Villas Dasmariñas

Type of Operation: City Operation Public Utility Bus (Bus C Segregation | Regular Class)

Area of Operations: National Capital Region (NCR) / CALABARZON (Region IV-A)

––––––––––

Company/Owner: Saint Martin of Tours Trailways, Inc.

Fleet/Bus Number: 5555

Classification: Air-conditioned City Bus

Coachbuilder: Santarosa Motor Works, Inc./Columbian Manufacturing Corporation

Body Model: Daewoo/Santarosa BF106

Engine Model: Doosan DE08TIS

Chassis Model: Daewoo BF106 (PL5FJ50HDAK)

Transmission: 6-speed Manual Transmission

Suspension: Leaf Spring Suspension

Seating Configuration: 3×2

Seating Capacity: 56

Franchise route: Baclaran–Malanday via EDSA, MacArthur, Ayala

Route: Malanday, Valenzuela City–World Trade Center/Leveriza, Pasay City via N2 (MacArthur Highway) / N1 (EDSA) / N190 (Gil Puyat Avenue/Buendia Avenue)

Areas passing (underlines are designated stops for this bus scheme - EDSA area only: Kamuning–Buendia): Dalandanan\Malinta\Karuhatan/SM City Valenzuela\Marulas/Our Lady of Fatima University/BBB\Potrero\Monumento\MCU Caloocan\Bagong Barrio\Balintawak\Kaingin Road\Muñoz/Roosevelt\SM North EDSA/TriNoma/Paramount\West Avenue\Quezon Avenue\GMA-Kamuning\Kamuning\Ermin Garcia\Monte de Piedad\Arayat Cubao\Main Avenue\Santolan\VV Soliven\Connecticut\POEA Ortigas\Shaw Boulevard/Starmall EDSA-Shaw\Pioneer/Boni\Reliance\Guadalupe\Estrella\Buendia Avenue\Glorietta 5\Makati Avenue\Ayala Triangle\Paseo de Roxas\PBCOM Tower\V. A. Rufino\H. V. Dela Costa\RCBC Plaza Yuchengco Tower\Makati Central Fire Station\Malungay Loop\FEU Makati\Buendia Avenue\Makati Central Post Office\Makati Medical Center\Chino Roces Avenue (Pasong Tamo)\CEU Makati\Washington\Mayapis/Osmeña Highway/PNR Buendia Station\Dian Street\Bautista Street\LRT Gil Puyat Station/Taft Avenue\F.B. Harrison Street

Type of Operation: City Operation Public Utility Bus (Bus B Segregation | Regular Class)

Area of Operation: National Capital Region (NCR)

Shot Location: EDSA-Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City

Date Taken: May 24, 2018

Notices:

* Please DON'T GRAB A PHOTO WITHOUT A PERMISSION. If you're going to GRAB IT, please give A CREDIT TO THE OWNER. Also, don't PRINT SCREEN my photos.

** If I have mistakes on the specifications, please comment in a good manner so that I can edit it immediately.

*** The specifications and routes (for provincial, inter-provincial, and city operation) mentioned above are subjected for verification and may be changed without prior notice.

**** The vehicle's registration plate(s), conduction sticker(s), and/or persons (if applicable) were pixelated/blurred to prevent any conflict with the photographer, the bus company and/or to the car owner for their security and/or privacy purposes. So, don't use their plate number, conduction sticker, and vehicle tag as an evidence for any incident. And, I have taken this photo for bus fanatics, bus enthusiasts, and bus lovers purposes.

This configuration is a Nikon D800e with a Tamron 150-600mm mounted on a Manfrotto 393 gimbal style head on a Vanguard ABEO tripod. Works great for panning/tilting for incoming water fowl without the cost of a more traditional gimbal head. I typical carry a "sidearm" - Nikon D7100 to catch fast action outside the reach of the bird blind.

Model of a mining excavator in front shovel configuration in scale 1:28.5. This 300 tonne machine is a representative of Liebherr's most popular size class and is ideally suited to load a fleet of 100 tonne payload mining trucks.

When LEGO introduced its 42100 Liebherr R 9800, I knew I had to get that set immediately after release. But I also knew from the beginning, that I would not like the official model's Technic design and that I had to build my own version.

Here it is, scaled larger than 42100, but on the other hand representing a much smaller machine than the 9800. About 300 vs. 800 tonnes in real life. This allowed me to use the main components of the official LEGO model to build my R 994 B. I used the clamshell bucket, the Power Functions XL actuators and the tracks and sprockets.

The main difference from 42100 lies in the electric components of my model. The following functions are all powered by two Power Functions rechargeable battery boxes and controlled by three SBricks via bluetooth connection and Brick Controller 2 app:

- Left and right crawler treads each using a Power Functions L motor

- Slewing of the upper structure using two Power Functions M motors

- Boom cylinders: one Power Functions XL motor

- Stick cylinders: one Power Functions L motor

- Bucket cylinders: one Power Functions M motor

- Clamshell bucket: one Brick Engine V1 motor (compatible to Power Functions)

- Access ladder: one Power Functions M motor

- Service flap: one Power Functions M motor

- Lighting: three pairs of Power Functions LEDs

Besides the main drive and digging functions, the model features a retractable access ladder and a lowerable service flap on the underside of the upper structure frame. The service flap is used to refuel and grease the excavator.

While building the Liebherr R 994 B Litronic in 1:28.5 scale, I could refer to a highly detailed diecast model of the very same machine in 1:50 scale.

Vehicle model & configuration:

L : Light-duty L2000 or medium-duty M2000L range, cab from light-duty L2000 range

LN : Medium-duty M2000L range, cab from light-duty L2000 range, trailing axle

M : Medium duty, cab from heavy-duty F2000 range

MN : Trailing axle, medium-duty range, cab from heavy-duty F2000 range

MV : Leading axle, medium-duty range, cab from heavy-duty F2000 range

F : Two-axle truck, cab from heavy-duty F2000 range

FN : Trailing axle, cab from heavy-duty F2000 range

FV : Leading axle, cab from heavy-duty F2000 range

DF : Three-axle truck, tandem axle, cab from heavy-duty F2000 range

VF : Four-axle truck, cab from heavy-duty F2000 range

Body/conversion section:

- KI : Fittings for tipper body

- HK : Fittings for tipper body (rear)

- KO : Fittings for municipal service body

- LF : Fittings for fire-fighting vehicle

- LV : Fittings for loading crane structure in front of the platform

- PT : Fittings for car transporter

- TM : Fittings for concrete mixer

- NL : Fittings for the installation of a trailing axle

*Applicable for pre-Trucknology® Generation models (i.e. F90, F2000, M90, M2000)

Main photo: www.flickr.com/photos/188464565@N06/50186109438/in/datepo...

Some of the original warships of the modern Grand Fleet of Aritannia. Despite being commissioned in 1896 they are still in service (though through several refits). This here is their 1896 configuration, eventually I might make their 1919 refit.

Model of a mining excavator in front shovel configuration in scale 1:28.5. This 300 tonne machine is a representative of Liebherr's most popular size class and is ideally suited to load a fleet of 100 tonne payload mining trucks.

When LEGO introduced its 42100 Liebherr R 9800, I knew I had to get that set immediately after release. But I also knew from the beginning, that I would not like the official model's Technic design and that I had to build my own version.

Here it is, scaled larger than 42100, but on the other hand representing a much smaller machine than the 9800. About 300 vs. 800 tonnes in real life. This allowed me to use the main components of the official LEGO model to build my R 994 B. I used the clamshell bucket, the Power Functions XL actuators and the tracks and sprockets.

The main difference from 42100 lies in the electric components of my model. The following functions are all powered by two Power Functions rechargeable battery boxes and controlled by three SBricks via bluetooth connection and Brick Controller 2 app:

- Left and right crawler treads each using a Power Functions L motor

- Slewing of the upper structure using two Power Functions M motors

- Boom cylinders: one Power Functions XL motor

- Stick cylinders: one Power Functions L motor

- Bucket cylinders: one Power Functions M motor

- Clamshell bucket: one Brick Engine V1 motor (compatible to Power Functions)

- Access ladder: one Power Functions M motor

- Service flap: one Power Functions M motor

- Lighting: three pairs of Power Functions LEDs

Besides the main drive and digging functions, the model features a retractable access ladder and a lowerable service flap on the underside of the upper structure frame. The service flap is used to refuel and grease the excavator.

While building the Liebherr R 994 B Litronic in 1:28.5 scale, I could refer to a highly detailed diecast model of the very same machine in 1:50 scale.

Strafing Configuration

Built for 2014 "Small Starfighter Building Contest"

Company/Owner: Victory Liner, Inc.

Fleet/Bus Number: 7093

Classification: Air-conditioned Provincial Bus

Coachbuilder: Almazora Motors Corporation

Body Model: MAN/Almazora Tourist Star Lion's Regio R39

Engine Model: MAN D2066LOH12

Chassis Model: MAN 18.350 HOCL (PBMR39)

Transmission: Manual Transmission (6-speed forward, 1-speed reverse)

Suspension: Electronically-Controlled Air Suspension (ECAS)

Seating Configuration: 2×2

Seating Capacity: 49

Route: Tuguegarao City, Cagayan–Kamias, Quezon City via N1 (Maharlika Highway)

Municipalities/cities passing: Peñablanca/San Pablo/Cabagan/Tumauini/Ilagan City/Gamu/Naguilian/Reina Mercedes/Cauayan City/Alicia/Echague/San Isidro/Santiago City/Cordon/Diadi/Bagabag/Solano/Bayombong/Bambang/Ineangan (Dupax del Norte)/Gabut (Dupax del Sur)/Aritao/Santa Fe/Carranglan/San Jose City/Science City of Muñoz/Santo Domingo/Talavera/Cabanatuan City/Santa Rosa/San Leonardo/Gapan City/San Miguel/San Ildefonso/San Rafael/Baliuag/Pulilan/Plaridel/Santa Rita (Guiguinto)

Type of Operation: Provincial Operation Public Utility Bus (Regular Class)

Area of Operation: Cagayan Valley (Region II)

Shot location: Victory Liner Fuel Stop, Barangay Abar 1st, San Jose City, Nueva Ecija

Date taken: January 8, 2015

Notices:

* Please DON'T GRAB A PHOTO WITHOUT A PERMISSION. If you're going to GRAB IT, please give A CREDIT TO THE OWNER. Also, don't PRINT SCREEN my photos.

** If I have mistakes on the specifications, please comment in a good manner so that I can edit it immediately.

*** The specifications and routes (for provincial, inter-provincial, and city operation) mentioned above are subjected for verification and may be changed without prior notice.

**** The vehicle's registration plate(s), conduction sticker(s), and/or persons (if applicable) were pixelated/blurred to prevent any conflict with the photographer, the bus company and/or to the car owner for their security and/or privacy purposes. So, don't use their plate number, conduction sticker, and vehicle tag as an evidence for any incident. And, I have taken this photo for bus fanatics, bus enthusiasts, and bus lovers purposes.

The Best SLS Color configuration I've ever seen. Black Top, Opal Red exterior and Matt Black rims (20") More picture here bit.ly/1bN0f80

Company/Owner: Victory Liner, Inc.

Fleet/Bus Number: 129

Classification: Air-conditioned Provincial Bus

Coachbuilder: Hyundai Motor Company

Body Model: Hyundai Super Aero City

Engine Model: Hyundai D6AB (Q300)

Chassis Model: Hyundai Super Aero City (KMJTA18BPBC)

Transmission: Manual (5-speed forward, 1-speed reverse)

Suspension: Leaf Spring Suspension

Seating Configuration: 3×2

Seating Capacity: 56

Route: Monumento, Caloocan City–Apalit, Pampanga via NLEX-Balintawak–NLEX-Tabang / MacArthur Highway

Municipalities/cities passing: Tabang (Guiguinto)/Malolos City/Calumpit

Type of Operation: Provincial Operation Public Utility Bus (Economy Class)

Area of Operation: Central Luzon (Region III)

Shot Location: MacArthur Highway (Manila North Road), Barangay Sumapang Matanda, Malolos City, Bulacan

Date Taken: June 20, 2015

Notices:

* Please DON'T GRAB A PHOTO WITHOUT A PERMISSION. If you're going to GRAB IT, please give A CREDIT TO THE OWNER. Also, don't PRINT SCREEN my photos.

** If I have mistakes on the specifications, please comment in a good manner so that I can edit it immediately.

*** The specifications and routes (for provincial, inter-provincial, and city operation) mentioned above are subjected for verification and may be changed without prior notice.

**** The vehicle's registration plate(s), conduction sticker(s), and/or persons (if applicable) were pixelated/blurred to prevent any conflict with the photographer, the bus company and/or to the car owner for their security and/or privacy purposes. So, don't use their plate number, conduction sticker, and vehicle tag as an evidence for any incident. And, I have taken this photo for bus fanatics, bus enthusiasts, and bus lovers purposes.

Shot through the train window on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner (in some cases, while moving). This did not always help with quality, but it conveys the sense of the journey....

Shot with an Olympus Pen F

Olympus F.Zuiko Auto-S 38mm f/1.8 lens

Kodak UltraMax 400 film

Shot at EI 400

Developed by The Darkroom

Scanned with a Super Coolscan 9000ED

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

In July 1967, the first Swedish Air Force student pilots started training on the Saab 105, a Swedish high-wing, twin-engine trainer aircraft developed in the early sixties as a private venture by Saab AB. The Swedish Air Force procured the type for various roles and issued the aircraft with the designation Sk 60.

Further potential export customers for the Sk 90 included Malaysia as well as Singapore, Myanmar, Finland, Poland and Hungary. The latest customer has been the Republic of Scotland in late 2017. After the country’s separation from the United Kingdom, the country started to build an independent air force with a supplier from a neutral country, and its first armed aircraft came from Saab in the form of early, second hand JAS 39 Gripen and Sk 90.

General characteristics:

Crew: two pilots in tandem

Length incl. pitot: 13.0 m (42 ft 8 in)

Wingspan: 9.94 m (32 ft 7 in)

Height: 4.6 m (15 ft 1 in)

Empty weight: 3,790 kg (8,360 lb)

Max. takeoff weight: 7,500 kg (16,530 lb)

Powerplant:

2× Williams International FJ44-4M turbofans without reheat, rated at 16.89 kN (3,790 lbst) each

Performance:

Maximum speed: 1,038 km/h (645 mph)

Range: 1,670 km (900 nm)

Armament:

No internal gun; five hardpoints for 2,500 kg (5,500 lb) of payload and a variety of ordnance,

including a conformal ventral gun pod with a 27mm Mauser BK-27 revolver cannon and up to

four AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs

The kit and its assembly:

A simple kit travesty, and this one is the second incarnation of the basic idea. The fictional Saab Sk 90 is basically the 1:72 Kawasaki T-4 from Hasegawa, with little modifications. Originally, I wondered what an overdue Saab 105 replacement could or would look like? The interesting Saab 38 never saw the light, as mentioned above, there was also a stillborn A-10-style light attack aircraft, and I assume that neutral Sweden would rather develop its own aircraft than procure a foreign product.

Consideration of the BAe Hawk, Alpha Jet and the L-39 Albatros as inspirations for this project, I eventually came across the modern but rather overlooked Japanese Kawasaki T-4 trainer – and found that it had a certain Swedish look about it? Hmm... I had already built one with a camera nose in the famous “Fields & Meadows” scheme, but the concept offers more room for creative output.

One of the thoughts surrounding the aircraft was: what would be a potential replacement for the Austrian Saab 105 fleet, which had been in service for ages? Well, the Swedish successor would IMHO be a very plausible option, and so I built an Austrian derivative of the Sk 90 B, the Sk 90 Ö export variant.

Just like during the first build, I wanted to keep things simple. Consequently, the T-4 was mostly built OOB, including the cockpit with the dashboard decals, just with added handles to the ejection seats.

The only major change I made for the Austrian variant is the modified nose section: the T-4 nose was replaced by a slightly longer and wider alternative, and blended with the fuselage through PSR. The pitot was moved to starboard and replaced by a longer alternative from the scrap box.

The pair of underwing pylons are OOB, too, the ordnance in the form of an AIM-9 training/acquisition round (without steering fins) and an ACMI pod, together with launch rails, are spare parts. The ventral gun pod comes from an Italeri BAe Hawk, slightly trimmed in order to fit under the fuselage. Additionally, I added scratched chaff/flare dispensers and an IR jammer to the tail section.

As a side note: There are two different moulds for the Hasegawa T-4; one comes with two simple fuselage halves (from which I built the Swedish Sk 90 S, this mould was introduced in 1996), and this one here, AFAIK the first one from 1989, which comes with a separate cockpit section and other differences.

The kit is relatively simple, but fit is not perfect. My kit also featured surprisingly much flash and even some sinkholes (in the air intakes and ). IMHO, the newer mould is the better option – the new T-4 model is easier to assemble and overall fit is IMHO also better (only minimal PSR required, the old mould definitively requires body work almost on every seam).

Painting and markings:

Well, building the kit was not a true challenge, and the paint scheme I chose was also not truly demanding. However, I wanted something different from the Austrian Saab 105s' bare metal finish and also not a dull all-grey air superiority scheme. I eventually stumbled upon a scheme found on some Austrian helicopters, Shorts Skyvans and the Pilatus PC-7 trainers.

Basically, the pattern consists of a deep, dark forest green and an greyish olive drab, which almost appears like a brown, RAL 6020 (Chromoxydgrün) and RAL 7013 (Braungrau). RAL 7013 is the Austrian Army’s standard color, used on many ground vehicles, too.

For the dark green I used Humbrol 195, which is the authentic tone, and RAL 7013 was approached through a rough 1:1:1 mix of Humbrol 29 (Dark Earth), 155 (Olive Drab) and 66 (Olive Drab, too), based on some pictures of Austrian aircraft in good light.

Originally, the scheme is a uniform, all over RAL 7013 with RAL 6020 only added to the upper sides, But for my build I found this to be a little boring, so I added a personal twist. The pattern on the upper surfaces was roughly adapted from an Austrian Skyvan, but I painted the underwing surfaces in aluminum, so that the model would not appear too murky and dull (Revell 91).

A late addition were the orange wing and fin tips – originally taken from the T-4 decal sheet, but application went sour and I had to scrape them off again and replace them with painted alternatives (Humbrol 18, plus a thin coat with Humbrol 209, dayglow orange). Anyway, these marking suit the aircraft’ trainer role well and are a nice contrast to the red-and-white roundels.

The cockpit was painted in neutral grey, while the landing gear and the air intakes became white – very conservative.

The markings were kept simple, puzzled together from various sources, the 4th Jet Squadron is fiction. The Austrian roundels come from a TL Modellbau sheet, the tactical code consists of single, black letters from TL Modellbau, too.

The current Austrian practice for the 4-digit codes is quite complex, and the four-digit-code is based on a variety of aircraft information; the 1st digit (Arabic number) is associated with a max. TOW class, the second (a letter) denotes the type’s main purpose. The roundel divides the code, and the 3rd letter is allocated to a specific aircraft type (I re-used “S”, formerly used on Saab 91D trainers until 1993) and the last letter is a consecutive, individual identifier.

Stencils were mostly taken from the T-4 OOB sheet or gathered from the scrap box, e .g. from German Tornado and T-33 sheets (for dual language markings). The silver trim at the flaps and the fin’s rudder were created with generic decal stripes in various widths in silver. Similar, wider strips in black were used to create the de-icers on the fin’s and wings' leading edges.

Finally, the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (Italeri).

Thanks to the sound basis and only cosmetic changes, this one was not a tough build. The result is pretty subtle, though – who’d suspect a Japanese aircraft in this rather exotic disguise? Anyway, just like the Swedish Sk 90 S, this T-4 under foreign flag looks disturbingly plausible, and the scheme works well over typical Austrian landscape.

How could Sweden (and in this case Austria, too) hide this aircraft from the public for so long...? It's certainly not the last T-4 in disguise which I will build. A Scottish aircraft, as mentioned in the background above, is another hot candidate... :-D

New to London United(SP98)(later SP40098), with dual-door configuration, in 10/2009, this OmniCity then transferred Go South Coast - Morebus, numbered 1184, prior to transferring north Go North West, in preparation for Bee Network, where it received fleetnumber 3612. After transfer to Stagecoach Manchester under Tranche 2 of Bee Network, which began on 24/03/2024, it is seen here on Shudehill, Manchester on 04/09/2024. It is operating a Bee Network Service 41 13:20 Sale Metrolink Stop - Wythenshawe, Moor End - West Didsbury, Central Road - Rusholme, Platt Lane - Manchester Royal Infirmary - Manchester, Piccadilly Gardens - Cheetham, Balmfield Street - Cheetham Hill Shopping Centre - Higher Crumpsall, North Manchester General Hospital. This service was on diversion due to Metrolink tram works in High Street and Nicholas Undercroft. This Scania, well presented here, has since been withdrawn. This service changed operator under Tranche 2 of Bee Network. It was previously operated by Go North West out of the Manchester Queens Road depot which is now operated by Stagecoach Manchester under Bee Network.

In Tranche 1 of Bee Network, which started on 24/09/2023, Stagecoach Manchester(Greater Manchester West) lost the Wigan depot to Go North West and under Tranche 2 of Bee Network, which started on 24/03/2024, Stagecoach Manchester(Greater Manchester South) gained Manchester Queens Road depot from Go North West and the Oldham Mumps depot from First Manchester. In Tranche 3, which started on 05/01/2025, Stagecoach Manchester(Greater Manchester South) lost Ashton-under-Lyne, Manchester Hyde Road, and Manchester Sharston to Comfort DelGro Metroline Manchester who also gained Arriva Manchester's Wythenshawe depot. Stagecoach Manchester(Greater Manchester South) kept their Stockport depots. © Peter Steel 2024.

Nürburgring - Porsche 911 GT2 RS & 997 GT3

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

The Cessna Model 336 and 337 “Skymaster” were American twin-engine civil utility aircraft built in a unique push-pull configuration. Their engines were mounted in the nose and rear of its pod-style fuselage. Twin booms extended aft of the wings to the vertical stabilizers, with the rear engine between them. The horizontal stabilizer was aft of the pusher propeller, mounted between and connecting the two booms.

The type’s versatility, low noise level, high travel speed and good loitering time in the operational area at low speed proved to be vital assets for these public service operators and justified its relatively high maintenance costs. A handful of the modernized Spectrum SA-550 machines were still in active service after the Millennium, primarily in the USA.

General characteristics:

Crew: 1 + 3 passengers (up to 5 passengers possible in special seat configuration)

Length: 32 ft 6½ in (9.94 m)

Wingspan: 38 ft ¾ in (11.62 m)

Height: 9 ft 2 in (2.79 m)

Wing area: 201 sq ft (18.81 m²)

Aspect ratio: 7.18:1

Airfoil: NACA 2412 at root, NACA 2409 at tip

Empty weight: 2,655 lb (1,204 kg)

Max takeoff weight: 4,400 lb (1,996 kg)

Fuel capacity: 92 US gal (77 imp gal; 350 l) normal,

128 US gal (107 imp gal; 480 l) with auxiliary tank

in the cabin instead of two passenger seats

Powerplant:

1× Pratt & Whitney PT6A-27 turboprop engine, delivering 550 shp (410 kW) and

driving a four-blade McCauley fully-feathering, constant-speed propeller, 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) diameter

Performance:

Maximum speed: 199 mph (320 km/h, 173 kn) at sea level

Cruise speed: 144 mph (232 km/h, 125 kn) at 10,000 ft (3,000 m) (econ cruise)

Stall speed: 69 mph (111 km/h, 60 kn)

Range: 1421 mi (2.288 km, 1.243 nmi) at 10.000 ft (3.050 m) altitude and economy cruise

Service ceiling: 19,500 ft (5,900 m)

Rate of climb: 1,200 ft/min (6.1 m/s)

Takeoff distance to 50 ft (15m): 1,545 ft (471 m)

Landing distance from 50 ft (15m): 1,650 ft (500 m)

The kit and its assembly:

This build is the combination of ingredients that had already been stashed away for a long time, and the “Red Lights” Group Build at whatifmodellers.com in early 2021 was a good motivator and occasion to finally put everything together.

The basis is an ARII 1:72 Cessna T337 model kit – I had purchased it long ago with the expectation to create a military Skymaster from it, but I was confused by a fixed landing gear which would make it a 336? Well, without a further concrete plan the kit preliminarily landed in The Stash™…

However, the ARII model features the optional observation windows in the doors on the starboard side, in the form of a complete(!) fuselage half, so that it lends itself to a police or firefighter aircraft of some sort. This idea was furthermore fueled by a decal sheet that I had been given from a friend, left over from a 1:72 Italeri JetRanger, with three optional police helicopter markings.

The final creative element was the real-world “Pelican” conversion of six O-2As for the US Navy, as mentioned in the background above: the front engine was replaced with a longer nose and the engine configuration changed to a pusher-only aircraft with a single powerful turboprop engine. This looked so odd that I wanted to modify the ARII Cessna in a similar fashion, too, and all these factors came together in this model.

My Arii Cessna 337 kit is a re-boxing from 2009, but its origins date back to Eidai in 1972 and that’s just what you get: a vintage thing with some flash and sinkholes, raised (but fine) surface details and pretty crude seams with bulges and gaps. Some PSR is direly necessary, esp. the fit of the fuselage halves is cringeworthy. The clear parts were no source of joy, either; especially the windscreen turned out to be thick, very streaky (to a degree that I’d almost call it opaque!) and even not fully molded! The side glazing was also not very clear. I tried to improve the situation through polishing, but if the basis is already poor, there’s little you can do about it. Hrmpf.

However, the kit was built mostly OOB, including the extra O-2 glazing in the lower doors, but with some mods. One is a (barely visible) extra tank in the cabin’s rear, plus a pilot and an observer figure placed into the tight front seats. The extended “Pelican” nose was a lucky find – I was afraid that I had had to sculpt a nose from scratch with 2C putty. But I found a radome from a Hasegawa RA-5C, left over from a model I built in the Eighties and that has since long fallen apart. However, this nose fitted almost perfectly in size and shape, I just “blunted” the tip a little. Additionally, both the hull in front of the dashboard and the Vigilante radome were filled with as many lead beads as possible to keep the nose down.

The kit’s OOB spatted, fixed landing gear was retained – even though it is dubious for a Cessna 337, because this type had a fully retractable landing gear, and the model has the landing gear covers actually molded into the lower fuselage. On the other side, the Cessna 336’s fixed landing gear looks quite different, too! However, this is a what-if model, and a fixed landing gear might have been a measure to reduce maintenance costs?

The propeller was replaced with a resin four-blade aftermarket piece (from CMK, probably the best-fitting thing on this build!) on my standard metal axis/styrene tube adapter arrangement. The propeller belongs to a Shorts Tucano, but I think that it works well on the converted Cessna and its powerful pusher engine, even though in the real world, the SA-550 is AFAIK driven by a three-blade prop. For the different engine I also enlarged the dorsal air intake with a 1.5 mm piece of styrene sheet added on top of the molded original air scoop and added a pair of ventral exhaust stubs (scratched from sprue material).

Another addition is a pair of winglets, made from 0.5 mm styrene sheet – an upgrade which I found on several late Cessna 337s in various versions. They just add to the modernized look of the aircraft. For the intended observation role, a hemispherical fairing under the nose hides a 180° camera, and I added some antennae around the hull.

However, a final word concerning the model kit itself: nothing fits, be warned! While the kit is a simple affair and looks quite good in the box, assembling it turned out to be a nightmare, with flash, sinkholes, a brittle styrene and gaps everywhere. This includes the clear parts, which are pretty thick and blurry. The worst thing is the windscreen, which is not only EXTRA thick and EXTRA blurry, it was also not completely molded, with gaps on both sides. I tried to get it clearer through manual polishing, but the streaky blurs are integral – no hope for improvement unless you completely replace the parts! If I ever build a Cessna 337/O-2 again, I will give the Airfix kit a try, it can only be better…

Painting and markings:

The choice between the operator options from the JetRanger sheet was hard, it included Sweden and Italy, but I eventually settled for the LAPD because the livery looks cool and this police department not only operates helicopters, but also some fixed-wing aircraft.

I adapted the LAPD’s classic black-and-white police helicopter livery (Gloss White and Black, Humbrol 22 and 21, respectively) to the Cessna and extended it to the wings. At this point – already upset because of the poor fit of the hardware – disaster struck in the form of Humbrol’s 22 turning into a pinkish ivory upon curing! In the tin, the paint and its pigments looked pretty white and “clean”, and I assume that it’s the thinner that caused this change. What a crap! It’s probably the third tin with 22 that causes trouble, even though in different peculiarities!

The result was total rubbish, though, and I tried to rub the paint off as good as possible on the small model with its many windows, the fixed, delicate landing gear and the wing support struts. Then I overpainted the areas with Revell 301 (Semi-matt White). While this enamel yielded the intended pure white tone, the paint itself is rather gooey and not easy to work with, so that the overall finish turned out worse than desired. At least the black paint worked properly. The demarcations were created with black decal stripes (TL Modellbau), because the tiny model left little room for complex masking measures – and I did not risk any more painting accidents.

Since the aircraft would be kept shiny and clean, I just did a light black ink washing to emphasize surface details and did a light panel post-shading on the black areas, not for weathering but rather to accent surface structures. No further weathering was done (and necessary).

The markings/decals come – as mentioned above – from an Italeri 1:72 JetRanger, but they were augmented with some additional markings, e. g. grey walkways on the wings and “L-A-P-D” in large black letters under the wings, to distract from the poor finish of the white paint around them…

Finally, the kit was sealed overall with Italeri semi-gloss acrylic varnish, just with a matt anti-glare shield in front of the windscreen, which received thin white trim lines (generic decal stripes).

A challenging build due to the Arii kit’s rather poor basis, the massive rhinoplasty and the crisp paint scheme. However, I like the result – what-if models do not always have to be armed military vehicles, there’s potential in other genres, too. And this mono-engine “Pelican” Skymaster plays its role as a “flying eye” in police service credibly and well. However, this was my first and last Eidai kit…