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MAZZALI Contract: “LA STECCA”, residenza universitaria di Imt Alti Studi Lucca
"La Stecca", l'imponente immobile originariamente parte del complesso del convento di San Francesco, è sede dell’ IMT (Istituzioni, Mercati, Tecnologie) Istituto di Alti Studi , un istituto statale di istruzione universitaria, di ricerca e di alta formazione.
Mazzali ha realizzato:
100 camere residenziali per docenti, ricercatori e studenti.
16 spazi ufficio e multimediali.
MAZZALI Contract : “ LA STECCA ” IMT campus, Lucca.
IMT is an Institute for Advanced Studies that aims to push the frontiers of knowledge and to contribute to the formation of international professional elites for business and institutions.
Mazzali made:
N° 100 short to medium term housing bedrooms for professors, students and visitors;
N° 16 office spaces for faculty and staff
The beautifully and painstakingly restored complex includes the San Francesco Church (to be used for major events), the Guinigi Chapel (for seminars and smaller events), the "Sala delle Colonne" (for seminars and meetings), classrooms, residential facilities for students, short- to medium-term housing for visiting faculty, office spaces for faculty and staff, the canteen, and numerous internal and external areas for study and socialization. PhD students who qualify for a scholarship are offered free housing in the San Francesco complex, while all students and faculty have free access to the canteen.
Weston-super-Mare depot has just taken delivery of 24 of these Yutong U11DD / Yutong H43/27F deckers during March 2025. All of them had entered service by last Monday , for the start of the summer timetable.
They are supposed to be used mainly on the X1 and X4 , and 30025 is in Congresbury on X1 from Weston-super-Mare to Bristol.
It has just been announced that in addition to the 98 electric buses this year for WsM and Hengrove that First WofE will be getting 160 more next year for Lawrence Hill and Bath. In addition to these subsidised buses they should also be buying electric buses for the A1 and A3 Airport contracts , also due next year.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and other conflicts.
The Mustang was conceived, designed and built by North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a specification issued directly to NAA by the British Purchasing Commission. The prototype NA-73X airframe was rolled out on 9 September 1940, 102 days after the contract was signed and, with an engine installed, first flew on 26 October.
The Mustang was originally designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine, which had limited high-altitude performance. It was first flown operationally by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber (Mustang Mk I).
The addition of the Rolls-Royce Merlin to the P-51B/C (Mustang Mk III) model transformed the Mustang's performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft, giving it a much better performance that matched or bettered almost all of the Luftwaffe's fighters at altitude.
The definitive USAF version, which saw use in any late WWII theatre, the P-51D (Mustang Mk IV), was powered by the Packard V-1650-7, a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin 60 series two-stage two-speed supercharged engine, and armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns.
Anyway, the Mustang’s development was kept up by North American as well as in Great Britain. There, the Mustang was developed into the Mustang V (a lightweight fighter of which only one prototype reached England), the Mustang VI (a high altitude fighter version which was produced in small numbers and kept in RAF service until 1951) and the Mustang VII, a radical modification for the South East Asia Command.
The Mustang VII was intended as a replacement for the Hawker Hurricanes and early Spitfire variants deployed to India and Burma. One of these types’ biggest concerns had been the engine, or, more specifically, its cooling system. The Merlin’s liquid cooled system had been designed for the mild European climate, but, in the hot and humid Asian environment, the aircraft frequently faced engine problems. An air-cooled, radial engine was regarded as the more appropriate means of propulsion, and with the Bristol Centaurus a powerful option was readily available and earmarked for the Hawker Tempest.
Apart from the new engine and cowling, the Mustang VII prototypes were similar to the P-51D. The Centaurus engine was tightly cowled and the exhaust stacks were grouped behind and on either side of the engine. Behind these were air outlets with automatic sliding "gills".
New air intakes on the inner leading edges of both wings fed the carburetor and an oil cooler. The radial engine installation owed much to examinations of a captured Focke-Wulf Fw 190, and was clean and effective. The bigger frontal area was partly compensated by the removal of the Mustang’s characteristic, ventral radiator tunnel.
This modification also kept the overall increment of weight to only ~90 lb (41 kg) – even though the aircraft became remarkably nose-heavy and handled much different from the Merlin-powered versions. Longitudinal stability also deteriorated slightly.
The first Mustang Mk. VIII, PE883, flew on 28 June 1944 powered by a Centaurus I (2,000 hp/1,490 kW) driving a four-blade propeller, followed by the second, PE884. From the start, the Mustang VII was "tropicalized" for service in the South-East Asian theatre.
Orders were placed in September 1944 for 300 Mustang VIIs, and they were directly deployed to India and Burma. There, the Mustang VII replaced the Spitfire II and Vs in the fighter role, relegating the new RAF Thunderbolts in the region to ground attack, a task for which that type was well suited.
Once the Mustang VIIs were cleared for use, they were used against the Japanese in Burma by four RAF squadrons of the South East Asia Command from India. Operations with army support (operating as "cab ranks" to be called in when needed), attacks on enemy airfields and lines of communication, and escort sorties.
They proved devastating in tandem with Thunderbolts during the Japanese breakout attempt at the Sittang Bend in the final months of the war. The Mustangs were armed with two 500 lb (227 kg) bombs or, in some cases, British RP-3 rocket projectiles. The Mustang VIIs also flew escort for RAF Liberators in the bombing of Rangoon.
The type remained in RAF service until October 1946. After that the RAF passed 60 machines to the Indian Air Force in 1947, together with other piston fighters.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 32 ft 8 1/4 in (9.97 m)
Wingspan: 48 ft 9½ in (14.90 m)
Height: 14 ft 6 in (4.39 m)
Wing area: 235 sq ft (21.83 m²)
Airfoil: NAA/NACA 45-100 / NAA/NACA 45-100
Empty weight: 7,725 lb (3,505 kg)
Loaded weight: 9,290 lb (4,220 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 12,200 lb (5,515 kg)
Maximum fuel capacity: 419 US gal (349 imp gal; 1,590 l)
Powerplant:
1× Bristol Centaurus 1 18-cylinder twin-row radial engine, 2,000 hp (1,490 kW) at take-off
Performance:
Maximum speed: 432 mph (695 km/h) at 18,400 ft (5,608 m)
Cruise speed: 362 mph (315 kn, 580 km/h)
Range: 740 mi (1,190 km) on internal fuel
Service ceiling: 36,500 ft (11,125 m)
Rate of climb: 4,700 ft/min (23.9 m/s)
Armament:
4× 0.787 caliber (20mm) Hispano Mk. II cannons with 200 RPG in the outer wings
Underwing hardpoints for up to 2.000 lb (907 kg) of external ordnance,
including drop tanks, a pair of bombs of up to 1.000 lb (454 kg) caliber, or six unguided missiles
The kit and its assembly:
This conversion was based on the rather academic question: how could a Mustang with a radial engine look like? A weird idea, if you look at the sleek aircraft. But then there was the rather handsome Fw 190 A/F, the Hawker Tempest carried both liquid-cooled and air-cooled engines, and I saw a model of a Merlin Spitfire mated with a Fw 190 BMW engine some time ago. So, why not re-do the Mustang?
Working things out was complex, though. Initially I wanted to graft an R-2800 onto the Mustang’s nose – I had a spare fuselage from a late Italeri F4U at hand, as well as a Matchbox P-51D... After some measuring I was certain: yes, this transplant could work!
Said and done, the Corsair’s front section including the engine was cut out and tailored to fit over the shortened Mustang nose which lost its Merlin. At first I retained the original belly radiator, since it would be a convenient fairing for the oil coolers. The project made good progress, but… the result did not look good, because the R-2800 is rather wide. The aircraft looked very tadpole-like.
So, while in the middle of body sculpting, I decided to change the project, switching to a British Centaurus - a featureless piece from a PM Model Sea Fury with some more changes.
The Centaurus’ selling point was the more slender cowling, and it goes well onto a F4U’s nose section, proven by several conversions of this kind. In order to keep the aircraft as slender as possible I removed the belly tunnel and re-located the oil coolers and air intakes into the wing roots, closer to the engine and more like the installation on the Tempest or the Sea Fury. These extended wing root fairings were created from sprue pieces and putty.
It is amazing how this further modification changed the Mustang’s look – the thing reminds a lot of a La-9/11 now, even though wings, tail and most of the fuselage, including the canopy, were not modified at all? I am also reminded of the F8F Bearcat?
Furthermore, after the new propeller (cuffed blades from a P-47 Thunderbolt, IIRC, with trimmed tips) with a massive spinner from a Hawker Tempest was mounted on its metal axis, this mutant Mustang looked more and more like a Reno Unlimited Class racer? Weird, but sexy!
Otherwise, only minor things were changed, e. g. the landing gear covers were replaced through 0.5mm styrene sheet, a dashboard was added to the cockpit and the thick canopy cut into two pieces. The six 0.5” machine guns were replaced by four short Hispano cannons made from brass.
Painting and markings:
With the Centaurus implant the background story and the operator idea changed. I used this opportunity to paint the aircraft in a late/post WWII SEAC livery – inspired by P-47s operated in this region.
The bare metal finish with dark blue ID stripes and the SEAC roundels already looked nice, but as a twist I incorporated remnants of a former Dark Green/Dark Earth camouflage, on the fuselage and the wings’ leading edges, as anti-glare panels, while the area in front of the cockpit was painted in opaque dark olive drab – a practice to be found on several RAF aircraft of that time are area.
The interior surface were painted with USAF Cockpit Green (Humbrol 224 and 150) and slightly dry-brushed, then the whole kit received a basic coat of Revell Acrylic Aluminum. Later, some panels were painted with different shades of Aluminum and Steel (including Metallizer and normal metallic paint). Some wet sanding blurred the outlines and enhanced the worn look.
Decals come from various SEAC sheets, including the blue ID stripes on wings and tail. The corresponding blue cowling ring was painted with a mix of Humbrol 15 and 104, and pretty flaky around the engine cowling.
As finishing touches some oil stains were added with Tamiya “Smoke” and some soot stains around the exhausts and the guns were added. Finally, the camouflaged areas were sealed under a matt varnish while the bare metal parts received a semi-gloss acrylic coat.
A weird project – one of the few of my models that somehow changed dramatically along the way, even though still true to the original idea of a radial engine Mustang. However, the result was envisioned differently, but I am still happy with the outcome. Even though there’s visually little Mustang breed left…
Kara Livingston looks at the contract she signed with the moving company, Vanlines of America. (KOMU photo/Brandon Twichell)
+++ 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 October 1951, a heavy tank project was underway to mount an oscillating turret with an automatically loading 120mm Gun on the hull of the 120mm Gun Tank T43. (The T43 would later be serialized as the 120mm Gun Tank M103, America’s last heavy tank.). This was the T57, and the Rheem Manufacturing Company were granted a contract to design and build two pilot turrets and autoloading systems.
During the T57’s development, it became clear that it was feasible to mount a lighter armored version of the T57 turret on the hull of the 90mm Gun Tank T48 (The T48 later became the 90mm Gun Tank M48 Patton). This combination granted the possibility of creating a ‘heavy gun tank’ that was considerably lighter (and therefore more agile and tactically flexible) than any previously designed.
In May 1953, a development project was started to create such a tank. It would be designated the 120mm Gun Tank T77, and another contract was signed with Rheem to create two pilot tanks. The T77 weighed about 50 tons, with armor of the hull being up to 110mm thick. It was originally powered by a 650 hp Continental AVSI-1790-6 V12, air-cooled twin-turbo gasoline engine. This would propel the tank to a speed of 30 mph (48 km/h). The tank was supported on a torsion bar suspension, attached to six road wheels. The drive sprocket was at the rear, while the idler was at the front. The idler wheel was of the compensating type, meaning it was attached to the closest roadwheel by an actuating arm. When the roadwheel reacted to terrain, the idler was pushed out or pulled in, keeping constant track tension. The return of the track was supported by five rollers.
The T77 had a crew of four: The driver’s position was standard for M48 hulls, located centrally in the bow at the front of the hull. Arrangements inside the turret were standard, too: The loader was positioned to the left of the gun, the gunner was on the right with the commander behind him.
The T77’s oscillating turret could be easily mounted to the unmodified 2.1 m (85 inch) turret ring of the M48 hull, and on other tanks, too. It consisted of two actuating parts: a collar that was attached to the turret ring, allowing 360° horizontal traverse, and a pivoting upper part with a long cylindrical ‘nose’ and a low profile flat bustle that held the gun, which could elevate to a maximum of 15 degrees, and depress 8 degrees. It also held the complex loading mechanism and the turret crew.
Both turret halves utilized cast homogeneous steel armor. The sides of the collar were made to be round and bulbous in shape to protect the trunnions that the upper half pivoted on. Armor around the face was 127mm (5 inches) thick, angled at 60 degrees, what meant an effective 10 in (254 mm) equivalent of RHA at the turret front. Maximum armor strength was 137mm (5.3 inches) on the convex sides of the turret, and this dropped to 51 mm (2 inches) on the bustle.
Though it looked like two, there were actually three hatches in the turret’s roof: There was a small hatch on the left for the loader, and the slightly raised cupola for the commander on the right, which featured six periscopes. These two standard hatches were part of a third large, powered hatch, which took up most of the middle of the roof, granting a larger escape route for the crew but also allowed internal turret equipment to be removed easily. It was also a convenient way to replenish the ammunition storage, even though a use under battle conditions was prohibitive. In front of the loader’s hatch was a periscope, housings for a stereoscopic rangefinder were mounted on the sides of the swiveling turret part, and there was another periscope above the gunner’s position, too. Behind the large hatch was the ejection port for spent cartridges, to its right was the armored housing for the ventilator.
The initial Rheem Company turret concept had the gun rigidly mounted to the turret without a recoil system, and the long gun barrel protruded from a narrow nose. The gun featured a quick change barrel but was otherwise basically identical to the 120mm Gun T123E1, the gun being trialed on the T43/M103. However, for the T57/77 turret and the autoloader, it was modified to accept single piece ammunition, unlike the T43/M103, which used separately loading ammo due to the round’s high weight. This new gun was attached to the turret via a conical adapter that surrounded the breech end of the gun. One end screwed directly into the breech, while the front half extended through the ‘nose’ and was secured in place by a large nut. The force created by the firing of the gun and the projectile traveling down the rifled barrel was resisted by rooting the adapter both the breech block and turret ring. As there was no inertia from recoil to automatically open the horizontally sliding breech block, a hydraulic cylinder was introduced. Upon firing the main gun, this hydraulic cylinder was triggered via an electric switch. This new variant of the T123 cannon was designated the 120mm Gun T179. It was fitted with a bore evacuator (fume extractor) and a simple, T-shaped muzzle brake.
A single .30 Caliber (7.62mm) machine gun was mounted coaxially, and another such weapon or a medium 0.5” machine gun could be attached to a mount on the commander’s cupola.
Using standard Armor-Piercing Ballistic Cap Tracer Rounds, the T179 was capable of penetrating 221-millimetre (8.7 in) of 30-degree sloped rolled-homogenous armor at 1,000 yards and 196-millimetre (7.7 in) at 2,000 yards. It could also penetrate 124-millimetre (4.9 in) 60-degree sloped rolled-homogenous armor at 1,000 yards and 114-millimetre (4.5 in) at 2,000 yards.
The T179’s automatic loader was located below the gun and it gave the weapon a projected rate of fire of 30 rounds per minute, even though this was only of theoretical nature because its cylinder magazine only held 8 rounds. After these had been expended, it had to be manually re-loaded by the crew from the inside, and the cannon could not be operated at that time. Ammunition types such as High-Explosive (HE), High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT), Armor Piercing (AP), or Armor-Piercing Ballistic-Capped (APBC) could be fired and be selected from the magazine via a control panel by either the gunner or the tank commander, so that it was possible to quickly adapt to a changing tactical situation – as long as the right rounds had been loaded into the magazine beforehand.
The cannon itself was fed by a ramming arm that actuated between positions relative to the breech and magazine, operating in five major steps:
1) The hydraulically operated ramming arm withdrew a round and aligned it with the breach.
2) The rammer then pushed the round into the breach, triggering it to close.
3) Gun was fired.
4) Effect of gun firing trips the electric switch that opens the breech.
5) Rammer picks up a fresh round, at the same time ejecting the spent cartridge through a trap door in the roof of the turret bustle.
Beyond the 8 rounds ready-for fire in the magazine, the main gun had only a very limited ammunition supply due to the large size of the 1-piece rounds: only 21 more 120 mm rounds could be stored in the hull and at the base of the turret.
After thorough trials, the T77 was, powered by a more fuel-efficient Continental AVDS-1790-2 V12, air-cooled twin-turbo diesel engine with 750 bhp (560 kW), accepted as a replacement for the U.S. Army‘s unloved heavy M103 and introduced as the M77. The first M77s were assembled at the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant in March 1964. However, the M77 was primarily a support vehicle for standard tank units and reserved for special operations. Therefore, the type’s production numbers remained low: only 173 tanks were eventually built until 1968 and exclusively allocated to U.S. Army units in Western Germany, with a focus on West Berlin and Southern Germany (e.g. in the Fulda Gap), where they were to repel assaults from Eastern Germany and defend vital installations or critical bottlenecks.
Due to its high rate of fire and long range, the M77 was ideally suited for defensive tasks and hit-and-run tactics. But this was, unfortunately, the type’s only selling point: The oscillating turret turned out to be complex, concerning both handling as well as maintenance, and in practice it did not offer the same weapon stability as the M48’s or the later M60’s conventional design, especially when firing during movement. The cramped interior and the many mechanical parts of the bulky autoloader inside of the turret did not make the tank popular among its crews, either. Several accidents occurred during manoeuvers while the loader tried to refill the magazine under combat pressure. A further weakness was the type’s low ammunition stock and the fact that, despite the autoloader, there was still a loader necessary to feed the magazine. The low ammunition stock also heavily limited the tactical value of the tank: typically, the M77 had to leave its position after expending all of its ammunition and move to a second line position, where the huge one-piece rounds could be replenished under safer conditions. But this bound other resources, e. g. support vehicles, and typically the former position had to be given up or supplanted by another vehicle. Operating the M77 effectively turned out to be a logistic nightmare.
During its career, the M77 saw only one major upgrade in the mid-Seventies: The M77A1 was outfitted with a new multi-chamber muzzle brake, muzzle reference and crosswind sensors (the latter was mounted in a small mast on the rear of the turret) and an improved turret stabilization system along with an upgraded turret electrical system. All of these measures were intended to improve the tank’s 1st shot kill probability, esp. at long range. A large AN/VSS-1(V)1 white/IR searchlight was added above the gun barrel, too. All tanks in service were upgraded in this fashion, no new tanks were built. Unlike the M48, neither the M77 nor the Rheem turret or its autoloader system were cleared for export, even though Israel showed interest.
In the early Eighties, there were further plans for another upgrade of the M77 fleet to a potential A2 status. This would have introduced a laser rangefinder (instead of the purely optical device) and a solid state M21 ballistic computer with a digital databus. The M21 would have allowed a pre-programmed selection and fire sequence of different ammunition types from the magazine’s chambers, plus better range and super-elevation correction. However, this did not happen because the M77 had become obsolete through the simple depletion of its exotic 120 mm ammunition from the army’s stocks. Therefore, another plan examined the possibilities of replacing the T179 gun with the 105 mm M68 rifled anti-tank gun, a license-built version of the British L7 gun, which had, despite the smaller caliber, a performance comparable to the bigger 120 mm T179. But since the M48 chassis and its armor concept had become outdated by the time, too, the M77A1 fleet was by 1986 fully replaced by the M60A3, the US Army’s new standard MBT.
Specifications:
Crew: 4 (commander, driver, loader, gunner)
Weight: 51 tons
Length: 6.946 m (22 ft 9.5 in) hull only, 10,66 m (34 ft 11 in) overall w. gun forward
Width: 3.63 m (11 ft 11 in)
Height: 3.08 m (10 ft 1 in)
Suspension: Torsion-bar
Ground clearance: 1 ft 6.2 in (0.46 m)
Fuel capacity: 385 US gal (1,457 l)
Armor:
0.5 – 5.3 in (13 – 137 mm)
Performance:
Speed:
- Maximum, road: 30 mph (48 km/h)
- Sustained, road: 25 mph (40 km/h)
- Cross country: 9.3 to 15.5 mph (15 to 25 km/h)
Climbing capability:
- 40% side slope and 60% max grade
- Vertical obstacle of 36 inches (91 cm)
- 102 inches (2.59 m) trench crossing
Fording depth: Unprepared: 4 ft (1.219 m), prepared: 8 ft (2.438 m)
Operational range: 287 ml (463 km) on road
Power/weight: 16.6 hp (12.4 kW)/tonne
Engine:
1× Continental AVDS-1790-2 V12, air-cooled twin-turbo diesel engine, 750 bhp (560 kW)
Transmission:
General Motors CD-850-3, 2-Fw/1-Rv speed GB
Armament:
1× 120 mm T179 L/60 rifled anti-tank gun with an autoloader and a total of 29 rounds
1× co-axial 7.62 mm M240C machine gun with 3.000 rounds
1× .50 cal (12.7 mm) M2 Browning (600 rounds) or .30 cal (7.62 mm) M73 machine
anti-aircraft machine gun (1.000 rounds) on the commander’s cupola with 600 rounds
The kit and its assembly:
This is another fictional creation, but, like many of my whif builds, it is rooted in reality and an extrapolation of what could have been. The oscillating tower with the M103’s 120 mm cannon and an autoloader was actually developed, and there were several tank projects that made use of it. The T77 was the final proposal, but, like the T57 on the M103 basis and other designs from the Rheem Company, the T77’s development was arduously slow, so that the project was finally canceled in 1957 by the US Ordnance Department. Two turrets were actually built, though, but they were scrapped in February 1958, and the T77 only existed on paper or in model form.
The impulse for this build actually came from a 1:72 resin turret for the T57 project from ModelTrans/Silesian Models. I found the concept cool and the turret had a very futuristic look, so that I bought a set with the vague intention to use it for a mecha conversion someday. Then it gathered dust in the stash, until I recently stumbled upon the 1:72 M103 kit from Dragon and considered a T57 build. But this kit is very rare and expensive, at least here in Germany, so I shelved this plan again. However, I started to play with the idea of a U.S. Army vehicle with a Rheem Company turret. Then I found a Revell M60 kit in the stash and considered it for a whiffy build, but eventually rejected the idea because a turret concept from the late Fifties would hardly make its way onto a tank from the late Seventies or later. When I did further research concerning the Rheem turret, I came across the real T77 project on the basis of the M48, and dug out an ESCI M48A5 from the pile (realizing that I had already hoarded three of them…!), so the M77 project was finally born.
Otherwise, the build was a straightforward affair. The T57 turret is a massive resin piece with a separate barrel and very fine surface details. Some of them, delicate lugs, were unfortunately broken off, already OOB but also by me while handling the pieces. They could be easily replaced with brass wire, though, which was also used to add small rails to the collar. The very long and thin barrel was replaced with a white metal aftermarket piece. It’s actually a barrel for a Soviet T-10 with a complex muzzle brake (made from brass), but the size was just fine and looks very good on this fictional tank.
Some details were added to the turret or transplanted from the M48 kit, e. g. the prominent IR searchlight or the machine gun on the commander cupola. Furthermore, I added a textile seal to the gap between the turret sections and to the barrel’s root, made from paper tissue drenched in thinned white glue. The same method was used to create the searchlight cover, too.
Since the turret base had a smaller diameter than the M48’s attachment opening, I had to improvise a suitable adapter with styrene strips. The M48A5 hull itself was taken OOB.
Painting and markings:
I was happy that I could place this model into a later time frame, so that the U.S. Army’s uniform Olive Drab times were already over. In the 1970s, the US Mobility Equipment Research & Design Command (MERDC) developed a system of camouflage patterns for US Army vehicles. These consisted of a set of standardized patterns for each vehicle, to be used with a set of twelve colours. The local terrain conditions and colours decided which of the paints were to be used, and on which parts of a vehicle. Then, if conditions altered, for example by a change in the weather, or by the unit moving into a new area of operations, the scheme could be quickly adjusted to suit them by replacing only one or two colours by different ones.
For example, if a vehicle was painted in the US & European winter scheme, which had a dark green and a medium brown as its predominant colours, and it started to snow, by overpainting either the green or the brown with white, one of the two snow schemes could be created. This gave a high degree of flexibility, though in practice it was hardly ever actually made use of—most vehicles were painted in one scheme and kept that.
I gave the M77 the “Winter Verdant” MERDC scheme, which was frequently used in Germany. It consists of Forest Green (FS 34079), Earth Red (FS 30117), Sand (FS 30277) and Black (FS 37038). The pattern itself was adapted from the standardized M60 MERDC scheme. Colors used were ModelMaster 1701 and 1710, plus Humbrol 238 and Revell 06. The seals on the turret and the searchlight cover were painted in a faded olive drab, the track segments with a mix of iron, dark grey and red brown.
After basic painting with brushes, the kit received a washing with thinned black and red brown acrylic paint. Decals (taken from the ESCI kit) came next, then the model received an overall dry brushing treatment with Humbrol 72 (Khaki Drill) and 168 (Hemp). Finally, everything was sealed with matt acrylic varnish from the rattle can and the lower hull areas were dusted with mineral pigments, simulating dust and mud.
Another relatively simple conversion, since only the (oscillating) turret was swapped. However, I was skeptical at first because the turret was originally intended for an M103 hull - but mounting it on a smaller M48 chassis worked well, just like in real life!
Operational Contract Support Joint Exercise 2016 provides training across the spectrum of OCS readiness from requirements and development of warfighter staff integration and synchronization through contract execution supporting the Joint Force Commander. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder/Released)
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+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The P-74 "Charger" was a fighter aircraft built by Lockheed for the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Its configuration was unusual as it was designed as a twin boom pusher configuration, where the propeller is mounted in the rear of the fuselage, pushing the aircraft forward.
The P-74 entered service with the USAAF in late 1944, its conception dated back to 1939 when the U.S. Army Air Corps requested with the Circular Proposal R40C domestic manufacturers to develop high performance fighter types, allowing (even demanding) unusual configurations. Lockheed did not respond immediately and missed the chance to sign a development contract in mid-1940 until early 1941. Twenty-three proposals were submitted to R40C, and after a fist selection of ideas three companies, Vultee with the large XP-54 Swoose Goose, Curtiss with its XP-55 Ascender and Northrop's XP-56 Black Bullet were able to secure prototype contracts.
Vultee eventually won the competition, but all these innovative new aircraft suffered from various flaws or development delays, missing various performance goals, so that none ever entered service.
In the meantime, Lockheed had been working on the 1939 request in the background on a private venture basis, as it was clear that by 1944 a successor to the company's own P-38 Lightning had to be offered to the USAAC.
The new North American P-51 Mustang was also a sharp competitor, esp. for the Pacific conflict theatre where long range was needed. This role was filled out very well by the P-38, but it was a relatively large and complicated aircraft, so an alternative with a single engine was strived for. Even though jet engines already showed their potential, it was clear that the requested range for the new type could only be achieved through a piston engine.
This aircraft became the XP-74, originally christened “Laelaps”, following Lockheed’s tradition, after a female Greek mythological dog who never failed to catch what she was hunting. It was presented as a mock-up to USAAC officials on August 8th 1942 and immediately found sponsorship: with the disappointing results from the XP-54,55 and 56 was immediately ushered into the prototype stage. Its name, though, was rejected, and the more common name “Charger” was adopted.
Just like Lockheed’s successful P-38 the XP-74 Charger was designed as a twin-boom aircraft, but it was driven by only a single Packard (License-built Rolls Royce Merlin) V-1650 pusher engine in the aft part of the fuselage. The tail was mounted rearward between two mid-wing booms, with a four-bladed 12-ft propeller between them. The design also included a "ducted wing section" developed by the NACA that enabled installation of cooling radiators and intercoolers in the wing root section.
The advantages of a pusher design are that the view forward is unobstructed and armament can be concentrated in the nose, while a major drawback is difficulty in escaping from the aircraft in an emergency, as the pilot could get drawn into the propeller blades. Lockheed deliberated between systems that would eject the pilot, or jettison the propeller or the engine, via a system of explosive bolts. Lockheed eventually installed an early ejector seat which was driven by pressurized air, combined with a mechanism that would blow the canopy off. The system was successfully tested in summer 1943, even though skepticism remained among pilots.
Initial armament comprised one 20mm Hispano cannon and four 12.7mm Browning machine guns, the same as in the P-38, but two machine guns were relocated from the nose into the front ends of the tail booms because of the new aircraft’s smaller overall dimensions.
The first prototype was ready in October 1943, with a different engine and heavier armor fitted. The second prototype was built to this specification from the start, which would become the serial production standard, the P-74A.
The P-74A used the new V-1650-9 engine, a version of the Merlin that included Simmons automatic supercharger boost control with water injection, allowing War Emergency Power as high as 2,218 hp (1,500 kW). Another change concerned the armament: a longer weapon range was deemed necessary, so the gun armament was changed into four 20mm Hispano cannons, two of the placed in the fuselage nose and one in each tail boom front end. Each gun was supplied with 250 RPG.
Alternatively, a nose installment with a single 37mm cannon and two 12.7mm Browning MGs was tested on the first prototype, but this arrangement was found to be less effective than the four 20mm cannons. Another factor that turned this option down was the more complicated logistics demands for three different calibers in one aircraft.
The P-74A was ready for service in summer 1944, but its deployment into the Pacific region took until December – the 5th Air Force first units replaced most of its P-38 and also early P-47Ds with the P-74A.These new aircraft had their first clashes with Japanese forces in January 1945.
The P-74 was used in a variety of roles. It was designed as an intreceptor against bombers, but its good range and handling at all altitudes made it suitable for tasks like fighter sweeps against enemy airfields, support for U.S. ground forces and protection of sea convoys and transport routes.
While the P-74 could not out-turn the A6M Zero and most other Japanese fighters when flying below 200 mph (320 km/h), its superior speed coupled with a good rate of climb meant that it could utilize energy tactics, making multiple high-speed passes at its target. Also, its focused firepower was deadly to lightly armored Japanese warplanes.
Because of its late service introduction, only 305 P-74s were ever produced until the end of hostilities, and they were exclusively used in the Pacific theatre. The P-74's service record shows mixed results, but usually because of misinformation. P-74s have been described as being harder to fly than traditional, single-engined aircraft, but this was because of inadequate training in the first few months of service.
Another drawback was the ejection seat system – it worked basically well, but the tank for the pressurized air turned out to be very vulnerable to enemy fire. Several P-74s literally exploded in midair after cannon fire hits, and this poeblem could only be cured when the tank section behind the cockpit received a more rigid structure and additional armor. Anyway, the P-74 was quickly retired after WWII, as the USAAF focussed on P-47 and P-51.
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 10.45 m (34 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 11.6 m (38 ft 0 in)
Height: 3.97 (13 ft 0 in)
Wing area: 22.2 m² (238.87 ft²)
Empty weight: 3,250 kg (7,165 lb)
Loaded weight: 4,150 kg (9,149 lb)
Max. take-off weight: 4,413 kg (9,730 lb)
Powerplant:
1× Packard (License-built Rolls Royce Merlin) V-1650-9 ,
rated at 1,380 hp (1,030 kW) and 2,218 hp (1,500 kW) w. water injection
Performance
Maximum speed: 640 km/h (343 knots, 398 mph)
Cruise speed: 495 km/h (265 knots, 308 mph)
Range: 1,105 mi (1,778 km)
Ferry range: 1,330 nmi (1,530 mi, 2,460 km)
Service ceiling: 11,000 m (36,090 ft)
Rate of climb: 15 m/s (2,950 ft/min)
Armament
4× 20 mm (0.79 in) Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannons with 250 RPG
2× hardpoints for up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) of bombs, 6 or 10× T64 5.0 in (127 mm) H.V.A.R rockets
The kit and its assembly:
This whif was inspired by a CG rendition of a Saab J21 in a natural metal finish and with (spurious) USAAF markings, probably a skin for a flight simulator. Anyway, I was more or less enchanted by the NMF on the Saab – I had to build one, and it would become the P-74, the only USAF fighter code that had never been used.
The kit is the venerable Heller Saab J21A, an “old style” design with raised panel lines. But it is still around and affordable. No big mods were made to the kit during its transition into a USAAF fighter, even though I changed some minor things:
● Main landing gear was completely exchanged through struts from an Airfix A-1 Skyraider and the wheels from a Hasegawa P-51D; thin wire was added as hydraulic tubes
● New propeller blades: instead of the three-bladed original I added four much broader blades with square tips (from a Heller P-51D) to the original spinner
● Different exhaust stubs, which actually belong to a Spitfire Merlin (Special Hobby kit)
● Underfuselage flap was slightly opened
● A pilot figure was added to the nice cockpit
● The gun barrels were replaced with hollow styrene tubes
Painting and markings:
NMF was certain, but the rest…? I wanted to have a colorful aircraft, and eventually settled for a machine in the Pacific theatre of operations. When I browsed for options I eventually decided to apply broad black stripes on wings and fuselage, typical 5th Air Force markings that were used e. g. on P-47Ds and P-51Ds.
Overall design benchmark for my aircraft is a P-47D-28 of 310th FS/58th FG. The tail would be all white, and the rudder sported red and white stripes, early war insignia. The red nose trim and the deep yellow spinner were taken over from this aircraft, too. The blue individual code number is a personal addition, as well as the nose art, which was puzzled together from a Czech 'Perdubice' Meeting MiG-21 and leftover bits from a Pacific use P-51.
The aircraft was basically painted with Aluminum Metallizer (Humbrol 27002) and Polished Steel Metallizer (Modelmaster), and some panels were contrasted with Aluminum (Humbrol 56).
The anti-glare panel in front of the cockpit was painted in Olive Drab (Humbrol 66), the red nose trim with Humbrol 19. The tail was painted with a mix of Humbrol 34 & 196, for a very light grey, and later dry-painted with pure white.
The black ID stripes as well as the red and blue rudder trim were not painted, but rather created through decal sheet material (from TL Modellbau), cut to size and shape to fit into their respective places. The tail was a PITA, but for the black stripes this turned out to be very effective and convenient - an experiment that willcertainly see more future use.
Cockpit interior was painted in Humbrol 226 (Cockpit Green) and Zinc Chromate Green from Model Master, the landing gear wells received a chrome yellow primer (Humbrol 225) finish.
The landing gear struts were kept in bare Aluminum.
For weathering the kit received a rubbing treatment with grinded graphite, which adds a dark, metallic shine and emphasizes the kit’s raised panel lines. Some dry painting with Aluminum was added, too, simulating chipped paint on the leading edges, and on the black ID stripes some dark grey shading was added.
A relatively simple whif, but I love how the Saab 21 looks in the unusual, shiny NMF finish - and the USAAF markings with the prominent ID stripes suit it well, even though it looks a bit like a circus attraction now?
This little whimsy inspired by the agonies documented in paulclarke.com/honestlyreal/2010/12/oh-christmas-tree/
Davis Monthan Tucson AZ October 1990. (Air Pro facility). Became C-FNLZ and now converted to a CV-5800 and flying for Contract Air Cargo as N371FL.
MTS' Contract Services division fleet at the South Bay Maintenance Facility in Chula Vista. The bus in front, a 1995 New Flyer C40HF, is one of a large fleet that replaced the other three bus types in this photo, all GMCs.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The P-74 "Charger" was a fighter aircraft built by Lockheed for the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Its configuration was unusual as it was designed as a twin boom pusher configuration, where the propeller is mounted in the rear of the fuselage, pushing the aircraft forward.
The P-74 entered service with the USAAF in late 1944, its conception dated back to 1939 when the U.S. Army Air Corps requested with the Circular Proposal R40C domestic manufacturers to develop high performance fighter types, allowing (even demanding) unusual configurations. Lockheed did not respond immediately and missed the chance to sign a development contract in mid-1940 until early 1941. Twenty-three proposals were submitted to R40C, and after a fist selection of ideas three companies, Vultee with the large XP-54 Swoose Goose, Curtiss with its XP-55 Ascender and Northrop's XP-56 Black Bullet were able to secure prototype contracts.
Vultee eventually won the competition, but all these innovative new aircraft suffered from various flaws or development delays, missing various performance goals, so that none ever entered service.
In the meantime, Lockheed had been working on the 1939 request in the background on a private venture basis, as it was clear that by 1944 a successor to the company's own P-38 Lightning had to be offered to the USAAC.
The new North American P-51 Mustang was also a sharp competitor, esp. for the Pacific conflict theatre where long range was needed. This role was filled out very well by the P-38, but it was a relatively large and complicated aircraft, so an alternative with a single engine was strived for. Even though jet engines already showed their potential, it was clear that the requested range for the new type could only be achieved through a piston engine.
This aircraft became the XP-74, originally christened “Laelaps”, following Lockheed’s tradition, after a female Greek mythological dog who never failed to catch what she was hunting. It was presented as a mock-up to USAAC officials on August 8th 1942 and immediately found sponsorship: with the disappointing results from the XP-54,55 and 56 was immediately ushered into the prototype stage. Its name, though, was rejected, and the more common name “Charger” was adopted.
Just like Lockheed’s successful P-38 the XP-74 Charger was designed as a twin-boom aircraft, but it was driven by only a single Packard (License-built Rolls Royce Merlin) V-1650 pusher engine in the aft part of the fuselage. The tail was mounted rearward between two mid-wing booms, with a four-bladed 12-ft propeller between them. The design also included a "ducted wing section" developed by the NACA that enabled installation of cooling radiators and intercoolers in the wing root section.
The advantages of a pusher design are that the view forward is unobstructed and armament can be concentrated in the nose, while a major drawback is difficulty in escaping from the aircraft in an emergency, as the pilot could get drawn into the propeller blades. Lockheed deliberated between systems that would eject the pilot, or jettison the propeller or the engine, via a system of explosive bolts. Lockheed eventually installed an early ejector seat which was driven by pressurized air, combined with a mechanism that would blow the canopy off. The system was successfully tested in summer 1943, even though skepticism remained among pilots.
Initial armament comprised one 20mm Hispano cannon and four 12.7mm Browning machine guns, the same as in the P-38, but two machine guns were relocated from the nose into the front ends of the tail booms because of the new aircraft’s smaller overall dimensions.
The first prototype was ready in October 1943, with a different engine and heavier armor fitted. The second prototype was built to this specification from the start, which would become the serial production standard, the P-74A.
The P-74A used the new V-1650-9 engine, a version of the Merlin that included Simmons automatic supercharger boost control with water injection, allowing War Emergency Power as high as 2,218 hp (1,500 kW). Another change concerned the armament: a longer weapon range was deemed necessary, so the gun armament was changed into four 20mm Hispano cannons, two of the placed in the fuselage nose and one in each tail boom front end. Each gun was supplied with 250 RPG.
Alternatively, a nose installment with a single 37mm cannon and two 12.7mm Browning MGs was tested on the first prototype, but this arrangement was found to be less effective than the four 20mm cannons. Another factor that turned this option down was the more complicated logistics demands for three different calibers in one aircraft.
The P-74A was ready for service in summer 1944, but its deployment into the Pacific region took until December – the 5th Air Force first units replaced most of its P-38 and also early P-47Ds with the P-74A.These new aircraft had their first clashes with Japanese forces in January 1945.
The P-74 was used in a variety of roles. It was designed as an intreceptor against bombers, but its good range and handling at all altitudes made it suitable for tasks like fighter sweeps against enemy airfields, support for U.S. ground forces and protection of sea convoys and transport routes.
While the P-74 could not out-turn the A6M Zero and most other Japanese fighters when flying below 200 mph (320 km/h), its superior speed coupled with a good rate of climb meant that it could utilize energy tactics, making multiple high-speed passes at its target. Also, its focused firepower was deadly to lightly armored Japanese warplanes.
Because of its late service introduction, only 305 P-74s were ever produced until the end of hostilities, and they were exclusively used in the Pacific theatre. The P-74's service record shows mixed results, but usually because of misinformation. P-74s have been described as being harder to fly than traditional, single-engined aircraft, but this was because of inadequate training in the first few months of service.
Another drawback was the ejection seat system – it worked basically well, but the tank for the pressurized air turned out to be very vulnerable to enemy fire. Several P-74s literally exploded in midair after cannon fire hits, and this poeblem could only be cured when the tank section behind the cockpit received a more rigid structure and additional armor. Anyway, the P-74 was quickly retired after WWII, as the USAAF focussed on P-47 and P-51.
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 10.45 m (34 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 11.6 m (38 ft 0 in)
Height: 3.97 (13 ft 0 in)
Wing area: 22.2 m² (238.87 ft²)
Empty weight: 3,250 kg (7,165 lb)
Loaded weight: 4,150 kg (9,149 lb)
Max. take-off weight: 4,413 kg (9,730 lb)
Powerplant:
1× Packard (License-built Rolls Royce Merlin) V-1650-9 ,
rated at 1,380 hp (1,030 kW) and 2,218 hp (1,500 kW) w. water injection
Performance
Maximum speed: 640 km/h (343 knots, 398 mph)
Cruise speed: 495 km/h (265 knots, 308 mph)
Range: 1,105 mi (1,778 km)
Ferry range: 1,330 nmi (1,530 mi, 2,460 km)
Service ceiling: 11,000 m (36,090 ft)
Rate of climb: 15 m/s (2,950 ft/min)
Armament
4× 20 mm (0.79 in) Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannons with 250 RPG
2× hardpoints for up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) of bombs, 6 or 10× T64 5.0 in (127 mm) H.V.A.R rockets
The kit and its assembly:
This whif was inspired by a CG rendition of a Saab J21 in a natural metal finish and with (spurious) USAAF markings, probably a skin for a flight simulator. Anyway, I was more or less enchanted by the NMF on the Saab – I had to build one, and it would become the P-74, the only USAF fighter code that had never been used.
The kit is the venerable Heller Saab J21A, an “old style” design with raised panel lines. But it is still around and affordable. No big mods were made to the kit during its transition into a USAAF fighter, even though I changed some minor things:
● Main landing gear was completely exchanged through struts from an Airfix A-1 Skyraider and the wheels from a Hasegawa P-51D; thin wire was added as hydraulic tubes
● New propeller blades: instead of the three-bladed original I added four much broader blades with square tips (from a Heller P-51D) to the original spinner
● Different exhaust stubs, which actually belong to a Spitfire Merlin (Special Hobby kit)
● Underfuselage flap was slightly opened
● A pilot figure was added to the nice cockpit
● The gun barrels were replaced with hollow styrene tubes
Painting and markings:
NMF was certain, but the rest…? I wanted to have a colorful aircraft, and eventually settled for a machine in the Pacific theatre of operations. When I browsed for options I eventually decided to apply broad black stripes on wings and fuselage, typical 5th Air Force markings that were used e. g. on P-47Ds and P-51Ds.
Overall design benchmark for my aircraft is a P-47D-28 of 310th FS/58th FG. The tail would be all white, and the rudder sported red and white stripes, early war insignia. The red nose trim and the deep yellow spinner were taken over from this aircraft, too. The blue individual code number is a personal addition, as well as the nose art, which was puzzled together from a Czech 'Perdubice' Meeting MiG-21 and leftover bits from a Pacific use P-51.
The aircraft was basically painted with Aluminum Metallizer (Humbrol 27002) and Polished Steel Metallizer (Modelmaster), and some panels were contrasted with Aluminum (Humbrol 56).
The anti-glare panel in front of the cockpit was painted in Olive Drab (Humbrol 66), the red nose trim with Humbrol 19. The tail was painted with a mix of Humbrol 34 & 196, for a very light grey, and later dry-painted with pure white.
The black ID stripes as well as the red and blue rudder trim were not painted, but rather created through decal sheet material (from TL Modellbau), cut to size and shape to fit into their respective places. The tail was a PITA, but for the black stripes this turned out to be very effective and convenient - an experiment that willcertainly see more future use.
Cockpit interior was painted in Humbrol 226 (Cockpit Green) and Zinc Chromate Green from Model Master, the landing gear wells received a chrome yellow primer (Humbrol 225) finish.
The landing gear struts were kept in bare Aluminum.
For weathering the kit received a rubbing treatment with grinded graphite, which adds a dark, metallic shine and emphasizes the kit’s raised panel lines. Some dry painting with Aluminum was added, too, simulating chipped paint on the leading edges, and on the black ID stripes some dark grey shading was added.
A relatively simple whif, but I love how the Saab 21 looks in the unusual, shiny NMF finish - and the USAAF markings with the prominent ID stripes suit it well, even though it looks a bit like a circus attraction now?
This image is from my collection and was uploaded as part of an archive I created in 2017. The purpose of this archive is to make the photos easier to access, and to share with fellow collectors and photographers.
Please be aware that many of these images were scanned as early as twenty-five years ago. There can be blanks in the description & credit lines, however I always try to complete as much detail as possible. Generally speaking, items that are lacking in detail means I do not have the original, just the scan itself. I encourage you to fill in any of the blanks if you know, including the appropriate credit (via the comment field)
All images have been collected over the past 40+ years of shooting Kodachrome and digital images, slide purchases and many years of exchanging. I was fortunate enough to trade with some of the best airliner photographers around the world.
REGISTRATION : B161FL
MFR TYPE & SERIES : Convair 580 (44)
MSN : 430
OPERATOR : Contract Air Cargo
AIRPORT (WHEN KNOWN) : Seattle BFI
DATE (WHEN KNOWN) :
PHOTOGRAPHER (WHEN KNOWN) : Not known.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and other conflicts. The Mustang was conceived, designed and built by North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a specification issued directly to NAA by the British Purchasing Commission. The prototype NA-73X airframe was rolled out on 9 September 1940, 102 days after the contract was signed and, with an engine installed, first flew on 26 October.
The Mustang was originally designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine, which had limited high-altitude performance. It was first flown operationally by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber (Mustang Mk I). The addition of the Rolls-Royce Merlin to the P-51B/C (Mustang Mk III) model transformed the Mustang's performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft, giving it a much better performance that matched or bettered almost all of the Luftwaffe's fighters at altitude. The definitive version, the P-51D (Mustang Mk IV), was powered by the Packard V-1650-7, a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin 60 series two-stage two-speed supercharged engine, and armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns.
The Mustang VI (later re-designated FR.6; the Mustang V was a lightweight fighter of which only one prototype reached England) was an indigenous, British project that was based on the P-51D. It was to meet Air Ministry Specification F.4 of 1940 for a high altitude fighter, designed to fight at extremely high altitudes, in the stratosphere.
Background was that Great Britain feared, with an ever increasing air superiority over the British Isles, that German bomber raids might come in at very high altitudes in the near future, staying out of reach from conventional defense measures. Earlier reconnaissance flights of Ju 86P aircraft had already shown that this was a realistic scenario. Additionally, the domestic development progress of pressurized cockpits for high altitude fighters convinced authorities that Germany would easily be on the same technical level, so that a high altitude interceptor was indeed needed.
While Westland and Vickers responded with twin-engined designs, North American was also requested to modify the relatively new Mustang (which was designed for medium to high altitudes) for extreme altitudes, as F.4/40 specification was revised into F.7/41 in early 1941. British pressurized cabin technology was to be incorporated, but the engine could be based on US technology.
North American was quick to respond and modified a P-51D airframe. This prototype was internally coded NA-73HK and ready for inspection in mid-late 1942.
The NA-73HK’s most obvious feature was the enormous high aspect ratio wing, achieved by extended wing tips, together with a fortified internal wing structure and weight saving measures (which had already been designed for the lightweight Mustang V). This new wing necessitated enlarged tail surfaces and a slightly elongated fuselage to provide a longer moment arm.
The aircraft was powered by a Packard V-1650-20 engine that delivered 1.233 hp (920 kW) at 35,000 ft (10,668 m). It was based on the Rolls Royce Merlin 76 (RM 16SM), but instead of the standard two-speed, two-stage supercharger it was coupled with a General Electric C-23 turbo-supercharger. The system was fitted with A.D.I and a General Electric ignition system with a tubular ignition harness developed by the Scinitilla company. A water injection system was added for short-term power boosting, too. The original Bendix-Stromberg carburetor was retained, even though optimized for lower air density use and a higher air mass flow. It drove a new, four-bladed propeller with increased diameter and enlarged single blade area.
Since the slender P-51 airframe did not allow the placement of the turbo-supercharger in front of the cockpit it was re-located into a large ventral fairing which replaced the original radiator tunnel – the basic layout resembled that of the P-47 Thunderbolt. But due to lack of internal space the system had to be connected through external exhaust pipes running along the fuselage flanks. This was a draggy arrangement, but it would not matter much anymore once the aircraft was at its intended operating altitude of 40.000 ft (~12.000m) and beyond.
The cockpit retained an aft-sliding bubble canopy, even though it had to be reinforced and was quickly recognizable through its stiffener bars. The cockpit pressurization system was driven by a separate Rotol supercharger attached to the engine, providing a constant pressure of 3.5 psi (24 kPa) over the exterior pressure. This resulted in an apparent cabin altitude of 24,000 feet (7,300 m) when the aircraft was operating at its design altitude of 45,000 ft (14,000 m).
This cabin altitude was still too high for normal breathing, so the pilot had to wear an oxygen mask during flight. A rubber gasket filled with the pressurized air sealed the canopy when the system was turned on, and a valve ensured the pressure was controlled automatically. Moreover, the pilot also had to wear a high altitude suit as he might have been required to bail out at altitude.
Detail work turned into time-consuming process, though. For instance, the Mustang VI, how the type was called by the RAF, and “The White Horse” by its pilots and service drews, required a new, sophisticated electrical system. This was necessary in order to minimize the number of seals and points of entry into the cockpit for the controls and instrumentation. It worked, but it was complicated: it took an electrician experienced in the features of the Mustang VI almost four hours to undertake a pre-flight check of this system!
The armament was modified, too. The original six 0.5" machine guns were to be replaced by four long-barreled Hispano 20 mm cannon in the wings. These offered greater range and ensured more damage against the expected, big targets.
Five prototypes were used in the development process in early 1943. Despite its complexity the White Horse proved to be successful, as it easily reached 50.000 ft. (15.000 m) altitude and handled well. But production was delayed as the standard P-51D had priority and no immediate high altitude threat from Germany materialized.
Serial production eventually started in mid-1944, but at a much smaller scale than initially planned: the original production plan from late 1942 demanded no less than 500 specimen, but towards late 1943 this drastically reduced to 100, and eventually only a mere 50 of these aircraft actually reached its exclusive user, the Royal Air Force, until early 1945.
When the Mustang VI arrived at the frontline in January 1944, there was virtually no sign of high altitude aircraft to be intercepted – and there was hardly any other use for this specialized aircraft. As a consequence most of the almost new airframes were modified to carry cameras for high altitude reconnaissance missions. These machines were converted by the Forward Repair Unit (FRU) to have two camera compartments fitted: one behind the cockpit cabin, facing to port or starboard, with respective windows added behind the cockpit and above the turbocharger compartment, and another in the extension segment in front of the tail wheel, where up to two vertical cameras could be mounted (even though the location proved to be rather unsuitable, as hot air from the radiator and oil leaking from the turbocharger frequently obscured clear vision). These modified aircraft were re-designated Mustang PR.VI, which turned into FR.6 from late 1944 on.
After WWII hostilities ended, a small number of Mustang FR.6 was kept in RAF service and allocated to squadrons in Germany and in the Far East, where the aircraft were exclusively used for reconnaissance duties.
One of the type's last missions took place in 1951, when Hainan Island (People's Republic of China) was targeted at the behest of U.S. Naval Intelligence for RAF overflights. RAF Mustang FR.6 of 80 Squadron, based at Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong, were deployed, together with Spitfire PR.19 from 81 Squadron.
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 34 ft (10,37 m)
Wingspan: 48 ft 9½ in (14.90 m)
Height: 14 ft 7½ in (4.46 m) w. tail wheel on ground & vertical propeller blade
Empty weight: 4,870 kg (10,737 lb)
Loaded weight: 5,100 kg (11,244 lb)
Max. take-off weight: 6,020 kg (13,272 lb)
Fuel capacity: 1,200 l (264 imp gal)
Powerplant:
1 × Packard V-1650-20 liquid-cooled piston engine, rated at 1.233 hp (920 kW) at 35,000 ft (10,668 m)
Performance
Maximum speed: 420 km/h (261 mph; 227 kn) at sea level, 660 km/h (409 mph) at 15.000 m (49.130 ft)
Cruise speed: 362 mph (315 kn, 580 km/h)
Range: 460 km (286 mi; 248 nmi) at maximum continuous power with 595 l (131 imp gal) of fuel at sea level; 1,440 km (895 mi) with 1,200 l (264 imp gal) of fuel at 15.000 m (49.130 ft)
Service ceiling: 50.500 ft (15.420 m)
Maximum ceiling: 55,610 ft (16,950 m)
Rate of climb: 11.5 m/s (2,260 ft/min) at sea level, 3.92 m/s (13 ft/s) at 15.000 m (49.130 ft)
Armament
4× 0.787 caliber (20mm) Hispano cannons with 200 RPG in the outer wings; some aircraft only carried a pair or these or were completely unarmed to save weight
2× hardpoints for up to 2.000 lb (907 kg) of external ordnance under the wings, typically only two drop tanks were carried.
The kit and its assembly
I've always been a big fan of the Westland Welkin and its elegant high altitude livery in PRU Blue and Medium Sea Grey, but lacking a suitable kit this had always been just a plan - until you build a suitable aircraft on your own! The plan for a high altitude Mustang had also been lingering for some time, as I found good donation parts in the stash (see below).
So... why not combine these into a whif model? Specification F.4/40 was a good real world background, and maybe a single-engined aircraft in the style of the Bv 155 would have been a better answer than the twin-engined Welkin or its competitor, the Vickers 432?
The basis is the Hasegawa P-51D. It's a decent kit with good detail but only of average fit. It's an old casting, but for this conversion it was a very good basis.
Many things were changed in order to create the FR.6, though:
● Wing tips extended with parts from a HUMA Me 309 (leading and training edge sweep match perfectly!)
● Extended rear fuselage, with a 2C putty plug (about 1 cm) inserted
● Elongated fin, the upper half comes from a Special Hobby He 100D
● New stabilizers, taken OOB from an ART Model Bv 155
● New ventral fairing; it's a seriously trimmed radiator from the aforementioned ART Model Bv 155 with scratch parts
● New/larger carburetor air intake, from a Matchbox Martin Marauder
● Camera windows on the real fuselage - simply drilled holes, filled with black glass paint and Humbrol Clearfix
● New propeller; the spinner is OOB, the blades come from the ART Model Bv 155, too
● New canopy; it's a vacu piece, also leftover from the ART Model Bv 155 (it fits almost perfectly!)
● Long-barreled Hispano cannons from a late Spitfire kit from Special Hobby
Fortunately I had everything at hand, true spare-parts recycling. Building the thing was pretty straighforward, the biggest issue were the fuselage with its extension and the bulbous, dorsal fairing, and the extended fin.
The exhaust system was completely scratched from styrene profiles. I used the Bv155 and a P-47 explosion sketch as design benchmarks – but I give NO guarantee for realism! Some small details were added with white glue, which was also handy as a kind of fluid putty that would bridge some gaps in the piping.
Painting and markings
I had a clear benchmark, to my Mustang FR.6 ended up with upper sides in uniform Medium Sea Grey (Humbrol 165) and lower sides in PRU Blue (Humbrol 230). Since the Mustang has a similar layout as the Spitfire, I went for a high waterline - I think that this makes the aircraft more interesting than an all-grey upper side?
The basic tones were later highlighted through dry-brushing with lighter shades (Humbrol 145 and 167) and a thin black ink wash.
The interior incl. the landing gear was painted in Interior Green (Humbrol 78). The complex exhaust system received special attention with some graphite, as I wanted to present the pipes as painted, yet totally scorched and worn from the hot gases inside, so that they stand out in front of the all-blue background.
The markings come from a Special Hobby Spitfire F.23 which contains markings for several RAF 80 Squadron machines based in Hong Kong. I kept the aircraft rather sober, with minimal markings and just the 80 Squadron ‘Bell’ badge as individual highlight.
After some additional dry-brushing with medium grey overall, the kit was sealed with a coat of matt acrylic varnish.
A quick one and everything was kept very simple and straightforward, even though it might appear different. In the end the modified Mustang looks very nice and elegant, despite the extra plumbing and slightly distorted proportions. It actually looks like the illegitimate offspring between a P-51D and a Bv 155 in a dark night over the Channel...?
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New #Scania 80 ton S580 #V8 tag joins the Scania only Tom Prichard Contracting fleet #TomPrichard #TomPrichardContacting #Llantrisant #Wales #SouthWales #Cymru #CF72 #ScaniaV8
Cracking job, Peter Harris!
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Here's a good way to prevent people from parking, as seen in St. Paul, Minnesota: just put drums full of toxic waste in your spot!
Lançando em 2011 pela Bandai, este hack 'n' slash foi um fracasso de crítica, mas, por outro lado, o gênero parece só receber bons reviews quando o protagonista é um certo guerreiro espartano. Um curioso título que, embora tenha seus defeitos, também não é desprovido de charme.
Torres Contracting Forest fire crew National Wildfire Suppression Association NWSA Anaheim California
Billy Fury, born Ronald Wycherley (17 April 1940 - 28 January 1983), was an internationally successful English singer from the late-1950s to the mid-1960s, and remained an active songwriter until the 1980s. Rheumatic fever, which he first contracted as a child, damaged his heart and ultimately contributed to his death. An early British rock and roll (and film) star, he equalled The Beatles' record of 24 hits in the 1960s, and spent 332 weeks on the UK charts, without a chart-topping single or album. Allmusic journalist, Bruce Eder, stated, "His mix of rough-hewn good looks and unassuming masculinity, coupled with an underlying vulnerability, all presented with a good voice and some serious musical talent, helped turn Fury into a major rock and roll star in short order". Others have suggested that Fury's rapid rise to prominence was due to his "Elvis Presley-influenced, hip-swivelling, and at times highly suggestive stage act."
Wycherley was born at Smithdown Hospital (later Sefton General Hospital, now demolished), Smithdown Road, Liverpool. He commenced music lessons on the piano before he was a teenager, and was bought his first guitar by the age of 14. Wycherley fronted his own group in 1955, but simultaneously worked full-time on a tugboat and later as a stevedore. He entered and won a talent competition, and by 1958 had started composing his own songs. Wycherley first attended a concert in Birkenhead, run by impresario Larry Parnes, in the hope of interesting famous singer Marty Wilde in some of the songs he had written. Instead, in an episode that has become pop music legend, Parnes pushed young Wycherley up on stage right away. He was such an immediate success that Parnes signed him, added him to the tour, and renamed him 'Billy Fury'. However, his early sexual and provocative stage performances received censure, and he was forced to tone them down. In October 1959, the UK music magazine, NME, commented that Fury's stage antics had been drawing much press criticism.[6]
He released his first hit single for Decca, "Maybe Tomorrow", in 1959. He also appeared in a televised play Strictly For Sparrows, and subsequently on Oh Boy! By March 1960, he reached #9 in the UK Singles Chart with his own composition "Colette", followed by "That's Love" and his first album The Sound of Fury (1960),which featured a young Joe Brown on lead guitar, with backup vocals by The Four Jays.
After securing more hits and jettisoning his band The Blue Flames, Parnes held auditions in Liverpool for a new group. Among those who failed were The Beatles, who for the first time called themselves The Silver Beetles. They were offered the job for £20 a week on condition that they sacked their bassist Stuart Sutcliffe. John Lennon refused and the band left after Lennon had secured Fury's autograph.[citation needed] The Tornados were recruited as his backing band and toured and recorded with Fury from January 1962 to August 1963.
Fury concentrated less on rock and roll and more on mainstream ballads, such as "Halfway to Paradise" and "Jealousy" (which reached #3 and #2 respectively in the UK Singles Chart in 1961). Fury confessed to the NME that "I wanted people to think of me simply as a singer - and not, more specifically, as a rock singer. I'm growing up, and I want to broaden my scope. I shall continue to sing rock songs, but at the same time my stage act is not going to be as wild in the future". It was Decca's decision to mould Fury into a teen idol after his last self-penned song, "My Christmas Prayer", had failed to chart. 1962 and 1963 were Fury's best years chartwise. In 1962 Fury appeared in his first film, Play It Cool, modelled on the Elvis movies. It featured Helen Shapiro, Danny Williams, Shane Fenton and Bobby Vee, who appeared with The Vernons Girls. The hit single from the film was "Once Upon a Dream". There were other notable performances by several British actors and performers such as Richard Wattis, Lionel Blair and Dennis Price.
Fury's We Want Billy! (1963) was one of the first live albums in UK rock history and featured renditions of his hits and cover versions of several R&B songs such as "Unchain My Heart".
In 1965 he appeared in the film I've Gotta Horse, which also featured The Bachelors, Michael Medwin and Jon Pertwee. The album from the film was made available in stereo. Fury left Decca Records in 1966, after signing to a five year recording contract with Parlophone.
Having had more UK hits, such as "It's Only Make Believe" and "I Will" (written by Dick Glasser, not to be confused with the Paul McCartney song), both in 1964, and "In Thoughts of You" (1965), Fury began a lengthy absence from the charts in 1967, and underwent surgery for heart problems in 1972 and 1976 which led to his abandoning touring. Despite spending many weeks on the charts, Fury never achieved a number one single, but he remained popular even after his hits stopped. "I Will" became a U.S. hit for Dean Martin (1965) and for Ruby Winters (1977).
A TRUE LIVERPOOL SON
LIVERPOOL CITY CENTRE APRIL 2012
For more and various confidentiality contracts visit: www.samplecontracts.org/confidentiality-contracts.html
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Another #TomPrichardContracting #Scania delivery. A bit wet for driver training but all went ahead and the sweeping begins #KeepWalesTidy #Sweeper #TomPrichard #Llantrisant #Wales #SouthWales #Cymru #CF72
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