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The all-new Range Rover combines luxury, performance and unmatched all-terrain capability. Its revolutionary lightweight construct has transformed the driving experience with a step change in comfort, refinement and handling. We're proud to reveal the fourth generation Range Rover - the evolution of an iconic design.
With Land Rover at its heart, the all-new model has been engineered from the ground up to be the most capable, most refined Range Rover ever.
Distinctive detailing such as a palladian window, covered porches, and prominent gables give this relaxed farmhouse special refinement. Interior accent columns distinguish the inviting two-story foyer from the dining room. A spacious great room is set off by two-story windows and opens to the kitchen and breakfast bay. Throughout the first floor, nine foot ceilings add volume and drama. The master suite is secluded downstairs and features a space-amplifying tray ceiling. The master bath includes a double bowl vanity, garden tub, and separate shower. Storage abounds with roomy linen and walk-in closets. Upstairs, two generous bedrooms have ample closet and storage space. The skylit bonus room enjoys second floor access. *Photographed home may have been modified from the original construction documents.* www.dongardner.com/house-plan/420/the-creston/
The all-new Jaguar XF brings an unrivalled blend of design, luxury, technology and efficiency to lead the business car segment, underpinned by class-leading driving dynamics and refinement.
1939 Bugatti Type 57C Aravis Special Cabriolet by Gangloff
$1,545,000 USD | Sold
From Sotheby's:
GANGLOFF AND BUGATTI’S TYPE 57C
The Type 57 is one of the most celebrated of all non-racing Bugatti chassis. Its unbeatable combination of style and performance made it an instant success, and from its introduction it provided Jean Bugatti with a final, lasting legacy for the automotive history books.
Prior to its introduction in 1934, Bugatti had set the lofty goal of creating an automobile that exuded the excitement and racing heritage of the company, while incorporating the refinement and drivability of a road car. The Type 57 was successful in combining some of the temperament of the racing chassis while offering a level of comfort that even the most polished of European elite appreciated.
Some of the most memorable designs on this chassis carry the Bugatti name, as many came from the creative mind of Jean Bugatti and were offered as factory catalog body styles. Although a number of Type 57 convertible bodies in his catalog were dignified and pleasing to the eye, they lacked the flair of his racy closed cars, such as the Atalante or Atlantic. As a result, Bugatti envisioned a more exotic open car that would set a new standard for styling; the coachbuilding firm of Gangloff was entrusted with the task of crafting the new model. The results were nothing less than spectacular.
Chassis 57798 is one of only three extant examples of the Aravis body style by Gangloff, which were built in 1938 and 1939. Like other Bugatti bodies, the Aravis was named after a beautiful mountain range, and it was designated as a 2/3-seater cabriolet when it was first offered in the 1938 catalogue. Only Gangloff and Letourneur et Marchand were allowed to dub their 2/3-seater cabriolets “Aravis,” and it is believed that each coachbuilder produced six of these bodies.
LE ARAVIS DU DR. CHAUVENET
This Type 57C was originally ordered from Bugatti in the fall of 1938 by Dr. André Charles Chauvenet of Thouars, France via the local dealer J.B. Arnaud. Chauvenet, who had owned no less than five previous Bugattis over the years, further specified a dual-overhead-cam engine with supercharger, Rudge wheels, electric starter, Stromberg carburetor, and Aravis Convertible Coupe body by Gangloff; the car’s final retail price was an eye-watering 135,000 Francs.
Correspondence on file between Gangloff and Arnaud show that this particular Aravis “Special Cabriolet” body is derived from a synthesis of Bugatti style drawings 3888 (8 August 1938), and 3942 (25 November 1938) which were subsequently refined with modifications including headlamp guards, a foam-stuffed rear seat, black top with red leatherette piping, chrome side molding, and three sets of vertical hood louvres. Its original color is reported to have been black, or an exceedingly dark shade of blue or purple, over a red leather interior.
According to a report on file from marque expert Pierre-Yves Laugier, Gangloff had completed the body for the car by mid-November 1938, although Bugatti apparently did not send the coachworks the rolling chassis until late December. The union of the two did not occur until the new year, and chassis 57798 was finally delivered to Chauvenet in January 1939. At the time of his purchase, Dr. Chauvenet was a decorated World War I veteran, leading surgeon at the Thouars hospital, and a repeat Bugatti customer; he only enjoyed a few short months with the car before he was called back into service as a medical officer for the French Army.
Less than a year after accepting delivery of this striking Bugatti he would become a leading resistance coordinator against the Nazi-Vichy regime in Western France. By July 1941, his resistance cell had been infiltrated by a Vichy double-agent and all were imprisoned or executed. Chauvenet himself was kept in France, and later, German, prisons until early 1945 when he was then sent to the infamous Buchenwald concentration camp. Miraculously, both Chauvenet and his collection of Bugatti automobiles survived the war; all were reunited in early May 1945.
TO SWITZERLAND
In February 1946, 57798 was sold to Didier Soriano of Bordeaux via the originating dealer J.B. Arnaud. It then passed to the hotelier, restauranteur, and amateur racer Hermann Trümpy of Glarus, Switzerland in October 1947. Interestingly, Trümpy was also one of the financiers for the famous post-war sports car company Veritas GmbH. Period photos on file show that Trümpy raced the car quite spiritedly in several amateur hill climb events throughout Switzerland. By the time he was powering this Bugatti sideways through the Alps, its original body, top, color combination, headlamp guards, rear spats, bumpers, and Rudge wheels were still present.
Circa 1951, Trümpy sold 57798 onward to André Turrettini of Geneva. Much like its first owner, Turrettini was a doctor (in his case, a noted obstetrician and gynecologist) and dedicate Bugatti enthusiast, owning at least three over the years. He would retain this chassis until 1959; photos on file dated 12 October 1951 indicate that he was involved in an incident with the car that damaged the front driver’s side fender, but this speed bump clearly did not put him off ownership of this beautiful machine. Its next custodian was Geneva-based collector Pierre Strinati who, in 1959, commissioned the coachbuilder Graber to mount a solid steel roof to the body—thereby converting this Aravis Cabriolet into a fixed head coupe. At this time, Strinati also had the car sympathetically redone in a two-tone red and black paintjob over maroon leather.
The car remained on display in the Strinati Collection until 1984, when it was subsequently exported from Switzerland. After briefly passing through the impressive stables of the late Bill Serri, Jr. of Cherry Hill, New Jersey and then the late Myron Schuster of Bedford, New York, this remarkable Type 57C was acquired by Oscar Davis in August 1993.
WITH OSCAR DAVIS
Upon acquiring this fine Bugatti, Oscar Davis immediately set about researching its history in preparation for an accurate and complete restoration to its original specifications. Gathering information from disparate sources including marque historians, previous owners, and the car’s extensive history file, he revealed much about its early appearance; by late 1995, the car’s restoration was starting to take shape.
The full restoration of the Bugatti's bodywork was entrusted to Classic Coach Repair of Elizabeth, New Jersey in order to return the car to its original 1939 cabriolet configuration. A full binder of photos documenting the disassembly and body restoration illustrate that, although much of the car’s structure and body was intact and original, its original split bumpers, spats, and other unique details were gone or altogether in need of correction. As a measure of remediation, new wood framing was masterfully installed throughout, and the body modifications by Graber were also carefully reversed to bring back Gangloff’s signature Aravis styling.
Concurrently, the chassis and drivetrain were delivered to Leydon Restorations of Lahaska, Pennsylvania to be restored as a complete running chassis. The car’s correct-type 3.3-liter dual-overhead-cam straight-eight engine was entirely rebuilt and returned to its original supercharged configuration. It should be noted that Bugatti owner registry listings on file indicate this engine was previously installed in a 1937 57C Stelvio (57619). Put simply, absolutely no cosmetic or mechanical component escaped redress during the course of this seven-year restoration.
Davis also had 57798’s exterior returned to a dark shade that more closely resembled its original livery, which was once again paired with a red leather interior—a handsome black soft top was provided, and a set of chrome Borrani wire wheels was installed, perfectly complementing Chauvenet’s specified chrome trim.
Since emerging from this impressive restoration in 2001, 57798 has lived a lavish life of public exhibition at many of the world’s preeminent automotive concours. Showings at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (and Tour), Louis Vuitton Classic Concours, Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, and other leading events have rightfully elevated the provenance and public appreciation for this remarkable Aravis Special Cabriolet.
This Type 57C offers its next owner membership into a fantastic community of enthusiasts—one that holds events and rallies which celebrate the Molsheim marque worldwide. The other two surviving Bugatti Aravis examples by Gangloff are in the hands of long-term collections, making the offering of this particularly flamboyant car a special opportunity indeed.
---
Kristina and I headed over to RM Sotheby's at the Monterey Conference Center to view some glorious cars at their auction preview.
- - -
Had a blast with our auto-enthusiast friend and neighbor, Fred, at Monterey Car Week 2022.
Rendering her tail to this point was so laborious that I couldn't resist photographing her. Embellishments and refinements to be made...
Like this style of lighting, needs refinement but for my first attempt I am fairly pleased with the result.
strobist: 2 lights bare left and right about 3 feet back. 1 light for gray background. 1 light in a large softbox overhead for fill and a large white reflector below (butterfly style).
Model: Jason Soaris
Photographer: smashphotolb.com/
The department has been building up a library of design related reference books over the last few years. Pupils are encouraged to make use of these books on a regular basis. The photographs here demonstrate the tremendous wealth of content contained therein.
The sequence has been shot in such a way that the cover of the book is shown first and a few sample pages are included to give the student an idea of the content the book contains. Pupils may then approach staff and request a short term loan.
The Launch 22v is the perfect combination of size, refinement and performance. This 22.5-foot wakeboard boat welcomes a crew of 15 with room for gear and an interior geared toward luxurious accommodation. Completely redesigned for 2012, the 22V interior brings together intricate sections of multi-textured Syntec Nanoblock vinyls with the durability of exclusive Gore Tenara thread. Triple density foam construction makes the Launch interior as comfortable as it is eye-catching. Supra has made the high-traffic path from the lounge to the swim step worry-free with a newly tooled rear seat step and transom walk-over covered in SeaDeck no-slip padding. The wakes are pro caliber and controllable with cockpit switch or the VISION dash, but the 22V is as much about the drive as it is the ride. Slicing through rough water with flat precise turns, the 22V is exhilarating to drive. The high and slow speed maneuvers are almost as impressive as you will look pulling them off. Available with a walk-through bow as a Sunsport or with the Launch playpen, the 22V captures your water sports boating lifestyle.
Overall Length w/o Platform: 22'6"
Overall Length w/ Platform: 24'6"
Overall Length w/ Platform & Trailer: 26' 4"
Width (Beam): 100"
Overall Width w/ Trailer: 102"
Draft: 25"
Weight - Boat only: 3900 lbs
Weight - Boat and Trailer: 5000 lbs
Capacity - Passenger: 15
Capacity - Weight: 2,100 lbs
Capacity - Fuel: 50 gals
Capacity - Ballast: 1450 lbs
Engine - Electronic Fuel Injection: 330 HP 5.7 L MPI w/ CAT
The department has been building up a library of design related reference books over the last few years. Pupils are encouraged to make use of these books on a regular basis. The photographs here demonstrate the tremendous wealth of content contained therein.
The sequence has been shot in such a way that the cover of the book is shown first and a few sample pages are included to give the student an idea of the content the book contains. Pupils may then approach staff and request a short term loan.
The Launch 22v is the perfect combination of size, refinement and performance. This 22.5-foot wakeboard boat welcomes a crew of 15 with room for gear and an interior geared toward luxurious accommodation. Completely redesigned for 2012, the 22V interior brings together intricate sections of multi-textured Syntec Nanoblock vinyls with the durability of exclusive Gore Tenara thread. Triple density foam construction makes the Launch interior as comfortable as it is eye-catching. Supra has made the high-traffic path from the lounge to the swim step worry-free with a newly tooled rear seat step and transom walk-over covered in SeaDeck no-slip padding. The wakes are pro caliber and controllable with cockpit switch or the VISION dash, but the 22V is as much about the drive as it is the ride. Slicing through rough water with flat precise turns, the 22V is exhilarating to drive. The high and slow speed maneuvers are almost as impressive as you will look pulling them off. Available with a walk-through bow as a Sunsport or with the Launch playpen, the 22V captures your water sports boating lifestyle.
Overall Length w/o Platform: 22'6"
Overall Length w/ Platform: 24'6"
Overall Length w/ Platform & Trailer: 26' 4"
Width (Beam): 100"
Overall Width w/ Trailer: 102"
Draft: 25"
Weight - Boat only: 3900 lbs
Weight - Boat and Trailer: 5000 lbs
Capacity - Passenger: 15
Capacity - Weight: 2,100 lbs
Capacity - Fuel: 50 gals
Capacity - Ballast: 1450 lbs
Engine - Electronic Fuel Injection: 330 HP 5.7 L MPI w/ CAT
Mercedes-Benz F 700 Research Car at the Pebble Beach Councours d'Elegance
The Mercedes-Benz F 700 Research Car redefines the idea of effortless, superior refinement and shows how outstanding riding quality can be combined with environmental friendliness, and good performance with exceptionally low fuel consumption. Its spacious interior design enables an entirely new and comfortable mode of travel.
The F 700 is the first car that actively recognizes the condition of the road and levels out the uneven spots with its active PRE-SCAN suspension, improving suspension comfort substantially. This suspension has two laser scanners that continually scan the roadway in front of the car.
The DIESOTTO drive system introduced in the F 700 combines the strong points of the low emission gasoline engine with the consumption benefits of the diesel drive. The drive system, a four-cylinder displacing only 1.8 liters and featuring two-stage charging, attains the performance level of a V-6-powered S-Class.
The F 700 sets new standards in regard to road roar and tire vibration. Equally innovative is the operating concept "SERVO-HMI." The display is gentle on the eyes; the number of controls is reduced and the menu structure is strikingly simple and self-explanatory. The driver can discuss more complex inputs, such as a destination for navigation purposes, in dialogue with an avatar, a virtual operating assistant.
Nimble, power, and refinement.
When one thinks of the Audi RS3, these words are likely to come in mind.
We figure styling should also be up on that list too, unfortunately, the factory wheels leaves much to be desired for the 400HP rocket. Thankfully, our V801’s are here to save the day.
A full face mesh design with a modern twist, the V801’s thinly milled spokes and diamond windows creates a delicate and sophisticated look that’s brimming with detail. Finished in Hyper Silver, the V801’s not only compliment the color of the RS3’s ground effects kit, but its angular lines as well.
But, don’t be fooled by the svelte appearance of the V801’s either; thanks to its flow form construction, the V801’s remain lightweight, yet incredibly strong. Engineered and tested to exceed VIA, JWL, and TUV standards, our V801’s are more than capable of handling whatever abuse the RS3 will put them through.
For sales and more information, be sure to contact us at sales@velocitymotoring.com
The department has been building up a library of design related reference books over the last few years. Pupils are encouraged to make use of these books on a regular basis. The photographs here demonstrate the tremendous wealth of content contained therein.
The sequence has been shot in such a way that the cover of the book is shown first and a few sample pages are included to give the student an idea of the content the book contains. Pupils may then approach staff and request a short term loan.
A cross bike since construction in 2008 including a main tube replacement in 2014. Some further refinements to create a useful touring bike.
Though the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau had put the excellent MiG-15 fighter in production, giving the Soviet Union one of the best fighters of the early 1950s, MiG felt it could further improve on the design. The MiG-15 had shown itself to be unstable as it neared the speed of sound, and it was anticipated that further refinement could be done to the aircraft. As a result, MiG OKB began work on an improved MiG-15, referred to as the MiG-15-45 because of its primary characteristic, an improved swept wing. This new wing was thinner than that on the MiG-15, included wing fences for improved aerodynamics, and was swept at 45 degrees near the wingroot and to a slightly lesser degree at the wingtip, giving the new variant a distinctive “banana-wing” shape.
The fuselage was extended to incorporate an afterburner on the VK-1F turbojet, while a small ventral fin was added beneath the tail to further improve stability. While the MiG-17 could not quite break the sound barrier, it was very stable in most respects and kept the heavy armament and good all-around visibility of the MiG-15. The design changes were enough to warrant a new designation, so it became the MiG-17.
The first MiG-17 flew in January 1950, and despite the loss of the prototype to a fatal crash, low-level production soon began—low-level due to the urgent need for MiG-15s to fight in the Korean War. Not until after the war had ended did full-scale production begin on the MiG-17. By then, it was considered somewhat obsolescent: the supersonic MiG-19 was placed in production alongside the MiG-17, while work had begun on the MiG-21. Nonetheless, it was kept in production for the rest of the decade as the MiG-19 proved to be a bit of a disappointment. The MiG-17 was updated in 1953 after the Soviet Union captured a F-86F Sabre, and copied elements of the Sabre’s ejection seat and gunsight into the new fighter. It was dubbed “Fresco” by NATO. Attempts were made to build all-weather versions of the MiG-17 with mixed results; the all-missile MiG-17PM was reviled by its pilots due to a poor radar and worse missiles. The most common version was the day fighter MiG-17F.
The MiG-17’s combat debut was not auspicious, seeing action in the 1956 Suez War and the 1958 Quemoy Crisis. In the former, Egypt’s few MiG-17s were outnumbered and outflown by French and Israeli Mystere IV and Super Mystere fighters, while over the Taiwan Straits, People’s Republic of China MiG-17s were ambushed by Republic of China F-86Fs equipped with Sidewinder missiles. By 1960, production had ended, and the Soviet Union sold off most of its stock to client states, reequipping with more modern MiG-21s.
In 1962, the Soviet Union supplied the nascent North Vietnamese People’s Air Force with 36 MiG-17Fs as the nucleus of a new air force, and to offset the American-supplied Thai and South Vietnamese air forces. By 1965, when Operation Rolling Thunder began, these aircraft were sent against US Air Force and Navy fighters attacking the Thanh Hoa bridge. On 4 April 1965, a force of four MiG-17s shot down two F-105 Thunderchiefs to score the VPAF’s first victories of the war, but paid a heavy price, losing three out of the four to escorting F-100 Super Sabres and their own antiaircraft fire. The MiG-17 would remain the primary VPAF aircraft throughout Rolling Thunder, though it was gradually supplemented by the MiG-21. Since the MiG-17 was subsonic and lacked radar, it depended on ground radar to guide the pilot to the target, but once in a dogfight, the small, very manueverable, cannon-armed MiG had a definite advantage over American aircraft; only the F-8 Crusader came remotely close to matching it. A favorite tactic of MiG-17 pilots was to hide “in the grass” at low level and pick off any unwary American pilot, or attack during a bomb run when their opponents were at their weakest. It came as a rude surprise to American pilots that semi-obsolete aircraft were still capable of destroying the latest word in military equipment, and it pointed up the deficiencies in American air combat training.
MiG-17s accounted for about 50 USAF and Navy aircraft during Rolling Thunder, enough that when the Top Gun program was formed in 1969, A-4 Skyhawks were assigned specifically to simulate them. This was also secretly supplemented by two ex-Syrian MiG-17Fs captured by Israel in 1968 and given to the United States under Project Have Drill. One deficiency that was found in the MiG-17 was that, at high speeds and low altitudes, compressibility would set in and the aircraft became unresponsive to the controls. These lessons were put to good use when American strikes resumed in 1972. By this time, the VPAF had largely withdrawn its MiG-17s to training units, preferring the more modern MiG-19 and MiG-21. While the MiG-17 did account for a few more kills, they mostly ended up being shot down by better trained US Navy pilots and USAF F-4E pilots, who now had internal guns themselves. In the right hands, a MiG-17 was still a formidable opponent, as US Navy aces Randy Cunningham and William Driscoll found out on 10 May 1972, when a MiG-17 dueled in the vertical with their F-4J for nearly ten minutes before it was finally shot down.
After Vietnam, the MiG-17 had outlived its usefulness, and though it would see limited service in African brushfire wars and in the Yom Kippur War of 1973, what few air forces retained them relegated them to second-line and training units. A few persisted in the Albanian and North Korean air forces until 2000. 10,603 MiG-17s were built by the Soviet Union, Poland, and China, serving in 40 air forces; today, several hundred still remain in museums and in flyable condition, including 27 in the United States alone.
Though I list this as a MiG-17F, technically it is a Lim-5, built under license by WSK of Poland for their air force as 1C-0406. It served with the Polish Air Force until the late 1970s, when their MiG-17s were retired. With easing of Cold War tensions by 1988, Poland began selling the heretofore secretive MiG-17 on the open market, and 0406 was bought by Classics in Aviation, a private warbird company. It was acquired by the USAF in the late 1990s and donated to the Hill Aerospace Museum in 2002, where it was restored to its appearance as a Polish MiG-17.
Like many early MiGs, 0406 has gotten a coat of anticorrosion gray paint to preserve the airframe. In the background is a F-105D, one of the MiG-17's frequent adversaries over Vietnam.
1939 Bugatti Type 57C Aravis Special Cabriolet by Gangloff
$1,545,000 USD | Sold
From Sotheby's:
GANGLOFF AND BUGATTI’S TYPE 57C
The Type 57 is one of the most celebrated of all non-racing Bugatti chassis. Its unbeatable combination of style and performance made it an instant success, and from its introduction it provided Jean Bugatti with a final, lasting legacy for the automotive history books.
Prior to its introduction in 1934, Bugatti had set the lofty goal of creating an automobile that exuded the excitement and racing heritage of the company, while incorporating the refinement and drivability of a road car. The Type 57 was successful in combining some of the temperament of the racing chassis while offering a level of comfort that even the most polished of European elite appreciated.
Some of the most memorable designs on this chassis carry the Bugatti name, as many came from the creative mind of Jean Bugatti and were offered as factory catalog body styles. Although a number of Type 57 convertible bodies in his catalog were dignified and pleasing to the eye, they lacked the flair of his racy closed cars, such as the Atalante or Atlantic. As a result, Bugatti envisioned a more exotic open car that would set a new standard for styling; the coachbuilding firm of Gangloff was entrusted with the task of crafting the new model. The results were nothing less than spectacular.
Chassis 57798 is one of only three extant examples of the Aravis body style by Gangloff, which were built in 1938 and 1939. Like other Bugatti bodies, the Aravis was named after a beautiful mountain range, and it was designated as a 2/3-seater cabriolet when it was first offered in the 1938 catalogue. Only Gangloff and Letourneur et Marchand were allowed to dub their 2/3-seater cabriolets “Aravis,” and it is believed that each coachbuilder produced six of these bodies.
LE ARAVIS DU DR. CHAUVENET
This Type 57C was originally ordered from Bugatti in the fall of 1938 by Dr. André Charles Chauvenet of Thouars, France via the local dealer J.B. Arnaud. Chauvenet, who had owned no less than five previous Bugattis over the years, further specified a dual-overhead-cam engine with supercharger, Rudge wheels, electric starter, Stromberg carburetor, and Aravis Convertible Coupe body by Gangloff; the car’s final retail price was an eye-watering 135,000 Francs.
Correspondence on file between Gangloff and Arnaud show that this particular Aravis “Special Cabriolet” body is derived from a synthesis of Bugatti style drawings 3888 (8 August 1938), and 3942 (25 November 1938) which were subsequently refined with modifications including headlamp guards, a foam-stuffed rear seat, black top with red leatherette piping, chrome side molding, and three sets of vertical hood louvres. Its original color is reported to have been black, or an exceedingly dark shade of blue or purple, over a red leather interior.
According to a report on file from marque expert Pierre-Yves Laugier, Gangloff had completed the body for the car by mid-November 1938, although Bugatti apparently did not send the coachworks the rolling chassis until late December. The union of the two did not occur until the new year, and chassis 57798 was finally delivered to Chauvenet in January 1939. At the time of his purchase, Dr. Chauvenet was a decorated World War I veteran, leading surgeon at the Thouars hospital, and a repeat Bugatti customer; he only enjoyed a few short months with the car before he was called back into service as a medical officer for the French Army.
Less than a year after accepting delivery of this striking Bugatti he would become a leading resistance coordinator against the Nazi-Vichy regime in Western France. By July 1941, his resistance cell had been infiltrated by a Vichy double-agent and all were imprisoned or executed. Chauvenet himself was kept in France, and later, German, prisons until early 1945 when he was then sent to the infamous Buchenwald concentration camp. Miraculously, both Chauvenet and his collection of Bugatti automobiles survived the war; all were reunited in early May 1945.
TO SWITZERLAND
In February 1946, 57798 was sold to Didier Soriano of Bordeaux via the originating dealer J.B. Arnaud. It then passed to the hotelier, restauranteur, and amateur racer Hermann Trümpy of Glarus, Switzerland in October 1947. Interestingly, Trümpy was also one of the financiers for the famous post-war sports car company Veritas GmbH. Period photos on file show that Trümpy raced the car quite spiritedly in several amateur hill climb events throughout Switzerland. By the time he was powering this Bugatti sideways through the Alps, its original body, top, color combination, headlamp guards, rear spats, bumpers, and Rudge wheels were still present.
Circa 1951, Trümpy sold 57798 onward to André Turrettini of Geneva. Much like its first owner, Turrettini was a doctor (in his case, a noted obstetrician and gynecologist) and dedicate Bugatti enthusiast, owning at least three over the years. He would retain this chassis until 1959; photos on file dated 12 October 1951 indicate that he was involved in an incident with the car that damaged the front driver’s side fender, but this speed bump clearly did not put him off ownership of this beautiful machine. Its next custodian was Geneva-based collector Pierre Strinati who, in 1959, commissioned the coachbuilder Graber to mount a solid steel roof to the body—thereby converting this Aravis Cabriolet into a fixed head coupe. At this time, Strinati also had the car sympathetically redone in a two-tone red and black paintjob over maroon leather.
The car remained on display in the Strinati Collection until 1984, when it was subsequently exported from Switzerland. After briefly passing through the impressive stables of the late Bill Serri, Jr. of Cherry Hill, New Jersey and then the late Myron Schuster of Bedford, New York, this remarkable Type 57C was acquired by Oscar Davis in August 1993.
WITH OSCAR DAVIS
Upon acquiring this fine Bugatti, Oscar Davis immediately set about researching its history in preparation for an accurate and complete restoration to its original specifications. Gathering information from disparate sources including marque historians, previous owners, and the car’s extensive history file, he revealed much about its early appearance; by late 1995, the car’s restoration was starting to take shape.
The full restoration of the Bugatti's bodywork was entrusted to Classic Coach Repair of Elizabeth, New Jersey in order to return the car to its original 1939 cabriolet configuration. A full binder of photos documenting the disassembly and body restoration illustrate that, although much of the car’s structure and body was intact and original, its original split bumpers, spats, and other unique details were gone or altogether in need of correction. As a measure of remediation, new wood framing was masterfully installed throughout, and the body modifications by Graber were also carefully reversed to bring back Gangloff’s signature Aravis styling.
Concurrently, the chassis and drivetrain were delivered to Leydon Restorations of Lahaska, Pennsylvania to be restored as a complete running chassis. The car’s correct-type 3.3-liter dual-overhead-cam straight-eight engine was entirely rebuilt and returned to its original supercharged configuration. It should be noted that Bugatti owner registry listings on file indicate this engine was previously installed in a 1937 57C Stelvio (57619). Put simply, absolutely no cosmetic or mechanical component escaped redress during the course of this seven-year restoration.
Davis also had 57798’s exterior returned to a dark shade that more closely resembled its original livery, which was once again paired with a red leather interior—a handsome black soft top was provided, and a set of chrome Borrani wire wheels was installed, perfectly complementing Chauvenet’s specified chrome trim.
Since emerging from this impressive restoration in 2001, 57798 has lived a lavish life of public exhibition at many of the world’s preeminent automotive concours. Showings at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (and Tour), Louis Vuitton Classic Concours, Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, and other leading events have rightfully elevated the provenance and public appreciation for this remarkable Aravis Special Cabriolet.
This Type 57C offers its next owner membership into a fantastic community of enthusiasts—one that holds events and rallies which celebrate the Molsheim marque worldwide. The other two surviving Bugatti Aravis examples by Gangloff are in the hands of long-term collections, making the offering of this particularly flamboyant car a special opportunity indeed.
---
Kristina and I headed over to RM Sotheby's at the Monterey Conference Center to view some glorious cars at their auction preview.
- - -
Had a blast with our auto-enthusiast friend and neighbor, Fred, at Monterey Car Week 2022.
Cutting to the chase: believe the hype.
The level of detail throughout is amazing. You'll find none of the blatant corner cutting that characterized early California Adventure. Each area of the park is fully realized and engrossing. Even the areas that are obviously meant to be cheaper to execute, like the kid-focused Mermaid Lagoon, are still lavish. Even better, the parts that are meant to impress do so in spades.
At the same time, there's no sense that things were left unfinished as one gets with Disney's Animal Kingdom. Make no mistake, the park is a full day park. Sure it doesn't have the sheer number of attractions that one will find at Disneyland or the Magic Kingdom, but that's hardly surprising considering those parks are building off over 55 years of momentum and refinement while Disney Sea is a spritely 10 years old. If one got lucky and came on the least crowded day and did some militant park opening to closing fastpass strategizing, then it's theoretically possible that one could experience every attraction, but even then you're unlikely to see the various shows (which will soon include Fantasmic), and you'll probably be hurrying by details and rushing through meals. The park is engrossing but tight, never feeling insurmountable yet never feeling small.
Side note: that this park chose to add Fantasmic rather than World of Color makes total sense to me now. This park is very much rooted in the distant past and is very story oriented: World of Color's technological spectacle with would have felt odd and out of place here.
Conceptually the park is a winner in that it lives up to it name. The park literally is a Disneyland that takes it's thematic inspiration from bodies of water, effectively replacing the "land" with "sea." In a sense the Disneyland approach to theme parks is to represent idealized times and places, with the choice of which times and places characterizing the park as a whole. The classic Disneyland itself is hard to define in terms of an overall theme, but it somehow hits on a winning formula. Disney Sea takes this same approach but adds the overarching concept of the sea and the various incarnations it takes. In this regard one could argue that Disney Sea is a more conceptually cohesive park than Disneyland itself. I don't know if this cohesion make it better per se, but there's no denying that the message of Disney Sea is probably the strongest and clearest of any Disney Park (Animal Kingdom being a close second). Unlike California Adventure, the theme works throughout the park and you never have to jump through mental hoops to justify the presence of particular area of the park. The sense of purpose is confident and adhesion to this purpose is total.
I didn't have a chance to eat much of the food during my not-quite-a-day visit, but I liked what I tried and was intrigued by what I didn't. Quick service meals (read: fast food) at Disneyland/Magic Kingdom parks range from okay to horrid, but Disney Sea seems to buck this trend in both variety and quality. I had quick service curry for lunch and it ended up being the best curry I ate while in Japan, and Japan is very fond of its curry. The Italian restaurant Ristorante di Canaletto seemed very nice for dinner, but it's hard for me to judge how it compares to other Italian in Japan. The other food options throughout the park certainly looked good, and that didn't even touch on the higher class food found in the hotels, an area where Disney World absolutely shines. It definitely seemed a step above Disneyland's/Magic Kingdom's less than stellar options and more akin to Epcot's culinary delights. We can't talk food without talking drink: we stopped by one bar in the American Waterfront located in a theme ship and themed after the life of Teddy Roosevelt. The place was opulent in a Club 33 sort of way, the drinks seemed solid and the ambiance perfectly fits the 20s chic style that's so popular in trendier areas right now. This place could make a killing in LA and is much nicer than the club-esque bar called Teddy's Los Angeles. In DisneySea you can go from munching popcorn to refined opulence one after the other. Disney Sea gets it: appeal to everybody and all sensibilities, from playful to refined.
The thing that probably struck me the most about Disney Sea was the quality of the rides. Each ride has that full-on Disney quality that you usually only get from specific AAA attractions in the other parks. Even when Disney Sea has a clone of an existing ride, it's better. Their Indiana Jones is more detailed, has more effects, and is just generally more impressive than the one in Anaheim. The Voyage of Sinbad is an almost Small World esque ride in theory, but the execution in terms of detail and technology makes it more akin to Pirates of the Caribbean. Stormrider is a simulator ride, a sort of hybrid of Soarin' and Star Tours, but Stormrider's effects an execution go light years beyond what at least the original Star Tours was doing. Hell, even their carrousel is a double-decker. Things are executed properly at Disney Sea, plain and simple. There's always some little bit that will impress you, especially if you're used to American parks. Everything is executed with 21st century standards. You don't have to tell yourself that a ride is kind of hokey but it's okay because it's a 1955 original: at Disney Sea the rides aren't hokey, and nothing feels like it was built in 1955. Disney Sea manages to feel as engrossing and "Disney" as Disneyland, but a Disneyland that doesn't rely on nostalgia to gloss over its weaker moments. Disney Sea is something Walt would build if he were alive today, not something he would build back in the 50s. The park's not perfect of course, there's still the odd quickie ride you can tell was put in because it was cheaper than something else, but even those rides seem to have leaps and bounds more care and wonder than their equivalents in other parks. At Walt Disney World you get a Dumbo Spinner for the umpteenth time, but at Disney Sea you get Aquatopia using a completely unique ride system and offering a simple yet uniquely enjoyable experience. This park just operates at a different level of expectation.
Disneyland is a unique event, an entertainment venture like no other that defined an art form. Its originality will likely never be duplicated, but Disney hasn't let that stop them from trying. When Walt's dream of the perfect city died with him they tried a new, more adult theme park with Epcot in 1982 and largely succeeded. While Disneyland has been cloned around the world, Epcot is a different conceptual approach to a theme park, high quality but nothing like any other Disney park. Unfortunately Disney has left that park in a state of suspended animation, never pushing the concept forward since 1982 and mostly making changes that seem to lose the park's focus. After that Disney has went back to spins on their Disneyland formula, but they all have various problems. The Hollywood Studios parks are conceptually ill-conceived, Animal Kingdom has yet to flesh itself out, and California Adventure was initially executed so cheaply it hardly felt Disney at all. That leaves Disney Sea: a fully realized, fully executed Disney park built in the 21st century. One of a kind, it's Disney's only modern theme park, building on their experience and winning formula, but starting from scratch in a modern age. It's definitely the best thing Disney has done since 1982, and arguably the best original thing they've done since 1955. Disney Sea is the lighthouse that should be guiding imagineering from here on out*.
If you're the kind who will carve out a couple of Disney World/land trips a year, I urge you to perhaps combine them into one trip to the Tokyo Disney Resort instead. You're only doing yourself a disservice by missing Disney Sea. If this review doesn't sell you then maybe this will: the whole day I was at Disney Sea I only saw one stroller and one ECV. Yes, you read that right: just one.
*Look at the photo: see what I did there?
Vanessa needs the most work...beginning with her
5-head, new lips (shape/color). She must have applied her lipstick while driving to work this morning?! LOL...and a little work to her droopy left eye(our right).
;P
the new beast I got two days ago, still needs some usage refinements, great feel, but if you work in full manual including focus, in extreme light conditions, there are tons of tweaks to do in order to get some neutral stuff out of it (the noise reduction at high iso option is terrible in that sense, better have it off if you're serious about the resulting CR2 files..) but overall, first shots with it (cf www.flickr.com/photos/_z/sets/72157622665733663/ - concert conditions, camera out of the box and factory settings) where ok
Though the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau had put the excellent MiG-15 fighter in production, giving the Soviet Union one of the best fighters of the early 1950s, MiG felt it could further improve on the design. The MiG-15 had shown itself to be unstable as it neared the speed of sound, and it was anticipated that further refinement could be done to the aircraft. As a result, MiG OKB began work on an improved MiG-15, referred to as the MiG-15-45 because of its primary characteristic, an improved swept wing. This new wing was thinner than that on the MiG-15, included wing fences for improved aerodynamics, and was swept at 45 degrees near the wingroot and to a slightly lesser degree at the wingtip, giving the new variant a distinctive “banana-wing” shape.
The fuselage was extended to incorporate an afterburner on the VK-1F turbojet, while a small ventral fin was added beneath the tail to further improve stability. While the MiG-17 could not quite break the sound barrier, it was very stable in most respects and kept the heavy armament and good all-around visibility of the MiG-15. The design changes were enough to warrant a new designation, so it became the MiG-17.
The first MiG-17 flew in January 1950, and despite the loss of the prototype to a fatal crash, low-level production soon began—low-level due to the urgent need for MiG-15s to fight in the Korean War. Not until after the war had ended did full-scale production begin on the MiG-17. By then, it was considered somewhat obsolescent: the supersonic MiG-19 was placed in production alongside the MiG-17, while work had begun on the MiG-21. Nonetheless, it was kept in production for the rest of the decade as the MiG-19 proved to be a bit of a disappointment. The MiG-17 was updated in 1953 after the Soviet Union captured a F-86F Sabre, and copied elements of the Sabre’s ejection seat and gunsight into the new fighter. It was dubbed “Fresco” by NATO. Attempts were made to build all-weather versions of the MiG-17 with mixed results; the all-missile MiG-17PM was reviled by its pilots due to a poor radar and worse missiles. The most common version was the day fighter MiG-17F.
The MiG-17’s combat debut was not auspicious, seeing action in the 1956 Suez War and the 1958 Quemoy Crisis. In the former, Egypt’s few MiG-17s were outnumbered and outflown by French and Israeli Mystere IV and Super Mystere fighters, while over the Taiwan Straits, People’s Republic of China MiG-17s were ambushed by Republic of China F-86Fs equipped with Sidewinder missiles. By 1960, production had ended, and the Soviet Union sold off most of its stock to client states, reequipping with more modern MiG-21s.
In 1962, the Soviet Union supplied the nascent North Vietnamese People’s Air Force with 36 MiG-17Fs as the nucleus of a new air force, and to offset the American-supplied Thai and South Vietnamese air forces. By 1965, when Operation Rolling Thunder began, these aircraft were sent against US Air Force and Navy fighters attacking the Thanh Hoa bridge. On 4 April 1965, a force of four MiG-17s shot down two F-105 Thunderchiefs to score the VPAF’s first victories of the war, but paid a heavy price, losing three out of the four to escorting F-100 Super Sabres and their own antiaircraft fire. The MiG-17 would remain the primary VPAF aircraft throughout Rolling Thunder, though it was gradually supplemented by the MiG-21. Since the MiG-17 was subsonic and lacked radar, it depended on ground radar to guide the pilot to the target, but once in a dogfight, the small, very manueverable, cannon-armed MiG had a definite advantage over American aircraft; only the F-8 Crusader came remotely close to matching it. A favorite tactic of MiG-17 pilots was to hide “in the grass” at low level and pick off any unwary American pilot, or attack during a bomb run when their opponents were at their weakest. It came as a rude surprise to American pilots that semi-obsolete aircraft were still capable of destroying the latest word in military equipment, and it pointed up the deficiencies in American air combat training.
MiG-17s accounted for about 50 USAF and Navy aircraft during Rolling Thunder, enough that when the Top Gun program was formed in 1969, A-4 Skyhawks were assigned specifically to simulate them. This was also secretly supplemented by two ex-Syrian MiG-17Fs captured by Israel in 1968 and given to the United States under Project Have Drill. One deficiency that was found in the MiG-17 was that, at high speeds and low altitudes, compressibility would set in and the aircraft became unresponsive to the controls. These lessons were put to good use when American strikes resumed in 1972. By this time, the VPAF had largely withdrawn its MiG-17s to training units, preferring the more modern MiG-19 and MiG-21. While the MiG-17 did account for a few more kills, they mostly ended up being shot down by better trained US Navy pilots and USAF F-4E pilots, who now had internal guns themselves. In the right hands, a MiG-17 was still a formidable opponent, as US Navy aces Randy Cunningham and William Driscoll found out on 10 May 1972, when a MiG-17 dueled in the vertical with their F-4J for nearly ten minutes before it was finally shot down.
After Vietnam, the MiG-17 had outlived its usefulness, and though it would see limited service in African brushfire wars and in the Yom Kippur War of 1973, what few air forces retained them relegated them to second-line and training units. A few persisted in the Albanian and North Korean air forces until 2000. 10,603 MiG-17s were built by the Soviet Union, Poland, and China, serving in 40 air forces; today, several hundred still remain in museums and in flyable condition, including 27 in the United States alone.
This MiG-17 is actually a Lim-5, Bort 1617, built under license in Poland. It entered service with the Polish Air Force's 29th Fighter Regiment at Ometa in 1960, and was withdrawn from frontline service in the late 1970s; in 1988, with Cold War tensions easing, it was sold to Planes of Fame in Chino, California. In 2017, with Planes of Fame now in the possession of another MiG-17, it was sold to the Palm Springs Air Museum, where it was given a camouflage scheme to go along with its VPAF colors.
Bort 1617 is something of a gate guard for the PSAM, as it's among the first aircraft one sees when coming in off the interstate. It carries the nose number 3020, for the MiG-17 flown by the supposed North Vietnamese ace "Colonel Toon," shot down by Cunningham and Driscoll in May 1972; the camouflage pattern is off for 3020, but it still would be accurate for VPAF MiG-17s, which carried a wide variety of camouflage schemes. The real 3020 was assigned to the 923rd Fighter Regiment at Kep, North Vietnam, and flown by several different pilots. The aircraft doesn't actually have a pilot mannequin in the cockpit--PSAM has cleverly masked the cockpit using a printed pilot and canopy!
Alan Li, Race Strategist, inspects the lower as the team makes further refinements to Novum.
Photo: Akhil Kantipuly
The department has been building up a library of design related reference books over the last few years. Pupils are encouraged to make use of these books on a regular basis. The photographs here demonstrate the tremendous wealth of content contained therein.
The sequence has been shot in such a way that the cover of the book is shown first and a few sample pages are included to give the student an idea of the content the book contains. Pupils may then approach staff and request a short term loan.
The Launch 22v is the perfect combination of size, refinement and performance. This 22.5-foot wakeboard boat welcomes a crew of 15 with room for gear and an interior geared toward luxurious accommodation. Completely redesigned for 2012, the 22V interior brings together intricate sections of multi-textured Syntec Nanoblock vinyls with the durability of exclusive Gore Tenara thread. Triple density foam construction makes the Launch interior as comfortable as it is eye-catching. Supra has made the high-traffic path from the lounge to the swim step worry-free with a newly tooled rear seat step and transom walk-over covered in SeaDeck no-slip padding. The wakes are pro caliber and controllable with cockpit switch or the VISION dash, but the 22V is as much about the drive as it is the ride. Slicing through rough water with flat precise turns, the 22V is exhilarating to drive. The high and slow speed maneuvers are almost as impressive as you will look pulling them off. Available with a walk-through bow as a Sunsport or with the Launch playpen, the 22V captures your water sports boating lifestyle.
Overall Length w/o Platform: 22'6"
Overall Length w/ Platform: 24'6"
Overall Length w/ Platform & Trailer: 26' 4"
Width (Beam): 100"
Overall Width w/ Trailer: 102"
Draft: 25"
Weight - Boat only: 3900 lbs
Weight - Boat and Trailer: 5000 lbs
Capacity - Passenger: 15
Capacity - Weight: 2,100 lbs
Capacity - Fuel: 50 gals
Capacity - Ballast: 1450 lbs
Engine - Electronic Fuel Injection: 330 HP 5.7 L MPI w/ CAT
Round-End Kompak Model 97, Perey Manufacturing Company, 1946.
This Perey Round End Kompak model 97 is a refinement of the Square End Kompak, with an improved mechanical design. The top plate is constructed from stainless steel, reducing the maintenance on a high-wear area. Originally designed with a glass-windowed slug spotter at the intersection of the bands on the curved front, they were covered with metal plates after repeated vandalism. The turnstiles purchased by the IRT allowed people to exit through them, while those purchased by the BMT and IND were designed for entrance only. After numerous conversions of one-way turnstiles to two, only two-way turnstiles were ordered.
The New York Transit Museum, located in the decommissioned Court Street subway station at Boerum Place, was opened 1976 by the New York City Transit Authority and taken over in the mid-1990s by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The museum includes subway, bus, railway, bridge, and tunnel memorabilia; and other exhibits including vintage signage and in-vehicle advertisements; and models and dioramas of subway, bus, and other equipment.
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
By Juan de Flandes
Partner portrait to Phillip the Handsome
Juana was born on 6 Nov 1479 in Toledo, Castile to Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, elder sister to Catherine of Aragon (1st wife of Henry VIII).
She had a fair complexion, blue eyes and strawberry blonde fair.
She was a clever and diligent child who excelled academically, as well as with languages and reading.
she took to the refinements of courtly etiquette and enjoyed outdoor activities.
However in 1495 she had started to show signs of skepticism towards the Catholic faith.
This horrified her mother, a woman who had established the Spanish Inquisition so intolerant was she to heretical thought, and a Princess of the Catholic faith could not be seen as a heretic.
There is evident through letters that there was intervention and that Juana was punished using La Cuede (weights strapped to the feet whilst hoisted in the air by a rope strapped to the arms), and a considerable amount of frustration from the priests because she would not confess to heretical thoughts.
In 1496, aged 17, she was betrothed to Philip of Flanders, son of the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. He was also known as Philip the Handsome.
They were married by proxy at the Palace de Los Vivero. Then in August Juana left from the Port of Laredo for Flanders.
20 Oct 1496 the official marriage took place in Lier.
Between 1498-1507 they had six children.
With the death of her older siblings, in 1502 Juana found herself the heir to the throne of Castile and Leon, being given the title Princess of Asturias.
In Nov 1504, on the death of her mother, Juana became Queen Regent of Castile and Philip King. As a result Ferdinand lost hs monarchical status and was unwilling to accept the situation. His first move was to have coins minted featuring himself with Juana as joint ruler. in retaliation Philip had started doing the same thing.
Then in 1505 Ferdinand the Cortes that Juana's "illness is such that the said Queen Dona Juana our Lady cannot govern."
The Cortes agreed and appointed Ferdinand as Juana's guardian and Governor of Castile and Leon.
Philip was unwilling to accept this threat and in late 1505 the couple traveled Castile.
However, they were shipwrecked off the coast of Devon and ended up staying as a "guest" of Henry VII until April 1506. This would be the last time she would see her sister Catherine.
When they finally arrived back in Coruna, the Castile nobility gave their allegiance to the couple.
Ferdinand and Philip meet and agreed a treaty that would hand rule to Philip so long as he agreed that Juana's "infermieties and sufferings" made her incapable to govern, Ferdinand would deny this the same day and try to shift the blame to Philip. Whoever was responsible (probably both) on 9th July 1506 the Procurators of the Cortes swore allegiance to Juana and Philip together as co-governors.
It did not last long. On 25th Sep 1506 Philip died after being ill for 5 days. The official cause was sited as Typhoid fever, but rumors at the time suggested poison.
Juana was devestated. It was clear she had loved her husband despite his affairs, torments and cruelty. She was also pregnant.
She struggled with the idea of parting with his body and accompanied his coffin all the way from Burgos to Granada - some 600km. It is said she would frequently open the coffin to embrace him).
Meanwhile the region began to fall apart - plaque and famine ravaged the area, and whilst Juana tried to manage on her own she does not seem to have had backing financially or emotionally.
Once the crisis reached its height, in July 1507 Ferdinand arrived back in Castile.
Although Juana made it known she had no wish to hand over government, it was decided by the Cortes that Ferdinand would once again be Governor. She would be Queen in name only.
By 1509 all her loyal servants had been dismissed and had only a small retinue loyal to Ferdinand.
She had been confined to the Palace in Torledo.
In 1516 Ferdinand died a bitter man. Much against his wishes the throne of Aragon would go to Juana and her son Charles.
Nov 1517 Charles and his sister Eleanor visited their mother, where they extracted the required authority for Charles to rule as co-ruler. This did not win her freedom though. Instead she was kept confined in the palace where her daughter attempted to create a household for her.
In 1519 Charles was elected Holy Roman Emperor.
There were plots by various groups to rescue Juana and put her back on the throne, but she refused to co-operate against her son.
This did not benefit her though. Charles, seeing her a risk, had her transferred to the Royal convent where she was kept in solitary confinement.
After that her health declined including her ability to move, and she died on 12 April 1555, aged 75.
She is entombed beside her parents and next to her husband in the Royal Chapel in Granada.
Mad or mistreated?
Though the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau had put the excellent MiG-15 fighter in production, giving the Soviet Union one of the best fighters of the early 1950s, MiG felt it could further improve on the design. The MiG-15 had shown itself to be unstable as it neared the speed of sound, and it was anticipated that further refinement could be done to the aircraft. As a result, MiG OKB began work on an improved MiG-15, referred to as the MiG-15-45 because of its primary characteristic, an improved swept wing. This new wing was thinner than that on the MiG-15, included wing fences for improved aerodynamics, and was swept at 45 degrees near the wingroot and to a slightly lesser degree at the wingtip, giving the new variant a distinctive “banana-wing” shape.
The fuselage was extended to incorporate an afterburner on the VK-1F turbojet, while a small ventral fin was added beneath the tail to further improve stability. While the MiG-17 could not quite break the sound barrier, it was very stable in most respects and kept the heavy armament and good all-around visibility of the MiG-15. The design changes were enough to warrant a new designation, so it became the MiG-17.
The first MiG-17 flew in January 1950, and despite the loss of the prototype to a fatal crash, low-level production soon began—low-level due to the urgent need for MiG-15s to fight in the Korean War. Not until after the war had ended did full-scale production begin on the MiG-17. By then, it was considered somewhat obsolescent: the supersonic MiG-19 was placed in production alongside the MiG-17, while work had begun on the MiG-21. Nonetheless, it was kept in production for the rest of the decade as the MiG-19 proved to be a bit of a disappointment. The MiG-17 was updated in 1953 after the Soviet Union captured a F-86F Sabre, and copied elements of the Sabre’s ejection seat and gunsight into the new fighter. It was dubbed “Fresco” by NATO. Attempts were made to build all-weather versions of the MiG-17 with mixed results; the all-missile MiG-17PM was reviled by its pilots due to a poor radar and worse missiles. The most common version was the day fighter MiG-17F.
The MiG-17’s combat debut was not auspicious, seeing action in the 1956 Suez War and the 1958 Quemoy Crisis. In the former, Egypt’s few MiG-17s were outnumbered and outflown by French and Israeli Mystere IV and Super Mystere fighters, while over the Taiwan Straits, People’s Republic of China MiG-17s were ambushed by Republic of China F-86Fs equipped with Sidewinder missiles. By 1960, production had ended, and the Soviet Union sold off most of its stock to client states, reequipping with more modern MiG-21s.
In 1962, the Soviet Union supplied the nascent North Vietnamese People’s Air Force with 36 MiG-17Fs as the nucleus of a new air force, and to offset the American-supplied Thai and South Vietnamese air forces. By 1965, when Operation Rolling Thunder began, these aircraft were sent against US Air Force and Navy fighters attacking the Thanh Hoa bridge. On 4 April 1965, a force of four MiG-17s shot down two F-105 Thunderchiefs to score the VPAF’s first victories of the war, but paid a heavy price, losing three out of the four to escorting F-100 Super Sabres and their own antiaircraft fire. The MiG-17 would remain the primary VPAF aircraft throughout Rolling Thunder, though it was gradually supplemented by the MiG-21. Since the MiG-17 was subsonic and lacked radar, it depended on ground radar to guide the pilot to the target, but once in a dogfight, the small, very manueverable, cannon-armed MiG had a definite advantage over American aircraft; only the F-8 Crusader came remotely close to matching it. A favorite tactic of MiG-17 pilots was to hide “in the grass” at low level and pick off any unwary American pilot, or attack during a bomb run when their opponents were at their weakest. It came as a rude surprise to American pilots that semi-obsolete aircraft were still capable of destroying the latest word in military equipment, and it pointed up the deficiencies in American air combat training.
MiG-17s accounted for about 50 USAF and Navy aircraft during Rolling Thunder, enough that when the Top Gun program was formed in 1969, A-4 Skyhawks were assigned specifically to simulate them. This was also secretly supplemented by two ex-Syrian MiG-17Fs captured by Israel in 1968 and given to the United States under Project Have Drill. One deficiency that was found in the MiG-17 was that, at high speeds and low altitudes, compressibility would set in and the aircraft became unresponsive to the controls. These lessons were put to good use when American strikes resumed in 1972. By this time, the VPAF had largely withdrawn its MiG-17s to training units, preferring the more modern MiG-19 and MiG-21. While the MiG-17 did account for a few more kills, they mostly ended up being shot down by better trained US Navy pilots and USAF F-4E pilots, who now had internal guns themselves. In the right hands, a MiG-17 was still a formidable opponent, as US Navy aces Randy Cunningham and William Driscoll found out on 10 May 1972, when a MiG-17 dueled in the vertical with their F-4J for nearly ten minutes before it was finally shot down.
After Vietnam, the MiG-17 had outlived its usefulness, and though it would see limited service in African brushfire wars and in the Yom Kippur War of 1973, what few air forces retained them relegated them to second-line and training units. A few persisted in the Albanian and North Korean air forces until 2000. 10,603 MiG-17s were built by the Soviet Union, Poland, and China, serving in 40 air forces; today, several hundred still remain in museums and in flyable condition, including 27 in the United States alone.
Built as a Lim-5 (the Polish license-produced MiG-17F), Bort 1605 was delivered to the Polish Air Force in 1960, serving with the 41st Aviation Squadron at Malbork. It soldiered on as late as 1990, when it was retired after the end of the Cold War, and was sold off in 1994 to an American warbird collector. In 2008, it was donated to the March Air Museum.
March keeps its MiGs looking very nice, and Bort 1605 is no different. It is painted as a generic Soviet V-VS MiG-17 from the 1950s.
1939 Bugatti Type 57C Aravis Special Cabriolet by Gangloff
$1,545,000 USD | Sold
From Sotheby's:
GANGLOFF AND BUGATTI’S TYPE 57C
The Type 57 is one of the most celebrated of all non-racing Bugatti chassis. Its unbeatable combination of style and performance made it an instant success, and from its introduction it provided Jean Bugatti with a final, lasting legacy for the automotive history books.
Prior to its introduction in 1934, Bugatti had set the lofty goal of creating an automobile that exuded the excitement and racing heritage of the company, while incorporating the refinement and drivability of a road car. The Type 57 was successful in combining some of the temperament of the racing chassis while offering a level of comfort that even the most polished of European elite appreciated.
Some of the most memorable designs on this chassis carry the Bugatti name, as many came from the creative mind of Jean Bugatti and were offered as factory catalog body styles. Although a number of Type 57 convertible bodies in his catalog were dignified and pleasing to the eye, they lacked the flair of his racy closed cars, such as the Atalante or Atlantic. As a result, Bugatti envisioned a more exotic open car that would set a new standard for styling; the coachbuilding firm of Gangloff was entrusted with the task of crafting the new model. The results were nothing less than spectacular.
Chassis 57798 is one of only three extant examples of the Aravis body style by Gangloff, which were built in 1938 and 1939. Like other Bugatti bodies, the Aravis was named after a beautiful mountain range, and it was designated as a 2/3-seater cabriolet when it was first offered in the 1938 catalogue. Only Gangloff and Letourneur et Marchand were allowed to dub their 2/3-seater cabriolets “Aravis,” and it is believed that each coachbuilder produced six of these bodies.
LE ARAVIS DU DR. CHAUVENET
This Type 57C was originally ordered from Bugatti in the fall of 1938 by Dr. André Charles Chauvenet of Thouars, France via the local dealer J.B. Arnaud. Chauvenet, who had owned no less than five previous Bugattis over the years, further specified a dual-overhead-cam engine with supercharger, Rudge wheels, electric starter, Stromberg carburetor, and Aravis Convertible Coupe body by Gangloff; the car’s final retail price was an eye-watering 135,000 Francs.
Correspondence on file between Gangloff and Arnaud show that this particular Aravis “Special Cabriolet” body is derived from a synthesis of Bugatti style drawings 3888 (8 August 1938), and 3942 (25 November 1938) which were subsequently refined with modifications including headlamp guards, a foam-stuffed rear seat, black top with red leatherette piping, chrome side molding, and three sets of vertical hood louvres. Its original color is reported to have been black, or an exceedingly dark shade of blue or purple, over a red leather interior.
According to a report on file from marque expert Pierre-Yves Laugier, Gangloff had completed the body for the car by mid-November 1938, although Bugatti apparently did not send the coachworks the rolling chassis until late December. The union of the two did not occur until the new year, and chassis 57798 was finally delivered to Chauvenet in January 1939. At the time of his purchase, Dr. Chauvenet was a decorated World War I veteran, leading surgeon at the Thouars hospital, and a repeat Bugatti customer; he only enjoyed a few short months with the car before he was called back into service as a medical officer for the French Army.
Less than a year after accepting delivery of this striking Bugatti he would become a leading resistance coordinator against the Nazi-Vichy regime in Western France. By July 1941, his resistance cell had been infiltrated by a Vichy double-agent and all were imprisoned or executed. Chauvenet himself was kept in France, and later, German, prisons until early 1945 when he was then sent to the infamous Buchenwald concentration camp. Miraculously, both Chauvenet and his collection of Bugatti automobiles survived the war; all were reunited in early May 1945.
TO SWITZERLAND
In February 1946, 57798 was sold to Didier Soriano of Bordeaux via the originating dealer J.B. Arnaud. It then passed to the hotelier, restauranteur, and amateur racer Hermann Trümpy of Glarus, Switzerland in October 1947. Interestingly, Trümpy was also one of the financiers for the famous post-war sports car company Veritas GmbH. Period photos on file show that Trümpy raced the car quite spiritedly in several amateur hill climb events throughout Switzerland. By the time he was powering this Bugatti sideways through the Alps, its original body, top, color combination, headlamp guards, rear spats, bumpers, and Rudge wheels were still present.
Circa 1951, Trümpy sold 57798 onward to André Turrettini of Geneva. Much like its first owner, Turrettini was a doctor (in his case, a noted obstetrician and gynecologist) and dedicate Bugatti enthusiast, owning at least three over the years. He would retain this chassis until 1959; photos on file dated 12 October 1951 indicate that he was involved in an incident with the car that damaged the front driver’s side fender, but this speed bump clearly did not put him off ownership of this beautiful machine. Its next custodian was Geneva-based collector Pierre Strinati who, in 1959, commissioned the coachbuilder Graber to mount a solid steel roof to the body—thereby converting this Aravis Cabriolet into a fixed head coupe. At this time, Strinati also had the car sympathetically redone in a two-tone red and black paintjob over maroon leather.
The car remained on display in the Strinati Collection until 1984, when it was subsequently exported from Switzerland. After briefly passing through the impressive stables of the late Bill Serri, Jr. of Cherry Hill, New Jersey and then the late Myron Schuster of Bedford, New York, this remarkable Type 57C was acquired by Oscar Davis in August 1993.
WITH OSCAR DAVIS
Upon acquiring this fine Bugatti, Oscar Davis immediately set about researching its history in preparation for an accurate and complete restoration to its original specifications. Gathering information from disparate sources including marque historians, previous owners, and the car’s extensive history file, he revealed much about its early appearance; by late 1995, the car’s restoration was starting to take shape.
The full restoration of the Bugatti's bodywork was entrusted to Classic Coach Repair of Elizabeth, New Jersey in order to return the car to its original 1939 cabriolet configuration. A full binder of photos documenting the disassembly and body restoration illustrate that, although much of the car’s structure and body was intact and original, its original split bumpers, spats, and other unique details were gone or altogether in need of correction. As a measure of remediation, new wood framing was masterfully installed throughout, and the body modifications by Graber were also carefully reversed to bring back Gangloff’s signature Aravis styling.
Concurrently, the chassis and drivetrain were delivered to Leydon Restorations of Lahaska, Pennsylvania to be restored as a complete running chassis. The car’s correct-type 3.3-liter dual-overhead-cam straight-eight engine was entirely rebuilt and returned to its original supercharged configuration. It should be noted that Bugatti owner registry listings on file indicate this engine was previously installed in a 1937 57C Stelvio (57619). Put simply, absolutely no cosmetic or mechanical component escaped redress during the course of this seven-year restoration.
Davis also had 57798’s exterior returned to a dark shade that more closely resembled its original livery, which was once again paired with a red leather interior—a handsome black soft top was provided, and a set of chrome Borrani wire wheels was installed, perfectly complementing Chauvenet’s specified chrome trim.
Since emerging from this impressive restoration in 2001, 57798 has lived a lavish life of public exhibition at many of the world’s preeminent automotive concours. Showings at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (and Tour), Louis Vuitton Classic Concours, Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, and other leading events have rightfully elevated the provenance and public appreciation for this remarkable Aravis Special Cabriolet.
This Type 57C offers its next owner membership into a fantastic community of enthusiasts—one that holds events and rallies which celebrate the Molsheim marque worldwide. The other two surviving Bugatti Aravis examples by Gangloff are in the hands of long-term collections, making the offering of this particularly flamboyant car a special opportunity indeed.
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Kristina and I headed over to RM Sotheby's at the Monterey Conference Center to view some glorious cars at their auction preview.
- - -
Had a blast with our auto-enthusiast friend and neighbor, Fred, at Monterey Car Week 2022.
"German character, French refinement.
The original Alsatian beer."
Advertising Agency: Caldas Naya, Barcelona, Spain
Creative Director / Copywriter: Gustavo Caldas
Art Director: Juanjo Casañas
Photographers: Mike Diver, Pedro Aguilar
Account Director: Fabiana Casañas
1939 Bugatti Type 57C Aravis Special Cabriolet by Gangloff
$1,545,000 USD | Sold
From Sotheby's:
GANGLOFF AND BUGATTI’S TYPE 57C
The Type 57 is one of the most celebrated of all non-racing Bugatti chassis. Its unbeatable combination of style and performance made it an instant success, and from its introduction it provided Jean Bugatti with a final, lasting legacy for the automotive history books.
Prior to its introduction in 1934, Bugatti had set the lofty goal of creating an automobile that exuded the excitement and racing heritage of the company, while incorporating the refinement and drivability of a road car. The Type 57 was successful in combining some of the temperament of the racing chassis while offering a level of comfort that even the most polished of European elite appreciated.
Some of the most memorable designs on this chassis carry the Bugatti name, as many came from the creative mind of Jean Bugatti and were offered as factory catalog body styles. Although a number of Type 57 convertible bodies in his catalog were dignified and pleasing to the eye, they lacked the flair of his racy closed cars, such as the Atalante or Atlantic. As a result, Bugatti envisioned a more exotic open car that would set a new standard for styling; the coachbuilding firm of Gangloff was entrusted with the task of crafting the new model. The results were nothing less than spectacular.
Chassis 57798 is one of only three extant examples of the Aravis body style by Gangloff, which were built in 1938 and 1939. Like other Bugatti bodies, the Aravis was named after a beautiful mountain range, and it was designated as a 2/3-seater cabriolet when it was first offered in the 1938 catalogue. Only Gangloff and Letourneur et Marchand were allowed to dub their 2/3-seater cabriolets “Aravis,” and it is believed that each coachbuilder produced six of these bodies.
LE ARAVIS DU DR. CHAUVENET
This Type 57C was originally ordered from Bugatti in the fall of 1938 by Dr. André Charles Chauvenet of Thouars, France via the local dealer J.B. Arnaud. Chauvenet, who had owned no less than five previous Bugattis over the years, further specified a dual-overhead-cam engine with supercharger, Rudge wheels, electric starter, Stromberg carburetor, and Aravis Convertible Coupe body by Gangloff; the car’s final retail price was an eye-watering 135,000 Francs.
Correspondence on file between Gangloff and Arnaud show that this particular Aravis “Special Cabriolet” body is derived from a synthesis of Bugatti style drawings 3888 (8 August 1938), and 3942 (25 November 1938) which were subsequently refined with modifications including headlamp guards, a foam-stuffed rear seat, black top with red leatherette piping, chrome side molding, and three sets of vertical hood louvres. Its original color is reported to have been black, or an exceedingly dark shade of blue or purple, over a red leather interior.
According to a report on file from marque expert Pierre-Yves Laugier, Gangloff had completed the body for the car by mid-November 1938, although Bugatti apparently did not send the coachworks the rolling chassis until late December. The union of the two did not occur until the new year, and chassis 57798 was finally delivered to Chauvenet in January 1939. At the time of his purchase, Dr. Chauvenet was a decorated World War I veteran, leading surgeon at the Thouars hospital, and a repeat Bugatti customer; he only enjoyed a few short months with the car before he was called back into service as a medical officer for the French Army.
Less than a year after accepting delivery of this striking Bugatti he would become a leading resistance coordinator against the Nazi-Vichy regime in Western France. By July 1941, his resistance cell had been infiltrated by a Vichy double-agent and all were imprisoned or executed. Chauvenet himself was kept in France, and later, German, prisons until early 1945 when he was then sent to the infamous Buchenwald concentration camp. Miraculously, both Chauvenet and his collection of Bugatti automobiles survived the war; all were reunited in early May 1945.
TO SWITZERLAND
In February 1946, 57798 was sold to Didier Soriano of Bordeaux via the originating dealer J.B. Arnaud. It then passed to the hotelier, restauranteur, and amateur racer Hermann Trümpy of Glarus, Switzerland in October 1947. Interestingly, Trümpy was also one of the financiers for the famous post-war sports car company Veritas GmbH. Period photos on file show that Trümpy raced the car quite spiritedly in several amateur hill climb events throughout Switzerland. By the time he was powering this Bugatti sideways through the Alps, its original body, top, color combination, headlamp guards, rear spats, bumpers, and Rudge wheels were still present.
Circa 1951, Trümpy sold 57798 onward to André Turrettini of Geneva. Much like its first owner, Turrettini was a doctor (in his case, a noted obstetrician and gynecologist) and dedicate Bugatti enthusiast, owning at least three over the years. He would retain this chassis until 1959; photos on file dated 12 October 1951 indicate that he was involved in an incident with the car that damaged the front driver’s side fender, but this speed bump clearly did not put him off ownership of this beautiful machine. Its next custodian was Geneva-based collector Pierre Strinati who, in 1959, commissioned the coachbuilder Graber to mount a solid steel roof to the body—thereby converting this Aravis Cabriolet into a fixed head coupe. At this time, Strinati also had the car sympathetically redone in a two-tone red and black paintjob over maroon leather.
The car remained on display in the Strinati Collection until 1984, when it was subsequently exported from Switzerland. After briefly passing through the impressive stables of the late Bill Serri, Jr. of Cherry Hill, New Jersey and then the late Myron Schuster of Bedford, New York, this remarkable Type 57C was acquired by Oscar Davis in August 1993.
WITH OSCAR DAVIS
Upon acquiring this fine Bugatti, Oscar Davis immediately set about researching its history in preparation for an accurate and complete restoration to its original specifications. Gathering information from disparate sources including marque historians, previous owners, and the car’s extensive history file, he revealed much about its early appearance; by late 1995, the car’s restoration was starting to take shape.
The full restoration of the Bugatti's bodywork was entrusted to Classic Coach Repair of Elizabeth, New Jersey in order to return the car to its original 1939 cabriolet configuration. A full binder of photos documenting the disassembly and body restoration illustrate that, although much of the car’s structure and body was intact and original, its original split bumpers, spats, and other unique details were gone or altogether in need of correction. As a measure of remediation, new wood framing was masterfully installed throughout, and the body modifications by Graber were also carefully reversed to bring back Gangloff’s signature Aravis styling.
Concurrently, the chassis and drivetrain were delivered to Leydon Restorations of Lahaska, Pennsylvania to be restored as a complete running chassis. The car’s correct-type 3.3-liter dual-overhead-cam straight-eight engine was entirely rebuilt and returned to its original supercharged configuration. It should be noted that Bugatti owner registry listings on file indicate this engine was previously installed in a 1937 57C Stelvio (57619). Put simply, absolutely no cosmetic or mechanical component escaped redress during the course of this seven-year restoration.
Davis also had 57798’s exterior returned to a dark shade that more closely resembled its original livery, which was once again paired with a red leather interior—a handsome black soft top was provided, and a set of chrome Borrani wire wheels was installed, perfectly complementing Chauvenet’s specified chrome trim.
Since emerging from this impressive restoration in 2001, 57798 has lived a lavish life of public exhibition at many of the world’s preeminent automotive concours. Showings at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (and Tour), Louis Vuitton Classic Concours, Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, and other leading events have rightfully elevated the provenance and public appreciation for this remarkable Aravis Special Cabriolet.
This Type 57C offers its next owner membership into a fantastic community of enthusiasts—one that holds events and rallies which celebrate the Molsheim marque worldwide. The other two surviving Bugatti Aravis examples by Gangloff are in the hands of long-term collections, making the offering of this particularly flamboyant car a special opportunity indeed.
---
Kristina and I headed over to RM Sotheby's at the Monterey Conference Center to view some glorious cars at their auction preview.
- - -
Had a blast with our auto-enthusiast friend and neighbor, Fred, at Monterey Car Week 2022.
The Launch 22v is the perfect combination of size, refinement and performance. This 22.5-foot wakeboard boat welcomes a crew of 15 with room for gear and an interior geared toward luxurious accommodation. Completely redesigned for 2012, the 22V interior brings together intricate sections of multi-textured Syntec Nanoblock vinyls with the durability of exclusive Gore Tenara thread. Triple density foam construction makes the Launch interior as comfortable as it is eye-catching. Supra has made the high-traffic path from the lounge to the swim step worry-free with a newly tooled rear seat step and transom walk-over covered in SeaDeck no-slip padding. The wakes are pro caliber and controllable with cockpit switch or the VISION dash, but the 22V is as much about the drive as it is the ride. Slicing through rough water with flat precise turns, the 22V is exhilarating to drive. The high and slow speed maneuvers are almost as impressive as you will look pulling them off. Available with a walk-through bow as a Sunsport or with the Launch playpen, the 22V captures your water sports boating lifestyle.
Overall Length w/o Platform: 22'6"
Overall Length w/ Platform: 24'6"
Overall Length w/ Platform & Trailer: 26' 4"
Width (Beam): 100"
Overall Width w/ Trailer: 102"
Draft: 25"
Weight - Boat only: 3900 lbs
Weight - Boat and Trailer: 5000 lbs
Capacity - Passenger: 15
Capacity - Weight: 2,100 lbs
Capacity - Fuel: 50 gals
Capacity - Ballast: 1450 lbs
Engine - Electronic Fuel Injection: 330 HP 5.7 L MPI w/ CAT
1859 Concentrates. CO2 OG Kush sap and oils. Made with wax pulled from an Apeks Supercritical 1500-20L.
NATO will continue the process of testing and refinement of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) during part two of Exercise NOBLE JUMP, from 9 to 19 June 2015 in Zagan, Poland.
Die NATO setzt die Erprobung und Weiterentwicklung des Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) während Teil zwei der Übung NOBLE JUMP in Zagan, Polen fort.