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When Centrewest entered the market for low-floor double-deckers, the Plaxton President bodied Dennis Trident was the vehicle of choice being acquired in two lengths. This standard length version was new to Centrewest, in 02/2001 and began operating out of Westbourne Park for the Gold Arrow service 27/N27, the 27 being operated here when seen arriving at Hammersmith Bus Station, on 09/08/2001. It later received First national fleetnumber 32962 but retained it's TN class designation. In 11/2005, it went into store at Hayes, in west London, prior to returning to service at Westbourne Park, in 02/2006. In 09/2007, it went out on loan to London United, operating out of Shepherds Bush. Two months later to moved to their Tolworth garage but only stayed there briefly prior to moving to Hounslow. In 02/2008 it returned to First for use as a First I-Bus conversion float. In 06/2008, it transferred to Dagenham, albeit briefly, prior to moving to Stockwell being on loan to London General. In 07/2008, it moved to Mandela Way then in 10/2008, it was back to Dagenham for use as an I-Bus conversion float. A month later, it moved to Northumberland Park, via Hackney, again for use as an I-Bus conversion float. In 01/2009 is was back in storage at Hayes then in 6/2009 it went into the First Cascade Pool and was converted to single doorway, with a digital destination display as well as being repainted into Barbie livery and transferred to First Glasgow, retaining it's national fleetnumber, albeit without the TN classification. In 05/2014 it was transferred further north, this time to First Aberdeen. In 12/2017 it was sold to M8 Recovery, for scrap. These details and more can be found at www.countrybus.org/Trident/TN_First/Tri_First_a.htm#fleet.
The camera being a Pentax MZ-M with the film being a Boots Colourslide.
I would request, as with all my photos, that they are not copied or downloaded in any way, shape or form. © Peter Steel 2001.
Quick shots from a recent project I was invited to be involved with. This guy takes a standard van and converts it into a camper van. Awesome stuff!
Hover conversions for classic vehicles! Keep those old cars on the new roads with hover-drive retrofit kits from Sirius Cyberdine Industries! Don't be bound to the ground any longer! No more expensive tires! Greater comfort and ride-handling! Each kit is custom-designed for the classic auto of choice, and once prototyped, will be available in SCI inventory until all documented examples of that make/model are extinct. From cruisers, to sports cars, to utility vehicles, let SCI become your vendor of choice for updating your ride!
+++ 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 OV-10 Bronco was initially conceived in the early 1960s through an informal collaboration between W. H. Beckett and Colonel K. P. Rice, U.S. Marine Corps, who met at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California, and who also happened to live near each other. The original concept was for a rugged, simple, close air support aircraft integrated with forward ground operations. At the time, the U.S. Army was still experimenting with armed helicopters, and the U.S. Air Force was not interested in close air support.
The concept aircraft was to operate from expedient forward air bases using roads as runways. Speed was to be from very slow to medium subsonic, with much longer loiter times than a pure jet. Efficient turboprop engines would give better performance than piston engines. Weapons were to be mounted on the centerline to get efficient aiming. The inventors favored strafing weapons such as self-loading recoilless rifles, which could deliver aimed explosive shells with less recoil than cannons, and a lower per-round weight than rockets. The airframe was to be designed to avoid the back blast.
Beckett and Rice developed a basic platform meeting these requirements, then attempted to build a fiberglass prototype in a garage. The effort produced enthusiastic supporters and an informal pamphlet describing the concept. W. H. Beckett, who had retired from the Marine Corps, went to work at North American Aviation to sell the aircraft.
The aircraft's design supported effective operations from forward bases. The OV-10 had a central nacelle containing a crew of two in tandem and space for cargo, and twin booms containing twin turboprop engines. The visually distinctive feature of the aircraft is the combination of the twin booms, with the horizontal stabilizer that connected them at the fin tips. The OV-10 could perform short takeoffs and landings, including on aircraft carriers and large-deck amphibious assault ships without using catapults or arresting wires. Further, the OV-10 was designed to take off and land on unimproved sites. Repairs could be made with ordinary tools. No ground equipment was required to start the engines. And, if necessary, the engines would operate on high-octane automobile fuel with only a slight loss of power.
The aircraft had responsive handling and could fly for up to 5½ hours with external fuel tanks. The cockpit had extremely good visibility for both pilot and co-pilot, provided by a wrap-around "greenhouse" that was wider than the fuselage. North American Rockwell custom ejection seats were standard, with many successful ejections during service. With the second seat removed, the OV-10 could carry 3,200 pounds (1,500 kg) of cargo, five paratroopers, or two litter patients and an attendant. Empty weight was 6,969 pounds (3,161 kg). Normal operating fueled weight with two crew was 9,908 pounds (4,494 kg). Maximum takeoff weight was 14,446 pounds (6,553 kg).
The bottom of the fuselage bore sponsons or "stub wings" that improved flight performance by decreasing aerodynamic drag underneath the fuselage. Normally, four 7.62 mm (.308 in) M60C machine guns were carried on the sponsons, accessed through large forward-opening hatches. The sponsons also had four racks to carry bombs, pods, or fuel. The wings outboard of the engines contained two additional hardpoints, one per side. Racked armament in the Vietnam War was usually seven-shot 2.75 in (70 mm) rocket pods with white phosphorus marker rounds or high-explosive rockets, or 5" (127 mm) four-shot Zuni rocket pods. Bombs, ADSIDS air-delivered/para-dropped unattended seismic sensors, Mk-6 battlefield illumination flares, and other stores were also carried.
Operational experience showed some weaknesses in the OV-10's design. It was significantly underpowered, which contributed to crashes in Vietnam in sloping terrain because the pilots could not climb fast enough. While specifications stated that the aircraft could reach 26,000 feet (7,900 m), in Vietnam the aircraft could reach only 18,000 feet (5,500 m). Also, no OV-10 pilot survived ditching the aircraft.
The OV-10 served in the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy, as well as in the service of a number of other countries. In U.S. military service, the Bronco was operated until the early Nineties, and obsoleted USAF OV-10s were passed on to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms for anti-drug operations. A number of OV-10As furthermore ended up in the hands of the California Department of Forestry (CDF) and were used for spotting fires and directing fire bombers onto hot spots.
This was not the end of the OV-10 in American military service, though: In 2012, the type gained new attention because of its unique qualities. A $20 million budget was allocated to activate an experimental USAF unit of two airworthy OV-10Gs, acquired from NASA and the State Department. These machines were retrofitted with military equipment and were, starting in May 2015, deployed overseas to support Operation “Inherent Resolve”, flying more than 120 combat sorties over 82 days over Iraq and Syria. Their concrete missions remained unclear, and it is speculated they provided close air support for Special Forces missions, esp. in confined urban environments where the Broncos’ loitering time and high agility at low speed and altitude made them highly effective and less vulnerable than helicopters.
Furthermore, these Broncos reputedly performed strikes with the experimental AGR-20A “Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS)”, a Hydra 70-millimeter rocket with a laser-seeking head as guidance - developed for precision strikes against small urban targets with little collateral damage. The experiment ended satisfactorily, but the machines were retired again, and the small unit was dissolved.
However, the machines had shown their worth in asymmetric warfare, and the U.S. Air Force decided to invest in reactivating the OV-10 on a regular basis, despite the overhead cost of operating an additional aircraft type in relatively small numbers – but development and production of a similar new type would have caused much higher costs, with an uncertain time until an operational aircraft would be ready for service. Re-activating a proven design and updating an existing airframe appeared more efficient.
The result became the MV-10H, suitably christened “Super Bronco” but also known as “Black Pony”, after the program's internal name. This aircraft was derived from the official OV-10X proposal by Boeing from 2009 for the USAF's Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance requirement. Initially, Boeing proposed to re-start OV-10 manufacture, but this was deemed uneconomical, due to the expected small production number of new serial aircraft, so the “Black Pony” program became a modernization project. In consequence, all airframes for the "new" MV-10Hs were recovered OV-10s of various types from the "boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona.
While the revamped aircraft would maintain much of its 1960s-vintage rugged external design, modernizations included a completely new, armored central fuselage with a highly modified cockpit section, ejection seats and a computerized glass cockpit. The “Black Pony” OV-10 had full dual controls, so that either crewmen could steer the aircraft while the other operated sensors and/or weapons. This feature would also improve survivability in case of incapacitation of a crew member as the result from a hit.
The cockpit armor protected the crew and many vital systems from 23mm shells and shrapnel (e. g. from MANPADS). The crew still sat in tandem under a common, generously glazed canopy with flat, bulletproof panels for reduced sun reflections, with the pilot in the front seat and an observer/WSO behind. The Bronco’s original cargo capacity and the rear door were retained, even though the extra armor and defensive measures like chaff/flare dispensers as well as an additional fuel cell in the central fuselage limited the capacity. However, it was still possible to carry and deploy personnel, e. g. small special ops teams of up to four when the aircraft flew in clean configuration.
Additional updates for the MV-10H included structural reinforcements for a higher AUW and higher g load maneuvers, similar to OV-10D+ standards. The landing gear was also reinforced, and the aircraft kept its ability to operate from short, improvised airstrips. A fixed refueling probe was added to improve range and loiter time.
Intelligence sensors and smart weapon capabilities included a FLIR sensor and a laser range finder/target designator, both mounted in a small turret on the aircraft’s nose. The MV-10H was also outfitted with a data link and the ability to carry an integrated targeting pod such as the Northrop Grumman LITENING or the Lockheed Martin Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP). Also included was the Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver (ROVER) to provide live sensor data and video recordings to personnel on the ground.
To improve overall performance and to better cope with the higher empty weight of the modified aircraft as well as with operations under hot-and-high conditions, the engines were beefed up. The new General Electric CT7-9D turboprop engines improved the Bronco's performance considerably: top speed increased by 100 mph (160 km/h), the climb rate was tripled (a weak point of early OV-10s despite the type’s good STOL capability) and both take-off as well as landing run were almost halved. The new engines called for longer nacelles, and their circular diameter markedly differed from the former Garrett T76-G-420/421 turboprop engines. To better exploit the additional power and reduce the aircraft’s audio signature, reversible contraprops, each with eight fiberglass blades, were fitted. These allowed a reduced number of revolutions per minute, resulting in less noise from the blades and their tips, while the engine responsiveness was greatly improved. The CT7-9Ds’ exhausts were fitted with muzzlers/air mixers to further reduce the aircraft's noise and heat signature.
Another novel and striking feature was the addition of so-called “tip sails” to the wings: each wingtip was elongated with a small, cigar-shaped fairing, each carrying three staggered, small “feather blade” winglets. Reputedly, this installation contributed ~10% to the higher climb rate and improved lift/drag ratio by ~6%, improving range and loiter time, too.
Drawing from the Iraq experience as well as from the USMC’s NOGS test program with a converted OV-10D as a night/all-weather gunship/reconnaissance platform, the MV-10H received a heavier gun armament: the original four light machine guns that were only good for strafing unarmored targets were deleted and their space in the sponsons replaced by avionics. Instead, the aircraft was outfitted with a lightweight M197 three-barrel 20mm gatling gun in a chin turret. This could be fixed in a forward position at high speed or when carrying forward-firing ordnance under the stub wings, or it could be deployed to cover a wide field of fire under the aircraft when it was flying slower, being either slaved to the FLIR or to a helmet sighting auto targeting system.
The original seven hardpoints were retained (1x ventral, 2x under each sponson, and another pair under the outer wings), but the total ordnance load was slightly increased and an additional pair of launch rails for AIM-9 Sidewinders or other light AAMs under the wing tips were added – not only as a defensive measure, but also with an anti-helicopter role in mind; four more Sidewinders could be carried on twin launchers under the outer wings against aerial targets. Other guided weapons cleared for the MV-10H were the light laser-guided AGR-20A and AGM-119 Hellfire missiles, the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System upgrade to the light Hydra 70 rockets, the new Laser Guided Zuni Rocket which had been cleared for service in 2010, TV-/IR-/laser-guided AGM-65 Maverick AGMs and AGM-122 Sidearm anti-radar missiles, plus a wide range of gun and missile pods, iron and cluster bombs, as well as ECM and flare/chaff pods, which were not only carried defensively, but also in order to disrupt enemy ground communication.
In this configuration, a contract for the conversion of twelve mothballed American Broncos to the new MV-10H standard was signed with Boeing in 2016, and the first MV-10H was handed over to the USAF in early 2018, with further deliveries lasting into early 2020. All machines were allocated to the newly founded 919th Special Operations Support Squadron at Duke Field (Florida). This unit was part of the 919th Special Operations Wing, an Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the United States Air Force. It was assigned to the Tenth Air Force of Air Force Reserve Command and an associate unit of the 1st Special Operations Wing, Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). If mobilized the wing was gained by AFSOC (Air Force Special Operations Command) to support Special Tactics, the U.S. Air Force's special operations ground force. Similar in ability and employment to Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC), U.S. Army Special Forces and U.S. Navy SEALs, Air Force Special Tactics personnel were typically the first to enter combat and often found themselves deep behind enemy lines in demanding, austere conditions, usually with little or no support.
The MV-10Hs are expected to provide support for these ground units in the form of all-weather reconnaissance and observation, close air support and also forward air control duties for supporting ground units. Precision ground strikes and protection from enemy helicopters and low-flying aircraft were other, secondary missions for the modernized Broncos, which are expected to serve well into the 2040s. Exports or conversions of foreign OV-10s to the Black Pony standard are not planned, though.
General characteristics:
Crew: 2
Length: 42 ft 2½ in (12,88 m) incl. pitot
Wingspan: 45 ft 10½ in(14 m) incl. tip sails
Height: 15 ft 2 in (4.62 m)
Wing area: 290.95 sq ft (27.03 m²)
Airfoil: NACA 64A315
Empty weight: 9,090 lb (4,127 kg)
Gross weight: 13,068 lb (5,931 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 17,318 lb (7,862 kg)
Powerplant:
2× General Electric CT7-9D turboprop engines, 1,305 kW (1,750 hp) each,
driving 8-bladed Hamilton Standard 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) diameter constant-speed,
fully feathering, reversible contra-rotating propellers with metal hub and composite blades
Performance:
Maximum speed: 390 mph (340 kn, 625 km/h)
Combat range: 198 nmi (228 mi, 367 km)
Ferry range: 1,200 nmi (1,400 mi, 2,200 km) with auxiliary fuel
Maximum loiter time: 5.5 h with auxiliary fuel
Service ceiling: 32.750 ft (10,000 m)
13,500 ft (4.210 m) on one engine
Rate of climb: 17.400 ft/min (48 m/s) at sea level
Take-off run: 480 ft (150 m)
740 ft (227 m) to 50 ft (15 m)
1,870 ft (570 m) to 50 ft (15 m) at MTOW
Landing run: 490 ft (150 m)
785 ft (240 m) at MTOW
1,015 ft (310 m) from 50 ft (15 m)
Armament:
1x M197 3-barreled 20 mm Gatling cannon in a chin turret with 750 rounds ammo capacity
7x hardpoints for a total load of 5.000 lb (2,270 kg)
2x wingtip launch rails for AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs
The kit and its assembly:
This fictional Bronco update/conversion was simply spawned by the idea: could it be possible to replace the original cockpit section with one from an AH-1 Cobra, for a kind of gunship version?
The basis is the Academy OV-10D kit, mated with the cockpit section from a Fujimi AH-1S TOW Cobra (Revell re-boxing, though), chosen because of its “boxy” cockpit section with flat glass panels – I think that it conveys the idea of an armored cockpit section best. Combining these parts was not easy, though, even though the plan sound simple. Initially, the Bronco’s twin booms, wings and stabilizer were built separately, because this made PSR on these sections easier than trying the same on a completed airframe. One of the initial challenges: the different engines. I wanted something uprated, and a different look, and I had a pair of (excellent!) 1:144 resin engines from the Russian company Kompakt Zip for a Tu-95 bomber at hand, which come together with movable(!) eight-blade contraprops that were an almost perfect size match for the original three-blade props. Biggest problem: the Tu-95 nacelles have a perfectly circular diameter, while the OV-10’s booms are square and rectangular. Combining these parts and shapes was already a messy PST affair, but it worked out quite well – even though the result rather reminds of some Chinese upgrade measure (anyone know the Tu-4 copies with turboprops? This here looks similar!). But while not pretty, I think that the beafier look works well and adds to the idea of a “revived” aircraft. And you can hardly beat the menacing look of contraprops on anything...
The exotic, so-called “tip sails” on the wings, mounted on short booms, are a detail borrowed from the Shijiazhuang Y-5B-100, an updated Chinese variant/copy of the Antonov An-2 biplane transporter. The booms are simple pieces of sprue from the Bronco kit, the winglets were cut from 0.5mm styrene sheet.
For the cockpit donor, the AH-1’s front section was roughly built, including the engine section (which is a separate module, so that the basic kit can be sold with different engine sections), and then the helicopter hull was cut and trimmed down to match the original Bronco pod and to fit under the wing. This became more complicated than expected, because a) the AH-1 cockpit and the nose are considerably shorter than the OV-10s, b) the AH-1 fuselage is markedly taller than the Bronco’s and c) the engine section, which would end up in the area of the wing, features major recesses, making the surface very uneven – calling for massive PSR to even this out. PSR was also necessary to hide the openings for the Fujimi AH-1’s stub wings. Other issues: the front landing gear (and its well) had to be added, as well as the OV-10 wing stubs. Furthermore, the new cockpit pod’s rear section needed an aerodynamical end/fairing, but I found a leftover Academy OV-10 section from a build/kitbashing many moons ago. Perfect match!
All these challenges could be tackled, even though the AH-1 cockpit looks surprisingly stout and massive on the Bronco’s airframe - the result looks stockier than expected, but it works well for the "Gunship" theme. Lots of PSR went into the new central fuselage section, though, even before it was mated with the OV-10 wing and the rest of the model.
Once cockpit and wing were finally mated, the seams had to disappear under even more PSR and a spinal extension of the canopy had to be sculpted across the upper wing surface, which would meld with the pod’s tail in a (more or less) harmonious shape. Not an easy task, and the fairing was eventually sculpted with 2C putty, plus even more PSR… Looks quite homogenous, though.
After this massive body work, other hardware challenges appeared like small distractions. The landing gear was another major issue because the deeper AH-1 section lowered the ground clearance, also because of the chin turret. To counter this, I raised the OV-10’s main landing gear by ~2mm – not much, but it was enough to create a credible stance, together with the front landing gear transplant under the cockpit, which received an internal console to match the main landing gear’s length. Due to the chin turret and the shorter nose, the front wheel retracts backwards now. But this looks quite plausible, thanks to the additional space under the cockpit tub, which also made a belt feed for the gun’s ammunition supply believable.
To enhance the menacing look I gave the model a fixed refueling boom, made from 1mm steel wire and a receptor adapter sculpted with white glue. The latter stuff was also used add some antenna fairings around the hull. Some antennae, chaff dispensers and an IR decoy were taken from the Academy kit.
The ordnance came from various sources. The Sidewinders under the wing tips were taken from an Italeri F-16C/D kit, they look better than the missiles from the Academy Bronco kit. Their launch rails came from an Italeri Bae Hawk 200. The quadruple Hellfire launchers on the underwing hardpoints were left over from an Italeri AH-1W, and they are a perfect load for this aircraft and its role. The LAU-10 and -19 missile pods on the stub wings were taken from the OV-10 kit.
Painting and markings:
Finding a suitable and somewhat interesting – but still plausible – paint scheme was not easy. Taking the A-10 as benchmark, an overall light grey livery (with focus on low contrast against the sky as protection against ground fire) would have been a likely choice – and in fact the last operational American OV-10s were painted in this fashion. But in order to provide a different look I used the contemporary USAF V-22Bs and Special Operations MC-130s as benchmark, which typically carry a darker paint scheme consisting of FS 36118 (suitably “Gunship Gray” :D) from above, FS 36375 underneath, with a low, wavy waterline, plus low-viz markings. Not spectacular, but plausible – and very similar to the late r/w Colombian OV-10s.
The cockpit tub became Dark Gull Grey (FS 36231, Humbrol 140) and the landing gear white (Revell 301).
The model received an overall black ink washing and some post-panel-shading, to liven up the dull all-grey livery. The decals were gathered from various sources, and I settled for black USAF low-viz markings. The “stars and bars” come from a late USAF F-4, the “IP” tail code was tailored from F-16 markings and the shark mouth was taken from an Academy AH-64. Most stencils came from another Academy OV-10 sheet and some other sources.
Decals were also used to create the trim on the propeller blades and markings on the ordnance.
Finally, the model was sealed with a coat of matt acrylic varnish (Italeri) and some exhaust soot stains were added with graphite along the tail boom flanks.
A successful transplantation – but is this still a modified Bronco or already a kitbashing? The result looks quite plausible and menacing, even though the TOW Cobra front section appears relatively massive. But thanks to the bigger engines and extended wing tips the proportions still work. The large low-pressure tires look a bit goofy under the aircraft, but they are original. The grey livery works IMHO well, too – a more colorful or garish scheme would certainly have distracted from the modified technical basis.
Just finished up this model! I had a lot of fun working on this guy for my collection, I just might make another one!
Former Mersey ferry 'Royal Daffodil' at Garston Docks Liverpool, in the process of conversion to a bar/event/waterside attraction at Canning Dock Liverpool. The engines were removed in 2019 at Carmet Marine Bromborough on the opposite side of the river, this was done by cutting out a section of the hull and craning out then re-plating before being towed to Garston.
Hover conversions for classic vehicles! Keep those old cars on the new roads with hover-drive retrofit kits from Sirius Cyberdine Industries! Don't be bound to the ground any longer! No more expensive tires! Greater comfort and ride-handling! Each kit is custom-designed for the classic auto of choice, and once prototyped, will be available in SCI inventory until all documented examples of that make/model are extinct. From cruisers, to sports cars, to utility vehicles, let SCI become your vendor of choice for updating your ride!
Hover conversions for classic vehicles! Keep those old cars on the new roads with hover-drive retrofit kits from Sirius Cyberdine Industries! Don't be bound to the ground any longer! No more expensive tires! Greater comfort and ride-handling! Each kit is custom-designed for the classic auto of choice, and once prototyped, will be available in SCI inventory until all documented examples of that make/model are extinct. From cruisers, to sports cars, to utility vehicles, let SCI become your vendor of choice for updating your ride!
[...] el hecho me dolió, pues comprendí que el incesante y vasto universo ya se apartaba y que ese cambio era el primero de una serie infinita. Cambiará el universo pero yo no, pensé con melancólica vanidad [...]
El Aleph
Norman M. Dean's 120 medium format film conversion for the iconic and beloved Polaroid Automatic Land Camera. Blog and discussion on today's Film Photography Podcast Ep. 241.
Please share the excitement!
filmphotographyproject.com/podcast/2020/01/podcast-episod...
Can't agree more that LSAs look best with their tails low and nose raised high, ready to leap off the ground as soon as we push the throttle in ^.^
((DLM RP90 Zenith LSA by DLM Aerospace. Taildragger conversion by me))
From a my flat photo taken in Chengyang, Guangxi, China
CROSSVIEW
To view 3D pics cross your eyes focusing between at the pictures until both images overlap one another in the middle.
Per vedere le foto in 3D incrociare (strabuzzare) gli occhi fino a che le due immagini si sovrappongono formandone una sola centrale.
+++ 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:
Following World War II the Allies dissolved the Wehrmacht with all its branches on 20 August 1946. However, already one year after the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany in May 1949 and because of its increasing links with the West, the Consultative Assembly of Europe began to consider the formation of a European Defence Community with German participation on 11 August 1950.
By March 1954, plans for a new German army had become concrete and foresaw the formation of six infantry, four armored, and two mechanized infantry divisions, as the German contribution to the defense of Western Europe in the framework of a European Defence Community. Following a decision at the London Nine Power Conference of 28 September to 3 October 1954, Germany's entry into NATO effective from 9 May 1955 was accepted as a replacement for the failed European Defence Community plan.
The official founding date of the German army was 12 November 1955 when the first soldiers began their service in Andernach, even though preparations began earlier. In 1956, the first troops set up seven training companies in Andernach and began the formation of schools and training centers. On 1 April 1957, the first conscripts arrived for service in the army. The first military organisations created were instructional battalions, officer schools, and the Army Academy, the forerunner to the Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr in Hamburg. In total twelve armored and infantry divisions were to be established by 1959, as planned in Army Structure I. To achieve this goal, existing units were split approximately every six months. However, the creation of all twelve divisions did not take place until 1965. At the end of 1958 the strength of the army was about 100,000 men.
Concerning vehicles, the German army was equipped at first with American material, such as the M47 Patton main battle tank or M7 Priest SPGs. Lighter vehicles, like the “Schützenpanzer Kurz 11-2” family or the “Schützenpanzer Lang HS-30” AFV, were developed and/or produced with foreign support. Additionally, also as a measure to bring the German industry back into business and to fill equipment gaps, some leftover vehicles from WWII were modernized and put back into service. One of these vehicles was the so-called “Spähpanzer Puma (Neu)”, an update of the highly successful SdKfz. 234/2 8x8 heavy reconnaissance vehicle, one of the best armored scout vehicles during WWII.
Germany had a long and successful history of heavy 8x8 scout cars, starting with the SdKfz. 231 in the Thirties. The Sd.Kfz. 234 was the final development of this vehicle family that actually made it into service. For its time, the Sd.Kfz. 234 incorporated several innovative features, including a monocoque chassis (instead of a classic frame with a hull mounted on top), an independent suspension on each wheel and an air-cooled Tatra 103 diesel engine (at the time of the vehicle’s design all German armored vehicles were powered by gasoline engines) with a net power of 220 hp@2,250 rpm and a very good power-to-weight ratio of 21 hp/ton. This engine gave also the vehicle an extraordinary range of more than 600 miles (1.000 km). The reason behind this was that the SdKfz. 234 was originally intended for use in North Africa, but it came into service in late 1942 and was therefore too late for this theatre of operations. Furthermore, the vehicle featured eight-wheel steering and drive and was able to change direction quickly thanks to a second, rear-facing, driver's seat. Despite its late service introduction, the SdKfz. 234 nevertheless proved useful on the Eastern and Western Fronts. It was quite formidable, commonly used in pairs, one equipped with a long-range radio communications kit while the other possessed only a short-range radio.
A small number of SdKfz. 234s survived the wartime on German soil and had been stashed away as a reserve. Their reactivation for the nascent Bundeswehr in the Fifties covered the replacement of the outdated Tatra engine, for which no spare parts were available anymore, with an air-cooled, supercharged Magirus-Deutz V8 Diesel engine. It had less power (125 kW/180 hp) than the former Tatra V12, but was more reliable and offered more torque and an even better mileage. Furthermore, this was basically a standard engine that was widely used in civil lorries and many other military vehicles of the time, including those operated by the West-German Bundesheer, too. Thanks to the smaller size of the new engine, sound-damping materials could be added and the exhaust system was optimized, so that the vehicle’s noise level was considerably reduced. The additional internal space was also used for two communication kits: a short-range radio was installed in the new turret (see below), while a long-range radio kit was placed into the hull, next to the rear driver.
The suspension was modernized and beefed up, too, with heavy duty shock absorbers, wider wheels and a pressure control system, so that ground pressure could be reduced by the crew from the inside of the vehicle for an adaptable, improved on- and off-road performance. The SdKfz. 234’s crew of four in its former positions was retained, including the second, backwards-facing steering wheel for the radio operator.
Since the West German SdKfz. 234 survivor fleet consisted of different body variants (mostly with open hulls and just two former SdKfz. 234/2s with a closed turret) and vehicles in various states of completion, hull and the armament were unified for the Puma (Neu): all revamped vehicles received a newly developed, welded two-man turret with a low profile. The commander on the left side did not have a cupola, but his position was slightly raised and no less than seven mirrors plus a forward-facing infrared sight for night operations allowed a very good field of view. Both crewmen in the hull also received additional three mirrors above their workstations for a better field of view while driving.
Main weapon of the Puma (Neu) became a 20 mm Rheinmetall MK 20 Rh202 autocannon, a license-built Hispano-Suiza 820 L/85, together with a co-axial 7.62 mm MG42/57 light machine gun. The MK 20 was a common anti-aircraft weapon at the time and mounted to other Bundeswehr vehicles like the HS-30 AFV, too. It could fire HE and AP rounds at 800–1000 RPM, making it efficient against lightly armored vehicles (25-30 mm of armor) at up to 1,500 m range, with a maximum range of 2,000 m. 750 rounds of 20 mm ammunition were carried, even though ammunition feed had to be changed manually. The weapons were not stabilized, but they had a 15x15 periscopic sight and could be elevated between -5° and + 75°, so that it could be aimed at both ground and air targets. Three additional smoke grenade launchers per turret side were provided for tactical and emergency concealment.
Only a small number (40 plus two prototypes) of Spähpanzer Puma (Neu) were eventually converted or re-build from spares, but they became in 1957 the launch equipment of the Bundeswehr’s armored reconnaissance brigades, together with M8 Greyhound scout cars donated by the USA, even though the latter were soon complemented and replaced by tracked vehicles, based on the Schützenpanzer Kurz. However, due to their high road speed and excellent range, the Puma (Neu) scout cars were popular and remained in service until the late Seventies, when a new generation of 8x8 reconnaissance vehicles in the form of the amphibious Spähpanzer Luchs was introduced and replaced all 1st generation Bundeswehr vehicles.
Specifications:
Crew: Four (commander, gunner, driver, radio operator/2nd driver)
Weight: 10.500 kg (23,148 lbs)
Length: 6.02 m (19 ft 9 in)
Width: 2.36 m (7 ft 9 in)
Height: 2.84 metres (9 ft 4 in)
Suspension: Independent on each wheel, with leaf springs
Track width: 1.95 m (6 ft 4 1/2 in)
Wading depth: 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in)
Trench crossing capability: 2m (6 ft 6 1/2 in)
Ground clearance: 350 mm (13 3/4 in)
Climbing capability: 30°
Fuel capacity: 240 l
Armor:
9-30 mm (.35-1.18 in) steel armor
Performance:
Maximum road speed: 80 km/h (49 mph)
Operational range: 800 km (500 mi)
Fuel consumption: 30 l/100 km on roads, 45 l/100 km off-road
Power/weight: 17 PS/t
Engine:
Air-cooled, supercharged 10,622 cc (648³ in) Magirus-Deutz F8L 614K V8 diesel engine,
with 132 kW (180 hp) output at 2.500 RPM
Transmission:
Büssing-NAG "GS" with 6 forward and reverse gears, eight-wheel drive
Armament:
1× 20 mm (0.79 in) Rheinmetall (Hispano-Suiza) MK 20 Rh202 autocannon with 750 rounds
1× co-axial 7.62 mm MG42/57 light machine gun 2.000 rounds
The kit and its assembly:
This German 8x8 vehicle is a contribution to the “Back into service” Group Build at whatifmodelers.com in late 2019. Beyond aircraft I also thought about (armored) vehicles that could fit into this theme, and the SdKfz. 234/2 “Puma” (even though this popular name was never official!) came to my mind, because it was a very effective vehicle with many modern features for its time. So, what could a modernized Puma for the young Bundeswehr look like…?
The starting point became the very nice Hasegawa SdKfz. 234/2 kit, which did not – except for some PSR between the hull halves – pose any complications. I did not want to change too much for the Bundeswehr update, but new/wider wheels and a new, more modern turret with a light post-war weapon appeared sensible.
The wheels come from a ModelTrans aftermarket resin set for the LAV-25 – they are quite modern, but they do not look out of place. Their different, more solid style as well as the slightly bigger diameter and the wider tires change the Puma’s look considerably. In order to mount them, I modified the suspension and cut away the former attachment point on the four axles, replacing them with thin, die-punched styrene discs. This reduced the track width far enough so that the new, wider wheels would fit under the original mudguards. It’s a tight arrangement, but does not look implausible. The spare wheel, normally mounted to the vehicle’s rear, was omitted.
The turret was taken from a Revell “Luchs” Spähpanzer kit, but simplified so that it would have a more vintage look. For instance, the machine gun ring mount above the commander’s hatch was omitted, as well as the rotating warning light and the modern smoke grenade dischargers. The latter were replaced by the WWII triple dischargers from the Hasegawa kit, for a more vintage look.
To my astonishment, the Luchs turret was easy to mate with the Puma chassis: its attachment ring diameter was almost identical! The new part could be attached almost without a problem or modification. I just added some reinforcements to the hull’s flanks, since the Luchs turret is slightly wider than the SdKfz. 234/2’s horseshoe-shaped turret. Beyond that, only small, cosmetic things were added, like mirror fairings for both drivers above their workstations, license plates at the front and the rear and antennae.
Painting and markings:
Creating an early Bundeswehr vehicle is a simple task, because there is only one potential color option until the Eighties: a uniform livery in Gelboliv (RAL 6014). Due to the livery’s simplicity, I used a rattle can to paint hull, turret and wheels separately.
After some detail painting, a very dark brown wash with acrylic paint and some post shading with Revell 42 (also Gelboliv, but a rather greenish and bright interpretation of the tone) as well as dry-brushing with Revell 46 and 45 along the many edges were used to weather the model and emphasize details. After decals had been applied (mostly from a Peddinghaus sheet for early Bundeswehr vehicles, plus some tactical markings from the Revell Luchs), the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish.
Once dry and completed, some artist pigments were added around the wheels and lower hull in order to simulate dust and dirt. On the lower chassis, some pigments were also "cluttered" onto small patches of the acrylic varnish, so that the stuff soaks it up, builds volume and becomes solid - the perfect simulation of dry mud crusts. I found the uniform livery to look quite dull, so I added some branches (real moss, spray-painted with dark green acrylic paint from a rattle can) to the hull – a frequent field practice.
This was a very quick project – in fact, the model was completed in the course of just one evening, and painting it was a quick affair, too, lasting only another day. However, I like the result. The SdKfz. 234/2 already had a quite modern look in its original guise, but the new wheels and the Luchs turret change its look considerably, it really has an even more modern feel that fits well into the early Bundeswehr era.
while in albay, bicol, philippines my son and i came across this old cemetery , which is always a lure for a taphophile like me. took photos of some niches and gravestones, some dating back to the 19th century. after some research and investigation i found out that the land of this cemetery had been sold and will be due for conversion and development into a mall or a shopping centre. well, i'm lucky i was able to take some photos for posterity. here are some images of this moment
Over the years this place has been a school, an adult education venue and the offices of the Coast and Countryside Trust, but now it is being converted into residential houses and I think it's looking good.
NS 1801 which is part Norfolk Southern's newest rebuild projects, has been converted from NS 2548. These units were replaced with SD70ACe style cabs, new control stands, AC traction motors were installed, as well as PTC system and other various electronic equipment.
This unit is in Altoona getting it's final testing, and will be completely repainted, and put into service.
You just know when you get the right picture with loads of atmosphere, it has to be converted into mono,best in black!!!!
Brownie 127 conversion to accept 35mm film. Spacers on the 127 spool, 24x36mm film gate and red film number window taped up. So ready to go, but.... I foresee the problem of extracting the spool and rewinding into the cartridge without scratching the film surface. Also the frame spacing would be diffucult - appx one turn of the winder per frame. But that changes as the spooled film diamater increases.... I might yet put 35mm onto 127 backing paper for a more conventional process. At least the 35mm film gate will be useful either way.
Shirebrook
lot 2 of 3
removing the wagons in blocks of 5 for conversion.
shirebrook pilot loco propels 5 more in to the compound. when all 15 were in the 3 JNAs were re attached for 6Z21 to Bescot
Infrared Landscape shot with Canon EOS 7D using a 590 nm converted infrared lens with Conversion by LifePixel
Hover conversions for classic vehicles! Keep those old cars on the new roads with hover-drive retrofit kits from Sirius Cyberdine Industries! Don't be bound to the ground any longer! No more expensive tires! Greater comfort and ride-handling! Each kit is custom-designed for the classic auto of choice, and once prototyped, will be available in SCI inventory until all documented examples of that make/model are extinct. From cruisers, to sports cars, to utility vehicles, let SCI become your vendor of choice for updating your ride!
The Class 153 "Super Sprinters" are single car multiple units (if that is not a contradiction in terms), but their origin is in the old British Rail Class 155 two car sets, from which these were converted in 1991/92. The 155s had been built for BR by British Leyland, and were introduced between 1987 and 1988. The conversions were done by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock.
This particular example, pulling into Barnetby (Lincolnshire) on a service to Grimsby Town, is number 153 379.
Tandem Axel Crown Coach RV conversion near Swan Valley, Idaho.
Found some info on Instagram of the guy who did the conversion.
www.instagram.com/shelleythetinybus/
10/05/2021
Hover conversions for classic vehicles! Keep those old cars on the new roads with hover-drive retrofit kits from Sirius Cyberdine Industries! Don't be bound to the ground any longer! No more expensive tires! Greater comfort and ride-handling! Each kit is custom-designed for the classic auto of choice, and once prototyped, will be available in SCI inventory until all documented examples of that make/model are extinct. From cruisers, to sports cars, to utility vehicles, let SCI become your vendor of choice for updating your ride!