View allAll Photos Tagged Fastest,
Junior Lifesavers at Surf Carnival taking part in Fastest Man on the Sand competition, which is basically a sprint on the sand.
This is my third and last Lego 42069 Extreme Adventure remote control mod. After the Superleggera mod I did not plan to create another one but I was convinced by some comments on my YouTube channel (thanks for the tip!). Although I really liked 42069 on tracks, I realized that the top speed was limited by the construction so the 4 buggy motors could not show their full potential. I removed the tracks and added the wheels from the 9398 Crawler set.
The pickup-style body was kept from the previous mod to ensure the car is as light as possible. The axles were rebuilt completely to fit the buggy motors and the wheels.
The car is driven by 4 buggy motors and there’s a PF Servo for steering. It is controlled and powered by 2 BuWizz units. It became surprisingly fast, I was curious so I added a small GPS tracker to measure the top speed – you can check the result in the video - youtu.be/aDciwc684I0
There is no large enough fields for the kids to play cricket, football or whatever game they can play. So, most of the kids who are given permission by the parents usually resort to bicycles.
In the evening, it is a very common scene in the streets of Banasree. Kids are pulling pedals of their bicycle like there is no tomorrow and this is their last great ride.
Kim Do the fastest swimmer to ever come and swim for our team holds the record for 5 events including the 50-yard freestyle sprint and the 100-yard backstroke, her specialty. Pictured here wearing the new speedo full body spider suit when it came out in 2000. You can also see who got a better start off the block by looking at her feet compared to the swimmer next to her.
Once the fastest production car in the world, the Jaguar XK120 was Jaguar's first new product following the end of the war, being designed in those dark final days of the conflict and being developed over the next three years, making its début in 1948.
The XK120 was launched in open two-seater form at the 1948 London Motor Show as a testbed and show car for the new Jaguar XK engine. The display car was the first prototype, chassis number 670001. It looked almost identical to the production cars except that the straight outer pillars of its windscreen would be curved on the production version. The roadster caused a sensation, which persuaded Jaguar founder and design boss William Lyons to put it into production.
Beginning in 1948, the first 242 cars wore wood-framed open 2-seater bodies with aluminium panels. Production switched to the 112lb heavier all-steel in early 1950. The "120" in the name referred to the aluminium car's 120 mph top speed, which made it the world's fastest production car at the time of its launch. Engine models ranged from a 160bhp DOHC Straight-6 Double SU H6 low end model, to the fastest version which was powered by a 210bhp DOHC Straight-6 Double SU H8, giving the car a top speed of 124mph, which in 1949 was a spectacular feat when compared to the Austins and Morris' of the time.
On 30 May 1949, on the empty Ostend-Jabbeke motorway in Belgium, a prototype XK120 timed by the officials of the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium achieved an average of runs in opposing directions of 132.6 mph with the windscreen replaced by just one small aeroscreen and a catalogued alternative top gear ratio, and 135 mph with a passenger-side tonneau cover in place. In 1950 and 1951, at a banked oval track in France, XK120 roadsters averaged over 100 mph for 24 hours and over 130 mph for an hour, and in 1952 a fixed-head coupé took numerous world records for speed and distance when it averaged 100 mph for a week.
The Motor magazine road-tested an XK120 roadster in November 1949. This pre-production car, chassis number 670001, road-registered as HKV 455, was the first prototype built. It was also the 1948 London Motor Show display model, and had been driven by Prince Bira in the 1949 Silverstone Production Car Race. The magazine reported a top speed of 124.6 mph, acceleration from 0–60 mph in 10.0 seconds and fuel consumption of 19.8 miles per imperial gallon. The car as tested cost £1263 including taxes.
In 1949 the first production roadster, chassis number 670003, was delivered to famous actor Clark Gable.
The XK120 was ultimately available in two open versions, first as an open 2-seater described in the US market as the roadster, then also as a drophead coupé from 1953; and also as a closed, or fixed head coupé from 1951.
Production of the car ended in 1954 after 12,055 examples were constructed, being replaced by the Jaguar XK140. Today you'd be hard pressed to find XK120's on a regular basis, but if you attend car shows like me you'd be likely to find at least one show up.
Most notably though, the car returned to the centre stage of modern motoring through a spectacularly organised and choreographed race between the presenters of Top Gear on their Race to the North, a competition set in a hypothetical 1949 between the primary modes of transport at the time, with James May in the Jaguar XK120, Richard Hammond on a Vincent Blackshadow motorbike, and Jeremy Clarkson on the rebuilt Peppercorn A1 Pacific number 60163 'Tornado'.
Spirit of Australia is a speed boat built by Ken Warby that broke and set the world water speed record on 8 October 1978. It is still the fastest boat!
If you want to see more micro-MOC (with instructions), check out the following book, for which I contributed some models:
Tiny LEGO Wonders - www.nostarch.com/tinylegowonders
Or check out my rebrickable page:
YouTube [Full-HD] Video: youtu.be/2-C_DZ7tqPg
Vadodara (BRC) WAP-4E # 22811 standing on station line at Bhilad, hauling 22929 Bhilad - Vadodara Express which is waiting for India’s Fastest AC Double-Decker to precede and on another side, an clever man safeguarding people and stopping them to go near to the edge of station after seeing mammoth 12931 Mumbai Central - Ahmedabad AC Double Decker Express hauled by Amul livery, Vadodara (BRC) WAP-5 # 30046 which fly past at its MPS of 120 Kmph. It was good speed show by India’s Fastest AC Double-Decker and worth watching it in panoramic view.
A publicity photo of unknown origin in my collection .
The caption on the reverse says that the Jag is part of the rapid response team in connection with Trust 2's attempt on the land speed record.
Making it the fastest fire engine in the world
Florence Griffith Joyner is still considered the fastest woman of all time. She was the first woman to win 4 medals in a single Olympic, 3 golds and 1 silver in Seoul, Korea, She was called the Queen of Seoul and set records that haven't come close to being broken.
She was also a wonderful role model for young women and is honored here in Mission Viejo for her achievements and good works. She lived here after she married Al Joyner and died here at the age of 38, from an epileptic seizure. This park we visited this morning is dedicated to her memory and is very close to her former home.
Mission Viejo had a small part in the L.A. Olympics, hosting the bicycle races. We do have lots of hills!
The fastest ship in the fleet. The 4RR-0W can outrun any conventional opponent. It is armed with quad cannons which, once expended of ammunition, are jettisoned and the craft then simply slices through anything left in its way.
This is the 4th ship in my fleet of Neo Classic Space inspired attack craft.
These were made in a flash! I knew I had to bring cookies to a Christmas eve party and had under 2 hours to get the icing made, decorated, and dried.... I made it... they weren't the prettiest but I doubt that anyone noticed!!
This was the fastest fish in the tank, took me about 20~25 shots to get it in focus while following that fish in my viewfinder !
Exposure 0.033 sec (1/30) < 1/50 -- on AF-C
Focal Length 48 mm
Aperture f/4.8
ISO Speed 800
NOTE: All of the photographs I post on Flickr are Copyrighted, if you need to use them in any way please send me a request by Flickr Mail.
When I heard a Ferrari 599 GTO was going to be delivered to our door I was filled with anticipation. I had read this is the ultimate road-going Ferrari, no less than the fastest, baddest, most powerful, road-going Ferrari ….ever!
This is the sort of car dreams are made of! Who hasn’t fantasized what they would buy if they won the Lottery jackpot? Who hasn’t savoured the moment in a daydream when they walk into a glitzy Ferrari showroom and tell the amazed salesman they’ll have ‘that’ one? It’s only the most expensive, most fabulous motor car in the place, but, no! They’ll have that one AND that one over there that they also rather like! This is the sort of car they see themselves in, having magically and sensationally gained film star attractiveness because they’ve won the Lottery. They glance at themselves in the mirror through designer shades, being careful to casually observe how attractive they look. Their skin glows with a healthy tan, contrasting strongly with the bright designer fashion wear picked up from an upmarket boutique. They look cool, vibrant, gorgeous, surely the centre of attention as they trundle down their local high street in the sunshine with a smile of delighted smugness.
In their dreams. In reality this car can only be for the vain. It tries to impress in the only way it can with looks and performance. One might think with 0 – 62 mph in 3.35 seconds, 0 – 124 mph in 9.8 seconds, 661 brake horsepower and a top speed in excess of 208 mph, that might do it. And it’s got a voluptuous curvy body too. But Lottery win and money alone won’t be enough to get your hands on a GTO even if you have got the £ 305,000 asking price. Because with only 599 chassis to be completed you’ll find you may have to wait for ever to find one that is actually for sale.
So I was especially ‘lucky’ to be passed the keys to a new Ferrari 599 GTO as it was prepared by TQ Express for a flight from Manchester airport to a new owner in Thailand. I had always sworn that given the keys to a supercar I would take my chance and ‘open her up, and see what she could do’. If that meant finding a quiet bit of motorway early in the morning during the summer I wouldn’t stop until I had maxxed out (You’re a long time dead so take your chance while you can!)
Visually it’s an impressive beast. In Rosso red it’s best angle is from the front and side. That front mounted V12 means a long bonnet and proportions similar to a Dodge Viper. But the difference is that it’s smoother, classier, better finished than any Dodge could be. A bystander might well compliment you with “Nice wheels” referring to the car as a whole, but if he purely meant the round things with rubber on them I would disagree. I’ve never seen a Ferrari with wheels that are a work of art in themselves in the way that Lamborghini wheels are. Beautiful as the 599 is, especially in that shade of red, I feel it deserves more exotic rims. I fancy gloss black.
Climbing into the seat I was amazed. There was a sea of grey and a consol that hardly looked more impressive than my daughters 1999 954cc VW Lupo. There was an Engine start button on the steering wheel and one knob. Two carbon paddles behind the wheel were barely visible in the greyness. In the centre of the consol was what at first glance appeared to be a basic radio-cassette. And below it a few basic heater /ventilation knobs. Down near the conventional handbrake I found grey push buttons for “Launch”, “Reverse” and “Auto”. And that was almost it apart from petrol cap, boot release and windows buttons. Yes, I was amazed at the lack of something special for £ 305,000. My amazement on sitting in my dream car was that I was utterly uninspired.
I put the conventional seat belt on. I paused and took stock of the car around me. I was about to drive the fastest, most powerful road going Ferrari ever. This was my chance to live my dream.
I turned the key, and the engine whirred over a few times on the starter before it caught and there was an ear-splitting barking, shattering sound as the engine banged into life. That woke everyone in the area up and immediately I am the centre of attention. Now 50 heads turned to watch as I press the grey button with ‘R’ on it to select reverse, take the handbrake off as I would do in my ordinary car, and gently tease the accelerator to reverse out of the space. There’s no reversing camera, and no parking sensors, and I really don’t want to wedge that plump rear end under the back of one of the trucks behind me. I’ve just been informed the rear valance of the car costs £ 37,500 as just one spare part….without fitting charges.
I’ve reversed back and am clear for take off. I pull the flappy thing behind the wheel and I see ‘1’ come up on the display by the speedo. That must mean I’m in First gear, so again I tickle the right pedal and swing the car onto the concourse. Now there are even more faces looking my way so I do what everyone in such a car has to do: I flatten the accelerator as if I'm stamping on a bug that has crossed the garden path ahead of me. Immediately there was that ripping, howling, banshee of a noise from behind me and I hurtled forward for a second or two before I moderated my progress with a dab on the brake. And a bit further down the road more faces came out from behind trucks and vans to stare and I felt obliged once more to stamp on that imagined insect on the floor in front of me. And again I leapt ahead 100 yards completely unable to register what effect the sight and sound of the fastest, most powerful road going Ferrari (ever) was leaving on those mere mortals stood each side who could only dream of driving such a car. Did they notice I was bald, middle aged and overweight or did they think, “Wow, awesome, what a cool dude?” Did the girls in the offices who might have heard the sound and rushed to the window think, “Wow, awesome, what a cool sexy dude? I wish I was in that amazing car (is it a Porsche or sumink?) with him?”
I did see some ugly, overweight truck drivers and warehousemen move a little closer for a better view as I turned at the end of the road for the run home. Once more I felt pressured to perform for them and once again mashed the loud pedal before I felt faintly stupid, driving in a stop go manner just to make a noise. Honestly, I have felt more comfortable, and thought it more entertaining, to fart loudly in front of friends than drive this car.
And so I reluctantly returned to base, reluctant only because I was permanently on show when I was in this car. My colleagues were gathered round as I came back in. “How fast did you go? Craig sarcastically said. It wasn’t a question, it was a statement in a negative sense. He might have said, “Couldn’t you have gone any slower?”
Did I get above 20 mph? Or did I max at 40mph? I don’t know. I don’t care because I was so uninspired I wasn’t interested in anything other than parking the car. Am I the only one to think, “What is the point of this thing?” My bucket list just got one line shorter.
My dream to drive an ultimate supercar had just become reality. I didn’t get out of First gear and will probably go down in history as the slowest driver ever of the fastest, most powerful, road going Ferrari ever!
I don’t want to be stared at. I don’t want to have to perform. I just want to be normal. Well, normal enough to dream of having a Nissan GTR…that’s a whole lot more sensible!
Read www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1346209/Ferrari-...
copyrighted © Marzouq Almosawy
All images appearing in the Almosawy Photostream are the exclusive property of him and may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without the written permission of Marzouq Almosawy.
Spirit of Australia is a speed boat built by Ken Warby that broke and set the world water speed record on 8 October 1978. It is still the fastest boat!
If you want to see more micro-MOC (with instructions), check out the following book, for which I contributed some models:
Tiny LEGO Wonders - www.nostarch.com/tinylegowonders
Or check out my rebrickable page:
See this one Large! www.flickr.com/photos/jungle_mama/4648945376/sizes/l/
About 10 years ago, a neighbor gave me a 2 gallon can with a scrawny, leggy plant in it and predicted great things. Sounded like a Jack-in-the-Bean-Stalk story at the time but now I believe his outlandish tale. My Silk Floss quickly started growing and growing. And today it's 60 feet high!
The thick green trunk is covered with big fiercely strong, sharp spines. Locals here call it Monkey Tree because they say only monkeys can climb it. The spines break off, wear down and turn gray as the tree ages. Silk Floss trees grow so rapidly that they get bright green stretch marks! Some experts say it's the fastest growing tree in the world... and based on my experience... I think they may be right!
When Silk Floss trees mature, they shed their leaves in September and, all bare, break into a glorious display of gorgeous pink or purple five-petaled flowers. The flowers are followed by pear-shaped capsules filled with seeds embedded in silky white floss. The floss, or Kapok, extracted from the pods is a cotton-like substance with smooth fibers – too smooth for textile thread – that's used to stuff life preservers, saddles, cushions and mattresses. The primary use is for life preservers as the floss can support 30 times its own weight in water!
Another view Large...
www.flickr.com/photos/jungle_mama/4648944950/sizes/l/
Silk Floss Tree, Ceiba speciosa, palo borracho (in Spanish literally "drunken tree", Malvaceae
This beautiful blonde lass was working at the La Pinta ride at the 2011 Arizona Renaissance Festival
The ride consists of rocking ships based on the three ships Columbus crossed the Atlantic on.
La Pinta ("the painted one", "the spotted one") was the fastest of the three ships used by Christopher Columbus in his first voyage across the Atlantic
If anyone knows her name please let me know and I will credit grantbrummett@mac.com
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some call him the flying wombat
say his strength is in his moustache
and their golden locks of whisper
either or, he's one of the best,
and i'll be damned if he aint
the faster man i ever saw...
The Steerage is a photograph taken by Alfred Stieglitz in 1907. It has been hailed as one of the greatest photographs of all time because it captures in a single image both a formative document of its time and one of the first works of artistic modernism.
Description
The scene depicts a variety of men and women traveling in the lower-class section of a steamer going from New York to Bremen, Germany. Many years after taking the photograph Stieglitz described what he saw when he took it:
"There were men and women and children on the lower deck of the steerage. There was a narrow stairway leading to the upper deck of the steerage, a small deck right on the bow of the steamer.
To the left was an inclining funnel and from the upper steerage deck there was fastened a gangway bridge that was glistening in its freshly painted state. It was rather long, white, and during the trip remained untouched by anyone.
On the upper deck, looking over the railing, there was a young man with a straw hat. The shape of the hat was round. He was watching the men and women and children on the lower steerage deck…A round straw hat, the funnel leaning left, the stairway leaning right, the white drawbridge with its railing made of circular chains – white suspenders crossing on the back of a man in the steerage below, round shapes of iron machinery, a mast cutting into the sky, making a triangular shape…I saw shapes related to each other. I saw a picture of shapes and underlying that the feeling I had about life."
Although Stieglitz described "an inclining funnel" in the scene photographs and models of the ship (see below) show that this object was actually a large mast to which booms were fastened for loading and unloading cargo. One of the booms is shown at the very top of the picture.
Much has been written about scene as a cultural document of an important period when many immigrants were coming to America. In fact, the picture was taken on a cruise to Europe from America, and for that reason some critics have interpreted it as recording people who were turned away by U.S. Immigration officials and were forced to go back home. Although some of the passengers might have been turned back because of failure to meet financial or health requirements for entrance, it is more likely that most of them were various artisans who worked in the booming construction trade of the time. Workers who were highly skilled in crafts such as cabinet-making, woodworking and marble laying were granted two-year temporary visas to complete their jobs and then returned to their homelands when the work was complete.
Taking the photograph
In June 1907 Stieglitz and his family sailed to Europe to visit relatives and friends. They booked passage on the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II, one of the largest and fastest ships in the world at that time. Stieglitz's wife Emmy insisted on first class accommodations, and the family had a fine stateroom on the upper decks. According to Stieglitz, sometime after their third day of travel he went for a walk around the ship and came upon a viewpoint that looked down toward the lower class passengers area, known on most ships as the steerage. Photography historian Beaumont Newhall wrote that it is likely the photo was taken while the ship was anchored at Plymouth, England, because the angle of the shadows indicates it was facing west, not east as it would have been while crossing the ocean. In addition there does not seem to be any sign of wind in the scene, which would have been ever present while the ship was moving.
The scene Stieglitz saw is described above. He did not have his camera with him, and he raced back to his cabin to get it. At that time he was using a hand-held 4×5 Auto-Graflex that used glass plate negatives. Stieglitz found he had only one glass plate prepared at the time, and he quickly returned to the viewpoint and captured the one and only picture of the scene.
He was not able to develop the plate until he arrived in Paris nearly a week later. He reported he went to the Eastman Kodak Company in Paris to use their darkroom but was referred to a local photographer instead. He went to the photographer's home and developed the plate there. The name of the photographer who lent his facility is unknown. Stieglitz offered to pay the photographer for the use of his darkroom and materials but he photographer told him, "I know who you are and it's an honor to have you in my darkroom." Stieglitz kept the developed image in its original plate holder to protect it until he returned to New York several weeks later.
Stieglitz later said he immediately recognized this image as "another milestone in photography…a step in my own evolution, a spontaneous discovery", but this claim is challenged by several of his biographers who have pointed out that although he had many opportunities to do so he didn't publish it until 1911 and didn't exhibit it until 1913. In addition, biographer Richard Whelan states, "If he really had known that he had just produced a masterpiece, he probably would not have been so depressed during his European vacation that summer [as he indicated in several letters to friends]".
Whelan theorizes that when Stieglitz first looked at the negative he did not see the stylistic qualities he was then championing, and he set the negative aside while dealing with more pressing issues. In the period directly before and after taking The Steerage Stieglitz was still producing photos that were primarily pictorialist in style, and it would be several more years before he began to break with this tradition. The Steerage represents a "fundamental shift in Stieglitz's thinking", and, critics have said that while his mind had visualized the image when he took it he was not able to articulate his reasons for taking it until later. Also, painter Max Weber claims to have discovered the image while looking through Stieglitz's photos in 1910, and he took credit for first pointing out the aesthetic importance of the image. Whether that is true or not, it was only after Stieglitz began to seriously consider the works of modern American artists like John Marin, Arthur Dove and Weber that he finally published the image. Like the works of those artists, The Steerage is "divided, fragmented and flattened into an abstract, nearly cubistic design" and it has been cited as one of the first proto-Cubist works of art.
One other distraction could have been a reason why Stieglitz did not immediately publish The Steerage. While he was still in Paris on the same trip he saw for the first time and experimented with the new Autochrome Lumière process, the first commercially viable means of capturing images in color. For the next two years he was captivated by color photography, and he did not return to The Steerage and other black-and-white photos until he learned to photograph using this new process.
First appearances
Stieglitz first published The Steerage in the October 1911 issue of Camera Work, which he had devoted to his own photography. It appeared the following year on the cover of the magazine section of the Saturday Evening Mail (20 April 1912), a New York weekly magazine.
It was first exhibited in a show of Stieglitz's photographs at "291" in 1913.
In 1915 Stieglitz devoted the entire No 7-8 issue of 291 to The Steerage. The only text in the issue were comments on the photo by Paul Haviland and Marius de Zayas.
Versions
According to the Key Set published by the National Gallery of Art there are five known versions of The Steerage.
Several copies are known to exist of each version. Most are in major museums. Other prints with slightly different measurements are likely to be one of the five versions listed above. Image sizes may vary slightly from one copy to another due to paper shrinkage.
...................................
Source of this text
This is an edited extract of an article found at Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Steerage
Fastest legal speed I've ever driven. I didn't even mind slowing to down to drive the speed limit!
I asked Gene if the camera would see a water mirage as our eyes do when we drive on hot pavement during the summer. Well here it is.... and yes, it does. I can assure you this is not a rain puddle on the road.
See more photos of this, and the Wikipedia article.
Details, quoting from Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum | Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird:
No reconnaissance aircraft in history has operated globally in more hostile airspace or with such complete impunity than the SR-71, the world's fastest jet-propelled aircraft. The Blackbird's performance and operational achievements placed it at the pinnacle of aviation technology developments during the Cold War.
This Blackbird accrued about 2,800 hours of flight time during 24 years of active service with the U.S. Air Force. On its last flight, March 6, 1990, Lt. Col. Ed Yielding and Lt. Col. Joseph Vida set a speed record by flying from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., in 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 20 seconds, averaging 3,418 kilometers (2,124 miles) per hour. At the flight's conclusion, they landed at Washington-Dulles International Airport and turned the airplane over to the Smithsonian.
Transferred from the United States Air Force.
Manufacturer:
Designer:
Date:
1964
Country of Origin:
United States of America
Dimensions:
Overall: 18ft 5 15/16in. x 55ft 7in. x 107ft 5in., 169998.5lb. (5.638m x 16.942m x 32.741m, 77110.8kg)
Other: 18ft 5 15/16in. x 107ft 5in. x 55ft 7in. (5.638m x 32.741m x 16.942m)
Materials:
Titanium
Physical Description:
Twin-engine, two-seat, supersonic strategic reconnaissance aircraft; airframe constructed largley of titanium and its alloys; vertical tail fins are constructed of a composite (laminated plastic-type material) to reduce radar cross-section; Pratt and Whitney J58 (JT11D-20B) turbojet engines feature large inlet shock cones.
Long Description:
No reconnaissance aircraft in history has operated in more hostile airspace or with such complete impunity than the SR-71 Blackbird. It is the fastest aircraft propelled by air-breathing engines. The Blackbird's performance and operational achievements placed it at the pinnacle of aviation technology developments during the Cold War. The airplane was conceived when tensions with communist Eastern Europe reached levels approaching a full-blown crisis in the mid-1950s. U.S. military commanders desperately needed accurate assessments of Soviet worldwide military deployments, particularly near the Iron Curtain. Lockheed Aircraft Corporation's subsonic U-2 (see NASM collection) reconnaissance aircraft was an able platform but the U. S. Air Force recognized that this relatively slow aircraft was already vulnerable to Soviet interceptors. They also understood that the rapid development of surface-to-air missile systems could put U-2 pilots at grave risk. The danger proved reality when a U-2 was shot down by a surface to air missile over the Soviet Union in 1960.
Lockheed's first proposal for a new high speed, high altitude, reconnaissance aircraft, to be capable of avoiding interceptors and missiles, centered on a design propelled by liquid hydrogen. This proved to be impracticable because of considerable fuel consumption. Lockheed then reconfigured the design for conventional fuels. This was feasible and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), already flying the Lockheed U-2, issued a production contract for an aircraft designated the A-12. Lockheed's clandestine 'Skunk Works' division (headed by the gifted design engineer Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson) designed the A-12 to cruise at Mach 3.2 and fly well above 18,288 m (60,000 feet). To meet these challenging requirements, Lockheed engineers overcame many daunting technical challenges. Flying more than three times the speed of sound generates 316° C (600° F) temperatures on external aircraft surfaces, which are enough to melt conventional aluminum airframes. The design team chose to make the jet's external skin of titanium alloy to which shielded the internal aluminum airframe. Two conventional, but very powerful, afterburning turbine engines propelled this remarkable aircraft. These power plants had to operate across a huge speed envelope in flight, from a takeoff speed of 334 kph (207 mph) to more than 3,540 kph (2,200 mph). To prevent supersonic shock waves from moving inside the engine intake causing flameouts, Johnson's team had to design a complex air intake and bypass system for the engines.
Skunk Works engineers also optimized the A-12 cross-section design to exhibit a low radar profile. Lockheed hoped to achieve this by carefully shaping the airframe to reflect as little transmitted radar energy (radio waves) as possible, and by application of special paint designed to absorb, rather than reflect, those waves. This treatment became one of the first applications of stealth technology, but it never completely met the design goals.
Test pilot Lou Schalk flew the single-seat A-12 on April 24, 1962, after he became airborne accidentally during high-speed taxi trials. The airplane showed great promise but it needed considerable technical refinement before the CIA could fly the first operational sortie on May 31, 1967 - a surveillance flight over North Vietnam. A-12s, flown by CIA pilots, operated as part of the Air Force's 1129th Special Activities Squadron under the "Oxcart" program. While Lockheed continued to refine the A-12, the U. S. Air Force ordered an interceptor version of the aircraft designated the YF-12A. The Skunk Works, however, proposed a "specific mission" version configured to conduct post-nuclear strike reconnaissance. This system evolved into the USAF's familiar SR-71.
Lockheed built fifteen A-12s, including a special two-seat trainer version. Two A-12s were modified to carry a special reconnaissance drone, designated D-21. The modified A-12s were redesignated M-21s. These were designed to take off with the D-21 drone, powered by a Marquart ramjet engine mounted on a pylon between the rudders. The M-21 then hauled the drone aloft and launched it at speeds high enough to ignite the drone's ramjet motor. Lockheed also built three YF-12As but this type never went into production. Two of the YF-12As crashed during testing. Only one survives and is on display at the USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio. The aft section of one of the "written off" YF-12As which was later used along with an SR-71A static test airframe to manufacture the sole SR-71C trainer. One SR-71 was lent to NASA and designated YF-12C. Including the SR-71C and two SR-71B pilot trainers, Lockheed constructed thirty-two Blackbirds. The first SR-71 flew on December 22, 1964. Because of extreme operational costs, military strategists decided that the more capable USAF SR-71s should replace the CIA's A-12s. These were retired in 1968 after only one year of operational missions, mostly over southeast Asia. The Air Force's 1st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (part of the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing) took over the missions, flying the SR-71 beginning in the spring of 1968.
After the Air Force began to operate the SR-71, it acquired the official name Blackbird-- for the special black paint that covered the airplane. This paint was formulated to absorb radar signals, to radiate some of the tremendous airframe heat generated by air friction, and to camouflage the aircraft against the dark sky at high altitudes.
Experience gained from the A-12 program convinced the Air Force that flying the SR-71 safely required two crew members, a pilot and a Reconnaissance Systems Officer (RSO). The RSO operated with the wide array of monitoring and defensive systems installed on the airplane. This equipment included a sophisticated Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) system that could jam most acquisition and targeting radar. In addition to an array of advanced, high-resolution cameras, the aircraft could also carry equipment designed to record the strength, frequency, and wavelength of signals emitted by communications and sensor devices such as radar. The SR-71 was designed to fly deep into hostile territory, avoiding interception with its tremendous speed and high altitude. It could operate safely at a maximum speed of Mach 3.3 at an altitude more than sixteen miles, or 25,908 m (85,000 ft), above the earth. The crew had to wear pressure suits similar to those worn by astronauts. These suits were required to protect the crew in the event of sudden cabin pressure loss while at operating altitudes.
To climb and cruise at supersonic speeds, the Blackbird's Pratt & Whitney J-58 engines were designed to operate continuously in afterburner. While this would appear to dictate high fuel flows, the Blackbird actually achieved its best "gas mileage," in terms of air nautical miles per pound of fuel burned, during the Mach 3+ cruise. A typical Blackbird reconnaissance flight might require several aerial refueling operations from an airborne tanker. Each time the SR-71 refueled, the crew had to descend to the tanker's altitude, usually about 6,000 m to 9,000 m (20,000 to 30,000 ft), and slow the airplane to subsonic speeds. As velocity decreased, so did frictional heat. This cooling effect caused the aircraft's skin panels to shrink considerably, and those covering the fuel tanks contracted so much that fuel leaked, forming a distinctive vapor trail as the tanker topped off the Blackbird. As soon as the tanks were filled, the jet's crew disconnected from the tanker, relit the afterburners, and again climbed to high altitude.
Air Force pilots flew the SR-71 from Kadena AB, Japan, throughout its operational career but other bases hosted Blackbird operations, too. The 9th SRW occasionally deployed from Beale AFB, California, to other locations to carryout operational missions. Cuban missions were flown directly from Beale. The SR-71 did not begin to operate in Europe until 1974, and then only temporarily. In 1982, when the U.S. Air Force based two aircraft at Royal Air Force Base Mildenhall to fly monitoring mission in Eastern Europe.
When the SR-71 became operational, orbiting reconnaissance satellites had already replaced manned aircraft to gather intelligence from sites deep within Soviet territory. Satellites could not cover every geopolitical hotspot so the Blackbird remained a vital tool for global intelligence gathering. On many occasions, pilots and RSOs flying the SR-71 provided information that proved vital in formulating successful U. S. foreign policy. Blackbird crews provided important intelligence about the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and its aftermath, and pre- and post-strike imagery of the 1986 raid conducted by American air forces on Libya. In 1987, Kadena-based SR-71 crews flew a number of missions over the Persian Gulf, revealing Iranian Silkworm missile batteries that threatened commercial shipping and American escort vessels.
As the performance of space-based surveillance systems grew, along with the effectiveness of ground-based air defense networks, the Air Force started to lose enthusiasm for the expensive program and the 9th SRW ceased SR-71 operations in January 1990. Despite protests by military leaders, Congress revived the program in 1995. Continued wrangling over operating budgets, however, soon led to final termination. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration retained two SR-71As and the one SR-71B for high-speed research projects and flew these airplanes until 1999.
On March 6, 1990, the service career of one Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird ended with a record-setting flight. This special airplane bore Air Force serial number 64-17972. Lt. Col. Ed Yeilding and his RSO, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Vida, flew this aircraft from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. in 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 20 seconds, averaging a speed of 3,418 kph (2,124 mph). At the conclusion of the flight, '972 landed at Dulles International Airport and taxied into the custody of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. At that time, Lt. Col. Vida had logged 1,392.7 hours of flight time in Blackbirds, more than that of any other crewman.
This particular SR-71 was also flown by Tom Alison, a former National Air and Space Museum's Chief of Collections Management. Flying with Detachment 1 at Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa, Alison logged more than a dozen '972 operational sorties. The aircraft spent twenty-four years in active Air Force service and accrued a total of 2,801.1 hours of flight time.
Wingspan: 55'7"
Length: 107'5"
Height: 18'6"
Weight: 170,000 Lbs
Reference and Further Reading:
Crickmore, Paul F. Lockheed SR-71: The Secret Missions Exposed. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 1996.
Francillon, Rene J. Lockheed Aircraft Since 1913. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 1987.
Johnson, Clarence L. Kelly: More Than My Share of It All. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1985.
Miller, Jay. Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works. Leicester, U.K.: Midland Counties Publishing Ltd., 1995.
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird curatorial file, Aeronautics Division, National Air and Space Museum.
DAD, 11-11-01
Mercedes SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive
With the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive, Mercedes-AMG is entering a new era: the locally emission-free super sports car featuring advanced technology from the world of Formula 1 is the most exclusive and dynamic way in which to drive an electric car. The most powerful AMG high-performance vehicle of all time has four electric motors producing a total output of 552 kW and a maximum torque of 1000 Nm. As a result, the gullwing model has become the world's fastest electrically-powered series production vehicle: the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds.
A new dimension of driving performance - a convincing synonym for the AMG brand promise are the outstanding driving dynamics which come courtesy of AMG Torque Dynamics as well as torque distribution to individual wheels, which is made possible by means of wheel-selective all-wheel drive. The most "electrifying" gullwing model ever has been developed in-house by Mercedes-AMG GmbH. The high-voltage battery for the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is the result of cooperation between Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth (GB). This is an area in which the British Formula 1 experts were able to contribute their extensive know-how with KERS hybrid concepts.
"The SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is setting new standards for cars with electric drives. As the most powerful gullwing model ever, it is also representative of the enduring innovational strength of Mercedes-AMG. Our vision of the most dynamic electric vehicle has become a reality. With the help of our colleagues at Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth, we are bringing exciting advanced technology from the world of Formula 1 to the road", according to Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.
Mercedes SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive (2014)
2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive
Pioneering, visionary, electrifying: the powerful and locally emission-free super sports car with electric drive also embodies the development competence of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. With this innovative and unique drive solution, AMG - as the performance brand of Mercedes-Benz - is demonstrating its technological leadership in this segment. The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is aimed at technology-minded super sports car fans who are open to new ideas and enthusiastic about ambitious high-tech solutions for the future of motoring.
Enormous thrust thanks to 1000 Nm of torque
The pioneering drive package in the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is impressive and guarantees a completely innovative and electrifying driving experience: enormous thrust comes courtesy of four synchronous electric motors providing a combined maximum output of 552 kW and maximum torque of 1000 Nm. The very special gullwing model accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, and can reach a top speed of 250 km/h (electronically limited). The agile response to accelerator pedal input and the linear power output provide pure excitement: unlike with a combustion engine, the build-up of torque is instantaneous with electric motors - maximum torque is effectively available from a standstill. The spontaneous build-up of torque and the forceful power delivery without any interruption of tractive power are combined with completely vibration-free engine running characteristics.
The four compact permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors, each weighing 45 kg, achieve a maximum individual speed of 13,000 rpm and in each case drive the 4 wheels selectively via a axially-arranged transmission design. This enables the unique distribution of torque to individual wheels, which would normally only be possible with wheel hub motors which have the disadvantage of generating considerable unsprung masses.
Powerful, voluminous, dynamic, emotional and authentic: the characteristic sound of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive embodies the sound of the 21st century. After an elaborate series of tests as well as numerous test drives, the AMG experts have created a sound which captures the exceptional dynamism of this unique super sports car with electric drive. Starting with a characteristic start-up sound, which rings out on pressing the "Power" button on the AMG DRIVE UNIT, the occupants can experience a tailor-made driving sound for each driving situation: incredibly dynamic when accelerating, subdued when cruising and as equally characteristic during recuperation. The sound is not only dependent on road speed, engine speed and load conditions, but also reflects the driving situation and the vehicle's operating state with a suitable driving noise. Perfect feedback for the driver is guaranteed thanks to a combination of the composed sound, the use of the vehicle's existing inherent noises and the elimination of background noise - this is referred to by the experts as "sound cleaning". The impressive sound comes courtesy of the standard sound system with eleven loudspeakers.
Advanced Formula 1 technology: high-voltage lithium-ion battery
Battery efficiency, performance and weight: in all three areas Mercedes-AMG is setting new standards. The high-voltage battery in the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive boasts an energy content of 60 kWh, an electric load potential of 600 kW and weighs 548 kg - all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector. The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design and a maximum voltage of 400 V.
Advanced technology and know-how from the world of Formula 1 have been called on during both the development and production stages: the battery is the first result of the cooperation between Mercedes-AMG GmbH in Affalterbach and Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains Ltd. Headquartered in Brixworth in England, the company has been working closely with Mercedes-AMG for a number of years. F1 engine experts have benefited from its extensive expertise with the KERS hybrid concept, which made its debut in the 2009 Formula 1 season. At the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2009, Lewis Hamilton achieved the first historic victory for a Formula 1 vehicle featuring KERS hybrid technology in the form of the Mercedes-Benz KER System. Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains supplies the Formula 1 teams MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and Sahara Force India with Mercedes V8 engines and the KERS.
The high-voltage battery consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells. This optimised arrangement of a total of 864 cells has benefits not only in terms of best use of the installation space, but also in terms of performance. One technical feature is the intelligent parallel circuit of the individual battery modules - this helps to maximise the safety, reliability and service life of the battery. As in Formula 1, the battery is charged by means of targeted recuperation during deceleration whilst the car is being driven.
High-performance control as well as effective cooling of all components
A high-performance electronic control system converts the direct current from the high-voltage battery into the three-phase alternating current which is required for the synchronous motors and regulates the energy flow for all operating conditions. Two low-temperature cooling circuits ensure that the four electric motors and the power electronics are maintained at an even operating temperature. A separate low-temperature circuit is responsible for cooling the high-voltage lithium-ion battery. In low external temperatures, the battery is quickly brought up to optimum operating temperature with the aid of an electric heating element. In extremely high external temperatures, the cooling circuit for the battery can be additionally boosted with the aid of the air conditioning. This also helps to preserve the overall service life of the battery system.
Quick charge function via special wall box
Ideally the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is charged with the aid of a so-called wall box. Installed in a home garage, this technology provides a 22 kW quick-charge function, which is the same as the charging performance available at a public charging station. A high-voltage power cable is used to connect the vehicle to the wall box, and enables charging to take place in around three hours. Without the wall box, charging takes around 20 hours. The wall box is provided as an optional extra from Mercedes-AMG in cooperation with SPX and KEBA, two suppliers of innovative electric charging infrastructures for the automotive industry.
Eight-stage design for maximum safety
To ensure maximum safety, the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive makes use of an eight-stage safety design. This comprises the following features:
•all high-voltage cables are colour-coded in orange to prevent confusion
•comprehensive contact protection for the entire high-voltage system
•the lithium-ion battery is liquid-cooled and accommodated in a high-strength aluminium housing within the carbon-fibre zero-intrusion cell
•conductive separation of the high-voltage and low-voltage networks within the vehicle and integration of an interlock switch
•active and passive discharging of the high-voltage system when the ignition is switched to "off"
•in the event of an accident, the high-voltage system is switched off within fractions of a second
•continuous monitoring of the high-voltage system for short circuits with potential compensation and insulation monitors
•redundant monitoring function for the all-wheel drive system with torque control for individual wheels, via several control units using a variety of software
By using this design, Mercedes-AMG ensures maximum safety during production of the vehicle and also during maintenance and repair work. Of course the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive also meets all of the statutory and internal Mercedes crash test requirements.
All-wheel drive with AMG Torque Dynamics enables new levels of freedom
Four motors, four wheels - the intelligent and permanent all-wheel drive of the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive guarantees driving dynamics at the highest level, while at the same time providing the best possible active safety. Optimum traction of the four driven wheels is therefore ensured, whatever the weather conditions. According to the developers, the term "Torque Dynamics" refers to individual control of the electric motors, something which enables completely new levels of freedom to be achieved. The AMG Torque Dynamics feature is permanently active and allows for selective distribution of forces for each individual wheel. The intelligent distribution of drive torque greatly benefits driving dynamics, handling, driving safety and ride comfort. Each individual wheel can be both electrically driven and electrically braked, depending on the driving conditions, thus helping to
•optimise the vehicle's cornering properties,
•reduce the tendency to oversteer/understeer,
•increase the yaw damping of the basic vehicle,
•reduce the steering effort and steering angle required,
•increase traction,
•and minimise ESP® and ASR intervention.
The AMG Torque Dynamics feature boasts a great deal of variability and individuality by offering three different transmission modes:
•Comfort (C): comfortable, forgiving driving characteristics
•Sport (S): sporty, balanced driving characteristics
•Sport plus (S+): sporty, agile driving characteristics
AMG Torque Dynamics enables optimum use of the adhesion potential between the tyres and the road surface in all driving conditions. The technology allows maximum levels of freedom and as such optimum use of the critical limits of the vehicle's driving dynamics. Outstanding handling safety is always assured thanks to the two-stage Electronic Stability Program ESP®.
"AMG Lightweight Performance" design strategy
The trailblazing body shell structure of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is part of the ambitious "AMG Lightweight Performance" design strategy. The battery is located within a carbon-fibre monocoque which forms an integral part of the gullwing model and acts as its "spine". The monocoque housing is firmly bolted and bonded to the aluminium spaceframe body. The fibre composite materials have their roots in the world of Formula 1, among other areas. The advantages of CFRP (carbon-fibre reinforced plastic) were exploited by the Mercedes-AMG engineers in the design of the monocoque. These include their high strength, which makes it possible to create extremely rigid structures in terms of torsion and bending, excellent crash performance and low weight. Carbon-fibre components are up to 50 percent lighter than comparable steel ones, yet retain the same level of stability. Compared with aluminium, the weight saving is still around 30 percent, while the material is considerably thinner. The weight advantages achieved through the carbon-fibre battery monocoque are reflected in the agility of the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive and, in conjunction with the wheel-selective four-wheel drive system, ensure true driving enjoyment. The carbon-fibre battery monocoque is, in addition, conceived as a "zero intrusion cell" in order to meet the very highest expectations in terms of crash safety. It protects the battery modules inside the vehicle from deformation or damage in the event of a crash.
The basis for CFRP construction is provided by fine carbon fibres, ten times thinner than a human hair. A length of this innovative fibre reaching from here to the moon would weigh a mere 25 grams. Between 1000 and 24,000 of these fibres are used to form individual strands. Machines then weave and sew them into fibre mats several layers thick, which can be moulded into three-dimensional shapes. When injected with liquid synthetic resin, this hardens to give the desired structure its final shape and stability.
Optimum weight distribution and low centre of gravity
The purely electric drive system was factored into the equation as early as the concept phase when the super sports car was being developed. It is ideally packaged for the integration of the high-performance, zero-emission technology: by way of example, the four electric motors and the two transmissions can be positioned as close to the four wheels as possible and very low down in the vehicle. The same applies to the modular high-voltage battery. Advantages of this solution include the vehicle's low centre of gravity and balanced weight distribution - ideal conditions for optimum handling, which the electrically-powered gullwing model shares with its petrol-driven sister model.
New front axle design with pushrod damper struts
The additional front-wheel drive called for a newly designed front axle: unlike the series production vehicle with AMG V8 engine, which has a double wishbone axle, the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive features an independent multi-link suspension with pushrod damper struts. This is because the vertically-arranged damper struts had to make way for the additional drive shafts. As is usual in a wide variety of racing vehicles, horizontal damper struts are now used, which are operated via separate push rods and transfer levers. Thanks to this sophisticated front-axle design, which has already been tried and tested in the world of motorsport, the agility and driving dynamics of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive attain the same high levels as the V8 variant. Another distinguishing feature is the speed-sensitive power steering with rack-and-pinion steering gear: the power assistance is implemented electrohydraulically rather than just hydraulically.
AMG ceramic composite brakes for perfect deceleration
The SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is slowed with the aid of AMG high-performance ceramic composite brakes, which boast direct brake response, a precise actuation point and outstanding fade resistance, even in extreme operating conditions. The over-sized discs - measuring 402 x 39 mm at the front and 360 x 32 mm at the rear - are made of carbon fibre-strengthened ceramic, feature an integral design all round and are connected to an aluminium bowl in a radially floating arrangement.
The ceramic brake discs are 40 percent lighter in weight than the conventional, grey cast iron brake discs. The reduction in unsprung masses not only improves handling dynamics and agility, but also ride comfort and tyre grip. The lower rotating masses at the front axle also ensure a more direct steering response - which is particularly noticeable when taking motorway bends at high speed.
Exclusive, high-quality design and appointments
Visually, the multi-award-winning design of the SLS AMG is combined with a number of specific features which are exclusive to the Electric Drive variant. The front apron has a striking carbon-look CFRP front splitter which generates downforce on the front axle. The radiator grille and adjacent air intakes adorn special areas painted in the vehicle colour and with bionic honeycomb-shaped openings. They are not only a visual highlight but, thanks to their aerodynamically optimised design, also improve air flow over the cooling modules mounted behind them. Darkened headlamps also impart a sense of independence to the front section. Viewed from the side, the "Electric Drive" lettering stands out on the vehicle side, as do the AMG 5-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels with their specific paint design. The SLS AMG Electric Drive comes as standard with 265/35 R 19 tyres on the front and 295/30 R 20 tyres on the rear. The overall look is rounded off to dynamic effect by the new diffuser-look rear apron, and the darkened rear lamps. One feature reserved exclusively for the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is the "AMG electricbeam magno" matt paint finish. A choice of five other colours is available at no extra cost.
When the exterior colour AMG electricbeam magno is chosen, the high-quality, sporty interior makes use of this body colour for the contrasting stitching - the stitching co-ordinates perfectly with designo black Exclusive leather appointments. AMG sports seats and numerous carbon-fibre trim elements in the interior underscore the exclusive and dynamic character of what is currently the fastest electric car. Behind the new AMG Performance steering wheel there is a newly designed AMG instrument cluster: instead of a rev counter, there is a power display providing information on the power requirements, recuperation status, transmission modes and battery charge.
AMG Performance Media as standard
The AMG DRIVE UNIT comprises the electronic rotary switch for selecting the three transmission modes of "C" (Controlled Efficiency), "S" (Sport) and "S+" (Sport plus), which the driver can use to specify different performance levels from the electric motors, which in turn also changes the top speed and accelerator pedal response. Behind the buttons for "power" and "ESP On/Off", there are also buttons for AMG Torque Dynamics and AMG Setup.
In addition to carbon-fibre exterior mirrors, AMG carbon-fibre engine compartment cover, COMAND APS, Media Interface, Blind Spot Assist and reversing camera, the standard equipment also includes the AMG Performance Media system. Besides full high-speed mobile internet access, the system provides information on engine performance, lateral and longitudinal acceleration, tyre pressure, vehicle setup and lap times, as well displaying a variety of additional information such as:
•vehicle energy flow
•battery charge status
•burrent range
•AMG Torque Dynamics
•temperatures of the battery and motors
•energy consumption kWh/100 km
The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive will be celebrating its market launch in 2013. The price in Germany (incl. 19% VAT) will be 416,500 EUR.
or so it says on the rear mud guard - written in pen. Along with "Made In Belgium". A well used Sarloea.
Yep, this Alfa Romeo Giulia must be the fastest taxi in Latin america jeje
taken somewhere near Huatulco Oaxaca during La Carrera Panamericana 2009 in mexico.
Please buy my posters and more products in my store
WFS - "worlds fastest stock car" advertised in 1935, the Auburn Speedster, a remarkable beauty enjoying the 2017 beach of Malibu
EVS2-01 "Sapsan" (Siemens Velaro RUS) heading to Moscow from St. Petersburgh during its certification tests.
Oktyabrskaya railway, Main line, Moscow region, near Firsanovka platf.
Quite possibly one of the fastest street machines in town, Monty’s ‘06 Mazdaspeed 6 “Atenzela” (a combination of “Atenza”, the Japanese name for the Mazda 6, and “Axela”, the Japanese name for the Mazda 3) has been heavily modified and tuned to perfection. Bedecked in earth green paint, “Zela” whizzes through the night and screams up and down the local race courses, speeding past Subaru STIs, Mitsubishi Lancer Evos, Ford Focuses, and many other hot compacts. It doesn’t look very fast (save for the carbon-fiber hood and rear spoiler), but it’s a whole different vehicle underneath.
*The original all-wheel-drive parts have been swapped out for Ford Focus RS bits, along with the torque-vectoring software (including the infamous “Drift Mode”).
*The sport suspension pieces have been replaced with race counterparts to improve handling (although Monty hasn’t gone all out handling on the tuning to prevent his spine from breaking on bumps).
*A carbon-fiber hood and spoiler have been added to reduce weight.
*The original 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-four has been swapped…for a slightly-more-modern 2.3-liter inline-four from the same Focus RS. Seriously, the Mazdaspeed 3/6′s four and the 2.3-liter Ford EcoBoost four are the SAME ENGINES with different names.
*The turbocharger’s been modified to give a bit more boost, while being supplanted with a top-mounted electronic supercharger to reduce turbo lag and improve fuel economy. A cold-air intake (red cone) feeds the supercharger.
*The internals have been beefed up to handle the added power, and the exhaust has been opened up enough to give some extra oomph. However, it has bypass valves that allow it to keep quiet while driving around town; Monty’s not one for “flatulence modulators”, turbo whistles, and other extreme exhaust mods.
*Overall, Monty’s old ‘6 has gone from a fairly-fast, 278-horsepower Lan-Evo competitor to a monstrous, 500-horsepower daily-driven sleeper.
Credits:
@cainsnocreaturefeature on Tumblr for Monty and Penny’s designs, as well as for confirming what vehicle Monty drives.
Peter Blackert for the Mazda 6 Mk2 design that I based Atenzela off of
Ralph Savelsberg for the Miniland figure base designs
Rendered in Bricklink Studio
Built in Lego Digital Designer
ანა ლომინაძემ (საქართველო) ბორკილითა და ჯაჭვით ხელფეხშეკრულ მდგომარეობაში 25 მეტრი გაცურა 21.76 წამში, 2014 წლის 3 აპრილს, დიღმის საცურაო აუზზე (თბილისი, საქართველო).
Ana Lominadze (Georgia) swam 25 meters in 21.76 seconds while wearing the handcuffs and leg irons on 3 April 2014, at the Dighomi Swimming Pool in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Moscow is the capital and largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents within the city limits, over 19.1 million residents in the urban area, and over 21.5 million residents in its metropolitan area. The city covers an area of 2,511 square kilometers (970 sq mi), while the urban area covers 5,891 square kilometers (2,275 sq mi), and the metropolitan area covers over 26,000 square kilometers (10,000 sq mi). Moscow is among the world's largest cities, being the most populous city entirely in Europe, the largest urban and metropolitan area in Europe, and the largest city by land area on the European continent.
First documented in 1147, Moscow became the capital of the Grand Principality of Moscow, which led the unification of the Russian lands in the 15th century. Following the proclamation of the Tsardom of Russia in 1547, Moscow remained the political and economic center for most of its history. During the reign of Peter the Great, the Russian capital was moved to the newly founded city of Saint Petersburg in 1712, decreasing Moscow's influence. Following the Russian Revolution and the establishment of the Russian SFSR, the capital was moved back to Moscow in 1918, where it later became the political center of the Soviet Union. In the aftermath of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Moscow remained the capital city of the newly reconstituted Russian Federation.
The northernmost and coldest megacity in the world, Moscow is governed as a federal city, where it serves as the political, economic, cultural, and scientific center of Russia and Eastern Europe. As a global city, Moscow has one of the world's largest urban economies. The city is one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations and is one of Europe's most visited cities. Moscow has the second-highest number of billionaires of any city (tied with Hong Kong). The Moscow International Business Center is one of the largest financial centers in the world and features the majority of Europe's tallest skyscrapers. Moscow was the host city of the 1980 Summer Olympics and one of the host cities of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The city contains several UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is known for its display of Russian architecture, particularly in areas such as the Red Square and buildings such as the Saint Basil's Cathedral and the Moscow Kremlin, the latter of which is the seat of power of the Government of Russia. Moscow is home to Russian companies in different industries and is served by a comprehensive transit network, which includes four international airports, ten railway terminals, a tram system, a monorail system, and the Moscow Metro, which is the busiest metro system in Europe and one of the largest rapid transit systems in the world. The city has over 40 percent of its territory covered by greenery, making it one of the greenest cities in the world.