Skilled_Worker photos on Flickr

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This image is protected by copyright, no use of this image shall be granted without the written permission from Yaman Ibrahim.

Alte Schmiede #002 by eagle1effi

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old black smith house

about 1960

Schmied Kunstschmied Metallgestalter

Q.:

Simth:

originated from the Proto-German "smithaz" meaning "skilled worker."

vests by Talha Najeeb

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The retail space may not be screaming Saks 5th Avenue but these are finely stitched garments made by highly skilled workers. (Seen in Lahore's Androon Shehr/Walled City)

EGYPT 48 by Elisabeth Gaj

73 306

Giza - piramid

EXPLORE Apr 21 - 2009 #427

The base of the Great Pyramid forms a nearly perfect square, with only a 19-cm (about 7.50-in) difference between its longest and shortest sides, out of a total length of about 230 m (756 ft). This huge square is also almost exactly level. When newly completed, the Great Pyramid rose 146.7 m (481.4 ft)—nearly 50 stories high. The pyramid’s core probably includes a hill of unexcavated rubble, making it impossible to determine its exact number of blocks. Researchers estimate that 2.3 million blocks were used to build the Great Pyramid, with an average weight of about 2.5 metric tons per block. The largest block weighs as much as 15 metric tons.

The work of quarrying, moving, setting, and sculpting the huge amount of stone used to build the Great Pyramid was most likely accomplished by several thousand skilled workers, unskilled laborers and supporting workers—bakers, carpenters, water carriers, and others—were also needed for the project, so that a total of as many as 35,000 men and women were involved in the project. Many archaeologists and engineers now believe that the pyramid builders were not slaves, as was previously thought, but paid laborers who took great pride in their task. Most were probably farmers, contracted to work for a limited period. Specialists, who were permanently employed by the king, filled the positions that required the most skill—architects, masons, metalworkers, and carpenters.

In building Khufu’s pyramid, the architects used techniques developed by earlier pyramid builders. They selected a site at Giza on a relatively flat area of bedrock—not sand—which provided a stable foundation. After carefully surveying the site and laying down the first level of stones, they constructed the Great Pyramid in horizontal levels, one on top of the other.

Most of the stone for the interior of the Great Pyramid was quarried immediately to the south of the construction site. The smooth exterior of the pyramid was made of a fine grade of white limestone that was quarried across the Nile. These exterior blocks had to be carefully cut, transported by river barge to Giza, and dragged up ramps to the construction site. Only a few exterior blocks remain in place at the bottom of the Great Pyramid. During the Middle Ages (5th century to 15th century) people took the rest away for building projects in the city of Cairo.

To ensure that the pyramid remained symmetrical, the exterior casing stones all had to be equal in height and width. Workers marked all the blocks to indicate the angle of the pyramid wall and trimmed the surfaces carefully so that the blocks fit together. During construction the outer surface of the stone was left unfinished; excess stone was removed later.

DSCF3828 by yaman ibrahim

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This image is protected by copyright, no use of this image shall be granted without the written permission from Yaman Ibrahim.

Walk On The Wild Side by Ursula Harrison.

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A name to gladden the hearts of British girls of a certain vintage! The UK enjoyed something of a stockings revival in the late seventies and early eighties with Harmony Point in the vanguard. Every department store seemed to stock a large selection.

Birmingham Co-op, January 1979. I had the exact money for a pair (£1.25 if I remember correctly) clutched in my hot little hand. The plan was to go in at a quiet time, grab a pair and get out quickly.

I was buying for a girlfriend who I knew wore a size five shoe. But when I walked along the hosiery counter to the fully fashioned section I was confronted with rows of stockings seemingly ranging from size 8 to size 11. Why on earth were so many stockings being produced for ladies with such huge feet?! As I was standing there flabbergasted a rather petite young lady walked past me and took two pairs of size nine off the counter. She was wearing mules and I could see that no way were her feet size nine. So, panic! I was going to have to ask for assistance!

Actually the assistant couldn't have been nicer. She not only explained sizing to me but how to attach the suspenders to keep the seams straight. I think she just went into autopilot as she would have given this information to all her lady customers as nearly all of them would have been unfamiliar with stockings and more familiar with tights. I thought for one delightful instant she was actually going to raise her skirt to provide a demonstration but she suddenly remembered that she was talking to a male customer and simply directed me to the nearest till.

AND AFTER GOING TO ALL THAT TROUBLE MY GIRLFRIEND REFUSED TO WEAR THEM!

There was no chance of the next pair I bought, a couple of years later, going unworn as they were for me. I bought them from Cover Girl, the famous TV outfitters in Islington.

I paced up and down the pavement in Upper Street for at least half an hour before I had the courage to actually enter the shop. The pretty young lady assistant had a charming sales pitch where she rolled a stocking up her bare arm and invited me to feel!

Production of Aristoc Harmony ceased around 1990 apparently triggered by a batch of retirements among their skilled workers. Fortunately the machines used in their manufacture were bought by Gio who are still active today. The stockings look identical with the double ladder stop in the shadow welt. Unfortunately the yarn is inferior which is why Aristoc Harmony command such high prices these days on Ebay.

skilled worker by Susan Ramlet

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A Beacon of Hope by Michael Kight

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There were 102 passengers aboard the Mayflower... only 41 of them were Pilgrims, religious dissenters called Separatists, who had fled religious persecution in England. They sought a new life in America where they could freely practice their religion. The rest of the passengers, called "strangers" by the Pilgrims, included merchants, craftsmen, skilled workers, indentured servants, and several young orphans. All were common people. About one-third of them were children.

The Pilgrims had organized the voyage. William Brewster and the other Pilgrim leaders had secured the right to settle on land claimed by the Virginia Company near the mouth of the Hudson River. To raise money for the voyage the Pilgrims signed a contract with a group of London stockholders. In return the stockholders would share in the profits of the planned colony. The Pilgrims had rounded up the "strangers" to increase the chances of success for their enterprise.

The 3,000-mile voyage across the Atlantic lasted more than two months. When they finally sighted land on November 9, 1620, the captain of the Mayflower knew right away that they were at Cape Cod, far north of their destination. The captain headed the Mayflower southward, but dangerous sand bars and heavy seas forced them to turn back. The Mayflower finally dropped anchor in a harbor at the tip of Cape Cod. Rather than chancing more days at sea, the Pilgrims decided to stay.

That decision caused problems straight away. According to William Bradford (who later wrote an account of the Pilgrims' experiences) several "strangers" made "discontented and mutinous speeches." They apparently argued that, since the Cape Cod area was outside the jurisdiction of the Virginia Company, its rules and regulations no longer applied. The troublemakers threatened to do as they pleased "for none had power to command them," wrote William Bradford. Three thousand miles from home, a real crisis faced the colonists even before they stepped ashore.

Imagine the situation: over 100 people, cut off from any government, with an imminent uprising brewing. Only staunch determination would help the Pilgrims land and establish their colony. If they didn't work as a group, they could all die in the wilderness.

The Pilgrim leaders realized that they needed a temporary government authority. Back home, such authority came from the king. Isolated as they were in America, it could only come from the people themselves. Aboard the Mayflower, by necessity, the Pilgrims and "Strangers" made a written agreement or compact among themselves.

Their covenant began, “In the name of God, Amen.” Today, we know their agreement as the Mayflower Compact... it was likely composed by William Brewster and was signed by nearly all the adult male colonists, including two of the indentured servants. The format of the Mayflower Compact is very similar to the written agreements used by the Pilgrims to establish their Separatist churches in England and Holland. This pattern of church self-government served as a model for political self-government in the Mayflower Compact... God most certainly had a hand in the formation of this country.

The colonists had no intention of declaring their independence from England when they signed the Mayflower Compact. In the opening line of the Compact, both Pilgrims and "Strangers" refer to themselves as "loyal subjects" of King James. The rest of the Mayflower Compact is very short. It simply bound the signers into a "Civil Body Politic" for the purpose of passing "just and equal Laws... for the general good of the Colony." But those few words expressed the idea of self-government for the first time in the New World.

It's good thing the colonists found a way to work together as nearly half of them died that first brutal winter… they needed each other to survive in this New World. That first year, the burgeoning nation would see its first peace treaty between the Pilgrims and the local indigenous people, the Wampanoag. The Wampanoag shared with them their understanding of agriculture, hunting, and fishing, skills they would need to endure far from the resources of England. Nearly a year after landing, they set aside a time of thanksgiving for a successful harvest which lasted for four days. This involved 53 Pilgrims and 90 of the Wampanoag tribe, including their chief, Massasoit.

399 years later, that experiment in self-government is still ongoing, but Americans are blessed to live in the freest and most prosperous nation on earth... and it is still a beacon of hope for so many in this world. This Thanksgiving, I hope you can take the opportunity to enjoy the many wonderful pleasures of American life, including family, faith, and friends... and don't forget that during this holiday season that there are still those in need to reach out to. For several years now, our Thanksgivings are more like potluck dinners with many friends from church coming together with a sumptuous fare… this year, I’m bringing smoked turkey breasts, fried chicken drumsticks, pumpkin bisque, homemade cranberry sauce, and a veg dish of leeks and asparagus with pinenuts, all sautéed in duck fat and finished with lemon zest and juice… and that’s just from me. With so many good cooks involved, this year’s dinner will be epic… I wish you could all be here with us. Also invited are many international students from Duke University who get to experience something truly exceptional in this world, an American Thanksgiving from those who are truly thankful.

I look at scenes like this and wonder what it might have been like for the first settlers in such places. They were faced with formidable challenges and hardship, not just with mysterious indigenous people, but with unfamiliar and often dangerous wildlife, and weather they were quite unaccustomed to... all of this while they rebuilt their lives from scratch... and we think we have it hard in a country with so much opportunity? We have much to be thankful for... praise God from whom all blessings flow.

On October 3, 1863, in Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation to make the 4th Thursday of every November a National Day of Thanksgiving, he asked the nation to “fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.” That’s timeless advice for today, too.

Have a happy Thanksgiving… let it be a moment of grace!

If you would like to know more of the early history of America from the very writings of those who lived it, may I suggest The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and David Manuel: www.amazon.com/The-Light-Glory-Peter-Marshall/dp/0800750543

This image of sunrise over the surf at Topsail Beach on North Carolina's Outer Banks gives hope for a grand day after a night of vicious thunderstorms.

SS Connebeg by jan saudek

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Pushed out of Ireland by religious conflicts, lack of political autonomy and dire economic conditions, immigrants, from Scotland and Ireland travelled to America by the promise of land ownership and greater religious freedom. Many Scotch-Irish immigrants were educated skilled workers and between 1820 and 1930, some 4.5 million Irish migrated to the United States. Almost half of America’s immigrants were from Ireland alone, most settled near their point of arrival in cities along the East Coast.

( thanks to Jeff Wharton for photo of re - enactor immigrant family, background photo from National Museum of Ireland )

Rock N Roll Jesus by Tatsuya Ouchi

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This shot on Los Angeles.

Portfolio flic.kr/s/aHsk7LUokY

Facebook fb.com/tatsuya.ouchi.5

Linkedin www.linkedin.com/in/tatsuyaouchi

Instagram instagram.com/tatsuya_ouchi/

500px 500px.com/tatsuyaouchi

I have a great experience for pre production. Since I came in LA, I have been working as a Camera Operator, Camera assistant, Key Grip and G/E for more than 60 shooting production. The reason why a lots of production call me on set is I could communicate with my team, then could find out the solution in limited time and has a patient for that. Also I have a knowledge for Final Cut Pro 7 and Premiere Pro. Which is involving principle color grading and data management skill. In addition, I can do photo shooting and editing. One of the thing is my photograph had shown on the Louvre Museum Digital display. Therefore, I would say I am a multi skilled worker.

Experience

・ARRI 435, 16ST, 16SR, 16SR2, 16SR3, ALEXA

・CANON XH-A1, CANON EOS 60D, 7D, 5D Mark Ⅱ

・PANASONIC AJ-HDC27F, PANASONIC AG-AF105

・SONY F900, SONY FS700, SONY F3, SONY F5

・RED ONE, RED EPIC

・Blackmagic Cinema Camera

Languages

Japanese(Native), English

104copy by Cora Anne Rogers

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Nova Scotia Community College. Kingstec Campus.

Welcome to NSCC, one of Nova Scotia's largest and most diverse families. Each year, almost 24,000 students choose to grow and learn with us. Magical things happen at NSCC and we think it's because education has power. It transforms individuals, families and communities in extraordinary ways.

NSCC makes things happen. We're growing the economy of Nova Scotia, we're producing highly skilled workers, and we're building communities. We are Nova Scotia's college.

Kentville, N.S. Canada

Penkill Castle by Michael Kight

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How to Tour Penkill Castle in No Easy Steps, Part 2

(See previous image for Part 1)

In the last exciting episode of How to Tour Penkill Castle in No Easy Steps, I had just completed what few photographic compositions from up the lane that Penkill Castle would avail. Walking back in total revery of the liquid sunshine of Ayrshire that imbued me, the first thing I noticed was that my bride was missing! See what I did there? The joy of revery receding to panic in the span of one sentence… except there was neither “revery” nor “panic” in that moment. I was drenched to my drawers and Joyce has a way of turning up missing a lot. Walking together once at a nearby Tanger Outlet Mall, deep in conversation, she did not respond to a query. I turned to her and repeated the question… but it wasn’t her. Another woman looked at me with the aforementioned panic. I apparently gave an expression of wonder about how my wife morphed suddenly into altogether different human being. Something in the window two stores back had caught her eye, and she stopped there without uttering a word. I’ve learned to keep a closer eye on her these days or hold hands. She still breaks loose occasionally like Mustang Sally, though when I do lose her now, I text her, “Where am I?” It’s our longest running joke.

Looking around, I wondered that very thing there at Penkill. Having no signal, texting was out of the question. Was she swallowed up by the Scottish wilderness, or – “Hey! Come in out of the rain!” – perhaps the castle? I’m going with castle. Joyce was waiting just inside the formidable wooden door with a nice fluffy towel. “Bless you!” From there, she led me to the upper room of the turret, where hot tea and biscuits (aka cookies) awaited us.

That was likely the best cup of tea I’ve ever had. Between that and that cozy den, my chill was knocked out in a hurry. Sitting in an overstuffed couch next to Joyce, she told me that the housekeeper insisted that she come in from the rain. That dousing, and a similar incident the next day in Northern Ireland, taught me a lesson for subsequent trips to the U.K. I got us each a phenomenal compact travel umbrella by Repel (yes, Amazon has it) that goes with us everywhere… ever the boy scout, and it paid off. Keep it in mind if you’re headed that way anytime soon and leave a little something in the tip jar.

I wondered a bit about our host as I finished my tea. Joyce and I both had top of the line Galaxy S5 smartphones then but getting 4G information in Scotland using American related tech at the time was frustrating at best. I have since learned that Patrick Dromgoole could best be understood somewhat as Wales’s answer to Ted Turner. He was chairman of HTV Wales, a maverick bucking the BBC hold on communications in the U.K., with much of the programming presented in Welsh (I doubt Wheel of Fortune was among the programs there… you have no idea how hilarious “Can I buy a vowel?” would be concerning the Welsh language). He was also an executive producer, producer, and director of movies and television programming. All I knew as he entered the room was that he had been involved in the entertainment industry, often behind the camera. It also occurred to me that merely the cost for keeping such a structure as Penkill as comfortable as it was required a standard of life a bit higher than I am used to. Robin Leech came to mind in that moment, hobnobbing with the rich and famous. Yet, something about his gracious hospitality to a couple of foreign strangers who just suddenly came a-knockin’ perhaps told me more about him… he’s an artist, always looking for what life has to offer his imagination. I can relate to that. I have met famous people before, but I am never starstruck, as I’ve never met stranger. I tend to go with my strengths… makes me think I should have been a salesman. “Buy this or I’ll kick your dog and pull up your shrubbery!” Well, maybe not. He took note of how wet I was as he came into the room. I told him that I fell in the moat. His laughter set the tone for our time there.

Introductions all around, then Joyce quickly laid out her connection to the Boyd family, and her interest in its history and ancestry. Patrick took an immediate interest, asking Joyce what she knew of the castle. Patrick had purchased Penkill Castle in 1993 for the sum of £650,000. His interest in it was not that of Boyd ancestry, but rather the Pre-Raphaelite artwork associated with it. Of course, to understand that required knowledge of the castle’s overall history. I instantly discerned that he was not simply owner/resident here; he had been a consummate student of the past. ‘If these walls could speak!’ Penkill’s did… he listened.

In writing this, I had to test the rationality of what Patrick stated, if only to make sense to my American mind, though rationality and the World Wide Web are often anything but synonymous… I have hens’ teeth now for show-and-tell, however! Penkill had passed from Boyd Laird to Boyd Laird, all relatives of the Earls of Kilmarnock, from Adam Boyd, the 1st Laird, to Evelyn May Courtney-Boyd, the 16th and final Laird, as she would pass it to private ownership. Some of those Lairds were builders with vision; others were anything but, handled resources poorly and some let things go to ruin. All of that is true, though gleaning much truth beyond that over the internet is seemingly little more than an exercise in futility. Regardless such futility, it does point out a couple more certainties: even (or should I say especially?) aristocrats are given to the human condition, as is the internet. I’ve read historical accounts of Penkill that are contradictory, hearsay, or just downright false. As is always the case, some well-intentioned online know-it-alls are more interested in reducing the world to a reflection of their opinions without once considering those opinions may be mistaken at best. A particular site wrongly attributes Alice Boyd as the 15th Laird of Penkill. The same site also attributes her as the 14th Laird, a glaring contradiction. Who knows what else the author got wrong? From there, it’s evident authors of other sites took liberties with the same false claim, which amounted to poor research. I would have to pour through actual documents to determine such historical aspects conclusively… but my intent here is not to unfold a grand historical account of the castle (allegedly, an unpublished history by a relative of Laird Alice Boyd depicting that period at Penkill is held by Princeton University if anyone is so inclined). It is merely my observation of things heard and seen from one who knew this place intimately, as so few are.

Patrick was as charming as he was gracious. He genuinely seemed to appreciate our company… we were a willing audience and Joyce had questions. At age 83 at the time, his movement was slowed, yet his mind was quick to offer a lifetime of accumulated knowledge with both wit and certainty. In mere moments from his appearance, I found his sense of humor to be quite like mine. Joyce had told him that we were on our honeymoon. He took note that we were nearer the ‘sell by’ date than a typical bride and groom. I told him about Joyce showing her ring at work where she had been a nurse for 25 plus years… the first question from coworkers was “Where are you registered?” We were still sorting that out at the time because, being older, she had stuff, I had stuff, all God’s children had stuff, and we truly didn’t need more. Somewhat flustered, Joyce recounted that at dinner that night with friends. I didn’t miss a beat: “Next time, just tell them that at our age, we’re registered with CVS Pharmacy.” Patrick roared, and we seemed to bond in that moment. At his age, he well understood the progression. In answer to your question, yes, we settled to register with both Samaritan’s Purse and Wounded Warrior Project… with CVS as an alternate. Ha!

Patrick regaled us with a concise understanding of the region and its people. Something in that stood out to me. A few days before, Joyce and I attended the 700th Celebration of the Battle of Bannockburn. Mind you, that’s not so much a celebration of war, but rather Scotland’s stand against England. Think about that… 700 years. Joyce had tickets to a special presentation of how the battle ensued. Walking among the displays, it occurred to me that Scots hold a grudge for a very long time. That is a funny generalization, but it’s close to the truth. The oppressed commoners of Ayrshire were no great respecters of either aristocracy, or of the imposing edifices they lived in. Patrick had to bring in skilled workers out of London for upgrades and repairs to the castle. The locals wanted no part of that, some feeling that it should be left to decay.

Patrick’s interest there started with Alice Boyd, the 14th Laird of Penkill. Her father and her brother, both named Spenser, died rather young. Before her brother, the 13th Laird, died, they both had formed a lasting alliance with the British Pre-Raphaelite movement while the castle was under construction. Allow a bit of supposition here on my part, as I’m unable to find exactness here apart from Patrick’s thoughts: the root of that alliance likely came as they, too, had to turn to the place of the best available craftsmen on the British Isles at the time, London. At her brother’s death, Alice assumed lairdship, as Spenser was childless. Under her direction, construction continued, yet more as a transformation influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Penkill would become a center to the movement, with many of the brotherhood finding their way through its doors.

Alice would become not just a fine painter herself, but she would find herself accepted into the brotherhood. One of the finest artists of that movement, William Bell Scott, formed an enduring relationship with her and trained her in his style of painting… she began as his student and became his muse. Though she never married, her connection with Scott would become quite the soap opera tryst… he was married, though unhappily, and his muse would become a sought-after prize. I have a working title for the dramatic interpretation of that…Penkill Abbey. Has a ring to it.

In March of 2021, a painting, The Thames from Cheyne Walk, probably a view from Belle Vue House sold at Bonhams, unframed, for £ 237,750 (US$ 322,811). Belle Vue (meaning beautiful view) House in London was occupied by Scott at the time. Alice created that painting while wintering there. Now, art can be defined in a myriad of ways. However, art cannot be defined in every way. Truth can be found in art, ‘truth’ being defined as that which conforms to reality… in this instance, we see evidence of both the existence and depth of their relationship. There is yet another truth about that painting… there is significant worth in Pre-Raphaelite art. After Scott’s wife died, he moved into Penkill Castle. Included in Alice’s additions to the castle was an art studio, where they both set to work converting the castle into an imaginative gallery.

Scott adorned the castle tower staircase with murals based on The Kingis Quair (yes, that’s spelled correctly, meaning The King’s Book), a semi-autobiographical poem written by James I of Scotland, describing the King's capture by the English in 1406 while on his way to France and his subsequent imprisonment by Henry IV. Members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood modeled as characters in that undertaking. Meanwhile, Alice concentrated on the turret room and the Laird’s bedroom. Other works were done, though we were privileged to see only the staircase, the turret room, and a grand dining hall. From descriptions of Alice’s work on the bedroom, I suspect she was the one who decorated the surround in my image A View from the Turret. Another member of the brotherhood, poet Cristina Rossetti, summed up her thoughts of Penkill in this way, ‘Even Naples in imagination cannot efface the quiet fertile comeliness of Penkill in reality.’ I will never know Naples of her day, yet there is a depth to that statement that Joyce and I could well appreciate.

Even such grandeur needs upkeep. 100 years later, the castle fell into disrepair yet again. Evelyn May Courtney-Boyd, the 16th and last Boyd Laird of Penkill was age 84 at the time she offered the castle for private ownership. Friends remembered her as generous to a fault, though with no head for finances… bills were going unpaid. That, and apparently, she was taken advantage of by many around her, essentially rifling through and absconding with treasured art of the castle. One of those people became quite legendary, though not in a way he would have preferred. Are there any stories about milkmen that end up as anything other than jokes about paternity issues? Patrick had one such story concerning the double portrait of the siblings Alice and Spencer Boyd, painted by William Bell Scott that hangs there in the turret room. That painting is supposedly cursed. Etched above it is a warning, “Move not this picture, let it be, for love of those in effigy.”

According to the tale, of which there appears to be some authenticity, Willie Hume was the milkman who delivered to Evelyn her dairy necessities. While doing so, he also took note of her loneliness. He, along with his wife, finagled their way not just into the Laird’s heart, but eventually into the castle as a resident. Soon thereafter, art from Penkill’s collections found their way to Scottish auction houses. Hmmm… seems like 5-fingered supplemental income transpired right under Evelyn’s nose to my untrained wits. Willie thought the cursed painting should be a prize for some hapless auctioneer, though many knew of its peculiar affliction and wanted nothing to do with it. Unfazed and without taking heed to the warning, Willie attempted to pry the cursed painting from its place… and immediately fell to the floor in bodily distress. Some accounts of this tale have Willie dying on the spot. Others state he died later that night of angina, though more likely of a heart attack, as angina is merely a condition causing chest pain. Of course, what matters here is not the exactness of how or when he died, but rather that the curse has teeth. The double portrait remains where it has been since the etching, and I have a picture to prove it. I’m not one for curses, but I made no effort to touch it or any of the pieces that Patrick allowed me to photograph… no sense tempting fate.

The key word there is “allowed.” Patrick asked that I limit my photography only to the pieces he would point out to me as safe to post. It became clear that his interest was not merely the art of the Pre-Raphaelite movement… I sensed his vision in our conversation to resurrect the castle much to the condition that Alice Boyd and William Bell Scott had left it. Take from that what you will, but he had both means and resources to secure that. Understand that “safe” items were a known quantity that even the auctioneers were aware of… and that assumes acquisitions that he would rather keep close to the vest to protect his assets. I think that’s marvelous. Let me explain why.

Several Scottish historical societies clamored for a shot at Penkill as soon as Laird Evelyn May Courtney-Boyd indicated she was letting it go. Their offerings, however, were a mere pittance of Penkill’s value, even considering its poor condition. Much to their horror (gasp!), she sold it to an American interloper, a lawyer, of all things! Most all that I could find out about him was lawyer, lawyer, lawyer. And he was… but there was something about him that stood out to me. As Paul Harvey was prone to say, there’s more to story. Elton ‘Al’ Eckstrand was indeed a lawyer for the Chrysler Corporation, which fed his habit as a National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) super stock drag racer known as ‘The Lawman’… and he truly was a legend, inducted into the Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2000. That’s where he made his fortune. For those of you who believe straight-track racing is no big deal, super stock dragsters are grizzlies compared to your teddy bear everyday cars. For a super stock racer to make it to the end of that track intact requires precise timing and reflexes to make that work, and control of not just tremendous horsepower, but also the incredible torque that horsepower produces that will kill you anywhere along that track if you don’t keep it reigned in tight. Al, as he was known among pro circuits, held many records doing just that. Yeah, I knew who he was and had seen him race. I just didn’t know of his connection to Penkill until now.

Al died in 2008. It turns out that his obituary was a leading source to that connection: “During the 1980's, Mr. Eckstrand purchased the 15th Century Penkill Castle in Scotland, home to the Pre-Raphaelite artists and officially became the 18th Laird of Penkill. Mr. Eckstrand received numerous awards from the British Government for his efforts in the preservation of the castle and became famous as the American who saved Penkill Castle.” Yet again I’m met with truths and inconsistencies. Indeed, awards came to him from not just the NHRA. Long story short, through his efforts to restore the castle, he affected what the Scottish societies likely never could and saved the castle from ruin. There is one debatable issue here, though. He may have been made an honorary Laird for his efforts, but the 18th? The only way that happens is if the milkman was made the 17th Laird… he was no doubt a resident.

In 1992 Penkill was sold by Eckstrand to Scots-born Canadian businessman Don Brown. A year later, it passed into Patrick’s possession. With a year’s gap, Patrick continued along Al’s path to renovation, again much to the bewilderment of Scottish societies. Chilean-born to Irish parents, Patrick was considered an outsider as well. I took note of a spark to Patrick that I don’t believe any of the society could equal… detail. He was no stranger to a camera, though his experience was with cinematic cameras. As I set about the photography of the artwork, I used the tripod to straighten the perspective of each image. Patrick understood that, though he had no experience with a high-end digital camera. The painting of Spenser Boyd is a rather dark piece that is hung in a dark place where it has always been, the turret room. And it’s a small canvas, about 6 inches by 9 inches in my recollection. Yet, my camera was able to pull detail from the painting that Patrick was unaware of. He was fascinated. A magnifying glass would never show such detail. He got excited about the depth of complexity that he might use to further investigate his acquisitions better.

As an artist, I recognize the interests of the Scottish societies to preserve Penkill. I also know that they have somewhat limited resources. As a photographer, I’ve invested time, effort, money, a depth of knowledge, and passion into my craft. Yet, there have been many well-intentioned folks who hit me with, “Nice camera! I’ll bet it takes nice photos.” They don’t understand that my camera is nothing more than an expensive paperweight until I set it to do what I want it to. I’ve had societies, publications, and individuals approach me with the same expectations as the Scottish societies have to the owners of Penkill. They ‘love’ my work but would rather I give it to them than they invest in it. I’ve learned to say no. Patrick’s desire and aesthetic as a curator with a background in art to return Penkill to its rightful place as the center of the Pre-Raphael art movement should be taken by the societies as a gift. They need to see the value of it. They need to offer that value one day… I believe it will come back to them manyfold.

The last piece Patrick showed me was a bas relief of the Temptation, a depiction of Jesus’ encounter with Satan. It had been part of the turret room fireplace mantle that had rotted and had to be replaced. It was in such poor condition that the only way it could be saved was to have it framed as art in perpetuity… Patrick made certain that details were preserved. Concerning this piece, he told me that there was some confusion as to whether Satan was offering an apple (the round object in his hand) to Eve in this portrayal. I said, “If that’s Eve, women were a lot more rugged back in the day than we knew.” Patrick laughed. It’s Satan tempting Jesus, who created everything from nothing, to follow his command to turn a stone into bread. Artists must be content to create from what has already been created. Patrick was no painter, but with Penkill as his palette, he had created no less than a masterpiece.

With that, we had a plane to catch to continue our adventure in Northern Ireland and Patrick had a party to attend shortly. It was the 4th of July, and his neighbor, actor, television host Craig Ferguson, who was quite proud of his American citizenship (2008), was in high celebration spirits. He said that he would give Craig our regards. Nearly a week before, I watched brilliant light from the just risen sun move completely around the cabin of the A380 that we had just crossed the ‘pond’ in… we were moving into position for landing at Heathrow, London. I remember thinking that I was going to meet people that I had only known online. They were all folks that I had come to love and respect…yet this thought just chimed in: “What if they’re jerks?” That thought quickly evolved to “What if I’m a jerk?” My oldest Flickr friend would be picking us up at Heathrow to stay with him for a few days. A retired London surgeon, he would go on to show us his city from his perspective as a photographer. He also gave me good tips for driving in the UK… that’s how to truly immerse yourself in culture. I am so happy that the world is not quite like me… it makes life so much richer. Turns out they were all among the sweetest people I’ve met anywhere, including Patrick.

We lingered at the end of the driveway to sort out ‘British Chick’ (the Mercedes’ GPS) to put us back on the path to Glasgow Airport. “That word is disambiguous… just kidding! You will arrive in 118 miles.” Well, things were looking up! I would be leaving British Chick in Scotland. I wonder if she misses me.

Planet Agreon by I Scream Clone

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Global corporations have discovered the rich lime goo makes for great rocket fuel! The race is on the exploit the Agreon's natural resource for personal gain. With skilled workers highly sought after from many planets, it's likely you might see someone you recognise.

The mountain contains a black light to illuminate the alien barracks.

Plasmo's franchises are deploying to all major planetary systems, call today to find out how you can be a part of the interstellar grog syndicate!

Hope you like my biggest layout to date. It was too large to set up at home unless I clear the garage out. I had a little help from Taz-maniac, Bricktron and Intrastella on the left side of the display.

The Shining Girls by Tatsuya Ouchi

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This shot on Los Angeles.

THE EXPOSURE AWARD goo.gl/oDLZX1 ← On the Louvre Museum!

Portfolio flic.kr/s/aHsk7LUokY

Facebook fb.com/tatsuya.ouchi.5

Linkedin www.linkedin.com/in/tatsuyaouchi

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I have a great experience for pre production. Since I came in LA, I have been working as a Camera Operator, Camera assistant, Key Grip and G/E for more than 60 shooting production. The reason why a lots of production call me on set is I could communicate with my team, then could find out the solution in limited time and has a patient for that. Also I have a knowledge for Final Cut Pro 7 and Premiere Pro. Which is involving principle color grading and data management skill. In addition, I can do photo shooting and editing. One of the thing is my photograph had shown on the Louvre Museum Digital display. Therefore, I would say I am a multi skilled worker.

Experience

・ARRI FLEX 16ST, 16SR, 16SR2, 16SR3, ALEXA

・CANON XH-A1, CANON EOS 60D, 7D, 5D Mark Ⅱ

・PANASONIC AJ-HDC27F, PANASONIC AG-AF105

・SONY F900, SONY FS700, SONY F3, SONY F5

・RED ONE, RED EPIC

・Blackmagic Cinema Camera

Languages

Japanese(Native), English

W O R K E R by Ronald Garcia

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“A skilled worker, regardless of the job description, remains a treasure.” Madeleine M. Kunin

Thank you for visiting my stream! :-))

All comments are highly appreciated. It will help me a lot to improve my photography skills. Big thanks to all of you for the comments, faves and views.

Happy clicking to all!

©Ronald Garcia

Torino vista dalla Mole Antonelliana - Istituto Avogadro by Giulio Migotti

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"The "Amedeo Avogadro" Industrial Technical Institute originated in 1805 when the Turin City Council created an evening drawing school for artists and industrialists. After the unification of Italy, other educational institutions were added through the initiative of the Municipality and private individuals. In 1923, the Turin institute took its definitive form: the Royal Industrial Institute of Turin was established with four specializations: mechanics, electricians, chemists, and textile and dyeing workers. Fiat, Sip, and large and small companies in the mechanical and metallurgical sectors hired skilled workers and technicians from the Institute, and the student population was constantly increasing. The Avogadro is aesthetically characterized by a fully restored Art Nouveau building, its structure having been enhanced and its unmistakable aesthetic emphasized by recent renovations.

James Finlays Tea Bangladesh by Shabbir Ferdous

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EXPLORED

Tea is one of the most widely-consumed beverages in the world, second only to water. Tea is an infusion made by steeping processed leaves, buds, or twigs of the tea bush, Camellia sinensis, in hot water for several minutes. The word tea came into the English language from the Chinese word for tea (茶), which is pronounced tê in the Min Nan spoken variant.

Fine-leaf tea is hand plucked, and hand shears are used on mountain slopes and in other areas where tractor-mounted machines cannot go. A skilled worker using hand shears can harvest between 60 to 100 kg of tea per day, whereas machines cut between 1,000 and 2, 000 kg. The latter, however, are usually applied to low grade teas that often go into teabags. The tea "fluff" and waste from processing is used to produce caffeine for soft drinks and medicine.

Srimangal is famous for its tea plantation and it has the biggest tea garden in Bangladesh. British James Finlays established his factory in Srimangal around 1850 on 20 thousand hector areas with the labor from the tribe of Assam/Orissa. This is a vast piece of land full of green tea plants, your eyes won’t get tired of seeing those over and over again.

Finlays has 8 factories, 7 of those produce black tea and 1 produces green tea. This is the only green tea factory in Bangladesh. Its yearly production is 30 million KG finished tea. Finlays uses natural gas (smell is used to identify leakage in normal household gas supply, natural gas don’t have any smell) in tea baking process so that no extra smell gets into the tea. This is way its tea stands out from the rest.

Finlays has 30 thousand direct employees and another 45 thousand indirect employees. It provides their accommodation along with land within the company boundary so that can they maintain a healthy living.

Last owner Richard Muir of James Finlays family sold his entire properties (to Swire & others) from all over the world including this tea garden in Srimangal and settled in Kenya. Finlays Tea Company now belongs to 8 businessman of Bangladesh.

This is a part of a series from my tour to Srimangal, I will update daily between my breaks. Please check back when you can. It would be a treat for me to know what you think.

Lens: Sigma Zoom Telephoto 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel XTi

Location: Sylhet, Bangladesh

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All contents herein are copyrighted © by Shabbir Ferdous Photography

Except where otherwise noted. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Bamboo cage on going tradition by Phg Voyager

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Hong Kong is one of the last places in the world where bamboo is still widely used for scaffolding in construction. It’s flexible, strong and cheaper than steel and aluminium — metal alternatives that are now more commonly used in mainland China and elsewhere in Asia.

In Hong Kong, skilled armies of scaffolders can erect enough bamboo to engulf a building in a day — even hours — using techniques that are thousands of years old, and have been passed down through generations.

Compared to steel, bamboo is much lighter, six times faster to erect and 12 times faster to dismantle. It’s also a fraction of the cost. Bamboo scaffolding doesn’t require sophisticated machinery or complex tools to erect, just skilled workers with nylon ties. If properly erected, bamboo scaffolding can be stronger than steel and far more flexible.

The scaffolders are Hong Kong’s real-life spider-men, climbing dizzying heights with strength, skill and nerves of steel. But the future of the bamboo scaffolder business remains precarious, due partly to a lack of new blood as many turn to other construction areas such as bar bending. Today, there are 2,479 registered bamboo scaffolders in Hong Kong.

master carver at work by Stitch

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A master carver in his workshop. He specializes in religious wooden sculptures. He has a thriving business in the town of Paete, Rizal. His wife helps him manage the shop. He has a handful of skilled workers, including his eldest son, in his workshop.

Crystal Artisan and His Tools (CRYSTAL CRAFTING #6) by Mark Biolchini

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Series: CRYSTAL CRAFTING #6

Artisan showing his art at Waterford Crystal Factory/Workshop

Location: House of Waterford Crystal - Parnell Street - Waterford - County Waterford - Munster - Ireland - IE - Europe - EU

Photographer: Mark

Photoshop Camera Raw Filter

MeMe-21 by Awesome O'saurus

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This is literally version four of this plane.

Of the MeMe-21, there is not much to be said. It is fast, cheap, and simple. It does its job, and has done so for twenty years. This plane could be found all over the world at one time, but recent events in the homeland has obscured it's true numbers (This is my way of saying whoof even knows if I'll be able to sell this thing as well as the Soviets). This particular plane is an early version serving the UAR in its 1967 ~~curbstomp by~~ war against the Samaritan State. Most MeMe-21s were destroyed in the first thirteen minutes of the war by surprise Samaritan air force strikes on airfields.

Of the builders, more can be said. "MeMe" stands for Meitarius-Merscalcus, who lend their name to that Design Bureau. It was founded by two lower caste Cimmerians: Meitarius, an assistant to a designer during the Great International Meltdown (also known as Wew War 2); and Merscalcus, who served during the war as a slave laborer with a talent for creative solutions, known and valued by his masters. With the surrender of the remnants of the Cimmerian National Government, warlord Chindasvinthus also ordered the release of all those enslaved by his predecessors. Chindasvinthus remained nominal Overlord of Cimmeria for a few months longer, the communists used his knowledge to set up their own government. He recommended that they use the pool of skilled workers that had accumulated during the war and immediately put them back to work, instead of letting them languish in the looming post-war economic nightmare. Chindasvinthus officially handed over power to the People's Republic of Cimmeria in the autumn of 1946, but not before ordering the creation of the Meitarius-Merscalcus Design Bureau. One of the most iconic instutions of communism in Cimmeria was thus not the result of the Communist Party, but rather one of its greatest opponents! Communist one-party rule began with irony, and it would end with irony.

MeMe-21: 2nd gen fighter

Payload - 3-4 (0) [+30mm cannon]

Agility - Quick (0)

Range - 1000 km (-1)

Speed - Mach 2 (+2)

Low Maintenance (+1)

Drop Tanks (0)

Bad Radar (-1)

Terrifying Landings (-1)

Les Maître-Tailleurs by overthemoon

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The skilled workers who prune the vines in spring. In the Lavaux region the vine is generally cut back to just one branch which is attached to a wire.

Cressbrook Mill. Monsal Dale. July 2020 by Simon W. Photography

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View of the historic Cressbrook Mill, which is a Grade: II* Listed Building, from the Monsal Trail, Derbyshire. The Top Cottages are Grade: II Listed Buildings.

Cressbrook Mill.

The sylvan glades of the Derbyshire River Wye at Monsal Dale mask the site of the horrendous treatment of orphans. They were dumped by the so-called Guardians of the Poor and treated as cheap labour for the rapidly expanding eighteenth-century cotton industry.

Two roads lead down to the Monsal Dale section of the River Wye, one of the most tranquil of the Derbyshire Dales. Linked only by a woodland footpath through the delightfully named Water-cum-Jolly Dale, each road leads to a cotton mill.

Cressbrook Mill and Litton Mill were built originally to use the power of the swiftly flowing river. It was in these mills, or at least their predecessors as the originals in common with many other cotton mills, were damaged by fire, that one of the worst acts of inhumanity against children took place.

From the late eighteenth to the nineteenth-century an early form of social service saw the building of workhouses in order to care for the growing population of paupers and orphans left behind by the all too rapid expansion of the Industrial Revolution. Poor housing and sanitation, together with dangerous as well as unhealthy working conditions, led to children being orphaned by the untimely death of one or both parents, especially when it was the bread winner who died first. Workhouses were financed by Parish Rates and run by committees of local worthies who were euphemistically known as Guardians of the Poor, but whose main interests were to keep costs as low as possible. Almost every parish had its workhouse, where its doors opened to swallow the aged and to separate husbands from their wives and children from their mothers. Overcrowding was the norm, especially in large densely populated areas like the east end of London and as a result the so-called guardians were always on the lookout for ways to reduce the number of inmates under their care.

With the unprecedented expansion of the factory system, a need arose for cheap and plentiful labour which came to be looked on as the answer to the problem of overcrowded workhouses. At the same time it offered an almost unlimited cheap labour force to be used by unscrupulous mill owners. In a system which was not to be exceeded until the Holocaust of the twentieth-century, children as young as eight who were unlucky enough to be living in a workhouse, were persuaded to become indentured apprentices to the cotton trade. Not only were the workhouse authorities paid a premium by the employers for each child, but literally by the stroke of a pen, the problem of feeding and housing part of the indigent population was cleared.

No doubt children were gleaned from workhouses closer to Derbyshire, but the bulk of the so-called apprentices came from the London area. Persuaded by the workhouse master that they were being apprenticed to a useful trade, most of them willingly signed their indenture papers; not that many of them could read or write and only signed the paper with either a cross or their thumbprint. Even in the depths of winter and wearing the scantiest of clothing they had to endure the discomfort of the long journey north, huddled on the outside of the mail coach. As they were only given a pittance to see them through the two or three-day ride, unless more affluent travellers bought them food, the children literally starved. This was to be a harbinger of their life to come as slave apprentices.

Dumped from the Manchester Mail at Buxton the children were met by their future employers and driven the rest of the way to Monsal Dale in covered wagons. To us the road into the dale is one of joy, for each season brings out the ever changing beauty of the place, but try to see it through the eyes of a poor orphaned child who only knew the smoke and clamour of the east end of London. Brothers and sisters and friends were split arbitrarily, some destined for Litton and the others to Cressbrook. Even though the mills are little over a mile apart is unlikely they saw each other ever again.

The first Litton Mill was built in 1782 by the notoriously mean Ellis Needham of Hargate Hall near Tideswell, together with his partner Thomas Firth a farmer who also came from Tideswell. It is hard to realise what conditions the pauper children, some as young as eight had to endure. Paid an absolute pittance of a few pence a week, they worked for fifteen hours a day from Monday to Friday until nine or ten at night. Not for them a five day week, it was sixteen hours on Saturday, the extra hour being devoted to cleaning the dangerous machinery they were expected to work on and under, at the beck and call of cruel overseers. Housed in the ‘Prentice House’, a building now disappeared, but originally on the far side of the river from the present mill, they slept in two-tiered bunks, three to a bed, with boys on one floor and girls below. Woken at 5 am., they began work with a breakfast of thin porridge, working until lunch break of oatcake and black treacle and maybe weak broth for lunch, when the water wheel stopped for half an hour. The only respite to this drudgery came on Sunday when a local preacher would read to the children and during the last meal of the working day when one of the Needham sons or maybe Mrs Needham would lead them in prayer. A replacement Prentice House, slightly better than the original, once used as stables, stands at the left of the far end of the mill yard.

Enduring such horrendous conditions it is hardly surprising that epidemics broke out and children were frequently maimed or killed while working the primitive spinning machinery, especially as skilled medical attention was hard to come by. Bodies of children who died this way were secreted away often under cover of darkness and buried in unmarked graves in local church yards. A small plaque in Tideswell churchyard commemorates this fact. Corporal punishment was meted out for the simplest of misdemeanours and ranged from a beating until blood poured from the child’s back, or heavy weights hung about their bodies, or being hoisted in a flimsy cage high above dangerous machinery. As a further twist to this horrific tale, when children reached their late teens they were deemed to have completed their apprenticeship. Rather than be taken on as fully skilled workers they were dismissed and thrown out to try and find work in an already over crowded workplace. Their only salvation was to return to the tender mercies of the Poor House.

Cressbrook Mill further downstream was originally owned by Sir Richard Arkwright, but he sold it to William Newton, a self educated poet and millwright, known as the Minstrel of the Peak. He was also head carpenter during the Duke of Devonshire’s building of the crescent in Buxton. Folk lore compares Newton favourably with his fellow mill owner Ellis Needham, making him sound like an ideal employer, but by reading reports left by his apprentices later in their lives, they were treated just as harshly as those working in Litton Mill. Children who were questioned by visitors to Cressbrook Mill were so cowed by their employer that they only gave favourable answers to questions about their welfare. Certainly they worked the same long hours and from reports published in the Ashton Chronicle dated May 1849, they were just as harshly treated as their brothers and sisters further upstream. Their accommodation was also in a barrack block, the building which still stands beyond the recently restored mill. Its unhappy memories a thing of the past, part of the Apprentice House was latterly converted into a hikers’ café known as Dave’s Tea Stop, one of the few places in the Peak where walkers are at liberty to eat their own sandwiches.

Both mills no longer spin cotton, Cressbrook’s frames were silenced in 1965, but Litton continued by spinning speciality yarns for another decade, still powered by the river, but this time through a water driven turbine before it along with its sister mill fell into decline, mute memorials to the lives of countless so-called apprentices. In recent years developers have restored the listed fabric and converted them into highly desirable apartments.

20200918 National Tradesmen Day by Ron Brauer

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A lot of the Lego Tradespeople showed up to show support for each other's work in the community. They trained to use their hands in producing a product or serve the needs of others. Perhaps you are or were in a trade. Thank you for your work!

20200918 262/366

_________

September 18 Is National Tradesmen Day

The third Friday in September is known as “National Tradesmen Day” and is sponsored by the IRWIN® Tool Company. Tradesmen are one of our nation’s greatest assets. We deeply respect their daily contributions to society that keep our country running.

On the third Friday in September, National Tradesmen Day honors the men and women whose skills and hard work build America. And, their skills keep it running strong. The day recognizes the professionals who maintain the complex infrastructure of our roads, cities, water systems, and power grids.

While these experts work day in and out maintaining skills unique to their trade, our nation continues to operate smoothly without pause. The skills and knowledge of those in the trades keep businesses, homes, and entire nations running. Whether walls go up or come down, roads cross rivers or the water flows, electricians, plumbers, masons, mechanics, carpenters, and everyone in between ensures the job gets done.

Additionally, they pass on their skills to the next generation. Even though the industry changes, the need for it does not. In fact, as the country grows and qualified workers retire, the demand for skilled workers grows. Skilled trades are one of the fastest-growing sectors in the job market today. So, not only does their know-how keep the country going, but their salaries do, too. They’re a major influence on the economy.

Their skills and jobs are so valuable, in fact, that training is available in nearly every sector of the skilled trade job market. With their hands, skills, tools, and training, they keep our country running smoothly.

How to Observe National Tradesmen Day

Honor a tradesman you know. If you’re interested in a skilled trade, visit www.skilledtrades.com to learn more. Give a shout out to the tradespeople keeping businesses and homes running smoothly.

Nose Job - Doc B-29 Superfortress 4 by Brad Harding

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Had the pleasure of watching "DOC" fly into New Century Air Center yesterday for an airshow. No crowd! Very fortunate.

In late 1939, the Army Air Corps issued a formal specification for a "superbomber", capable of delivering 20,000 lbs of bombs to a target 2,600 miles away at 400 mph.

The B-29 Superfortress was one of the most advanced bombers of the time, with innovations such as a pressurized cabin, a central fire-control system, and remote-controlled machine gun turrets.

In wartime, the B-29 was capable of flight up to 31,850 feet at speeds of 350 mph. Designed as a high-altitude daytime bomber, the B-29 flew more low-altitude nighttime incendiary bombing missions.

As part of the World War II military buildup, 3,970 B-29s were built during production at four assembly plants across the United States.

Doc is a B-29 Superfortress and one of 1,644 manufactured in Wichita during World War II. Since 1987 when Tony Mazzolini found Doc on sitting and rotting away in the Mojave Desert, plans have been in the works to restore the historic warbird to flying status to serve as a flying museum.

Over the past 15+ years, hundreds of volunteers have worked on Doc and the restoration project. Skilled workers and retirees from Wichita’s aviation industry, veterans, active duty military and others wanting to honor those who served, have spent tens of thousands of hours on Doc’s restoration. Countless individuals and organizations also made financial and in-kind contributions to keep the project going. Below is a brief timeline of Doc’s military service, the restoration effort and Doc’s current mission.

In March of 1945, B-29 No. 44-69972 (now known as Doc) was delivered to the U.S. Army. About five months later another B-29 was used to drop two atomic bombs on Japan, eventually leading to Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II.

In July of 1951, Doc was assigned to radar calibration duty, along with a few other B-29s. The squadron was known as the Seven Dwarfs. In May of 1955, Doc was assigned to target-towing duty and in March a year later, Doc and the rest of its squadron became targets for bomb training at China Lake, California.

For 42 years, Doc sat in the Mojave Desert serving as a target for the U.S. Navy. In 1987, Tony Mazzolini found Doc and began plans to remove and eventually restore the B-29 warbird to flying status. It would take another 12 years before Mazzolini and his team would be able to take possession of the airplane from the U.S. government.

After more than a decade of contacting multiple government agencies and working with volunteers in the China Lake area, Tony took possession of the once target practice plane. A few months later in April of 1998, Tony and his team of volunteers towed Doc out of its 42 year resting place on the floor of the Mojave Desert.

After arranging for an inspection by an expert on aging Boeing aircraft, Mazzolini realized it would take extensive resources and specific expertise to return the Doc to flying condition. So the B-29 returned to Wichita in sections on flatbed trailers in May of 2000. Volunteers began the process of reassembling the B-29 and drew up plans to restore the historic warbird which was now sitting a few hundred feet from where it first rolled off the Boeing-Wichita assembly line some 50+ years before. Dedicated volunteers spent countless hours in the early stages of restoring the historic plane.

In February of 2013, a group of Wichita aviation enthusiasts & business leaders led by retired Spirit AeroSystems CEO Jeff Turner formed Doc’s Friends, a 501c3 non-profit board to manage the restoration project and help see it through to completion.

Doc's first flight after the restoration process was 2016.

Sources: www.b29doc.com/docs-story/

www.airplanes-online.com/b29-superfortress-airplane-nose-...

Cressbrook-Mill. Monsal Dale. July 2020 by Simon W. Photography

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