American Infidels Motorcycle Club

Veteran motorcycle clubs

steelhorseshades.com

Military veterans motorcycle clubs

A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.

In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw aka one percenter subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually recognized by other MC clubs. This is indicated by wearing the MC patch, or a three piece patch, or colors, on the back of a club jacket or vest. Outlaw or one percenter can mean merely that the club is not chartered under the auspices of the American Motorcyclist Association, implying a radical rejection of authority and embracing of the "biker" lifestyle defined and popularized since the 1950s and represented by such media as Easyriders magazine, the work of painter David Mann, and more. In many contexts the terms overlap with the usual meaning of "outlaw" because some of these clubs, or some of their members, are recognized by law enforcement agencies as taking part in organized crime.

Outside of the outlaw subculture, the words "motorcycle club" carry no heavy meaning beyond the everyday English definition of the words a club involving motorcycles, whose members come from every walk of life. Thus, there are clubs that are culturally and stylistically nothing like outlaw or one percenter clubs, and whose activities and goals not similar to them at all, but still use three-part patches or the initials MC in their name or insignia.

Types of clubs, groups and organizations

Motorcycle clubs vary a great deal in their objectives and organizations. Mainstream motorcycle clubs or associations typically have elected officers and directors, annual dues, and a regular publication. They may also sponsor annual or more frequent "rallies" where members can socialize and get to know each other. Some publish in book form lists of members that can be used by touring motorcyclists needing assistance.

There are a great many brand clubs, or clubs dedicated to particular marques, including those sponsored by various manufacturers, such as the Harley Owners Group and the Honda Riders Club of America. There are large national independent motorcycle clubs, such as BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, the STAR Touring and Riding Association, and the Gold Wing Road Riders Association GWRRA. In the United Kingdom, there are brand clubs such as the Triumph Owners' Motor Cycle Club founded in 1949.

Clubs catering for those interested in vintage machines such as the Vintage Motor Cycle Club are also popular as well as for those centered around particular venues. Clubs catering for riders' rights such as the Motorcycle Action Group, and charities such as the 59 Club are popular, many affiliating with the umbrella organization, the British Motorcyclists Federation. National and local branch club magazines and events are typical characteristics of such clubs. More informal groupings continue to exist though for riders local to each other.

Other organizations whose activities primarily involve motorcycles exist for a specific purpose, such as the Patriot Guard Riders, who provide funeral escorts for military veterans, and Rolling Thunder, which advocates for troops missing in action and prisoners of war. While neither of the latter two groups require a motorcycle for membership, they are motorcycling-oriented and much of their activity involves ride. The Christian Motorcyclists Association is a biker ministry. In the United Kingdom, Freewheelers EVS is one of a number of similar charities, which use motorcycles to provide an out-of-hours emergency medical courier service. Some clubs attract membership from specific groups, such as the Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, consisting of law enforcement personnel.

The American Motorcyclist Association AMA is the largest American motorcyclist organization. It serves as an umbrella organization for local clubs and sporting events. As of March, 2006, the AMA counts 269,884 active members and many chartered clubs.

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

US military

usmc

veteran mc clubs

veteran motorcycle clubs

biker clubs

motorcycle clubs

 

Military Veteran

 

The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject.

 

The Hôpital des Invalides in Paris is a hospital and retirement home for French war veteransA veteran (from Latin vetus, meaning "old") is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..." . This page refers to military veterans, i.e., a person who has served or is serving in the armed forces, and has direct exposure to acts of military conflict, commonly known as war veterans (although not all military conflicts, or areas in which armed combat takes place, are necessarily referred to as "wars").

 

United States

 

Veterans who served on the battleship Missouri shortly after a ceremony marking the anniversary of the end of World War II. The most common usage is for former armed services personnel. A veteran is one who has served in the armed forces, especially one who has served in combat. It is especially applied to those who served for an entire career, usually of 20 years or more, but may be applied for someone who has only served one tour of duty. A common misconception is that only those who have served in combat or those who have retired from active duty can be called military veterans.

 

Veterans' benefits in the United States

 

President Abraham Lincoln, in his second inaugural address, in 1865 towards the end of the US Civil War, famously called for good treatment of veterans: "to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan". The American Civil War produced veterans' organizations, such as the Grand Army of the Republic. The treatment of veterans changed after the First World War. In the years following, discontented veterans became a source of instability. They could quickly organize, had links to the army, and often had arms themselves. Veterans played a central role in the post-World War I instability of Germany, while in the United States, the Bonus Army of unemployed veterans was one of the most important protest movements of the Great Depression, marching on Washington, DC, to get a claimed bonus that Congress had promised them.

 

Each state of the United States sets specific criteria for state-specific veterans' benefits. For federal medical benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, prior to 7 September 1980 the veteran must have served at least 180 days of active duty, after the above-mentioned date, the veteran must have served at least 24 months. However, if the veteran was medically discharged and receives a VA service-connected disability stipend, the time limits are not applicable.

   

American veteran experience after World War II

 

After the Second World War, in part due to the experience of the First World War, most of the participating states set up elaborate veterans' administrations. Within the United States, it was veterans groups, like the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars organization, that pushed for and got the G.I. Bill enacted. These gave veterans access to free or subsidized education and health care. The newly educated GIs created a significant economic impact, and with the aid of VA loans were able to buy housing and establish themselves as part of a growing American middle class. The explosion of the suburbs created sufficient housing for veterans and their families.

 

American veteran experience after OEF and OIF Many veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom have had to face challenges unique to warfare in the 21st century. One significant difference between OEF and OIF and previous wars is a greater dependence on reservists and repeat deployments. Up to 80% of troops deployed at the beginning of OEF were part of the part of the Army National Guard and Reserve and about 40% of currently serving military members have been deployed more than once. This has meant that many deployed troops, not being as “ steeped in military culture ” have had more difficult transitions into military life, and for many the increased redeployment rate has meant more transitions, more uncertainty, longer terms, and shorter dwell times, all of which contribute to greater stress.

 

Due to medical advances, warfare in the 21st century tends to yield more survivors with severe injuries which soldiers in previous wars would have died from.[7] This means that, though fewer service members die, more return from war with injuries more serious, and in turn more emotionally devastating, than ever before. Among these injuries is the increasingly common traumatic brain injury, or TBI, the effects of which can range from a mild concussion to amnesia and serious neurological damage.

 

Female veterans in the U.S.

 

Women have served in the United States military for over two hundred years, often having had to disguise themselves as men. Female veterans have often been discriminated against by their male counterparts and, as such, women who have served in the armed forces have sometimes been known as "the invisible veterans".[9] Women were not fully recognized as veterans until after WWII, and prior to this they were not eligible for VA benefits. The VA estimates that by the year 2010 women will make up 40% of the veteran population. A tri-state (Washington, Idaho, Oregon) women veterans conference in Pendleton, Oregon, in April 2008, attracted 362 women veterans, according to the East Oregonian newspaper.

 

African American veterans in the U.S. see also: Military history of African Americans

 

African Americans have participated in every war fought by or within the United States. Black veterans from World War I experienced racial persecution on returning to the U.S. from overseas, particularly in Southern cities. Black veterans from World War II continued to be denied equality at home despite President Harry S. Truman's desegregation of the military after World War II. Black veterans went on to play a central role in the Civil Rights movement. The National Association for Black Veterans is an organization that provides advocacy and support for African American and other minority veterans.

   

Health effects of military service and treatment for veterans

 

The effect of active military service can be profound and lasting, and some veterans have found it difficult to adjust to normal life again. An article in the London Metro on 28 January 2010 was titled "Veterans prone to suicide" and cited a report by the Mental Health Foundation which said that not enough was being done to care for the Afghanistan war veterans, and many "plunged into alcohol problems, crime and suicide" upon their return. Support services were found to be patchy from area to area. Figures from 2009 showed that twice as many veterans were in prison than there were British troops currently in Afghanistan. Homelessness, street-sleeping and relationship breakdown are also commonly reported. Research done by the UK homelessness charity CRISIS (1994) and the Ex-Services Action Group (1997) both found that a quarter of homeless people had previously served in the armed forces. The Times newspaper reported on 25 September 2009 that in England and Wales the number of "military veterans in jail has more than doubled in six years". Another Times article of the same date quoted the veterans mental health charity Combat Stress reporting a 53% increase in referrals from doctors

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment among veterans Further information:

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

 

Further information: Benefits for US Veterans with PTSD

 

New treatment programs are emerging to assist veterans suffering from post-combat mental health problems such as depression and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), is becoming an important method for the treatment of mental health issues among veterans, and is currently considered the standard of care for depression and PTSD by the United States Department of Defense. CBT is a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to change the patterns of thinking or behavior that responsible for patient’s negative emotions and in doing so change the way they feel. It has been proven to be an effective treatment for PTSD among war veterans. Recently, online programs that pair CBT with therapist interaction have also proven effective in treating mental health problems among veterans. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is also an effective and non invasive, drug free treatment for PTSD, although it has not been tested against specific military traumatic exposure for efficacy. Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) also has applications in this field.

   

Help for veterans Necessity has resulted in a number of sources of help being made available for veterans. Many of these are independent, charitable organizations and in some countries the aftercare and rehabilitation services provided by Governments have been inadequate. This may be because they do not wish to give attention to the negative effects of military service and the difficulties of readjustment to civilian life for it may have an adverse impact upon recruitment for their armed forces. Nevertheless, help is available and veterans should feel able to make contact and ask for assistance or advice without feeling that this is a weakness. Military service can be a profoundly unnatural experience and it is likely that some help may be needed in debriefing and rehabilitation into the community, whether it be medical, psychological, practical or financial.

 

Public attitude towards veterans

 

Military veterans often receive special treatment in their respective countries due to the sacrifices they made during wars. Different countries handle this differently, some openly support veterans through government programs and others ignoring them. Veterans are also subject to illnesses directly related to their military service such as PTSD. War veterans are generally treated with great respect and honor for their contribution to the world and country by their own nationals. Conversely there are often negative feelings towards the veterans of alien nations held long after the war is over, for example towards the German Nazi soldiers, but they are no less veterans of war than those of the winning side. There are exceptions. Veterans of unpopular conflicts, such as the Vietnam War, have been discriminated against. Others, such as veterans of conflicts like the Korean War, are often forgotten (even though the casualty rate in Korea was higher than that experienced in the Vietnam War) when compared with those who fought in the World Wars. In some countries with strong anti-military traditions (e.g., Germany after 1945) veterans are neither honored in any special way by the general public, nor have their dedicated Veterans Day, although events are sometimes orchestrated by Neo-Nazis and other minority right-wing groups.

 

Many countries have longstanding traditions, ceremonies, and holidays to honor their veterans. In the UK "Remembrance Day" is held on November the 11th and is focused mostly on the veterans who died in service to the monarch and country. A red or white poppy is worn on the lapel (for remembrance or for peace, respectively) in the weeks up to the date, and wreaths and flowers laid at memorials to the dead.

 

In Russia, a tradition was established after the Second World War, where newly married couples would on their wedding day visit a military cemetery. In France, for instance, those wounded in war are given the first claim on any seat on public transit. Most countries have a holiday such as Veterans Day to honor their veterans, along with the war dead.

   

A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.

 

In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw (aka one percenter) subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually recognized by other MC clubs. This is indicated by wearing the MC patch, or a three piece patch, or colors, on the back of a club jacket or vest. Outlaw (or one percenter) can mean merely that the club is not chartered under the auspices of the American Motorcyclist Association, implying a radical rejection of authority and embracing of the "biker" lifestyle defined and popularized since the 1950s and represented by such media as Easyriders magazine, the work of painter David Mann, and more. In many contexts the terms overlap with the usual meaning of "outlaw" because some of these clubs, or some their members, are recognized by law enforcement agencies as taking part in organized crime.

 

Outside of the outlaw subculture, the words "" carry no heavy meaning beyond the everyday English definition of the words – a club involving motorcycles, whose members come from every walk of life. Thus, there are clubs that are culturally and stylistically nothing like outlaw or one percenter clubs, and whose activities and goals not similar to them at all, but still use three-part patches or the initials MC in their name or insignia.

 

Types of clubs, groups and organizations

 

Motorcycle clubs vary a great deal in their objectives and organizations. Mainstream motorcycle clubs or associations typically have elected officers and directors, annual dues, and a regular publication. They may also sponsor annual or more frequent "rallies" where members can socialize and get to know each other. Some publish in book form lists of members that can be used by touring motorcyclists needing assistance.

Veteran motorcycle clubs, veteran mc clubs, motorcycle clubs, steelhorseshades

 

REJECTION: Groupshow with Alfredo Barsuglia, Sofia Goscinski, Paul Leitner, Lucas Zallmann

 

unttld contemporary

Schleifmühlgasse 5

1040 Vienna

Austria

A diverse delegation of Christian leaders are today delivering an open letter signed by more than 800 Australians calling on Prime Minister Tony Abbott to rethink the government's rejection of the gift of solar panels for Kirribilli House.

 

"Experts have assured us there is really no practical reason to reject the gift of solar panels for Kirribilli House," said Jody Lightfoot, climate justice campaigner at Common Grace.

 

"We understand the important heritage value of Kirribilli House so we had a chat to Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore who told us the City of Sydney has already installed 5,500 solar panels on nearly 30 buildings including ones with irreplaceable heritage value such as Sydney Town Hall,” said Mr Lightfoot.

 

The letter rejecting the solar panels came via Michael McCormack, Member for Riverina, in his capacity as the parliamentary secretary to the finance minister.

 

“The rejection of our gift of solar panels for Kirribilli House is symbolic of the government’s failure to invest in renewables, but we’re here to provide the Prime Minister with an opportunity to choose a brighter future for all Australians and to back the 9 in 10 Australians who want a strong Renewable Energy Target," said Mr Lightfoot.

 

"We know that climate change means more frequent and intense extreme weather events hitting the world's poorest people the hardest. We only need to look to our Pacific Island neighbours to see the devastating cost of climate change. We could be leading the world in taking action on climate change and as Christians we urge Prime Minister Abbott not to reject the sun's grace," said Jarrod McKenna, National Director of Common Grace.

 

The gift of twelve solar panels was crowdfunded over four days in December by Common Grace, a movement of Christians who are passionate about Jesus and justice. The Solar Council (the peak body for the solar industry in Australia) offered to install the crowdfunded solar panels for Kirribilli House at no cost.

 

“Trying something new can feel daunting, but we encourage Prime Minister Abbott to look to the Vatican where in 2008 Pope Benedict accepted a gift of 2700 solar panels to provide clean energy to the Holy See," said Sister Jan Barnett of the Sisters of Saint Joseph.

 

“More than one hundred Australians pitched in to buy the gift of solar for Kirribilli House and now hundreds more are urging the Prime Minister to accept our gift. The solar panels are a gift for the nation, from the nation, to demonstrate public support for a clean energy future,” said Byron Smith, Assistant Minister, St George's Anglican Church.

 

“If the City of Sydney can install solar panels on the Sydney Town Hall just across the harbour and Pope Benedict could accept a gift of solar panels for the Vatican, we believe Prime Minister Abbott has no excuses for not accepting our free gift for his Sydney residence," said Mr Smith.

 

“If the Prime Minister accepts the gift of solar for Kirribilli House he’ll be in good company with 1 in 5 Australian households already using solar,” he said.

 

The open letter encouraging the Prime Minister to accept the solar gift (signed by more than 800 Australians in the last five days) is below.

 

Christian leaders delivering the open letter today: Sister Jan Barnett, Sisters of Saint Joseph; Rev. Dr Michael Frost, Founder of Small Boat Big Sea; Byron Smith, Assistant Minister, St George's Anglican Church; Rev. John Buchanan, Minister, St Peter's Presbyterian Church; Rev. David Gore, Uniting Church Minister; Weis Shiuringa, Member, Quakers; Jacqui Remond, Director, Catholic Earthcare Australia; Jody Lightfoot, Climate Justice Campaigner, Common Grace.

  

THE OPEN LETTER:

 

Dear Prime Minister Abbott,

 

We are disappointed that the Government has rejected the gift of solar panels for Kirribilli House that was crowd funded last Christmas by 142 Christians. We had hoped you would accept them as a great first step to get Australia moving towards a strong Renewable Energy Target.

 

We understand that the reasons for declining the gift are Kirribilli House’s heritage listing, ongoing costs of cleaning and maintenance, and security concerns. So we did some research and found many people in your home state and abroad have overcome these challenges.

 

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore informed us that the City of Sydney has already installed 5,500 solar panels on nearly 30 buildings including ones with irreplaceable heritage value such as Sydney Town Hall. We discovered Australia’s own actress, Cate Blanchett, installed 1,906 solar panels on Sydney Theatre Company heritage building. I’m sure she’d be willing to give some pointers if you gave her a call?

 

On cleaning concerns, John Grimes, CEO of the peak body of the solar industry in Australia (Australian Solar Council), informed us that solar panels do not require ongoing cleaning or yearly maintenance - they are cleaned by the rain. Some utilities require a check of the inverter, but this can be done on the ground every five years.

 

Looking abroad, did you know that President Carter managed to get solar panels installed on the White House way back in 1979? And Pope Benedict negotiated the same kinds of hurdles when he accepted a gift of 2700 solar panels providing clean energy to the Vatican in 2008.

 

Prime Minister, we believe that a man in your position can overcome challenges like heritage listings and cleaning concerns and choose a brighter future for all Australians. We therefore urge you to implement a strong Renewable Energy Target and accept the gift of solar panels for Kirribilli House, as a powerful signal to the world that Australia’s renewables industry is officially open for business.

 

Yours sincerely,

Australian Christians and friends

 

Open letter available online: www.commongrace.org.au/acceptthegift

Storm Riders Military Veterans Motorcycle Club

Veteran motorcycle clubs

steelhorseshades.com

Military veterans motorcycle clubs

A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.

In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw aka one percenter subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually recognized by other MC clubs. This is indicated by wearing the MC patch, or a three piece patch, or colors, on the back of a club jacket or vest. Outlaw or one percenter can mean merely that the club is not chartered under the auspices of the American Motorcyclist Association, implying a radical rejection of authority and embracing of the "biker" lifestyle defined and popularized since the 1950s and represented by such media as Easyriders magazine, the work of painter David Mann, and more. In many contexts the terms overlap with the usual meaning of "outlaw" because some of these clubs, or some of their members, are recognized by law enforcement agencies as taking part in organized crime.

Outside of the outlaw subculture, the words "motorcycle club" carry no heavy meaning beyond the everyday English definition of the words a club involving motorcycles, whose members come from every walk of life. Thus, there are clubs that are culturally and stylistically nothing like outlaw or one percenter clubs, and whose activities and goals not similar to them at all, but still use three-part patches or the initials MC in their name or insignia.

Types of clubs, groups and organizations

Motorcycle clubs vary a great deal in their objectives and organizations. Mainstream motorcycle clubs or associations typically have elected officers and directors, annual dues, and a regular publication. They may also sponsor annual or more frequent "rallies" where members can socialize and get to know each other. Some publish in book form lists of members that can be used by touring motorcyclists needing assistance.

There are a great many brand clubs, or clubs dedicated to particular marques, including those sponsored by various manufacturers, such as the Harley Owners Group and the Honda Riders Club of America. There are large national independent motorcycle clubs, such as BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, the STAR Touring and Riding Association, and the Gold Wing Road Riders Association GWRRA. In the United Kingdom, there are brand clubs such as the Triumph Owners' Motor Cycle Club founded in 1949.

Clubs catering for those interested in vintage machines such as the Vintage Motor Cycle Club are also popular as well as for those centered around particular venues. Clubs catering for riders' rights such as the Motorcycle Action Group, and charities such as the 59 Club are popular, many affiliating with the umbrella organization, the British Motorcyclists Federation. National and local branch club magazines and events are typical characteristics of such clubs. More informal groupings continue to exist though for riders local to each other.

Other organizations whose activities primarily involve motorcycles exist for a specific purpose, such as the Patriot Guard Riders, who provide funeral escorts for military veterans, and Rolling Thunder, which advocates for troops missing in action and prisoners of war. While neither of the latter two groups require a motorcycle for membership, they are motorcycling-oriented and much of their activity involves ride. The Christian Motorcyclists Association is a biker ministry. In the United Kingdom, Freewheelers EVS is one of a number of similar charities, which use motorcycles to provide an out-of-hours emergency medical courier service. Some clubs attract membership from specific groups, such as the Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, consisting of law enforcement personnel.

The American Motorcyclist Association AMA is the largest American motorcyclist organization. It serves as an umbrella organization for local clubs and sporting events. As of March, 2006, the AMA counts 269,884 active members and many chartered clubs.

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

US military

usmc

veteran mc clubs

veteran motorcycle clubs

biker clubs

motorcycle clubs

 

Military Veteran

 

The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject.

 

The Hôpital des Invalides in Paris is a hospital and retirement home for French war veteransA veteran (from Latin vetus, meaning "old") is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..." . This page refers to military veterans, i.e., a person who has served or is serving in the armed forces, and has direct exposure to acts of military conflict, commonly known as war veterans (although not all military conflicts, or areas in which armed combat takes place, are necessarily referred to as "wars").

 

United States

 

Veterans who served on the battleship Missouri shortly after a ceremony marking the anniversary of the end of World War II. The most common usage is for former armed services personnel. A veteran is one who has served in the armed forces, especially one who has served in combat. It is especially applied to those who served for an entire career, usually of 20 years or more, but may be applied for someone who has only served one tour of duty. A common misconception is that only those who have served in combat or those who have retired from active duty can be called military veterans.

 

Veterans' benefits in the United States

 

President Abraham Lincoln, in his second inaugural address, in 1865 towards the end of the US Civil War, famously called for good treatment of veterans: "to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan". The American Civil War produced veterans' organizations, such as the Grand Army of the Republic. The treatment of veterans changed after the First World War. In the years following, discontented veterans became a source of instability. They could quickly organize, had links to the army, and often had arms themselves. Veterans played a central role in the post-World War I instability of Germany, while in the United States, the Bonus Army of unemployed veterans was one of the most important protest movements of the Great Depression, marching on Washington, DC, to get a claimed bonus that Congress had promised them.

 

Each state of the United States sets specific criteria for state-specific veterans' benefits. For federal medical benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, prior to 7 September 1980 the veteran must have served at least 180 days of active duty, after the above-mentioned date, the veteran must have served at least 24 months. However, if the veteran was medically discharged and receives a VA service-connected disability stipend, the time limits are not applicable.

   

American veteran experience after World War II

 

After the Second World War, in part due to the experience of the First World War, most of the participating states set up elaborate veterans' administrations. Within the United States, it was veterans groups, like the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars organization, that pushed for and got the G.I. Bill enacted. These gave veterans access to free or subsidized education and health care. The newly educated GIs created a significant economic impact, and with the aid of VA loans were able to buy housing and establish themselves as part of a growing American middle class. The explosion of the suburbs created sufficient housing for veterans and their families.

 

American veteran experience after OEF and OIF Many veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom have had to face challenges unique to warfare in the 21st century. One significant difference between OEF and OIF and previous wars is a greater dependence on reservists and repeat deployments. Up to 80% of troops deployed at the beginning of OEF were part of the part of the Army National Guard and Reserve and about 40% of currently serving military members have been deployed more than once. This has meant that many deployed troops, not being as “ steeped in military culture ” have had more difficult transitions into military life, and for many the increased redeployment rate has meant more transitions, more uncertainty, longer terms, and shorter dwell times, all of which contribute to greater stress.

 

Due to medical advances, warfare in the 21st century tends to yield more survivors with severe injuries which soldiers in previous wars would have died from.[7] This means that, though fewer service members die, more return from war with injuries more serious, and in turn more emotionally devastating, than ever before. Among these injuries is the increasingly common traumatic brain injury, or TBI, the effects of which can range from a mild concussion to amnesia and serious neurological damage.

 

Female veterans in the U.S.

 

Women have served in the United States military for over two hundred years, often having had to disguise themselves as men. Female veterans have often been discriminated against by their male counterparts and, as such, women who have served in the armed forces have sometimes been known as "the invisible veterans".[9] Women were not fully recognized as veterans until after WWII, and prior to this they were not eligible for VA benefits. The VA estimates that by the year 2010 women will make up 40% of the veteran population. A tri-state (Washington, Idaho, Oregon) women veterans conference in Pendleton, Oregon, in April 2008, attracted 362 women veterans, according to the East Oregonian newspaper.

 

African American veterans in the U.S. see also: Military history of African Americans

 

African Americans have participated in every war fought by or within the United States. Black veterans from World War I experienced racial persecution on returning to the U.S. from overseas, particularly in Southern cities. Black veterans from World War II continued to be denied equality at home despite President Harry S. Truman's desegregation of the military after World War II. Black veterans went on to play a central role in the Civil Rights movement. The National Association for Black Veterans is an organization that provides advocacy and support for African American and other minority veterans.

   

Health effects of military service and treatment for veterans

 

The effect of active military service can be profound and lasting, and some veterans have found it difficult to adjust to normal life again. An article in the London Metro on 28 January 2010 was titled "Veterans prone to suicide" and cited a report by the Mental Health Foundation which said that not enough was being done to care for the Afghanistan war veterans, and many "plunged into alcohol problems, crime and suicide" upon their return. Support services were found to be patchy from area to area. Figures from 2009 showed that twice as many veterans were in prison than there were British troops currently in Afghanistan. Homelessness, street-sleeping and relationship breakdown are also commonly reported. Research done by the UK homelessness charity CRISIS (1994) and the Ex-Services Action Group (1997) both found that a quarter of homeless people had previously served in the armed forces. The Times newspaper reported on 25 September 2009 that in England and Wales the number of "military veterans in jail has more than doubled in six years". Another Times article of the same date quoted the veterans mental health charity Combat Stress reporting a 53% increase in referrals from doctors

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment among veterans Further information:

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

 

Further information: Benefits for US Veterans with PTSD

 

New treatment programs are emerging to assist veterans suffering from post-combat mental health problems such as depression and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), is becoming an important method for the treatment of mental health issues among veterans, and is currently considered the standard of care for depression and PTSD by the United States Department of Defense. CBT is a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to change the patterns of thinking or behavior that responsible for patient’s negative emotions and in doing so change the way they feel. It has been proven to be an effective treatment for PTSD among war veterans. Recently, online programs that pair CBT with therapist interaction have also proven effective in treating mental health problems among veterans. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is also an effective and non invasive, drug free treatment for PTSD, although it has not been tested against specific military traumatic exposure for efficacy. Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) also has applications in this field.

   

Help for veterans Necessity has resulted in a number of sources of help being made available for veterans. Many of these are independent, charitable organizations and in some countries the aftercare and rehabilitation services provided by Governments have been inadequate. This may be because they do not wish to give attention to the negative effects of military service and the difficulties of readjustment to civilian life for it may have an adverse impact upon recruitment for their armed forces. Nevertheless, help is available and veterans should feel able to make contact and ask for assistance or advice without feeling that this is a weakness. Military service can be a profoundly unnatural experience and it is likely that some help may be needed in debriefing and rehabilitation into the community, whether it be medical, psychological, practical or financial.

 

Public attitude towards veterans

 

Military veterans often receive special treatment in their respective countries due to the sacrifices they made during wars. Different countries handle this differently, some openly support veterans through government programs and others ignoring them. Veterans are also subject to illnesses directly related to their military service such as PTSD. War veterans are generally treated with great respect and honor for their contribution to the world and country by their own nationals. Conversely there are often negative feelings towards the veterans of alien nations held long after the war is over, for example towards the German Nazi soldiers, but they are no less veterans of war than those of the winning side. There are exceptions. Veterans of unpopular conflicts, such as the Vietnam War, have been discriminated against. Others, such as veterans of conflicts like the Korean War, are often forgotten (even though the casualty rate in Korea was higher than that experienced in the Vietnam War) when compared with those who fought in the World Wars. In some countries with strong anti-military traditions (e.g., Germany after 1945) veterans are neither honored in any special way by the general public, nor have their dedicated Veterans Day, although events are sometimes orchestrated by Neo-Nazis and other minority right-wing groups.

 

Many countries have longstanding traditions, ceremonies, and holidays to honor their veterans. In the UK "Remembrance Day" is held on November the 11th and is focused mostly on the veterans who died in service to the monarch and country. A red or white poppy is worn on the lapel (for remembrance or for peace, respectively) in the weeks up to the date, and wreaths and flowers laid at memorials to the dead.

 

In Russia, a tradition was established after the Second World War, where newly married couples would on their wedding day visit a military cemetery. In France, for instance, those wounded in war are given the first claim on any seat on public transit. Most countries have a holiday such as Veterans Day to honor their veterans, along with the war dead.

   

A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.

 

In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw (aka one percenter) subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually recognized by other MC clubs. This is indicated by wearing the MC patch, or a three piece patch, or colors, on the back of a club jacket or vest. Outlaw (or one percenter) can mean merely that the club is not chartered under the auspices of the American Motorcyclist Association, implying a radical rejection of authority and embracing of the "biker" lifestyle defined and popularized since the 1950s and represented by such media as Easyriders magazine, the work of painter David Mann, and more. In many contexts the terms overlap with the usual meaning of "outlaw" because some of these clubs, or some their members, are recognized by law enforcement agencies as taking part in organized crime.

 

Outside of the outlaw subculture, the words "" carry no heavy meaning beyond the everyday English definition of the words – a club involving motorcycles, whose members come from every walk of life. Thus, there are clubs that are culturally and stylistically nothing like outlaw or one percenter clubs, and whose activities and goals not similar to them at all, but still use three-part patches or the initials MC in their name or insignia.

 

Types of clubs, groups and organizations

 

Motorcycle clubs vary a great deal in their objectives and organizations. Mainstream motorcycle clubs or associations typically have elected officers and directors, annual dues, and a regular publication. They may also sponsor annual or more frequent "rallies" where members can socialize and get to know each other. Some publish in book form lists of members that can be used by touring motorcyclists needing assistance.

Veteran motorcycle clubs, veteran mc clubs, motorcycle clubs, steelhorseshades

 

More details 6-8 October 2016 www.facebook.com/events/1734871350063266/

 

Photograph by SHAY ROWAN

www.facebook.com/shay.rowan.5

 

DEEP THROAT, the 1970s film that changed the porn industry FOREVER, now award-winning Vertigo Theatre Productions bring their smash hit show back to Manchester after a critically acclaimed 5 star run. Porno Chic tells the story of the iconic stars of the movie Harry Reems (Richard Allen) and Linda Lovelace (Celine Constantinides) as they deal with alcoholism, fame, rejection, domestic abuse, sex, taking on the US government and their rise and brutal fall. Written and directed by award winning Craig Hepworth and Adele Stanhope, Porno Chic is both funny and dramatic and not to be missed.

5 Stars 'unmissable' - What's on Stage

5 stars 'Dynamic' - Viva magazine

'extraordinary' - British Theatre Guide

Adult content, nudity, strong language. over 18s.

DRAMA, THEATRE

@VertigoTheatreP

www.vertigotheatreproductions.co.uk

 

More details on Greater Manchester Fringe until 31 July 2016 www.greatermanchesterfringe.co.uk

Swift Boat Veterans Motorcycle Club

Veteran motorcycle clubs

steelhorseshades.com

Military veterans motorcycle clubs

A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.

In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw aka one percenter subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually recognized by other MC clubs. This is indicated by wearing the MC patch, or a three piece patch, or colors, on the back of a club jacket or vest. Outlaw or one percenter can mean merely that the club is not chartered under the auspices of the American Motorcyclist Association, implying a radical rejection of authority and embracing of the "biker" lifestyle defined and popularized since the 1950s and represented by such media as Easyriders magazine, the work of painter David Mann, and more. In many contexts the terms overlap with the usual meaning of "outlaw" because some of these clubs, or some of their members, are recognized by law enforcement agencies as taking part in organized crime.

Outside of the outlaw subculture, the words "motorcycle club" carry no heavy meaning beyond the everyday English definition of the words a club involving motorcycles, whose members come from every walk of life. Thus, there are clubs that are culturally and stylistically nothing like outlaw or one percenter clubs, and whose activities and goals not similar to them at all, but still use three-part patches or the initials MC in their name or insignia.

Types of clubs, groups and organizations

Motorcycle clubs vary a great deal in their objectives and organizations. Mainstream motorcycle clubs or associations typically have elected officers and directors, annual dues, and a regular publication. They may also sponsor annual or more frequent "rallies" where members can socialize and get to know each other. Some publish in book form lists of members that can be used by touring motorcyclists needing assistance.

There are a great many brand clubs, or clubs dedicated to particular marques, including those sponsored by various manufacturers, such as the Harley Owners Group and the Honda Riders Club of America. There are large national independent motorcycle clubs, such as BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, the STAR Touring and Riding Association, and the Gold Wing Road Riders Association GWRRA. In the United Kingdom, there are brand clubs such as the Triumph Owners' Motor Cycle Club founded in 1949.

Clubs catering for those interested in vintage machines such as the Vintage Motor Cycle Club are also popular as well as for those centered around particular venues. Clubs catering for riders' rights such as the Motorcycle Action Group, and charities such as the 59 Club are popular, many affiliating with the umbrella organization, the British Motorcyclists Federation. National and local branch club magazines and events are typical characteristics of such clubs. More informal groupings continue to exist though for riders local to each other.

Other organizations whose activities primarily involve motorcycles exist for a specific purpose, such as the Patriot Guard Riders, who provide funeral escorts for military veterans, and Rolling Thunder, which advocates for troops missing in action and prisoners of war. While neither of the latter two groups require a motorcycle for membership, they are motorcycling-oriented and much of their activity involves ride. The Christian Motorcyclists Association is a biker ministry. In the United Kingdom, Freewheelers EVS is one of a number of similar charities, which use motorcycles to provide an out-of-hours emergency medical courier service. Some clubs attract membership from specific groups, such as the Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, consisting of law enforcement personnel.

The American Motorcyclist Association AMA is the largest American motorcyclist organization. It serves as an umbrella organization for local clubs and sporting events. As of March, 2006, the AMA counts 269,884 active members and many chartered clubs.

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

US military

usmc

veteran mc clubs

veteran motorcycle clubs

biker clubs

motorcycle clubs

 

Military Veteran

 

The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject.

 

The Hôpital des Invalides in Paris is a hospital and retirement home for French war veteransA veteran (from Latin vetus, meaning "old") is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..." . This page refers to military veterans, i.e., a person who has served or is serving in the armed forces, and has direct exposure to acts of military conflict, commonly known as war veterans (although not all military conflicts, or areas in which armed combat takes place, are necessarily referred to as "wars").

 

United States

 

Veterans who served on the battleship Missouri shortly after a ceremony marking the anniversary of the end of World War II. The most common usage is for former armed services personnel. A veteran is one who has served in the armed forces, especially one who has served in combat. It is especially applied to those who served for an entire career, usually of 20 years or more, but may be applied for someone who has only served one tour of duty. A common misconception is that only those who have served in combat or those who have retired from active duty can be called military veterans.

 

Veterans' benefits in the United States

 

President Abraham Lincoln, in his second inaugural address, in 1865 towards the end of the US Civil War, famously called for good treatment of veterans: "to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan". The American Civil War produced veterans' organizations, such as the Grand Army of the Republic. The treatment of veterans changed after the First World War. In the years following, discontented veterans became a source of instability. They could quickly organize, had links to the army, and often had arms themselves. Veterans played a central role in the post-World War I instability of Germany, while in the United States, the Bonus Army of unemployed veterans was one of the most important protest movements of the Great Depression, marching on Washington, DC, to get a claimed bonus that Congress had promised them.

 

Each state of the United States sets specific criteria for state-specific veterans' benefits. For federal medical benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, prior to 7 September 1980 the veteran must have served at least 180 days of active duty, after the above-mentioned date, the veteran must have served at least 24 months. However, if the veteran was medically discharged and receives a VA service-connected disability stipend, the time limits are not applicable.

   

American veteran experience after World War II

 

After the Second World War, in part due to the experience of the First World War, most of the participating states set up elaborate veterans' administrations. Within the United States, it was veterans groups, like the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars organization, that pushed for and got the G.I. Bill enacted. These gave veterans access to free or subsidized education and health care. The newly educated GIs created a significant economic impact, and with the aid of VA loans were able to buy housing and establish themselves as part of a growing American middle class. The explosion of the suburbs created sufficient housing for veterans and their families.

 

American veteran experience after OEF and OIF Many veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom have had to face challenges unique to warfare in the 21st century. One significant difference between OEF and OIF and previous wars is a greater dependence on reservists and repeat deployments. Up to 80% of troops deployed at the beginning of OEF were part of the part of the Army National Guard and Reserve and about 40% of currently serving military members have been deployed more than once. This has meant that many deployed troops, not being as “ steeped in military culture ” have had more difficult transitions into military life, and for many the increased redeployment rate has meant more transitions, more uncertainty, longer terms, and shorter dwell times, all of which contribute to greater stress.

 

Due to medical advances, warfare in the 21st century tends to yield more survivors with severe injuries which soldiers in previous wars would have died from.[7] This means that, though fewer service members die, more return from war with injuries more serious, and in turn more emotionally devastating, than ever before. Among these injuries is the increasingly common traumatic brain injury, or TBI, the effects of which can range from a mild concussion to amnesia and serious neurological damage.

 

Female veterans in the U.S.

 

Women have served in the United States military for over two hundred years, often having had to disguise themselves as men. Female veterans have often been discriminated against by their male counterparts and, as such, women who have served in the armed forces have sometimes been known as "the invisible veterans".[9] Women were not fully recognized as veterans until after WWII, and prior to this they were not eligible for VA benefits. The VA estimates that by the year 2010 women will make up 40% of the veteran population. A tri-state (Washington, Idaho, Oregon) women veterans conference in Pendleton, Oregon, in April 2008, attracted 362 women veterans, according to the East Oregonian newspaper.

 

African American veterans in the U.S. see also: Military history of African Americans

 

African Americans have participated in every war fought by or within the United States. Black veterans from World War I experienced racial persecution on returning to the U.S. from overseas, particularly in Southern cities. Black veterans from World War II continued to be denied equality at home despite President Harry S. Truman's desegregation of the military after World War II. Black veterans went on to play a central role in the Civil Rights movement. The National Association for Black Veterans is an organization that provides advocacy and support for African American and other minority veterans.

   

Health effects of military service and treatment for veterans

 

The effect of active military service can be profound and lasting, and some veterans have found it difficult to adjust to normal life again. An article in the London Metro on 28 January 2010 was titled "Veterans prone to suicide" and cited a report by the Mental Health Foundation which said that not enough was being done to care for the Afghanistan war veterans, and many "plunged into alcohol problems, crime and suicide" upon their return. Support services were found to be patchy from area to area. Figures from 2009 showed that twice as many veterans were in prison than there were British troops currently in Afghanistan. Homelessness, street-sleeping and relationship breakdown are also commonly reported. Research done by the UK homelessness charity CRISIS (1994) and the Ex-Services Action Group (1997) both found that a quarter of homeless people had previously served in the armed forces. The Times newspaper reported on 25 September 2009 that in England and Wales the number of "military veterans in jail has more than doubled in six years". Another Times article of the same date quoted the veterans mental health charity Combat Stress reporting a 53% increase in referrals from doctors

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment among veterans Further information:

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

 

Further information: Benefits for US Veterans with PTSD

 

New treatment programs are emerging to assist veterans suffering from post-combat mental health problems such as depression and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), is becoming an important method for the treatment of mental health issues among veterans, and is currently considered the standard of care for depression and PTSD by the United States Department of Defense. CBT is a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to change the patterns of thinking or behavior that responsible for patient’s negative emotions and in doing so change the way they feel. It has been proven to be an effective treatment for PTSD among war veterans. Recently, online programs that pair CBT with therapist interaction have also proven effective in treating mental health problems among veterans. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is also an effective and non invasive, drug free treatment for PTSD, although it has not been tested against specific military traumatic exposure for efficacy. Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) also has applications in this field.

   

Help for veterans Necessity has resulted in a number of sources of help being made available for veterans. Many of these are independent, charitable organizations and in some countries the aftercare and rehabilitation services provided by Governments have been inadequate. This may be because they do not wish to give attention to the negative effects of military service and the difficulties of readjustment to civilian life for it may have an adverse impact upon recruitment for their armed forces. Nevertheless, help is available and veterans should feel able to make contact and ask for assistance or advice without feeling that this is a weakness. Military service can be a profoundly unnatural experience and it is likely that some help may be needed in debriefing and rehabilitation into the community, whether it be medical, psychological, practical or financial.

 

Public attitude towards veterans

 

Military veterans often receive special treatment in their respective countries due to the sacrifices they made during wars. Different countries handle this differently, some openly support veterans through government programs and others ignoring them. Veterans are also subject to illnesses directly related to their military service such as PTSD. War veterans are generally treated with great respect and honor for their contribution to the world and country by their own nationals. Conversely there are often negative feelings towards the veterans of alien nations held long after the war is over, for example towards the German Nazi soldiers, but they are no less veterans of war than those of the winning side. There are exceptions. Veterans of unpopular conflicts, such as the Vietnam War, have been discriminated against. Others, such as veterans of conflicts like the Korean War, are often forgotten (even though the casualty rate in Korea was higher than that experienced in the Vietnam War) when compared with those who fought in the World Wars. In some countries with strong anti-military traditions (e.g., Germany after 1945) veterans are neither honored in any special way by the general public, nor have their dedicated Veterans Day, although events are sometimes orchestrated by Neo-Nazis and other minority right-wing groups.

 

Many countries have longstanding traditions, ceremonies, and holidays to honor their veterans. In the UK "Remembrance Day" is held on November the 11th and is focused mostly on the veterans who died in service to the monarch and country. A red or white poppy is worn on the lapel (for remembrance or for peace, respectively) in the weeks up to the date, and wreaths and flowers laid at memorials to the dead.

 

In Russia, a tradition was established after the Second World War, where newly married couples would on their wedding day visit a military cemetery. In France, for instance, those wounded in war are given the first claim on any seat on public transit. Most countries have a holiday such as Veterans Day to honor their veterans, along with the war dead.

   

A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.

 

In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw (aka one percenter) subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually recognized by other MC clubs. This is indicated by wearing the MC patch, or a three piece patch, or colors, on the back of a club jacket or vest. Outlaw (or one percenter) can mean merely that the club is not chartered under the auspices of the American Motorcyclist Association, implying a radical rejection of authority and embracing of the "biker" lifestyle defined and popularized since the 1950s and represented by such media as Easyriders magazine, the work of painter David Mann, and more. In many contexts the terms overlap with the usual meaning of "outlaw" because some of these clubs, or some their members, are recognized by law enforcement agencies as taking part in organized crime.

 

Outside of the outlaw subculture, the words "" carry no heavy meaning beyond the everyday English definition of the words – a club involving motorcycles, whose members come from every walk of life. Thus, there are clubs that are culturally and stylistically nothing like outlaw or one percenter clubs, and whose activities and goals not similar to them at all, but still use three-part patches or the initials MC in their name or insignia.

 

Types of clubs, groups and organizations

 

Motorcycle clubs vary a great deal in their objectives and organizations. Mainstream motorcycle clubs or associations typically have elected officers and directors, annual dues, and a regular publication. They may also sponsor annual or more frequent "rallies" where members can socialize and get to know each other. Some publish in book form lists of members that can be used by touring motorcyclists needing assistance.

Veteran motorcycle clubs, veteran mc clubs, motorcycle clubs, steelhorseshades

 

Uncle Sams Avengers Motorcycle Club

Veteran motorcycle clubs

steelhorseshades.com

Military veterans motorcycle clubs

A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.

In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw aka one percenter subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually recognized by other MC clubs. This is indicated by wearing the MC patch, or a three piece patch, or colors, on the back of a club jacket or vest. Outlaw or one percenter can mean merely that the club is not chartered under the auspices of the American Motorcyclist Association, implying a radical rejection of authority and embracing of the "biker" lifestyle defined and popularized since the 1950s and represented by such media as Easyriders magazine, the work of painter David Mann, and more. In many contexts the terms overlap with the usual meaning of "outlaw" because some of these clubs, or some of their members, are recognized by law enforcement agencies as taking part in organized crime.

Outside of the outlaw subculture, the words "motorcycle club" carry no heavy meaning beyond the everyday English definition of the words a club involving motorcycles, whose members come from every walk of life. Thus, there are clubs that are culturally and stylistically nothing like outlaw or one percenter clubs, and whose activities and goals not similar to them at all, but still use three-part patches or the initials MC in their name or insignia.

Types of clubs, groups and organizations

Motorcycle clubs vary a great deal in their objectives and organizations. Mainstream motorcycle clubs or associations typically have elected officers and directors, annual dues, and a regular publication. They may also sponsor annual or more frequent "rallies" where members can socialize and get to know each other. Some publish in book form lists of members that can be used by touring motorcyclists needing assistance.

There are a great many brand clubs, or clubs dedicated to particular marques, including those sponsored by various manufacturers, such as the Harley Owners Group and the Honda Riders Club of America. There are large national independent motorcycle clubs, such as BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, the STAR Touring and Riding Association, and the Gold Wing Road Riders Association GWRRA. In the United Kingdom, there are brand clubs such as the Triumph Owners' Motor Cycle Club founded in 1949.

Clubs catering for those interested in vintage machines such as the Vintage Motor Cycle Club are also popular as well as for those centered around particular venues. Clubs catering for riders' rights such as the Motorcycle Action Group, and charities such as the 59 Club are popular, many affiliating with the umbrella organization, the British Motorcyclists Federation. National and local branch club magazines and events are typical characteristics of such clubs. More informal groupings continue to exist though for riders local to each other.

Other organizations whose activities primarily involve motorcycles exist for a specific purpose, such as the Patriot Guard Riders, who provide funeral escorts for military veterans, and Rolling Thunder, which advocates for troops missing in action and prisoners of war. While neither of the latter two groups require a motorcycle for membership, they are motorcycling-oriented and much of their activity involves ride. The Christian Motorcyclists Association is a biker ministry. In the United Kingdom, Freewheelers EVS is one of a number of similar charities, which use motorcycles to provide an out-of-hours emergency medical courier service. Some clubs attract membership from specific groups, such as the Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, consisting of law enforcement personnel.

The American Motorcyclist Association AMA is the largest American motorcyclist organization. It serves as an umbrella organization for local clubs and sporting events. As of March, 2006, the AMA counts 269,884 active members and many chartered clubs.

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

US military

usmc

veteran mc clubs

veteran motorcycle clubs

biker clubs

motorcycle clubs

 

Military Veteran

 

The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject.

 

The Hôpital des Invalides in Paris is a hospital and retirement home for French war veteransA veteran (from Latin vetus, meaning "old") is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..." . This page refers to military veterans, i.e., a person who has served or is serving in the armed forces, and has direct exposure to acts of military conflict, commonly known as war veterans (although not all military conflicts, or areas in which armed combat takes place, are necessarily referred to as "wars").

 

United States

 

Veterans who served on the battleship Missouri shortly after a ceremony marking the anniversary of the end of World War II. The most common usage is for former armed services personnel. A veteran is one who has served in the armed forces, especially one who has served in combat. It is especially applied to those who served for an entire career, usually of 20 years or more, but may be applied for someone who has only served one tour of duty. A common misconception is that only those who have served in combat or those who have retired from active duty can be called military veterans.

 

Veterans' benefits in the United States

 

President Abraham Lincoln, in his second inaugural address, in 1865 towards the end of the US Civil War, famously called for good treatment of veterans: "to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan". The American Civil War produced veterans' organizations, such as the Grand Army of the Republic. The treatment of veterans changed after the First World War. In the years following, discontented veterans became a source of instability. They could quickly organize, had links to the army, and often had arms themselves. Veterans played a central role in the post-World War I instability of Germany, while in the United States, the Bonus Army of unemployed veterans was one of the most important protest movements of the Great Depression, marching on Washington, DC, to get a claimed bonus that Congress had promised them.

 

Each state of the United States sets specific criteria for state-specific veterans' benefits. For federal medical benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, prior to 7 September 1980 the veteran must have served at least 180 days of active duty, after the above-mentioned date, the veteran must have served at least 24 months. However, if the veteran was medically discharged and receives a VA service-connected disability stipend, the time limits are not applicable.

   

American veteran experience after World War II

 

After the Second World War, in part due to the experience of the First World War, most of the participating states set up elaborate veterans' administrations. Within the United States, it was veterans groups, like the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars organization, that pushed for and got the G.I. Bill enacted. These gave veterans access to free or subsidized education and health care. The newly educated GIs created a significant economic impact, and with the aid of VA loans were able to buy housing and establish themselves as part of a growing American middle class. The explosion of the suburbs created sufficient housing for veterans and their families.

 

American veteran experience after OEF and OIF Many veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom have had to face challenges unique to warfare in the 21st century. One significant difference between OEF and OIF and previous wars is a greater dependence on reservists and repeat deployments. Up to 80% of troops deployed at the beginning of OEF were part of the part of the Army National Guard and Reserve and about 40% of currently serving military members have been deployed more than once. This has meant that many deployed troops, not being as “ steeped in military culture ” have had more difficult transitions into military life, and for many the increased redeployment rate has meant more transitions, more uncertainty, longer terms, and shorter dwell times, all of which contribute to greater stress.

 

Due to medical advances, warfare in the 21st century tends to yield more survivors with severe injuries which soldiers in previous wars would have died from.[7] This means that, though fewer service members die, more return from war with injuries more serious, and in turn more emotionally devastating, than ever before. Among these injuries is the increasingly common traumatic brain injury, or TBI, the effects of which can range from a mild concussion to amnesia and serious neurological damage.

 

Female veterans in the U.S.

 

Women have served in the United States military for over two hundred years, often having had to disguise themselves as men. Female veterans have often been discriminated against by their male counterparts and, as such, women who have served in the armed forces have sometimes been known as "the invisible veterans".[9] Women were not fully recognized as veterans until after WWII, and prior to this they were not eligible for VA benefits. The VA estimates that by the year 2010 women will make up 40% of the veteran population. A tri-state (Washington, Idaho, Oregon) women veterans conference in Pendleton, Oregon, in April 2008, attracted 362 women veterans, according to the East Oregonian newspaper.

 

African American veterans in the U.S. see also: Military history of African Americans

 

African Americans have participated in every war fought by or within the United States. Black veterans from World War I experienced racial persecution on returning to the U.S. from overseas, particularly in Southern cities. Black veterans from World War II continued to be denied equality at home despite President Harry S. Truman's desegregation of the military after World War II. Black veterans went on to play a central role in the Civil Rights movement. The National Association for Black Veterans is an organization that provides advocacy and support for African American and other minority veterans.

   

Health effects of military service and treatment for veterans

 

The effect of active military service can be profound and lasting, and some veterans have found it difficult to adjust to normal life again. An article in the London Metro on 28 January 2010 was titled "Veterans prone to suicide" and cited a report by the Mental Health Foundation which said that not enough was being done to care for the Afghanistan war veterans, and many "plunged into alcohol problems, crime and suicide" upon their return. Support services were found to be patchy from area to area. Figures from 2009 showed that twice as many veterans were in prison than there were British troops currently in Afghanistan. Homelessness, street-sleeping and relationship breakdown are also commonly reported. Research done by the UK homelessness charity CRISIS (1994) and the Ex-Services Action Group (1997) both found that a quarter of homeless people had previously served in the armed forces. The Times newspaper reported on 25 September 2009 that in England and Wales the number of "military veterans in jail has more than doubled in six years". Another Times article of the same date quoted the veterans mental health charity Combat Stress reporting a 53% increase in referrals from doctors

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment among veterans Further information:

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

 

Further information: Benefits for US Veterans with PTSD

 

New treatment programs are emerging to assist veterans suffering from post-combat mental health problems such as depression and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), is becoming an important method for the treatment of mental health issues among veterans, and is currently considered the standard of care for depression and PTSD by the United States Department of Defense. CBT is a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to change the patterns of thinking or behavior that responsible for patient’s negative emotions and in doing so change the way they feel. It has been proven to be an effective treatment for PTSD among war veterans. Recently, online programs that pair CBT with therapist interaction have also proven effective in treating mental health problems among veterans. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is also an effective and non invasive, drug free treatment for PTSD, although it has not been tested against specific military traumatic exposure for efficacy. Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) also has applications in this field.

   

Help for veterans Necessity has resulted in a number of sources of help being made available for veterans. Many of these are independent, charitable organizations and in some countries the aftercare and rehabilitation services provided by Governments have been inadequate. This may be because they do not wish to give attention to the negative effects of military service and the difficulties of readjustment to civilian life for it may have an adverse impact upon recruitment for their armed forces. Nevertheless, help is available and veterans should feel able to make contact and ask for assistance or advice without feeling that this is a weakness. Military service can be a profoundly unnatural experience and it is likely that some help may be needed in debriefing and rehabilitation into the community, whether it be medical, psychological, practical or financial.

 

Public attitude towards veterans

 

Military veterans often receive special treatment in their respective countries due to the sacrifices they made during wars. Different countries handle this differently, some openly support veterans through government programs and others ignoring them. Veterans are also subject to illnesses directly related to their military service such as PTSD. War veterans are generally treated with great respect and honor for their contribution to the world and country by their own nationals. Conversely there are often negative feelings towards the veterans of alien nations held long after the war is over, for example towards the German Nazi soldiers, but they are no less veterans of war than those of the winning side. There are exceptions. Veterans of unpopular conflicts, such as the Vietnam War, have been discriminated against. Others, such as veterans of conflicts like the Korean War, are often forgotten (even though the casualty rate in Korea was higher than that experienced in the Vietnam War) when compared with those who fought in the World Wars. In some countries with strong anti-military traditions (e.g., Germany after 1945) veterans are neither honored in any special way by the general public, nor have their dedicated Veterans Day, although events are sometimes orchestrated by Neo-Nazis and other minority right-wing groups.

 

Many countries have longstanding traditions, ceremonies, and holidays to honor their veterans. In the UK "Remembrance Day" is held on November the 11th and is focused mostly on the veterans who died in service to the monarch and country. A red or white poppy is worn on the lapel (for remembrance or for peace, respectively) in the weeks up to the date, and wreaths and flowers laid at memorials to the dead.

 

In Russia, a tradition was established after the Second World War, where newly married couples would on their wedding day visit a military cemetery. In France, for instance, those wounded in war are given the first claim on any seat on public transit. Most countries have a holiday such as Veterans Day to honor their veterans, along with the war dead.

   

A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.

 

In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw (aka one percenter) subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually recognized by other MC clubs. This is indicated by wearing the MC patch, or a three piece patch, or colors, on the back of a club jacket or vest. Outlaw (or one percenter) can mean merely that the club is not chartered under the auspices of the American Motorcyclist Association, implying a radical rejection of authority and embracing of the "biker" lifestyle defined and popularized since the 1950s and represented by such media as Easyriders magazine, the work of painter David Mann, and more. In many contexts the terms overlap with the usual meaning of "outlaw" because some of these clubs, or some their members, are recognized by law enforcement agencies as taking part in organized crime.

 

Outside of the outlaw subculture, the words "" carry no heavy meaning beyond the everyday English definition of the words – a club involving motorcycles, whose members come from every walk of life. Thus, there are clubs that are culturally and stylistically nothing like outlaw or one percenter clubs, and whose activities and goals not similar to them at all, but still use three-part patches or the initials MC in their name or insignia.

 

Types of clubs, groups and organizations

 

Motorcycle clubs vary a great deal in their objectives and organizations. Mainstream motorcycle clubs or associations typically have elected officers and directors, annual dues, and a regular publication. They may also sponsor annual or more frequent "rallies" where members can socialize and get to know each other. Some publish in book form lists of members that can be used by touring motorcyclists needing assistance.

Veteran motorcycle clubs, veteran mc clubs, motorcycle clubs, steelhorseshades

 

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

 

Some background

The history of Focke Wulf's Fw 190 in Japan started with a rejection: in 1943 a single FW 190 A-5 had been supplied to Japan for evaluation, but at first, the type was not put into production by the Japanese. Anyway, the results of the study by Japanese engineers were incorporated in the design of the Ki-61 fighter. This evaluation did not go unnoticed, since the type received the Allied code-name 'Fred'.

 

By that time, the teething development problems of Mitubishi's J2M ‘Raiden’ (Thunderbolt) 'Jack' led to a slowdown in production. Biggest issues were the Kasei engine, an unreliable propeller pitch change mechanism and the main undercarriage members. Another drawback of the type was that its design put emphasis on performance and pilot protection rather than maneuverability. By the time the Fw 190 was tested, only fourteen J2M had been completed.

To make matters even worse, the Mitsubishi A7M 'Reppu' fighter was also behind schedule, so that replacements for the A6M 'Zero', backbone of the IJN’s air force, were overdue.

 

This situation left the Imperial Japanese Navy without a land-based interceptor. The first few produced J2M2 were delivered to the development units in December 1942 but further trials and improvements took almost a year, and it took until June 1944 that the ‘Raiden’ could make its combat debut, during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

 

While the Raiden was to be developed further for the high-altitude interceptor role, the IJN decided in January 1944 to adopt the highly effective Fw 190 as a supplementary interceptor for medium heights - only as a stop-gap at first, but the type quickly evolved into various sub-variants, much like in Germany.

 

License production of the adopted Fw 190 started at Hitachi in May 1944. The original airframe was modified to cater to Japanese needs and customs, and the most obvious difference of the J10F1, how the plane was officially called, was the use of the Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23c radial engine instead of the original BMW 801. It was a modified version of the engine in the J2M, but simplified and made more reliable. The engine produced 1.820hp and drove a four-bladed propeller. Another distinctive feature was a small fin fillet, which compensated directional instability due to the longer forward fuselage.

By its pilots, the J10F quickly became called “hueruge” (フエルゲル), a transcription of the Fw 190's German nickname "Würger" (=Shrike).

 

Variants:

 

J10F1

The original main variant with the MK4R Kasei 23e and armed with 2× 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns and 4× 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 354 aircraft produced.

While no official sub-variant was developed or designated, single machines differed considerably in equipment. This included field-modifications like reduced armament for better performance or ground-attack equipment, e .g. racks for a total of four unguided 60kg air-to-air missiles under the outer wings.

 

J10F1-G

In late 1945 a few J10F1 were modified for the anti-ship role and night attacks, and they received the "-G" suffix for their new land-based bomber role. These planes had a reduced gun armament, flame dampers and an IR sight, similar to the German “Spanner” device.

Most of these planes were to carry special weapons, like a single indigenous Ke-Go 110 heat-seeking guided bomb under the belly, or, alternatively, a copy of the German Bv 246 "Hagelkorn" gliding bomb, which had been delivered to Japan in 1944 for tests and adopted for production. To allow more space under the fuselage while carrying these bombs on the ground, some of these aircraft had a longer tail wheel strut fitted. Additionally, tests were made with a torpedo on the centerline hardpoint. It is uncertain if these weapons were actually used in combat, though.

 

J10F2

The only variant that was developed so far that it entered service, incorporating many detail modifications and improvements. These included thicker armored glass in the cabin's windshield (from 5.5 cm/2.2” to 7.6cm/3”) and extra armor plating behind the pilot's seat. The wing skinning was thickened in localized areas to allow for a further increase in dive speed. A water-methanol engine boost was added, which allowed an engine output of 2.050 hp for short periods, which boosted the top speed to 695 km/h. 52 were produced.

 

J10F3

High altitude project with a pressurized cabin, a larger wing span of 11.96 m (39 ft 2 in) and a turbo-supercharged MK4R-C Kasei 23c engine, with the turbo-supercharger mounted behind the cockpit (itself made wider). This doubled the altitude at which the engine could produce its rated power, from 15,750ft up to 30,185ft. The J10F3 only carried two 20mm cannons in the wing roots, but had two extra oblique-firing 20mm cannon installed aft of the cockpit for use against high flying American B-29 bombers (much like the German "Schräge Musik" installments). Two prototypes were completed in June 1945, but the turbo-supercharger proved troublesome, and no further aircraft of this type were produced.

  

From late 1944 on, the J10F1 was quickly thrown into service and became a nasty surprise for Allied aircraft. The modified Focke Wulf design proved to be agile, fast and much tougher than earlier Japanese fighters, coupled with a relatively heavy armament. Beyond interception duties, the J10F1 was frequently employed in close support and anti-shipping tasks, since its low level handling and ordnance load was excellent.

Its only drawback was - as with the original Fw 190 - that performance dropped at heights above 6.000m. This should not have posed a problem with the J2M, but that type's delay left the Allied high-altitude bomber attacks relatively unharmed, so that the J10F3 version was hastily developed, but failed to realize. In Germany, the similar situation resulted in the Fw 190 D-9 variant and finally in the superb Ta-152.

  

J10F1General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 9.29 m (30 ft 6¾ in)

Wingspan:10.51 m (34 ft 5 in)

Height: 3.95 m (12 ft 12 in)

Wing area:18.30 m² (196.99 ft²)

Empty weight: 3,490 kg (7,694 lb)

Max. take-off weight: 4,840 kg (10,670 lb)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 656 km/h (408 mph) at 19,420 ft (5,920 m)

Rate of climb:17 m/s (3,300 ft/min)

Range: 800 km (500 mi)

Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)

Engine: 1 Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23e radial engine with 1.820hp

 

Armament:

2 × 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns, 300 rpg, in the nose

4 × 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 200 rpg, two in the wing roots, two outside of the landing gear.

Three hardpoints, one under the fuselage (max. 500 kg/1.102 lb) and one under each wing for 250 kg/550 lb each for bombs or fuel tanks. Total external ordnance load of 1.000kg (2.205 lb).

  

The kit and its assembly

The 'Japanese Fw 190' is a popular what-if topic, so I wanted to add my interpretation to the plethora of whifs and replicas of the real test machine. Actually, a clean Fw 190 looks pretty Japanese with its radial engine and sleek lines. When I recently came across a similar build at britmodelers.com, I thought that painting a Fw 190 green/grey and putting some Hinomarus on is logical and simple, but there's more in the subject than just cosmetics. I wanted a bit more... And while the concept remained simple, I had enough ideas and spare parts for a twin combo! In the end, the J10F was built as a pure interceptor and as a 'special purpose' night strike aircraft.

 

Basically, my limiting design idea for the J10F's design was the idea that Japan would not have received the Fw 190’s original BMW 801 radial engine, so that an alternative powerplant had to be fitted. I had hoped that this would have set the 'new' plane outwardly a bit apart from its German ancestor, and also make you look twice because the result would not be a 1:1 "Japanized" Fw 190 A/F. I tried, but I suppose that the effect is not as 'powerful' as intended – but judge for yourself?

 

The basic kits for both conversions come from Hobby Boss. It is a simple and clean kit, but with very good fit and engraved details. In an attempt to change the plane's look a little, I tried to transplant other engines - radials, too. Donation parts for both kits come from an Italeri Ju 188, which features two pairs of engines. The radials I used are actually BMW 801’s, too, but they lack the typical cooling fan and the cowlings are 3-4mm longer because they'd carry the engine mountings on the Ju 188's wings. Actually, the fuselage is minimal longer now, maybe 4-5mm, but the shape is still very close to the original Fw 190, so I think that this mod hardly is recognizable at all?

 

The change was a bit tricky, due to the massive fuselage of the Hobby Boss kit, but it worked. The new cowlings received new cooling louvres and exhaust pipes. New, four-bladed propellers were added, scratch-built from leftover Mosquito NF.30 propellers from the Airfix kit and drop tank front halves.

 

Otherwise, though, not much was changed, the two kits just differ in equipment details and received Matchbox pilot figures in order to cover up the bleak and very deep cockpit.

 

The interceptor:

As an interceptor I left the plane clean, without external ordnance. I wanted to emphasize its elegant look, which makes it look like a Ki-43 on casual glance, or even an A6M. The plane carries the normal gun armament (from a Fw 190 A-8), this is supposed to be the original/standard J10F mentioned above.

 

The night attacker:

The J10F1-G variant saw more modifications, including a new exhaust system with flame dampers built from scratch. Other special equipment comprises an IR sight in front of the canopy, flare protectors, the fuselage hardpoint and the scratch-built Ke-Go 110 bomb. In order to cover the deleted gun access panels under the wings, I added streamlined bomb shackles for two Japanese 60kg bombs each, donated from a Matchbox Ju 87 kit.

 

About the Ke-Go bomb

This bomb, which looks like a penguin, is a fantasy derivate of a real Japanese development series until summer 1945. In a nutshell, the Ke-Go bomb actually was one of the first “fire and forget” weapons I have heard of. With the guidance of a bolometer seeker and a self-correcting steering mechanism, the bomb would (only) be useable against strong and clear heat sources – a ship’s kettle at night, when surrounding heat level was low, would qualify, and the bomb would be guided by deviation and correction from that heat source - if it locked on correctly, though! My Ke-Go 110 is a smaller version of the original Ke-Go bombs, suitable for lighter planes.

  

Painting

Being an IJN plane, paint scheme choices for the J10F were rather limited - and since it is a whif plane I stuck to my policy that I rather use a simple/subtle paint scheme.

 

The interceptor:

For the clean and rather conservative interceptor I settled for a simple IJN Green/Gray livery (N. 2 ‘Aomidori-iro’, a bluish, very dark green and N.10 ‘Hairyokushoku’, respectively), with Testors 2116 and 2117 as basic tones. Yellow wing leading edges were added, cut from an aftermarket decal sheet. As a design twist I painted the engine cowling black, A6M-style. The propeller spinner was painted in red brown (typical Japanese WWII primer color), with an orange tip, matching the arrow symbol decal on the tail fin. The propeller blades were painted with Testor’s ‘Rubber’, #1183.

A slightly worn look was achieved through a light wash with black ink and some dry painting with paler shades of Green (Humbrol 91 and 185) and Aluminum, plus light exhaust marks and gun smoke residues with flat black. Some bare metal spots were added, which also highlight some details and add to the worn look.

All decals for the green fighter come from a Hobby Boss A6M, only the arrows come from the Hobby Boss He 162. Finally, everything was sealed under a semi-matte varnish, for a light shine to the surface – typical IJN machines appear to be rather shiny?

 

The night attacker:

This variant received a more fantastic and stealthy paint scheme - I wanted to set the plane apart from the clean and shiny interceptor: a grunty, desperate strike aircraft against overwhelming sea forces.

AFAIK, there had not been specific nocturnal cammo schemes at the IJNAS, except for all-green aircraft? A bit boring, I thought, esp. with a typical green/gray sister plane.

So I made up a personal variant: In a first step, upper surfaces were painted in a brownish-grey basic tone, AFAIK called ‘Ameiro’ – it is the color which was used on early Zeroes which were based on carriers, and the tone faded quickly to a light gray. This color is very similar to RAL 7014 ‘Fenstergrau’ and reminds of B.S. ‘Hemp’. I improvised it with a mix of Humbrol 141 (60%), 83 (35%) and a bit of 155 (5%). On top of that a dense array of dark green blotches (Humbrol 185, Chrome Green, at first, and later also with Humbrol 116 for more contrast) was applied, breaking up the plane’s lines and covering the light gray tone almost completely.

Undersides originally sported ‘Ameiro’, too, but they were painted as if they had been covered with a very dark gray tone in the field (Humbrol 67), even leaving out the hinomarus and flaking off everywhere. The black engine cowling was retained.

Hinomaru and squadron emblems come from the same Mitsubishi A6M from Hobby Boss as mentioned above, featuring even less markings. As a side note: I have never seen Hinomaru with a black(!) rim before? I am not certain if this is correct or an authentic modification - it matches the night fighter role perfectly, though. This time I chose a matte varnish, except for the cowling which received some streaks with more shiny semi-matte varnish.

 

In both cases, cockpit interior surfaces and landing gear wells were painted in ‘Aodake Iro’, simulated with a base of Aluminium (Humbrol 56) and a coat of translucent blue lacquer on top.

  

All in all, these pair of rather simple model kit was built in a couple of days, taking the pictures and waiting for good light took almost the same time! I am not 100% happy, because the engine mod is not as obvious as I expected, even though the four-bladed prop and the slightly elongated fuselage give the J10F a menacing and fast look, like a “Baby Tempest”.

 

Soul Harbingers Motorcycle Club

 

Veteran motorcycle clubs

steelhorseshades.com

 

Military veterans motorcycle clubs

A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.

In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw aka one percenter subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually recognized by other MC clubs. This is indicated by wearing the MC patch, or a three piece patch, or colors, on the back of a club jacket or vest. Outlaw or one percenter can mean merely that the club is not chartered under the auspices of the American Motorcyclist Association, implying a radical rejection of authority and embracing of the "biker" lifestyle defined and popularized since the 1950s and represented by such media as Easyriders magazine, the work of painter David Mann, and more. In many contexts the terms overlap with the usual meaning of "outlaw" because some of these clubs, or some of their members, are recognized by law enforcement agencies as taking part in organized crime.

Outside of the outlaw subculture, the words "motorcycle club" carry no heavy meaning beyond the everyday English definition of the words a club involving motorcycles, whose members come from every walk of life. Thus, there are clubs that are culturally and stylistically nothing like outlaw or one percenter clubs, and whose activities and goals not similar to them at all, but still use three-part patches or the initials MC in their name or insignia.

Types of clubs, groups and organizations

Motorcycle clubs vary a great deal in their objectives and organizations. Mainstream motorcycle clubs or associations typically have elected officers and directors, annual dues, and a regular publication. They may also sponsor annual or more frequent "rallies" where members can socialize and get to know each other. Some publish in book form lists of members that can be used by touring motorcyclists needing assistance.

There are a great many brand clubs, or clubs dedicated to particular marques, including those sponsored by various manufacturers, such as the Harley Owners Group and the Honda Riders Club of America. There are large national independent motorcycle clubs, such as BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, the STAR Touring and Riding Association, and the Gold Wing Road Riders Association GWRRA. In the United Kingdom, there are brand clubs such as the Triumph Owners' Motor Cycle Club founded in 1949.

Clubs catering for those interested in vintage machines such as the Vintage Motor Cycle Club are also popular as well as for those centered around particular venues. Clubs catering for riders' rights such as the Motorcycle Action Group, and charities such as the 59 Club are popular, many affiliating with the umbrella organization, the British Motorcyclists Federation. National and local branch club magazines and events are typical characteristics of such clubs. More informal groupings continue to exist though for riders local to each other.

Other organizations whose activities primarily involve motorcycles exist for a specific purpose, such as the Patriot Guard Riders, who provide funeral escorts for military veterans, and Rolling Thunder, which advocates for troops missing in action and prisoners of war. While neither of the latter two groups require a motorcycle for membership, they are motorcycling-oriented and much of their activity involves ride. The Christian Motorcyclists Association is a biker ministry. In the United Kingdom, Freewheelers EVS is one of a number of similar charities, which use motorcycles to provide an out-of-hours emergency medical courier service. Some clubs attract membership from specific groups, such as the Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, consisting of law enforcement personnel.

The American Motorcyclist Association AMA is the largest American motorcyclist organization. It serves as an umbrella organization for local clubs and sporting events. As of March, 2006, the AMA counts 269,884 active members and many chartered clubs.

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

US military

usmc

veteran mc clubs

veteran motorcycle clubs

biker clubs

motorcycle clubs

 

Military Veteran

 

The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject.

 

The Hôpital des Invalides in Paris is a hospital and retirement home for French war veteransA veteran (from Latin vetus, meaning "old") is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..." . This page refers to military veterans, i.e., a person who has served or is serving in the armed forces, and has direct exposure to acts of military conflict, commonly known as war veterans (although not all military conflicts, or areas in which armed combat takes place, are necessarily referred to as "wars").

 

United States

 

Veterans who served on the battleship Missouri shortly after a ceremony marking the anniversary of the end of World War II. The most common usage is for former armed services personnel. A veteran is one who has served in the armed forces, especially one who has served in combat. It is especially applied to those who served for an entire career, usually of 20 years or more, but may be applied for someone who has only served one tour of duty. A common misconception is that only those who have served in combat or those who have retired from active duty can be called military veterans.

 

Veterans' benefits in the United States

 

President Abraham Lincoln, in his second inaugural address, in 1865 towards the end of the US Civil War, famously called for good treatment of veterans: "to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan". The American Civil War produced veterans' organizations, such as the Grand Army of the Republic. The treatment of veterans changed after the First World War. In the years following, discontented veterans became a source of instability. They could quickly organize, had links to the army, and often had arms themselves. Veterans played a central role in the post-World War I instability of Germany, while in the United States, the Bonus Army of unemployed veterans was one of the most important protest movements of the Great Depression, marching on Washington, DC, to get a claimed bonus that Congress had promised them.

 

Each state of the United States sets specific criteria for state-specific veterans' benefits. For federal medical benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, prior to 7 September 1980 the veteran must have served at least 180 days of active duty, after the above-mentioned date, the veteran must have served at least 24 months. However, if the veteran was medically discharged and receives a VA service-connected disability stipend, the time limits are not applicable.

   

American veteran experience after World War II

 

After the Second World War, in part due to the experience of the First World War, most of the participating states set up elaborate veterans' administrations. Within the United States, it was veterans groups, like the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars organization, that pushed for and got the G.I. Bill enacted. These gave veterans access to free or subsidized education and health care. The newly educated GIs created a significant economic impact, and with the aid of VA loans were able to buy housing and establish themselves as part of a growing American middle class. The explosion of the suburbs created sufficient housing for veterans and their families.

 

American veteran experience after OEF and OIF Many veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom have had to face challenges unique to warfare in the 21st century. One significant difference between OEF and OIF and previous wars is a greater dependence on reservists and repeat deployments. Up to 80% of troops deployed at the beginning of OEF were part of the part of the Army National Guard and Reserve and about 40% of currently serving military members have been deployed more than once. This has meant that many deployed troops, not being as “ steeped in military culture ” have had more difficult transitions into military life, and for many the increased redeployment rate has meant more transitions, more uncertainty, longer terms, and shorter dwell times, all of which contribute to greater stress.

 

Due to medical advances, warfare in the 21st century tends to yield more survivors with severe injuries which soldiers in previous wars would have died from.[7] This means that, though fewer service members die, more return from war with injuries more serious, and in turn more emotionally devastating, than ever before. Among these injuries is the increasingly common traumatic brain injury, or TBI, the effects of which can range from a mild concussion to amnesia and serious neurological damage.

 

Female veterans in the U.S.

 

Women have served in the United States military for over two hundred years, often having had to disguise themselves as men. Female veterans have often been discriminated against by their male counterparts and, as such, women who have served in the armed forces have sometimes been known as "the invisible veterans".[9] Women were not fully recognized as veterans until after WWII, and prior to this they were not eligible for VA benefits. The VA estimates that by the year 2010 women will make up 40% of the veteran population. A tri-state (Washington, Idaho, Oregon) women veterans conference in Pendleton, Oregon, in April 2008, attracted 362 women veterans, according to the East Oregonian newspaper.

 

African American veterans in the U.S. see also: Military history of African Americans

 

African Americans have participated in every war fought by or within the United States. Black veterans from World War I experienced racial persecution on returning to the U.S. from overseas, particularly in Southern cities. Black veterans from World War II continued to be denied equality at home despite President Harry S. Truman's desegregation of the military after World War II. Black veterans went on to play a central role in the Civil Rights movement. The National Association for Black Veterans is an organization that provides advocacy and support for African American and other minority veterans.

   

Health effects of military service and treatment for veterans

 

The effect of active military service can be profound and lasting, and some veterans have found it difficult to adjust to normal life again. An article in the London Metro on 28 January 2010 was titled "Veterans prone to suicide" and cited a report by the Mental Health Foundation which said that not enough was being done to care for the Afghanistan war veterans, and many "plunged into alcohol problems, crime and suicide" upon their return. Support services were found to be patchy from area to area. Figures from 2009 showed that twice as many veterans were in prison than there were British troops currently in Afghanistan. Homelessness, street-sleeping and relationship breakdown are also commonly reported. Research done by the UK homelessness charity CRISIS (1994) and the Ex-Services Action Group (1997) both found that a quarter of homeless people had previously served in the armed forces. The Times newspaper reported on 25 September 2009 that in England and Wales the number of "military veterans in jail has more than doubled in six years". Another Times article of the same date quoted the veterans mental health charity Combat Stress reporting a 53% increase in referrals from doctors

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment among veterans Further information:

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

 

Further information: Benefits for US Veterans with PTSD

 

New treatment programs are emerging to assist veterans suffering from post-combat mental health problems such as depression and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), is becoming an important method for the treatment of mental health issues among veterans, and is currently considered the standard of care for depression and PTSD by the United States Department of Defense. CBT is a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to change the patterns of thinking or behavior that responsible for patient’s negative emotions and in doing so change the way they feel. It has been proven to be an effective treatment for PTSD among war veterans. Recently, online programs that pair CBT with therapist interaction have also proven effective in treating mental health problems among veterans. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is also an effective and non invasive, drug free treatment for PTSD, although it has not been tested against specific military traumatic exposure for efficacy. Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) also has applications in this field.

   

Help for veterans Necessity has resulted in a number of sources of help being made available for veterans. Many of these are independent, charitable organizations and in some countries the aftercare and rehabilitation services provided by Governments have been inadequate. This may be because they do not wish to give attention to the negative effects of military service and the difficulties of readjustment to civilian life for it may have an adverse impact upon recruitment for their armed forces. Nevertheless, help is available and veterans should feel able to make contact and ask for assistance or advice without feeling that this is a weakness. Military service can be a profoundly unnatural experience and it is likely that some help may be needed in debriefing and rehabilitation into the community, whether it be medical, psychological, practical or financial.

 

Public attitude towards veterans

 

Military veterans often receive special treatment in their respective countries due to the sacrifices they made during wars. Different countries handle this differently, some openly support veterans through government programs and others ignoring them. Veterans are also subject to illnesses directly related to their military service such as PTSD. War veterans are generally treated with great respect and honor for their contribution to the world and country by their own nationals. Conversely there are often negative feelings towards the veterans of alien nations held long after the war is over, for example towards the German Nazi soldiers, but they are no less veterans of war than those of the winning side. There are exceptions. Veterans of unpopular conflicts, such as the Vietnam War, have been discriminated against. Others, such as veterans of conflicts like the Korean War, are often forgotten (even though the casualty rate in Korea was higher than that experienced in the Vietnam War) when compared with those who fought in the World Wars. In some countries with strong anti-military traditions (e.g., Germany after 1945) veterans are neither honored in any special way by the general public, nor have their dedicated Veterans Day, although events are sometimes orchestrated by Neo-Nazis and other minority right-wing groups.

 

Many countries have longstanding traditions, ceremonies, and holidays to honor their veterans. In the UK "Remembrance Day" is held on November the 11th and is focused mostly on the veterans who died in service to the monarch and country. A red or white poppy is worn on the lapel (for remembrance or for peace, respectively) in the weeks up to the date, and wreaths and flowers laid at memorials to the dead.

 

In Russia, a tradition was established after the Second World War, where newly married couples would on their wedding day visit a military cemetery. In France, for instance, those wounded in war are given the first claim on any seat on public transit. Most countries have a holiday such as Veterans Day to honor their veterans, along with the war dead.

   

A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.

 

In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw (aka one percenter) subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually recognized by other MC clubs. This is indicated by wearing the MC patch, or a three piece patch, or colors, on the back of a club jacket or vest. Outlaw (or one percenter) can mean merely that the club is not chartered under the auspices of the American Motorcyclist Association, implying a radical rejection of authority and embracing of the "biker" lifestyle defined and popularized since the 1950s and represented by such media as Easyriders magazine, the work of painter David Mann, and more. In many contexts the terms overlap with the usual meaning of "outlaw" because some of these clubs, or some their members, are recognized by law enforcement agencies as taking part in organized crime.

 

Outside of the outlaw subculture, the words "" carry no heavy meaning beyond the everyday English definition of the words – a club involving motorcycles, whose members come from every walk of life. Thus, there are clubs that are culturally and stylistically nothing like outlaw or one percenter clubs, and whose activities and goals not similar to them at all, but still use three-part patches or the initials MC in their name or insignia.

 

Types of clubs, groups and organizations

 

Motorcycle clubs vary a great deal in their objectives and organizations. Mainstream motorcycle clubs or associations typically have elected officers and directors, annual dues, and a regular publication. They may also sponsor annual or more frequent "rallies" where members can socialize and get to know each other. Some publish in book form lists of members that can be used by touring motorcyclists needing assistance.

Veteran motorcycle clubs, veteran mc clubs, motorcycle clubs, steelhorseshades

 

I suspect that fear of rejection is largely the fear of being forced to rethink our strategies.

Here are three ways to overcome that fear of rejection:

1. Consolation of thoroughness: Remember that rejection doesn’t necessarily mean your strategy is off. People reject things for all sorts...

 

howdoidate.com/personal-development/how-to-conquer-your-f...

The KOM League

Flash Report

For week of

December 4, 2016

 

Introduction:

 

In defiance of the odds another report was pieced together for the week. During this week the KOM league was introduced to a few more people by virtue of a very early Thursday morning presentation. Some of those in attendance heard it in spite of a “big” party they had attended the night before. Yours truly always enjoys being able to talk about the KOM league after many of those in attendance have stopped listening.

 

Prior to leaving home for the presentation I told my wife that the trip to Rotary would most likely be the last time I would ever appear before any type of public forum. When you go places and wind up being the oldest person in the room, by a decade, you have to be perspicacious enough to know the gig has about run its course.

 

So, where does that leave me? That leaves this forum as the only means of expression whether or not anyone even gives it a passing glance. It is good therapy for and old guy in his attempt to stave off senility a few more risings of the sun.

 

Last week the Flash Report might have just as well been entitled “The 1949 Carthage Cubs.” That report was shared basically due to a lack of input from readers and not much gumption on the part of the editor to do much work.

 

Also, in the last edition was an obituary for William Hopkins who played for the Ponca City Dodgers in 1949. After learning of the death of Hopkins I glanced at my database and saw the name of Robert Anson Grove from that same Ponca City team and with whom I had never made contact. I thought he lived in Galveston, Texas and placed a call to the only person with that name in that city. A few days passed and not getting a return call, I figured I had run into another dead end. But hey, if I didn’t already have a middle name, “Rejection” would fit me well.

 

However, about the time I figured the statute of limitation had run out on that call my telephone rang and the voice on the other end said “I’m Robert Grove.” To show how alert I sometimes get I replied “Are you the same Robert Anson Grove who played for the 1949 Ponca City Dodgers?”

 

Well, you all know the answer to my rhetorical question and shortly Grove was telling his life and baseball story. He was a graduate of Ball High School in Galveston, Texas that he said was loaded with ballplayers who were then signed to professional contracts. Keep that tidbit in mind and hopefully I’ll get back to that story later in the report.

 

Grove entered this world on Sept. 12, 1930 in Norfolk, Virginia. His father was transferred to Chattanooga, Tennessee and Texas City, Texas where Robert attended grade and junior high school before winding up in Galveston at Ball High. Robert said his father was “big” in amateur baseball and pushed him to play.

 

When it came to playing, the young Grove was put behind the plate. He said he weighed about 140 pounds and was too small for the position. However, when he was signed by the Dodgers he knew he wasn’t going to make it in that position for the first guy he ever laid eyes on, in Dodger catching gear, was Roy Campanella.

 

Nonetheless, the Dodgers saw fit to assign the young catcher to the Ponca City Dodgers and he only had to beat out Dean Ehlers and Don Keeter for that position. He didn’t and was sent to Sheboygan, Wisconsin to play for Joe Hauser in the Wisconsin State league. Grove’s memory of that experience was a bit dim until his wife, who was listening to our conversation, came up with a photo of the 1949 Sheboygan Indians and started rattling off the names of the members of that club. Yours truly even recognized the names of a couple of those guys in the photo as being former KOM leaguers.

 

Grove said that after the 1949 season he went back home and played some amateur baseball in his adopted hometown for a number of years. I had remembered, from earlier in the conversation of him mentioning playing on a “hot” Ball High School team in 1948. For the sake of conversation I asked if he remembered all of the fellows. The first he mentioned was Russell Rac. www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000038254 That name jumped out at me for it seemed like he played big league ball for the Cardinals since I heard his name on Cardinal spring training broadcasts during a number of my formative years. However, as the attached URL states Rac didn’t make it—but he should have. Here is another URL for Rac. bill37mccurdy.com/2011/11/15/ex-buff-russell-rac-dead-at-81/

 

Going on with his memories Grove recalled one of the pitchers he caught during his high school years was Gordyn Kirschner. If any of you don’t know who Kirschner is/was, you didn’t read or don’t recall last week’s Flash Report. He was the young man who is listed among the 36-man roster of the 1949 Carthage Cubs.

 

At this juncture in the conversation I had now identified Grove, Rac and Kirschner as members of that 1948 high school team. At that point it was time to do some independent research and very quickly I found the name of James Harvey “Chick” Plowman who also played at Ball High School at that time. He signed with the St. Louis Browns and caught at Pittsburg, Kansas during the 1950 season. There is no way to check anything with Plowman for he died on February, 25, 2009 in Hitchcock, Texas.

 

As with most conversations with former players their children are mentioned. Grove said that he and his daughter were very gifted at tennis and won many doubles tournaments. He said that lasted until someone came along and told her that she had a great voice. That she did. Never have I been able to share anything on the subject of opera but Grove’s daughter Jill, is one of the top performers in her craft.

 

jillgrovemezzo.com/reviews.htm

 

www.google.com/search?rls=aso&client=gmail&q=jill...

 

For those without access to the URLs here are few quotes. You have to credit the old Flash Report editor for sharing something with real class.

 

****

A sought-after concert soloist, Jill Grove has joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, National Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Utah Symphony, Houston Symphony, and Santa Fe Symphony for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. She has sung Verdi’s Requiem with the Toronto Symphony under the baton of Sir Andrew Davis, Tucson Symphony, and Calgary Philharmonic; Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 with the Houston Symphony under the baton of Christoph Eschenbach and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra with Mariss Jansons conducting; Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevskywith the National Symphony under the baton of Hans Graf; Maria Aegyptiaca in Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with the San Francisco Symphony under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas and the Houston Symphony with Eschenbach, Bergen Philharmonic, and the Norddeutsche Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester under the baton of Eschenbach; Janáček’s Glagolitic Mass at the Grant Park Music Festival; Handel’s Messiah with the Toronto Symphony under the batons of Nicolas McGegan and Sir Andrew Davis and with the National Arts Centre Orchestra under the baton of Trevor Pinnock; Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with the San Francisco Symphony conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas; Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Minnesota Orchestra; Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody with the American Classical Orchestra; and Verdi’s Requiem with the Dallas Symphony conducted by Jaap van Zweden.

 

Ms. Grove's recordings include Ulrica on a Chandos recording of Verdi's Un ballo in maschera, Auntie in Peter Grimes on the London Symphony Orchestra Live label with Sir Colin Davis and in a new production by John Doyle at the Metropolitan Opera (available on EMI DVD), Magdalene in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg under the baton of James Levine and issued on DVD by Deutsche Grammophon, as well as the Muschel in Strauss's Die ägyptische Helena with the American Symphony Orchestra on Teldec. As a member of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, she sang Tisbe in La cenerentola opposite Cecilia Bartoli which was released by Decca/London.

 

She is the winner of the 2003 ARIA award, a 2001 Richard Tucker Foundation Career Grant, a 1999 George London Foundation Career Grant, a 1997 Sullivan Foundation Career Grant, a 1996 winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, a 1996 recipient of a Richard Tucker Foundation Study Grant, and a 1995 recipient of a Richard F. Gold Career Grant. She was a member of the Merola Program at San Francisco Opera and the Houston Grand Opera Studio and attended the Music Academy of the West, the New England Conservatory, and Stephen F. Austin State University. She received a Distinguished Alumna Award from the latter university in 2006.

_____________________________________________________________________________

One find leads to something else

 

After speaking with Robert Grove I went back to my database of other 1949 Ponca City Dodgers I have never found, or determined their fate, with renewed determination to find something. Here was a “find” from the Steamboat Springs, Colorado Pilot of September 1, 1949. “Larry Pearson, 18. of Las Animas, has signed a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers and has been sent to Ponca City, Okla. to start his professional baseball career. He is a pitcher.”

 

For many years I’ve searched for Larry Alvin Pearson but to no avail. I have had him on my list of former KOM leaguers for a quarter of a century. So, before it’s too late to summarize his baseball career I’m a going to quote from the Miami Oklahoma News Record of September 5, 1949. Briefly, he pitched in one game, went 5.1 innings, walked nine batters, struck out four and gave up seven hits in his only game. Of course, he was the losing pitcher. But, he did something that he could have remembered later. He pitched to a future big leaguer. Read this article to find out who that guy was and also to see the complete career of a young man summed up in one brief game summary. (If you can’t figure out the future big leaguer to whom he pitched, ask me who it was. I need something to do.)

 

Miami News Record 9/5/1949 page 6.

 

Everybody had a good time out at Fairgrounds park last night as the Miami Owls closed their KOM league season by splitting a doubleheader with the Ponca City Dodgers. The Birds won the second game, 12-4, after losing the opener, 9-6. But more important than the result of the doubleheader was the announcement by the board of directors of Miami Baseball, Inc., that professional baseball would be in Miami again next season. However, no indication of what the 1950 setup will be was given. With the opening game victory clinching a playoff spot for the Dodgers, Manager Boyd Bartley completely shifted his line-up around in the second game and mid-way through the tilt Owl Manager Omar Lane got in the spirit of the act and started changing his line-up. The last four innings of the second tilt saw Harry Bright, who had done such a fine job at third base during the season, shifted to behind the plate. He really turned in a neat job of catching. Originally a catcher, Bright worked hurler Earl Hays smoothly and also made pegs to second that were right on the beam. When Bright put on the catching togs, Earl Skaggs, regular backstop, shifted to second base; second baseman Bill Sartain went into the outfield; rightfielder Duane Melvin came in to shortstop, and Joe Verbanic moved over from short to third. And the arrangement clicked, much to the enjoyment of the crowd. In the first game, Jack Schaening was working behind a 1-0 lead going into the fourth when the roof fell in. Before the side could be retired, the Dodgers had pushed across six runs on a Texas League double, three "bleeder" singles, two walks and a hit batsman. Again, in the 'fifth the "little Bums" sent three runs across the plate on two walks, a single 1 and a wild peg- to first by Schaening;, who was finally charged with his 11th defeat against 12 victories. The Owls tried hard to win the game when they came to life and racked up two runs in the sixth and three in the seventh and had the bases loaded when the side was retired to end the inning. Earl Hays went all the way in the second fracas for his ninth victory and second in four days. "Hays, the man with the fast ball, struck out eight Dodgers while walking five and allowed but five hits. Helping him on to the win was Bright, who slammed out four hits in five trips and batted in three runs to bring his total to . 97 RBI's for the year. Heading into the sixth, Hays was holding a slim 4-3 lead when Lane, sitting the last one out on the bench with Ike Robbins on first, started the "big shift." And it worked, too, for the Owls came to bat in. the bottom of the sixth and before the smoke cleared away rookie Larry Pearson had been knocked out of the box with a king-sized eight run rally. During the eight-run sixth, the Owls really had their batting eyes ready pecking out six bingles. A drag bunt by Bright scored Jimmy Reaugh; Ike Robbins singled hard into left to push in Melvin and Bright; Skaggs doubled off the left field fence to score Robbins; Sartain singled in Skaggs; Verbanic cracked out a liner to left that drove in Adam Thompson and Sartain and Hays wound up the scoring with a screeching triple against the scoreboard to plate Verbanic.

 

Ed comment:

 

The proving Larry Pearson played a game in the KOM league is another vindication from a few “experts” who, over the years, accused me of “making up names.”

______________________________________________________________________________

The passing of a great baseball fan

 

www.carthagepress.com/obituaries/20161128/mrs-dorothy-ann...

A line in the URL cited reads “A committed sports fan, Dorothy loved the St. Louis Cardinals and looks forward to meeting Stan Musial in heaven, along with Abe Lincoln and her beloved (husband) Art.”

 

Dorothy was a member of one of the best known families in the history of Carthage, Missouri. I knew several of them quite well as they buried most of the members of my family ranging from grandparents, parents, nieces and cousins. The Knell’s had triplets of which Bob and Frank were the boys and Helen who you can guess was the girl.

 

Robert and Frank Knell were affiliated with Carthage professional baseball dating to the Carthage Pirate franchise of the Arkansas/Missouri league, in 1938, and Frank was the President of the Carthage Baseball Association when Wid Matthews, of the Chicago Cubs, pulled the financial rug from under the feet of the franchise in 1952.

 

Bob Knell took me to the first baseball game I ever saw and the year was 1949. I counted him a friend until the day he passed away. I worked closely with both the brothers in documenting baseball in Carthage. They were invaluable in sharing photos and memories of that era. Another resource they contributed was where many of the former players had gone after playing baseball in Carthage for Pirate, Browns, Cardinal and to a lesser extent, Cub franchises. When any of those former players returned to Carthage, or wanted information on a certain family, the Knell’s would be the contact point. There were men in their late 70’s who even made contact regarding a “love interest” from as far back as 1938.

 

During the 1936-40 era the Arkansas State and or Arkansas Missouri league had a franchise in Carthage or in nearby Neosho or Monett, Missouri. The most prevalent last name in those two leagues was Knoblauch. Between 1936 and 1940, Charles played at Monett, Carthage and Neosho. In 1938 Edward played at Neosho and from 1938-40 Irvin played for Carthage. These guys were either brothers or cousins even though some were from Houston, Texas and another from Michigan.

 

Upon seeing those old Carthage team photos, I was thrilled to learn such items existed and shortly the Knell brothers gave them to me. In that Knoblauch mix was a younger brother by the name of Ray who played minor league ball in 1950. He was from Houston, Texas had a son he named Charles in honor of his older brother who played in Carthage. The son broke into the major leagues in 1991 and played with the Minnesota Twins and/or New York Yankees until 2002.

 

At the time Knoblauch was with the Twins I was communicating regularly with Tom Mee who had played third base for Iola of the KOM league in 1950. Mee was the official scorers for the Twins at the time and I mentioned to him that some of Knoblauch’s uncles had played in the old KOM area. When Knoblauch learned that I had photos of his uncles when they were minor leaguers he asked Mee if I would share them. I made copies and Chuck Knoblauch most likely still has them.

 

But, I want to return to the Knoblauch/Knell connection. When I was writing my first book both of the brothers told me that one of the Knell girls married one of the Knoblauch’s and that they made their home in California for a number of years. I can’t tie any of Bob and Frank’s sisters to marrying a Knoblauch so it must have been a cousin. (Isn’t senility terrible?) I recall seeing an obituary, in the Carthage Press, within the past decade, or so, that spoke of one of the Knoblauch’s death and that indeed he has married a girl by the name of Knell. I’ll keep tracking this story but since so many people read this report who remember the Knells or is a Knell, maybe one of them can short-circuit my search.

______________________________________________________________________________

In closing, another item from 1949

 

This note, along with an attached photo was received from a longtime friend from Ottawa, Kansas. “ You've probably already seen this picture of Mickey, but in case you haven't thought you might like it.” www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/30551050384/

 

This was the response to Mr. Dan Kay who shared the photo. “I can even tell you when and where it was taken. It was after the 1949 baseball season and during the time from September to mid-January of 1950. He was working for Eagle-Picher and he picked up small engines that needed work and taken to the electronic repair shop for basic coil rewinding. That is the time where he built his upper body strength. He was supposed to attend a Yankee prospects camp in Phoenix that winter. He didn't show up on time and they called his place of employment asking where he was. He said he was working and didn't have the money to get to Phoenix. The Yankee quickly wired him the necessary funds. I knew the guy, who was a butcher at Dillon’s Super Market in Joplin, whose dad was Mickey's supervisor at Eagle-Picher. It was and still is a small world down there.”

 

A disclaimer is made regarding that Mantle photo as one that I do not own and neither do I know how it wound up bouncing around the Internet. I have seen a few others in recent weeks. Although I own some from the time he was less than two years old I want everyone to know, especially the Mantle family, that I’m not the source of this photo. This photo was shared with Bob Mallon in Highlands Ranch, Colorado who just a couple of months prior to that photo being taken was Mantle’s roommate at Independence. Bob sent along a note that was the first time he had seen that particular photo.

 

One last comment. The Flash Reports are placed on the Flickr site to determine if anyone even bothers to look at them. An attempt is made to share a photo, each time, that might be of interest to at least three people. I’d like to ask a couple of questions that I suspect will get a response from less than a dozen people.

 

1—Do you ever pull up the Flickr site and if so do you go back to it more than once? How many times, on average do you reference each report?

2---When receiving these reports do you ever pass them along to others and if so, to how many?

 

Thanks!!!

Anyone having comments and can't send them by Flickr, transmit them to j03.john@gmail.com

 

Tickets available for 6 October but 7/8 October already sold out. More details www.facebook.com/events/1734871350063266/

 

Photograph by SHAY ROWAN

www.facebook.com/shay.rowan.5

 

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Adult content, nudity, strong language. over 18s.

DRAMA, THEATRE

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www.vertigotheatreproductions.co.uk

 

More details on Greater Manchester Fringe until 31 July 2016 www.greatermanchesterfringe.co.uk

  

Nobody wants to dance with John Ruddy :(

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

 

Some background

The history of Focke Wulf's Fw 190 in Japan started with a rejection: in 1943 a single FW 190 A-5 had been supplied to Japan for evaluation, but at first, the type was not put into production by the Japanese. Anyway, the results of the study by Japanese engineers were incorporated in the design of the Ki-61 fighter. This evaluation did not go unnoticed, since the type received the Allied code-name 'Fred'.

 

By that time, the teething development problems of Mitubishi's J2M ‘Raiden’ (Thunderbolt) 'Jack' led to a slowdown in production. Biggest issues were the Kasei engine, an unreliable propeller pitch change mechanism and the main undercarriage members. Another drawback of the type was that its design put emphasis on performance and pilot protection rather than maneuverability. By the time the Fw 190 was tested, only fourteen J2M had been completed.

To make matters even worse, the Mitsubishi A7M 'Reppu' fighter was also behind schedule, so that replacements for the A6M 'Zero', backbone of the IJN’s air force, were overdue.

 

This situation left the Imperial Japanese Navy without a land-based interceptor. The first few produced J2M2 were delivered to the development units in December 1942 but further trials and improvements took almost a year, and it took until June 1944 that the ‘Raiden’ could make its combat debut, during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

 

While the Raiden was to be developed further for the high-altitude interceptor role, the IJN decided in January 1944 to adopt the highly effective Fw 190 as a supplementary interceptor for medium heights - only as a stop-gap at first, but the type quickly evolved into various sub-variants, much like in Germany.

 

License production of the adopted Fw 190 started at Hitachi in May 1944. The original airframe was modified to cater to Japanese needs and customs, and the most obvious difference of the J10F1, how the plane was officially called, was the use of the Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23c radial engine instead of the original BMW 801. It was a modified version of the engine in the J2M, but simplified and made more reliable. The engine produced 1.820hp and drove a four-bladed propeller. Another distinctive feature was a small fin fillet, which compensated directional instability due to the longer forward fuselage.

By its pilots, the J10F quickly became called “hueruge” (フエルゲル), a transcription of the Fw 190's German nickname "Würger" (=Shrike).

 

Variants:

 

J10F1

The original main variant with the MK4R Kasei 23e and armed with 2× 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns and 4× 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 354 aircraft produced.

While no official sub-variant was developed or designated, single machines differed considerably in equipment. This included field-modifications like reduced armament for better performance or ground-attack equipment, e .g. racks for a total of four unguided 60kg air-to-air missiles under the outer wings.

 

J10F1-G

In late 1945 a few J10F1 were modified for the anti-ship role and night attacks, and they received the "-G" suffix for their new land-based bomber role. These planes had a reduced gun armament, flame dampers and an IR sight, similar to the German “Spanner” device.

Most of these planes were to carry special weapons, like a single indigenous Ke-Go 110 heat-seeking guided bomb under the belly, or, alternatively, a copy of the German Bv 246 "Hagelkorn" gliding bomb, which had been delivered to Japan in 1944 for tests and adopted for production. To allow more space under the fuselage while carrying these bombs on the ground, some of these aircraft had a longer tail wheel strut fitted. Additionally, tests were made with a torpedo on the centerline hardpoint. It is uncertain if these weapons were actually used in combat, though.

 

J10F2

The only variant that was developed so far that it entered service, incorporating many detail modifications and improvements. These included thicker armored glass in the cabin's windshield (from 5.5 cm/2.2” to 7.6cm/3”) and extra armor plating behind the pilot's seat. The wing skinning was thickened in localized areas to allow for a further increase in dive speed. A water-methanol engine boost was added, which allowed an engine output of 2.050 hp for short periods, which boosted the top speed to 695 km/h. 52 were produced.

 

J10F3

High altitude project with a pressurized cabin, a larger wing span of 11.96 m (39 ft 2 in) and a turbo-supercharged MK4R-C Kasei 23c engine, with the turbo-supercharger mounted behind the cockpit (itself made wider). This doubled the altitude at which the engine could produce its rated power, from 15,750ft up to 30,185ft. The J10F3 only carried two 20mm cannons in the wing roots, but had two extra oblique-firing 20mm cannon installed aft of the cockpit for use against high flying American B-29 bombers (much like the German "Schräge Musik" installments). Two prototypes were completed in June 1945, but the turbo-supercharger proved troublesome, and no further aircraft of this type were produced.

  

From late 1944 on, the J10F1 was quickly thrown into service and became a nasty surprise for Allied aircraft. The modified Focke Wulf design proved to be agile, fast and much tougher than earlier Japanese fighters, coupled with a relatively heavy armament. Beyond interception duties, the J10F1 was frequently employed in close support and anti-shipping tasks, since its low level handling and ordnance load was excellent.

Its only drawback was - as with the original Fw 190 - that performance dropped at heights above 6.000m. This should not have posed a problem with the J2M, but that type's delay left the Allied high-altitude bomber attacks relatively unharmed, so that the J10F3 version was hastily developed, but failed to realize. In Germany, the similar situation resulted in the Fw 190 D-9 variant and finally in the superb Ta-152.

  

J10F1General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 9.29 m (30 ft 6¾ in)

Wingspan:10.51 m (34 ft 5 in)

Height: 3.95 m (12 ft 12 in)

Wing area:18.30 m² (196.99 ft²)

Empty weight: 3,490 kg (7,694 lb)

Max. take-off weight: 4,840 kg (10,670 lb)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 656 km/h (408 mph) at 19,420 ft (5,920 m)

Rate of climb:17 m/s (3,300 ft/min)

Range: 800 km (500 mi)

Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)

Engine: 1 Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23e radial engine with 1.820hp

 

Armament:

2 × 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns, 300 rpg, in the nose

4 × 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 200 rpg, two in the wing roots, two outside of the landing gear.

Three hardpoints, one under the fuselage (max. 500 kg/1.102 lb) and one under each wing for 250 kg/550 lb each for bombs or fuel tanks. Total external ordnance load of 1.000kg (2.205 lb).

  

The kit and its assembly

The 'Japanese Fw 190' is a popular what-if topic, so I wanted to add my interpretation to the plethora of whifs and replicas of the real test machine. Actually, a clean Fw 190 looks pretty Japanese with its radial engine and sleek lines. When I recently came across a similar build at britmodelers.com, I thought that painting a Fw 190 green/grey and putting some Hinomarus on is logical and simple, but there's more in the subject than just cosmetics. I wanted a bit more... And while the concept remained simple, I had enough ideas and spare parts for a twin combo! In the end, the J10F was built as a pure interceptor and as a 'special purpose' night strike aircraft.

 

Basically, my limiting design idea for the J10F's design was the idea that Japan would not have received the Fw 190’s original BMW 801 radial engine, so that an alternative powerplant had to be fitted. I had hoped that this would have set the 'new' plane outwardly a bit apart from its German ancestor, and also make you look twice because the result would not be a 1:1 "Japanized" Fw 190 A/F. I tried, but I suppose that the effect is not as 'powerful' as intended – but judge for yourself?

 

The basic kits for both conversions come from Hobby Boss. It is a simple and clean kit, but with very good fit and engraved details. In an attempt to change the plane's look a little, I tried to transplant other engines - radials, too. Donation parts for both kits come from an Italeri Ju 188, which features two pairs of engines. The radials I used are actually BMW 801’s, too, but they lack the typical cooling fan and the cowlings are 3-4mm longer because they'd carry the engine mountings on the Ju 188's wings. Actually, the fuselage is minimal longer now, maybe 4-5mm, but the shape is still very close to the original Fw 190, so I think that this mod hardly is recognizable at all?

 

The change was a bit tricky, due to the massive fuselage of the Hobby Boss kit, but it worked. The new cowlings received new cooling louvres and exhaust pipes. New, four-bladed propellers were added, scratch-built from leftover Mosquito NF.30 propellers from the Airfix kit and drop tank front halves.

 

Otherwise, though, not much was changed, the two kits just differ in equipment details and received Matchbox pilot figures in order to cover up the bleak and very deep cockpit.

 

The interceptor:

As an interceptor I left the plane clean, without external ordnance. I wanted to emphasize its elegant look, which makes it look like a Ki-43 on casual glance, or even an A6M. The plane carries the normal gun armament (from a Fw 190 A-8), this is supposed to be the original/standard J10F mentioned above.

 

The night attacker:

The J10F1-G variant saw more modifications, including a new exhaust system with flame dampers built from scratch. Other special equipment comprises an IR sight in front of the canopy, flare protectors, the fuselage hardpoint and the scratch-built Ke-Go 110 bomb. In order to cover the deleted gun access panels under the wings, I added streamlined bomb shackles for two Japanese 60kg bombs each, donated from a Matchbox Ju 87 kit.

 

About the Ke-Go bomb

This bomb, which looks like a penguin, is a fantasy derivate of a real Japanese development series until summer 1945. In a nutshell, the Ke-Go bomb actually was one of the first “fire and forget” weapons I have heard of. With the guidance of a bolometer seeker and a self-correcting steering mechanism, the bomb would (only) be useable against strong and clear heat sources – a ship’s kettle at night, when surrounding heat level was low, would qualify, and the bomb would be guided by deviation and correction from that heat source - if it locked on correctly, though! My Ke-Go 110 is a smaller version of the original Ke-Go bombs, suitable for lighter planes.

  

Painting

Being an IJN plane, paint scheme choices for the J10F were rather limited - and since it is a whif plane I stuck to my policy that I rather use a simple/subtle paint scheme.

 

The interceptor:

For the clean and rather conservative interceptor I settled for a simple IJN Green/Gray livery (N. 2 ‘Aomidori-iro’, a bluish, very dark green and N.10 ‘Hairyokushoku’, respectively), with Testors 2116 and 2117 as basic tones. Yellow wing leading edges were added, cut from an aftermarket decal sheet. As a design twist I painted the engine cowling black, A6M-style. The propeller spinner was painted in red brown (typical Japanese WWII primer color), with an orange tip, matching the arrow symbol decal on the tail fin. The propeller blades were painted with Testor’s ‘Rubber’, #1183.

A slightly worn look was achieved through a light wash with black ink and some dry painting with paler shades of Green (Humbrol 91 and 185) and Aluminum, plus light exhaust marks and gun smoke residues with flat black. Some bare metal spots were added, which also highlight some details and add to the worn look.

All decals for the green fighter come from a Hobby Boss A6M, only the arrows come from the Hobby Boss He 162. Finally, everything was sealed under a semi-matte varnish, for a light shine to the surface – typical IJN machines appear to be rather shiny?

 

The night attacker:

This variant received a more fantastic and stealthy paint scheme - I wanted to set the plane apart from the clean and shiny interceptor: a grunty, desperate strike aircraft against overwhelming sea forces.

AFAIK, there had not been specific nocturnal cammo schemes at the IJNAS, except for all-green aircraft? A bit boring, I thought, esp. with a typical green/gray sister plane.

So I made up a personal variant: In a first step, upper surfaces were painted in a brownish-grey basic tone, AFAIK called ‘Ameiro’ – it is the color which was used on early Zeroes which were based on carriers, and the tone faded quickly to a light gray. This color is very similar to RAL 7014 ‘Fenstergrau’ and reminds of B.S. ‘Hemp’. I improvised it with a mix of Humbrol 141 (60%), 83 (35%) and a bit of 155 (5%). On top of that a dense array of dark green blotches (Humbrol 185, Chrome Green, at first, and later also with Humbrol 116 for more contrast) was applied, breaking up the plane’s lines and covering the light gray tone almost completely.

Undersides originally sported ‘Ameiro’, too, but they were painted as if they had been covered with a very dark gray tone in the field (Humbrol 67), even leaving out the hinomarus and flaking off everywhere. The black engine cowling was retained.

Hinomaru and squadron emblems come from the same Mitsubishi A6M from Hobby Boss as mentioned above, featuring even less markings. As a side note: I have never seen Hinomaru with a black(!) rim before? I am not certain if this is correct or an authentic modification - it matches the night fighter role perfectly, though. This time I chose a matte varnish, except for the cowling which received some streaks with more shiny semi-matte varnish.

 

In both cases, cockpit interior surfaces and landing gear wells were painted in ‘Aodake Iro’, simulated with a base of Aluminium (Humbrol 56) and a coat of translucent blue lacquer on top.

  

All in all, these pair of rather simple model kit was built in a couple of days, taking the pictures and waiting for good light took almost the same time! I am not 100% happy, because the engine mod is not as obvious as I expected, even though the four-bladed prop and the slightly elongated fuselage give the J10F a menacing and fast look, like a “Baby Tempest”.

 

A diverse delegation of Christian leaders are today delivering an open letter signed by more than 800 Australians calling on Prime Minister Tony Abbott to rethink the government's rejection of the gift of solar panels for Kirribilli House.

 

"Experts have assured us there is really no practical reason to reject the gift of solar panels for Kirribilli House," said Jody Lightfoot, climate justice campaigner at Common Grace.

 

"We understand the important heritage value of Kirribilli House so we had a chat to Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore who told us the City of Sydney has already installed 5,500 solar panels on nearly 30 buildings including ones with irreplaceable heritage value such as Sydney Town Hall,” said Mr Lightfoot.

 

The letter rejecting the solar panels came via Michael McCormack, Member for Riverina, in his capacity as the parliamentary secretary to the finance minister.

 

“The rejection of our gift of solar panels for Kirribilli House is symbolic of the government’s failure to invest in renewables, but we’re here to provide the Prime Minister with an opportunity to choose a brighter future for all Australians and to back the 9 in 10 Australians who want a strong Renewable Energy Target," said Mr Lightfoot.

 

"We know that climate change means more frequent and intense extreme weather events hitting the world's poorest people the hardest. We only need to look to our Pacific Island neighbours to see the devastating cost of climate change. We could be leading the world in taking action on climate change and as Christians we urge Prime Minister Abbott not to reject the sun's grace," said Jarrod McKenna, National Director of Common Grace.

 

The gift of twelve solar panels was crowdfunded over four days in December by Common Grace, a movement of Christians who are passionate about Jesus and justice. The Solar Council (the peak body for the solar industry in Australia) offered to install the crowdfunded solar panels for Kirribilli House at no cost.

 

“Trying something new can feel daunting, but we encourage Prime Minister Abbott to look to the Vatican where in 2008 Pope Benedict accepted a gift of 2700 solar panels to provide clean energy to the Holy See," said Sister Jan Barnett of the Sisters of Saint Joseph.

 

“More than one hundred Australians pitched in to buy the gift of solar for Kirribilli House and now hundreds more are urging the Prime Minister to accept our gift. The solar panels are a gift for the nation, from the nation, to demonstrate public support for a clean energy future,” said Byron Smith, Assistant Minister, St George's Anglican Church.

 

“If the City of Sydney can install solar panels on the Sydney Town Hall just across the harbour and Pope Benedict could accept a gift of solar panels for the Vatican, we believe Prime Minister Abbott has no excuses for not accepting our free gift for his Sydney residence," said Mr Smith.

 

“If the Prime Minister accepts the gift of solar for Kirribilli House he’ll be in good company with 1 in 5 Australian households already using solar,” he said.

 

The open letter encouraging the Prime Minister to accept the solar gift (signed by more than 800 Australians in the last five days) is below.

 

Christian leaders delivering the open letter today: Sister Jan Barnett, Sisters of Saint Joseph; Rev. Dr Michael Frost, Founder of Small Boat Big Sea; Byron Smith, Assistant Minister, St George's Anglican Church; Rev. John Buchanan, Minister, St Peter's Presbyterian Church; Rev. David Gore, Uniting Church Minister; Weis Shiuringa, Member, Quakers; Jacqui Remond, Director, Catholic Earthcare Australia; Jody Lightfoot, Climate Justice Campaigner, Common Grace.

  

THE OPEN LETTER:

 

Dear Prime Minister Abbott,

 

We are disappointed that the Government has rejected the gift of solar panels for Kirribilli House that was crowd funded last Christmas by 142 Christians. We had hoped you would accept them as a great first step to get Australia moving towards a strong Renewable Energy Target.

 

We understand that the reasons for declining the gift are Kirribilli House’s heritage listing, ongoing costs of cleaning and maintenance, and security concerns. So we did some research and found many people in your home state and abroad have overcome these challenges.

 

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore informed us that the City of Sydney has already installed 5,500 solar panels on nearly 30 buildings including ones with irreplaceable heritage value such as Sydney Town Hall. We discovered Australia’s own actress, Cate Blanchett, installed 1,906 solar panels on Sydney Theatre Company heritage building. I’m sure she’d be willing to give some pointers if you gave her a call?

 

On cleaning concerns, John Grimes, CEO of the peak body of the solar industry in Australia (Australian Solar Council), informed us that solar panels do not require ongoing cleaning or yearly maintenance - they are cleaned by the rain. Some utilities require a check of the inverter, but this can be done on the ground every five years.

 

Looking abroad, did you know that President Carter managed to get solar panels installed on the White House way back in 1979? And Pope Benedict negotiated the same kinds of hurdles when he accepted a gift of 2700 solar panels providing clean energy to the Vatican in 2008.

 

Prime Minister, we believe that a man in your position can overcome challenges like heritage listings and cleaning concerns and choose a brighter future for all Australians. We therefore urge you to implement a strong Renewable Energy Target and accept the gift of solar panels for Kirribilli House, as a powerful signal to the world that Australia’s renewables industry is officially open for business.

 

Yours sincerely,

Australian Christians and friends

 

Open letter available online: www.commongrace.org.au/acceptthegift

PORNO CHIC

Tickets available for Wednesday 6 July and Thursday 7 July 2016, 7.30pm, £11 (£10 concessions).

www.ticketea.co.uk/tickets-porno-chic/

 

SOLD OUT: Friday 8 July and Saturday 9 July 2016

King’s Arms Theatre, 11 Bloom Street, Salford, M3 6AN

 

PORNO CHIC trailer on YouTube: youtu.be/WoV7kEXsP4Y

 

DEEP THROAT, the 1970s film that changed the porn industry FOREVER, now award-winning Vertigo Theatre Productions bring their smash hit show back to Manchester after a critically acclaimed 5 star run. Porno Chic tells the story of the iconic stars of the movie Harry Reems (Richard Allen) and Linda Lovelace (Celine Constantinides) as they deal with alcoholism, fame, rejection, domestic abuse, sex, taking on the US government and their rise and brutal fall. Written and directed by award winning Craig Hepworth and Adele Stanhope, Porno Chic is both funny and dramatic and not to be missed.

5 Stars 'unmissable' - What's on Stage

5 stars 'Dynamic' - Viva magazine

'extraordinary' - British Theatre Guide

Adult content, nudity, strong language. over 18s.

DRAMA, THEATRE

@VertigoTheatreP

www.vertigotheatreproductions.co.uk

 

Greater Manchester Fringe 24 June - 31 July 2016 www.greatermanchesterfringe.co.uk

 

Photograph by SHAY ROWAN

www.facebook.com/shay.rowan.5

All Arms Veterans Motorcycle Club

Veteran motorcycle clubs

steelhorseshades.com

Military veterans motorcycle clubs

A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.

In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw aka one percenter subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually recognized by other MC clubs. This is indicated by wearing the MC patch, or a three piece patch, or colors, on the back of a club jacket or vest. Outlaw or one percenter can mean merely that the club is not chartered under the auspices of the American Motorcyclist Association, implying a radical rejection of authority and embracing of the "biker" lifestyle defined and popularized since the 1950s and represented by such media as Easyriders magazine, the work of painter David Mann, and more. In many contexts the terms overlap with the usual meaning of "outlaw" because some of these clubs, or some of their members, are recognized by law enforcement agencies as taking part in organized crime.

Outside of the outlaw subculture, the words "motorcycle club" carry no heavy meaning beyond the everyday English definition of the words a club involving motorcycles, whose members come from every walk of life. Thus, there are clubs that are culturally and stylistically nothing like outlaw or one percenter clubs, and whose activities and goals not similar to them at all, but still use three-part patches or the initials MC in their name or insignia.

Types of clubs, groups and organizations

Motorcycle clubs vary a great deal in their objectives and organizations. Mainstream motorcycle clubs or associations typically have elected officers and directors, annual dues, and a regular publication. They may also sponsor annual or more frequent "rallies" where members can socialize and get to know each other. Some publish in book form lists of members that can be used by touring motorcyclists needing assistance.

There are a great many brand clubs, or clubs dedicated to particular marques, including those sponsored by various manufacturers, such as the Harley Owners Group and the Honda Riders Club of America. There are large national independent motorcycle clubs, such as BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, the STAR Touring and Riding Association, and the Gold Wing Road Riders Association GWRRA. In the United Kingdom, there are brand clubs such as the Triumph Owners' Motor Cycle Club founded in 1949.

Clubs catering for those interested in vintage machines such as the Vintage Motor Cycle Club are also popular as well as for those centered around particular venues. Clubs catering for riders' rights such as the Motorcycle Action Group, and charities such as the 59 Club are popular, many affiliating with the umbrella organization, the British Motorcyclists Federation. National and local branch club magazines and events are typical characteristics of such clubs. More informal groupings continue to exist though for riders local to each other.

Other organizations whose activities primarily involve motorcycles exist for a specific purpose, such as the Patriot Guard Riders, who provide funeral escorts for military veterans, and Rolling Thunder, which advocates for troops missing in action and prisoners of war. While neither of the latter two groups require a motorcycle for membership, they are motorcycling-oriented and much of their activity involves ride. The Christian Motorcyclists Association is a biker ministry. In the United Kingdom, Freewheelers EVS is one of a number of similar charities, which use motorcycles to provide an out-of-hours emergency medical courier service. Some clubs attract membership from specific groups, such as the Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, consisting of law enforcement personnel.

The American Motorcyclist Association AMA is the largest American motorcyclist organization. It serves as an umbrella organization for local clubs and sporting events. As of March, 2006, the AMA counts 269,884 active members and many chartered clubs.

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

US military

usmc

veteran mc clubs

veteran motorcycle clubs

biker clubs

motorcycle clubs

 

Military Veteran

 

The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject.

 

The Hôpital des Invalides in Paris is a hospital and retirement home for French war veteransA veteran (from Latin vetus, meaning "old") is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..." . This page refers to military veterans, i.e., a person who has served or is serving in the armed forces, and has direct exposure to acts of military conflict, commonly known as war veterans (although not all military conflicts, or areas in which armed combat takes place, are necessarily referred to as "wars").

 

United States

 

Veterans who served on the battleship Missouri shortly after a ceremony marking the anniversary of the end of World War II. The most common usage is for former armed services personnel. A veteran is one who has served in the armed forces, especially one who has served in combat. It is especially applied to those who served for an entire career, usually of 20 years or more, but may be applied for someone who has only served one tour of duty. A common misconception is that only those who have served in combat or those who have retired from active duty can be called military veterans.

 

Veterans' benefits in the United States

 

President Abraham Lincoln, in his second inaugural address, in 1865 towards the end of the US Civil War, famously called for good treatment of veterans: "to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan". The American Civil War produced veterans' organizations, such as the Grand Army of the Republic. The treatment of veterans changed after the First World War. In the years following, discontented veterans became a source of instability. They could quickly organize, had links to the army, and often had arms themselves. Veterans played a central role in the post-World War I instability of Germany, while in the United States, the Bonus Army of unemployed veterans was one of the most important protest movements of the Great Depression, marching on Washington, DC, to get a claimed bonus that Congress had promised them.

 

Each state of the United States sets specific criteria for state-specific veterans' benefits. For federal medical benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, prior to 7 September 1980 the veteran must have served at least 180 days of active duty, after the above-mentioned date, the veteran must have served at least 24 months. However, if the veteran was medically discharged and receives a VA service-connected disability stipend, the time limits are not applicable.

   

American veteran experience after World War II

 

After the Second World War, in part due to the experience of the First World War, most of the participating states set up elaborate veterans' administrations. Within the United States, it was veterans groups, like the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars organization, that pushed for and got the G.I. Bill enacted. These gave veterans access to free or subsidized education and health care. The newly educated GIs created a significant economic impact, and with the aid of VA loans were able to buy housing and establish themselves as part of a growing American middle class. The explosion of the suburbs created sufficient housing for veterans and their families.

 

American veteran experience after OEF and OIF Many veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom have had to face challenges unique to warfare in the 21st century. One significant difference between OEF and OIF and previous wars is a greater dependence on reservists and repeat deployments. Up to 80% of troops deployed at the beginning of OEF were part of the part of the Army National Guard and Reserve and about 40% of currently serving military members have been deployed more than once. This has meant that many deployed troops, not being as “ steeped in military culture ” have had more difficult transitions into military life, and for many the increased redeployment rate has meant more transitions, more uncertainty, longer terms, and shorter dwell times, all of which contribute to greater stress.

 

Due to medical advances, warfare in the 21st century tends to yield more survivors with severe injuries which soldiers in previous wars would have died from.[7] This means that, though fewer service members die, more return from war with injuries more serious, and in turn more emotionally devastating, than ever before. Among these injuries is the increasingly common traumatic brain injury, or TBI, the effects of which can range from a mild concussion to amnesia and serious neurological damage.

 

Female veterans in the U.S.

 

Women have served in the United States military for over two hundred years, often having had to disguise themselves as men. Female veterans have often been discriminated against by their male counterparts and, as such, women who have served in the armed forces have sometimes been known as "the invisible veterans".[9] Women were not fully recognized as veterans until after WWII, and prior to this they were not eligible for VA benefits. The VA estimates that by the year 2010 women will make up 40% of the veteran population. A tri-state (Washington, Idaho, Oregon) women veterans conference in Pendleton, Oregon, in April 2008, attracted 362 women veterans, according to the East Oregonian newspaper.

 

African American veterans in the U.S. see also: Military history of African Americans

 

African Americans have participated in every war fought by or within the United States. Black veterans from World War I experienced racial persecution on returning to the U.S. from overseas, particularly in Southern cities. Black veterans from World War II continued to be denied equality at home despite President Harry S. Truman's desegregation of the military after World War II. Black veterans went on to play a central role in the Civil Rights movement. The National Association for Black Veterans is an organization that provides advocacy and support for African American and other minority veterans.

   

Health effects of military service and treatment for veterans

 

The effect of active military service can be profound and lasting, and some veterans have found it difficult to adjust to normal life again. An article in the London Metro on 28 January 2010 was titled "Veterans prone to suicide" and cited a report by the Mental Health Foundation which said that not enough was being done to care for the Afghanistan war veterans, and many "plunged into alcohol problems, crime and suicide" upon their return. Support services were found to be patchy from area to area. Figures from 2009 showed that twice as many veterans were in prison than there were British troops currently in Afghanistan. Homelessness, street-sleeping and relationship breakdown are also commonly reported. Research done by the UK homelessness charity CRISIS (1994) and the Ex-Services Action Group (1997) both found that a quarter of homeless people had previously served in the armed forces. The Times newspaper reported on 25 September 2009 that in England and Wales the number of "military veterans in jail has more than doubled in six years". Another Times article of the same date quoted the veterans mental health charity Combat Stress reporting a 53% increase in referrals from doctors

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment among veterans Further information:

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

 

Further information: Benefits for US Veterans with PTSD

 

New treatment programs are emerging to assist veterans suffering from post-combat mental health problems such as depression and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), is becoming an important method for the treatment of mental health issues among veterans, and is currently considered the standard of care for depression and PTSD by the United States Department of Defense. CBT is a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to change the patterns of thinking or behavior that responsible for patient’s negative emotions and in doing so change the way they feel. It has been proven to be an effective treatment for PTSD among war veterans. Recently, online programs that pair CBT with therapist interaction have also proven effective in treating mental health problems among veterans. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is also an effective and non invasive, drug free treatment for PTSD, although it has not been tested against specific military traumatic exposure for efficacy. Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) also has applications in this field.

   

Help for veterans Necessity has resulted in a number of sources of help being made available for veterans. Many of these are independent, charitable organizations and in some countries the aftercare and rehabilitation services provided by Governments have been inadequate. This may be because they do not wish to give attention to the negative effects of military service and the difficulties of readjustment to civilian life for it may have an adverse impact upon recruitment for their armed forces. Nevertheless, help is available and veterans should feel able to make contact and ask for assistance or advice without feeling that this is a weakness. Military service can be a profoundly unnatural experience and it is likely that some help may be needed in debriefing and rehabilitation into the community, whether it be medical, psychological, practical or financial.

 

Public attitude towards veterans

 

Military veterans often receive special treatment in their respective countries due to the sacrifices they made during wars. Different countries handle this differently, some openly support veterans through government programs and others ignoring them. Veterans are also subject to illnesses directly related to their military service such as PTSD. War veterans are generally treated with great respect and honor for their contribution to the world and country by their own nationals. Conversely there are often negative feelings towards the veterans of alien nations held long after the war is over, for example towards the German Nazi soldiers, but they are no less veterans of war than those of the winning side. There are exceptions. Veterans of unpopular conflicts, such as the Vietnam War, have been discriminated against. Others, such as veterans of conflicts like the Korean War, are often forgotten (even though the casualty rate in Korea was higher than that experienced in the Vietnam War) when compared with those who fought in the World Wars. In some countries with strong anti-military traditions (e.g., Germany after 1945) veterans are neither honored in any special way by the general public, nor have their dedicated Veterans Day, although events are sometimes orchestrated by Neo-Nazis and other minority right-wing groups.

 

Many countries have longstanding traditions, ceremonies, and holidays to honor their veterans. In the UK "Remembrance Day" is held on November the 11th and is focused mostly on the veterans who died in service to the monarch and country. A red or white poppy is worn on the lapel (for remembrance or for peace, respectively) in the weeks up to the date, and wreaths and flowers laid at memorials to the dead.

 

In Russia, a tradition was established after the Second World War, where newly married couples would on their wedding day visit a military cemetery. In France, for instance, those wounded in war are given the first claim on any seat on public transit. Most countries have a holiday such as Veterans Day to honor their veterans, along with the war dead.

   

A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.

 

In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw (aka one percenter) subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually recognized by other MC clubs. This is indicated by wearing the MC patch, or a three piece patch, or colors, on the back of a club jacket or vest. Outlaw (or one percenter) can mean merely that the club is not chartered under the auspices of the American Motorcyclist Association, implying a radical rejection of authority and embracing of the "biker" lifestyle defined and popularized since the 1950s and represented by such media as Easyriders magazine, the work of painter David Mann, and more. In many contexts the terms overlap with the usual meaning of "outlaw" because some of these clubs, or some their members, are recognized by law enforcement agencies as taking part in organized crime.

 

Outside of the outlaw subculture, the words "" carry no heavy meaning beyond the everyday English definition of the words – a club involving motorcycles, whose members come from every walk of life. Thus, there are clubs that are culturally and stylistically nothing like outlaw or one percenter clubs, and whose activities and goals not similar to them at all, but still use three-part patches or the initials MC in their name or insignia.

 

Types of clubs, groups and organizations

 

Motorcycle clubs vary a great deal in their objectives and organizations. Mainstream motorcycle clubs or associations typically have elected officers and directors, annual dues, and a regular publication. They may also sponsor annual or more frequent "rallies" where members can socialize and get to know each other. Some publish in book form lists of members that can be used by touring motorcyclists needing assistance.

Veteran motorcycle clubs, veteran mc clubs, motorcycle clubs, steelhorseshades

 

More details 6-8 October 2016 www.facebook.com/events/1734871350063266/

 

Photograph by SHAY ROWAN

www.facebook.com/shay.rowan.5

 

DEEP THROAT, the 1970s film that changed the porn industry FOREVER, now award-winning Vertigo Theatre Productions bring their smash hit show back to Manchester after a critically acclaimed 5 star run. Porno Chic tells the story of the iconic stars of the movie Harry Reems (Richard Allen) and Linda Lovelace (Celine Constantinides) as they deal with alcoholism, fame, rejection, domestic abuse, sex, taking on the US government and their rise and brutal fall. Written and directed by award winning Craig Hepworth and Adele Stanhope, Porno Chic is both funny and dramatic and not to be missed.

5 Stars 'unmissable' - What's on Stage

5 stars 'Dynamic' - Viva magazine

'extraordinary' - British Theatre Guide

Adult content, nudity, strong language. over 18s.

DRAMA, THEATRE

@VertigoTheatreP

www.vertigotheatreproductions.co.uk

 

More details on Greater Manchester Fringe until 31 July 2016 www.greatermanchesterfringe.co.uk

Due to the current status of the publishing industry, we regret that we cannot send out full-sized rejection letters.

Proud Vets Motorcycle Club

Veteran motorcycle clubs

steelhorseshades.com

Military veterans motorcycle clubs

A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.

In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw aka one percenter subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually recognized by other MC clubs. This is indicated by wearing the MC patch, or a three piece patch, or colors, on the back of a club jacket or vest. Outlaw or one percenter can mean merely that the club is not chartered under the auspices of the American Motorcyclist Association, implying a radical rejection of authority and embracing of the "biker" lifestyle defined and popularized since the 1950s and represented by such media as Easyriders magazine, the work of painter David Mann, and more. In many contexts the terms overlap with the usual meaning of "outlaw" because some of these clubs, or some of their members, are recognized by law enforcement agencies as taking part in organized crime.

Outside of the outlaw subculture, the words "motorcycle club" carry no heavy meaning beyond the everyday English definition of the words a club involving motorcycles, whose members come from every walk of life. Thus, there are clubs that are culturally and stylistically nothing like outlaw or one percenter clubs, and whose activities and goals not similar to them at all, but still use three-part patches or the initials MC in their name or insignia.

Types of clubs, groups and organizations

Motorcycle clubs vary a great deal in their objectives and organizations. Mainstream motorcycle clubs or associations typically have elected officers and directors, annual dues, and a regular publication. They may also sponsor annual or more frequent "rallies" where members can socialize and get to know each other. Some publish in book form lists of members that can be used by touring motorcyclists needing assistance.

There are a great many brand clubs, or clubs dedicated to particular marques, including those sponsored by various manufacturers, such as the Harley Owners Group and the Honda Riders Club of America. There are large national independent motorcycle clubs, such as BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, the STAR Touring and Riding Association, and the Gold Wing Road Riders Association GWRRA. In the United Kingdom, there are brand clubs such as the Triumph Owners' Motor Cycle Club founded in 1949.

Clubs catering for those interested in vintage machines such as the Vintage Motor Cycle Club are also popular as well as for those centered around particular venues. Clubs catering for riders' rights such as the Motorcycle Action Group, and charities such as the 59 Club are popular, many affiliating with the umbrella organization, the British Motorcyclists Federation. National and local branch club magazines and events are typical characteristics of such clubs. More informal groupings continue to exist though for riders local to each other.

Other organizations whose activities primarily involve motorcycles exist for a specific purpose, such as the Patriot Guard Riders, who provide funeral escorts for military veterans, and Rolling Thunder, which advocates for troops missing in action and prisoners of war. While neither of the latter two groups require a motorcycle for membership, they are motorcycling-oriented and much of their activity involves ride. The Christian Motorcyclists Association is a biker ministry. In the United Kingdom, Freewheelers EVS is one of a number of similar charities, which use motorcycles to provide an out-of-hours emergency medical courier service. Some clubs attract membership from specific groups, such as the Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, consisting of law enforcement personnel.

The American Motorcyclist Association AMA is the largest American motorcyclist organization. It serves as an umbrella organization for local clubs and sporting events. As of March, 2006, the AMA counts 269,884 active members and many chartered clubs.

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

US military

usmc

veteran mc clubs

veteran motorcycle clubs

biker clubs

motorcycle clubs

 

Military Veteran

 

The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject.

 

The Hôpital des Invalides in Paris is a hospital and retirement home for French war veteransA veteran (from Latin vetus, meaning "old") is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..." . This page refers to military veterans, i.e., a person who has served or is serving in the armed forces, and has direct exposure to acts of military conflict, commonly known as war veterans (although not all military conflicts, or areas in which armed combat takes place, are necessarily referred to as "wars").

 

United States

 

Veterans who served on the battleship Missouri shortly after a ceremony marking the anniversary of the end of World War II. The most common usage is for former armed services personnel. A veteran is one who has served in the armed forces, especially one who has served in combat. It is especially applied to those who served for an entire career, usually of 20 years or more, but may be applied for someone who has only served one tour of duty. A common misconception is that only those who have served in combat or those who have retired from active duty can be called military veterans.

 

Veterans' benefits in the United States

 

President Abraham Lincoln, in his second inaugural address, in 1865 towards the end of the US Civil War, famously called for good treatment of veterans: "to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan". The American Civil War produced veterans' organizations, such as the Grand Army of the Republic. The treatment of veterans changed after the First World War. In the years following, discontented veterans became a source of instability. They could quickly organize, had links to the army, and often had arms themselves. Veterans played a central role in the post-World War I instability of Germany, while in the United States, the Bonus Army of unemployed veterans was one of the most important protest movements of the Great Depression, marching on Washington, DC, to get a claimed bonus that Congress had promised them.

 

Each state of the United States sets specific criteria for state-specific veterans' benefits. For federal medical benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, prior to 7 September 1980 the veteran must have served at least 180 days of active duty, after the above-mentioned date, the veteran must have served at least 24 months. However, if the veteran was medically discharged and receives a VA service-connected disability stipend, the time limits are not applicable.

   

American veteran experience after World War II

 

After the Second World War, in part due to the experience of the First World War, most of the participating states set up elaborate veterans' administrations. Within the United States, it was veterans groups, like the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars organization, that pushed for and got the G.I. Bill enacted. These gave veterans access to free or subsidized education and health care. The newly educated GIs created a significant economic impact, and with the aid of VA loans were able to buy housing and establish themselves as part of a growing American middle class. The explosion of the suburbs created sufficient housing for veterans and their families.

 

American veteran experience after OEF and OIF Many veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom have had to face challenges unique to warfare in the 21st century. One significant difference between OEF and OIF and previous wars is a greater dependence on reservists and repeat deployments. Up to 80% of troops deployed at the beginning of OEF were part of the part of the Army National Guard and Reserve and about 40% of currently serving military members have been deployed more than once. This has meant that many deployed troops, not being as “ steeped in military culture ” have had more difficult transitions into military life, and for many the increased redeployment rate has meant more transitions, more uncertainty, longer terms, and shorter dwell times, all of which contribute to greater stress.

 

Due to medical advances, warfare in the 21st century tends to yield more survivors with severe injuries which soldiers in previous wars would have died from.[7] This means that, though fewer service members die, more return from war with injuries more serious, and in turn more emotionally devastating, than ever before. Among these injuries is the increasingly common traumatic brain injury, or TBI, the effects of which can range from a mild concussion to amnesia and serious neurological damage.

 

Female veterans in the U.S.

 

Women have served in the United States military for over two hundred years, often having had to disguise themselves as men. Female veterans have often been discriminated against by their male counterparts and, as such, women who have served in the armed forces have sometimes been known as "the invisible veterans".[9] Women were not fully recognized as veterans until after WWII, and prior to this they were not eligible for VA benefits. The VA estimates that by the year 2010 women will make up 40% of the veteran population. A tri-state (Washington, Idaho, Oregon) women veterans conference in Pendleton, Oregon, in April 2008, attracted 362 women veterans, according to the East Oregonian newspaper.

 

African American veterans in the U.S. see also: Military history of African Americans

 

African Americans have participated in every war fought by or within the United States. Black veterans from World War I experienced racial persecution on returning to the U.S. from overseas, particularly in Southern cities. Black veterans from World War II continued to be denied equality at home despite President Harry S. Truman's desegregation of the military after World War II. Black veterans went on to play a central role in the Civil Rights movement. The National Association for Black Veterans is an organization that provides advocacy and support for African American and other minority veterans.

   

Health effects of military service and treatment for veterans

 

The effect of active military service can be profound and lasting, and some veterans have found it difficult to adjust to normal life again. An article in the London Metro on 28 January 2010 was titled "Veterans prone to suicide" and cited a report by the Mental Health Foundation which said that not enough was being done to care for the Afghanistan war veterans, and many "plunged into alcohol problems, crime and suicide" upon their return. Support services were found to be patchy from area to area. Figures from 2009 showed that twice as many veterans were in prison than there were British troops currently in Afghanistan. Homelessness, street-sleeping and relationship breakdown are also commonly reported. Research done by the UK homelessness charity CRISIS (1994) and the Ex-Services Action Group (1997) both found that a quarter of homeless people had previously served in the armed forces. The Times newspaper reported on 25 September 2009 that in England and Wales the number of "military veterans in jail has more than doubled in six years". Another Times article of the same date quoted the veterans mental health charity Combat Stress reporting a 53% increase in referrals from doctors

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment among veterans Further information:

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

 

Further information: Benefits for US Veterans with PTSD

 

New treatment programs are emerging to assist veterans suffering from post-combat mental health problems such as depression and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), is becoming an important method for the treatment of mental health issues among veterans, and is currently considered the standard of care for depression and PTSD by the United States Department of Defense. CBT is a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to change the patterns of thinking or behavior that responsible for patient’s negative emotions and in doing so change the way they feel. It has been proven to be an effective treatment for PTSD among war veterans. Recently, online programs that pair CBT with therapist interaction have also proven effective in treating mental health problems among veterans. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is also an effective and non invasive, drug free treatment for PTSD, although it has not been tested against specific military traumatic exposure for efficacy. Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) also has applications in this field.

   

Help for veterans Necessity has resulted in a number of sources of help being made available for veterans. Many of these are independent, charitable organizations and in some countries the aftercare and rehabilitation services provided by Governments have been inadequate. This may be because they do not wish to give attention to the negative effects of military service and the difficulties of readjustment to civilian life for it may have an adverse impact upon recruitment for their armed forces. Nevertheless, help is available and veterans should feel able to make contact and ask for assistance or advice without feeling that this is a weakness. Military service can be a profoundly unnatural experience and it is likely that some help may be needed in debriefing and rehabilitation into the community, whether it be medical, psychological, practical or financial.

 

Public attitude towards veterans

 

Military veterans often receive special treatment in their respective countries due to the sacrifices they made during wars. Different countries handle this differently, some openly support veterans through government programs and others ignoring them. Veterans are also subject to illnesses directly related to their military service such as PTSD. War veterans are generally treated with great respect and honor for their contribution to the world and country by their own nationals. Conversely there are often negative feelings towards the veterans of alien nations held long after the war is over, for example towards the German Nazi soldiers, but they are no less veterans of war than those of the winning side. There are exceptions. Veterans of unpopular conflicts, such as the Vietnam War, have been discriminated against. Others, such as veterans of conflicts like the Korean War, are often forgotten (even though the casualty rate in Korea was higher than that experienced in the Vietnam War) when compared with those who fought in the World Wars. In some countries with strong anti-military traditions (e.g., Germany after 1945) veterans are neither honored in any special way by the general public, nor have their dedicated Veterans Day, although events are sometimes orchestrated by Neo-Nazis and other minority right-wing groups.

 

Many countries have longstanding traditions, ceremonies, and holidays to honor their veterans. In the UK "Remembrance Day" is held on November the 11th and is focused mostly on the veterans who died in service to the monarch and country. A red or white poppy is worn on the lapel (for remembrance or for peace, respectively) in the weeks up to the date, and wreaths and flowers laid at memorials to the dead.

 

In Russia, a tradition was established after the Second World War, where newly married couples would on their wedding day visit a military cemetery. In France, for instance, those wounded in war are given the first claim on any seat on public transit. Most countries have a holiday such as Veterans Day to honor their veterans, along with the war dead.

   

A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.

 

In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw (aka one percenter) subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually recognized by other MC clubs. This is indicated by wearing the MC patch, or a three piece patch, or colors, on the back of a club jacket or vest. Outlaw (or one percenter) can mean merely that the club is not chartered under the auspices of the American Motorcyclist Association, implying a radical rejection of authority and embracing of the "biker" lifestyle defined and popularized since the 1950s and represented by such media as Easyriders magazine, the work of painter David Mann, and more. In many contexts the terms overlap with the usual meaning of "outlaw" because some of these clubs, or some their members, are recognized by law enforcement agencies as taking part in organized crime.

 

Outside of the outlaw subculture, the words "" carry no heavy meaning beyond the everyday English definition of the words – a club involving motorcycles, whose members come from every walk of life. Thus, there are clubs that are culturally and stylistically nothing like outlaw or one percenter clubs, and whose activities and goals not similar to them at all, but still use three-part patches or the initials MC in their name or insignia.

 

Types of clubs, groups and organizations

 

Motorcycle clubs vary a great deal in their objectives and organizations. Mainstream motorcycle clubs or associations typically have elected officers and directors, annual dues, and a regular publication. They may also sponsor annual or more frequent "rallies" where members can socialize and get to know each other. Some publish in book form lists of members that can be used by touring motorcyclists needing assistance.

Veteran motorcycle clubs, veteran mc clubs, motorcycle clubs, steelhorseshades

 

A good panoramic view of China’s recent development and its current rejection of the democracy model for its own governance, by former Singapore ambassador to the UN, Kishore Mahbubani:

youtu.be/9NDfBMmj1Aw

 

Columbia Professor Jeffrey Sachs on the Covid vaccines, New World Order, global leadership and multilateralism:

youtu.be/q9pjNOM53aE

 

Former U.S. Ambassador Max Baucus on Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan trip:

youtu.be/YiQH5vVnzcI

----------

The Foreign Affairs article below is typical American, full of obligatory and unsubstantiated propaganda spread by the West even though it's not all complimentary about the U.S. The fact is China has alleviated extreme poverty; millions of Chinese tourists have visited overseas with hundreds of thousands of students attended various universities in the West without a single individual seeking political asylum. If China were as repressive as the West describes, wouldn't these tourists and students seek political asylum while abroad? There have been no proven evidence of any mistreatment of Uyghurs inside China. If as many as 2 million Uyghurs were incarcerated, surely, the West can show us satellite photos of these humongous prison camps, right? The fact is an overwhelming majority of the people in China believe their country is heading the right direction.

 

worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/freedom-index-...

In this 2022 freedom Index, Hong Kong ranks #30, ahead of South Korea (31) France (34) and Singapore (48).

 

When President Jimmy Carter established diplomatic relationship with China in 1978, he agreed to the Shanghai Communiqué which reads, among others, "The Government of the United States of America acknowledges the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China."

 

The author fails to disclose that Taiwan's Tsai Ing-wen unwillingness to accept the 1992 Consensus is one of main reasons for Mainland China's treatment of her.

 

www.foreignaffairs.com/china/china-trap-us-foreign-policy...

 

The China Trap

U.S. Foreign Policy and the Perilous Logic of Zero-Sum Competition

By Jessica Chen Weiss

 

Competition with China has begun to consume U.S. foreign policy. Seized with the challenge of a near-peer rival whose interests and values diverge sharply from those of the United States, U.S. politicians and policymakers are becoming so focused on countering China that they risk losing sight of the affirmative interests and values that should underpin U.S. strategy. The current course will not just bring indefinite deterioration of the U.S.-Chinese relationship and a growing danger of catastrophic conflict; it also threatens to undermine the sustainability of American leadership in the world and the vitality of American society and democracy at home.

 

There is, of course, good reason why a more powerful China has become the central concern of policymakers and strategists in Washington (and plenty of other capitals). Under President Xi Jinping especially, Beijing has grown more authoritarian at home and more coercive abroad. It has brutally repressed Uyghurs in Xinjiang, crushed democratic freedoms in Hong Kong, rapidly expanded its conventional and nuclear arsenals, aggressively intercepted foreign military aircraft in the East and South China Seas, condoned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and amplified Russian disinformation, exported censorship and surveillance technology, denigrated democracies, worked to reshape international norms—the list could go on and will likely only get longer, especially if Xi secures a third five-year term and further solidifies his control later this year.

 

Yet well-warranted alarm risks morphing into a reflexive fear that could reshape American policy and society in counterproductive and ultimately harmful ways. In attempting to craft a national strategy suited to a more assertive and more powerful China, Washington has struggled to define success, or even a steady state, short of total victory or total defeat, that both governments could eventually accept and at a cost that citizens, businesses, and other stakeholders would be willing to bear. Without a clear sense of what it seeks or any semblance of a domestic consensus on how the United States should relate to the world, U.S. foreign policy has become reactive, spinning in circles rather than steering toward a desired destination.

 

To its credit, the Biden administration has acknowledged that the United States and its partners must provide an attractive alternative to what China is offering, and it has taken some steps in the right direction, such as multilateral initiatives on climate and hunger. Yet the instinct to counter every Chinese initiative, project, and provocation remains predominant, crowding out efforts to revitalize an inclusive international system that would protect U.S. interests and values even as global power shifts and evolves. Even with the war in Ukraine claiming considerable U.S. attention and resources, the conflict’s broader effect has been to intensify focus on geopolitical competition, reinforced by Chinese-Russian convergence.

 

Leaders in both Washington and Beijing claim to want to avoid a new Cold War. The fact is that their countries are already engaged in a global struggle. The United States seeks to perpetuate its preeminence and an international system that privileges its interests and values; China sees U.S. leadership as weakened by hypocrisy and neglect, providing an opening to force others to accept its influence and legitimacy. On both sides, there is growing fatalism that a crisis is unavoidable and perhaps even necessary: that mutually accepted rules of fair play and coexistence will come only after the kind of eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation that characterized the early years of the Cold War—survival of which was not guaranteed then and would be even less assured now.

 

Even in the absence of a crisis, a reactive posture has begun to drive a range of U.S. policies. Washington frequently falls into the trap of trying to counter Chinese efforts around the world without appreciating what local governments and populations want. Lacking a forward-looking vision aligned with a realistic assessment of the resources at its disposal, it struggles to prioritize across domains and regions. It too often compromises its own broader interests as fractious geopolitics make necessary progress on global challenges all but impossible. The long-term risk is that the United States will be unable to manage a decades-long competition without falling into habits of intolerance at home and overextension abroad. In attempting to out-China China, the United States could undermine the strengths and obscure the vision that should be the basis for sustained American leadership.

 

The lodestar for a better approach must be the world that the United States seeks: what it wants, rather than what it fears. Whether sanctions or tariffs or military moves, policies should be judged on the basis of whether they further progress toward that world rather than whether they undermine some Chinese interest or provide some advantage over Beijing. They should represent U.S. power at its best rather than mirroring the behavior it aims to avert. And rather than looking back nostalgically at its past preeminence, Washington must commit, with actions as well as words, to a positive-sum vision of a reformed international system that includes China and meets the existential need to tackle shared challenges.

 

That does not mean giving up well-calibrated efforts to deter Chinese aggression, enhance resilience against Chinese coercion, and reinforce U.S. alliances. But these must be paired with meaningful discussions with Beijing, not only about crisis communications and risk reduction but also about plausible terms of coexistence and the future of the international system—a future that Beijing will necessarily have some role in shaping. An inclusive and affirmative global vision would both discipline competition and make clear what Beijing has to lose. Otherwise, as the relationship deteriorates and the sense of threat grows, the logic of zero-sum competition will become even more overwhelming, and the resulting escalatory spiral will undermine both American interests and American values. That logic will warp global priorities and erode the international system. It will fuel pervasive insecurity and reinforce a tendency toward groupthink, damaging the pluralism and civic inclusion that are the bedrock of liberal democracy. And if not altered, it will perpetuate a vicious cycle that will eventually bring catastrophe.

 

THE INEVITABLE RIVALRY?

In Washington, the standard account for why the relationship has gotten so bad is that China changed: in the past decade or two, Beijing has stopped “biding its time,” becoming more repressive at home and assertive abroad even while continuing to take advantage of the relationships and institutions that have enabled China’s economic growth.

 

That change is certainly part of the story, and it is as much a product of China’s growing clout as of Xi’s way of using that clout. But a complete account must also acknowledge corresponding changes in U.S. politics and policy as the United States has reacted to developments in China. Washington has met Beijing’s actions with an array of punitive actions and protective policies, from tariffs and sanctions to restrictions on commercial and scientific exchanges. In the process, the United States has drifted further from the principles of openness and nondiscrimination that have long been a comparative advantage while reinforcing Beijing’s conviction that the United States will never tolerate a more powerful China. Meanwhile, the United States has wavered in its support for the international institutions and agreements that have long structured global interdependence, driven in part by consternation over China’s growing influence within the international system.

 

The more combative approach, on both sides, has produced a mirroring dynamic. While Beijing believes that only through protracted struggle will Americans be persuaded to coexist with a strong China, Washington believes that it must check Chinese power and influence to defend U.S. primacy. The result is a downward spiral, with each side’s efforts to enhance its security prompting the other to take further steps to enhance its own.

 

In explaining growing U.S.-Chinese tensions, some scholars point to structural shifts in the balance of power. Graham Allison has written of “the Thucydides trap”: the notion that when a rising state challenges an established power, a war for hegemony frequently results. Yet a focus on capabilities alone has trouble accounting for the twists and turns in U.S.-Chinese relations, which are also driven by shifting perceptions of threat, opportunity, and purpose. Following President Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit to Beijing, Washington came to view China as a strategic partner in containing the Soviet Union. And as the post–Cold War era dawned, U.S. policymakers began hedging against growing Chinese military power even while seeking to encourage the country’s economic and political liberalization through greater integration.

 

Throughout this period, Chinese leaders saw a strategic opportunity to prioritize China’s development in a stable international environment. They opened the country’s doors to foreign investment and capitalist practices, seeking to learn from foreign expertise while periodically campaigning against “spiritual pollution” and “bourgeois liberalization.” Despite occasional attempts to signal resolve, including during the 1995–96 Taiwan Strait crisis and after the 1999 NATO bombing of the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia, Chinese leaders largely adhered to the former leader Deng Xiaoping’s lying-low strategy to avoid triggering the sense of threat that could precipitate efforts to strangle China’s rise.

 

If there is a year that marked an inflection point in China’s approach to the world, it is not 2012, when Xi came to power, but 2008. The global financial crisis prompted Beijing to discard any notion that China was the student and the United States the teacher when it came to economic governance. And the Beijing Olympics that year were meant to mark China’s arrival on the world stage, but much of the world was focused instead on riots in Tibet, which Chinese officials chalked up to outside meddling, and on China’s subsequent crackdown. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) became increasingly fixated on the idea that foreign forces were intent on thwarting China’s rise.

 

In the years that followed, the halting movement toward liberalization went into reverse: the party cracked down on the teaching of liberal ideas and the activities of foreign nongovernmental organizations, crushed pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, and built a sprawling surveillance state and system of internment camps in Xinjiang—all manifestations of a broader conception of “national security,” animated by fears of unrest. Internationally, China gave up any semblance of strategic humility. It became more assertive in defending its territorial and maritime claims (along the Indian border, in the East and South China Seas, and with regard to Taiwan). Having surpassed Japan as the world’s second-largest economy in 2010, it began wielding its economic power to compel deference to CCP interests. It ramped up development of military capabilities that could counter U.S. intervention in the region, including expanding its once limited nuclear arsenal. The decision to develop many of these capabilities predated Xi, but it was under his leadership that Beijing embraced a more coercive and intolerant approach.

 

As it registered China’s growing capabilities and willingness to use them, Washington increased its hedging. The Obama administration announced that it would “pivot” to Asia, and even as Washington sought a constructive role for China in the international system, the pace of China’s rise quickly outstripped U.S. willingness to grant it a correspondingly significant voice. With Donald Trump’s election as president, Washington’s assessment became especially extreme: a Marxist-Leninist regime was, in Trump’s telling, out to “rape” the United States, dominate the world, and subvert democracy. In response, the Trump administration started a trade war, began to talk of “decoupling” the U.S. and Chinese economies, and launched a series of initiatives aimed at countering Chinese influence and undermining the CCP. In speeches, senior U.S. officials hinted at regime change, calling for steps to “empower the Chinese people” to seek a different form of government and stressing that “Chinese history contains another path for China’s people.”

 

The Biden administration has stopped any talk of regime change in China and coordinated its approach closely with allies and partners, a contrast with Trump’s unilateralism. But it has at the same time continued many of its predecessor’s policies and endorsed the assessment that China’s growing influence must be checked. Some lines of effort, such as the Justice Department’s China Initiative, which sought to prosecute intellectual property theft and economic espionage, have been modified. But others have been sustained, including tariffs, export controls, and visa restrictions, or expanded, such as sanctions against Chinese officials and companies. In Congress, meanwhile, ever more vehement opposition to China may be the sole thing that Democrats and Republicans can agree on, though even this shared concern has produced only limited agreement (such as recent legislation on domestic semiconductor investments) on how the United States should compete.

 

Over five decades, the United States tried a combination of engagement and deterrence to bring China into an international system that broadly sustains U.S. interests and values. American policymakers knew well that their Chinese counterparts were committed to defending CCP rule, but Washington calculated that the world would be less dangerous with China inside rather than outside the system. That bet largely succeeded—and is still better than the alternative. Yet many in Washington always hoped for, and to varying degrees sought to promote, China’s liberal evolution as well. China’s growing authoritarianism has thus fed the narrative of a comprehensive U.S. policy failure, and the focus on correcting that failure has entrenched Beijing’s insecurity and belief that the United States and its allies will not accept China as a superpower.

 

Now, both countries are intent on doing whatever is necessary to demonstrate that any move by the other will not go unmet. Both U.S. and Chinese decision-makers believe that the other side respects only strength and interprets restraint as weakness. At this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in June, China’s defense minister, General Wei Fenghe, pledged to “fight to the very end” over Taiwan a day after meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

 

TELL ME HOW THIS ENDS

Where the current trajectory leads is clear: a more dangerous and less habitable world defined by an ever-present risk of confrontation and crisis, with preparation for conflict taking precedence over tackling common challenges.

 

Most policymakers, at least those in Washington, are not seeking a crisis between the United States and China. But there is growing acceptance that a crisis is more or less inevitable. Its consequences would be enormous. Even if both sides want to avoid war, crises by definition offer little time for response amid intense public scrutiny, making it difficult to find pathways to deescalation. Even the limited application of force or coercion could set in motion an unpredictable set of responses across multiple domains—military, economic, diplomatic, informational. As leaders maneuver to show resolve and protect their domestic reputations, a crisis could prove very difficult to contain.

 

Taiwan is the most likely flash point, as changes in both Taipei and Beijing have increasingly put the island at the center of U.S.-Chinese tensions. Demographic and generational shifts in Taiwan, combined with China’s crackdown in Hong Kong, have heightened Taiwan’s resistance to the idea of Beijing’s control and made peaceful unification seem increasingly fanciful. After Taiwan’s traditionally pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the presidency in 2016, Beijing took a hard line against the new president, Tsai Ing-wen, despite her careful efforts to avoid moves toward formal independence. Cross strait channels of communication shut down, and Beijing relied on increasingly coercive measures to punish and deter what it perceived as incremental moves toward Taiwan’s permanent separation.

 

In response, the United States increased military patrols in and around the Taiwan Strait, loosened guidelines for interacting with Taiwanese officials, broadened U.S. declaratory policy to emphasize support for Taiwan, and continued to advocate for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations, including the United Nations. Yet many well-intentioned U.S. efforts to support the island and deter China have instead fueled Beijing’s sense of urgency about the need to send a shot across the bow to deter steadily growing U.S.-Taiwanese ties.

 

Even with an official U.S. policy of “strategic ambiguity” on whether the United States would intervene in the event of an attack on Taiwan, Chinese military planners expect U.S. involvement. Indeed, the anticipated difficulty of seizing Taiwan while also holding the United States at bay has long underpinned deterrence across the Taiwan Strait. But many U.S. actions intended to bolster the island’s ability to resist coercion have been symbolic rather than substantive, doing more to provoke than deter Beijing. For example, the Trump administration’s efforts to upend norms around U.S. engagement with Taiwan—in August 2020, Secretary for Health and Human Services Alex Azar became the highest-ranking cabinet member to visit Taiwan since full normalization of U.S.-Chinese relations in 1979—prompted China to send combat aircraft across the center line of the Taiwan Strait, ignoring an unofficial guardrail that had long served to facilitate safe operations in the waterway. Intrusions into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) have become a frequent means for Beijing to register displeasure with growing U.S. support. In October 2021, Chinese intrusions into Taiwan’s ADIZ hit a new high—93 aircraft over three days—in response to nearby U.S.-led military exercises.

 

This action-reaction cycle, driven by mutually reinforcing developments in Beijing, Taipei, and Washington, is accelerating the deterioration of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. In recent months, Chinese official rhetoric has become increasingly threatening, using phrases that have historically signaled China’s intent to escalate. “Whoever plays with fire will get burnt,” Xi has repeatedly told U.S. President Joe Biden. In May, after Biden implied an unconditional commitment to defend Taiwan, rather than simply expressing the longstanding U.S. obligation to provide the island with the military means to defend itself and to maintain the U.S. capacity to resist any use of force, the Chinese Foreign Ministry stressed that Beijing “will take firm actions to safeguard its sovereignty and security interests.”

 

Although Beijing continues to prefer peaceful unification, it is coming to believe that coercive measures may be necessary to halt moves toward Taiwan’s permanent separation and compel steps toward unification, particularly given the Chinese perception that Washington’s support for Taiwan is a means to contain China. Even if confidence in China’s military and economic trajectory leads Beijing to believe that “time and momentum” remain on its side, political trends in Taiwan and in the United States make officials increasingly pessimistic about prospects for peaceful unification. Beijing has not set a timetable for seizing Taiwan and does not appear to be looking for an excuse to do so. Still, as the political scientist Taylor Fravel has shown, China has used force when it thinks its claims of sovereignty are being challenged. High-profile symbolic gestures of U.S. support for Taiwan are especially likely to be construed as an affront that must be answered. (As of this writing, Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, the first trip by a U.S. speaker of the house since 1997, has prompted Chinese warnings that “the Chinese military will never sit idly by,” followed by unprecedently threatening military exercises and missile tests around Taiwan.)

 

As both the United States and Taiwan head into presidential elections in 2024, party politics could prompt more efforts to push the envelope on Taiwan’s political status and de jure independence. It is far from clear whether Tsai’s successor as president will be as steadfast as she has been in resisting pressure from strident advocates of independence. Even under Tsai, there have been troubling signs that DPP leaders are not content with the status quo despite its popularity with voters. DPP leaders have lobbied Washington to refrain from making statements that the United States does not support Taiwan independence. In March, Taipei’s representative office in Washington gave former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo a hefty honorarium to visit Taiwan, where he called on the United States to offer the island “diplomatic recognition as a free and sovereign country.”

 

The risk of a fatal collision in the air or at sea is also rising outside the Taiwan Strait. With the Chinese and U.S. militaries operating in proximity in the East and South China Seas, both intent on demonstrating their willingness to fight, pilots and operators are employing dangerous tactics that raise the risk of an inadvertent clash. In 2001, a Chinese fighter jet collided with a U.S. reconnaissance plane over the South China Sea, killing the Chinese pilot and leading to the 11-day detention of the U.S. crew. After initial grandstanding, the Chinese worked to head off a full-blown crisis, even cracking down on displays of anti-Americanism in the streets. It is much harder to imagine such a resolution today: the desire to display resolve and avoid showing weakness would make it exceedingly difficult to defuse a standoff.

 

THE CENTER CANNOT HOLD

Even if the two sides can avoid a crisis, continuation of the current course will reinforce geopolitical divisions while inhibiting cooperation on global problems. The United States is increasingly focused on rallying countries around the world to stand against China. But to the extent that a coalition to counter China forms, especially given the ideological framing that both the Trump and Biden administrations have adopted, that coalition is unlikely to include the range of partners that might stand to defend universal laws and institutions. “Asian countries do not want to be forced to choose between the two,” Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wrote of China and the United States in these pages in 2020. “And if either attempts to force such a choice—if Washington tries to contain China’s rise or Beijing seeks to build an exclusive sphere of influence in Asia—they will begin a course of confrontation that will last decades and put the long-heralded Asian century in jeopardy.”

 

The current approach to competition is also likely to strengthen the alignment between China and Russia. The Biden administration has managed to deter Chinese military assistance to Russia in Ukraine, and China has mostly complied with sanctions, demonstrating that there are in fact limits to Beijing and Moscow’s “no limits” partnership. But so long as the two governments share a belief that they cannot be secure in a U.S.-led system, they will continue to deepen their cooperation. In the months since the invasion of Ukraine, they have carried out joint military patrols in the Pacific Ocean and worked to develop alternatives to the U.S.-controlled financial system.

 

Ultimately, Chinese-Russian relations will be shaped by how Beijing weighs its need to resist the United States against its need to preserve ties to international capital and technology that foster growth. China’s alignment with Russia is not historically determined: there is an ongoing high-level debate within Beijing over how close to get to Moscow, with the costs of full-fledged alignment producing consternation among some Chinese analysts. Yet unless Washington can credibly suggest that Beijing will see strategic benefits, not only strategic risks, from distancing itself from Moscow, advocates of closer Chinese-Russian cooperation will continue to win the argument.

 

Growing geopolitical tension also crowds out progress on common challenges, regardless of the Biden administration’s desire to compartmentalize certain issues. Although U.S. climate envoy John Kerry has made some headway on climate cooperation with China, including a joint declaration at last year’s climate summit in Glasgow, progress has been outweighed by acrimony in areas where previous joint efforts had borne fruit, including counternarcotics, nonproliferation, and North Korea. On both sides, too many policymakers fear that willingness to cooperate will be interpreted as a lack of resolve.

 

Such tensions are further eroding the already weak foundations of global governance. It is not clear how much longer the center of the international rules-based order can hold without a broad-based effort at its renewal. But as Beijing has grown more concerned that the United States seeks to contain or roll back its influence—by, for example, denying it a greater say in international economic governance—the more it has invested in alternative institutions, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Meanwhile, China’s engagement with the multilateral system is increasingly aimed at discrediting U.S. leadership within it. Even though Beijing has not exactly demonstrated fealty to many of the principles it claims to support, the divide between the haves and have-nots has allowed it to cast the United States as protecting the privileges of a minority of powerful states. At the United Nations, Beijing and Washington too often strive to undercut each other’s initiatives, launching symbolic battles that require third countries to choose between the two.

 

Last but far from least, a fixation on competition brings costs and dangers in the United States. Aggressive U.S. efforts to protect research security, combined with increased attacks against Asian Americans, are having a chilling effect on scientific research and international collaboration and are jeopardizing the appeal of the United States as a magnet for international talent. A 2021 survey by the American Physical Society found that 43 percent of international physics graduate students and early career scientists in the United States considered the country unwelcoming; around half of international early career scientists in the United States thought the government’s approach to research security made them less likely to stay there over the long term. These effects are particularly pronounced among scientists of Chinese descent. A recent study by the Asian American Scholar Forum found that 67 percent of faculty of Chinese origin (including naturalized citizens and permanent residents) reported having considered leaving the United States.

 

As the United States has sought to shield itself from Chinese espionage, theft, and unfair trading practices, it has often insisted on reciprocity as a precondition for commercial, educational, and diplomatic exchanges with Beijing. But strict reciprocity with an increasingly closed system like China’s comes at a cost to the United States’ comparative advantage: the traditional openness, transparency, and equal opportunity of its society and economy, which drive innovation, productivity, and scientific progress.

 

The climate of insecurity and fear is also having pernicious effects on democracy and the quality of public debate about China and U.S. policy. The desire to avoid appearing “soft” on China permeates private and public policy discussions. The result is an echo chamber that encourages analysts, bureaucrats, and officials to be politically rather than analytically correct. When individuals feel the need to out-hawk one another to protect themselves and advance professionally, the result is groupthink. A policy environment that incentivizes self-censorship and reflexive positioning forecloses pluralistic debate and a vibrant marketplace for ideas, ingredients critical to the United States’ national competitiveness.

 

From the World War II internment of Japanese Americans to the McCarthyism of the 1950s to hate crimes against Muslim and Sikh Americans after September 11, U.S. history is replete with examples of innocent Americans caught in the crossfire of exaggerated fears of the “enemy within.” In each case, overreaction did as much as or more than the adversary to undermine U.S. democracy and unity. Although the Biden administration has condemned anti-Asian hate and stressed that policy must target behavior rather than ethnicity, some government agencies and U.S. politicians have continued to imply that an individual’s ethnicity and ties to family abroad are grounds for heightened scrutiny.

 

BEFORE CATASTROPHE

If the United States and Soviet Union could arrive at détente, there is no reason that Washington and Beijing cannot do so as well. Early in the Cold War, President John F. Kennedy, hailing the need to “make the world safe for diversity,” stressed that “our attitude is as essential as theirs.” He warned Americans “not to see conflict as inevitable, accommodation as impossible, and communication as nothing more than an exchange of threats.”

 

Even while making clear that Beijing will pay a high price if it resorts to force or other forms of coercion, Washington must present China with a real choice. Deterrence requires that threats be paired with assurances. To that end, U.S. policymakers should not be afraid of engaging directly with their Chinese counterparts to discuss terms on which the United States and China could coexist, including mutual bounds on competition. It was relatively easy for Americans to imagine coexistence with a China thought to be on a one-way path of liberalization. The United States and its partners now have the harder task of imagining coexistence with an authoritarian superpower, finding a new basis for bilateral interaction that focuses on shaping outward behavior rather than changing China’s domestic system.

 

The most pressing need relates to Taiwan, where the United States must bolster deterrence while also clarifying that its “one China” policy has not changed. This means ensuring that Beijing knows how costly a crisis over Taiwan would be, putting at risk its broader development and modernization objectives—but also that if it refrains from coercive action, neither Washington nor Taipei will exploit the opportunity to push the envelope further. While Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other senior officials have affirmed that the United States does not support Taiwan’s independence, other actions by the administration (especially Biden’s repeated statements suggesting an end to “strategic ambiguity”) have sown doubt.

 

While helping bolster Taiwan’s resilience to Chinese coercion, Washington should avoid characterizing Taiwan as a vital asset for U.S. interests. Such statements feed Beijing’s belief that the United States seeks to “use Taiwan to contain China,” as China’s ambassador to Washington put it in May. The United States should instead make clear its abiding interest in a peaceful process for resolving cross-strait differences rather than in a particular outcome. And as they highlight the costs Beijing can expect if it escalates its coercive campaign against Taiwan, U.S. policymakers should also stress to Taipei that unilateral efforts to change Taiwan’s political status, including calls for de jure independence, U.S. diplomatic recognition, or other symbolic steps to signal Taiwan’s permanent separation from China, are counterproductive.

 

These steps will be necessary but not sufficient to pierce the growing fatalism regarding a crisis, given Beijing’s hardening belief that the United States seeks to contain China and will use Taiwan to that end. To put a floor beneath the collapsing U.S.-China relationship will require a stronger effort to establish bounds of fair competition and a willingness to discuss terms of coexistence. Despite recent meetings and calls, senior U.S. officials do not yet have regular engagements with their counterparts that would facilitate such discussions. These discussions should be coordinated with U.S. allies and partners to prevent Beijing from trying to drive a wedge between the United States and others in Europe and Asia. But Washington should also forge a common understanding with its allies and partners around potential forms of coexistence with China.

 

Skeptics may say that there is no reason for the leadership in Beijing to play along, given its triumphalism and distrust. These are significant obstacles, but it is worth testing the proposition that Washington can take steps to stabilize escalating tensions without first experiencing multiple crises with a nuclear-armed competitor. There is reason to believe that Beijing cares enough about stabilizing relations to reciprocate. Despite its claim that the “East is rising and the West is declining,” China remains the weaker party, especially given its uncertain economic trajectory. Domestic challenges have typically tended to restrain China’s behavior rather than, as some Western commentators have speculated, prompting risky gambles. The political scientist Andrew Chubb has shown that when Chinese leaders have faced challenges to their legitimacy, they have acted less assertively in areas such as the South China Sea.

 

Because Beijing and Washington are loath to make unilateral concessions, fearing that they will be interpreted as a sign of weakness at home and by the other side, détente will require reciprocity. Both sides will have to take coordinated but unilateral steps to head off a militarized crisis. For example, a tacit understanding could produce a reduction in Chinese and U.S. operations in and around the Taiwan Strait, lowering the temperature without signaling weakness. Military operations are necessary to demonstrate that the United States will continue to fly and sail wherever international law allows, including the Taiwan Strait. But ultimately, the United States’ ability to deter and Taiwan’s ability to defend against an attempt at armed unification by Beijing have little to do with whether the U.S. military transits the Taiwan Strait four, eight, 12, or 24 times a year.

 

In the current atmosphere of distrust, words must be matched by actions. In his November 2021 virtual meeting with Biden, Xi said, “We have patience and will strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification with utmost sincerity and efforts.” But Beijing’s actions since have undercut its credibility in Taipei and in Washington. Biden likewise told Xi that the United States does not seek a new Cold War or want to change Beijing’s system. Yet subsequent U.S. actions (including efforts to diversify supply chains away from China and new visa restrictions on CCP officials) have undermined Washington’s credibility among not just leaders in Beijing but also others in the region. It does not help that some administration officials continue to invoke Cold War parallels.

 

To bolster its own credibility, the Biden administration should also do more to preempt charges of hypocrisy and double standards. Consider U.S. policy to combat digital authoritarianism: Washington has targeted Chinese surveillance technology firms more harshly than similar companies based in the United States, Israel, and other Western democracies.

 

THE WORLD THAT OUGHT TO BE

So far, the Biden administration’s order-building efforts have centered on arrangements that exclude China, such as the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. Although officials have been careful to insist that these initiatives are not targeted at any one country, there is little sign of any corresponding effort to negotiate Beijing’s role in the international or regional order. At the margins, there have been some signs that inclusive groupings can still deliver. (The World Trade Organization has struck agreements on fishing subsidies and COVID-19 vaccines.) But if investments in narrower, fit-for-purpose coalitions continue to take priority over broader, inclusive agreements and institutions, including those in which China and the United States both have major roles to play, geopolitical tensions will break rather than reinvigorate the international system.

 

Renewing U.S. leadership will also require doing more to address criticism that a U.S.-led order means “rules for thee but not for me.” Clear and humble acknowledgment of instances where the United States has violated the UN Charter, such as the invasion of Iraq, would be an important step to overcoming that resentment. And Washington must deliver value for citizens in developing countries, whether on COVID-19, climate, hunger, or technology, rather than simply urging them not to work with China. At home, Washington must work to rebuild bipartisan support for U.S. engagement with the international system.

 

As the United States reimagines its domestic and international purpose, it should do so on its own terms, not for the sake of besting China. Yet fleshing out an inclusive, affirmative vision of the world it seeks would also be a first step toward clarifying the conditions under which the United States would welcome or accept Chinese initiatives rather than reflexively opposing them. The countries’ divergent interests and values would still result in the United States opposing many of Beijing’s activities, but that opposition would be accompanied by a clear willingness to negotiate the terms of China’s growing influence. The United States cannot cede so much influence to Beijing that international rules and institutions no longer reflect U.S. interests and values. But the greater risk today is that overzealous efforts to counter China’s influence will undermine the system itself through a combination of paralysis and the promotion of alternate arrangements by major powers.

 

Finally, the United States must do much more to invest in the power of its example and to ensure that steps taken to counter China do not undermine that example by falling into the trap of trying to out-China China. Protective or punitive actions, whether military, economic, or diplomatic, should be assessed not just on the basis of whether they counter China but also on how they affect the broader system and whether they reflect fidelity to U.S. principles.

 

Competition cannot become an end in itself. So long as outcompeting China defines the United States’ sense of purpose, Washington will continue to measure success on terms other than on its own. Rankings are a symbolic construct, not an objective condition. If the pursuit of human progress, peace, and prosperity is the ultimate objective, as Blinken has stated, then the United States does not need to beat China in order to win.

 

JESSICA CHEN WEISS is the Michael J. Zak Professor of China and Asia-Pacific Studies at Cornell University. She served as a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow on the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State from August 2021 to July 2022. The views expressed here are her own.

The Indyish Monthly Mess Post-Valentines Show: Rejections and Knock Outs

Shield and Cross Motorcycle Club

Veteran motorcycle clubs

steelhorseshades.com

Military veterans motorcycle clubs

A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.

In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw aka one percenter subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually recognized by other MC clubs. This is indicated by wearing the MC patch, or a three piece patch, or colors, on the back of a club jacket or vest. Outlaw or one percenter can mean merely that the club is not chartered under the auspices of the American Motorcyclist Association, implying a radical rejection of authority and embracing of the "biker" lifestyle defined and popularized since the 1950s and represented by such media as Easyriders magazine, the work of painter David Mann, and more. In many contexts the terms overlap with the usual meaning of "outlaw" because some of these clubs, or some of their members, are recognized by law enforcement agencies as taking part in organized crime.

Outside of the outlaw subculture, the words "motorcycle club" carry no heavy meaning beyond the everyday English definition of the words a club involving motorcycles, whose members come from every walk of life. Thus, there are clubs that are culturally and stylistically nothing like outlaw or one percenter clubs, and whose activities and goals not similar to them at all, but still use three-part patches or the initials MC in their name or insignia.

Types of clubs, groups and organizations

Motorcycle clubs vary a great deal in their objectives and organizations. Mainstream motorcycle clubs or associations typically have elected officers and directors, annual dues, and a regular publication. They may also sponsor annual or more frequent "rallies" where members can socialize and get to know each other. Some publish in book form lists of members that can be used by touring motorcyclists needing assistance.

There are a great many brand clubs, or clubs dedicated to particular marques, including those sponsored by various manufacturers, such as the Harley Owners Group and the Honda Riders Club of America. There are large national independent motorcycle clubs, such as BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, the STAR Touring and Riding Association, and the Gold Wing Road Riders Association GWRRA. In the United Kingdom, there are brand clubs such as the Triumph Owners' Motor Cycle Club founded in 1949.

Clubs catering for those interested in vintage machines such as the Vintage Motor Cycle Club are also popular as well as for those centered around particular venues. Clubs catering for riders' rights such as the Motorcycle Action Group, and charities such as the 59 Club are popular, many affiliating with the umbrella organization, the British Motorcyclists Federation. National and local branch club magazines and events are typical characteristics of such clubs. More informal groupings continue to exist though for riders local to each other.

Other organizations whose activities primarily involve motorcycles exist for a specific purpose, such as the Patriot Guard Riders, who provide funeral escorts for military veterans, and Rolling Thunder, which advocates for troops missing in action and prisoners of war. While neither of the latter two groups require a motorcycle for membership, they are motorcycling-oriented and much of their activity involves ride. The Christian Motorcyclists Association is a biker ministry. In the United Kingdom, Freewheelers EVS is one of a number of similar charities, which use motorcycles to provide an out-of-hours emergency medical courier service. Some clubs attract membership from specific groups, such as the Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, consisting of law enforcement personnel.

The American Motorcyclist Association AMA is the largest American motorcyclist organization. It serves as an umbrella organization for local clubs and sporting events. As of March, 2006, the AMA counts 269,884 active members and many chartered clubs.

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle clubs

US military

usmc

veteran mc clubs

veteran motorcycle clubs

biker clubs

motorcycle clubs

 

Military Veteran

 

The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject.

 

The Hôpital des Invalides in Paris is a hospital and retirement home for French war veteransA veteran (from Latin vetus, meaning "old") is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..." . This page refers to military veterans, i.e., a person who has served or is serving in the armed forces, and has direct exposure to acts of military conflict, commonly known as war veterans (although not all military conflicts, or areas in which armed combat takes place, are necessarily referred to as "wars").

 

United States

 

Veterans who served on the battleship Missouri shortly after a ceremony marking the anniversary of the end of World War II. The most common usage is for former armed services personnel. A veteran is one who has served in the armed forces, especially one who has served in combat. It is especially applied to those who served for an entire career, usually of 20 years or more, but may be applied for someone who has only served one tour of duty. A common misconception is that only those who have served in combat or those who have retired from active duty can be called military veterans.

 

Veterans' benefits in the United States

 

President Abraham Lincoln, in his second inaugural address, in 1865 towards the end of the US Civil War, famously called for good treatment of veterans: "to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan". The American Civil War produced veterans' organizations, such as the Grand Army of the Republic. The treatment of veterans changed after the First World War. In the years following, discontented veterans became a source of instability. They could quickly organize, had links to the army, and often had arms themselves. Veterans played a central role in the post-World War I instability of Germany, while in the United States, the Bonus Army of unemployed veterans was one of the most important protest movements of the Great Depression, marching on Washington, DC, to get a claimed bonus that Congress had promised them.

 

Each state of the United States sets specific criteria for state-specific veterans' benefits. For federal medical benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, prior to 7 September 1980 the veteran must have served at least 180 days of active duty, after the above-mentioned date, the veteran must have served at least 24 months. However, if the veteran was medically discharged and receives a VA service-connected disability stipend, the time limits are not applicable.

   

American veteran experience after World War II

 

After the Second World War, in part due to the experience of the First World War, most of the participating states set up elaborate veterans' administrations. Within the United States, it was veterans groups, like the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars organization, that pushed for and got the G.I. Bill enacted. These gave veterans access to free or subsidized education and health care. The newly educated GIs created a significant economic impact, and with the aid of VA loans were able to buy housing and establish themselves as part of a growing American middle class. The explosion of the suburbs created sufficient housing for veterans and their families.

 

American veteran experience after OEF and OIF Many veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom have had to face challenges unique to warfare in the 21st century. One significant difference between OEF and OIF and previous wars is a greater dependence on reservists and repeat deployments. Up to 80% of troops deployed at the beginning of OEF were part of the part of the Army National Guard and Reserve and about 40% of currently serving military members have been deployed more than once. This has meant that many deployed troops, not being as “ steeped in military culture ” have had more difficult transitions into military life, and for many the increased redeployment rate has meant more transitions, more uncertainty, longer terms, and shorter dwell times, all of which contribute to greater stress.

 

Due to medical advances, warfare in the 21st century tends to yield more survivors with severe injuries which soldiers in previous wars would have died from.[7] This means that, though fewer service members die, more return from war with injuries more serious, and in turn more emotionally devastating, than ever before. Among these injuries is the increasingly common traumatic brain injury, or TBI, the effects of which can range from a mild concussion to amnesia and serious neurological damage.

 

Female veterans in the U.S.

 

Women have served in the United States military for over two hundred years, often having had to disguise themselves as men. Female veterans have often been discriminated against by their male counterparts and, as such, women who have served in the armed forces have sometimes been known as "the invisible veterans".[9] Women were not fully recognized as veterans until after WWII, and prior to this they were not eligible for VA benefits. The VA estimates that by the year 2010 women will make up 40% of the veteran population. A tri-state (Washington, Idaho, Oregon) women veterans conference in Pendleton, Oregon, in April 2008, attracted 362 women veterans, according to the East Oregonian newspaper.

 

African American veterans in the U.S. see also: Military history of African Americans

 

African Americans have participated in every war fought by or within the United States. Black veterans from World War I experienced racial persecution on returning to the U.S. from overseas, particularly in Southern cities. Black veterans from World War II continued to be denied equality at home despite President Harry S. Truman's desegregation of the military after World War II. Black veterans went on to play a central role in the Civil Rights movement. The National Association for Black Veterans is an organization that provides advocacy and support for African American and other minority veterans.

   

Health effects of military service and treatment for veterans

 

The effect of active military service can be profound and lasting, and some veterans have found it difficult to adjust to normal life again. An article in the London Metro on 28 January 2010 was titled "Veterans prone to suicide" and cited a report by the Mental Health Foundation which said that not enough was being done to care for the Afghanistan war veterans, and many "plunged into alcohol problems, crime and suicide" upon their return. Support services were found to be patchy from area to area. Figures from 2009 showed that twice as many veterans were in prison than there were British troops currently in Afghanistan. Homelessness, street-sleeping and relationship breakdown are also commonly reported. Research done by the UK homelessness charity CRISIS (1994) and the Ex-Services Action Group (1997) both found that a quarter of homeless people had previously served in the armed forces. The Times newspaper reported on 25 September 2009 that in England and Wales the number of "military veterans in jail has more than doubled in six years". Another Times article of the same date quoted the veterans mental health charity Combat Stress reporting a 53% increase in referrals from doctors

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment among veterans Further information:

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

 

Further information: Benefits for US Veterans with PTSD

 

New treatment programs are emerging to assist veterans suffering from post-combat mental health problems such as depression and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), is becoming an important method for the treatment of mental health issues among veterans, and is currently considered the standard of care for depression and PTSD by the United States Department of Defense. CBT is a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to change the patterns of thinking or behavior that responsible for patient’s negative emotions and in doing so change the way they feel. It has been proven to be an effective treatment for PTSD among war veterans. Recently, online programs that pair CBT with therapist interaction have also proven effective in treating mental health problems among veterans. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is also an effective and non invasive, drug free treatment for PTSD, although it has not been tested against specific military traumatic exposure for efficacy. Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) also has applications in this field.

   

Help for veterans Necessity has resulted in a number of sources of help being made available for veterans. Many of these are independent, charitable organizations and in some countries the aftercare and rehabilitation services provided by Governments have been inadequate. This may be because they do not wish to give attention to the negative effects of military service and the difficulties of readjustment to civilian life for it may have an adverse impact upon recruitment for their armed forces. Nevertheless, help is available and veterans should feel able to make contact and ask for assistance or advice without feeling that this is a weakness. Military service can be a profoundly unnatural experience and it is likely that some help may be needed in debriefing and rehabilitation into the community, whether it be medical, psychological, practical or financial.

 

Public attitude towards veterans

 

Military veterans often receive special treatment in their respective countries due to the sacrifices they made during wars. Different countries handle this differently, some openly support veterans through government programs and others ignoring them. Veterans are also subject to illnesses directly related to their military service such as PTSD. War veterans are generally treated with great respect and honor for their contribution to the world and country by their own nationals. Conversely there are often negative feelings towards the veterans of alien nations held long after the war is over, for example towards the German Nazi soldiers, but they are no less veterans of war than those of the winning side. There are exceptions. Veterans of unpopular conflicts, such as the Vietnam War, have been discriminated against. Others, such as veterans of conflicts like the Korean War, are often forgotten (even though the casualty rate in Korea was higher than that experienced in the Vietnam War) when compared with those who fought in the World Wars. In some countries with strong anti-military traditions (e.g., Germany after 1945) veterans are neither honored in any special way by the general public, nor have their dedicated Veterans Day, although events are sometimes orchestrated by Neo-Nazis and other minority right-wing groups.

 

Many countries have longstanding traditions, ceremonies, and holidays to honor their veterans. In the UK "Remembrance Day" is held on November the 11th and is focused mostly on the veterans who died in service to the monarch and country. A red or white poppy is worn on the lapel (for remembrance or for peace, respectively) in the weeks up to the date, and wreaths and flowers laid at memorials to the dead.

 

In Russia, a tradition was established after the Second World War, where newly married couples would on their wedding day visit a military cemetery. In France, for instance, those wounded in war are given the first claim on any seat on public transit. Most countries have a holiday such as Veterans Day to honor their veterans, along with the war dead.

   

A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.

 

In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw (aka one percenter) subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually recognized by other MC clubs. This is indicated by wearing the MC patch, or a three piece patch, or colors, on the back of a club jacket or vest. Outlaw (or one percenter) can mean merely that the club is not chartered under the auspices of the American Motorcyclist Association, implying a radical rejection of authority and embracing of the "biker" lifestyle defined and popularized since the 1950s and represented by such media as Easyriders magazine, the work of painter David Mann, and more. In many contexts the terms overlap with the usual meaning of "outlaw" because some of these clubs, or some their members, are recognized by law enforcement agencies as taking part in organized crime.

 

Outside of the outlaw subculture, the words "" carry no heavy meaning beyond the everyday English definition of the words – a club involving motorcycles, whose members come from every walk of life. Thus, there are clubs that are culturally and stylistically nothing like outlaw or one percenter clubs, and whose activities and goals not similar to them at all, but still use three-part patches or the initials MC in their name or insignia.

 

Types of clubs, groups and organizations

 

Motorcycle clubs vary a great deal in their objectives and organizations. Mainstream motorcycle clubs or associations typically have elected officers and directors, annual dues, and a regular publication. They may also sponsor annual or more frequent "rallies" where members can socialize and get to know each other. Some publish in book form lists of members that can be used by touring motorcyclists needing assistance.

Veteran motorcycle clubs, veteran mc clubs, motorcycle clubs, steelhorseshades

 

Parental alienation is a set of strategies that a parent uses to foster a child's rejection of the other parent. Parental alienation syndrome develops in children who come to hate, fear, and reject the targeted parent as someone unworthy of having a relationship with them.

A casualty of viscious selt-editing of my catalogue of failures.

#1

 

Im running away from him...

cos Im afraid of rejections....

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

 

Some background

The history of Focke Wulf's Fw 190 in Japan started with a rejection: in 1943 a single FW 190 A-5 had been supplied to Japan for evaluation, but at first, the type was not put into production by the Japanese. Anyway, the results of the study by Japanese engineers were incorporated in the design of the Ki-61 fighter. This evaluation did not go unnoticed, since the type received the Allied code-name 'Fred'.

 

By that time, the teething development problems of Mitubishi's J2M ‘Raiden’ (Thunderbolt) 'Jack' led to a slowdown in production. Biggest issues were the Kasei engine, an unreliable propeller pitch change mechanism and the main undercarriage members. Another drawback of the type was that its design put emphasis on performance and pilot protection rather than maneuverability. By the time the Fw 190 was tested, only fourteen J2M had been completed.

To make matters even worse, the Mitsubishi A7M 'Reppu' fighter was also behind schedule, so that replacements for the A6M 'Zero', backbone of the IJN’s air force, were overdue.

 

This situation left the Imperial Japanese Navy without a land-based interceptor. The first few produced J2M2 were delivered to the development units in December 1942 but further trials and improvements took almost a year, and it took until June 1944 that the ‘Raiden’ could make its combat debut, during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

 

While the Raiden was to be developed further for the high-altitude interceptor role, the IJN decided in January 1944 to adopt the highly effective Fw 190 as a supplementary interceptor for medium heights - only as a stop-gap at first, but the type quickly evolved into various sub-variants, much like in Germany.

 

License production of the adopted Fw 190 started at Hitachi in May 1944. The original airframe was modified to cater to Japanese needs and customs, and the most obvious difference of the J10F1, how the plane was officially called, was the use of the Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23c radial engine instead of the original BMW 801. It was a modified version of the engine in the J2M, but simplified and made more reliable. The engine produced 1.820hp and drove a four-bladed propeller. Another distinctive feature was a small fin fillet, which compensated directional instability due to the longer forward fuselage.

By its pilots, the J10F quickly became called “hueruge” (フエルゲル), a transcription of the Fw 190's German nickname "Würger" (=Shrike).

 

Variants:

 

J10F1

The original main variant with the MK4R Kasei 23e and armed with 2× 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns and 4× 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 354 aircraft produced.

While no official sub-variant was developed or designated, single machines differed considerably in equipment. This included field-modifications like reduced armament for better performance or ground-attack equipment, e .g. racks for a total of four unguided 60kg air-to-air missiles under the outer wings.

 

J10F1-G

In late 1945 a few J10F1 were modified for the anti-ship role and night attacks, and they received the "-G" suffix for their new land-based bomber role. These planes had a reduced gun armament, flame dampers and an IR sight, similar to the German “Spanner” device.

Most of these planes were to carry special weapons, like a single indigenous Ke-Go 110 heat-seeking guided bomb under the belly, or, alternatively, a copy of the German Bv 246 "Hagelkorn" gliding bomb, which had been delivered to Japan in 1944 for tests and adopted for production. To allow more space under the fuselage while carrying these bombs on the ground, some of these aircraft had a longer tail wheel strut fitted. Additionally, tests were made with a torpedo on the centerline hardpoint. It is uncertain if these weapons were actually used in combat, though.

 

J10F2

The only variant that was developed so far that it entered service, incorporating many detail modifications and improvements. These included thicker armored glass in the cabin's windshield (from 5.5 cm/2.2” to 7.6cm/3”) and extra armor plating behind the pilot's seat. The wing skinning was thickened in localized areas to allow for a further increase in dive speed. A water-methanol engine boost was added, which allowed an engine output of 2.050 hp for short periods, which boosted the top speed to 695 km/h. 52 were produced.

 

J10F3

High altitude project with a pressurized cabin, a larger wing span of 11.96 m (39 ft 2 in) and a turbo-supercharged MK4R-C Kasei 23c engine, with the turbo-supercharger mounted behind the cockpit (itself made wider). This doubled the altitude at which the engine could produce its rated power, from 15,750ft up to 30,185ft. The J10F3 only carried two 20mm cannons in the wing roots, but had two extra oblique-firing 20mm cannon installed aft of the cockpit for use against high flying American B-29 bombers (much like the German "Schräge Musik" installments). Two prototypes were completed in June 1945, but the turbo-supercharger proved troublesome, and no further aircraft of this type were produced.

  

From late 1944 on, the J10F1 was quickly thrown into service and became a nasty surprise for Allied aircraft. The modified Focke Wulf design proved to be agile, fast and much tougher than earlier Japanese fighters, coupled with a relatively heavy armament. Beyond interception duties, the J10F1 was frequently employed in close support and anti-shipping tasks, since its low level handling and ordnance load was excellent.

Its only drawback was - as with the original Fw 190 - that performance dropped at heights above 6.000m. This should not have posed a problem with the J2M, but that type's delay left the Allied high-altitude bomber attacks relatively unharmed, so that the J10F3 version was hastily developed, but failed to realize. In Germany, the similar situation resulted in the Fw 190 D-9 variant and finally in the superb Ta-152.

  

J10F1General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 9.29 m (30 ft 6¾ in)

Wingspan:10.51 m (34 ft 5 in)

Height: 3.95 m (12 ft 12 in)

Wing area:18.30 m² (196.99 ft²)

Empty weight: 3,490 kg (7,694 lb)

Max. take-off weight: 4,840 kg (10,670 lb)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 656 km/h (408 mph) at 19,420 ft (5,920 m)

Rate of climb:17 m/s (3,300 ft/min)

Range: 800 km (500 mi)

Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)

Engine: 1 Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23e radial engine with 1.820hp

 

Armament:

2 × 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns, 300 rpg, in the nose

4 × 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 200 rpg, two in the wing roots, two outside of the landing gear.

Three hardpoints, one under the fuselage (max. 500 kg/1.102 lb) and one under each wing for 250 kg/550 lb each for bombs or fuel tanks. Total external ordnance load of 1.000kg (2.205 lb).

  

The kit and its assembly

The 'Japanese Fw 190' is a popular what-if topic, so I wanted to add my interpretation to the plethora of whifs and replicas of the real test machine. Actually, a clean Fw 190 looks pretty Japanese with its radial engine and sleek lines. When I recently came across a similar build at britmodelers.com, I thought that painting a Fw 190 green/grey and putting some Hinomarus on is logical and simple, but there's more in the subject than just cosmetics. I wanted a bit more... And while the concept remained simple, I had enough ideas and spare parts for a twin combo! In the end, the J10F was built as a pure interceptor and as a 'special purpose' night strike aircraft.

 

Basically, my limiting design idea for the J10F's design was the idea that Japan would not have received the Fw 190’s original BMW 801 radial engine, so that an alternative powerplant had to be fitted. I had hoped that this would have set the 'new' plane outwardly a bit apart from its German ancestor, and also make you look twice because the result would not be a 1:1 "Japanized" Fw 190 A/F. I tried, but I suppose that the effect is not as 'powerful' as intended – but judge for yourself?

 

The basic kits for both conversions come from Hobby Boss. It is a simple and clean kit, but with very good fit and engraved details. In an attempt to change the plane's look a little, I tried to transplant other engines - radials, too. Donation parts for both kits come from an Italeri Ju 188, which features two pairs of engines. The radials I used are actually BMW 801’s, too, but they lack the typical cooling fan and the cowlings are 3-4mm longer because they'd carry the engine mountings on the Ju 188's wings. Actually, the fuselage is minimal longer now, maybe 4-5mm, but the shape is still very close to the original Fw 190, so I think that this mod hardly is recognizable at all?

 

The change was a bit tricky, due to the massive fuselage of the Hobby Boss kit, but it worked. The new cowlings received new cooling louvres and exhaust pipes. New, four-bladed propellers were added, scratch-built from leftover Mosquito NF.30 propellers from the Airfix kit and drop tank front halves.

 

Otherwise, though, not much was changed, the two kits just differ in equipment details and received Matchbox pilot figures in order to cover up the bleak and very deep cockpit.

 

The interceptor:

As an interceptor I left the plane clean, without external ordnance. I wanted to emphasize its elegant look, which makes it look like a Ki-43 on casual glance, or even an A6M. The plane carries the normal gun armament (from a Fw 190 A-8), this is supposed to be the original/standard J10F mentioned above.

 

The night attacker:

The J10F1-G variant saw more modifications, including a new exhaust system with flame dampers built from scratch. Other special equipment comprises an IR sight in front of the canopy, flare protectors, the fuselage hardpoint and the scratch-built Ke-Go 110 bomb. In order to cover the deleted gun access panels under the wings, I added streamlined bomb shackles for two Japanese 60kg bombs each, donated from a Matchbox Ju 87 kit.

 

About the Ke-Go bomb

This bomb, which looks like a penguin, is a fantasy derivate of a real Japanese development series until summer 1945. In a nutshell, the Ke-Go bomb actually was one of the first “fire and forget” weapons I have heard of. With the guidance of a bolometer seeker and a self-correcting steering mechanism, the bomb would (only) be useable against strong and clear heat sources – a ship’s kettle at night, when surrounding heat level was low, would qualify, and the bomb would be guided by deviation and correction from that heat source - if it locked on correctly, though! My Ke-Go 110 is a smaller version of the original Ke-Go bombs, suitable for lighter planes.

  

Painting

Being an IJN plane, paint scheme choices for the J10F were rather limited - and since it is a whif plane I stuck to my policy that I rather use a simple/subtle paint scheme.

 

The interceptor:

For the clean and rather conservative interceptor I settled for a simple IJN Green/Gray livery (N. 2 ‘Aomidori-iro’, a bluish, very dark green and N.10 ‘Hairyokushoku’, respectively), with Testors 2116 and 2117 as basic tones. Yellow wing leading edges were added, cut from an aftermarket decal sheet. As a design twist I painted the engine cowling black, A6M-style. The propeller spinner was painted in red brown (typical Japanese WWII primer color), with an orange tip, matching the arrow symbol decal on the tail fin. The propeller blades were painted with Testor’s ‘Rubber’, #1183.

A slightly worn look was achieved through a light wash with black ink and some dry painting with paler shades of Green (Humbrol 91 and 185) and Aluminum, plus light exhaust marks and gun smoke residues with flat black. Some bare metal spots were added, which also highlight some details and add to the worn look.

All decals for the green fighter come from a Hobby Boss A6M, only the arrows come from the Hobby Boss He 162. Finally, everything was sealed under a semi-matte varnish, for a light shine to the surface – typical IJN machines appear to be rather shiny?

 

The night attacker:

This variant received a more fantastic and stealthy paint scheme - I wanted to set the plane apart from the clean and shiny interceptor: a grunty, desperate strike aircraft against overwhelming sea forces.

AFAIK, there had not been specific nocturnal cammo schemes at the IJNAS, except for all-green aircraft? A bit boring, I thought, esp. with a typical green/gray sister plane.

So I made up a personal variant: In a first step, upper surfaces were painted in a brownish-grey basic tone, AFAIK called ‘Ameiro’ – it is the color which was used on early Zeroes which were based on carriers, and the tone faded quickly to a light gray. This color is very similar to RAL 7014 ‘Fenstergrau’ and reminds of B.S. ‘Hemp’. I improvised it with a mix of Humbrol 141 (60%), 83 (35%) and a bit of 155 (5%). On top of that a dense array of dark green blotches (Humbrol 185, Chrome Green, at first, and later also with Humbrol 116 for more contrast) was applied, breaking up the plane’s lines and covering the light gray tone almost completely.

Undersides originally sported ‘Ameiro’, too, but they were painted as if they had been covered with a very dark gray tone in the field (Humbrol 67), even leaving out the hinomarus and flaking off everywhere. The black engine cowling was retained.

Hinomaru and squadron emblems come from the same Mitsubishi A6M from Hobby Boss as mentioned above, featuring even less markings. As a side note: I have never seen Hinomaru with a black(!) rim before? I am not certain if this is correct or an authentic modification - it matches the night fighter role perfectly, though. This time I chose a matte varnish, except for the cowling which received some streaks with more shiny semi-matte varnish.

 

In both cases, cockpit interior surfaces and landing gear wells were painted in ‘Aodake Iro’, simulated with a base of Aluminium (Humbrol 56) and a coat of translucent blue lacquer on top.

  

All in all, these pair of rather simple model kit was built in a couple of days, taking the pictures and waiting for good light took almost the same time! I am not 100% happy, because the engine mod is not as obvious as I expected, even though the four-bladed prop and the slightly elongated fuselage give the J10F a menacing and fast look, like a “Baby Tempest”.

 

DISCLAIMER

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

 

Some background

The history of Focke Wulf's Fw 190 in Japan started with a rejection: in 1943 a single FW 190 A-5 had been supplied to Japan for evaluation, but at first, the type was not put into production by the Japanese. Anyway, the results of the study by Japanese engineers were incorporated in the design of the Ki-61 fighter. This evaluation did not go unnoticed, since the type received the Allied code-name 'Fred'.

 

By that time, the teething development problems of Mitubishi's J2M ‘Raiden’ (Thunderbolt) 'Jack' led to a slowdown in production. Biggest issues were the Kasei engine, an unreliable propeller pitch change mechanism and the main undercarriage members. Another drawback of the type was that its design put emphasis on performance and pilot protection rather than maneuverability. By the time the Fw 190 was tested, only fourteen J2M had been completed.

To make matters even worse, the Mitsubishi A7M 'Reppu' fighter was also behind schedule, so that replacements for the A6M 'Zero', backbone of the IJN’s air force, were overdue.

 

This situation left the Imperial Japanese Navy without a land-based interceptor. The first few produced J2M2 were delivered to the development units in December 1942 but further trials and improvements took almost a year, and it took until June 1944 that the ‘Raiden’ could make its combat debut, during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

 

While the Raiden was to be developed further for the high-altitude interceptor role, the IJN decided in January 1944 to adopt the highly effective Fw 190 as a supplementary interceptor for medium heights - only as a stop-gap at first, but the type quickly evolved into various sub-variants, much like in Germany.

 

License production of the adopted Fw 190 started at Hitachi in May 1944. The original airframe was modified to cater to Japanese needs and customs, and the most obvious difference of the J10F1, how the plane was officially called, was the use of the Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23c radial engine instead of the original BMW 801. It was a modified version of the engine in the J2M, but simplified and made more reliable. The engine produced 1.820hp and drove a four-bladed propeller. Another distinctive feature was a small fin fillet, which compensated directional instability due to the longer forward fuselage.

By its pilots, the J10F quickly became called “hueruge” (フエルゲル), a transcription of the Fw 190's German nickname "Würger" (=Shrike).

 

Variants:

 

J10F1

The original main variant with the MK4R Kasei 23e and armed with 2× 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns and 4× 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 354 aircraft produced.

While no official sub-variant was developed or designated, single machines differed considerably in equipment. This included field-modifications like reduced armament for better performance or ground-attack equipment, e .g. racks for a total of four unguided 60kg air-to-air missiles under the outer wings.

 

J10F1-G

In late 1945 a few J10F1 were modified for the anti-ship role and night attacks, and they received the "-G" suffix for their new land-based bomber role. These planes had a reduced gun armament, flame dampers and an IR sight, similar to the German “Spanner” device.

Most of these planes were to carry special weapons, like a single indigenous Ke-Go 110 heat-seeking guided bomb under the belly, or, alternatively, a copy of the German Bv 246 "Hagelkorn" gliding bomb, which had been delivered to Japan in 1944 for tests and adopted for production. To allow more space under the fuselage while carrying these bombs on the ground, some of these aircraft had a longer tail wheel strut fitted. Additionally, tests were made with a torpedo on the centerline hardpoint. It is uncertain if these weapons were actually used in combat, though.

 

J10F2

The only variant that was developed so far that it entered service, incorporating many detail modifications and improvements. These included thicker armored glass in the cabin's windshield (from 5.5 cm/2.2” to 7.6cm/3”) and extra armor plating behind the pilot's seat. The wing skinning was thickened in localized areas to allow for a further increase in dive speed. A water-methanol engine boost was added, which allowed an engine output of 2.050 hp for short periods, which boosted the top speed to 695 km/h. 52 were produced.

 

J10F3

High altitude project with a pressurized cabin, a larger wing span of 11.96 m (39 ft 2 in) and a turbo-supercharged MK4R-C Kasei 23c engine, with the turbo-supercharger mounted behind the cockpit (itself made wider). This doubled the altitude at which the engine could produce its rated power, from 15,750ft up to 30,185ft. The J10F3 only carried two 20mm cannons in the wing roots, but had two extra oblique-firing 20mm cannon installed aft of the cockpit for use against high flying American B-29 bombers (much like the German "Schräge Musik" installments). Two prototypes were completed in June 1945, but the turbo-supercharger proved troublesome, and no further aircraft of this type were produced.

  

From late 1944 on, the J10F1 was quickly thrown into service and became a nasty surprise for Allied aircraft. The modified Focke Wulf design proved to be agile, fast and much tougher than earlier Japanese fighters, coupled with a relatively heavy armament. Beyond interception duties, the J10F1 was frequently employed in close support and anti-shipping tasks, since its low level handling and ordnance load was excellent.

Its only drawback was - as with the original Fw 190 - that performance dropped at heights above 6.000m. This should not have posed a problem with the J2M, but that type's delay left the Allied high-altitude bomber attacks relatively unharmed, so that the J10F3 version was hastily developed, but failed to realize. In Germany, the similar situation resulted in the Fw 190 D-9 variant and finally in the superb Ta-152.

  

J10F1General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 9.29 m (30 ft 6¾ in)

Wingspan:10.51 m (34 ft 5 in)

Height: 3.95 m (12 ft 12 in)

Wing area:18.30 m² (196.99 ft²)

Empty weight: 3,490 kg (7,694 lb)

Max. take-off weight: 4,840 kg (10,670 lb)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 656 km/h (408 mph) at 19,420 ft (5,920 m)

Rate of climb:17 m/s (3,300 ft/min)

Range: 800 km (500 mi)

Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)

Engine: 1 Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23e radial engine with 1.820hp

 

Armament:

2 × 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns, 300 rpg, in the nose

4 × 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 200 rpg, two in the wing roots, two outside of the landing gear.

Three hardpoints, one under the fuselage (max. 500 kg/1.102 lb) and one under each wing for 250 kg/550 lb each for bombs or fuel tanks. Total external ordnance load of 1.000kg (2.205 lb).

  

The kit and its assembly

The 'Japanese Fw 190' is a popular what-if topic, so I wanted to add my interpretation to the plethora of whifs and replicas of the real test machine. Actually, a clean Fw 190 looks pretty Japanese with its radial engine and sleek lines. When I recently came across a similar build at britmodelers.com, I thought that painting a Fw 190 green/grey and putting some Hinomarus on is logical and simple, but there's more in the subject than just cosmetics. I wanted a bit more... And while the concept remained simple, I had enough ideas and spare parts for a twin combo! In the end, the J10F was built as a pure interceptor and as a 'special purpose' night strike aircraft.

 

Basically, my limiting design idea for the J10F's design was the idea that Japan would not have received the Fw 190’s original BMW 801 radial engine, so that an alternative powerplant had to be fitted. I had hoped that this would have set the 'new' plane outwardly a bit apart from its German ancestor, and also make you look twice because the result would not be a 1:1 "Japanized" Fw 190 A/F. I tried, but I suppose that the effect is not as 'powerful' as intended – but judge for yourself?

 

The basic kits for both conversions come from Hobby Boss. It is a simple and clean kit, but with very good fit and engraved details. In an attempt to change the plane's look a little, I tried to transplant other engines - radials, too. Donation parts for both kits come from an Italeri Ju 188, which features two pairs of engines. The radials I used are actually BMW 801’s, too, but they lack the typical cooling fan and the cowlings are 3-4mm longer because they'd carry the engine mountings on the Ju 188's wings. Actually, the fuselage is minimal longer now, maybe 4-5mm, but the shape is still very close to the original Fw 190, so I think that this mod hardly is recognizable at all?

 

The change was a bit tricky, due to the massive fuselage of the Hobby Boss kit, but it worked. The new cowlings received new cooling louvres and exhaust pipes. New, four-bladed propellers were added, scratch-built from leftover Mosquito NF.30 propellers from the Airfix kit and drop tank front halves.

 

Otherwise, though, not much was changed, the two kits just differ in equipment details and received Matchbox pilot figures in order to cover up the bleak and very deep cockpit.

 

The interceptor:

As an interceptor I left the plane clean, without external ordnance. I wanted to emphasize its elegant look, which makes it look like a Ki-43 on casual glance, or even an A6M. The plane carries the normal gun armament (from a Fw 190 A-8), this is supposed to be the original/standard J10F mentioned above.

 

The night attacker:

The J10F1-G variant saw more modifications, including a new exhaust system with flame dampers built from scratch. Other special equipment comprises an IR sight in front of the canopy, flare protectors, the fuselage hardpoint and the scratch-built Ke-Go 110 bomb. In order to cover the deleted gun access panels under the wings, I added streamlined bomb shackles for two Japanese 60kg bombs each, donated from a Matchbox Ju 87 kit.

 

About the Ke-Go bomb

This bomb, which looks like a penguin, is a fantasy derivate of a real Japanese development series until summer 1945. In a nutshell, the Ke-Go bomb actually was one of the first “fire and forget” weapons I have heard of. With the guidance of a bolometer seeker and a self-correcting steering mechanism, the bomb would (only) be useable against strong and clear heat sources – a ship’s kettle at night, when surrounding heat level was low, would qualify, and the bomb would be guided by deviation and correction from that heat source - if it locked on correctly, though! My Ke-Go 110 is a smaller version of the original Ke-Go bombs, suitable for lighter planes.

  

Painting

Being an IJN plane, paint scheme choices for the J10F were rather limited - and since it is a whif plane I stuck to my policy that I rather use a simple/subtle paint scheme.

 

The interceptor:

For the clean and rather conservative interceptor I settled for a simple IJN Green/Gray livery (N. 2 ‘Aomidori-iro’, a bluish, very dark green and N.10 ‘Hairyokushoku’, respectively), with Testors 2116 and 2117 as basic tones. Yellow wing leading edges were added, cut from an aftermarket decal sheet. As a design twist I painted the engine cowling black, A6M-style. The propeller spinner was painted in red brown (typical Japanese WWII primer color), with an orange tip, matching the arrow symbol decal on the tail fin. The propeller blades were painted with Testor’s ‘Rubber’, #1183.

A slightly worn look was achieved through a light wash with black ink and some dry painting with paler shades of Green (Humbrol 91 and 185) and Aluminum, plus light exhaust marks and gun smoke residues with flat black. Some bare metal spots were added, which also highlight some details and add to the worn look.

All decals for the green fighter come from a Hobby Boss A6M, only the arrows come from the Hobby Boss He 162. Finally, everything was sealed under a semi-matte varnish, for a light shine to the surface – typical IJN machines appear to be rather shiny?

 

The night attacker:

This variant received a more fantastic and stealthy paint scheme - I wanted to set the plane apart from the clean and shiny interceptor: a grunty, desperate strike aircraft against overwhelming sea forces.

AFAIK, there had not been specific nocturnal cammo schemes at the IJNAS, except for all-green aircraft? A bit boring, I thought, esp. with a typical green/gray sister plane.

So I made up a personal variant: In a first step, upper surfaces were painted in a brownish-grey basic tone, AFAIK called ‘Ameiro’ – it is the color which was used on early Zeroes which were based on carriers, and the tone faded quickly to a light gray. This color is very similar to RAL 7014 ‘Fenstergrau’ and reminds of B.S. ‘Hemp’. I improvised it with a mix of Humbrol 141 (60%), 83 (35%) and a bit of 155 (5%). On top of that a dense array of dark green blotches (Humbrol 185, Chrome Green, at first, and later also with Humbrol 116 for more contrast) was applied, breaking up the plane’s lines and covering the light gray tone almost completely.

Undersides originally sported ‘Ameiro’, too, but they were painted as if they had been covered with a very dark gray tone in the field (Humbrol 67), even leaving out the hinomarus and flaking off everywhere. The black engine cowling was retained.

Hinomaru and squadron emblems come from the same Mitsubishi A6M from Hobby Boss as mentioned above, featuring even less markings. As a side note: I have never seen Hinomaru with a black(!) rim before? I am not certain if this is correct or an authentic modification - it matches the night fighter role perfectly, though. This time I chose a matte varnish, except for the cowling which received some streaks with more shiny semi-matte varnish.

 

In both cases, cockpit interior surfaces and landing gear wells were painted in ‘Aodake Iro’, simulated with a base of Aluminium (Humbrol 56) and a coat of translucent blue lacquer on top.

  

All in all, these pair of rather simple model kit was built in a couple of days, taking the pictures and waiting for good light took almost the same time! I am not 100% happy, because the engine mod is not as obvious as I expected, even though the four-bladed prop and the slightly elongated fuselage give the J10F a menacing and fast look, like a “Baby Tempest”.

 

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

 

Some background

The history of Focke Wulf's Fw 190 in Japan started with a rejection: in 1943 a single FW 190 A-5 had been supplied to Japan for evaluation, but at first, the type was not put into production by the Japanese. Anyway, the results of the study by Japanese engineers were incorporated in the design of the Ki-61 fighter. This evaluation did not go unnoticed, since the type received the Allied code-name 'Fred'.

 

By that time, the teething development problems of Mitubishi's J2M ‘Raiden’ (Thunderbolt) 'Jack' led to a slowdown in production. Biggest issues were the Kasei engine, an unreliable propeller pitch change mechanism and the main undercarriage members. Another drawback of the type was that its design put emphasis on performance and pilot protection rather than maneuverability. By the time the Fw 190 was tested, only fourteen J2M had been completed.

To make matters even worse, the Mitsubishi A7M 'Reppu' fighter was also behind schedule, so that replacements for the A6M 'Zero', backbone of the IJN’s air force, were overdue.

 

This situation left the Imperial Japanese Navy without a land-based interceptor. The first few produced J2M2 were delivered to the development units in December 1942 but further trials and improvements took almost a year, and it took until June 1944 that the ‘Raiden’ could make its combat debut, during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

 

While the Raiden was to be developed further for the high-altitude interceptor role, the IJN decided in January 1944 to adopt the highly effective Fw 190 as a supplementary interceptor for medium heights - only as a stop-gap at first, but the type quickly evolved into various sub-variants, much like in Germany.

 

License production of the adopted Fw 190 started at Hitachi in May 1944. The original airframe was modified to cater to Japanese needs and customs, and the most obvious difference of the J10F1, how the plane was officially called, was the use of the Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23c radial engine instead of the original BMW 801. It was a modified version of the engine in the J2M, but simplified and made more reliable. The engine produced 1.820hp and drove a four-bladed propeller. Another distinctive feature was a small fin fillet, which compensated directional instability due to the longer forward fuselage.

By its pilots, the J10F quickly became called “hueruge” (フエルゲル), a transcription of the Fw 190's German nickname "Würger" (=Shrike).

 

Variants:

 

J10F1

The original main variant with the MK4R Kasei 23e and armed with 2× 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns and 4× 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 354 aircraft produced.

While no official sub-variant was developed or designated, single machines differed considerably in equipment. This included field-modifications like reduced armament for better performance or ground-attack equipment, e .g. racks for a total of four unguided 60kg air-to-air missiles under the outer wings.

 

J10F1-G

In late 1945 a few J10F1 were modified for the anti-ship role and night attacks, and they received the "-G" suffix for their new land-based bomber role. These planes had a reduced gun armament, flame dampers and an IR sight, similar to the German “Spanner” device.

Most of these planes were to carry special weapons, like a single indigenous Ke-Go 110 heat-seeking guided bomb under the belly, or, alternatively, a copy of the German Bv 246 "Hagelkorn" gliding bomb, which had been delivered to Japan in 1944 for tests and adopted for production. To allow more space under the fuselage while carrying these bombs on the ground, some of these aircraft had a longer tail wheel strut fitted. Additionally, tests were made with a torpedo on the centerline hardpoint. It is uncertain if these weapons were actually used in combat, though.

 

J10F2

The only variant that was developed so far that it entered service, incorporating many detail modifications and improvements. These included thicker armored glass in the cabin's windshield (from 5.5 cm/2.2” to 7.6cm/3”) and extra armor plating behind the pilot's seat. The wing skinning was thickened in localized areas to allow for a further increase in dive speed. A water-methanol engine boost was added, which allowed an engine output of 2.050 hp for short periods, which boosted the top speed to 695 km/h. 52 were produced.

 

J10F3

High altitude project with a pressurized cabin, a larger wing span of 11.96 m (39 ft 2 in) and a turbo-supercharged MK4R-C Kasei 23c engine, with the turbo-supercharger mounted behind the cockpit (itself made wider). This doubled the altitude at which the engine could produce its rated power, from 15,750ft up to 30,185ft. The J10F3 only carried two 20mm cannons in the wing roots, but had two extra oblique-firing 20mm cannon installed aft of the cockpit for use against high flying American B-29 bombers (much like the German "Schräge Musik" installments). Two prototypes were completed in June 1945, but the turbo-supercharger proved troublesome, and no further aircraft of this type were produced.

  

From late 1944 on, the J10F1 was quickly thrown into service and became a nasty surprise for Allied aircraft. The modified Focke Wulf design proved to be agile, fast and much tougher than earlier Japanese fighters, coupled with a relatively heavy armament. Beyond interception duties, the J10F1 was frequently employed in close support and anti-shipping tasks, since its low level handling and ordnance load was excellent.

Its only drawback was - as with the original Fw 190 - that performance dropped at heights above 6.000m. This should not have posed a problem with the J2M, but that type's delay left the Allied high-altitude bomber attacks relatively unharmed, so that the J10F3 version was hastily developed, but failed to realize. In Germany, the similar situation resulted in the Fw 190 D-9 variant and finally in the superb Ta-152.

  

J10F1General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 9.29 m (30 ft 6¾ in)

Wingspan:10.51 m (34 ft 5 in)

Height: 3.95 m (12 ft 12 in)

Wing area:18.30 m² (196.99 ft²)

Empty weight: 3,490 kg (7,694 lb)

Max. take-off weight: 4,840 kg (10,670 lb)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 656 km/h (408 mph) at 19,420 ft (5,920 m)

Rate of climb:17 m/s (3,300 ft/min)

Range: 800 km (500 mi)

Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)

Engine: 1 Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23e radial engine with 1.820hp

 

Armament:

2 × 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns, 300 rpg, in the nose

4 × 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 200 rpg, two in the wing roots, two outside of the landing gear.

Three hardpoints, one under the fuselage (max. 500 kg/1.102 lb) and one under each wing for 250 kg/550 lb each for bombs or fuel tanks. Total external ordnance load of 1.000kg (2.205 lb).

  

The kit and its assembly

The 'Japanese Fw 190' is a popular what-if topic, so I wanted to add my interpretation to the plethora of whifs and replicas of the real test machine. Actually, a clean Fw 190 looks pretty Japanese with its radial engine and sleek lines. When I recently came across a similar build at britmodelers.com, I thought that painting a Fw 190 green/grey and putting some Hinomarus on is logical and simple, but there's more in the subject than just cosmetics. I wanted a bit more... And while the concept remained simple, I had enough ideas and spare parts for a twin combo! In the end, the J10F was built as a pure interceptor and as a 'special purpose' night strike aircraft.

 

Basically, my limiting design idea for the J10F's design was the idea that Japan would not have received the Fw 190’s original BMW 801 radial engine, so that an alternative powerplant had to be fitted. I had hoped that this would have set the 'new' plane outwardly a bit apart from its German ancestor, and also make you look twice because the result would not be a 1:1 "Japanized" Fw 190 A/F. I tried, but I suppose that the effect is not as 'powerful' as intended – but judge for yourself?

 

The basic kits for both conversions come from Hobby Boss. It is a simple and clean kit, but with very good fit and engraved details. In an attempt to change the plane's look a little, I tried to transplant other engines - radials, too. Donation parts for both kits come from an Italeri Ju 188, which features two pairs of engines. The radials I used are actually BMW 801’s, too, but they lack the typical cooling fan and the cowlings are 3-4mm longer because they'd carry the engine mountings on the Ju 188's wings. Actually, the fuselage is minimal longer now, maybe 4-5mm, but the shape is still very close to the original Fw 190, so I think that this mod hardly is recognizable at all?

 

The change was a bit tricky, due to the massive fuselage of the Hobby Boss kit, but it worked. The new cowlings received new cooling louvres and exhaust pipes. New, four-bladed propellers were added, scratch-built from leftover Mosquito NF.30 propellers from the Airfix kit and drop tank front halves.

 

Otherwise, though, not much was changed, the two kits just differ in equipment details and received Matchbox pilot figures in order to cover up the bleak and very deep cockpit.

 

The interceptor:

As an interceptor I left the plane clean, without external ordnance. I wanted to emphasize its elegant look, which makes it look like a Ki-43 on casual glance, or even an A6M. The plane carries the normal gun armament (from a Fw 190 A-8), this is supposed to be the original/standard J10F mentioned above.

 

The night attacker:

The J10F1-G variant saw more modifications, including a new exhaust system with flame dampers built from scratch. Other special equipment comprises an IR sight in front of the canopy, flare protectors, the fuselage hardpoint and the scratch-built Ke-Go 110 bomb. In order to cover the deleted gun access panels under the wings, I added streamlined bomb shackles for two Japanese 60kg bombs each, donated from a Matchbox Ju 87 kit.

 

About the Ke-Go bomb

This bomb, which looks like a penguin, is a fantasy derivate of a real Japanese development series until summer 1945. In a nutshell, the Ke-Go bomb actually was one of the first “fire and forget” weapons I have heard of. With the guidance of a bolometer seeker and a self-correcting steering mechanism, the bomb would (only) be useable against strong and clear heat sources – a ship’s kettle at night, when surrounding heat level was low, would qualify, and the bomb would be guided by deviation and correction from that heat source - if it locked on correctly, though! My Ke-Go 110 is a smaller version of the original Ke-Go bombs, suitable for lighter planes.

  

Painting

Being an IJN plane, paint scheme choices for the J10F were rather limited - and since it is a whif plane I stuck to my policy that I rather use a simple/subtle paint scheme.

 

The interceptor:

For the clean and rather conservative interceptor I settled for a simple IJN Green/Gray livery (N. 2 ‘Aomidori-iro’, a bluish, very dark green and N.10 ‘Hairyokushoku’, respectively), with Testors 2116 and 2117 as basic tones. Yellow wing leading edges were added, cut from an aftermarket decal sheet. As a design twist I painted the engine cowling black, A6M-style. The propeller spinner was painted in red brown (typical Japanese WWII primer color), with an orange tip, matching the arrow symbol decal on the tail fin. The propeller blades were painted with Testor’s ‘Rubber’, #1183.

A slightly worn look was achieved through a light wash with black ink and some dry painting with paler shades of Green (Humbrol 91 and 185) and Aluminum, plus light exhaust marks and gun smoke residues with flat black. Some bare metal spots were added, which also highlight some details and add to the worn look.

All decals for the green fighter come from a Hobby Boss A6M, only the arrows come from the Hobby Boss He 162. Finally, everything was sealed under a semi-matte varnish, for a light shine to the surface – typical IJN machines appear to be rather shiny?

 

The night attacker:

This variant received a more fantastic and stealthy paint scheme - I wanted to set the plane apart from the clean and shiny interceptor: a grunty, desperate strike aircraft against overwhelming sea forces.

AFAIK, there had not been specific nocturnal cammo schemes at the IJNAS, except for all-green aircraft? A bit boring, I thought, esp. with a typical green/gray sister plane.

So I made up a personal variant: In a first step, upper surfaces were painted in a brownish-grey basic tone, AFAIK called ‘Ameiro’ – it is the color which was used on early Zeroes which were based on carriers, and the tone faded quickly to a light gray. This color is very similar to RAL 7014 ‘Fenstergrau’ and reminds of B.S. ‘Hemp’. I improvised it with a mix of Humbrol 141 (60%), 83 (35%) and a bit of 155 (5%). On top of that a dense array of dark green blotches (Humbrol 185, Chrome Green, at first, and later also with Humbrol 116 for more contrast) was applied, breaking up the plane’s lines and covering the light gray tone almost completely.

Undersides originally sported ‘Ameiro’, too, but they were painted as if they had been covered with a very dark gray tone in the field (Humbrol 67), even leaving out the hinomarus and flaking off everywhere. The black engine cowling was retained.

Hinomaru and squadron emblems come from the same Mitsubishi A6M from Hobby Boss as mentioned above, featuring even less markings. As a side note: I have never seen Hinomaru with a black(!) rim before? I am not certain if this is correct or an authentic modification - it matches the night fighter role perfectly, though. This time I chose a matte varnish, except for the cowling which received some streaks with more shiny semi-matte varnish.

 

In both cases, cockpit interior surfaces and landing gear wells were painted in ‘Aodake Iro’, simulated with a base of Aluminium (Humbrol 56) and a coat of translucent blue lacquer on top.

  

All in all, these pair of rather simple model kit was built in a couple of days, taking the pictures and waiting for good light took almost the same time! I am not 100% happy, because the engine mod is not as obvious as I expected, even though the four-bladed prop and the slightly elongated fuselage give the J10F a menacing and fast look, like a “Baby Tempest”.

 

1989 (part 3 of 3)

 

September 3, 1989

Henry Bertram (Harry) Sweeney died at the age of 96. He was the former owner of the controversial Ottawa River land dispute with the City of Kanata, which his relatives settled a week earlier. Kanata Standard, September 13, 1989:3.

 

September 4, 1989

The Pinhey Point Country Fest was held to celebrate the Labour Day holiday in Kanata Kountry. Proceeds of the event went to the University of Ottawa’s Heart Foundation. Kanata Standard, September 6, 1989:3.

 

September 5, 1989

Kanata City Council approved a draft plan from Wedgewood Building Corporation to begin construction on the first phase of a new residential community west of Glen Cairn. Kanata Standard, September 6, 1989:3.

 

September 5, 1989

The constituency office for Lanark-Carleton MP Paul Dick moved into Kanata. Its new location was the second floor of the Kanata Square building on Hearst Way. Dick explained that the move was due to changes in the federal riding’s boundaries. Kanata Standard, September 6, 1989:6.

 

September 6, 1989

The Ontario Municipal Board adjourned its appeal hearing by the Hazeldean Housing Co-operatives after only ten minutes of proceedings. The organization was appealing Kanata City Council’s rejection of their zoning application on Castlefrank Road. Kanata Standard, September 13, 1989:1.

 

September 9, 1989

The residents of Glen Cairn celebrated their 25th Anniversary. In 1964 William Connelly began building the community, which was to be Canada’s “Centennial City.” Kanata Standard, August 30, 1989:1,6.

 

September 9, 1989

The 12th Annual Fun Fair was held by the Glen Cairn Cooperative Nursery School. They raised $2,700 for the school, the highest amount ever. Kanata Standard, September 13, 1989:10.

 

September 10, 1989

The Kanata Pentecostal church on Teron Road celebrated its 10th Anniversary and welcomed a new pastor, Jack Richards. Kanata Standard, September 6, 1989:16.

 

September 12, 1989

Kanata City Council denied the manager of Constance Lake Lodge, John Avery, an exemption from the City’s firearm by-law, which prohibited discharging a firearm. Avery hoped to shoot at seagulls on the lake and frighten them away, as they were a hazard to planes on the lake. Kanata Standard, September 13, 1989:3.

 

September 16, 1989

It was reported that the Kanata Enterprise Corporation was going to be closed in mid-December. It was formed three years earlier to aid young, small businesses in their development. The original intent was that after three years with provincial funding, the Centre would operate independently. Kanata Standard, September 13, 1989:5.

 

September 17, 1989

Kanata held its first Terry Fox Run. $11,171 was raised for cancer research. Kanata Standard, September 13, 1989:30.

 

September 20, 1989

Kanata teenagers Paul Basky and Andrew Woods were organizing a local benefit rock concert in support of the City’s needy. Kanata Standard, September 20, 1989:1-2.

 

September 22, 1989

The Kanata branch of the Royal Canadian Legion received its charter. Kanata Standard, September 27, 1989:1.

 

September 22, 1989

Jim Connelly of Glen Cairn won second place honors at the Ottawa-Carleton Home Builders Association awards banquet for his $400,000 home. Kanata Standard, October 4, 1989:32.

 

September 26, 1989

A small group of residents attended a Kanata City Council meeting to oppose a rezoning request by Genstar Corporation of a parcel of land on the north side of Knudson Drive from low density to medium density. They argued that they had expected the land to remain low density and that townhouses would lower their property values. Kanata Standard, October 4, 1989:2; Kanata Standard, October 12, 1989:3.

 

September 27, 1989

It was reported in the Standard that Kanata OPP was trying to determine if there were missing funds from the Kanata Kountry music festival held at Pinhey’s Point. About 5,000 people attended the festival. Kanata Standard, September 27, 1989:2.

 

September 27, 1989

Kanata City Council agreed to create an Arts Advisory Committee, keeping with the recommendations of a previously released Arts Facility Feasibility Study. The committee would to investigate the needs of the arts community in Kanata and report back to Council. Kanata Standard, October 4, 1989:23.

 

September 29, 1989

A Kanata ambulance attendant, Pat Proulx, was reinstated after five months off work. He was fired on April 17 after making comments to the press criticizing the ambulance service. Kanata Standard, October 4, 1989:5.

 

October 3, 1989

A report tabled at a meeting of the region’s planning committee indicated that Kanata was not providing its fair share of non-profit affordable housing. According to Mayor Adam, there had not been a pressing need for affordable housing development in Kanata a short time earlier. Kanata Standard, October 4, 1989:1.

 

October 4, 1989

It was reported in the Standard that Campeau Corporation had sold its 37 acres of Town Centre industrial lands to Arnon Development Corporation. The price of the sale was not released. The lands had previously been estimated to be worth between $7 and $11 million. Kanata Standard, October 4, 1989:1.

 

October 4, 1989

More than 50 Bridlewood residents attended a public meeting to discuss a possibilities for the CP rail link that was to be put out of commission on January 14. The rail line ran through Bridlewood, bordering Glen Cairn. If the rail was ripped up, ideas on how the land could be developed needed to be aired. Representatives of the Commuter Rail Study Group asked residents to consider the advantages of a commuter train to Ottawa. Jennifer Tomas reported that once both sides of the rail link issue were presented, an “unruly and heated discussion erupted.” Residents finally agreed on a statement asking the City to look into the alternatives for the rail corridor, including recreational uses. Kanata Standard, October 12, 1989:2.

 

October 11, 1989

Kanata City Council moved unanimously to amend the Official Plan and move the “symbolic core” of the Town Centre to land in the northwest quadrant bounded by Terry Fox Drive and the Queensway. Mayor Adam stated that shifting the core of the Town Centre would in no way inhibit other aspects of development slated for the area. Kanata Standard, October 12, 1989:1-2.

 

October 12, 1989

Jennifer Tomas wrote a feature in the Standard outlining a two-day seminar of the Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers Association, where it was indicated that Kanata’s electronics industry had the capacity to reduce emissions of ozone-depleting chemicals by 50 percent. Kanata Standard, October 12, 1989:35.

 

October 12, 1989

The Bridlewood Community Association decided to ask Kanata City Council to rezone the controversial rail line corridor so it could be used as a bicycle path and cross-country ski trail. This contradicted the recommendation from the group formerly led by Alderman Judy Hunter for a commuter rail line to Ottawa. Kanata Standard, October 25, 1989:6.

 

October 12, 1989

Newbridge Corporation announced that it had agreed to form a joint venture company with the Soviet Ministry of Radio to manufacture and sell networking computer systems in Moscow and Minsk, U.S.S.R. The agreement was expected to increase the number of jobs at the Kanata plant from 750 to at least 1200 over the following 14 months. Kanata Standard, October 18, 1989:34.

 

October 18, 1989

The Bridlewood Residents Hydro Line Committee held a public meeting to announce a change in strategy in its battle to have Ontario Hydro move controversial power lines out of the community. Ontario Hydro stated that despite three years of protests and political lobbying, they would boost the electrical current in the Kingston to Ottawa line, which ran through Bridlewood. The group was attempting greater political lobbying and meeting with the Ministry of Energy. Kanata Standard, October 12, 1989:5; Kanata Standard, October 25, 1989:1-2; Kanata Standard, November 1, 1989:7.

 

October 18, 1989

Coscan Development Corporation replaced Minto Corporation as the builder of 650 housing units in the Riddell Village project. Kanata Standard, October 18, 1989:2.

 

October 18, 1989

It was reported in the Standard that Bradley Farm Estates Inc. agreed to not tear down the Bradley farmhouse on Banning Road and agreed to maintain the original structure. In late August, Kanata City Council had declared that the house be protected under the Ontario Heritage Act. Kanata Standard, October 18, 1989:2.

 

October 18, 1989

LaDean Hutchinson reported in the Standard that Mayor Des Adam was critical of Regional Council and their proposal for a transitway tunnel in downtown Ottawa. Kanata Standard, October 18, 1989:6.

 

October 21, 1989

Margaret-Anne Ford of the Glen Cairn Skating Club placed second in the pre-novice category in a regional figure skating competition. Kanata Standard, November 1, 1989:30.

 

October 24, 1989

The Kanata Public Library asked Kanata City Council for $12,500 after tenders for a needs-assessment study were received. Chairman of the Board, Patricia Shotton, related that the consulting firm would look at the library services and make recommendations on additional services over a ten-year period. Kanata Standard, October 18, 1989:41.

 

October 24, 1989

Kanata City Council approved Richgreen Realty’s bid to provide 30,000 square feet of office space at its site between Kanata Hydro and the proposed Grace Hospital for the new City Hall site. The decision to lease was estimated to cost the City over $7 million in rent and operating costs. Aldermen Hunter and James wanted to defer the decision for two weeks to allow for public discussion. Alderman Judy Hunter later criticized the secrecy of actions leading to this decision and stated in her Ward 5 Report: “Before us was a decision on where and how to locate Kanata’s new city hall. No one from the public or in the press knew that this matter was on the night’s agenda. Despite the enormity of the decision at hand, a majority of councillors did not want any public scrutiny or input before we made our choice.” A Standard editorial stated: “Kanata City Council seems to be heading for trouble. With the Sweeney controversy still a fresh memory, city aldermen are gearing up for another head-on collision over the city’s 10-year lease for its new city hall quarters.” Kanata Standard, November 1, 1989:1,5,19; Kanata Standard, November 8, 1989:1,2,7.

 

October 24, 1989

Kanata City Council approved a master plan for parks and open space for Marchwood and Lakeside. The plan was the result of a combined effort by City parks and recreation employees, Torrence and Wright Landscape, developers, and a committee of volunteers. Kanata Standard, November 1, 1989:6.

 

October 25, 1989

It was reported that the City of Kanata hired two new high-ranking staff members. Bill Arthur was hired for the engineering department, and Dave Guilbault took over as the new deputy fire chief. Kanata Standard, October 25, 1989:40; Kanata Standard, November 15, 1989:24; Kanata Standard, November 22, 1989:14.

 

October 27, 1989

Katimavik resident Arthur Provencal, 23, was sentenced the three years in connection with a rash of break and enters in Kanata. Kanata Standard, November 1, 1989:5.

 

October 31, 1989

City crews began construction on an access road for the newly acquired portion of the Sweeney property. Kanata Standard, November 1, 1989:1,5.

 

November 2, 1989

Andrew Haydon, the Regional Chairman, held a bearpit session in Kanata. He defended his $450 million plan to build a tunnel under Albert and Slater streets to speed up bus traffic through downtown Ottawa. Kanata residents were critical of the enormous cost of the project and questioned the benefit to their area. Another session was scheduled for November 9. Kanata Standard, November 8, 1989:7.

 

November 2, 1989

The Kanata City Soccer Club held its Annual General Meeting. Reg Isherwood was chosen to continue as Club president. Other executive members included Dennis Date, Tim Ralfe, Ted Farant, Tom Leafloor, Graham Jones, Barbara Evans, and John Connors. Kanata Standard, November 8, 1989:29.

 

November 7, 1989

Aldermen Hunter and James stated that they wanted to eliminate the Kanata City Council private meetings held before the regular Council meeting each week. They claimed that these in-camera sessions were too private and unnecessary. John Mlacak responded in a letter to the Editor: “During the last several years, a number of council decisions have quite disturbed me and with the recent decision-making process regarding the new city hall, I felt compelled to act on my concerns.” Alderman Hunter, in her Ward 5 Report, wrote of the “poisonous atmosphere” in Council which was one of “bitterness and division.” She added: “At the last council meeting (Nov. 7th) two residents came to council with concerns about secrecy, the exclusion of the public in Kanata’s decision-making process and the financial wisdom of the proposed city hall lease. Instead of a polite reception, former reeve John Mlacak and businessman Charles Sinclair were subjected verbal barbs and personal character attacks from the mayor. This left some of us on council and many in the audience in shock, disbelief, and sorrow.” Kanata Standard, November 15, 1989:1,3,5,43.

 

November 8, 1989

Residents in Kanata Lakes held a meeting to discuss whether or not to form a residents’ association, primarily to keep informed on development in their area before it would get out of control. Kanata Standard, November 1, 1989:5.

 

November 8, 1989

It was reported in the Standard that Hazeldean Mall celebrated its 10th Birthday in Kanata. Kanata Standard, November 8, 1989:32.

 

November 10, 1989

A seven-year-old boy found a used hypodermic needle near garbage in Katimavik and punctured himself. He was being tested for Hepatitis B and AIDS. Kanata Standard, November 22, 1989:1.

 

November 15, 1989

Campeau Corporation decided to take its 300 acres of land in the Kanata North Business Park off the market. The property had been listed for sale for eight months. Kanata Standard, November 15, 1989:3.

 

November 14, 1989

Kanata City Council agreed with the Bridlewood Community Association and passed a motion supporting that the rail corridor be used for a bike path and cross-country ski trail. Kanata Standard, November 22, 1989:20.

 

November 16, 1989

A Kanata City Council meeting erupted as the on-going debate on secrecy in Council came to a head. Alderman Judy Hunter stormed out of a closed meeting claiming that the items being dealt with in the session could have been on the agenda of Council’s regular open meeting. The item in question was Council dealing with previous public statements by Aldermen Hunter and James, when they questioned the administration’s wisdom on the City Hall issue. Alderman Read stated: “Judy Hunter is doing nothing but discrediting us, she’s tearing the city apart....She plays by her own rules and someone has to expose this.” Mayor Adam said that the Hunter’s behavior at the meeting was “absolute plain stupidity.” Hunter defended her actions and stated: “The items to be discussed were not items that needed to be brought up in-camera...Mine and Eva James’ comments in the press were being turned into a personnel matter by council.” Kanata Standard, November 22, 1989:1.

 

November 21, 1989

At a Kanata City Council meeting the hot topic was the proposed Kanata City Hall. This debate had become serious when Aldermen James and Hunter publicly stated that the dealings were kept too much in private. Council was reported as defending their position to the public for two-and-a-half hours. Alderman Hunter contended that the lease deal was not a good deal for the City. Some public members wondered why Hunter had been under personal attack from other members of council since the issue was made public. Kanata Standard, November 29, 1989:3,6,7.

 

November 24, 1989

In an interview with the Standard, Mayor Des Adam advised the Bridlewood Residents’ Hydro Line Committee to “give up the fight.” He added: “There’s nothing to be gained by continuing with this lobby effort. The lines are there and they don’t have a chance in hell of getting them out of there. Why keep hammering away at it? It’s reached the point where it’s not fair to the other residents living in Bridlewood. Their house prices are depressed. It’s not fair that the hydro line group should drag the whole community down with them.” Adam did agree, however, that the hydro lines should have never gone up in a residential community in the first place, and added that the City had done its best in 1985 to prevent them. Kanata Standard, November 29, 1989:1.

 

November 28, 1989

Kanata City Council moved in a 6-1 decision to sign the controversial 10-year $7.3 million city hall lease, pending approval from the Ontario Municipal Board. Alderman Hunter had asked Council to reconsider the leasing option and look at the alternative of purchasing the City Hall development. Adam stated that to switch to purchasing so late in the game would not be possible. Kanata Standard, December 6, 1989:1,6.

 

November 29, 1989

It was reported in the Standard that vandals damaged 21 panels on the pedestrian overpass linking Marchwood-Lakeside (Kanata Lakes) with the Kanata Town Centre. Since being built in 1982, there had been several incidences of vandalism. This time the estimated damage was between $12,000 to $15,000. Kanata Standard, November 29, 1989:3.

 

November 29, 1989

The City of Kanata’s newly formed 17-member environmental committee held its first meeting to discuss terms of reference with the city clerk and elect a Chairman and Vice-Chairman. All members were chosen through interviews with Council. The new Chairman was Michael Cloghesy. Kanata Standard, December 6, 1989:2.

 

December 5, 1989

Kanata Trustee Art Lamarche was acclaimed as the new Chairman of the Carleton Separate School Board. He had served as Trustee for five years. Kanata Standard, December 13, 1989:2.

 

December 5, 1989

The City of Kanata named Newbridge the Corporate Citizen of the Year in the 2nd Annual Awards for Design Excellence. The awards recognized Ottawa-Carleton designers, builders and owners of Kanata projects completed within the year. Kanata Standard, December 6, 1989:39.

 

December 5, 1989

The Bridlewood Community Association held its Annual General Meeting. Linda Makela resigned from her position as president and Eric Hawthorn was the only nominee for the position. Makela said that Hawthorn was concerned with issues and not afraid to speak out. She said this was needed in Bridlewood, as the community was at a critical stage of development with several strip malls and a major business and industrial development planned for 1990. Kanata Standard, December 13, 1989:2.

 

December 6, 1989

Debbie Lawes wrote a feature in the Standard on policing in Kanata. First, she discussed a shortage of police officers in the Kanata OPP detachment, at least in terms of running more proactive programs. Secondly, she expressed that Kanata would not have its own police force until at least 1995. According to Brian Switzer, the City’s chief administration officer, the current population was still too small to incur the expense of a municipal force. Kanata Standard, December 6, 1989:6.

 

December 6, 1989

Kanata’s two public libraries were implementing new computer systems, which would be available to residents in early 1991. Chief librarian, Joan Dodsworth-Ware stated that the old card catalog system would be used until the library became fully integrated with public terminals. Kanata Standard, December 6, 1989:18.

 

December 12, 1989

Kanata City Council held a budget meeting to discuss the proposed 1990 budget. It included $20,000 in its 1990 capital budget to repair the 106-year-old Orange Lodge. The City had bought the stone heritage building at a good price on July 6, due to back taxes owed. Some residents, such as John Mlacak, were critical of much of the capital budget and emphasized that spending needed to be reduced to prepare for unforeseen factors. Mayor Adam felt that there were no strong criticisms at the meeting. Kanata Standard, December 13, 1989:1; Kanata Standard, December 20, 1989:6.

 

December 13, 1989

The Standard reported that the heritage buildings and lands of Pinhey’s Point Estate would become the property of the City, due to financial difficulties experienced by the Pinhey’s Point Foundation. Kanata Standard, December 13, 1989:1.

 

December 15, 1989

A report from the Commuter Rail Study Group, a Kanata-based residents group, was released. It recommended that the Ontario government commission a study into the feasibility of establishing a commuter rail service on a line running through Bridlewood, between Carleton Place and Ottawa. Canadian Pacific was planning to rip up the tracks on January 15, though they also recommended that this be postponed until a study be completed determining the feasibility of the commuter rail system. Kanata Standard, December 20, 1989:3.

 

December 19, 1989

The 1990 Kanata City Budget was released, indicating that if the City wanted to keep the tax increase below five percent, then a cut to social services and the library would be needed. Council had previously approved a 4.8 percent tax increase. Kanata Standard, December 20, 1989:1-2.

 

December 20, 1989

The decision of the Ontario Municipal Board hearing on the proposed co-operative housing development in Glen Cairn was released. Kanata Standard, December 20, 1989:1,44.

 

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

 

Some background

The history of Focke Wulf's Fw 190 in Japan started with a rejection: in 1943 a single FW 190 A-5 had been supplied to Japan for evaluation, but at first, the type was not put into production by the Japanese. Anyway, the results of the study by Japanese engineers were incorporated in the design of the Ki-61 fighter. This evaluation did not go unnoticed, since the type received the Allied code-name 'Fred'.

 

By that time, the teething development problems of Mitubishi's J2M ‘Raiden’ (Thunderbolt) 'Jack' led to a slowdown in production. Biggest issues were the Kasei engine, an unreliable propeller pitch change mechanism and the main undercarriage members. Another drawback of the type was that its design put emphasis on performance and pilot protection rather than maneuverability. By the time the Fw 190 was tested, only fourteen J2M had been completed.

To make matters even worse, the Mitsubishi A7M 'Reppu' fighter was also behind schedule, so that replacements for the A6M 'Zero', backbone of the IJN’s air force, were overdue.

 

This situation left the Imperial Japanese Navy without a land-based interceptor. The first few produced J2M2 were delivered to the development units in December 1942 but further trials and improvements took almost a year, and it took until June 1944 that the ‘Raiden’ could make its combat debut, during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

 

While the Raiden was to be developed further for the high-altitude interceptor role, the IJN decided in January 1944 to adopt the highly effective Fw 190 as a supplementary interceptor for medium heights - only as a stop-gap at first, but the type quickly evolved into various sub-variants, much like in Germany.

 

License production of the adopted Fw 190 started at Hitachi in May 1944. The original airframe was modified to cater to Japanese needs and customs, and the most obvious difference of the J10F1, how the plane was officially called, was the use of the Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23c radial engine instead of the original BMW 801. It was a modified version of the engine in the J2M, but simplified and made more reliable. The engine produced 1.820hp and drove a four-bladed propeller. Another distinctive feature was a small fin fillet, which compensated directional instability due to the longer forward fuselage.

By its pilots, the J10F quickly became called “hueruge” (フエルゲル), a transcription of the Fw 190's German nickname "Würger" (=Shrike).

 

Variants:

 

J10F1

The original main variant with the MK4R Kasei 23e and armed with 2× 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns and 4× 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 354 aircraft produced.

While no official sub-variant was developed or designated, single machines differed considerably in equipment. This included field-modifications like reduced armament for better performance or ground-attack equipment, e .g. racks for a total of four unguided 60kg air-to-air missiles under the outer wings.

 

J10F1-G

In late 1945 a few J10F1 were modified for the anti-ship role and night attacks, and they received the "-G" suffix for their new land-based bomber role. These planes had a reduced gun armament, flame dampers and an IR sight, similar to the German “Spanner” device.

Most of these planes were to carry special weapons, like a single indigenous Ke-Go 110 heat-seeking guided bomb under the belly, or, alternatively, a copy of the German Bv 246 "Hagelkorn" gliding bomb, which had been delivered to Japan in 1944 for tests and adopted for production. To allow more space under the fuselage while carrying these bombs on the ground, some of these aircraft had a longer tail wheel strut fitted. Additionally, tests were made with a torpedo on the centerline hardpoint. It is uncertain if these weapons were actually used in combat, though.

 

J10F2

The only variant that was developed so far that it entered service, incorporating many detail modifications and improvements. These included thicker armored glass in the cabin's windshield (from 5.5 cm/2.2” to 7.6cm/3”) and extra armor plating behind the pilot's seat. The wing skinning was thickened in localized areas to allow for a further increase in dive speed. A water-methanol engine boost was added, which allowed an engine output of 2.050 hp for short periods, which boosted the top speed to 695 km/h. 52 were produced.

 

J10F3

High altitude project with a pressurized cabin, a larger wing span of 11.96 m (39 ft 2 in) and a turbo-supercharged MK4R-C Kasei 23c engine, with the turbo-supercharger mounted behind the cockpit (itself made wider). This doubled the altitude at which the engine could produce its rated power, from 15,750ft up to 30,185ft. The J10F3 only carried two 20mm cannons in the wing roots, but had two extra oblique-firing 20mm cannon installed aft of the cockpit for use against high flying American B-29 bombers (much like the German "Schräge Musik" installments). Two prototypes were completed in June 1945, but the turbo-supercharger proved troublesome, and no further aircraft of this type were produced.

  

From late 1944 on, the J10F1 was quickly thrown into service and became a nasty surprise for Allied aircraft. The modified Focke Wulf design proved to be agile, fast and much tougher than earlier Japanese fighters, coupled with a relatively heavy armament. Beyond interception duties, the J10F1 was frequently employed in close support and anti-shipping tasks, since its low level handling and ordnance load was excellent.

Its only drawback was - as with the original Fw 190 - that performance dropped at heights above 6.000m. This should not have posed a problem with the J2M, but that type's delay left the Allied high-altitude bomber attacks relatively unharmed, so that the J10F3 version was hastily developed, but failed to realize. In Germany, the similar situation resulted in the Fw 190 D-9 variant and finally in the superb Ta-152.

  

J10F1General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 9.29 m (30 ft 6¾ in)

Wingspan:10.51 m (34 ft 5 in)

Height: 3.95 m (12 ft 12 in)

Wing area:18.30 m² (196.99 ft²)

Empty weight: 3,490 kg (7,694 lb)

Max. take-off weight: 4,840 kg (10,670 lb)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 656 km/h (408 mph) at 19,420 ft (5,920 m)

Rate of climb:17 m/s (3,300 ft/min)

Range: 800 km (500 mi)

Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)

Engine: 1 Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23e radial engine with 1.820hp

 

Armament:

2 × 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns, 300 rpg, in the nose

4 × 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 200 rpg, two in the wing roots, two outside of the landing gear.

Three hardpoints, one under the fuselage (max. 500 kg/1.102 lb) and one under each wing for 250 kg/550 lb each for bombs or fuel tanks. Total external ordnance load of 1.000kg (2.205 lb).

  

The kit and its assembly

The 'Japanese Fw 190' is a popular what-if topic, so I wanted to add my interpretation to the plethora of whifs and replicas of the real test machine. Actually, a clean Fw 190 looks pretty Japanese with its radial engine and sleek lines. When I recently came across a similar build at britmodelers.com, I thought that painting a Fw 190 green/grey and putting some Hinomarus on is logical and simple, but there's more in the subject than just cosmetics. I wanted a bit more... And while the concept remained simple, I had enough ideas and spare parts for a twin combo! In the end, the J10F was built as a pure interceptor and as a 'special purpose' night strike aircraft.

 

Basically, my limiting design idea for the J10F's design was the idea that Japan would not have received the Fw 190’s original BMW 801 radial engine, so that an alternative powerplant had to be fitted. I had hoped that this would have set the 'new' plane outwardly a bit apart from its German ancestor, and also make you look twice because the result would not be a 1:1 "Japanized" Fw 190 A/F. I tried, but I suppose that the effect is not as 'powerful' as intended – but judge for yourself?

 

The basic kits for both conversions come from Hobby Boss. It is a simple and clean kit, but with very good fit and engraved details. In an attempt to change the plane's look a little, I tried to transplant other engines - radials, too. Donation parts for both kits come from an Italeri Ju 188, which features two pairs of engines. The radials I used are actually BMW 801’s, too, but they lack the typical cooling fan and the cowlings are 3-4mm longer because they'd carry the engine mountings on the Ju 188's wings. Actually, the fuselage is minimal longer now, maybe 4-5mm, but the shape is still very close to the original Fw 190, so I think that this mod hardly is recognizable at all?

 

The change was a bit tricky, due to the massive fuselage of the Hobby Boss kit, but it worked. The new cowlings received new cooling louvres and exhaust pipes. New, four-bladed propellers were added, scratch-built from leftover Mosquito NF.30 propellers from the Airfix kit and drop tank front halves.

 

Otherwise, though, not much was changed, the two kits just differ in equipment details and received Matchbox pilot figures in order to cover up the bleak and very deep cockpit.

 

The interceptor:

As an interceptor I left the plane clean, without external ordnance. I wanted to emphasize its elegant look, which makes it look like a Ki-43 on casual glance, or even an A6M. The plane carries the normal gun armament (from a Fw 190 A-8), this is supposed to be the original/standard J10F mentioned above.

 

The night attacker:

The J10F1-G variant saw more modifications, including a new exhaust system with flame dampers built from scratch. Other special equipment comprises an IR sight in front of the canopy, flare protectors, the fuselage hardpoint and the scratch-built Ke-Go 110 bomb. In order to cover the deleted gun access panels under the wings, I added streamlined bomb shackles for two Japanese 60kg bombs each, donated from a Matchbox Ju 87 kit.

 

About the Ke-Go bomb

This bomb, which looks like a penguin, is a fantasy derivate of a real Japanese development series until summer 1945. In a nutshell, the Ke-Go bomb actually was one of the first “fire and forget” weapons I have heard of. With the guidance of a bolometer seeker and a self-correcting steering mechanism, the bomb would (only) be useable against strong and clear heat sources – a ship’s kettle at night, when surrounding heat level was low, would qualify, and the bomb would be guided by deviation and correction from that heat source - if it locked on correctly, though! My Ke-Go 110 is a smaller version of the original Ke-Go bombs, suitable for lighter planes.

  

Painting

Being an IJN plane, paint scheme choices for the J10F were rather limited - and since it is a whif plane I stuck to my policy that I rather use a simple/subtle paint scheme.

 

The interceptor:

For the clean and rather conservative interceptor I settled for a simple IJN Green/Gray livery (N. 2 ‘Aomidori-iro’, a bluish, very dark green and N.10 ‘Hairyokushoku’, respectively), with Testors 2116 and 2117 as basic tones. Yellow wing leading edges were added, cut from an aftermarket decal sheet. As a design twist I painted the engine cowling black, A6M-style. The propeller spinner was painted in red brown (typical Japanese WWII primer color), with an orange tip, matching the arrow symbol decal on the tail fin. The propeller blades were painted with Testor’s ‘Rubber’, #1183.

A slightly worn look was achieved through a light wash with black ink and some dry painting with paler shades of Green (Humbrol 91 and 185) and Aluminum, plus light exhaust marks and gun smoke residues with flat black. Some bare metal spots were added, which also highlight some details and add to the worn look.

All decals for the green fighter come from a Hobby Boss A6M, only the arrows come from the Hobby Boss He 162. Finally, everything was sealed under a semi-matte varnish, for a light shine to the surface – typical IJN machines appear to be rather shiny?

 

The night attacker:

This variant received a more fantastic and stealthy paint scheme - I wanted to set the plane apart from the clean and shiny interceptor: a grunty, desperate strike aircraft against overwhelming sea forces.

AFAIK, there had not been specific nocturnal cammo schemes at the IJNAS, except for all-green aircraft? A bit boring, I thought, esp. with a typical green/gray sister plane.

So I made up a personal variant: In a first step, upper surfaces were painted in a brownish-grey basic tone, AFAIK called ‘Ameiro’ – it is the color which was used on early Zeroes which were based on carriers, and the tone faded quickly to a light gray. This color is very similar to RAL 7014 ‘Fenstergrau’ and reminds of B.S. ‘Hemp’. I improvised it with a mix of Humbrol 141 (60%), 83 (35%) and a bit of 155 (5%). On top of that a dense array of dark green blotches (Humbrol 185, Chrome Green, at first, and later also with Humbrol 116 for more contrast) was applied, breaking up the plane’s lines and covering the light gray tone almost completely.

Undersides originally sported ‘Ameiro’, too, but they were painted as if they had been covered with a very dark gray tone in the field (Humbrol 67), even leaving out the hinomarus and flaking off everywhere. The black engine cowling was retained.

Hinomaru and squadron emblems come from the same Mitsubishi A6M from Hobby Boss as mentioned above, featuring even less markings. As a side note: I have never seen Hinomaru with a black(!) rim before? I am not certain if this is correct or an authentic modification - it matches the night fighter role perfectly, though. This time I chose a matte varnish, except for the cowling which received some streaks with more shiny semi-matte varnish.

 

In both cases, cockpit interior surfaces and landing gear wells were painted in ‘Aodake Iro’, simulated with a base of Aluminium (Humbrol 56) and a coat of translucent blue lacquer on top.

  

All in all, these pair of rather simple model kit was built in a couple of days, taking the pictures and waiting for good light took almost the same time! I am not 100% happy, because the engine mod is not as obvious as I expected, even though the four-bladed prop and the slightly elongated fuselage give the J10F a menacing and fast look, like a “Baby Tempest”.

 

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

 

Some background

The history of Focke Wulf's Fw 190 in Japan started with a rejection: in 1943 a single FW 190 A-5 had been supplied to Japan for evaluation, but at first, the type was not put into production by the Japanese. Anyway, the results of the study by Japanese engineers were incorporated in the design of the Ki-61 fighter. This evaluation did not go unnoticed, since the type received the Allied code-name 'Fred'.

 

By that time, the teething development problems of Mitubishi's J2M ‘Raiden’ (Thunderbolt) 'Jack' led to a slowdown in production. Biggest issues were the Kasei engine, an unreliable propeller pitch change mechanism and the main undercarriage members. Another drawback of the type was that its design put emphasis on performance and pilot protection rather than maneuverability. By the time the Fw 190 was tested, only fourteen J2M had been completed.

To make matters even worse, the Mitsubishi A7M 'Reppu' fighter was also behind schedule, so that replacements for the A6M 'Zero', backbone of the IJN’s air force, were overdue.

 

This situation left the Imperial Japanese Navy without a land-based interceptor. The first few produced J2M2 were delivered to the development units in December 1942 but further trials and improvements took almost a year, and it took until June 1944 that the ‘Raiden’ could make its combat debut, during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

 

While the Raiden was to be developed further for the high-altitude interceptor role, the IJN decided in January 1944 to adopt the highly effective Fw 190 as a supplementary interceptor for medium heights - only as a stop-gap at first, but the type quickly evolved into various sub-variants, much like in Germany.

 

License production of the adopted Fw 190 started at Hitachi in May 1944. The original airframe was modified to cater to Japanese needs and customs, and the most obvious difference of the J10F1, how the plane was officially called, was the use of the Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23c radial engine instead of the original BMW 801. It was a modified version of the engine in the J2M, but simplified and made more reliable. The engine produced 1.820hp and drove a four-bladed propeller. Another distinctive feature was a small fin fillet, which compensated directional instability due to the longer forward fuselage.

By its pilots, the J10F quickly became called “hueruge” (フエルゲル), a transcription of the Fw 190's German nickname "Würger" (=Shrike).

 

Variants:

 

J10F1

The original main variant with the MK4R Kasei 23e and armed with 2× 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns and 4× 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 354 aircraft produced.

While no official sub-variant was developed or designated, single machines differed considerably in equipment. This included field-modifications like reduced armament for better performance or ground-attack equipment, e .g. racks for a total of four unguided 60kg air-to-air missiles under the outer wings.

 

J10F1-G

In late 1945 a few J10F1 were modified for the anti-ship role and night attacks, and they received the "-G" suffix for their new land-based bomber role. These planes had a reduced gun armament, flame dampers and an IR sight, similar to the German “Spanner” device.

Most of these planes were to carry special weapons, like a single indigenous Ke-Go 110 heat-seeking guided bomb under the belly, or, alternatively, a copy of the German Bv 246 "Hagelkorn" gliding bomb, which had been delivered to Japan in 1944 for tests and adopted for production. To allow more space under the fuselage while carrying these bombs on the ground, some of these aircraft had a longer tail wheel strut fitted. Additionally, tests were made with a torpedo on the centerline hardpoint. It is uncertain if these weapons were actually used in combat, though.

 

J10F2

The only variant that was developed so far that it entered service, incorporating many detail modifications and improvements. These included thicker armored glass in the cabin's windshield (from 5.5 cm/2.2” to 7.6cm/3”) and extra armor plating behind the pilot's seat. The wing skinning was thickened in localized areas to allow for a further increase in dive speed. A water-methanol engine boost was added, which allowed an engine output of 2.050 hp for short periods, which boosted the top speed to 695 km/h. 52 were produced.

 

J10F3

High altitude project with a pressurized cabin, a larger wing span of 11.96 m (39 ft 2 in) and a turbo-supercharged MK4R-C Kasei 23c engine, with the turbo-supercharger mounted behind the cockpit (itself made wider). This doubled the altitude at which the engine could produce its rated power, from 15,750ft up to 30,185ft. The J10F3 only carried two 20mm cannons in the wing roots, but had two extra oblique-firing 20mm cannon installed aft of the cockpit for use against high flying American B-29 bombers (much like the German "Schräge Musik" installments). Two prototypes were completed in June 1945, but the turbo-supercharger proved troublesome, and no further aircraft of this type were produced.

  

From late 1944 on, the J10F1 was quickly thrown into service and became a nasty surprise for Allied aircraft. The modified Focke Wulf design proved to be agile, fast and much tougher than earlier Japanese fighters, coupled with a relatively heavy armament. Beyond interception duties, the J10F1 was frequently employed in close support and anti-shipping tasks, since its low level handling and ordnance load was excellent.

Its only drawback was - as with the original Fw 190 - that performance dropped at heights above 6.000m. This should not have posed a problem with the J2M, but that type's delay left the Allied high-altitude bomber attacks relatively unharmed, so that the J10F3 version was hastily developed, but failed to realize. In Germany, the similar situation resulted in the Fw 190 D-9 variant and finally in the superb Ta-152.

  

J10F1General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 9.29 m (30 ft 6¾ in)

Wingspan:10.51 m (34 ft 5 in)

Height: 3.95 m (12 ft 12 in)

Wing area:18.30 m² (196.99 ft²)

Empty weight: 3,490 kg (7,694 lb)

Max. take-off weight: 4,840 kg (10,670 lb)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 656 km/h (408 mph) at 19,420 ft (5,920 m)

Rate of climb:17 m/s (3,300 ft/min)

Range: 800 km (500 mi)

Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)

Engine: 1 Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23e radial engine with 1.820hp

 

Armament:

2 × 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns, 300 rpg, in the nose

4 × 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 200 rpg, two in the wing roots, two outside of the landing gear.

Three hardpoints, one under the fuselage (max. 500 kg/1.102 lb) and one under each wing for 250 kg/550 lb each for bombs or fuel tanks. Total external ordnance load of 1.000kg (2.205 lb).

  

The kit and its assembly

The 'Japanese Fw 190' is a popular what-if topic, so I wanted to add my interpretation to the plethora of whifs and replicas of the real test machine. Actually, a clean Fw 190 looks pretty Japanese with its radial engine and sleek lines. When I recently came across a similar build at britmodelers.com, I thought that painting a Fw 190 green/grey and putting some Hinomarus on is logical and simple, but there's more in the subject than just cosmetics. I wanted a bit more... And while the concept remained simple, I had enough ideas and spare parts for a twin combo! In the end, the J10F was built as a pure interceptor and as a 'special purpose' night strike aircraft.

 

Basically, my limiting design idea for the J10F's design was the idea that Japan would not have received the Fw 190’s original BMW 801 radial engine, so that an alternative powerplant had to be fitted. I had hoped that this would have set the 'new' plane outwardly a bit apart from its German ancestor, and also make you look twice because the result would not be a 1:1 "Japanized" Fw 190 A/F. I tried, but I suppose that the effect is not as 'powerful' as intended – but judge for yourself?

 

The basic kits for both conversions come from Hobby Boss. It is a simple and clean kit, but with very good fit and engraved details. In an attempt to change the plane's look a little, I tried to transplant other engines - radials, too. Donation parts for both kits come from an Italeri Ju 188, which features two pairs of engines. The radials I used are actually BMW 801’s, too, but they lack the typical cooling fan and the cowlings are 3-4mm longer because they'd carry the engine mountings on the Ju 188's wings. Actually, the fuselage is minimal longer now, maybe 4-5mm, but the shape is still very close to the original Fw 190, so I think that this mod hardly is recognizable at all?

 

The change was a bit tricky, due to the massive fuselage of the Hobby Boss kit, but it worked. The new cowlings received new cooling louvres and exhaust pipes. New, four-bladed propellers were added, scratch-built from leftover Mosquito NF.30 propellers from the Airfix kit and drop tank front halves.

 

Otherwise, though, not much was changed, the two kits just differ in equipment details and received Matchbox pilot figures in order to cover up the bleak and very deep cockpit.

 

The interceptor:

As an interceptor I left the plane clean, without external ordnance. I wanted to emphasize its elegant look, which makes it look like a Ki-43 on casual glance, or even an A6M. The plane carries the normal gun armament (from a Fw 190 A-8), this is supposed to be the original/standard J10F mentioned above.

 

The night attacker:

The J10F1-G variant saw more modifications, including a new exhaust system with flame dampers built from scratch. Other special equipment comprises an IR sight in front of the canopy, flare protectors, the fuselage hardpoint and the scratch-built Ke-Go 110 bomb. In order to cover the deleted gun access panels under the wings, I added streamlined bomb shackles for two Japanese 60kg bombs each, donated from a Matchbox Ju 87 kit.

 

About the Ke-Go bomb

This bomb, which looks like a penguin, is a fantasy derivate of a real Japanese development series until summer 1945. In a nutshell, the Ke-Go bomb actually was one of the first “fire and forget” weapons I have heard of. With the guidance of a bolometer seeker and a self-correcting steering mechanism, the bomb would (only) be useable against strong and clear heat sources – a ship’s kettle at night, when surrounding heat level was low, would qualify, and the bomb would be guided by deviation and correction from that heat source - if it locked on correctly, though! My Ke-Go 110 is a smaller version of the original Ke-Go bombs, suitable for lighter planes.

  

Painting

Being an IJN plane, paint scheme choices for the J10F were rather limited - and since it is a whif plane I stuck to my policy that I rather use a simple/subtle paint scheme.

 

The interceptor:

For the clean and rather conservative interceptor I settled for a simple IJN Green/Gray livery (N. 2 ‘Aomidori-iro’, a bluish, very dark green and N.10 ‘Hairyokushoku’, respectively), with Testors 2116 and 2117 as basic tones. Yellow wing leading edges were added, cut from an aftermarket decal sheet. As a design twist I painted the engine cowling black, A6M-style. The propeller spinner was painted in red brown (typical Japanese WWII primer color), with an orange tip, matching the arrow symbol decal on the tail fin. The propeller blades were painted with Testor’s ‘Rubber’, #1183.

A slightly worn look was achieved through a light wash with black ink and some dry painting with paler shades of Green (Humbrol 91 and 185) and Aluminum, plus light exhaust marks and gun smoke residues with flat black. Some bare metal spots were added, which also highlight some details and add to the worn look.

All decals for the green fighter come from a Hobby Boss A6M, only the arrows come from the Hobby Boss He 162. Finally, everything was sealed under a semi-matte varnish, for a light shine to the surface – typical IJN machines appear to be rather shiny?

 

The night attacker:

This variant received a more fantastic and stealthy paint scheme - I wanted to set the plane apart from the clean and shiny interceptor: a grunty, desperate strike aircraft against overwhelming sea forces.

AFAIK, there had not been specific nocturnal cammo schemes at the IJNAS, except for all-green aircraft? A bit boring, I thought, esp. with a typical green/gray sister plane.

So I made up a personal variant: In a first step, upper surfaces were painted in a brownish-grey basic tone, AFAIK called ‘Ameiro’ – it is the color which was used on early Zeroes which were based on carriers, and the tone faded quickly to a light gray. This color is very similar to RAL 7014 ‘Fenstergrau’ and reminds of B.S. ‘Hemp’. I improvised it with a mix of Humbrol 141 (60%), 83 (35%) and a bit of 155 (5%). On top of that a dense array of dark green blotches (Humbrol 185, Chrome Green, at first, and later also with Humbrol 116 for more contrast) was applied, breaking up the plane’s lines and covering the light gray tone almost completely.

Undersides originally sported ‘Ameiro’, too, but they were painted as if they had been covered with a very dark gray tone in the field (Humbrol 67), even leaving out the hinomarus and flaking off everywhere. The black engine cowling was retained.

Hinomaru and squadron emblems come from the same Mitsubishi A6M from Hobby Boss as mentioned above, featuring even less markings. As a side note: I have never seen Hinomaru with a black(!) rim before? I am not certain if this is correct or an authentic modification - it matches the night fighter role perfectly, though. This time I chose a matte varnish, except for the cowling which received some streaks with more shiny semi-matte varnish.

 

In both cases, cockpit interior surfaces and landing gear wells were painted in ‘Aodake Iro’, simulated with a base of Aluminium (Humbrol 56) and a coat of translucent blue lacquer on top.

  

All in all, these pair of rather simple model kit was built in a couple of days, taking the pictures and waiting for good light took almost the same time! I am not 100% happy, because the engine mod is not as obvious as I expected, even though the four-bladed prop and the slightly elongated fuselage give the J10F a menacing and fast look, like a “Baby Tempest”.

 

Film still from the documentary Official Rejection, reviewed HERE on Uncovered Films.

 

*Jenna is interviewed briefly during the film, and has an extended interview on Disc 2 of the special edition (Which I have not yet viewed).

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

 

Some background

The history of Focke Wulf's Fw 190 in Japan started with a rejection: in 1943 a single FW 190 A-5 had been supplied to Japan for evaluation, but at first, the type was not put into production by the Japanese. Anyway, the results of the study by Japanese engineers were incorporated in the design of the Ki-61 fighter. This evaluation did not go unnoticed, since the type received the Allied code-name 'Fred'.

 

By that time, the teething development problems of Mitubishi's J2M ‘Raiden’ (Thunderbolt) 'Jack' led to a slowdown in production. Biggest issues were the Kasei engine, an unreliable propeller pitch change mechanism and the main undercarriage members. Another drawback of the type was that its design put emphasis on performance and pilot protection rather than maneuverability. By the time the Fw 190 was tested, only fourteen J2M had been completed.

To make matters even worse, the Mitsubishi A7M 'Reppu' fighter was also behind schedule, so that replacements for the A6M 'Zero', backbone of the IJN’s air force, were overdue.

 

This situation left the Imperial Japanese Navy without a land-based interceptor. The first few produced J2M2 were delivered to the development units in December 1942 but further trials and improvements took almost a year, and it took until June 1944 that the ‘Raiden’ could make its combat debut, during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

 

While the Raiden was to be developed further for the high-altitude interceptor role, the IJN decided in January 1944 to adopt the highly effective Fw 190 as a supplementary interceptor for medium heights - only as a stop-gap at first, but the type quickly evolved into various sub-variants, much like in Germany.

 

License production of the adopted Fw 190 started at Hitachi in May 1944. The original airframe was modified to cater to Japanese needs and customs, and the most obvious difference of the J10F1, how the plane was officially called, was the use of the Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23c radial engine instead of the original BMW 801. It was a modified version of the engine in the J2M, but simplified and made more reliable. The engine produced 1.820hp and drove a four-bladed propeller. Another distinctive feature was a small fin fillet, which compensated directional instability due to the longer forward fuselage.

By its pilots, the J10F quickly became called “hueruge” (フエルゲル), a transcription of the Fw 190's German nickname "Würger" (=Shrike).

 

Variants:

 

J10F1

The original main variant with the MK4R Kasei 23e and armed with 2× 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns and 4× 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 354 aircraft produced.

While no official sub-variant was developed or designated, single machines differed considerably in equipment. This included field-modifications like reduced armament for better performance or ground-attack equipment, e .g. racks for a total of four unguided 60kg air-to-air missiles under the outer wings.

 

J10F1-G

In late 1945 a few J10F1 were modified for the anti-ship role and night attacks, and they received the "-G" suffix for their new land-based bomber role. These planes had a reduced gun armament, flame dampers and an IR sight, similar to the German “Spanner” device.

Most of these planes were to carry special weapons, like a single indigenous Ke-Go 110 heat-seeking guided bomb under the belly, or, alternatively, a copy of the German Bv 246 "Hagelkorn" gliding bomb, which had been delivered to Japan in 1944 for tests and adopted for production. To allow more space under the fuselage while carrying these bombs on the ground, some of these aircraft had a longer tail wheel strut fitted. Additionally, tests were made with a torpedo on the centerline hardpoint. It is uncertain if these weapons were actually used in combat, though.

 

J10F2

The only variant that was developed so far that it entered service, incorporating many detail modifications and improvements. These included thicker armored glass in the cabin's windshield (from 5.5 cm/2.2” to 7.6cm/3”) and extra armor plating behind the pilot's seat. The wing skinning was thickened in localized areas to allow for a further increase in dive speed. A water-methanol engine boost was added, which allowed an engine output of 2.050 hp for short periods, which boosted the top speed to 695 km/h. 52 were produced.

 

J10F3

High altitude project with a pressurized cabin, a larger wing span of 11.96 m (39 ft 2 in) and a turbo-supercharged MK4R-C Kasei 23c engine, with the turbo-supercharger mounted behind the cockpit (itself made wider). This doubled the altitude at which the engine could produce its rated power, from 15,750ft up to 30,185ft. The J10F3 only carried two 20mm cannons in the wing roots, but had two extra oblique-firing 20mm cannon installed aft of the cockpit for use against high flying American B-29 bombers (much like the German "Schräge Musik" installments). Two prototypes were completed in June 1945, but the turbo-supercharger proved troublesome, and no further aircraft of this type were produced.

  

From late 1944 on, the J10F1 was quickly thrown into service and became a nasty surprise for Allied aircraft. The modified Focke Wulf design proved to be agile, fast and much tougher than earlier Japanese fighters, coupled with a relatively heavy armament. Beyond interception duties, the J10F1 was frequently employed in close support and anti-shipping tasks, since its low level handling and ordnance load was excellent.

Its only drawback was - as with the original Fw 190 - that performance dropped at heights above 6.000m. This should not have posed a problem with the J2M, but that type's delay left the Allied high-altitude bomber attacks relatively unharmed, so that the J10F3 version was hastily developed, but failed to realize. In Germany, the similar situation resulted in the Fw 190 D-9 variant and finally in the superb Ta-152.

  

J10F1General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 9.29 m (30 ft 6¾ in)

Wingspan:10.51 m (34 ft 5 in)

Height: 3.95 m (12 ft 12 in)

Wing area:18.30 m² (196.99 ft²)

Empty weight: 3,490 kg (7,694 lb)

Max. take-off weight: 4,840 kg (10,670 lb)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 656 km/h (408 mph) at 19,420 ft (5,920 m)

Rate of climb:17 m/s (3,300 ft/min)

Range: 800 km (500 mi)

Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)

Engine: 1 Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23e radial engine with 1.820hp

 

Armament:

2 × 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns, 300 rpg, in the nose

4 × 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 200 rpg, two in the wing roots, two outside of the landing gear.

Three hardpoints, one under the fuselage (max. 500 kg/1.102 lb) and one under each wing for 250 kg/550 lb each for bombs or fuel tanks. Total external ordnance load of 1.000kg (2.205 lb).

  

The kit and its assembly

The 'Japanese Fw 190' is a popular what-if topic, so I wanted to add my interpretation to the plethora of whifs and replicas of the real test machine. Actually, a clean Fw 190 looks pretty Japanese with its radial engine and sleek lines. When I recently came across a similar build at britmodelers.com, I thought that painting a Fw 190 green/grey and putting some Hinomarus on is logical and simple, but there's more in the subject than just cosmetics. I wanted a bit more... And while the concept remained simple, I had enough ideas and spare parts for a twin combo! In the end, the J10F was built as a pure interceptor and as a 'special purpose' night strike aircraft.

 

Basically, my limiting design idea for the J10F's design was the idea that Japan would not have received the Fw 190’s original BMW 801 radial engine, so that an alternative powerplant had to be fitted. I had hoped that this would have set the 'new' plane outwardly a bit apart from its German ancestor, and also make you look twice because the result would not be a 1:1 "Japanized" Fw 190 A/F. I tried, but I suppose that the effect is not as 'powerful' as intended – but judge for yourself?

 

The basic kits for both conversions come from Hobby Boss. It is a simple and clean kit, but with very good fit and engraved details. In an attempt to change the plane's look a little, I tried to transplant other engines - radials, too. Donation parts for both kits come from an Italeri Ju 188, which features two pairs of engines. The radials I used are actually BMW 801’s, too, but they lack the typical cooling fan and the cowlings are 3-4mm longer because they'd carry the engine mountings on the Ju 188's wings. Actually, the fuselage is minimal longer now, maybe 4-5mm, but the shape is still very close to the original Fw 190, so I think that this mod hardly is recognizable at all?

 

The change was a bit tricky, due to the massive fuselage of the Hobby Boss kit, but it worked. The new cowlings received new cooling louvres and exhaust pipes. New, four-bladed propellers were added, scratch-built from leftover Mosquito NF.30 propellers from the Airfix kit and drop tank front halves.

 

Otherwise, though, not much was changed, the two kits just differ in equipment details and received Matchbox pilot figures in order to cover up the bleak and very deep cockpit.

 

The interceptor:

As an interceptor I left the plane clean, without external ordnance. I wanted to emphasize its elegant look, which makes it look like a Ki-43 on casual glance, or even an A6M. The plane carries the normal gun armament (from a Fw 190 A-8), this is supposed to be the original/standard J10F mentioned above.

 

The night attacker:

The J10F1-G variant saw more modifications, including a new exhaust system with flame dampers built from scratch. Other special equipment comprises an IR sight in front of the canopy, flare protectors, the fuselage hardpoint and the scratch-built Ke-Go 110 bomb. In order to cover the deleted gun access panels under the wings, I added streamlined bomb shackles for two Japanese 60kg bombs each, donated from a Matchbox Ju 87 kit.

 

About the Ke-Go bomb

This bomb, which looks like a penguin, is a fantasy derivate of a real Japanese development series until summer 1945. In a nutshell, the Ke-Go bomb actually was one of the first “fire and forget” weapons I have heard of. With the guidance of a bolometer seeker and a self-correcting steering mechanism, the bomb would (only) be useable against strong and clear heat sources – a ship’s kettle at night, when surrounding heat level was low, would qualify, and the bomb would be guided by deviation and correction from that heat source - if it locked on correctly, though! My Ke-Go 110 is a smaller version of the original Ke-Go bombs, suitable for lighter planes.

  

Painting

Being an IJN plane, paint scheme choices for the J10F were rather limited - and since it is a whif plane I stuck to my policy that I rather use a simple/subtle paint scheme.

 

The interceptor:

For the clean and rather conservative interceptor I settled for a simple IJN Green/Gray livery (N. 2 ‘Aomidori-iro’, a bluish, very dark green and N.10 ‘Hairyokushoku’, respectively), with Testors 2116 and 2117 as basic tones. Yellow wing leading edges were added, cut from an aftermarket decal sheet. As a design twist I painted the engine cowling black, A6M-style. The propeller spinner was painted in red brown (typical Japanese WWII primer color), with an orange tip, matching the arrow symbol decal on the tail fin. The propeller blades were painted with Testor’s ‘Rubber’, #1183.

A slightly worn look was achieved through a light wash with black ink and some dry painting with paler shades of Green (Humbrol 91 and 185) and Aluminum, plus light exhaust marks and gun smoke residues with flat black. Some bare metal spots were added, which also highlight some details and add to the worn look.

All decals for the green fighter come from a Hobby Boss A6M, only the arrows come from the Hobby Boss He 162. Finally, everything was sealed under a semi-matte varnish, for a light shine to the surface – typical IJN machines appear to be rather shiny?

 

The night attacker:

This variant received a more fantastic and stealthy paint scheme - I wanted to set the plane apart from the clean and shiny interceptor: a grunty, desperate strike aircraft against overwhelming sea forces.

AFAIK, there had not been specific nocturnal cammo schemes at the IJNAS, except for all-green aircraft? A bit boring, I thought, esp. with a typical green/gray sister plane.

So I made up a personal variant: In a first step, upper surfaces were painted in a brownish-grey basic tone, AFAIK called ‘Ameiro’ – it is the color which was used on early Zeroes which were based on carriers, and the tone faded quickly to a light gray. This color is very similar to RAL 7014 ‘Fenstergrau’ and reminds of B.S. ‘Hemp’. I improvised it with a mix of Humbrol 141 (60%), 83 (35%) and a bit of 155 (5%). On top of that a dense array of dark green blotches (Humbrol 185, Chrome Green, at first, and later also with Humbrol 116 for more contrast) was applied, breaking up the plane’s lines and covering the light gray tone almost completely.

Undersides originally sported ‘Ameiro’, too, but they were painted as if they had been covered with a very dark gray tone in the field (Humbrol 67), even leaving out the hinomarus and flaking off everywhere. The black engine cowling was retained.

Hinomaru and squadron emblems come from the same Mitsubishi A6M from Hobby Boss as mentioned above, featuring even less markings. As a side note: I have never seen Hinomaru with a black(!) rim before? I am not certain if this is correct or an authentic modification - it matches the night fighter role perfectly, though. This time I chose a matte varnish, except for the cowling which received some streaks with more shiny semi-matte varnish.

 

In both cases, cockpit interior surfaces and landing gear wells were painted in ‘Aodake Iro’, simulated with a base of Aluminium (Humbrol 56) and a coat of translucent blue lacquer on top.

  

All in all, these pair of rather simple model kit was built in a couple of days, taking the pictures and waiting for good light took almost the same time! I am not 100% happy, because the engine mod is not as obvious as I expected, even though the four-bladed prop and the slightly elongated fuselage give the J10F a menacing and fast look, like a “Baby Tempest”.

 

"Life Blood" made in response to an open call for entries on the topic of "With or Without Water"

 

One down, hundreds to go. Wheeeee.

Philophobia (fear of love) could be stopping you getting the love you want. Find out if you have philophobia and how to cure it.

Attachment Theory tells us that we’re wired to pursue love and acceptance, which makes the fear of rejection understandable. But might there be a corresponding fear tha...

 

howdoidate.com/personal-development/philophobia-stopping-...

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

 

Some background

The history of Focke Wulf's Fw 190 in Japan started with a rejection: in 1943 a single FW 190 A-5 had been supplied to Japan for evaluation, but at first, the type was not put into production by the Japanese. Anyway, the results of the study by Japanese engineers were incorporated in the design of the Ki-61 fighter. This evaluation did not go unnoticed, since the type received the Allied code-name 'Fred'.

 

By that time, the teething development problems of Mitubishi's J2M ‘Raiden’ (Thunderbolt) 'Jack' led to a slowdown in production. Biggest issues were the Kasei engine, an unreliable propeller pitch change mechanism and the main undercarriage members. Another drawback of the type was that its design put emphasis on performance and pilot protection rather than maneuverability. By the time the Fw 190 was tested, only fourteen J2M had been completed.

To make matters even worse, the Mitsubishi A7M 'Reppu' fighter was also behind schedule, so that replacements for the A6M 'Zero', backbone of the IJN’s air force, were overdue.

 

This situation left the Imperial Japanese Navy without a land-based interceptor. The first few produced J2M2 were delivered to the development units in December 1942 but further trials and improvements took almost a year, and it took until June 1944 that the ‘Raiden’ could make its combat debut, during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

 

While the Raiden was to be developed further for the high-altitude interceptor role, the IJN decided in January 1944 to adopt the highly effective Fw 190 as a supplementary interceptor for medium heights - only as a stop-gap at first, but the type quickly evolved into various sub-variants, much like in Germany.

 

License production of the adopted Fw 190 started at Hitachi in May 1944. The original airframe was modified to cater to Japanese needs and customs, and the most obvious difference of the J10F1, how the plane was officially called, was the use of the Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23c radial engine instead of the original BMW 801. It was a modified version of the engine in the J2M, but simplified and made more reliable. The engine produced 1.820hp and drove a four-bladed propeller. Another distinctive feature was a small fin fillet, which compensated directional instability due to the longer forward fuselage.

By its pilots, the J10F quickly became called “hueruge” (フエルゲル), a transcription of the Fw 190's German nickname "Würger" (=Shrike).

 

Variants:

 

J10F1

The original main variant with the MK4R Kasei 23e and armed with 2× 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns and 4× 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 354 aircraft produced.

While no official sub-variant was developed or designated, single machines differed considerably in equipment. This included field-modifications like reduced armament for better performance or ground-attack equipment, e .g. racks for a total of four unguided 60kg air-to-air missiles under the outer wings.

 

J10F1-G

In late 1945 a few J10F1 were modified for the anti-ship role and night attacks, and they received the "-G" suffix for their new land-based bomber role. These planes had a reduced gun armament, flame dampers and an IR sight, similar to the German “Spanner” device.

Most of these planes were to carry special weapons, like a single indigenous Ke-Go 110 heat-seeking guided bomb under the belly, or, alternatively, a copy of the German Bv 246 "Hagelkorn" gliding bomb, which had been delivered to Japan in 1944 for tests and adopted for production. To allow more space under the fuselage while carrying these bombs on the ground, some of these aircraft had a longer tail wheel strut fitted. Additionally, tests were made with a torpedo on the centerline hardpoint. It is uncertain if these weapons were actually used in combat, though.

 

J10F2

The only variant that was developed so far that it entered service, incorporating many detail modifications and improvements. These included thicker armored glass in the cabin's windshield (from 5.5 cm/2.2” to 7.6cm/3”) and extra armor plating behind the pilot's seat. The wing skinning was thickened in localized areas to allow for a further increase in dive speed. A water-methanol engine boost was added, which allowed an engine output of 2.050 hp for short periods, which boosted the top speed to 695 km/h. 52 were produced.

 

J10F3

High altitude project with a pressurized cabin, a larger wing span of 11.96 m (39 ft 2 in) and a turbo-supercharged MK4R-C Kasei 23c engine, with the turbo-supercharger mounted behind the cockpit (itself made wider). This doubled the altitude at which the engine could produce its rated power, from 15,750ft up to 30,185ft. The J10F3 only carried two 20mm cannons in the wing roots, but had two extra oblique-firing 20mm cannon installed aft of the cockpit for use against high flying American B-29 bombers (much like the German "Schräge Musik" installments). Two prototypes were completed in June 1945, but the turbo-supercharger proved troublesome, and no further aircraft of this type were produced.

  

From late 1944 on, the J10F1 was quickly thrown into service and became a nasty surprise for Allied aircraft. The modified Focke Wulf design proved to be agile, fast and much tougher than earlier Japanese fighters, coupled with a relatively heavy armament. Beyond interception duties, the J10F1 was frequently employed in close support and anti-shipping tasks, since its low level handling and ordnance load was excellent.

Its only drawback was - as with the original Fw 190 - that performance dropped at heights above 6.000m. This should not have posed a problem with the J2M, but that type's delay left the Allied high-altitude bomber attacks relatively unharmed, so that the J10F3 version was hastily developed, but failed to realize. In Germany, the similar situation resulted in the Fw 190 D-9 variant and finally in the superb Ta-152.

  

J10F1General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 9.29 m (30 ft 6¾ in)

Wingspan:10.51 m (34 ft 5 in)

Height: 3.95 m (12 ft 12 in)

Wing area:18.30 m² (196.99 ft²)

Empty weight: 3,490 kg (7,694 lb)

Max. take-off weight: 4,840 kg (10,670 lb)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 656 km/h (408 mph) at 19,420 ft (5,920 m)

Rate of climb:17 m/s (3,300 ft/min)

Range: 800 km (500 mi)

Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)

Engine: 1 Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23e radial engine with 1.820hp

 

Armament:

2 × 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns, 300 rpg, in the nose

4 × 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 200 rpg, two in the wing roots, two outside of the landing gear.

Three hardpoints, one under the fuselage (max. 500 kg/1.102 lb) and one under each wing for 250 kg/550 lb each for bombs or fuel tanks. Total external ordnance load of 1.000kg (2.205 lb).

  

The kit and its assembly

The 'Japanese Fw 190' is a popular what-if topic, so I wanted to add my interpretation to the plethora of whifs and replicas of the real test machine. Actually, a clean Fw 190 looks pretty Japanese with its radial engine and sleek lines. When I recently came across a similar build at britmodelers.com, I thought that painting a Fw 190 green/grey and putting some Hinomarus on is logical and simple, but there's more in the subject than just cosmetics. I wanted a bit more... And while the concept remained simple, I had enough ideas and spare parts for a twin combo! In the end, the J10F was built as a pure interceptor and as a 'special purpose' night strike aircraft.

 

Basically, my limiting design idea for the J10F's design was the idea that Japan would not have received the Fw 190’s original BMW 801 radial engine, so that an alternative powerplant had to be fitted. I had hoped that this would have set the 'new' plane outwardly a bit apart from its German ancestor, and also make you look twice because the result would not be a 1:1 "Japanized" Fw 190 A/F. I tried, but I suppose that the effect is not as 'powerful' as intended – but judge for yourself?

 

The basic kits for both conversions come from Hobby Boss. It is a simple and clean kit, but with very good fit and engraved details. In an attempt to change the plane's look a little, I tried to transplant other engines - radials, too. Donation parts for both kits come from an Italeri Ju 188, which features two pairs of engines. The radials I used are actually BMW 801’s, too, but they lack the typical cooling fan and the cowlings are 3-4mm longer because they'd carry the engine mountings on the Ju 188's wings. Actually, the fuselage is minimal longer now, maybe 4-5mm, but the shape is still very close to the original Fw 190, so I think that this mod hardly is recognizable at all?

 

The change was a bit tricky, due to the massive fuselage of the Hobby Boss kit, but it worked. The new cowlings received new cooling louvres and exhaust pipes. New, four-bladed propellers were added, scratch-built from leftover Mosquito NF.30 propellers from the Airfix kit and drop tank front halves.

 

Otherwise, though, not much was changed, the two kits just differ in equipment details and received Matchbox pilot figures in order to cover up the bleak and very deep cockpit.

 

The interceptor:

As an interceptor I left the plane clean, without external ordnance. I wanted to emphasize its elegant look, which makes it look like a Ki-43 on casual glance, or even an A6M. The plane carries the normal gun armament (from a Fw 190 A-8), this is supposed to be the original/standard J10F mentioned above.

 

The night attacker:

The J10F1-G variant saw more modifications, including a new exhaust system with flame dampers built from scratch. Other special equipment comprises an IR sight in front of the canopy, flare protectors, the fuselage hardpoint and the scratch-built Ke-Go 110 bomb. In order to cover the deleted gun access panels under the wings, I added streamlined bomb shackles for two Japanese 60kg bombs each, donated from a Matchbox Ju 87 kit.

 

About the Ke-Go bomb

This bomb, which looks like a penguin, is a fantasy derivate of a real Japanese development series until summer 1945. In a nutshell, the Ke-Go bomb actually was one of the first “fire and forget” weapons I have heard of. With the guidance of a bolometer seeker and a self-correcting steering mechanism, the bomb would (only) be useable against strong and clear heat sources – a ship’s kettle at night, when surrounding heat level was low, would qualify, and the bomb would be guided by deviation and correction from that heat source - if it locked on correctly, though! My Ke-Go 110 is a smaller version of the original Ke-Go bombs, suitable for lighter planes.

  

Painting

Being an IJN plane, paint scheme choices for the J10F were rather limited - and since it is a whif plane I stuck to my policy that I rather use a simple/subtle paint scheme.

 

The interceptor:

For the clean and rather conservative interceptor I settled for a simple IJN Green/Gray livery (N. 2 ‘Aomidori-iro’, a bluish, very dark green and N.10 ‘Hairyokushoku’, respectively), with Testors 2116 and 2117 as basic tones. Yellow wing leading edges were added, cut from an aftermarket decal sheet. As a design twist I painted the engine cowling black, A6M-style. The propeller spinner was painted in red brown (typical Japanese WWII primer color), with an orange tip, matching the arrow symbol decal on the tail fin. The propeller blades were painted with Testor’s ‘Rubber’, #1183.

A slightly worn look was achieved through a light wash with black ink and some dry painting with paler shades of Green (Humbrol 91 and 185) and Aluminum, plus light exhaust marks and gun smoke residues with flat black. Some bare metal spots were added, which also highlight some details and add to the worn look.

All decals for the green fighter come from a Hobby Boss A6M, only the arrows come from the Hobby Boss He 162. Finally, everything was sealed under a semi-matte varnish, for a light shine to the surface – typical IJN machines appear to be rather shiny?

 

The night attacker:

This variant received a more fantastic and stealthy paint scheme - I wanted to set the plane apart from the clean and shiny interceptor: a grunty, desperate strike aircraft against overwhelming sea forces.

AFAIK, there had not been specific nocturnal cammo schemes at the IJNAS, except for all-green aircraft? A bit boring, I thought, esp. with a typical green/gray sister plane.

So I made up a personal variant: In a first step, upper surfaces were painted in a brownish-grey basic tone, AFAIK called ‘Ameiro’ – it is the color which was used on early Zeroes which were based on carriers, and the tone faded quickly to a light gray. This color is very similar to RAL 7014 ‘Fenstergrau’ and reminds of B.S. ‘Hemp’. I improvised it with a mix of Humbrol 141 (60%), 83 (35%) and a bit of 155 (5%). On top of that a dense array of dark green blotches (Humbrol 185, Chrome Green, at first, and later also with Humbrol 116 for more contrast) was applied, breaking up the plane’s lines and covering the light gray tone almost completely.

Undersides originally sported ‘Ameiro’, too, but they were painted as if they had been covered with a very dark gray tone in the field (Humbrol 67), even leaving out the hinomarus and flaking off everywhere. The black engine cowling was retained.

Hinomaru and squadron emblems come from the same Mitsubishi A6M from Hobby Boss as mentioned above, featuring even less markings. As a side note: I have never seen Hinomaru with a black(!) rim before? I am not certain if this is correct or an authentic modification - it matches the night fighter role perfectly, though. This time I chose a matte varnish, except for the cowling which received some streaks with more shiny semi-matte varnish.

 

In both cases, cockpit interior surfaces and landing gear wells were painted in ‘Aodake Iro’, simulated with a base of Aluminium (Humbrol 56) and a coat of translucent blue lacquer on top.

  

All in all, these pair of rather simple model kit was built in a couple of days, taking the pictures and waiting for good light took almost the same time! I am not 100% happy, because the engine mod is not as obvious as I expected, even though the four-bladed prop and the slightly elongated fuselage give the J10F a menacing and fast look, like a “Baby Tempest”.

 

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

 

Some background

The history of Focke Wulf's Fw 190 in Japan started with a rejection: in 1943 a single FW 190 A-5 had been supplied to Japan for evaluation, but at first, the type was not put into production by the Japanese. Anyway, the results of the study by Japanese engineers were incorporated in the design of the Ki-61 fighter. This evaluation did not go unnoticed, since the type received the Allied code-name 'Fred'.

 

By that time, the teething development problems of Mitubishi's J2M ‘Raiden’ (Thunderbolt) 'Jack' led to a slowdown in production. Biggest issues were the Kasei engine, an unreliable propeller pitch change mechanism and the main undercarriage members. Another drawback of the type was that its design put emphasis on performance and pilot protection rather than maneuverability. By the time the Fw 190 was tested, only fourteen J2M had been completed.

To make matters even worse, the Mitsubishi A7M 'Reppu' fighter was also behind schedule, so that replacements for the A6M 'Zero', backbone of the IJN’s air force, were overdue.

 

This situation left the Imperial Japanese Navy without a land-based interceptor. The first few produced J2M2 were delivered to the development units in December 1942 but further trials and improvements took almost a year, and it took until June 1944 that the ‘Raiden’ could make its combat debut, during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

 

While the Raiden was to be developed further for the high-altitude interceptor role, the IJN decided in January 1944 to adopt the highly effective Fw 190 as a supplementary interceptor for medium heights - only as a stop-gap at first, but the type quickly evolved into various sub-variants, much like in Germany.

 

License production of the adopted Fw 190 started at Hitachi in May 1944. The original airframe was modified to cater to Japanese needs and customs, and the most obvious difference of the J10F1, how the plane was officially called, was the use of the Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23c radial engine instead of the original BMW 801. It was a modified version of the engine in the J2M, but simplified and made more reliable. The engine produced 1.820hp and drove a four-bladed propeller. Another distinctive feature was a small fin fillet, which compensated directional instability due to the longer forward fuselage.

By its pilots, the J10F quickly became called “hueruge” (フエルゲル), a transcription of the Fw 190's German nickname "Würger" (=Shrike).

 

Variants:

 

J10F1

The original main variant with the MK4R Kasei 23e and armed with 2× 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns and 4× 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 354 aircraft produced.

While no official sub-variant was developed or designated, single machines differed considerably in equipment. This included field-modifications like reduced armament for better performance or ground-attack equipment, e .g. racks for a total of four unguided 60kg air-to-air missiles under the outer wings.

 

J10F1-G

In late 1945 a few J10F1 were modified for the anti-ship role and night attacks, and they received the "-G" suffix for their new land-based bomber role. These planes had a reduced gun armament, flame dampers and an IR sight, similar to the German “Spanner” device.

Most of these planes were to carry special weapons, like a single indigenous Ke-Go 110 heat-seeking guided bomb under the belly, or, alternatively, a copy of the German Bv 246 "Hagelkorn" gliding bomb, which had been delivered to Japan in 1944 for tests and adopted for production. To allow more space under the fuselage while carrying these bombs on the ground, some of these aircraft had a longer tail wheel strut fitted. Additionally, tests were made with a torpedo on the centerline hardpoint. It is uncertain if these weapons were actually used in combat, though.

 

J10F2

The only variant that was developed so far that it entered service, incorporating many detail modifications and improvements. These included thicker armored glass in the cabin's windshield (from 5.5 cm/2.2” to 7.6cm/3”) and extra armor plating behind the pilot's seat. The wing skinning was thickened in localized areas to allow for a further increase in dive speed. A water-methanol engine boost was added, which allowed an engine output of 2.050 hp for short periods, which boosted the top speed to 695 km/h. 52 were produced.

 

J10F3

High altitude project with a pressurized cabin, a larger wing span of 11.96 m (39 ft 2 in) and a turbo-supercharged MK4R-C Kasei 23c engine, with the turbo-supercharger mounted behind the cockpit (itself made wider). This doubled the altitude at which the engine could produce its rated power, from 15,750ft up to 30,185ft. The J10F3 only carried two 20mm cannons in the wing roots, but had two extra oblique-firing 20mm cannon installed aft of the cockpit for use against high flying American B-29 bombers (much like the German "Schräge Musik" installments). Two prototypes were completed in June 1945, but the turbo-supercharger proved troublesome, and no further aircraft of this type were produced.

  

From late 1944 on, the J10F1 was quickly thrown into service and became a nasty surprise for Allied aircraft. The modified Focke Wulf design proved to be agile, fast and much tougher than earlier Japanese fighters, coupled with a relatively heavy armament. Beyond interception duties, the J10F1 was frequently employed in close support and anti-shipping tasks, since its low level handling and ordnance load was excellent.

Its only drawback was - as with the original Fw 190 - that performance dropped at heights above 6.000m. This should not have posed a problem with the J2M, but that type's delay left the Allied high-altitude bomber attacks relatively unharmed, so that the J10F3 version was hastily developed, but failed to realize. In Germany, the similar situation resulted in the Fw 190 D-9 variant and finally in the superb Ta-152.

  

J10F1General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 9.29 m (30 ft 6¾ in)

Wingspan:10.51 m (34 ft 5 in)

Height: 3.95 m (12 ft 12 in)

Wing area:18.30 m² (196.99 ft²)

Empty weight: 3,490 kg (7,694 lb)

Max. take-off weight: 4,840 kg (10,670 lb)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 656 km/h (408 mph) at 19,420 ft (5,920 m)

Rate of climb:17 m/s (3,300 ft/min)

Range: 800 km (500 mi)

Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)

Engine: 1 Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23e radial engine with 1.820hp

 

Armament:

2 × 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns, 300 rpg, in the nose

4 × 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 200 rpg, two in the wing roots, two outside of the landing gear.

Three hardpoints, one under the fuselage (max. 500 kg/1.102 lb) and one under each wing for 250 kg/550 lb each for bombs or fuel tanks. Total external ordnance load of 1.000kg (2.205 lb).

  

The kit and its assembly

The 'Japanese Fw 190' is a popular what-if topic, so I wanted to add my interpretation to the plethora of whifs and replicas of the real test machine. Actually, a clean Fw 190 looks pretty Japanese with its radial engine and sleek lines. When I recently came across a similar build at britmodelers.com, I thought that painting a Fw 190 green/grey and putting some Hinomarus on is logical and simple, but there's more in the subject than just cosmetics. I wanted a bit more... And while the concept remained simple, I had enough ideas and spare parts for a twin combo! In the end, the J10F was built as a pure interceptor and as a 'special purpose' night strike aircraft.

 

Basically, my limiting design idea for the J10F's design was the idea that Japan would not have received the Fw 190’s original BMW 801 radial engine, so that an alternative powerplant had to be fitted. I had hoped that this would have set the 'new' plane outwardly a bit apart from its German ancestor, and also make you look twice because the result would not be a 1:1 "Japanized" Fw 190 A/F. I tried, but I suppose that the effect is not as 'powerful' as intended – but judge for yourself?

 

The basic kits for both conversions come from Hobby Boss. It is a simple and clean kit, but with very good fit and engraved details. In an attempt to change the plane's look a little, I tried to transplant other engines - radials, too. Donation parts for both kits come from an Italeri Ju 188, which features two pairs of engines. The radials I used are actually BMW 801’s, too, but they lack the typical cooling fan and the cowlings are 3-4mm longer because they'd carry the engine mountings on the Ju 188's wings. Actually, the fuselage is minimal longer now, maybe 4-5mm, but the shape is still very close to the original Fw 190, so I think that this mod hardly is recognizable at all?

 

The change was a bit tricky, due to the massive fuselage of the Hobby Boss kit, but it worked. The new cowlings received new cooling louvres and exhaust pipes. New, four-bladed propellers were added, scratch-built from leftover Mosquito NF.30 propellers from the Airfix kit and drop tank front halves.

 

Otherwise, though, not much was changed, the two kits just differ in equipment details and received Matchbox pilot figures in order to cover up the bleak and very deep cockpit.

 

The interceptor:

As an interceptor I left the plane clean, without external ordnance. I wanted to emphasize its elegant look, which makes it look like a Ki-43 on casual glance, or even an A6M. The plane carries the normal gun armament (from a Fw 190 A-8), this is supposed to be the original/standard J10F mentioned above.

 

The night attacker:

The J10F1-G variant saw more modifications, including a new exhaust system with flame dampers built from scratch. Other special equipment comprises an IR sight in front of the canopy, flare protectors, the fuselage hardpoint and the scratch-built Ke-Go 110 bomb. In order to cover the deleted gun access panels under the wings, I added streamlined bomb shackles for two Japanese 60kg bombs each, donated from a Matchbox Ju 87 kit.

 

About the Ke-Go bomb

This bomb, which looks like a penguin, is a fantasy derivate of a real Japanese development series until summer 1945. In a nutshell, the Ke-Go bomb actually was one of the first “fire and forget” weapons I have heard of. With the guidance of a bolometer seeker and a self-correcting steering mechanism, the bomb would (only) be useable against strong and clear heat sources – a ship’s kettle at night, when surrounding heat level was low, would qualify, and the bomb would be guided by deviation and correction from that heat source - if it locked on correctly, though! My Ke-Go 110 is a smaller version of the original Ke-Go bombs, suitable for lighter planes.

  

Painting

Being an IJN plane, paint scheme choices for the J10F were rather limited - and since it is a whif plane I stuck to my policy that I rather use a simple/subtle paint scheme.

 

The interceptor:

For the clean and rather conservative interceptor I settled for a simple IJN Green/Gray livery (N. 2 ‘Aomidori-iro’, a bluish, very dark green and N.10 ‘Hairyokushoku’, respectively), with Testors 2116 and 2117 as basic tones. Yellow wing leading edges were added, cut from an aftermarket decal sheet. As a design twist I painted the engine cowling black, A6M-style. The propeller spinner was painted in red brown (typical Japanese WWII primer color), with an orange tip, matching the arrow symbol decal on the tail fin. The propeller blades were painted with Testor’s ‘Rubber’, #1183.

A slightly worn look was achieved through a light wash with black ink and some dry painting with paler shades of Green (Humbrol 91 and 185) and Aluminum, plus light exhaust marks and gun smoke residues with flat black. Some bare metal spots were added, which also highlight some details and add to the worn look.

All decals for the green fighter come from a Hobby Boss A6M, only the arrows come from the Hobby Boss He 162. Finally, everything was sealed under a semi-matte varnish, for a light shine to the surface – typical IJN machines appear to be rather shiny?

 

The night attacker:

This variant received a more fantastic and stealthy paint scheme - I wanted to set the plane apart from the clean and shiny interceptor: a grunty, desperate strike aircraft against overwhelming sea forces.

AFAIK, there had not been specific nocturnal cammo schemes at the IJNAS, except for all-green aircraft? A bit boring, I thought, esp. with a typical green/gray sister plane.

So I made up a personal variant: In a first step, upper surfaces were painted in a brownish-grey basic tone, AFAIK called ‘Ameiro’ – it is the color which was used on early Zeroes which were based on carriers, and the tone faded quickly to a light gray. This color is very similar to RAL 7014 ‘Fenstergrau’ and reminds of B.S. ‘Hemp’. I improvised it with a mix of Humbrol 141 (60%), 83 (35%) and a bit of 155 (5%). On top of that a dense array of dark green blotches (Humbrol 185, Chrome Green, at first, and later also with Humbrol 116 for more contrast) was applied, breaking up the plane’s lines and covering the light gray tone almost completely.

Undersides originally sported ‘Ameiro’, too, but they were painted as if they had been covered with a very dark gray tone in the field (Humbrol 67), even leaving out the hinomarus and flaking off everywhere. The black engine cowling was retained.

Hinomaru and squadron emblems come from the same Mitsubishi A6M from Hobby Boss as mentioned above, featuring even less markings. As a side note: I have never seen Hinomaru with a black(!) rim before? I am not certain if this is correct or an authentic modification - it matches the night fighter role perfectly, though. This time I chose a matte varnish, except for the cowling which received some streaks with more shiny semi-matte varnish.

 

In both cases, cockpit interior surfaces and landing gear wells were painted in ‘Aodake Iro’, simulated with a base of Aluminium (Humbrol 56) and a coat of translucent blue lacquer on top.

  

All in all, these pair of rather simple model kit was built in a couple of days, taking the pictures and waiting for good light took almost the same time! I am not 100% happy, because the engine mod is not as obvious as I expected, even though the four-bladed prop and the slightly elongated fuselage give the J10F a menacing and fast look, like a “Baby Tempest”.

 

The Dying of Will

 

Tafseer e Tustari: "Hazrat Sahl (ra) was [then] asked about a man who repents and renounces a certain sin, but then it occurs to his heart, or he sees it or hears of it and finds sweetness in that vile sin. What is to be done in such a case?

 

He replied: The feeling of sweetness pertains to [his] nature (ṭabʿ) and is not susceptible of change, such that a thing which is loved could become something detestable.

 

However, the heart’s determination can be coerced so that he can return to God, Mighty and Majestic is He, and place his dilemma before Him. Then he should force on himself and on his heart a state of rejection [of that sin] which should never leave him, for if he becomes inattentive to that state of rejection for just the blinking of the eye, it is to be feared that he will not remain safe from it."

 

Ramzan! The month Allah calls His Own. When Satan is shackled and the nafs is bound, at least superficially, through fasting. My routine per instruction from Qari Sahib was set; Reading the Quran as much as possible. My intention was to write one piece for the month.

 

The choice of topic was spectacular; the Quran. I had collected a gazillion gems for it from different lectures by Uzair. I wanted to post it on the 27th night, Laila tul Qadr. The night that the first verse was revealed upon the heart of the Beloved (peace be upon him) in the Cave of Hira where he went to meditate for years and where his beloved wife, Bibi Khadija (ratu) brought him his food.

 

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: أَتَي جِبْرِيْلُ النَّبِيَّ صلي الله عليه وآله وسلم

فَقَالَ : يَا رَسُوْلَ اﷲِ، هَذِهِ خَدِيْجَةُ قَد أَتَتْ مَعَهَا إِنَاءٌ فِيْهِ إِدَامٌ أَوْ طَعَامٌ أَوْ شَرَابٌ،

فَإِذَا هِيَ أَتَتْکَ فَاقْرَأْ عَلَيْهَا السَّلْامَ مِنْ رَّبِّهَا وَمِنِّي،

وَ بَشِّرْهَا بِبَيْتٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مِنْ قَصَبٍ، لَا صَخَبَ فِيْهِ وَلَا نَصَبَ

 

As narrated by Hazrat Abu Huraira (ratu):

Hazrat Gibrael (as) came to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and said, “Ya Rasool Allah (peace be upon you)!

This is Khadija (ratu) who is bringing with her a bowl with soup or food or drink.

When she comes to you, say to her that her Lord God sends upon her Salam and so do I and give her glad tidings of a palace in Paradise wherein there will be no noise or any fatigue.”

 

I honed in on the words “noise and fatigue” and how they were the harbingers of difficulty in the world.

 

The incident of the revelation in recorded in the following manner in Fatih ul Bari ;

 

Begin excerpt “The Softest Heart”

 

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:

أَتَانِي جِبْرِيلُ بِنَمَطٍ مِنْ دِيبَاجٍ فِيهِ كِتَابٌ قَالَ اقْرَأْ

قُلْتُ: مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئ

 

Said the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), “Gibrael came to me with a book placed on a sheet of silk, and said, ‘Read!’

 

I said, “I do not have a reader.”

 

It is true that as soon as the Quran was recited by the Prophet of God (peace be upon him) in front of the Kuffar who felt spellbound by its beauty, the first accusation they leveled against him was that he was a poet, then that he was a magician, then that he was Majnun.

 

ن ۚ وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ

مَا أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ

وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ

بِأَييِّكُمُ الْمَفْتُونُ فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَ

 

Nun. (I swear) by the pen, and all that which they write (therewith)! You are not, by your Sustainer's grace, a madman! And, verily, yours shall be a reward never ending.

And you (stand) on an exalted standard of character. And (one day) you will see, and they (who now deride you) shall see which of you is afflicted with madness.

Surah Al Qalam, Verses 1-4

 

The most common understanding of the incident of the first revelation to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is different from what I have written above.

 

It is that when Hazrat Gibrael (as) came to him and said, “Iqra,”

 

“Read,” he replied, “I cannot read” as opposed to “I do not have a reader.”

 

After the dialogue repeating thrice, Hazrat Gibrael (as) said:

 

اقْرَأ باسم رَبك

 

“Read in the Name of your Lord God.”

 

People have never understood why the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was an Ummi,’ the one who does not read or write. They don’t understand that the God who can do anything, if He chooses to make His Beloved (peace be upon him), the manifestation of perfection, then there has to be a significant reason behind it. The trite explanation for this that I have seen is that he didn’t read or write so that when he would reveal the Quran to the Meccans, he would not be accused of writing it himself. But he was accused of thinking it up himself regardless so what’s the difference?

 

Pir Naseeruddin Naseer (ra) offers another explanation for why the Prophet (peace be upon him) is created as Ummi’ by God:

 

God makes His Last Messenger (peace be upon him) share His own Sunnah (habit/actions): God also does not read, He has others do it for Him. He does not write, others do it for Him. He wanted the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the one who he created in His Image more than anyone else, to share that attribute with Him.

 

It’s a very subtle point that only a certain kind of mind can appreciate. Personally I love it! It reminds me of a line of a couplet of Jigar Muradabadi.

 

میری کیا مجال جو دخل دوں ، میں کسی کے راز ونیاز میں

 

Who am I to interfere in His Secrets and His Bestowing, how much to whom?

 

Another Sufi thought that I heard behind why the one who possesses all the knowledge and wisdom of the Universe since its Creation does not write is that it is simply a matter of love. If The Beloved (peace be upon him) did write, what he would write most is the word “Allah.” Since the pen would be above and the word written below it, it was not acceptable again in the realm of adab, regard.

 

Later in the year, I would read in the Tafseer e Jilani the explanation for the verse in which Allah Ar-Rafi’, The Elevating One, says to His Prophet (peace be upon him):

 

سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنسَىٰ

 

We shall teach you, O Muhammad (peace be upon you) and you will not forget (of what you have been taught).

Surah Al-A’la, Verse 6

 

Tafseer e Jilani: We will make you from Ourself a reader who watches and reads Our Revelations and Inspirations even though you are an Ummi’ for I created you to be above the norms of reading and writing. So you will memorize and safeguard all of it and you will express your gratitude continuously for it so that there will never be any lessening or addition or alteration to it.

 

End excerpt “The Softest Heart”

 

In any case, those who think of the angel Gibrael (as) as the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) teacher have not read the following hadith again invoking the same verse.

 

سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنسَىٰ

 

We shall teach you, O Muhammad (peace be upon you)

and you will not forget (of what you have been taught).

Surah Al-A’la, Verse 6

  

The exegesis of the verse in the Tafseer Ruh Al Bayan is as follows: When Gibrael (as) came to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) with the verse of Surah Maryam and recited it, (the first verse being four letters of the Arabic language);

 

كهيعص

 

Kaf, Ha, Ya, 'Ayn, Sad.

Surah Maryam, Verse 1

 

the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I know its meaning and intent.”

 

Gibrael (as) said, “Kaaf.”

 

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I know its meaning and intent.”

 

Gibrael (as) said, “Haa.”

 

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I know its meaning and intent.”

 

Gibrael (as) said, “Yaa.”

 

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I know its meaning and intent.”

 

Gibrael (as) said, “‘Ain.”

 

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I know its meaning and intent.”

 

Gibrael (as) said, “Suaad.”

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I know its meaning and intent.”

 

Gibrael (as) said, “O Prophet of Allah (peace be upon you)! What majesty is this? I myself don't know the meaning of this and you know it.”

 

But nothing I had planned for the month came to pass. For starters Qari Sahib got Corona. That alone sent me into a tailspin. My ablutions became more intense. I couldn’t write anything. He is the one who helps me with my references. I need the original text which is in Arabic or Urdu books in his online archive. Then I always need to study and translate the tafaseer with him.

 

The second happening that threw a wrench into the desire of worship was my building outdoor table tennis tables in a local park in Lahore. It wasn’t just any park either. It was the Kohinoor of all 800 parks in the city; Bagh e Jinnah. I had pitched the idea to the PHA (Parks and Horticultural Authority) on April 10th. They had been extremely enthusiastic about it. Two weeks later on the 27th I presented them with my plan and another two weeks later, a day after Ramzan started, we broke ground.

 

I went to the site every day at 7:30 am and stayed there for hours. I didn’t know the first thing about construction so my input was zero. I sat there like a dummy. The contractor and other workers would say, “Baji, go home” but I stayed. I don’t know why. I felt like I should be there. It felt hotter because of the fast but the heat wasn’t unbearable. I don’t mind heat. If I was an animal I would be a camel. Still, by the time I got home in the afternoon I was exhausted. I would collapse on my bed with alarms ringing an hour later for other stuff I had to do. For the first time in years I barely had time to even check email once a day.

 

For the next three weeks, I was deeply immersed in all things worldly. I joked with a friend of mine that I didn’t have a single experience at the site that motivated me to write even a sentence. Otherwise if I traveled anywhere for just a weekend, a story emerged from within me. The whole experience was physically arduous. But the real test of the month was spiritual and it came totally out of the blue.

 

The best I can explain what happened is this; a ghost from my past appeared. That’s all it was; an apparition. I was supposed to stay still. That was the test, my reaction was being watched. Instead of remaining where I was and letting destiny play itself out, caving to impulse, I ran towards it and all hell broke loose. Maulana (ra) writes about it perfectly;

 

What you seek is seeking you.

 

When I run after what I believe I want,

my days are a furnace of stress and tension.

 

But if I sit in my own place of patience,

what I need flows to me itself, without any pain.

 

From this I understand that

what I am seeking is also seeking me

is looking for me and attracting me.

 

There is a great (Divine) Secret here

for those who can comprehend it.

 

The weird thing is I had successfully applied the principle in the past. Usually I waited and watched. Precisely because of the poem and obeying the instruction given in it in no uncertain terms. But for some reason my zahir and batin, overt and inner beings, were in acute separation.

 

In all my writing for years I have been using the words zahir and batin without knowing exactly what they meant. My understanding of the two words was limited to the zahir being my superficial intention and the batin my deeper, real intention. The first could sometimes be falsehood but the latter was always the truth. The first was rooted in the nafs, the latter in the qalb, the seat of recognition of God in the heart.

 

Since they were never aligned, I felt the dichotomy between them when nothing went according to expectation. I thought I would be doing things for one reason but they would be for entirely another! This time they were moving in polar opposite directions, ripping me apart in the process.

 

I had recently come across the definitions of both words from Hazrat Najmuddin Qubra (ra), an honored disciple of Ghaus Pak (ra) in the Tafseer e Jilani;

 

“Know that for each thing that exists in the Universe there is a zahir and a batin.

 

The different forms of zahir: Sometimes it is the jism, a mass, because it has a length and a width and a height so it takes space and can be split into parts. Sometimes zahir is the duniya, the world, because it comes from the root donow, which means becoming near. Therefore the world is called duniya because it is near ehsaas, our feelings.

 

Sometimes zahir is the surat, the face, because it has a form and it can be felt through the five senses. Sometimes zahir is the shahadat, witnessing, because through it something can be testified to. Sometimes zahir can be mulk, a kingdom, because it comes in an ownership and it can be controlled and made subordinate.

 

The different forms of batin: The batin of each and every thing is sometimes called roohaniyat, spirituality, because it has no length, width and depth that takes space and splits into parts. Sometimes batin is called akhirat, because akhirat means that which comes after. In terms of sensing something, the inner (batin) becomes known after the overt (zahir), hence batin is called that which comes in the end.

 

Sometimes batin is called ma’ana, essence or reality, because it does not have an apparent form and it cannot be felt physically. Sometimes it is called ghaib, unseen, because it is absent for the overt senses. Sometimes it is called malakut, the kingdom where there is no possession or control, but it is connected with the outer world.”

 

As soon as I ran after what I believed I wanted, my days became “a furnace of stress and tension.” And I knew exactly why. Prior to taking the misstep, I had done an istakahara to know how to behave in the situation and the verse that had come for me was this;

 

وَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ جَعَلْنَا بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ حِجَابًا مَّسْتُورً

 

And when you recite the Quran, We place between you and between those who (do) not believe in the Hereafter a veil hidden.

Surah Al-Isra’, Verse 45

 

In the tafseer of the verse I read that Allah is saying that sometimes Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him) would be so deeply engrossed in reading the Quran, delving in its depths, searching for the pearls of benefits in Divine Commands, that he would forget about safeguarding himself from harm. Then Allah would, in order to protect him, from those who do not believe in the Afterlife, place a thick barrier between them and him as a veil. They would not be able to see him through that veil and therefore became unable to do him harm.

 

The only part of the verse that I felt was for me was the "veil." Allah had veiled me but in following my desire, I had ripped what was protecting me and exposed myself to a nightmare. For what, one might wonder? Nothing! Because when I did finally reach what I was chasing, it was literally nothing. The apparition disappeared like it was never even there but by then the veil was gone and for the first time in my life after decades, I felt alone. It was devastating because I live my life alone and have for a long time. But this was something else.

 

After that feeling came the real fruit of my disobedience; bitterness. I have been wayward most of my life yet never felt bitter. Or even felt punished. I realized then the difference was because in those days I was in the category of those who didn’t mean to be defiant.

 

ٱلَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَـٰٓئِرَ ٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْفَوَٰحِشَ إِلَّا ٱللَّمَمَ ۚ

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَٰسِعُ ٱلْمَغْفِرَةِ ۚ

هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِذْ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِذْ أَنتُمْ أَجِنَّةٌ فِى بُطُونِ أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمْ ۖ

فَلَا تُزَكُّوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۖ

هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰٓ

 

Those who avoid major sins and indecencies, except for minor lapses excepted.

Indeed, your Lord’s Forgiveness is vast.

He knows you well, ever since He created you from the earth and ever since you were embryos in your mothers’ wombs. So do not attest to your own virtues. He knows best as to who is conscious of Him.

Surah An-Najm, Verse 32

 

But knowing something, following it and then being disobedient, striving towards closeness with God and then turning away from Him, that had consequences unforeseen.

 

One might then ask, “So what is bitterness like?”

 

For me it was two things. First I became unable to be happy for someone else. Even when what happened to them was something I myself had wished for them for ages. Like this one friend of mine who called me and said there was shift in her marriage. For the better. After a decade of misery and anger flung around the house, trapping the spouses and the children in its ugly vortex. My reaction to the news was totally muted.

 

It was so unlike me I noticed it immediately. I didn’t say one positive thing to her. All that left my mouth was “You know you could have done this sooner.” And perhaps more strictly, “Obedience is the prerequisite for guidance” which is a fact but there was no need to say it. It was such a happy occasion. Instead of laughing with her about it and congratulating her, I was numb. Caught up in my feelings of misery. I was too busy gouging my soul.

 

روی نفس مطمئنه در جسد

زخم ناخنهای فکرت می‌کشد

 

Like nails, evil thoughts scratch the face of the Nafs e Mutmainna, your soul.

 

فکرت بد ناخن پر زهر دان

می‌خراشد در تعمق روی جان

 

Know that your wicked thoughts are as if dipped in poison.

Delving into them deeper only damages the face of the soul more.

 

I wonder if the reverse applied. Does bitterness prevent one from being able to feel another person’s sadness as well?

 

The other manifestation of the feeling for me was the appearance of badgumani, a word I had been unfamiliar with personally here to forth. It loosely translates as misunderstanding. For me it was the insertion of paranoia into my own heart by my own self, sowing seeds of mistrust and doubt about the sincerity of another person. Except when bitterness prevails, then the badgumani starts applying to everyone.

 

I have been on the receiving end of the emotion but not felt the emotion myself. Or if I had I couldn’t remember when it last happened. Without question, distrust is one of the heaviest, most negative feelings in the world. Being suspicious about others, second guessing their motive and intention, the whole thing was exhausting, both physically and mentally.

 

Taking that one step on my own made me feel more alone than when members of my family died in succession within months of each other. Because then I was under that veil. Difficulty ceased to exist or was always bearable. Then it would always pass.

 

In these days, I was reading Surah Al-An’am when I got the chance. When I reached the end, I came across a line that explained what was happening.

 

قُلْ أَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ أَبْغِي رَبًّا

وَهُوَ رَبُّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ

وَهُوَ رَبُّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَلَا تَكْسِبُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ إِلَّا عَلَيْهَا

 

Say, “Why would I look for a lord other than God when He is the Lord of all things?”

Each soul is responsible for its own actions and no one bearer of burdens will bear the burdens of another.

Surah Al-An’am, Verse 164

 

Hazrat Najumiddin Kubra (ra) in the Tafseer e Jilani; “O you who is unaware! Why would I want anyone other than Allah when He is my Beloved and the lover never wants anyone else except their beloved. If the lover happens then to desire anything other, then Allah is still the Lord of each thing. When the Lord is mine, then the thing is also mine. Whereas if I embrace anyone or anything other than Him, I will never attain it. Even if I gain some goodness from it, it will eventually become a difficulty upon me.”

 

Subhan Allah!

 

Even when I wasn’t religious I had a relationship with Allah in which He protected me. Now when I look back at the hardest times, I see how I brought them all upon myself. But then I didn’t know how to behave. My E.Q. was zero. I was all bravado caught up in a repetition of patterns that continually deepened the grooves of my dysfunction.

 

I can’t say that through this experience I didn’t gain wisdom. Confucius’ promise finally came true; Wisdom can be gained through experience, as opposed to emulation which is easy or reflection, hard, but only with bitterness. I had never chosen “experience” before. I focus all my attention on the stress-free route; emulation.

 

Tafseer e Tustari: "Sahl (ra) was asked about the words of the Prophet , ‘Seeking knowledge is an obligation (farīḍa) for every Muslim’.

 

He said, ‘This refers to the knowledge of [one’s] state (ḥāl).’

 

He was asked, ‘What is the knowledge of [one’s] state?’

 

He replied: 'Inwardly it is sincerity (ikhlāṣ) and outwardly it is emulation (iqtidāʾ). Moreover, unless a person’s outward [self] (ẓāhir) is leading his inner [self] (bāṭin), and his inner self is the perfection (kamāl) of his outward self, he will merely be fatiguing his body.'"

 

I related to a friend of mine my experience of the week. She looked at me amazed.

 

“It sounds like magic.”

 

I didn’t understand what she meant.

 

“Magic?”

 

“Yes. For all that to happen in days. For you to realize what was happening so quickly. People live in that state for so long.”

 

I pondered upon her words. Then I realized at least one reason why I had been so quick to understand what was going on. At the end of the day what saved me was that I’m a wuss, an emotional weakling. I cannot bear or sustain emotional pressure for very long. I think it runs in my family.

 

My mother had weak nerves. She was prone to nervous breakdowns from a young age. She couldn’t sustain emotional pressure at all. Maybe that’s why she was married thrice during a time when a single divorce carried heavy stigma in society. Even her family, her father and brother, despite being from an extremely conservative feudal background, never forced her to stay in a situation that was unhappy for her. That made a huge impact on my life in terms of moulding my personal outlook. In my relationships, if I felt lovelessness making roots, I had no choice but to exit. Long-term facades were not happening for me.

 

In this case, my bitterness and badgumaani, my silent reproach, didn’t last more than four days. It was by far the worst four days of my life. Worse than the times I felt intense depression and couldn’t get out of bed for weeks. Because that was more self-pity than anything else. There was little recognition, much less admission, of any personal transgression.

 

This trial ended because I couldn’t stop crying about what I had done wrong. There it was again appearing as the savior; repentance. Who would have thought just feeling truly badly about doing something brought with it the heavenly ease of salvation.

 

I was reminded that one of Iblis’ favourite tactics of misguiding is not letting people admit their error and instead just buckling down obstinately on their position. I had heard a story in one of Uzair’s lectures that once Iblis came to Pharoah and said to him, “What is it that you think you have come to possess that you have claimed to be god? I have immeasurable knowledge and much more power than you but never have I even thought to make such a claim.”

 

His words alarmed Pharoah. He thought about it in the night and made a decision. The next day when Iblis came he said to him, “I have decided that I will continue everything as is. Do whatever I wish to whoever I want. But I will no longer call myself god.”

 

Iblis looked at him sorrowfully and said, “I think it’s too late for such a reversal. If you now say that, you will lose much more than your credibility. If I were you, I would now just continue as you have been.”

 

Strangely enough, a lot of clerics have the same attitude as well. I know of people who went to many in Lahore, one after another, looking for redemption, seeking forgiveness, wanting to express repentance, explore change and instead were told that it was too late. They were older in years so they heard the same thing Iblis said to Pharoah. “You're too far gone. You may as well just stay as you are.”

 

I recalled a hadith which I have otherwise only focused on again and again in my writing because of the first part; controlling the tongue. But there it was; redemption and deliverance lay in crying in recognition of a mistake.

 

عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ قُلْتُ:‏‏‏‏ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ،‏‏‏‏ مَا النَّجَاةُ؟

قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ لِسَانَكَ وَلْيَسَعْكَ بَيْتُكَ وَابْكِ عَلَى خَطِيئَتِكَ

 

As narrated by Hazrat Uqba Bin Amir (ratu):

 

I asked, ”Ya Rasool Allah (peace be upon you)! Where lies salvation?”

 

He replied, “Keep your tongue in control, have your home capable of holding you and shed tears upon your mistakes.”

 

Then I remembered the line I had used in the video I had made for Maulana (ra) from the Masnavi;

 

تا نگرید ابر کے خندد چمن

تا نگرید طفل کے جوشد لبن

 

Till rain doesn’t fall from the clouds, the deadness of the earth remains.

Till the child doesn’t cry, the mother doesn’t nurse it.

 

گفت "ولیبکوا کثیرا " گوش دار

تا بریزد شیر فضل کردگار

 

And remember that Allah said, “they should weep a lot,”

so that the Mercy of God is showered upon them.

 

My test really ended when I wrote a letter to God. I told Him that I felt like I had been in a boat by myself, sailing blissfully through an ocean calm, then rowed myself into a vortex voluntarily. Now I needed help to get out of it because I was drowning with no end in sight. I wasn’t alive and I wasn’t dead. I wept and wept and invoked Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him) asking for forgiveness for the sake of His Beloved. That is when feeling of being distraught dissipated and I felt calm.

 

And thus I returned under the veil. I started feeling like myself again. The hardness of my heart cracked. I wrote to my friend whose marriage was changing and told her how elated I was for her. I felt happy. I sang out loud and twirled around in my room.

 

In the days after when someone I loved disappointed me, I noticed my reaction became different. Before I would be irritated for sure, even if I was able to exercise silence and not react. My heart thought badly of them because what they did was unprovoked and clearly unfair.

 

Now, though, having taken a ride on the train that they were spending most of their time on in their present, I didn’t think of them negatively. I would just stare at them and think how it was exactly like how I had been feeling and behaving. Perhaps there was no other way for me to soften my stance towards them without being exactly the same as them.

 

Later I thought about what happened deeply. I wondered why I had regressed so badly after so long. After all that blissful while that I had sat in my place of not wanting anything and seeing what I needed flow to me. A thought occurred to me. I had been brandishing my latest video as my “masterpiece.” There was a line in it that went a little something like this; whatever you pursue and make your destiny, the striving for it will not let you have any peace in your life.

 

No wonder Nabi Pak (peace be upon him) and all the Auliya Karam in his emulation, prayed fervently for their free will to be taken from them forever.

 

اللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو فَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ

وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَا أَنْتَ

 

The most honored Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “O Allah, it is Your mercy that I hope for so do not leave me in charge of my affairs even for a blink of an eye and rectify for me all of my affairs.

None has the right to be worshiped except You.

 

Even for a blink of an eye!

 

I wondered with sadness what would happen to the ensuing generations who can’t seem do anything except what they want, when they want, impatient for full charge of their affairs as early as possible.

 

The “veil” I keep referring to is in fact the prize of surrendering one’s free will. Submerging one’s wishes into the irada, Will, of Allah and following that lead.

 

Ghaus Pak (ra) in Al-Fath Ar-Rabbani; “When the possibility of rejecting destiny, changing it, erasing it, going against it doesn’t exist, then why do you make a will contradicting Allah’s Will? When only that reaches you which He wills, then you should not want anything at all yourself. And when that cannot happen which He does not wish for you, then don’t put your nafs and your qalb, your self and your heart within the heart, in baseless difficulty by desiring it.

 

Surrender everything to your Lord. Turn your focus towards Him and with the hand of repentance hold on to His Mercy. Then you will always be in the state when bearing all the hardships of the world will become easy. Leaving desires and lusts will become easy and you will not complain about it and you will not be stung by it.”

 

I guess in that state then it doesn’t matter what comes one’s way. If it is happiness one is grateful. If it’s sadness, one is patient while not thinking of the ordeal as difficult and not wanting it to end. And if it happens to be humiliation, then even that has its upside most supreme.

 

Hazrat Bayazid Bastami (ra) sought His Lord for 40 years.

 

“I tried everything I knew to find My Lord but I did not find Him. Finally one night, during Tahajjud, I went into sajda (prostration) and continuously wept. And I said to Him;

 

ما وجدت شياء يتقرب به اليه تعالى إذ رأيت كل نعمت يتقرب به للا لوهية فيه مدخل

 

“I did not find anything that drew me closer to my Lord when I saw that all blessings that create closeness to Allah have, in them, some distortion."

 

فقلت يا رب بماذا أتقرب إليك؟

 

So I said, “O Lord! By what do I come closer to You?”

 

That night was the first time I heard The Voice and He said to me;

 

تقرب الي بما ليس لي

 

“Come towards Me with that which is not Mine and not for Me.”

 

I was astonished by the words and I asked;

 

ما الذي ليس لك يا رب

 

“What is there in this Universe that is not You and not for You?”

 

He said;

 

الذلة و الافتقار

 

“Humiliation and humility."

 

When I first heard the story I couldn’t get over the first word; humiliation. But there is a difference between humiliation borne for the self and the zillat borne for Allah’s Sake. In the first, which is part of everyone’s life in one relationship or another, there is martyrdom, then self-righteousness and almost always a limit of tolerance.

 

When crossed one explodes and retreats, sometimes forever. Or stays and repeats the cycle becoming even harder than before. In the second, there is surrender to Divine Will and therefore infinite patience even when the pain is intense. That is gifted for the chosen few who know that the source of all things is only God.

 

I learnt from Ghaus Pak (ra) the reason to lend understanding to anyone who is overtly doing something wrong.

 

“For example, when you see someone who doesn’t pray, then you tell them to do so because it is the command of the Sharia’ but understand that in the Knowledge of Allah, if the person had been written as a Namazi, the one who says their prayers, then for sure they would have done so. But they are ma’zoor i.e. they are excused because no one has the ability to go against their taqdeer, their ordained destiny.

 

So in this way, when they were not able to listen and obey to advice and orders and instruction, whether it was given gently or firmly, then in the rank of your own knowledge, know that they are ma’zoor, not accepting guidance, so don’t become prideful on your own deeds (for having been granted ability) and stay firm in your belief of having been chosen.”

 

The read, which was actually a footnote, was a remarkable find for me who has trouble not interfering in other people’s spiritual journeys. Again it was about surrender! Except this time it’s not for one’s own self but in the acceptance of the journey of another. That if it is incongruent to one’s own, it’s ok.

 

Qari Sahib explained it wonderfully. “Think of it like the Azaan,” he said. “Some come to pray, others don’t and the call of the Azaan continues.”

 

And of course there was a reference from the Quran. The verse was different because in it Allah has Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him) address not the Muslims but every single human being.

 

قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَكُمُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ

فَمَنِ اهْتَدَىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدِي لِنَفْسِهِ

وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا

وَمَا أَنَا عَلَيْكُم بِوَكِيل

 

Say, “O Mankind! The Truth has come to you from your Lord.

Whoever chooses to follow the path of guidance, it is for his own good. And whoever chooses to go astray, does so to his own loss. I am not responsible for your conduct."

Surah Yunus, Verse 108

 

Funnily enough is the hard thing was supposed to be the tables in the park. Everything about the execution of the project was unknown to me. We were doing something for the first time. There was nothing but X factors from start to finish. But for that Qari Sahib had me read two nafal on Day One surrendering everything to Allah and Nabi Pak (peace be upon him). After that even when things seemingly didn’t go right, I didn’t feel bad or angry or worried. Everything about it was fine with me.

 

In the end everything is in a balance whether we see that or not. Everything is placed in the place it deserves to be placed in; that is the classical definition of adl, justice. Each single thing is held accountable for its own actions. Even inside the same person different parts, like the nafs and the qalb, cannot be blamed for one another.

 

Hazrat Najmuddin Kubra (ra) in the Tafseer e Jilani; “By its nature, the ease and satisfaction of the nafs lies in the world and its artificial and false adornments. The nafs desires the opposite of that which is commanded by God and this is what becomes its burden. In this state, it travels towards the most base of ranks and none other than the nafs can carry the weight of its weakness.

 

The qalb will not be held accountable or answerable for the encumbrances of the nafs as long as it is safeguarded from the regretful negativity of the nafs and possesses the light of imaan, faith. For in the intrinsic nature of the qalb is placed the love and desire of Allah.

 

Only when the qalb follows the nafs does Allah, in His Wrath, make the two equal. In this case, the mirror of the qalb becomes rusted by the habits and attributes of the nafs. When the qalb follows in the footsteps of the desires of the nafs and becomes trapped by its lusts, it loses its original intended purpose.

 

By Allah’s Command it was supposed to be the seat of taharat (purity), safa (cleansing), salamati (peace), zikr (remembrance), fikar (reflection), tauheed (One-ness), imaan (faith), tawakul (reliance), sidq (truth), ikhlas (sincerity) and bandagi (obedience). When it rejected this Command and fell into waywardness, it became liable for the burden of its sins.

 

Just as Allah has said;

 

كَلَّا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِم مَّا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُون

 

Nay! But, their hearts have been corroded by what they do (earn).”

Surah Al-Mutaffifin, Verse 14

 

In my 30s I used to say to people if there was something that wiped the slate clean, no matter what someone did before, it was marriage. In my 50s, I learn repentance does the same. Within that it’s one thing when someone apologizes for something and entirely another when they do so with tears. It’s unlikely I will ever know the feeling of being the vice-regent of Allah on Earth, having been “created in the best mould” but this Ramzan I certainly experienced the asfala safileen, the depths of despair;

 

ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِين

 

Then We returned him to the lowest of the low.

Surah At-Teen, Verse 5

 

Tafseer e Jilani; “Because of their own misdeeds, when Our Will decided it, we deprived Man from his highly exalted status and relegated him to the lowest of states where his fulfillment, desires and hopes are tied to the world.”

 

Still in the last ashara’, last 10 days of the month, which is exclusively for escape from the fires of Hell, I experienced Allah as Al-Ghafoor and Al-Wadood.

 

وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الْوَدُود

 

And He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Loving.

Surah Al-Burooj, Verse 14

 

Tafseer e Jilani; “He is bound by His Mercy to be the Forgiver and The One who hides sins. He erases the sins of those who repent with sincerity and become obedient, no matter what the sins are, in number or type. He loves the repentance of the sinner who asks for forgiveness with sincerity. When they plead before Him, when they are bent in fear and shame, when they are regretful of their sins, that ask for forgiveness is beloved to Him.

 

In the end, I felt sad that on the 27th of Ramzan I was not able to post the piece on the Quran that I had intended. Qari Sahib was still not well. Still we managed a phone call and I discussed some of my translations for this writing. Instead, I read the Quran. It so happened that I reached the last verse of Surah Al-An’am.

 

وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَائِفَ الْأَرْضِ

وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُمْ

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ سَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ

وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيم

 

It is He who has made you His Vice-regent on this Earth and has raised some of you in rank above others so that He might test you by means of what He has given you.

Your Lord is swift in punishment but He is also forgiving and Merciful to all.

 

My eyes read the tafseer of the verse and wept as I translated it, the words piercing my heart.

 

وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَائِفَ الْأَرْضِ

 

“It is God who has sent you as His Appointee on this Earth as the one who is able to become the reflection of His Attributes.

 

وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ

 

In gaining those Attributes He has made given some of you preference over others.

 

لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُمْ

 

So you will be tested on the capabilities and strengths that were bestowed upon you to see if you are using them to consummate the purpose of your creation or for other means.

 

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ سَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ

 

The one who destroys their natural ability without purpose will be punished swiftly.

 

وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيم

 

Similarly, the one who heeds advice and seeks forgiveness and makes the intent to come towards the right path through repentance will find that Allah is Benevolent towards them.”

 

The road towards Tauheed, the One-ness of Allah, is paved with the dying of the will. Over and over, again and again. This Ramzan I learnt that quite literally. I experienced Hell but for an instant and it was unbearable. Prayers I uttered entirely in obedience to Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him), copying his words exactly, saved me from myself. The one that became my favourite was this;

 

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِين

 

Say, O Beloved (peace be upon you), "Indeed, my prayer and worship, and my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds.”

 

The words were so intense I had to look up Ghaus Pak’s (ra) tafseer of it.

 

Tafseer e Jilani: “Oh Messenger who completes prophet-hood, who is the reflection of the essence of Allah’s Tauheed, One-ness, say, while entrusting your entire affairs and all that which is happening with you and by you to your Lord, “Indeed, the inclination of all my organs and parts, my entire being (zahir and batin) and all my worship, which is the means of my gaining closeness and connection with my Lord in my life in this world and the Hereafter, are only and only for Allah, The One who is The Controller of all His Kingdoms by His Will in every aspect, for everything belongs to Him and He is the Lord of all the Worlds.”

 

It was a comforting relief for me to discover that which I love cannot become detestable to me. A feeling my nature considers sweet is not susceptible to change. The apparition was not my enemy. I did not have to dislike it if I loved it. My "sin" was my lunging towards it for the umpteenth time instead of patiently standing where I was and letting the ghost play its test out, whatever it was. After all, it appeared for a reason.

 

At each point in the journey when one stumbles, hope appears. If one is attached to those who stand at the destination as a result of being guided by Allah's Beloved (peace be upon him), there is always a beckoning from them to get up and move forward. There is no prolonged self-pity. There is no extended distress.

 

Ghaus Pak (ra) says that the batin is the bird, the qalb its cage. The qalb a bird, the body its cage. The body a bird, the grave its cage. The grave is the cage for all creation that everyone has to enter. Before that dying come a thousand deaths for the seeker. And as I learnt, a thousand lives. Only through each does one edge towards fulfillment of purpose.

 

Sahel Tustari (ra): "The heart has a thousand deaths, of which the ultimate is being cut off (qaṭīʿa) from God, Mighty and Majestic is He; and the heart has a thousand lives, of which the ultimate is the encounter (liqāʾ) with God, Mighty and Majestic is He. Furthermore, with each sinful act the heart undergoes a death, and with each act of obedience it receives [new] life."

 

That Allah is His Infinite Generosity offers vice-regency to all human beings astonishes me. Even acquiring a single attribute of The Divine seems invisibly far. The hand of repentance, however, that reaches His Mercy via Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him) brings everything in one's reach. Fresh starts, clean slates, new choices, different endings. In every moment, in every day. In the end, inspired by the hadith Qudsi I have learnt recently, I will find myself to be only that which I think I am.

 

Tafseer e Tustari: "Hazrat Sahel (ra) said: Struggle against your lower self with the sword of opposition! Place upon its [back] the burdens of remorse (nadam), and guide it through the desert plains of fear (khawf), so that you may turn it back to the path of repentance (tawba) and contrition (ināba). Repentance is not acceptable except from one who feels perplexed at his plight, grief-stricken at this situation, and confounded in his heart at what has happened to him."

 

www.youtube.com/channel/UCqb01bB-J3kyiu-HKIX2MKw

PORNO CHIC

Tickets available for Wednesday 6 July and Thursday 7 July 2016, 7.30pm, £11 (£10 concessions).

www.ticketea.co.uk/tickets-porno-chic/

 

SOLD OUT: Friday 8 July and Saturday 9 July 2016

King’s Arms Theatre, 11 Bloom Street, Salford, M3 6AN

 

PORNO CHIC trailer on YouTube: youtu.be/WoV7kEXsP4Y

 

DEEP THROAT, the 1970s film that changed the porn industry FOREVER, now award-winning Vertigo Theatre Productions bring their smash hit show back to Manchester after a critically acclaimed 5 star run. Porno Chic tells the story of the iconic stars of the movie Harry Reems (Richard Allen) and Linda Lovelace (Celine Constantinides) as they deal with alcoholism, fame, rejection, domestic abuse, sex, taking on the US government and their rise and brutal fall. Written and directed by award winning Craig Hepworth and Adele Stanhope, Porno Chic is both funny and dramatic and not to be missed.

5 Stars 'unmissable' - What's on Stage

5 stars 'Dynamic' - Viva magazine

'extraordinary' - British Theatre Guide

Adult content, nudity, strong language. over 18s.

DRAMA, THEATRE

@VertigoTheatreP

www.vertigotheatreproductions.co.uk

 

Greater Manchester Fringe 24 June - 31 July 2016 www.greatermanchesterfringe.co.uk

 

Photograph by SHAY ROWAN

www.facebook.com/shay.rowan.5

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

 

Some background

The history of Focke Wulf's Fw 190 in Japan started with a rejection: in 1943 a single FW 190 A-5 had been supplied to Japan for evaluation, but at first, the type was not put into production by the Japanese. Anyway, the results of the study by Japanese engineers were incorporated in the design of the Ki-61 fighter. This evaluation did not go unnoticed, since the type received the Allied code-name 'Fred'.

 

By that time, the teething development problems of Mitubishi's J2M ‘Raiden’ (Thunderbolt) 'Jack' led to a slowdown in production. Biggest issues were the Kasei engine, an unreliable propeller pitch change mechanism and the main undercarriage members. Another drawback of the type was that its design put emphasis on performance and pilot protection rather than maneuverability. By the time the Fw 190 was tested, only fourteen J2M had been completed.

To make matters even worse, the Mitsubishi A7M 'Reppu' fighter was also behind schedule, so that replacements for the A6M 'Zero', backbone of the IJN’s air force, were overdue.

 

This situation left the Imperial Japanese Navy without a land-based interceptor. The first few produced J2M2 were delivered to the development units in December 1942 but further trials and improvements took almost a year, and it took until June 1944 that the ‘Raiden’ could make its combat debut, during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

 

While the Raiden was to be developed further for the high-altitude interceptor role, the IJN decided in January 1944 to adopt the highly effective Fw 190 as a supplementary interceptor for medium heights - only as a stop-gap at first, but the type quickly evolved into various sub-variants, much like in Germany.

 

License production of the adopted Fw 190 started at Hitachi in May 1944. The original airframe was modified to cater to Japanese needs and customs, and the most obvious difference of the J10F1, how the plane was officially called, was the use of the Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23c radial engine instead of the original BMW 801. It was a modified version of the engine in the J2M, but simplified and made more reliable. The engine produced 1.820hp and drove a four-bladed propeller. Another distinctive feature was a small fin fillet, which compensated directional instability due to the longer forward fuselage.

By its pilots, the J10F quickly became called “hueruge” (フエルゲル), a transcription of the Fw 190's German nickname "Würger" (=Shrike).

 

Variants:

 

J10F1

The original main variant with the MK4R Kasei 23e and armed with 2× 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns and 4× 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 354 aircraft produced.

While no official sub-variant was developed or designated, single machines differed considerably in equipment. This included field-modifications like reduced armament for better performance or ground-attack equipment, e .g. racks for a total of four unguided 60kg air-to-air missiles under the outer wings.

 

J10F1-G

In late 1945 a few J10F1 were modified for the anti-ship role and night attacks, and they received the "-G" suffix for their new land-based bomber role. These planes had a reduced gun armament, flame dampers and an IR sight, similar to the German “Spanner” device.

Most of these planes were to carry special weapons, like a single indigenous Ke-Go 110 heat-seeking guided bomb under the belly, or, alternatively, a copy of the German Bv 246 "Hagelkorn" gliding bomb, which had been delivered to Japan in 1944 for tests and adopted for production. To allow more space under the fuselage while carrying these bombs on the ground, some of these aircraft had a longer tail wheel strut fitted. Additionally, tests were made with a torpedo on the centerline hardpoint. It is uncertain if these weapons were actually used in combat, though.

 

J10F2

The only variant that was developed so far that it entered service, incorporating many detail modifications and improvements. These included thicker armored glass in the cabin's windshield (from 5.5 cm/2.2” to 7.6cm/3”) and extra armor plating behind the pilot's seat. The wing skinning was thickened in localized areas to allow for a further increase in dive speed. A water-methanol engine boost was added, which allowed an engine output of 2.050 hp for short periods, which boosted the top speed to 695 km/h. 52 were produced.

 

J10F3

High altitude project with a pressurized cabin, a larger wing span of 11.96 m (39 ft 2 in) and a turbo-supercharged MK4R-C Kasei 23c engine, with the turbo-supercharger mounted behind the cockpit (itself made wider). This doubled the altitude at which the engine could produce its rated power, from 15,750ft up to 30,185ft. The J10F3 only carried two 20mm cannons in the wing roots, but had two extra oblique-firing 20mm cannon installed aft of the cockpit for use against high flying American B-29 bombers (much like the German "Schräge Musik" installments). Two prototypes were completed in June 1945, but the turbo-supercharger proved troublesome, and no further aircraft of this type were produced.

  

From late 1944 on, the J10F1 was quickly thrown into service and became a nasty surprise for Allied aircraft. The modified Focke Wulf design proved to be agile, fast and much tougher than earlier Japanese fighters, coupled with a relatively heavy armament. Beyond interception duties, the J10F1 was frequently employed in close support and anti-shipping tasks, since its low level handling and ordnance load was excellent.

Its only drawback was - as with the original Fw 190 - that performance dropped at heights above 6.000m. This should not have posed a problem with the J2M, but that type's delay left the Allied high-altitude bomber attacks relatively unharmed, so that the J10F3 version was hastily developed, but failed to realize. In Germany, the similar situation resulted in the Fw 190 D-9 variant and finally in the superb Ta-152.

  

J10F1General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 9.29 m (30 ft 6¾ in)

Wingspan:10.51 m (34 ft 5 in)

Height: 3.95 m (12 ft 12 in)

Wing area:18.30 m² (196.99 ft²)

Empty weight: 3,490 kg (7,694 lb)

Max. take-off weight: 4,840 kg (10,670 lb)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 656 km/h (408 mph) at 19,420 ft (5,920 m)

Rate of climb:17 m/s (3,300 ft/min)

Range: 800 km (500 mi)

Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)

Engine: 1 Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23e radial engine with 1.820hp

 

Armament:

2 × 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns, 300 rpg, in the nose

4 × 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 200 rpg, two in the wing roots, two outside of the landing gear.

Three hardpoints, one under the fuselage (max. 500 kg/1.102 lb) and one under each wing for 250 kg/550 lb each for bombs or fuel tanks. Total external ordnance load of 1.000kg (2.205 lb).

  

The kit and its assembly

The 'Japanese Fw 190' is a popular what-if topic, so I wanted to add my interpretation to the plethora of whifs and replicas of the real test machine. Actually, a clean Fw 190 looks pretty Japanese with its radial engine and sleek lines. When I recently came across a similar build at britmodelers.com, I thought that painting a Fw 190 green/grey and putting some Hinomarus on is logical and simple, but there's more in the subject than just cosmetics. I wanted a bit more... And while the concept remained simple, I had enough ideas and spare parts for a twin combo! In the end, the J10F was built as a pure interceptor and as a 'special purpose' night strike aircraft.

 

Basically, my limiting design idea for the J10F's design was the idea that Japan would not have received the Fw 190’s original BMW 801 radial engine, so that an alternative powerplant had to be fitted. I had hoped that this would have set the 'new' plane outwardly a bit apart from its German ancestor, and also make you look twice because the result would not be a 1:1 "Japanized" Fw 190 A/F. I tried, but I suppose that the effect is not as 'powerful' as intended – but judge for yourself?

 

The basic kits for both conversions come from Hobby Boss. It is a simple and clean kit, but with very good fit and engraved details. In an attempt to change the plane's look a little, I tried to transplant other engines - radials, too. Donation parts for both kits come from an Italeri Ju 188, which features two pairs of engines. The radials I used are actually BMW 801’s, too, but they lack the typical cooling fan and the cowlings are 3-4mm longer because they'd carry the engine mountings on the Ju 188's wings. Actually, the fuselage is minimal longer now, maybe 4-5mm, but the shape is still very close to the original Fw 190, so I think that this mod hardly is recognizable at all?

 

The change was a bit tricky, due to the massive fuselage of the Hobby Boss kit, but it worked. The new cowlings received new cooling louvres and exhaust pipes. New, four-bladed propellers were added, scratch-built from leftover Mosquito NF.30 propellers from the Airfix kit and drop tank front halves.

 

Otherwise, though, not much was changed, the two kits just differ in equipment details and received Matchbox pilot figures in order to cover up the bleak and very deep cockpit.

 

The interceptor:

As an interceptor I left the plane clean, without external ordnance. I wanted to emphasize its elegant look, which makes it look like a Ki-43 on casual glance, or even an A6M. The plane carries the normal gun armament (from a Fw 190 A-8), this is supposed to be the original/standard J10F mentioned above.

 

The night attacker:

The J10F1-G variant saw more modifications, including a new exhaust system with flame dampers built from scratch. Other special equipment comprises an IR sight in front of the canopy, flare protectors, the fuselage hardpoint and the scratch-built Ke-Go 110 bomb. In order to cover the deleted gun access panels under the wings, I added streamlined bomb shackles for two Japanese 60kg bombs each, donated from a Matchbox Ju 87 kit.

 

About the Ke-Go bomb

This bomb, which looks like a penguin, is a fantasy derivate of a real Japanese development series until summer 1945. In a nutshell, the Ke-Go bomb actually was one of the first “fire and forget” weapons I have heard of. With the guidance of a bolometer seeker and a self-correcting steering mechanism, the bomb would (only) be useable against strong and clear heat sources – a ship’s kettle at night, when surrounding heat level was low, would qualify, and the bomb would be guided by deviation and correction from that heat source - if it locked on correctly, though! My Ke-Go 110 is a smaller version of the original Ke-Go bombs, suitable for lighter planes.

  

Painting

Being an IJN plane, paint scheme choices for the J10F were rather limited - and since it is a whif plane I stuck to my policy that I rather use a simple/subtle paint scheme.

 

The interceptor:

For the clean and rather conservative interceptor I settled for a simple IJN Green/Gray livery (N. 2 ‘Aomidori-iro’, a bluish, very dark green and N.10 ‘Hairyokushoku’, respectively), with Testors 2116 and 2117 as basic tones. Yellow wing leading edges were added, cut from an aftermarket decal sheet. As a design twist I painted the engine cowling black, A6M-style. The propeller spinner was painted in red brown (typical Japanese WWII primer color), with an orange tip, matching the arrow symbol decal on the tail fin. The propeller blades were painted with Testor’s ‘Rubber’, #1183.

A slightly worn look was achieved through a light wash with black ink and some dry painting with paler shades of Green (Humbrol 91 and 185) and Aluminum, plus light exhaust marks and gun smoke residues with flat black. Some bare metal spots were added, which also highlight some details and add to the worn look.

All decals for the green fighter come from a Hobby Boss A6M, only the arrows come from the Hobby Boss He 162. Finally, everything was sealed under a semi-matte varnish, for a light shine to the surface – typical IJN machines appear to be rather shiny?

 

The night attacker:

This variant received a more fantastic and stealthy paint scheme - I wanted to set the plane apart from the clean and shiny interceptor: a grunty, desperate strike aircraft against overwhelming sea forces.

AFAIK, there had not been specific nocturnal cammo schemes at the IJNAS, except for all-green aircraft? A bit boring, I thought, esp. with a typical green/gray sister plane.

So I made up a personal variant: In a first step, upper surfaces were painted in a brownish-grey basic tone, AFAIK called ‘Ameiro’ – it is the color which was used on early Zeroes which were based on carriers, and the tone faded quickly to a light gray. This color is very similar to RAL 7014 ‘Fenstergrau’ and reminds of B.S. ‘Hemp’. I improvised it with a mix of Humbrol 141 (60%), 83 (35%) and a bit of 155 (5%). On top of that a dense array of dark green blotches (Humbrol 185, Chrome Green, at first, and later also with Humbrol 116 for more contrast) was applied, breaking up the plane’s lines and covering the light gray tone almost completely.

Undersides originally sported ‘Ameiro’, too, but they were painted as if they had been covered with a very dark gray tone in the field (Humbrol 67), even leaving out the hinomarus and flaking off everywhere. The black engine cowling was retained.

Hinomaru and squadron emblems come from the same Mitsubishi A6M from Hobby Boss as mentioned above, featuring even less markings. As a side note: I have never seen Hinomaru with a black(!) rim before? I am not certain if this is correct or an authentic modification - it matches the night fighter role perfectly, though. This time I chose a matte varnish, except for the cowling which received some streaks with more shiny semi-matte varnish.

 

In both cases, cockpit interior surfaces and landing gear wells were painted in ‘Aodake Iro’, simulated with a base of Aluminium (Humbrol 56) and a coat of translucent blue lacquer on top.

  

All in all, these pair of rather simple model kit was built in a couple of days, taking the pictures and waiting for good light took almost the same time! I am not 100% happy, because the engine mod is not as obvious as I expected, even though the four-bladed prop and the slightly elongated fuselage give the J10F a menacing and fast look, like a “Baby Tempest”.

 

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

 

Some background

The history of Focke Wulf's Fw 190 in Japan started with a rejection: in 1943 a single FW 190 A-5 had been supplied to Japan for evaluation, but at first, the type was not put into production by the Japanese. Anyway, the results of the study by Japanese engineers were incorporated in the design of the Ki-61 fighter. This evaluation did not go unnoticed, since the type received the Allied code-name 'Fred'.

 

By that time, the teething development problems of Mitubishi's J2M ‘Raiden’ (Thunderbolt) 'Jack' led to a slowdown in production. Biggest issues were the Kasei engine, an unreliable propeller pitch change mechanism and the main undercarriage members. Another drawback of the type was that its design put emphasis on performance and pilot protection rather than maneuverability. By the time the Fw 190 was tested, only fourteen J2M had been completed.

To make matters even worse, the Mitsubishi A7M 'Reppu' fighter was also behind schedule, so that replacements for the A6M 'Zero', backbone of the IJN’s air force, were overdue.

 

This situation left the Imperial Japanese Navy without a land-based interceptor. The first few produced J2M2 were delivered to the development units in December 1942 but further trials and improvements took almost a year, and it took until June 1944 that the ‘Raiden’ could make its combat debut, during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

 

While the Raiden was to be developed further for the high-altitude interceptor role, the IJN decided in January 1944 to adopt the highly effective Fw 190 as a supplementary interceptor for medium heights - only as a stop-gap at first, but the type quickly evolved into various sub-variants, much like in Germany.

 

License production of the adopted Fw 190 started at Hitachi in May 1944. The original airframe was modified to cater to Japanese needs and customs, and the most obvious difference of the J10F1, how the plane was officially called, was the use of the Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23c radial engine instead of the original BMW 801. It was a modified version of the engine in the J2M, but simplified and made more reliable. The engine produced 1.820hp and drove a four-bladed propeller. Another distinctive feature was a small fin fillet, which compensated directional instability due to the longer forward fuselage.

By its pilots, the J10F quickly became called “hueruge” (フエルゲル), a transcription of the Fw 190's German nickname "Würger" (=Shrike).

 

Variants:

 

J10F1

The original main variant with the MK4R Kasei 23e and armed with 2× 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns and 4× 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 354 aircraft produced.

While no official sub-variant was developed or designated, single machines differed considerably in equipment. This included field-modifications like reduced armament for better performance or ground-attack equipment, e .g. racks for a total of four unguided 60kg air-to-air missiles under the outer wings.

 

J10F1-G

In late 1945 a few J10F1 were modified for the anti-ship role and night attacks, and they received the "-G" suffix for their new land-based bomber role. These planes had a reduced gun armament, flame dampers and an IR sight, similar to the German “Spanner” device.

Most of these planes were to carry special weapons, like a single indigenous Ke-Go 110 heat-seeking guided bomb under the belly, or, alternatively, a copy of the German Bv 246 "Hagelkorn" gliding bomb, which had been delivered to Japan in 1944 for tests and adopted for production. To allow more space under the fuselage while carrying these bombs on the ground, some of these aircraft had a longer tail wheel strut fitted. Additionally, tests were made with a torpedo on the centerline hardpoint. It is uncertain if these weapons were actually used in combat, though.

 

J10F2

The only variant that was developed so far that it entered service, incorporating many detail modifications and improvements. These included thicker armored glass in the cabin's windshield (from 5.5 cm/2.2” to 7.6cm/3”) and extra armor plating behind the pilot's seat. The wing skinning was thickened in localized areas to allow for a further increase in dive speed. A water-methanol engine boost was added, which allowed an engine output of 2.050 hp for short periods, which boosted the top speed to 695 km/h. 52 were produced.

 

J10F3

High altitude project with a pressurized cabin, a larger wing span of 11.96 m (39 ft 2 in) and a turbo-supercharged MK4R-C Kasei 23c engine, with the turbo-supercharger mounted behind the cockpit (itself made wider). This doubled the altitude at which the engine could produce its rated power, from 15,750ft up to 30,185ft. The J10F3 only carried two 20mm cannons in the wing roots, but had two extra oblique-firing 20mm cannon installed aft of the cockpit for use against high flying American B-29 bombers (much like the German "Schräge Musik" installments). Two prototypes were completed in June 1945, but the turbo-supercharger proved troublesome, and no further aircraft of this type were produced.

  

From late 1944 on, the J10F1 was quickly thrown into service and became a nasty surprise for Allied aircraft. The modified Focke Wulf design proved to be agile, fast and much tougher than earlier Japanese fighters, coupled with a relatively heavy armament. Beyond interception duties, the J10F1 was frequently employed in close support and anti-shipping tasks, since its low level handling and ordnance load was excellent.

Its only drawback was - as with the original Fw 190 - that performance dropped at heights above 6.000m. This should not have posed a problem with the J2M, but that type's delay left the Allied high-altitude bomber attacks relatively unharmed, so that the J10F3 version was hastily developed, but failed to realize. In Germany, the similar situation resulted in the Fw 190 D-9 variant and finally in the superb Ta-152.

  

J10F1General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 9.29 m (30 ft 6¾ in)

Wingspan:10.51 m (34 ft 5 in)

Height: 3.95 m (12 ft 12 in)

Wing area:18.30 m² (196.99 ft²)

Empty weight: 3,490 kg (7,694 lb)

Max. take-off weight: 4,840 kg (10,670 lb)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 656 km/h (408 mph) at 19,420 ft (5,920 m)

Rate of climb:17 m/s (3,300 ft/min)

Range: 800 km (500 mi)

Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)

Engine: 1 Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23e radial engine with 1.820hp

 

Armament:

2 × 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns, 300 rpg, in the nose

4 × 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 200 rpg, two in the wing roots, two outside of the landing gear.

Three hardpoints, one under the fuselage (max. 500 kg/1.102 lb) and one under each wing for 250 kg/550 lb each for bombs or fuel tanks. Total external ordnance load of 1.000kg (2.205 lb).

  

The kit and its assembly

The 'Japanese Fw 190' is a popular what-if topic, so I wanted to add my interpretation to the plethora of whifs and replicas of the real test machine. Actually, a clean Fw 190 looks pretty Japanese with its radial engine and sleek lines. When I recently came across a similar build at britmodelers.com, I thought that painting a Fw 190 green/grey and putting some Hinomarus on is logical and simple, but there's more in the subject than just cosmetics. I wanted a bit more... And while the concept remained simple, I had enough ideas and spare parts for a twin combo! In the end, the J10F was built as a pure interceptor and as a 'special purpose' night strike aircraft.

 

Basically, my limiting design idea for the J10F's design was the idea that Japan would not have received the Fw 190’s original BMW 801 radial engine, so that an alternative powerplant had to be fitted. I had hoped that this would have set the 'new' plane outwardly a bit apart from its German ancestor, and also make you look twice because the result would not be a 1:1 "Japanized" Fw 190 A/F. I tried, but I suppose that the effect is not as 'powerful' as intended – but judge for yourself?

 

The basic kits for both conversions come from Hobby Boss. It is a simple and clean kit, but with very good fit and engraved details. In an attempt to change the plane's look a little, I tried to transplant other engines - radials, too. Donation parts for both kits come from an Italeri Ju 188, which features two pairs of engines. The radials I used are actually BMW 801’s, too, but they lack the typical cooling fan and the cowlings are 3-4mm longer because they'd carry the engine mountings on the Ju 188's wings. Actually, the fuselage is minimal longer now, maybe 4-5mm, but the shape is still very close to the original Fw 190, so I think that this mod hardly is recognizable at all?

 

The change was a bit tricky, due to the massive fuselage of the Hobby Boss kit, but it worked. The new cowlings received new cooling louvres and exhaust pipes. New, four-bladed propellers were added, scratch-built from leftover Mosquito NF.30 propellers from the Airfix kit and drop tank front halves.

 

Otherwise, though, not much was changed, the two kits just differ in equipment details and received Matchbox pilot figures in order to cover up the bleak and very deep cockpit.

 

The interceptor:

As an interceptor I left the plane clean, without external ordnance. I wanted to emphasize its elegant look, which makes it look like a Ki-43 on casual glance, or even an A6M. The plane carries the normal gun armament (from a Fw 190 A-8), this is supposed to be the original/standard J10F mentioned above.

 

The night attacker:

The J10F1-G variant saw more modifications, including a new exhaust system with flame dampers built from scratch. Other special equipment comprises an IR sight in front of the canopy, flare protectors, the fuselage hardpoint and the scratch-built Ke-Go 110 bomb. In order to cover the deleted gun access panels under the wings, I added streamlined bomb shackles for two Japanese 60kg bombs each, donated from a Matchbox Ju 87 kit.

 

About the Ke-Go bomb

This bomb, which looks like a penguin, is a fantasy derivate of a real Japanese development series until summer 1945. In a nutshell, the Ke-Go bomb actually was one of the first “fire and forget” weapons I have heard of. With the guidance of a bolometer seeker and a self-correcting steering mechanism, the bomb would (only) be useable against strong and clear heat sources – a ship’s kettle at night, when surrounding heat level was low, would qualify, and the bomb would be guided by deviation and correction from that heat source - if it locked on correctly, though! My Ke-Go 110 is a smaller version of the original Ke-Go bombs, suitable for lighter planes.

  

Painting

Being an IJN plane, paint scheme choices for the J10F were rather limited - and since it is a whif plane I stuck to my policy that I rather use a simple/subtle paint scheme.

 

The interceptor:

For the clean and rather conservative interceptor I settled for a simple IJN Green/Gray livery (N. 2 ‘Aomidori-iro’, a bluish, very dark green and N.10 ‘Hairyokushoku’, respectively), with Testors 2116 and 2117 as basic tones. Yellow wing leading edges were added, cut from an aftermarket decal sheet. As a design twist I painted the engine cowling black, A6M-style. The propeller spinner was painted in red brown (typical Japanese WWII primer color), with an orange tip, matching the arrow symbol decal on the tail fin. The propeller blades were painted with Testor’s ‘Rubber’, #1183.

A slightly worn look was achieved through a light wash with black ink and some dry painting with paler shades of Green (Humbrol 91 and 185) and Aluminum, plus light exhaust marks and gun smoke residues with flat black. Some bare metal spots were added, which also highlight some details and add to the worn look.

All decals for the green fighter come from a Hobby Boss A6M, only the arrows come from the Hobby Boss He 162. Finally, everything was sealed under a semi-matte varnish, for a light shine to the surface – typical IJN machines appear to be rather shiny?

 

The night attacker:

This variant received a more fantastic and stealthy paint scheme - I wanted to set the plane apart from the clean and shiny interceptor: a grunty, desperate strike aircraft against overwhelming sea forces.

AFAIK, there had not been specific nocturnal cammo schemes at the IJNAS, except for all-green aircraft? A bit boring, I thought, esp. with a typical green/gray sister plane.

So I made up a personal variant: In a first step, upper surfaces were painted in a brownish-grey basic tone, AFAIK called ‘Ameiro’ – it is the color which was used on early Zeroes which were based on carriers, and the tone faded quickly to a light gray. This color is very similar to RAL 7014 ‘Fenstergrau’ and reminds of B.S. ‘Hemp’. I improvised it with a mix of Humbrol 141 (60%), 83 (35%) and a bit of 155 (5%). On top of that a dense array of dark green blotches (Humbrol 185, Chrome Green, at first, and later also with Humbrol 116 for more contrast) was applied, breaking up the plane’s lines and covering the light gray tone almost completely.

Undersides originally sported ‘Ameiro’, too, but they were painted as if they had been covered with a very dark gray tone in the field (Humbrol 67), even leaving out the hinomarus and flaking off everywhere. The black engine cowling was retained.

Hinomaru and squadron emblems come from the same Mitsubishi A6M from Hobby Boss as mentioned above, featuring even less markings. As a side note: I have never seen Hinomaru with a black(!) rim before? I am not certain if this is correct or an authentic modification - it matches the night fighter role perfectly, though. This time I chose a matte varnish, except for the cowling which received some streaks with more shiny semi-matte varnish.

 

In both cases, cockpit interior surfaces and landing gear wells were painted in ‘Aodake Iro’, simulated with a base of Aluminium (Humbrol 56) and a coat of translucent blue lacquer on top.

  

All in all, these pair of rather simple model kit was built in a couple of days, taking the pictures and waiting for good light took almost the same time! I am not 100% happy, because the engine mod is not as obvious as I expected, even though the four-bladed prop and the slightly elongated fuselage give the J10F a menacing and fast look, like a “Baby Tempest”.

 

The Preston Strike and Lune Street Riot, which took place in Preston, in Lancashire, England over 12 and 13 August 1842, were part of the 1842 General Strike or ‘Plug Plot Riots’. These strikes and disturbances were prompted by depression in 1841-2 which resulted in wage cuts of over 25%. They were influenced by the Chartist movement and the government’s rejection of the petition for ‘People's Charter of 1838’, signed by over 1 million people who demanded a more democratic political system.

 

Disputes spread throughout the North West of England from late July 1842. Workers in Manchester and Stockport struck on 10 August, Bolton on 11 August and in Preston a mass meeting was called for Friday 12th. The demands made at most of the strike meetings were for a return to 1840 wages and an acceptance of the Charter. One of the Chartist leaders was Preston handloom weaver Richard Marsden.

 

The strike began on 12 August 1842 after a large meeting of around 3,000 cotton workers at Chadwick’s Orchard – now the site of Preston’s Covered Market. They pledged to "strike work until they had a fair days wages for that work, guaranteeing its continuance with the Charter." The Chartist newspaper The Northern Star reported that "Before night every cotton mill was turned out without resistance - all done chiefly by boys and girls".

 

The next day news spread that some mills had resumed work. The remaining strikers met in Chadwick’s Orchard on Saturday morning, as early as 6am and went to Messrs. Sledden’s machine shop on North Road and compelled workers there to turn out, "after several windows were broken and a few slight wounds inflicted on both sides." They then started moving through Preston from factory to factory.

 

The Mayor Samuel Horrocks, officials and the police were called upon to deal with the unrest and protect property. They enlisted the help of soldiers stationed in the town from the 72nd Highlanders to help stop the riot.

 

Samuel Horrocks was a member of the Horrocks family which had risen to prominence in Preston in the 1790s through the cotton trade. His uncle John and father Samuel Horrocks founded Horrockses which, by 1842, was Preston’s largest cotton manufacturer. The family had become very wealthy and both John and Samuel Horrocks had served as Members of Parliament until their deaths in 1804 and 1842 respectively.

 

Accompanying the Mayor were two local magistrates and mill owners George Jacson and John Bairstow. The officials also included the Town Clerk of Preston Corporation, Richard Palmer. Leading the police forces were Captain Woodford of the County rural police and Superintendent Bannister of the Preston Borough force.

 

The strikers moved into the centre of town to Messrs Paley’s Mill where they met Preston officials accompanied by about 30 soldiers from the 72nd Highlanders and members of the County and Borough police. Their final confrontation was on the bottom of Lune Street outside the Preston Corn Exchange. Members of the crowd including men, women and boys gathered stones from near the canal and began throwing them at the police and military.

 

The Mayor Samuel Horrocks read the Riot Act. This gave local authorities the right to use force if necessary to disperse unlawful assemblies and stop riots. When the violence escalated and the crowd did not disperse the military then fired, shooting at least eight men. The rioters then fled in shock and the injured men were taken to the House of Recovery.

 

Accounts vary as to who exactly gave the order and how shots were fired, but, at the later trial of chartist leader Feargus O’Connor, the police officer Mr Bannister stated that it was Samuel Horrocks who had given the order, but that he had not heard the order himself. Whatever the case, public discontent for the shooting was quickly directed at the Mayor Samuel Horrocks.

 

A permanent memorial in memory of the cotton workers was unveiled on Lune Street on 13 August 1992 - the 150th anniversary of the shooting. The memorial was designed and produced by the British artist and sculptor Gordon Young. It was inspired by Goya's painting The Third of May 1808 picturing Spanish civilians being executed in 1808 for resisting Napoleon’s troops.

 

The memorial was funded and supported by the Preston Trades Union Council, Preston Labour History Group, Preston Borough Council, Lancashire County Council, the Art Department of Preston Polytechnic (now the University of Central Lancashire) and North West Arts.

 

It was hoped that the placing of the memorial in Preston would remind people now and in the future that "Never without sacrifice have gains been made towards justice and democracy".

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preston_Strike_of_1842

More details on October 2016 shows www.facebook.com/events/1734871350063266/

  

Photograph by SHAY ROWAN

www.facebook.com/shay.rowan.5

  

DEEP THROAT, the 1970s film that changed the porn industry FOREVER, now award-winning Vertigo Theatre Productions bring their smash hit show back to Manchester after a critically acclaimed 5 star run. Porno Chic tells the story of the iconic stars of the movie Harry Reems (Richard Allen) and Linda Lovelace (Celine Constantinides) as they deal with alcoholism, fame, rejection, domestic abuse, sex, taking on the US government and their rise and brutal fall. Written and directed by award winning Craig Hepworth and Adele Stanhope, Porno Chic is both funny and dramatic and not to be missed.

5 Stars 'unmissable' - What's on Stage

5 stars 'Dynamic' - Viva magazine

'extraordinary' - British Theatre Guide

Adult content, nudity, strong language. over 18s.

DRAMA, THEATRE

@VertigoTheatreP

www.vertigotheatreproductions.co.uk

  

More details on Greater Manchester Fringe until 31 July 2016 www.greatermanchesterfringe.co.uk

   

Manasa, also Mansa Devi, is a Hindu folk goddess of snakes, worshipped mainly in Bengal and other parts of North and northeastern India, chiefly for the prevention and cure of snakebite and also for fertility and prosperity. Manasa is the sister of Vasuki, king of Nāgas (snakes) and wife of sage Jagatkāru (Jaratkāru). She is also known as Vishahara (the destroyer of poison), Nityā (eternal) and Padmavati.

 

Her myths emphasize her bad temper and unhappiness, due to rejection by her father Shiva and her husband, and the hatred of her stepmother, Chandi (Shiva's wife, identified with Parvati in this context). In some scriptures, sage Kashyapa is considered to be her father, rather than Shiva. Manasa is depicted as kind to her devotees, but harsh to people who refused to worship her. Denied full godhead by her mixed parentage, Manasa’s aim was to fully establish her authority as a goddess and to acquire steadfast human devotees.

 

ORIGINS

Manasa first appears in the Hindu text Atharva Veda as a snake goddess. In the Puranas, she was recognized as a daughter of sage Kashyapa and Kadru, the mother of all Nāgas. By the 14th century, Manasa was identified as the goddess of fertility and marriage rites and was assimilated into the Shaiva pantheon as a relative of Shiva. Myths glorified her by describing that she saved Shiva after he drank poison, and venerated her as the "remover of poison". Her popularity grew and spread to southern India, and her cult began to rival Shaivism itself. As a consequence, stories attributing Manasa's birth to Shiva emerged and ultimately Shaivism adopted this indigenous goddess into the Brahmanical tradition of mainstream Hinduism.

 

ICONOGRAPHY

Manasa is depicted as a woman covered with snakes, sitting on a lotus or standing upon a snake. She is sheltered by the canopy of the hoods of seven cobras. Sometimes, she is depicted with a child on her lap. The child is assumed to be her son, Astika. She is often called "the one-eyed goddess" and among the Hajong tribe of northeastern India she is called Kānī Dīyāʊ (Blind Goddess), as one of her eyes was burnt by her stepmother Chandi.

 

LEGENDS

MAHABHARATA

The Mahabharata tells the story of Manasa's marriage. Sage Jagatkāru practiced severe austerities and had decided to abstain from marriage. Once he came across a group of men hanging from a tree upside down. These men were his ancestors, who were doomed to misery as their children had not performed their last rites. So they advised Jagatkāru to marry and have a son who could free them of those miseries by performing the ceremonies. Vasuki offered his sister Manasa's hand to Jagatkāru. Manasa mothered a son, Astīka, who freed his ancestors. Astika also helped in saving the Nāga race from destruction when King Janamejaya decided to exterminate them by sacrificing them in his Yajna, fire offering.

 

PURANAS

Puranas are the first scriptures to speak about her birth. They declare that sage Kashyapa is her father, not Shiva as described in the Mangalkavyas. Once, when serpents and reptiles had created chaos on the earth, sage Kashyapa created goddess Manasa from his mind (mana). The creator god Brahma made her the presiding deity of snakes and reptiles. Manasa gained control over the earth, by the power of mantras she chanted. Manasa then propitiated the god, Shiva, who told her to please Krishna. Upon being pleased, Krishna granted her divine Siddhi powers and ritually worshipped her, making her an established goddess.

 

Kashyapa married Manasa to sage Jaratkaru, who agreed to marry her on the condition that he would leave her if she disobeyed him. Once, when Jaratkaru was awakened by Manasa, he became upset with her because she awakened him too late for worship, and so he deserted her. On the request of the great Hindu gods, Jaratkaru returned to Manasa and she gave birth to Astika, their son.

 

MANGALKAVYAS

The Mangalkavyas were devotional paeans to local deities such as Manasa, composed in Bengal between the 13th and the 18th centuries. The Manasa Mangalkavya by Bijay Gupta and Manasa Vijaya (1495) by Bipradas Pipilai trace the origin and myths of the goddess.

 

According to Manasa Vijaya, Manasa was born when a statue of girl that had been sculpted by Vasuki's mother was touched by Shiva's semen. Vasuki accepted Manasa as his sister, and granted her charge of the poison that was produced when King Prithu milked the Earth as a cow. When Shiva saw Manasa, he was sexually attracted to her, but she proved to him that he was her father. Shiva took Manasa to his home where his wife, Chandi, suspected Manasa of being Shiva's concubine or co-wife, and insulted Manasa and burnt one of her eyes, leaving Manasa half-blind. Later, when Shiva was dying of poison, Manasa cured him. On one occasion, when Chandi kicked her, Manasa rendered her senseless with a glance of her poison eye. Finally, tired of quarrels between Manasa and Chandi, Shiva deserted Manasa under a tree, but created a companion for her from his tears of remorse, called Neto or Netā.

 

Later, the sage Jaratkaru married Manasa, but Chandi ruined Manasa's wedding night. Chandi advised Manasa to wear snake ornaments and then threw a frog in the bridal chamber which caused the snakes to run around the chamber. As a consequence, the terrified Jaratkaru ran away from the house. After few days, he returned and Astika, their son, was born.

 

Accompanied by her adviser, Neto, Manasa descended to earth to obtain human devotees. She was initially mocked by the people but then Manasa forced them to worship her by raining calamity on those who denied her power. She managed to convert people from different walks of life, including the Muslim ruler Hasan, but failed to convert Chand Sadagar. Manasa wanted to become a goddess like Lakshmi Saraswati. In order to get there she had to achieve the worship Chand Sadagar who was extremely adamant and took oath not to worship Manasa. Thus to gain his fear and insecurity Manasa one by one killed his six sons. At last Manasa conspired against two dancers of Indras Court who loved each other, Anirudha and Usha. Anirudh had to take birth as Lakhinder, Chand and Sanaka's seventh son. Usha took birth as behula and married him. Manasa killed him but Behula floated on water for nine months with the dead body of her husband and finally brought back the lives of the seven sons and the lost prosperity of Chand. At last, he yielded by offering a flower to the goddess with his left hand without even looking at her. This gesture made Manasa so happy that she resurrected all of Chand's sons and restored his fame and fortunes. The Mangal kavyas say that after this, the worship of Manasa was popular forever more.

 

Manasa Mangalkavya attributes Manasa's difficulty in attracting devotees to an unjust curse she gave to Chand in his previous life. Chand then retaliated with a counter-curse that worshipping her would not be popular on earth unless he worshipped her also.

 

In many renditions of the myth, Manasa is depicted as being quite dependent on Neta (traditionally imagined as a washerwoman) for ideas and moral support. In fact, of the two, Manasa is often the stupider one - a curious instance of anthropomorphism.

 

Ananda K. Coomaraswamy and Sister Nivedita say, "[The] legend of [Chand Sadagar and] Manasā Devī, [...] who must be as old as the Mykenean stratum in Asiatic society, reflects the conflict between the religion of Shiva and that of female local deities in Bengal. Afterwards Manasā or Padmā was recognized as a form of Shakti, [...] and her worship accepted by Shaivas. She is a phase of the mother-divinity who for so many worshippers is nearer and dearer than the far-off and impersonal Shiva...".

 

WORSHIP

Generally, Manasa is worshipped without an image. A branch of a tree, an earthen pot or an earthen snake image is worshipped as the goddess, though images of Manasa are worshipped too. She is worshipped for protection from and cure of snake bites and infectious diseases like smallpox and chicken pox.

 

The cult of Manasa is most widespread in Bengal, where she is ritually worshipped in temples. The goddess is widely worshipped in the rainy season, when the snakes are most active. Manasa is also a very important fertility deity, especially among the lower castes, and her blessings are invoked during marriage or for childlessness. She is usually worshipped and mentioned along with Neto, who is called Neta, Netidhopani, Netalasundori, etc. in various parts of Bengal.

 

In North Bengal, among the Rajbanshis, Manasa (called Bishohora, Bishohori or Padmavati) is one of the most important goddesses, and her thaan (shrine) may be found in the courtyard of almost every agrarian household. Among the lower-caste Hindus of East Bengal (present-day Bangladesh)too, she is worshipped with great pomp.

 

Manasa is an especially important deity in Bengal for the mercantile castes. This is because Chando of the Manasamangal was the first to initiate her worship, and Behula, the heroine of the Manasamangal was a daughter of the Saha clan (a powerful trading community).

 

Manasa is also worshipped extensively in Assam, and a kind of Oja-Pali (musical folk theatre) is dedicated entirely to her myth.

 

Manasa is ceremonially worshipped on Nag Panchami - a festival of snake worship in the Hindu month of Shravan (July–August). Bengali women observe a fast (vrata) on this day and offer milk at snake holes.

 

NOTABLE TEMPLES

Mansa Devi Temple, Haridwar

Mata Mansa Devi Mandir, Panchkula, near Chandigarh.

 

WIKIPEDIA

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

 

Some background

The history of Focke Wulf's Fw 190 in Japan started with a rejection: in 1943 a single FW 190 A-5 had been supplied to Japan for evaluation, but at first, the type was not put into production by the Japanese. Anyway, the results of the study by Japanese engineers were incorporated in the design of the Ki-61 fighter. This evaluation did not go unnoticed, since the type received the Allied code-name 'Fred'.

 

By that time, the teething development problems of Mitubishi's J2M ‘Raiden’ (Thunderbolt) 'Jack' led to a slowdown in production. Biggest issues were the Kasei engine, an unreliable propeller pitch change mechanism and the main undercarriage members. Another drawback of the type was that its design put emphasis on performance and pilot protection rather than maneuverability. By the time the Fw 190 was tested, only fourteen J2M had been completed.

To make matters even worse, the Mitsubishi A7M 'Reppu' fighter was also behind schedule, so that replacements for the A6M 'Zero', backbone of the IJN’s air force, were overdue.

 

This situation left the Imperial Japanese Navy without a land-based interceptor. The first few produced J2M2 were delivered to the development units in December 1942 but further trials and improvements took almost a year, and it took until June 1944 that the ‘Raiden’ could make its combat debut, during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

 

While the Raiden was to be developed further for the high-altitude interceptor role, the IJN decided in January 1944 to adopt the highly effective Fw 190 as a supplementary interceptor for medium heights - only as a stop-gap at first, but the type quickly evolved into various sub-variants, much like in Germany.

 

License production of the adopted Fw 190 started at Hitachi in May 1944. The original airframe was modified to cater to Japanese needs and customs, and the most obvious difference of the J10F1, how the plane was officially called, was the use of the Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23c radial engine instead of the original BMW 801. It was a modified version of the engine in the J2M, but simplified and made more reliable. The engine produced 1.820hp and drove a four-bladed propeller. Another distinctive feature was a small fin fillet, which compensated directional instability due to the longer forward fuselage.

By its pilots, the J10F quickly became called “hueruge” (フエルゲル), a transcription of the Fw 190's German nickname "Würger" (=Shrike).

 

Variants:

 

J10F1

The original main variant with the MK4R Kasei 23e and armed with 2× 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns and 4× 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 354 aircraft produced.

While no official sub-variant was developed or designated, single machines differed considerably in equipment. This included field-modifications like reduced armament for better performance or ground-attack equipment, e .g. racks for a total of four unguided 60kg air-to-air missiles under the outer wings.

 

J10F1-G

In late 1945 a few J10F1 were modified for the anti-ship role and night attacks, and they received the "-G" suffix for their new land-based bomber role. These planes had a reduced gun armament, flame dampers and an IR sight, similar to the German “Spanner” device.

Most of these planes were to carry special weapons, like a single indigenous Ke-Go 110 heat-seeking guided bomb under the belly, or, alternatively, a copy of the German Bv 246 "Hagelkorn" gliding bomb, which had been delivered to Japan in 1944 for tests and adopted for production. To allow more space under the fuselage while carrying these bombs on the ground, some of these aircraft had a longer tail wheel strut fitted. Additionally, tests were made with a torpedo on the centerline hardpoint. It is uncertain if these weapons were actually used in combat, though.

 

J10F2

The only variant that was developed so far that it entered service, incorporating many detail modifications and improvements. These included thicker armored glass in the cabin's windshield (from 5.5 cm/2.2” to 7.6cm/3”) and extra armor plating behind the pilot's seat. The wing skinning was thickened in localized areas to allow for a further increase in dive speed. A water-methanol engine boost was added, which allowed an engine output of 2.050 hp for short periods, which boosted the top speed to 695 km/h. 52 were produced.

 

J10F3

High altitude project with a pressurized cabin, a larger wing span of 11.96 m (39 ft 2 in) and a turbo-supercharged MK4R-C Kasei 23c engine, with the turbo-supercharger mounted behind the cockpit (itself made wider). This doubled the altitude at which the engine could produce its rated power, from 15,750ft up to 30,185ft. The J10F3 only carried two 20mm cannons in the wing roots, but had two extra oblique-firing 20mm cannon installed aft of the cockpit for use against high flying American B-29 bombers (much like the German "Schräge Musik" installments). Two prototypes were completed in June 1945, but the turbo-supercharger proved troublesome, and no further aircraft of this type were produced.

  

From late 1944 on, the J10F1 was quickly thrown into service and became a nasty surprise for Allied aircraft. The modified Focke Wulf design proved to be agile, fast and much tougher than earlier Japanese fighters, coupled with a relatively heavy armament. Beyond interception duties, the J10F1 was frequently employed in close support and anti-shipping tasks, since its low level handling and ordnance load was excellent.

Its only drawback was - as with the original Fw 190 - that performance dropped at heights above 6.000m. This should not have posed a problem with the J2M, but that type's delay left the Allied high-altitude bomber attacks relatively unharmed, so that the J10F3 version was hastily developed, but failed to realize. In Germany, the similar situation resulted in the Fw 190 D-9 variant and finally in the superb Ta-152.

  

J10F1General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 9.29 m (30 ft 6¾ in)

Wingspan:10.51 m (34 ft 5 in)

Height: 3.95 m (12 ft 12 in)

Wing area:18.30 m² (196.99 ft²)

Empty weight: 3,490 kg (7,694 lb)

Max. take-off weight: 4,840 kg (10,670 lb)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 656 km/h (408 mph) at 19,420 ft (5,920 m)

Rate of climb:17 m/s (3,300 ft/min)

Range: 800 km (500 mi)

Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)

Engine: 1 Mitsubishi MK4R Kasei 23e radial engine with 1.820hp

 

Armament:

2 × 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns, 300 rpg, in the nose

4 × 20 mm two Type 99 Model 2 cannons, 200 rpg, two in the wing roots, two outside of the landing gear.

Three hardpoints, one under the fuselage (max. 500 kg/1.102 lb) and one under each wing for 250 kg/550 lb each for bombs or fuel tanks. Total external ordnance load of 1.000kg (2.205 lb).

  

The kit and its assembly

The 'Japanese Fw 190' is a popular what-if topic, so I wanted to add my interpretation to the plethora of whifs and replicas of the real test machine. Actually, a clean Fw 190 looks pretty Japanese with its radial engine and sleek lines. When I recently came across a similar build at britmodelers.com, I thought that painting a Fw 190 green/grey and putting some Hinomarus on is logical and simple, but there's more in the subject than just cosmetics. I wanted a bit more... And while the concept remained simple, I had enough ideas and spare parts for a twin combo! In the end, the J10F was built as a pure interceptor and as a 'special purpose' night strike aircraft.

 

Basically, my limiting design idea for the J10F's design was the idea that Japan would not have received the Fw 190’s original BMW 801 radial engine, so that an alternative powerplant had to be fitted. I had hoped that this would have set the 'new' plane outwardly a bit apart from its German ancestor, and also make you look twice because the result would not be a 1:1 "Japanized" Fw 190 A/F. I tried, but I suppose that the effect is not as 'powerful' as intended – but judge for yourself?

 

The basic kits for both conversions come from Hobby Boss. It is a simple and clean kit, but with very good fit and engraved details. In an attempt to change the plane's look a little, I tried to transplant other engines - radials, too. Donation parts for both kits come from an Italeri Ju 188, which features two pairs of engines. The radials I used are actually BMW 801’s, too, but they lack the typical cooling fan and the cowlings are 3-4mm longer because they'd carry the engine mountings on the Ju 188's wings. Actually, the fuselage is minimal longer now, maybe 4-5mm, but the shape is still very close to the original Fw 190, so I think that this mod hardly is recognizable at all?

 

The change was a bit tricky, due to the massive fuselage of the Hobby Boss kit, but it worked. The new cowlings received new cooling louvres and exhaust pipes. New, four-bladed propellers were added, scratch-built from leftover Mosquito NF.30 propellers from the Airfix kit and drop tank front halves.

 

Otherwise, though, not much was changed, the two kits just differ in equipment details and received Matchbox pilot figures in order to cover up the bleak and very deep cockpit.

 

The interceptor:

As an interceptor I left the plane clean, without external ordnance. I wanted to emphasize its elegant look, which makes it look like a Ki-43 on casual glance, or even an A6M. The plane carries the normal gun armament (from a Fw 190 A-8), this is supposed to be the original/standard J10F mentioned above.

 

The night attacker:

The J10F1-G variant saw more modifications, including a new exhaust system with flame dampers built from scratch. Other special equipment comprises an IR sight in front of the canopy, flare protectors, the fuselage hardpoint and the scratch-built Ke-Go 110 bomb. In order to cover the deleted gun access panels under the wings, I added streamlined bomb shackles for two Japanese 60kg bombs each, donated from a Matchbox Ju 87 kit.

 

About the Ke-Go bomb

This bomb, which looks like a penguin, is a fantasy derivate of a real Japanese development series until summer 1945. In a nutshell, the Ke-Go bomb actually was one of the first “fire and forget” weapons I have heard of. With the guidance of a bolometer seeker and a self-correcting steering mechanism, the bomb would (only) be useable against strong and clear heat sources – a ship’s kettle at night, when surrounding heat level was low, would qualify, and the bomb would be guided by deviation and correction from that heat source - if it locked on correctly, though! My Ke-Go 110 is a smaller version of the original Ke-Go bombs, suitable for lighter planes.

  

Painting

Being an IJN plane, paint scheme choices for the J10F were rather limited - and since it is a whif plane I stuck to my policy that I rather use a simple/subtle paint scheme.

 

The interceptor:

For the clean and rather conservative interceptor I settled for a simple IJN Green/Gray livery (N. 2 ‘Aomidori-iro’, a bluish, very dark green and N.10 ‘Hairyokushoku’, respectively), with Testors 2116 and 2117 as basic tones. Yellow wing leading edges were added, cut from an aftermarket decal sheet. As a design twist I painted the engine cowling black, A6M-style. The propeller spinner was painted in red brown (typical Japanese WWII primer color), with an orange tip, matching the arrow symbol decal on the tail fin. The propeller blades were painted with Testor’s ‘Rubber’, #1183.

A slightly worn look was achieved through a light wash with black ink and some dry painting with paler shades of Green (Humbrol 91 and 185) and Aluminum, plus light exhaust marks and gun smoke residues with flat black. Some bare metal spots were added, which also highlight some details and add to the worn look.

All decals for the green fighter come from a Hobby Boss A6M, only the arrows come from the Hobby Boss He 162. Finally, everything was sealed under a semi-matte varnish, for a light shine to the surface – typical IJN machines appear to be rather shiny?

 

The night attacker:

This variant received a more fantastic and stealthy paint scheme - I wanted to set the plane apart from the clean and shiny interceptor: a grunty, desperate strike aircraft against overwhelming sea forces.

AFAIK, there had not been specific nocturnal cammo schemes at the IJNAS, except for all-green aircraft? A bit boring, I thought, esp. with a typical green/gray sister plane.

So I made up a personal variant: In a first step, upper surfaces were painted in a brownish-grey basic tone, AFAIK called ‘Ameiro’ – it is the color which was used on early Zeroes which were based on carriers, and the tone faded quickly to a light gray. This color is very similar to RAL 7014 ‘Fenstergrau’ and reminds of B.S. ‘Hemp’. I improvised it with a mix of Humbrol 141 (60%), 83 (35%) and a bit of 155 (5%). On top of that a dense array of dark green blotches (Humbrol 185, Chrome Green, at first, and later also with Humbrol 116 for more contrast) was applied, breaking up the plane’s lines and covering the light gray tone almost completely.

Undersides originally sported ‘Ameiro’, too, but they were painted as if they had been covered with a very dark gray tone in the field (Humbrol 67), even leaving out the hinomarus and flaking off everywhere. The black engine cowling was retained.

Hinomaru and squadron emblems come from the same Mitsubishi A6M from Hobby Boss as mentioned above, featuring even less markings. As a side note: I have never seen Hinomaru with a black(!) rim before? I am not certain if this is correct or an authentic modification - it matches the night fighter role perfectly, though. This time I chose a matte varnish, except for the cowling which received some streaks with more shiny semi-matte varnish.

 

In both cases, cockpit interior surfaces and landing gear wells were painted in ‘Aodake Iro’, simulated with a base of Aluminium (Humbrol 56) and a coat of translucent blue lacquer on top.

  

All in all, these pair of rather simple model kit was built in a couple of days, taking the pictures and waiting for good light took almost the same time! I am not 100% happy, because the engine mod is not as obvious as I expected, even though the four-bladed prop and the slightly elongated fuselage give the J10F a menacing and fast look, like a “Baby Tempest”.

 

Atheism = the belief that NOTHING created EVERYTHING, for NO REASON.

Makes perfect sense ..... NOT!

 

www.peterkreeft.com/topics-more/20_arguments-gods-existen...

 

..If people would only think for themselves - there would be no atheists.

Atheism is anti-logic ......

 

Atheism is the rejection of one of the only 2 origins options.

The only two options are:

1. An uncaused, supernatural first cause.

2. An uncaused, natural first cause.

Atheists categorically reject option one, therefore they believe in option two - by default.

Option two (an uncaused, natural first cause) is impossible according to logic, natural laws and the scientific method.

 

Every natural event/effect/entity has to have an adequate cause.

All material/natural entities/events are contingent, they rely on preceding causes.

A natural first cause, cannot be a very FIRST cause because something (which didn't need a cause) must have caused it.

A natural first cause also cannot be the very first cause of the universe because it is woefully inadequate for the effect. An effect cannot be greater than its cause.

So atheism is a set of beliefs which violate the scientific method, ignores logic and defies natural laws.

 

Atheism is a religion because it credits matter/energy with similar creative powers and attributes as those applied to a creator God, which is really just a more sophisticated version of pagan naturalism, which imbued natural entities such as Mother Nature, The Sun or Moon god etc. with creative and magical powers.

 

Evolution is on the rocks - some recent evidence:

www.flickr.com/photos/101536517@N06/sets/7215 7635944904973/

 

Fossil museum:

www.flickr.com/photos/101536517@N06/sets/7215 7641367196613/

 

The idea that the universe can simply rewind itself in a never ending cycle, which had no beginning, is complete, unscientific nonsense.

 

It seems atheists will try anything to justify their naturalist ideology. They apparently have no compunction about completely disregarding natural laws. The Second Law of Thermodynamics rules out such atheist, pie-in-the-sky, origins mythology.

 

There is no such thing as a free lunch, the idea of a rewinding universe is tantamount to applying the discredited notion of perpetual motion - on a grand scale, to the universe.

Contingent things don't just rewind of their own accord. The Second Law (not to mention common sense) rules it out. Where does the renewed power or renewed energy potential come from? If you wind up a clock, it doesn't rewind itself after it has stopped. The universe had a beginning and it will have an end. That is what science tells us, it cannot rewind itself. Such ridiculous atheist musings are just a desperate attempt to wriggle out of the inevitable conclusion of logic, and the Law of Cause and Effect which are the real enemies of atheist ideology.

Atheism is hoisted on its own petard by natural law and science, not by religion.

 

Atheists can’t refute the Law of Cause and Effect which is so devastating to their naturalist agenda, so they regularly invent bizarre scenarios which ignore natural laws, and hope people won’t notice. If anyone does they just brush it off with remarks like “we just don’t know ”.

Sorry, atheists apologists may not know …. but we do know, we certainly know what is impossible …. And we certainly know that you cannot blithely step outside the constraints of natural laws and scientific principles, as atheists do, and remain credible.

 

Atheists are anti-science, because they treat natural law and the whole principle of the scientific method with utter contempt, while they masquerade as the champions of science to the public.

 

A further nail in the coffin of atheist pseudoscience is existence of order.

The development of order requires an organizational element. To do useful work, or to counter the effects of entropy, energy needs to be directed or guided. Raw energy alone actually tends to increase the effects of entropy, it doesn't increase order.

The organizational principle in living systems is provided by the informational element encoded in DNA.

 

Natural laws are a type of information which guide the behaviour of energy and matter, but also serve to limit it. They are an inherent property of matter/energy, natural processes operate only within the confines of natural laws. They cannot exceed the parameters of those laws.

A major problem for atheists is to explain where natural laws came from? In a purposeless universe there should be no regulatory principle at all.

Firstly, we would not expect anything to exist, we would expect eternal nothingness.

Secondly, even if we overlook that impossible hurdle, and assume by some amazing fluke and contrary to logic, something was able to create itself from nothing ….. we would expect the ‘something’ would have no ordered structure and we would expect it to behave randomly and chaotically.

This is an absolutely fundamental question to which atheists have no answer. The basic properties of matter/energy scream …. ‘purpose’. Atheists say the exact opposite.

Furthermore, if we add the accepted, atheist belief; that matter is inherently predisposed to produce life and the genetic information for life, whenever environmental conditions are conducive. The atheist idea of a random, purposeless, universe is left completely in tatters.

 

It is the atheist ideology that is anti-science, not necessarily individual scientists.

 

There may be sincere, atheist scientists who respect the scientific method and natural laws, but they are wedded to an ideology that - when push comes to shove, does not respect natural laws.

It is evident that whenever natural laws interfere with atheist naturalist beliefs, the beliefs take precedence over the rigorous, scientific method. It is then that natural laws are disregarded by atheists in favour of unscientific fantasies which are conducive to their ideology.

Of course, in much day-to-day practical science and technology, the question of violating laws doesn't even arise, and we cannot deny that in the course of such work, atheists will respect the scientific method of experiment and observation within the framework of the Law of Cause and Effect and other established laws of science.

Bizarrely, It is a different matter entirely, when it comes to hypotheses about origins. It then becomes an 'anything goes' situation. The main criteria then seems to be that it doesn’t matter whether your hypothesis violates natural laws (all sorts of excuses can be made as to why natural laws need not apply), all that matters is that it is entirely naturalistic, and can be made to sound plausible to the public.

However, the same atheist scientists would not entertain anything in general, day-to-day science, that is not completely in accordance with the scientific method, they make an exception ONLY with anything to do with origins, whether it be the origin of the universe, or the origin of life, or the origin of species.

 

Atheism is not simply passive non-belief, you can only be a ‘genuine’ atheist if you proactively believe in the following illogical and unscientific notions:

 

A natural, first cause of the universe that was ‘uncaused’.

 

A natural, first cause of the universe that was patently not adequate for the effect, (a cause which was able to produce an effect far greater than itself and superior to its own abilities).

 

That the universe created ITSELF from nothing.

 

That natural laws simply arose of their own accord, without any reason, purpose or cause.

 

That energy potential at the start of everything material was able to wind itself up from absolute zero, of its own accord, without any reason, purpose or cause.

 

That the effect of entropy (Second Law of Thermodynamics) was somehow suspended or didn’t operate to permit the development of order in the universe.

 

That life spontaneously generated itself, of its own volition, from sterile matter, contrary to: the Law of Biogenesis, the laws of probability, the Second Law of Thermodynamics, Information Theory and common sense.

 

That the complete human genome was created by means of a long chain of copying mistakes of the original, genetic information in the first living cell, (mutations of mutations of mutations, etc. etc.).

 

That the complex DNA code was produced by chemical processes.

 

That the very first, genetic information, encoded in the DNA of the first living cell, created itself by some unknown means.

 

That matter is somehow inherently predisposed to develop into living cells, whenever conditions are conducive to life. But such a predisposition for life just arose of its own accord, with no purpose and with no apparent cause.

 

That an ordered structure of atoms, guiding laws of physics, order in the cosmos, order in the living cell and complex information, are what we would expect to occur naturally in a purposeless universe.

 

The claim of Dawkins and other atheists to be the champions of science and reason is clearly bogus. They think they can get away with it by pretending to have no beliefs. However, when challenged, they indirectly espouse the unscientific beliefs outlined above, in their futile attempts to refute the evidence for a supernatural first cause.

Whenever possible, they avoid declaring those beliefs explicitly, but you don’t need to be very astute to realize that relying on those beliefs is the unavoidable conclusion of their arguments. That is why atheism is intellectually bankrupt and is doomed to the dustbin of history.

 

FOUNDATIONS OF SCIENCE

The Law of Cause and Effect. Dominant Principle of Classical Physics. David L. Bergman and Glen C. Collins

www.thewarfareismental.net/b/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/b...

 

"The Big Bang's Failed Predictions and Failures to Predict: (Updated Aug 3, 2017.) As documented below, trust in the big bang's predictive ability has been misplaced when compared to the actual astronomical observations that were made, in large part, in hopes of affirming the theory."

kgov.com/big-bang-predictions