View allAll Photos Tagged Refinement
This is a refinement of the No Holes font ( flic.kr/p/aa334a ), which was rather sort of a demo for myself. This font keeps with the concept of not having any completely closed counters, but it also aims to be readable, not to mention not to be ugly.
To be seen supposedly on dafont.com ☺
Update 20110926: Basic Latin coverage is available. Slowly proceeding… :-) I would like to cover the Latin Extended A and Latin-1 Supplement Unicode ranges, as well as some general punctuation like quotation marks and hyphens.
Meanwhile I realized, that not having closed counters is a relatively easily circumventable stupid barrier, therefore supposedly rather sortly after the release of this font you may expect another one, where there are closed shapes as well — therefore ready for everyday use.
This font is to be released on Dafont in some months, the final name is likely to be “Fortunata”. Otherwise just feel free to check out my (by today rather undeveloped) section: www.dafont.com/balint-erdosi.d2939
Working on a spoon order as well as practicing design replication/refinement. Truly Good Work as E.F. Schumacher would say.
I set up some strobes for my L photo... I'm still undecided on those shots, so I figured I'd upload something - anything. I couldn't let good (read "half decent") lighting go to waste so I had fun with it. :)
And in other news... My family has two weekends... One for the kids and me, and one for my husband. I'm finding it really hard balancing the two and choosing which one to make Flickr-lite. I didn't have that problem in 2011.
www.cagnz.org/why-does-God-allow-suffering.html
Why Does God Allow Suffering? Know God’s Will for Your Life
By Li Tong
Many Christians feel confused: God is love and He is almighty, so why does He allow us to suffer? Could it be that He has abandoned us? This question always used to puzzle me, but lately, through prayer and seeking, I’ve gained a bit of enlightenment and light. This has resolved my misunderstandings of God, and I’ve come to understand that suffering is not God casting us aside, but instead is very carefully arranged by God in order to purify and save us. These trials and refinement are God’s greatest grace for us!...
We can see from God’s words and the scripture that there is God’s will in His allowing us to suffer, and it is entirely to purify and save us; it is a precious treasure bestowed upon us by God. Before trials and refinement come to us, we all think of ourselves as people who uphold God’s way, and some of us even feel that by forsaking, expending, laboring, and working for God, by suffering and paying a price, we are completely considerate of God’s will, that we are the people who love Him most, and that we are the most devoted to Him. We believe that no matter who else might become negative and weak or betray God, we could never do such a thing. But the reality is that when we are faced with difficulties like losing a job, or financial straits, we complain against God, lose our faith, and even become unwilling to expend for Him anymore. When misfortune strikes our families or some calamity occurs, we may still complain about God because something impinges on our personal interests. We argue our case and put up a fight, and in serious cases, betray God and forsake our faith. God has stated on many occasions that He requires us to follow His way, and has demanded, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). However, we always calculate to further our fleshly interests, and treasure them over our love for God. When God acts in accordance with our notions, we thank and praise Him, but when He doesn’t, we develop misunderstandings and complaints about God, or even betray Him. This shows us how deeply Satan has corrupted us. We always pursue blessings in our faith, which is essentially attempting to transact with God—to do this truly is selfish, despicable, and entirely lacking in reason! At this point, we can gain some true understanding of the satanic dispositions of rebelling against and opposing God within us, as well as some discernment over the mistaken motives and notions in our faith. We can see that what we live out is a far cry from what God requires of us, and that we are entirely unworthy of receiving God’s blessings and approval. Likewise, through such trials and refinement, we can experience God’s holiness and righteousness, and feel how many adulterations there are in our faith in Him. If we continue to believe in Him with the intention to seek blessings, we will only cause God to be disgusted with us and loathe us. Once exposed through trials, we are able to see that our corruption is too great and our shortcomings too many, and thus we can begin to come before God in prayer, read His words, and then reflect on and know the places within us that don’t accord with God’s will. We can seek out how to satisfy God and stand witness for Him, and unconsciously, we develop a much closer relationship with God. After such experience, we not only gain understanding of ourselves and some understanding of God’s disposition, we also become more stable and mature. Our impulsive, arrogant, selfish, and deceitful dispositions are ground down, and only then can we truly understand that while trials and refinement cause us some fleshly suffering, the fruit it bears in us is salvation and purification, which are very beneficial and edifying for our lives...
There’s also the story of Job in the Bible. Job underwent the trials of his possessions being stripped away, his children destroyed, and he himself developed boils all over his body, yet in spite of his suffering, he never sinned with his words; he did not complain about God, but accepted everything from God within his heart. He was also able to seek God’s will, and ultimately said, “Jehovah gave, and Jehovah has taken away; blessed be the name of Jehovah” (Job 1:21) and “Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:10). He relied on his faith, fear, and submission to God to say these things, and thereby stood witness for God. The reason Job was able to stand witness through such great trials was that he believed that God rules all things, and that his belongings and children had all been given to him by God, so it was God’s right to take them away. As a created being, he ought to accept and submit. Job’s ability to stand in the position of a created being and unconditionally obey the Creator was standing witness for God. God later appeared to Job in a storm, and Job saw the sight of God’s back and heard God speak to him with His own mouth; he gained genuine understanding of God. Job reaped a bounty he never would have gained in a comfortable environment, and this was the greatest blessing bestowed upon Job through trials and refinement. Just as Job told his friends after his trials, “When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).
Image Source: Daily Devotionals
Source from: Our Daily Devotionals
Terms of Use: www.cagnz.org/disclaimer
Astilbe - also known as Meadowsweet.
Represents spiritual growth, grace, refinement and sensitivity. Said to encourage spiritual growth, healing and promote inner peace.
Often used in spiritual ceramonies for calming and soothing properties.
In some cultures Astilbe is associated with love and deep affection.
In art and literature it symbolises delicate beauty and femininity, womans nurturing qualities, purity and tranquility.
In medicines it has been used to aid reducing fevers, and in aromatherapy for its relaxing effects.
In dreams it is supposed to symbolise patience and perseverance, staying focused, can represent grace, elegance, poise and dignity.
It is associated with the heart chakra and said to help increase ones capacity to love and promote healthy relationships.
In Folklore it is often used to symbolise brides feminine nurturing qualities.
The colours I chose to use in this image reflect much of the above. Purple is good for promoting spiritual growth, is deeply spiritual and promotes healing of body and mind. White stands for purity and spiritual growth also. I have added pink ink to some others as pink represents balance, friendship, unconditional love, tenderness and calm.
I attempted to create an image with an ethereal feel to reflect the spiritual nature of this plant
+++ 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:
The SAAB B31 was a Swedish jet-powered multirole aircraft, originally designed to serve as a tactical bomber, ground attack, reconnaissance and interceptor aircraft. In the aftermath of the Second World War, Sweden set about the rebuilding and modernization of its armed forces. Regarding aviation, jet propulsion had been identified as the powerplant of the future, and experience with the SAAB 21R, which had been converted from a propeller-pusher aircraft into a jet-powered fighter and attack aircraft in 1947, bolstered confidence in the home industry’s competence. The Saab 21R was only an interim solution, though. One hundred and twenty-four aircraft were planned but this number was reduced to only 64 and they were mainly used as fighter-bombers. The Flygvapnet’s standard post-war bomber, the Saab 18, a twin piston-engine design from 1944, was outdated, too, and its performance was regarded as inadequate for the Fifties. This led to a major development initiative for modern jet aircraft for the Flygvapnet in 1946, which spawned the Saab 29 ‘Tunnan’ fighter and the Saab B31 light bomber. Both aircraft were initially designed around the de Havilland Goblin turbojet of British origin, but when the more powerful de Havilland Ghost became available, this was chosen as the standard powerplant. Both aircraft incorporated such modern features as swept wings or ejection seats.
The Saab B31 was originally developed as a straightforward tactical bomber replacement for the Saab 18, called the Saab B31, which would carry its free-fall ordnance internally in a bomb bay. The Saab B31 had a streamlined, drop-shaped fuselage. A crew of two were envisioned, the pilot and a navigator/bomb aimer. They would sit in separate cabins, a generously glazed nose section with an optical bombsight and a navigational/bomb aiming radar in a shallow blister underneath, and in a fighter-type cockpit on top of the hull, respectively. Swept wings were planned that would offer a good compromise between speed benefits and range/lift. Due to the aircraft’s size and weight, two de Havilland Ghost engines were required, but integrating these bulky centrifugal flow engines with a relatively large diameter turned out to be a design challenge.
Several layouts were evaluated, including engines buried in the rear fuselage with side air intakes, or engines mounted in wing root fairings with individual exhausts at the wings’ trailing edge. Eventually the Saab B31’s powerplants were directly mounted in nacelles under slightly swept (20°) shoulder wings, what made access and maintenance easy and kept the fuselage free for a huge fuel capacity, a generous bomb bay, and a conventional tricycle main landing gear. The latter’s tread width was quite narrow, though, which might have caused handling problems, so that during the bomber’s design refinements the landing gear arrangement was radically changed into a tandem layout. It eventually comprised of two main struts featuring large low-pressure twin wheels, supported by small outrigger wheels that semi-retracted into fairings under the bulbous engine nacelles. While unusual, this arrangement had the side benefit that the bomb bay could be lengthened and the fuel capacity in the fuselage could be increased without a center of gravity shift, with the rear/main landing gear strut well placed further aft, well behind the aircraft’s center of gravity. This, however, prevented normal rotation upon take-off, so that the front strut was lengthened to provide the aircraft with an imminent positive angle of attack while rolling, giving the Saab B31 a distinctive nose-up stance on the ground.
The enlarged bomb bay could hold up to four free-fall 340 kg bombs, the B31’s primary weapon. Additional ordinance, typically two further single bombs of up to 500 kg caliber, pods with unguided missiles, or drop tanks to extend range, could be carried on a pair of hard points outside of the engine nacelles. The maximum total payload was 2.400 kg. No offensive or defensive guns were carried, the B31 was supposed to rely only on speed and agility. Large air brakes on the aircraft’s flanks were introduced to prevent the exceeding of the B31’s design speed limit of Mach 0.9 in a dive, and they also helped to slow down the aircraft upon landing. To reduce the landing run length further a brake parachute was housed in an extended teardrop fairing on the fin that also held the swept horizontal stabilizers.
Overall, the Saab B31 reminded vaguely of the Soviet Yak-120/25 (NATO code Flashlight A) and of the French Sud-Ouest SO.4050 Vautour, which were both under development at the same time. Beyond the original tactical bomber role that was supposed to supersede the Swedish B 18, the Saab B31 was also intended to fulfill night/all-weather reconnaissance missions, outfitted with a camera and sensor pallet in the bomb bay and flash bombs on the wing hardpoints. Furthermore, the aircraft was proposed to become, in a second step, the basis for a jet-powered long-range all-weather fighter, a type of aircraft that was direly needed by Flygvapnet during the late Forties. The situation was so severe and urgent that the Swedish Air Force did not want to wait for a J31 development and had to procure sixty radar-equipped de Havilland Mosquito NF.30 night fighters from Great Britain as a hasty stopgap solution – a totally outdated model in the late Forties, but it was the best and only readily available off-the-rack solution.
In parallel, both engine and aircraft technology underwent dramatic developments and literally made leaps: In December 1948, an initial contract for the design and mockup of Saab's newly proposed P.1150 design was issued, a modern swept-wing design that already represented the next, transonic fighter aircraft generation. The resulting aircraft would become the Saab 32 ‘Lansen’ and it literally overtook the B31’s intended role as the Saab 18 bomber and attack aircraft replacement. However, a modern all-weather fighter with long range and a powerful radar was still not on the horizon, and, consequently, the Saab B31’s original bomber/reconnaissance version was dropped completely in favor of an optimized interceptor derivative with a powerful on-board radar: the J31. This was, however, also just a stopgap solution until an all-weather fighter version of the favored Saab 32 would be ready for service, so that a single aircraft type would take over multiple military roles and therewith simplify production, maintenance and logistics.
From that point on the Saab B31 was re-designed and optimized for a principal fighter role, with an attack capability as a secondary capability. However, due to its bomber origins and its intended mission profile the J31 was not intended to be a typical sleek and nimble dogfighter (that was the contemporary Saab 29’s role as a day fighter, even though a radar-equipped version of the Tunnan was on Saab’s drawing boards, too, yet not realized because compact systems were not available), but rather as a standoff night fighter which would loiter on station and patrol the air space, search for targets and then identify and engage them.
The bomber’s large air brakes were a welcome feature to position the approaching fighter behind a potential slower target, which were primarily relatively cumbersome bombers that would come in at medium to high altitude and at subsonic speed. This mission profile heavily influenced the J31 design and also set boundaries that were later hard to overcome and develop the aircraft’s potential further. While the light bomber basis would meet the required demands concerning range, speed and limited agility, the obligatory radar and its periphery to fulfill the N/AW fighter mission led to a major re-design of the forward fuselage. A large radar dish under a solid nose radome now occupied the formerly glazed nose section, and the radar operator was placed together with the pilot in a new pressurized side-by-side cockpit under a common canopy. A large and relatively flat forward windshield was used; while not conducive to high-speed flight, it provided distortion-free external visibility, something that was particularly valued for a night fighter at that time. Both pilot and navigator/radar operator had full steering equipment, what also made a dedicated trainer version unnecessary. Both sticks were extendable so that more force could be exerted upon it by the pilot as a fallback measure in the event of a hydraulic failure. Bleed air from the engines was used to de-ice the wings’ and tail surfaces’ leading edges and the engines’ air intakes, so that the aircraft could operate even in harsh climatic conditions.
Radar and fire control system for the J31 were created and produced by Ericsson and called “Gryning” (= Dawn). The system was quite advanced for the time even though complex: a combination of three different radars, each performing separate functions. The system comprised a search radar, a tracking radar, both located in the nose under a huge mutual radome, and a tail warning radar with a separate, smaller antenna. The search radar covered the front hemisphere and could detect aircraft at distances up to 35 kilometres (about 20 miles) away while the tracking radar could achieve a weapons lock up to 4 km (2.5 miles) away. Additionally, the Gryning system had a limited look-down capability, being able to detect aircraft that flew underneath the J31 at an altitude of down to 800 m (2.600 ft). The tail-mounted surveillance radar was effective up to 15 km (almost 10 miles) away. The complexity of this vacuum tube-based radar system, produced before the advent of semiconductor electronics, required a lot of internal space and intensive maintenance to keep it operating properly – and it would have been much too big or heavy to fit into the more modern but also more slender Saab 32 airframe.
The armament was changed, too. While the B31 bomber was intended to carry no guns at all the fighter derivative was now armed with four 20 mm cannon in the lower nose, plus two retractable unguided air-to-air missile racks in the former bomb bay in tandem, carrying a total of 96 projectiles, which were supposed to be fired singly, short bursts or in one or more massive salvoes against bomber formations, covering a huge field of fire and ensuring a takedown even with a single hit. This core armament was complemented by a pair of underwing hardpoints outside of the engine nacelles which could carry pods with further 18 unguided missiles each, iron bombs of up to 500 kg calibre for a secondary attack capability, or 570 l drop tanks to extend the J31’s range and loiter time.
An initial order for three prototypes was placed by the Swedish government, and on 16 October 1950, the first J31, even though still lacking the radar, conducted its maiden flight. The flight test program proceeded relatively smoothly, but the performance was rather poor for a fighter. More powerful engines were required, but choices for Saab were very limited. The use of the Saab 29’s indigenous afterburner variant of the Ghost (which was by then license-produced in Sweden as the Svenska Flygmotor RM2) was deemed inefficient for the large aircraft, so that attempts were made to improve the Ghost’s dry thrust for the J31 without an increased fuel consumption through reheat. This new indigenous engine variant became the RM2F (“förstärkt” = “powered-up”), which provided 5,400 lbf (24.02 kN) of thrust with water-alcohol injection instead of the RM2’s original dry 5,000 lbf (22 kN) maximum thrust. The tank for the required water-alcohol mixture was carried in the rear half of the former bomb bay and replaced one of the unguided missile racks. These were hardly ever used operationally, though, and soon completely removed, replaced by a second water-alcohol tank, which gave the aircraft enough endurance of 30 minutes at the increased thrust output level.
A follow-on order for six pre-production aircraft was soon received, which were still equipped with the weaker original RM2 and designated J31A. These machines were delivered to F 1 Västmanland Flygflottilj at Hässlö air base in Central Sweden, which just had been converted from a bomber to a night fighter unit, having been equipped with the J 30 Mosquitos. There the J31 was evaluated against the J30 until early 1951 and deemed superior in almost every aspect. With these satisfactory results, a full production order for 54 more aircraft was placed in mid-1951. These machines were now outfitted with more powerful RM2F engines and other refinements and designated J31B. This became the type’s operational main variant. All were delivered to F 1 where they were exclusively operated and gradually replaced the J 30s. In service the J31 received the unofficial nickname “Val” (= Whale), due to its bulky yet streamlined shape, but it was officially never adopted.
During regular maintenance in the following two years, the six early J31As received the stronger RM2F, together with the second water-alcohol tank as well as some avionics updates and were accordingly re-designated J31Bs. Further updates included wipers for the windscreen (a serious issue esp. at slow speed and while taxiing) and two smaller brake parachutes instead of the single large original one.
All J31s were delivered in a natural metal finish and retained it throughout their career; only two machines ever received camouflage during trials, but this measure was deemed unnecessary for the aircraft due to their role. Some aircraft of F 1’s 3rd squadron and operated by the unit’s staff flight had the aircrafts’ fins painted in dark green, though, to improve the contrast to the tactical code letters’ colour, yellow or white, respectively. The J31s’ radomes were made from fiberglass and originally tinted in opaque black. During maintenance and after damage, however, some machines received newly produced replacement fairings which were untinted/semi-transparent.
The only major update the J31B received was rolled out starting in 1958, when the IR-guided Rb24 (AIM-9B Sidewinder AAM) was introduced in the Swedish Air Force. Together with the J29 Tunnan fighters the J31s were outfitted to carry launch rails on the wing hardpoints – even though only a single pair could be carried in total. This, however, markedly improved the type’s combat efficiency, and it would take until the Saab 35F in 1965 with its Rb27/28 Falcon missiles to introduce more capable guided anti-aircraft missiles. Since the Rb24s extended the J31’s weapon range considerably, a potential gun upgrade with 30 mm cannons was not executed and Saab’s resources rather allocated into the Saab 32’s development.
Even though the J31B was a capable night and all-weather fighter for its time, it was limited due to its outdated weaponry and quickly superseded by advancing radar, engine and aerodynamic technologies. It did its job but lacked development and performance potential – and it was a large and complicated aircraft that required lots of maintenance. However, the J31 turned out to be a very stable and robust weapon platform, and it was quite popular among the crews because of the spacious cockpit, even though the field of view on the ground was very limited, due to the tall landing gear front leg, and several J31s were involved in taxiing accidents. Due to its twin engines and radar intercept operator, pilots gained more confidence on long missions in the remote northern areas of. Sweden, esp. on mission over open water.
When the Saab 32’s fighter version, the J 32B, eventually became operational in 1958, it was clear that the heavy and highly limited twin-engine J31B would not remain in service for much longer. By 1963 all machines had been retired from frontline service, initially stored in reserve but scrapped by 1970. Two machines remained operational, though: as flying test beds for the Swedish Air Force’s Försökscentralen (FC) at Malmen AB, where they served until 1981 – primarily to test radar and missile guidance systems, and as radar targets for war games and anti-aircraft unit trainings.
General characteristics:
Crew: 2
Length: 15,76 m (51 ft 7 1/2 in)
Wingspan: 16.96 m (55 ft 2/3 in)
Height: 4,21 m (13 ft 9 1/2 in)
Wing area: 45 m2 (480 sq ft)
Empty weight: 9,000 kg (19,823 lb)
Gross weight: 17,500 kg (38,546 lb)
….Max takeoff weight: 19,000 kg (41,850 lb)
Fuel capacity: 5,100 L (1,350 US gal / 1,120 imp gal) maximum internal fuel
plus 2x 570 L (150 US gal, 120 imp gal) optional drop-tanks
Powerplant:
2× Svenska Flygmotor RM2F centrifugal-flow turbojet engine (Rolls Royce Ghost), each with
4,750 lbf (21.1 kN) dry thrust at 10,250 rpm and
5,400 lbf (24.02 kN) with temporary water-alcohol injection
Performance:
Maximum speed: 1,090 km/h (677 mph, 588 kn; Mach 0.9) at 10,000 ft (3,000 m)
Cruise speed: 732 km/h (455 mph, 395 kn)
Stall speed: 150 km/h (92.8 mph, 80.6 kn) with approach power
Combat range: 1.850 km (1,145 mi, 995 nmi) on internals
Ferry range: 2.200 km (1,375 mi, 1,195 nmi) with 2× 570 l drop-tanks
Service ceiling: 16,200 m (53,062 ft)
Rate of climb: 40 m/s (7.681 ft/min)
Wing loading: 87.1 lb/sq ft (388 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.32
Armament:
4× 20 mm (0.79 in) akan m/47C (license produced Hispano Mark V) autocannon with 220 RPG
48× 75 mm (3.0 in) srak m/55 (Bofors 75 mm (3.0 in) rocket "Frida") unguided air-to-air missiles
with contact fuze high-capacity warhead on retractable rack in ventral bay
(not used operationally, later completely deleted in favor of a second water-alcohol tank)
2× wet underwing hardpoints outside of the engine nacelles for 600 kg (1.321 lb) each;
alternatively a pair of Rb24 (AIM9-B Sidewinder) IR-guided air-to-air missiles
The model and its assembly:
While it does not look spectacular, the J31 (actually my second use of this designation for a Swedish Fifties all-weather fighter, the first was an A.W. Meteor NF.14, but the “31” was lent from the Spitfire PR.XIX in Swedish service as S31) was a major creation feat. It all started with a discussion with fellow Swedish board member Pellson at whatifmodellers.com about Saab prototypes, esp. the early designs. That made me wonder about a twin-jet engine aircraft, something that could replace the Saab 18 bombers much like the BAC Canberra with the RAF’s Mosquito – and looking at similar international projects of the time like the Soviet Il-29 and Yak-25 as well as the French S.O. 4050 Vautour I thought that something similar could work well for Sweden, too.
My concept started with a primary light bomber and attack role, much like the B18 and the Canberra, with the outlook to develop a radar-bearing all-weather fighter from it, which was direly needed in Sweden in the Mid-Fifties and led to the procurement of two interim types in real life, the J30 (Mosquito night fighter) and the J33 (Venom night fighter), while plans were made to equip the J29 with a radar and the Saab 32 already on the drawing boards, even though the latter’s fighter version would be delayed well into the Sixties.
The core of the build was a leftover fuselage from a Matchbox F3D Skyknight – from an incomplete kit that came OOB with one of its three sprue trees double (even though in different colours!). The canopy was also still there, and now I eventually found a good use for it. However, not much more would be taken over from the Skyknight, because the overall layout would be much different, dictated by the bulky centrifugal flow engines that were (only) available to Sweden in the late Forties and which also powered the successful J29 Tunnan. The engines could, due to their diameter and the need for ducts, not be buried in the fuselage, so that they would go under the wings, directly attached to them as in the Il-29 and Vautour. The wings would be slightly swept (around 20°), as a compromise between modernism (as on the J29) and good range/endurance, and shoulder-mounted for good ground clearance and to avoid FOP (an issue of the Yak-25).
Since the engine pods should not be too large and bulky I decided that the main wheels would not retract into them (à la Il-28) and rather follow the Vautour route: with a tandem arrangement retracting into the fuselage and with small outrigger wheels. This had, for the original bomber version, the benefit, that the internal bomb bay could become longer than with a more conventional tricycle landing gear arrangement that would full retract into the hull, much like the Douglas A3D/B.66, with a wider track. And it would look more exotic, too.
With this concept I started a donor parts safari and started work on the fuselage. First major feat was to clean the F3D’s flanks from its original engine fairings – thankfully the Matchbox kit provides them as separate parts, so omitting them was simple, but there were enough major recesses and areas beyond the F3D’s basically teardrop shape hull that had to be filled and PSRed, including the original wing attachment points in the hull’s middle.
Another issue was the cockpit, which was missing through the double sprues. I was lucky to find an original Matchbox F3D tub in the spare box, from my first Skyknight build ever in the late Eighties (then built as a Vietnam era EF-10). New seats were procured as well as two (ugly) pilot figures and a dashboard from an Italeri Tornado IDS. However, the cockpit would later cause some more trouble…
The nose was generously filled with steel balls to keep it down (you never know…), and once the hull was closed, I implanted a new rear landing gear well. In the meantime, I kept searching for engine nacelle and wing parts – both turned out to be challenging. Not that I had not enough material to choose from, but I wanted to make the parts to be as authentic as possible – the nacelles conveying a centrifugal engine inside (see the Gloster Meteor for reference), and the light wing sweep angle as well as the desire for a not-too-modern look made the wing choice really hard.
The nacelles were completed first. I remembered some leftover parts from a Matchbox Meteor night fighter, mainly the intakes, which would be perfect. But the rest of the nacelles took a while to materialize. Eventually I found engine pods from a Hobbycraft Su-25, which are separate pieces. They had a more or less square diameter shape, but their size was good and so I combined them with the round (and bigger!) Meteor NF.14 intakes, after having added trimmed-down intake cones from a Trumpeter Il-28 inside, and PSRing the different shapes into something …more natural. Even though outrigger wheels would later be added I omitted eventual wells at this point, because I had to define the stance through the tandem main wheels first, and this was still tbd.
The wing donors became a lengthy affair. At one point I became so desperate that I tried to use the wing tips from a VEB Plasticart 1:100 Tu-20/95 bomber, but that failed (thankfully!) because the parts turned out to be warped and simply too ugly for the build. I did not find any suitable material in The Stash™, tested wings from an A-6 and an F-14, nothing worked well. I eventually procured – in a forlorn move – a vintage Revell 1:113 B-47 kit. Horrible thing, but its outer wings were useful, even though they required massive modifications. Their roots were cut away to reduce span and their angle was set at about 20°; the slender tips were also cut off, resulting in an almost trapezoid shape with a slightly extended wing chord at the trailing edge of the roots. Lots of PSR was required to improve the surface and to fill some gaps from the OOB engine pod attachment points of the B-47. Ugh.
At that point I had also already found a good fin: from an Academy/Minicraft 1:144 B-1B bomber! This not only offered a very Fifties-esque round and swept shape, it also had suitable attachment points for the stabilizers for a cruciform tail, which appeared necessary due to the engines’ wing position. As a side benefit, I could use the B-47’s wing tips as stabilizers, even though they had to be PSRed a lot, too.
To attach the new wings to the F3D fuselage I made cutouts at shoulder height, but the engine pods were first mounted and PSRed under the wings. More putty and sanding mess, but it was worthwhile.
In the meantime I worked on the landing gear and used parts from the ugly VEB Plasticart Tu-20/95 to scratch a tandem layout with twin wheels and a significant nose-up stance (due to the rear wheels’ position beyond the aircraft’s centre of gravity). Once this was settled and the wings in place I could work on the outrigger wheels. These were procured from a Matchbox 1:72 Sea Harrier and mounted in scratched fairings under the engine pods, so that they could semi-retract. With the ground clearance defined by the main wheels a suitable position and length for the outriggers could be found, and in the end the J31 has a proper stance with all four legs on the ground.
Painting and markings:
I like to apply simple liveries to weird builds, and for the J31 I settled upon a NMF finish – which was typical for the contemporary J29 Tunnan fighters, too. Only the reconnaissance versions as well as the fighters of as single operational unit were ever camouflaged (in dark green and dark blue). The only other realistic cammo option would have been the standard Swedish uniform dark green over blue grey. But bare metal appeared IMHO much better suited.
As a non-standard measure the model received an overall thin coat of grey primer, primarily to identify dents and notches on its many PSRed surface areas – a good move, because a lot of small flaws could be identified and treated before a final overall coat with “White Aluminium” from a rattle can (Duplicolor, RAL 9006) was applied and details like the radome, antennae (both in black) and the landing gear and its wells (in a light bronze tone, seen on Saab 29s and 32s) were painted in detail. I think the silver underlines the J31’s clean lines well?
The model received a light black ink washing, less for true weathering but to emphasize engraved details and for a “cloudier” look of the NMF surfaces. This was further enhanced through a careful treatment with grinded graphite (which adds a truly metallic shine to the paint), and since a lot of surface details were lost through PSR I did some manual panel-shading with different silver tones and re-created panel lines all over the hull with a soft pencil, mostly free-handedly. Quite simple, but it improves the overall impression a lot.
Decals were puzzled together. The Swedish roundels came from a generic TL-Modellbau sheet, the “T” on the tail was scratched from generic white and blue stripes from the same manufacturer. The blue band around the nose was made with the same material, plus a white “T” – inspired by tactical markings from some J29s from the Fifties. Some stencils were collected from the scrap box, and black walkway borders added to the wings’ upper surfaces and the spine behind the cockpit. As a side benefit these hide some lingering inconsistencies on the wing surfaces well.
Finally, the model was sealed with semi-gloss acrylic varnish (Italeri) for a shiny finish, except for the radomes, which became matt.
It might not look spectacular or exciting, but I am quite proud of this “second” J31, because it not only was a major kitbashing project, it also conveys the Fifties “look and feel” I wanted to catch, like its contemporaries S.O. 4050 Vautour, Yak-25, or even the stillborn Baade Ba-152 airliner. From that point it turned out very well, and going for a simple NMF livery was IMHO also a good move – the J31 has a certain “space age” look? At least, this is what you can get when you combine major parts from F3D, B-47. B1, Il-28, Su-25, Tu-95 and a Gloster Meteor… 😉
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/
One of the 3 registered Koenigsegg Ageras in Singapore. This Chilli Red Agera RS 'Refinement' has been upgraded with the Koenigsegg One:1's 1Megawatt powertrain and exhaust, an RSR active rear wing, additional canards and a roof scoop.
The Chehel Sotoon Palace, Forty Columns Palace is an even more striking example of the refinement of the Safavid King's courts. It is a charming pavilion in the heart of a park, at the far end of a long pool. Chehel Sotoon is supported by twenty wooden columns, and since these are reflected in the water, you have a palace with forty colums. Shah Abbas II and his successor received there dignitaries and ambassadors, either on the terrace or in one of the state reception halls. Like in the Ali Qapu, the walls are covered with frescoes and paintings. They are damaged by old age, but are also being restored. They depict historical scenes such as a reception for a Uzbek King in 1646 when the palace had only just been completed. A banquet in honor of the King of Turkestan in 1611; the battle of Chalderan against the king of Osmanlis in 1514 in which the Persians fought without fire-arms. The welcome extended to a Mongol King who took refuge in Iran in 1544; the battle of Taher-Abad in 1510 where the Safavid King Shah Esmail vanquished and killed the Uzbek King, a sixth large painting, which is more recent, depicts Nader Shah's victory against the Indian Army at Karnal, in 1747. There are also less anecdotic but prettier small mural compositions in the traditional miniature style which celebrate the joy of living. The superb wooden roof of the porch was painted with a series of geometrical decorations interspersed with flowers. The waterproofing of this, and other palaces, was achieved by covering the roof with a fresh layer of beaten earth every year, the weight of which has caused many others to collapse.
Pima Air and Space Museum
AS-18A Radar Antenna Assembly
The H2X aerial radar system was an American refinement of the British H2S radar during World War II and was used for locating targets both on land and at sea. The radome containing the antenna usually replaced the belly turret on bombers such as the Boeing B-17 and the Consolidated B-24. The radar allowed aircraft to bomb accurately at night and through clouds and gave long range maritime patrol aircraft the ability to locate both ships and submarines at sea.
This antenna was formerly installed in the belly of the Consolidated B-24J Liberator that is now on display in Hangar 3 of the museum. That particular aircraft served with the Royal Air Force in India during World War II as a Liberator GR. VI maritime patrol aircraft. After the war it was used by the Indian Air Force for reconnaissance and patrol duties until 1967.
Beauty, privacy and refinement. Welcome to the opportunity of a lifetime, reined in for you. Ideally located just 25 minutes from downtown Calgary and minutes from internationally-renowned Spruce Meadows, Blue Valley Farms is a 40-acre trophy equestrian training compound brimming with all the amenities a discerning horseman could ever desire. No expense was spared to outfit this facility with blue ribbon features and amenities desired by champion riders and horse enthusiasts alike.
More details: hub.am/1q0quNP
These refinements and additions, combined with traditional knowledge and long hours of work, lead to an increase in household incomes. They also help women, like Nung and Yvon pictured here, protect their health and sustain the health of their communities and the environment.
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.
Refinement Vanessa wasn't my first choice for leading lady! I originally envisioned Nocturnal Gloss Vanessa in the role but then I saw Veronique and I had to make some changes!
Fashion Royalty Vanessa Perrin Refinement 2015
Outfit:
- Gown: Vanessa Perrin Sheer Sensuality
- Bangle: handmade
Furniture:
- Bench: handmade
My Ford Evolution Design Photo Series continues with the 1939 Ford Deluxe Coupe and Convertible Coupe.
The 1939 model used the same body style Ford introduced in 1937 but with many design refinements as well as engineering improvements. The new Deluxe models featured a more graceful grill treatment which gave the reworked body a sleeker frontal appearance and made the ’39 Ford very attractive. It was a design that many today still consider one of Ford’s best.
Both Danbury Mint and Franklin Mint offered the collector a choice from the 1939 Ford lineup. The Franklin Mint’s model was introduced first. In 2000, FM released the ’39 Deluxe Convertible Coupe which was modeled after the car featured in the Ford Expo at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York. The model is finished in Jefferson Blue and features a first for 1:24 models, finger-tip actuated roll-up side windows. They are very cool and work perfectly. The second model offered is the D4C LECC VII exclusive club car which was issued in 2007. A Limited Edition of 600, the model was originally available to D4C club members only. This version is finished in Garnet Maroon and is the model featured in this photo series.
DM’s version was issued in 2009. The Danbury Mint selected a Deluxe Coupe for their model offering. It is based on DM’s 1940 Ford model that was issued several years earlier. The Coupe is as equally attractive as the convertible. It is finished in Jet Black and is a Limited Edition of 5000, my example featured in this photo series is # 2043.
Both models featured in this photo series are finely crafted representations of the Ford Deluxe, and would be excellent additions to any collection.
On the second floor of the Aria hotel, the American Fish restaurant shines as a gem of refinement and enchantment. The bar planted at the edge of a wood---at least, seemingly, thanks to rows of artistically synthesized trees---towers over the rectangular room, which has slices of tree logs as flooring.
Demonstrating Nissan's commitment to the constant refinement and improvement of its iconic performance flagship, the newly upgraded Nissan GT-R has lapped the fearsome N¸rburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany in just 7 minutes 8.679 seconds1. The lap time was recorded by Michael Krumm, a Nissan racing pilot and test-driver, behind the wheel of a 2014 Nissan GT-R NISMO*.