View allAll Photos Tagged Versatile
Versatile in it’s load out options the M-ASS can be just want you want it to be on the battlefield – as long as you have the right attachments. This is a little different loadout then last time, just switched a couple attachments around and took some out to give a better idea what the frame looks like without being so cluttered. Wanted a different quad walker then the normal insect looking variety.This one is more of a lumbering beast.
Check out my set "Most Interesting 500" here!
Visit my Waldorfschool/Steinerschool related pinboards here!
Dutch collectors card. Photo: Sean Penn in At Close Range (James Foley, 1986).
Gifted and versatile Sean Penn (1960) is an American actor and director. Penn is a powerhouse film performer capable of intensely moving work, who has gone from strength to strength during a colourful film career. He won an Oscar in 2004 for his leading role in Mystic River, after having been nominated three times before. In 2009, he won another Oscar for Milk. Penn is also the recipient of more than 45 other film awards, including a Silver Bear for Dead Man Walking. Penn has drawn much media attention for his stormy private life and political viewpoints.
Sean Justin Penn was born in Santa Monica, in 1960. Penn is the son of director Leo Penn, who was blacklisted during McCarthy's reign for refusing to testify, and actress Eileen Ryan (née Annucci). He has two brothers: actor Chris Penn (1965-2006) and musician Michael Penn. He grew up in Santa Monica, in a neighborhood populated by future celebrities Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez, the sons of actor Martin Sheen. The children spent much of their free time together, making a number of amateur films shot with Super-8 cameras. Still, Penn's original intention was to attend law school, although he ultimately skipped college to join the Los Angeles Repertory Theater. After making his professional debut on an episode of television's Barnaby Jones, he relocated to New York, where he soon appeared in the play Heartland. A TV movie, The Killing of Randy Webster, followed in 1981 before he made his feature debut later that same year as the military cadet defending his academy against closure in Taps (Harold Becker, 1981). He then had his breakthrough as fast-talking surfer stoner Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Amy Heckerling, 1982). Jason Ankeny at AllMovie: "he stole every scene in which he appeared, helping to elevate the picture into a classic of the teen comedy genre; however, the quirkiness which would define his career quickly surfaced as he turned down any number of Spicoli-like roles to star in the 1983 drama Bad Boys, followed a year later by the Louis Malle caper comedy Crackers and the period romance Racing With the Moon. While none of the pictures performed well at the box office, critics consistently praised Penn's depth as an actor. " He next contributed a stellar performance as a drug addict turned government spy alongside Timothy Hutton in the Cold War spy thriller The Falcon and the Snowman (John Schlesinger, 1985), followed by a teaming with icy Christopher Walken in the chilling At Close Range (James Foley, 1986). Penn's brother Chris played his brother in the film and their mother played the role of their grandmother in At Close Range. The youthful Sean then paired up with his then-wife, pop diva Madonna in the woeful, and painful, Shanghai Surprise (Jim Goddard, 1986), which was savaged by the critics, but Sean bounced back with a great job as a hot-headed young cop in Colors (Dennis Hopper, 1988), gave another searing performance as a US soldier in Vietnam committing atrocities in Casualties of War (Brian De Palma, 1989) and appeared alongside Robert De Niro in the uneven comedy We're No Angels (Neil Jordan, 1989). He has appeared in more than forty films.
During the 1990s, Sean Penn really got noticed by critics as a mature, versatile, and accomplished actor, with a string of dynamic performances in first-class films. Almost unrecognisable with frizzy hair and thin-rimmed glasses, Penn was simply brilliant as corrupt lawyer David Kleinfeld in the gangster movie Carlito's Way (Brian De Palma, 1993) and he was still in trouble with authority as a Death Row inmate pleading with a caring nun (Susan Sarandon) to save his life in Dead Man Walking (Tim Robbins, 1995), for which he received his first Oscar nomination. Penn had also moved into directing, with the quirky but interesting The Indian Runner (1991), about two brothers with vastly opposing views on life, and in 1995 he directed Jack Nicholson in The Crossing Guard (1995). Both films received overall positive reviews from critics. Sean then played the brother of wealthy Michael Douglas, involving him in a mind-snapping scheme in The Game (David Fincher, 1997), and also landed the lead role of Sgt. Eddie Walsh in the star-studded anti-war film The Thin Red Line (Terrence Malick, 1998), before finishing the 1990s playing an offbeat 1930s jazz guitarist in Sweet and Lowdown (Woody Allen, 1999). For this part, he scored another Oscar nomination.
Sean Penn played a mentally disabled father fighting for custody of his seven-year-old daughter in I Am Sam (2001). He received his third Oscar nomination for this role, but in the following years, he finally won the Oscar for the best male lead of the year. He won the first for his part as an anguished father seeking revenge for his daughter's murder in the gut-wrenching Mystic River (Clint Eastwood, 2003), and the second six years later for his role as gay politician and civil rights activist Harvey Milk in Milk (Gus Van Sant, 2008). Jason Ankeny at AllMovie: "The Oscar (for Mystic River), coupled with a standing ovation by the audience, showed once and for all that Penn's unorthodox approach to his acting career hadn't had an adverse effect on his popularity" In between, he played a mortally ill college professor in 21 Grams (Alejandro G. Iñárritu, 2003) and a possessed businessman in The Assassination of Richard Nixon (Niels Mueller, 2004) with Naomi Watts. Penn was a militant opponent of the Iraq war. He also supports Sea Shepherd and is on the advisory board of this organisation. Singer Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, who is friends with Penn, wrote soundtracks for several films in which Penn acted or which were directed by him, including Dead Man Walking, Into the Wild, and I Am Sam. Sean Penn also appeared in The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick, 2011) with Brad Pitt, and The Professor and the Madman (Farhad Safinia, 2019) opposite Mel Gibson. In March 2018, he published the novel 'Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff'. Penn was engaged to actress Elizabeth McGovern, who played him in Racing with the Moon in 1984. He married singer Madonna in 1985 and divorced her in 1989. He then began a relationship with actress Robin Wright, with whom he had a daughter Dylan in 1991 and a son Hopper in 1993, and married in 1996. A divorce petition followed in December 2007, and became final in 2009, since then Penn has had relationships with actresses Scarlett Johansson and Charlize Theron, among others. In 2016, he began a relationship with Australian actress Leila George, whom he married in July 2020. She filed for divorce in late 2021.
Sources: Jason Ankeny (AllMovie), Wikipedia (Dutch), and IMDb.
And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.
when i bought this wrap top, the salesperson showed me at least 6 different ways of wearing it. i remember two. (these don't count)
wed, january 7:
- gray wrap: mexx (remixed here)
- black shift dress: f21
- oversized black pearl & ribbon necklace: h&m
- sheer tights: ?
- black rubber riding boots: manhattan saddlery
mysteriously, all the color has disappeared from my wardrobe. i never thought i'd ever be wearing this much gray or neutral... but i'll roll with it!
British postcard by Milton, no. 87. Photo: Warner Bros & Vitaphone Pictures.
Barbara Stanwyck (1907-1990) was an American actress, model and dancer. She was a film and television star, known throughout her 60-year career as a consummate, versatile professional with a strong, realistic screen presence. By 1944, Stanwyck had become the highest-paid woman in the United States. She was a favourite of her directors, including Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang, and Frank Capra. After a short but notable career as a stage actress in the late 1920s, she made 85 films in 38 years in Hollywood before turning to television.
Barbara Stanwyck was born Ruby Catherine Stevens in 1907 in Brooklyn, New York. She was the daughter of Catherine Ann (McPhee) and Byron E. Stevens, a bricklayer. Her mother died when she was accidentally knocked off a trolley by a drunk. Her father abandoned his children in grief after the death of his wife. Barbara was brought up by her elder sister and was partially raised in foster homes. Later, she went to work at the local telephone company, but she had the urge to enter show business. At seventeen, she went to work as a showgirl. In 1928, Barbara moved to Hollywood and proved to be an extremely versatile actress who could adapt to any role. Barbara was equally at home in all genres, from melodramas, such as Forbidden (Frank Capra, 1932) and Stella Dallas (King Vidor, 1937), to thrillers, such as Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder, 1944), also starring Fred MacMurray. She excelled in comedies such as Remember the Night (Mitchell Leisen, 1940) and The Lady Eve (Preston Sturges, 1941) and in Westerns, such as Union Pacific (Cecil B. DeMille, 1939).
Barbara Stanwyck was also well known for her TV roles as Victoria, the matriarch of the Barkley family in the Western series The Big Valley (1965). In 1983, she also played in the hit mini-series The Thorn Birds (1983), which did much to keep her in the public eye. She turned in an outstanding performance as Mary Carson. One of her last roles was in the hit drama series The Colbys (1985). She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress four times, for Stella Dallas (1937), Ball of Fire (1941), Double Indemnity (1944) and Sorry, Wrong Number (1948). For her television work, she won three Emmy Awards, for The Barbara Stanwyck Show (1961), The Big Valley (1966) and The Thorn Birds (1983). Her performance in The Thorn Birds also won her a Golden Globe. She received an Honorary Oscar at the 1982 Academy Award ceremony and the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1986. She was also the recipient of honorary lifetime awards from the American Film Institute (1987), the Film Society of Lincoln Center (1986), the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (1981) and the Screen Actors Guild (1967). Barbara Stanwyck died in 1990, leaving 93 films and a host of TV appearances as her legacy. She was married twice, to film actors Frank Fay (1928-1935) and Robert Taylor (1939-1952). Her son, Dion Anthony 'Tony' Fay (1932), was adopted. Frank Fay and Stanwyck's marriage and their experience in Hollywood later became the basis of the Hollywood film A Star is Born. Their stormy marriage finally ended after a drunken brawl, during which he tossed their adopted son, Dion, into the swimming pool. Despite rumours of affairs with Marlene Dietrich and Joan Crawford, Stanwyck wed Robert Taylor, who had gay rumours of his own to dispel. Their marriage started off on a sour note when his possessive mother demanded he spend his wedding night with her rather than with Barbara. In 1957, Tony, her adopted son, was arrested for trying to sell lewd pictures while waiting to cash his unemployment check. When questioned by the press about his famous mother, he replied, "We don't speak". She saw him only a few times after his childhood.
Sources: Denny Jackson (IMDb), Wikipedia and IMDb.
And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.
7.62x51mm heavy marksman rifle.
High power and accuracy are the hallmarks of a great precision rifle. Adding versatility to that list, however, is what makes our rifle stand out from the rest.
~ William Barton, CEO of Barton Precision Industries.
A semi-automatic rifle with extreme accuracy, the HMR-25 is favored by many militaries as a battle-marksman hybrid rifle. In fact, it has been put into consideration as the standard issue DMR for the Greater Republic Armed Forces.
Derived by the KH-2002 and using parts of an SR-25, the HMR-25 combines the close combat capability of the former, while retaining the needle accuracy and hard-hitting power of the latter. The result is a highly versatile rifle that can satisfy a wide spectrum of combat roles.
To add to its versatility, a simple hybrid sight is attached to the top of the weapon - the user can either use a 3.5x magnification sight, or flick it off and use the regular electronic sights instead.
Other features include a 25-round magazine and muzzle brake.
Mid Bob Shaved Nape
Mid Bob Shaved Nape articles. Lovely Bob Hair Style Ideas ... Bob hairstyles are highly versatile and offer a timeless elegance combined with an incredible ...
Mid Bob Shaved Nape
Mid Bob Shaved Nape articles. Lovely Bob Hair Style Ideas ... Bob hairstyles are highly versatile and offer a timeless elegance combined with an incredible ...
A versatile ship designed to take down fighters and small frigates. Center section rotates. Carries 4 small nukes.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The BAC Jet Provost was a British jet trainer aircraft that was in use with the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1955 to 1993. It was originally developed by Hunting Percival from the earlier piston engine-powered Percival Provost basic trainer, and later produced by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). In addition to the multiple RAF orders, the Jet Provost, sometimes with light armament, was exported to many air forces worldwide. The design was also further developed into a more heavily armed ground attack variant under the name BAC Strikemaster, which was not operated by the Royal Air Force but became a worldwide export success.
The Jet Provost was produced for the Royal Air Force in several variants with gradually stronger engines and other detail improvements, the first trainers entered RAF service in 1955. A major development step was the T.5 variant in 1967 with a pressurized cabin, a modified front section and the option for export customers to arm it with machine guns and underwing hardpoints. The T.5 was fitted with the Viper 201 or 202 turbojet engine and its versatility encouraged the RAF to utilize the Jet Provost in more roles besides basic training. With a top speed of 440 mph, excellent maneuverability, mechanical reliability and low operating costs, the Jet Provost was utilized as an aerobatic aircraft, for air warfare and tactical weapons training as well as for advanced training. T.5 deliveries from BAC's Warton factory commenced on 3 September 1969, and operators of the type included the RAFs Central Flying School and No. 1, No. 3, and No. 6 Flying Training Schools. During their career the T.5s were modified with improved avionics and a rough coating on the wing to break up the smooth airflow and give the trainee pilot an early indication of the onset of a stall (the T.5's original clean wing gave the pilot little warning); upgraded aircraft were re- designated T.5A. A sub-variant, unofficially designated T.5B, was a small number of T.5As fitted with wingtip-tanks (so far only used by export customers) and special equipment for long-range low-level navigator training.
During the Mid-Eighties the RAF started to look for a more economical successor for the aging Jet Provost fleet, and this eventually became the turbo-prop Shorts Tucano. The Tucano was selected in 1985 in preference to the Swiss Pilatus PC-9 and the British Hunting Firecracker. The first Tucano flew in Brazil on 14 February 1986, with the first Shorts built production aircraft flying on 30 December 1986. However, problems with the ejection seats delayed the introduction of the aircraft into service until 1989. During this period the Jet Provost remained the RAF’s mainstay trainer, but it was gradually withdrawn from RAF service, mostly due to many airframes’ age. However, late in their career a handful of these robust aircraft eventually saw frontline use and were deployed in a hot conflict during the first Gulf War, in an unexpected but important role that paved the way for new air strike tactics.
When the RAF took part in combat operations during Operation Granby/Desert Storm in 1991, it had been anticipated that complex and fast attack aircraft like the Tornado would autonomously perform air strikes, either with iron bombs against area targets or with precision weapons like laser-guided glide bombs against important or small objects. However, early experience from the front lines showed that deploying precision weapons was not easy: target acquisition and then both target designation and weapon deployment were not feasible with just a single aircraft – it would be exposed to potential enemy fire for too long or require two or more passes over the target, so that any surprise moment was ruined. During the early stages of the RAF’s air raids a strike group of six aircraft would require two of them to act as dedicated target designators, selecting and illuminating targets with laser projectors for other aircraft. Another problem was that these scouts had to fly ahead of the strike force, check out the battlefield and loiter at relatively slow speed in hostile environment until the fast strike aircraft would arrive and drop their weapons. “Wasting” Tornados and their strike capability for these FAC duties was regarded as inefficient, and an alternative aircraft that was better suited for this task was chosen: the vintage but small and nimble Jet Provost T.5A!
Early on, this had been thought to be "unlikely”, but following a short-notice decision to deploy, the first batch of six aircraft were readied to deploy in under 72 hours. These were dedicated long-range navigational trainers, operated by 79(R) Squadron as part of No. 229 Operational Conversion Unit, and the aircraft were hastily prepared for their unusual mission. This included the removal of the aerodynamic wing coating to improve the flight characteristics again, the adoption of desert camouflage, mounting of underwing hardpoints and additional equipment like an encrypted radio with better range and navigation systems (including a GPS sensor in a spinal fairing). As protective measures, Kevlar mats were added to the cockpit floor and lower side walls, as well as a passive radar warning system with sensors on nose and fin and chaff/flare dispensers under the rear fuselage. A fixed refueling probe was considered for the transfer flight and to extend loiter time during missions via air-to-air refueling, but this was not realized due to the lack of time.
To mark their special status the machines were (now officially) designated T(R).5B. They departed from RAF Brawdy in Wales for the Middle Eastern theatre early on 26 January 1991. Upon arrival the machines were immediately thrown into action. It now became common for each attack formation to comprise four Tornados or Jaguars and two Jet Provosts; each Jet Provost carried a 144-inch-long (3.66 m), 420-lb (209 kg) AN/AVQ-23E ‘Pave Spike’ laser designator pod on one of the outer underwing stations and acted as backup to the other in the event of an equipment malfunction. The machines would typically not carry offensive loads, except for occasional unguided SNEB missiles to visually mark potential targets, since they did not have a sufficient load-carrying capacity, but they were frequently equipped with drop tanks to extend their range and loiter time, and “Dash 10” (AN/ALQ-101) ECM pods to counter radar-guided weapons against them.
The first combat mission already took place on 2 February 1991, operating at a medium altitude of roughly 18,000 feet (5,500 m), and successfully attacked the As Suwaira Road Bridge. Operations continued, practically every available day, even though missions did not take place at night as the RAF’s ’Pave Spike’ pods (a simplified version of the American AN/ASQ-153) lacked night-time functionality. After the first missions the Jet Provosts received black anti-glare-panels in front of the windscreen – they had been re-painted in the UK without them, and the black panel markedly reduced the camouflage’s efficiency, but the strong and constant sunshine reflection from the Jet Provosts’ bulged nose frequently blinded the crews. Another retrofitted feature was the addition of a video camera to document the targeting missions, which was mounted in a shallow blister on top of the nose, just above the landing light cluster.
When the tactical separation of target designation and strike missions proved to be successful, more and more potent aircraft were sent into the theatre of operations, namely the RAF’s Blackburn Buccaneer, which replaced the Jet Provosts on long-range missions and also carried out strike and dive-bombing missions. Approximately 20 road bridges were destroyed with the help of the target spotter aircraft, restricting the Iraqi Army's mobility and communications. In conjunction with the advance of Coalition ground forces into Iraq, the Buccaneers switched to airfield bombing missions, targeting bunkers, runways, and any aircraft sighted on the ground, while the Jet Provosts were used over less dangerous terrain and closer to the air bases, primarily acting as artillery spotters. However, the designator pods were still carried to mark targets of opportunity and strike aircraft were then called in to eliminate them.
The Jet Provost T(R).5Bs took part in 186 missions during the Gulf War. Two from the total of eight deployed Jet Provosts were lost during their short active career: One was shot down at low level by a MANPADS (probably an IR-guided 9K38 Igla/SA-18 Grouse), both crew members were lost; the other crashed due a failure of the hydraulic system but could be brought down over friendly terrain and the crew ejected safely.
After their return to Great Britain the worn machines were quickly phased out and all T(R).5Bs were retired when 79(R) Squadron was disbanded in August 1992. The last Jet Provosts in RAF service were retired in 1993.
General characteristics:
Crew: 2
Length: 34 ft 0 in (10.36 m)
Wingspan: 35 ft 4 in (10.77 m) with wingtip tanks
Height: 10 ft 2 in (3.10 m)
Wing area: 213.7 sq ft (19.85 m²)
Airfoil: root: NACA 23015 mod; tip: NACA 4412 mod
Empty weight: 4,888 lb (2,217 kg)
Gross weight: 6,989 lb (3,170 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 9,200 lb (4,173 kg)
Powerplant:
1× Armstrong Siddeley Viper Mk.202 turbojet engine, 2,500 lbf (11,1 kN)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 382 kn (440 mph, 707 km/h) at 25,000 ft (7,620 m)
Range: 780 nmi (900 mi, 1,440 km) with tip tanks
Service ceiling: 36,750 ft (11,200 m)
Rate of climb: 4,000 ft/min (20 m/s)
Wing loading: 32.7 lb/sq ft (160 kg/m²)
Armament:
No internal guns;
4× underwing hardpoints, each capable of carrying 540 lb (245 kg), for a wide range of loads,
including bombs, pods and launch rails with unguided missiles, gun pods;
the inner pair of pylons were plumbed for auxiliary tanks.
The T( R).5B was outfitted with an AN/AVQ-23E Pave Spike laser designator pod and an AN/ALQ-101
ECM pod on the outer stations, plus a pair of 75 Imp gallon (341 liter) drop tanks or pods with 28
unguided SNEB missiles on the inner pylons
The kit and its assembly:
This fictional Gulf War participant was a spontaneous decision to build – actually as a group build submission, but it turned out to be ineligible. After fellow user SPINNERS posted one of his CG skins, a grey RAF low-viz Jet Provost at whatifmodellers.com, I suggested in the respective thread a machine in Desert Pink – and it was promptly realized, including equipment from the Gulf War Buccaneers and LGBs as ordnance. Inspiration enough to dig out an Airfix kit out of The Stash™ for which I had no concrete plan yet and turn the CG rendition into hardware.
The kit is a simple affair and shows its age through (light) flash and shaggy fit around the seams almost everywhere. Nothing dramatic, but you have to invest time and PSR effort. And it features the most complicated landing light arrangement I have ever come across: five(!) single parts if you include the front cover. Why the mold designer did not just provide a single clear piece with three lens-shaped dents at the back - and instead went for a bulkhead, three(!) separate and tiny clear lenses PLUS a clear cover that is supposed to fit in a rather dysmorphic nose opening is beyond me?
The kit was basically built OOB, using the Jet Provost T.5 air intakes and fuselage details but the Strikemaster wing tip tanks and wing pylons. The Pave Spike pod came from a Hasegawa 1:72 aircraft weapon set, the ECM pod from a Revell 1:72 F-16A (the vintage kit of the prototype with the extra engine) – it is shorter than a typical AN/ALQ-101, rather looks like an AN/ALQ-119, but these pods were all modular and could have different lengths/sizes. And I think that the shorter variant suits the Jet provost well, the Pave Spike pod is already quite long for the small aircraft.
Unlike SPINNERS I settled just for drop tanks on the inner wing stations to extend range and loiter time. I also doubt that the Jet Provost had enough carrying capacity and speed for LGBs, and on their target designation missions the RAF Buccaneers did AFAIK not carry much offensive ordnance, either. There’s also not much clearance under a Jet Provost on the ground – I doubt that anything with big fins could safely go under it? However, for a modernized look I replaced the Jet Provost’s OOB teardrop-shaped tanks with cigar-shaped alternatives.
Further mods were only of cosmetic nature: the seats received ejection handles made from thin wire, the characteristic chines under the nose were omitted (the kit’s parts are rather robust, and they were left away on some T.5s in real life, anyway), and I scratched small conformal chaff/flare dispensers from styrene profile and put them under the lower rear fuselage. Fairings for a radar-warning system were scratched from 1.5 mm styrene rods, too, some blade antennae were added around the hull, and sprue material was used to create the GPS antenna “bubble” behind the cockpit. The shallow camera bulge on the nose was created in a similar fashion.
Another problem: the model is seriously tail-heavy. I filled the chamber between the odd landing lights compartment and the cockpit with lead beads, but once the landing gear had been attached the model still sat on its tail. I was lucky that I had not glued the seats into place yet, so I was able to add more ballast in front of the main wheels, therewith creating a bulkhead (which is missing OOB) behind the seats, what was eventually enough to shift the model’s center of gravity forward.
Painting and markings:
Desert Pink was the driving theme for this build (to be correct, it’s FS 30279 “Desert Sand”). While real RAF aircraft from Operation Granby were painted all-over with this tone (and SPINNERS did the same with the CG rendition), I wanted a bit more variety and just painted the upper surfaces and the underside of the leading edges, the inside of the air intakes and the tip tanks in the sand tone, while the undersides were painted in RAF Barley Grey (Humbrol 167), as if an late all-grey low-viz trainer had been painted over just on the upper surfaces.
For the Desert Pink I was able to use the authentic tone, I had a virgin tin of Humbrol 250 in my enamels hoard that now found a good use. After basic painting the kit received an overall black in washing, dry-brushing with Revell 35 (Skin – it’s a perfect match for panel post-shading!) to retain the pinkish hue and, after the decals had been applied, a bit of grinded graphite to simulate wear and dirt and emphasize the raised surface details.
The cockpit interior was painted in Anthracite (Revell 06), the dashboard became medium grey with dark instruments (not painted, thanks to the raised details I simple rubbed some graphite over it, and the effect is nice!). The ejection seats became tar black with grey-green cushions. The landing gear was painted in Medium Sea Grey (Humbrol 165).
The drop tanks became Medium Sea Grey (Humbrol 165) and Barley Grey, as if they had been procured from a different aircraft, while the Pave Spike pod and the ECM pod were both in RAF Dark Green (Humbrol 163), for good contrast to the rest of the model.
Decals/markings come from Xtradecal sheets. The low-viz roundels were taken from a dedicated RAF roundel sheet because I wanted a uniform roundel size (in six positions) and slightly darker print colors. Unit markings and tactical codes came from a Jet Provost/Strikemaster sheet, also from Xtradecal; RAF 79 Squadron actually operated the Jet provost, but AFAIK only the T.4 version, but not the pressurized T.5 or even the T.5A navigator trainers. The nose art at bow side came from a USN EA-6B Prowler.
After some final details (position lights), the model was sealed with matt acrylic varnish.
A quick project, and the Operation Granby Jet Provost looks better than expected. However, I am not sold on the vintage Airfix kit. It clearly shows its age, nothing really went together smoothly, gaps and sinkholes, PSR on every seam. It also required tons of nose weight to keep it on its spindly legs. The alternative Matchbox kit is not much better, though, with even more simple surface and cockpit details, but at least the parts fit together. I might try to hunt down a Sword kit if I should want to build one again, AFAIK the only other IP option? The result looks interesting, though, quite purposeful with its low-viz markings, and the simple livery turns out to be very effective over the desert terrain where it would have been supposed to operate. Furthermore, the model fits well into the Jet Provost’s historic final years of duty with the RAF – even though in an unlikely role!
The modern safety pin was the invention of Walter Hunt. He invented this in 1849! Others in history had their own similar pins, but this invention included a spring at the bottom to keep the safety pin in place.
1950s Rosenthal pin dish.
Design by Bele Bachem
Bele Bachem is one of the most versatile artists of the 20th century. In the 50s and 60s she was very popular for her graphics, posters for movies and theaters and book illustrations. Bachem has been working for Rosenthal since 1951. At the start of the 50s she created a series of stand-alone figurines, amongst them »Eseltreiber« and »Hirt und Muse«.
(from the Rosenthal side)
Wocekiya sign at the Standing Rock Sacred Stone protest camp. Photographed with an Olympus OM-2n Using a Zuiko MC Autozoom f/4 35-70mm lens. The film is Kodak Max Versatility 400, expired 09/2004.
Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm
May 3–August 18, 2024
#EyesOfTheStorm
As The Beatles captured the hearts of millions, founding member Paul McCartney captured it all on his Pentax camera. Traveling from the UK to New York—just as “the boys” did six decades ago—Eyes of the Storm takes us inside the frenzy of Beatlemania in 1963–64, when the band’s first U.S. tour skyrocketed them to superstardom. More than 250 of McCartney’s photos, recently rediscovered in his archives, reveal his singular vantage point at the center of this whirlwind of attention and adoration. Many of the prints buzz with the electricity of 1960s New York City, which has had a love affair with The Beatles ever since.
Displayed alongside video clips and archival material, the photographs not only showcase McCartney’s artistic versatility but also serve as a personal and historical record. They convey the intensity of The Beatles’ touring schedule, as the Fab Four were swept from concerts to hotels to the road with rabid fans and paparazzi at their heels. The images also evoke an affectionate family album, picturing McCartney and bandmates John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr at a time when their lives were changing irrevocably. See through the “eyes of the storm,” as McCartney describes his unique perspective on this extraordinary period, and relive a musical legend’s meteoric rise.
This exhibition is included in general admission.
Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm has been organized by the National Portrait Gallery, London, England, in collaboration with Paul McCartney. It is curated by Sir Paul McCartney with Sarah Brown for MPL Communications and Rosie Broadley for the National Portrait Gallery. The presentation at the Brooklyn Museum is organized by Catherine Futter, Director of Curatorial Affairs and Senior Curator of Decorative Arts, and Jennie Tang, Executive Assistant to the Deputy Director of Art and the Director of Curatorial Affairs.
kamikaze chaos knitting
freeform crochet fusion
tunic
top
dress
poncho
mixed materials
with Navajo 3-ply elements
multi versatile
fun top
with literally
infinite wearing options
The 'Most Versatile' challenge is set by the Compositionally Challenged Group. Thanks very much Sharon for this months super themes.
In this month's challenge, 11 members entered 94 photos, and 8 members completed all 10 themes. These members, in play order were: Ms J, Dave, Robin, Maria, Linda, Sandi, Sharon, Andy.
This montage features at least one photo per person, and at least one photo per theme. To view the complete challenge and entries, click Here.
Class……………………………V-class Destroyer
Builder………………………..R & W Hawthorn, Leslie & Co, Hebburn
Yard number……………….494
Laid down..………………….31 Jan 1917
Launched….…………………31 Oct 1917
Completed.………………….11 Feb 1918
Propulsion.…………………..2 shafts : 2 sets of Brown-Curtis SR geared Steam Turbines : 3 Yarrow oil fired boilers.
Speed..…………………………34 knots (max)
Range…………………………..3500 / 1800 / 900 nm at 15 / 18 / 32 knots (as built)
History
.1943: Jan: Taken in hand at Grangemouth for conversion into a Long Range Escort. 1 boiler was removed, fuel stowage rose up to 445t, engine power decreased to 15 000hp, maximal speed was 25kts.
1945: Reduced to reserve.
1947: Placed on disposal list.
1948: Sold to BISCO and towed to breakers yard at Granton
The vessel was allocated the following pennant numbers.
F29……………..1917
G10…………….1918 to 1919
D32…………….1921 to 1940
I32………………1940 to 1948
Another from my candid attempts taken along the boardwalk in Ocean City, MD as I went out for a morning walk with the long lens.
As I was walking down the long boardwalk, this mother and daughter came out onto the walkway from the street (they were evidently out for a morning jog together, as they had their phones and earplugs ready) ... but being versatile in nature, they used their phones for some quick snap shots of the sunrise too. An interesting moment they shared together, and then it was off for the morning run ...
Now if I could only make a phone call on my 60D, I could compete with them ;)
Is there any food source more versatile than the pumpkin? Pumpkins are used in a variety of dishes (anything better than pumpkin pie?) and the main Icon for Halloween.
The word pumpkin comes from the Greek pepõn for a large melon. The English termed it pumpion or pompion. This term dates back to 1547, yet it did not make an appearance in print until 1647.
The pumpkin was one of the many foods used by the Native American Indians in the new world and was a welcome discovery by the Pilgrims. The Indians pounded strips of pumpkin flat, dried them, and wove them into mats for trading. They also dried pumpkin for food. The new Americans heartily embraced the sweet, multi-purpose fruit which became a traditional Thanksgiving food. The colonists used pumpkin not only as a side dish and dessert, but also in soups and even made beer of it.
The origin of Halloween dates back 2000 years ago to the Celtic celebration of the dead. A Celtic festival was held on November 1, the first day of the celtic New Year, honoring the Samhain, the Lord of the Dead. Celtic ritual believed that the souls of the dead returned on the evening before November 1. The celebration included burning sacrifices and costumes. These early events began as both a celebration of the harvest, and to honor dead ancestors.
This Celtic ritual spread throughout Europe in the seventh century. It began with "All Hallows Eve", the "Night of the Dead". It is immediately followed by "All Souls Day", a christian holy day.
The first lighted fruit , were carved out of gourds and turnips. Pumpkins came from North America, and had not yet made their way to Europe. European custom also included carving scary faces into the gourds and placing embers inside to light them. This was believed to ward of evil spirits, especially spirits who roamed the streets and countryside during All Hallows Eve.
Halloween history in America, was very much influenced by Irish immigrants. The Irish brought the tradition of carving turnips and even potatoes with them to America. They quickly discovered that pumpkins were bigger and easier to carve.
Copyyright © Mudcat2010 2012
let's all play fair, don't without my permission copy, reproduce, download, distribute or exploit in anyway. Remember what you learned in Kindergarten.
+++ 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 Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger (English: Shrike) was a German single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II. The 190 was used by the Luftwaffe in a wide variety of roles, including day fighter, fighter-bomber, ground-attack aircraft and, to a lesser degree, even night fighter.
The Fw 190 became the backbone of the Jagdwaffe (Fighter Force), along with the Bf 109 which it never entirely replaced. On the Eastern Front, the Fw 190 was versatile enough to use in Schlachtgeschwader (Battle Wings or Strike Wings), specialized ground attack units which achieved much success against Soviet ground forces. As an interceptor, the Fw 190 underwent improvements to make it effective at high altitude, enabling it to maintain relative parity with its Allied opponents. The Fw 190A series' performance decreased at high altitudes (usually 6,000 m (20,000 ft) and above), which reduced its effectiveness as a high-altitude interceptor, but this problem was mostly rectified in later models, particularly in the Junkers Jumo 213 inline-engine Focke-Wulf Fw 190D series (nicknamed the Dora; or Long-Nose Dora, "Langnasen-Dora"), which was introduced in September 1944.
The Fw 190 D was intended to improve on the high-altitude performance of the A-series enough to make it useful against the American heavy bombers of the era. In the event, the D series was rarely used against the heavy-bomber raids, as the circumstances of the war in late 1944 meant that fighter-versus-fighter combat and ground attack missions took priority.
To make matters worse, the D was only seen as an interim solution, as Kurt Tank made it very clear that he intended the D-9 to be a stopgap until the Ta 152 arrived. These negative opinions existed for some time until positive pilot feedback began arriving at Focke-Wulf and the Luftwaffe command structure. Sporting good handling and performance characteristics, the D-9 made an effective medium altitude, high speed interceptor, although its performance still fell away at altitudes above about 20,000 ft (6,100 m). When flown by capable pilots, the Fw 190D proved the equal of Allied types.
With the ever increasing threat of Allied bomber raids and the advent of the formidable Ta 152 fighter, several designs were tried in order to create a long range interceptor from the D-9. From the start it was clear that the increment in range would call for added fuel, which in turn would limit payload and performance to a level that rendered the idea pointless. Anyway, Georg Hager, a young engineer proposed a radical new idea, which was similar to the Twin Mustangs' idea which was under development at the same time in the USA for the Pacific theater: mating two Dora fuselages into a two-engined aircraft, which would meet the Luftwaffe's requirements and could mostly be built with the help of existing tools and jigs, getting it into service with almost no delay.
The result was the Fw 190 Z (for 'Zwilling' = Twin). The airframe was based on the single-engined D-13 fighter, only one cockpit was installed into the left fuselage, the respective space in the right fuselage was faired over and used for an internal tank.
The outer wings were directly taken from the Fw 190 D, even though the landing gear was totally redesigned: it retracted backwards into the lower fuselage and was fitted with twin wheels.
Both fuselages were connected by a new wing center section and a new tailplane, both of constant chord and simple construction. As Aluminum became scarce in the late years of WWII, some constructional changes had to be made, e. g. a rigid central wing spar made from steel. In other places, wood elements replaced Aluminum parts on the wings.
Two prototypes of the Z-16, how the type was officially called, were built in late 1944 and tested until March 1945. As the type proved to offer sufficient performance and no major handling problem was found, it was immediately put into production and service.
The Z-16 was fitted with all-weather flying equipment including the PKS12 and K-23 systems for steering and autopilot. The FuG 125 radio system, known as “Hermine”, was fitted to the aircraft, as well as a heated windscreen. The aircraft also featured a hydraulic boost system for the ailerons, which had been developed for the Ta 152. Armament consisted of six machine cannons, and this heavy armament allowed the Z-16 to deal quickly with enemy aircraft. Each fuselage carried three weapons: one 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 Motorkanone cannon centered within the propeller hub and two synchronized 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons located in the wing roots. Under the center wing, bombs of up to 1.000 kg caliber (2.202 lb) or drop tanks could be carried. Under the outer wings, wooden racks with 2× 12 unguided 'R4M' 55 mm (2.2 in) air-to-air rockets could be carried, too. One or two of these rockets could down even the famously rugged B-17 Flying Fortress.
With its two Jumo 213E engines the Z-16 was capable of speeds up to 755 km/h (472 mph) at 13,500 m (41,000 ft, using the GM-1 nitrous oxide boost) and 560 km/h (350 mph) at sea level (using the MW 50 methanol-water boost). To help it attain this speed, it used the MW 50 system mainly for lower altitudes (up to about 10,000 m/32,800 ft) and the GM-1 system for higher altitudes, although both systems could be engaged at the same time.
A further step in order to increase performance was the experimental installation of a jet booster: a single Junkers Jumo 004 B-1 turbojet, rated at 8.8 kN (1,980 lbf) was installed under the central wing section, with wet hardpoints for two 250 l (55 imp gal; 66 US gal) drop tanks on each side.
The results were so promising (top speed climbed to 805 km/h/500mph while range was not reduced) that this Rüstsatz measure, originally designed only as an optional feature for a Z-16/R-1, was fully integrated into the production type, which became the Fw 190 Z-17. This type was immediately ordered into series production in September 1945 and was to fully replace the Z-16, which had just been started to be delivered to the Luftwaffe.
Anyway, as the Jumo 004 was mostly reserved for the Me 262 'Schwalbe' jet fighter and the simpler Ta 152 still had development priority, only about 50 Z-17 and a further 40 Z-16 without the jet booster were delivered until the hostilities ended. They were exclusively used in the Zerstörer (Bomber destroyers) role. From the pilots the Fw 190 Z earned the nickname “Gurkenhobel” (Cucumber slicer), due to its unique shape, but it was nevertheless well-liked and its firepower made it an effective weapon against Allied bomber formations.
Plans had been made to develop the Fw 190 Z into a two-seated night fighter (with the second cockpit in the right fuselage re-installed), but this was not carried out. A high altitude version, with the long outer wings from the Ta 152 H, also remained on the drawing board, and at least one Z-16 had been tested with a 55 mm MK214 autocannon, carried in a streamlined pod under the central wing where the Z-17’s jet booster was originally installed.
General Focke Wulf Fw 190 Z-17 characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 10.20 m (33 ft 5½ in)
Wingspan: 14.580 m (47 ft 9 in)
Height: 3.35 m (11 ft 0 in)
Empty weight: 15,997 lb (7,271 kg)
Loaded weight: 4,270 kg (9,413 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 11,632 kg (25,591 lb)
Powerplant:
2× Junkers Jumo 213E liquid-cooled inverted V-12, 1,287 kW (1,750 PS; 2,050 PS with MW-50 boost)
1× Junkers Jumo 004 B-1 turbojet, rated at 8.8 kN (1,980 lbf)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 805 km/h (500 mph) at 6,600 m (21,655 ft), 740 km/h (460 mph) at 37,000 ft (11,000 m)
Range: 1.800 mi (1.563 nmi, 2.900 km)
Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)
Rate of climb: 17 m/s (3,300 ft/min)
Armament:
2× 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 machine cannon with 110 RPG, firing through the propeller hubs
4× 20 mm MG 151 cannons with 250 rpg in the wing roots
Up to 1.000 kg (2.202 lb) of external ordnance at two hardpoints under the central wing, including bombs, drop tanks; under the outer wings additional hardpoints for four 50 kg (110lb) bombs, two racks with 12 unguided 'R4M' 55 mm (2.2 in) each, two pods with 2× 20mm MG 151/20 machine guns each or up to four WGr21 launch tubes.
The kit and its assembly:
This whif was inspired by the P-82 “Twin Mustang”, and the result is a rather bizarre creation which would nevertheless appear plausible for Germany during the late stages of WWII. Actually, Arado’s real paper project E.530 looked very similar to this creation, but it was a bigger aircraft and intended as a fast bomber.
Other Zwilling designs even entered the hardware stage or were very concrete: the He 111 Z bomber was built and used mainly as a glider tug, the Bf 109 Z and Me 609 were derivatives of their respective normal ancestors, there was even a Do 335 with two fuselages as a long range reconnaissance aircraft on the drawing board! With this real world background, the Fw 190, as a starting point for a Zwilling fighter, appears rather harmless...
Anyway, the resulting model is also not the first attempt into this direction, though, just a personal interpretation of the basic idea. The kitbashing is based on two Fw 190 D-9 kits from Italeri. While the kit is some decades old it is IMHO still a good choice (despite its fine, raised panel lines), because you get it easily and with a relatively small price tag.
Building the fuselages was straightforward, mostly OOB. The right cockpit was faired over with putty, and the fuselage machine guns disappeared (Fw 190 D-13 style) in front of both cockpit openings.
Biggest challenge were the central wing section that connects the fuselages. Just cutting the original wings and glueing them together was no option, since the leading and training edges would not be straight, and the wings have a slight anhedral. Additionally, I had to put the landing gear somewhere, and modify it, as the original Fw 190 landing gear is rather wide and it would make IMHO no sense under a twin fuselage aircraft, I have big stability doubts.
I finally settled on a scratched solution for both problems. For the landing gear, I took a look at the P-82 solution (new, single wheels which retract inwards, under the fuselages), and derived a totally new landing gear installation. It now features twin wheels (from the Fw 190 kits) in order to distribute the aircraft’s weight on soft ground, mounted on new struts, taken from a Me 262. This new construction became so “thick”, though, that it had to be retracted into the fuselage – the area under the cockpit was the only place to put it, but this is IMHO plausible since there is no radiator or other installment under the Fw 190’s belly. There's no place for ventral hardpoints now, but that's a small price to pay for a pure fighter.
With that solution found, the original landing gear wells in the wings were filled, the "inner" wings were cut away at the wing roots and a new central wing section added. This consists of a an enlarged horizontal stabilizer from a 1:100 A-10 SnapFit kit - it was perfect in span, had both straight leading and training edges, and the central fuselage part was creatively integrated into an additional idea (see below). The wing was deepened by 14mm wide with styrene strips (several layers, 2.5mm thick), and some putty was needed to blend everything together.
The final span between the fuselages was dictated by the new horizontal stabilizer. This comes from an Airfix Fw 189, the tail wheel well was filled. The outer attachment points on the fuselages' outer sides for the original stabilizers were simply faired over and sanded even.
But back to the new central wing section: the additional jet booster was a spontaneous idea. Even though the Zwilling layout is odd enough, adding a podded jet would make it SO weird that it would look even more like a serious, futuristic German design! And the idea is not far-fetched: Luftwaffe's RLM actually worked on such podded jet booster designs, e. g. for the Me 410, Ar 240 or He 219 as well as for some paper projects with mixed propulsion.
The pod’s place under the central wing section was just perfect, as the hot exhaust gasses would pass between the fuselages and under the stabilizer (without burning away the tail wheel, as on some early pod-and-boom jet fighter designs like the Yak-15). The nacelle itself comes from a leftover Hobby Boss He 162 fighter. It was taken OOB and just integrated into the lower wing. It looks so strange, but gives the aircraft a relatively compact look, too.
The drop tanks and their respective hardpoints come from the two Italeri kits. I had orginally intended to add air-to-air ordnance under the outer wings (two pairs of WGr21 launch tubes), but when everything came together I rather settled for the drop tanks.
Painting and markings:
The paint scheme is fictional, but inspired by a museum aircraft's livery: the sole surviving Fw 190 D-13, now on display in the USA. The museum aircraft's scheme looks a bit too shaggy, IMHO, but it's an interesting interpretation and uses authentic colors.
Basic colors for my version are RLM 82 and 83 on the upper surfaces, and RLM 76 below, with RLM 81 spots, streaks and blotches on the flanks. To make the thing look a bit more interesting I also added some “snaky” streaks with thinned RLM 76 on some upper surface areas, too. All basic tones were taken from the Modelmaster Authentic enamel line.
Typical for late Fw 190s, parts of the lower wings were left bare metal (painted with Revell Acrylic Aluminum), a typical result of material shortage in the late WWII stages. The leading edges were painted RLM 75 while the ailerons are RLM 76.
Taking this idea further, “my" Z-17 would not carry anymore a colored Reichsverteidigung fuselage band, indicating its Geschwader. From 1945 on, yellow ID markings (RLM 04) were carried: a band around the engine, sometimes with an added yellow field under the engine, and the rudder was frequently painted yellow, too. National markings were more and more simplified, and only a color-coded number and sometimes a symbol indicated the fighter’s group.
I used very simplified national markings on the flanks and below the wings, seen on real life Fw 190s: just black crosses without any outline. The rest of the markings were puzzled together from the scrap box, again using late war Fw 190s and Bf 109s as benchmarks.
I decided to put my aircraft into a Stab (Wing Commander's Chief-of-staff) squadron, so the markings differ from normal fighters. This one carries the horizontal bar for the 2. Gruppe among the Geschwader, in this case Jagdgeschwader 53, the “Pik As” [Ace of Spades] Squadron which dealt with interception tasks until the end of WWII in the southern regions of Germany
.
The chevron denotes an officer's aircraft; the “1” could denote the 1st aircraft of the Stab Gruppe in numerical order, but it's also possible that it is a personal symbol, as officers' aircraft would carry symbols instead of simple numbers, sometimes personal, non-standard icons or letters.
As the number is black I added dark green spinners, the typical ID color of the Stab flight among II. Group. A geek detail, and and I do not claim this to be correct – but German WWII aircraft would tend to be marked rather erratically, anyway, and I tried to do justice to historical benchmarks. Hey, it's a whif, after all!
In the end, a bizarre aircraft, but it is not as far-fetched as one might think. In this case, several single German ideas and developments were just incorporated into one model. What amazes me most is that the whole thing was assembled and painted in just three days – excluding the kit purchase and the work on the final beauty pics. Sometimes I get scared by myself...
My Street, but not my house. I live around the corner. We do not have cherry trees in our cul-de-sac :)
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
Ex-one, displaced due to double deckers arriving on the route
Numberplate: KX13AUR
Fleet Number: 4249
Type: Optare Versa
Company: Arriva Essex
Route: 9
Destination: Shoeburyness, East Beach
Location: Shoeburyness, East Beach
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
The A-14 program originally started in 2005 as a private venture, initiated by Northrop-Grumman together with the Elbit Group as a joint venture through Elbit’s Texas-based aircraft division M7 Aerosystems, an approved supplier to major aerospace clients. The aircraft was intended to replace the USAF’s A-10 attack aircraft as well as early F-16s in the strike role from 2010 onwards. The time slot for the project turned out to be advantageous, because at that time the USAF was contemplating to replace the simple and sturdy A-10 with the much more complex F-35, eventually even with its VTOL variant, and the highly specialized F-117 was retired, too.
The A-14 revived conceptual elements of Grumman’s stillborn A-12 stealth program for the US Navy, which had also been part of the USAF’s plans to replace the supersonic F-111 tactical bomber, but on a less ambitious and expensive level concerning technology, aiming for a more effective compromise between complexity, survivability and costs. The basic idea was an updated LTV A-7D (the A-10’s predecessor from the Vietnam War era), which had far more sophisticated sensor and navigation equipment than the rather simple but sturdy A-10, but with pragmatic stealth features and a high level of survivability in a modern frontline theatre or operations.
M7 Aerosystems started on a blank sheet, even though Northrop-Grumman’s A-12 influence was clearly visible, and to a certain degree the aircraft shared the basic layout with the F-117A. The A-14 was tailored from the start to the ground attack role, and therefore a subsonic design. Measures to reduce radar cross-section included airframe shaping such as alignment of edges, fixed-geometry serpentine inlets that prevented line-of-sight of the engine faces from any exterior view, use of radar-absorbent material (RAM), and attention to detail such as hinges and maintenance covers that could provide a radar return. The A-14 was furthermore designed to have decreased radio emissions, infrared signature and acoustic signature as well as reduced visibility to the naked eye.
The resulting airframe was surprisingly large for an attack aircraft – in fact, it rather reminded of a tactical bomber in the F-111/Su-24 class than an alternative to the A-10. The A-14 consisted of a rhomboid-shaped BWB (blended-wing-and-body) with extended wing tips and only a moderate (35°) wing sweep, cambered leading edges, a jagged trailing edge and a protruding cockpit section which extended forward of the main body.
The majority of the A-14’s structure and surface were made out of a carbon-graphite composite material that is stronger than steel, lighter than aluminum, and absorbs a significant amount of radar energy. The central fuselage bulge ended in a short tail stinger with a pair of swept, canted fins as a butterfly tail, which also shrouded the engine’s hot efflux. The fins could have been omitted, thanks to the aerodynamically unstable aircraft’s fly-by-wire steering system, and they effectively increased the A-14’s radar signature as well as its visual profile, but the gain in safety in case of FBW failure or physical damage was regarded as a worthwhile trade-off. Due to its distinctive shape and profile, the A-14 quickly received the unofficial nickname “Squatina”, after the angel shark family.
The spacious and armored cockpit offered room for the crew of two (pilot and WSO or observer for FAC duties), seated side-by-side under a generous glazing, with a very good field of view forward and to the sides. The fuselage structure was constructed around a powerful cannon, the five-barrel GAU-12/U 25 mm ‘Equalizer’ gun, which was, compared with the A-10’s large GAU-8/A, overall much lighter and more compact, but with only little less firepower. It fired a new NATO series of 25 mm ammunition at up to 4.200 RPM. The gun itself was located under the cockpit tub, slightly set off to port side, and the front wheel well was offset to starboard to compensate, similar in arrangement to the A-10 or Su-25. The gun’s ammunition drum and a closed feeding belt system were located behind the cockpit in the aircraft’s center of gravity. An in-flight refueling receptor (for the USAF’s boom system) was located in the aircraft’s spine behind the cockpit, normally hidden under a flush cover.
Due to the gun installation in the fuselage, however, no single large weapon bay to minimize radar cross section and drag through external ordnance was incorporated, since this feature would have increased airframe size and overall weight. Instead, the A-14 received four, fully enclosed compartments between the wide main landing gear wells and legs. The bays could hold single iron bombs of up to 2.000 lb caliber each, up to four 500 lb bombs or CBUs, single laser-guided GBU-14 glide bombs, AGM-154 JSOW or GBU-31/38 JDAM glide bombs, AGM-65 Maverick guided missiles or B61 Mod 11 tactical nuclear weapons, as well as the B61 Mod 12 standoff variant, under development at that time). Retractable launch racks for defensive AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles were available, too, and additional external pylons could be added, e.g. for oversize ordnance like AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) or AGM-158 Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), or drop tanks for ferry flights. The total in- and external ordnance load was 15,000 lb (6,800 kg).
The A-14 was designed with superior maneuverability at low speeds and altitude in mind and therefore featured a large wing area, with high wing aspect ratio on the outer wing sections, and large ailerons areas. The ailerons were placed at the far ends of the wings for greater rolling moment and were split, making them decelerons, so that they could also be used as air brakes in flight and upon landing.
This wing configuration promoted short takeoffs and landings, permitting operations from primitive forward airfields near front lines. The sturdy landing gear with low-pressure tires supported these tactics, and a retractable arrester hook, hidden by a flush cover under the tail sting, made it possible to use mobile arrested-recovery systems.
The leading edge of the wing had a honeycomb structure panel construction, providing strength with minimal weight; similar panels covered the flap shrouds, elevators, rudders and sections of the fins. The skin panels were integral with the stringers and were fabricated using computer-controlled machining, reducing production time and cost, and this construction made the panels more resistant to damage. The skin was not load-bearing, so damaged skin sections could be easily replaced in the field, with makeshift materials if necessary.
Power came from a pair of F412-GE-114 non-afterburning turbofans, engines that were originally developed for the A-12, but de-navalized and lightened for the A-14. These new engines had an output of 12,000 lbf (53 kN) each and were buried in blended fairings above the wing roots, with jagged intakes and hidden ducts. Flat exhausts on the wings’ upper surface minimized both radar and IR signatures.
Thanks to the generous internal fuel capacity in the wings and the fuselage, the A-14 was able to loiter and operate under 1,000 ft (300 m) ceilings for extended periods. It typically flew at a relatively low speed of 300 knots (350 mph; 560 km/h), which made it a better platform for the ground-attack role than fast fighter-bombers, which often have difficulty targeting small, slow-moving targets or executing more than just a single attack run on a selected target.
A mock-up was presented and tested in the wind tunnel and for radar cross-section in late 2008. The A-14’s exact radar cross-section (RCS) remained classified, but in 2009 M7 Aerosystems released information indicating it had an RCS (from certain angles) of −40 dBsm, equivalent to the radar reflection of a "steel marble". With this positive outcome and the effective design, M7 Aerosystems eventually received federal funding for the production of prototypes for an official DT&E (Demonstration Testing and Evaluation) program.
Three prototypes/pre-production aircraft were built in the course of 2010 and 2011, and the first YA-14 made its maiden flight on 10 May 2011. The DT&E started immediately, and the machines (a total of three flying prototypes were completed, plus two additional airframes for static tests) were gradually outfitted with mission avionics and other equipment. This included GPS positioning, an inertial navigation system, passive sensors to detect radar usage, a small, gyroscopically stabilized turret, mounted under the nose of the aircraft, containing a FLIR boresighted with a laser spot-tracker/designator, and an experimental 3-D laser scanning LIDAR in the nose as a radiation-less alternative to a navigation and tracking radar.
Soon after the DT&E program gained momentum in 2012, the situation changed for M7 Aerosystems when the US Air Force considered the F-35B STOVL variant as its favored replacement CAS aircraft, but concluded that the aircraft could not generate a sufficient number of sorties. However, the F-35 was established as the A-14’s primary rival and remained on the USAF’s agenda. For instance, at that time the USAF proposed disbanding five A-10 squadrons in its budget request to cut its fleet of 348 A-10s by 102 to lessen cuts to multi-mission aircraft in service that could replace the specialized attack aircraft.
In August 2013, Congress and the Air Force examined various proposals for an A-10 replacement, including the A-14, F-35 and the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle, and, despite the A-14’s better qualities in the ground attack role, the F-35 came out as the overall winner, since it was the USAF’s favorite. Despite its complexity, the F-35 was – intended as a multi-role tri-service aircraft and also with the perspective of bigger international sales than the more specialized A-14 – regarded as the more versatile and, in the long run, more cost-efficient procurement option. This sealed the A-14’s fate and the F-35A entered service with U.S. Air Force F-35A in August 2016 (after the F-35B was introduced to the U.S. Marine Corps in July 2015). At that time, the U.S. planned to buy 2,456 F-35s through 2044, which would represent the bulk of the crewed tactical airpower of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps for several decades.
Since the A-14’s technology was considered to be too critical to be marketed to export customers (Israel showed early interest in the aircraft, as well as South Korea), the program was cancelled in 2016.
General characteristics:
Crew: 2 (pilot, WSO)
Length: 54 ft 11 1/2 in (16.78 m)
Wingspan: 62 ft 11 1/2 in (19.22 m)
Height: 11 ft 3 3/4 in (3.45 m)
Wing area: 374.9 ft² (117.5 m²)
Empty weight: 24,959 lb (11,321 kg)
Loaded weight: 30,384 lb (13,782 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 50,000 lb (22,700 kg)
Internal fuel capacity: 11,000 lb (4,990 kg)
Powerplant:
2× General Electric Whitney F412-GE-114 non-afterburning turbofans
with 12,000 lbf (53 kN) thrust each
Performance:
Maximum speed: 630 mph (1,010 km/h, 550 kn) at 40,000 ft altitude /
Mach 0.95 at sea level
Cruise speed: 560 mph (900 km/h, 487 kn) at 40,000 ft altitude
Range: 1,089 nmi (1,253 mi, 2,017 km)
Ferry range: 1,800 nmi (2,100 mi, 3,300 km)
Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,200 m)
Rate of climb: 50,000 ft/min (250 m/s)
Wing loading: 133 lb/ft² (193 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.48 (full internal fuel, no stores)
Take-off run: 1,200 m (3,930 ft) at 42,000 lb (19,000 kg) over a 15 m (30 ft) obstacle
Armament:
1× General Dynamics GAU-12/U Equalizer 25 mm (0.984 in) 5-barreled rotary cannon
with 1,200 rounds (max. capacity 1,350 rounds)
4x internal weapon bays plus 4x external optional hardpoints with a total capacity of
15,000 lb (6,800 kg) and provisions to carry/deploy a wide range of ordnance
The kit and its assembly:
A major kitbashing project which I had on my idea list for a long time and its main ingredients/body donors already stashed away – but, as with many rather intimidating builds, it takes some external motivation to finally tackle the idea and bring it into hardware form. This came in August 2020 with the “Prototypes” group build at whatifmodellers.com, even though is still took some time to find the courage and mojo to start.
The original inspiration was the idea of a stealthy successor for the A-10, or a kind of more modern A-7 as an alternative to the omnipresent (and rather boring, IMHO) F-35. An early “ingredient” became the fuselage of a Zvezda Ka-58 stealth helicopter kit – I liked the edgy shape, the crocodile-like silhouette and the spacious side-by-side cockpit. Adding wings, however, was more challenging, and I remembered a 1:200 B-2A which I had turned into a light Swedish 1:72 attack stealth aircraft. Why not use another B-2 for the wings and the engines, but this time a bigger 1:144 model that would better match the quite bulbous Ka-58 fuselage? This donor became an Italeri kit.
Work started with the fuselage: the Ka-58’s engine and gearbox hump had to go first and a generous, new dorsal section had to be scratched with 1mm styrene sheet and some PSR. The cockpit and its glazing could be retained and were taken OOB. Under the nose, the Ka-58’s gun turret was omitted and a scratched front landing gear well was implanted instead.
The wings consist of the B-2 model; the lower “fuselage half” had its front end cut away, then the upper fuselage half of the Ka-58 was used as benchmark to cut the B-2’s upper wing/body part in two outer wing panels. Once these elements had been glued together, the Ka-58’s lower nose and tail section were tailored to match the B-2 parts. The B-2 engine bays were taken OOB and mounted next, so that the A-14’s basic hull was complete and the first major PSR session could start. Blending the parts into each other turned out to be a tedious process, since some 2-3 mm wide gaps had to be filled.
Once the basic BWP pack had been finished, I added the fins. These were taken from an 1:72 F-117 kit (IIRC from Italeri), which I had bought in a lot many moons ago. The fins were just adapted at their base to match the tail sting slope, and they were mounted in a 45° angle. This looks very F-117ish but was IMHO the most plausible solution.
Now that the overall length of the aircraft was defined, I could work on the final major assembly part: the wing tips. The 1:144 B-2 came with separate wing tip sections, but they proved to be much too long for the Squatina. After some trials I reduced their length by more than half, so that the B-2’s jagged wing trailing edge was kept. The result looks quite natural, even though blending the cut wing tips to the BWB turned out to be a PSR nightmare because their thickness reduces gently towards the tip – since I took out a good part of the inner section, the resulting step had to be sanded away and hidden with more PSR.
Detail work started next, including the cockpit glazing, the bomb bay (the B-2 kit comes with one of its bays open, and I kept this detail and modified the interior) and the landing gear, the latter was taken from the F-117 donor bank and fitted surprisingly well.
Some sensors were added, too, including a flat glass panel on the nose tip and a triangular IRST fairing under the nose, next to the landing gear well.
Painting and markings:
For a stealth aircraft and a prototype I wanted something subdued or murky, but not an all-black or -grey livery. I eventually settled for the rather dark paint scheme that the USAF applied to its late B-52Gs and the B-1Bs, which consists of two tones from above, FS 36081 (Dark Grey, a.k.a. Dark Gunship Grey) and 34086 (Green Drab), and underneath (FS 36081 and 36118 (Gunship Grey). The irregular pattern was adapted (in a rather liberal fashion) from the USAF’s early B-1Bs, using Humbrol 32, 108 and 125 as basic colors. The 108 turned out to be too bright, so I toned it down with an additional coat of thinned Humbrol 66. While this considerably reduced the contrast between the green and the grey, the combination looks much better and B-1B-esque.
The wings’ leading edges were painted for more contrast with a greyish black (Tar Black, Revell 09), while the landing gear, the interior of the air intakes and the open bomb bay became glossy white. The cockpit was painted in medium grey (Humbrol 140) and the clear parts received a thinned inner coating with a mix of transparent yellow and brown, simulating an anti-radar coating – even though the effect turned out to be minimal, now it looks as of the plastic parts had just yellowed from age…
After the initial livery had been finished the model received a black ink washing and some post-panel shading with slightly brightened variations of the basic tones (using Humbrol 79, 144 and 224). Decals were added next, an individual mix from various sources. The “Stars-and-Bars” come from a PrintScale A-7 sheet, most stencils come from an F-16 sheet.
After some more detail painting and a treatment with graphite on the metal areas (exhausts, gun port), the model was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (Italeri).
Batman’s next Batwing? Maybe, there’s certainly something fictional about this creation. But the “Squatina” turned out much more conclusive (and even pretty!) than I expected, even though it became a bigger aircraft than intended. And I am positively surprised how good the bodywork became – after all, lots of putty had to be used to fill all the gaps between parts that no one ever expected to be grafted together.
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam (June 13, 2022) - A U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet aircraft with Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 533 takes off from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, June 14, 2022, in support of Valiant Shield 2022. Exercises such as Valiant Shield allows the Indo-Pacific Command Joint Task Force the opportunity to integrate forces from all branches of service to conduct long-range, precise, lethal, and overwhelming multi-axis, multi-domain effects that demonstrate the strength and versatility of the Joint Task Force and our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Mitchell Austin) 220613-M-MY099-1007
** Interested in following U.S. Indo-Pacific Command? Engage and connect with us at www.facebook.com/indopacom | twitter.com/INDOPACOM | www.instagram.com/indopacom | www.flickr.com/photos/us-pacific-command; | www.youtube.com/user/USPacificCommand | www.pacom.mil/ **
We did this shoot at a local business campus on a March day that felt like July - absolutely perfect shooting conditions, with three of my favorite models and some excellent photographers - life doesn't get better than this!!
I love shooting with Valerie but she is so busy and our schedules never match. She told me her goal is to get more shoots in and my cameras like the thought of that. We go way back and she is like family to us. It's been fun watching her mature and succeed over the years, but I really hope to get more shoots with her in soon!
Ahoy Matey is a swashbuckling pirate, inspired by the Golden Age of piracy and some of the infamous pirates of those times, such as ‘Blackbeard’ and ‘Calico Jack’.
Artist: Deven Bhurke
Deven Bhurke is an artist and graphic designer with a versatile style. He has previously been involved in similar WIA public art events and he was commissioned by Marwell Wildlife’s Go! Rhinos in 2013, by the National Literacy Trust in 2014, and by Transport for London.
Website: www.devenbhurke.com
Sponsor: The Gracechurch Centre
Auction Price: £3000
The Big Hoot captured the imagination of everyone in Birmingham and beyond, with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets with their Big Hoot Trail maps to explore the colourful invasion of individually designed owls. Taking in the city’s 10 districts, tourists and residents alike enjoyed their owl adventure, discovering and celebrating the extraordinary creativity produced by many of Birmingham’s artistic community and over 25,000 young people.
The Big Hoot owls went under the hammer on 15 October 2015 at The Big Hoot auction sponsored by Vodafone and we are thrilled to have smashed our target by raising the incredible sum of £508,035!
The money raised from the auction will support Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity’s £3.65m Star Appeal. This appeal will enable us to create a first of its kind, a Rare Diseases Centre in the UK specifically for children. It will provide co-ordinated care, treatment, support and most importantly hope to children and families living with a rare or undiagnosed condition.
In addition the auction raised £15,000 for G’owl’d by Temper with proceeds going to Edward’s Trust, and £7,800 for Fleet and Free with proceeds going to Birchfield Harriers.
So thank you - we simply couldn’t have done it without you.
Artists have played a major role in The Big Hoot, creating almost 100 owl sculptures. We would like to thank all the artists for their incredible creativity and hard work.
Professional artists from Birmingham, the wider Midlands region and further afield have created extraordinary giant owls that are all unique in style and character and represent the city’s creativity, history and heritage, music, fashion, architecture and attractions.
Birmingham is home to a wealth of artistic and creative individuals and communities and many award-winning and nationally and internationally acclaimed artists. We are delighted with the response from Birmingham’s creative community and are thrilled to work in collaboration with them to transform the streets, squares and parks of the city.
For five months artists have been creating owls in their studios, at home and in The Big Hoot Artists’ Studio at the Custard Factory in Digbeth. Their inspiring and innovative designs have been realised in genres including graffiti, illustration, fine art, graphics, typography, mosaic and new media. They have worked with both community groups and with corporates to realise ideas and create their stunning designs.
The Big Hoot not only provides a high quality and ambitious free public event for families but also supports the creativity of artists and celebrates talent and diversity. The Big Hoot has provided an inspiring relationship between the city and the arts.
The artists have also reached out to communities enabling more people to participate in the arts, to experience working with professional artists and to be inspiring and inspired. From the north to the south of the city residents groups, youth groups and older peoples’ groups have been collaborating with artists to generate ideas, design and create owls for The Big Hoot.
Creativity is everywhere but the opportunity to participate is not. A range of activities have been programmed within Birmingham’s diverse communities and people from the age of 3 – 97 and from wards within the city boundaries have contributed to The Big Hoot and helped make the event extraordinary. Our projects have seen artists working with hundreds of residents and community members including children in looked after care, older peoples’ clubs, young people and residents organisations to design and decorate the owls displayed as part of the 10 week public event.
1991 Ford Versatile 9030 4WD bi-directional loader tractor.
An import from the USA registered in April 1992.
Cheffins vintage and classic auction, Sutton -
"1991 FORD VERSATILE 9030 Bi-Directional diesel TRACTOR Reg. No. J110 JHG Serial No. D470150 Reported by the vendor to be a one owner tractor with 6,011 hours showing."
Unsold.