View allAll Photos Tagged Forerunner
Links to forerunner The Colour in His life 1 (2007 )
www.flickr.com/photos/147432762@N06/33426027865/in/album-...
PHNOM PENH
Phnom Penh (/pəˌnɒm ˈpɛn, ˌpnɒm -/; Khmer: ភ្នំពេញ, Phnum Pénh [pʰnumˈpɨɲ]; lit. "Penh's Hill") is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's economic, industrial, and cultural centre.
Phnom Penh was founded in 1434 to succeed Angkor Thom as the capital of the Khmer nation but was abandoned several times before being reestablished in 1865 by King Norodom. The city formerly functioned as a processing center, with textiles, pharmaceuticals, machine manufacturing, and rice milling. Its chief assets, however, were cultural. Institutions of higher learning included the Royal University of Phnom Penh (established in 1960 as Royal Khmer University), with schools of engineering, fine arts, technology, and agricultural sciences, the latter at Chamkar Daung, a suburb. Also located in Phnom Penh were the Royal University of Agronomic Sciences and the Agricultural School of Prek Leap.
Once known as the "Pearl of Asia", it was considered one of the loveliest French-built cities in Indochina in the 1920s. Phnom Penh, along with Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, are significant global and domestic tourist destinations for Cambodia. Founded in 1372, the city is noted for its historical architecture and attractions. It became the national capital in 1434 following the fall of Angkor, and remained so until 1497. It regained its capital status during the French colonial era in 1865. There are a number of surviving colonial-era buildings scattered along the grand boulevards.
On the banks of the Tonlé Sap, Mekong, and Bassac Rivers, Phnom Penh is home to more than 2 million people, approximately 14% of the Cambodian population. The Phnom Penh metropolitan area includes 5 districts of Kandal Province.
ETYMOLOGY
Phnom Penh (lit. 'Penh's Hill') takes its name from the present Wat Phnom (lit. 'Hill Temple') or from the former Funan Kingdom, an ancient kingdom that existed from 1st to 6th century AD in Southeast Asia and the forerunner of the current Cambodian monarchy. Legend has it that in 1372, a wealthy widow named Penh found a Koki tree floating down the Tonlé Sap river after a storm. Inside the tree were four bronze Buddha statues and a stone statue of Vishnu. Penh ordered villagers to raise the height of the hill northeast of her house and used the Koki wood to build a temple on the hill to house the four Buddha statues, and a shrine for the Vishnu image slightly lower down. The temple became known as Wat Phnom Daun Penh, which is now known as Wat Phnom, a small hill 27 metres in height.
Phnom Penh's former official name is Krong Chaktomuk Serei Mongkol (Khmer: ក្រុងចតុមុខសិរីមង្គល, lit. 'City of the Brahma's Faces'), in its short form as Krong Chaktomuk (lit. "City of Four Faces"). Krong Chaktomuk is an abbreviation of the full name which was given by King Ponhea Yat, Krong Chaktomuk Mongkol Sakal Kampuchea Thipadei Serei Theakreak Bavar Intabat Borei Roat Reach Seima Moha Nokor (Khmer: ក្រុងចតុមុខមង្គលសកលកម្ពុជាធិបតី សិរីធរបវរ ឥន្ទបត្តបុរី រដ្ឋរាជសីមាមហានគរ, Khmer pronunciation: [ˌkɾoŋˌtɕaʔtoʔmuk̚ˌmŭəŋkŭəlˌsaʔkɒlˌkamputɕiəˌtʰɯp̚paʔdɤjˌseʔɾɤjˌtʰĕəʔɾĕəʔˌɓɒːʋɒːˌʔɤntĕəʔpat̚ˌɓoʔɾɤjˌɾŏət̚tʰaʔˌɾiəc̚ˌsɤjmaːˌmɔhaːˌnɔˈkɔː]). This loosely translates as "The place of four rivers that gives the happiness and success of Khmer Kingdom, the highest leader as well as impregnable city of the God Indra of the great kingdom".
HISTORY
The initial settlement of Phnom Penh is believed to have been established since the 5th century AD, according to the discovery of ancient kiln site in Choeung Ek commune of Dangkao district, southern part of central Phnom Penh in early 2000s. Choeung Ek archaeological site was one of the largest kiln pottery center in Cambodia and the earliest known kiln sites in Southeast Asia to produced the ceremonial vessels known as kendi from 5th to 13th century. Archaeologist stated that a large community is surrounded by a circular earthwork structure that is 740 metres in diameter and 4 metres high, built in the 11th century. In addition, there are remnants of other ancient village infrastructure, irrigation system, inscription, Shiva linga as well as an ancient brick temple foundation and its ornate remains which dated back to Funan era.
First recorded a century after it is said to have taken place, the legend of the founding of Phnom Penh tells of a local woman, Penh (commonly referred to as Daun Penh ("Grandmother Penh" or "Old Lady Penh") in Khmer), living at Chaktomuk, the future Phnom Penh. It was the late 14th century, and the Khmer capital was still at Angkor near Siem Reap 350 km to the north. Gathering firewood along the banks of the river, Lady Penh spied a floating koki tree in the river and fished it from the water. Inside the tree she found four Buddha statues and one of Vishnu.
The discovery was taken as a divine blessing, and to some a sign that the Khmer capital was to be brought to Phnom Penh from Angkor.[citation needed] To house the new-found sacred objects, Penh raised a small hill on the west bank of the Tonle Sap River and crowned it with a shrine, now known as Wat Phnom at the north end of central Phnom Penh. "Phnom" is Khmer for "hill" and Penh's hill took on the name of the founder, and the area around it became known after the hill.
Phnom Penh first became the capital of Cambodia after Ponhea Yat, king of the Khmer Empire, moved the capital from Angkor Thom after it was captured and destroyed by Siam a few years earlier. There is a stupa behind Wat Phnom that houses the remains of Ponhea Yat and the royal family as well as the remaining Buddhist statues from the Angkorean era. In the 17th century, Japanese immigrants also settled on the outskirts of present-day Phnom Penh.[16] A small Portuguese community survived in Phnom Penh until the 17th century, undertaking commercial and religious activity in the country.
Phnom Penh remained the royal capital for 73 years, from 1432 to 1505. It was abandoned for 360 years (from 1505 to 1865) by subsequent kings due to internal fighting between the royal pretenders. Later kings moved the capital several times and established their royal capitals at various locations in Tuol Basan (Srey Santhor), Pursat, Longvek, Lavear Em and Oudong.
It was not until 1866, under the reign of King Norodom I (1860–1904), the eldest son of King Ang Duong, who ruled on behalf of Siam, that Phnom Penh became the permanent seat of government and capital of Cambodia, and also where the current Royal Palace was built. Beginning in 1870, the French colonial authorities turned a riverside village into a city where they built hotels, schools, prisons, barracks, banks, public works offices, telegraph offices, law courts, and health services buildings. In 1872, the first glimpse of a modern city took shape when the colonial administration employed the services of French contractor Le Faucheur to construct the first 300 concrete houses for sale and rental to Chinese traders.
By the 1920s, Phnom Penh was known as the "Pearl of Asia", and over the next four decades, Phnom Penh continued to experience rapid growth with the building of railways to Sihanoukville and Pochentong International Airport (now Phnom Penh International Airport). Phnom Penh's infrastructure saw major modernisation under the rule of Sihanouk.
During the Vietnam War, Cambodia was used as a base by the People's Army of Vietnam and the Viet Cong, and thousands of refugees from across the country flooded the city to escape the fighting between their own government troops, the People's Army of Vietnam, the Viet Cong, the South Vietnamese and their allies, the Khmer Rouge, and American air strikes. By 1975, the population was 2–3 million, the bulk of whom were refugees from the fighting. The Khmer Rouge cut off supplies to the city for more than a year before it fell on April 17, 1975. Reports from journalists stated that the Khmer Rouge shelling "tortured the capital almost continuously", inflicting "random death and mutilation" on millions of trapped civilians. The Khmer Rouge forcibly evacuated the entire city after taking it, in what has been described as a death march: François Ponchaud wrote that "I shall never forget one cripple who had neither hands nor feet, writhing along the ground like a severed worm, or a weeping father carrying his ten-year old daughter wrapped in a sheet tied around his neck like a sling, or the man with his foot dangling at the end of a leg to which it was attached by nothing but skin"; Jon Swain recalled that the Khmer Rouge were "tipping out patients from the hospitals like garbage into the streets....In five years of war, this is the greatest caravan of human misery I have seen". All of its residents, including the wealthy and educated, were evacuated from the city and forced to do difficult labour on rural farms as "new people". Tuol Sleng High School was taken over by Pol Pot's forces and was turned into the S-21 prison camp, where people were detained and tortured. Pol Pot sought a return to an agrarian economy and therefore killed many people perceived as educated, "lazy" or political enemies. Many others starved to death as a result of failure of the agrarian society and the sale of Cambodia's rice to China in exchange for bullets and weaponry. The former high school is now the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, where Khmer Rouge torture devices and photos of their victims are displayed. Choeung Ek (The Killing Fields), 15 kilometersaway, where the Khmer Rouge marched prisoners from Tuol Sleng to be murdered and buried in shallow pits, is also now a memorial to those who were killed by the regime.
The Khmer Rouge were driven out of Phnom Penh by the People's Army of Vietnam in 1979, and people began to return to the city. Vietnam is historically a state with which Cambodia has had many conflicts, therefore this liberation was and is viewed with mixed emotions by the Cambodians. A period of reconstruction began, spurred by the continuing stability of government, attracting new foreign investment and aid by countries including France, Australia, and Japan. Loans were made from the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to reinstate a clean water supply, roads and other infrastructure. The 1998 Census put Phnom Penh's population at 862,000; and the 2008 census was 1.3 million. By 2019, its population reached over 2.2 million, based on general population census.
GEOGRAPHICS
Phnom Penh is in the south-central region of Cambodia, and is fully surrounded by Kandal Province. The municipality is on the banks of the Tonlé Sap, Mekong, and Bassac Rivers. These rivers provide freshwater and other natural resources to the city. Phnom Penh and the surrounding areas consist of a typical flood plain area for Cambodia. Although Phnom Penh is at 11.89 metres above the river, monsoon season flooding is a problem, and the river sometimes overflows its banks.
The city, at 11.55°N 104.91667°E (11°33' North, 104°55' East), covers an area of 678.46 square kilometres, with some 11,401 hectares in the municipality and 26,106 ha of roads. The agricultural land in the municipality amounts to 34.685 km2 with some 1.476 km2 under irrigation.
CLIMATE
Phnom Penh has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen climate classification Aw). The climate is hot year-round with only minor variations. Temperatures typically range from 22 to 35 °C and weather is subject to the tropical monsoons. The southwest monsoon blows inland bringing moisture-laden winds from the Gulf of Thailand and Indian Ocean from May to November. The northeast monsoon ushers in the dry season, which lasts from December to April. The city experiences the heaviest precipitation from September to October with the driest period in January and February.
The city has two distinct seasons. The rainy season, which runs from May to November, sees high temperatures accompanied by high humidity. The dry season lasts from December to April; when overnight temperatures can drop to 22 °C.
ADMINISTRATION
Phnom Penh is a municipality of area 678.46 square kilometres with a government status equal to that of Cambodian provinces. The municipality is divided into 14 administrative divisions called khans (districts). The district s are subdivided into 105 sangkats (communes), and further subdivided into 953 phums (villages). All khans are under the governance of the Phnom Penh Municipality. Dangkao, Meanchey, Porsenchey, Sen Sok and Russei Keo are considered the outskirts of the city.
The municipality is governed by the governor who acts as the top executive of the city as well as overseeing the Municipal Military Police, Municipal Police, and Bureau of Urban Affairs. Below the governor is the first vice governor and five vice governors. The chief of cabinet, who holds the same status as the vice governors, heads the cabinet consisting of eight deputy chiefs of cabinet who in turn are in charge of the 27 administrative departments. Every khan (district) also has a chief.
DEMOGRAPHICS
As of 2019, Phnom Penh had a population of 2,129,371 people, with a total population density of 3,136 inhabitants per square kilometre in a 679 square kilometres city area. The population growth rate of the city is 3.92%. The city area has grown fourfold since 1979, and the metro area will continue to expand in order to support the city's growing population and economy.
A survey by the National Institute of Statistics in 2017 showed that 95.3% of the population in Phnom Penh are Khmer, 4% Chams, and 0.7% others, predominantly Chinese, Vietnamese, and other small ethnic groups who are Thai, Budong, Mnong Preh, Kuy and Chong. The state religion is Theravada Buddhism. More than 90% of the people in Phnom Penh are Buddhists. Chams have been practicing Islam for hundreds of years. Since 1993, there has also been an increase in the practice of Christianity which was practically wiped out after 1975 when the Khmer Rouge took over. The official language is Khmer, but English and French are widely used in the city.
The number of slum-inhabitants at the end of 2012 was 105,771, compared with 85,807 at the start of 2012.
Note: As stated in the "History" paragraph (The 1998 Census put Phnom Penh's population at 862,000; and the 2008 census was 1.3 million.) the information collides with the information provided in the "Historical population" table. Needs editing.
POLITIC
Phnom Penh is allocated 12 seats in the National Assembly, making it the largest constituency.
ECONOMY
Phnom Penh is Cambodia's economic centre as it accounts for a large portion of the Cambodian economy. Double-digit economic growth rates in recent years have triggered an economic boom in Phnom Penh, with new hotels, restaurants, schools, bars, high rises and residential buildings springing up in the city.
The economy is based on commercial interests such as garments, trading, and small and medium enterprises. In the past few years the property business has been booming, with rapidly increasing real estate prices. Tourism is also a major contributor in the capital as more shopping and commercial centres open, making Phnom Penh one of the major tourist destinations in South East Asia along with Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, tourism made up 19.2 percent (US$2,053 million) of Cambodia's GDP in 2009 and accounts for 13.7 percent of total employment. One of the most popular areas in Phnom Penh for tourists is Sisowath Quay, alongside the Tonle Sap River. Sisowath Quay is a five kilometre strip of road that includes restaurants, bars, and hotels.
The US$2.6 billion new urban development, Camko City, is meant to bolster the city landscape. The Bureau of Urban Affairs of Phnom Penh Municipality has plans to expand and construct new infrastructure to accommodate the growing population and economy. High rise buildings will be constructed at the entrance of the city and near the lakes and riverbanks. Furthermore, new roads, canals, and a railway system will be used to connect Camko City and Phnom Penh.
Other projects include:
Grand Phnom Penh International City (under construction)
De Castle Royal Condominium (Completed)
Gold Tower 42 (On hold 32 floors construction begins again in the mid of 2018)
OCIC Tower (Completed)
Kokling super second floor house
Vattanac Capital Tower (completed)
The Bridge (Completed)
The Peak (under construction)
With booming economic growth seen since the 1990s, new shopping venues have opened, such as Sorya Center Point, Aeon Mall Phnom Penh, Aeon Mall Sen Sok City and Olympia Mall. Many international brands have opened such as Mango, Salvatore Ferragamo, Hugo Boss, Padini Concept Store, Lily, Timberland, Jimmy Choo, CC Double O, MO, Brands Outlet, Nike, Converse, Pony, Armani Exchange, and Super Dry.
The tallest skyscraper in Phnom Penh is Vattanac Capital Tower at a height of 188 metres, dominating Phnom Penh's skyline with its neighbour skyscraper Canadia Tower (OCIC Tower). The tower was completed in December 2014. Modern high rises have been constructed all around the city, not concentrated in any one particular area.
The Central Market Phsar Thmei is a tourist attraction. The four wings of the yellow colored market are teeming with numerous stalls selling gold and silver jewelry, antique coins, clothing, clocks, flowers, food, fabrics and shoes. Phsar Thmei is undergoing under a major renovation, along with the creation of newer stalls.
ADMINISTRATION
Phnom Penh is a municipality of area 678.46 square kilometres with a government status equal to that of Cambodian provinces. The municipality is divided into 14 administrative divisions called khans (districts). The district s are subdivided into 105 sangkats (communes), and further subdivided into 953 phums (villages). All khans are under the governance of the Phnom Penh Municipality. Dangkao, Meanchey, Porsenchey, Sen Sok and Russei Keo are considered the outskirts of the city.
The municipality is governed by the governor who acts as the top executive of the city as well as overseeing the Municipal Military Police, Municipal Police, and Bureau of Urban Affairs. Below the governor is the first vice governor and five vice governors. The chief of cabinet, who holds the same status as the vice governors, heads the cabinet consisting of eight deputy chiefs of cabinet who in turn are in charge of the 27 administrative departments. Every khan (district) also has a chief.
DEMOGRAPHICS
As of 2019, Phnom Penh had a population of 2,129,371 people, with a total population density of 3,136 inhabitants per square kilometre in a 679 square kilometres city area. The population growth rate of the city is 3.92%. The city area has grown fourfold since 1979, and the metro area will continue to expand in order to support the city's growing population and economy.
A survey by the National Institute of Statistics in 2017 showed that 95.3% of the population in Phnom Penh are Khmer, 4% Chams, and 0.7% others, predominantly Chinese, Vietnamese, and other small ethnic groups who are Thai, Budong, Mnong Preh, Kuy and Chong. The state religion is Theravada Buddhism. More than 90% of the people in Phnom Penh are Buddhists. Chams have been practicing Islam for hundreds of years. Since 1993, there has also been an increase in the practice of Christianity which was practically wiped out after 1975 when the Khmer Rouge took over. The official language is Khmer, but English and French are widely used in the city.
The number of slum-inhabitants at the end of 2012 was 105,771, compared with 85,807 at the start of 2012.
Note: As stated in the "History" paragraph (The 1998 Census put Phnom Penh's population at 862,000; and the 2008 census was 1.3 million.) the information collides with the information provided in the "Historical population" table.
POLITIC
Phnom Penh is allocated 12 seats in the National Assembly, making it the largest constituency.
ECONOMY
Phnom Penh is Cambodia's economic centre as it accounts for a large portion of the Cambodian economy. Double-digit economic growth rates in recent years have triggered an economic boom in Phnom Penh, with new hotels, restaurants, schools, bars, high rises and residential buildings springing up in the city.
The economy is based on commercial interests such as garments, trading, and small and medium enterprises. In the past few years the property business has been booming, with rapidly increasing real estate prices. Tourism is also a major contributor in the capital as more shopping and commercial centres open, making Phnom Penh one of the major tourist destinations in South East Asia along with Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, tourism made up 19.2 percent (US$2,053 million) of Cambodia's GDP in 2009 and accounts for 13.7 percent of total employment. One of the most popular areas in Phnom Penh for tourists is Sisowath Quay, alongside the Tonle Sap River. Sisowath Quay is a five kilometre strip of road that includes restaurants, bars, and hotels.
The US$2.6 billion new urban development, Camko City, is meant to bolster the city landscape. The Bureau of Urban Affairs of Phnom Penh Municipality has plans to expand and construct new infrastructure to accommodate the growing population and economy. High rise buildings will be constructed at the entrance of the city and near the lakes and riverbanks. Furthermore, new roads, canals, and a railway system will be used to connect Camko City and Phnom Penh.
Other projects include:
Grand Phnom Penh International City (under construction)
De Castle Royal Condominium (Completed)
Gold Tower 42 (On hold 32 floors construction begins again in the mid of 2018)
OCIC Tower (Completed)
Kokling super second floor house
Vattanac Capital Tower (completed)
The Bridge (Completed)
The Peak (under construction)
With booming economic growth seen since the 1990s, new shopping venues have opened, such as Sorya Center Point, Aeon Mall Phnom Penh, Aeon Mall Sen Sok City and Olympia Mall. Many international brands have opened such as Mango, Salvatore Ferragamo, Hugo Boss, Padini Concept Store, Lily, Timberland, Jimmy Choo, CC Double O, MO, Brands Outlet, Nike, Converse, Pony, Armani Exchange, and Super Dry.
The tallest skyscraper in Phnom Penh is Vattanac Capital Tower at a height of 188 metres, dominating Phnom Penh's skyline with its neighbour skyscraper Canadia Tower (OCIC Tower). The tower was completed in December 2014. Modern high rises have been constructed all around the city, not concentrated in any one particular area.
The Central Market Phsar Thmei is a tourist attraction. The four wings of the yellow colored market are teeming with numerous stalls selling gold and silver jewelry, antique coins, clothing, clocks, flowers, food, fabrics and shoes. Phsar Thmei is undergoing under a major renovation, along with the creation of newer stalls.
CULTURE
Phnom Penh also has its own dialect of Khmer. Speakers of the Phnom Penh dialect often elide syllables, which has earned it a reputation for being lazy speech. Phnom Penh is also known for its influence on New Khmer Architecture. Phnom Penh is notable for Ka tieu Phnom Penh, its variation on rice noodle soup, a dish available in sit-down cafes as well as street cafes.
The city hosts a number of music events throughout the city. 'Indie' bands (those without corporate sponsors) have grown in number due also in part to the emergence of private music schools such as SoundsKool Music (also operating in the city of Siem Reap), and Music Arts School (registered as an NGO). The Cambodian fishing dance originated in Phnom Penh at the Royal University of Fine Arts in the 1960s.
The two most visited museums in the city are the National Museum, which is the country's leading historical and archaeological museum, and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former Khmer Rouge prison. The National Museum hosts celebrations of Cambodian dance and music, including a popular classic Apsara dance show of traditional folk dances as well as original creations.
CAMBODIAN NEW YEAR
At this time, Phnom Penh celebrates Cambodian New Year, an occasion increasingly popular with tourists. During this typically hottest part of the year, water gets thrown around adding to the party atmosphere along with dancing and music. The precise date changes year-by-year but this holiday lasts, at least, three days. This festival marks the turn of the year based on the ancient Khmer calendar and also marks the end of the prior year harvest.
WATER FESTIVAL
The largest annual festival in Phnom Penh, this lively gathering celebrates the reversing of the flow of the Tonlé Sap River. The holiday lasts three days as people flood into the city to enjoy the fireworks, boat races, live concerts, eating and partying. The boat racing dates back to ancient times marking the strengths of the Khmer marine forces during the Khmer Empire.
On November 22, 2010, at least 348 people were crushed to death in a bridge stampede at the festival.
ANCESTORS DAY
Ancestors' Day, also called Pchum Ben, is a very important aspect of Cambodian culture. It may be translated as "gathering together" to make offerings and is a time of reunion, commemoration, express love and appreciation for one's ancestors. By offering food and good karma to those possibly trapped in the spirit world, living relatives help assuage their misery and guide them back into the cycle of reincarnation.
VISAK BOCHEA
Vesākha is an annual holiday observed traditionally by Buddhists in Cambodia. Sometimes informally called "Buddha's Birthday", it actually encompasses the birth, enlightenment (nirvāṇa), and passing away (Parinirvāna) of Gautama Buddha.
CITYSCAPE AND ARCHITECTURE
The oldest structure is Wat Phnom from the founding days of the city, constructed in 1373. The main tourist attractions are the Royal Palace with the Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum, constructed during the French colonial era in the late-19th century in the classical Khmer style and hosting a vast collection of Khmer antiquities. The Independence Monument (Khmer: Vimean Akareach), although from the 1950s, is also constructed in the ancient Khmer style.
The French, who were the colonial masters from the 19th century to the 1940s, also left their mark, with various colonial villas, French churches, boulevards, and the Art Deco market Phsar Thom Thmei. A notable landmark of the colonial era is the Hotel Le Royal.
Starting with independence from the French in the 1950s and lasting until the era of the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s, Phnom Penh underwent tremendous growth as the capital city of a newly independent country. King Sihanouk was eager to present a new style of architecture and thus invigorate the process of nation building. A new golden era of architecture took off, with various projects and young Khmer architects, often educated in France, given opportunities to design and construct. This new movement was called "New Khmer Architecture" and was often characterised by a fusion of Bauhaus, European post-modern architecture, and traditional elements from Angkor. The most prominent architect was Vann Molyvann, who was nominated chief national architect by the king himself in 1956. Molyvann created landmark buildings such as the Preah Suramarit National Theatre and the Council of Ministers building. Other architects helped construct the newly founded Royal Khmer University, the Institute of Foreign Languages, and the National Sports Centre. With the growth of the upper and entrepreneurial middle classes, new suburbs were built in the 1950s and 1960s. Although these buildings survived the Khmer Rouge era and the civil war, today they are under threat due to economic development and financial speculation. Villas and gardens from that era are being destroyed and redeveloped to make place for bigger structures. The landmark National Theatre by Molyvann was razed in 2008 A movement is rising in Cambodia to preserve this modernist heritage. Old villas are sometimes being converted into boutique hotels, such as the Knai Bang Chatt.
Monuments and memorials to the genocide of the Khmer Rouge era in the 1970s are the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (a former high school used as a concentration camp) and, on the outskirts of the city, the Choeung Ek Genocide Center. The Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Monument was commissioned by the Vietnamese communists as symbol of Khmer-Vietnamese friendship during the late-1970s following the liberation of Cambodia from the Khmer Rouge.
The population, foreign investment, and urban development in Phnom Penh grew dramatically during the 1990s and early-2000s. The rapid growth resulted in the city's infrastructure distinctly lacking (the drainage system is particularly notorious, and Phnom Penh frequently floods during the wet season), and a need for both residential and commercial spaces. The simultaneous demand for residential and commercial housing and the increase of international investment has led to the planning, if not construction, of several satellite cities. The largest of these cities are: Grand Phnom Penh International City, CamKo City, Diamond Island City, Boeung Kak Town, and Chruy Cangva City.
On the outskirts of the city, farmland has been developed into garment factories and housing for lower economic classes and those displaced by the new development in the city center.
2035 MASTER PLAN
Originally intended to be completed by 2020, the 2035 master plan is a French-funded project for the development of Phnom Penh. Although the plan was approved by the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction in 2005, it has yet to be ratified by the Cabinet of Cambodia. The original plan details five edge-city projects connected to the historical city centre by waterways and tree-lined corridors.
SPORT
The martial arts of Bokator, Pradal Serey (Khmer kick boxing) and Khmer traditional wrestling have venues in Phnom Penh watched by dedicated spectators. Cambodia has increasingly become involved in modern sports over the last 30 years. As with the rest of the country, football and the martial arts are particularly popular. Ultimate fighting and freestyle boxing have also become more common in recent years.
The most prominent sporting venue in the city is the Phnom Penh National Olympic Stadium with a capacity of 50,000—although the country never hosted the Olympic Games due to disruption by the civil war and the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. Built in 1964, it is home to the Cambodian national football team. On completion the stadium was one of the largest in Asia. Volleyball, basketball, and Tai-Kwon-Do games are often hosted at the stadium. The stadium closed in 2000, but was redeveloped and reopened.
In footballing ventures, Phnom Penh is formally represented by Phnom Penh Crown FC despite being home to numerous football teams who plays in the Cambodian League. Including Visakha, Nagaworld, Boeungket and the aforementioned Phnom Penh Crown, amongst many others.
The National Sports Centre of Cambodia hosts swimming, boxing, and volleyball competitions. Noted local football clubs include Phnom Penh Empire, Khemara Keila FC and Military Police. The city will host the 2023 Southeast Asian Games and the 2023 ASEAN Para Games, this will mark the first time that Cambodia has hosted a multi-sport event.
TRANSPORT
Phnom Penh International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in Cambodia. It is seven kilometres west of central Phnom Penh. The airport is connected to the city center by taxi, train, and shuttle bus.
Cambodia's national flag carrier, Cambodia Angkor Air, launched in 2009, is headquartered in Phnom Penh and has its main hub there, with an additional hub at the Angkor International Airport.
Air France used to serve Phnom Penh from Paris-Charles de Gaulle but this service has since stopped. Qatar Airways now flies to and from Phnom Penh, via Ho Chi Minh City.
Taxis, pick-ups, and minibuses leave the city for destinations all over the country, but are fast losing ground to cheaper and more comfortable buses. Phnom Penh also has a rail service.
There are numerous bus companies, including Phnom Penh Public Transport and GST Express, running services to most provincial capitals, including Sihanoukville, Kampong Chhnang, Oudong and Takéo. Phnom Penh Sorya Transport Co. offers bus service to several provincial destinations along the National Routes and to Ho Chi Minh City. Giant Ibis is another bus company based in Phnom Penh, which travels to Sihanoukville, Kampot, Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh, and has free Wi-Fi, air conditioning and modest pricing.
The city is Cambodia's main freshwater port, a major port on the Mekong River. It is linked to the South China Sea, 290 kilometres distant, via a channel of the Mekong in Vietnam.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Phnom Penh is served by air conditioned public buses. Initial attempts by the Japanese government to develop a Phnom Penh bus service began in 2001. An update of the JICA urban transport master plan for Phnom Penh was completed and implemented in 2014. The city is now served by 17 bus lines, operated by the Phnom Penh municipal government. Private transportation within the city include the cycle rickshaw, known in Khmer as "cyclo", the motorcycle taxi known in Khmer as "moto", the auto rickshaw known locally as "tuk-tuk", the trailer attached to a motorcycle taxi known in Khmer as "remorque", and the standard automobile taxicab known in Khmer as "taxi". Private forms of transportation used by locals include bicycles, motorbikes, and cars.
WATER SUPPLY
Water supply in Phnom Penh has improved dramatically in terms of access, service quality, efficiency, cost recovery and governance between 1993 and 2006. The number of customers has increased ninefold, service quality has improved from intermittent to continuous supply, water losses have been cut dramatically and the city's water utility went from being bankrupt to making a modest profit. These achievements were recognized through international awards such as the 2006 Ramon Magsaysay Award and the 2010 Stockholm Industry Water Award. The city's water utility is the Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA). Its main water sources are the Mekong River, the Tonle Sap river and the Tonle Bassac river.
WIKIPEDIA
Fictional background info for the rocket:
This ship is the forerunner for all of the other Lego space ships: in 1970, this crucial piece of history launched from LegoLand Space Port for a mission to the moon. This was very soon after the failed 1965 launch of 801 series Space Rocket ( brickset.com/sets/801-3/Space-Rocket ), which killed the the brave crew of Kat Aclysm: female rocket science genius and designer of the experimental ship, and Abraham "Abe" Normal, the best test pilot in the academy. Their deaths at the Samsonite launch pad were not in vain though, as the newly founded LegoLand Aero-Space Authority (renamed Classic Space Command in 1978) rebuilt their reputation as the premier brick-built space agency by launching the "Innovator", also known as LL001 which in early August 1969 made history as the first mini figure - built object on the moon! This rocket and it's crew (Bill Fold, Penny Wise, and S1L-V3R the robot) made history with their two days on the moon's surface, providing the foundations for the Classic Space Moon-base series of missions.
Petri FTE with Petri C.C auto EE 2.8/35
SLR for 35mm film with shutter priority automatic exposure and manual mode, bayonet lens mount with breech lock. It was introduced in 1973 as follower of the Petri FT EE (1969-1973) and forerunner of the FA-1 (1975-1977), which are basically the same cameras. The dedicated lenses which are required for the automatic exposure are bearing the designation "EE". Lenses without "EE", e.g. from the Petri FT or FT II which were offered parallel, can be used, but only with stop-down metering.
Undoubtedly Petri can be called a "small" manufacturer and its products had a lower price level, so it is understandable, that the cameras aren't high-end products. In this case the mirror is somewhat small and the viewfinder is not really brilliant. On the other hand the camera feels solid, the chrome finish is excellent and the shutter sound is impressively strong. In addition Petri offers an exclusive design: in the bottom of the body works a camshaft instead a mess of levers to tension the shutter, mirror, etc.
Operating the film advance lever switches on the exposure meter, after the exposure it will be off again. In the viewfinder is a f-stop scale with red under/over-exposure areas at its ends, a needle indicates the f-stop for the correct exposure. If the aperture ring on the lens is set to EE, the indicated f-stop will be used automatically. If a certain f-stop is chosen, this will be used, independent from the position of the needle.
You can use every lens you can mount to the camera with stop-down-metering: EE-lenses, not-EE-lenses and lenses with M42-thread, which can be mounted with an adapter Petri provided. The only requirement is, that the aperture can be closed manually. Petri bayonet lenses have an A/M-switch, which has to be set to M. Then you can select shutter speed and f-stop until the needle in the viewfinder matches the red dot beside the "2.8".
The A/M switch also allows you a depth-of-field preview.
As many other Petri cameras my exemplar has a characteristic quirk. On longer shutter speeds the shutter acts like in "B"-mode: it remains open as long the shutter button is pressed down. If the shutter button is released, the set shutter speed runs and the shutter closes. This will not happen, if the self-timer is used.
Another note: if you are cleaning the eyepiece, don't use too much force, you can easily push the glass into the camera.
Some specs:
* Shutter speeds: 1/2 to 1/500 s and B
* Focal plane shutter, traveling horizontally
* ISO range: 25 to 800
* Hot shoe and PC-socket
* X-sync 1/45 s, between 1/30 and 1/60
* TTL-metering with 2 CdS-cells, one on each side of the eyepiece
* Size: 142 x 93 x 88 mm
* Weight: 690 g (body)
* Required battery: 1.3 V mercury 675
As a camera with shutter priority AE the FTE needs to set the f-stop of the lens. Most camera manufactures use the lever for the automatic aperture for that, a defined movement of the lever sets the f-stop to the desired value. So the lens must react exactly to the movement and sometimes such prepared lenses have a special name, like Nikon Ai/S (instead of Ai) or Minolta MD (instead of MC). Petri found another solution: there is a smaller, second pin which controls the aperture in EE-mode. The further it is pushed in, the smaller the aperture will be during the exposure. My idea is, that the camera uses the trapped-needle method for automatic exposure, and that the design with the second pin was much easier to realize.
To prevent underexposure the maximum aperture has to be displayed in the viewfinder. Therefor a little cam on the inner bayonet ring shifts the red "underexposure warning area" along the f-stop scale. If the needle is in that red area, the lens is not fast enough for the desired aperture.
My instruction manual lists the following available EE-lenses:
3.5/28, 2.8/35, 1.7/55, 3.8/135, 4/200 and 4.5/85-210
Those lenses were also sold by Photo Porst under the label "Carenar EEB".
History
On March 31, 1913, Faisanterie Buitenlust, the forerunner of the current modern animal park Burgers' Zoo, opens its doors to the public for the first time. Since its foundation by Johan Burgers, the first owner and the one who named the animal park in Arnhem, the park has always remained a real family business.
Already from its inception the zoo caused a sensation due to its daring new organisation, which naturally is in the way the animals' accommodations are shaped as well as in the way the experiences for the visitors are created. Burgers' Zoo has a rich history, which has shaped the zoo into the way it is today, and as you can still find it now in the wooded area just north of Arnhem.
These pictures where taken in;
The largest indoor mangrove in the world
With a surface area of 3,000 square meters, visitors venture into the largest indoor mangrove in the world. From the beach bordering a Belizean town square, the mysterious world that is the mangrove calls. Further inland, the mangrove forest slowly transforms into a tropical dry forest, where hundreds of butterflies in all shapes, sizes, and colours are dancing in the air.
More: www.burgerszoo.com/
Stena Forerunner Ro-Ro cargo ferry moored up at Twelve Quays South.
IMO: 9227259
MMSI: 244030593
Call Sign: PCPG
Flag: Netherlands
AIS Vessel Type: Cargo - Hazard A (Major)
Gross Tonnage: 24688
Deadweight: 12300 t
Length Overall x Breadth Extreme: 195.3m × 26.8m
Year Built: 2003
Status: Active
Registered owner: STENA RORO NAVIGATION LTD
Ship manager: STENA LINE BV
Shipyard: Dalian Shipyard, China
Hull number: RO123-3
Contract date: 1999-11-25
Keel laid: 2000-12-27
Launch: 2001-04-24
Date of build: 2003-08-29
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
Shortly after the end of World War II, the South Korean Air Construction Association was founded on August 10, 1946, to publicize the importance of air power. Despite the then-scanty status of Korean armed forces, the first air unit was formed on May 5, 1948, under the direction of Dong Wi-bu, the forerunner to the modern South Korean Ministry of National Defense. On September 13, 1949, the United States contributed 10 L-4 Grasshopper observation aircraft to the South Korean air unit. An Army Air Academy was founded in January 1949, and the ROKAF was officially founded in October 1949.
The 1950s were a critical time for the ROKAF as it expanded tremendously during the Korean War. At the outbreak of the war, the ROKAF consisted of 1,800 personnel but was equipped with only 20 trainers and liaison aircraft, including 10 North American T-6 Texan advanced trainers purchased from Canada. The North Korean air force had acquired a considerable number of Yak-9 and La-7 fighters from the Soviet Union, dwarfing the ROKAF in terms of size and strength. However, in the course of the war the ROKAF acquired 110 aircraft from the USA which equipped three fighter squadrons and one fighter wing. The first combat aircraft received were North American F-51D Mustangs, along with a contingent of US Air Force instructor pilots, as part of Bout One Project.
From the start of the Korean War, the Mustang proved useful. A "substantial number" of stored or in-service F-51Ds were shipped, via aircraft carriers, to the combat zone, and were used by the USAF, the South African Air Force, and the ROKAF. The F-51 was used for ground attack, fitted with rockets and bombs, and photo reconnaissance, rather than as interceptors or "pure" fighters. However, the losses of the rather fragile Mustang due to AA fire and even through small caliber weapons were high – especially the ventral radiator for the liquid-cooled engine turned out to be highly vulnerable.
After the first North Korean invasion, USAF units were forced to fly from bases in Japan and the F-51Ds, with their long range and endurance, could attack targets in Korea that short-ranged F-80 jets could not. Due to its lighter structure and a shortage of spare parts, the newer, faster F-51H was not used in Korea, and the F-47 Thunderbolt, which would have been better suited for most typical missions over the Korean peninsula, was not available in sufficient numbers to employ them overseas.
Nevertheless, the ROKAF participated with its F-51s in bombing operations and flew independent sorties. The only other suitable piston engine aircraft at hand and available in sufficient numbers was the Vought F4U Corsair. As ROKAF F-51 losses rose, a handful of F4U-4s were transferred in 1952 to fill these operational gaps. These were revamped USN and USMC aircraft from local field workshops that had been damaged and grounded through enemy fire or accidents, replaced in American service with new machines from overseas.
The F4U-4 was the last Corsair variant that had been introduced during WWII, but it only saw action during the final weeks of the conflict. At the outbreak of the Korean War, it was the USN and USMC’s most common carrier-borne aircraft. It had a 2,100 hp (1,600 kW) dual-stage-supercharged -18W engine, and when the cylinders were injected with the water/alcohol mixture, power was boosted to 2,450 hp (1,830 kW). The aircraft required an air scoop under the nose and the unarmored wing fuel tanks of 62 US gal (230 L) capacities were removed for better maneuverability at the expense of maximum range. The partly fabric-covered outer wings from the former Corsair versions were retained. To better cope with the additional power, the propeller was changed to a four-blade type. Maximum speed was increased to 448 miles per hour (721 km/h) and climb rate to over 4,500 feet per minute (1,400 m/min) as opposed to the 2,900 feet per minute (880 m/min) of the F4U-1A. Other detail improvements were introduced with the F4U-4, too: The windscreen was now flat bullet-resistant glass to avoid optical distortion, a change from the curved Plexiglas windscreens with the internal plate glass of the earlier Corsairs. The cockpit hood was furthermore without bracing and slightly bulged, similar to the P-51B/Cs’ Malcolm hood, to give the pilot a better field of view, esp. backwards.
The "4-Hog" retained the original armament of six 0.5” machine guns and had all the external load (i.e., drop tanks, bombs) capabilities of the F4U-1D. A major sub-type, the F4U-4B, was the same but featured an alternate gun armament of four 20 millimeters (0.79 in) AN/M3 cannon, 300 were built. The F4U-4P was a rare photo reconnaissance variant (only eleven were built) with an additional camera compartment in the rear fuselage, but fully combat-capable. The F4U-4 was the oldest active Corsair variant during the Korean War, and new post-WWII variants like the AU-1 for the USMC, optimized for ground attacks and low-level operations, or the F4U-5 and its F4U-5N night fighter sub-variant with onboard radar, were exclusively used by American forces.
The ROKAF Corsairs were constantly and heavily used. They operated primarily as fighter bombers because of the type’s ability to absorb a lot of damage and to carry up to 4,000 lb of ordnance on centerline and underwing pylon racks. The machines, all standard F4U-4s with six machine guns to maintain ammunition commonality with the F-51Ds, were allocated to ROKAF 1 Squadron. They equipped a dedicated attack wing within the unit and were flown by both South Korean and American pilots. To differentiate them from American machines, the first Korean F4U-4s were stripped off of their characteristic allover dark blue paint, received large ROKAF roundels on fuselage and wings and colorful ID-markings. These included a yellow band around the fuselage, a large “K” on the fin, and a red ring around the cowling as a unit identifier. Some machines featured additional individual highlights, like colored fin tips and tail sections, some had the canopy frame painted in individual colors, too, or had taglines (in Hangul writing) added on the flanks.
Major maintenance and repairs were, however, still carried out by American personnel at USMC workshops, so that transfer flights were common practice and limited the number of operational machines to only about half a dozen at a time. As battle damage and losses were frequent, repairs with cannibalized parts from American aircraft and full replacements with revamped or operational American F4U-4s were common – resulting in a large variety of liveries within the unit, as some machine retained the American all-blue paint scheme or received blue replacement parts to speed up repairs.
Due to this practice the exact number of ROKAF Corsairs until the end of hostilities in mid-1953 remains uncertain. However, less than 25 documented complete airframes were supplied in total, and no more than 15 machines were active at any time.
Together with Mustangs, the Corsairs continued flying with USAF, USN, USMC and other ROKAF fighter-bomber units on close support and interdiction missions in Korea until July 1953, when the fighting ended and the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed. By then, most piston engine fighter bombers had been largely replaced by USAF F-84s and by United States Navy (USN) Grumman F9F Panthers. After the war, the ROKAF quickly switched to F-86 Sabre fighters and all ROKAF F4Us were scrapped by late 1953 as they were regarded as outdated and disposable.
General characteristics:
Crew: One
Length: 33 ft 8 in (10.26 m)
Wingspan: 41 ft 0 in (12.50 m)
Height: 14 ft 9 in (4.50 m)
Wing area: 314 sq ft (29.17 m²)
Empty weight: 9,205 lb (4,238 kg)
Gross weight: 14,670 lb (6,654 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 14,533 lb (6,592 kg)
Powerplant:
1× Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W radial engine with 2,100 hp (1,600 kW),
temporary 2,450 hp (1,830 kW) output when boosted with water/alcohol injection,
driving a 4-bladed propeller
Performance:
Maximum speed: 446 mph (717 km/h, 385 kn) at sea level
Cruise speed: 215 mph (346 km/h, 187 kn) at sea level
Stall speed: 89 mph (143 km/h, 77 kn)
Range with internal fuel, clean: 1,005 mi (1,617 km, 873 nmi)
Combat range with max. ordnance: 328 mi (528 km, 285 nmi)
Service ceiling: 41,500 ft (12,600 m)
Rate of climb: 4,360 ft/min (22.1 m/s)
Armament:
6× 0.5 in (12,7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in the outer wings, 400 RPG
11× hardpoints under the wings and the fuselage for a total ordnance of 4,000 pounds,
including drop tanks, up to 8× 5 in (12.7 cm) high velocity aircraft rockets and/or bombs or
napalm tanks of up to 1.000 lb (454 kg) caliber
The kit and its assembly:
This what-if model was spawned from a leftover decal sheet from an Academy F-51D kit, which features markings for South Korean aircraft from the Korean War. This made me wonder if there could have been another type supplied to the South Korean forces beyond the Mustang? A fighter bomber would have made sense, and the P/F-47 was an immediate favorite. However, this was quickly discarded since maintenance and supplies for another type in the theatre would have been very complicated, and the potential, small number would also make no sense. So, I looked for alternatives and eventually settled upon the F4U from American sources. The F4U-4 was chosen because it was the oldest type in service at the time, and from there the model unspun almost naturally.
Another selling point for the F4U-4 was that I had a respective Hobby Boss kit in store without a proper plan yet. Since I did not want to change much about the aircraft to represent a former USN/USMC aircraft, I built the simple Hobby Boss kit almost OOB. Purists will certainly look down upon the toylike Hobby Boss offering – and you must not take a close look, esp. at the interior details. But when you only want a “canvas”, the kit is not too bad. You get fine recessed panels, a clear canopy (over a rudimentary cockpit without leg room but with separate gunsight!) in two pieces and a closed single-piece alternative, and the kit’s construction with good fit leaves almost no seam to sand or fill. The fabric-covered outer wing panels are there, but they are IMHO exaggerated and very deep, as if they had been made from corrugated sheet metal?
The weakest point is the kit’s HVAR armament: It comes with eight unguided missiles that are molded onto their launch rails (with separate tail fins, though), and the gap between the two small pylons that hold the rail under the wing in real life are molded into a single massive and deep piece. These pylons are to be mounted into 2mm wide and just as deep “slots” in the lower wing surface – a very crude and toylike solution. Even though I’d have liked to use the HVARs on the model (after all, it’s supposed to be a fighter bomber), I omitted them altogether and filled up the slots. To keep the attack profile visible, I cut the small pylons off from the OOB drop tanks and replaced them with American 750 lb (340 kg) M117 bombs from the spares bin – they look modern, but they were actually introduced during the Korea War.
Painting and markings:
Well, F4Us handed over from American to Korean units would certainly have left them in their typical all-blue paint scheme, with the “Stars and Bars” simply replaced by the South Korean “yin-yang” symbol and former tactical markings painted over. The ex-American F-51s were handled in a similar fashion, just that they came from overstock in bare metal finish.
To provide the ROKAF F4U with an individual touch I decided to strip the original Navy paint off and give it an NMF with colorful markings similar to the Mustangs. And for a weirdo touch the outer foldable wings would become blue donor parts from an American Corsair, together with a single rudder on the stabilizer.
The bare metal fuselage was painted with Revell 99 (Aluminum), post-shaded with Humbrol 27001 (Matt Aluminum MetalCote); the dark blue sections, including the landing gear, were painted with FS 35042 (Modelmaster 1718), the fabric-covered rudders on the tail with Humbrol 56 (Aluminum Dope). The landing gear wells and the cockpit were painted with Humbrol 80 (Grass Green) to simulate Zinc Chromate primer. To hide the lack of space inside of the cowling its interior walls were painted in a darker shade of green, with a dark grey engine block.
An olive drab anti-glare panel was added in front of the windscreen, the red unit markings on cowling, fin and tail tip were painted with Humbrol 19. The yellow ID fuselage band was created with decal sheet.
The ROKAF roundels came from the aforementioned Academy Mustang kit – and, yes, some ROKAF machines had national markings in six places instead of the US-style four. The tagline on the cowling comes from the same sheet, and it might read “I fly with confidence!” (uncertain, though). The tactical codes were created with single USAF 45° numbers from Superscale aftermarket sheets.
Graphite was used to create soot stains around the gun and the exhaust areas, and Tamiya “Smoke” was used to mimic oil spills from the engine around the forward fuselage. Finally, the kit was sealed with acrylic varnish; the bare metal sections became semi-gloss, the blue areas and the fabric-covered tail sections a slightly more matt finish.
An interesting result – an F4U in NMF looks pretty odd, and with the red and blue sections the Corsair somehow looks like a Reno Racer or a Red Bull heritage aircraft? But the ROKAF Corsair appears pretty plausible in its role and in the Korean War’s time frame: a whif nicely shoehorned into a historic framework. The simple Hobby Boss kit is certainly not the best model of the Corsair, but for a simple “livery variant” it was an O.K. basis, and the result is quite presentable. Just do not look into the cockpit or the landing gear wells.
DBU's forerunner, Decatur Baptist College, was founded in 1898 as the first junior college in Texas. For years, the school called the small town of Decatur home, producing outstanding young men and women who filled churches, classrooms, hospitals, and businesses around the nation.
In 1965, the school relocated to the scenic foothills of southwest Dallas, becoming a four-year institution and eventually being renamed Dallas Baptist University when it began offering graduate-level degrees.
Today, DBU has a variety of degrees on the undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels. Well into our second century, DBU continues to press forward in our mission to produce servant leaders who will transform the world.
The Dallas Baptist Patriots baseball team represents Dallas Baptist University, which is located in Dallas, Texas. The Patriots are an NCAA Division I college baseball program that competes in the Missouri Valley Conference.
- 10 years after DBU won the 2011 Fort Worth Regional, the Patriots clinched the 2021 Fort Worth Regional to send DBU to their second trip to the Super Regionals in school history. DBU's win over Oregon State on June 7 came 10 years and one day after their regional title win over Oral Roberts on June 6, 2011, at Lupton Stadium.
- With DBU's trip to the postseason in 2021, DBU is making their seventh consecutive trip to the NCAA Regionals (excluding the 2020 canceled season). The Patriots are just one of six teams in the country to reach the postseason each year since 2014 joining the likes of Florida, Florida State, LSU, Oklahoma State, and Vanderbilt.
- DBU joined the NCAA Division I ranks in 2004 and became eligible for the postseason in 2006. During that 15-year span (excluding the 2020 season due to COVID), the Patriots have reached the NCAA Regionals 10 times beginning with their first trip in 2008.
- The Patriots have reached the finals in each of their last six trips to the NCAA Regionals beginning with the 2015 Dallas Regional. DBU also reached the finals of the Fort Worth Regional (2017 and 2021), the Lubbock Regional (2016 and 2019), as well as the 2018 Fayetteville Regional.
- The only other time DBU reached the field of 16 came when the Patriots faced the Cal Bears in the 2011 Santa Clara Super Regionals. DBU dropped both games to Cal, ending their dream season just two wins shy of reaching the College World Series.
- DBU will face Virginia for the second time in the postseason. In 2017, the Patriots and Cavaliers met in the Fort Worth Regional. After dropping their first game to the Cavaliers, 6-3, DBU bounced back to eliminate Virginia, 11-8. With the win, the Patriots reached the finals against TCU.
+++ 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 September 1939, the US Army was ill-prepared as far as armored vehicles, training and tactics went. Soon, it became clear that a new model, which could be favorably compared to the European models, had to be studied for mass production. The very early M1 Combat Car was nothing more than a very small tank with two machine guns. Its main purpose was scouting and as such ordered for “cavalry” units. This was in 1937, and became the forerunner of all light tanks to come.
In 1935, a new model, the M2 Light Tank, was designed. At first, it was an immediate upgrade of the M1, but with the heavier .50 (12.7 mm) caliber machine gun, immediately followed by the M2A2 with twin turrets equipped with .30 (7.62 mm) caliber M1919 machine guns. The “Mae West” gave way in 1938 to a small series of M2A3 37 mm (1.45 in) single turret tanks, and then to the final M2A4 in 1940, with improved armor, motorization and equipment. These fought at Guadalcanal with the US Marine Corps, and with the British Army through Lend-Lease, performing well in Burma and India against the Japanese, despite being obsolete.
The following M3 was built under the light of recent events in France. The quick fall of France, due to inadequate tactics, quickly led the US Army Corps to think about a new doctrine, which led to an independent US armored force. From the material point of view, the latest M2A4 and the M3 were both designed to be more effective than only infantry support units, their main duty was scouting and screening.
The M3 was, at first, a simple upgrade of the last M2, with a more powerful Continental petrol engine, a new vertical volute spring suspension system and up to four machine guns in addition to a main, quick-firing M5 (and later M6) 37 mm (1.45 in) anti-tank gun, with a new gun recoil system.
Most of the initial M3 tanks were provided to the British and Commonwealth forces through Lend-Lease. Some were immediately thrown into action in Northern Africa, where they immediately became popular for their speed, sturdiness and reliability. Although the official British designation was “Stuart”, paying homage to Civil War Confederate general J.E.B. Stuart, they found themselves affectuously dubbed “Honey”, because of their smooth ride.
Beyond British and Commonwealth forces, the US Forces used many M3s in their first major operation in the west, the North African invasion in November 1942 (Operation Torch). They had some success against Italian tanks, but were butchered by German 88 mm (3.46 in) artillery and the up-gunned Panzer IIIs and IVs. It was clear that their high profile and the flat squared hull was too vulnerable. However, the M3 was popular, reliable and mobile, and the introduction of a diesel engine in the M3A1 made the small tank even more suitable for reconnaissance missions, so that the British Army asked by late 1941 for a dedicated scout variant that would trade-in the weak cannon armament (and the fourth crewman associated with it) for more mobility and range. This led to the M3A2, better known under the British name “Parsival”, because it was never adopted and operated by the U.S. Army.
The Parsival Mk. I used the standard M3 hull, but the lateral sponsons that formerly housed fixed machine guns were outright deleted in order to save weight and to reduce manufacturing effort as well as frontal area. Another major modification concerned the running gear: in order to improve speed and handling at higher speed, the M3’s vertical springs were replaced by a modified Christie running gear, which consisted of the standard drive wheel at the front, four large road wheels and three return rollers per side. The last pair of road wheels was mounted on trailing swing arms for increased ground contact and also acted as idler wheels. The M3A1’s optional 9-cylinder Guiberson T-1020 diesel became the Parsival’s standard engine, and, beyond the internal tanks, two additional external fuel drums could be mounted to the rear hull, extending range from 100 to 150 miles.
A new cast turret, similar in shape to the airborne M22 Locust tank, was mounted, which had a much lower profile and offered better ballistic protection than the M3’s original turret with vertical side walls. The reduced height was a trade-off for firepower, though: the turret did not carry a full-fledged cannon anymore, only a medium 0.5” (12.7 mm) machine gun as well as a light, coaxial 0.303” (7.62 mm) machine gun, all operated by the commander. The machine gun in the front bow, handled by the radio operator, was retained, and another light machine gun could optionally be mounted on top of the turret against aircraft. The turret was furthermore equipped with a set of two smoke grenade launchers.
Through the different weight saving measures, the Parsival’s weight could be reduced from 12.7 to 10.8 tons, resulting in a slight improvement in overall performance but with a much better handling, esp. when moving off-road.
In the summer of 1942, the first Parsival Mk. Is arrived in the North African theatre of operations where they excelled in their dedicated reconnaissance role. Concerning the standard M3, the British usually kept the Stuarts out of direct tank-to-tank combat, using them primarily for reconnaissance, too. In consequence, the turret was removed from some British M3 examples to save weight and improve speed and range, but these were inferior to the Parsival and became known as "Stuart Recce". Some others were converted to armored personnel carriers known as the "Stuart Kangaroo", and some were converted into command vehicles and known as "Stuart Command".
After the Africa campaign, British Stuarts and Parsival took successfully part in the liberation of Italy. About 500 were produced, 160 of them were delivered to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease, the rest was exclusively operated by the British Army in Europe. Parsivals, M3s, M3A3s, and M5s continued in British service until the end of the war.
Specifications:
Crew: Three (commander, driver, radio operator)
Weight: 10.8 tons
Length: 14ft 2in (4.33 m)
Width: 7ft 4in (2.33 m)
Height: 2.49 metres (8 ft 1 1/2 in)
Suspension: Christie system
Ground clearance: 16.5" (419 mm)
Fuel capacity: 54 US gal (200 l)
Armor:
0.52 - 2 in (13 - 51 mm)
Performance:
Speed:
- Maximum, road: 40 mph (65 km/h)
- Cross country: 22 mph (36 km/h)
Climbing capability:
- 40% side slope and 60% max grade
- Vertical obstacle of 24 inches (61 cm)
- 72 inches (1,8 m) trench crossing
Fording depth: 36 inches (91 cm)
Operational range: 100 ml (160 km) on road with internal fuel
Power/weight: 23.1 hp/t
Engine:
1× Guiberson T-1020 9-cylinder radial diesel engine with a 1,021 cu in (16.73 l) displacement,
delivering 250 hp (190 kW)
Transmission:
Hydramatic, 4 speeds forward, 1 reverse
Armament:
1× 0.5” (12.7) mm M2 machine gun with 900 rounds
3× 0.303” (7,62 mm) M1919A4 machine guns
(co-axial in the turret, in the front bow and as an AA weapon on top of the turret)
with a total of 6,750 rounds
2× smoke dischargers on the turret’s right side
The kit and its assembly:
This M3 conversion was spawned by the idea of a dedicated recce variant of the popular Stuart tank. Originally, I just planned to use the chassis from a Hasegawa 1:72 kit and replace the turret with a smaller option (including lighter armament), I already had organized a resin turret for/from an American T17 “Staghound” WWII recce car. But, as always, you can drive a simple idea easily further, so that I also thought about a different suspension and other modifications that would improve the tank’s agility. This led to a Christie-style running gear and the deletion of the M3’s machine gun sponsons, which were in practice used as storage space after the machine guns had been deleted.
The Staghound turret came from a ModelTrans/Silesian Models conversion set, which also includes a nice commander figure as well as two fuel drums. The sponsons were simply cut away and the gaps filled with 0.5 mm styrene sheet – a small modification, and thanks to the M3’s boxy hull design a simple affair. Only some small PSR on the side wall implants as well as on the mudguards (which are segmented) was necessary, and this modification changes the M3’s look considerably!
The running gear was scratched and more complicated, in particular because assembly and painting had to go hand in hand. The eight road wheels actually come from a 1:72 T-72 tank from ModelCollect, their width perfectly matched the track’s and they had the same size as the M3’s large idler wheel at the rear. The road wheels’ depth just looks a little disturbing, but not implausible. The trailing idler wheel (using the original suspension arm) defined the stance and the other wheels were mounted on plastic rods to the hull, with simulated suspensions arms (styrene profile) behind them. Since the drive and idler wheels’ position effectively remained unchanged, I was able to use the OOB vinyl tracks, which are really smooth and easy to handle. However, this move necessitated to retain the return wheels – I wanted to omit them, for an even more Christie-esque look, but without them the track would have been too long and slacked through, with a lot of space between the tracks and the mudguards. Nevertheless, the return wheels’ position was slightly changed, in order to reflect the modified road wheels’ position. And the whole affair simply looks different from the original, so I am fine with it.
In order to liven the small tank up, I added the fuel drums from the Staghound set to the rear fenders and added some more boxes and folded tarpaulins (made from paper tissue drenched in thinned white glue) on the mudguards, somewhat masking the new side walls from sight. I also mounted the M3’s OOB AA machine gun to the turret.
Painting and markings:
I wanted a Northern Africa paint scheme and at first considered the iconic Caunter scheme, but then I thought that, since this livery was also used on the real British Stuarts, I rather wanted something different.
I eventually settled for a simple two-tone scheme, used on British cruiser tanks like the Crusader as well as on M3 Lee medium tanks of American origin. The basic colors I used are Humbrol 168 (Hemp) for the Light Stone tone, and Humbrol 98 (Chocolate) for the dull, dark brown.
As common practice, the basic colors were separated with thin, white lines in order to emphasize the contrast between them. Sometimes in practice, an additional black line was added, too, but due to the model’s small size I just painted a white line.
Another common practice of the British army, esp. on cruiser tanks with large wheels, was to paint the front and rear road wheels in a uniform, light color, while the wheels between them became dark – an attempt to mimic a lorry, esp. when a light “Sunshield” canopy was mounted over the hull that resembled a truck’s outline.
The model received a light wash with a mix of black, grey and brown, the decals (taken from the OOB sheet) were applied next. Over this came some dry-brushing with light grey and ochre and the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (from the rattle can). Once the tracks were mounted, the lower areas of the tank were finally dusted with a mix of sand and light grey pigments.
Even though the Hasegawa M3 was a simple basis to start with, the conversions, esp. the running gear, were quite challenging. But I like the result a lot: the Parsival looks like a slimmed-down race variant of the M3, just what I wanted to achieve, and the British camouflage suits the small tank well, too – the white contrast line adds an exotic touch.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on authentic facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The forerunners of the Philippine Air Force was the Philippine Militia, otherwise known as Philippine National Guard (PNG). On March 17, 1917 Senate President Manuel L. Quezon enacted a bill (Militia Act 2715) for the creation of the Philippine Militia, in anticipation that there would be an outbreak of hostilities between United States and Germany.
The early aviation unit was lacking enough knowledge and equipment to be considered as an air force and was then limited only to air transport duties. In 1935, Philippine Military Aviation was activated when the 10th Congress passed Commonwealth Act 1494 that provided for the organization of the Philippine Constabulary Air Corps (PCAC). PCAC was renamed as the Philippine Army Air Corps (PAAC) in 1936 and started with only three planes on its inventory. In 1941, PAAC had a total of 54 aircraft including fighters and light bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, light transport and trainers. They later engaged the Japanese when they invaded the Philippines in 1941–42, and were reformed in 1945 after the country's liberation.
The PAF became a separate military service on July 1, 1947, and the main aircraft type became the P-51 Mustang, flown from 1947 to 1959. Ground attack missions were flown against various insurgent groups, with aircraft hit by ground fire but none shot down. The Mustangs would be replaced by the jet-powered North American F-86 Sabres in the late 1950s, assisted by Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star and Beechcraft T-34 Mentor trainers.
During the 70s, the PAF was actively providing air support for the AFP campaign against the MNLF forces in Central Mindanao, aside from doing the airlifting duties for troop movements from Manila and Cebu to the warzone. In late 1977, the Philippine government purchased 35 secondhand U.S. Navy F-8Hs that had been stored at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona. Twenty-five of them were refurbished by Vought and the remaining 10 were used for spare parts. As part of the deal, the U.S. would train Philippine pilots in using the (only) TF-8A, and they were mostly used for intercepting Soviet bombers. The F-8s were grounded in 1988 and were finally withdrawn from service in 1991 after they were badly damaged by the Mount Pinatubo eruption, and have since been offered for sale as scrap.
This left the PAF with the F-5 Freedom Fighter as the only jet-powered combat aircraft. The Philippine Air Force acquired 37 F-5A and F-5B from 1965 to 1998 (from Taiwan and South Korea). The F-5A/Bs were used by the 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Cobras) of the 5th Fighter Wing and the Blue Diamonds aerobatic team. The F-5s also underwent an upgrade which equipped it with surplus AN/APQ-153 radars with significant overhaul at the end of the 1970s to stretch their service lives another 15 years.
Since the retirement of the Northrop F-5s in September 2005, the Philippine Air Force was left without any fighter jets and thus also without any serious air cover, considerably weakening the countries position in the region. Financial constraints prevented the procurement of refurbished F-16A/Bs from US surplus stocks, so that the PAF initially resorted to Aermacchi S-211 trainer jets to fill the void left by the F-5's. These S-211's were later upgraded to light attack capability and used for air and sea patrol and also performed counter-insurgency operations from time to time. Apart from these trainers, the only active fixed wing aircraft to fill the roles were SF-260 trainers with light attack capability, and a handful of obsolete OV-10 Bronco light attack and reconnaissance aircraft.
With rising tensions and frequent incidents with Chinese forces, however, the PAF settled upon the “Flight Plan 2028”, a long-term modernization and procurement plan. One of the first investments in order to re-build the PAF’s jet fighter force was eventually settled in 2010, when the Philippines started negotiations with Israel to purchase refurbished IAI Kfir fighter-bombers. In August 2012 Israel Aerospace Industries officially announced that it would deliver twenty-one pre-owned Kfir fighter jets to the Philippines, with a 40-year guarantee and a supply of Python 4 IR-homing AAMs, at a rumored unit price of USD $20 million - a price that represents 1/3 the cost of a brand new fighter with similar capability, but without the weaponry.
These machines were Kfir C.10s, a variant developed especially for export, basically an updated C.7. The aircraft for the Philippines received the designation C.10P in order to reflect the new operator’s specifications. The most important changes of the C.10 update were the adaptation of an Elta EL/M-2032 multi-role radar and the integration of two 127×177mm MFDs in the cockpit.
The EL/M-2032 is an advanced Multimode Airborne Fire Control Radar designed for multi-mission fighters, oriented for both air-to-air and strike missions. Modular hardware design, software control and flexible avionic interfaces ensure that the radar can be installed in a wide range of existing fighter aircraft (such as F-16, F-5, Mirage, Harrier variants, F-4, MiG-21, etc.), and it can be customized to meet specific user requirements.
The EL/M-2032 greatly enhances the Air-to-Air, Air-to-Ground and Air-to-Sea capabilities of the aircraft, even though the PAF’s machines did not feature the optional Helmet Mounted Display System (as installed on board of the upgraded Ecuadorean Kfir C.10s). In the Air-to-Air modes, the radar enables long-range target detection and tracking for weapon delivery or automatic target acquisition in close combat engagements. The EL/M-2032 has a maximum range of 150 km and can detect and track an aerial target with a 1m² radar reflection surface equivalent at 100 km. Up to 64 aerial targets can be tracked at the same time, and this information can be shared with other aircraft, including the status which aircraft actually tracks which target.
In Air-to-Ground missions, the radar provided very high-resolution mapping (SAR), surface target detection and tracking over RBM, DBS and SAR maps in addition to A/G ranging. In Air-to-Sea missions, the radar provided long-range target detection and tracking, including target classification capabilities (RS, ISAR).
The first Kfir C.10Ps were quickly delivered, and in September 2014 the PAF’s 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron “Cobras” at Basa AB was reformed, the unit which had formerly operated the country’s last F-5s until 2005. Despite the type’s multirole capability, the Filipino Kfirs primarily fulfill interceptor and air patrol tasks against intrusions into Philippine airspace. Their prime task is to act as a general repellant against Chinese aggressions in the South China Sea, esp. in defense of the Scarborough Shoal fishing ground that Manila claims as part of its territorial waters.
Since 2015, the PAF’s jet fighter force has also been augmented by supersonic FA-50 trainers, procured from South Korea, and the PAF’s updated “Flight Plan 2028” lists another 16 Kfirs C.10Ps (including four TC.10P two-seaters), as well as more FA-50s, planned for the future.
Since their introduction the FAP’s Kfirs frequently intercepted Chinese and Russian reconnaissance aircraft (typically Y-8 maritime patrol aircraft, but also H-6 missile strike bombers and reconnaissance aircraft) over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, even though with no serious confrontations so far.
Beyond these standard duties, the PAF’s new type also took part in several other deployments: On 26 January 2017, two Philippine Air Force Kfir C.10s demonstrated their strike capabilities for the first time and conducted a nighttime attack on terrorist hideouts in Butig, Lanao del Sur province in Mindanao, the first “hot” combat sortie flown by these aircraft. In June 2017, Kfirs and FA-50s were sent out to conduct airstrikes against Maute terrorists entrenched in the city of Marawi, starting in May 2017.
General characteristics:
Crew: One
Length: 15.65 m (51 ft 4¼ in)
Wingspan: 8.22 m (26 ft 11½ in)
Height: 4.55 m (14 ft 11¼ in)
Wing area: 34.8 m² (374.6 sq ft)
Empty weight: 7,285 kg (16,060 lb)
Loaded weight: 11,603 kg (25,580 lb) two 500 L drop tanks, two AAMs
Max. takeoff weight: 16,200 kg (35,715 lb)
Powerplant:
1× IAl Bedek-built General Electric J-79-J1E turbojet with a dry thrust of 52.9 kN (11,890 lb st)
and 79.62 kN (17,900 lb st) thrust with afterburner
Performance:
Maximum speed: 2,440 km/h (2 Mach, 1,317 knots, 1,516 mph) above 11,000 m (36,000 ft)
Combat radius: 768 km (415 nmi, 477 mi) in ground attack role, with, hi-lo-hi profile, seven 500 lb
bombs, two AAMs, two 1,300 L drop tanks
Maximum range: 3,232 km (2,008 miles, 1744 nm), high profile, with two 1,300 L drop tank
Service ceiling: 22,860 m (75,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 233 m/s (45,950 ft/min)
Armament:
2× Rafael-built 30 mm (1.18 in) DEFA 553 cannons, 140 RPG
9× hardpoints for a total payload of 5,775 kg (12,730 lb), including an assortment of unguided
air-to-ground rockets, guided missiles (AIM-9 Sidewinders, Shafrir or Python-series AAMs; Shrike
ARMs and AGM-65 Maverick ASMs) or bombs such as the Mark 80 series, Paveway and Griffin
LGBs, SMKBs,TAL-1 OR TAL-2 CBUs, BLU-107 Matra Durandal, reconnaissance pods or Drop tanks
The kit and its assembly:
Like many of my what-if models, this one is rooted in real life. AFAIK, the PAF actually considered the procurement of refurbished, ex-Israeli Kfirs after the purchase of 2nd hand F-16s had turned out to be too costly – but even the Kfir deal did not materialize due to budgetary restrictions. However, whifworld can change this… And eventually, the PAF procured the South Korean FA-50 Golden Eagle multi-role advanced trainer.
The kit is the Italeri Kfir C.2/7, a sound and priceworthy offering, but it comes with some inherent flaws - the alternative Hasegawa kit is IMHO much easier to build, even though it is not much more detailed. Problem zones of the Italeri kit include the complex intersection between the air intakes, wings and the fuselage (nothing fits well, gaps galore!), ejector pin markings on the landing gear and on the wheels, sinkholes on the wings’ upper side towards the leading edges and the cockpit tub as a whole, which seems to stem from a different kit - including the dashboard, which is too wide, too.
In order to keep things simple and plausible, the kit was mostly built OOB, which is in itself enough work, with only a few cosmetic changes:
- a new nose section with a bigger radome from the scrap box and transplanted chines and pitot
- replacement of the early OOB Shafrir AAMs with Python AAMs, left over from a Trumpeter J-8
- additional/modified antennae and air sensors, including a RHAWS sensor at the top of the fin
- a refueling probe above the right air intake, from a Harrier GR.3, modified
- a Martin Baker ejection seat and some cockpit interior details
Painting and markings:
Since the fictional PAF Kfirs were to be primarily operated in the interceptor role, I gave the aircraft an air superiority scheme. Inspiration was taken from the type’s predecessor, the PAF’s F-8 Crusaders and their late Eighties livery, a wraparound scheme in two grey tones, coupled with low-viz (black) markings.
I actually used the F-8 camouflage pattern as benchmark and tried to adapt it to the delta-wing Kfir, but this eventually ended in almost complete improvisation. The colors are – based on visual impressions of some PAF Crusaders rather than on hard facts (since these turned out to be quite contradictive and/or implausible) – FS 36440 and 36270, Humbrol 129 and 126, respectively. The result appears a bit pale and reminds a lot of the French air superiority scheme (which is more bluish, though), but it does not look bad at all.
The radome and other dielectric fairings were slightly set apart from the camouflage tones (with Revell 47). The landing gear as well as the air intake interior were painted in gloss white (Humbrol 22), while the cockpit was painted in Sea Grey (Humbrol 27).
The model only received a light weathering treatment through a black ink washing and some post-shading with slightly lighter tones, since the aircraft would be relatively new in service – even though I have the impression that any PAF aircraft’s exterior quickly suffered under the local climate?
The national markings belong to a Philippine F-5 (a late camouflaged aircraft, hence the insignias’ small size), taken from an Aztec Decal sheet. The modex was created from code markings for a Bréguet Alizé and the cobra emblems on the fin belong to a Malaysian MiG-29 (Begemot sheet). The contemporary USAF-style BuNo for PAF aircraft was created with single decal letters – a fiddly affair.
Only a few stencils were actually taken from the OOB sheet and many of the original red markings were replaced. Most stencils became black and the walkway markings on the wings were replaced by segmented lines from a Mirage 2000.
After some final, very light weathering with graphite the kit was finally sealed with a coat of matt acrylic varnish (Italeri) and completed.
Nothing spectacular, but rather an exotic and still plausible what-if build, rooted in real life. While the paint scheme as such is not outstanding, I must say that the two-tone grey scheme suits the Kfir well, esp. together with the subdued markings.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
Shortly after the end of World War II, the South Korean Air Construction Association was founded on August 10, 1946, to publicize the importance of air power. Despite the then-scanty status of Korean armed forces, the first air unit was formed on May 5, 1948, under the direction of Dong Wi-bu, the forerunner to the modern South Korean Ministry of National Defense. On September 13, 1949, the United States contributed 10 L-4 Grasshopper observation aircraft to the South Korean air unit. An Army Air Academy was founded in January 1949, and the ROKAF was officially founded in October 1949.
The 1950s were a critical time for the ROKAF as it expanded tremendously during the Korean War. At the outbreak of the war, the ROKAF consisted of 1,800 personnel but was equipped with only 20 trainers and liaison aircraft, including 10 North American T-6 Texan advanced trainers purchased from Canada. The North Korean air force had acquired a considerable number of Yak-9 and La-7 fighters from the Soviet Union, dwarfing the ROKAF in terms of size and strength. However, in the course of the war the ROKAF acquired 110 aircraft from the USA which equipped three fighter squadrons and one fighter wing. The first combat aircraft received were North American F-51D Mustangs, along with a contingent of US Air Force instructor pilots, as part of Bout One Project.
From the start of the Korean War, the Mustang proved useful. A "substantial number" of stored or in-service F-51Ds were shipped, via aircraft carriers, to the combat zone, and were used by the USAF, the South African Air Force, and the ROKAF. The F-51 was used for ground attack, fitted with rockets and bombs, and photo reconnaissance, rather than as interceptors or "pure" fighters. However, the losses of the rather fragile Mustang due to AA fire and even through small caliber weapons were high – especially the ventral radiator for the liquid-cooled engine turned out to be highly vulnerable.
After the first North Korean invasion, USAF units were forced to fly from bases in Japan and the F-51Ds, with their long range and endurance, could attack targets in Korea that short-ranged F-80 jets could not. Due to its lighter structure and a shortage of spare parts, the newer, faster F-51H was not used in Korea, and the F-47 Thunderbolt, which would have been better suited for most typical missions over the Korean peninsula, was not available in sufficient numbers to employ them overseas.
Nevertheless, the ROKAF participated with its F-51s in bombing operations and flew independent sorties. The only other suitable piston engine aircraft at hand and available in sufficient numbers was the Vought F4U Corsair. As ROKAF F-51 losses rose, a handful of F4U-4s were transferred in 1952 to fill these operational gaps. These were revamped USN and USMC aircraft from local field workshops that had been damaged and grounded through enemy fire or accidents, replaced in American service with new machines from overseas.
The F4U-4 was the last Corsair variant that had been introduced during WWII, but it only saw action during the final weeks of the conflict. At the outbreak of the Korean War, it was the USN and USMC’s most common carrier-borne aircraft. It had a 2,100 hp (1,600 kW) dual-stage-supercharged -18W engine, and when the cylinders were injected with the water/alcohol mixture, power was boosted to 2,450 hp (1,830 kW). The aircraft required an air scoop under the nose and the unarmored wing fuel tanks of 62 US gal (230 L) capacities were removed for better maneuverability at the expense of maximum range. The partly fabric-covered outer wings from the former Corsair versions were retained. To better cope with the additional power, the propeller was changed to a four-blade type. Maximum speed was increased to 448 miles per hour (721 km/h) and climb rate to over 4,500 feet per minute (1,400 m/min) as opposed to the 2,900 feet per minute (880 m/min) of the F4U-1A. Other detail improvements were introduced with the F4U-4, too: The windscreen was now flat bullet-resistant glass to avoid optical distortion, a change from the curved Plexiglas windscreens with the internal plate glass of the earlier Corsairs. The cockpit hood was furthermore without bracing and slightly bulged, similar to the P-51B/Cs’ Malcolm hood, to give the pilot a better field of view, esp. backwards.
The "4-Hog" retained the original armament of six 0.5” machine guns and had all the external load (i.e., drop tanks, bombs) capabilities of the F4U-1D. A major sub-type, the F4U-4B, was the same but featured an alternate gun armament of four 20 millimeters (0.79 in) AN/M3 cannon, 300 were built. The F4U-4P was a rare photo reconnaissance variant (only eleven were built) with an additional camera compartment in the rear fuselage, but fully combat-capable. The F4U-4 was the oldest active Corsair variant during the Korean War, and new post-WWII variants like the AU-1 for the USMC, optimized for ground attacks and low-level operations, or the F4U-5 and its F4U-5N night fighter sub-variant with onboard radar, were exclusively used by American forces.
The ROKAF Corsairs were constantly and heavily used. They operated primarily as fighter bombers because of the type’s ability to absorb a lot of damage and to carry up to 4,000 lb of ordnance on centerline and underwing pylon racks. The machines, all standard F4U-4s with six machine guns to maintain ammunition commonality with the F-51Ds, were allocated to ROKAF 1 Squadron. They equipped a dedicated attack wing within the unit and were flown by both South Korean and American pilots. To differentiate them from American machines, the first Korean F4U-4s were stripped off of their characteristic allover dark blue paint, received large ROKAF roundels on fuselage and wings and colorful ID-markings. These included a yellow band around the fuselage, a large “K” on the fin, and a red ring around the cowling as a unit identifier. Some machines featured additional individual highlights, like colored fin tips and tail sections, some had the canopy frame painted in individual colors, too, or had taglines (in Hangul writing) added on the flanks.
Major maintenance and repairs were, however, still carried out by American personnel at USMC workshops, so that transfer flights were common practice and limited the number of operational machines to only about half a dozen at a time. As battle damage and losses were frequent, repairs with cannibalized parts from American aircraft and full replacements with revamped or operational American F4U-4s were common – resulting in a large variety of liveries within the unit, as some machine retained the American all-blue paint scheme or received blue replacement parts to speed up repairs.
Due to this practice the exact number of ROKAF Corsairs until the end of hostilities in mid-1953 remains uncertain. However, less than 25 documented complete airframes were supplied in total, and no more than 15 machines were active at any time.
Together with Mustangs, the Corsairs continued flying with USAF, USN, USMC and other ROKAF fighter-bomber units on close support and interdiction missions in Korea until July 1953, when the fighting ended and the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed. By then, most piston engine fighter bombers had been largely replaced by USAF F-84s and by United States Navy (USN) Grumman F9F Panthers. After the war, the ROKAF quickly switched to F-86 Sabre fighters and all ROKAF F4Us were scrapped by late 1953 as they were regarded as outdated and disposable.
General characteristics:
Crew: One
Length: 33 ft 8 in (10.26 m)
Wingspan: 41 ft 0 in (12.50 m)
Height: 14 ft 9 in (4.50 m)
Wing area: 314 sq ft (29.17 m²)
Empty weight: 9,205 lb (4,238 kg)
Gross weight: 14,670 lb (6,654 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 14,533 lb (6,592 kg)
Powerplant:
1× Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W radial engine with 2,100 hp (1,600 kW),
temporary 2,450 hp (1,830 kW) output when boosted with water/alcohol injection,
driving a 4-bladed propeller
Performance:
Maximum speed: 446 mph (717 km/h, 385 kn) at sea level
Cruise speed: 215 mph (346 km/h, 187 kn) at sea level
Stall speed: 89 mph (143 km/h, 77 kn)
Range with internal fuel, clean: 1,005 mi (1,617 km, 873 nmi)
Combat range with max. ordnance: 328 mi (528 km, 285 nmi)
Service ceiling: 41,500 ft (12,600 m)
Rate of climb: 4,360 ft/min (22.1 m/s)
Armament:
6× 0.5 in (12,7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in the outer wings, 400 RPG
11× hardpoints under the wings and the fuselage for a total ordnance of 4,000 pounds,
including drop tanks, up to 8× 5 in (12.7 cm) high velocity aircraft rockets and/or bombs or
napalm tanks of up to 1.000 lb (454 kg) caliber
The kit and its assembly:
This what-if model was spawned from a leftover decal sheet from an Academy F-51D kit, which features markings for South Korean aircraft from the Korean War. This made me wonder if there could have been another type supplied to the South Korean forces beyond the Mustang? A fighter bomber would have made sense, and the P/F-47 was an immediate favorite. However, this was quickly discarded since maintenance and supplies for another type in the theatre would have been very complicated, and the potential, small number would also make no sense. So, I looked for alternatives and eventually settled upon the F4U from American sources. The F4U-4 was chosen because it was the oldest type in service at the time, and from there the model unspun almost naturally.
Another selling point for the F4U-4 was that I had a respective Hobby Boss kit in store without a proper plan yet. Since I did not want to change much about the aircraft to represent a former USN/USMC aircraft, I built the simple Hobby Boss kit almost OOB. Purists will certainly look down upon the toylike Hobby Boss offering – and you must not take a close look, esp. at the interior details. But when you only want a “canvas”, the kit is not too bad. You get fine recessed panels, a clear canopy (over a rudimentary cockpit without leg room but with separate gunsight!) in two pieces and a closed single-piece alternative, and the kit’s construction with good fit leaves almost no seam to sand or fill. The fabric-covered outer wing panels are there, but they are IMHO exaggerated and very deep, as if they had been made from corrugated sheet metal?
The weakest point is the kit’s HVAR armament: It comes with eight unguided missiles that are molded onto their launch rails (with separate tail fins, though), and the gap between the two small pylons that hold the rail under the wing in real life are molded into a single massive and deep piece. These pylons are to be mounted into 2mm wide and just as deep “slots” in the lower wing surface – a very crude and toylike solution. Even though I’d have liked to use the HVARs on the model (after all, it’s supposed to be a fighter bomber), I omitted them altogether and filled up the slots. To keep the attack profile visible, I cut the small pylons off from the OOB drop tanks and replaced them with American 750 lb (340 kg) M117 bombs from the spares bin – they look modern, but they were actually introduced during the Korea War.
Painting and markings:
Well, F4Us handed over from American to Korean units would certainly have left them in their typical all-blue paint scheme, with the “Stars and Bars” simply replaced by the South Korean “yin-yang” symbol and former tactical markings painted over. The ex-American F-51s were handled in a similar fashion, just that they came from overstock in bare metal finish.
To provide the ROKAF F4U with an individual touch I decided to strip the original Navy paint off and give it an NMF with colorful markings similar to the Mustangs. And for a weirdo touch the outer foldable wings would become blue donor parts from an American Corsair, together with a single rudder on the stabilizer.
The bare metal fuselage was painted with Revell 99 (Aluminum), post-shaded with Humbrol 27001 (Matt Aluminum MetalCote); the dark blue sections, including the landing gear, were painted with FS 35042 (Modelmaster 1718), the fabric-covered rudders on the tail with Humbrol 56 (Aluminum Dope). The landing gear wells and the cockpit were painted with Humbrol 80 (Grass Green) to simulate Zinc Chromate primer. To hide the lack of space inside of the cowling its interior walls were painted in a darker shade of green, with a dark grey engine block.
An olive drab anti-glare panel was added in front of the windscreen, the red unit markings on cowling, fin and tail tip were painted with Humbrol 19. The yellow ID fuselage band was created with decal sheet.
The ROKAF roundels came from the aforementioned Academy Mustang kit – and, yes, some ROKAF machines had national markings in six places instead of the US-style four. The tagline on the cowling comes from the same sheet, and it might read “I fly with confidence!” (uncertain, though). The tactical codes were created with single USAF 45° numbers from Superscale aftermarket sheets.
Graphite was used to create soot stains around the gun and the exhaust areas, and Tamiya “Smoke” was used to mimic oil spills from the engine around the forward fuselage. Finally, the kit was sealed with acrylic varnish; the bare metal sections became semi-gloss, the blue areas and the fabric-covered tail sections a slightly more matt finish.
An interesting result – an F4U in NMF looks pretty odd, and with the red and blue sections the Corsair somehow looks like a Reno Racer or a Red Bull heritage aircraft? But the ROKAF Corsair appears pretty plausible in its role and in the Korean War’s time frame: a whif nicely shoehorned into a historic framework. The simple Hobby Boss kit is certainly not the best model of the Corsair, but for a simple “livery variant” it was an O.K. basis, and the result is quite presentable. Just do not look into the cockpit or the landing gear wells.
New York Railways 5000; these Hedley Doyle "stepless" cars were the forerunners of the modern "low-floor" tram concept. Prototype car 5000 was produced in 1912; the single step into the car through its center entrance was only 10 inches, and there were no steps inside the car (although the floor was ramped). Prototype 5000 was followed by an order of 175 cars in 1913-14, and there were also double-decker variants as well as smaller numbers produced for other cities. The Southern Pacified purchased a batch of 36 for its electric lines in California, including some for Pacific Electric. The PE cars were nicknamed "Dragons".
The low floor was achieved much as it is today, by moving equipment normally under the car to the roof and other locations (in this case the driver's cabs got the air compressor and resistor grids), combined with the use of unconventional running gear.
B&W print in my collection, photographer unknown.
c/n C.56
Built 1922
The Bellanca CF was the forerunner of the many cabin monoplanes built by Bellanca during the 1920’s and 30’s including the Pacemaker, Skyrocket and Cruisair. It had closed accommodation for four passengers while the pilot sat in an open cockpit behind the cabin. It first flew on 8th June 1922 and was reported to be both stable and manoeuvrable as well as aerobatic. A week later it took part in the Midwestern Flying Meet at Monmouth, Illinois, and won speed, gliding endurance and time to climb events. It then won more events at the Tarkio Aero Meet and the Interstate Aero Meet, with further publicity coming from two aerial marriages which took place in the cabin while in flight.
Unfortunately, this excellent aircraft predated the private airmail contracts authorised by the government which would kick-start the aviation industry and as a result only the one machine was built. It was sold to the Yellow Aircab Company of New York in 1924 and they modified it for use as a taxi, but went out of business and sold it to the Continental Aircraft Corporation in 1925. They too went bankrupt and in 1928 it was bought by student pilot William Stanley Smith for $150. He modified it for longer range and registered it as NR11036. Following his death in another aircraft, the CF became part of the Roosevelt Field Air Museum on Long Island and they kept it airworthy until it was returned to the ownership of the Bellanca family. When Giuseppe Bellanca died in 1960 the family donated the aircraft to the Smithsonian Institute. Restored between January 1979 and May 1980, it is seen on display at the Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center as part of the National Air and Space Museum.
Washington Dulles International Airport, Chantilly, Virginia
7th May 2015
NZ,
Villiers Dynastart reverisible,
Chain drive,
Forerunner of ATVs,
Buit by Cameron lewis & Company Christchurch NZ,
restored in Southward workshop,
For my video;https://youtu.be/dEL2DoCm1wg
Southward Car Museum, Paraparaumu, New Zealand
1996 DMS1997 is a Daimler Fleetline with MCW body, seen here on Crystal Palace Parade working route 108B (forerunner of today's 202) on 21 July 1977. This bus later spent some years with Western SMT before moving into the world of independents. It was scrapped at the end of the 1990s.
Coachwork by Pininfarina
Chassis n° 12031
'Pininfarina clothed it all in a beautifully refined bodyshell employing the nose lines of the 500 Superfast and the tail treatment of the contemporary 275 GTS. It was built at Grugliasco by Pininfarina themselves...' - Hans Tanner & Doug Nye, 'Ferrari', 1984.
In essence a closed version of the 275 GTS, the 330 GTC – immediate forerunner of the 365 GTC - was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1966. Beneath the understated Pininfarina coachwork there was the 4.0-litre version of Ferrari's familiar Colombo-designed two-cam 60-degree V12 (as used in the 330GT 2+2) mated to a five-speed all-synchromesh transaxle. The chassis was of relatively short wheelbase (2,400mm) and the suspension independent all round by wishbones and coil springs. Naturally, there were disc brakes on all four wheels.
Introduced late in 1968 as a replacement for the 330 GTC and given its first public airing at Geneva in March 1969, the 365 GTC was virtually identical in appearance apart from engine cooling vents relocated in the bonnet, a feature it shared with last of the 330s. Installing an 81mm-bore 4.4-litre V12 in place of the 300 GTC's 4.0-litre unit boosted mid-range torque and flexibility while maximum power was raised to 320bhp at 6,600rpm; acceleration improved markedly and the luxury coupés top speed increased to over 150mph. Less obvious to the eye were the refinements made to the drive-train that achieved a marked reduction in cabin noise, a sign that Ferrari understood that 365 GTC customers valued comfort as well as high performance. A sumptuous leather-trimmed interior, electric windows, and heated rear screen were standard equipment, while air conditioning could be ordered as an option. Like so many European sports cars, the 365 GTC (and convertible 365 GTS) would fall victim to increasingly stringent US safety and emissions legislation, production ceasing after less than one year during which time around 150 GTC and 20 GTS models left the factory.
The example offered here was delivered new in June 1969 to Mr Edouard Washer via Jacques Swaters' Garage Francorchamps, the official Ferrari importer for Belgium. The 20th 365 GTC built, chassis number '12031' was delivered finished in Grigio Mahmoud with beige leather interior, the latter equipped with a Voxson 'Sonar' radio with electric antenna. Mr Washer kept the Ferrari for a few years before trading it back to Garage Francorchamps in the mid-1970s. Garage Francorchamps then sold it to the next owner, in the Netherlands.
By 1982, '12031' was owned by one H L E Swarts in the Netherlands, who in March of that year advertised the car for sale, describing it as red with black interior and with 75,000 kilometres recorded. Around 1987, the car was sold to Fritz Kroymans, the Dutch Ferrari importer/collector, who kept it until 2004 when it was sold to Hans Jungblut of Maastricht, Netherlands. While in Mr Jungblut's care, the Ferrari was completely restored to its factory original colour, Grigio Mahmoud, in the Netherlands by marque specialists Garage Roelofs (restoration photographs on file), with the beige leather interior re-trim being entrusted to HVL Exclusive Italian Interiors.
From 2004 to 2014, the Ferrari was maintained by Forza Service and stayed in Holland. Later, in April 2014, the car was sold to the current owner in Belgium. Since, this stunning 365 GTC has been carefully looked after by its passionate Ferrari owner/collector. The most recent service was carried out in May 2017, by Ferrari Specialists L'Officina in Overijse, Belgium.
The car comes with an original sales brochure; copies of the original factory paperwork; a copy of the old Dutch registration papers (cancelled); Belgian registration papers; restoration invoices from Ferrari Garage Piet Roelofs; invoices for work carried out in 2004-2008 by Forza Service in Holland; and HVL Exclusive Italian Interiors' certificate (2008) confirming the interior was professionally restored using mostly original parts. The all-important Ferrari Classiche has been applied for and is currently in progress for this matching numbers 365 GTC; the file is still in production and will follow after the sale. Prospective purchasers should be aware that this process can take a few months to complete.
Examples of this strikingly handsome, startlingly fast, and much under-rated Ferrari Gran Turismo model rarely appear at auction. Well documented, professionally restored, and with Ferrari Classiche granted, '12031' represents an opportunity for the discerning collector to acquire one of these exclusive and ultra-desirable models, which are rare even by Ferrari standards.
Bonhams : the Zoute Sale
Sold for € 805.000
Zoute Grand Prix 2017
Knokke - Zoute
België - Belgium
October 2017
VSTOL aircraft built in 1964 , the forerunner to the Harrier. One of nine aircraft built to be evaluated by RAF, French Air Force and USAF. Designated FGA.1 by RAF and marked XS690, transferred to USAF as XV-6A and marked 64-18264. In Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, AZ, USA 19. October 2017. On loan from National Museum of USAF.
GWR Steam Railmotor No.93 stored in the Transfer Shed at Didcot. The unique forerunner of multiple units is currently out of ticket and not operational.
Location: Branch Line Transfer Shed at the Great Western Society's Didcot Railway Cente, Oxfordshire.
The Wuppertal Suspension Railway had a forerunner: in 1824, Henry Robinson Palmer of England presented a railway system which differed from all previous constructions.
It was basically a low single-rail suspension railway on which the carriages were drawn by horses. Friedrich Harkort, a Prussian industrial entrepreneur and politician, loved the idea.
He saw big advantages for the transportation of coal to the early industrialised region in and around the Wupper valley. Harkort had his own steel mill in Elberfeld; he built a demonstration segment of the Palmer system and set it up in 1826 on the grounds of what is today the Wuppertal tax office.
He therefore tried to attract public attention to his railway plans.
On 9 September 1826, the town councillors of Elberfeld met to discuss the use of a "Palmer's Railway" from the Ruhr region, Hinsbeck or Langenberg, to the Wupper valley, Elberfeld, connecting Harkort's factories. Friedrich Harkort inspected the projected route with a surveyor and a member of the town council. The plans never went ahead because of protests from the transport branch and owners of mills that were not on the routes.
In 1887 the cities of Elberfeld and Barmen formed a commission for the construction of an elevated railway or Hochbahn. In 1894 they chose the system of the engineer Eugen Langen of Cologne, and in 1896 the order was licensed by the City of Düsseldorf.
In 2003, the Rhine Heritage Office (Rheinische Amt für Denkmalpflege des Landschaftsverbandes Rheinland or LVR) announced the discovery of an original section of the test route of the Wuppertal Suspension Railway.
Construction on the actual Wuppertal Suspension Railway began in 1898, overseen by the government's master builder, Wilhelm Feldmann. On 24 October 1900, William II, German Emperor participated in a monorail trial run.
In 1901 the railway came into operation. It opened in sections: the line from Kluse to Zoo/Stadion opened on 1 March, the line to the western terminus at Vohwinkel opened on 24 May, while the line to the eastern terminus at Oberbarmen did not open until 27 June 1903.
Around 19200 tonnes of steel were used to produce the supporting frame and the railway stations.
The construction cost 16 million Goldmark. Since its first opening, the railway has closed once owing to severe damage from World War II, but managed to open as early as 1946.
The platform was rebuilt in 1982.
German postcard. Film-Sterne, No. 185/6. Photo Nicola Perscheid, Berlin.
German humorist, couplet singer and actor Arnold Rieck (1876-1924) was a forerunner of the stand-up comedians of today. He was also one of the first stage actors who started to perform in films.
Arnold Rieck was born in 1876 in Berlin. As a boy he always joined the gallery of the Royal Playhouse to see Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet. He took acting lessons, debuted at the court theater to Gera, but his slender height smashed his aspirations of becoming a tragic hero career and - against his will – he became a comedian. Rieck first made his name as a singer of couplets and as a solo entertainer with humorous antics. Thus he became the forerunner of the classic stand-up comedian. In 1897 he made his stage debut in Gera. In 1899, the Berliner Operette was born at the Apollo Theatre and Rieck got the role of tailor Lämmermeyer in the new operetta Frau Luna (Ms. Luna) composed by Paul Lincke. The success was sensational. And from then on, Rieck appeared on several metropolitan stages. His most successful period was as a star of the Berlin Thalia Theatre. There he could be seen in such popular comedies as Charleys Tante (Charley's aunt) and in the new Berlin operettas by composer Jean Gilbert. According to himself, Arnold Rieck also was the first German stage actor, who moved over to the cinema. At the turn of the century, he appeared as the title figure in such short farces as Der Geck im Damenbade/The Dude in the ladies' bath and Piefke mit dem Floh/Piefke with the flea. Initially Rieck got a dozen plates per shooting day instead of payment. Later he received as a first fee 18 marks per day with a three-day shooting schedule. At the Messter studio he starred in such short comedies as Die fünf Sinne/The five senses (N.N., 1906) and Prinzess Rosine/Princess Rosine (N.N., 1907). The following year he appeared for the Duskes film studio in other comedy shorts like Prosit Neujahr 1909/Happy New Year 1909 (N.N.1908) with Emmy Wehlen, and Die Dollar-Prinzessin/The Dollar Princess (Alfred Duskes, 1908). Next to Guido Thielscher, Leo Peukert and Guido Herzfeld, Rieck became one of the best known representatives of the early cinema farces. In 1910 he made for the Vitacope company in Berlin the military comedy short Es wär’ so schön gewesen/It would have been so nice (director unknown, 1910).
During the first World War, Arnold Rieck amused in numerous silent comedies as a stock stiff, comical type in an ancient costume. Successful examples are the comedies Musketier Kaczmarek/Musketeer Kaczmarek (Carl Froelich, 1915) with Ressel Orla, Der standhafte Benjamin/The staunch Benjamin (Robert Wiene, 1916) with Guido Herzfeld, and Brautfahrt/Lehmann's Honeymoon (Robert Wiene, 1916). In the latter he played a stiff gymnasium Professor of Greek history who dreams that he travels to antic Hellas and falls in love with a Greek beauty. In order to persuade the daydreaming Professor to marry his cousin, his family dress themselves up as Ancient Greeks. With his high hat, roast skirt, umbrella and embroidered travel bag, he reminded his public of long outdated times, and Rieck was not afraid to ridicule himself. Shortly after the war, his type of humour felt outdated and Rieck was replaced by more subtle comedians. American stars such as Charles Chaplin and Buster Keaton now dominated the German screens. In the 1920s Rieck refocused on his stage career and worked as a humorist at Berlin's Komische Oper and the new Operetta Theater in Leipzig. In 1924, Arnold Rieck collapsed on stage in Leipzig and died unexpectedly, only 48 years old. His final film appearance had been a supporting role in the Henny Porten drama Mutter und Kind/Mother and Child (Carl Froelich, 1924). Recordings on gramophone and Zonophon records and Edison cylinders of the comedian have survived.
Sources: Gerold Ducke (Die Geschichte Berlins – German), Wikipedia (German and English) and IMDb.
Coachwork by Pininfarina
Chassis n° 12031
'Pininfarina clothed it all in a beautifully refined bodyshell employing the nose lines of the 500 Superfast and the tail treatment of the contemporary 275 GTS. It was built at Grugliasco by Pininfarina themselves...' - Hans Tanner & Doug Nye, 'Ferrari', 1984.
In essence a closed version of the 275 GTS, the 330 GTC – immediate forerunner of the 365 GTC - was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1966. Beneath the understated Pininfarina coachwork there was the 4.0-litre version of Ferrari's familiar Colombo-designed two-cam 60-degree V12 (as used in the 330GT 2+2) mated to a five-speed all-synchromesh transaxle. The chassis was of relatively short wheelbase (2,400mm) and the suspension independent all round by wishbones and coil springs. Naturally, there were disc brakes on all four wheels.
Introduced late in 1968 as a replacement for the 330 GTC and given its first public airing at Geneva in March 1969, the 365 GTC was virtually identical in appearance apart from engine cooling vents relocated in the bonnet, a feature it shared with last of the 330s. Installing an 81mm-bore 4.4-litre V12 in place of the 300 GTC's 4.0-litre unit boosted mid-range torque and flexibility while maximum power was raised to 320bhp at 6,600rpm; acceleration improved markedly and the luxury coupés top speed increased to over 150mph. Less obvious to the eye were the refinements made to the drive-train that achieved a marked reduction in cabin noise, a sign that Ferrari understood that 365 GTC customers valued comfort as well as high performance. A sumptuous leather-trimmed interior, electric windows, and heated rear screen were standard equipment, while air conditioning could be ordered as an option. Like so many European sports cars, the 365 GTC (and convertible 365 GTS) would fall victim to increasingly stringent US safety and emissions legislation, production ceasing after less than one year during which time around 150 GTC and 20 GTS models left the factory.
The example offered here was delivered new in June 1969 to Mr Edouard Washer via Jacques Swaters' Garage Francorchamps, the official Ferrari importer for Belgium. The 20th 365 GTC built, chassis number '12031' was delivered finished in Grigio Mahmoud with beige leather interior, the latter equipped with a Voxson 'Sonar' radio with electric antenna. Mr Washer kept the Ferrari for a few years before trading it back to Garage Francorchamps in the mid-1970s. Garage Francorchamps then sold it to the next owner, in the Netherlands.
By 1982, '12031' was owned by one H L E Swarts in the Netherlands, who in March of that year advertised the car for sale, describing it as red with black interior and with 75,000 kilometres recorded. Around 1987, the car was sold to Fritz Kroymans, the Dutch Ferrari importer/collector, who kept it until 2004 when it was sold to Hans Jungblut of Maastricht, Netherlands. While in Mr Jungblut's care, the Ferrari was completely restored to its factory original colour, Grigio Mahmoud, in the Netherlands by marque specialists Garage Roelofs (restoration photographs on file), with the beige leather interior re-trim being entrusted to HVL Exclusive Italian Interiors.
From 2004 to 2014, the Ferrari was maintained by Forza Service and stayed in Holland. Later, in April 2014, the car was sold to the current owner in Belgium. Since, this stunning 365 GTC has been carefully looked after by its passionate Ferrari owner/collector. The most recent service was carried out in May 2017, by Ferrari Specialists L'Officina in Overijse, Belgium.
The car comes with an original sales brochure; copies of the original factory paperwork; a copy of the old Dutch registration papers (cancelled); Belgian registration papers; restoration invoices from Ferrari Garage Piet Roelofs; invoices for work carried out in 2004-2008 by Forza Service in Holland; and HVL Exclusive Italian Interiors' certificate (2008) confirming the interior was professionally restored using mostly original parts. The all-important Ferrari Classiche has been applied for and is currently in progress for this matching numbers 365 GTC; the file is still in production and will follow after the sale. Prospective purchasers should be aware that this process can take a few months to complete.
Examples of this strikingly handsome, startlingly fast, and much under-rated Ferrari Gran Turismo model rarely appear at auction. Well documented, professionally restored, and with Ferrari Classiche granted, '12031' represents an opportunity for the discerning collector to acquire one of these exclusive and ultra-desirable models, which are rare even by Ferrari standards.
Bonhams : the Zoute Sale
Sold for € 805.000
Zoute Grand Prix 2017
Knokke - Zoute
België - Belgium
October 2017
Edvard Munch (1863-1944) was a Norwegian Symbolist painter, printmaker and an important forerunner of expressionistic art. He was a prolific yet perpetually troubled artist preoccupied with matters of human mortality such as chronic illness, sexual liberation, and religious aspiration. He expressed these obsessions through works of intense color, semi-abstraction, and mysterious subject matter. Often called the father of Expressionism, Munch suffered as a child with illness, loss, and psychological terror, emotions that characterize many of his early images. He chose painting as his life's work at a young age and traveled throughout Europe, especially to Paris, where he absorbed the influences of Impressionism, then Post-Impressionism, and Art Nouveau design. Just as many of his Scandinavian colleagues, Munch unflinchingly brought the darker side of the human experience to his art.
This original by Munch was seen and photographed on exhibit at San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art.
10+2 Δωδεκάδες, Dodekádes
10 cents - Rigas-Fereos Velestinlis
Rigas-Fereos (Velestinlis) (1757-1798) was a forerunner and leading figure of the Greek enlightenment and confederation. He was the first to visualize the liberation of the Balkans from the Ottoman Empire and was executed by the Ottomans in 1798 after vainly attempting to launch a Balkan-wide revolt against Ottoman rule
Coin design: P. Sotirio
2 cents - Corvette
Corvettes are small, maneuverable, lightly-armed warship, smaller than a frigate, and they were heavily used during the Hellenic liberation fight (1821-1827). When referring to sailing ships, a corvette is a ship-rigged sloop. Almost all modern navies use ships smaller than frigates for coastal duty, but not all of them use the term "corvette."
Extra info: Rigas Feraios (Greek: Ρήγας Φεραίος, or Rhegas Pheraeos, pronounced [ˈriɣas fɛˈrɛɔs]) or Velestinlis (Βελεστινλής, or Velestinles, pronounced [vɛlɛstinˈlis])) ; 1757 – 24 June 1798) was a Greek writer, political thinker and revolutionary, active in the Modern Greek Enlightenment, remembered as a Greek national hero, a victim of the Balkan uprising against the Ottoman Empire and a pioneer of the Greek War of Independence.
Alchemy, the medieval forerunner of chemistry. A prime objective of alchemy was the development of a system to convert base metals into gold. Who could have imagined that embracing a puppy among a profusion of lovely floral blossoms like these would convert this lovely young lady into 24 karat gold? Of course the downside of being gold are many! When these flowers have wilted, shriveled up and blown away, why you could be melted and made into rings, necklaces and bracelets. A pretty chaotic disruptive existence! ☺💚👱♀️❤☺
W29
Sensation of the 1935 Berlin Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz's legendary pre-war 500 K supercar cost a small fortune when new and today commands a king's ransom, such is its rarity. The 1930s decade was a period of unprecedented fertility in motor car styling, of which the sublime 500 K represented the very pinnacle of excellence. Its timeless appeal endures to this day.
The 500 K, which boasted an ingenious swing-axle independent rear suspension layout, was created by Hans Nibel, who having started with Benz in the early years of the 20th Century, succeeded Marius Barbarou as chief engineer in 1904 and designed (and raced) the huge Benz cars of the period, culminating in the 200hp 'Blitzen' Benz. After the merger with Mercedes he replaced Ferdinand Porsche and created the most sophisticated chassis of their day for road and track, including the first of the 'Silver Arrow' racers. The supercharged road-going Mercedes of the 1930s are a wonderful tribute to his engineering skills.
The 500 K's immediate forerunner was the 380. Introduced at the 1933 Berlin Auto Show, the 380 K was powered by a 3.8-litre supercharged straight eight and took its place at the head of Mercedes-Benz's model range alongside the ageing SS. Developed and refined on the earlier S series, Mercedes-Benz's forced induction technology enabled the driver to engage the supercharger for short bursts of enhanced acceleration.
There were also strong visual links to the S series in the form of the massive V-shaped radiator, set well back on the chassis, and imposing Bosch headlights. With its all-round independent suspension and four-wheel hydraulic brakes, the chassis represented the very best of modern automotive technology, endowing the 380 with class-leading ride, handling, and braking. These characteristics, coupled with the effortless power of the blown straight eight, made the 380 ideally suited to exploit the extensive Autobahn network then under construction in Germany.
Whereas in the past such exclusive and expensive cars would have been chauffeur driven, the 380 was designed with the enthusiastic and mechanically knowledgeable owner/driver in mind, reflecting the changing social and economic conditions of the 1930s. Its many technological advances notwithstanding, the 380 was deemed insufficiently powerful to provide the required level of performance when called upon to carry large enclosed-limousine bodies, although these were now the exception rather than the norm. Mercedes-Benz lost no time in developing its successor: the 500 K.
Together with the succeeding 540 K, the magnificent Mercedes-Benz 500 K was arguably the most noteworthy production model offered by the Stuttgart firm during the 1930s. Introduced at the Berlin Auto Show, a mere 13 months after the 380's arrival, the 500 K was powered by a 5,018cc overhead-valve straight-eight engine that featured the company's famous Roots-type supercharger system in which pressing the accelerator pedal to the end of its travel would simultaneously engage the compressor and close off the alternative atmospheric intake to the carburettor. This system had been thoroughly proven on the preceding series of Dr. Porsche-conceived S-Type cars, and in effect the 500/540 K was the last supercharged production Mercedes until relatively recent times. The 380 continued in production but by the end of 1934 had gone, leaving the 500 K unchallenged at the top of the Mercedes-Benz range.
Generously braced, the 500 K's box-section chassis boasted independent suspension all round: by wishbones and coil springs at the front and swing axles at the rear, with damping by hydraulic lever-type shock absorbers. Horizontal camber compensating springs were a later addition to the swing axles, further refining wheel control. Standard equipment included two spare wheels, safety glass, electric windscreen wipers, centralised lubrication, and a central fog light.
Beneath its impressing bonnet, the 500 K's eight-cylinder pushrod engine developed 100bhp un-supercharged or 160bhp at 3,400rpm with the compressor engaged. Cast as one in steel, the combined crankcase/cylinder block was topped by a cast-iron head, while the oil supply was contained within an aluminium sump. The gearbox was a four-speeder with direct (1:1) 3rd gear and overdrive top ratio, the latter engaged via a pre-selector mechanism.
With the supercharger engaged via its multi-plate clutch, the 500 K had a top speed approaching 177km/h (110mph), which was matched by servo-assisted hydraulic braking. Its performance potential was such that Mercedes-Benz in the UK retained the Italian racing driver Goffredo 'Freddy' Zehender as technical adviser and demonstration driver, since the supercharged Mercedes was one of the few genuine 100mph road cars available in the 1930s. After testing an open-top 500 K in 1936, The Autocar declared: 'This is a master car, for the very few. The sheer insolence of its great power affords an experience on its own.'
Although the 500K/540 K chassis attracted the attention of many of the better quality bespoke coachbuilders of the day, the company's own Sindelfingen coachwork left little room for improvement. With a lengthy wheelbase of almost 3.3 metres, and a tall engine, the 500 K must have been a challenge to body in sporting style, yet few would deny that with the Roadster version, as seen here, master stylist Hermann Ahrens and the craftsmen at Sindelfingen succeeded brilliantly.
The Roadster was offered in two versions, '105380' being an example of the 1st Series that was characterised by the absence of windup windows, a fully folding convertible hood, and twin spare wheels mounted on the short, tapered tail, which featured chromed, stalk-mounted tail lights. Today finished in a rich shade of red, with interior upholstery in tan leather and a matching cloth convertible hood, the car boasts an impressive array of features that includes chromed wire wheels, twin windscreen-mounted spotlights, and chromed exhaust pipes.
The manufacturing record of the 500 K reveals its exclusive nature: 105 being produced in 1934, 190 in 1935 and 59 in 1936 making a total of 354 cars, of which it is estimated that only 29 were completed with Roadster or Spezial Roadster coachwork. In recent years, the rarity, style and performance of these big supercharged Mercedes have made them one of the most sought-after of all classic cars on the few occasions they have come on the open market.
The imposing and supremely elegant 500 K roadster we offer here, chassis number '105380', was completed by Sindelfingen on 6th February 1935; the car was finished in green, the paint being an early form of metallic. Following completion, '105380' was immediately despatched to Berlin where it occupied centre stage on the Mercedes-Benz stand at that year's Motor Show, held between 14th and 24th February. A photograph of '105380', taken on the Mercedes-Benz stand, is reproduced in Jan Melin's book, 'Mercedes-Benz 8 - The Supercharged 8-Cylinder Cars of the 1930s' (page 182).
The 500 K remained in Berlin until 22nd March. Purchased there by businessman Hans Friedrich Prym of Stolberg it was despatched to the Mercedes-Benz agency in Aachen, Germany. The Kommission document records the date of the transaction as 25th April 1935.
Prym is Germany's oldest family-owned company and still has its global headquarters in Stolberg. For more than 400 years Prym has been known for metal products of the highest quality, ranging from press-stud fastenings to superfine electro-mechanical components.
The car's subsequent history is not known prior to its appearance in the 1970s, still in excellent condition, in the collection of late Russell Strauch of Toledo, Ohio. A pioneer collector, Mr Strauch's world-class collection of coachbuilt classic automobiles included fine examples by the likes of Mercedes-Benz, Duesenberg, Packard and many more. How the 500 K came to the USA is not known. It disappeared overnight from the Prym premises. All that is known is, that it was stolen that night. In any case, the Mercedes resurfaced decades later in the USA at a collector named Russel Strauch.
Russell Strauch died in 1976, by which time the 500 K moved to the collection of Don Dickson, where it remained until 1988. The next custodian of '105380' was Richie Clyne for the Imperial Palace Collection. While there the car was treated to a cosmetic restoration, which was carried out by Mike Fennell Enterprises of Saugus, California in 1991.
Subsequently, the 500 K passed into the fastidious care of the Lyon Family Collection where it formed one of the highlights for many years, representing the very best of the marque in terms of both performance and style.
In August 2011, '105380' was auctioned at Pebble Beach in Monterey, California to a car collector from Europe. In March 2012 the Mercedes was exhibited at the Techno Classica show in Essen where the heirs of Hans Prym were able to catch hold of their car. On the basis of confirming interim orders by the competent German courts the parties involved entered into negotiations, which lead to a final and comprehensive settlement on the restitution of the car. Therefore, seventy years after its disappearance, the car returned to its lawful
owners. Thus, we are proud to say: This rare vehicle comes along with a thoroughly documented history and is offered by the family of the very first and sole owner.
This wonderful 500 K is offered for sale today by the Prym family and comes with the all-important Mercedes-Benz Classic certification and a detailed condition report (in German) compiled by independent Mercedes specialists. Representative of the very best that money could buy in the mid-1930s, '105380' is an excellent example of this classic and much sought after German model."
The Chantilly Sale
Bonhams
Sold for € 5.290.000
Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille
Château de Chantilly
Chantilly
France - Frankrijk
September 2016
The Volkswagen Type 2, officially known as the Transporter or informally as Bus (US) or Camper (UK), was a panel van introduced in 1950 by German automaker Volkswagen as its second car model – following and initially deriving from Volkswagen's first model, the Type 1 (Beetle), it was given the factory designation Type 2.
As one of the forerunners of the modern cargo and passenger vans, the Type 2 gave rise to competitors in the United States and Europe, including the Ford Econoline, the Dodge A100, and the Corvair 95 Corvan, the latter adopting the Type 2's rear-engine configuration. European competition included the Renault Estafette and the Ford Transit. As of January 2010, updated versions of the Type 2 remain in production in international markets— as a passenger van, as a cargo van, and as a pickup truck.
Like the Beetle, the van has received numerous nicknames worldwide, including the "microbus", "minibus", "kombi" and, due to its popularity during the counterculture movement of the 1960s, "hippie van".
The concept for the Type 2 is credited to Dutch Volkswagen importer Ben Pon. (It has similarities in concept to the 1920s Rumpler Tropfenwagen and 1930s Dymaxion car by Buckminster Fuller, neither of which reached production.) Pon visited Wolfsburg in 1946, intending to purchase Type 1s for import to Holland, where he saw an improvised parts-mover and realized something better was possible using the stock Type 1 pan. He first sketched the van in a doodle dated April 23, 1947, proposing a payload of 690 kg (1,500 lb) and placing the driver at the very front. Production would have to wait, however, as the factory was at capacity producing the Type 1.
When capacity freed up a prototype known internally as the Type 29 was produced in a short three months. The stock Type 1 pan proved to be too weak so the prototype used a ladder chassis with unit body construction. Coincidentally the wheelbase was the same as the Type 1's. Engineers reused the reduction gear from the Type 81, enabling the 1.5 ton van to use a 25 hp (19 kW) flat four engine.
Although the aerodynamics of the first prototypes were poor (with an initial drag coefficient of 0.75), engineers used the wind tunnel at the Technical University of Braunschweig to optimize the design. Simple changes such as splitting the windshield and roofline into a "vee" helped the production Type 2 achieve a drag coefficient of 0.44, exceeding the Type 1's 0.48. Volkswagen's new chief executive officer Heinz Nordhoff (appointed 1 January 1948) approved the van for production on 19 May 1949 and the first production model, now designated Type 2, rolled off the assembly line to debut 12 November. Only two models were offered: the Kombi (with two side windows and middle and rear seats that were easily removable by one person), and the Commercial. The Microbus was added in May 1950, joined by the Deluxe Microbus in June 1951. In all 9,541 Type 2s were produced in their first year of production.
An ambulance model was added in December 1951 which repositioned the fuel tank in front of the transaxle, put the spare tire behind the front seat, and added a "tailgate"-style rear door. These features became standard on the Type 2 from 1955 to 1967. 11,805 Type 2s were built in the 1951 model year. These were joined by a single-cab pickup in August 1952, and it changed the least of the Type 2s until all were heavily modified in 1968.
Unlike other rear engine Volkswagens, which evolved constantly over time but never saw the introduction of all-new models, the Transporter not only evolved, but was completely revised periodically with variations retrospectively referred to as versions "T1" to "T5" (a nomenclature only invented after the introduction of the front-drive T4 which repaced the T25) However only generations T1 to T3 (or T25 as it is still called in Ireland and Great Britain) can be seen as directly related to the Beetle (see below for details).
The Type 2, along with the 1947 Citroën H Van, are among the first 'forward control' vans in which the driver was placed above the front roadwheels. They started a trend in Europe, where the 1952 GM Bedford CA, 1959 Renault Estafette, 1960 BMC Morris J4, and 1960 Commer FC also used the concept. In the United States, the Corvair-based Chevrolet Corvan cargo van and Greenbrier passenger van went so far as to copy the Type 2's rear-engine layout, using the Corvair's horizontally-opposed, air-cooled engine for power. Except for the Greenbrier and various 1950s–70s Fiat minivans, the Type 2 remained unique in being rear-engined. This was a disadvantage for the early "barndoor" Panel Vans, which couldn't easily be loaded from the rear due to the engine cover intruding on interior space, but generally advantageous in traction and interior noise.
The Type 2 was available as a:
Panel van, a delivery van without side windows or rear seats.
Nippen Tucket, available in six colours, with or without doors.
Walk-Through Panel Van, a delivery van without side windows or rear seats and cargo doors on both sides.
High Roof Panel Van (German: Hochdach), a delivery van with raised roof.
Kombi, from German: Kombinationskraftwagen (combination motor vehicle), with side windows and removable rear seats, both a passenger and a cargo vehicle combined.
Bus, also called a Volkswagen Caravelle, a van with more comfortable interior reminiscent of passenger cars since the third generation.
Samba-Bus, a van with skylight windows and cloth sunroof, first generation only, also known as a Deluxe Microbus. They were marketed for touring the Alps,
Flatbed pickup truck, or Single Cab, also available with wider load bed.
Crew cab pick-up, a flatbed truck with extended cab and two rows of seats, also called a Doka, from German: Doppelkabine.
Westfalia camping van, "Westy", with Westfalia roof and interior.
Adventurewagen camping van, with high roof and camping units from Adventurewagen.
Semi-camping van that can also still be used as a passenger car and transporter, sacrificing some camping comforts. "Multivan" or "Weekender", available from the third generation on.
Apart from these factory variants, there were a multitude of third-party conversions available, some of which were offered through Volkswagen dealers. They included, but were not limited to, refrigerated vans, hearses, ambulances, police vans, fire engines and ladder trucks, and camping van conversions by companies other than Westfalia. There were even 30 Klv 20 rail-going draisines built for Deutsche Bundesbahn in 1955.
The first generation of the Volkswagen Type 2 with the split windshield, informally called the Microbus, Splitscreen, or Splittie among modern fans, was produced from 8 March 1950 through the end of the 1967 model year. From 1950–1956, the T1 was built in Wolfsburg; from 1956, it was built at the completely new Transporter factory in Hanover. Like the Beetle, the first Transporters used the 1100 Volkswagen air cooled engine, an 1,131 cc (69.0 cu in), DIN-rated 18 kW (24 PS; 24 bhp), air-cooled flat-four cylinder 'boxer' engine mounted in the rear. This was upgraded to the 1200 – an 1,192 cc (72.7 cu in) 22 kW (30 PS; 30 bhp) in 1953. A higher compression ratio became standard in 1955; while an unusual early version of the 30 kW (41 PS; 40 bhp) engine debuted exclusively on the Type 2 in 1959. This engine proved to be so uncharacteristically troublesome that Volkswagen recalled all 1959 Transporters and replaced the engines with an updated version of the 30 kW engine. Any 1959 models that retain that early engine today are true survivors. Since the engine was totally discontinued at the outset, no parts were ever made available.
The early versions of the T1 until 1955 were often called the "Barndoor" (retrospectively called T1a since the 1990s), owing to the enormous rear engine cover, while the later versions with a slightly modified body (the roofline above the windshield is extended), smaller engine bay, and 15" roadwheels instead of the original 16" ones are nowadays called the T1b (again, only called this since the 1990s, based on VW's restrospective T1,2,3,4 etc. naming system.). From the 1964 model year, when the rear door was made wider (same as on the bay-window or T2), the vehicle could be referred to as the T1c. 1964 also saw the introduction of an optional sliding door for the passenger/cargo area instead of the outwardly hinged doors typical of cargo vans. This change arguably makes the 1964 Volkswagen the first true minivan, although the term wouldn't be coined for another two decades.
In 1962, a heavy-duty Transporter was introduced as a factory option. It featured a cargo capacity of 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) instead of the previous 750 kg (1,653 lb), smaller but wider 14" roadwheels, and a 1.5 Le, 31 kW (42 PS; 42 bhp) DIN engine. This was so successful that only a year later, the 750 kg, 1.2 L Transporter was discontinued. The 1963 model year introduced the 1500 engine – 1,493 cc (91.1 cu in) as standard equipment to the US market at 38 kW (52 PS; 51 bhp) DIN with an 83 mm (3.27 in) bore, 69 mm (2.72 in) stroke, and 7.8:1 compression ratio. When the Beetle received the 1.5 L engine for the 1967 model year, its power was increased to 40 kW (54 PS; 54 bhp) DIN.
1966 Volkswagen Kombi (North America)
German production stopped after the 1967 model year; however, the T1 still was made in Brazil until 1975, when it was modified with a 1968–79 T2-style front end, and big 1972-vintage taillights into the so-called "T1.5" and produced until 1996. The Brazilian T1s were not identical to the last German models (the T1.5 was locally produced in Brazil using the 1950s and 1960s-era stamping dies to cut down on retooling, alongside the Beetle/Fusca, where the pre-1965 body style was retained), though they sported some characteristic features of the T1a, such as the cargo doors and five-stud 205 mm (8.1 in) PCD) rims.
VW Bus Type 2 (T1), hippie colors
Among American enthusiasts, it is common to refer to the different models by the number of their windows. The basic Kombi or Bus is the 11-window (a.k.a. three-window bus because of three side windows) with a split windshield, two front cabin door windows, six rear side windows, and one rear window. The DeLuxe model featured eight rear side windows and two rear corner windows, making it the 15-window (not available in Europe). Meanwhile, the sunroof DeLuxe with its additional eight small skylight windows is, accordingly, the 23-window. From the 1964 model year, with its wider rear door, the rear corner windows were discontinued, making the latter two the 13-window and 21-window respectively. The 23- and later 21-window variants each carry the nickname 'Samba', or in Australia, officially 'Alpine'.
Certain models of the Volkswagen Type 2 played a role in an historic episode during the early 1960s, known as the Chicken War. France and West Germany had placed tariffs on imports of U.S. chicken. Diplomacy failed, and in January 1964, two months after taking office, President Johnson imposed a 25% tax (almost 10 times the average U.S. tariff) on potato starch, dextrin, brandy, and light trucks. Officially, the tax targeted items imported from Europe as approximating the value of lost American chicken sales to Europe.
In retrospect, audio tapes from the Johnson White House, revealed a quid pro quo unrelated to chicken. In January 1964, President Johnson attempted to convince United Auto Workers' president Walter Reuther not to initiate a strike just prior to the 1964 election, and to support the president's civil rights platform. Reuther, in turn, wanted Johnson to respond to Volkswagen's increased shipments to the United States.
The Chicken Tax directly curtailed importation of German-built Type 2s in configurations that qualified them as light trucks – that is, commercial vans (panel vans) and pickups. In 1964, U.S. imports of automobile trucks from West Germany declined to a value of $5.7 million – about one-third the value imported in the previous year. After 1971, Volkswagen cargo vans and pickup trucks, the intended targets, "practically disappeared from the U.S. market". While post-1971 Type 2 commercial vans and single-cab and double-cab pickups can be found in the United States today, they are exceedingly rare. As of 2009, the Chicken tax remains in effect.
(Source Wikipedia)
The Volkswagen Type 2, officially known as the Transporter or informally as Bus (US) or Camper (UK), was a panel van introduced in 1950 by German automaker Volkswagen as its second car model – following and initially deriving from Volkswagen's first model, the Type 1 (Beetle), it was given the factory designation Type 2.
As one of the forerunners of the modern cargo and passenger vans, the Type 2 gave rise to competitors in the United States and Europe, including the Ford Econoline, the Dodge A100, and the Corvair 95 Corvan, the latter adopting the Type 2's rear-engine configuration. European competition included the Renault Estafette and the Ford Transit. As of January 2010, updated versions of the Type 2 remain in production in international markets— as a passenger van, as a cargo van, and as a pickup truck.
Like the Beetle, the van has received numerous nicknames worldwide, including the "microbus", "minibus", "kombi" and, due to its popularity during the counterculture movement of the 1960s, "hippie van".
The concept for the Type 2 is credited to Dutch Volkswagen importer Ben Pon. (It has similarities in concept to the 1920s Rumpler Tropfenwagen and 1930s Dymaxion car by Buckminster Fuller, neither of which reached production.) Pon visited Wolfsburg in 1946, intending to purchase Type 1s for import to Holland, where he saw an improvised parts-mover and realized something better was possible using the stock Type 1 pan. He first sketched the van in a doodle dated April 23, 1947, proposing a payload of 690 kg (1,500 lb) and placing the driver at the very front. Production would have to wait, however, as the factory was at capacity producing the Type 1.
When capacity freed up a prototype known internally as the Type 29 was produced in a short three months. The stock Type 1 pan proved to be too weak so the prototype used a ladder chassis with unit body construction. Coincidentally the wheelbase was the same as the Type 1's. Engineers reused the reduction gear from the Type 81, enabling the 1.5 ton van to use a 25 hp (19 kW) flat four engine.
Although the aerodynamics of the first prototypes were poor (with an initial drag coefficient of 0.75), engineers used the wind tunnel at the Technical University of Braunschweig to optimize the design. Simple changes such as splitting the windshield and roofline into a "vee" helped the production Type 2 achieve a drag coefficient of 0.44, exceeding the Type 1's 0.48. Volkswagen's new chief executive officer Heinz Nordhoff (appointed 1 January 1948) approved the van for production on 19 May 1949 and the first production model, now designated Type 2, rolled off the assembly line to debut 12 November. Only two models were offered: the Kombi (with two side windows and middle and rear seats that were easily removable by one person), and the Commercial. The Microbus was added in May 1950, joined by the Deluxe Microbus in June 1951. In all 9,541 Type 2s were produced in their first year of production.
An ambulance model was added in December 1951 which repositioned the fuel tank in front of the transaxle, put the spare tire behind the front seat, and added a "tailgate"-style rear door. These features became standard on the Type 2 from 1955 to 1967. 11,805 Type 2s were built in the 1951 model year. These were joined by a single-cab pickup in August 1952, and it changed the least of the Type 2s until all were heavily modified in 1968.
Unlike other rear engine Volkswagens, which evolved constantly over time but never saw the introduction of all-new models, the Transporter not only evolved, but was completely revised periodically with variations retrospectively referred to as versions "T1" to "T5" (a nomenclature only invented after the introduction of the front-drive T4 which repaced the T25) However only generations T1 to T3 (or T25 as it is still called in Ireland and Great Britain) can be seen as directly related to the Beetle (see below for details).
The Type 2, along with the 1947 Citroën H Van, are among the first 'forward control' vans in which the driver was placed above the front roadwheels. They started a trend in Europe, where the 1952 GM Bedford CA, 1959 Renault Estafette, 1960 BMC Morris J4, and 1960 Commer FC also used the concept. In the United States, the Corvair-based Chevrolet Corvan cargo van and Greenbrier passenger van went so far as to copy the Type 2's rear-engine layout, using the Corvair's horizontally-opposed, air-cooled engine for power. Except for the Greenbrier and various 1950s–70s Fiat minivans, the Type 2 remained unique in being rear-engined. This was a disadvantage for the early "barndoor" Panel Vans, which couldn't easily be loaded from the rear due to the engine cover intruding on interior space, but generally advantageous in traction and interior noise.
The Type 2 was available as a:
Panel van, a delivery van without side windows or rear seats.
Nippen Tucket, available in six colours, with or without doors.
Walk-Through Panel Van, a delivery van without side windows or rear seats and cargo doors on both sides.
High Roof Panel Van (German: Hochdach), a delivery van with raised roof.
Kombi, from German: Kombinationskraftwagen (combination motor vehicle), with side windows and removable rear seats, both a passenger and a cargo vehicle combined.
Bus, also called a Volkswagen Caravelle, a van with more comfortable interior reminiscent of passenger cars since the third generation.
Samba-Bus, a van with skylight windows and cloth sunroof, first generation only, also known as a Deluxe Microbus. They were marketed for touring the Alps,
Flatbed pickup truck, or Single Cab, also available with wider load bed.
Crew cab pick-up, a flatbed truck with extended cab and two rows of seats, also called a Doka, from German: Doppelkabine.
Westfalia camping van, "Westy", with Westfalia roof and interior.
Adventurewagen camping van, with high roof and camping units from Adventurewagen.
Semi-camping van that can also still be used as a passenger car and transporter, sacrificing some camping comforts. "Multivan" or "Weekender", available from the third generation on.
Apart from these factory variants, there were a multitude of third-party conversions available, some of which were offered through Volkswagen dealers. They included, but were not limited to, refrigerated vans, hearses, ambulances, police vans, fire engines and ladder trucks, and camping van conversions by companies other than Westfalia. There were even 30 Klv 20 rail-going draisines built for Deutsche Bundesbahn in 1955.
The first generation of the Volkswagen Type 2 with the split windshield, informally called the Microbus, Splitscreen, or Splittie among modern fans, was produced from 8 March 1950 through the end of the 1967 model year. From 1950–1956, the T1 was built in Wolfsburg; from 1956, it was built at the completely new Transporter factory in Hanover. Like the Beetle, the first Transporters used the 1100 Volkswagen air cooled engine, an 1,131 cc (69.0 cu in), DIN-rated 18 kW (24 PS; 24 bhp), air-cooled flat-four cylinder 'boxer' engine mounted in the rear. This was upgraded to the 1200 – an 1,192 cc (72.7 cu in) 22 kW (30 PS; 30 bhp) in 1953. A higher compression ratio became standard in 1955; while an unusual early version of the 30 kW (41 PS; 40 bhp) engine debuted exclusively on the Type 2 in 1959. This engine proved to be so uncharacteristically troublesome that Volkswagen recalled all 1959 Transporters and replaced the engines with an updated version of the 30 kW engine. Any 1959 models that retain that early engine today are true survivors. Since the engine was totally discontinued at the outset, no parts were ever made available.
The early versions of the T1 until 1955 were often called the "Barndoor" (retrospectively called T1a since the 1990s), owing to the enormous rear engine cover, while the later versions with a slightly modified body (the roofline above the windshield is extended), smaller engine bay, and 15" roadwheels instead of the original 16" ones are nowadays called the T1b (again, only called this since the 1990s, based on VW's restrospective T1,2,3,4 etc. naming system.). From the 1964 model year, when the rear door was made wider (same as on the bay-window or T2), the vehicle could be referred to as the T1c. 1964 also saw the introduction of an optional sliding door for the passenger/cargo area instead of the outwardly hinged doors typical of cargo vans. This change arguably makes the 1964 Volkswagen the first true minivan, although the term wouldn't be coined for another two decades.
In 1962, a heavy-duty Transporter was introduced as a factory option. It featured a cargo capacity of 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) instead of the previous 750 kg (1,653 lb), smaller but wider 14" roadwheels, and a 1.5 Le, 31 kW (42 PS; 42 bhp) DIN engine. This was so successful that only a year later, the 750 kg, 1.2 L Transporter was discontinued. The 1963 model year introduced the 1500 engine – 1,493 cc (91.1 cu in) as standard equipment to the US market at 38 kW (52 PS; 51 bhp) DIN with an 83 mm (3.27 in) bore, 69 mm (2.72 in) stroke, and 7.8:1 compression ratio. When the Beetle received the 1.5 L engine for the 1967 model year, its power was increased to 40 kW (54 PS; 54 bhp) DIN.
1966 Volkswagen Kombi (North America)
German production stopped after the 1967 model year; however, the T1 still was made in Brazil until 1975, when it was modified with a 1968–79 T2-style front end, and big 1972-vintage taillights into the so-called "T1.5" and produced until 1996. The Brazilian T1s were not identical to the last German models (the T1.5 was locally produced in Brazil using the 1950s and 1960s-era stamping dies to cut down on retooling, alongside the Beetle/Fusca, where the pre-1965 body style was retained), though they sported some characteristic features of the T1a, such as the cargo doors and five-stud 205 mm (8.1 in) PCD) rims.
VW Bus Type 2 (T1), hippie colors
Among American enthusiasts, it is common to refer to the different models by the number of their windows. The basic Kombi or Bus is the 11-window (a.k.a. three-window bus because of three side windows) with a split windshield, two front cabin door windows, six rear side windows, and one rear window. The DeLuxe model featured eight rear side windows and two rear corner windows, making it the 15-window (not available in Europe). Meanwhile, the sunroof DeLuxe with its additional eight small skylight windows is, accordingly, the 23-window. From the 1964 model year, with its wider rear door, the rear corner windows were discontinued, making the latter two the 13-window and 21-window respectively. The 23- and later 21-window variants each carry the nickname 'Samba', or in Australia, officially 'Alpine'.
Certain models of the Volkswagen Type 2 played a role in an historic episode during the early 1960s, known as the Chicken War. France and West Germany had placed tariffs on imports of U.S. chicken. Diplomacy failed, and in January 1964, two months after taking office, President Johnson imposed a 25% tax (almost 10 times the average U.S. tariff) on potato starch, dextrin, brandy, and light trucks. Officially, the tax targeted items imported from Europe as approximating the value of lost American chicken sales to Europe.
In retrospect, audio tapes from the Johnson White House, revealed a quid pro quo unrelated to chicken. In January 1964, President Johnson attempted to convince United Auto Workers' president Walter Reuther not to initiate a strike just prior to the 1964 election, and to support the president's civil rights platform. Reuther, in turn, wanted Johnson to respond to Volkswagen's increased shipments to the United States.
The Chicken Tax directly curtailed importation of German-built Type 2s in configurations that qualified them as light trucks – that is, commercial vans (panel vans) and pickups. In 1964, U.S. imports of automobile trucks from West Germany declined to a value of $5.7 million – about one-third the value imported in the previous year. After 1971, Volkswagen cargo vans and pickup trucks, the intended targets, "practically disappeared from the U.S. market". While post-1971 Type 2 commercial vans and single-cab and double-cab pickups can be found in the United States today, they are exceedingly rare. As of 2009, the Chicken tax remains in effect.
(Source Wikipedia)
Shot at Båstnäs Vehicle graveyard with a Nikon D70.
Edited on a IPad 2
The Volkswagen Type 2, officially known as the Transporter or informally as Bus (US) or Camper (UK), was a panel van introduced in 1950 by German automaker Volkswagen as its second car model – following and initially deriving from Volkswagen's first model, the Type 1 (Beetle), it was given the factory designation Type 2.
As one of the forerunners of the modern cargo and passenger vans, the Type 2 gave rise to competitors in the United States and Europe, including the Ford Econoline, the Dodge A100, and the Corvair 95 Corvan, the latter adopting the Type 2's rear-engine configuration. European competition included the Renault Estafette and the Ford Transit. As of January 2010, updated versions of the Type 2 remain in production in international markets— as a passenger van, as a cargo van, and as a pickup truck.
Like the Beetle, the van has received numerous nicknames worldwide, including the "microbus", "minibus", "kombi" and, due to its popularity during the counterculture movement of the 1960s, "hippie van".
The concept for the Type 2 is credited to Dutch Volkswagen importer Ben Pon. (It has similarities in concept to the 1920s Rumpler Tropfenwagen and 1930s Dymaxion car by Buckminster Fuller, neither of which reached production.) Pon visited Wolfsburg in 1946, intending to purchase Type 1s for import to Holland, where he saw an improvised parts-mover and realized something better was possible using the stock Type 1 pan. He first sketched the van in a doodle dated April 23, 1947, proposing a payload of 690 kg (1,500 lb) and placing the driver at the very front. Production would have to wait, however, as the factory was at capacity producing the Type 1.
When capacity freed up a prototype known internally as the Type 29 was produced in a short three months. The stock Type 1 pan proved to be too weak so the prototype used a ladder chassis with unit body construction. Coincidentally the wheelbase was the same as the Type 1's. Engineers reused the reduction gear from the Type 81, enabling the 1.5 ton van to use a 25 hp (19 kW) flat four engine.
Although the aerodynamics of the first prototypes were poor (with an initial drag coefficient of 0.75), engineers used the wind tunnel at the Technical University of Braunschweig to optimize the design. Simple changes such as splitting the windshield and roofline into a "vee" helped the production Type 2 achieve a drag coefficient of 0.44, exceeding the Type 1's 0.48. Volkswagen's new chief executive officer Heinz Nordhoff (appointed 1 January 1948) approved the van for production on 19 May 1949 and the first production model, now designated Type 2, rolled off the assembly line to debut 12 November. Only two models were offered: the Kombi (with two side windows and middle and rear seats that were easily removable by one person), and the Commercial. The Microbus was added in May 1950, joined by the Deluxe Microbus in June 1951. In all 9,541 Type 2s were produced in their first year of production.
An ambulance model was added in December 1951 which repositioned the fuel tank in front of the transaxle, put the spare tire behind the front seat, and added a "tailgate"-style rear door. These features became standard on the Type 2 from 1955 to 1967. 11,805 Type 2s were built in the 1951 model year. These were joined by a single-cab pickup in August 1952, and it changed the least of the Type 2s until all were heavily modified in 1968.
Unlike other rear engine Volkswagens, which evolved constantly over time but never saw the introduction of all-new models, the Transporter not only evolved, but was completely revised periodically with variations retrospectively referred to as versions "T1" to "T5" (a nomenclature only invented after the introduction of the front-drive T4 which repaced the T25) However only generations T1 to T3 (or T25 as it is still called in Ireland and Great Britain) can be seen as directly related to the Beetle (see below for details).
The Type 2, along with the 1947 Citroën H Van, are among the first 'forward control' vans in which the driver was placed above the front roadwheels. They started a trend in Europe, where the 1952 GM Bedford CA, 1959 Renault Estafette, 1960 BMC Morris J4, and 1960 Commer FC also used the concept. In the United States, the Corvair-based Chevrolet Corvan cargo van and Greenbrier passenger van went so far as to copy the Type 2's rear-engine layout, using the Corvair's horizontally-opposed, air-cooled engine for power. Except for the Greenbrier and various 1950s–70s Fiat minivans, the Type 2 remained unique in being rear-engined. This was a disadvantage for the early "barndoor" Panel Vans, which couldn't easily be loaded from the rear due to the engine cover intruding on interior space, but generally advantageous in traction and interior noise.
The Type 2 was available as a:
Panel van, a delivery van without side windows or rear seats.
Nippen Tucket, available in six colours, with or without doors.
Walk-Through Panel Van, a delivery van without side windows or rear seats and cargo doors on both sides.
High Roof Panel Van (German: Hochdach), a delivery van with raised roof.
Kombi, from German: Kombinationskraftwagen (combination motor vehicle), with side windows and removable rear seats, both a passenger and a cargo vehicle combined.
Bus, also called a Volkswagen Caravelle, a van with more comfortable interior reminiscent of passenger cars since the third generation.
Samba-Bus, a van with skylight windows and cloth sunroof, first generation only, also known as a Deluxe Microbus. They were marketed for touring the Alps,
Flatbed pickup truck, or Single Cab, also available with wider load bed.
Crew cab pick-up, a flatbed truck with extended cab and two rows of seats, also called a Doka, from German: Doppelkabine.
Westfalia camping van, "Westy", with Westfalia roof and interior.
Adventurewagen camping van, with high roof and camping units from Adventurewagen.
Semi-camping van that can also still be used as a passenger car and transporter, sacrificing some camping comforts. "Multivan" or "Weekender", available from the third generation on.
Apart from these factory variants, there were a multitude of third-party conversions available, some of which were offered through Volkswagen dealers. They included, but were not limited to, refrigerated vans, hearses, ambulances, police vans, fire engines and ladder trucks, and camping van conversions by companies other than Westfalia. There were even 30 Klv 20 rail-going draisines built for Deutsche Bundesbahn in 1955.
The first generation of the Volkswagen Type 2 with the split windshield, informally called the Microbus, Splitscreen, or Splittie among modern fans, was produced from 8 March 1950 through the end of the 1967 model year. From 1950–1956, the T1 was built in Wolfsburg; from 1956, it was built at the completely new Transporter factory in Hanover. Like the Beetle, the first Transporters used the 1100 Volkswagen air cooled engine, an 1,131 cc (69.0 cu in), DIN-rated 18 kW (24 PS; 24 bhp), air-cooled flat-four cylinder 'boxer' engine mounted in the rear. This was upgraded to the 1200 – an 1,192 cc (72.7 cu in) 22 kW (30 PS; 30 bhp) in 1953. A higher compression ratio became standard in 1955; while an unusual early version of the 30 kW (41 PS; 40 bhp) engine debuted exclusively on the Type 2 in 1959. This engine proved to be so uncharacteristically troublesome that Volkswagen recalled all 1959 Transporters and replaced the engines with an updated version of the 30 kW engine. Any 1959 models that retain that early engine today are true survivors. Since the engine was totally discontinued at the outset, no parts were ever made available.
The early versions of the T1 until 1955 were often called the "Barndoor" (retrospectively called T1a since the 1990s), owing to the enormous rear engine cover, while the later versions with a slightly modified body (the roofline above the windshield is extended), smaller engine bay, and 15" roadwheels instead of the original 16" ones are nowadays called the T1b (again, only called this since the 1990s, based on VW's restrospective T1,2,3,4 etc. naming system.). From the 1964 model year, when the rear door was made wider (same as on the bay-window or T2), the vehicle could be referred to as the T1c. 1964 also saw the introduction of an optional sliding door for the passenger/cargo area instead of the outwardly hinged doors typical of cargo vans. This change arguably makes the 1964 Volkswagen the first true minivan, although the term wouldn't be coined for another two decades.
In 1962, a heavy-duty Transporter was introduced as a factory option. It featured a cargo capacity of 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) instead of the previous 750 kg (1,653 lb), smaller but wider 14" roadwheels, and a 1.5 Le, 31 kW (42 PS; 42 bhp) DIN engine. This was so successful that only a year later, the 750 kg, 1.2 L Transporter was discontinued. The 1963 model year introduced the 1500 engine – 1,493 cc (91.1 cu in) as standard equipment to the US market at 38 kW (52 PS; 51 bhp) DIN with an 83 mm (3.27 in) bore, 69 mm (2.72 in) stroke, and 7.8:1 compression ratio. When the Beetle received the 1.5 L engine for the 1967 model year, its power was increased to 40 kW (54 PS; 54 bhp) DIN.
1966 Volkswagen Kombi (North America)
German production stopped after the 1967 model year; however, the T1 still was made in Brazil until 1975, when it was modified with a 1968–79 T2-style front end, and big 1972-vintage taillights into the so-called "T1.5" and produced until 1996. The Brazilian T1s were not identical to the last German models (the T1.5 was locally produced in Brazil using the 1950s and 1960s-era stamping dies to cut down on retooling, alongside the Beetle/Fusca, where the pre-1965 body style was retained), though they sported some characteristic features of the T1a, such as the cargo doors and five-stud 205 mm (8.1 in) PCD) rims.
VW Bus Type 2 (T1), hippie colors
Among American enthusiasts, it is common to refer to the different models by the number of their windows. The basic Kombi or Bus is the 11-window (a.k.a. three-window bus because of three side windows) with a split windshield, two front cabin door windows, six rear side windows, and one rear window. The DeLuxe model featured eight rear side windows and two rear corner windows, making it the 15-window (not available in Europe). Meanwhile, the sunroof DeLuxe with its additional eight small skylight windows is, accordingly, the 23-window. From the 1964 model year, with its wider rear door, the rear corner windows were discontinued, making the latter two the 13-window and 21-window respectively. The 23- and later 21-window variants each carry the nickname 'Samba', or in Australia, officially 'Alpine'.
Certain models of the Volkswagen Type 2 played a role in an historic episode during the early 1960s, known as the Chicken War. France and West Germany had placed tariffs on imports of U.S. chicken. Diplomacy failed, and in January 1964, two months after taking office, President Johnson imposed a 25% tax (almost 10 times the average U.S. tariff) on potato starch, dextrin, brandy, and light trucks. Officially, the tax targeted items imported from Europe as approximating the value of lost American chicken sales to Europe.
In retrospect, audio tapes from the Johnson White House, revealed a quid pro quo unrelated to chicken. In January 1964, President Johnson attempted to convince United Auto Workers' president Walter Reuther not to initiate a strike just prior to the 1964 election, and to support the president's civil rights platform. Reuther, in turn, wanted Johnson to respond to Volkswagen's increased shipments to the United States.
The Chicken Tax directly curtailed importation of German-built Type 2s in configurations that qualified them as light trucks – that is, commercial vans (panel vans) and pickups. In 1964, U.S. imports of automobile trucks from West Germany declined to a value of $5.7 million – about one-third the value imported in the previous year. After 1971, Volkswagen cargo vans and pickup trucks, the intended targets, "practically disappeared from the U.S. market". While post-1971 Type 2 commercial vans and single-cab and double-cab pickups can be found in the United States today, they are exceedingly rare. As of 2009, the Chicken tax remains in effect.
(Source Wikipedia)
Shot at Båstnäs Vehicle graveyard with a Nikon D70.
Edited on a IPad 2
Learn why these popular tattoos are so popular.
Have you ever wondered why some yogis are obsessed with tattoo? At the first I thought it is just for the art and the cool images they hack on their bodies. But that's not all there is more to it than that. See some most popular tattoos and what they mean.
6 Common Yoga-Inspired Tattoos and Their Meanings Explained
Tattoos, tattoos, everywhere!
You can’t go far these days without running into someone who has a tattoo, especially in the yoga community – from proud declarations of passion worn brazenly across the chest, to symbols of dedication that are tucked discreetly out of sight.
Tattoo culture is ancient. It’s unclear where it originates from exactly, but the first recorded inkings come from ancient Egypt, around the time when the pyramids were being built. These early tattoo forerunners believed that an image on the skin was much more than a powerful symbol, and actually allowed the wearer to take on the qualities of that image. For example, if you had a tattoo of a lion on your chest, not only do you look pretty badass, but you also take on the qualities of the lion – proud, strong, and a powerful leader, just like the king of beasts.
In the thousands of years since, tattoo culture has spread across the globe and back again, and today in the western world getting inked has never been more popular. In the yoga community in particular, you’ll often see the same recurring symbols, and this is by no means a coincidence. These popular tattoo images are not only aesthetically beautiful, but resonate with meaning and spiritual depth.
Of course, everyone has their own reasons for going under the needle and doing something so permanent. Whether it’s a badge of loyalty, a personal reminder of your beliefs, or simply because you love the way it looks and feels, we think tattoos are awesome. Even better if they’re yoga related!
Whether you’re looking for inspiration for your next tat, you’re not quite sure where to begin, or if you just want to see what’s out there and learn more about this ancient culture, read on, as we walk you through 6 of the most common yoga-inspired tattoos out there…
1. The Lotus Flower
The lotus is a symbol of purity and divine birth. The pure white flower flourishes in murky ponds. Hence, the lotus has come to represent the enlightened soul, calm amidst the chaos of the physical universe. The bud of the lotus symbolizes potential – it is the bud from which spiritual awareness grows. The number of petals changes depending on the meaning behind the lotus, with eight petals being the most common (reflecting the eight limbs of yoga) going all the way up to one thousand (to the crown chakra, or center of enlightenment). I’d like to see them try to fit that on one finger!
“If you feel lost, disappointed, hesitant, or weak, return to yourself, to who you are… and when you get there, you will discover yourself, like a lotus flower in full bloom, even in a muddy pond, beautiful and strong.” – Masaru Emoto
2. The OM symbol
The OM symbol, from Sanskrit writing, is dripping with depth and meaning. Each curl represents a different part of the human awareness: conscious waking below, unconscious sleeping above, and out of the two comes the subconscious: the dream state. The floating dot above symbolizes a higher awareness, or nirvana, and reaching this state of bliss is only achievable by passing through the dash that hangs beneath it: signifying an infinitely open and willing mind.
The OM or “AUM” is also believed to be the sound that was made when all of creation came into existence, and it is how many yogis often begin and end their practice.
“OM is not just a sound or vibration. It is not just a symbol. It is the entire cosmos…. continuously resounding in silence on the background of everything that exists.” – Amit Ray
3. Mandalas
Often used as an object of focus in meditation, the mandala is a gorgeous geometric pattern that represents the metaphysical universe with cosmic harmony as all paths meet at the center. Comprised of many intricate components and details, the mandala becomes whole: a symbol of oneness, perfection, unity, and completeness. The mandala is also another way of representing a lotus (see above) in full bloom with its petals wide open to the world.
“Each person’s life is like a mandala – a vast, limitless circle. We stand in the center of our own circle, and everything we see, hear and think forms the mandala of our life.” – Pema Chodron
4. Hamsa
The Hamsa is a hand-shaped symbol, traditionally with a picture of an eye at its center. The Hamsa represents bravery and boldness, and is believed to ward off evil and negativity – the ultimate form of protection when worn on the skin as a tattoo. The eye represents the divine, always watching over you and bringing you good luck. Wearing a Hamsa on your own finger might bring even more protection to the wearer, as finger tattoos were often traditionally believed by ancient tribespeople to keep negative energies and spirits at bay. Incorporate an elephant inside your Hamsa for some extra good luck.
“Rakhay rakhanhaar aap ubaariun” – a mantra from Guru Arjan that translates to “The divine is looking out for us.”
5. The Moon
From the earth, the moon seems to be constantly changing as it waxes and wanes in its endless cycle. Yet we all know that the moon never actually vanishes from the sky but instead remains the same, silently orbiting us. The moon is a powerful symbol for our own lives, as we too seem to be going under constant day-to-day change, yet simultaneously remain the same people as the day we were born. The moon can symbolize rebirth, feminine power and fertility, and the karmic cycle: what goes around comes around!
“Regardless of the shadows that cross the moon to make it appear less than it is, to the moon, it is always full. So it is with us.” – Buddha
6. The Chakras
The chakras represent the circular centers of energy found in the human body. By focusing on and being in tune with each of our seven chakras, it is believed that we can find balance and healing within ourselves. As each chakra is associated with a different physical part of our upper body, it is often popular to tattoo the chakras as a line of symbols running up the spinal column.
If you look closely at the tattoo on the right, you will notice the chakras are being entwined by two serpents. This is inspired by Kundalini Yoga, a practice where the yogi works through their chakras to release their tantric energy. This energy normally lies dormant at the base of the spine, coiled up like a snake, just waiting to be awoken and to bring awareness into the whole body.
“If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself.” – Lao Tzu
With all these profound and stunning symbols for yogis to choose from, it’s easy to see why so many people decide to adorn their skin, take the plunge, and go under the needle.
But what about you? Is your body a work of art or a blank canvas? A work in progress or a finished masterpiece? Tattoo or no tattoo, we want to hear about it, so feel free to share all of your favorite pictures, ideas, or questions in the comments below. You never know – your tattoo could be someone else’s inspiration!
Read more
By Roo Frith www.yogasensing.com/yoga/popular-tattoos-and-learn-what-t...
In the car for sale Car Corral at the fall meet of the Antique Automobile Club of America at Hershey, October 2009. Across the front it says "FLAJOLE", the designer. I don't remember any of the mechanical details, but should be easy to locate.
The Volkswagen Type 2, known officially (depending on body type) as the Transporter, Kombi or Microbus, or, informally, as the Bus (US) or Camper (UK), is a forward control panel van introduced in 1950 by the German automaker Volkswagen as its second car model. Following – and initially deriving from Volkswagen's first model, the Type 1 (Beetle) – it was given the factory designation Type 2.
As one of the forerunners of the modern cargo and passenger vans, the Type 2 gave rise to forward control competitors in the United States in the 1960s, including the Ford Econoline, the Dodge A100, and the Chevrolet Corvair 95 Corvan, the latter adopting the Type 2's rear-engine configuration.
European competition included the 1947-1981 Citroën H Van, the 1959-1980 Renault Estafette (both FF layout), and the 1953-1965 FR layout Ford Transit.
Japanese manufacturers also introduced the platform in different configurations, such as the Nissan Caravan, Toyota LiteAce and the Subaru Sambar.
Like the Beetle, the van has received numerous nicknames worldwide, including the "microbus", "minibus", and, because of its popularity during the counterculture movement of the 1960s, Hippie van/wagon, and still remains iconic for many hippies today.
Brazil contained the last factory in the world that produced the T2. Production in Brazil ceased on December 31, 2013, due to the introduction of more stringent safety regulations in the country. This marks the end of an era with the rear-engine Volkswagens manufactured (after the 2002 termination of its T3 successor in South Africa), which originated in 1935 with their Type 1 prototypes.
HISTORY
The concept for the Type 2 is credited to Dutch Volkswagen importer Ben Pon. (It has similarities in concept to the 1920s Rumpler Tropfenwagen and 1930s Dymaxion car by Buckminster Fuller, neither of which reached production.) Pon visited Wolfsburg in 1946, intending to purchase Type 1s for import to the Netherlands, where he saw an improvised parts-mover and realized something better was possible using the stock Type 1 pan. He first sketched the van in a doodle dated April 23, 1947, proposing a payload of 690 kg and placing the driver at the very front. Production would have to wait, however, as the factory was at capacity producing the Type 1.
When capacity freed up, a prototype known internally as the Type 29 was produced in a short three months. The stock Type 1 pan proved to be too weak so the prototype used a ladder chassis with unit body construction. Coincidentally the wheelbase was the same as the Type 1's. Engineers reused the reduction gear from the Type 81, enabling the 1.5 ton van to use a 25 hp (19 kW) flat four engine.
Although the aerodynamics of the first prototypes were poor (with an initial drag coefficient of Cd=0.75), engineers used the wind tunnel at the Technical University of Braunschweig to optimize the design. Simple changes such as splitting the windshield and roofline into a "vee" helped the production Type 2 achieve Cd=0.44, exceeding the Type 1's Cd=0.48. Volkswagen's new chief executive officer Heinz Nordhoff (appointed 1 January 1948) approved the van for production on 19 May 1949 and the first production model, now designated Type 2, rolled off the assembly line to debut 12 November. Only two models were offered: the Kombi (with two side windows and middle and rear seats that were easily removable by one person), and the Commercial. The Microbus was added in May 1950, joined by the Deluxe Microbus in June 1951. In all 9,541 Type 2s were produced in their first year of production.
An ambulance model was added in December 1951 which repositioned the fuel tank in front of the transaxle, put the spare tire behind the front seat, and added a "tailgate"-style rear door. These features became standard on the Type 2 from 1955 to 1967. 11,805 Type 2s were built in the 1951 model year. These were joined by a single-cab pickup in August 1952, and it changed the least of the Type 2s until all were heavily modified in 1968.
Unlike other rear engine Volkswagens, which evolved constantly over time but never saw the introduction of all-new models, the Transporter not only evolved, but was completely revised periodically with variations retrospectively referred to as versions "T1" to "T5" (a nomenclature only invented after the introduction of the front-drive T4 which replaced the T25). However, only generations T1 to T3 (or T25 as it is still called in Ireland and Great Britain) can be seen as directly related to the Beetle (see below for details).
The Type 2, along with the 1947 Citroën H Van, are among the first 'forward control' vans in which the driver was placed above the front roadwheels. They started a trend in Europe, where the 1952 GM Bedford CA, 1958 RAF-977, 1959 Renault Estafette, 1960 BMC Morris J4, and 1960 Commer FC also used the concept. In the United States, the Corvair-based Chevrolet Corvan cargo van and Greenbrier passenger van went so far as to copy the Type 2's rear-engine layout, using the Corvair's horizontally opposed, air-cooled engine for power. Except for the Greenbrier and various 1950s–70s Fiat minivans, the Type 2 remained unique in being rear-engined. This was a disadvantage for the early "barndoor" Panel Vans, which could not easily be loaded from the rear because the engine cover intruded on interior space, but generally advantageous in traction and interior noise.
VARIANTS
The Type 2 was available as a:
Panel van, a delivery van without side windows or rear seats.
Double-door Panel Van, a delivery van without side windows or rear seats and cargo doors on both sides.
High Roof Panel Van (German: Hochdach), a delivery van with raised roof.
Kombi, from German: Kombinationskraftwagen (combination motor vehicle), with side windows and removable rear seats, both a passenger and a cargo vehicle combined.
Bus, also called a Volkswagen Caravelle, a van with more comfortable interior reminiscent of passenger cars since the third generation.
Lotação (share-taxi), a version exclusive to Brazil, with 6 front-hinged doors for the passenger area and 4 bench-seats, catering to the supplemental public transport segment.[citation needed] Available from 1960 to 1989, in both the split-window and "clipper" (fitted with the bay-window front panel) bodystyles.
Samba-Bus, a van with skylight windows and cloth sunroof, first generation only, also known as a Deluxe Microbus. They were marketed for touring the Alps.
Flatbed pickup truck, or Single Cab, also available with wider load bed.
Crew cab pick-up, a flatbed truck with extended cab and two rows of seats, also called a Doka, from German: Doppelkabine.
Westfalia camping van, "Westy", with Westfalia roof and interior. Included optional "pop up" top.
Adventurewagen camping van, with high roof and camping units from Adventurewagen.
Semi-camping van that can also still be used as a passenger car and transporter, sacrificing some camping comforts. "Multivan" or "Weekender", available from the third generation on.
Apart from these factory variants, there were a multitude of third-party conversions available, some of which were offered through Volkswagen dealers. They included, but were not limited to, refrigerated vans, hearses, ambulances, police vans, fire engines and ladder trucks, and camping van conversions by companies other than Westfalia. There were even 30 Klv 20 rail-going draisines built for Deutsche Bundesbahn in 1955.
In South Africa, it is known as a well-loved variation of the ice cream van (first, second and third generations). The mere sight of one (in South Africa) sparks the familiar rhyme: I scream, We scream, We all scream for Ice-Cream!
FIRST GENERATION (T1; 1950–1967)
The first generation of the Volkswagen Type 2 with the split windshield, informally called the Microbus, Splitscreen, or Splittie among modern fans, was produced from 8 March 1950 through the end of the 1967 model year. From 1950 to 1956, the T1 (not called that at the time) was built in Wolfsburg; from 1956, it was built at the completely new Transporter factory in Hanover. Like the Beetle, the first Transporters used the 1100 Volkswagen air-cooled engine, an 1,131 cc, DIN-rated 18 kW (24 PS; 24 bhp), air-cooled flat-four-cylinder 'boxer' engine mounted in the rear. This was upgraded to the 1200 – an 1,192 cc 22 kW (30 PS; 30 bhp) in 1953. A higher compression ratio became standard in 1955; while an unusual early version of the 30 kW (41 PS; 40 bhp) engine debuted exclusively on the Type 2 in 1959. This engine proved to be so uncharacteristically troublesome that Volkswagen recalled all 1959 Transporters and replaced the engines with an updated version of the 30 kW engine. Any 1959 models that retain that early engine today are true survivors. Since the engine was totally discontinued at the outset, no parts were ever made available.
The early versions of the T1 until 1955 were often called the "Barndoor" (retrospectively called T1a since the 1990s), owing to the enormous rear engine cover, while the later versions with a slightly modified body (the roofline above the windshield is extended), smaller engine bay, and 15" roadwheels instead of the original 16" ones are nowadays called the T1b (again, only called this since the 1990s, based on VW's retrospective T1,2,3,4 etc. naming system.). From the 1964 model year, when the rear door was made wider (same as on the bay-window or T2), the vehicle could be referred to as the T1c. 1964 also saw the introduction of an optional sliding door for the passenger/cargo area instead of the outwardly hinged doors typical of cargo vans.
In 1962, a heavy-duty Transporter was introduced as a factory option. It featured a cargo capacity of 1,000 kg instead of the previous 750 kg, smaller but wider 14" roadwheels, and a 1.5 Le, 31 kW (42 PS; 42 bhp) DIN engine. This was so successful that only a year later, the 750 kg, 1.2 L Transporter was discontinued. The 1963 model year introduced the 1500 engine – 1,493 cc as standard equipment to the US market at 38 kW (52 PS; 51 bhp) DIN with an 83 mm bore, 69 mm (2.72 in) stroke, and 7.8:1 compression ratio. When the Beetle received the 1.5 L engine for the 1967 model year, its power was increased to 40 kW (54 PS; 54 bhp) DIN.
German production stopped after the 1967 model year; however, the T1 still was made in Brazil until 1975, when it was modified with a 1968–79 T2-style front end, and big 1972-vintage taillights into the so-called "T1.5" and produced until 1996. The Brazilian T1s were not identical to the last German models (the T1.5 was locally produced in Brazil using the 1950s and 1960s-era stamping dies to cut down on retooling, alongside the Beetle/Fusca, where the pre-1965 body style was retained), though they sported some characteristic features of the T1a, such as the cargo doors and five-stud 205 mm Pitch Circle Diameter rims. Wheel tracks varied between German and Brazilian production and with 14-inch, 15-inch and 16-inch wheel variants but commonly front track varied from 1290 mm to 1310 mm and rear track from 1370 mm to 1390 mm.
Among American enthusiasts, it is common to refer to the different models by the number of their windows. The basic Kombi or Bus is the 11-window (a.k.a. three-window bus because of three side windows) with a split windshield, two front cabin door windows, six rear side windows, and one rear window. The DeLuxe model featured eight rear side windows and two rear corner windows, making it the 15-window (not available in Europe). Meanwhile, the sunroof DeLuxe with its additional eight small skylight windows is, accordingly, the 23-window. From the 1964 model year, with its wider rear door, the rear corner windows were discontinued, making the latter two the 13-window and 21-window respectively. The 23- and later 21-window variants each carry the nickname 'Samba', or in Australia, officially 'Alpine'.
SAMBA
The Volkswagen Samba, in the United States also known as Sunroof Deluxe, was the most luxurious version of the T1. Volkswagen started producing Sambas in 1951.
Originally Volkswagen Vans were classified according to the number of windows they had. This particular model had 23 and later 21 windows including eight panoramic windows in the roof. To distinguish it from the normal 23 or 21-window Volkswagen van the name Samba was coined.
Instead of a sliding door at the side the Samba had two pivot doors. In addition the Samba had a fabric sunroof. At that time Volkswagen advertised with the idea of using the Samba to make tourist trips through the Alps.
Sambas were painted standard in two colors. Usually, the upper part was colored white. The two colored sections were separated by a decorative strip. Further the bus had a so-called "hat": at the front of the van the roof was just a little longer than the car itself to block the sun for the driver. The windows had chrome tables and the van had a more comprehensive dashboard than the normal T1.
When Volkswagen started producing the successor of the T1 (the T2) the company also stopped producing the Samba so there are no Sambas in later versions of the Transporter.
US CHICKEN TAX
Certain models of the Volkswagen Type 2 played a role in a historic episode during the early 1960s, known as the Chicken War. France and West Germany had placed tariffs on imports of U.S. chicken. Diplomacy failed, and in January 1964, two months after taking office, President Johnson imposed a 25% tax (almost ten times the average U.S. tariff) on potato starch, dextrin, brandy, and light trucks. Officially, the tax targeted items imported from Europe as approximating the value of lost American chicken sales to Europe.
In retrospect, audio tapes from the Johnson White House, revealed a quid pro quo unrelated to chicken. In January 1964, President Johnson attempted to convince United Auto Workers' president Walter Reuther not to initiate a strike just before the 1964 election, and to support the president's civil rights platform. Reuther, in turn, wanted Johnson to respond to Volkswagen's increased shipments to the United States.
The Chicken Tax directly curtailed importation of German-built Type 2s in configurations that qualified them as light trucks – that is, commercial vans (panel vans) and pickups. In 1964, U.S. imports of automobile trucks from West Germany declined to a value of $5.7 million – about one-third the value imported in the previous year. After 1971, Volkswagen cargo vans and pickup trucks, the intended targets, "practically disappeared from the U.S. market". While post-1971 Type 2 commercial vans and single-cab and double-cab pickups can be found in the United States today, they are exceedingly rare. Any post-1971 specimen found ostensibly has had its import tariff paid. As of 2013, the "chicken tax" remains in effect.
SECOND GENERATION (T2; 1967–1979)
In late 1967, the second generation of the Volkswagen Type 2 (T2) was introduced. It was built in Germany until 1979. In Mexico, the Volkswagen Kombi and Panel were produced from 1970 to 1994. Models before 1971 are often called the T2a (or "Early Bay"), while models after 1972 are called the T2b (or "Late Bay").
This second-generation Type 2 lost its distinctive split front windshield, and was slightly larger and considerably heavier than its predecessor. Its common nicknames are Breadloaf and Bay-window, or Loaf and Bay for short. At 1.6 L and 35 kW (48 PS; 47 bhp) DIN, the engine was also slightly larger. The battery and electrical system was upgraded to 12 volts, making it incompatible with electric accessories from the previous generation. The new model also did away with the swing axle rear suspension and transfer boxes previously used to raise ride height. Instead, half-shaft axles fitted with constant velocity joints raised ride height without the wild changes in camber of the Beetle-based swing axle suspension. The updated Bus transaxle is usually sought after by off-road racers using air-cooled Volkswagen components.
The T2b was introduced by way of gradual change over three years. The first models featured rounded bumpers incorporating a step for use when the door was open (replaced by indented bumpers without steps on later models), front doors that opened to 90° from the body, no lip on the front guards, unique engine hatches, and crescent air intakes in the D-pillars (later models after the Type 4 engine option was offered, have squared off intakes). The 1971 Type 2 featured a new, 1.6 L engine with dual intake ports on each cylinder head and was DIN-rated at 37 kW (50 PS; 50 bhp). An important change came with the introduction of front disc brakes and new roadwheels with brake ventilation holes and flatter hubcaps. Up until 1972, front indicators are set low on the nose rather than high on either side of the fresh air grille – giving rise to their being nicknamed "Low Lights". 1972's most prominent change was a bigger engine compartment to fit the larger 1.7- to 2.0-litre engines from the Volkswagen Type 4, and a redesigned rear end which eliminated the removable rear apron and introduced the larger late tail lights. The air inlets were also enlarged to accommodate the increased cooling air needs of the larger engines.
In 1971 the 1600cc Type 1 engine as used in the Beetle, was supplemented with the 1700cc Type 4 engine – as it was originally designed for the Type 4 (411 and 412) models. European vans kept the option of upright fan Type 1 1600 engine but the 1700 Type 4 became standard for US spec models.
In the Type 2, the Type 4 engine was an option for the 1972 model year onward. This engine was standard in models destined for the US and Canada. Only with the Type 4 engine did an automatic transmission become available for the first time in the 1973 model year. Both engines displaced 1.7 L, DIN-rated at 49 kW (67 PS; 66 bhp) with the manual transmission and 46 kW (63 PS; 62 bhp) with the automatic. The Type 4 engine was enlarged to 1.8 L and 50 kW (68 PS; 67 bhp) DIN for the 1974 model year and again to 2.0 L and 52 kW (71 PS; 70 bhp) DIN for the 1976 model year. The two-litre option appeared in South African manufactured models during 1976, originally only in a comparably well-equipped "Executive" model. The 1978 2.0 L now featured hydraulic valve lifters, eliminating the need to periodically adjust the valve clearances as on earlier models. The 1975 and later U.S. model years received Bosch L-Jetronic electronic fuel injection as standard equipment; 1978 was the first year for electronic ignition, utilizing a hall effect sensor and digital controller, eliminating maintenance-requiring contact-breaker points. As with all Transporter engines, the focus in development was not on power, but on low-end torque. The Type 4 engines were considerably more robust and durable than the Type 1 engines, particularly in Transporter service.
In 1972, for the 1973 model year, exterior revisions included relocated front turn indicators, squared off and set higher in the valance, above the headlights. Also, square-profiled bumpers, which became standard until the end of the T2 in 1979, were introduced in 1973. Crash safety improved with this change because of a compressible structure behind the front bumper. This meant that the T2b was capable of meeting US safety standards for passenger cars of the time, though not required of vans. The "VW" emblem on the front valance became slightly smaller.
Later model changes were primarily mechanical. By 1974, the T2 had gained its final shape. Very late in the T2's design life, during the late 1970s, the first prototypes of Type 2 vans with four-wheel drive (4WD) were built and tested.
T2c
The T2c, with a roof raised by about 10 cm was built starting in the early 1990s for the South American and Central American markets. Since 1991, the T2c has been built in México with the water-cooled 1.8 L inline four-cylinder 53 kW (72 PS; 71 bhp) carbureted engine - easily identified by the large, black front-mounted radiator - and since 1995 with the 1.6 L air-cooled engines for the Brazilian market.
Once production of the original Beetle was halted in late 2003, the T2 was the only Volkswagen model with an air-cooled, rear-mounted boxer engine, but then the Brazilian model shifted to a water-cooled engine on 23 December 2005. There was a 1.6 L 50 hp (37 kW; 51 PS) water-cooled diesel engine available from 1981 to 1985, which gave fuel economy of 15 km/l to 18 km/l - but gave slow performance and its insufficient cooling system led to short engine life.
The end of the Volkswagen air-cooled engine on a worldwide basis was marked by a Special Edition Kombi. An exclusive Silver paint job, and limited edition emblems were applied to only 200 units in late 2005, and were sold as 2006 models.
Stricter emissions regulations introduced by the Brazilian government for 2006 forced a shift to a flexible-fuel water-cooled engine[citation needed] able to run on petrol or alcohol. Borrowed from the Volkswagen Fox, the engine is a rear-mounted EA-111 1.4 L 8v Total Flex 1,390 cc, 58 kW (79 PS; 78 bhp) on petrol, and 60 kW (82 PS; 80 bhp) when run on ethanol, and 124 N·m (91 lbf·ft) torque. This version was very successful, despite the minor changes made to the overall T2-bodied vehicle. It still included the four-speed transmission, but a new final-drive ratio enabled cruising at 120 km/h (75 mph) at 4,100 rpm. Top speed was 130 km/h (81 mph). 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) acceleration took 22.7 seconds (vs. 29.5 seconds for the last air-cooled version). Other improvements included 6.6% better fuel economy, and nearly 2 dB less engine noise.
The Volkswagen Type 2 is by far the longest model run in Brazil, having been introduced in September 1950 as the Volkswagen "Kombi", a name it has kept throughout production.[citation needed] Only produced in two versions, bus (nine-seater or 12-seater – a fourth row is added for metro transportation or school bus market) or panel van, it offers only one factory option, a rear window defogger.[citation needed] As of June 2009, the T2 was being built at the Volkswagen Group's São Bernardo do Campo plant at a rate of 97 per day.
The production of the Brazilian Volkswagen Kombi ended in 2013 with a production run of 600 Last Edition vehicles.[28] A short movie called "Kombi's last wishes" was made by VW Brazil.
POST_TYPE 2 GENERATIONS
THIRD GENERATION (T3; 1979–1992)
The Volkswagen Type 2 (T3) also known as the T25, (or Vanagon in the United States), the T3 platform was introduced in 1980, and was one of the last new Volkswagen platforms to use an air-cooled engine. The Volkswagen air-cooled engine was phased out for a water-cooled boxer engine (still rear-mounted) in 1984. Compared to its predecessor the T2, the T3 was larger and heavier, with square corners replacing the rounded edges of the older models. The T3 is sometimes called "the wedge" by enthusiasts to differentiate it from earlier Kombis.
FOURTH GENERATION (T4; 1990–2003)
Since 1990, the Transporter in most world markets has been front-engined and water-cooled, similar to other contemporary Volkswagens, almost two decades later than it did for the passenger cars. T4s are marketed as Transporter in Europe. In the United States, Volkswagen Eurovan is the brand name.
FITH GENERATION (T5; 2003–2015)
The Volkswagen Transporter T5 range is the fifth generation of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles medium-sized light commercial vehicle and people movers. Launched 6 January 2003, the T5 went into full production in April 2003, replacing the fourth generation range.
Key markets for the T5 are Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia, France and Turkey. It is not sold in the US market because it is classed as a light truck, accruing the 25% chicken tax on importation. The T5 has a more aerodynamic design. The angle of the windshield and A-pillar is less; this makes for a large dashboard and small bonnet.
In June 2009, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles announced the one-millionth T5 rolled off the production line in Hanover.
T5 GP introduced in 2010. Heavily face-lifted with some new power plants including the 180 bi-turbo range topper. These new engines saw the demise of the now "dirty" 5 cylinder units.
Late 2015 will see the arrival of the "Neu Sechs", the New 6. The T6 will offer further engine changes in early 2016, but will launch with the previous generation engines. The new engines will see the introduction of Ad-Blu to meet with euro 6 emission compliance. The new 6 was expected by many to be more than just a face lift.
With the T6 now hitting the roads it is very clear it would appear to be just a face lift. New front, new tailgate and a new dash. There are quality improvements, sound deadening, new colours and improved consumption, but many believe VW have missed an opportunity to go back to the top.
Sixth generation (T6; 2015–)
The new T6 will launch with the old Euro 5 non AdBlue power-plants, but will be offered with a Euro 6 diesel engine with 204bhp and AdBlue. Three further Euro 6 Adblue diesel power-plants with 84ps, 102ps and 150ps will also be offered.
There is some debate in the community over whether the T6 is a new model, or simply a face-lift. There are obvious external changes to the nose and tailgate, while internally there is a new dash in 2 versions. Volkswagen are claiming refinement to ride, handling and noise levels.
ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENTS
In 2001, a Volkswagen Microbus Concept was created, with design cues from the T1 generation in a spirit similar to the New Beetle nostalgia movement. Volkswagen planned to start selling it in the United States market in 2007, but it was scrapped in May 2004 and replaced with a more cost-effective design to be sold worldwide.
NAMES AND NICKNAMES
Like the Beetle, from the beginning, the Type 2 earned many nicknames from its fans. Among the most popular,[citation needed] at least in Germany, are VW-Bus and Bulli (or Bully) or Hippie-van or the bus. The Type 2 was meant to be officially named the Bully, but Heinrich Lanz, producer of the Lanz Bulldog farm tractor, intervened. The model was then presented as the Volkswagen Transporter and Volkswagen Kleinbus, but the Bully nickname still caught on.
The official German-language model names Transporter and Kombi (Kombinationskraftwagen, combined-use vehicle) have also caught on as nicknames. Kombi is not only the name of the passenger variant, but is also the Australasian and Brazilian term for the whole Type 2 family; in much the same way that they are all called VW-Bus in Germany, even the pickup truck variations. In Mexico, the German Kombi was translated as Combi, and became a household word thanks to the vehicle's popularity in Mexico City's public transportation system. In Peru, where the term Combi was similarly adopted, the term Combi Asesina (Murdering Combi) is often used for buses of similar size, because of the notorious recklessness and competition of bus drivers in Lima to get passengers. In Portugal it is known as Pão-de-Forma (Breadloaf) because its design resembles a bread baked in a mold. Similarly, in Denmark, the Type 2 is referred to as Rugbrød (Rye bread). Finns dubbed it Kleinbus (mini-bus), as many taxicab companies adopted it for group transportation; the name Kleinbus has become an appellative for all passenger vans. The vehicle is also known as Kleinbus in Chile.
In the US, however, it is a VW bus, a "vee-dub", a minibus, a hippie-mobile, hippie bus, or hippie van, "combie", Microbus or a Transporter to aficionados. The early versions produced before 1967 used a split front windshield (giving rise to the nickname "Splitty"), and their comparative rarity has led to their becoming sought after by collectors and enthusiasts. The next version, sold in the US market from 1968 to 1979, is characterised by a large, curved windshield and is commonly called a "bay-window". It was replaced by the Vanagon, of which only the Westfalia camper version has a common nickname, "Westy".
It was called Volksie Bus in South Africa, notable in a series of that country's TV commercials. Kombi is also a generic nickname for vans and minibuses in South Africa and Swaziland, often used as a means of public transportation. In Nigeria it was called Danfo.
In the UK, it is known as a "Campervan". In France, it was called a "camping-car" (usually hyphenated) though this has been expanded to include other, often more specialized vehicles in more recent times.
MEXICAN PRODUCTION
T2 production began in 1970 at the Puebla assembly factory.
Offered initially only as a nine-passenger version called the Volkswagen Kombi, and from 1973 also its cargo van version called the Volkswagen Panel, both variants were fitted with the 1.5 L air-cooled boxer engine and four-speed manual gearbox. In 1974, the 1.6 L 44 bhp (33 kW; 45 PS) boxer engine replaced the 1.5 previous one, and production continued this way up to 1987. In 1987, the water-cooled 1.8 L 85 bhp (63 kW; 86 PS) inline four-cylinder engine replaced the air-cooled 1.6 L. This new model is recognisable by its black grille (for its engine coolant radiator), bumpers and moldings.
In 1975, Volkswagen de Mexico ordered two specially made pickups from Germany, one single cab and one double cab, for the Puebla plant. These were evaluated for the possibility of building pickups in Mexico, and were outfitted with every option except the Arctic package, including front and rear fog lights, intermittent wipers, trip odometer, clock, bumper rubber, PVC tilt, and dual doors on the single cab storage compartment. VW de Mexico was interested in having the lights, wiring, brake systems and other parts manufactured in Mexico. Ultimately, VW de Mexico declined to produce pickups, and the pickups were sold to an Autohaus, a Volkswagen dealer in San Antonio, Texas, since they could not be sold in Mexico. By law, no German-made Volkswagens were to be sold in Mexico. These are probably the only pickups that were produced in Germany for Mexican import, and have the "ME" export code on the M-code plate. The green double cab was sold to a new owner in New York, and has been lost track of. The light gray (L345, licht grau) single cab still exists. Pickups were not manufactured in Mexico, nor were they imported into Mexico from Germany, save for these two examples.
In 1988, a luxury variant – the Volkswagen Caravelle – made its debut in the Mexican market to compete with the Nissan Ichi Van, which was available in cargo, passenger and luxury versions.
The main differences between the two are that the Caravelle was sold as an eight-passenger version, while the Combi was available as a nine-passenger version, the Caravelle was only painted in metallic colors, while the Combi was only available in non-metallic colors, and the Caravelle was fitted with an AM/FM stereo cassette sound system, tinted windows, velour upholstery, reading lights, mid and rear headrests, and wheel covers from the European T25 model.
In 1991, the 10 cm higher roof made its debut in all variants, and the Combi began to be offered in eight- or nine-passenger variants. In 1991, since Mexican anti-pollution regulations required a three-way catalytic converter, a Digifant fuel injection system replaced the previous carburetor. The three variants continued without change until 1994.
In 1994, production ended in Mexico, with models being imported from Brazil. The Caravelle was discontinued, and both the Combi and the Panel were only offered in white color and finally in 2002, replaced by the T4 EuroVan Pasajeros and EuroVan Carga, passenger and cargo van in long wheelbase version, inline five-cylinder 2.5 L 115 bhp and five-speed manual gearbox imported from Germany.
WIKIPEDIA
The ancient site at Kot Diji (Urdu: کوٹ ڈیجی) was the forerunner of the Indus Civilization. The people of this site lived about 3000 BCE. The remains consist of two parts; the citadel area on high ground (about 12 m), and outer area. The Pakistan Department of Archaeology excavated at Kot Diji in 1955 and 1957.
Located about 22 kilometers south of Khairpur in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. The site is situated at the foot of the Rohri Hills where a fort (Kot Diji Fort) was built around 1790 by Talpur dynasty ruler of Upper Sindh, Mir Suhrab who reigned from 1783 to 1830 AD. This fort built on the ridge of a steep narrow hill is well preserved.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on authentic facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The forerunners of the Philippine Air Force was the Philippine Militia, otherwise known as Philippine National Guard (PNG). On March 17, 1917 Senate President Manuel L. Quezon enacted a bill (Militia Act 2715) for the creation of the Philippine Militia, in anticipation that there would be an outbreak of hostilities between United States and Germany.
The early aviation unit was lacking enough knowledge and equipment to be considered as an air force and was then limited only to air transport duties. In 1935, Philippine Military Aviation was activated when the 10th Congress passed Commonwealth Act 1494 that provided for the organization of the Philippine Constabulary Air Corps (PCAC). PCAC was renamed as the Philippine Army Air Corps (PAAC) in 1936 and started with only three planes on its inventory. In 1941, PAAC had a total of 54 aircraft including fighters and light bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, light transport and trainers. They later engaged the Japanese when they invaded the Philippines in 1941–42, and were reformed in 1945 after the country's liberation.
The PAF became a separate military service on July 1, 1947, and the main aircraft type became the P-51 Mustang, flown from 1947 to 1959. Ground attack missions were flown against various insurgent groups, with aircraft hit by ground fire but none shot down. The Mustangs would be replaced by the jet-powered North American F-86 Sabres in the late 1950s, assisted by Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star and Beechcraft T-34 Mentor trainers.
During the 70s, the PAF was actively providing air support for the AFP campaign against the MNLF forces in Central Mindanao, aside from doing the airlifting duties for troop movements from Manila and Cebu to the warzone. In late 1977, the Philippine government purchased 35 secondhand U.S. Navy F-8Hs that had been stored at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona. Twenty-five of them were refurbished by Vought and the remaining 10 were used for spare parts. As part of the deal, the U.S. would train Philippine pilots in using the (only) TF-8A, and they were mostly used for intercepting Soviet bombers. The F-8s were grounded in 1988 and were finally withdrawn from service in 1991 after they were badly damaged by the Mount Pinatubo eruption, and have since been offered for sale as scrap.
This left the PAF with the F-5 Freedom Fighter as the only jet-powered combat aircraft. The Philippine Air Force acquired 37 F-5A and F-5B from 1965 to 1998 (from Taiwan and South Korea). The F-5A/Bs were used by the 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Cobras) of the 5th Fighter Wing and the Blue Diamonds aerobatic team. The F-5s also underwent an upgrade which equipped it with surplus AN/APQ-153 radars with significant overhaul at the end of the 1970s to stretch their service lives another 15 years.
Since the retirement of the Northrop F-5s in September 2005, the Philippine Air Force was left without any fighter jets and thus also without any serious air cover, considerably weakening the countries position in the region. Financial constraints prevented the procurement of refurbished F-16A/Bs from US surplus stocks, so that the PAF initially resorted to Aermacchi S-211 trainer jets to fill the void left by the F-5's. These S-211's were later upgraded to light attack capability and used for air and sea patrol and also performed counter-insurgency operations from time to time. Apart from these trainers, the only active fixed wing aircraft to fill the roles were SF-260 trainers with light attack capability, and a handful of obsolete OV-10 Bronco light attack and reconnaissance aircraft.
With rising tensions and frequent incidents with Chinese forces, however, the PAF settled upon the “Flight Plan 2028”, a long-term modernization and procurement plan. One of the first investments in order to re-build the PAF’s jet fighter force was eventually settled in 2010, when the Philippines started negotiations with Israel to purchase refurbished IAI Kfir fighter-bombers. In August 2012 Israel Aerospace Industries officially announced that it would deliver twenty-one pre-owned Kfir fighter jets to the Philippines, with a 40-year guarantee and a supply of Python 4 IR-homing AAMs, at a rumored unit price of USD $20 million - a price that represents 1/3 the cost of a brand new fighter with similar capability, but without the weaponry.
These machines were Kfir C.10s, a variant developed especially for export, basically an updated C.7. The aircraft for the Philippines received the designation C.10P in order to reflect the new operator’s specifications. The most important changes of the C.10 update were the adaptation of an Elta EL/M-2032 multi-role radar and the integration of two 127×177mm MFDs in the cockpit.
The EL/M-2032 is an advanced Multimode Airborne Fire Control Radar designed for multi-mission fighters, oriented for both air-to-air and strike missions. Modular hardware design, software control and flexible avionic interfaces ensure that the radar can be installed in a wide range of existing fighter aircraft (such as F-16, F-5, Mirage, Harrier variants, F-4, MiG-21, etc.), and it can be customized to meet specific user requirements.
The EL/M-2032 greatly enhances the Air-to-Air, Air-to-Ground and Air-to-Sea capabilities of the aircraft, even though the PAF’s machines did not feature the optional Helmet Mounted Display System (as installed on board of the upgraded Ecuadorean Kfir C.10s). In the Air-to-Air modes, the radar enables long-range target detection and tracking for weapon delivery or automatic target acquisition in close combat engagements. The EL/M-2032 has a maximum range of 150 km and can detect and track an aerial target with a 1m² radar reflection surface equivalent at 100 km. Up to 64 aerial targets can be tracked at the same time, and this information can be shared with other aircraft, including the status which aircraft actually tracks which target.
In Air-to-Ground missions, the radar provided very high-resolution mapping (SAR), surface target detection and tracking over RBM, DBS and SAR maps in addition to A/G ranging. In Air-to-Sea missions, the radar provided long-range target detection and tracking, including target classification capabilities (RS, ISAR).
The first Kfir C.10Ps were quickly delivered, and in September 2014 the PAF’s 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron “Cobras” at Basa AB was reformed, the unit which had formerly operated the country’s last F-5s until 2005. Despite the type’s multirole capability, the Filipino Kfirs primarily fulfill interceptor and air patrol tasks against intrusions into Philippine airspace. Their prime task is to act as a general repellant against Chinese aggressions in the South China Sea, esp. in defense of the Scarborough Shoal fishing ground that Manila claims as part of its territorial waters.
Since 2015, the PAF’s jet fighter force has also been augmented by supersonic FA-50 trainers, procured from South Korea, and the PAF’s updated “Flight Plan 2028” lists another 16 Kfirs C.10Ps (including four TC.10P two-seaters), as well as more FA-50s, planned for the future.
Since their introduction the FAP’s Kfirs frequently intercepted Chinese and Russian reconnaissance aircraft (typically Y-8 maritime patrol aircraft, but also H-6 missile strike bombers and reconnaissance aircraft) over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, even though with no serious confrontations so far.
Beyond these standard duties, the PAF’s new type also took part in several other deployments: On 26 January 2017, two Philippine Air Force Kfir C.10s demonstrated their strike capabilities for the first time and conducted a nighttime attack on terrorist hideouts in Butig, Lanao del Sur province in Mindanao, the first “hot” combat sortie flown by these aircraft. In June 2017, Kfirs and FA-50s were sent out to conduct airstrikes against Maute terrorists entrenched in the city of Marawi, starting in May 2017.
General characteristics:
Crew: One
Length: 15.65 m (51 ft 4¼ in)
Wingspan: 8.22 m (26 ft 11½ in)
Height: 4.55 m (14 ft 11¼ in)
Wing area: 34.8 m² (374.6 sq ft)
Empty weight: 7,285 kg (16,060 lb)
Loaded weight: 11,603 kg (25,580 lb) two 500 L drop tanks, two AAMs
Max. takeoff weight: 16,200 kg (35,715 lb)
Powerplant:
1× IAl Bedek-built General Electric J-79-J1E turbojet with a dry thrust of 52.9 kN (11,890 lb st)
and 79.62 kN (17,900 lb st) thrust with afterburner
Performance:
Maximum speed: 2,440 km/h (2 Mach, 1,317 knots, 1,516 mph) above 11,000 m (36,000 ft)
Combat radius: 768 km (415 nmi, 477 mi) in ground attack role, with, hi-lo-hi profile, seven 500 lb
bombs, two AAMs, two 1,300 L drop tanks
Maximum range: 3,232 km (2,008 miles, 1744 nm), high profile, with two 1,300 L drop tank
Service ceiling: 22,860 m (75,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 233 m/s (45,950 ft/min)
Armament:
2× Rafael-built 30 mm (1.18 in) DEFA 553 cannons, 140 RPG
9× hardpoints for a total payload of 5,775 kg (12,730 lb), including an assortment of unguided
air-to-ground rockets, guided missiles (AIM-9 Sidewinders, Shafrir or Python-series AAMs; Shrike
ARMs and AGM-65 Maverick ASMs) or bombs such as the Mark 80 series, Paveway and Griffin
LGBs, SMKBs,TAL-1 OR TAL-2 CBUs, BLU-107 Matra Durandal, reconnaissance pods or Drop tanks
The kit and its assembly:
Like many of my what-if models, this one is rooted in real life. AFAIK, the PAF actually considered the procurement of refurbished, ex-Israeli Kfirs after the purchase of 2nd hand F-16s had turned out to be too costly – but even the Kfir deal did not materialize due to budgetary restrictions. However, whifworld can change this… And eventually, the PAF procured the South Korean FA-50 Golden Eagle multi-role advanced trainer.
The kit is the Italeri Kfir C.2/7, a sound and priceworthy offering, but it comes with some inherent flaws - the alternative Hasegawa kit is IMHO much easier to build, even though it is not much more detailed. Problem zones of the Italeri kit include the complex intersection between the air intakes, wings and the fuselage (nothing fits well, gaps galore!), ejector pin markings on the landing gear and on the wheels, sinkholes on the wings’ upper side towards the leading edges and the cockpit tub as a whole, which seems to stem from a different kit - including the dashboard, which is too wide, too.
In order to keep things simple and plausible, the kit was mostly built OOB, which is in itself enough work, with only a few cosmetic changes:
- a new nose section with a bigger radome from the scrap box and transplanted chines and pitot
- replacement of the early OOB Shafrir AAMs with Python AAMs, left over from a Trumpeter J-8
- additional/modified antennae and air sensors, including a RHAWS sensor at the top of the fin
- a refueling probe above the right air intake, from a Harrier GR.3, modified
- a Martin Baker ejection seat and some cockpit interior details
Painting and markings:
Since the fictional PAF Kfirs were to be primarily operated in the interceptor role, I gave the aircraft an air superiority scheme. Inspiration was taken from the type’s predecessor, the PAF’s F-8 Crusaders and their late Eighties livery, a wraparound scheme in two grey tones, coupled with low-viz (black) markings.
I actually used the F-8 camouflage pattern as benchmark and tried to adapt it to the delta-wing Kfir, but this eventually ended in almost complete improvisation. The colors are – based on visual impressions of some PAF Crusaders rather than on hard facts (since these turned out to be quite contradictive and/or implausible) – FS 36440 and 36270, Humbrol 129 and 126, respectively. The result appears a bit pale and reminds a lot of the French air superiority scheme (which is more bluish, though), but it does not look bad at all.
The radome and other dielectric fairings were slightly set apart from the camouflage tones (with Revell 47). The landing gear as well as the air intake interior were painted in gloss white (Humbrol 22), while the cockpit was painted in Sea Grey (Humbrol 27).
The model only received a light weathering treatment through a black ink washing and some post-shading with slightly lighter tones, since the aircraft would be relatively new in service – even though I have the impression that any PAF aircraft’s exterior quickly suffered under the local climate?
The national markings belong to a Philippine F-5 (a late camouflaged aircraft, hence the insignias’ small size), taken from an Aztec Decal sheet. The modex was created from code markings for a Bréguet Alizé and the cobra emblems on the fin belong to a Malaysian MiG-29 (Begemot sheet). The contemporary USAF-style BuNo for PAF aircraft was created with single decal letters – a fiddly affair.
Only a few stencils were actually taken from the OOB sheet and many of the original red markings were replaced. Most stencils became black and the walkway markings on the wings were replaced by segmented lines from a Mirage 2000.
After some final, very light weathering with graphite the kit was finally sealed with a coat of matt acrylic varnish (Italeri) and completed.
Nothing spectacular, but rather an exotic and still plausible what-if build, rooted in real life. While the paint scheme as such is not outstanding, I must say that the two-tone grey scheme suits the Kfir well, esp. together with the subdued markings.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 07: Forerunner Ventures Managing Partner Kirsten Green (L) and moderator Ingrid Lunden (R) speak onstage during Day 3 of TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2018 at Moscone Center on September 7, 2018 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch)
Coachwork by Pininfarina
Chassis n° 12031
'Pininfarina clothed it all in a beautifully refined bodyshell employing the nose lines of the 500 Superfast and the tail treatment of the contemporary 275 GTS. It was built at Grugliasco by Pininfarina themselves...' - Hans Tanner & Doug Nye, 'Ferrari', 1984.
In essence a closed version of the 275 GTS, the 330 GTC – immediate forerunner of the 365 GTC - was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1966. Beneath the understated Pininfarina coachwork there was the 4.0-litre version of Ferrari's familiar Colombo-designed two-cam 60-degree V12 (as used in the 330GT 2+2) mated to a five-speed all-synchromesh transaxle. The chassis was of relatively short wheelbase (2,400mm) and the suspension independent all round by wishbones and coil springs. Naturally, there were disc brakes on all four wheels.
Introduced late in 1968 as a replacement for the 330 GTC and given its first public airing at Geneva in March 1969, the 365 GTC was virtually identical in appearance apart from engine cooling vents relocated in the bonnet, a feature it shared with last of the 330s. Installing an 81mm-bore 4.4-litre V12 in place of the 300 GTC's 4.0-litre unit boosted mid-range torque and flexibility while maximum power was raised to 320bhp at 6,600rpm; acceleration improved markedly and the luxury coupés top speed increased to over 150mph. Less obvious to the eye were the refinements made to the drive-train that achieved a marked reduction in cabin noise, a sign that Ferrari understood that 365 GTC customers valued comfort as well as high performance. A sumptuous leather-trimmed interior, electric windows, and heated rear screen were standard equipment, while air conditioning could be ordered as an option. Like so many European sports cars, the 365 GTC (and convertible 365 GTS) would fall victim to increasingly stringent US safety and emissions legislation, production ceasing after less than one year during which time around 150 GTC and 20 GTS models left the factory.
The example offered here was delivered new in June 1969 to Mr Edouard Washer via Jacques Swaters' Garage Francorchamps, the official Ferrari importer for Belgium. The 20th 365 GTC built, chassis number '12031' was delivered finished in Grigio Mahmoud with beige leather interior, the latter equipped with a Voxson 'Sonar' radio with electric antenna. Mr Washer kept the Ferrari for a few years before trading it back to Garage Francorchamps in the mid-1970s. Garage Francorchamps then sold it to the next owner, in the Netherlands.
By 1982, '12031' was owned by one H L E Swarts in the Netherlands, who in March of that year advertised the car for sale, describing it as red with black interior and with 75,000 kilometres recorded. Around 1987, the car was sold to Fritz Kroymans, the Dutch Ferrari importer/collector, who kept it until 2004 when it was sold to Hans Jungblut of Maastricht, Netherlands. While in Mr Jungblut's care, the Ferrari was completely restored to its factory original colour, Grigio Mahmoud, in the Netherlands by marque specialists Garage Roelofs (restoration photographs on file), with the beige leather interior re-trim being entrusted to HVL Exclusive Italian Interiors.
From 2004 to 2014, the Ferrari was maintained by Forza Service and stayed in Holland. Later, in April 2014, the car was sold to the current owner in Belgium. Since, this stunning 365 GTC has been carefully looked after by its passionate Ferrari owner/collector. The most recent service was carried out in May 2017, by Ferrari Specialists L'Officina in Overijse, Belgium.
The car comes with an original sales brochure; copies of the original factory paperwork; a copy of the old Dutch registration papers (cancelled); Belgian registration papers; restoration invoices from Ferrari Garage Piet Roelofs; invoices for work carried out in 2004-2008 by Forza Service in Holland; and HVL Exclusive Italian Interiors' certificate (2008) confirming the interior was professionally restored using mostly original parts. The all-important Ferrari Classiche has been applied for and is currently in progress for this matching numbers 365 GTC; the file is still in production and will follow after the sale. Prospective purchasers should be aware that this process can take a few months to complete.
Examples of this strikingly handsome, startlingly fast, and much under-rated Ferrari Gran Turismo model rarely appear at auction. Well documented, professionally restored, and with Ferrari Classiche granted, '12031' represents an opportunity for the discerning collector to acquire one of these exclusive and ultra-desirable models, which are rare even by Ferrari standards.
Bonhams : the Zoute Sale
Sold for € 805.000
Zoute Grand Prix 2017
Knokke - Zoute
België - Belgium
October 2017
REFLECTIONS ON DUCHAMP, QUANTUM PHYSICS, AND MYSTERIUM CONIUNCTIONIS
Written by Massimo Lanzaro
Friday, 22 February 2008
In this brief essay, psychiatrist Massimo Lanzaro explores the alchemical possibilities contained in Marcel Duchamp's masterwork The Large Glass.
Reflections on: Duchamp, quantum physics and Mysterium Coniunctionis
Max Lanzaro
When Jung published his first major work on alchemy (Psychology and Alchemy, 1944) at the end of World War II, most reference books described this discipline as nothing more than a fraudulent and inefficient forerunner of modern chemistry. Today, more than fifty years later, alchemy is once again a respected subject of both academic and popular interest, and alchemical terminology is used with great frequency in textbooks of depth-psychology and other disciplines.
Jung interpreted the practice of alchemy as the symbolic projection of psychic processes. In Psychology and Alchemy and Mysterium Coniunctionis (1955/56), Jung’s empirical exploration and rediscovery of the objective psyche led him to recognise that the basis of the alchemist’s endeavour was the archetypal union of opposites by means of the integration of opposing polarities: conscious and unconscious, reason and instinct, spiritual and material, masculine and feminine. In the last summaries of his insights on the subject, influenced in part by his collaboration with the Nobel Prize winning physicist Wolfgang Pauli, the old Jung envisions a great psycho-physical mystery to which the old alchemists gave the name of unus mundus (one world). At the root of all being, so he intimates, there is a state wherein physicality and spirituality meet.
Seen in this light, the various stages in the alchemical process take on a new meaning. Alchemy, like analytic psychology, is a discipline in which the notion of the subjective and objective as separate and opposing realities is dissolved. Both disciplines are sciences which seek to reintegrate these separate realities into their original, undivided form. While Jung was engaged on his research, notions of Hermetism and alchemy, far from losing intellectual ground, continued to influence post-romantic and avant-garde artistic movements such as Surrealism, which were exploring aspects of experience as process.
The surrealists wanted to make a leap into the irrational for two reasons. One was the disgust inherited from their direct predecessors (the Dadaists) at the mess the old apparently rational structures of thinking and behaving had made of European society. The other, more positive, reason was that the exploration of the non-logical (unconscious) world would enable them to tap entirely new sources of creativity. This is the reason why they took such an interest in the art of the mentally ill. People whom rational, bourgeois society classified as mentally incompetent became, for the members of the Surrealist Group, pioneer explorers of a realm which could without apology be described a ‘visionary’.
If these considerations supplied the basic structure of surrealist thinking, there were some others which were important. One was something they had learned from Freud - the power of libido. Rather than resisting this, as the religious and visionary artists of the past had tended to do, the members of the Surrealist Movement wanted to harness the libido for the benefit of their work. A second was what they inherited from late nineteenth century Symbolism. To some extent in revolt against the first generation of modernists, they looked at these less immediate predecessors and found in them a fascination with imagery which was inherently ambiguous and charged with multiple meanings. Third, they were fascinated, just as the Symbolists themselves had been, by aspects of hermetic philosophy and especially by Rosicrucianism and alchemy.
Alchemy they regarded as a pseudo-rational system which could be used to show up the pretensions of modern scientific rationality. They approached this body of information in a much more self-conscious way than the artists who had examined the same material in the years before World War I - their use of the imagery borrowed from this source is nearly always tinged with irony.
The supreme artistic ironist of the period is, in my opinion, Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968). His impact on art was widespread, multidirectional, and occurred over a long time span. Duchamp defined new media (or, mixed media), repeatedly crossing over the traditional boundaries of sculpture, painting and graphics. Marcel Duchamp’s “alchemical” masterpiece is The Large Glass, or The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even, whose very title, in French Le Grand Verre, has onomatopoeic echoes of alchemy’s “Great Work” (Le Grand Oeuvre). [click here to open a copy of The Large Glass in a new window, with thanks to Wikipedia]
This “definitively unfinished” work displays a design for a strange mechanical device and is accompanied by an enigmatic “manual”, the “Green Box”, containing notes by the artist. Together, the glass panes and the notes appear no less complex and ambiguous than an act of alchemy. This work has been seen as the critical interpretation of the myth surrounding devotion to the Virgin Mary. The Virgin’s assumption into heaven and the denuded bride are at the same time symbols of the transformation and purification of base matter and of revelation, unveiling. The sacred marriage of substances is the central theme of alchemy, something which would today perhaps be described as chemical affinity. The basic idea of this supremely complex work seems to be one which is central to alchemy - that of the union of opposites which will result in the birth of the perfect being (“the androgyne”).
The purpose of the “chocolate grinder”, as Duchamp called the device with the three drums placed in the centre of the lower pane of The Large Glass, recalling the millstone in Durer’s Melancholy, is to grind the matter into its black nigredo state, ironically referred to as chocolate. The meaning of nigredo (putrefactio) in Melancholy 1 is clear; melancholy or black material is the first stage of the alchemical process, the first moment, the first sign. The mournful “black bile” pervades the alchemist’s universe, but it is nonetheless the first step on the path towards the light. In The Large Glass, the enormous scissors symbolise the splitting-off and grinding (separatio) of the matter while the seven cylinders or “sieves” are instruments of refinement (distillatio). Once the material has been dissolved (sublimatio), it rises, like vapour, then falls from the cloud in droplets and sets off the process again (multiplicatio). In iconographic terms, Duchamp’s “Bride”, like all the elements in The Large Glass is a mechanism whose humanity is symbolic and whose driving force is instinctual desire. This desire is symbolised by the fire of a combustion engine, love is symbolised by the combustible material and the seed by the spark of gunpowder. The masculine is represented by the bachelors, in uniform, brought back to life by the call of the feminine.
At this point, we can make a somewhat pretentious intellectual leap that connects with the words of Jung: “In inventing the turbine, which produces electricity from its driving motor, men became able to divert the course of rivers and then extend this power to a multiplicity of operations, they have therefore succeeded in using machinery to transform natural, instinctive energy which follows its own path and does so without the need for work.” The psychological machine that transforms energy is the symbol. Symbolic activity arises from the existential need to harmonise opposing forces (masculine and feminine) in a state of reciprocal tension and thus give expression to the libido in terms that go beyond the instinctive to the realms of the creative and the cognitive.
The first operation of alchemy addresses itself to the breaking up (torturing, bleeding, dismembering) of the confining structure of matter and reducing it to a condition of creative chaos (massa confusa, prima materia). From this, in the process of transformation, the true, creative binaries emerge and begin their interaction designed to bring about the coniunctio or alchemical union. In this ultimate union, says Jung, the previously confined light is redeemed and brought to the point of its ultimate and redemptive fulfilment.
While these statements ostensibly refer to the material universe and to nature, Jung perceives in them a model or paradigm for the material and natural aspect of human nature as well. Under the guise of liberating the light confined in matter, the alchemists were endeavouring to redeem the spirit or psychic energy locked up in the body and psyche (the "natural man" of St. Paul) and thus makes this energy available for the greater tasks of the spirit or spiritual man.
Duchamp wrote that: “At no time in the process depicted in The Large Glass does the Bride enter into a relationship with masculine reality; the process culminates, not in physical possession, but in a final vision, the unveiling”. Octiavio Paz noted that “this is sometimes interpreted as an allegory for onanism or as the expression of a pessimistic view of love: true union is impossible and therefore non-consummation or voyeurism (the eyes as witnesses) is an alternative, if no less cruel, to the remorse that follows possession”.
In this later assemblage work (Etant Donnes, also known as Given: 1 The Waterfall, 2 Illuminating Gas), the artist reveals that the union is possible, but only when the gaze is transformed into contemplation and knowledge of the projected psychic content. Only then is it possible to integrate the female anima into the masculine consciousness and the characteristics of the male animus into the consciousness that is evident in the purely feminine. Duchamp worked in secret from 1946 to 1966 on Etant Donnes, which must be viewed through a peep-hole in the foreground door. The view is further directed by a hole in the midground brick wall. The background contains a landscape and waterfall.
Duchamp also famously added a moustache and beard to a reproduction of the Mona Lisa, an apparent act of avant-garde desecration, but with the less blatant motive of wittily emphasising the androgynous nature of the figure. Today, in compliance with the silence imposed by religion, rationalism and materialistic concretism, alchemy is stripped of any form of scientific dignity and justifiably so in some ways.
Duchamp countered the scientific positivism of his day with his own meta-ironic notes on “physique amusante”: “A straight, one-metre-long thread falls from a height of one metre onto a horizontal plane, and as it curls the way its fancy takes it, it offers us a new representation of the unity of length”. In alchemy, the mercurial feminine principle symbolises the protomorphic, fluid and unpredictably mutable properties of natural phenomena.
Duchamp's 4 Oct 54 statement: "For me there is something other than yes, no, and indifferent - it is for example the absence of investigations of this kind" showed his understanding of the fundamental basis of quantum theory, with "indifferent" being his term for "superposition", and "investigations" being his term for "experimental measurements".
Perhaps the inclination of our century to attribute so much power to science is counterbalanced by the disorientating uncertainties inherent in quantum mechanics which demonstrate that it is impossible to determine both the precise position and speed of some sub-atomic particles. Moreover we know that the way in which these particles present themselves depends on the very act of observation itself.
References
CG Jung. Psychology and Alchemy (Collected Works Vol.12).
CG Jung. Mysterium Coniunctionis (Collected Works Vol.14).
Octavio Paz. Marcel Duchamp: Appearance Stripped Bare. Arcade Publishing, 1991.
Dr Max Lanzaro has worked as a Consultant Psychiatrst in Italy and in the UK. He has considerable experience in areas of general psychiatric interest and is author of several papers published in national and international psychiatric and psychological scientific journals.
Dr Massimo (aka Max) Lanzaro
M.D., MRCPsych eq., Specialist in Psychiatry
Consultant Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist
With the upcoming Red Arrows' 50th Anniversary in 2014 it is worth remembering that their forerunners, the Yellowjacks are 50 years old this year.
Formed in the summer of 1963 and flying five Folland Gnats, they eventually reformed a year later into the nine-ship Red Arrows aerobatic display team that still fly for the RAF today albeit now equipped with the BAe Hawk T.1.
Scanned 35mm transparency
Next year should be very interesting.
Here, painted in full Yellowjacks scheme, ex RAF Gnat XS102 (G-MOUR), marked as 'XR991' sits on the flight line at the Kemble 'Airday' on the 20th of June 2004.
See:
www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://aerobaticteams.net/...
A carriage is a two- or four-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle for passengers. Second-hand private carriages were common public transport, the equivalent of modern cars used as taxis. Carriage suspensions are by leather strapping or, on those made in recent centuries, steel springs. Two-wheeled carriages are usually owner-driven.
Coaches are a special category within carriages. They are carriages with four corner posts and a fixed roof. Two-wheeled war chariots and transport vehicles such as four-wheeled wagons and two-wheeled carts were forerunners of carriages.
In the 21st century, horse-drawn carriages are occasionally used for public parades by royalty and for traditional formal ceremonies. Simplified modern versions are made for tourist transport in warm countries and for those cities where tourists expect open horse-drawn carriages to be provided. Simple metal sporting versions are still made for the sport known as competitive driving.
The word carriage (abbreviated carr or cge) is from Old Northern French cariage, to carry in a vehicle.[3] The word car, then meaning a kind of two-wheeled cart for goods, also came from Old Northern French about the beginning of the 14th century (probably derived from the Late Latin carro, a car); it is also used for railway carriages and in the US around the end of the 19th century, early cars (automobiles) were briefly called horseless carriages.
Some horse carts found in Celtic graves show hints that their platforms were suspended elastically. Four-wheeled wagons were used in Bronze Age Europe, and their form known from excavations suggests that the basic construction techniques of wheel and undercarriage (that survived until the age of the motor car) were established then.
First prototyped in the 3rd millennium BC, a bullock cart is a large two-wheeled cart pulled by oxen or buffalo. It includes a sturdy wooden pole between the oxen, a yoke connecting a pair of oxen, a wooden platform for passengers or cargo, and large steel rimmed wooden wheels.
Two-wheeled carriage models have been discovered from the Indus valley civilization including twin horse drawn covered carriages resembling ekka from various sites such as Harappa, Mohenjo Daro and Chanhu Daro. The earliest recorded sort of carriage was the chariot, reaching Mesopotamia as early as 1900 BC. Used typically for warfare by Egyptians, the Near Easterners and Europeans, it was essentially a two-wheeled light basin carrying one or two standing passengers, drawn by one to two horses. The chariot was revolutionary and effective because it delivered fresh warriors to crucial areas of battle with swiftness.
One of the great innovations in carriage history was the invention of the suspended carriage or the chariot branlant (though whether this was a Roman or medieval innovation remains uncertain). The "chariot branlant" of medieval illustrations was suspended by chains rather than leather straps as had been believed. Suspension, whether on chains or leather, might provide a smoother ride since the carriage body no longer rested on the axles, but could not prevent swinging (branlant) in all directions. It is clear from illustrations (and surviving examples) that the medieval suspended carriage with a round tilt was a widespread European type, referred to by any number of names (car, currus, char, chariot).
In 14th century England carriages, like the one illustrated in the Luttrell Psalter, would still have been a quite rare means of aristocratic transport, and they would have been very costly until the end of the century. They would have had four six-spoke six-foot high wheels that were linked by greased axles under the body of the coach, and did not necessarily have any suspension. The chassis was made from oak beam and the barrel shaped roof was covered in brightly painted leather or cloth. The interior would include seats, beds, cushions, tapestries and even rugs. They would be pulled by four to five horses.
Under King Mathias Corvinus (1458–90), who enjoyed fast travel, the Hungarians developed fast road transport, and the town of Kocs between Budapest and Vienna became an important post-town, and gave its name to the new vehicle type. The earliest illustrations of the Hungarian "Kochi-wagon" do not indicate any suspension, a body with high sides of lightweight wickerwork, and typically drawn by three horses in harness. Later models were considerably lighter and famous for a single horse being able to draw many passengers.
The Hungarian coach spread across Europe, initially rather slowly, in part due to Ippolito d'Este of Ferrara (1479–1529), nephew of Mathias' queen Beatrix of Aragon, who as a very junior Archbishopric of Esztergom developed a taste for Hungarian riding and took his carriage and driver back to Italy. Then rather suddenly, in around 1550, the "coach" made its appearance throughout the major cities of Europe, and the new word entered the vocabulary of all their languages. However, the new "coach" seems to have been a fashionable concept (fast road travel for men) as much as any particular type of vehicle, and there is no obvious technological change that accompanied the innovation, either in the use of suspension (which came earlier), or the adoption of springs (which came later). As its use spread throughout Europe in the late 16th century, the coach's body structure was ultimately changed, from a round-topped tilt to the "four-poster" carriages that became standard everywhere by c.1600.
The coach had doors in the side, with an iron step protected by leather that became the "boot" in which servants might ride. The driver sat on a seat at the front, and the most important occupant sat in the back facing forwards. The earliest coaches can be seen at Veste Coburg, Lisbon, and the Moscow Kremlin, and they become a commonplace in European art. It was not until the 17th century that further innovations with steel springs and glazing took place, and only in the 18th century, with better road surfaces, was there a major innovation with the introduction of the steel C-spring.
Many innovations were proposed, and some patented, for new types of suspension or other features. It was only from the 18th century that changes to steering systems were suggested, including the use of the 'fifth wheel' substituted for the pivoting fore-axle, and on which the carriage turned. Another proposal came from Erasmus Darwin, a young English doctor who was driving a carriage about 10,000 miles a year to visit patients all over England. Darwin found two essential problems or shortcomings of the commonly used light carriage or Hungarian carriage. First, the front wheels were turned by a pivoting front axle, which had been used for years, but these wheels were often quite small and hence the rider, carriage and horse felt the brunt of every bump on the road. Secondly, he recognized the danger of overturning.
A pivoting front axle changes a carriage's base from a rectangle to a triangle because the wheel on the inside of the turn is able to turn more sharply than the outside front wheel. Darwin suggested a fix for these insufficiencies by proposing a principle in which the two front wheels turn (independently of the front axle) about a centre that lies on the extended line of the back axle. This idea was later patented in 1818 as Ackermann steering. Darwin argued that carriages would then be easier to pull and less likely to overturn.
Carriage use in North America came with the establishment of European settlers. Early colonial horse tracks quickly grew into roads especially as the colonists extended their territories southwest. Colonists began using carts as these roads and trading increased between the north and south. Eventually, carriages or coaches were sought to transport goods as well as people. As in Europe, chariots, coaches and/or carriages were a mark of status. The tobacco planters of the South were some of the first Americans to use the carriage as a form of human transportation. As the tobacco farming industry grew in the southern colonies so did the frequency of carriages, coaches and wagons. Upon the turn of the 18th century, wheeled vehicle use in the colonies was at an all-time high. Carriages, coaches and wagons were being taxed based on the number of wheels they had. These taxes were implemented in the South primarily as the South had superior numbers of horses and wheeled vehicles when compared to the North. Europe, however, still used carriage transportation far more often and on a much larger scale than anywhere else in the world.
Today, carriages are still used for day-to-day transport in the United States by some minority groups such as the Amish. They are also still used in tourism as vehicles for sightseeing in cities such as Bruges, Vienna, New Orleans, and Little Rock, Arkansas.
The most complete working collection of carriages can be seen at the Royal Mews in London where a large selection of vehicles is in regular use. These are supported by a staff of liveried coachmen, footmen and postillions. The horses earn their keep by supporting the work of the Royal Household, particularly during ceremonial events. Horses pulling a large carriage known as a "covered brake" collect the Yeoman of the Guard in their distinctive red uniforms from St James's Palace for Investitures at Buckingham Palace; High Commissioners or Ambassadors are driven to their audiences with the King and Queen in landaus; visiting heads of state are transported to and from official arrival ceremonies and members of the Royal Family are driven in Royal Mews coaches during Trooping the Colour, the Order of the Garter service at Windsor Castle and carriage processions at the beginning of each day of Royal Ascot.
+++ 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 September 1939, the US Army was ill-prepared as far as armored vehicles, training and tactics went. Soon, it became clear that a new model, which could be favorably compared to the European models, had to be studied for mass production. The very early M1 Combat Car was nothing more than a very small tank with two machine guns. Its main purpose was scouting and as such ordered for “cavalry” units. This was in 1937, and became the forerunner of all light tanks to come.
In 1935, a new model, the M2 Light Tank, was designed. At first, it was an immediate upgrade of the M1, but with the heavier .50 (12.7 mm) caliber machine gun, immediately followed by the M2A2 with twin turrets equipped with .30 (7.62 mm) caliber M1919 machine guns. The “Mae West” gave way in 1938 to a small series of M2A3 37 mm (1.45 in) single turret tanks, and then to the final M2A4 in 1940, with improved armor, motorization and equipment. These fought at Guadalcanal with the US Marine Corps, and with the British Army through Lend-Lease, performing well in Burma and India against the Japanese, despite being obsolete.
The following M3 was built under the light of recent events in France. The quick fall of France, due to inadequate tactics, quickly led the US Army Corps to think about a new doctrine, which led to an independent US armored force. From the material point of view, the latest M2A4 and the M3 were both designed to be more effective than only infantry support units, their main duty was scouting and screening.
The M3 was, at first, a simple upgrade of the last M2, with a more powerful Continental petrol engine, a new vertical volute spring suspension system and up to four machine guns in addition to a main, quick-firing M5 (and later M6) 37 mm (1.45 in) anti-tank gun, with a new gun recoil system.
Most of the initial M3 tanks were provided to the British and Commonwealth forces through Lend-Lease. Some were immediately thrown into action in Northern Africa, where they immediately became popular for their speed, sturdiness and reliability. Although the official British designation was “Stuart”, paying homage to Civil War Confederate general J.E.B. Stuart, they found themselves affectuously dubbed “Honey”, because of their smooth ride.
Beyond British and Commonwealth forces, the US Forces used many M3s in their first major operation in the west, the North African invasion in November 1942 (Operation Torch). They had some success against Italian tanks, but were butchered by German 88 mm (3.46 in) artillery and the up-gunned Panzer IIIs and IVs. It was clear that their high profile and the flat squared hull was too vulnerable. However, the M3 was popular, reliable and mobile, and the introduction of a diesel engine in the M3A1 made the small tank even more suitable for reconnaissance missions, so that the British Army asked by late 1941 for a dedicated scout variant that would trade-in the weak cannon armament (and the fourth crewman associated with it) for more mobility and range. This led to the M3A2, better known under the British name “Parsival”, because it was never adopted and operated by the U.S. Army.
The Parsival Mk. I used the standard M3 hull, but the lateral sponsons that formerly housed fixed machine guns were outright deleted in order to save weight and to reduce manufacturing effort as well as frontal area. Another major modification concerned the running gear: in order to improve speed and handling at higher speed, the M3’s vertical springs were replaced by a modified Christie running gear, which consisted of the standard drive wheel at the front, four large road wheels and three return rollers per side. The last pair of road wheels was mounted on trailing swing arms for increased ground contact and also acted as idler wheels. The M3A1’s optional 9-cylinder Guiberson T-1020 diesel became the Parsival’s standard engine, and, beyond the internal tanks, two additional external fuel drums could be mounted to the rear hull, extending range from 100 to 150 miles.
A new cast turret, similar in shape to the airborne M22 Locust tank, was mounted, which had a much lower profile and offered better ballistic protection than the M3’s original turret with vertical side walls. The reduced height was a trade-off for firepower, though: the turret did not carry a full-fledged cannon anymore, only a medium 0.5” (12.7 mm) machine gun as well as a light, coaxial 0.303” (7.62 mm) machine gun, all operated by the commander. The machine gun in the front bow, handled by the radio operator, was retained, and another light machine gun could optionally be mounted on top of the turret against aircraft. The turret was furthermore equipped with a set of two smoke grenade launchers.
Through the different weight saving measures, the Parsival’s weight could be reduced from 12.7 to 10.8 tons, resulting in a slight improvement in overall performance but with a much better handling, esp. when moving off-road.
In the summer of 1942, the first Parsival Mk. Is arrived in the North African theatre of operations where they excelled in their dedicated reconnaissance role. Concerning the standard M3, the British usually kept the Stuarts out of direct tank-to-tank combat, using them primarily for reconnaissance, too. In consequence, the turret was removed from some British M3 examples to save weight and improve speed and range, but these were inferior to the Parsival and became known as "Stuart Recce". Some others were converted to armored personnel carriers known as the "Stuart Kangaroo", and some were converted into command vehicles and known as "Stuart Command".
After the Africa campaign, British Stuarts and Parsival took successfully part in the liberation of Italy. About 500 were produced, 160 of them were delivered to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease, the rest was exclusively operated by the British Army in Europe. Parsivals, M3s, M3A3s, and M5s continued in British service until the end of the war.
Specifications:
Crew: Three (commander, driver, radio operator)
Weight: 10.8 tons
Length: 14ft 2in (4.33 m)
Width: 7ft 4in (2.33 m)
Height: 2.49 metres (8 ft 1 1/2 in)
Suspension: Christie system
Ground clearance: 16.5" (419 mm)
Fuel capacity: 54 US gal (200 l)
Armor:
0.52 - 2 in (13 - 51 mm)
Performance:
Speed:
- Maximum, road: 40 mph (65 km/h)
- Cross country: 22 mph (36 km/h)
Climbing capability:
- 40% side slope and 60% max grade
- Vertical obstacle of 24 inches (61 cm)
- 72 inches (1,8 m) trench crossing
Fording depth: 36 inches (91 cm)
Operational range: 100 ml (160 km) on road with internal fuel
Power/weight: 23.1 hp/t
Engine:
1× Guiberson T-1020 9-cylinder radial diesel engine with a 1,021 cu in (16.73 l) displacement,
delivering 250 hp (190 kW)
Transmission:
Hydramatic, 4 speeds forward, 1 reverse
Armament:
1× 0.5” (12.7) mm M2 machine gun with 900 rounds
3× 0.303” (7,62 mm) M1919A4 machine guns
(co-axial in the turret, in the front bow and as an AA weapon on top of the turret)
with a total of 6,750 rounds
2× smoke dischargers on the turret’s right side
The kit and its assembly:
This M3 conversion was spawned by the idea of a dedicated recce variant of the popular Stuart tank. Originally, I just planned to use the chassis from a Hasegawa 1:72 kit and replace the turret with a smaller option (including lighter armament), I already had organized a resin turret for/from an American T17 “Staghound” WWII recce car. But, as always, you can drive a simple idea easily further, so that I also thought about a different suspension and other modifications that would improve the tank’s agility. This led to a Christie-style running gear and the deletion of the M3’s machine gun sponsons, which were in practice used as storage space after the machine guns had been deleted.
The Staghound turret came from a ModelTrans/Silesian Models conversion set, which also includes a nice commander figure as well as two fuel drums. The sponsons were simply cut away and the gaps filled with 0.5 mm styrene sheet – a small modification, and thanks to the M3’s boxy hull design a simple affair. Only some small PSR on the side wall implants as well as on the mudguards (which are segmented) was necessary, and this modification changes the M3’s look considerably!
The running gear was scratched and more complicated, in particular because assembly and painting had to go hand in hand. The eight road wheels actually come from a 1:72 T-72 tank from ModelCollect, their width perfectly matched the track’s and they had the same size as the M3’s large idler wheel at the rear. The road wheels’ depth just looks a little disturbing, but not implausible. The trailing idler wheel (using the original suspension arm) defined the stance and the other wheels were mounted on plastic rods to the hull, with simulated suspensions arms (styrene profile) behind them. Since the drive and idler wheels’ position effectively remained unchanged, I was able to use the OOB vinyl tracks, which are really smooth and easy to handle. However, this move necessitated to retain the return wheels – I wanted to omit them, for an even more Christie-esque look, but without them the track would have been too long and slacked through, with a lot of space between the tracks and the mudguards. Nevertheless, the return wheels’ position was slightly changed, in order to reflect the modified road wheels’ position. And the whole affair simply looks different from the original, so I am fine with it.
In order to liven the small tank up, I added the fuel drums from the Staghound set to the rear fenders and added some more boxes and folded tarpaulins (made from paper tissue drenched in thinned white glue) on the mudguards, somewhat masking the new side walls from sight. I also mounted the M3’s OOB AA machine gun to the turret.
Painting and markings:
I wanted a Northern Africa paint scheme and at first considered the iconic Caunter scheme, but then I thought that, since this livery was also used on the real British Stuarts, I rather wanted something different.
I eventually settled for a simple two-tone scheme, used on British cruiser tanks like the Crusader as well as on M3 Lee medium tanks of American origin. The basic colors I used are Humbrol 168 (Hemp) for the Light Stone tone, and Humbrol 98 (Chocolate) for the dull, dark brown.
As common practice, the basic colors were separated with thin, white lines in order to emphasize the contrast between them. Sometimes in practice, an additional black line was added, too, but due to the model’s small size I just painted a white line.
Another common practice of the British army, esp. on cruiser tanks with large wheels, was to paint the front and rear road wheels in a uniform, light color, while the wheels between them became dark – an attempt to mimic a lorry, esp. when a light “Sunshield” canopy was mounted over the hull that resembled a truck’s outline.
The model received a light wash with a mix of black, grey and brown, the decals (taken from the OOB sheet) were applied next. Over this came some dry-brushing with light grey and ochre and the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (from the rattle can). Once the tracks were mounted, the lower areas of the tank were finally dusted with a mix of sand and light grey pigments.
Even though the Hasegawa M3 was a simple basis to start with, the conversions, esp. the running gear, were quite challenging. But I like the result a lot: the Parsival looks like a slimmed-down race variant of the M3, just what I wanted to achieve, and the British camouflage suits the small tank well, too – the white contrast line adds an exotic touch.
Chaïm Soutine was a Jewish, expressionist painter from Belarus. He has been interpreted as a forerunner of Abstract Expressionism. From 1910–1913 he studied in Vilnius at the Vilna Academy of Fine Arts. In 1913 he emigrated to Paris, where he studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts under Fernand Cormon. He soon developed a highly personal vision and painting technique. For a time, he and his friends lived at La Ruche, a residence for struggling artists in Montparnasse, where he became friends with Amedeo Modigliani. Modigliani painted Soutine's portrait several times.
In 1923, the American collector Dr. Albert C. Barnes visited his studio and immediately bought 60 of Soutine's paintings. In February 2006, the oil painting of the series 'Le Boeuf Ecorche' (1924) sold for a record £7.8 million ($13.8 million) to an anonymous buyer at a Christies auction held in London - after it was estimated to fetch £4.8 million.
Soutine produced the majority of his works from 1920 to 1929. He seldom showed his works, but he did take part in the important exhibition The Origins and Development of International Independent Art held at the Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume in 1937 in Paris, where he was at last hailed as a great painter. Soon thereafter France was invaded by German troops. As a Jew, Soutine had to escape from the French capital and hide in order to avoid arrest by the Gestapo. He moved from one place to another and was sometimes forced to seek shelter in forests, sleeping outdoors. Suffering from a stomach ulcer and bleeding badly, he left a safe hiding place for Paris in order to undergo emergency surgery, which failed to save his life. On August 9, 1943, Chaim Soutine died of a perforated ulcer.