So... I had a realization earlier today about how much life can change in just one year. At this point last year I was still going to school for web design and I was extremely unhappy with the thought of coding and designing my life away.

In 2013 I made an epic and slightly sudden switch to photography and it has been such an amazing journey! There have been so many ups and downs, but all the changes have taught me so much and I have grown in art and also just as a person.

Anyways.. I know I don't post on flickr much anymore, but I just wanted to post this little update =) xoxo

Pentax Espio 80 Delta 400 EcoPro 1+1 11/26/2023

Our Daily Challenge: Inconvenient

One of my most favorite local haunts is the Self Realization Fellowship in Encinitas, California. This image is of the spot where the original temple stood. Sadly it crumbled into sea in 1942 after only five years after being built. The original building is gone, but the fellowship is thriving. it is inconvenient that the original building is gone, but joyous that the gardens and the fellowship thrive today.

Thank you so much for your views, comments and favs. I really do appreciate every one!

My images are posted here for your enjoyment only. All rights are reserved. Please contact me through flickr if you are interested in using one.

The original photo is taken from Google.com,

and belongs to its respective owner.

Digitalpaint

"Ahhh a new toy ,thanks now gimme and watch me run."

The 11th. Batizado of the Grupo de Capoeira Beija-Flor on July 30th. celebrated the graduation of another 80 children and young people attended in our programme.

Lightly built and a capoeirist of promising talent, Diego proudly shows off the certificate for his third belt after three years of practicing the sport with our group. At this rate he will reach his apprenticeship at an early age.

The efficiency of Capoeira in social programmes is due to its wide-ranging scope to involve the lives of children and young people participating. It is a complete discipline including the use of rules, philosophy, positive group ethics, physical condition, creativity and values of self-esteem.

SIC Movie Realization Batman & Batpod. Finally i took it out!!!

Need to make the mini softbox back. Wasnt very keen on doing it after moving. Couldnt set it up nicely. Dont have a mini table.

Day 4 of 30.

Realization!

" But they will never seek for death, on account of the (sins) which their hands have sent on before them. and Allah is well-acquainted with the wrongdoers."

Surah Al-Baqra, Verse 95.

These were the largest Koi I have ever seen, easily 3 feet long. Brilliant colors.

Designer: Revolutionary Committee of Beijing No. 76 Middle School (北京市七六中革命委员会)

1971, December

Struggling to speed up the realization of mechanized agriculture!

Wei jiasu shixian nongye jixiehua er fendou! (为加速实现农业机械化而奋斗！)

Call nr.: BG E15/452 (Landsberger collection)

More? See: chineseposters.net/themes/tractor-girls

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

Due to the restrictions of the Versailles treaties, the Reichswehr was already dealing with the increasing mobilization and motorization of the army after the end of the First World War. The realization that the speed of the troop units required appropriate equipment was available early on. However, the Reichswehr suffered from financial constraints and during the Weimar Republic the industry only had limited capacity for series production of larger, armored vehicles.

Only a total of fifty-five Sd.Kfz. 241s were completed by Magirus in Cologne until 1936, when production of the Sd.Kfz. 231 (8-Rad) vehicle family started and soon replaced the Sd.Kfz. 241, which was primarily operated at the Eastern Front in Poland and Czechoslovakia. By 1940, no Sd.Kfz. 241 was left in any frontline army unit, but a few survivors were grouped together and handed over to police units. Their main gun was either completely deleted or sometimes replaced with a second machine gun, and they were used for urban patrols and riot control duties. However, by 1942, no Sd.Kfz. 241 was left over.

Specifications:

Crew: Four (commander, gunner, driver, radio operator/rear driver)

Weight: 7.5 tons (11.450 lb)

Length: 5,85 metres (19 ft 2 in)

Width: 2,20 metres (7 ft 2 ½ in)

Height: 2,78 metres (9 ft 1 in)

Ground clearance: 28.5 cm (10 in)

Suspension: Torsion bar and leaf springs

Fuel capacity: 150 litres (33 imp gal; 40 US gal)

Armor:

8–15 mm (0.31 – 0.6 in)

Performance:

Maximum road speed: 70 km/h (43.5 mph)

52 km/h (32.3 mph) backwards

Operational range: 250 km (155 miles)

Power/weight: 13 PS/ton

Engine:

Maybach HL42 TRKM water-cooled straight 6-cylinder petrol engine with 100 hp (74 kW),

driving the rear pair of axles

Transmission:

Maybach gearbox with 5-speed forward and 4-speed reverse

Armament:

1× 37 mm KwK 30 L/45 cannon with 70 rounds

1× 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun mounted co-axially with 1.300 rounds

The kit and its assembly:

This fictional armored car was inspired by a leftover rear axles from an Italeri Sd.Kfz. 231 (6-Rad) model that I converted into a fictional half-track variant some time ago. I wondered if the set could be transplanted under an 8-Rad chassis, to create a kind of missing link to the 8x8 successors of the Sd.Kfz. 231 (6-Rad) with a total of twelve tires on four axles.

The basis became a First to Fight 1:72 Sd.Kfz. 231 (8-Rad) kit – a rather simple and robust affair, apparently primarily intended for tabletop purposes. But the overall impression is good, and it would be modified, anyway, even though the plastic turned out to be rather soft/waxy and the parts’ sprue attachment points a bit wacky.

The hull was “turned around” to drive backwards, so that its rear engine ended up in the front. I eventually only used the rear twin wheels from the Sd.Kfz. 231 (6-Rad), but not its single axles and laminated springs. Instead, I first cut the OOB mudguards in two halves, removed their side skirts and glued them onto the lower hull in reversed order, so that the exhausts and their muffler boxes would end up at the rear of the front fenders. With these in place I checked the axles’ position from the OOB ladder chassis, which is a single, integral part, and found that the rear axles’ position had to be moved by 2mm backwards. Cutting the original piece and re-arranging it was easier to scratch a new rear suspension, and the rocker bars had to be shortened to accept the wider twin wheels.

The original small turret with the 20 mm autocannon was deleted and replaced with core elements from a Panzer III turret, left over from previous conversion projects. Wider than any original turret of the Sd.Kfz. 231/232 family, it had to be narrowed by roughly 5mm – I had to cut a respective plug from the turret’s and the mantlet’s middle section, the deformed hatch was covered under a Panzer III commander cupola. To mate the re-arranged turret with the OOB adapter plate to mount it onto the hull, and to add overall stability to the construction, I filled the interior with 2C putty.

The typical storage bin at the turret’s rear was omitted, though, it would have made it too large for the compact truck chassis. The shape was a perfect stylistic match, even though, with the longer gun barrel, the vehicle reminds a lot of the Soviet BA-10 heavy armored car?

Most small details like the bumpers and the headlights were taken OOB, I added a whip antenna base at the rear and mounted two spare wheels at the back, one of them covered with a tarpaulin (made from paper tissue drenched with white glue, this was also used to create the gun mantlet seals).

Painting and markings:

Typical for German vehicles from the early WWII stages the Sd.Kfz. 241 was painted Panzergrau (RAL 7021; I used Humbrol 67, which is authentic, but mixed it with some 125 to create a slightly lighter shade of grey) overall - quite dull, but realistic. To make the vehicle look more interesting, though, I added authentic contemporary camouflage in the form of low-contrast blotches with RAL 8017, a very dark reddish brown, mixed from Humbrol 160 and some 98. Better, but IMHO still not enough.

After the model received a washing with highly thinned red-brown acrylic artist paint I applied the few decals and gave the parts an overall dry-brushing treatment with grey and dark earth. Everything was sealed with matt acrylic varnish. For even more “excitement”, I decided to add a coat of snow.

For the simulated “frosting” I used white tile grout – which has the benefits of being water-soluble, quite sturdy to touch and the material does not yellow over time like gypsum.

First, the wheels, the chassis and the inside of the wheel arches received a separate treatment with relatively dryly mixed tile grout, simulating snow and dirt clusters. Once thoroughly dried, the wheels were mounted. Then the model was sprayed with low surface tension water and loose tile grout was drizzled over hull and turret, creating a flaky coat of fake snow. Once dry again, everything received another coat of matt acrylic varnish to protect and fixate everything further.

A relatively quick build, done in a few days. The First to Fight kit is very simple and went together well, but I’d use something else the next time due to the odd material it was molded with. The outcome of an 4x8 scout car looks quite plausible, though, like the missing link between the Sd.Kfz. 231 and 232 – the unintended similarity with the Soviet BA-10 heavy armored car was a bit surprising, though. And the snow on the model eventually makes it look a bit more interesting, the stunt was worth the effort.

For the full review of this action figure please check it out here → bitly.com/1Bp4VMZ

Facebook page → www.facebook.com/locustblogsite

In 1960, the US Army came to the realization that it had no real scout helicopter: the OH-13 Sioux could operate effectively in the role, but it was aging and its slow speed made it vulnerable to ground fire. The O-1/L-19 Birddog was a good scout aircraft, but it did not have the mobility of a helicopter. With this in mind, the Army issued a requirement for a Light Observation Helicopter (LOH). The new helicopter needed reasonably high speed, good visibility from the cockpit, and be not too expensive. Bell, Hiller and Hughes all developed prototypes; in 1965, the Army chose Hughes' Model 369 as the OH-6A Cayuse, and placed an order for 1300 helicopters.

The Army was then presented with a problem. Hughes did not have a large factory, and was run by the mercurial and unpredictable Howard Hughes: there was a real concern that Hughes could not deliver the order. Moreover, the Army learned that Hughes had deliberately undercut Bell's and Hiller's bids to win the contract, and as such was taking massive losses on the OH-6. The Army then reopened the competition, and Bell's OH-58A Kiowa won this time: the Army would use both helicopters. As for Hughes, the company would later make up the losses by marketing the OH-6 as the Model 369 and later the Model 500.

The OH-6A entered service in 1966, and was sent to Vietnam soon thereafter. Though given the name Cayuse (as part of the US Army's tradition of naming helicopters after native tribes), this name never stuck: instead, the helicopter was nicknamed Loach, after the LOH project name and its buglike appearance. Loaches were quickly armed with field modification kits to carry machine guns, and were usually paired with the also newly-arrived AH-1 Cobra as a "Pink Team." The job of the Pink Team was to scout ahead of the UH-1 "slicks" carrying troops: the OH-6 would come over at low level to see if it drew ground fire. If it did, it would then call in the AH-1s to attack the enemy position and clear the landing zone. This hunter-killer team proved very effective, if dangerous to the OH-6 crews: of 1420 OH-6s built, 842 were shot down over Vietnam.

Because of the heavy losses over Vietnam, the scout role after the war was gradually taken over by the OH-58A, which was cheaper to buy and easier to maintain. OH-6s began to be passed on to Reserve and National Guard units, but got a new lease on life after 1980: the Army still needed a small helicopter that could land in places the OH-58 or UH-1 could not. The OH-6 was the only aircraft that fit the bill, and several dozen were seconded to Task Force 158 in preparation for an operation to free the American hostages in Tehran, Iran. The hostages were freed by the Iranians themselves in 1980, but the Army recognized the need for an elite force trained in night operations, and renamed the unit Task Force 160--known to its crews as the "Nightstalkers."

TF 160 proved its worth during Operation Prime Chance, the United States' undeclared naval and air war against Iran in 1988, and the OH-6s were redesignated MH-6 (for transport OH-6s) and AH-6 (for armed versions). Nicknamed "Little Birds" by their crews, TF 160 worked closely with the elite and secretive Delta Force, most notably in the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993, where they were the only gunships available to the beleaguered Army forces in the Somalian city. The standard OH-6 has been retired from Army units, but the MH-6 and AH-6 remain in service. The Cayuse also remains operational with Spain and Japan, though in both cases it is being replaced.

Very little can be found on OH-6A 67-16132, though there is a very good chance that it served in Vietnam. Following its return to the United States, 67-16132 was likely passed to the Utah National Guard's 211th Aviation Regiment, and was retired in the late 1980s. It was donated to the Hill Aerospace Museum in Ogden, Utah, where it remained until 2006, but as 67-16132 is an Army helicopter, the USAF donated it to the Fort Douglas Museum in nearby Salt Lake City--which was felt to be more appropriate.

Of Fort Douglas' three helicopters, 67-16132 is the best preserved (though all three are in good condition). It carries standard Army olive drab camouflage, with an air cavalry emblem on the rear fuselage.

Once the realization is accepted that even between the closest human beings infinite distances continue, a wonderful living side by side can grow, if they succeed in loving the distance between them which makes it possible for each to see the other whole against the sky.

Rainer Maria Rilke

Special thanks to franak malaie

I think you should press L :)

You can see more of this shooting in my website LDmag.ir

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In the early 1950s, air forces around the world came to the realization that it made little sense to train pilots on older piston-engined trainers, then expect them to go from those aircraft to high-performance jets without a high accident rate. Most nations with an aviation industry then embarked on designing jet trainers and a training syllabus entirely with jets.

For the Soviet Union, it would not only need a jet trainer, it would need thousands of them, to equip not only its own air force, but those of the Warsaw Pact and client states. The Khrushchev regime learned that two of the Pact nations were working on their own trainers--Aero of Czechoslovakia was designing the L-29 Delfin (Dolphin), while PZL of Poland was working on the TS-11 Iskra (Spark). Surprisingly for the Soviet Union, it issued a requirement for the jet trainer and opened it up to a competition between the two aircraft.

Aero's L-29 was designed to be everything a trainer should be: easy to fly, easy to maintain, forgiving of mistakes, and capable of simple aerobatics. As Soviet doctrine called for aircraft capable of operating from austere airstrips, the L-29 was given a strengthened landing gear, and for either weapons training or in emergencies, could be equipped with four underwing hardpoints for bombs, rockets or gunpods. It was not particularly fast and considered underpowered, but that was less important in a trainer.

The L-29 would first fly in 1959, and went up against the TS-11 in 1961. To the surprise of many, considering the TS-11 was faster, the L-29 was declared the winner. Suspecting politics and wishing to keep some independence, the Polish Air Force would never use the Delfin, and would make the Iskra its primary jet trainer. For the rest of the Warsaw Pact and the Soviet Union, the L-29 would go into production. NATO would give it the reporting name of Maya.

Some 27 nations would eventually fly L-29s, as trainers, but occasionally in combat as well: Egyptian L-29s were pressed into service during the 1973 Yom Kippur (October) War as ground attack aircraft, and they were also used in the Biafran War of 1967-1970 and the First Nagorno-Karabakh War of 1988-1994 between Azerbaijan and Armenia. In these cases, the Delfin did not do well, but it was never intended to fight against modern air defenses. Saddam Hussein reportedly converted a number of his L-29s to drones, intended to carry poison gas towards Coalition forces in 2003, though they never flew.

While the L-29 was adequate, as aircraft got faster and more manueverable, the Delfin was becoming obsolete. In response, Aero designed the L-39 Albatros, a more advanced trainer, and L-29 production ended in 1974 after 3665 had been produced. Though most L-29 users replaced it with the L-39, some continued with the Delfin, and Angola and Georgia would use it as late as 2016. After the end of the Cold War, many Delfins became available on the open market, and while not as common as its Western equivalent--the T-33 Shooting Star--or its successor the L-39, L-29s are found in small numbers in the warbird community, and a few have raced in the Reno Air Races.

This is one of those L-29s. N37KF, also known as "Raju Grace," was originally built for the Czech Air Force in 1969. During its long career, it was Bort 3233. Retired in the early 1990s, Bort 3233 was stored until around 2008, when it was acquired by the Kendall Flight Corporation in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. 3233 became N37KF, and received a striking all-red scheme, with a nude female figure and a snake on both sides of the fuselage. Since it was intended to be a racer, the original Motorlet engine was replaced by a much more powerful Rolls-Royce Viper, turning this L-29 into a true hot rod.

N37KF participated twice in the Reno Air Races, in 2010 and 2011, though it suffered some damage just before the 2011 race, when the engine accidentally melted the rudder. Luckily the pilot was able to get "Raju Grace" back down before it suffered catastrophic damage. In 2018, the aircraft seems to have been sold, and it was at Forgotten Warbirds in Brigham City, Utah when I saw it in July 2023.

Right now, "Raju Grace" isn't at her best, but it's being restored back to flying again, so far as I know. L-29s aren't the most sleek of aircraft, especially compared to the L-39, but this one is by far the most impressive Delfin I've seen.

Towards the end of the Korean War, the USAF came to the realization that their transport fleet was becoming obsolete. The C-46 Commandos and C-47 Skytrains in service were no longer adequate, while the C-119 Flying Boxcar was having difficulties. In 1951, the USAF issued a requirement for a new tactical transport, an aircraft that would need to carry at least 72 passengers, be capable of dropping paratroopers, and have a ramp for loading vehicles directly into the cargo compartment. Moreover, it must be a “clean sheet” design, not a conversion from an existing airliner, and the USAF preferred it be a turboprop design. Five companies submitted designs, and six months later the USAF chose Lockheed’s L-402 design—over the misgivings of Lockheed’s chief designer, Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, who warned that the L-402 would destroy the company. Little was Johnson to know that, fifty years later, the L-402—designated C-130 Hercules by the USAF—would still be in production, and one out of only five aircraft to have over 50 years of service with the original purchaser.

The C-130 was designed to give mostly unfettered access to a large cargo compartment—the ramp forms an integral part of the rear fuselage, the wing is mounted above the fuselage, and the landing gear is carried in sponsons attached to the fuselage itself, while the fuselage has a circular design to maximize loading potential. The high wing also gives the C-130 good lift, especially in “high and hot” situations. The Allison T56 turboprop was designed specifically for the Hercules, and has gone on to become one of the most successful turboprop designs in history.

After two YC-130 prototypes, the Hercules went into production as the C-130A in 1956, to be superseded by the improved C-130B in 1959. The latter became the baseline Hercules variant: C-130As had three-blade propellers and a rounded “Roman” nose, while the B introduced the more familiar, longer radar nose and four-blade propellers. (Virtually all A models were later retrofitted to the long nose, though they kept the three-blade propellers.) In the 50 years hence, the basic C-130 design has not changed much: the C-130E introduced underwing external fuel tanks, while the C-130H has a slightly different wing. Even the new C-130J variant only introduced new engines with more fuel efficient six-bladed propellers: the basic design remains the same. Lockheed also offers stretched versions of the Hercules, initially as a civilian-only option (the L-100-30); the British Royal Air Force bought this version as the C-130K and it was later adopted by other nations, including the United States.

The basic C-130 is strictly a transport aircraft, but the versatility of the aircraft has meant it has been modified into a dizzying number of variants. These include the AC-130 Spectre gunship, the HC-130 rescue aircraft and WC-130 weather reconnaissance version. Other versions include several dozen EC-130 electronic warfare/Elint variants, KC-130 tankers, and DC-130 drone aircraft controllers. The USAF, the US Navy, and the US Marine Corps are all C-130 operators as well. Besides the United States, there are 67 other operators of C-130s, making it one of the world’s most prolific aircraft, with its only rivals the Bell UH-1 Iroquois family and the Antonov An-2 Colt biplane transport. C-130s are also used extensively by civilian operators as well as the L-100 series.

The “Herky Bird,” as it is often nicknamed, has participated in every military campaign fought by the United States since 1960 in one variation or the other. During Vietnam, it was used in almost every role imaginable, from standard transport to emergency bomber: as the latter, it dropped M121 10,000 pound mass-focus bombs to clear jungle away for helicopter landing zones, and it was even attempted to use C-130s with these bombs against the infamous Thanh Hoa Bridge in North Vietnam. (Later this capability was added as standard to MC-130 Combat Talon special forces support aircraft; the MC-130 is the only aircraft cleared to carry the GBU-43 MOAB.) It was also instrumental in resupplying the Khe Sanh garrison during its three-month siege. Hercules crews paid the price as well: nearly 70 C-130s were lost during the Vietnam War. In foreign service, C-130s have also been used heavily, the most famous instance of which was likely the Israeli Entebbe Raid of 1976, one of the longest-ranged C-130 missions in history. C-130s are often in the forefront of humanitarian missions to trouble spots around the world.

As of this writing, over 2300 C-130s have been built, and most are still in service. It remains the backbone of the USAF’s tactical transport service; attempts to replace it with the Advanced Tactical Transport Program (ATTP) in the 1980s and to supplement it with the C-27J Spartan in the 2000s both failed, as the USAF realized that the only real replacement for a C-130 is another C-130.

This C-130E, 63-7861, was delivered to the USAF's 464th Tactical Airlift Wing at Pope AFB, North Carolina in 1964. It may have remained with the 464th until the wing's deactivation in 1971, after which it was transferred to the 435th TAW at Ramstein, West Germany and later the 314th TAW at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas. It was relegated to the 129th Rescue Group (California ANG) at Moffett Field, and was retired in 2006. It was donated to the 153rd Airlift Wing (Wyoming ANG) at Cheyenne afterwards, although 63-7861 never flew with the unit, and the 153rd never flew C-130Es.

That's a bit of nitpicking, though, as the 153rd has done a good job in keeping 63-7861 up. It carries the modern AMC Gray scheme, with the 153rd's present markings on the tail.

EDIT: I got a better picture of 63-7861 in May 2021, so I replaced it. Weirdly enough, we got caught in a thunderstorm this time, too.

Don't use this image on any media without my permission.

© All rights reserved

Dear flickr friends,

I've come to the realization that I am SO BUSY! School-work is piling up, my internship is keeping me busy, and holiday season is coming up fast , and as a result of all of these combined, you may (or may not) have noticed a conspicuous lack of self-portraits for the 365 group from me. If you have, you're right. I haven't had time to take any SP's lately, much less any pictures! I decided that I'm going to stop the 365 challenge. I'm actually surprised that I've gotten as far as I have! I was thinking about it the other day and I have 168 pictures left to do. Woah. That number completely overwhelmed me! Hence my decision.

One thing I noticed in a lot of my SP's is that I don't genuinely smile. Here's the deal. I have yellow and stained teeth. They don't look so bad in this picture because the sun was so blaringly bright (yest that's a word), but the reason my teeth are yellow and stained is because a lot of it is genetic. Thanks dad. :) I actually take really good care of my teeth, have tried bleaching, etc. but nothing really seems to work. I've given up at this point on ever having the star-white teeth and I don't even notice anymore. People tell me I have a nice smile, but then I become self-conscious because I know it's then that they've seen my teeth. This is why i don't fully smile in a lot of my SP's and why make such silly faces, so I can distract you! :)

All that said, I'm done with 365, for now. When things start to calm down (like after I graduate!) I might start over. I want to have that feeling of accomplishment of doing this for a year, I don't think I've ever done anything consecutively for a year (well, besides brush my teeth, but we've already talked about that).

I'll still take some SP's every once in a while, but just not every day now. I'm done being stressed out, and it feels kind of nice not have to check another thing off of my list everyday. And I'll definitely take pictures of life that happens around me!

Thanks for all of you, I feel like I have become ten-times better at my pictures because of your comments and suggestions. 365 truly has helped me become a better photographer and I look forward to doing this project again in the future.

*cheers!*

Maletto is on the western side of the Etna to 960 M of altitude. Human settlings, around the actual Maletto, they were had until from the first millennium before Christ. There lived the Siculs, then arrived Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs, Normans and Swabians. To one of these last, the Manfredi Maletta count, is owed the origin of Maletto. In the 1263, this one did raise on the fortress a strengthened tower, said Castle, about which s picked up a first nucleus of inhabitants. The construction of the actual historical centre was started at the end of XV century, when the districts that are today around the Castle were built. The construction then continued in the first years of the following century with the realization of the baronial palace of the Spatafora and the attached Saint Michael Archangel church, l et alone of stores and of an open gallery, of an inn and of a warehouse. It was however starting from the 1619, when Maletto the king of Spain recognized the title of principality, that the area is developed mostly, assuming the definitive aspect kept to our days. Maletto is the most elevated town of the Etna and of the province of Catania and it reverts nearly for whole in the park of the Etna.The production of the strawberries has made famous Maletto in the world.

Maletto è un comune italiano di 4.029 abitanti della provincia di Catania in Sicilia.Le origini del piccolo comune etneo risalgono al 1263. Esso nacque per interesse di Manfredi di Maletta, parente dell'imperatore Federico I, che edificò su uno sperone roccioso un castello, di cui ancora si conservano i ruderi. Il piccolo borgo fu abbandonato e decadde. L'attuale agglomerato urbano, è frutto della ricostruzione avviata nel 1440, ad opera del principe Spadafora.Ogni anno, nel mese di giugno, Maletto diventa la città delle fragole, richiamando centinaia di turisti e di visitatori. Nel corso della Sagra, le maestranze locali realizzano una gigantesca torta alla fragola di oltre mille chili, che viene offerta a tutti i partecipanti. Durante la manifestazione vengono esposti in appositi stand le fragole in piantine e in cassette e sono offerte come assaggio gratuito ai visitatori. Il frutto matura tra i primi di maggio e la fine di giugno e nell'ambito della sagra sono esposti diversi tipi di fragole: la fragolina di pasticceria, la fragola "rifiorente", che matura da gennaio a dicembre, e la fragola tradizionale, dal sapore più dolce e dall'odore più profumato. La sagra dura tre giorni e si svolge di solito dal venerdì alla domenica.

Mount Etna (Aetna in Latin, also known as Muncibeddu in Sicilian and Mongibello in Italian, a combination of Latin mons and Arabic gibel, both meaning mountain) is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, close to Messina and Catania. Its Arabic name was Jebel Utlamat (the Mountain of Fire).Volcanic activity at Etna began about half a million years ago, with eruptions occurring beneath the sea off the coastline of Sicily. 300,000 years ago, volcanism began occurring to the southwest of the present-day summit, before activity moved towards the present centre 170,000 years ago. Eruptions at this time built up the first major volcanic edifice, forming a strato-volcano in alternating explosive and effusive eruptions. The growth of the mountain was occasionally interrupted by major eruptions leading to the collapse of the summit to form calderas.From about 35,000 to 15,000 years ago, Etna experienced some highly explosive eruptions, generating large pyroclastic flows which left extensive ignimbrite deposits. Ash from these eruptions has been found as far away as Rome, 800 km to the north.Sicily's greatest natural attraction is also its highest mountain: Mount Etna, at 10,924 feet, is the most active volcano in Europe and the oldest recorded active volcano in the world.Mount Etna is an active volcano on the east coast of Sicily, close to Messina and Catania. It is the largest active volcano in Europe, currently standing about 3329.6 m (10,924 feet)high, though it should be noted that this varies with summit eruptions; the mountain is 21.6 m (71 ft) lower now than it was in 1865. It is the highest mountain in Italy south of the Alps. Etna covers an area of 1,190 km² (460 square miles) with a basal circumference of 140 km.The fertile volcanic soils support extensive agriculture, with vineyards and orchards spread across the lower slopes of the mountain and the broad Plain of Catania to the south. Due to its history of recent activity and nearby population, Mount Etna has been designated a Decade Volcano by the United Nations.Etna lava stone is a material with unique characteristics: durable, indestructible, resistant to changes in the temperature (it’s a heat conductor), it offers infinite possibilities of uses: flooring, urban furniture, interior design.After the glazing process the product doesn’t get stained, resists to acids and doesn’t require particular maintenance: that’s why lava stone is the ideal material even to make kitchens and bathrooms countertops. The natural stone tends to grey, with the glazing process we can obtain any desired colour. Shapes, sizes and decorations can be customized . The lava stone it is formed by the solidification of cooled magma on the surface of the Etna volcano, in Sicily

L'Etna è un vulcano attivo che si trova sulla costa orientale della Sicilia (Italia), tra Catania e Messina. È il vulcano attivo più alto del continente europeo e uno dei maggiori al mondo. La sua altezza varia nel tempo a causa delle sue eruzioni, ma si aggira attualmente sui 3329.6 m (10,924 feet) s.l.m. Il suo diametro è di circa 45 chilometri.Un tempo era noto anche come Mongibello.In genere le eruzioni dell'Etna pur fortemente distruttive delle cose, non lo sono per le persone se si eccettuano i casi fortuiti o di palese imprudenza come quello dell'improvvisa esplosione di massi del 1979 che uccise nove turisti e ne ferì una decina di altri avventuratisi fino al cratere appena spento. L'Etna è un tipico strato-vulcano che iniziò la sua attività, tra 500 e 700 mila anni fa. La sua lava di tipo basaltico è povera in silice, è molto calda, densa e fluida. Per queste ragioni le eruzioni sono tranquille ed il percorso delle lave prevedibile. La velocità di scorrimento è superiore a quella delle lave acide, più ricche in silice e più viscose e leggere.La lavorazione della pietra lavica, derivante dall’industria estrattiva delle vicine cave dell'Etna, per scopi ornamentali o per materiali da costruzione, diede da vivere a molte famiglie siciliane.I "pirriaturi", anticamente, estraevano lungo i costoni dell'Etna solo strati superficiali di lava perché più porosi e più facilmente lavorabili con arnesi quali la subbia, lo scalpello, la mazzola e il martello. Sul materiale estratto interveniva lo spaccapietre che ricavava lastre di pietra, infine lo scalpellino rifiniva il materiale. Uno degli usi prevalenti cui era destinata la pietra lavica era la pavimentazione delle strade urbane

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAT2XppUwxg

Towards the end of the Korean War, the USAF came to the realization that their transport fleet was becoming obsolete. The C-46 Commandos and C-47 Skytrains in service were no longer adequate, while the C-119 Flying Boxcar was having difficulties. In 1951, the USAF issued a requirement for a new tactical transport, an aircraft that would need to carry at least 72 passengers, be capable of dropping paratroopers, and have a ramp for loading vehicles directly into the cargo compartment. Moreover, it must be a “clean sheet” design, not a conversion from an existing airliner, and the USAF preferred it be a turboprop design. Five companies submitted designs, and six months later the USAF chose Lockheed’s L-402 design—over the misgivings of Lockheed’s chief designer, Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, who warned that the L-402 would destroy the company. Little was Johnson to know that, fifty years later, the L-402—designated C-130 Hercules by the USAF—would still be in production, and one out of only five aircraft to have over 50 years of service with the original purchaser.

The C-130 was designed to give mostly unfettered access to a large cargo compartment—the ramp forms an integral part of the rear fuselage, the wing is mounted above the fuselage, and the landing gear is carried in sponsons attached to the fuselage itself, while the fuselage has a circular design to maximize loading potential. The high wing also gives the C-130 good lift, especially in “high and hot” situations. The Allison T56 turboprop was designed specifically for the Hercules, and has gone on to become one of the most successful turboprop designs in history.

After two YC-130 prototypes, the Hercules went into production as the C-130A in 1956, to be superseded by the improved C-130B in 1959. The latter became the baseline Hercules variant: C-130As had three-blade propellers and a rounded “Roman” nose, while the B introduced the more familiar, longer radar nose and four-blade propellers. In the 50 years hence, the basic C-130 design has not changed much: the C-130E introduced underwing external fuel tanks, while the C-130H has a slightly different wing. Even the new C-130J variant only introduced new engines with more fuel efficient six-bladed propellers: the basic design remains the same. Lockheed also offers stretched versions of the Hercules, initially as a civilian-only option (the L-100-30); the British Royal Air Force bought this version as the C-130K and it was later adopted by other nations, including the United States.

The basic C-130 is strictly a transport aircraft, but the versatility of the aircraft has meant it has been modified into a dizzying number of variants. These include the AC-130 Spectre gunship, the HC-130 rescue aircraft and WC-130 weather reconnaissance version. Other versions include several dozen EC-130 electronic warfare/Elint variants, KC-130 tankers, and DC-130 drone aircraft controllers. The USAF, the US Navy, and the US Marine Corps are all C-130 operators as well. Besides the United States, there are 67 other operators of C-130s, making it one of the world’s most prolific aircraft. C-130s are also used extensively by civilian operators as well as the L-100 series.

The “Herky Bird,” as it is often nicknamed, has participated in every military campaign fought by the United States since 1960 in one variation or the other. During Vietnam, it was used in almost every role imaginable, from standard transport to emergency bomber. It was also instrumental in resupplying the Khe Sanh garrison during its three-month siege. Hercules crews paid the price as well: nearly 70 C-130s were lost during the Vietnam War. In foreign service, C-130s have also been used heavily, the most famous instance of which was likely the Israeli Entebbe Raid of 1976, one of the longest-ranged C-130 missions in history. C-130s are often in the forefront of humanitarian missions to trouble spots around the world.

As of this writing, over 2300 C-130s have been built, and most are still in service. It remains the backbone of the USAF’s tactical transport service; attempts to replace it with the Advanced Tactical Transport Program (ATTP) in the 1980s and to supplement it with the C-27J Spartan in the 2000s both failed, as the USAF realized that the only real replacement for a C-130 is another C-130.

This version of the C-130 is a HC-130P version, codenamed Combat King. These were designed to support air rescue operations, with dedicated crew and electronics to coordinate rescue missions between the downed aircrew, rescue helicopters, and any escorts or aircraft on station. The squared off nose housed a more advanced radar than the standard C-130. The tanks under the wing were hose/drogue refueling pods for helicopters such as the HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giant. In Vietnam, these aircraft used the callsign "Crown."

This aircraft, 65-0993, belonged to the 41st Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron, at the time operating from McClellan AFB, California. Dad got this picture on the Malmstrom AFB flightline after it made a fuel stop. It carries the standard Southeast Asia camouflage scheme of C-130s at the time. This aircraft was later modified to a MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft (with the same role), and was retired from USAF service in 2014. It is currently in storage at AMARC at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

Due to the restrictions of the Versailles treaties, the Reichswehr was already dealing with the increasing mobilization and motorization of the army after the end of the First World War. The realization that the speed of the troop units required appropriate equipment was available early on. However, the Reichswehr suffered from financial constraints and during the Weimar Republic the industry only had limited capacity for series production of larger, armored vehicles.

Only a total of fifty-five Sd.Kfz. 241s were completed by Magirus in Cologne until 1936, when production of the Sd.Kfz. 231 (8-Rad) vehicle family started and soon replaced the Sd.Kfz. 241, which was primarily operated at the Eastern Front in Poland and Czechoslovakia. By 1940, no Sd.Kfz. 241 was left in any frontline army unit, but a few survivors were grouped together and handed over to police units. Their main gun was either completely deleted or sometimes replaced with a second machine gun, and they were used for urban patrols and riot control duties. However, by 1942, no Sd.Kfz. 241 was left over.

Specifications:

Crew: Four (commander, gunner, driver, radio operator/rear driver)

Weight: 7.5 tons (11.450 lb)

Length: 5,85 metres (19 ft 2 in)

Width: 2,20 metres (7 ft 2 ½ in)

Height: 2,78 metres (9 ft 1 in)

Ground clearance: 28.5 cm (10 in)

Suspension: Torsion bar and leaf springs

Fuel capacity: 150 litres (33 imp gal; 40 US gal)

Armor:

8–15 mm (0.31 – 0.6 in)

Performance:

Maximum road speed: 70 km/h (43.5 mph)

52 km/h (32.3 mph) backwards

Operational range: 250 km (155 miles)

Power/weight: 13 PS/ton

Engine:

Maybach HL42 TRKM water-cooled straight 6-cylinder petrol engine with 100 hp (74 kW),

driving the rear pair of axles

Transmission:

Maybach gearbox with 5-speed forward and 4-speed reverse

Armament:

1× 37 mm KwK 30 L/45 cannon with 70 rounds

1× 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun mounted co-axially with 1.300 rounds

The kit and its assembly:

This fictional armored car was inspired by a leftover rear axles from an Italeri Sd.Kfz. 231 (6-Rad) model that I converted into a fictional half-track variant some time ago. I wondered if the set could be transplanted under an 8-Rad chassis, to create a kind of missing link to the 8x8 successors of the Sd.Kfz. 231 (6-Rad) with a total of twelve tires on four axles.

The basis became a First to Fight 1:72 Sd.Kfz. 231 (8-Rad) kit – a rather simple and robust affair, apparently primarily intended for tabletop purposes. But the overall impression is good, and it would be modified, anyway, even though the plastic turned out to be rather soft/waxy and the parts’ sprue attachment points a bit wacky.

The hull was “turned around” to drive backwards, so that its rear engine ended up in the front. I eventually only used the rear twin wheels from the Sd.Kfz. 231 (6-Rad), but not its single axles and laminated springs. Instead, I first cut the OOB mudguards in two halves, removed their side skirts and glued them onto the lower hull in reversed order, so that the exhausts and their muffler boxes would end up at the rear of the front fenders. With these in place I checked the axles’ position from the OOB ladder chassis, which is a single, integral part, and found that the rear axles’ position had to be moved by 2mm backwards. Cutting the original piece and re-arranging it was easier to scratch a new rear suspension, and the rocker bars had to be shortened to accept the wider twin wheels.

The original small turret with the 20 mm autocannon was deleted and replaced with core elements from a Panzer III turret, left over from previous conversion projects. Wider than any original turret of the Sd.Kfz. 231/232 family, it had to be narrowed by roughly 5mm – I had to cut a respective plug from the turret’s and the mantlet’s middle section, the deformed hatch was covered under a Panzer III commander cupola. To mate the re-arranged turret with the OOB adapter plate to mount it onto the hull, and to add overall stability to the construction, I filled the interior with 2C putty.

The typical storage bin at the turret’s rear was omitted, though, it would have made it too large for the compact truck chassis. The shape was a perfect stylistic match, even though, with the longer gun barrel, the vehicle reminds a lot of the Soviet BA-10 heavy armored car?

Most small details like the bumpers and the headlights were taken OOB, I added a whip antenna base at the rear and mounted two spare wheels at the back, one of them covered with a tarpaulin (made from paper tissue drenched with white glue, this was also used to create the gun mantlet seals).

Painting and markings:

Typical for German vehicles from the early WWII stages the Sd.Kfz. 241 was painted Panzergrau (RAL 7021; I used Humbrol 67, which is authentic, but mixed it with some 125 to create a slightly lighter shade of grey) overall - quite dull, but realistic. To make the vehicle look more interesting, though, I added authentic contemporary camouflage in the form of low-contrast blotches with RAL 8017, a very dark reddish brown, mixed from Humbrol 160 and some 98. Better, but IMHO still not enough.

After the model received a washing with highly thinned red-brown acrylic artist paint I applied the few decals and gave the parts an overall dry-brushing treatment with grey and dark earth. Everything was sealed with matt acrylic varnish. For even more “excitement”, I decided to add a coat of snow.

For the simulated “frosting” I used white tile grout – which has the benefits of being water-soluble, quite sturdy to touch and the material does not yellow over time like gypsum.

First, the wheels, the chassis and the inside of the wheel arches received a separate treatment with relatively dryly mixed tile grout, simulating snow and dirt clusters. Once thoroughly dried, the wheels were mounted. Then the model was sprayed with low surface tension water and loose tile grout was drizzled over hull and turret, creating a flaky coat of fake snow. Once dry again, everything received another coat of matt acrylic varnish to protect and fixate everything further.

A relatively quick build, done in a few days. The First to Fight kit is very simple and went together well, but I’d use something else the next time due to the odd material it was molded with. The outcome of an 4x8 scout car looks quite plausible, though, like the missing link between the Sd.Kfz. 231 and 232 – the unintended similarity with the Soviet BA-10 heavy armored car was a bit surprising, though. And the snow on the model eventually makes it look a bit more interesting, the stunt was worth the effort.

Towards the end of the Korean War, the USAF came to the realization that their transport fleet was becoming obsolete. The C-46 Commandos and C-47 Skytrains in service were no longer adequate, while the C-119 Flying Boxcar was having difficulties. In 1951, the USAF issued a requirement for a new tactical transport, an aircraft that would need to carry at least 72 passengers, be capable of dropping paratroopers, and have a ramp for loading vehicles directly into the cargo compartment. Moreover, it must be a “clean sheet” design, not a conversion from an existing airliner, and the USAF preferred it be a turboprop design. Five companies submitted designs, and six months later the USAF chose Lockheed’s L-402 design—over the misgivings of Lockheed’s chief designer, Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, who warned that the L-402 would destroy the company. Little was Johnson to know that, fifty years later, the L-402—designated C-130 Hercules by the USAF—would still be in production, and one out of only five aircraft to have over 50 years of service with the original purchaser.

The C-130 was designed to give mostly unfettered access to a large cargo compartment—the ramp forms an integral part of the rear fuselage, the wing is mounted above the fuselage, and the landing gear is carried in sponsons attached to the fuselage itself, while the fuselage has a circular design to maximize loading potential. The high wing also gives the C-130 good lift, especially in “high and hot” situations. The Allison T56 turboprop was designed specifically for the Hercules, and has gone on to become one of the most successful turboprop designs in history.

After two YC-130 prototypes, the Hercules went into production as the C-130A in 1956, to be superseded by the improved C-130B in 1959. The latter became the baseline Hercules variant: C-130As had three-blade propellers and a rounded “Roman” nose, while the B introduced the more familiar, longer radar nose and four-blade propellers. In the 50 years hence, the basic C-130 design has not changed much: the C-130E introduced underwing external fuel tanks, while the C-130H has a slightly different wing. Even the new C-130J variant only introduced new engines with more fuel efficient six-bladed propellers: the basic design remains the same. Lockheed also offers stretched versions of the Hercules, initially as a civilian-only option (the L-100-30); the British Royal Air Force bought this version as the C-130K and it was later adopted by other nations, including the United States.

The basic C-130 is strictly a transport aircraft, but the versatility of the aircraft has meant it has been modified into a dizzying number of variants. These include the AC-130 Spectre gunship, the HC-130 rescue aircraft and WC-130 weather reconnaissance version. Other versions include several dozen EC-130 electronic warfare/Elint variants, KC-130 tankers, and DC-130 drone aircraft controllers. The USAF, the US Navy, and the US Marine Corps are all C-130 operators as well. Besides the United States, there are 67 other operators of C-130s, making it one of the world’s most prolific aircraft. C-130s are also used extensively by civilian operators as well as the L-100 series.

The “Herky Bird,” as it is often nicknamed, has participated in every military campaign fought by the United States since 1960 in one variation or the other. During Vietnam, it was used in almost every role imaginable, from standard transport to emergency bomber. It was also instrumental in resupplying the Khe Sanh garrison during its three-month siege. Hercules crews paid the price as well: nearly 70 C-130s were lost during the Vietnam War. In foreign service, C-130s have also been used heavily, the most famous instance of which was likely the Israeli Entebbe Raid of 1976, one of the longest-ranged C-130 missions in history. C-130s are often in the forefront of humanitarian missions to trouble spots around the world.

As of this writing, over 2300 C-130s have been built, and most are still in service. It remains the backbone of the USAF’s tactical transport service; attempts to replace it with the Advanced Tactical Transport Program (ATTP) in the 1980s and to supplement it with the C-27J Spartan in the 2000s both failed, as the USAF realized that the only real replacement for a C-130 is another C-130.

This CC-130H, 130329 of 435 Transport Squadron, stopped in for a visit to Malmstrom AFB in spring 1977, where Dad got this picture. It carries the old Canadian Forces transport scheme of antiglare white over bare metal, with the CAF's "lightning bolt" on the fuselage. At the time, 435 Squadron operated from CFB Edmonton, Alberta, though today they are based at Winnipeg. Sadly, this aircraft crashed in November 1982 with the loss of the entire crew.

At their Mt. Washington HQ.

“I want everything back, the way it was. But there is no point to it, this wanting.”

― Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale

Name: Kraanspoor

City: Amsterdam

Architect(s): OTH (Ontwerpgroep Trude Hooykaas bv)

realization: 2007

Kraanspoor (translated as craneway) is a light-weight transparent office building of three floors built on top of a concrete craneway on the grounds of the former NDSM (Nederlandsche Dok en Scheepsbouw Maatschappij) shipyard, a relic of Amsterdam’s shipping industry. This industrial monument, built in 1952, has a length of 270 meters, a height of 13,5 meters and a width of 8,7 meters. A street length and width. The new construction on top is the same 270 meters long, with a width of 13,8 meters, accentuates the length of Kraanspoor and the phenomenal expansive view of the river IJ. Fully respecting its foundation, the building is lifted by slender steel columns 3 meters above the crane way, appearing to float above the impressive concrete colossus.

The challenge of the design for OTH was to utilize the maximum allowable load of the existing craneway. The concrete craneway functions as a foundation, and carries the maximum possible weight of a three storey building, with an asymmetrical overhang on the water-side; this is due to the heavier load barring function for the former revolving cranes that cantilevered to this side. The light-weight building of steel construction made the light-weight floors necessary. By using a hollow Infra+ floor system, the piping and wiring are tucked away in the floor allowing for a maximum clear height.

The glass building is clear and simple in plan. The newly built construction is characterized by its transparent double-skin climate façade of glass: the outer layer of moveable motor-driven glass louvers appear as lace-work around the building, the inner façade is of hinged timber windows with a full height from office floor to ceiling. This climate façade allows natural ventilation of the offices and acts as a buffer against heat in the summer and cold in the winter. The concrete Infra+ underfloor of only 70mm allows for concrete core activity. The water from the IJ river is pumped up and used for heating as well as cooling via a water pump.

The pre-existing facilities have been utilised in the building’s new function. The former four old stairwells still remain as entrance to the building and are foreseen with panorama lifts and new stairs. The two gangways/catwalks alongside the concrete craneway function as fire-escape routes. In the heart of the original concrete structure, underneath the new structure, is extensive archive/storage space.

"A seamless combination of old and new – industrial heritage and modern architecture in which the waterways are restored and the slipway determines the orientation. The entire place with its shipping industrial past has an intense energy. The object is to intertwine the old with the new, to preserve history, and not loose this energy.

The wharf is dead? – Long live the wharf."

text: www.archdaily.com

Towards the end of the Korean War, the USAF came to the realization that their transport fleet was becoming obsolete. The C-46 Commandos and C-47 Skytrains in service were no longer adequate, while the C-119 Flying Boxcar was having difficulties. In 1951, the USAF issued a requirement for a new tactical transport, an aircraft that would need to carry at least 72 passengers, be capable of dropping paratroopers, and have a ramp for loading vehicles directly into the cargo compartment. Moreover, it must be a “clean sheet” design, not a conversion from an existing airliner, and the USAF preferred it be a turboprop design. Five companies submitted designs, and six months later the USAF chose Lockheed’s L-402 design—over the misgivings of Lockheed’s chief designer, Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, who warned that the L-402 would destroy the company. Little was Johnson to know that, fifty years later, the L-402—designated C-130 Hercules by the USAF—would still be in production, and one out of only five aircraft to have over 50 years of service with the original purchaser.

The C-130 was designed to give mostly unfettered access to a large cargo compartment—the ramp forms an integral part of the rear fuselage, the wing is mounted above the fuselage, and the landing gear is carried in sponsons attached to the fuselage itself, while the fuselage has a circular design to maximize loading potential. The high wing also gives the C-130 good lift, especially in “high and hot” situations. The Allison T56 turboprop was designed specifically for the Hercules, and has gone on to become one of the most successful turboprop designs in history.

After two YC-130 prototypes, the Hercules went into production as the C-130A in 1956, to be superseded by the improved C-130B in 1959. The latter became the baseline Hercules variant: C-130As had three-blade propellers and a rounded "Roman" nose, while the B introduced the more familiar, longer radar nose and four-blade propellers. (Virtually all A models were later retrofitted to the long nose, though they kept the three-blade propellers.) In the 50 years hence, the basic C-130 design has not changed much: the C-130E introduced underwing external fuel tanks, while the C-130H has a slightly different wing. Even the new C-130J variant only introduced new engines with more fuel efficient six-bladed propellers: the basic design remains the same. Lockheed also offers stretched versions of the Hercules, initially as a civilian-only option (the L-100-30); the British Royal Air Force bought this version as the C-130K and it was later adopted by other nations, including the United States.

The basic C-130 is strictly a transport aircraft, but the versatility of the aircraft has meant it has been modified into a dizzying number of variants. These include the AC-130 Spectre gunship, the HC-130 rescue aircraft and WC-130 weather reconnaissance version. Other versions include several dozen EC-130 electronic warfare/Elint variants, KC-130 tankers, and DC-130 drone aircraft controllers. The USAF, the US Navy, and the US Marine Corps are all C-130 operators as well. Besides the United States, there are 67 other operators of C-130s, making it one of the world’s most prolific aircraft, with its only rivals the Bell UH-1 Iroquois family and the Antonov An-2 Colt biplane transport. C-130s are also used extensively by civilian operators as well as the L-100 series.

The “Herky Bird,” as it is often nicknamed, has participated in every military campaign fought by the United States since 1960 in one variation or the other. During Vietnam, it was used in almost every role imaginable, from standard transport to emergency bomber: as the latter, it dropped M121 10,000 pound mass-focus bombs to clear jungle away for helicopter landing zones, and it was even attempted to use C-130s with these bombs against the infamous Thanh Hoa Bridge in North Vietnam. (Later this capability was added as standard to MC-130 Combat Talon special forces support aircraft; the MC-130 is the only aircraft cleared to carry the GBU-43 MOAB.) It was also instrumental in resupplying the Khe Sanh garrison during its three-month siege. Hercules crews paid the price as well: nearly 70 C-130s were lost during the Vietnam War. In foreign service, C-130s have also been used heavily, the most famous instance of which was likely the Israeli Entebbe Raid of 1976, one of the longest-ranged C-130 missions in history. C-130s are often in the forefront of humanitarian missions to trouble spots around the world.

As of this writing, over 2300 C-130s have been built, and most are still in service. It remains the backbone of the USAF’s tactical transport service; attempts to replace it with the Advanced Tactical Transport Program (ATTP) in the 1980s and to supplement it with the C-27J Spartan in the 2000s both failed, as the USAF realized that the only real replacement for a C-130 is another C-130.

This rather plain looking C-130E is actually one of the most decorated Hercules in USAF service. Delievered around 1963 to the USAF as 62-1787, it was assigned to the 374th Tactical Airlift Wing based at Ching Chuan Kang AB, Taiwan, with detachments deployed throughout South Vietnam. On 15 April 1972, using the callsign Spare 617, the crew was sent out to airdrop ammunition to South Vietnamese forces during the Siege of An Loc. As the crew approached the drop zone, Spare 617 was raked by antiaircraft fire that killed the flight engineer, badly wounded loadmaster TSgt. Charles Shaub and the copilot, knocked out two engines, and set the cargo on fire. Despite his wounds, Shaub was able to jettison the ammunition pallets, which exploded just after leaving the aircraft. The pilot, Captain William Caldwell, got the aircraft back to Tan Son Nhut airport on one engine (a third one quit on approach) and with Shaub manually cranking down one of the landing gear. For their actions, Caldwell and Shaub were awarded the Air Force Cross, the second-highest award for gallantry in the USAF.

62-1787 was repaired and returned to service, and continued to serve in the USAF until 2011, when it was finally retired after 48 years of flying; its last unit was the 187th Airlift Wing (Arkansas ANG) at Little Rock AFB. It was donated to the National Museum of the USAF, where it remains today. 62-1787 carries its final color scheme of overall AMC Gray, and retains the 187th AW's "The Rock" tail stripe. Just goes to prove that even the most plain of aircraft has a story to tell.

Meet me the woods tonight # Lord Huron . Sometimes it's painful to find out the truth - dreaming of something that never existed.

Day 24... Follow your bliss

Follow your bliss

and the universe will open doors for you where

there were only walls. - Joseph Campbell

-----------------

Image created today on the bluff within The Self Realization Fellowship Center Encinitas. The surf break was larger with a strong off shore breeze holding the waves up while producing this beautiful spray...

"With the growing appreciation of true convenience in all the appointments of the home, there is coming a realization of the genuine comfort and satisfaction that enough telephones, properly located, will bring to any household." Uh huh....No place left to hide.

I wouldn't mind drinking lemonade on that porch though. If only I could see the lovely girl in the hat through the eyes of a young man of that time. The other girl is calling her broker. This was three months before the crash.

After Self-Realization, I thought i understood all the five principles, but i actually had understood only the 4th Principle the most. Before Gnan, I have faced difficult times during conversation with my sticky file which is my ex-wife, but after Gnan when i happened to speak to her i had immense peace within unlike earlier which is very impressive for me.

Read here more about Self Realization:

In English: www.dadabhagwan.org/self-realization/

In Hindi: hindi.dadabhagwan.org/self-realization/

In Gujarati: www.dadabhagwan.in/self-realization/

"After Self-Realization, I thought i understood all the five principles, but i actually had understood only the 4th Principle the most. Before Gnan, I have faced difficult times during conversation with my sticky file which is my ex-wife, but after Gnan when i happened to speak to her i had immense peace within unlike earlier which is very impressive for me.

Read here more about Self Realization:

In English: www.dadabhagwan.org/self-realization/

In Hindi: hindi.dadabhagwan.org/self-realization/

In Gujarati: www.dadabhagwan.in/self-realization/";

I had the sad and sudden realization that I hadn't made any pictures lately. Actually it had a been a few weeks since I had even picked up the camera. So I was determined to head out last night after work, and try to get a few pictures of something. I decided to pay a return visit to the old Springfield Bridge, which isn't that far of a drive from home.

I drove to Conway and met up with Zack, and we then drove north. The bridge is located near the small community of Bono, which just really consists of a church and a few homes. But it would have been the perfect opportunity to play some U2, but sadly I didn't have the Ipod, or even my Achtung Baby cd, so the opportunity was wasted. What was I thinking? Clearly, it was a lack of planning. At least the camera battery had a decent charge in it.

As we got to the bridge, I realized why I hadn't been out to take any pictures lately. It's because it's summer in Arkansas. It was about 94 degrees, with high humidity. So that meant that after a few minutes of being outside, I was already drenched in sweat. Actually saying "drenched" is putting it lightly. It was more like someone took a bucket of sweat and dumped it over my head.

And with that lovely mental image, I present instead this shot of the bridge. It is really a neat place to go and get pictures of, even in the summer heat of Arkansas. The bridge is old - actually it's the oldest vehicular bridge in the state. It was built way back in 1874. It served traffic for over a hundred years, before being replaced by a new bridge just upstream in 1994. After that the old Springfield bridge was abandoned, and left to rust and decay.

To visit it now, you have to very carefully make your way onto the bridge. Several of the wooden planks on the deck are gone, leaving deep holes. Most of the remaining pieces of wood on the bridge deck are severely rotten, which makes trying to cross the bridge very nerve-wracking. I could easily imagine the boards I was walking over suddenly and without warning breaking apart. Which would probably send me straight down into the muddy waters of Cadron Creek below. Luckily everything held up, and we were able to explore the bridge. But it is in pretty bad shape - no telling how much longer it will last. It would be a shame if the bridge became too unstable to cross.

“Once the realization is accepted that even between the closest human beings infinite distances continue, a wonderful living side by side can grow, if they succeed in loving the distance between them which makes it possible for each to see the other whole against the sky.”

- Rainer Maria Rilke

(third in a series...)

PLEASE NOTE: i apologize for the large copyright stamp placed on this photo...while i understand it is distracting and takes away from the image, this and many other photographs of mine have been stolen and are being used for profit. This is the only way I can protect my work...thank you for understanding!!!

80's hero

This picture makes me feel a little better after a long day of school and glumness. My day wasn't exactly horrible...well, nothing super horrible happened that is to say... my first day of senior year just wasn't what I expected and it just left me feeling crummy for the school days to come. I have a feeling I will feel differently later... after I get a little more used to things... but it definitely could be better...that's why I'm bummed.

Now you don't have to read this...I just feel like venting.

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So today was my first day of senior year. (I think that's already been established, but just reaffirming the fact.) I think the thing I am most bummed about is my schedule... my classes...

here. let me make a list of why I am in the mood I'm in... I think that will be easier.

1) my first two periods are AP courses. for those that don't know, they are honors classes that can give you college credit (correct me Mrs. Smith if I'm wrong)...they are classes a student chooses to take. so yes, I chose them... and the reason is because I want to challenge myself... but they are the FIRST TWO PERIODS OF MY DAY!! really?! okay so not too big of a deal... I'll get them done and over with right?? ...I'm just not looking forward to the butt load amount of hw to come in the future. it's not that I just don't do my work and I hate using my brain (after all why would I sign up for these classes in the first place??)...its that the two classes will be very time consuming.

2) ...that's not to mention my first period, (an AP class), is English. I have always gotten decent grades in english...but reading shakespeare and other works the school requires you to read and writing essays are just NOT things I enjoy doing. I WISH I enjoyed it...but I dont and cant control it. So that's a downer.

3) one more thing about AP. my second period is Calculus. I get so nervous to go to this class because the teacher is so intimidating. I have nothing against her...I had her last year and she can be great at getting you to understand math... but her class is just a class I cant feel comfortable in. I can't even concentrate all the time because she is so strict...I can't be relaxed. She doesn't scare ME enough for me not to go up and ask her a question... but it's pretty sad when ALL of the students feel this way about a teacher. She keeps us in line, I'll give you that... but it'd be nice if she would just lay off a bit haha ...I guess you guys would just have to be a student in her class to understand....

4) all of my classes after these two kinda stink because I am split up from all of my friends... well, good friends lets say. It's just an unfortunate fact I am learning to accept and to deal with, but that's just another little thing that made my day bleh.

5) I chose to take study hall this year. I felt I needed it because I was taking some tough classes and I thought I'd need the time to work. Okay great, but there's almost 70 kids in that class (WAY more than in a normal class just so you know, the study hall room is huge, my other classes contain on avg. maybe 28 kids??) ...so it gets pretty noisy. luckily some will leave to be assistants for other teachers... but I also don't like the room. haha okay that's being a little picky... but it's more of an auditorium setting, the desks are long and connected, and the chairs are so old. Idk... its just not a comfortable working environment...but ehh. I'll live.

6) Lunch. there are 3 lunches at my school. Of course... like every year... I get stuck in 3rd. the reasons 3rd lunch is not as good:

- they run out of food. (only sometimes...but thats rediculous)

- 1st and 2nd lunch have already been there to destroy everything lol

- and of course I'm STARVING by the time it arrives.

I have 3rd lunch for the reason that I'm in choir (which Sunny has always been in with me thank goodness.. so we have lunch together)...but this year, 3rd lunch is different. very few seniors; a ton of under classmen. I like the underclassmen, dont get me wrong. I have nothing against them... its just... we arent with our normal class members... you know what I mean??

7) I couldnt take an art class this year :(( thats just depressing. To me art class was a time to be creative, to take a break from everything school was shoving down our throats...something I enjoyed... but I COULDNT take one this year!!! well, I could if I dropped some classes, but I am making myself take those particular classes to challenge myself and because I will benefit from them. One that is taking place of art this year is Web Design. I WANT to take that class though. Dont know how much I will like it but I'm hoping it will come in handy...

8) Lastly... I signed up for peer tutoring. I help kids with disabilities. I looove helping people and I looooove kids, I'm just saying it wasn't what I expected. I thought I was tutoring kids that were just having trouble in a class! instead I walked into a room full of mentally disabled kids ( poor things :( ) and a very kiddish environment. but you know what....I am going to make it a great class. I WANT to help these kids.... I didnt realize we had so many of them that went to our school... I'm just hoping I can make a difference in their lives and maybe even make a difference in mine.

OOOOOOOOOKAYYYYYYYYYYY.

so that is the end of my complaining about 1st day of senior year lol and yes, maybe I am being a little nit-picky.... but everything added up to an already stressed teenager just didnt make me feel very good, but I feel better that I got that out and shared how I was feeling. I already feel better. I actually just came to the realization that things arent really as bad as they seem...

...no... not perfect. but they could be worse.

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sorry for the late upload. I STILL have things I need to get done tonight. hopefully I can get well rested before school tomorrow.... I need my rest...

Our first good glimpse of an Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin. When I was a child, I saw a documentary about the friendly dolphins of Western Australia and was captivated. I had seen dolphins from the coast of South Africa, where I grew up, but had not ever come very close to a wild one. It became a “bucket list” dream of mine to see the WA dolphins. 30 years later, I finally got to do it! The dolphins were as gregarious as described. We were fortunate to have the area to ourselves for about 10 minutes, during which time the dolphins curiously swam around and under our kayak, playfully popping up right beside us only to disappear. They “charged” toward us then dove under, showed off their amazing tails and otherwise delighted us. (When motorized boats later appeared, they swam off. Kayaking was definitely the best way to see them.). It was a very emotional moment for me, as dolphins were my favourite animal as a child, and I had longed to be this close to wild ones; the experience was just a dream come true. Special thank you to Jean Hort for recommending Mandurah! It was so worth the visit.

Série limitée et numérotée, avec certificat joint, pour chaque modèle de cadre.

PHOTO & TIRAGE en VENTE directe. DEVIS personnalisé SUR DEMANDE relevez la référence sous la photo

Me contacter : comlaphoto@gmail.com

Les photos, pour une lecture plus rapide, sont ici en basse résolution.

Tous ces clichés sont disponibles en haute résolution pour des tirages de qualité supérieure sur tous types de supports.

Tirages et impression sur tous supports : tirage classique, d’art, supports rigides (dibond, plexi, bois et pvc), toile, bâche etc.…

Réalisation de trompe l’œil.

A l’exception des œuvres d’artistes bénéficiant de la protection propriété intellectuelle (sculpteurs, architectes, peintres, marques, tags, graffitis, dessinateurs etc.)

Series limited and numbered, with certificate attached, for each model framework.

PHOTO & drawing in direct sales. Custom application specifications take the reference under the photo

Contact me: comlaphoto@gmail.com

The photos, for a faster reading, are here in low resolution.

All these clichés are available in high resolution for prints of superior quality on all types of media.

Prints and print in all formats: Classic, fine art print, rigid supports (dibond, selection, wood and pvc), canvas, tarpaulin etc....

Realization of proboscis eye.

Except the works of artists protected intellectual property (sculptors, architects, painters, designers etc.)

Série limitée et numérotée, avec certificat joint, pour chaque modèle de cadre.

PHOTO & TIRAGE en VENTE directe. DEVIS personnalisé SUR DEMANDE relevez la référence sous la photo

Me contacter : comlaphoto@gmail.com

Les photos, pour une lecture plus rapide, sont ici en basse résolution.

Tous ces clichés sont disponibles en haute résolution pour des tirages de qualité supérieure sur tous types de supports.

Tirages et impression sur tous supports : tirage classique, d’art, supports rigides (dibond, plexi, bois et pvc), toile, bâche etc.…

Réalisation de trompe l’œil.

A l’exception des œuvres d’artistes bénéficiant de la protection propriété intellectuelle (sculpteurs, architectes, peintres, marques, tags, graffitis, dessinateurs etc.)

Series limited and numbered, with certificate attached, for each model framework.

PHOTO & drawing in direct sales. Custom application specifications take the reference under the photo

Contact me: comlaphoto@gmail.com

The photos, for a faster reading, are here in low resolution.

All these clichés are available in high resolution for prints of superior quality on all types of media.

Prints and print in all formats: Classic, fine art print, rigid supports (dibond, selection, wood and pvc), canvas, tarpaulin etc....

Realization of proboscis eye.

Except the works of artists protected intellectual property (sculptors, architects, painters, designers etc.)

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