View allAll Photos Tagged Versatile
These pillows have served to elevate my leg and provide a suitable bed for Andy.
We will celebrate National Feral Cat Day with him on Wednesday.
Hey! I can drive tomorrow!
Romanian postcard by Casa Filmului Acin.
Versatile French actress Isabelle Huppert (1953) appeared in more than 90 film and television productions since 1971. With 14 nominations for the César, she is the most nominated actress ever. However, the cool, innocent-looking Huppert won the French Oscar only once, for La Cérémonie (1996). Will this change in 2013, now she is nominated for her supporting role in Michael Haneke’s Amour?
Isabelle Anne Madeleine Huppert was born in Paris in 1953 (some sources say 1955). She is the youngest of five daughters of Annick Beau, a teacher of English, and Raymond Huppert, a safe manufacturer. At age 13, she announced her intention to be an actor, and was encouraged by her mother. She studied at the Versailles Conservatoire and later attended the CNSAD (National Conservatory of Dramatic Art of Paris). Huppert made her film debut in Faustine et le bel été/Faustine and the Beautiful Summer (1972, Nina Companeez). Five years later, she already had appeared in 15 films and had worked with major directors. She played Romy Schneider's younger sister in César et Rosalie/Cesar and Rosalie (1972, Claude Sautet). In Bertrand Blier’s road movie Les valseuses/Going Places (1974), she played a bored teenager who runs off with three young vagabonds (Gérard Depardieu, Patrick Dewaere and Miou-Miou). For director Otto Preminger, Huppert made her English-language debut in Rosebud (1975) starring Peter O’Toole. Her international breakthrough came with her guileless performance as a simple, provincial girl destroyed by a summer romance with a middle-class student in La Dentelliere/The Lacemaker (1977, Claude Goretta). For this unforgettable portrayal she was awarded with both a BAFTA award (British Academy Award) and a David di Donatello (the Italian Oscar). At the next Cannes film festival, she won the Best Actress award for Violette Nozière (1978, Claude Chabrol). In this true story, she portrayed a woman who scandalized France in 1933 by casually poisoning her parents. She tied the award with Jill Clayburgh.
Isabelle Huppert made her American film debut in the blockbuster Heaven's Gate (1980, Michael Cimino), which proved to be a legendary disaster at the box office. In France she continued to explore enigmatic and emotionally distant characters, such as an upper-class woman who is physically attracted by a young vagabond (Gérard Dépardieu) in Loulou (1980, Maurice Pialat), a prostitute in Sauve qui peut (la vie)/Slow Motion (1980, Jean-Luc Godard), the mistress of Philippe Noiret’s character in Coup de torchon/Clean Slate (1981, Bertrand Tavernier) and a Jewish refugee in Coup de foudre/Entre nous (1983, Diane Kurys). She used her influence to help non-commercial projects get off the ground, like Joseph Losey's La Truite/The Trout (1982) and sister Caroline Huppert's Signé Charlotte/Sincerely, Charlotte (1984). For her role in Une Affaire de Femmes/Story of Women (1988, Claude Chabrol), she received the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice film festival. This time, she tied with Shirley MacLaine. She won the Volpi Cup again for her role in La Cérémonie (1995, Claude Chabrol) as a shy but manic and homicidal post-office mistress in a French village. This time she tied the award with her co-star in that film, Sandrine Bonnaire. For La Cérémonie, she also won her only César award. The offspring of her cinematic relationship with director Claude Chabrol also includes the widely acclaimed literary adaptation Madame Bovary (1991), the crime comedy Rien ne va plus/The Swindle (1997), and the thriller Merci pour le chocolat/Thanks for the Chocolate (2000). Stuart Jeffries in The Observer about their cooperation: “Huppert has excelled in the spiteful, the nasty, the unpleasant and - regularly - the murderous. More than that, she carries herself with imperious intelligence, and thus seems to be self-conscious about her own wickedness. No doubt that is why Chabrol has cast her so often. He's interested in guilt, manipulativeness and shame - all of which she loves portraying.”
In 2001, Isabelle Huppert started a new interesting collaboration with Austrian film director Michael Haneke. In La Pianiste/The Piano Teacher (2001, Michael Haneke), an adaptation of the novel by Nobel prize winner Elfriede Jelinek, she played a sexually repressed and self-destructive piano teacher, who embarks on a dark journey into sadomasochism. Regarded as one of her most impressive turns, her performance won the 2001 acting prize at the Cannes Film Festival. The film also took the Grand Prix (second prize) and was greeted with a mixture of boos and applause, provoking the main debate of the festival. Huppert continued to work hard. In 2002, the entire cast of the popular black comedy 8 femmes/8 Women (2002, François Ozon), also including Catherine Deneuve, Danielle Darrieux and Fanny Ardant, was voted Best Actress at the European Film Awards. The same cast won a Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution, at the 2002 Berlin Film Festival. Then Huppert was back at the set with Haneke for the disturbing Le temps du loup/The Time of the Wolf (2003, Michael Haneke) with Béatrice Dalle. In Ma mere/My Mother (2004, Christophe Honoré) based on a novel by George Bataille, Huppert starred as an attractive middle-aged mother who has an incestuous relationship with her teenage son (Louis Garrel). Since Heaven's Gate, Huppert only made a few more American movies. In The Bedroom Window (1987, Curtis Hanson) she played Steve Guttenberg’s mistress, and in Amateur (1994, Hal Hartley) a former nun writing porn. In I [Heart] Huckabees (2004, David O. Russell) she portrayed author Catherine Vauban, nemesis of existential detectives Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin. At the 2005 Venice film festival, Huppert received a Special Lion for her role in Gabrielle (2005, Patrice Chéreau). The following year, she reunited with Chabrol for L'ivresse du pouvoir/The Comedy of Power (2006). Recently she appeared on the Paris stage as the suicidal Hedda Gabler, in Henrik Ibsen's play. In 1994 she was made Chevalier (Knight) of the Ordre national du Mérite and in 2005 she was promoted to Officier (Officer). She was also made Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d'honneur in 1999 and was promoted to Officier (Officer) in 2009. Huppert keeps her private life private. With her spouse, director Ronnie Chammah, she has three children: actress Lolita Chammah (1983), Lorenzo Chammah (1986) and Angelo Chammah (1997). Her work is her main issue in interviews. In 2012, two of her films competed for the Palme d'Or in Cannes: Amour (2012, Michael Haneke) and the South-Korean production Da-reun na-ra-e-seo/In Another Country (2012, Sang-soo Hong). Her part as the daughter of Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva in Amour also got her another César nomination. Her fourteenth, and it's probably not her last. We do hope she will win this time. The cceremony is next Friday, 22 February 2013.
Sources: Stuart Jeffries (The Observer), Rebecca Flint Marx (AllMovie), Yahoo! Movies, Wikipedia and IMDb.
Some background:
Simple, efficient and reliable, the Regult (リガード, Rigādo) was the standard mass production mecha of the Zentraedi forces. Produced by Esbeliben at the 4.432.369th Zentraedi Fully Automated Weaponry Development and Production Factory Satellite in staggering numbers to fill the need for an all-purpose mecha, this battle pod accommodated a single Zentraedi soldier in a compact cockpit and was capable of operating in space or on a planet's surface. The Regult saw much use during Space War I in repeated engagements against the forces of the SDF-1 Macross and the U.N. Spacy, but its lack of versatility against superior mecha often resulted in average effectiveness and heavy losses. The vehicle was regarded as expendable and was therefore cheap, simple, but also very effective when fielded in large numbers. Possessing minimal defensive features, the Regult was a simple weapon that performed best in large numbers and when supported by other mecha such as Gnerl Fighter Pods. Total production is said to have exceeded 300 million in total.
The cockpit could be accesses through a hatch on the back of the Regult’s body, which was, however, extremely cramped, with poor habitability and means of survival. The giant Zentraedi that operated it often found themselves crouching, with some complaining that "It would have been easier had they just walked on their own feet". Many parts of the craft relied on being operated on manually, which increased the fatigue of the pilot. On the other hand, the overall structure was extremely simple, with relatively few failures, making operational rate high.
In space, the Regult made use of two booster engines and numerous vernier thrusters to propel itself at very high speeds, capable of engaging and maintaining pace with the U.N. Spacy's VF-1 Valkyrie variable fighter. Within an atmosphere, the Regult was largely limited to ground combat but retained high speed and maneuverability. On land, the Regult was surprisingly fast and agile, too, capable of closing with the VF-1 variable fighter in GERWALK flight (though likely unable to maintain pace at full GERWALK velocity). The Regult was not confined to land operations, though, it was also capable of operating underwater for extended periods of time. Thanks to its boosters, the Regult was capable of high leaping that allowed the pod to cover long distances, surprise enemies and even engage low-flying aircraft.
Armed with a variety of direct-fire energy weapons and anti-personnel/anti-aircraft guns, the Regult offered considerable firepower and was capable of engaging both air and ground units. It was also able to deliver powerful kicks. The armor of the body shell wasn't very strong, though, and could easily be penetrated by a Valkyrie's 55 mm Gatling gun pod. Even bare fist attacks of a VF-1 could crack the Regult’s cockpit or immobilize it. The U.N. Spacy’s MBR-07 Destroid Spartan was, after initial battel experience with the Regult, specifically designed to engage the Zentraedi forces’ primary infantry weapon in close-combat.
The Regult was, despite general shortcomings, a highly successful design and it became the basis for a wide range of specialized versions, including advanced battle pods for commanders, heavy infantry weapon carriers and reconnaissance/command vehicles. The latter included the Regult Tactical Scout (リガード偵察型). manufactured by electronics specialist Ectromelia. The Tactical Scout variant was a deadly addition to the Zentraedi Regult mecha troops. Removing all weaponry, the Tactical Scout was equipped with many additional sensor clusters and long-range detection equipment. Always found operating among other Regult mecha or supporting Glaug command pods, the Scout was capable of early warning enemy detection as well as ECM/ECCM roles (Electronic Countermeasures/Electronic Counter-Countermeasures). In Space War I, the Tactical Scout was utilized to devastating effect, often providing radar jamming, communication relay and superior tactical positioning for the many Zentraedi mecha forces.
At the end of Space War I in January 2012, production of the Regult for potential Earth defensive combat continued when the seizure operation of the Factory Satellite was executed. After the war, Regults were used by both U.N. Spacy and Zentraedi insurgents. Many surviving units were incorporated into the New U.N. Forces and given new model numbers. The normal Regult became the “Zentraedi Battle Pod” ZBP-104 (often just called “Type 104”) and was, for example, used by Al-Shahal's New U.N. Army's Zentraedi garrison. The related ZBP-106 was a modernized version for Zentraedi commanders, with built-in boosters, additional Queadluun-Rhea arms and extra armaments. These primarily replaced the Glaug battle pod, of which only a handful had survived. By 2067, Regult pods of all variants were still in operation among mixed human/Zentraedi units.
General characteristics:
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in main body
Overall Height: 18.2 meters
Overall Length: 7.6 meters
Overall Width: 12.6 meters
Max Weight: 39.8 metric tons
Powerplant & propulsion:
1x 1.3 GGV class Ectromelia thermonuclear reaction furnace,
driving 2x main booster Thrusters and 12x vernier thrusters
Performance:
unknown
Armament:
None
Special Equipment and Features:
Standard all-frequency radar antenna
Standard laser long-range sensor
Ectromelia infrared, visible light and ultraviolet frequency sensor cluster
ECM/ECCM suite
The kit and its assembly:
I had this kit stashed away for a couple of years, together with a bunch of other 1:100 Zentraedi pods of all kinds and the plan to build a full platoon one day – but this has naturally not happened so far and the kits were and are still waiting. The “Reconnaissance & Surveillance” group build at whatifmodellers.com in August 2021 was a good occasion and motivation to tackle the Tactical Scout model from the pile, though, as it perfectly fits the GB’s theme and also adds an exotic science fiction/anime twist to the submissions.
The kit is an original ARII boxing from 1983, AFAIK the only edition of this model. One might expect this kit to be a variation of the 1982 standard Regult (sometimes spelled “Reguld”) kit with extra parts, but that’s not the case – it is a new mold with different parts and technical solutions, and it offers optional parts for the standard Regult pod as well as the two missile carrier versions that were published at the same time, too. The Tactical Scout uses the same basis, but it comes with parts exclusive for this variant (hull and a sprue with the many antennae and sensors).
I remembered from a former ARII Regult build in the late Eighties that the legs were a wobbly affair. Careful sprue inspection revealed, however, that this second generation comes with some sensible detail changes, e. g. the feet, which originally consisted of separate toe and heel sections (and these were hollow from behind/below!). To my biggest surprise the knees – a notorious weak spot of the 1st generation Regult kit – were not only held by small and flimsy vinyl caps anymore: These were replaced with much bigger vinyl rings, fitted into sturdy single-piece enclosures made from a tough styrene which can even be tuned with small metal screws(!), which are included in the kit. Interesting!
But the joy is still limited: even though the mold is newer, fit is mediocre at best, PSR is necessary on every seam. However, the good news is that the kit does not fight with you. The whole thing was mostly built OOB, because at 1:100 there's little that makes sense to add to the surface, and the kit comes with anything you'd expect on a Regult Scout pod. I just added some lenses and small stuff behind the large "eye", which is (also to my surprise) a clear part. The stuff might only appear in schemes on the finished model, but that's better than leaving the area blank.
Otherwise, the model was built in sub-sections for easier painting and handling, to be assembled in a final step – made possible by the kit’s design which avoids the early mecha kit’s “onion layer” construction, except for the feet. This is the only area that requires some extra effort, and which is also a bit tricky to assemble.
However, while the knees appear to be a robust construction, the kit showed some material weakness: while handling the leg assembly, one leg suddenly came off under the knees - turned out that the locator that holds the knee joint above (which I expected to be the weak point) completely broke off of the lower leg! Weird damage. I tried to glue the leg into place, but this did not work, and so I inserted a replacement for the broken. This eventually worked.
Painting and markings:
Colorful, but pretty standard and with the attempt to be authentic. However, information concerning the Regults’ paint scheme is somewhat inconsistent. I decided to use a more complex interpretation of the standard blue/grey Regult scheme, with a lighter “face shield” and some other details that make the mecha look more interesting. I used the box art and some screenshots from the Macross TV series as reference; the Tactical Scout pod already appears in episode #2 for the first time, and there are some good views at it, even though the anime version is highly simplified.
Humbrol enamels were used, including 48 (Mediterranean Blue), 196 (RAL 7035, instead of pure white), 40 (Pale Grey) and 27 (Sea Grey). The many optics were created with clear acrylics over a silver base, and the large frontal “eye” is a piece of clear plastic with a coat of clear turquoise paint, too.
The model received a black ink washing to emphasize details, engraved panel lines and recesses, as well as some light post-shading through dry-brushing. Some surface details were created with decal stripes, e. g. on the upper legs, or with a black fineliner, and some color highlights were distributed all over the hull, e. g. the yellowish-beige tips of the wide antenna or the bright blue panels on the upper legs.
The decals were taken OOB, and thanks to a translation chart I was able to decipher some of the markings which I’d interpret as a serial number and a unit code – but who knows?
Finally, the kit received an overall coat of matt acrylic varnish and some weathering/dust traces around the feet with simple watercolors – more would IMHO look out of place, due to the mecha’s sheer size in real life and the fact that the Regult has to be considered a disposable item. Either it’s brand new and shiny, or busted, there’s probably little in between that justifies serious weathering which better suits the tank-like Destroids.
A “normal” build, even though the model and the topic are exotic enough. This 2nd generation Regult kit went together easier than expected, even though it has its weak points, too. However, material ageing turned out to be the biggest challenge (after all, the kit is almost 40 years old!), but all problems could be overcome and the resulting model looks decent – and it has this certain Eighties flavor! :D
THE VERSATILITY OF THIS ESCAPE ARTIST, MAGICIAN, ILLUSIONIST, FORMER U.S.M.C. DRILL INSTRUCTOR 2X, RECRUITER FOR U.S.M.C., UNICYCLIST, JUGGLER, GYMNAST, MARATHON RUNNER, COMBAT INSTRUCTOR FOR NAVY SEALS, MARTIAL ARTS EXPERT IN A NUMBER OF ARTS, SURFER, DAREDEVIL, HANDGLIDER, FATHER OF FIVE CHILDREN, 6X WORLD RECORD HOLDER IN ESCAPOLOGY AND 46 MPH HANDSTAND ON SKATEBOARD TIED TO A MOTORCYCLE, TEACHER IN GYMNASTICS, MARTIAL ARTS, CIRCUS PERFORMER HIGH WIRE, PARACHUTIST, SPECIAL FORCES IN MARINES, FASTEST JAIL BREAK IN 22 SECONDS, FASTEST STRAITJACKET ESCAPE LESS THAN 7 SECONDS...IS UNMEASURABLE TO ANY OTHER ESCAPE ARTIST IN THE WORLD AND PERHAPS IN HISTORY. I HAVE SUPPLIED BUT A FEW PHOTOS THAT ARE LEFT FROM HOUDENNY'S EX-WIFE TAKING THEM AND PREVIOUS REPORTERS MISPLACING THEM DURING INTERVIEWS, WHICH IS A SHAME HAVING SO MANY YEARS LOST OF THIS MAN' TALENT.
www.ibmring362.org/WEAR2007.html
www.motiono.com/HOUDENNY/albums/177/
www.motiono.com/HOUDENNY/albums/
www.flickr.com/photos/12421016@N03/?saved=1
URL: myspace.com/houdenny
Mr. Tempelman of the large Dutch recumbent shop Ligfiets Shop Tempelman rode this Versatile velomobile in the uphill race at the 2005 International Velomobile Meeting in Giessen, Germany
The KD dance Classic V Neck is the most versatile top you will ever wear. It can be worn over the shoulder or pulled down for an off shoulder look. It can cover your belly or be worn effortlessly showing it off. Comfortable and confident jumping from office casual to an after work engagement in a flash. KD dance clothes are constructed to last and snap back to new after each wash even after heavy workout. Which is why KD dance is known as the finest maker of knit dancewear in the world. Worn by professional dancers in New York, San Francisco, Tokyo, Moscow, Paris, London, Rome and Los Angeles, performers from Cher, Jennifer Lopez and Britney Spears have worn KD dance on stage. Celebrities that have shopped at the KD dance store in SoHo New York include: Christy Turlington, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rodney Yee. But what really matters is that dancing or dinning, in KD dance the beauty is you.
If you are discovering KD dance for the first time we have matching Tights, Tanks, Wraps, Leg Warmers, Shrugs also available here on Amazon. KD dance was created in 1980, same year the original movie Fame was released by young dancers knitting clothing for fellow dancers on tour with the Oakland Ballet. In 1980 Michael Jackson had a #1 Hit with Rock With You and the first computer modem was released.
2010 marks the 30th Anniversary of our timeless knits featured in Vogue, W, Allure, Harpers Bazaar, Glamour, Shape, Fitness & even Psychology Today. Our Gauze like knit makes our clothing completely versatile and customizable to create looks all your own. Which is why Dancing or Dinning in KD dance the beauty is you.
Nous voyons ici Silvy Pelletier, danseuse et choregraphe, qui enseigne a Scream Dance Academy, a Montreal. Elle confection aussi des bijoux. Creatrice et designer pour la marque VY creations. marque VY creations.
Photography by Garvey Rich
You can find us at KDdance.com or KDdance2.com
The F/A-18 Hornet came about as a US Navy replacement for late model A-4 Skyhawks, A-7 Corsair IIs, and F-4 Phantom II squadrons not replaced by the F-14 Tomcat. It was also heavily influenced by the need for a fighter cheaper than the F-14. The Navy participated in the Lightweight Fighter (LWF) competition won by the F-16 Falcon, but found the F-16 unsuited for carrier operations.
With this in mind, the Navy approached Northrop and McDonnell Douglas to build a suitable multirole fighter based around the loser of the LWF competition, the YF-17 Cobra. The resulting F-18 Hornet was larger and much more versatile than the Cobra, though it retained the latter’s basic design. Initially, Hornet production was to be divided into the dedicated fighter F-18 and strike A-18, but with advances in technology, the two were combined into a single airframe as the F/A-18.
The first YF-18A flew in 1978, the production F/A-18A in 1980, and service entry in 1983, with the US Marine Corps in January and the US Navy two months later. The Hornet was found to be very agile, exceptionally easy to maintain, and more than able to live up to its multirole reputation, to the point that it is considered to be the world’s first true multirole fighter, where fighter and attack roles are integrated into the same airframe and can be switched by literally the push of a button. Its only drawback was a lack of range and initial problems with stabilator cracks, which was solved by strengthening the stabilators and adding small wing fences to force away air from the tail.
The F/A-18A/B was superseded on the production line in early 1987 by the C/D models, which differed from the earlier type by using an upgraded APG-65 radar, improved engines, internal ECM suite, and the ability to carry the AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-88 HARM, and AIM-120 AMRAAM, though the latter would not actually come into service until 1993. The F/A-18C/D incorporated field modifications made to A/B models; those of the latter still in service by 1993 received a similar upgrade with the addition of the APG-70 radar. USN/USMC Hornets of all types would see action over Iraq in the First Gulf War, and later Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq a second time.
USMC all-weather units replaced their A-6 Intruders with F/A-18Ds, which were night attack capable with the addition of FLIR, improved multifunction displays, and lowlight goggle compatibility. The USN later followed suit, with the F-18C replacing the A-6E as well from 1995. Though the F/A-18C/D has been supplemented by the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and is due to be replaced by the F-35 Lightning II, it will continue as the backbone of the USN/USMC for some years to come. In addition to the US, the Hornet also serves with Canada and Spain, as well as Australia, Finland, Kuwait, Malaysia, and Switzerland.
This F/A-18A is Bureau Number 163132. While the exact dates it served with which squadron is unknown, it is known that 163132 served with VMFA-312 ("Checkerboards"), during which it wore an experimental (and unique) Ferris Splinter camouflage scheme; it also flew with VMFA-451 ("Warlords") and VMFA-115 ("Silver Eagles"), and retired from the latter squadron around 2010. It was acquired by the Pima Air and Space Museum in 2018. While with these squadrons, 163132 saw service over Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan; it may have some of the highest amount of combat hours of any Marine Hornet.
When the aircraft was acquired by Pima, it was in bad shape, having been cannibalized for parts while it was in storage at AMARC. It has since nearly been completely restored, though it still awaits some paint work. The markings of its last squadron, VMFA-115 at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, can still faintly be seen on the fuselage and more clearly on the tail.
Gunnar CrossHairs in Lilac with White Panel and Bullseye Decals. One of the most versatile bikes around, the CrossHairs is at home as a road bike, commuter, century bike and light tourer as it is as a competition cyclocross design.
The Bionic Woman, Lindsay Wagner
Noel Cruz is one of the most versatile & distinguished repaint artists in the doll community. He is most recognized for his character & celebrity based dolls due to their uncanny resemblance to the people they portray. His dolls are derived from several models like Gene, Tyler, Sydney, etc, by various doll-makers such as Robert Tonner & Franklin Mint. His repaints as well as his portraits are done with intricate detail to the point of being naturally lifelike in essence. Highly regarded among collectors and artists alike, Noel attempts to raise the bar and bring a fresh take to the common mass produced doll with every face he paints. Noel's specialty is with one of a kind repaints. The beauty of repaints is that almost no two are exactly alike just as no two artists are alike.
Visit my web site at www.ncruz.com
Learn how the versatile Multi-Service Standard Guided Projectile can impact more missions, has more multi-platform capability and efficiency, and can bring more savings to our armed services.
DADA kamikaze freeform
multi versatile
top wrap tunic shawl tunic
for self-aware individuals
who love to express
who they truly are
intuitive
knitting & crochet fusion
with integrated 3-ply Navajo knitting
using colorful recycled cone material
from flea-markets
Seatcluster detail on Gunnar Fastlane in Monetary Green, with the versatility for commuting, distance riding, touring, cruising about town and even cyclocross.
• classic comfortable organic cotton crew socks
• versatile enough for dress or casual wear
• cushioned sole
• ribbed & durable
• machine washable
• 74% organic cotton, 13% nylon, 7% rubber, 5% polyester, 1% spandex
• one size fits all (shoe size 4-10)
• natural or white
• made in Taiwan
I needed a bird for the CC Versatile challenge... this one sat still and did not fly away as I clicked the shutter! :-)
New/more pics from an older (and dusty...) model
Some background:
The VF-1 was developed by Stonewell/Bellcom/Shinnakasu for the U.N. Spacy by using alien Overtechnology obtained from the SDF-1 Macross alien spaceship. Its production was preceded by an aerodynamic proving version of its airframe, the VF-X. Unlike all later VF vehicles, the VF-X was strictly a jet aircraft, built to demonstrate that a jet fighter with the features necessary to convert to Battroid mode was aerodynamically feasible. After the VF-X's testing was finished, an advanced concept atmospheric-only prototype, the VF-0 Phoenix, was flight-tested from 2005 to 2007 and briefly served as an active-duty fighter from 2007 to the VF-1's rollout in late 2008, while the bugs were being worked out of the full-up VF-1 prototype (VF-X-1).
The space-capable VF-1's combat debut was on February 7, 2009, during the Battle of South Ataria Island - the first battle of Space War I - and remained the mainstay fighter of the U.N. Spacy for the entire conflict. Introduced in 2008, the VF-1 would be out of frontline service just five years later, though.
The VF-1 proved to be an extremely capable craft, successfully combating a variety of Zentraedi mecha even in most sorties which saw UN Spacy forces significantly outnumbered. The versatility of the Valkyrie design enabled the variable fighter to act as both large-scale infantry and as air/space superiority fighter. The signature skills of U.N. Spacy ace pilot Maximilian Jenius exemplified the effectiveness of the variable systems as he near-constantly transformed the Valkyrie in battle to seize advantages of each mode as combat conditions changed from moment to moment.
The basic VF-1 was deployed in four minor variants (designated A, D, J, and S) and its success was increased by continued development of various enhancements including the GBP-1S "Armored" Valkyrie, FAST Pack "Super" Valkyrie and the additional RÖ-X2 heavy cannon pack weapon system for the VF-1S for additional firepower.
The FAST Pack system was designed to enhance the VF-1 Valkyrie variable fighter, and the initial V1.0 came in the form of conformal pallets that could be attached to the fighter’s leg flanks for additional fuel – primarily for Long Range Interdiction tasks in atmospheric environment. Later FAST Packs were designed for space operations.
The following FAST Pack 2.0 system featured two 120.000 kg class P&W+EF-2001 booster thrusters (mounted on the dorsal section of the VF-1) and two CTB-04 conformal propellant/coolant tanks (mounted on the leg/engines), since the VF-1's internal tanks could not carry enough propellant to achieve a stable orbit from Earth bases and needed the help of a booster pack to reach Low Earth Orbit. Anyway, the FAST Pack 2.0 wasn't adapted for atmospheric use, due to its impact on a Valkyrie's aerodynamics and its weight; as such, it needed to be discarded before atmospheric entry.
Included in the FAST Pack boosters and conformal tanks were six high-maneuverability vernier thrusters and two low-thrust vernier thrusters beneath multipurpose hook/handles in two dorsal-mounted NP-BP-01, as well as ten more high-maneuverability vernier thrusters and two low-thrust vernier thrusters beneath multipurpose hook/handles in the two leg/engine-mounted NP-FB-01 systems.
Granting the VF-1 a significantly increased weapons payload as well as greater fuel and thrust, Shinnakasu Heavy Industry's FAST Pack system 2.0 was in every way a major success in space combat. The first VF-1 equipped with FAST Packs was deployed in January 2010 for an interception mission.
Following first operational deployment and its effectiveness, the FAST Pack system was embraced enthusiastically by the U.N. Spacy and found wide use. By February 2010, there were already over 300+ so-called "Super Valkyries" stationed onboard the SDF-1 Macross alone.
After the end of Space War I, the VF-1 continued to be manufactured both in the Sol system and throughout the UNG space colonies. Although the VF-1 would eventually be replaced as the primary Variable Fighter of the U.N. Spacy by the more capable, but also much bigger, VF-4 Lightning III in 2020, a long service record and continued production after the war proved the lasting worth of the design.
The VF-1 was without doubt the most recognizable variable fighter of Space War I and was seen as a vibrant symbol of the U.N. Spacy even into the first year of the New Era 0001 in 2013. At the end of 2015 the final rollout of the VF-1 was celebrated at a special ceremony, commemorating this most famous of variable fighters. The VF-1 Valkryie was built from 2006 to 2013 with a total production of 5,459 VF-1 variable fighters with several variants (VF-1A = 5,093, VF-1D = 85, VF-1J = 49, VF-1S = 30, VF-1G = 12, VE-1 = 122, VT-1 = 68)
However, the fighter remained active in many second line units and continued to show its worthiness years later, e. g. through Milia Jenius who would use her old VF-1 fighter in defense of the colonization fleet - 35 years after the type's service introduction.
General characteristics:
All-environment variable fighter and tactical combat Battroid,
used by U.N. Spacy, U.N. Navy, U.N. Space Air Force
Accommodation:
Pilot only in Marty & Beck Mk-7 zero/zero ejection seat
Dimensions:
Fighter Mode:
Length 14.23 meters
Wingspan 14.78 meters (at 20° minimum sweep)
Height 3.84 meters
Battroid Mode:
Height 12.68 meters
Width 7.3 meters
Length 4.0 meters
Empty weight: 13.25 metric tons;
Standard T-O mass: 18.5 metric tons;
MTOW: 37.0 metric tons
Power Plant:
2x Shinnakasu Heavy Industry/P&W/Roice FF-2001 thermonuclear reaction turbine engines, output 650 MW each, rated at 11,500 kg in standard or in overboost (225.63 kN x 2)
4 x Shinnakasu Heavy Industry NBS-1 high-thrust vernier thrusters (1 x counter reverse vernier thruster nozzle mounted on the side of each leg nacelle/air intake, 1 x wing thruster roll control system on each wingtip);
18 x P&W LHP04 low-thrust vernier thrusters beneath multipurpose hook/handles
The S-FAST Pack added 4x P&W+EF-2001 booster thrusters with 120.000 kg each, plus a total of 28x P&W LHP04 low-thrust vernier thrusters
Performance:
Battroid Mode: maximum walking speed 160 km/h
Fighter Mode: at 10,000 m Mach 2.71; at 30,000+ m Mach 3.87
g limit: in space +7
Thrust-to-weight ratio: empty 3.47; standard T-O 2.49; maximum T-O 1.24
Design Features:
3-mode variable transformation; variable geometry wing; vertical take-off and landing; control-configurable vehicle; single-axis thrust vectoring; three "magic hand" manipulators for maintenance use; retractable canopy shield for Battroid mode and atmospheric reentry; option of GBP-1S system, atmospheric-escape booster, or FAST Pack system
Transformation:
Standard time from Fighter to Battroid (automated): under 5 sec.
Min. time from Fighter to Battroid (manual): 0.9 sec.
Armament:
2x internal Mauler RÖV-20 anti-aircraft laser cannon, firing 6,000 pulses per minute
1x Howard GU-11 55 mm three-barrel Gatling gun pod with 200 RPG, fired at 1,200 rds/min
4x underwing hard points for a wide variety of ordnance, including
12x AMM-1 hybrid guided multipurpose missiles (3/point), or
12x MK-82 LDGB conventional bombs (3/point), or
6x RMS-1 large anti-ship reaction missiles (2/outboard point, 1/inboard point), or
4x UUM-7 micro-missile pods (1/point) each carrying 15 x Bifors HMM-01 micro-missiles,
or a combination of above load-outs
The optional Shinnakasu Heavy Industry S-FAST Pack 2.1 augmentative space weapon system added:
6x micro-missiles in two NP-AR-01 micro-missile launcher pods (mounted rearward under center ventral section in Fighter mode or on lower arm sections in GERWALK/Battroid mode)
4x12 micro missiles in four HMMP-02 micro-missile launchers, one inside each booster pod
The model and its assembly:
This is a major kit conversion, or better a kitbashing with major scratch work involved. By the time I built this model, there were no convincing 1:100 kits of the so-called "Super / Strike Valkyries" around. These VF-1s carry rocket boosters for non-atmospherical use, so-called FAST packages ("Fuel And Sensor Trays"). However, parts for these space operation packages are included in some ARII Battroid kits.
This is the second of such conversions I did on the basis of a 1:100 Bandai (ex Arii) Gerwalk Valkyrie model, with additional leftover pieces from Super Valkyrie kits in Battroid mode and even from vintage Imai transformable kits.
The legs in retracted position were completely built through kitbashing, since the FAST packages would hardly fit under the body. The folded arms between the legs were improvised and heavily tailored to fit into the narrow space between the legs as good as possible. Real arm parts would not fit at all!
The "UUM-7" rocket launchers with 5 x 3 HMM-01missiles each were built from scratch. other added details include a pilot figure and better cockpit interior parts, plus some other details like antennae that the simple, original kits lack.
Painting and markings:
The color scheme is based on the standard VF-1A livery, even though I used a lighter tan (RAF "Hemp", B.S. 4800/10B21, e .g. used on Nimrod sea patrol aircrafts or VC-10 tankers - Humbrol 168) instead of brown. The lighter contrast areas were painted in ivory (Humbrol 41) instead of pure white, the FAST packs received a grey finish (FS 36081, Humbrol 32).
What's a bit special about the colored details of this semi-fictional Valkyrie is that the squadron insignia is original Japanese: The panda with the red lightning is the emblem of the 203rd hikotai, a real world JASDF fighter squadron that used to fly F-86 Sabre and F-104 Starfighters – with some fantasy, you can read the "203" in the lightning's outline! The kit's idea was to show what a machine from such a "real" squadron might look like if it was (still) existent in the Macross universe?
Die UNISET ist die Erfolgsanlage mit dem Konzept doppelrund und einfachbreit für den Druck von Zeitungen und Heatset-Produkten. Ein außerordentlicher Verkaufsschlager in China.
With its double-circumference and single-width concept for newspaper printing and heatset production, the UNISET is built for success. An extraodinary sales succes in China.
THE VERSATILITY OF THIS ESCAPE ARTIST, MAGICIAN, ILLUSIONIST, FORMER U.S.M.C. DRILL INSTRUCTOR 2X, RECRUITER FOR U.S.M.C., UNICYCLIST, JUGGLER, GYMNAST, MARATHON RUNNER, COMBAT INSTRUCTOR FOR NAVY SEALS, MARTIAL ARTS EXPERT IN A NUMBER OF ARTS, SURFER, DAREDEVIL, HANDGLIDER, FATHER OF FIVE CHILDREN, 6X WORLD RECORD HOLDER IN ESCAPOLOGY AND 46 MPH HANDSTAND ON SKATEBOARD TIED TO A MOTORCYCLE, TEACHER IN GYMNASTICS, MARTIAL ARTS, CIRCUS PERFORMER HIGH WIRE, PARACHUTIST, SPECIAL FORCES IN MARINES, FASTEST JAIL BREAK IN 22 SECONDS, FASTEST STRAITJACKET ESCAPE LESS THAN 7 SECONDS...IS UNMEASURABLE TO ANY OTHER ESCAPE ARTIST IN THE WORLD AND PERHAPS IN HISTORY. I HAVE SUPPLIED BUT A FEW PHOTOS THAT ARE LEFT FROM HOUDENNY'S EX-WIFE TAKING THEM AND PREVIOUS REPORTERS MISPLACING THEM DURING INTERVIEWS, WHICH IS A SHAME HAVING SO MANY YEARS LOST OF THIS MAN' TALENT.
www.ibmring362.org/WEAR2007.html
www.motiono.com/HOUDENNY/albums/177/
www.motiono.com/HOUDENNY/albums/
www.flickr.com/photos/12421016@N03/?saved=1
URL: myspace.com/houdenny
I turned up at at the University of Adelaide to shoot an amazing specimen box today. This was gong to be about a 2 hour shoot and one I had been looking forward to for some time. I love photographing old things with a bit of history.
When I arrived the client asked if I could shoot a few more items while I was there. There ended up being 10 items in total, all of varying sizes, one a 1metre wide fossil!. I certainly had not prepared for these. I had a good look around and found some paper and boxes to rig up a little seamless setup which worked great.
I had parked quite a distance from the university, but had taken a full lighting setup with me "just in case". What started out as a quick easy shoot became a pretty elaborate one that required tricky lighting and positioning. The results were fantastic, and the client will be receiving a great set of images with no hassle because I was prepared and made do with what I had at hand to pull it off.
So what are these items here? These are crampons used by Sir Douglas Mawson. What a buzz to handle and photograph these pieces. What an amazing man Mawson was, and I felt honoured to be responsible for recording some of his items today.
Peace, Denis
Farrah Fawcett
Noel Cruz is one of the most versatile & distinguished repaint artists in the doll community. He is most recognized for his character & celebrity based dolls due to their uncanny resemblance to the people they portray. His dolls are derived from several models like Gene, Tyler, Sydney, etc, by various doll-makers such as Robert Tonner & Franklin Mint. His repaints as well as his portraits are done with intricate detail to the point of being naturally lifelike in essence. Highly regarded among collectors and artists alike, Noel attempts to raise the bar and bring a fresh take to the common mass produced doll with every face he paints. Noel's specialty is with one of a kind repaints. The beauty of repaints is that almost no two are exactly alike just as no two artists are alike.
Visit my web site at www.ncruz.com
You may imagine him chained to his view camera, but "well-known pro Ansel Adams" was in reality a bit of a gear hound like the rest of us. Here he's taken up the Hasselblad 500C just a year after its introduction. (Also, remember he was an official advisor to Polaroid and wrote books about it.)
He had a long relationship with Zeiss products—shooting this famous 1937 image with a handheld Contax. I can't find the reference, but the Super Ikonta B he picked up was "commandeered" by his wife Virginia for family photos. But especially in later years, the Hasselblad seems to have been his regular (lift-able) companion, used for the graffiti image from his 80th year which closes his book Examples: The Making of 40 Photographs.
Fresh from helping out elsewhere during the busy Festival weeks, Lothian Trident 628 is seen back on the familiar territory of service 14. This one of the last dual-door buses (for those rear platform lovers the middle door is exit only!), and part of a diminishing fleet of buses still in the harleyquin (or hurleyquin!) livery.
Service 14's origins goes way back to Edinburgh tram days, when routes 13 and 14 served the Granton, Ferry Road, Bonnington and Leith Walk areas. However although the replacement bus route retained number 14, its southern end was altered to serve Newington, Prestonfield, Craigmillar and Niddrie and for a time Newcraighall. Nowadays the route runs between the 'council' estates of Muirhouse and Greendykes and 628 is seen at the latter's leafy terminus.
The harleyquin livery did not quite fit in with traditional 'Edinburghers' - it appeared to offer more identity with a dress design than with an historic city such as Edinburgh!
Virat Kohli, the versatile cricketer, is new test captain of Team India. He has been carrying out the role of vice-captain for some time and his mettle with captaincy has been proved recently with stipulating superb performances of Indian cricket team against SriLanka in home series one day...
+++ 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 North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, was a transonic jet fighter aircraft, produced by North American Aviation. The Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept wing fighter that could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high-speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War (1950–1953).
Considered one of the best and most important fighter aircraft in that war, the F-86 is also rated highly in comparison with fighters of other eras. Although it was developed in the late 1940s and was outdated by the end of the '50s, the Sabre proved versatile and adaptable, and continued as a front-line fighter in numerous air forces until the last active operational examples were retired by the Bolivian Air Force in 1994. Its success led to an extended production run of more than 7,800 aircraft between 1949 and 1956, in the United States, Japan and Italy.
One of the many F-86 operators was the Iraq. The Royal Iraqi Air Force (RIrAF) was still recovering from its destruction by the British in 1948 when they joined in the war against the newly created state of Israel in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Even though the RIrAF had some modern aircraft, the RIrAF played only a small role in the first war against Israel.
From 1950 to 1958 most of the RIrAF aircraft were from the United Kingdom, e. g. Hawker Fury fighters and trainers. The first jet fighters, the de Havilland Vampire of the RIrAF, were delivered in 1953. The RIrAF also received de Havilland Venoms and Hawker Hunters during the mid-1950s. 4 Bristol 170 Freighters were received in 1953. In 1954 and 1956, 19 de Havilland Vampire jet fighters and 14 ex-RAF Hawkers, funded by the U.S., were delivered.
In order to modernize the aircraft fleet (esp. as a replacement for the piston engine Hawker Sea Furies), a “large number” of F-86s were directly ordered in the US by the Royal Iraqi government in the late 1950s. The total order volume remained unclear, but was estimated by third parties to encompass 200 aircraft, also including radar-equipped F-86K interceptors.
However, the government of King Faisal II was overthrown by a violent coup in 1958, and Iraq left the pro-Western Baghdad Pact shortly afterwards. As a result, the US government vetoed further arms sales to Iraq after only five F-86Fs had been delivered. As a further result of the revolution, the Iraqi Air Force (IQAF) dropped the "Royal" from its name and the Soviets were quick to supply MiG-17s, and later MiG-19 and MiG-21 fighters, as well as Ilyushin Il-28 bombers to the new Iraqi government.
Little is known about the Iraqi F-86Fs’ fate, although it is believed that they were stored at Habbaniya at first and then passed on to Pakistan in 1963.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 37 ft 1 in (11.4 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 0 in (11.3 m)
Height: 14 ft 1 in (4.5 m)
Wing area: 313.4 sq ft (29.11 m²)
Empty weight: 11,125 lb (5,046 kg)
Loaded weight: 15,198 lb (6,894 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 18,152 lb (8,234 kg)
Internal JP-4 fuel load: 437 US gallons (1,650 L)
Powerplant:
1× General Electric J47-GE-27 turbojet, rated at 5,910 lbf (26.3 kN)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 687 mph (1,106 km/h) at sea level
Stall speed: 124 mph (108 knots/200 km/h)
Range: 1,525 mi, (2,454 km)
Service ceiling: 49,600 ft at combat weight (15,100 m)
Rate of climb: 9,000 ft/min at sea level (45.72 m/s)
Wing loading: 49.4 lb/ft² (236.7 kg/m²)
Lift-to-drag: 15.1
Thrust/weight: 0.42
Armament:
6x 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M3 Browning machine guns with 300 RPG
4x underwing hardpoints for a 5,300 lb (2,400 kg) payload, including 2x200 US gallons (760 L)
drop tanks on the wet, outer pair of pylons; plus 2x Matra rocket pods with 18 SNEB 68 mm
rockets each, 2x AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs, or 2x 1,000 lb bombs or napalm canisters.
The kit and its assembly:
The Iraqi F-86s are a very good whif subject, since the type was actually delivered to the country but little is known, especially about the looks - even though I'd assume that the five real world RIrAF Sabres arrived and were left in bare metal finish.
However, fellow member SPINNERS at whatifmolders.com posted recently a simulated Iraqi F-86, based on the unique three-tone camouflage of South American (e. g. Argentinian, but also Bolivian and Colombian) aircraft – see here for reference: s256.photobucket.com/user/SPINNERS1961/media/WHAT%20IF%20...
This looked quite convincing and generally made a nice whif topic, so, this build is more or less the hardware rendition of this CG design.
The kit is the very simple, yet well-detailed F-86F-30 from Hobby Boss. Only little was changed, e.g. the additional, inner pair of pylons with SNEB missile launchers (the RIrAF operated Hunters, Venoms and Vampires, so these are a plausible part of the arsenal), the fuel outlet and some additions in the minimalistic cockpit, the only true weakness of many of these simple kits – even though the F-86 cockpit is one of the better Hobby Boss offerings.
Biggest challenge was actually to cramp enough lead into the Sabre’s nose – the cockpit tub with an integrated air intake duct take up a lot of place, and the massive kit is very tail-heavy. Placing lead beads under the cockpit floor was not enough, so I had to fill the air intake partly with more lead in order to keep the nose wheel barely down…
Painting and markings:
The more interesting part of the build. I stuck closely to SPINNERS' screenshots and also adapted my paint tones to the CG benchmark, so that the Iraqi machine would look less like an Argentinian F-86.
The interpretation of a screen color is always tricky, and I settled upon mixed tones:
• A rich, reddish sand tone made from Humbrol 72 (Khaki Drill) and a little 118 (US Tan)
• A greenish gray (pure Humbrol 240, actually RLM 02!)
• A dark mix of olive drab and chocolate brown (Humbrol 66 + 10, about 2:1 ratio)
• Camouflage Grey (FS 36622/Humbrol 28) for the undersides
The result looks surprisingly (but not intentionally!) like the USAF SAC scheme, known from the B-52H bombers, probably the RLM 02 looks, in contrast to the other colors, very greenish and less grey than hoped for. During the ensuing shading process, after an overall, light black ink wash, I tried to trim the tone towards a colder, pure grey - but the greenish impression persists!
Anyway, it’s a whif, and if the Iraqi F-86s had been delivered in bare metal and camouflaged domestically, who knows which tones had been used? Certainly no American Federal Standard colors.
The cockpit became Neutral Grey, while the landing gear struts and covers became aluminum and the wells interior green. The air intake interior was painted aluminum, too, in a little deviation from the CG benchmark (which appears to be white).
The national markings come from an 1:72 Begemot MiG-25 sheet, as well as the tactical codes, which were puzzled together from single Arabic digits for the four positions on nose and tail. The stencils come from the OOB sheet and also from the scrap box.
Finally, after some minor soot stains around guns and exhaust, the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish.
A very relaxed build, since no major conversion or kitbashing was involved. And with an interesting result - the F-86 in Iraqi markings looks strange, yet familiar, and with the obscure real world background this is a very convincing whif.
Textured in oil paint....
Being 60 kms away from Bankura town, West Bengal, India, Biharinath Hill along with its surroundings, stands as a beautiful nature reserve with its versatile flora and fauna, springs and water bodies. The Bankura town is only 233 kms by train from the city of Kolkata. With the discovery of Paleolithic tools in the Biharinath area, the hill and the surrounding areas have come into focus of archeologists. The base of the hill is a popular tourist spot for its pollution-free woods, landscapes, ethnic tribal villages, and especially enchanting colors of spring.
In spring the vibrant colours of Palash (Butea monosperma) is refreshing and invigorating for the body, mind and soul. It starts blooming end of Jan and arround mid March it is in full bloom. Perhaps the most attractive flower of the season. When in full bloom, it is a sight to behold! The mountain ranges are transformed into a spectacular phenomenon making them appear as if the flames of saffron-red colors are leaping from them. No wonder the tree is also known as-and aptly so-'Flame Of The Forest '. Hundreds of nature lovers gather this time to watch the colors and some festivals of the tribal people.
Last year we planned for a spring watch at its foothill, and also arranged for a daylong painting amidst its raw nature. It was a pure joy, and an experience not to forget. I share few moments with you. Think you will like them.