Homo Aeronauticus - Portrait : Avant le lancement de la compétition - Mon co-pilote, appuyé sur l'emplanture de l'aile gauche de notre Nimbus- 3DT - F-CFUP, charge/vérifie les coordonnées de tous les "points-tournants" de l'épreuve du jour sur son système GPS... - "National Air" au CVVAA de Romorantin.

 

Nimbus- 3DT - F-CFUP : www.flickr.com/photos/122271664@N05/13893091669/in/album-...

  

Portrait : Before the start of the competition - My co-pilot, leaning on the wing of the Nimbus- 3DT - F-CFUP, loads/checks the coordinates of all the "turning points" of the day's event on his GPS system... - "National Air" at the CVVAA in Romorantin.

 

Copyright © 2025 by jlsfly

Please, don't use and don't link this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. All rights reserved

While basking in the peace and quiet at our humble seaside retreat, we try not to venture further than the ocean, a few steps away from our recliners. However, it is with reading material in our lounging position, I admit, we get tempted to visit other stimulating destinations in our favorite state of Maine.

 

And so it was I got *pumped up* reading an article about Winslow Homer's summer studio in Prout's Neck, not too far from our own little artist's cottage! Well, Homer's relatives must pay the GPS system not to help tourists find their way, so we relied on the old-fashioned "map" to get there. More on this to come . . .

 

Meanwhile . . . I hate to admit I did think of "Fence Friday" when I shot this! But quickly I was transported to another place in my mind as I envisioned Homer walking this exquisite "Cliff Walk" for his own inspiration.

 

Please click on the image below for another view . . .

Warning: if you're allergic to goldenrod, don't get too close!

  

“I believe talent is like electricity. We don't understand electricity. We use it.

You can plug into it and light up a lamp, keep a heart pump going, light a cathedral,

or you can electrocute a person with it. Electricity will do all that.

~ Maya Angelou ~

So...my brother, while getting me great gifts, is a bit of a prankster when it comes to wrapping them...Well...this was this year's.

 

It came in this box...with the red bag that the hazardous materials are supposed to be deposed in...and then...the gift. The gift was in the red back, under a sea of confetti and the box it was in was covered in...industrial strength foam. The type commonly used for insulation...

 

Yep.

 

That's my brother. And of course, the goggles, mask, and gloves were all included.

 

Feel free to offer ideas for payback on his birthday which is in February. But, if you are to do it, please send me a private flickrmail in case he looks at this photo.

 

But, the gift was great and it was easier to get to than last years, so I'm happy.

 

Not to mention that it gives me a GREAT 365.

 

And for those who have been wondering...the gift was a GPS system. Which I needed so it was worth it :P

As I’m sure many of you know, Atlanta has been experiencing a severe drought. Driving around, looking for signs of autumn, there are few. The leaves on most of the trees are just turning brown and falling. Once in a while, a brilliant –colored maple will flash by. For those of us who love the Fall, and the magnificence that usually only comes for a month or so, any little sign is a gift. That is why, when I saw the leaves on this tree, I gasped. I had never seen such a range of colors at one time. Due to a GPS system that went berserk today, I was already late for my destination, but I returned to take a couple of pictures before I left the area. This is my first nature photo with my D80 and 18-200 VR lens and I love it. It is as though the powers that be gave me wonderful presents today: The brilliance of a spectrum of colors; the time to capture it for my continued viewing and, hopefully, the enjoyment of others; and the reminder that no matter the conditions, there is always something beautiful around.

 

These leaves contain all of the colors of the seven chakras.

The Piper PA28-181 is a four-seater, single-engine aircraft designed and manufactured by Piper Aircraft. It is part of the Cherokee family of aircraft and is commonly known as the Archer II.

 

The PA28-181 has a maximum cruising speed of 140 knots and a range of 720 nautical miles. It is powered by a Lycoming O-360-A4M engine, which produces 180 horsepower. The aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight of 2,750 pounds and a maximum payload of 1,000 pounds.

 

The cockpit of the PA28-181 features a Garmin GNS 430 GPS system, a Bendix/King KX 155 NAV/COM, and a Bendix/King KT 76A transponder. The aircraft also has a four-seat cabin with ample legroom and luggage space.

 

The PA28-181 is a popular aircraft for flight training, as well as for personal and business use. It is known for its reliability, ease of handling, and low operating costs.

How to Tour Penkill Castle in No Easy Steps

 

“It was a dark and stormy night.” All the best stories open with that, according to Snoopy. And so, it does here about how this image of Penkill Castle came about. Although it wasn’t night. So, fully a third of the mystique is blown before this story got off the ground… or is it?

 

Joyce had set out a full itinerary on our first trip together to Scotland in 2014. Being a photographer, she made sure my camera found its way to many of the subjects she had in mind… and, yes, I came along with it. Penkill Castle, of significance to her Boyd ancestry, was on the list. Penkill, however, is now a secluded private residence, not open to the public, so that part of the itinerary was filed under ‘wishful thinking,’ well behind ‘hopeful’. Undaunted, my ever-resourceful wife poured over the internet yet again on our last night in Scotland… and found something: a phone number. In that moment, ‘wishful thinking’ was retasked to ‘this might just happen.’

 

The next morning after breakfast – and lugging some 150 pounds of belongings down six long flights to the car – I reeled my arms back into their sockets and we set out to the airport for a short jaunt to Belfast, Northern Ireland… and we had just enough time for a side-trip to Penkill along the way. We had a couple of issues to work through on the outset, though, the first being typical Scottish summer weather of the ‘liquid sunshine’ variety, and lots of it to obscure our mission to find the castle in the allotted time. The second issue was what I referred to as ‘the British Chick’. Arriving in Glasgow Airport on the first leg of our journey through Scotland, the salesperson at the car rental desk saw Joyce coming a mile away, ‘A Mercedes upgrade is on sale for just £10 more a day!’ Joyce, knowing my skill behind the wheel, weighed out anemic Vauxhall versus sporty Mercedes… Hmmm? Happy with his sale as he handed me the keys, I told him the roads in Scotland just got a lot more interesting. And they did, although not merely because of my driving on the other side of the divide.

 

We had set our phones up with an international plan while out of country, yet the map functions were useless there at that time. No worries, as they say in the UK, the Mercedes had a built-in GPS system. Having never driven on the wrong – er, apologies – other side of the road, driving for the first time in Scotland was to me more like being in an amusement park, and that little rocket of a Mercedes made it that much more fun. My brain somehow clicked into the unfamiliar, and it was on! All was good… except for the GPS system. As there were no instructions, it took a little fiddling to get beyond the voice-prompt it was set for. Turning it on for the first time, a somewhat arrogant woman’s voice chimed in with a proper Queen’s English British accent, “Destination, please.” I responded, “Sterling.” British Chick: “That word is disambiguous.” What? How many ways can you say Sterling? So, I tried again, even using my best impression of 007 (yes, Sean Connery, keep reading, already). That’s somewhat of a stretch for someone from the American south, ‘Shaken, not stirred, y’all.’ It was all to no avail. We hadn’t been in Scotland 45 minutes and already had problems with the Brits!

 

Eventually, we figured out how to dial in destinations and British Chick became a bit more compliant, although still arrogant. British Chick considered the exact address of Penkill also to be disambiguous, yet we wound up within the ballpark. We crisscrossed the area in search mode... eyeballs, stick with me people! While coming down a steep, twisty road, Joyce spotted the castle turret from above the surrounding woods. From there, we triangulated a way to the castle entrance. Finding it, I pulled to one side of the entrance and parked. Great, we made it! Now what?

 

With her phone in hand and the number she had stumbled upon dialed in, Joyce looked at me apprehensively about pushing send. I was prepared with sound counsel and philosophy to help her through it, “Just get on with it or you will regret it the rest of your life!” Before I could get a word out, she hushed me, “It’s ringing.” Patrick Dromgoole, the owner of Penkill Castle, answered immediately. As an orthopedic nurse case manager, Joyce is well-versed in speaking to strangers on the phone. She was no different here as she stated her case eloquently to possibly take some photos of his home. To our surprise, Mr. Dromgoole was not only amenable to Joyce’s request, but he was also downright gracious. “Sure! How soon can you be here?” “Sir, we’re off the road at your driveway.” “Give me 20-minutes.” I eased the car up the driveway and parked in an obvious spot to wait.

 

What stood out to me on the drive up was that, unlike other castles we had visited, this edifice offered very little in terms of a photographic vantage point. It was surrounded by a vertical landscape of woods. To make matters worse, the cloud coverage darkened the area and Scotland’s liquid sunshine went supernova just as I parked. Rain or shine, time was not our friend, and the show must go on, as they say. While writing this, Joyce and I watched the latest episode of Amazon’s Grand Tour titled Lochdown, as the presenters drive through Scotland... in big old American cars. If you've never driven the narrow and often unimproved roads of Scotland, you have no idea how crazy - or impressive - that is. One of the show’s regulars, James May, noted that Scotland was no doubt created in God’s perfect beauty. Yet, since perfection is to remain just beyond our grasp in this life, God handed down Scottish weather as something so much less than perfect to keep us humble. It rained through nearly the entire episode. Having driven some of the same roads that James did in that episode - and in the same conditions – I knew that he had touched on the same thoughts I had at the time. Weather is described as a chaotic diverse system, because it is ever changing and truly unpredictable… more so, it seems in Scotland. Grabbing my tripod, camera, cable release, and a Kroger grocery sack that I keep for a camera raincoat, I humbly stepped into the chaotic diversity. Joyce stepped out, too, as I sorted out my gear. I told her there was no sense in both of us getting soaked, so she might as well wait in the car. Moving to the spot that appealed to me on the drive up the lane, I left her there.

 

Unless it’s a scene that’s changing rapidly, I usually spend a little time to familiarize myself with the subject, rain or not, to eke out just the right composition. Camera composition is much like an English composition. Shakespeare stated, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” With that in mind, an English composition should tell a story decently, without including every word in the dictionary or running rabbits of obscure ideas. Camera composition works the same way, to tell a story simply. Do you know the first thing on my mind about topics like this? Junk yards. Seriously. Have you ever been to one? Oh, yeah, stacks of wrecked cars and trucks… seemingly useless. Yet, they are no less than congealed life, a bit of history, each having once been of value to someone. For those with the skills or resources, many are still of value. Is a castle any different? Peering through the lens to sort out a composition, I realized my American experience has little to compare to it apart from places like St. Augustine. Aside from structures like perhaps Indian mounds or buildings that the Conquistadors erected that are still in existence, the United States has little that reaches as far into the history of manmade impact as is evident throughout Scotland. This castle began with only the turret, built by the Boyds of Penkill on this peninsular ravine-edged site in the late 16th Century. You might be wondering why just a turret?

 

A couple of years later, we visited Glendalough. Meaning “Valley of two lakes”, Gleann Dá Loch in County Wicklow, Ireland, was a monastic settlement established in the 6th century by Saint Kevin. A round turret nearly 99 feet high with a conical stone roof was built on the settlement. It was mainly used for storage, though the doorway, nearly 12 feet off the ground, suggests that the turret was also a place of refuge in the age of Viking raiders. At such times, the settlers would gather into the turret and pull the ladder in behind them. The raiders would bluster, huff, and puff around the base of the turret, with the monks likely countering, ‘Not by the hair on your chinny, chin, chin!’ Being Vikings, that hair was probably substantial. The point here is that the turret was a significant defensive structure that would not be easily breached… and so was the turret at Penkill.

 

Viking reign was no longer a threat by the 16th Century. It was a time of Reformation in Scotland, led by John Knox, founder of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. I am Presbyterian, given to Christian principle. Yet, in my understanding, another principle applies here. The Universe is a closed system, and we are all citizens of it, given to its laws and principles… and we have no say in the matter. The First Law of Thermodynamics essentially states that energy is neither created nor destroyed. It just becomes another type of energy, albeit not always a useful, productive energy. A case can be made that Vikings were merely survivalists, but the energy they applied in doing so earned them a legacy as bad actors. True to its nature, that energy has remained unchanged throughout history, and that history is replete with ‘bad actors’ who readily used it to murder and pillage their way to a ‘better’ life, while subjugating the lives of others. In a brief though accurate description of that era of Scotland, the church expressed selflessness, love, peace, and civility to a society deep in the throes of feudalism driven by squabbling kings and queens, political unrest, tribalism, and the occasional bout of murderous inhumanity… and the feudal system was taking the day. Trust to any degree was at best tenuous, even among neighbors… the Boyds were right to start their project with a turret.

 

More structure was added in the 17th Century, increasing its footprint. By the 19th Century, however, it had fallen into disrepair, ‘ruinous’ being the description at the time. Then Laird (Lord) Spenser Boyd, having both skills and resources, rebuilt it in 1857, creating even more structure. By the 1960’s, it had passed from family hands to private ownership, and is still privately owned today, though it is also considered an important Scottish historical site. This is as much as I understood of the place while peering at it through the lens at that moment. Knowing what little I did left me with questions. I had no idea how soon answers would come. Satisfied with what this location offered for composition, especially given the conditions, I walked back to where I had started in search of another and to check on Joyce… but she was not where I had left her!

 

To be continued…

 

Written by Michael Kight

 

The Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World City) is a tract of land owned by the prefecture of the province of Pichincha, Ecuador. It is located at San Antonio parish of the canton of Quito, 26 km (16 mi) north of the center of Quito. The grounds contain the Monument to the Equator, which highlights the exact location of the Equator (from which the country takes its name) and commemorates the eighteenth-century Franco-Spanish Geodesic Mission which fixed its approximate location; they also contain the Museo Etnográfico Mitad del Mundo, Ethnographic Museum Middle of the Earth, a museum about the indigenous people ethnography of Ecuador.

 

The 30-metre-tall (98 ft) monument was constructed between 1979 and 1982 by Architect and Contractor Alfredo Fabián Páez with Carlos Mancheno President of Pichincha's Province Council to replace an older, smaller monument built by the Government of Ecuador under the direction of the geographer Luis Tufiño in 1936. It is made of iron and concrete and covered with cut and polished andesite stone. The monument was built to commemorate the first Geodesic Mission of the French Academy of Sciences, led by Louis Godin, Pierre Bouguer and Charles Marie de La Condamine, who, in the year 1736, conducted experiments to test the flattening at the poles of the characteristic shape of the Earth, by comparing the distance between a degree meridian in the equatorial zone to another level measured in Sweden. The older monument was moved 7 km (4.3 mi) to a small town near there called Calacalí.

 

Based on data obtained by Tufiño, it was believed that the equator passed through those two sites. However, according to readings based on the World Geodetic System WGS84, used in modern GPS systems and GIS products, the equator actually lies about 240 metres (790 ft) north of the marked line.

 

According to a recent report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as of 2014 there were a total of 421 California Condors, 228 in the wild and 193 in captivity. These are remarkable numbers considering there were 22 of these magnificent birds left in 1982. Of course even with this success, The Cornell Lab still lists the CC as critically endangered.

They are the largest bird in North America with wingspans up to 9.5 feet and their average lifespan in the wild is up to 60 years. The Peregrine Fund monitors these birds aggressively through a tagging and gps system. This one was photographed near Lees Ferry, AZ and had a tag (#54) that I erased.

With his brand new fiberglass Wasp rocket, with onboard computers and "Kate" speaking GPS system. Flying a CTI M1790 motor.

 

Photo essay below in comments...

Module 2- The Main Cabin

 

The biggest of the three modules, this section includes a removable roof and satellite/air filtration. Under the roof there is a fire/medical kit and health monitors, while under the satellite/air filtration there is a set of spare tools.

 

Also included are large thermal conductors to warm the cabin, a GPS system, icebox to store food/seeds, a powerful solar panel to charge the thrusters and two seats for the crew.

The vehicle is built on a heavy-duty Ford F-550 chassis with a non-walk-in, 12-foot aluminum body. The Pierce Light Rescue features 4 x 4 all wheel drive, seating for five passengers, SCBA air bottle storage, roll-up doors, a wide selection of shelving and storage trays, a GPS system, a rear safety vision camera with a 7-inch camera inside the cab, an 8kW generator and a high intensity light tower

The Mobile Laboratory is designed to withstand some of the harshest frontier conditions and can be placed in some of the roughest terrain by way of towing, airdrop, or even under its own self driving GPS system. The driving system is not not the fastest, but it can move between 2-5 miles a day under its own power.

 

The power for the scientific equipment and engines are collected by two solar panels that are on a 360* swivel and are able to fold up or down almost 180* atop the roof. The power is collected and stored into batteries throughout the Lab to be used for different purposes. Some of the power is directed to external batteries that can be used to charge the Expeditionary Rover and other devices.

 

There is a range of transmission equipment on the Lab for quick connection to colonies and their main labs.

 

The crew does not live inside the lab, but rather usually sets up temporary living quarters with a Forward Living Pod.

 

So this was built in addition to my Expeditionary Rover for FebRovery 2015, but I just never got around to posting it. But here it is, 2 months late.

 

Enjoy.

The Mobile Laboratory is designed to withstand some of the harshest frontier conditions and can be placed in some of the roughest terrain by way of towing, airdrop, or even under its own self driving GPS system. The driving system is not not the fastest, but it can move between 2-5 miles a day under its own power.

 

The power for the scientific equipment and engines are collected by two solar panels that are on a 360* swivel and are able to fold up or down almost 180* atop the roof. The power is collected and stored into batteries throughout the Lab to be used for different purposes. Some of the power is directed to external batteries that can be used to charge the Expeditionary Rover and other devices.

 

There is a range of transmission equipment on the Lab for quick connection to colonies and their main labs.

 

The crew does not live inside the lab, but rather usually sets up temporary living quarters with a Forward Living Pod.

 

So this was built in addition to my Expeditionary Rover for FebRovery 2015, but I just never got around to posting it. But here it is, 2 months late.

 

Enjoy.

When visiting the beautiful area of Monterey, highway one, Big Sur, you see a lot of signs telling you to "stay off the rocks" or "stay back" or "stay on the trail" or "don't get near the cliffs."

I think this image really shows you why they have so many signs. My rule is: if it is wet where I am standing, then a wave can easily take me out. And now, my not so good review of Pfeiffer Beach.

 

PFEIFFER BEACH - I DIDN'T GET IT

 

After visiting Pfeiffer Beach for the first time, I sort of feel it's overrated, or maybe it's just overrated in my mind. I get it. There's a beautiful giant rock with a few caves going through. And in December the sun peeks through the tunnel. I understand. But, certainly there is more to the beach than just this?

 

My experience with Pfeiffer Beach was dreadful. First of all, I don't have a fancy GPS system in my car and I have to rely on SIri. Not so reliable, Siri seems to be confused most of the time. So, I ended up passing right by the road to the beach, as there are no signs. I quickly figured this out, turned around and just guessed what road would take me there. Once you go down the road just a bit, there is a huge sign on a wall that says "Pfeiffer Beach." With such a large sign, I would expect a good road. Right? Wrong. I have driven dirt roads in the Sierra that are better than this narrow raggy road.

 

I finally get down near the beach to find a toll booth. There was an employee outside the booth; he was stretched out in a chair with his legs wide open and his mouth as well, as he was asleep. When I got to the booth, they charged me ten dollars. Ten dollars? Wow, this beach must be really good, right?

 

Wrong again. I found the beach to be quite boring. Other than the big rock with the caves that photographers seem to flock to, the rest of the beach was quite simple. Not worth ten dollars. So, I guess if you go, you are going for the big rock and the caves. There really isn't much else there.

 

Just by luck, I captured this giant wave. So, I guess Pfeiffer Beach wasn't a total disaster, but, I still don't get it.

  

Settings:

 

Canon 6D

Image shot at f/11

400 mm

1/640 second exposure

ISO 320

EF Lens 100-400mm, old style, Image Stabilizer on, mode II

Manual Exposure

Metering Mode: Multi-segment

Picture style Standard

Auto White Balance

No flash was used

Filters: none

 

Processing:

 

I shoot in raw and process straight through Photoshop or sometimes I start with Bridge.

 

I enhanced the the greens via the aqua channel.

 

Plan a visit! You can check out Big Sur here:

 

www.bigsurcalifornia.org/beaches.html

 

More Info on Big Sur here:

 

www.hikespeak.com/trails/pfeiffer-beach-big-sur/

  

Visit my Website!

 

www.richardthelenphotography.com

 

Or on Facebook:

 

www.facebook.com/RThelen68/

I again apologize for any downgraded quality, I’m still without my main editing laptop, so I’m uploading via a saved version on my iPhone X.

 

This was my first journey out onto the Pacific Ocean to look for whales as part of an Airbnb Experience.

 

Unlike most Whale watching boats that hold 45-60 people on a large vessel, and adhering to time restraints, this one was a newer fishing boat. It held a max of 6 people, had a small upper deck which held the captain along with a steering wheel and GPS systems, and a lower deck for sleeping/eating. The owner/captain turned and I ended up forming a small friendship. I spend lots of time off grid, as does he, however he has much more experience in much more wilderness than I. It was an absolutely amazing opportunity. He ended up inviting me to stay on the boat for the afternoon session, which I graciously accepted.

 

It was my first time seeing a whale in its natural habitat, well, not really just one, more like almost 20! Truly a moving experience, one I’ll never ever forget.

 

Shot with a DJI Phantom 4 Pro off the coast of Catalina Island.

The Mobile Laboratory is designed to withstand some of the harshest frontier conditions and can be placed in some of the roughest terrain by way of towing, airdrop, or even under its own self driving GPS system. The driving system is not not the fastest, but it can move between 2-5 miles a day under its own power.

 

The power for the scientific equipment and engines are collected by two solar panels that are on a 360* swivel and are able to fold up or down almost 180* atop the roof. The power is collected and stored into batteries throughout the Lab to be used for different purposes. Some of the power is directed to external batteries that can be used to charge the Expeditionary Rover and other devices.

 

There is a range of transmission equipment on the Lab for quick connection to colonies and their main labs.

 

The crew does not live inside the lab, but rather usually sets up temporary living quarters with a Forward Living Pod.

 

So this was built in addition to my Expeditionary Rover for FebRovery 2015, but I just never got around to posting it. But here it is, 2 months late.

 

Enjoy.

A little yellow GoCar

 

Scoot through Barcelona in our nifty convertibles. In addition to the GPS system, which guides you around the streets and tells you anecdotes about the history of the city, a personal tour guide is also on hand to guide you during the chosen route.

  

These sporty two-seat, three-wheelers, have 49cc petrol engines, and a double disc brake system. The GoCars are safe, easy to operate and fun to drive.

Available tours:

Barcelona Highlights Tour: 60 minutes. The route visits some of Barcelona’s iconic sights including the Sagrada Familia, Passeig de Gràcia (La Pedrera and the Casa Batlló), La Rambla, the Port Vell, the Barceloneta, the Olympic Marina and the beaches.

Olympic Barcelona: 2 h 30 min. The route visits the old town, including the Raval, the Born and Montjuïc which boasts fabulous views and is home to the key Olympic venues. The tour ends in the beachfront area

Discover Gaudí: 2 h 30 min. Discover the famous Catalan architect’s most iconic landmarks, including the Sagrada Família, the Park Güell, La Pedrera and the Casa Batlló.

FC Barcelona Special: 5 hours. Don’t miss the opportunity to discover the world of FC Barcelona and its official home ground, Camp Nou. Includes admission to the Museu del F. C. Barcelona.

Languages: English, Catalan, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese and Russian.

Times: Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 11am.

The price includes: monitor-guide, full fuel tank, unlimited mileage, two registered drivers, helmet and insurance (additional collision damage waiver is available).

Vehicles adapted for disabled people and electric GoCars available.

Requirements:

Minimum passenger age: 7.

All drivers must be over 21.

All drivers must have a driving licence valid in Spain.

A 300 € deposit is required, payable in cash or by credit card.

Departure point: GoCar place. Pg. de Pujades, 7 (opposite Ciutadella Park). Metro L4: Jaume I. Bus 17, 45, 120 and V17.

  

¿Te imaginas recorrer Barcelona sobre tres ruedas? Te invitamos a hacer una ruta al volante de unos simpáticos coches descapotables, con un tour GPS guiado que os comentará cada punto de interés y muchas anécdotas de la ciudad. ¡No es el coche fantástico, es un GoCar!

 

Biplazas homologados y completamente equipados, con 3 ruedas, motor de gasolina de 49cc, sistema de doble disco de freno y deportivos. Son seguros, sencillos de operar y divertidos de conducir.

Rutas disponibles:

Barcelona Highlights Tour: 60 minutos. La ruta visita los lugares más emblemáticos de Barcelona como la Sagrada Familia, el Passeig de Gràcia (La Pedrera y la Casa Batlló), La Rambla, el Port Vell, la Barceloneta, el Port Olímpic y las playas.

Barcelona Olímpica: 2 horas 30 minutos. La ruta transcurre por el casco antiguo de la ciudad visitando el Raval, el Born y Montjuïc desde donde se puede disfrutar de unas magníficas vistas así como visitar las instalaciones olímpicas. La ruta acaba en la zona de playas

Descubre Gaudí: 2 horas 30 minutos. Recorrido por las obras más importantes del famoso arquitecto catalán como la Sagrada Familia, el Parc Güell, La Pedrera y la Casa Batlló.

FC Barcelona Special: 5 horas. No pierdas la oportunidad de conocer el FC Barcelona y su sede oficial en el Camp Nou. Incluye entrada al Museu del F. C. Barcelona.

Idiomas: catalán, castellano, inglés, francés, italiano, alemán, portugués y ruso.

Horario: jueves, viernes, sábados y domingos a las 11h.

El precio incluye: monitor, depósito lleno de gasolina, kilometraje ilimitado, segundo conductor, cascos y seguro a terceros.

Vehiculos adaptados para discapacitados y posibilidad de alquilar un GoCar eléctrico

Requisitos:

Edad mínima del pasajero, 7 años.

Tener una edad mínima para conducir de 21 años.

Presentar el permiso de conducir válido para el estado español.

Realizar un depósito de 300 €, en efectivo o tarjeta de crédito.

Lugar de salida: local GoCar. Pg. de Pujades, 7(frente el Parque de la Ciutadella). Metro L4: Jaume I. Bus 17, 45, 120 y V17.

 

Easy to drive, our funky yellow cars are the most fun way to discover this amazing city. The custom GPS system shows you the route and the GoCar will talk, telling you all about the sights around you. We have three main tours that take you to the city's major attractions and some lesser known gems too! Forget the bus queues and make the most of your valuable holiday time in Barcelona.

 

Barcelona Experience

 

A cool two and a half hours exploring Barcelona city centre, and the Montjuic Olympic park, home to 1992 Olympic Games, before finising the tour down by the beautiful Med.

 

Arc de Triomfe - Sagrada Familia - La Pedrera - Casa Battlo - Placa Catalunya - Las Ramblas - El Raval - M.A.C.B.A. - Placa Sortidor - Greek Theatre - M.N.A.C. - Poble Espanyol - Olympic Stadium -Olympic Museum - Miro Foundation - Montjuic Castle - Port Vell - Barceloneta - Port Olympic - Park Ciutatdella

from €39.00 per person (minimum 2 people per GoCar) approx 2½ hours

Use the discount code BSONLINE15 to get your 10% off!

Our tour price includes:

- full tank of fuel (you can bring it back empty)

- two registered drivers

- third party insurance (additional Collision Damage Waiver available)

- helmets if required

Please Note: for groups of 4 cars or more our CDW is OBLIGATORY

 

See more at tripstacker.com/p/adventure/go-car-tours-barcelona and www.barcelonacitytours.com/tours/keyword/GoCar/?gclid=CIa...

  

A contract for the remediation of a Swiss hazardous waste landfill site has required the transfer of the associated dangerous goods from Bonfol in the Canton of Jura to specialist waste incineration plants in Germany/Belgium. The work to deal with the 150,000 tonnes of environmentally hazardous material (UN Code 3077) began in April 2010 and is due to be completed by the end of 2015. HIM, a waste disposal company based in Hesse, Germany has been dealing with the transport and disposal side of the contract. Awilog-Transport GmbH, a specialist intermodal services provider has handled the logistics and in turn commissioned DB Schenker Rail to organise the train planning. Chemin de fer du Jura and BLS Cargo have been engaged in the Swiss freight operations and this in turn has seen a BLS Class Re 4/4 working through Delémont en route to and from Basel. In this view recorded at Münchenstein, BLS 182 ‘Kandergrund’ had charge of the MTuThO 47048 international freight heading to Basel Bad. The load comprised 5 DB Rens wagons, each loaded with five of the special sealed containers. The wagons used for this work are equipped with GPS systems that enable their status to be constantly monitored via satellite.

 

All images on this site are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without expressed written permission of the photographer. All rights reserved – Copyright Don Gatehouse

I am at SpaceX mission control and plan to spend the night to see the berthing to the ISS just before 5am PST.

 

Here you see the SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo craft approaching the International Space Station on May 24, 2012 for a series of tests to clear it for its final rendezvous and grapple on May 25. At 3:58 a.m. (EDT), Dragon performed a height adjust burn to bring it to a path 2.4 kilometers below the station. During this “fly-under,” Dragon established UHF communication with the station using its Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) Ultra-high frequency Communication Unit (CUCU). Dragon performed a test of its Relative GPS system, which uses the relative positions of the spacecraft to the space station to determine its location. On May 25, Expedition 31 Flight Engineers Don Pettit and Andre Kuipers will use the Canadarm2 robotic arm to grapple the supply ship about 8:06 a.m., with the berthing to the Earth-facing side of the station’s Harmony node following about 11:20 a.m. Dragon is scheduled to spend about a week docked with the station before returning to Earth on May 31 for retrieval.

 

And here's the NASA video of the fly-under.

Vulcano DMUs are narrow gauge diesel multiple units manufactured to operate on the route around Etna volcano in Sicily. These are modern, two-unit trains on which special ‘PowerPack’ power-transmission systems were mounted together with a specially designed electric transmission. Advanced technological solutions implemented in the ving and gear systems and in the support of the train body have resulted in enhanced sound insulation of the passenger’s compartment in accordance with strict requirements of the Contracting Authority.

Vulcano trains offer enhanced travel comfort to both passengers and train drivers. They are fully air-conditioned and adapted to transporting passengers with reduced mobility. One section is fitted with a retention-tank toilet adapted to the needs of the disabled and the external door area is fitted with special movable ramps for wheelchairs. Driver’s cabs equipped with ergonomic control panels and modern equipment have enhanced driver’s working conditions.

Vulcano DMUs guarantee the highest safety standards because they were designed in accordance with standards concerning collision safety and crashworthiness. The train interior is made with materials satisfying fire resistance standards and the vehicle itself is equipped with an active fire detection and fire-fighting system.

Thanks to the configuration of the passenger compartment, the train can be operating on both urban and suburban lines. Easily-modified seat layout allows for optimizing passenger capacity. The seating capacity is 106 including 7 fold-up seats, and it may be changed depending on the carrier’s needs.

To ensure passenger safety, the DMUs have been equipped with a monitoring system. Other features include a passenger counting system, the GPS system, a modern passenger information system as well as an intercom enabling communication between the drivers and passengers.

Vulcano DMUs travel with a speed of 100 km/h and are adjusted to operate in multiple traction.

Under the executive contract, signed in December 2013, NEWAG S.A. is going to supply four DMUs for a net price of EUR 14.760.000. Under the framework agreement, FCE may order additional six trains in the future.

Vulcano DMUs are not the only Newag-manufactured trains which will be operating in Italy. In December this year, NEWAG S.A. signed a framework agreement and an executive contract with FERROVIE DEL SUD EST E SERVIZI AUTOMOBILISTICI s.r.l.- “FSE”, with registered office in Bari, Italy, to deliver five (with an additional option for 20) three unit electric multiple units (EMUs) from IMPULS II family. These will be the first ever EMUs produced by a Polish rail vehicle manufacturer which will be operating in Western Europe.

 

I inherited both this wonderful key and the gorgeous bookcase with clawed feet, glass doors, and beautiful detail. The key is as beautiful as the bookcase.

 

My late great aunt, who was an artist, was not organized at all. But, one summer, she must have had a mind lock with Martha Stewart because she organized everything at the family estate… and I mean everything.

 

Everything had a tag on it and was recorded in a book. Then, I guess the mind lock wore off and she became her usual disorganized self. Ha!

 

For my Flickr groups…

 

+++ 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:

Operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iran's small Bell AH-1J fleet has seen a fair share of indigenous modernization in recent years. In 1971, Iran purchased 202 examples of an improved AH-1J, named "AH-1J International", from the United States. This improved Cobra featured an uprated P&WC T400-WV-402 engine and a stronger drivetrain, so that it would have a better performance under “hot & high” conditions. Recoil damping gear was fitted to the 20 mm M197 gun turret, and the gunner was given a stabilized sight and a stabilized seat, too. Of the AH-1Js delivered to the Shah's Imperial Iranian Army Aviation, 62 were TOW-capable.

Iranian AH-1Js participated in the Iran–Iraq War—which saw the most intensive use of helicopters in any conventional war. Iranian AH-1Js (particularly the TOW-capable ones) were "exceptionally effective" in anti-armor warfare, inflicting heavy losses on Iraqi armored and vehicle formations. In operations over the barren terrain in Khuzestan and later in southern Iraq, beside the standard tactics, Iranian pilots developed special, effective tactics, often in the same manner as the Soviets did with their Mi-24s. Due to the post-Revolution weapons sanctions, Iranians had to make do with what was at hand: lacking other guided ordnance they equipped the AH-1Js with AGM-65 Maverick missiles and used them with some success in several operations. About half of the AH-1Js were lost during the conflict to combat, accidents, and simple wear and tear –the rest of the fleet was kept operational and busy during the following years.

 

However, time and use took their toll on the Iranian Cobras, for which no replacement could be found. In 2001, Brigadier General Ahmad Kazemi, the then-commander in chief of the IRGC Air Force (from 2009, it became known as the IRGC Aerospace Force, or IRGCASF), requested Ali Khamenei, leader of the Islamic Republic, to permit the IRGC to procure two former army AH-1J Cobra helicopters that had been restored by the Iranian Helicopters Support and Renewal Company (IHSRC, called ‘Panha’ in Iran). They belonged to the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IRIAA, as it was then known), which lacked the funds to pay for the necessary restoration and renewal of parts and fuselage sections.

The first of these refurbished AH-1Js was a TOW Cobra capable of using the Iranian-made clone of the BGM-71A TOW anti-tank missile, the “Towfan”, while the second helicopter was a Non-TOW version capable of using only the 2¾-inch Hydra unguided rockets. They entered IRGCAF service at Fat'h helicopter base, Karaj, to the west of Tehran, in 2001. This marked the start of an ongoing but slow modernization program for the remaining Iranian Cobra fleet.

 

IHSRC also worked on the restoration of two more battle-damaged AH-1J TOW Cobras, in a project known as “Panha-2091”. The front sections of their fuselages had been destroyed by cannon rounds from Iraqi tanks during the Iran-Iraq war and the extensive restoration work required manufacture of new fuselage panels and structural parts. Panha engineers also co-operated with their colleagues from IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries, also known as HESA in Iran) and designed a new canopy for the helicopters equipped with a flat, bulletproof windshield instead of the former oval, non-bulletproof version. Under a project named HESA-2091, both helicopters were thoroughly modernized and equipped with multifunction displays and a new weapon control system with a head-up display for the pilot. Internal avionics were revamped with the addition of a GPS system in the nose, and a warning radar with four antennae providing 360 degrees coverage was integrated, too. Design and production of the new digital systems and their components was carried out by the Iranian Electronics Industries Company (IEI) with the assistance of Isfahan University of Technology and a Chinese-connected company, Safa Electronic Component Industries. Installation was performed by IAMI in Shahin-Shahr.

 

These two helicopters were ultimately named ‘Tiztak-2091’ and became prototypes for a larger modernization project for 102 remaining AH-1J Cobra attack helicopters for the Iranian Army Aviation Force. However, in total, the cost of this bold conversion projects exceeded the whole IRIAA budget for 2001, and this resulted in the cancellation of the wider modernization program just a year later. Step forward the IRGC which procured the two Tiztak-2091 prototypes alongside four more former IRIAA AH-1J Non-TOW Cobra helicopters from the Iranian Defence Ministry. These were revamped and delivered to frontline units between 2003 and 2005. However, further conversions have only be done sparingly since then, due to the lack of funds and material.

Despite these limitations, the IAAF immediately began working on upgrade projects to further increase combat capability of the small but busy fleet of Cobra helicopters. The Tiztak helicopters had been equipped with new targeting/surveillance turrets instead of their M-65 Telescopic Sight Units under a IAMI project named Towfan-2 back in 2012. The first helicopters were equipped with the Oqab EO/IR targeting turret produced by IOI (Iranian Optics Industries) in 2012, while others received an RU-290 thermal camera, a product of Rayan Roshd-Afzar.

 

After the formation of the Army Aviation Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGCAA) on February 23, 2016, the IRGCASF helicopter base at Fat’h was transferred to the IRGCGF (IRGC Ground Force), of which the IRGCAA was now a part. IRGCAA today operates more than 80 helicopters including nine Bell AH-1J International Cobras, with three examples modernized by Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries (IAMI). IRGCAA had also been trying to equip its small fleet of AH-1Js with a new air-to-surface missile and an anti-tank missile, the Qaem-114 (outwardly almost identical to the American AGM-119 Hellfire), but this did not proceed beyond prototype stage.

 

Despite the active Iranian AH-1J fleet’s relatively small size after 2001, the Cobras were extremely active during counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the southeast and northwest of Iran. Both the IAAF and now the IRGCAA had always had two fire support teams, each formed with two to three AH-1Js in Orumiyeh and Zahedan, to be used against the PKK/PJAK and Jaish ul-Adl terrorist groups. The fire-support team at the IRGCGF Hamzeh Garrison in the northwest of Iran had two Bell 214A utility helicopters for SAR operations to accompany the Cobras while the team in Zahedan International Airport had two to three Mi-171Sh helicopters; usually, one armed with B8M1 rocket pods as a heavy fire support gunship.

The most notable use of the AH-1Js in combat by the IRGC took place in spring and summer 2008 when two AH-1Js stationed in Zahedan were extensively used in close-air-support missions during a counter-terrorism operation by IRGC Ground Forces against the Jondollah group (later to be rebranded as Jaish ul-Adl after being listed as a terrorist organization by the US State Department). After the arrest and execution of its leader, Abdolmalek Reigi by Iran, the group stopped its activities in 2009. It resumed again a few years later resulting in the launch of new anti-terror operations involving the AH-1Js in 2013, which continued periodically until 2020.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: 2

Length: 53 ft 5 in (16.28 m) with both rotors turning

45 ft 9 in (14 m) for fuselage only

Width: 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) for stub wings only

Height: 13 ft 5 in (4.09 m)

Main rotor diameter: 43 ft 11 in (13.39 m)

Main rotor area: 1,514.97 sq ft (140.745 m²)

Empty weight: 2,802 kg (6,177 lb)

Max takeoff weight: 4,530 kg (9,987 lb)

 

Powerplant:

2× P&W Canada T400-CP-400 (PT6T-3 Twin-Pac) turboshaft engines, coupled to produce 1,530 shp

(1,140 kW; de-rated from 1,800 shp (1,342 kW) for drivetrain limitations)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 236 km/h (147 mph, 127 kn)

Range: 600 km (370 mi, 320 nmi)

Service ceiling: 10,500 ft (3,200 m)

Rate of climb: 1,090 ft/min (5.5 m/s)

 

Armament:

1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M197 3-barreled Gatling cannon in M97 chin turret with 750 rounds

4× hardpoints under the sub wings for 2.75” (70 mm) Mk 40 or Hydra 70 rockets in 7 or 19 rounds

pods; up to 16 5” (127 mm) Zuni rockets in 4-round LAU-10D/A launchers, up to eight Toophan

ATGM in a dual or quad launcher on each wing, AIM-9 Sidewinder or Misagh-2 anti-aircraft

missiles (1 mounted on each hardpoint)

  

The kit and its assembly:

This is the counterpart to another modified Fujimi AH-1 model, actually a kit bashing of the AH-1S and the AH-1J model to produce something that comes close to the real IAMI HESA-2091 helicopter, an upgraded/re-built AH-1J International of the Iranian Army Air Force. The “leftover” parts were used to create an (Indonesian) AH-1G – even though the HESA-2091 was the “core project”.

 

To create this Iranian variant, the AH-1J was taken as the basis and the nose as well as the flat-window canopy from the AH-1S were transplanted. While the nose with the TOW sensor turret was just an optional part that fits naturally on the fuselage (even though not without some PSR), the clear parts was more challenging, because the flat canopy is shorter than the original. In this case I had to fill some triangular gaps between the hood and the engine section, and this was done with 1.5 mm styrene sheet wedges and some more PSR to blend the parts that were not meant to be combined into each other.

The cockpit was taken OOB, together with the pilot figures that come with the kit. I also retained the original all-metal main rotor because the Iranian Cobras AFAIK were never upgraded with composite material blades?

 

To set the HESA-2091 further apart from the original AH-1J I changed the sensor turret in the nose and scratched a ball-shaped fairing that resembles the indigenous RU-290 thermal camera – it’s actually the ball joint from a classic clear Matchbox kit display, with a base scratched from 0.5mm styrene sheet. The “ball” turned out to be a bit too large, but the overall look is O.K., since I wanted a non-TOW AH-1J. For a “different-than-a-stock-AH-1J” look A small radome for a missile guidance antenna was added to the nose above the sensor turret, too. Another personal addition are the small end plates on the stabilizers – inspired by similar installations on Bell’s early twin-engine AH-1s, even though these later disappeared and were technically replaced by a ventral fin extension and a longer fuselage; the Iranian AH-1Js retained the short, original fuselage of the single-engine Cobra variants, though. The end plates were cut from leftover rotor blades from the scrap box, IIRC they belong to a Matchbox Dauphin 2.

 

Being part of the historical Zahedan fire support team I gave the Cobra an armament consisting of a nineteen round 70mm Hydra unguided missile pods (OOB), a pair of AGM-65 Maverick missiles (an ordnance actually deployed by Iranian Cobras), together with their respective launch rails, and I added launch tubes for indigenous Misagh-2 anti-aircraft missiles (which are actually MANPADS) to the stub wings’ tips as a self-defense measure. These were scratched from 2mm styrene rods.

  

Painting and markings:

Finding a suitable paint scheme was not easy. A conservative choice would have been an early mid-stone/earth scheme or a tri-color scheme consisting of sand, earth and dark green. However, while doing WWW research I came across some more exotic and contemporary specimen, carrying a kind of leopard-esque mottle scheme or even a “high resolution” fractal/digital cammo consisting of three shades of beige/brown/grey – even though I am not certain if the latter was a “real” camouflage for operational helicopters or just a “show and shine” propaganda livery?

 

Re-creating the latter from scratch would have been prohibitively complex, because the pixelized mottles were really fine, maybe just 2” wide each in real life. But I used this scheme as an inspiration for a simplified variant, also kept in three shades of brown, even though the result was a kind of compromise due to the limited material options to create it.

The base became an overall coat with Tamiya XF-57 (Buff), plus very light grey (RAL 7035; Humbrol 196) undersides. A light black ink washing was applied, and panels were post-shaded to create a more vivid surface.

Then came the pixelized mottles in two contrast colors: first came a layer in RAL 1015 (Hellelfenbein/Light Ivory) and then a second in RAL 8011 (Nussbraun/Nut Brown) in a 1:1 ratio, slightly overlapping and letting the Buff base shine through. These mottles were not painted but rather created with square bits from generic decal stripe material in various widths from TL Modellbau. While not as sophisticated as the original camouflage, effect and look are quite similar, and add to the unique look of this HESA-2091(-ish) model. And even though I was sceptical, esp. because of the reddish Nussbraun, the blurring effect of the scheme is surprisingly good – esp. when you put the model in front of a dry mountain background! I’ll keep the concept in the back of my head for further what-if models. All those single pixels were a lot of work, but the result looks really good.

 

Another detail from many real late Iranian Cobras was taken over, too: a black tail rotor drive shaft cover that extends up onto the fin’s leading edge – probably a measure to hide exhaust soot stains on the tail boom? A black anti-glare panel was added in front of the windscreen, too, and the rotor blades became medium grey (Humbrol 165, Medium Sea Grey) except for the main rotor blades’ undersides, which became black. The cockpit interior was uniformly painted in a very dark grey (Revell 06, Anthracite) and the pilots received khaki jumpsuits and modern grey and olive drab “bone domes”.

 

The decals were puzzled together from various sources. The Iranian roundels came from a Begemot MiG-29 sheet, registration numbers and fin flashes from an Iranian F-5. The IAAF abbreviation was created with single black 4 mm letters.

Graphite was used to weather the model, esp. the area on top of the tail boom, and the model was finally sealed with matt acrylic varnish overall.

  

An exotic model – the Iranian home-brew HESA-2091 looks familiar, but it’s a unique combination of classic Cobra elements. More spectacular is the pixelated paint scheme, and the attempt to generate it with the help of square decal bits worked (and looks) better than expected! This might also work well in grey as a winter camouflage? Hmmm….

+++ 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:

Operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iran's small Bell AH-1J fleet has seen a fair share of indigenous modernization in recent years. In 1971, Iran purchased 202 examples of an improved AH-1J, named "AH-1J International", from the United States. This improved Cobra featured an uprated P&WC T400-WV-402 engine and a stronger drivetrain, so that it would have a better performance under “hot & high” conditions. Recoil damping gear was fitted to the 20 mm M197 gun turret, and the gunner was given a stabilized sight and a stabilized seat, too. Of the AH-1Js delivered to the Shah's Imperial Iranian Army Aviation, 62 were TOW-capable.

Iranian AH-1Js participated in the Iran–Iraq War—which saw the most intensive use of helicopters in any conventional war. Iranian AH-1Js (particularly the TOW-capable ones) were "exceptionally effective" in anti-armor warfare, inflicting heavy losses on Iraqi armored and vehicle formations. In operations over the barren terrain in Khuzestan and later in southern Iraq, beside the standard tactics, Iranian pilots developed special, effective tactics, often in the same manner as the Soviets did with their Mi-24s. Due to the post-Revolution weapons sanctions, Iranians had to make do with what was at hand: lacking other guided ordnance they equipped the AH-1Js with AGM-65 Maverick missiles and used them with some success in several operations. About half of the AH-1Js were lost during the conflict to combat, accidents, and simple wear and tear –the rest of the fleet was kept operational and busy during the following years.

 

However, time and use took their toll on the Iranian Cobras, for which no replacement could be found. In 2001, Brigadier General Ahmad Kazemi, the then-commander in chief of the IRGC Air Force (from 2009, it became known as the IRGC Aerospace Force, or IRGCASF), requested Ali Khamenei, leader of the Islamic Republic, to permit the IRGC to procure two former army AH-1J Cobra helicopters that had been restored by the Iranian Helicopters Support and Renewal Company (IHSRC, called ‘Panha’ in Iran). They belonged to the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IRIAA, as it was then known), which lacked the funds to pay for the necessary restoration and renewal of parts and fuselage sections.

The first of these refurbished AH-1Js was a TOW Cobra capable of using the Iranian-made clone of the BGM-71A TOW anti-tank missile, the “Towfan”, while the second helicopter was a Non-TOW version capable of using only the 2¾-inch Hydra unguided rockets. They entered IRGCAF service at Fat'h helicopter base, Karaj, to the west of Tehran, in 2001. This marked the start of an ongoing but slow modernization program for the remaining Iranian Cobra fleet.

 

IHSRC also worked on the restoration of two more battle-damaged AH-1J TOW Cobras, in a project known as “Panha-2091”. The front sections of their fuselages had been destroyed by cannon rounds from Iraqi tanks during the Iran-Iraq war and the extensive restoration work required manufacture of new fuselage panels and structural parts. Panha engineers also co-operated with their colleagues from IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries, also known as HESA in Iran) and designed a new canopy for the helicopters equipped with a flat, bulletproof windshield instead of the former oval, non-bulletproof version. Under a project named HESA-2091, both helicopters were thoroughly modernized and equipped with multifunction displays and a new weapon control system with a head-up display for the pilot. Internal avionics were revamped with the addition of a GPS system in the nose, and a warning radar with four antennae providing 360 degrees coverage was integrated, too. Design and production of the new digital systems and their components was carried out by the Iranian Electronics Industries Company (IEI) with the assistance of Isfahan University of Technology and a Chinese-connected company, Safa Electronic Component Industries. Installation was performed by IAMI in Shahin-Shahr.

 

These two helicopters were ultimately named ‘Tiztak-2091’ and became prototypes for a larger modernization project for 102 remaining AH-1J Cobra attack helicopters for the Iranian Army Aviation Force. However, in total, the cost of this bold conversion projects exceeded the whole IRIAA budget for 2001, and this resulted in the cancellation of the wider modernization program just a year later. Step forward the IRGC which procured the two Tiztak-2091 prototypes alongside four more former IRIAA AH-1J Non-TOW Cobra helicopters from the Iranian Defence Ministry. These were revamped and delivered to frontline units between 2003 and 2005. However, further conversions have only be done sparingly since then, due to the lack of funds and material.

Despite these limitations, the IAAF immediately began working on upgrade projects to further increase combat capability of the small but busy fleet of Cobra helicopters. The Tiztak helicopters had been equipped with new targeting/surveillance turrets instead of their M-65 Telescopic Sight Units under a IAMI project named Towfan-2 back in 2012. The first helicopters were equipped with the Oqab EO/IR targeting turret produced by IOI (Iranian Optics Industries) in 2012, while others received an RU-290 thermal camera, a product of Rayan Roshd-Afzar.

 

After the formation of the Army Aviation Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGCAA) on February 23, 2016, the IRGCASF helicopter base at Fat’h was transferred to the IRGCGF (IRGC Ground Force), of which the IRGCAA was now a part. IRGCAA today operates more than 80 helicopters including nine Bell AH-1J International Cobras, with three examples modernized by Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries (IAMI). IRGCAA had also been trying to equip its small fleet of AH-1Js with a new air-to-surface missile and an anti-tank missile, the Qaem-114 (outwardly almost identical to the American AGM-119 Hellfire), but this did not proceed beyond prototype stage.

 

Despite the active Iranian AH-1J fleet’s relatively small size after 2001, the Cobras were extremely active during counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the southeast and northwest of Iran. Both the IAAF and now the IRGCAA had always had two fire support teams, each formed with two to three AH-1Js in Orumiyeh and Zahedan, to be used against the PKK/PJAK and Jaish ul-Adl terrorist groups. The fire-support team at the IRGCGF Hamzeh Garrison in the northwest of Iran had two Bell 214A utility helicopters for SAR operations to accompany the Cobras while the team in Zahedan International Airport had two to three Mi-171Sh helicopters; usually, one armed with B8M1 rocket pods as a heavy fire support gunship.

The most notable use of the AH-1Js in combat by the IRGC took place in spring and summer 2008 when two AH-1Js stationed in Zahedan were extensively used in close-air-support missions during a counter-terrorism operation by IRGC Ground Forces against the Jondollah group (later to be rebranded as Jaish ul-Adl after being listed as a terrorist organization by the US State Department). After the arrest and execution of its leader, Abdolmalek Reigi by Iran, the group stopped its activities in 2009. It resumed again a few years later resulting in the launch of new anti-terror operations involving the AH-1Js in 2013, which continued periodically until 2020.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: 2

Length: 53 ft 5 in (16.28 m) with both rotors turning

45 ft 9 in (14 m) for fuselage only

Width: 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) for stub wings only

Height: 13 ft 5 in (4.09 m)

Main rotor diameter: 43 ft 11 in (13.39 m)

Main rotor area: 1,514.97 sq ft (140.745 m²)

Empty weight: 2,802 kg (6,177 lb)

Max takeoff weight: 4,530 kg (9,987 lb)

 

Powerplant:

2× P&W Canada T400-CP-400 (PT6T-3 Twin-Pac) turboshaft engines, coupled to produce 1,530 shp

(1,140 kW; de-rated from 1,800 shp (1,342 kW) for drivetrain limitations)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 236 km/h (147 mph, 127 kn)

Range: 600 km (370 mi, 320 nmi)

Service ceiling: 10,500 ft (3,200 m)

Rate of climb: 1,090 ft/min (5.5 m/s)

 

Armament:

1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M197 3-barreled Gatling cannon in M97 chin turret with 750 rounds

4× hardpoints under the sub wings for 2.75” (70 mm) Mk 40 or Hydra 70 rockets in 7 or 19 rounds

pods; up to 16 5” (127 mm) Zuni rockets in 4-round LAU-10D/A launchers, up to eight Toophan

ATGM in a dual or quad launcher on each wing, AIM-9 Sidewinder or Misagh-2 anti-aircraft

missiles (1 mounted on each hardpoint)

  

The kit and its assembly:

This is the counterpart to another modified Fujimi AH-1 model, actually a kit bashing of the AH-1S and the AH-1J model to produce something that comes close to the real IAMI HESA-2091 helicopter, an upgraded/re-built AH-1J International of the Iranian Army Air Force. The “leftover” parts were used to create an (Indonesian) AH-1G – even though the HESA-2091 was the “core project”.

 

To create this Iranian variant, the AH-1J was taken as the basis and the nose as well as the flat-window canopy from the AH-1S were transplanted. While the nose with the TOW sensor turret was just an optional part that fits naturally on the fuselage (even though not without some PSR), the clear parts was more challenging, because the flat canopy is shorter than the original. In this case I had to fill some triangular gaps between the hood and the engine section, and this was done with 1.5 mm styrene sheet wedges and some more PSR to blend the parts that were not meant to be combined into each other.

The cockpit was taken OOB, together with the pilot figures that come with the kit. I also retained the original all-metal main rotor because the Iranian Cobras AFAIK were never upgraded with composite material blades?

 

To set the HESA-2091 further apart from the original AH-1J I changed the sensor turret in the nose and scratched a ball-shaped fairing that resembles the indigenous RU-290 thermal camera – it’s actually the ball joint from a classic clear Matchbox kit display, with a base scratched from 0.5mm styrene sheet. The “ball” turned out to be a bit too large, but the overall look is O.K., since I wanted a non-TOW AH-1J. For a “different-than-a-stock-AH-1J” look A small radome for a missile guidance antenna was added to the nose above the sensor turret, too. Another personal addition are the small end plates on the stabilizers – inspired by similar installations on Bell’s early twin-engine AH-1s, even though these later disappeared and were technically replaced by a ventral fin extension and a longer fuselage; the Iranian AH-1Js retained the short, original fuselage of the single-engine Cobra variants, though. The end plates were cut from leftover rotor blades from the scrap box, IIRC they belong to a Matchbox Dauphin 2.

 

Being part of the historical Zahedan fire support team I gave the Cobra an armament consisting of a nineteen round 70mm Hydra unguided missile pods (OOB), a pair of AGM-65 Maverick missiles (an ordnance actually deployed by Iranian Cobras), together with their respective launch rails, and I added launch tubes for indigenous Misagh-2 anti-aircraft missiles (which are actually MANPADS) to the stub wings’ tips as a self-defense measure. These were scratched from 2mm styrene rods.

  

Painting and markings:

Finding a suitable paint scheme was not easy. A conservative choice would have been an early mid-stone/earth scheme or a tri-color scheme consisting of sand, earth and dark green. However, while doing WWW research I came across some more exotic and contemporary specimen, carrying a kind of leopard-esque mottle scheme or even a “high resolution” fractal/digital cammo consisting of three shades of beige/brown/grey – even though I am not certain if the latter was a “real” camouflage for operational helicopters or just a “show and shine” propaganda livery?

 

Re-creating the latter from scratch would have been prohibitively complex, because the pixelized mottles were really fine, maybe just 2” wide each in real life. But I used this scheme as an inspiration for a simplified variant, also kept in three shades of brown, even though the result was a kind of compromise due to the limited material options to create it.

The base became an overall coat with Tamiya XF-57 (Buff), plus very light grey (RAL 7035; Humbrol 196) undersides. A light black ink washing was applied, and panels were post-shaded to create a more vivid surface.

Then came the pixelized mottles in two contrast colors: first came a layer in RAL 1015 (Hellelfenbein/Light Ivory) and then a second in RAL 8011 (Nussbraun/Nut Brown) in a 1:1 ratio, slightly overlapping and letting the Buff base shine through. These mottles were not painted but rather created with square bits from generic decal stripe material in various widths from TL Modellbau. While not as sophisticated as the original camouflage, effect and look are quite similar, and add to the unique look of this HESA-2091(-ish) model. And even though I was sceptical, esp. because of the reddish Nussbraun, the blurring effect of the scheme is surprisingly good – esp. when you put the model in front of a dry mountain background! I’ll keep the concept in the back of my head for further what-if models. All those single pixels were a lot of work, but the result looks really good.

 

Another detail from many real late Iranian Cobras was taken over, too: a black tail rotor drive shaft cover that extends up onto the fin’s leading edge – probably a measure to hide exhaust soot stains on the tail boom? A black anti-glare panel was added in front of the windscreen, too, and the rotor blades became medium grey (Humbrol 165, Medium Sea Grey) except for the main rotor blades’ undersides, which became black. The cockpit interior was uniformly painted in a very dark grey (Revell 06, Anthracite) and the pilots received khaki jumpsuits and modern grey and olive drab “bone domes”.

 

The decals were puzzled together from various sources. The Iranian roundels came from a Begemot MiG-29 sheet, registration numbers and fin flashes from an Iranian F-5. The IAAF abbreviation was created with single black 4 mm letters.

Graphite was used to weather the model, esp. the area on top of the tail boom, and the model was finally sealed with matt acrylic varnish overall.

  

An exotic model – the Iranian home-brew HESA-2091 looks familiar, but it’s a unique combination of classic Cobra elements. More spectacular is the pixelated paint scheme, and the attempt to generate it with the help of square decal bits worked (and looks) better than expected! This might also work well in grey as a winter camouflage? Hmmm….

Bang! Swoosh... Bling!

 

I had a hard time deciding the title for this photo. It was either this one, or "Jump To Lightspeed!". I'm a much bigger Star Wars fan than I am a Star Trek fan, but that last ST movie really blew me away and got me interested in it more now. I'm watching episodes of "TNG" series whenever I got some free time these days, they're awesome.

 

About the photo. This is my Pop's brand new ride. He decided to take our whole family on a road trip to the beach last week. That's my dad driving, and me on the front passenger seat. Hand held and in a tunnel with my wide angle lens.

 

Also, this was my first time using a GPS system. These things are incredibly useful! I'm seriously considering buying one of those portable ones for myself.

 

View LARGER

 

雪山隧道

"Snow Mountain" tunnel

Taipei to Yilan Freeway

 

Tim sulked in the darkness of Stephanie Brown’s old apartment, standing amongst various boxes strewn about haphazardly. With the death of her parents and her sudden disappearance, her grandparents sold the property nearly a month back. However, no one had purchased it yet, and as a result much of the Brown’s property was sitting in various containers and boxes around the abandoned living space. Since seeing Stephanie after lunch with his father, Tim’s life had become completely consumed with finding her. There was something that did not strike him particularly well about seeing her in the hotel, stemming from the fact that she disappeared once he had gotten close. Unconsciously ruling out that she could be a hallucination brought on by his long nights with little sleep, Tim was certain she was watching him. For some reason, she was unable to speak to him directly, but she kept a close eye on him. This theory at least comforted Tim enough to take at least an hour a day to sleep, however he would not be able to rest properly once more until he figured out exactly where Stephanie had gone and why she showed up mysteriously days previous. Turning over a broken crate, Tim found bundles of letters stacked from bottom to top. He began reading the names on them to himself both quickly and quietly,

  

“Riley…Thomas…Anthony…William…Rose…” As he reached the bottom of the stack, he sighed, thinking that he might have to go through every letter for information before he saw a single envelope sticking out from underneath the overturned crate next to it. Picking the letter up, he realized that it was the only one that had been opened and emptied. Reading the name aloud to himself, he whispered, “…Harper Row…” The name sounded familiar, but it took a moment for Tim to process that Row had been the last name of Film Freak’s accomplice. Immediately thinking the worst, Tim assumed that Stephanie had fallen into a life of crime following her parents death, causing him to crumple the letter just as Alfred’s voice sounded through his earpiece,

  

“Good evening Master Tim, I have Batman on the other line, he’s requested I patch you through to him.”

  

“Put me through,” Tim said as he attempted to summon a happier tone while saying, “Robin reporting in.” The gruff voice of the Caped Crusader immediately replied,

  

“Tim, I’ve engaged the mercenaries.”

  

“Oh? How’s that treatin’ ya?” Tim asked sarcastically as his heart began to race. This could be it, for the first time in a long time he and Bruce were finally about to take to the skies together again.

  

“Confusing. These men are meant to be some of the fiercest warriors known to man, but they had one look at me and scampered.” Snickering to himself in the empty apartment, Tim answered,

  

“Ermmm, I’m not sure confusing is properly answering my question. As regards to why they’re running…maybe you’re finally at the stage where even people that haven’t met you are terrified of you. Don’t tell me it’s not what you’ve always wanted.” Unwavering as usual, Batman answered,

  

“Focus. They’ve split up and I’m in pursuit of the leader now.”

  

“Good to know.” Tim held his right hand in an excited fist and grit his teeth as Bruce finally said,

  

“I’m going to need your help to interrogate him.” Containing his excitement, Tim nodded to no one while thinking back to his training. One specific exercise came to mind to fit the situation best, so he asked if they would use,

  

“The headless nun scenario?”

  

“More or less.” Checking to make sure his staff was on his person as well as a sufficient number of batarangs, Tim affirmed that,

  

“I’m on my way.”

  

“Good. Lock onto my signal and rendezvous with me as soon as you can.” Heading for the second floor window closest to him, Tim climbed out while activating the GPS system on his wrist device.

  

“Roger, I’m tracking you now. Shouldn’t be long.”

  

“Thanks Tim.” There was silence as Tim leapt to the next building, running across the rooftop while retrieving his grappling gun. Then, he heard Bruce say something he was not expecting,

  

“I’m sorry I’ve had to interfere in your case.” Tim was in the midst of leaping from one building to the next, and nearly lost his concentration enough to fall down to the street below if not for shooting his grappling gun into a gargoyle above seconds before.

  

“Ah…it’s fine. This lead is pretty much a dead end just like all the rest.” Tim lied, as he intended to track down Harper Row himself to figure out her connection to Stephanie.

  

“Sorry to hear that. I know she means a lot to you.” Having just begun to associate his biological father as a father figure once more, Tim was surprised to see just how much the stoic man he had looked up to for so long understood him.

  

“How do you know I mean Steph? I didn’t tell Alfred which case I was investigating a new lead for.”

  

“I know you Tim, and I know this is the one case you refuse to let go unsolved.” In reality, Tim could remember all of the unsolved cases in even the years before he had been Robin, however Bruce was right in his assumption that this was a case he would never let go.

  

“Yeah. I hoped that I’d find something at her old house…but nothing.” The name Harper Row bounced across every inch of his brain as he attempted to think if he knew anything else about her while saying this, as if he became entirely lost he assured himself he would bring Bruce on board. However, now was not the time, with the Crimson Knight attempting to lay waste to Gotham, Bruce had bigger priorities.

  

“You’ll figure it out Tim, of that I’m certain.” Tim smirked a somewhat reassured smirk as he checked his wrist device in between grappling gun usage,

  

“Thanks Bruce. Alright I’m about three minutes out from your current position. Shouldn’t be too long.”

  

“Roger Robin, see you shortly.” Thinking of a way to quickly lighten the mood, Tim asked,

  

“Can I just ask one question though?”

  

“Of course.” Tim did his best imitation of the gravelly voice Bruce sometimes adapted as he said,

  

“Can I be the bad cop for a change?” Waiting for a laugh on the other end, he was met with a short period of silence before Bruce answered,

  

“You already know the answer to that.” Tim faked a whine as a response,

  

“Come on! How am I ever going to develop my bad cop skills if you keep hogging the role?”

  

“Just get here.” Bruce demanded this, pushing Tim to say,

  

“Yes sir!” Their communications channel cut out just as he finished speaking, and also as he landed on top of a building less than two minutes from Bruce’s location. Elation replacing the concern he had felt earlier, Tim hummed to himself as he pressed on for the last stretch towards the Iceberg Lounge,

  

“Nanananananananananananana Batman…Robin…Nananananananananananananananana kickin’ butt…kicin’ butt…”

My son and I have been going to the Black Rock Desert for 18 years now to launch our largest rocketry projects. Here is a video clip of our 10’-tall carbon fiber and fiberglass rocket going supersonic with a speaking GPS system.

 

The GPS telemetry system on board connects to a Yagi-antenna tracker that also has a GPS so it can calculate relative positioning for recovery. She calls herself Kate, and you can hear her calling out altitude numbers in real time during the climb to just over 19K feet altitude and a peak velocity just over 1,000 MPH.

 

But then we lost GPS and telemetry, so we have no idea where she went or whether she came back ballistic or not. This is perhaps the most frustrating outcome as we can’t analyze where things went wrong. All we know for now, is that rockets are hard.

 

But there is still a chance… I have my name, cell phone number and the word “Reward!” written on all of the major airframe sections. The carbon-fiber base of this rocket has flown many times, and one on occasion, when it went missing on some farmlands, I got a call a year later for a joyous return.

+++ 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:

Operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iran's small Bell AH-1J fleet has seen a fair share of indigenous modernization in recent years. In 1971, Iran purchased 202 examples of an improved AH-1J, named "AH-1J International", from the United States. This improved Cobra featured an uprated P&WC T400-WV-402 engine and a stronger drivetrain, so that it would have a better performance under “hot & high” conditions. Recoil damping gear was fitted to the 20 mm M197 gun turret, and the gunner was given a stabilized sight and a stabilized seat, too. Of the AH-1Js delivered to the Shah's Imperial Iranian Army Aviation, 62 were TOW-capable.

Iranian AH-1Js participated in the Iran–Iraq War—which saw the most intensive use of helicopters in any conventional war. Iranian AH-1Js (particularly the TOW-capable ones) were "exceptionally effective" in anti-armor warfare, inflicting heavy losses on Iraqi armored and vehicle formations. In operations over the barren terrain in Khuzestan and later in southern Iraq, beside the standard tactics, Iranian pilots developed special, effective tactics, often in the same manner as the Soviets did with their Mi-24s. Due to the post-Revolution weapons sanctions, Iranians had to make do with what was at hand: lacking other guided ordnance they equipped the AH-1Js with AGM-65 Maverick missiles and used them with some success in several operations. About half of the AH-1Js were lost during the conflict to combat, accidents, and simple wear and tear –the rest of the fleet was kept operational and busy during the following years.

 

However, time and use took their toll on the Iranian Cobras, for which no replacement could be found. In 2001, Brigadier General Ahmad Kazemi, the then-commander in chief of the IRGC Air Force (from 2009, it became known as the IRGC Aerospace Force, or IRGCASF), requested Ali Khamenei, leader of the Islamic Republic, to permit the IRGC to procure two former army AH-1J Cobra helicopters that had been restored by the Iranian Helicopters Support and Renewal Company (IHSRC, called ‘Panha’ in Iran). They belonged to the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IRIAA, as it was then known), which lacked the funds to pay for the necessary restoration and renewal of parts and fuselage sections.

The first of these refurbished AH-1Js was a TOW Cobra capable of using the Iranian-made clone of the BGM-71A TOW anti-tank missile, the “Towfan”, while the second helicopter was a Non-TOW version capable of using only the 2¾-inch Hydra unguided rockets. They entered IRGCAF service at Fat'h helicopter base, Karaj, to the west of Tehran, in 2001. This marked the start of an ongoing but slow modernization program for the remaining Iranian Cobra fleet.

 

IHSRC also worked on the restoration of two more battle-damaged AH-1J TOW Cobras, in a project known as “Panha-2091”. The front sections of their fuselages had been destroyed by cannon rounds from Iraqi tanks during the Iran-Iraq war and the extensive restoration work required manufacture of new fuselage panels and structural parts. Panha engineers also co-operated with their colleagues from IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries, also known as HESA in Iran) and designed a new canopy for the helicopters equipped with a flat, bulletproof windshield instead of the former oval, non-bulletproof version. Under a project named HESA-2091, both helicopters were thoroughly modernized and equipped with multifunction displays and a new weapon control system with a head-up display for the pilot. Internal avionics were revamped with the addition of a GPS system in the nose, and a warning radar with four antennae providing 360 degrees coverage was integrated, too. Design and production of the new digital systems and their components was carried out by the Iranian Electronics Industries Company (IEI) with the assistance of Isfahan University of Technology and a Chinese-connected company, Safa Electronic Component Industries. Installation was performed by IAMI in Shahin-Shahr.

 

These two helicopters were ultimately named ‘Tiztak-2091’ and became prototypes for a larger modernization project for 102 remaining AH-1J Cobra attack helicopters for the Iranian Army Aviation Force. However, in total, the cost of this bold conversion projects exceeded the whole IRIAA budget for 2001, and this resulted in the cancellation of the wider modernization program just a year later. Step forward the IRGC which procured the two Tiztak-2091 prototypes alongside four more former IRIAA AH-1J Non-TOW Cobra helicopters from the Iranian Defence Ministry. These were revamped and delivered to frontline units between 2003 and 2005. However, further conversions have only be done sparingly since then, due to the lack of funds and material.

Despite these limitations, the IAAF immediately began working on upgrade projects to further increase combat capability of the small but busy fleet of Cobra helicopters. The Tiztak helicopters had been equipped with new targeting/surveillance turrets instead of their M-65 Telescopic Sight Units under a IAMI project named Towfan-2 back in 2012. The first helicopters were equipped with the Oqab EO/IR targeting turret produced by IOI (Iranian Optics Industries) in 2012, while others received an RU-290 thermal camera, a product of Rayan Roshd-Afzar.

 

After the formation of the Army Aviation Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGCAA) on February 23, 2016, the IRGCASF helicopter base at Fat’h was transferred to the IRGCGF (IRGC Ground Force), of which the IRGCAA was now a part. IRGCAA today operates more than 80 helicopters including nine Bell AH-1J International Cobras, with three examples modernized by Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries (IAMI). IRGCAA had also been trying to equip its small fleet of AH-1Js with a new air-to-surface missile and an anti-tank missile, the Qaem-114 (outwardly almost identical to the American AGM-119 Hellfire), but this did not proceed beyond prototype stage.

 

Despite the active Iranian AH-1J fleet’s relatively small size after 2001, the Cobras were extremely active during counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the southeast and northwest of Iran. Both the IAAF and now the IRGCAA had always had two fire support teams, each formed with two to three AH-1Js in Orumiyeh and Zahedan, to be used against the PKK/PJAK and Jaish ul-Adl terrorist groups. The fire-support team at the IRGCGF Hamzeh Garrison in the northwest of Iran had two Bell 214A utility helicopters for SAR operations to accompany the Cobras while the team in Zahedan International Airport had two to three Mi-171Sh helicopters; usually, one armed with B8M1 rocket pods as a heavy fire support gunship.

The most notable use of the AH-1Js in combat by the IRGC took place in spring and summer 2008 when two AH-1Js stationed in Zahedan were extensively used in close-air-support missions during a counter-terrorism operation by IRGC Ground Forces against the Jondollah group (later to be rebranded as Jaish ul-Adl after being listed as a terrorist organization by the US State Department). After the arrest and execution of its leader, Abdolmalek Reigi by Iran, the group stopped its activities in 2009. It resumed again a few years later resulting in the launch of new anti-terror operations involving the AH-1Js in 2013, which continued periodically until 2020.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: 2

Length: 53 ft 5 in (16.28 m) with both rotors turning

45 ft 9 in (14 m) for fuselage only

Width: 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) for stub wings only

Height: 13 ft 5 in (4.09 m)

Main rotor diameter: 43 ft 11 in (13.39 m)

Main rotor area: 1,514.97 sq ft (140.745 m²)

Empty weight: 2,802 kg (6,177 lb)

Max takeoff weight: 4,530 kg (9,987 lb)

 

Powerplant:

2× P&W Canada T400-CP-400 (PT6T-3 Twin-Pac) turboshaft engines, coupled to produce 1,530 shp

(1,140 kW; de-rated from 1,800 shp (1,342 kW) for drivetrain limitations)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 236 km/h (147 mph, 127 kn)

Range: 600 km (370 mi, 320 nmi)

Service ceiling: 10,500 ft (3,200 m)

Rate of climb: 1,090 ft/min (5.5 m/s)

 

Armament:

1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M197 3-barreled Gatling cannon in M97 chin turret with 750 rounds

4× hardpoints under the sub wings for 2.75” (70 mm) Mk 40 or Hydra 70 rockets in 7 or 19 rounds

pods; up to 16 5” (127 mm) Zuni rockets in 4-round LAU-10D/A launchers, up to eight Toophan

ATGM in a dual or quad launcher on each wing, AIM-9 Sidewinder or Misagh-2 anti-aircraft

missiles (1 mounted on each hardpoint)

  

The kit and its assembly:

This is the counterpart to another modified Fujimi AH-1 model, actually a kit bashing of the AH-1S and the AH-1J model to produce something that comes close to the real IAMI HESA-2091 helicopter, an upgraded/re-built AH-1J International of the Iranian Army Air Force. The “leftover” parts were used to create an (Indonesian) AH-1G – even though the HESA-2091 was the “core project”.

 

To create this Iranian variant, the AH-1J was taken as the basis and the nose as well as the flat-window canopy from the AH-1S were transplanted. While the nose with the TOW sensor turret was just an optional part that fits naturally on the fuselage (even though not without some PSR), the clear parts was more challenging, because the flat canopy is shorter than the original. In this case I had to fill some triangular gaps between the hood and the engine section, and this was done with 1.5 mm styrene sheet wedges and some more PSR to blend the parts that were not meant to be combined into each other.

The cockpit was taken OOB, together with the pilot figures that come with the kit. I also retained the original all-metal main rotor because the Iranian Cobras AFAIK were never upgraded with composite material blades?

 

To set the HESA-2091 further apart from the original AH-1J I changed the sensor turret in the nose and scratched a ball-shaped fairing that resembles the indigenous RU-290 thermal camera – it’s actually the ball joint from a classic clear Matchbox kit display, with a base scratched from 0.5mm styrene sheet. The “ball” turned out to be a bit too large, but the overall look is O.K., since I wanted a non-TOW AH-1J. For a “different-than-a-stock-AH-1J” look A small radome for a missile guidance antenna was added to the nose above the sensor turret, too. Another personal addition are the small end plates on the stabilizers – inspired by similar installations on Bell’s early twin-engine AH-1s, even though these later disappeared and were technically replaced by a ventral fin extension and a longer fuselage; the Iranian AH-1Js retained the short, original fuselage of the single-engine Cobra variants, though. The end plates were cut from leftover rotor blades from the scrap box, IIRC they belong to a Matchbox Dauphin 2.

 

Being part of the historical Zahedan fire support team I gave the Cobra an armament consisting of a nineteen round 70mm Hydra unguided missile pods (OOB), a pair of AGM-65 Maverick missiles (an ordnance actually deployed by Iranian Cobras), together with their respective launch rails, and I added launch tubes for indigenous Misagh-2 anti-aircraft missiles (which are actually MANPADS) to the stub wings’ tips as a self-defense measure. These were scratched from 2mm styrene rods.

  

Painting and markings:

Finding a suitable paint scheme was not easy. A conservative choice would have been an early mid-stone/earth scheme or a tri-color scheme consisting of sand, earth and dark green. However, while doing WWW research I came across some more exotic and contemporary specimen, carrying a kind of leopard-esque mottle scheme or even a “high resolution” fractal/digital cammo consisting of three shades of beige/brown/grey – even though I am not certain if the latter was a “real” camouflage for operational helicopters or just a “show and shine” propaganda livery?

 

Re-creating the latter from scratch would have been prohibitively complex, because the pixelized mottles were really fine, maybe just 2” wide each in real life. But I used this scheme as an inspiration for a simplified variant, also kept in three shades of brown, even though the result was a kind of compromise due to the limited material options to create it.

The base became an overall coat with Tamiya XF-57 (Buff), plus very light grey (RAL 7035; Humbrol 196) undersides. A light black ink washing was applied, and panels were post-shaded to create a more vivid surface.

Then came the pixelized mottles in two contrast colors: first came a layer in RAL 1015 (Hellelfenbein/Light Ivory) and then a second in RAL 8011 (Nussbraun/Nut Brown) in a 1:1 ratio, slightly overlapping and letting the Buff base shine through. These mottles were not painted but rather created with square bits from generic decal stripe material in various widths from TL Modellbau. While not as sophisticated as the original camouflage, effect and look are quite similar, and add to the unique look of this HESA-2091(-ish) model. And even though I was sceptical, esp. because of the reddish Nussbraun, the blurring effect of the scheme is surprisingly good – esp. when you put the model in front of a dry mountain background! I’ll keep the concept in the back of my head for further what-if models. All those single pixels were a lot of work, but the result looks really good.

 

Another detail from many real late Iranian Cobras was taken over, too: a black tail rotor drive shaft cover that extends up onto the fin’s leading edge – probably a measure to hide exhaust soot stains on the tail boom? A black anti-glare panel was added in front of the windscreen, too, and the rotor blades became medium grey (Humbrol 165, Medium Sea Grey) except for the main rotor blades’ undersides, which became black. The cockpit interior was uniformly painted in a very dark grey (Revell 06, Anthracite) and the pilots received khaki jumpsuits and modern grey and olive drab “bone domes”.

 

The decals were puzzled together from various sources. The Iranian roundels came from a Begemot MiG-29 sheet, registration numbers and fin flashes from an Iranian F-5. The IAAF abbreviation was created with single black 4 mm letters.

Graphite was used to weather the model, esp. the area on top of the tail boom, and the model was finally sealed with matt acrylic varnish overall.

  

An exotic model – the Iranian home-brew HESA-2091 looks familiar, but it’s a unique combination of classic Cobra elements. More spectacular is the pixelated paint scheme, and the attempt to generate it with the help of square decal bits worked (and looks) better than expected! This might also work well in grey as a winter camouflage? Hmmm….

Inside the nose cone of this Delta rocket is Goddard's geophysics research satellite, a 906-lb. (411-kg) satellite that looked more like a dimpled cosmic golf ball. The spacecraft, which NASA launched from the Western Test Range in California in 1976, provided a stable point in the sky to reflect pulses of laser light. By timing the return of the laser beam to an accuracy of about one ten-billionth of a second, scientists expected to measure the relative location of participating ground stations within one inch or a few centimeters. These measurements allowed scientists to track and analyze tectonic plate movement and continental drift. The spacecraft, called the LAser GEOdynamics Satellite (LAGEOS), was the precursor to the current-day Global Positioning System (GPS) system operated by the Defense Department.

 

Image Number: PL96C-11657.12

Date: circa 1976

All along the Dutch coast you can find poles with a colored top and numbers. The department of infrastructure has placed this poles to measure the height and width of the beach and dunes. However, this system has been superseded by the GPS system

The piles used to be made of oak, but there are also tropical hardwood variations because they are more resistant. The average pole can survive the tide and weather for 15 to 25 years.

 

Because it is outdated, the poles are no longer maintained. The plan was to remove all poles along the Dutch coast, but because of the cultural and historical value and convenience to have a local landmark in emergencies, it was decided to leave the them intact.

 

Made with Sony A99 and Sony 20mm f/2.8 with B+W 110 MRC F-Pro ND filter. B&W by NIK SilverEfex Pro

Exposures: 13 sec. f/4.5 ISO50

 

Well….To start at the beginning of the story……All the talk at the breakfast table was about our planned fun day on the beach today….But all that faded to dust when Halo smart phone started to ring…..I couldn’t hear what was being said, but I could hear that the caller sounded frantic……And as they spoke, Halo looked graver and graver……And when he hung up…..He turned to the breakfast table to address us all, by saying that the satellite controlling the GPS system to this area had thrown a wobbler literary….And as a result…..All the shipping heading to Weymouth harbour was in danger of running aground or into rocks laying just below the surface……So in view of the CraZyGang expertise knowledge of the waterways in this area, the frantic caller was asking Halo and the gang to take to the high ground and to radio instructions to the ships captains giving them a safe passage to the harbour ….Of course there was never a question that Halo would turn this important job down even thought he was long overdue this holiday….…..so here we are……. aided as always by Duffy the Bear who with his American origins is on standby to lay down smoke signals if need be, with Millie telling him that if he runs out of things to burn, he could always use my guitar….WHAT !!!!!…..You and I need to have a serious talk Millie sometime soon….But for now I am just going to open cans of beer for Di and myself and just drink in this beautiful view that we find you all in…..Thanks Guys…And yes..The treats are coming out real soon….

Flying high in the skies is America's favorite Avenger, Agent Phil Coulson, in his beloved Lola. She looks like an average candy apple red 1962 Chevrolet Corvette convertible, but thanks to Stark Industries, she's got a few tricks up her sleeve like flamethrowers and the world's first GPS system (And he gave it a girl's name).

 

Here's to another season this coming fall of Lola, Coulson and the gang. #CoulsonLives

 

----

 

Lola uses the chassis of Nick Fury's hovercar from 76004 Spider-Cycle Chase, with some slight tweaks and modifications. Coulson would look better with some of the minifig elements from the forthcoming Ultra Agents series, particularly Agent Max Burns' torso.

  

**NOW ON LEGO IDEAS**

ideas.lego.com/projects/65238

Saudi Arabia was interested in acquiring the F-15E for its air force, but the aircraft was deemed too sensitive for export. As an alternative, Saudi Arabia requested the delivery of 24 F-15Fs, which were similar to the F-15E but without the second crew member and without some of the more advanced avionics deemed too sensitive for export. However, in 1993, the Royal Saudi Air Force was given permission to purchase 72 slightly downgraded versions of the F-15E Strike Eagle, initially designated F-15XP but now known as F-15S. The F-15S has an APG-70S radar that is "detuned" from the capabilities of the APG-63 of the F-15C/D and does not have the ability to do computerized ground mapping. It has only 60 percent of the bandwidth of the APG-63 and is limited to only 16 rather than 32 channels. The AWG-27 programmable armament control set was reprogrammed to prevent the carriage of certain weapons systems, and the hands-off automatic terrain following mode was deleted from the ASW-51 autopilot. A ring laser gyro INS was provided, but the military-grade GPS system was eliminated, although the Saudis have added a commercial-grade GPS system.

 

Some sensitive ECM systems are replaced with older equipment or are deleted altogether. The nuclear weapon wiring fitted to USAF F-15Es was deleted. Some initial reports indicated that the F-15S would not be provided with the ability to carry conformal fuel tanks and their associated weapons pylons, but this turned out not to be the case. Saudi Arabia received 48 downgraded versions of the Martin Marietta LANTIRN system known as AAQ-19 Sharpshooter, as well as the AAQ-20 Pathfinder, which is a simplified version of the AAQ-13 Nav-Pod. The AAQ-20 is not compatible with the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile and has some air-to-air features deleted.

 

In this image, an F-15S (F-15S-59-MC, serial number 93-0913 reserialed to 9225) from the 6 Squadron, Wing 5 stationed at King Khalid AB near Khamis Mushait flies over the western Arabian desert. A total of 72 were placed on order under Peace Sun IX. The first example took off on its maiden flight on 19 June 1995. Production was planned at a rate of one per month, with the 72nd and last F-15S being delivered in 1999. A new variant, the F-15SA (Saudi Advanced), is under development and will have a new fly-by-wire flight control system and the APG-63(v)3 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, digital electronic warfare systems (DEWS), and infrared search and track (IRST) systems. It will also have a redesigned cockpit, once intended for the F-15SE Silent Eagle.

Built in 2011 specifically to for the task of transporting and transferring personnel to ships waiting off Aberdeen. With a large open plan cabin with seating, toilet and cooking facilities onboard.

 

Deck space of 22m2 and survey moon pool / pole system

this vessel is a safe stable platform with a transit speed of up to 25knots.

 

Moon pool pole deployment system, survey grade Veripos LD5 GPS, spacious cabin

and deck, very capable all-round workboat that can safely handle the weather

 

Principal Dimensions

Length overall 12.5m

Beam overall 5.0m

Weight 12.5t

Draft 1.0m

Operating speed 25kts

 

Main Features

 

• Bow transfer arrangement

• 3 KVA generator

• Open plan wheelhouse with table and seating

• 700mm sq. survey moon pool

• Survey grade LD5 GPS System

• Coded 3 crew and 12 passenger

 

Engines

• 2 x 370 BHP Iveco Diesel Engines

• Fuel Consumption each 30-55ltrs per hr

 

Working Area

• 60NM Offshore

• Max wave height 4m

 

Work Scope

• Survey

• Crew Transfer

• Safety Boat

• Cargo Transfer

• Dive Support

  

Occasionally the Rosella's GPS system does not function too good around our home and they end up suiciding into our windows...so I thought I'd give you a close up view of their beautiful feathers. RIP Rosy!

The original photo was taken on a cruise around Alaska's Glacier Bay. The wooly mammoths ALMOST reached Noah's ark before it sailed, but they arrived too late. They never should have depended on their GPS system to get them their on time.

 

Photoleap was used to create this image.

One of our kite colleagues brought one of his his toys for a fly around at Otterspool. This one has been fitted with gps system and will return to the operator by itself if the battery starts to run down.

These can be used for aerial photography and can be quite expensive.

What better thing to photograph in the fog than row boats?

 

We headed out, looking for a good spot for sunset. The sea fog was rolling in, as it had for several afternoons, basically nullifying many of our choice options. As a side note, we spent a weird afternoon on Cadillac Mountain while the fog blew past us chasing little man around. I’ve never quite experienced racing sea fog like that, especially on top of a mountain. It is a little disconcerting. Back to the matter at hand, we checked out a few harbor spots to see what else we could find. Northeast Harbor had lots of boats but they were luxury cruising type. Even the dinghies had GPS systems on them. After seeing a yacht last year with a helicopter pad on it which wouldn’t be complete without a heli colored to match the boat, nothing is going to surprise me up there. We decided to head over to more of a working harbor. It was getting pretty late at that point and between trying to grab a shot and trying to keep my three year old out of the water, I had to go without the tripod. The foreground was too soft considering it was handheld, had close proximity to the subject, and a shallow depth of field to get a high enough shutter speed to pull it off. So, I went with a painted effect to push it in another direction entirely.

 

Location notes available on my blog.

 

Free iPad wallpaper – If your iPad wallpaper is old and you want to freshen it up, email me at byron@byrononeal.com. I’ll send you back an optimized version of this image for FREE.

 

Byron O'Neal Photography | Facebook | Blog | Google+

Vanuit Helmond en onderweg naar Venlo zien we hier de passage te Horst-Sevenum v/d NS Flirt 2503 + 2502 + 2202 als testtrein. Thv Griendtsveen staat de meetapparatuur opgesteld.

En via het GPS systeem is de 2502 mooi te volgen waar de trein zich bevind.

 

A fully functional GPS receiver with the ability to display the current location, heading, speed, average speed and maximum speed, the distance traveled, the bearing, distance and ETA for a way-point, and the date and time.

 

More information and source code available at: www.seancarney.ca/projects/arduino-gps-receiver/arduino-g...

I just found her 2.66 miles down range. It was not that hard because she was flying a prototype GPS system that streamed the data down in real time.

 

This is my carbon fiber rocket extended with a fiberglass bay for the RF signals making it 10.5 feet tall. It has two tracking system transmitters, two separate flight computers, and two Rousetech CO2 parachute deployment systems.

 

I found wifi out here in the Black Rock Desert, and so I can share this first shot. There should be some good video footage coming later. You can see one of the videocams on tripod in the foreground.

 

The blast is from a vintage Animal Motor Works N2801 Skidmark spraying most gloriously and soaring with a throaty roar up and out of sight.

 

Click photo to enlarge. Here are photos of the 6-hour prep on the playa. And here's our HD video compilation, with footage from Pad Cam One and Two, marked above in the mouse-over notes.

HVDC Staged Line Fault On Ben-Hay-1

 

The pole 2 commissioning is coming to a very near end, so the time has come to start testing the way the poles react to line faults.

  

Using a pengalime attached to the tower, an electric fence wire is shorted from the tower to the live conductor.

  

This is done with the line at full voltage 350,000 Volts Direct Current and transferring about 350 Mega watts to the north (Benmore to Haywards)

  

This particular test, pole 3 was tripped and pole 2 took up the tripped value to keep the DC link running at around 700 Mega Watts. The short fault period carried about 6000 amps to ground but for only a few mille seconds..

  

Also part of this test is to check the function of the DC line Fault Locator. This equipment is capable of detecting a line fault and displaying a trace on a computer screen, giving the exact location of where the fault occurred. This is possible due to a GPS system and some sophisticated mathematics that detect the fault wave fronts from each end of the line.

The Goodman class is a specially purposed self-propelled platform designed for Air-Defense and as a VERY LONG range radar platfrom that makes up part of the UDKA GPS System, guidance for ICBM's/SLBM's and for Air and Surface search.

 

Its immense size also allows for it to act as an assault platform capable of carrying most helicopters as well as attack fighters launched on a CAT's system.

 

The catamaran design also allows it to make use of a sheltered storage area for small attack craft underneath the hangar as well as docking facilities on each side for surface warships and the launching of small combat craft and Royal Marines.

 

Standard Payload: (Aircraft)

-10x Eurofighter Typhoons ~ Multi-Rile

-5x Eurofighter Typhoons ~ Anti-Air

-5x Panvia Tornado GR.4's ~ Ground Attack

 

-2x V-22 Osprey Tilt-Rotor aircraft. + 64x Royal Marines

 

-5x Westland Lynx Helicopters. + 50x Royal marines

 

- 100x Royal Marines (Surface warfare ~ Ribs and CB90's)

 

i.imgur.com/LoHn5.png

The post-Vietnam era brought about a restructuring of the Combat Talon. After near cancellation in 1974, the Special Operations program languished until the Iran Hostage Crisis in 1979 and the invasion of Grenada in 1983 signalled the need for transport and support aircraft and trained crews to participate in the United States military special operations. During the mid-to late-1980s, the next version of the MC-130E Combat Talon I was being designed and tested. The MC-130H Combat Talon II entered service with the 8th Special Operations Squadron (SOS) on 29 June 1991; three others were delivered over the summer.

 

The new aircraft featured a stronger airframe and rear and aft cargo door modifications. The electronics suite had been upgraded and included a GPS system, special radars for navigating in adverse weather, and night vision goggles (NVG) capability. These new technologies allowed the MC-130H to fly as low as 250 feet (76 m) above ground level (AGL) in inclement weather and make faster, more accurate airdrops. Like its predecessor, the Combat Talon II can perform a variety of mission profiles, including daytime mid-level overwater flight and Jumpmaster Directed (JMD) personnel airdrop to night-time adverse weather terrain-following flight in mountainous terrain supporting airdrop and airland to covert and clandestine objectives.

 

Full Operational Capability for the Combat Talon II was reached in February 2000, and the 24 MC-130Hs were deployed to four squadrons: the 1st SOS, 7th SOS, 15th SOS, and the 550th SOS. The MC-130H has operated in several special operation missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, the Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. In this image, an MC-130H (serial number: 64-0476) Combat Talon II from the 15th SOS, stationed at Hurlburt Field, Florida, takes off on a secret night mission.

Gps 1 sürümü içerir: koşucu 250 önceden quadcopter+charger+battery+osd+devo 7 verici+800tvl camera+original kutusu,.Gps 2 sürümü içerir: koşucu 250 önceden quadcopter+charger+battery+osd+(olmadan devo 7 verici) +800tvl...

airtoys.space/walkera-runner-250-gps-system-rc-drone-quad...

This is a bit "different "for me, but I thought you might be getting tired of dog photos.

I think GPS systems are the greatest thing !! I have a video file to go with this but I keep getting the Flickr "BONK" message when I try to upload it..

 

Happy Bokeh Wenesday

+++ 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:

Operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iran's small Bell AH-1J fleet has seen a fair share of indigenous modernization in recent years. In 1971, Iran purchased 202 examples of an improved AH-1J, named "AH-1J International", from the United States. This improved Cobra featured an uprated P&WC T400-WV-402 engine and a stronger drivetrain, so that it would have a better performance under “hot & high” conditions. Recoil damping gear was fitted to the 20 mm M197 gun turret, and the gunner was given a stabilized sight and a stabilized seat, too. Of the AH-1Js delivered to the Shah's Imperial Iranian Army Aviation, 62 were TOW-capable.

Iranian AH-1Js participated in the Iran–Iraq War—which saw the most intensive use of helicopters in any conventional war. Iranian AH-1Js (particularly the TOW-capable ones) were "exceptionally effective" in anti-armor warfare, inflicting heavy losses on Iraqi armored and vehicle formations. In operations over the barren terrain in Khuzestan and later in southern Iraq, beside the standard tactics, Iranian pilots developed special, effective tactics, often in the same manner as the Soviets did with their Mi-24s. Due to the post-Revolution weapons sanctions, Iranians had to make do with what was at hand: lacking other guided ordnance they equipped the AH-1Js with AGM-65 Maverick missiles and used them with some success in several operations. About half of the AH-1Js were lost during the conflict to combat, accidents, and simple wear and tear –the rest of the fleet was kept operational and busy during the following years.

 

However, time and use took their toll on the Iranian Cobras, for which no replacement could be found. In 2001, Brigadier General Ahmad Kazemi, the then-commander in chief of the IRGC Air Force (from 2009, it became known as the IRGC Aerospace Force, or IRGCASF), requested Ali Khamenei, leader of the Islamic Republic, to permit the IRGC to procure two former army AH-1J Cobra helicopters that had been restored by the Iranian Helicopters Support and Renewal Company (IHSRC, called ‘Panha’ in Iran). They belonged to the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IRIAA, as it was then known), which lacked the funds to pay for the necessary restoration and renewal of parts and fuselage sections.

The first of these refurbished AH-1Js was a TOW Cobra capable of using the Iranian-made clone of the BGM-71A TOW anti-tank missile, the “Towfan”, while the second helicopter was a Non-TOW version capable of using only the 2¾-inch Hydra unguided rockets. They entered IRGCAF service at Fat'h helicopter base, Karaj, to the west of Tehran, in 2001. This marked the start of an ongoing but slow modernization program for the remaining Iranian Cobra fleet.

 

IHSRC also worked on the restoration of two more battle-damaged AH-1J TOW Cobras, in a project known as “Panha-2091”. The front sections of their fuselages had been destroyed by cannon rounds from Iraqi tanks during the Iran-Iraq war and the extensive restoration work required manufacture of new fuselage panels and structural parts. Panha engineers also co-operated with their colleagues from IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries, also known as HESA in Iran) and designed a new canopy for the helicopters equipped with a flat, bulletproof windshield instead of the former oval, non-bulletproof version. Under a project named HESA-2091, both helicopters were thoroughly modernized and equipped with multifunction displays and a new weapon control system with a head-up display for the pilot. Internal avionics were revamped with the addition of a GPS system in the nose, and a warning radar with four antennae providing 360 degrees coverage was integrated, too. Design and production of the new digital systems and their components was carried out by the Iranian Electronics Industries Company (IEI) with the assistance of Isfahan University of Technology and a Chinese-connected company, Safa Electronic Component Industries. Installation was performed by IAMI in Shahin-Shahr.

 

These two helicopters were ultimately named ‘Tiztak-2091’ and became prototypes for a larger modernization project for 102 remaining AH-1J Cobra attack helicopters for the Iranian Army Aviation Force. However, in total, the cost of this bold conversion projects exceeded the whole IRIAA budget for 2001, and this resulted in the cancellation of the wider modernization program just a year later. Step forward the IRGC which procured the two Tiztak-2091 prototypes alongside four more former IRIAA AH-1J Non-TOW Cobra helicopters from the Iranian Defence Ministry. These were revamped and delivered to frontline units between 2003 and 2005. However, further conversions have only be done sparingly since then, due to the lack of funds and material.

Despite these limitations, the IAAF immediately began working on upgrade projects to further increase combat capability of the small but busy fleet of Cobra helicopters. The Tiztak helicopters had been equipped with new targeting/surveillance turrets instead of their M-65 Telescopic Sight Units under a IAMI project named Towfan-2 back in 2012. The first helicopters were equipped with the Oqab EO/IR targeting turret produced by IOI (Iranian Optics Industries) in 2012, while others received an RU-290 thermal camera, a product of Rayan Roshd-Afzar.

 

After the formation of the Army Aviation Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGCAA) on February 23, 2016, the IRGCASF helicopter base at Fat’h was transferred to the IRGCGF (IRGC Ground Force), of which the IRGCAA was now a part. IRGCAA today operates more than 80 helicopters including nine Bell AH-1J International Cobras, with three examples modernized by Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries (IAMI). IRGCAA had also been trying to equip its small fleet of AH-1Js with a new air-to-surface missile and an anti-tank missile, the Qaem-114 (outwardly almost identical to the American AGM-119 Hellfire), but this did not proceed beyond prototype stage.

 

Despite the active Iranian AH-1J fleet’s relatively small size after 2001, the Cobras were extremely active during counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the southeast and northwest of Iran. Both the IAAF and now the IRGCAA had always had two fire support teams, each formed with two to three AH-1Js in Orumiyeh and Zahedan, to be used against the PKK/PJAK and Jaish ul-Adl terrorist groups. The fire-support team at the IRGCGF Hamzeh Garrison in the northwest of Iran had two Bell 214A utility helicopters for SAR operations to accompany the Cobras while the team in Zahedan International Airport had two to three Mi-171Sh helicopters; usually, one armed with B8M1 rocket pods as a heavy fire support gunship.

The most notable use of the AH-1Js in combat by the IRGC took place in spring and summer 2008 when two AH-1Js stationed in Zahedan were extensively used in close-air-support missions during a counter-terrorism operation by IRGC Ground Forces against the Jondollah group (later to be rebranded as Jaish ul-Adl after being listed as a terrorist organization by the US State Department). After the arrest and execution of its leader, Abdolmalek Reigi by Iran, the group stopped its activities in 2009. It resumed again a few years later resulting in the launch of new anti-terror operations involving the AH-1Js in 2013, which continued periodically until 2020.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: 2

Length: 53 ft 5 in (16.28 m) with both rotors turning

45 ft 9 in (14 m) for fuselage only

Width: 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) for stub wings only

Height: 13 ft 5 in (4.09 m)

Main rotor diameter: 43 ft 11 in (13.39 m)

Main rotor area: 1,514.97 sq ft (140.745 m²)

Empty weight: 2,802 kg (6,177 lb)

Max takeoff weight: 4,530 kg (9,987 lb)

 

Powerplant:

2× P&W Canada T400-CP-400 (PT6T-3 Twin-Pac) turboshaft engines, coupled to produce 1,530 shp

(1,140 kW; de-rated from 1,800 shp (1,342 kW) for drivetrain limitations)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 236 km/h (147 mph, 127 kn)

Range: 600 km (370 mi, 320 nmi)

Service ceiling: 10,500 ft (3,200 m)

Rate of climb: 1,090 ft/min (5.5 m/s)

 

Armament:

1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M197 3-barreled Gatling cannon in M97 chin turret with 750 rounds

4× hardpoints under the sub wings for 2.75” (70 mm) Mk 40 or Hydra 70 rockets in 7 or 19 rounds

pods; up to 16 5” (127 mm) Zuni rockets in 4-round LAU-10D/A launchers, up to eight Toophan

ATGM in a dual or quad launcher on each wing, AIM-9 Sidewinder or Misagh-2 anti-aircraft

missiles (1 mounted on each hardpoint)

  

The kit and its assembly:

This is the counterpart to another modified Fujimi AH-1 model, actually a kit bashing of the AH-1S and the AH-1J model to produce something that comes close to the real IAMI HESA-2091 helicopter, an upgraded/re-built AH-1J International of the Iranian Army Air Force. The “leftover” parts were used to create an (Indonesian) AH-1G – even though the HESA-2091 was the “core project”.

 

To create this Iranian variant, the AH-1J was taken as the basis and the nose as well as the flat-window canopy from the AH-1S were transplanted. While the nose with the TOW sensor turret was just an optional part that fits naturally on the fuselage (even though not without some PSR), the clear parts was more challenging, because the flat canopy is shorter than the original. In this case I had to fill some triangular gaps between the hood and the engine section, and this was done with 1.5 mm styrene sheet wedges and some more PSR to blend the parts that were not meant to be combined into each other.

The cockpit was taken OOB, together with the pilot figures that come with the kit. I also retained the original all-metal main rotor because the Iranian Cobras AFAIK were never upgraded with composite material blades?

 

To set the HESA-2091 further apart from the original AH-1J I changed the sensor turret in the nose and scratched a ball-shaped fairing that resembles the indigenous RU-290 thermal camera – it’s actually the ball joint from a classic clear Matchbox kit display, with a base scratched from 0.5mm styrene sheet. The “ball” turned out to be a bit too large, but the overall look is O.K., since I wanted a non-TOW AH-1J. For a “different-than-a-stock-AH-1J” look A small radome for a missile guidance antenna was added to the nose above the sensor turret, too. Another personal addition are the small end plates on the stabilizers – inspired by similar installations on Bell’s early twin-engine AH-1s, even though these later disappeared and were technically replaced by a ventral fin extension and a longer fuselage; the Iranian AH-1Js retained the short, original fuselage of the single-engine Cobra variants, though. The end plates were cut from leftover rotor blades from the scrap box, IIRC they belong to a Matchbox Dauphin 2.

 

Being part of the historical Zahedan fire support team I gave the Cobra an armament consisting of a nineteen round 70mm Hydra unguided missile pods (OOB), a pair of AGM-65 Maverick missiles (an ordnance actually deployed by Iranian Cobras), together with their respective launch rails, and I added launch tubes for indigenous Misagh-2 anti-aircraft missiles (which are actually MANPADS) to the stub wings’ tips as a self-defense measure. These were scratched from 2mm styrene rods.

  

Painting and markings:

Finding a suitable paint scheme was not easy. A conservative choice would have been an early mid-stone/earth scheme or a tri-color scheme consisting of sand, earth and dark green. However, while doing WWW research I came across some more exotic and contemporary specimen, carrying a kind of leopard-esque mottle scheme or even a “high resolution” fractal/digital cammo consisting of three shades of beige/brown/grey – even though I am not certain if the latter was a “real” camouflage for operational helicopters or just a “show and shine” propaganda livery?

 

Re-creating the latter from scratch would have been prohibitively complex, because the pixelized mottles were really fine, maybe just 2” wide each in real life. But I used this scheme as an inspiration for a simplified variant, also kept in three shades of brown, even though the result was a kind of compromise due to the limited material options to create it.

The base became an overall coat with Tamiya XF-57 (Buff), plus very light grey (RAL 7035; Humbrol 196) undersides. A light black ink washing was applied, and panels were post-shaded to create a more vivid surface.

Then came the pixelized mottles in two contrast colors: first came a layer in RAL 1015 (Hellelfenbein/Light Ivory) and then a second in RAL 8011 (Nussbraun/Nut Brown) in a 1:1 ratio, slightly overlapping and letting the Buff base shine through. These mottles were not painted but rather created with square bits from generic decal stripe material in various widths from TL Modellbau. While not as sophisticated as the original camouflage, effect and look are quite similar, and add to the unique look of this HESA-2091(-ish) model. And even though I was sceptical, esp. because of the reddish Nussbraun, the blurring effect of the scheme is surprisingly good – esp. when you put the model in front of a dry mountain background! I’ll keep the concept in the back of my head for further what-if models. All those single pixels were a lot of work, but the result looks really good.

 

Another detail from many real late Iranian Cobras was taken over, too: a black tail rotor drive shaft cover that extends up onto the fin’s leading edge – probably a measure to hide exhaust soot stains on the tail boom? A black anti-glare panel was added in front of the windscreen, too, and the rotor blades became medium grey (Humbrol 165, Medium Sea Grey) except for the main rotor blades’ undersides, which became black. The cockpit interior was uniformly painted in a very dark grey (Revell 06, Anthracite) and the pilots received khaki jumpsuits and modern grey and olive drab “bone domes”.

 

The decals were puzzled together from various sources. The Iranian roundels came from a Begemot MiG-29 sheet, registration numbers and fin flashes from an Iranian F-5. The IAAF abbreviation was created with single black 4 mm letters.

Graphite was used to weather the model, esp. the area on top of the tail boom, and the model was finally sealed with matt acrylic varnish overall.

  

An exotic model – the Iranian home-brew HESA-2091 looks familiar, but it’s a unique combination of classic Cobra elements. More spectacular is the pixelated paint scheme, and the attempt to generate it with the help of square decal bits worked (and looks) better than expected! This might also work well in grey as a winter camouflage? Hmmm….

The purpose of this tour bus is to connect places and attractions in the Upper Sava Valley in Slovenia and to ensure added value to all tourism-related businesses and individuals when designing and marketing tourism products.

 

The tour bus has a glass roof specially designed to offer passengers a 360-degree panoramic view of the landscape. An integrated GPS system enables them to discover the Upper Sava Valley, its cultural and natural heritage, cuisine and other attractions in Slovene, English, German and Italian.

  

The trail includes more than 10 most attractive sights of the Kranjska Gora tourist destination including Planica Ski Jumping Centre...

+++ 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:

Operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iran's small Bell AH-1J fleet has seen a fair share of indigenous modernization in recent years. In 1971, Iran purchased 202 examples of an improved AH-1J, named "AH-1J International", from the United States. This improved Cobra featured an uprated P&WC T400-WV-402 engine and a stronger drivetrain, so that it would have a better performance under “hot & high” conditions. Recoil damping gear was fitted to the 20 mm M197 gun turret, and the gunner was given a stabilized sight and a stabilized seat, too. Of the AH-1Js delivered to the Shah's Imperial Iranian Army Aviation, 62 were TOW-capable.

Iranian AH-1Js participated in the Iran–Iraq War—which saw the most intensive use of helicopters in any conventional war. Iranian AH-1Js (particularly the TOW-capable ones) were "exceptionally effective" in anti-armor warfare, inflicting heavy losses on Iraqi armored and vehicle formations. In operations over the barren terrain in Khuzestan and later in southern Iraq, beside the standard tactics, Iranian pilots developed special, effective tactics, often in the same manner as the Soviets did with their Mi-24s. Due to the post-Revolution weapons sanctions, Iranians had to make do with what was at hand: lacking other guided ordnance they equipped the AH-1Js with AGM-65 Maverick missiles and used them with some success in several operations. About half of the AH-1Js were lost during the conflict to combat, accidents, and simple wear and tear –the rest of the fleet was kept operational and busy during the following years.

 

However, time and use took their toll on the Iranian Cobras, for which no replacement could be found. In 2001, Brigadier General Ahmad Kazemi, the then-commander in chief of the IRGC Air Force (from 2009, it became known as the IRGC Aerospace Force, or IRGCASF), requested Ali Khamenei, leader of the Islamic Republic, to permit the IRGC to procure two former army AH-1J Cobra helicopters that had been restored by the Iranian Helicopters Support and Renewal Company (IHSRC, called ‘Panha’ in Iran). They belonged to the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IRIAA, as it was then known), which lacked the funds to pay for the necessary restoration and renewal of parts and fuselage sections.

The first of these refurbished AH-1Js was a TOW Cobra capable of using the Iranian-made clone of the BGM-71A TOW anti-tank missile, the “Towfan”, while the second helicopter was a Non-TOW version capable of using only the 2¾-inch Hydra unguided rockets. They entered IRGCAF service at Fat'h helicopter base, Karaj, to the west of Tehran, in 2001. This marked the start of an ongoing but slow modernization program for the remaining Iranian Cobra fleet.

 

IHSRC also worked on the restoration of two more battle-damaged AH-1J TOW Cobras, in a project known as “Panha-2091”. The front sections of their fuselages had been destroyed by cannon rounds from Iraqi tanks during the Iran-Iraq war and the extensive restoration work required manufacture of new fuselage panels and structural parts. Panha engineers also co-operated with their colleagues from IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries, also known as HESA in Iran) and designed a new canopy for the helicopters equipped with a flat, bulletproof windshield instead of the former oval, non-bulletproof version. Under a project named HESA-2091, both helicopters were thoroughly modernized and equipped with multifunction displays and a new weapon control system with a head-up display for the pilot. Internal avionics were revamped with the addition of a GPS system in the nose, and a warning radar with four antennae providing 360 degrees coverage was integrated, too. Design and production of the new digital systems and their components was carried out by the Iranian Electronics Industries Company (IEI) with the assistance of Isfahan University of Technology and a Chinese-connected company, Safa Electronic Component Industries. Installation was performed by IAMI in Shahin-Shahr.

 

These two helicopters were ultimately named ‘Tiztak-2091’ and became prototypes for a larger modernization project for 102 remaining AH-1J Cobra attack helicopters for the Iranian Army Aviation Force. However, in total, the cost of this bold conversion projects exceeded the whole IRIAA budget for 2001, and this resulted in the cancellation of the wider modernization program just a year later. Step forward the IRGC which procured the two Tiztak-2091 prototypes alongside four more former IRIAA AH-1J Non-TOW Cobra helicopters from the Iranian Defence Ministry. These were revamped and delivered to frontline units between 2003 and 2005. However, further conversions have only be done sparingly since then, due to the lack of funds and material.

Despite these limitations, the IAAF immediately began working on upgrade projects to further increase combat capability of the small but busy fleet of Cobra helicopters. The Tiztak helicopters had been equipped with new targeting/surveillance turrets instead of their M-65 Telescopic Sight Units under a IAMI project named Towfan-2 back in 2012. The first helicopters were equipped with the Oqab EO/IR targeting turret produced by IOI (Iranian Optics Industries) in 2012, while others received an RU-290 thermal camera, a product of Rayan Roshd-Afzar.

 

After the formation of the Army Aviation Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGCAA) on February 23, 2016, the IRGCASF helicopter base at Fat’h was transferred to the IRGCGF (IRGC Ground Force), of which the IRGCAA was now a part. IRGCAA today operates more than 80 helicopters including nine Bell AH-1J International Cobras, with three examples modernized by Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries (IAMI). IRGCAA had also been trying to equip its small fleet of AH-1Js with a new air-to-surface missile and an anti-tank missile, the Qaem-114 (outwardly almost identical to the American AGM-119 Hellfire), but this did not proceed beyond prototype stage.

 

Despite the active Iranian AH-1J fleet’s relatively small size after 2001, the Cobras were extremely active during counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the southeast and northwest of Iran. Both the IAAF and now the IRGCAA had always had two fire support teams, each formed with two to three AH-1Js in Orumiyeh and Zahedan, to be used against the PKK/PJAK and Jaish ul-Adl terrorist groups. The fire-support team at the IRGCGF Hamzeh Garrison in the northwest of Iran had two Bell 214A utility helicopters for SAR operations to accompany the Cobras while the team in Zahedan International Airport had two to three Mi-171Sh helicopters; usually, one armed with B8M1 rocket pods as a heavy fire support gunship.

The most notable use of the AH-1Js in combat by the IRGC took place in spring and summer 2008 when two AH-1Js stationed in Zahedan were extensively used in close-air-support missions during a counter-terrorism operation by IRGC Ground Forces against the Jondollah group (later to be rebranded as Jaish ul-Adl after being listed as a terrorist organization by the US State Department). After the arrest and execution of its leader, Abdolmalek Reigi by Iran, the group stopped its activities in 2009. It resumed again a few years later resulting in the launch of new anti-terror operations involving the AH-1Js in 2013, which continued periodically until 2020.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: 2

Length: 53 ft 5 in (16.28 m) with both rotors turning

45 ft 9 in (14 m) for fuselage only

Width: 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) for stub wings only

Height: 13 ft 5 in (4.09 m)

Main rotor diameter: 43 ft 11 in (13.39 m)

Main rotor area: 1,514.97 sq ft (140.745 m²)

Empty weight: 2,802 kg (6,177 lb)

Max takeoff weight: 4,530 kg (9,987 lb)

 

Powerplant:

2× P&W Canada T400-CP-400 (PT6T-3 Twin-Pac) turboshaft engines, coupled to produce 1,530 shp

(1,140 kW; de-rated from 1,800 shp (1,342 kW) for drivetrain limitations)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 236 km/h (147 mph, 127 kn)

Range: 600 km (370 mi, 320 nmi)

Service ceiling: 10,500 ft (3,200 m)

Rate of climb: 1,090 ft/min (5.5 m/s)

 

Armament:

1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M197 3-barreled Gatling cannon in M97 chin turret with 750 rounds

4× hardpoints under the sub wings for 2.75” (70 mm) Mk 40 or Hydra 70 rockets in 7 or 19 rounds

pods; up to 16 5” (127 mm) Zuni rockets in 4-round LAU-10D/A launchers, up to eight Toophan

ATGM in a dual or quad launcher on each wing, AIM-9 Sidewinder or Misagh-2 anti-aircraft

missiles (1 mounted on each hardpoint)

  

The kit and its assembly:

This is the counterpart to another modified Fujimi AH-1 model, actually a kit bashing of the AH-1S and the AH-1J model to produce something that comes close to the real IAMI HESA-2091 helicopter, an upgraded/re-built AH-1J International of the Iranian Army Air Force. The “leftover” parts were used to create an (Indonesian) AH-1G – even though the HESA-2091 was the “core project”.

 

To create this Iranian variant, the AH-1J was taken as the basis and the nose as well as the flat-window canopy from the AH-1S were transplanted. While the nose with the TOW sensor turret was just an optional part that fits naturally on the fuselage (even though not without some PSR), the clear parts was more challenging, because the flat canopy is shorter than the original. In this case I had to fill some triangular gaps between the hood and the engine section, and this was done with 1.5 mm styrene sheet wedges and some more PSR to blend the parts that were not meant to be combined into each other.

The cockpit was taken OOB, together with the pilot figures that come with the kit. I also retained the original all-metal main rotor because the Iranian Cobras AFAIK were never upgraded with composite material blades?

 

To set the HESA-2091 further apart from the original AH-1J I changed the sensor turret in the nose and scratched a ball-shaped fairing that resembles the indigenous RU-290 thermal camera – it’s actually the ball joint from a classic clear Matchbox kit display, with a base scratched from 0.5mm styrene sheet. The “ball” turned out to be a bit too large, but the overall look is O.K., since I wanted a non-TOW AH-1J. For a “different-than-a-stock-AH-1J” look A small radome for a missile guidance antenna was added to the nose above the sensor turret, too. Another personal addition are the small end plates on the stabilizers – inspired by similar installations on Bell’s early twin-engine AH-1s, even though these later disappeared and were technically replaced by a ventral fin extension and a longer fuselage; the Iranian AH-1Js retained the short, original fuselage of the single-engine Cobra variants, though. The end plates were cut from leftover rotor blades from the scrap box, IIRC they belong to a Matchbox Dauphin 2.

 

Being part of the historical Zahedan fire support team I gave the Cobra an armament consisting of a nineteen round 70mm Hydra unguided missile pods (OOB), a pair of AGM-65 Maverick missiles (an ordnance actually deployed by Iranian Cobras), together with their respective launch rails, and I added launch tubes for indigenous Misagh-2 anti-aircraft missiles (which are actually MANPADS) to the stub wings’ tips as a self-defense measure. These were scratched from 2mm styrene rods.

  

Painting and markings:

Finding a suitable paint scheme was not easy. A conservative choice would have been an early mid-stone/earth scheme or a tri-color scheme consisting of sand, earth and dark green. However, while doing WWW research I came across some more exotic and contemporary specimen, carrying a kind of leopard-esque mottle scheme or even a “high resolution” fractal/digital cammo consisting of three shades of beige/brown/grey – even though I am not certain if the latter was a “real” camouflage for operational helicopters or just a “show and shine” propaganda livery?

 

Re-creating the latter from scratch would have been prohibitively complex, because the pixelized mottles were really fine, maybe just 2” wide each in real life. But I used this scheme as an inspiration for a simplified variant, also kept in three shades of brown, even though the result was a kind of compromise due to the limited material options to create it.

The base became an overall coat with Tamiya XF-57 (Buff), plus very light grey (RAL 7035; Humbrol 196) undersides. A light black ink washing was applied, and panels were post-shaded to create a more vivid surface.

Then came the pixelized mottles in two contrast colors: first came a layer in RAL 1015 (Hellelfenbein/Light Ivory) and then a second in RAL 8011 (Nussbraun/Nut Brown) in a 1:1 ratio, slightly overlapping and letting the Buff base shine through. These mottles were not painted but rather created with square bits from generic decal stripe material in various widths from TL Modellbau. While not as sophisticated as the original camouflage, effect and look are quite similar, and add to the unique look of this HESA-2091(-ish) model. And even though I was sceptical, esp. because of the reddish Nussbraun, the blurring effect of the scheme is surprisingly good – esp. when you put the model in front of a dry mountain background! I’ll keep the concept in the back of my head for further what-if models. All those single pixels were a lot of work, but the result looks really good.

 

Another detail from many real late Iranian Cobras was taken over, too: a black tail rotor drive shaft cover that extends up onto the fin’s leading edge – probably a measure to hide exhaust soot stains on the tail boom? A black anti-glare panel was added in front of the windscreen, too, and the rotor blades became medium grey (Humbrol 165, Medium Sea Grey) except for the main rotor blades’ undersides, which became black. The cockpit interior was uniformly painted in a very dark grey (Revell 06, Anthracite) and the pilots received khaki jumpsuits and modern grey and olive drab “bone domes”.

 

The decals were puzzled together from various sources. The Iranian roundels came from a Begemot MiG-29 sheet, registration numbers and fin flashes from an Iranian F-5. The IAAF abbreviation was created with single black 4 mm letters.

Graphite was used to weather the model, esp. the area on top of the tail boom, and the model was finally sealed with matt acrylic varnish overall.

  

An exotic model – the Iranian home-brew HESA-2091 looks familiar, but it’s a unique combination of classic Cobra elements. More spectacular is the pixelated paint scheme, and the attempt to generate it with the help of square decal bits worked (and looks) better than expected! This might also work well in grey as a winter camouflage? Hmmm….

+++ 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:

Operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iran's small Bell AH-1J fleet has seen a fair share of indigenous modernization in recent years. In 1971, Iran purchased 202 examples of an improved AH-1J, named "AH-1J International", from the United States. This improved Cobra featured an uprated P&WC T400-WV-402 engine and a stronger drivetrain, so that it would have a better performance under “hot & high” conditions. Recoil damping gear was fitted to the 20 mm M197 gun turret, and the gunner was given a stabilized sight and a stabilized seat, too. Of the AH-1Js delivered to the Shah's Imperial Iranian Army Aviation, 62 were TOW-capable.

Iranian AH-1Js participated in the Iran–Iraq War—which saw the most intensive use of helicopters in any conventional war. Iranian AH-1Js (particularly the TOW-capable ones) were "exceptionally effective" in anti-armor warfare, inflicting heavy losses on Iraqi armored and vehicle formations. In operations over the barren terrain in Khuzestan and later in southern Iraq, beside the standard tactics, Iranian pilots developed special, effective tactics, often in the same manner as the Soviets did with their Mi-24s. Due to the post-Revolution weapons sanctions, Iranians had to make do with what was at hand: lacking other guided ordnance they equipped the AH-1Js with AGM-65 Maverick missiles and used them with some success in several operations. About half of the AH-1Js were lost during the conflict to combat, accidents, and simple wear and tear –the rest of the fleet was kept operational and busy during the following years.

 

However, time and use took their toll on the Iranian Cobras, for which no replacement could be found. In 2001, Brigadier General Ahmad Kazemi, the then-commander in chief of the IRGC Air Force (from 2009, it became known as the IRGC Aerospace Force, or IRGCASF), requested Ali Khamenei, leader of the Islamic Republic, to permit the IRGC to procure two former army AH-1J Cobra helicopters that had been restored by the Iranian Helicopters Support and Renewal Company (IHSRC, called ‘Panha’ in Iran). They belonged to the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IRIAA, as it was then known), which lacked the funds to pay for the necessary restoration and renewal of parts and fuselage sections.

The first of these refurbished AH-1Js was a TOW Cobra capable of using the Iranian-made clone of the BGM-71A TOW anti-tank missile, the “Towfan”, while the second helicopter was a Non-TOW version capable of using only the 2¾-inch Hydra unguided rockets. They entered IRGCAF service at Fat'h helicopter base, Karaj, to the west of Tehran, in 2001. This marked the start of an ongoing but slow modernization program for the remaining Iranian Cobra fleet.

 

IHSRC also worked on the restoration of two more battle-damaged AH-1J TOW Cobras, in a project known as “Panha-2091”. The front sections of their fuselages had been destroyed by cannon rounds from Iraqi tanks during the Iran-Iraq war and the extensive restoration work required manufacture of new fuselage panels and structural parts. Panha engineers also co-operated with their colleagues from IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries, also known as HESA in Iran) and designed a new canopy for the helicopters equipped with a flat, bulletproof windshield instead of the former oval, non-bulletproof version. Under a project named HESA-2091, both helicopters were thoroughly modernized and equipped with multifunction displays and a new weapon control system with a head-up display for the pilot. Internal avionics were revamped with the addition of a GPS system in the nose, and a warning radar with four antennae providing 360 degrees coverage was integrated, too. Design and production of the new digital systems and their components was carried out by the Iranian Electronics Industries Company (IEI) with the assistance of Isfahan University of Technology and a Chinese-connected company, Safa Electronic Component Industries. Installation was performed by IAMI in Shahin-Shahr.

 

These two helicopters were ultimately named ‘Tiztak-2091’ and became prototypes for a larger modernization project for 102 remaining AH-1J Cobra attack helicopters for the Iranian Army Aviation Force. However, in total, the cost of this bold conversion projects exceeded the whole IRIAA budget for 2001, and this resulted in the cancellation of the wider modernization program just a year later. Step forward the IRGC which procured the two Tiztak-2091 prototypes alongside four more former IRIAA AH-1J Non-TOW Cobra helicopters from the Iranian Defence Ministry. These were revamped and delivered to frontline units between 2003 and 2005. However, further conversions have only be done sparingly since then, due to the lack of funds and material.

Despite these limitations, the IAAF immediately began working on upgrade projects to further increase combat capability of the small but busy fleet of Cobra helicopters. The Tiztak helicopters had been equipped with new targeting/surveillance turrets instead of their M-65 Telescopic Sight Units under a IAMI project named Towfan-2 back in 2012. The first helicopters were equipped with the Oqab EO/IR targeting turret produced by IOI (Iranian Optics Industries) in 2012, while others received an RU-290 thermal camera, a product of Rayan Roshd-Afzar.

 

After the formation of the Army Aviation Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGCAA) on February 23, 2016, the IRGCASF helicopter base at Fat’h was transferred to the IRGCGF (IRGC Ground Force), of which the IRGCAA was now a part. IRGCAA today operates more than 80 helicopters including nine Bell AH-1J International Cobras, with three examples modernized by Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries (IAMI). IRGCAA had also been trying to equip its small fleet of AH-1Js with a new air-to-surface missile and an anti-tank missile, the Qaem-114 (outwardly almost identical to the American AGM-119 Hellfire), but this did not proceed beyond prototype stage.

 

Despite the active Iranian AH-1J fleet’s relatively small size after 2001, the Cobras were extremely active during counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the southeast and northwest of Iran. Both the IAAF and now the IRGCAA had always had two fire support teams, each formed with two to three AH-1Js in Orumiyeh and Zahedan, to be used against the PKK/PJAK and Jaish ul-Adl terrorist groups. The fire-support team at the IRGCGF Hamzeh Garrison in the northwest of Iran had two Bell 214A utility helicopters for SAR operations to accompany the Cobras while the team in Zahedan International Airport had two to three Mi-171Sh helicopters; usually, one armed with B8M1 rocket pods as a heavy fire support gunship.

The most notable use of the AH-1Js in combat by the IRGC took place in spring and summer 2008 when two AH-1Js stationed in Zahedan were extensively used in close-air-support missions during a counter-terrorism operation by IRGC Ground Forces against the Jondollah group (later to be rebranded as Jaish ul-Adl after being listed as a terrorist organization by the US State Department). After the arrest and execution of its leader, Abdolmalek Reigi by Iran, the group stopped its activities in 2009. It resumed again a few years later resulting in the launch of new anti-terror operations involving the AH-1Js in 2013, which continued periodically until 2020.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: 2

Length: 53 ft 5 in (16.28 m) with both rotors turning

45 ft 9 in (14 m) for fuselage only

Width: 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) for stub wings only

Height: 13 ft 5 in (4.09 m)

Main rotor diameter: 43 ft 11 in (13.39 m)

Main rotor area: 1,514.97 sq ft (140.745 m²)

Empty weight: 2,802 kg (6,177 lb)

Max takeoff weight: 4,530 kg (9,987 lb)

 

Powerplant:

2× P&W Canada T400-CP-400 (PT6T-3 Twin-Pac) turboshaft engines, coupled to produce 1,530 shp

(1,140 kW; de-rated from 1,800 shp (1,342 kW) for drivetrain limitations)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 236 km/h (147 mph, 127 kn)

Range: 600 km (370 mi, 320 nmi)

Service ceiling: 10,500 ft (3,200 m)

Rate of climb: 1,090 ft/min (5.5 m/s)

 

Armament:

1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M197 3-barreled Gatling cannon in M97 chin turret with 750 rounds

4× hardpoints under the sub wings for 2.75” (70 mm) Mk 40 or Hydra 70 rockets in 7 or 19 rounds

pods; up to 16 5” (127 mm) Zuni rockets in 4-round LAU-10D/A launchers, up to eight Toophan

ATGM in a dual or quad launcher on each wing, AIM-9 Sidewinder or Misagh-2 anti-aircraft

missiles (1 mounted on each hardpoint)

  

The kit and its assembly:

This is the counterpart to another modified Fujimi AH-1 model, actually a kit bashing of the AH-1S and the AH-1J model to produce something that comes close to the real IAMI HESA-2091 helicopter, an upgraded/re-built AH-1J International of the Iranian Army Air Force. The “leftover” parts were used to create an (Indonesian) AH-1G – even though the HESA-2091 was the “core project”.

 

To create this Iranian variant, the AH-1J was taken as the basis and the nose as well as the flat-window canopy from the AH-1S were transplanted. While the nose with the TOW sensor turret was just an optional part that fits naturally on the fuselage (even though not without some PSR), the clear parts was more challenging, because the flat canopy is shorter than the original. In this case I had to fill some triangular gaps between the hood and the engine section, and this was done with 1.5 mm styrene sheet wedges and some more PSR to blend the parts that were not meant to be combined into each other.

The cockpit was taken OOB, together with the pilot figures that come with the kit. I also retained the original all-metal main rotor because the Iranian Cobras AFAIK were never upgraded with composite material blades?

 

To set the HESA-2091 further apart from the original AH-1J I changed the sensor turret in the nose and scratched a ball-shaped fairing that resembles the indigenous RU-290 thermal camera – it’s actually the ball joint from a classic clear Matchbox kit display, with a base scratched from 0.5mm styrene sheet. The “ball” turned out to be a bit too large, but the overall look is O.K., since I wanted a non-TOW AH-1J. For a “different-than-a-stock-AH-1J” look A small radome for a missile guidance antenna was added to the nose above the sensor turret, too. Another personal addition are the small end plates on the stabilizers – inspired by similar installations on Bell’s early twin-engine AH-1s, even though these later disappeared and were technically replaced by a ventral fin extension and a longer fuselage; the Iranian AH-1Js retained the short, original fuselage of the single-engine Cobra variants, though. The end plates were cut from leftover rotor blades from the scrap box, IIRC they belong to a Matchbox Dauphin 2.

 

Being part of the historical Zahedan fire support team I gave the Cobra an armament consisting of a nineteen round 70mm Hydra unguided missile pods (OOB), a pair of AGM-65 Maverick missiles (an ordnance actually deployed by Iranian Cobras), together with their respective launch rails, and I added launch tubes for indigenous Misagh-2 anti-aircraft missiles (which are actually MANPADS) to the stub wings’ tips as a self-defense measure. These were scratched from 2mm styrene rods.

  

Painting and markings:

Finding a suitable paint scheme was not easy. A conservative choice would have been an early mid-stone/earth scheme or a tri-color scheme consisting of sand, earth and dark green. However, while doing WWW research I came across some more exotic and contemporary specimen, carrying a kind of leopard-esque mottle scheme or even a “high resolution” fractal/digital cammo consisting of three shades of beige/brown/grey – even though I am not certain if the latter was a “real” camouflage for operational helicopters or just a “show and shine” propaganda livery?

 

Re-creating the latter from scratch would have been prohibitively complex, because the pixelized mottles were really fine, maybe just 2” wide each in real life. But I used this scheme as an inspiration for a simplified variant, also kept in three shades of brown, even though the result was a kind of compromise due to the limited material options to create it.

The base became an overall coat with Tamiya XF-57 (Buff), plus very light grey (RAL 7035; Humbrol 196) undersides. A light black ink washing was applied, and panels were post-shaded to create a more vivid surface.

Then came the pixelized mottles in two contrast colors: first came a layer in RAL 1015 (Hellelfenbein/Light Ivory) and then a second in RAL 8011 (Nussbraun/Nut Brown) in a 1:1 ratio, slightly overlapping and letting the Buff base shine through. These mottles were not painted but rather created with square bits from generic decal stripe material in various widths from TL Modellbau. While not as sophisticated as the original camouflage, effect and look are quite similar, and add to the unique look of this HESA-2091(-ish) model. And even though I was sceptical, esp. because of the reddish Nussbraun, the blurring effect of the scheme is surprisingly good – esp. when you put the model in front of a dry mountain background! I’ll keep the concept in the back of my head for further what-if models. All those single pixels were a lot of work, but the result looks really good.

 

Another detail from many real late Iranian Cobras was taken over, too: a black tail rotor drive shaft cover that extends up onto the fin’s leading edge – probably a measure to hide exhaust soot stains on the tail boom? A black anti-glare panel was added in front of the windscreen, too, and the rotor blades became medium grey (Humbrol 165, Medium Sea Grey) except for the main rotor blades’ undersides, which became black. The cockpit interior was uniformly painted in a very dark grey (Revell 06, Anthracite) and the pilots received khaki jumpsuits and modern grey and olive drab “bone domes”.

 

The decals were puzzled together from various sources. The Iranian roundels came from a Begemot MiG-29 sheet, registration numbers and fin flashes from an Iranian F-5. The IAAF abbreviation was created with single black 4 mm letters.

Graphite was used to weather the model, esp. the area on top of the tail boom, and the model was finally sealed with matt acrylic varnish overall.

  

An exotic model – the Iranian home-brew HESA-2091 looks familiar, but it’s a unique combination of classic Cobra elements. More spectacular is the pixelated paint scheme, and the attempt to generate it with the help of square decal bits worked (and looks) better than expected! This might also work well in grey as a winter camouflage? Hmmm….