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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After two YC-130 prototypes, the Hercules went into production as the C-130A in 1956, to be superseded by the improved C-130B in 1959.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, most recently in the 2011 Sendai earthquake disaster in Japan.
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.
57-0526 was only the second C-130B ever built, and would serve as a testbed all of its career. Delivered in 1959, it would test rocket-assisted takeoff (RATO) for the 6515th Test Squadron at Edwards AFB, California; it would test the midair retrieval of satellite film capsules for the 6594th Test Group at Hickam AFB, Hawaii; it would finish testing electronics with the 6514th Test Squadron at Hill AFB, Utah. With 11,000 flight hours under its belt, 57-0526 was retired in 1994 and moved across the runway to the Hill Aerospace Museum.
57-0526 may have been recently refinished, as it is in superb shape; it carries Europe One tactical camouflage. To reflect its first assignment testing RATO flights, RATO bottles are attached to the fuselage just forward of the rear crew door.
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.
This OH-6A, 67-6017, entered Army service in 1968 and probably saw action in Vietnam. After the war ended and the Loach force was gradually withdrawn, 67-6017 was relegated to the aviation companies of the 45th Infantry Division (New York National Guard), and served there until 1995, when it was retired. It was acquired by the Russell Military Museum and remains there today.
67-6017 has had two of its rotors removed for easier storage and is missing its interior, but otherwise it is in good shape, and retains the markings of its last unit, the New York National Guard. The US Army sigils and olive drab camouflage were retained by the OH-6 force throughout its career, including during Vietnam.
Built in 1909 (opened in January 1910) by real estate developer Robert Marsh (who saw Mount Washington as a real estate possibility). His goal was to subdivide the more level land at the top of the hill and create large, exclusive, expensive lots with spectacular views of the ocean, Catalina and the San Gabriel Mountains. He wanted his development to rival the mansions in Westlake, West Adams and South Broadway. And he would lure people to the area by first constructing a resort hotel.
Even though the hotel was initially modest the whole project was enormous. Aside from constructing a hotel Marsh had to buy the land, design tracts and install public utilities. Furthermore, there was no practical access to the top of the mountain. Marsh was inspired by the “Angels Flight” incline rail (in downtown Los Angeles) which ran at 33% grade. He took a silent partner (Arthur St. Clair Perry) and built his own incline* rail called the "Los Angeles and Mount Washington Railway Company." The cable system had a length of 3000 feet (with a grade as high as 42%) and cost $42,000. Marsh was convinced that people would ride the Los Angeles Railway from downtown, get off at (what would become) Avenue 43 and Marmion Way and then ride his incline rail cars up to the hotel to experience its breathtaking views. He ran an ad in the May 21, 1909 Los Angeles Times which read:
“Mt Washington is just 20 minutes from Broadway and the center of downtown Los Angeles. It is no longer a dream of future achievement. It is a splendid, vivid reality of today. The stately mountain, whose beauties and scenic advantages have been admired for years, is now within 20 minutes of the heart of the business district. The sound of builders is heard from every side. Beautiful costly homes are about to spring up all over the mountain. A magnificent system of streets and boulevards is being projected. A trip to the incline and the summit of Mt. Washington will inspire and thrill you. Just take the Garvanza car, get off at Marmion Way and Avenue 43, and for 5 cents, just a nickel, you will have the ride of a lifetime. Service begins Sunday- May 23rd. Robert Marsh & Company 140 West 5th Street-Los Angeles.”
Marsh had wanted service to start on George Washington’s birthday (Feb 22) but the weather did not cooperate with construction. Furthermore the city inspector insisted that wood planking be added to the cable route as a safety measure. But in the end the plan worked, people flocked (the incline cars ran 11 hours a day, 18 hours on weekends) and the area eventually blossomed as an exclusive hilltop residential site.
Interestingly enough Mount Washington Hotel had only 18 rooms. With the majority of visitors coming and going for merely an afternoon or an evening there was little profit to be made. However, there were several silent film studios nearby (particularly in Sycamore Grove Park). And motion picture stars were taking up long term residence in the hotel. But in 1913, the studios ran out of room to expand their facilities and started moving to the Edendale section of Los Angeles, leaving The Mount Washington Hotel without customers. It closed in the summer of 1921. Briefly it became the location of the Goodrich-Mount Washington Emphysema Hospital before being purchased (in 1925) by Parmahansa Yogananda, a monk of the ancient Swami Order in India and founder of the Self-Realization Fellowship. The hotel was restored when Yogananda purchased it (it was occupied by vagrants and had been vandalized). The hotel building, today, remains the international headquarters of the Self-Realization Fellowship.
* The incline rail was what is known as a funicular railway. It consisted of two cars connected to each other by a cable. They counterbalanced each other so as one ascended the other descended. The railway ceased functioning in 1919 (due to a battle with the L.A. Board of Public Utilities who viewed the rail line as an elevator and wanted Marsh to make required upgrades). Although Marsh was granted a license to operate it as a railroad the California State Supreme Court determined that it was a vertical elevator. So Marsh ended the service and abandoned the railway. The City of Los Angeles had to purchase Mt. Washington Dr. (a private road), assume its maintenance, as well as construct other roads to serve the area. Suffice to say that the city spent far more money than if they had simply taken over and run the incline railway themselves.
3880 San Rafael Ave., Los Angeles, California
A “non-F” photo
Photos taken and published with permission of the Self-Realization Fellowship, www.yogananda-srf.org
215 West K Street
Encinitas, CA 92024
(760) 753-2888
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, most recently in the 2011 Sendai earthquake disaster in Japan.
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 anonymous C-130H is a prepainted kit; my intention at some point is to repaint it and give it some character. For now, it sits on my shelf as a proud representation of arguably the greatest transport ever produced. It wears the present overall AMC Gray camouflage used by USAF C-130 units.
...somewhere along the line i've turned into my grandpa. How did this occur? i'm not ready to grow up yet...
© PKG Photography
In Vajrayana Buddhism there are ritual implements and instruments. Many of the Buddha images hold one or two, or many of these, depending on how many arms the particular Buddha is displaying. All of these implements have meaning. Each is there to engage our busy minds in a way that will lead us toward the Truth. Those held in the left hand relate to wisdom, the realization of the emptiness of all phenomena, and those held in the right hand relate to skillful means, or compassion.
The bell and dorje are two of these implements. The dorje, held in the right hand, represents skillful means, and the bell, held in the left, represents wisdom. Together these ritual implements represent the inseparability of wisdom and compassion in the enlightened mindstream. Looked at separately, each is a great treasure of spiritual meaning.
The word Dorje means Lord of Stones in Tibetan. It symbolizes the capacity to transform all experience into an experience of enlightened perspective. Everything in samsara, cyclic existence, is impermanent, and therefore, not to be relied upon. The dorje symbolizes the skillful means of transforming our ordinary experience to one that will propel us on our spiritual path. The dorje has five extraordinary characteristics. It is impenetrable, immovable, immutable, indivisible, and indestructible. The dorje is the indestructible weapon of the wrathful deities. It is the symbol of spiritual authority of the peaceful deities.
Vajra, the Sanskrit word, means the hard or mighty one, diamond-like. Its brilliance illuminates ignorance and reveals Truth, destroying the delusion that causes suffering. Once the cause of suffering is revealed to us, we are empowered to create the causes of happiness. Ultimately we will attain the egoless state, which is free from all suffering. From the Vajrayana perspective, the motivation for attaining this state is to relieve all beings from their suffering.
The physical appearance of the dorje is rich in meaning. At the very center is a sphere representing the dharmata, the sphere of reality itself, the ultimate truth. Surrounding the sphere on either side are one or three ‘strands of pearls’, depending on the size of the dorje. These represent the three doors of liberation. The first door is the transcendental concentration of signlessness, in which words and concepts fall away and there is nothing to grasp. The second is the transcendental concentration on directionlessness, the state of perfect equanimity–spiritual stability and balance. The third is the transcendental concentration on emptiness.
Next to the pearls on either side of the sphere are eight-petaled lotuses. The petals on one side represent the eight great Bodhisattvas; the petals on the other represent their consorts. * The next display on the vajra is a moon disc. This is the seat of the Bodhisattvas symbolizing the full realization of Bodhicitta, the Great Compassion.
There are six more rings after the moon disc. These symbolize the six perfections: generosity, moral conduct, patience, joyful effort, concentration, and wisdom. The accomplishment of these six is the foundation of the Mahayana, the Great Vehicle of Buddhist study and practice. They are the hallmark of the Bodhisattva path. When one has accomplished these, one can truly be of benefit to others.
The next thing we see on the dorje are the makaras. A makara is a composite animal with jaws like a crocodile which symbolizes effort and persistence in Dharma practice.
A vajra may have one, two, three, four, five, six, or nine prongs. The most common is the five-pronged vajra. They look like points that protrude from the curved ends, one on each curve and one at each end. These five prongs symbolize the five Buddhas of the five Buddha families and their consorts.
The bell, also, is rich in symbolic meaning and power. Mainly the bell is the mandala of Prajnaparamita, the Great Mother, she from whom all reality comes forth. By its sound, the bell invites or attracts the deities to attend or participate and warns or drives away obstructing forces. The ringing of the bell can remind one of the emptiness of phenomena or bring the mind into greater awareness. As a musical instrument, its sound can be an offering to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
The hollow of the bell represents the void from which all phenomena arise, including the sound of the bell, and the clapper represents form. Together they symbolize wisdom (emptiness) and compassion (form or appearance). The sound, like all phenomena, arises, radiates forth and then dissolves back into emptiness.
If you look closely at the bell, you will see many markings or designs on it. Each of these has a meaning. On the rim of the bell is the disc of space that gives rise to the sound of emptiness. The vajra fence, the indestructible circle of protection which encircles the bell is bordered on both sides by a ring of pearls. The bottom ring is a ring of wisdom flames, representing the five primordial wisdoms. The top ring of pearls is another protective circle symbolizing the development of the higher states of consciousness which allow one to enter the celestial palace of Prajnaparamita. The flames are associated with Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, the vajras with Vajrapani, the Bodhisattva of Power, and the lotuses with Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. This indicates that spiritual qualities are the true protection.
Above the protective border are the makaras holding loops of jeweled pendants with vajras in between them. The jeweled pendants decorate the celestial palace. The vajras in between symbolize the eight charnel grounds within the mandala. Above the jeweled loops and between the makaras are eight lotus petals representing the eight Bodhisattvas. The lotus petals are marked with syllables representing the eight consorts or offering goddesses. Above this is another double row of pearls with a row of vajras in between. These represent the inner walls and inner protection circle of the mandala.
The stem of the bell rises above this. At its base are lotus petals, representing Prajnaparamita’s lotus throne. On the stem there are two sets of pearl rings, a lower set and an upper set. Together these represent the six perfections. In between them is either a square or round base. The square base represents the earth, the round a long life vase. The long life vase symbolizes the nectar of accomplishment and represents the nectar-filled body of the goddess Prajnaparamita whose face is above. Prajnaparamita represents the perfection (paramita) of the absolute non-duality of all the Buddha’s wisdom or discriminating awareness (prajna). The binding of her hair represents the binding of all views into non-dual reality. There are five wisdom-jewels on her crown, which overlap onto the five front petals of the upper vajra’s eight-petaled lotus pedestal. The bell is crowned at the top with a five or nine-pointed vajra.
These two instruments give us much to contemplate and meditate upon. Deepening in our understanding of what they represent and using them in our practice with that deepened understanding give them the potential of being very valuable tools for our path. As we become more familiar with the various Buddhas and their qualities, and participate in ritual ceremony and empowerment we move closer to the realization of our own Buddha nature, which is, after all, the point.
This picture was taken about 2 years ago!
It's so crazy too, cause I remember exactly what was going
on in my life at that time!!!
It really makes me realize how thankful
I am to have the certain ppl I have in my life now!!
- One-off
- Fantastic design, dramatic look
- An accessible dream
This exceptional body is the realization of the dream of a truly passionate collector. It was triggered off by the discovery of the photos of a convertible Bucciali TAV 30, exhibited in the 1931 and the 1932 editions of the Paris Motor Show, at the Grand Palais. He completely fell in love with this exceptional car. These rare photos were published in the excellent book by Christian Huet on Bucciali cars, published in 2004.
Before going any further, a little history is in order. This enigmatic brand bears the name of Paul-Albert Bucciali, who often managed to realize his wildest of dreams. In 1930, he designed a body that had all the elements of drama and seduction: long hood, lowered chassis, low-profile windows and very large wheels, like those of the Bugatti Royale. The original curve of the front fender hugged the wheel to extend horizontally back to the height of the chassis. The sides of the long hood were visually cleaned up to receive a large "arrow-like stork", like the one he had used on his fighter plane, a Spa 26, one of the six squadrons of these Storks from World War I. After preparing the drawings in the Bucciali workshop at Courbevoie, the "project" was entrusted to the famous coachbuilder Saoutchik. The body was built on the old chassis TAV 2 of 1928, which was stripped of all its mechanicals. This was a car specifically for the motor show, designed to find a buyer, who would then be able to finance the production of the new S chassis and the gearbox of the TAV 3. A buyer actually came through in 1931, but he wanted a sedan body and not a convertible! For this beautiful convertible, there was no buyer at all, so it was destroyed in 1934.
Realizing his dream became an obsession for the collector, who decided in 2010, to buy a complete Cord L29 FWD chassis. It was powered by an 4.9-liter in-line eight from Lycoming. The Bucciali brand still existed, so he got the authorization in 2012 to carry out a reproduction of the convertible TAV 30 of 1931, under certain conditions of maintaining quality, and the right to make just one example. The original document is part of the file that comes with the car.
The making of this ambitious project was entrusted to the Bonnefoy workshop, in Cher, which fabricated the frame members by extending and modifying the Cord chassis, by developing the suspension system and the steering linkages to fit the larger wheels that were specially made for this prototype. Though based on a wooden frame, the body is made of sheet steel, while the hood, doors and trunk lid are in aluminum. The owner, with the Bonnefoy workshop, customized the achievement, by changing the color of the bodywork and of the storks and adding a rear boot. Completed in 2013, the result was most impressive and car was specially exhibited at the Retromobile Salon of 2014, where the car starred. This outstanding achievement was the subject of a compliance certificate issued by the Bucciali brand and this certificate will be given to the buyer too.
Once a dream has been fulfilled, it usually fades away with time, giving way to another. This is the reason the current owner is putting his dream Bucciali-Cord on sale. Just four authentic Buccialis remain in the world today; therefore, this spectacular car is a very unique opportunity to acquire the only official copy which is both impressive and unrivaled.
Sale Retromobile 2016 by Artcurial Motorcars
5 Février 2016
Estimation € 500.000 - 700.000
Sold for € 596.000
Salon Retromobile 2016
Paris Expo - Porte de Versailles
Paris - France
Februari 2016
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.
Built as 67-6381 in 1968, this OH-6A was sent directly to South Vietnam, where it served from 1969 to 1971, mainly with the 17th Cavalry Regiment at Di An. After the regiment was withdrawn from Southeast Asia, 67-6381 was relegated to an unknown Army National Guard unit, along with most of the Loach fleet. It was retired in the 1980s and donated to the English Field Air and Space Museum in Texas, but when that museum closed in 2007, 67-6381 was moved to the Pima Air and Space Museum.
67-6381 is displayed hanging from the ceiling in Pima's main hangar, appearing as it would have in 1970; the white triangle on the fuselage is a tactical marking, while the red tailfins identified an aircraft of the 17th Cavalry.
We would like to present hand painted oil on canvas painting (recreation) of Afremov's artwork mentioned in the title. This art piece made by Leonid Afremov Studio with the same amount of soul and emotion just like the first original painting. The piece is created with oil paint on artistic canvas using Afremov's unique technique of a palette knife.
afremov.com/moment-of-realization-oil-painting-wall-art-c...
Museu Blau, Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona, Spain
Architects: Herzog & de Meuron, project 2009-2010, realization 2010-2012
Relocating the Museum of Natural Sciences into the Forum Barcelona building signals the beginning of a new life cycle for both institutions: one where each mutually benefits from the space, program and potential of the other. With its large exterior and interior spaces and its reference to natural processes and shapes, the architecture of the Forum is a particularly appropriate new home for the relocated Museum. And the Museum of Natural Science promises to energetically revitalise the existing building, replacing vacant space with intense new public activities.
The open public space that marks the approach from the Diagonal and extends under the triangular body of the building is now diversified and activated, engaging with the life of the city. The corner addressing the city centre retains its function as the main public approach. This is enhanced by the three existing pavilions which are reconfigured to provide meeting places for groups and general information along the approach to the museum entrance. The second corner, further along the Diagonal is enlivened with lush external planting and the basin under the water patio. And finally, the corner addressing the sea is activated by a new exterior dining area for students and groups, adjacent to a bar which opens onto the plaza. The interior of the elevated triangular building, which is like a vast interior landscape, structured by patios, creates a specific space well suited to an exhibition of Natural science and to the Museum’s demand for growth and need to display more of its outstanding collection.
Architecture and Museography
The core of the Museum is its permanent exhibition. This consists of an outstanding collection of rocks and minerals, taxidermy, microbes, plants and herbariums, meteorites, scientific drawings, diagrams, fossils and skeletons, sounds and dioramas, gathered together over centuries in Barcelona. The exhibition consists of elements from the permanent collection structured around the concept of Gaia – the idea of a living planet which forms and is, in turn, transformed by life.
This exhibition arrangement follows the logic of the existing space and at the same time radically transforms it. It frees the visitor to explore any number of individual routes while still ensuring an overall logical sequence. It also extends into the museum lobby, where the main stair and the dramatically hung whale skeleton forms the central arrival and departure point for all public programs, including shop, restaurant, media library, classrooms, event spaces and temporary exhibition, as well as administration and support areas. The lobby extends down to the plaza connecting to the large covered public space of the Museu Blau, allowing for the visitor to invigorate the rapidly developing area where the Diagonal reaches the sea.
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, most recently in the 2011 Sendai earthquake disaster in Japan.
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.
The RAF began buying C-130s in the early 1970s to replace a plethora of heavy transports, such as the Armstrong-Whitworth Argosy and Bristol Beverley. Though designated C-130K by Lockheed, the RAF called them Hercules C.1. The RAF was among the first to order the stretched L-100-30 as the Hercules C.3, though these were also referred to as C-130Ks.
XV218, shown here, was a standard (non-stretched) Hercules C.1; it is somewhat anonymous, but was probably assigned to 47 Squadron at RAF Lyneham, UK. It arrived at Sembach AB, West Germany, at the 1980 airshow to provide mission support for the Red Arrows. XV218 shows off standard RAF camouflage of dark gray and dark green at the time, with light gray undersides.
XV218 later received an air refueling probe and served in the Falklands War of 1982. It was retired in favor of the Hercules C.4 (C-130J) sometime around 2005, and was later scrapped.
Dress: Jomo - Chinese Court Costume (free from lucky board)
Hairdo: Tableau Vivant - Gloster
Skin: Belleza - Aiko in pale
By the beginning of the 1970s, the nations of Western Europe had come to the realization that a dedicated strike aircraft was desperately needed. Most of NATO was depending on the F-104G Starfighter as their primary interdiction and strike aircraft, while France had only aging Mysteres and modified Mirage IIIs. The United Kingdom did not even have that: the promising TSR.2 had been cancelled, as had a British version of the F-111 Aardvark. Moreover, the UK also lacked an interceptor, relying on the outdated Lightning F.6. Finally, as the emerging European Common Market (the forerunner of the European Union) sought to distance itself from the United States, Western Europe desired an aircraft designed by Europeans for Europeans, rather than depending on American designs.
All parties agreed that the new Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) should be a twin-engined dedicated strike aircraft, with variable-sweep wings that would allow it high dash speed at low-level to the target, yet allow it to operate from short runways or semi-improved fields. Political infighting over who would lead the MRCA project led France to withdraw from the program, followed by Canada, Belgium, and the Netherlands, leaving just West Germany, Britain, and Italy by 1971. Production of the MRCA would be divided between Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Bohm (MBB) of Germany, the British Aircraft Company (BAC) of the UK, and Fiat of Italy, under the umbrella of Panavia; the engines would similarly be produced by all three nations, with Britain’s Rolls-Royce in the lead, as Turbo-Union. Though Germany preferred a single-seat aircraft and the UK wanted an interceptor, the nations agreed to a two-seat aircraft to lessen the pressure on the pilot, while the MRCA would also be developed as an interceptor to satisfy the British requirement. The emphasis, however, was on the immediate development of a strike aircraft.
With the finalization of the aircraft design, what became the Panavia Tornado came together relatively quickly, with the first prototype flight in August 1974. Testing also went smoothly: the loss of two prototypes to crashes was traced to problems with the variable-flow intakes and the thrust reverser, which had been added to the design to improve its short-field landing performance. The strike version, designated Tornado IDS (Interdiction/Strike) for Germany and Italy, and Tornado GR.1 for Britain, entered service in 1979. Despite the hopes of the Panavia partners, the Tornado was never an export success, with only Saudi Arabia purchasing the aircraft: the F-16 and Mirage F.1 were cheaper alternatives, with more weapons options and less mechanically complex.
The Tornado IDS nonetheless proved to be a superb aircraft, with excellent handling in all flight profiles, and open to continual improvement. After the success of the American Wild Weasel program, Germany and Italy opted for a further development of the Tornado IDS to a dedicated anti-SAM aircraft, the Tornado ECR (Electronic Countermeasures/Reconnaissance).
The Tornado would never be called on to fight a war in Central Europe against the Soviet Union, which it had been designed to do. Instead, its first combat would come in the deserts of Iraq in the First Gulf War. RAF Tornados were tasked specifically with runway interdiction of Iraqi airfields—tactics that had been practiced often in anticipation of a Third World War. The result was near-disastrous: Iraqi antiaircraft fire accounted for three Tornados in as many days, as RAF pilots had trained to use terrain avoidance in Europe to mask them from ground fire; in Iraq, there was no terrain to hide behind. This forced the Tornado force to medium altitudes and freefall bombs only, as the Tornado IDS/GR.1 lacked the ability to launch precision-guided munitions.
The Tornado has since done better. Continually improved to carry a wide variety of weaponry, including the ALARM antiradar missile, Brimstone antitank missile, Kormoran and Sea Eagle antiship missiles, and American-built JDAMs, Tornados from Germany, Italy, and the UK have participated in wars in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya. In Afghanistan, German Tornado ECRs have been invaluable using their onboard sensors to detect improvised explosive devices, while Italian Tornado IDS and RAF Tornado GR.4s essentially grounded the Libyan Air Force in the first days of the conflict by hitting runways and hangars; RAF Tornados flew from bases in the UK to Libya in the longest missions since the 1982 Falklands conflict. RAF, Luftwaffe, and AMI Tornado IDS/GR.4s will remain in service until at least 2025, to be replaced by either more Typhoons or the F-35 Lightning II. With 992 Tornados produced, the aircraft has easily been the most successful European aircraft built since World War II.
When one of the members of the local game club passed away in 2010, he left behind a fairly large collection of GHQ Miniatures, meant for tabletop wargaming. His collection was mostly unpainted, so I got permission to go ahead and finish them. This Tornado IDS is painted as a German Marineflieger Tornado, optimized for the antiship role: two AS.34 Komoran antiship missiles are carried beneath the wings, along with two ECM pods (I think; at this scale, it's hard to tell). No markings were included, since these minis were long out of the box, so I handpainted some German markings. This is the 1990s-era Marineflieger camouflage, with wraparound two shades of dark gray.
It turned out well enough, considering the tiny scale: the GHQ aircraft are made in 1/285 scale so that they're the same size as the company's vehicles.