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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has today seen some of the innovative work being carried out to raise attainment in Scotland’s schools.
The First Minister visited Levenvale Primary School in West Dunbartonshire to see how the school has used its share of the Pupil Equity Fund (PEF). £120 million has been committed to the fund for schools across Scotland in this year’s draft budget.
So raise your glass if you are wrong
In all the right ways, all my underdogs
We will never be, never be anything but loud
And nitty-gritty, dirty, little freaks
Won't you come on and, come on and raise your glass?
Just come on and, come on and raise your glass...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cool, classic cocktail glass at the Veterans Club in Mt. Shasta City, California...
Adults constantly raise the bar on smart children, precisely because they're able to handle it. The children get overwhelmed by the tasks in front of them and gradually lose the sort of openness and sense of accomplishment they innately have. When they're treated like that, children start to crawl inside a shell and keep everything inside. It takes a lot of time and effort to get them to open up again. Kids' hearts are malleable, but once they gel it's hard to get them back the way they were.
~ Haruki Murakami (Kafka on the Shore)
and a little more blogged here
+++ 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:
In the early days of World War II, Royal Navy fighter requirements had been based on cumbersome two-seat designs, such as the fighter/dive-bomber Blackburn Skua (and its turreted derivative the Blackburn Roc) and the fighter/reconnaissance Fairey Fulmar, since it was expected that they would encounter only long-range bombers or flying boats and that navigation over featureless seas required the assistance of a radio operator/navigator. The Royal Navy hurriedly adopted higher-performance single-seat aircraft such as the Hawker Sea Hurricane and the less robust Supermarine Seafire alongside, but neither aircraft had sufficient range to operate at a distance from a carrier task force. The American Vought F4U Corsair was welcomed as a more robust and versatile alternative.
In November 1943, the Royal Navy received its first batch of 95 "birdcage" Vought F4U-1s, which were given the designation "Corsair [Mark] I". The first squadrons were assembled and trained on the U.S. East Coast and then shipped across the Atlantic. The Royal Navy put the Corsair into carrier operations immediately. They found its landing characteristics dangerous, suffering a number of fatal crashes, but considered the Corsair to be the best option they had.
The Royal Navy cleared the F4U for carrier operations well before the U.S. Navy and showed that the Corsair Mk II could be operated with reasonable success even from escort carriers. It was not without problems, though: one was excessive wear of the arrester wires, due both to the weight of the Corsair and the understandable tendency of the pilots to stay well above the stalling speed, and because of the limited hangar deck height in several classes of British carrier, many Corsairs had their outer wings "clipped" by 8 in (200 mm) to clear the deckhead. However, the change in span brought about the added benefit of improving the sink rate, reducing the F4U's propensity to "float" in the final stages of landing. The Royal Navy developed further modifications to the Corsair that made carrier landings more practical. Among these were a bulged canopy (similar to the P-51 B/C’s Malcolm Hood), raising the pilot's seat 7 in (180 mm), and wiring shut the cowl flaps across the top of the engine compartment, diverting frequent oil and hydraulic fluid spray around the sides of the fuselage so that the windscreen remained clear.
The Corsair Mk I was followed by 510 "blown-canopy" F4U-1A/-1Ds, which were designated Corsair Mk II (the final 150 equivalent to the F4U-1D, but not separately designated in British use). 430 Brewster Corsairs (334 F3A-1 and 96 F3A-1D), more than half of Brewster's total production, were delivered to Britain as the Corsair Mk III. 857 Goodyear Corsairs (400 FG-1/-1A and 457 FG-1D) were delivered and designated Corsair Mk IV. A total of 2,012 Corsairs were supplied to the United Kingdom during WWII, and British Corsairs served both in Europe and in the Pacific. Despite the large number of aircraft, the Mk IIs and IVs were the only versions to be actually used in combat.
The first, and also most important, European FAA Corsair operations were the series of attacks in April, July, and August 1944 on the German battleship Tirpitz (Operation Tungsten), for which Corsairs from HMS Victorious and HMS Formidable provided fighter cover. From April 1944, Corsairs from the British Pacific Fleet took part in several major air raids in South-East Asia beginning with Operation Cockpit, an attack on Japanese targets at Sabang island, in the Dutch East Indies. In July and August 1945, RN Corsairs took part in a series of strikes on the Japanese mainland, near Tokyo, operating from Victorious and Formidable. It was during this late phase of the war that the Admiralty was expecting new and more powerful indigenous naval fighters to become available, primarily Griffon-powered Seafires and the Hawker Sea Fury, a navalized derivative of the Hawker Tempest fighter powered by the new Centaurus radial engine. Both types, however, faced development problems, so that the Royal Navy approached Vought and requested a new variant of the proven Corsair, powered by the British Centaurus engine and further tailored to the Royal Navy’s special needs. This became the Corsair Mark V.
The Corsair V was based on the newest American variant, the F4U-4, but it differed in many aspects, so much that it effectively was a totally different aircraft. The F4U-4 was the last American Corsair variant that would be introduced during WWII, but it only saw action during the final weeks of the conflict. It had a 2,100 hp (1,600 kW) dual-stage-supercharged -18W engine, and when the cylinders were injected with the water/alcohol mixture, power was boosted to 2,450 hp (1,830 kW). To better cope with the additional power, the propeller was changed to a four-blade type. Maximum speed was increased to 448 miles per hour (721 km/h) and climb rate to over 4,500 feet per minute (1,400 m/min) as opposed to the 2,900 feet per minute (880 m/min) of the F4U-1A. The unarmored wing fuel tanks of 62 US gal (230 L) capacities were removed for better maneuverability at the expense of maximum range. Other detail improvements were introduced with the F4U-4, too: The windscreen was now flat bullet-resistant glass to avoid optical distortion, a change from the curved Plexiglas windscreens with an internal armor glass plate of the earlier variants. The canopy was furthermore without bracing and slightly bulged – an improvement adopted from the Royal Navy Corsairs.
The original "4-Hog" retained the original armament of six 0.5” machine guns and had all the external load (i.e., drop tanks, bombs, HVARs) capabilities of the F4U-1D. A major sub-type, the F4U-4B, was the same but featured an alternate gun armament of four 20 millimeters (0.79 in) AN/M3 cannon, and the F4U-4P was a rare photo reconnaissance variant with an additional camera compartment in the rear fuselage, but fully combat-capable.
The Royal Navy agreed to adopt the new F4U-4 but insisted on the British Centaurus as powerplant and demanded British equipment and armament, too. The latter included four Hispano 20 mm cannon in the outer wings, adapted wirings for British unguided rockets under the outer wings and a four-channel VHF radio system, a radio altimeter and a G2F compass. Vought reluctantly agreed, even though the different engine meant that a totally different mount had to be developed in short time, and the many alterations to the F4U-4’s original airframe would require a separate, new production line. Since this would block valuable resources for the running standard F4U production for the USN, the Corsair V was outsourced to the newly established Kaiser-Fleetwing company (a ship builder with only limited aircraft experience so far) and designated FK-1 in American circles.
As expected, the development of the FK-1 alone took more time than expected – not only from a technical point of view, but also due to logistic problems. The Centaurus engines and most vital equipment pieces had to be transported across the Atlantic, a hazardous business. The first precious Centaurus engines for the development of the modified engine mount were actually transferred to the USA through the air, hanging in the bomb bays of American B-24 bombers that were used as transporters to supply Great Britain with vital materials.
Because Kaiser-Fleetwings had to establish a proper production line for the FK-1 and supplies for raw F4U-4 airframes had to be diverted and transported to the company’s factory at Bristol, Pennsylvania, delays started to pile up and pushed the Corsair Mk. V development back. The first Centaurus-powered Corsair flew in January 1945 and immediately revealed massive stability problems caused by the engine’s high torque. Enlarged tail surfaces were tested and eventually solved the problem, but this measure changed the F4U-4s standard airframe even more. It was furthermore soon discovered that the early Centaurus engine suffered frequent crankshaft failure due to a poorly designed lubrication system, which led to incidents of the engine seizing while in mid-flight. The problem was resolved when Bristol's improved Centaurus XVIII engine replaced the earlier variant. Tests and adaptations of British equipment to the airframe continued until May 1945, when the Corsair V was eventually cleared for production. But when the first of 100 ordered machines started to roll off the production lines the war was already over.
At that time many of the Fleet Air Arm's carrier fighters were Seafires and Lend-Lease Corsairs. The Seafire had considerable drawbacks as a naval aircraft, notably the narrow undercarriage, while the Corsairs had to be returned or purchased. As the UK did not have the means to pay for them, the Royal Navy Corsairs were mostly pushed overboard into the sea in Moreton Bay off Brisbane, Australia.
Since the Corsair V had not been part of the Lend Lease agreement with the United States, the Royal Navy was not able to easily retreat from the production contract and had to accept the aircraft. Because the Royal Navy’s intended new standard shipborne fighter, the Hawker Sea Fury, was delayed and almost cancelled during this period of re-organizations and cutbacks, the Admiralty bit the bullet, used the inevitable opportunity and procured the Corsair V as a stopgap solution, even though the original production order from May 1945 was not extended and effectively only 95 Corsair Vs were ever produced in the USA and transferred as knocked-down kits via ship to Great Britain.
The first re-assembled Corsair Vs entered Royal Navy service in August 1946, but their frontline service with 802 and 805 NAS, both based at Eglington (Northern Ireland), was only brief. Following the successful completion of weapons trials at the A&AEE Boscombe Down, the Sea Fury was eventually cleared for operational use on 31 July 1947 and quickly entered service. The Corsair Vs were gradually replaced with them until late 1948; 805 NAS was the first unit to abandon the type when 805 Squadron was reformed as a Royal Australian Navy FAA squadron operating Hawker Sea Fury Mk II aircraft. In 1950, 802 NAS was assigned to HMS Ocean and equipped with the Hawker Sea Fury, too, and sent to Korea.
Most Corsair Vs were then relegated to the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) in August 1951, where they replaced Supermarine Seafires and took over their role as classic fighter aircraft, despite the Corsair V’s strike/attack potential with bombs and unguided missiles. Most of the time the Corsairs were used for lang range navigation training. RNVR units that operated the Corsair V included Nos. 1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835 and 1836 Squadrons. No. 1832, based at RAF Benson, was the last RNVR squadron to relinquish the type in August 1955 for the jet-powered Supermarine Attacker, and this ended the Corsair V’s short career.
General characteristics:
Crew: One
Length: 34 ft (10.37 m)
Wingspan: 40 ft 8 in (12.10 m)
Height: 15 ft 4 in (4.68 m)
Wing area: 314 sq ft (29.17 m²)
Empty weight: 9,205 lb (4,238 kg)
Gross weight: 14,670 lb (6,654 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 14,533 lb (6,592 kg)
Powerplant:
1× Bristol Centaurus XVIII 18-cylinder air-cooled radial engine with
2,470 hp (1,840 kW) take-off power, driving a 4-bladed
Rotol constant-speed propeller with 14 ft (4.3 m) diameter
Performance:
Maximum speed: 453 mph (730 km/h, 397 kn) at sea level
Cruise speed: 215 mph (346 km/h, 187 kn) at sea level
Stall speed: 89 mph (143 km/h, 77 kn)
Range with internal fuel, clean: 1,005 mi (1,617 km, 873 nmi)
Combat range with max. ordnance: 328 mi (528 km, 285 nmi)
Service ceiling: 41,500 ft (12,600 m)
Rate of climb: 4,360 ft/min (22.1 m/s)
Armament:
4× 20 mm (0.787 in) Hispano Mk II cannon in the outer wings, 250 RPG
A total of 11 hardpoints under the wings and the fuselage for a total ordnance of
4,000 pounds (1.800 kg), including drop tanks, up to 16× 60 lb unguided aircraft rockets on twin
launch rails and/or bombs of up to 1.000 lb (454 kg) caliber
The kit and its assembly:
My first submission to the 2023 “Re-engine” group build at whatifmodellers.com, and a British Corsair with a Centaurus instead of the original R-2800 is almost a no-brainer. But taking the idea to hardware turned out to be a bit trickier than expected. I based my fictional conversion on an Italeri F4U-4, which would have been the appropriate late-WWII basis for a real-life conversion. The kit has good ex- and internal detail with fine engraved panels and offers the late Corsairs’ all-metal wings, too.
The engine replacement is a massive resin piece from OzMods, part of a conversion twin set for a Bristol Brigand; I assume it’s intended for the Valom kit? The set includes resin four-blade props with deep blades which I rather wanted to use than the Sea Fury’s typical five-blade prop.
The Italeri Corsair was basically built OOB, but beyond the different engine, which caused some trouble in itself (see below), I incorporated several mods to change the aircraft’s appearance. The streamlined Centaurus was insofar a problem because it has s slightly smaller diameter than the original R-2800 cowling. Not much, but enough to make a simple exchange impossible or at least look awkward. While the upper cowling section and its curvature blended well into the Corsair fuselage, the difference became more obvious and complicated underneath: late Corsairs have a “flattened” bottom, and from below the Centaurus appears somewhat undersized. To smooth the intersection out I grinded much of the cooling flaps away, and to even out the profile I added a shallow air scoop from an Italeri F4U-7 under the engine, which required some PSR. A good compromise, though. The resin propeller was mounted onto a metal axis and fitted into a hole/channel that was drilled through the Centaurus’ massive resin block.
As an FAA Corsair the wing tips were clipped, which was easy to realize thanks to the massive parts in this area. The Corsair’s original oil coolers in the wing roots were retained, but the four guns in the wings (separate parts in the Italeri kit with quite large holes) were replaced with faired Hispano cannon for/from an early Hawker Tempest, aftermarket brass parts from Master Models.
To change the model’s look further I modified the tail surfaces, too; the rounded fin was replaced with a rather square and slightly bigger donor, a stabilizer from a Novo Supermarine Attacker. The original stabilizers were replaced, too, with trapezoidal alternatives from a Matchbox Meteor night fighter, which offer slightly more area. Since the tail surfaces were all graft-ons now I implanted a vertical styrene tube behind the rear cockpit bulkhead as a display holder adapter for later flight scene pictures. Together with the clipped/squared-off wingtips the new tail creates a consistent look, and with the propeller and its dominant spinner in place the Corsair V reminds a lot of a late Bristol Firebrand mark or even of an Unlimited Class Reno Racer? It looks fast and purposeful now!
Even though unguided missiles and/or bombs could have been a valid ordnance option I decided to leave the Corsair V relatively clean as a pure gun fighter; I just used the OOB drop tank on the centerline station.
Painting and markings:
Very dry and using real 1948 Royal Navy aircraft as benchmark, the Corsair V ended up with a rather simple and dull Extra Dark Sea Grey over Sky (Humbrol 123 and 90, respectively) with a low waterline, and still with wartime Type C roundels with “Identification red (dull)”, even though the RAF officially had reverted to bright identification colors in 1947 and started to use the high-viz Type D roundel as standard marking. To add a British flavor the cockpit interior was painted in very dark grey (Revell 06, Tar Black) while the interior of the landing gear wells was painted in a pale cream yellow (Humbrol 74, Linen) to mimic zinc chromate primer. The only highlight is a red spinner, a contemporary unit marking of 805 NAS.
The kit received a light black ink washing and post-shading to emphasize and/or add surface structures, and this nicely breaks up the otherwise uniform surfaces. Decals/markings came from Xtradecal Hawker Sea Fury und late WWII FAA/RN aircraft sheets, and some decals were mixed to create a fictional serial number for the Corsair V (TF 632 was never allocated, but the code fits into the model’s era). Some light oil and exhaust stains were also added, but not as severely as if the aircraft had been operated under wartime conditions. Finally, the model was sealed with matt acrylic varnish.
While a classic F4U with a British Centaurus engine sounds simple, and actually is, getting there was not as easy as it sounds – the ventral air scoop came to the rescue. With some more small mods like the new tail surfaces the aircraft got a subtly different look from its American ancestor(s). The Corsair V IMHO has now a very Blackburn-ish look, thanks to the big spinner and the square fin! And I wonder what I will do with the other Centaurus from the conversion set?
ontwerp 2004 - 2005
realisatie 2005
Vooraf moeten we afspreken dat architectuur dátgene is in een gebouw, in meubels, in een stedenbouwkundig plan, wat er voor het plezier is in gestopt. Dat plezier kan vorm zijn, het kan de afwisseling van vormen zijn, het kunnen ritmieken of systematieken zijn. Het kan betekenis zijn of effect, het kan detaillering zijn of juist het gebrek daaraan.
Op alle bezwaren tegen het maken van architectuur is ons antwoord dat er maar één geldige reden is, en die reden is niet het nut die architectuur zou kunnen afwerpen, maar het plezier die de gebruiker zou kunnen hebben bij het toeven erin. En die de architect heeft gehad in het maken ervan. De rest is onzin.
Deugt de trap
Antoine Van Melckebeke was 87 jaar toen hij overleed. Eén van de bezittingen die hij naliet was het voorontwerp van een trap. Een trap die de verbinding moest maken tussen de gelijkvloerse- en eerste verdieping van een appartementsgebouw in Antwerpen. Zo kon het interim-kantoor in het pand uitbreiden. Wannes had via dit interim-kantoor als schoonmaker van kerncentrales gewerkt. Zo kwam de opdracht bij ons terecht.
De dragende elementen van de trap bestaan uit beuken trapwangen met gleufvormige insnijdingen. In deze gleuven schuiven de tegentreden. De trapwangen, samen met de ingeklemde tegentreden worden over de volledige omtrek omsloten door een dichtgelaste stalen ring. Het hout en het omlopende staal worden om de 15 cm met een schroef verbonden. Zo collaboreren hout en staal structureel. Het trapgeheel bestaat uit twee trapsteken en één bordes. Elke trapsteek telt twee wangen.De ene wang is het omgekeerde van de andere wang. (L-profiel bovenaan, platstaal onderaan, punt driehoek onderaan. Dat alles omgekeerd bij de andere wang).
Elke tegentrede steunt twee treden. De ene trede langs achter over de volledige lengte De andere trede langs voor, plaatselijk op twee punten. Ook de treden zijn gemaakt uit beuk. De platstalen spijlen worden achteraan tegen de tegentrede geschroefd. En hoger, via een zwartgelakt L-stukje aan de zijkant van de trede vastgemaakt. Op regelmatige afstand zit een diagonale trekker. Alle vlakken van de trap worden afgewerkt met een witte olie met uitzondering van de lasergesneden zwartgebrande zijkanten en insnijdingen. Die worden zo gelaten.
Casa Malaparte
Nogal wat thema's kwamen aan bod tijdens het maken van het ontwerp, maar geen van deze concepten lijkt de trap echt in zich te dragen. Het moest een trap worden die impliciet en expliciet zou verwijzen naar het door ons erg bewonderde huis van Curzio Malaparte op Capri. Een rood gebouw op een rots met een grote trap naar het dak. Op het dak staat een wit stenen windscherm. Er zijn ramen waar je kunt in gaan staan zodat je in het panorama lijkt te zitten.
Na al het lezen over Malaparte bleef één welbepaalde zin hangen. Een zin die nadien nergens meer teruggevonden leek te kunnen worden en die betrekking heeft op de bouwgrond die Malaparte voor zijn huis kocht.
"Malaparte, apparently, told the previous owner, a fisherman, that he was planning to raise rabbits there".
Na die zin wisten we. De trap zal over konijnen moeten gaan. Over het naar boven dragen van konijnen op een trap.
Met de zin in het hoofd tekenden we een trap zoals we dachten dat een trap er uit ziet. Met treden en tegentreden, met wangen en met een bordes.
Een architect kan niet zonder clichés.
En ondertussen, tijdens het zorgvuldig detailleren en uitwerken bleef het verlangen naar de vondst, naar de konijnen, naar Malaparte gloeien.
Esprit d'escalier
Esprit d'escalier is de term waarmee alles samen kwam (samenkwam). Het vormt de conclusie van de trap.
1. Letterlijk. Geest van de trap. Ziel van de trap of: de architectuur van de trap. Waarschijnlijk is dit het eigenlijke thema. Datgene wat van een trap of een gebouw architectuur maakt. Het verschil tussen de banale nonsens en het plezier.
Enerzijds slaagden we er niet in om de vooropgestelde verwijzing naar Malaparte of naar de konijnen waar te maken. Anderzijds was er het plezier van de vorm. Het omkeren van de trapwang. Hoe het ding aaneen kangt en ineen zit geschoven. De zwartgebrande randen...
2. Esprit d'escalier is een minder bekende uitdrukking voor een ervaring die iedereen kent. Een gevatte repliek, een kwinkslag wordt enkele seconden te laat bedacht. Op de weg uit de kamer. Halfweg de trap, of zelfs dagen later. (Eng. wit of the straircase).
De trap letterlijk samen brengen met zijn ziel of met zijn architectuur (net een beetje te laat, maar toch: onherroepelijk). Een konijnenfokker droeg enkele prachtige dieren (vlinderkonijnen) de trap op (he was planning to raise rabbits there). Het beeld gecompleteerd.
3. Enige tijd na de dood van de bouwheer werd het project door zijn dochter en schoonzoon terug opgenomen. Het voorontwerp moest niet meer worden aangepast. De trap zoals Antoine Van Melckebeke die zou hebben gewild kon worden gebouwd. De trap voor de dode: esprit d'escalier.
foto: Jan Kempenaers
❣WOW❣
Just arrived 🙌
Mark Tinkey did an amazing job... she's just perfect ❣
@mydollthreadz 🙏😘
#smokeandshadowvanessa
#vanessaperrin
#integritytoys #fashionroyalty
Thie Pantry Restaurat always packs 'm in. A great local restaurant for veterans or otherwise. Just great downhome ooking for everyone to enjoyl
It was pouring with rain last week when I took this. I was trying to get a better picture, but I just got this from the camera and realised that I quite like it!
The sign is in Portland, Oregon. (On the Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway, between Portland and Beaverton). I have no affiliation - I just drive or ride the bus past the sign most days. The sign is located here (via mapquest).
"Raising teenagers is like nailing jello to a tree"
Blogged: majorclanger.blogspot.com/2005/11/raising-teenagers-sign-...
Right whale Catalog #3180 raises her fluke while diving approximately 9 NM off Cumberland Island, GA on Jan. 25, 2016.
Photo Taken: Jan. 25, 2016
Photo Credit (full credit required for use):
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, taken under NOAA research permit #15488
Straight from the camera.
Done in collaboration with Aelita, Tuula, Iida and missmoody.
Got this done just before the security came and threw us away, suppose it was the massive projection on the wall that gave us away! :D
If you're interested in raising the bar on your lighting whether for portraits or boudoir please join me!
These are full-day workshops (about 6 hours) and are great for professional or personal development - I believe they even count toward education if you're a PPA member.
The price set by the PPA of each workshop is only $99 - if you've been following me or taken workshops with other educators you know what an amazing value this is!
There is a strict limit of 10 enrollments for each workshop, and there's nothing stopping you from taking both (if there is room).
See you there!
Join me in Dallas on May 9:
More info and registration info here:
www.ppa.com/events/from-shadows-to-highlights-mastering-b...
Softly, she Rises flight ...
Giving the impression that it is ...
Something so easy.
Its elegance is manifested ...
In a single moment.
Suavemente, ela levanda vôo...
Dando a impressão de se tratar...
De algo tão fácil.
Sua elegância se manifesta...
Num momento único.
Dedico esta foto a uma grande amiga minha apaixonada por fotografia de Aves, REJANE
Fotografia tirada num dos intervalos do 22 Festival de Balonismo de Torres-RS.
All Rights Reserved
Todos os direitos reservados
Copyright 2010 Gutemberg Ostemberg
Or should I say "Upward Dog"?!
Ouzo jumped his way into Explore - Highest position: 98 on Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The next step is to remove her from the doll stand, and remove the tacking that pins the sections of the skirt together. She is laid back down, and her skirts raised to reveal the wires attaching her legs to the doll stand. The wires are removed to free her from the stand, and then the stand is removed by gently pulling it straight down with one hand while holding on to the her waist with the other. Then the tacks pinning the sections of her skirt together are removed, one by one. There are tacks pinning the yellow green sections together, and also tacks pinning the dark green section between them to the satin underskirt. Four of the back sections are freed, and so the back of the skirt can be extended to show nearly the full width of the skirt. Then the skirt is partially raised to first show the underskirt, then the petticoat. Then Anna is turned around, so we can work on freeing the front sections of the outer skirt. Finally all the sections of her skirt are unpinned, and we can extend her skirt to its full width. It almost makes a full semi-circle. Then to show the full extent of her skirts, the outer skirt is lifted over her head, so make a full circle. Then the underskirt is raised as far as it can go, and finally the same for the petticoat.
We prepare to remove the spacers from the backing by clipping off the ends of the wires, cutting the rubber bands and threads, and removing the tape holding the tabs of the spacers to the back of the backing. Anna will be the first to be removed from the backing. The tabs of the spacer are cut, and the spacer with Anna attached is pulled from the backing. There are wires attaching her bun and ponytail to the spacer, and a wire around her waist that goes through the spacer. Also there are several T-tabs tacking the back of her head to the spacer. The spacer is then removed from Anna. There is still a wire around her bun, her waist, and remnants of the T-tabs in her head. The wires are removed and T-tabs cut close to her scalp. The back of her dress is opened to make removing the wire around her waist easier. We see manufacturer's markings on her lower back, under her upper torso joint. It also has her edition number and size: 39/100. The back of her skirt is sewn shut, but I cut the thread loose, so I can open up her skirt and see the top of her petticoat underneath. We also see that her satin underskirt is permanently sewn to the top of her outer skirt. Then her skirt and top are closed up, and she is stood up, supported by her doll stand.
Then we untack Anna's dress from the backing. Now the bottom of the backing can be dropped down. We can see the bottom of the two doll stands, and see the bottom of Anna's and Elsa's shoes. Then we raise Anna's skirt up, and see the many layers of Anna's outfit. Her outer skirt is made of panels of yellow green embroidered and jeweled satin alternating with plain dark green satin panels, the pattern repeating ten times. The lighter green panels are tacked together with plastic T-tabs, so we don't see the full extent of the skirt. Under the skirt is a full length yellow green satin slip, with a wide lacy hem. Under that is a 3/4 length stiff tulle petticoat. Under that are yellow green satin knee-length bloomers. Finally under that are full length stockings or leggings. Anna is certainly dressed for cold weather. Her legs are wired to the doll stand at the ankles and knees. Her feet are posable, and she is wearing black flats, which is rather disappointing given the gorgeous and unique shoes that Elsa is wearing.
Next we begin to undo all the attachments that are accessible without taking the spacers off the backing. First we snip off the T-tabs that tack Elsa's dress to the backing, as well as enough of the fasteners that pin the cape shut. We can now open up the cape and her skirt in the front to see Elsa's legs and shoes. We see that she is bound to her doll stand by wires. She has unique shoes, iridescent blue high heeled shoes with a snowflake design. She also bucks the trend of fully articulated legs in the Limited Edition dolls, by having fixed angled feet. She looks much more elegant with fixed feet in the high heels.
Deboxing the Harrods Anna and Elsa LE 100 dolls. First we open the box to begin the deboxing process. We can do this without damaging the packaging in any way, by sliding the multiple covers off the box until the dolls are in the open. We can also get a look at the Certificate of Authenticity, which is below the bottom of the inner box. The set is #39 of 100. The dolls are still attached to the plastic spacers and cardboard backing by wires, thread, rubber bands and plastic T-tabs.
First look at the Harrods special edition of the Disney Store's Limited Edition Anna and Elsa Doll Set. I purchased it through a reseller, as it was only sold at the Harrods London store. It was released on November 1, 2013, in an edition of 100. The retail cost is more than four times that of the separately sold LE Anna and Elsa dolls (which will be released worldwide on November 20, 2013, in an edition size of 2500). As might be expected, the dolls are considerably different in details than the ''regular'' limited edition dolls. In particular there is considerably more crystals on the outfits, and embroidered snowflakes completely cover the outer gown (cape) of Elsa. Also, Elsa's skin has a pearly shiny surface, very similar to the skin of LE Ursula, although it has a much paler purplish color.
They are 17'' fully articulated dolls, with doll stands and certificated of authenticity. Anna is in her coronation gown, Elsa is in her Snow Queen gown.