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Weston Bike Nights 12 June 2014
This weekly Thursday meet during the summer is based at the sea front in the sea side resort of Weston Super Mare, North Somerset, UK.
It is organised by the Riders Branch of the British legion, all bike donate £1 to enter and all proceeds go the charity The Poppy Appeal.
Images can be obtained for a donation of £5 per image, the full image will then be e-mailed to you.
Either send donation via paypal stating the images wanted to bikenightphotos@btinternet.com or send a e-mail to bikenightphotos@btinternet.com with your request and a paypal invoice will be e-mailed to you allowing you to make a secure donation via debit/credit card.
All proceeds will go to the charity being supported by the event The Poppy Appeal
For further assistance about these images e-mail bikenightphotos@btinternet.com
Show your support for the event and donate for any photos you use, full size images are 3888 X 2592
Please note the images put onto this site are reduced in quality/ size.
Further Information
The Riders Branch of the Royal British Legion
Membership open to all who have a love of motorcycling and are in agreement with the aims of the British Legion
Weston Bike Night Website
TMB 105 650 f 6.2 + canon 350D
Mount Eq6 pro
guide: SW 100/500 + dmk21
20 pose da 5 min
8 dark
No flat (mi sono dimenticato la flat box)
T: 16°C
Località Pizzoferrato (CH)
umidità elevata
moderato inquinamento luminoso (via lattea appena visibile)
Kidney stones are hard deposits of minerals and salts that can form in the kidneys, and they can be very painful and can cause damage to the kidneys. Here are five steps that can help in preventing kidney stones:
1) Stay hydrated:
Drinking plenty of water is one of the most important things you can do to prevent kidney stones. Water helps to dilute the concentration of minerals and salts in the urine, which can help to prevent the formation of kidney stones. Experts recommend drinking at least 8-10 glasses of water a day.
Staying hydrated is very important for maintaining good health and well-being. Here are some tips to help you stay hydrated:
Drink plenty of water: Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day, and more if you are physically active or in a hot climate.
Eat hydrating foods: Foods such as watermelon, cucumber, and celery contain a lot of water and can help you stay hydrated.
Avoid dehydrating beverages: Limit your intake of alcohol, coffee, and sugary drinks, as they can dehydrate you.
Set reminders: Set reminders to drink water throughout the day, especially if you are prone to forgetting.
Carry a water bottle: Carry a reusable water bottle with you so that you can easily refill it throughout the day.
Remember, staying hydrated is crucial for good health, so make it a priority in your daily routine.
2) Eat a balanced diet:
A diet that is high in sodium, animal protein, and sugar can increase the risk of developing kidney stones. Eating a balanced diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables, and low in animal protein and sodium, can help to reduce the risk of kidney stones. Experts also recommend reducing the intake of oxalate-rich foods, such as spinach, rhubarb, and chocolate.
Eating a balanced diet is important for maintaining good health and well-being. Here are some general guidelines for achieving a balanced diet:
Include a variety of food groups: To get all the essential nutrients your body needs, aim to include a variety of food groups in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats.
Focus on whole foods: Try to prioritize whole, minimally processed foods over highly processed options, as they tend to be more nutrient-dense and better for your overall health.
Get enough protein: Protein is important for building and repairing tissues in the body, so make sure to include sources of protein in your diet such as lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, legumes, and nuts.
Choose healthy fats: Include sources of healthy fats in your diet such as avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish, which can help to lower inflammation and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Limit added sugars and salt: Too much added sugar and salt in your diet can increase the risk of chronic diseases, so try to limit your intake of sugary drinks, snacks, and processed foods.
Stay hydrated: Drinking enough water is important for maintaining good health, so make sure to stay hydrated throughout the day by drinking water or other low-sugar beverages.
Remember that everyone's dietary needs may differ based on their age, gender, activity level, and health status. Consulting a healthcare professional or registered dietitian can help you determine what a balanced diet looks like for you.
3) Limit alcohol and caffeine:
Consuming too much alcohol and caffeine can increase the risk of kidney stones. Alcohol and caffeine can dehydrate the body, which can make the urine more concentrated and increase the risk of stone formation. Experts recommend limiting alcohol and caffeine intake to reduce the risk of kidney stones.
Limiting alcohol and caffeine can have health benefits and help you feel your best. Here's some information on how to do so:
Limit alcohol intake: Drinking too much alcohol can have negative effects on your health, such as increasing the risk of liver disease, certain cancers, and mental health problems. If you choose to drink alcohol, it is recommended to limit your intake. For men, it's recommended to have no more than two drinks per day, and for women, no more than one drink per day.
Reduce caffeine intake: While moderate caffeine intake is generally considered safe for most people, consuming too much caffeine can cause negative effects like anxiety, irritability, and sleep disturbances. To reduce your caffeine intake, consider swapping out some of your caffeinated beverages for decaffeinated options, and avoid consuming caffeine close to bedtime to prevent sleep disturbances.
Be mindful of hidden sources: Many beverages and foods contain caffeine or alcohol, even if they don't taste like it. Be mindful of these hidden sources and pay attention to how much you're consuming.
Overall, it's important to listen to your body and be mindful of how much alcohol and caffeine you're consuming. If you're concerned about your intake, or if you're experiencing negative effects from consuming these substances, consider talking to your healthcare provider or a mental health professional for guidance.
4) Exercise regularly:
Regular exercise can help to reduce the risk of kidney stones by helping to maintain a healthy weight and reducing the risk of obesity. Obesity is a risk factor for kidney stones, and maintaining a healthy weight through regular exercise can help to reduce this risk.
Regular exercise is essential for maintaining good health and well-being. Here are some benefits of regular exercise:
Improved physical fitness: Exercise can help you build and maintain muscle, increase cardiovascular health, and improve flexibility and balance.
Weight management: Regular exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight or lose weight if necessary.
Reduced risk of chronic diseases: Exercise can lower the risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
Improved mental health: Exercise is known to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and improve overall mood.
Better sleep: Regular exercise can improve the quality and duration of sleep.
To reap these benefits, it's recommended that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week, plus muscle-strengthening activities at least two days per week. It's also important to choose activities that you enjoy and to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine whenever possible, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or going for a walk during your lunch break.
5) Take medications as prescribed:
If you have a medical condition that increases your risk of kidney stones, such as hypercalciuria or cystinuria, your doctor may prescribe medications to help prevent the formation of kidney stones. It's important to take these medications as prescribed and to follow your doctor's recommendations for preventing kidney stones.
Taking medications as prescribed is essential for getting the maximum benefit from them and for avoiding potential health risks. Here are some reasons why it's important to take medications as prescribed:
Effective treatment: Medications are designed to treat specific conditions or symptoms. Taking them as prescribed ensures that you are getting the full therapeutic effect.
Safety: Taking medications as prescribed can help prevent adverse effects or complications. It's important to follow instructions such as not mixing medications that may interact with each other or taking certain medications with food.
Consistent blood levels: Many medications need to be taken consistently to maintain consistent levels in the bloodstream for effective treatment.
Avoid drug resistance: Taking medications as prescribed can help prevent the development of drug resistance. In some cases, taking less medication than prescribed can lead to drug resistance and treatment failure.
To take medications as prescribed, it's important to follow the instructions given by your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Make sure to understand how often and when to take the medication, what to do if you miss a dose, and what side effects to watch for. If you have any questions or concerns about your medications, it's important to talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist. It's also important to keep a list of all the medications you are taking and to inform your healthcare provider of any changes to your medication regimen.
Overall, preventing kidney stones requires a combination of lifestyle changes and medical management, if necessary. By following these steps, you can help to reduce your risk of developing kidney stones and promote better kidney health.
From my set entitled “Morning Glory”
www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/sets/72157607213945288/
In my collection entitled “The Garden”
www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/collections/7215760718...
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morning_glory
Morning glory is a common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae, belonging to the following genera:
Calystegia
Convolvulus
Ipomoea
Merremia
Rivea
As the name implies, morning glory flowers, which are funnel-shaped, open in the morning, allowing them to be pollinated by Hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and other daytime insects and birds as well as Hawkmoth at dusk for longer blooming variants. The flower typically lasts for a single morning and dies in the afternoon. New flowers bloom each day. The flowers usually start to fade a couple of hours before the petals start showing visible curling. They prefer full sun throughout the day and mesic soils. In cultivation, most are treated as perennial plants in tropical areas and as annual plants in colder climates, but some species tolerate winter cold. Some moonflowers, which flower at night, are also in the morning glory family.
Morning glory is also called asagao (in Japanese, a compound of 朝 asa "morning" and 顔 kao "face"). A rare brownish-coloured variant known as Danjuro is very popular. It was first known in China for its medicinal uses, due to the laxative properties of its seeds. It was introduced to the Japanese in the 9th century, and they were first to cultivate it as an ornament. During the Edo Period, it became a very popular ornamental flower. Aztec priests in Mexico were also known to use the plant's hallucinogenic properties. (see Rivea corymbosa).
Ancient Mesoamerican civilizations used the morning glory species Ipomoea alba to convert the latex from the Castilla elastica tree and also the guayule plant to produce bouncing rubber balls. The sulfur in the morning glory's juice served to vulcanize the rubber, a process pre-dating Charles Goodyear's discovery by at least 3,000 years.[1]
Because of their fast growth, twining habit, attractive flowers, and tolerance for poor, dry soils, some morning glories are excellent vines for creating summer shade on building walls when trellised, thus keeping the building cooler and reducing heating and cooling costs.
Popular varieties in contemporary western cultivation include the Morning Glory "Sunspots" "Heavenly Blue", the moonflower, the cypress vine, and the cardinal climber. The cypress vine is a hybrid, with the cardinal climber as one parent.
In some places such as Australian bushland morning glories develop thick roots and tend to grow in dense thickets. They can quickly spread by way of long creeping stems. By crowding out, blanketing and smothering other plants, morning glory has turned into a serious invasive weed problem.
Ipomoea aquatica, known as water spinach, water morning-glory, water convolvulus, Ong-Choy, Kang-kung, or swamp cabbage, is popularly used as a green vegetable especially in East and Southeast Asian cuisines. It is a Federal Noxious Weed, however, and technically it is illegal to grow, import, possess, or sell. See: USDA weed factsheet. As of 2005, the state of Texas has acknowledged that water spinach is a highly prized vegetable in many cultures and has allowed water spinach to be grown for personal consumption. This is in part because water spinach is known to have been grown in Texas for more than fifteen years and has not yet escaped cultivation.[2] The fact that it goes by so many names means that it easily slips through import inspections, and it is often available in Asian or specialty produce markets.
The seeds of many species of morning glory contain ergot alkaloids such as the hallucinogenic ergonovine and ergine (LSA). Seeds of I. tricolor and I. corymbosa (syn. R. corymbosa) are used as hallucinogens. The seeds can produce similar effect to LSD when taken in the hundreds. Though the chemical LSA is illegal to possess in pure form, the seeds are found in many gardening stores, however, the seeds from gardening stores may be coated in some form of mild poison in order to prevent ingestion or methylmercury to retard spoilage.[3] They should not be taken by people with a history of liver disorders or hepatitis. They should not be taken by pregnant women as they can cause uterine contraction which can lead to miscarriage. Individuals with a history of cardiovascular disease (Heart attack, blood clot, and stroke) or a family history of such problems, and the elderly should avoid consuming these seeds due to their vasoconstrictive effects.[4][5][6]
Note that the plant known as Korean morning glory, Datura stramonium, is of a different species, is poisonous, and also produces hallucinogenic effects.
TMB 105 650 f 6.2 + canon 350D
Mount Eq6 pro
guide: SW 100/500 + dmk21
20 pose da 5 min
8 dark
No flat (mi sono dimenticato la flat box)
T: 16°C
Località Pizzoferrato (CH)
umidità elevata
moderato inquinamento luminoso (via lattea appena visibile)
Kostanjevica/Castagnevizza tunnel, at the border between Italy and Slovenija.
Nova Gorica, Slovenija, (January 10, 2008)
Here he is opening a bottle with his teeth. Must have picked up that trick in one of the local pubs...
MTA Chair & CEO Janno Lieber announces the release of Reduced Fare OMNY cards on Friday, Dec 13, 2024 at the Stone Street Customer Service Center.
(Marc A. Hermann / MTA)
Reducing GHGs now yields attractive returns. Watch leaders discuss LIVE at #CWNYC: ClimateWeekNYC.org
Taken inside the raised walkway over going from Oslo Central Station to the Opera House, with thick fog hiding everyting outside.
Lens: Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 16-85 f/3.5-5.6G ED VR @ 38mm
Exposure: 1/25 sec @ ƒ4.8, ISO 100
HDR: 3 exposures (+/- 1EV)
Post Processing: BW HDR
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
To shore up its need for a dedicated night fighter in 1940, the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) went ahead with modified Douglas A-20 "Havoc" / "Boston" light bombers to suit the role. Development began in 1942 in anticipation that the series would not have to fight for long as the Northrop P-61 "Black Widow" - purposely designed for night fighting - would soon arrive in 1943. An XP-70 served as the series prototype to prove the validity of the conversion and the aircraft then operated under the formal designation of P-70 "Nighthawk".
It was the British Royal Air Force (RAF) that first realized the A-20 as a night fighter when they converted their A-20 Havocs for the role by installing appropriate air intercept radar and a ventral gun pod. The glazed nose section was painted over/covered to shroud the radar suite and an additional internal fuel tank was fitted for extended operational ranges. The USAAC followed suit, arming their A-20s and outfitting them with local copies of the British AI Mk IV radar (as the SCR-540). These aircraft too lost their glazed nose sections. Some fitted a ventral cannon tray with 4 x 20mm cannons while others utilized a "gun nose" mounting six or eight 0.50 M2 Browning heavy machine guns - continuing the American reliance on all-machine-gun armament for their aircraft. In these forms, the radar suite was moved to the bomb bay. The armor protection encountered in the original A-20 was reduced to help lighten the operation loads of the P-70s. It was deemed that such an aircraft, in its given role, need not burden itself down with unnecessary protection.
The Douglas A-20 airframe proved a solid choice for the mission ahead. Its dual-engine configuration, particularly over expansive oceans, meant that the aircraft could fly on a single engine if forced. The machine’s handling was very good and even the bombers turned out to be agile aircraft. The multiple crew spread the workload around helping to reduce pilot fatigue. Cannon armament - or similar forward-firing firepower - was a prerequisite considering that the crew would have, at best, a single attack against an enemy target and best make the first shots count.
The designation P-70 marked the original base Nighthawks which were all converted from bombers numbering 59 examples. The P-70A-1 mark emerged from the A-20C production model and totaled 39 examples while the 65 P-70A-2s came from the A-20G. The P-70B-1 was the A-20G-10-DO night fighter conversion even though only a single example was built and tested, and P-70B-2s were A-20G and A-20J models reserved for training future P-61 crews. These aircraft were outfitted with SCR-720 and SCR-729 radar kits.
In practice, the P-70 proved a serviceable machine and was initially only fielded in the Pacific Theater, even though there was already a converted A-20 with radar on station over California after the Japanese attack at Pearl to prove the aircraft-radar combination sound. Later, the machines were also operated in Europe. First P-70 deliveries arrived in April of 1942 with machine gun noses while retaining support for 2,000lb of internal stores if needed. The A-1s then followed in 1943 during a period when night fighters were in constant need against marauding Japanese raiders.
While the early P-70s lacked much in the way of flat-out speed and high-altitude work (they lacked superchargers), they provided a workable and effective stopgap solution while frontline units were waiting for the dedicated P-61, which was severely delayed, though, and would not arrive before mid-1944. Especially for the European theatre of operations the Allied forced required high performance night fighters, which potentially could escort bombers to target in Germany and fend off German night fighters that attcked the bombers, so that British Bristol Beaufighters had to be operated by USAAF night fighter units. This led to the emergency development of the P-70C, a thoroughly redesigned and upgraded night fighter variant of the A-20 airframe that could fill this imminent operational gap.
While the P-70C was based on the late A-20G/J airframe, it featured significant modifications. The most obvious change was the upgrade from the original Wright R-2600-23 Twin Cyclone 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines with 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) each to much more powerful R-2800-10s with two-stage, two-speed superchargers that produced 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) at 2,700 rpm at 1,000 ft (300 m); 1,800 hp (1,300 kW) at 2,700 rpm at 15,500 ft (4,700 m), and up to 2,250 hp (1,680 kW) WEP with water injection. These powerful, engines dramatically improved the type’s performance, especially at higher altitude even though new engine mounts and cowlings had to be designed to.
Another obvious change was a new solid nose with a distinctive, perspex-covered radome at its tip for a rotating dipole 29-inch paraboloid reflector dish antenna of an American SCR-720 radar. This was the same system that had been earmarked for the P-61, and it was capable of detecting target both in the air and on the ground. Bombers could be reliably detected and tracked at 10,000 ft at a 17,000 yd. range, fighters at 17,000 ft at a distance of 8,500 yd. Over the open sea and without ground clutter, ships could be detected at 40 miles (64 km).
Through the new, solid nose and the bulky radar equipment that was stored between radome and cockpit the armament had to be re-arranged. The earlier P-70s' main armament consisting of a ventral tray with four machine 20 mm cannon was retained, even though its fairing was re-contoured and more streamlined now, with a staggered weapon arrangement and an extended ammunition supply carried partly inside of the former bomb bay. The A-20s' pair of 0.5” machine guns in the lower nose with 400 RPG was retained, even though these lighter weapons were outfitted with tracer ammunition to ease aiming with the main guns. The bomb bay was filled with auxiliary fuel tanks, a SCR-695 tail warning/IFF radar (with its antenna in the nose cone) and early electronic countermeasures equipment.
Reinforced plumbed hardpoints under the outer wings allowed to carry even more fuel and other loads. Drop tanks of up to 165 US gal (624 l; 138 imp gal) volume could be carried, even though smaller 100 US gal (378 l; 83 imp gal) tanks were more common. Alternatively, for attack missions, the P-70C could carry single iron bombs of up to 1.000 lb (454 kg) caliber on each pylon, triple tube t30/m10 rocket launchers or conformal pods with 2× 0.5” M2 Browning machine guns each on the pylon hardpoints under the wings, primarily for strafing ground targets but also used to improve the aircraft’s weight of fire against aerial targets.
The SCR-720’s operator sat in the former gunner station behind the wings. All defensive armament had been deleted to save weight and make space for the radar equipment, and due to the late A-20G airframe with its widened fuselage section for the powered twin-gun turret, the P-70C had a different glazing of the radar operator cabin from previous P-70 versions and earlier A-20 bombers. Like before, the crew member in the rear compartment was provided with minimal flight controls that allowed to steer the aircraft and make a controlled landing in case the pilot became incapacitated, even though sight from the rear compartment was very limited, with virtually no field of view ahead.
P-70C crews trained in a variety of ways. Several existing night fighter squadrons operating from Great Britain were to transition into the P-70C from Bristol Beaufighters, though most crews were to be made up of new recruits operating in newly commissioned squadrons. After receiving flight, gunnery or radar training in bases around the U.S., the crews were finally assembled and received their operational training in Florida for transfer to the European Theater, mostly on early P-70 machines.
The P-70Cs arrived in the UK in April 1944 as part of 422 NFS and started flying operational missions in June, just ahead of the D-Day invasion and only a few months in advance of the P-61, the aircraft the night fighter units were actually waiting for. While the first P-70Cs were put into service with 422nd and 425th NFS the P-61 had an inauspicious start to its combat in the European theater, when an initial aircraft was delivered in May 1944 and immediately tested.
During the first deployments the P-70Cs' showed a very good capability (their high speed of up 400 mph / 650 km/h was appreciated, together with a much improved performance at higher altitude and the solid radar on board), but the crews complained about a lack of ammunition for the main weapons, so that soon two more optional pairs of 0.5” M2 Browning machine guns in separate external pods along the fuselage flanks under the cockpit were introduced, and hardpoints to mount them in the field were integrated into the running production. Each pod was self-sufficient and contained 400 RPG, and these weapons could be fired separately from the 20 mm cannon and the nose machine guns. In practice, almost all P-70Cs were outfitted with them.
On the other side, the P-61 was not received well, and the situation deteriorated when the squadrons learned that several USAAF generals – including General Hoyt Vandenberg – believed the P-61 lacked the capability to successfully engage German fighters and bombers, being too slow. General Spaatz asked for de Havilland Mosquito night fighters to equip two U.S. night fighter squadrons based in the UK, but this request was denied due to insufficient supplies of Mosquitoes which were in demand for a number of roles. The P-70C had good handling and was faster than the P-61, but it was apparent that the A-20 airframe had reached its development potential. At the end of May, the USAAF insisted on a competition between the P-70C, the Mosquito and the P-61 for operation in the European theater. RAF crews flew the Mosquito Mk XVII while crews from the 422nd NFS flew the P-70C and the P-61. In the end the USAAF determined that the P-61 had a slightly better rate of climb and could turn more tightly than the Mosquito, while the P-70C only offered marginal performance benefits at the cost of less range. Colonel Winston Kratz, director of night fighter training in the USAAF, had organized a similar competition earlier.
Eventually, the P-61 receive priority and production of the P-70C was stopped again in October 1944, after only 72 aircraft had been built and sent to Europe. Beyond Great Britain the type was also deployed to the MTO, where it replaced Beaufighter night fighters in USAAF service, too. Another factor that quickly rang the P-70C’s death knell was the fact that both the R-2800 engines as well as the radar systems were in short supply, and to simplify logistics the P-70s’ production line was terminated and rescoureces shifted to more modern types.
By the start of 1945 all early P-70s were removed from frontline service and served as trainers until their final days. Indeed, the P-70 trainers graduated some 485 persons to serve in American night fighter squadrons. The more potent P-70Cs were kept in service until the end of hostilities, even though many lost their radar equipment from early 1945 on when the Allied forces had claimed air superiority in many regions and were more and more used for daylight ground attack missions, using their potent gun armament for strafing ground targets. At this stage many P-70Cs also had their radr equipment removed to save weight in favor for more fuel or external ordnance.
General characteristics:
Crew: 2 (pilot, radar operator)
Length: 48 ft 2 3/4 in (14.72 m)
Wingspan: 61 ft 3.5 in (18.68 m)
Height: 18 ft 1+1⁄2 in (5.52 m)
Wing area: 464 sq ft (43.1 m²)
Airfoil: root: NACA 23018
tip: NACA 23009
Empty weight: 16,031 lb (7,272 kg)
Gross weight: 24,127 lb (10,944 kg)
Fuel capacity: 400 US gal (330 imp gal; 1,500 l) internal capacity, plus
676 US gal (563 imp gal; 2,560 l) in four auxiliary tanks in the bomb-bay, plus
200 US gal (174 imp. gal; 900 l) in optional underwing drop tanks
Powerplant:
2× Wright R-2800-10s Double Wasp 18-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines,
2,000 hp (1,500 kW) each and up to 2,250 hp (1,680 kW) emergency power with water injection,
driving 4-bladed Curtiss Electric C542S constant-speed propellers, 11 ft 0 in (3.36 m) diameter
Performance:
Maximum speed: 400 mph (650 km/h, 350 kn) at 23.000 ft (7,500 m)
332 mph (534 km/h, 288 kn) at sea level
Cruise speed: 450 km/h (280 mph, 240 kn) at 14,000 ft (4,300 m)
Stall speed: 98 mph (158 km/h, 85 kn)
Range: 848 mi (1,365 km: 737 nmi) at 23,000 ft (7,000 m) with internal fuel only,
1,560 mi (2,510 km; 1,350 nmi) w. 2× 100 US gal (454 l; 87 imp gal) drop tanks
Ferry range: 2,300 mi (3,700 km, 2,000 nmi)
Service ceiling: 35,800 ft (10,900 m)
Rate of climb: 3,000 ft/min (15 m/s)
Time to altitude: 26,000 ft (8,000 m) in 14 minutes 30 seconds
Wing loading: 52 lb/sq ft (250 kg/m2²
Power/mass: 0.141 hp/lb (0.232 kW/kg)
Armament:
4× 20 mm Hispano M2(C) 20 mm cannon in a ventral tray with 100 rpg
6× 0.5 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in the nose with 400 rpg,
two in the lower nose section, four in external pods on the fuselage flanks
2× underwing hardpoints for 1.000 lb (454 kg) each
The kit and its assembly:
Another submission for the "Re-engined" group build at whatifmodellers.com in mid-2023, and this project started as a kind of repurposing of various ingredients into a new whole one. One factor was a vintage Matchbox A-20G/Boston IV kit, which I had primarily procured for the cool "Green Hornet" livery of the USAAF aircraft. The kit itself is not so flashy, though: it is rather basic, offers a wild mix of raised and engraved panel lines, and the worst thing is/was that the complete clear sprue was missing - and there's no chance to get this as a spare part, e .g, through Revell's "Department X", who might have reboxed the kit, but they never did (so far). When I recently gug through my spare parts I came across a cockpit canopy for just this kit - from my first Matchbox A-20 which I had built around 40(!) years ago. With this there was a serious chance to build the kit, even though not as intended by Matchbox.
With only the canopy to save the model it was clear that the nose had to be solid and that the dorsal turret had to go (which is no loss, it is ugly, primitive, and a PiTA to mount), and a P-70 conversion was a suitable path. Even more so because I could replace the bulbous and IMHO oversized OOB R-2600s with R-2800 from a Matchbox Martin B-26 Marauder - actually procured from two different kits and then mounted upside down to change the look a little. Since the "new" cowlings came with an integrated carburettor intake I decided to remove the respective fairings on top of the wings. These were filled/faired over with 2C putty, with the side benefit that I could add some hand-made wing structures inside of the landing gear wells. Adapting the B-26 cowlings to the A-20 nacelles required some sculpting and more PSR, but it workd and the result looks quite natural. The propellers were changed to cuffed Curtiss four-blade props, I was lucky to have a matching pair of P-47 parts at hand. The tips were slightly clipped, though.
The fuselage required more massive work. To make a virtue out of necessity I used the Boston IV's clear bombardier nose, which would remain incomplete, anyway, and integrated a radome from a A.W. Meteor night fighter (Matchbox kit) with lots of PSR and even more lead inside (because the Matchbox A-20 is a notorious tail sitter). I expected to radome to be more pronounced, in the end its curvature blends well into the rest of the A-20 fuselage - it looks as if the glass nose had been painted over, just like on the early P-70s and strafer Havocs. But I left it that way, even though I had hoped for a more distinct front profile.
However, because the radome was now not wider than the fuselage I decided to not only add a cannon tray under the fuselage (a drop tank half from a Sword F3J with an oval diameter), but also two pairs of pods with 0.5" machine guns from an Italeri B-25J. Serious firepower.
Additionally the P-70C received small, streamlined underwing drop tanks outside of the engine nacelles - a small detail that changes the aircraft's look even more.
Biggest challenge became the rear cockpit for the radar operator, though. Like the earlier P-70s, the night fighter would lose its defensive armament, and in the A-20G's case this included a complete powered turret for which the fuselage had been widened behind the wings' trailing edge. For this stunt the whole area was cut out and the former roof window of the gunner's compartment faired over. The whole cabin was effectively moved forward. Biggest issue was how to cover this gap, though. A long spare safari eventually yielded a rear cabin cover from an Aoshima Ki-46, which was long enough to close the section and even had the right shape to blend the A-20's spine into the tail section. As a side benefit: it has similar heavy framing as the cockpit. Fitting this clear piece was challenging, though, as it required to fill gaps with putty and sand directly around the clear part.
Inside, the pilot's cockpit was enhanced with a dashboard (and more lead under the floor!) and the radar operator received a scratched cabin with a floor, a rear bulkhead, a seat (left over from the Boston IV's bombardier nose) and a radar console (part left over from an Italeri B-66). The OOB pilots were used and received "3D" safety belts made from white tape - after all, the clear parts would not allow good sight inside.
The landing gear, even though very simple, was taken OOB, I just added cannon and machine gun barrels in the nose cut from hollow steel needles.
Painting and markings:
I wanted something realistic, and that offered only two options for an USAAF night fighter around 1944: either Olive Drab/Neutral Grey or all-black, and both quite boring. After I had seen a picture of an early black P-61 in Europe with invasion stripes I decided to adopt this scheme, even though with the twist of overpainted stripes on the upper surfaces - a detail seen frequently on NMF fighters (e.g. P-47s and early P-51s) after D-Day to improve camouflage on the ground against strafing attacks and photo reconnaissance. Sometimes the whole upper side was painted with olive drab, sometimes only the stripes were covered, resulting in interesting finishes.
The model received an overall coat with Revell 06 (Tar Black) enamel paint, which is a "dirty black". The invasion stripes were all made with decals from various Academy kits (from a P-47 under the fuselage, and from a Spitfire and Typhoon on the wings), and on the upper surfaces these were translucently painted over with thinned Tamiya XF-62 (Olive Drab), so that the stripes would still shine through here and there.
All interior surfaces were painted with green chromate primer (I used Humbrol 159), the radome was painted with Humbrol 72.
The black and the radome were later heavily treated with dry-brushing, using several very similar "almost black" tones as well as a bit of aluminum and grinded graphite around the gun porst and the exhaust. The only colorful highlights are the red propeller tips and a nose art graphic (from an Academy P-47D). The rest of the markings are rather dry and minimal, most came from Hobby Boss P-39 kits.
Finally, after everything had been assembled, the model received a coat of matt acrylic varnish. In real life the black night fighters were supposed to be glossy, but any picture I have seen of such a machine shows a rather dull if not matte (and quite dirty) finish.
An engine conversion project that helped to save a kit from it incompleteness. And the resulting fictional P-70C looks pretty mean and purposeful, the conversions and esp. the risky implantation of the rear cabin and its canopy paid out and the result looks quite plausible. And the partly overpainted invasion stripes add a bit of extravaganza to the otherwise rather dull all-black aircraft.
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The Postcard
A postally unused carte postale that was published by La Cigogne of 74 Rue aux Ours, Rouen. The card has a divided back.
Rouen
Rouen is a city on the River Seine in northern France, and is relatively close to the English Channel. Formerly one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe, the population of the metropolitan area is 702,945 (2018). People from Rouen are known as Rouennais.
“Upon approaching Rouen one is sure to be struck
by the insolent daring of its situation. Lying on a
sloping plain beside the river, it seems to disdain the
well-nigh impregnable site afforded by the steep cliffs
which rise just to the northeast.
The history of the city bears out the audacity of its
location. Through all the centuries, its inhabitants
concerned themselves so continuously in conquering
other peoples that little time was left in which to
consider the security of their own homes.”
-- Charles Hitchcock Sherrill, Stained Glass Tours in France (1908).
Rouen was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy during the Middle Ages. It was one of the capitals of the Anglo-Norman dynasties, which ruled both England and large parts of modern France from the 11th. to the 15th. centuries.
From the 13th. century onwards, the city experienced a remarkable economic boom, thanks in particular to the development of textile factories and river trade. Claimed by both the French and the English during the Hundred Years' War, it was in Rouen that Joan of Arc was tried and burned alive.
Severely damaged by a wave of bombing in 1944, Rouen nevertheless regained its economic dynamism in the post-war period thanks to its industrial sites and busy seaport, which is the fifth largest in France.
Endowed with a prestige established during the medieval era, and with a long architectural heritage in its historical monuments, Rouen is an important cultural capital. Several renowned establishments are located here, such as the Museum of Fine Arts, the Secq des Tournelles Museum, and Rouen Cathedral.
“Perhaps the most characteristic feature of Rouen
when viewed from a distance is the great number
of its spires that shoot up above the housetops,
earning for it the sobriquet of the City of Churches.”
-- Charles Hitchcock Sherrill, Stained Glass Tours in France (1908).
Sadly not all of those churches are still there because of the ravages of war.
Seat of an archdiocese, Rouen also hosts a court of appeal and a university. Every four to six years, Rouen becomes the showcase for a large gathering of sailing ships called "L'Armada"; this event makes the city an occasional capital of the maritime world.
Rouen Cathedral
Rouen Cathedral was commenced in the 12th. Century on the site of an earlier structure. It has a Roman crypt.
The Butter Tower dates from the 16th. century. The name of the Tour de Beurre comes from the fact that butter was banned during Lent, and those who wished to carry on eating it had to donate 6 Deniers Tournois towards the building of the tower. Practically everyone in Rouen must have carried on eating butter in order to fund a tower like that!
The Victorian cast-iron Lantern Tower in the centre of the building made the cathedral the tallest building in the world from 1876 until 1880, when it was overtaken by Cologne Cathedral.
The Lantern Tower was designed by the architect Jean-Antoine Alavoine who proposed the use of cast iron, a modern material for the time, because it was less combustible than wood, and lighter than stone. The Lantern Tower took 50 years to construct. The 151 metre height of the spire still makes Rouen Cathedral the tallest cathedral in France.
The presence of a lantern tower at the crossing of the transept is a frequent feature in churches in Normandy (St. Ouen in Rouen, and Bayeux) and in England (Gloucester, Salisbury, and Winchester).
The lantern is in a bulge in the ironwork near the top of the spire, which is surmounted by a weathercock.
The Cathedral holds the heart of Richard the Lionheart. His bowels were buried within the church of the Château de Châlus-Chabrol in the Limousin. The cathedral seems to have got the better end of that particular deal!
Claude Monet painted a series of studies of the cathedral's façade 1894. Roy Lichtenstein also made a series of pictures of the front of the building.
The Cathedral has had to put up with a lot of wilful destruction during its lifetime:
- The Calvinists damaged much of what they could easily reach during the religious wars of the 16th. Century - the furniture, tombs, stained glass and statuary.
- The French State nationalised the building in the 18th. Century, and sold some of its furniture and statues to make money. The chapel fences were melted down to make guns.
- In WW2 the Cathedral was first bombed in 1944, taking 7 bombs. The bombs narrowly missed destroying a key pillar of the Lantern Tower, but damaged most of the south aisle, and destroyed two medieval rose windows. One of the bombs was fortunately a dud and failed to explode.
- As a consequence of a subsequent WW II bombing, the north tower, on the left of the façade, was entirely burned. During the fire the stonework calcified and the bells melted, leaving molten metal on the floor. The cathedral is still being restored after the extensive damage incurred during World War II.
Also, during the violent storm of December 1999, a copper-clad wooden turret weighing 26 tons fell into the Cathedral and damaged the choir and the stalls. The three other turrets were removed for maintenance and safety purposes before being replaced in 2012.
The Execution of Jeanne d'Arc
Jeanne d'Arc was executed not far from the Cathedral in the Vieux-Marché on Wednesday the 30th. May 1431.
The famous depiction of 19 year old Joan of Arc's execution showing her on top of a pile of wood and straw is wrong.
The site for her execution comprised a stake at the centre of a large ring of wood, with a gap left for Joan to be led to the stake. Once she was tied to the stake and the gap closed, she was hidden from sight.
One authority has suggested that her body would have burnt in the following sequence: calves, thighs and hands, torso and forearms, breasts, upper chest and face.
However in all likelihood she would have died from heatstroke, loss of blood plasma and carbon dioxide poisoning before the fire attacked the upper parts of her body.
After Jeanne had expired, the English exposed her charred body so that no-one could claim that she had escaped alive, then burned her body twice more to reduce it to ashes in order to prevent the collection of relics.
They then cast her remains into the Seine.
A modern church now stands on the site of her execution.