capable photos on Flickr

Jimmy Foxx by Gary Hershman

▪️1.) "If anyone was ever capable of actually tearing the cover off the ball, it would be Double-X. . . . It sounded like cherry bombs going off when Foxx hit them." — Ted Williams

▪️2.) "Jimmie Foxx [is] maybe the greatest right-handed power hitter of all-time. When I first came up, I used to talk hitting with Jimmie whenever I had a chance. He was a friendly, warm person, always very helpful to everybody." — Hank Greenberg

▪️3.) "If I were catching blindfolded, I'd always know when it was Jimmie Foxx who connected. He hit the ball harder than anyone else." — Bill Dickey

▪️4.) "Foxx has abnormal strength in his two forearms, which permits him to handle a big war bludgeon as if it were a feather duster. This strength of hands, wrists, and arms gives him a lashing power, which might break up a ball game at any given moment." — Grantland Rice

▪️5.) "When I was 12, I could cut corn all day, help in the wheat fields, swing 200-pound bags of phosphate off a platform into a wagon. We had games on the farm to test strength and grip. . . . Another trick was to lift a 200-pound keg of nails without letting the keg touch your body. I could do that easily." — Jimmie Foxx

▪️6.) "He [Foxx] had great powerful arms, and he used to wear his sleeves cut off way up, and when he dug in and raised that bat, his muscles would bulge and ripple." — Ted Lyons

▪️7.) "Look at those shoulders! That boy’s a natural-born batting wonder. No more coddling or training could make a fence-buster like that! Jimmy Foxx was just a rookie when canny Connie Mack gave him that size-up. Four years later he was crowding the swat kings of both leagues." — Robert Ripley in a 1930 ad for Old Gold Cigarettes

▪️8.) "He [Foxx] has petrified Philadelphia baseball followers in recent days with a series of home runs that carried so far as to make open-mouthed spectators believe that it was an overt violation of Ruth's well-known copyright for distance." — Connie Mack (1930)

▪️9.) "[T]he trail of Foxx’s longest drives challenges credibility. Twenty-four times he cleared the 65-foot high left field grandstand roof in Philadelphia. At Comiskey Park in Chicago, where no one else reached the towering roof more than twice, 'The Beast' did it six times. . . . Everywhere Foxx logged more than just a few games, and in many places where he stopped only once, the man hit home runs that defied logical analysis." — Bill Jenkinson (SABR)

▪️10.) "When Neil Armstrong first set foot on the moon, he and all the space scientists were puzzled by an unidentifiable white object. I knew immediately what it was. That was a home run ball hit off me in 1937 by Jimmie Foxx." — Lefty Gomez

▪️11.) "James [Jimmie] Foxx is the most promising player I have ever seen." — Home Run Baker (1924)

▪️12.) "Jimmy Foxx, Herculean batsman for the Philadelphia Athletics, is being picked by baseball critics as the man who will make fans forget about the mighty Babe Ruth. When he pounded out his fortieth home run the other day, Foxx was more than a month ahead of the Babe's mark at that date in 1927." — The Roanoke Rapids Herald (August 1932)

▪️13.) "If I had broken Ruth's record it wouldn't have made any difference. Oh, it might have put a few more dollars in my pocket, but there was only one Ruth." — Jimmie Foxx

▪️14.) “If it wasn’t for [Mickey] Cochrane, Foxx would have developed into a great catcher. He was the greatest all-around athlete I ever saw play Major League Baseball." — Rick Ferrell

▪️15.) "He’s a marvel, isn’t he? Tell me: who was a better all-around ball player than Foxxie? Why right now I’d say he was the best catcher in the American League. . . . They can talk all they want to about some of those old-time ball players being able to play different positions. I’ll take Foxxie. They don’t come any better.” — Joe Cronin

▪️16.) "I can play any position except shortstop. I don't like shortstop." — Jimmie Foxx

▪️17.) "He [Foxx] was the greatest natural athlete I have ever seen." — Professor John Bruehl, who once scrimmaged against Jim Thorpe

▪️18.) "He was built like a Greek god with bulging biceps and sculpted physique. His rounded face was marked by handsome features set off by a full head of brown hair and bright blue eyes. His joy was infectious, hustling on the field with a spontaneous smile and boundless enthusiasm. He played the game with a combination of speed and power that a later generation would see in Mickey Mantle. Foxx ran like a cheetah, threw like an Olympic javelin champion, and hit the ball like Babe Ruth." — Bill Jenkinson (SABR)

▪️19.) "When he got good wood on a pitch, it took you 20 minutes to walk where the ball landed. He was the only hitter I ever saw who could hit balls on his fist and still get them out of the park.” — Lefty Gomez

▪️20.) "If I’d had Foxx’s strength, I’d have hit a hundred extra homers." — Ted Williams

▪️21.) "Some of these days when baseball historians meet to award the capital prize of the national game to its greatest player of all time, they are not going to give the title and plaque to Tyrus Raymond Cobb, nor to George Herman Ruth. . . . The present-day has its candidate for the greatest of all ballplayers, and his name is James Emory Foxx.” — The Washington Times-Herald (1940)

▪️22.) "The star slugger gave handsome tips to everyone from the bellhop to the batboy, and he insisted on picking up the entire tab at every dinner and outing. He was known to literally give the shirt off his back if someone asked him for it. Many years later, Foxx’s former teammates and opponents still spoke with reverence of his personal kindness and goodwill." — John Bennett (SABR)

▪️23.) "Jimmie was one of my personal friends. I loved him. . . . Every ballplayer admired Jimmie Foxx." — Harlond Clift

▪️24.) "Daddy, he just enjoyed interacting with people. It didn’t matter if you were the president or the garbage man. He would sit there and sign autographs for hours." — Nanci Foxx Canaday

▪️25.) "Jimmie Foxx was good for baseball. Players and fans liked him for his happy nature, positive attitude, and baseball heroics. . . . He was a good ambassador for baseball, much like Ernie Banks, Brooks Robinson, or Cal Ripken." — Mark Millikin

📖 Sources: Millikin, Mark. "Jimmie Foxx: The Pride of Sudlersville." Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2005. + Cohen, Robert. "The 50 Greatest Players in Boston Red Sox History." Guilford, CT: Lyons Press, 2014. + chroniclingamerica.loc.gov + baseballhall.org + sabr.org + www.theknoxstudent.com + baseballhistorydaily.com + www.myeasternshoremd.com + www.baseball-almanac.com

Swatch Girls Pro 2011 Seignosse Hossegor by SVNews

Courtney Colonge

The world’s top female surfers proved by pairing up grace, strength and talent, that they are capable of taking the sport to new heights.

The 2nd SWATCH GIRLS PRO France 2011 in Hossegor delivered a firework of spectacular surfing! Moving through the rounds, the ladies faced strong currents and fast crashing waves. Heat after heat they tackled the rough challenge by laying down outstanding performances with technical, smooth and stylish surfing. Unfortunately last year’s winner and 4-time World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) and top favourite Coco Ho (HAW) were already eliminated in the early rounds.

In the end Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) defeated Sage Erickson (USA) on an epic final day of competition to win the SWATCH GIRLS PRO France at Seignosse in Hossegor.

Both Fitzgibbons and Erickson surfed at their limit on the final day of competition in front of the packed holiday crowd who flocked to the beach to support some of the world’s finest women’s surfers, but it was Fitzgibbons who found the scores needed to take the victory over the American surfer.

Fitzgibbons, who is currently rated No. 2 on the elite ASP Women’s World Title Series, competed in her second consecutive SWATCH GIRLS PRO France event and her victory marks her third major ASP win this year.

Erickson was impressive throughout the entire competition, eventually defeating Sarah Baum (ZAF) in the Semifinals, but was unable to surpass Fitzgibbons for the win.

Sarah Mason Wins 2-Star Swatch Girls Pro Junior France

Sarah Mason (Gisbourne, NZL) 16, today took out the ASP 2-Star Swatch Girls Pro Junior France over Dimity Stoyle (Sunshine Coast QLD, AUS) 19, it a closely contested 35-minute final that went down to the wire in tricky 3ft (1m) waves at Les Bourdaines.

Europe’s finest under-21 athletes faced some of the world’s best up-and-comers in the Swatch Girls Pro Junior France in their attempt to qualify for the ASP World Junior Series which starts October 3, in Bali, Indonesia.

Mason, who impressed the entire event with her precise and stylish forehand attack, left little to chance in the 35-minute final getting off to a quick start to open her account and then built on her two-wave total to claim victory with 11.73 out of 20. The quietly spoken goofy-footer was a standout performer in the ASP 6-Star Swatch Girls Pro France and backed it up with a commanding performance against her fellow Pro Junior members.

“It is amazing. I am so happy and it is one of my best results for sure. It was tricky to try and pick the good ones but I picked a couple so it was great. All the girls are definitely ripping so you have to step up the level to get through your heats so I am stoked with the win. It has been super fun and I have enjoyed the entire event so to win is just amazing.”

Dimity Stoyle was unable to bridge the gap over her opponent in the final finishing second despite holding priority several times in the later stages of the encounter. The Swatch Girls Pro Junior France has proved the perfect training ground for Stoyle to continue with her excellent results already obtained this season on the ASP Australasia Pro Junior series where she is currently ranked nº2.

“I am still happy with second and I really wanted to win here but I tried my best. This is the best event I have been in so far it is really good the set up, the waves and everyone loves it. I can’t believe how good the French crowd are. They love surfing and they love us all so I am definitely going to come back.”

Felicity Palmateer (Perth WA, AUS) 18, ranked nº9 on the ASP Women’s Star Tour, finished equal 3rd in a low scoring tactical heat against Stoyle where positioning and priority tactics towards the final part played a major role as the frequency of set waves dropped.

“When I first paddled out I thought it was breaking more out the back but as the tide started to change it moved in and became a little inconsistent. At the start of the heat there were heaps of waves but then it went slow and priority came into play and I kept trying to get one. I am not really fussed because I am travelling with Dimity (Stoyle) and stoked that she has made the final.”

Palmateer has used the Swatch Girls Pro Junior France as a building block towards her ultimate goal of being full-time on the ASP Women’s World Tour. Her objectives are clear and 2011 is an extremely important year.

“I would love to get a World Junior title but at the moment my goal is to qualify for the World Tour through the Star events. If I can get more practice without that much pressure on me like this year and then if I qualify it will be even better for 2012.”

Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 17, placed 3rd in the Swatch Girls Pro Junior France after failing to oust eventual event winner Sarah Mason in semi-final nº1. Buitendag looked dangerous throughout the final day of competition and was unlucky not to find any quality scoring waves in a slow heat. Trailing for the majority of the encounter, Buitendag secured her best ride in the final moments which proved not enough to advance.

“The swell definitely dropped and although the conditions were quite nice I didn’t get any good scoring waves. I have a Pro Junior event coming up in South Africa and it is very important to get a result there to qualify for the World Juniors.”

Maud Le Car (St Martin, FRA) 19, claimed the best result of the European contingent finishing equal 5th to jump to nº1 position on the ASP Women’s European Pro Junior series. Le Car led a low scoring quarter-final bout against Bianca Buitendag until losing priority in a tactical error which allowed her opponent to sneak under her guard and claim the modest score required to win.

“I didn’t surf really well in that heat and I am a little bit disappointed because it is for the selection to the World Juniors with the other European girls. The waves were not the best and it was difficult to catch some good waves and unfortunately I didn’t make it. It is really good to be at the top but I have some other contests to improve and to do some good results and to make it to the World Juniors.”

The Swatch Time to Tear Expression Session was won by the team composed of Swatch Girls Pro France finalists Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Sage Erickson (USA) and equal 3rd placed Courtney Conlogue (USA) in a dynamic display of modern progressive surfing in the punchy 3ft peaks in front of a packed surf hungry audience lining the shore.

The Swatch Girls Pro is webcast LIVE on www.swatchgirlspro.com

For all results, videos, daily highlights, photos and news log-on to www.swatchgirlsproor www.aspeurope.com

Swatch Girls Pro Junior France Final Result

Sarah Mason (NZL) 11.73 Def. Dimity Stoyle (AUS) 10.27

Swatch Girls Pro Junior France Semi-Final Results

Heat 1: Sarah Mason (NZL) 14.00 Def. Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 9.60

Heat 2: Dimity Stoyle (AUS) 10.67 Def. Felicity Palmateer (AUS) 9.57

Swatch Girls Pro Junior France Quarter-Final Results

Heat 1: Sarah Mason (NZL) 12.75 Def. Lakey Peterson (USA) 6.25

Heat 2: Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 8.95 Def. Maud Le Car (FRA) 8.50

Heat 3: Dimity Stoyle (AUS) 11.00 Def. Georgia Fish (AUS) 4.50

Heat 4: Felicity Palmateer (AUS) 17.00 Def. Nao Omura (JPN) 8.75

Swatch Girls Pro Junior France Round Three Results

Heat 1: Sarah Mason (NZL) 15.25, Maud Le Car (FRA) 11.00, Marie Dejean (FRA) 9.35, Camille Davila (FRA) 4.90

Heat 2: Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 14.50, Lakey Peterson (USA) 11.50, Justine Dupont (FRA) 10.75, Phillipa Anderson (AUS) 5.10

Heat 3: Georgia Fish (AUS) 12.50, Felicity Palmateer (AUS) 9.15, Joanne Defay (FRA) 7.15, Loiola Canales (EUK) 2.90

Heat 4: Nao Omura (JPN) 10.00, Dimity Stoyle (AUS) 9.50, Barbara Segatto (BRA) 3.90, Ana Morau (FRA) 3.05

Photos Aquashot/ASPEurope - Swatch

Astrid Brown Leather by Siddean Munro

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New mesh ankle boots from Slink! Viewer 3 or mesh capable viewer required :)

Atlantic Camelback by B&O Museum Collections

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Camelbacks were capable of high performance, but were dangerous and inconvenient for their crews.

Grey-headed flying fox (Australia) by Kris

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The Grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) is a megabat native to Australia. The species shares mainland Australia with three other members of the genus Pteropus: the Little red flying fox (P. scapulatus), the Spectacled flying fox (P. conspicillatus), and the Black flying fox (P. alecto). Flying-foxes are the only mammals capable of sustained flight.

DESCRIPTION

The Grey-headed flying fox, the largest bat in Australia, has a dark-grey body with a light-grey head and a reddish-brown neck collar of fur. Their belly fur grey has flecks of white or ginger, and their back fur can have a silver or frosted appearance which might be related to age, moult or subpopulation. It is unique among bats of the genus Pteropus in that fur on the legs extends all the way to the ankle. Adults have an average wingspan up to 1 m and can weigh up to 1 kg. The head and body length is between 23 and 28.9 cm. It is tailless, with claws on its first and second digits. Since it does not echolocate, it lacks tragus or leaf ornamentation found in most microbats species. It relies on sight to locate its food (nectar, pollen and native fruits) and thus has relatively large eyes for a bat.

HABITAT AND MOVEMENTS

The Grey-headed flying fox is endemic to the south-eastern forested areas of Australia, principally east of the Great Dividing Range. They live in a variety of habitats, including rainforests, woodlands, and swamps. During the day, individuals reside in large roosts (colonies or camps) of up to 200,000 individuals. Colonies are formed in seemingly arbitrary locations, but commonly in gullies and close to water. Roost vegetation includes rainforest patches, stands of melaleuca, mangroves, and riparian vegetation, but roosts also occupy highly modified vegetation in urban areas.

Movements of Grey-headed flying foxes are influenced by the availability of food. Their population is very fluid, as they move in response to the irregular blossoming of certain plant species. The species is a partial migrant that uses winds to facilitate long-distance movement. It does not migrate in a specific direction, but rather in the direction that will be the most beneficial at the time.

DIET AND FORAGING

Around dusk, Grey-headed flying foxes leave the roost and travel 20 to 50 km a night to feed on pollen, nectar and fruit of around 187 plant species (preferably Eucalyptus blossom) and fruits from a wide range of rainforest trees (preferably figs). These bats are considered sequential specialists, since they feed on a variety of foods. Grey-headed flying foxes, along with the other Australian flying fox species, fulfill a very important ecological role by dispersing the pollen and seeds of a wide range of native Australian plants. The Grey-headed flying fox is the only mammalian nectarivore and frugivore to occupy substantial areas of subtropical rainforests, so is of key importance to those forests.

Most vegetation communities on which this species forages produce nectar and pollen seasonally and are abundant unpredictably, so the flying fox's migration traits cope with this. The time when flying foxes leave their roosts to feed depends on foraging light and predation risk by eagles, goannas, snakes, and crocodiles. Flying foxes have more time and light when foraging if they leave their roosts early in the day. The entire colony may leave later if a predatory bird is present, while lactating females leave earlier. With males, the bachelors leave earlier than harem-holding males, which guard their wait until all their females have left. The flying foxes that leave the roost earlier are more vulnerable to predation, and some other flying foxes will wait for others to leave, a phenomenon labelled the "after you" effect.

SOCIAL ORGANISATION

Grey-headed flying foxes form two different roosting camps: summer camps (considered the "main camps") and winter camps (referred to as transit camps). In summer camps, which are used from September to April or June, they establish territories, mate, and reproduce. In winter camps, which are used from April to September, the sexes are separated and most behaviour is characterised by mutual grooming.

In their summer camps, males set up mating territories. Mating territories are generally 3.5 body lengths along branches. The males' neck glands enlarge in the mating season, and are used to mark the territories. The males fight to maintain their territories, and this is associated with a steep drop in the males' body condition during this time. Around the beginning of the mating season, adult females move from the periphery towards the central male territories where they become part of short-term ‘harems’ that consist of a male and an unstable group of up to 5 females. Centrally located males are polygamous, while males on the periphery are monogamous or single. The mating system of the grey-headed flying fox is best described as a lek, because males do not provide any essential resources to females and are chosen on the basis of their physical location within the roost, which correlates with male quality.

MATING

Matings are generally observed between March and May, but the most likely time of conception is April. Most mating takes place in the territories and during the day. Females have control over the copulation process, and males may have to keep mating with the same females. Females usually give birth to 1 young each year. Gestation lasts around 27 weeks, and pregnant females give birth between late September and November. Late births into January are sometimes observed. The altricial newborns rely on their mothers for warmth. For their first 3 weeks, young cling to their mothers when they go foraging. After this, the young remain in the roosts. By January, young are capable of sustained flight, and by February, March or April are fully weaned.

THREATS AND CONSERVATION

The Grey-headed flying fox is now a prominent federal conservation problem in Australia. Early in the last century, the species was considered abundant, with numbers estimated in the many millions. In recent years, though, direct evidence has been accumulating that the species is in serious decline. Current estimates for the species are about 610,000, and the national population may have declined by over 30% between 1989 and 1999 alone.

Grey-headed flying foxes are exposed to several threats, including (1) loss of foraging and roosting habitat, (2) competition with the black flying fox, (3) from power line electrocution and entanglement in barbed wire fences or backyard fruit tree netting, (4) disturbance of roosting sites, and (5) mass die-offs caused by extreme temperature events. Recent research has shown, since 1994, more than 24,500 Grey-headed flying foxes have died from extreme heat events alone.

When present in urban environments, Grey-headed flying foxes are sometimes perceived as a nuisance and shot. Cultivated orchard fruits are also taken, but apparently only at times when other food items are scarce. Because their roosting and foraging habits bring the species into conflict with humans, they suffer from direct killing of animals in orchards and harassment and destruction of roosts. Negative public perception of the species has intensified with the discovery of 3 recently emerged zoonotic viruses that are potentially fatal to humans, however, only 2 isolated cases are known to be directly transmissible from bats to humans.

To answer some of the growing threats, roost sites have been legally protected since 1986 in New South Wales and since 1994 in Queensland. In 1999, the species was classified as “Vulnerable to extinction” in The Action Plan for Australian Bats, and has since been protected across its range under Australian federal law. As of 2008 the species is listed as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Source: Wikipedia, wildlife.org.au

RAAF F18 Super Hornets by Raymie Sherring

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The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engine supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets (F/A designation for Fighter/Attack). Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The Hornet is also used by the air forces of several other nations. It has been the aerial demonstration aircraft for the U.S. Navy's Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, since 1986.

The F/A-18 has a top speed of Mach 1.8. It can carry a wide variety of bombs and missiles, including air-to-air and air-to-ground, supplemented by the 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon. It is powered by two General Electric F404 turbofan engines, which give the aircraft a high thrust-to-weight ratio. The F/A-18 has excellent aerodynamic characteristics, primarily attributed to its leading edge extensions (LEX). The fighter's primary missions are fighter escort, fleet air defense, Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD), air interdiction, close air support and aerial reconnaissance. Its versatility and reliability have proven it to be a valuable carrier asset, though it has been criticized for its lack of range and payload compared to its earlier contemporaries, such as the Grumman F-14 Tomcat in the fighter and strike fighter role, and the Grumman A-6 Intruder and LTV A-7 Corsair II in the attack role.

The F/A-18 Hornet provided the baseline design for the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, a larger, evolutionary redesign of the F/A-18. Compared to the Hornet, the Super Hornet is larger, heavier and has improved range and payload. The F/A-18E/F was originally proposed as an alternative to an all-new aircraft to replace existing dedicated attack aircraft such as the A-6. The larger variant was also directed to replace the aging F-14 Tomcat, thus serving a complementary role with Hornets in the U.S. Navy, and serving a wider range of roles including refueling tanker. The Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic jamming platform was also developed from the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

Ford Falcon XY GT-HO Phase III (1971) by Peter Blackert

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The Ford XY Falcon GT is an Australian built car based on the Ford XY Falcon. Released in 1970 with the GTHO Phase III released in 1971. 1,557 units were produced from September 1970 to December 1971 with 300 GTHO Phase IIIs produced from May 1971 to November 1971. It was the fourth in the initial series of Ford Falcon GT muscle cars. A limited number were exported to South Africa, wearing Fairmont GT badging. This model is starting to increase in value as genuine GTs become harder to find.

With the rev limiter disabled it was capable of 228 kilometres per hour (142 mph) and would pull 7,000+ rpm in 4th gear. The rev limiter was set to 6,150 rpm. [not as ex factory/production then]

Technical details:

Engine Specifications:

Engine: 351 cubic inch Cleveland V8 (5.763 litre)

Bore & Stroke: 102 x 89mm (4.00 x 3.50in)

Power (DIN): 224kW (300bhp) @ 5400rpm

Torque (DIN:) 515Nm (380lb-ft) @ 3400rpm

Compression Ratio: 11:1

Configuration: Front mounted, longitudinal, 90 degree V8

Head Design: Pushrod & rocker OHV with hydraulic lifters

Exhaust System: Cast iron manifold, low restriction twin exhaust

Fuel System: 600cfm Autolite 4 barrel carburettor

Ignition System: Single point distributor

GTHO Phase III

The Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III was built for homologation, it looked almost identical to the GT. The modified version the Falcon GT built in 1971 with a heavily upgraded engine, a 4 speed top-loader gearbox and Detroit locker 9" differential. It was also equipped with special brakes and handling package, plus a 36 imperial gallons (164 litres) fuel tank.

Winner of the 1971 Bathurst 500, driven by Allan Moffat, the Phase III has been described as "...simply one of the best cars in the world, a true GT that could take on Ferraris and Astons on their own terms..." by Sports Car World.

The GTHO's 351 Cleveland engine output was understated as 300 bhp (224 kW) to satisfy insurers. It is generally accepted to produce in the region of 350-380 bhp (265 kW -283 kW). Initial cars were equipped with an electrical rev limiter which came into effect at 6,150 rpm. With the rev limiter disabled, the engine was reputed to pull in excess of 7,000 rpm, even in 4th gear. The Phase III GTHO was Australia's fastest four-door production car.

Performance:

Top Speed: 228 km/h (142 mph) @ 6150rpm 0 - 60 mph - 8.4 seconds 0 – 100 km - 8.9 seconds Standing 1/4 mile (400m) - 15.4 seconds

Value

The Phase III GTHO is in incredibly high demand with collectors and investors. Good examples have been sold for prices in excess of A$700,000. Due to this demand, a small production run, and 'fewer than 100 remaining' there been a flow on effect into values of the lesser XW and other XY Falcons, particularly genuine GS and 'standard' GT models. Other models that have also benefited from the appreciation of the GTHO include the XA and XB GT hardtops, the earlier XW GTHO Phase 1 and 2 and the XC Cobra.

A Falcon XY GTHO Phase III was sold at by Bonhams & Goodmans at auction for A$683,650 in March 2007. The car had only 40,000 km on the clock. The buyer of the car said it will be garaged, and that it won't be driven, but that he will be "keeping it as an investment". The sale price set a new auction record for Australian muscle cars. Whilst in June 2007 another Phase III sold for A$750,000. Shannons national auctions manager Christophe Boribon blames the global financial crisis for the collapse in values. "We reached an artificial high a couple of years ago but then the GFC hit. Now it is back to reality, " he said. "There is only a limited number of buyers out there for a car like that. "The car is a very rare car. The car is the holy grail of Australian muscle cars."Falcon GTHO Phase III

Price new 1971: $5300 Value 2007: $683,500 Value 2008: close to $1 million Value 2010: $331, 000

The Phase III GT is one of the few cars ever made that appreciated in value from the moment it left the dealership - even in 1975, four-year-old Phase IIIs were fetching prices equivalent to or higher than the on-road price of brand new XB GTs from Ford dealers.

Successor to the GTHO Phase III

In 1972, the XY series Falcon was replaced by the XA Falcon range. Production of approximately 200 XA-based Falcon GT-HO Phase IV cars was originally scheduled to take place in June/July 1972, but this was terminated at 'the eleventh hour' due to what became known as "The Supercar scare". The Sun-Herald newspaper had run this as a front page lead article (with banner headline in large capital letters) on Sunday 25 June 1972: "160mph 'Super Cars' Soon". (not) A copy of that front page is shown at the start of a Phase IV documentary.

Only one vehicle had been completed when production was cancelled. Three standard GTs were also at various stages of conversion into GT-HO race cars for the Bathurst 500 in October 1972. These four vehicles were later sold to specific individuals and/or dealers by Ford Australia. The Phase IV was never officially released.

[Text from Wikipedia]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_XY_Falcon_GT

This miniland-scale Lego 1971 Ford Falcon XY GT-HO Phase III has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 91st Build Challenge, - "Anger Management", - all about cars with some link to being angry.

White Album CAE Bucanneer GR.4 by Glenn Harper

White Album CAE Bucanneer GR.4

The White Album CAE Bucanneer GR.4 was the ultimate evolution of the Canadair’s Project B-103 to meet a 1952 requirement for a carrier-capable strike jet. Designed for long-range anti-shipping and land attack work with both conventional and atomic weapons (the Orenda Red Beard atomic bomb and the nuclear-armed Orenda Green Cheese radar-guided anti-ship tactical missile, but the latter was cancelled before entering service), the first production version, the Black Dress Canadair Buccaneer S.1 was under-powered and mostly used for training and development work. Featuring twin Yellow Lorry Rolls Royce Canada Hudson turbofans, the Green Tower Canadair Buccaneer GR.2 was the first truly combat-capable version. Going on to enter service with both the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), subtypes of the GR.2 would remain in production from 1962 until 1974. Produced between 1974 and 1980, the Orange Kite Buccaneer GR.3 introduced a variety of updates and replaced the Phillips Canada Black Bird radar of the S.1 and GR.2 with the Orenda Brown Shoe radar, as also used on the Dassault Mustard Hill Super Etendard.

Although successful in Canadian and foreign service, a series of structural defects emerged in the RCN’s Buccaneer fleet during the 1980s, resulting in groundings and flight restrictions. As similar issues were nobbling the RCN’s Pink Dream CF-4K Phantom II fighters at the same time, the decision was made to replace both types. Although both Dassault and CAE offered navalised versions of their current production types for the RCAF, these were sidelined in favour of “carrier natives”. The McDonald Douglas Diamond Walrus CF-18A/B Hornet FGR.1/T.2 replaced the CF-4K and the CAE’s upgraded White Album Bucanneer GR.4 replaced the earlier models. The GR.4’s airframe eliminated the issues that had become apparent with the earlier versions and featured the Orenda Strawberry Field Antilope radar, as also used on the RCAF’s Mirage 2000D and N bombers. The GR.4 replaced the GR.3’s daylight-only Honey Pie Atlis II targeting pod with the A-6E Intruder’s Hughes AAS-33A Target Recognition and Attack Multi-sensor (TRAM) turret; the turret contained a FLIR, laser range finder, laser designator and a laser spot tracker and was linked with the Strawberry Field radar for automated cueing. Taking an approach that emphasised commonality, the White Album’s cockpit equipment and layout were based on those of the Diamond Walrus and both used the latter’s Sanders ALQ-126B and ALQ-162 internal electronic warfare kit. The GR.4 featured new generation Rolls Royce Canada Marmalade Sky Hudson 800 Series turbofans with more power, greater fuel efficiency and longer times between overhauls.

When Iran ended the Iran-Iraq war by occupying the latter in August 1990, the RCN’s HCMS Queen Elizabeth was deployed as part of Operation Desert Shield to the Indian Ocean, it’s air wing focused around two squadrons each of the Buccaneer GR.4 and the Hornet FGR.1. From 16 January 1991, with Iran having failed to heed a UN demand to leave Iraq, Desert Shield turned into Desert Storm, RCN Buccaneers were in action, attacking strategic targets in Iran, often flying via Pakistani airspace. For these missions, the planes flew with both underwing slipper fuel tanks by default. Offensive ordnance carried on the outer wing pylons included CAE Sky Glass BLG 1000 Arcole laser-guided bombs, Orenda Tangerine Tree AS.30L laser-guided missiles and CAE Silver Hammer Martel TV or IIR guided missile (directed via the CAE Blue Mailman datalink pod). CAE Marshmellow Pie ARMAT anti-radiation missiles were used for the defence suppression role, planes so-equipped accompanying the attack jets and carrying the Custard Lane ECM pack in the bomb bay.

At the start of February, the RCN withdrew the HCMS Queen Elizabeth from combat duties and redeployed its air combat assets to Saudi Arabia for more tactical operations. Missions against known fixed targets continued, but increasingly battlefield interdiction while patrolling kill boxes became the norm. These operations often required different ordnance combinations to those used in January. Loadouts featured the American GBU.10 or GBU.12 or the Canadian Yellow Goodbye Mk13/18 1,000 lb Paveway 2 laser-guided bombs underwing. The inner hardpoints often carried one or two slipper fuel tanks, depending on the endurance or range required. CAE Silver Hammer Martel IIR guided missile on one or two inner pylons often supplemented the Yellow Goodbye bombs. These tactical loadouts with the Silver Hammer rarely carried the CAE Blue Mailman datalink pod. This was because they were being used in short-range scenarios, against targets identified by the FLIR and the missiles (which featured an automatic tracking mode) could be locked-on before launch. Most Silver Hammers used were fitted with the IIR guidance kit (derived from that used on the Hughes AGM-65D Maverick) in preference to the TV kit, not just for night operations, but because thermal imaging could be used when atmospheric conditions adversely attenuated the laser guidance of the Yellow Goodbye. Inside the bomb bay, four Brown Sweet Orenda Mk13/18 1,000 lb bombs or CAE Ginger Sling RBL755 cluster bombs were carried. As with the strategic missions, the rotating bomb bay usually carried the semi-conformal fuel tank, although late in the campaign the similarly shaped Golden Slumber pod with twin Yellow Flower Orenda DEFA 30mm cannon pod was sometimes carried for close air support missions.

This aircraft is depicted as photographed late in the campaign to liberate Iraq. Seen in a series of images taken during re-arming, the aircraft’s full range of ordnance can be seen. Yellow Goodbye laser-guided bombs are mounted on the outer underwing pylons, with an IIR Silver Hammer on the port inner and a 1,995 litre slipper fuel tank opposite. The Golden Slumber cannon pod is mounted to the rotating bomb bar door with four Ginger Slings inside.

In addition to their attack duties, the Buccaneer GR.4 force also performed other roles. For reconnaissance, the modular Pepper Abbey recce pack was carried in the bomb bay. This could be configured with a variety of cameras, infrared linescan instruments and side-looking radar. Buccaneers also used the Apple Road pod to provide an organic air-to-air refuelling capability, buddy refuelling other Buccaneer GR.4s and Hornet FGR.1s.

The Bloody Beetrots - Alcatraz - Milano - 11 Novembre 2013 - © Mairo Cinquetti-19 by Mairo Cinquetti

The Bloody Beetroots

Alcatraz - Milano

11 Novembre 2013

ph © Mairo Cinquetti

The Bloody Beetroots is Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo, the Italian producer born the same year as punk rock, a fact emphatically made clear by the “1977” tattooed across his chest.

In fact, that tattoo is about the most identifying public feature of Rifo, whose penchant for wearing masks (see other cultural phenomena from Underground Resistance to “V is for Vendetta”) seems to be a declaration of ominous anonymity that defers the spotlight to his long list of productions, projects, films, art, manifestoes and musical incarnations emanating from his

Bloody Beetroots production epicenter: Bloody Beetroots DJ set where the decks-manning Rifo is joined by FX man Tommy Tea; Bloody Beetroots Deathcrew 77, his “electro-punk” band with drummer Battle and Tea capable of turning a gig for thousands of fans into a political rally/empowerment seminar, and in his forthcoming embodiment, Church of Noise, which is nothing short of a “cultural-musical movement,” as Rifo calls it, with Dennis Lyxzen of Swedish hardcore punk-pioneers Refused and The (International) Noise Conspiracy.

Bloody Beetroots has always been an anomaly amidst the cocooned trends and coddled pedigrees of dance music. After fits and starts in Italian garage-punk bands, Rifo launched Bloody Beetroots in 2007. Over the next three years, he would win the support of electro house heavyweights Etienne de Crecy and Alex Gopher in Europe, and Dim Mak’s Steve Aoki stateside, with each production more elaborate and ambitious than the last.

From the start, Bloody Beetroots was capable of synergizing sonics and sensibilities from The Damned to Debussy, the anthemic wistfulness of new wave and primal screams of hardcore punk, into remarkably actualized efforts that became platforms for larger socio-political historiography and cultural histrionics: the homage to Italian Futurism of “Rombo,” the cinematic soundtrack to Nazi resistance (and you thought it was just dance music) that is “Domino”--the striking black and white video for which features Rifo using only a book as weapon, and the kick drum pattern, in an irony too rich to ignore, recalling New Order’s “Blue Monday.” Then there’s the sci-fi fantasy anarchism of writer Michael Moorcock in “Cornelius” and the Trekkie techie nerd joy of smearing sounds that is simply, cerebellum-meltingly “Warp.” Clearly on Rifo’s watch, anything’s not only possible--but from the sheer vastness of sounds and media that have materialized--probable as well. From one-man studio production to full band live show with Bloody Beetroots Death Crew 77, dance tracks to films, photography, fashion and socio-political activism are all encompassed.

“Electronic dance music is the bridge that spans my musical influences,” explains Rifo. “My intention was to use the energy of punk to give it a devastating new form--one that embraces different universes of sound, the ordered chaos that I live every day, the unique shape that every thought should have.” This “ordered chaos” has resulted in much more than music on many levels. This isn’t dance music as hedonistic escape, he says, this is shared adrenaline as catalyst and call to action. Free your ass and your mind will follow, to flip a Funkadelicism.

“The music is meant to inspire, to dream and to give a reason of strength, but it also has the power to bring people together forever. And that's why I try every day to give my audience a full view. Photography, music, fashion, icons and world history. There are many levels of communication.”

It’s this communication he is confident that can spark thought and action in listener’s lives, because similar experiences have in his. “My life is about growth, development, art and courageous actions. I firmly believe that life is made of this,” Rifo continues. “I’ve spent a lot of time over the last four years with anarchic subcultures--musical, artistic, political--and I saw in the eyes of the people the desire to reverse the situation. Anarchy, to me, is a way to free ourselves from the bite of our time. I use a multi-disciplinary action to make people free.”

Rifo clearly wants people to have more than just a good time, he wants them to re-imagine their whole world and start a new one. “I see no real revolution of our time. For years the underground world has tried to fight the rival ‘normal’ world. It’s time to create a parallel one. If we can’t fight the system, we must learn to benefit from it to build something new.”

Hence, Church of Noise, Rifo’s inaugural collaboration with Sweden’s Dennis Lyxzen (Refused/The (International) Noise Conspiracy). “Dennis and I have decided to break the mental barriers and we are here today to fight together,” he explains. Of their otherwise unlikely pairng he says, “There are many common ideas between Romborama [his debut album] and The Shape Of Punk To Come [Refused’s seminal album]. Both are primarily inspired by the anarchism of Malatesta.”

You don’t have to know your anarchist history to get what Church of Noise is about: faith and frequencies, the familiar and the ferocious, and most of all, freedom. With its siren-call of bittersweet strings waving like morning-after battle flags as well as the raw, chugging live bass and guitar-shards framing vocals that alternate between adrenal caterwaul and spoken-word break-downs (“...It only takes a sound to change the beaten path/It only takes love and courage to take it all back”...), Church of Noise is the most ambitious Bloody Beetroots recording to date.

Truly as Rifo’s calls it, “a cultural/musical movement.” From its manifesto (yes, manifesto): “Church of Noise is a congregation of lovers, fighters, sinners, artists, misfits, outcasts, losers and weirdos. In other words, normal, irrational, angry, happy, fucked-up people," it says, sounding as much like an apocalyptic cult or maybe even an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, very lower-case catholic and all-embracing but also something very positive and looking forward.

“My whole life has been determined and shaped by the people I’ve looked up and the people that have supported me,” says Rifo. “Bloody Beetroots and Church of Noise is something I owe to people to potentially be as important to them as things that influenced me to make the choices and live as freely as I have.” Mindless techno bollocks this ain’t. Enjoy. But more importantly, be inspired. To dance, sure. And hopefully, to live freer.

Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 by Benjamin Donnelly

1

After Adolf Hitler took power in Germany in 1933, the nation’s secret rearmament after World War I could come out into the open. The Luftwaffe quickly announced a competition for a single-seat point defense interceptor, able to reach 250 mph at 20,000 feet, be capable of reaching 15,000 feet in 17 minutes or less, and have heavy cannon armament. Production aircraft would need to use either the Junkers Jumo 210 or Daimler-Benz 600 series inline piston engines.

Arado, Heinkel, and the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, headed by its chief designer Willy Messerschmitt, all submitted entries. The Ar 80 was rejected, but both Heinkel’s He 112 and BFW’s Bf 109 were highly competitive. To ensure he had enough aircraft for the competition, Messerschmitt’s first Bf 109V1s were equipped with borrowed Rolls-Royce Kestrel engines. During the competition, it looked as if the He 112 would win it: the Bf 109 was disliked by test pilots because of poor visibility forward on the ground, unreliable narrow-track landing gear, sideways-closing canopy, and heaviness on the controls. However, the Bf 109 was lighter and cheaper than the He 112, and it had better maneuverability, thanks to the then novel inclusion of leading-edge slats; it was also faster. The Reich Air Ministry chose the Bf 109, noting that Messerschmitt needed to put it in full production as soon as possible: the British were testing a similar high-performance fighter, the Supermarine Spitfire.

Initially, production Bf 109s (from the A through D variants) used the less powerful Jumo engine. These aircraft provided valuable experience in the type, however: several Bf 109Ds were deployed with the German “volunteer” Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War, where it proved to be superior to anything in either the Spanish Republican or Nationalist air forces. By the beginning of World War II in September 1939, however, the majority of German fighter units had been equipped with the Daimler-Benz DB 601 powered Bf 109E, which was an even better aircraft with plenty of power. “Emils” obliterated the obsolescent air forces of Poland, Norway, and the Low Countries, and did well against more contemporary aircraft such as the Hawker Hurricane and Dewoltine D.520 over France. Only against the Spitfire, which the Bf 109 met for the first time during the Dunkirk evacuation, did it meet its match.

This was to continue during the Battle of Britain. German pilots such as Werner Molders and Adolf Galland learned that the Spitfire could turn inside the Bf 109, but that their fighter was better in the vertical; the only limit to the Bf 109’s performance was its lack of range, which limited it to 15 minutes combat time over England—the 109 simply was never designed as an escort fighter. Pilots liked the stable gun platform of the Bf 109, which concentrated its main armament in the nose, consisting of two machine guns in the cowl and a single cannon firing through the propeller hub.

Messerschmitt listened to Battle of Britain veterans and produced the Bf 109F, which was more aerodynamically clean, as it eliminated tailplane bracing and the wing cannon, which had been added before the Battle of France but impacted the 109’s manueverability. The “Fritz” was the equal of the Spitfire and superior to the P-40 Warhawk, which it began to fight in North Africa in early 1941, and far and away better than anything the Soviet Air Force could field when Hitler invaded Russia in June 1941. German veteran pilots began to rack up incredible kill ratios, with Molders and Galland topping the 100 mark in early 1941; Hans-Joachim Marseille would clear the 150 kill mark by 1942.

Yet the situation in Europe changed, and changed too rapidly for Messerschmitt to truly react. By 1943, when the Bf 109G was introduced, the tide was beginning to turn; by 1944, when 109 production hit its peak, the fighter was clearly outclassed by newer Allied fighters. The Bf 109 was not as manueverable as the P-51 Mustang and was outlcassed above 15,000 feet by the P-47 Thunderbolt; on the Eastern Front, the Russians began fielding the powerful Lavochkin La-5 and the nimble Yakovlev Yak-3. German pilot quality kept the Bf 109 very competitive in the East, where several Luftwaffe pilots now surpassed the 200 victory mark, but in the West, where Allied pilots were every bit as good as their German counterparts, attrition began to set in. German pilot training could not keep up with losses, and German pilot quality began to degrade; worse, the Bf 109 simply could not be improved any further.

By 1944, the 109 was obsolete and hunted down by American fighters ranging all over the shrinking Reich: even the best pilot could do little when he was attacked the moment he took off by P-51s superior to his aircraft and in far greater numbers. The “Gustav” had introduced the more powerful DB 605 engine, which had needed so many adaptations and cooling vents that the Bf 109G was referred to by pilots as the “pickle”: the Bf 109K returned to a more aerodynamic finish, but the “Kara” was obsolete before it entered service. Luftwaffe pilots and RLM officials had wanted Messerschmitt to end Bf 109 production in favor of the jet-powered Me 262, but this was not practical due to the lack of jet engines; Willy Messerschmitt himself also distrusted the new technology and kept the 109 in production far longer than it should have been. Whatever the case, the Bf 109 was still in production when its factories were destroyed or overrun in 1945.

Despite its shortcomings—more 109s were destroyed in landing accidents on the Eastern Front than by Russian fighters—it had proven a deadly opponent. Over a hundred Luftwaffe pilots scored more than a hundred kills in the aircraft; a few, such as Molders, Galland, and Marseille had done so against Allied pilots their equal in skill and training. On the Eastern Front, the numbers became truly ridiculous: between the two of them, Gerhard Barkhorn and Erich Hartmann destroyed 653 Soviet aircraft alone. Kill ratios against the Soviets were as high as 25 to 1. Bf 109s were also flown by the top ace of Finland, Ilmari Juutilainen, and Romania, Alexandru Serbanescu; it was also briefly flown by Italy’s top ace, Adriano Visconti.

After the end of World War II, most surviving Bf 109s were scrapped by the victorious Allies, but it remained in limited production in Czechslovakia, as the Avia S.199, and in Spain, as the Hispano HA-1112 Buchon. Due to a lack of Daimler-Benz engines, the S.199 was equipped with later model Jumo engines, which impacted their performance, leading Czech pilots to call them “Mules.” Ironically, they would be supplied to the nascent Israeli Air Force as the Sherut Avir’s first operational fighter, where they were used effectively. Buchons, refitted with Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, those used by the Bf 109’s principal foes, would stay in Spanish service until 1967. 33,984 Bf 109s were produced during World War II, making it the most widely produced fighter in history. Today, only 70 remain, with a mere seven original or restored examples airworthy.

This Bf 109G-6, Werknummer 160163, is on display in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. It has something of a strange history: a French-born Luftwaffe pilot, on his first mission with a combat unit, flew this Bf 109 south to Italy and defected to the Allies in July 1944. It was shipped back to the United States, and like much of the Smithsonian's German aircraft collection, was used for testing at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. It was donated to the Smithsonian in 1948, and remained in storage until 1974, when it was fully restored and placed on display. It is in the colors of JG 27, when the unit was deployed in Greece in early 1944. The green/gray mottled camouflage was more or less standard for the Luftwaffe by that time period.

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