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In the quietness of a warming sun an eagle has his morning interrupted by a strange figure that warrants a closer inspection. Though each eagle has its own character traits, every one of them has an invisible circle that marks their personal space.
As long as I stay out of that, they will normally stay on their perch but if I trespass a step into that circle that becomes an automatic signal to them to leave.
I find their evaluative process quite fascinating. It shows up in different ways that make sense to them even if it does not to a human observer. One thing that is pretty consistent is an eagle will let you slowly drive by its temporary home and gawk at it but if you have to back up your vehicle to get a better photo it will take the backing up as a danger signal and off it will go.
(Photographed near Cambridge, MN)
On Sunday Caithlin was judged by Aina Hauge. She received her first certificate as International Premier and was once more nominated for the stage show - her 6th nomination in 7 shows!
Dushara Cathal Caithlin (Somali) at Min Kattklub cat show in Kristianstad, Sweden, 08.03.2015.
Olympus E-400 Digital Camera
Photographed here departing Chester Railway Station is an Alexander Dennis E40D Enviro400 City on loan to Arriva Buses Wales with the registration SN66WLK and fleet code 7921, which was new to Alexander Dennis, Falkirk in October 2016 and is seen operating the 11:40 Sapphire service 1 to Wrexham.
A lolvely young Belted Kingfisher gives me a wary look, but decided I wasn't a threat as I floated up to her in the kayak. She sat with me for about 20 minutes before flying off to join her parents in the woods behind.
Beech T-34 Mentor done up in the markings of a chase plane from the Naval Weapons Evaluation Facility at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. Seen taxiing in at the 2014 Copperstate Fly-In in Casa Grande, Arizona.
In what is becoming a spring/summer series for me, this is a photograph of Bleeding Hearts shot in ultraviolet light and the camera capturing the fluorescence that results. Regular camera + pure UV light can create magic!
This shot was also made on the new Panasonic GH5. I’ve been evaluating the camera over the past couple of weeks and while I don’t have a full review, it has exceeded expectations in many ways. For a high ISO image (3200) on a MFT sensor I expected more trouble, and with an extreme scenario like UVIVF (ultraviolet-induced visible fluorescence) it handled itself well. This image is uncropped, but obviously edited.
For those that don’t know my “usual” gear, it’s a Canon 1DX mark II and a wonderful assortment of lenses, flashes, and accessories to push photographic limits. The Panasonic GH5 is proving to be a capable replacement for this in some ways, with the benefits of a smaller size making up for other minor shortcomings for the work I’m currently doing. In the coming weeks I’ll be shooting a few video projects with this, but as a stills camera I’m not in the least disappointed.
I was surprised when I saw Bleeding Hearts out so early in my gardens (this image was taken at the end of April), and needed to get a shot of them before the hearts opened up – I figured this would make for a cleaner image overall for this purpose. It was fascinating to see that different parts of the flower fluoresced back to the camera at a different frequency. Many flowers will fluoresce into the blues and purples like this giving a characteristic look, but my experiments with daffodils revealed yellow-green fluorescence.
I suppose it makes sense that the most common fluorescence would be in the purple-blue hues. I read a study that referenced nitrogen content in “resilin”, a rubbery/elastic compound commonly found in insects. Since plants are often fueled by nitrogen, could it contribute to these glowing colours in some way? The question is more complex than one single element can explain, but at least it’s a place to start.
From a processing standpoint, there was one surprise: the noise reduction algorithms in Lightroom and Photoshop are terrible. Likely due to the unusual colour palette and gamut of these images, the noise reduction slider actually added a ton of noise in certain areas of the image. I did a double-take on this, and even restarted to Photoshop thinking it was some sort of glitch… but saturated purple-blues are tough to handle with most edits. Brightening them shifts them too far to purple and requires a hue shift back, contrast dramatically increases saturation which isn’t expected, and noise reduction is just backwards. This is not fault of the camera gear used, but the processing “engine” not properly handling this fringe-case of an image. Printing these photos becomes an even more epic challenge!
The adventure continues… there is much to discover here!
(If you’re curious to experiment with these kinds of techniques as well, I can answer any questions you have. I’d also be happy to show you how it’s done in a one-on-one workshop in my studio. If you’re interested, let me know! I also have group macro workshops available here: www.donkom.ca/workshops/ )
85 degree drop, loose stones, 40 foot straight down. It's a yes. He managed this without a moment's hesitation and without losing footing once.
So I have turned this into a bit of an exercise in lens evaluation. This time I shot this still life with the 4x5 Intrepid and the Schneider Xenotar f2.8 lens (105mm) to see how things rendered. This lens is made for a much smaller format than 4x5 so you can see significant vignetting in the corners. Sometimes that is an asset, sometimes not so much.
I'm surprised at how different the rendering of the scene is using the Xenotar, compared to the Kodak Ektar 12". There's really a huge difference! The Ektar delivers a much softer, more pleasing image, in my opinion.
What do YOU think? Do you have a favorite so far? Next comes the Voigtlander Petzval on 5x7!
Photographed here at Wrexham Bus Station is an Alexander Dennis E20D Enviro200 MMC on loan to Townlynx with the registration YX65RLO, which was new to Alexander Dennis, Falkirk in December 2015 and is seen alighting passengers after completing the 08:45 service 28A from Flint.
The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson
Shorebirds of Ireland with Jim Wilson.
Freshwater Birds of Ireland with Jim Wilson (NOW OUT OF PRINT)
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across temperate Europe and Asia. In Europe, this species is often referred to just as the "curlew", and in Scotland known as the "whaup" in Scots. The familiar call is a loud curloo-oo.
The only similar species over most of the curlew's range is the Whimbrel (N. phaeopus). The Whimbrel is smaller and has a shorter bill with a kink rather than a smooth curve. Flying curlews may also resemble, albeit not existing in the same area, Bar-tailed Godwits (Limosa lapponica) in their winter plumages; however, the latter have a smaller body, a slightly upturned beak, and legs that do not reach far beyond their tail tips. The Eurasian curlew's feet are longer, forming a conspicuous "point". The curlew exists as a migratory species over most of its range, wintering in Africa, southern Europe and south Asia. Occasionally a vagrant individual reaches places far from its normal range, such as Nova Scotia and the Marianas. It is present all year in the milder climates of Ireland, the United Kingdom and its adjacent European coasts.
Formerly classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN, it was suspected to be rarer than generally assumed. Following the evaluation of its population size, the classification was found to be incorrect, and it was consequently promoted to Near Threatened status in 2008. Though it is a common bird, its numbers are noticeably declining. In Ireland, the breeding population is estimated to have declined by 86% in the last 30 years. (wikipedia)
The haunting cry of the Curlew is one of the most evocative and memorable sounds of the Irish landscape. For me, it is the sound of my childhood, when I would be out birdwatching during the winter months around Cork Harbour.
Sadly, these iconic birds have been suffering severe declines for many years in Ireland. Whilst they are still a regular sight along our coasts in winter when migrant birds from northern Europe come here to take advantage of our relatively mild winters, feeding in our estuaries and wetlands in large numbers, it is our resident breeding population that is now in danger of extinction. A terrible indictment of the country's (and governments) attitude to our natural heritage. Ireland's reputation for being "green" is, sadly, built on a myth.
Please see the Cry of the Curlew Appeal, initiated by Birdwatch Ireland, if you wish to help conserve this species.
This individual was feeding along the estuary in Dublin Bay before the rising tide forced the bird to fly over the Wooden Bridge and into the North Bull Island in Co. Dublin.
Route 486 is being used for evaluation of new bus types. One of these is London Central Wright Streetdeck WSD1. It is seen here leaving North Greenwich on the way to Bexleyheath.
Dendrocopus major
Mórchnagaire breac
[order] Piciformes | [family] Picidae | [latin] Dendrocopos major | [UK] Great Spotted Woodpecker | [FR] Pic épeiche | [DE] Buntspecht | [ES] Carpintero Picapinos | [IT] Picchio rosso maggiore | [NL] Grote Bonte Specht
spanwidth min.: 38 cm
spanwidth max.: 44 cm
size min.: 23 cm
size max.: 26 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 10 days
incubation max.: 13 days
fledging min.: 20 days
fledging max.: 24 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 4
eggs max.: 7
Status: Recent colonist to broadleaf forests in eastern Ireland.
Conservation Concern: Green-listed in Ireland. The European population has been evaluated as Secure.
Identification: About the same size as Mistle Thrush. A distinctive black and white bird when seen well. The face, throat and underparts are white, while the back, rump and tail are black. Also has a large white patch at the base of the wings, while the vent is pale red. In flight, the wings are mainly black, with obvious rows of spotting on the primaries and secondaries. Adult male Great Spotted Woodpeckers are identifiable by a small red patch on the back of the head. Adult females have a black nape and crown.
Similar Species: None in Ireland.
Call: The most frequently heard call is a loud "kick", when agitated given in a continous series. Does not sing, but has distinctive drumming display from early Spring onwards. Drumms last between 1 and 2 seconds.
Diet: Feeds on insects found in wood, as well as pine cones in autumn. During the breeding season, may also take eggs and chicks of other birds. Will visit garden bird tables in suburban areas.
Breeding: Only a handful of pairs breed in Ireland, usually in oak woodlands with some coniferous woods nearby. A common species in Britain and Continental Europe and frequently visits bird feeders in gardens. Breeds in nestholes it excavates in decaying wood.
Wintering: Great Spotted Woodpeckers remain on their territory during the winter. Young birds move to new territories in autumn
Where to See: The good places to look for Great Spotted Woodpeckers include the woodlands around the Glendalough Lakes, as well as Tomnafinogue Wood in south County Wicklow.
Great-spotted Woodpecker is the most widespread and common woodpecker on the European continent. Male has black and white plumage, with red vent and rear crown. Forehead is buffy-white and crown is black. Cheeks and throat are white with a black moustache, joining the red nape, descending towards the chest and joining again the black back while it borders a white patch on the side of the neck. Upperparts are black, with white large patches on wings and white edges on primaries. Tail is black with white spots on outer feathers. Underparts are whitish with a broad black semi-collar on upper breast, and red vent. The strong pointed bill is black, eyes are dark, circled by fine white stripe. Legs and zygodactylous feet are greyish. It has long sticky tongue, to extract insects and larvae from bark crevices. Female has entire black crown. Juvenile has red crown and duller plumage than adults. Birds of west and south of Europe have brownish-white forehead and underparts, and weaker bill. Birds from Algeria and Tunisia have black and red chest, and red of the vent extending to belly.
Great-spotted Woodpecker feeds mostly in trees, on trunks and large branches. It drills holes to get sap, and the insects attracted to it. Rarely feeds on the ground. It catches pine-cones or nuts between the bark, in order to open the seeds with its beak. The routine is to work upwards on the trunk, and also side to side, taping the bark to extract food from crevices, with the tip of its sticky tongue. Spring is announced by early morning drumming, and aerial chases with 2 or 3 birds through the canopy, while they chatter loudly. Flight displays are performed by both adults. They perform spiral flights and align close to the trunk with semi-open and quivering wings. The Great-spotted Woodpecker is very shy, and outside breeding season, solitary. It roosts in old holes in trees.
Habitat
From arctic taiga through boreal and temperate to Mediterranean and alpine forest zones, wherever there are trees of any sort with sufficient growth to accommodate nest-holes. Isolated and scattered trees in parks, avenues, gardens, orchards, and open or miniature woodlands less favoured, unless adjoined by larger stands of broad-leaved, coniferous, or mixed tree species, latter being commonly preferred.
Other details
Dendrocopos major is a widespread resident across most of Europe, which accounts for less than half of its global range. Its European breeding population is extremely large (>12,000,000 pairs), and was stable between 1970-1990. Although there were declines in a few countries during 1990-2000, populations were stable or increased across the majority of its European range—including sizeable ones in France, Germany, Poland, Ukraine and Russia—and the species remained stable overall.
Two races inhabiting the Canary islands of this widespread woodpecker are included in Annex I. The race canariensis, endemic to Tenerife, is estimated at about 100 breeding pairs; the race thanneri, endemic to Gran Canaria, at maximum 250 breeding pairs. Both are strictly dependent on native pine (Pinus canariensis) forests and are vulnerable
Feeding
Mainly insects, but tree seeds (mainly of conifers) often staple diet in winter; bird eggs and nestlings may be common in diet during summer. Climbs trees in search of insects using stiff tail-feathers as prop; may hang upside down from branches but never proceeds head downward. In summer, pokes and probes fissures in bark for surface insects and uses bill as forceps to pull away bark. In winter, seeks insects in decaying trees mainly by hacking and pecking at bark and wood, knocking off loose material with lateral blows of bill and cutting grooves with vertical blows. Chisels holes up to 10 cm deep to expose wood-boring beetles and larvae. Tongue extends up to 40 mm and harpoon-like tip used to impale soft-bodied prey; harder insects adhere to tongue bristles coated with sticky saliva. In many populations conifer seeds important in winter; cones gathered and taken to ‚anvil‘ (often specially prepared) for extraction of seeds. Fleshy fruits regularly eaten in summer and autumn. Locally, may be major predator of tit nestlings, especially Willow Tit. Drills rings of holes round trees to drink sap oozing out, or possibly also to eat exposed cambium of tree or to feed on insects attracted to sap.
Conservation
This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 1,000,000-10,000,000 km². It has a large global population, including an estimated 24,000,000-37,000,000 individuals in Europe (BirdLife International in prep.). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern. [conservation status from birdlife.org]
Breeding
Great-spotted Woodpecker nests in holes. Both adults excavate this hole, in March and April. They use a new nest each year, excavating the hole during one or two weeks, depending on the hardness of the wood. The chamber of the nest is about 30 cm deep, and the entrance is oval-shaped, at about 4 m above the ground. The chamber is lined with wood chips. The female lays 4 to 7 white eggs, between mid-may to early June. Incubation lasts about 16 days, done by female during the day, and by male at night. Chicks hatch altricial, and both parents feed them. They fledge at about 18 to 21 days of age. They reach their sexual maturity at one year. Adults keep the nest clean, removing chick's droppings. Young are very noisy. Adults remain in nearly area while chicks are in the nest. This species produces only one brood per year.
Migration
Largely resident and dispersive; N populations also subject to eruptive migration. Juvenile dispersal often over 100 km, and up to c. 600 km. In N Europe, periodic eruptive movements triggered by poor crop of pine or spruce seeds, begin in late Jul; small groups and loose flocks migrate S & W, and occasionally large numbers involved, e.g. 2240 through Pape, in Latvia, during Aug-Oct 1999, and Sizeable flocks recorded in N Britain in autumn 2001; individuals may stray more than 3000 km, some reaching oceanic islands. Similar movements in Far East, but less well studied; stragglers found even on remote islands. Also, populations in mountain areas descend to valleys in winter. (del Hoyo J Elliott A, Sargatal J (eds) 2002)
Explore # 165 May 20, 2009
Thanks Flickr friends for all your kind comments and have an awesome weekend.
This container Bert in Bremerhaven is probably the longest in the world. These days with recession it is mostly empty and the cranes heaviest load is the SUN.
The picture is not taken on a sunday but on the 13th :-)
Dear Flickr friends please let me know what you think about the Close Up in B&W. It is my first B&W since early seventies.
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About 10 meters from my door at 3:15 in the afternoon. Had taken my dog out saw the cat coming whisked the dog back inside grabbed my point & shooter. Quality not quite up to par as I'm limited to one hand till after things heal.
Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm BAe Sea Harrier FA.2 ZD582/712 with the (Operational Evaluation Unit) OEU/899 Squadron on the 'SHAR' line at RNAS Yeovilton back in October 1997
Scanned Kodak 35mm Transparency
Sample image taken with a final production Fujifilm XT2. These samples and comparisons are part of my Fujifilm XT2 review at:
www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Fujifilm_XT2/
Feel free to download the original image for evaluation on your own computer or printer, but please don't use it on another website or publication without permission from www.cameralabs.com/
GWR 387131 seen here on test runs for the final time before entering into service the following Monday(05/09/2016)
Arista II film. Its been 35 years since I have played with ortho lith film. I forgot how picky this stuff is.
For the 50 layers project I noted that quite a few people we're going for a 'post-apocalyptic' theme where I decided to go for something a little more subtle, I decided upon a' jungle' theme as I believed it would look nice and work well. Before reaching the final design, I noted a few imperfections and was able to act upon them with the help of class feedback, some of those imperfections being: the size and scaling of the bee on the front-right in comparison to the dolphins at the back, the lack of individuality with the lotuses, being only duplicates and also the sheer amount of lily pads in the back left. The comments on Thinglink stated that:
"It would look more realistic if you used different images for the lily pads and flowers, instead of just the same one over and over".
"the bee is the same size as the dolphins".
"It's a great picture with nice colours. Perhaps take out some of the lily pads".
I acted upon the feedback by deleting several lily pad images, adding and editing a second lotus image by changing the colour using the 'colour replacement tool' and resizing the bee image.
As well as feedback, their we're additional comments stating what was liked on the design, such as:
"The birds look subtle but when you see them, they are awesome"
"I like how you've made the dolphins look realistic jumping out of water"
"Really well done with the colours as they are vibrant and exciting, this makes your image stand out and makes it look good, well done"
"Good way of using ripples in your work maybe use shadows, but other than that it's perfect".
Editing the images on the document was particularly easy as I have only needed to use basic tools such as the 'magic wand', 'eraser' and 'colour replacement'. The magic wand I used in most if not all my layers to remove the background, the eraser I used like the magic wand but to do a more precise and careful job and the colour replacement tool I used to make the images of the water ripple blend in with the water in the background.
My favourite piece of the document was the water ripples under the leaves as it was easy to edit and looked naturally realistic.
Tooled-up Panavia Tornado GR.1 ZG706/E from the 'TOEU' (Tornado Operational Evaluation Unit) on short finals to home-base at Boscombe Down, 19th July 1990
The GR.1's had the single sensor pod to the right of the nose-wheel leg. The later GR.4 variant sported two - one either side. In addition the Air-to-Air refuelling probe housing stands out well in this shot.
Scanned print
"Like everyone else I have at my disposal only three means of evaluating human existence: the study of self, which is the most difficult and most dangerous method, but also the most fruitful; the observation of our fellowmen, who usually arrange to hide secrets where none exist; and books, with the particular errors of perspective to which they inevitably give rise."
(Quotes from "Memoirs of Hadrian" by French writer Marguerite Yourcenar)
This marble statue of Antinoüs stands at Le Louvre museum, it allowed me to try a Canon EOs 500D and to take a few pictures where there is no edition.
Memoirs of Hadrian (French: Mémoires d'Hadrien) is a novel by the French writer Marguerite Yourcenar about the life and death of Roman Emperor Hadrian.
The book was first published in France in French in 1951 as Mémoires d'Hadrien, and was an immediate success, meeting with enormous critical acclaim.
Antinous was born to a Greek family in Bithynion-Claudiopolis, in the Roman province of Bithynia in what is now north-west Turkey.
He joined the entourage of the Emperor when Hadrian passed through Bithynia in about 124, and soon became his beloved companion who accompanied him on his many journeys through the empire.
Although some have suggested the two might have had a romantic relationship, it is uncertain if this was true.
In October 130, according to Hadrian, "Antinous was drowned in the Nilus."
It is not known whether his death was the result of accident, suicide, murder, or religious sacrifice.
After his death, the grief of the emperor knew no bounds, causing the most extravagant respect to be paid to his memory abd he decreed his deification.
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The A-14 program originally started in 2005 as a private venture, initiated by Northrop-Grumman together with the Elbit Group as a joint venture through Elbit’s Texas-based aircraft division M7 Aerosystems, an approved supplier to major aerospace clients. The aircraft was intended to replace the USAF’s A-10 attack aircraft as well as early F-16s in the strike role from 2010 onwards. The time slot for the project turned out to be advantageous, because at that time the USAF was contemplating to replace the simple and sturdy A-10 with the much more complex F-35, eventually even with its VTOL variant, and the highly specialized F-117 was retired, too.
The A-14 revived conceptual elements of Grumman’s stillborn A-12 stealth program for the US Navy, which had also been part of the USAF’s plans to replace the supersonic F-111 tactical bomber, but on a less ambitious and expensive level concerning technology, aiming for a more effective compromise between complexity, survivability and costs. The basic idea was an updated LTV A-7D (the A-10’s predecessor from the Vietnam War era), which had far more sophisticated sensor and navigation equipment than the rather simple but sturdy A-10, but with pragmatic stealth features and a high level of survivability in a modern frontline theatre or operations.
M7 Aerosystems started on a blank sheet, even though Northrop-Grumman’s A-12 influence was clearly visible, and to a certain degree the aircraft shared the basic layout with the F-117A. The A-14 was tailored from the start to the ground attack role, and therefore a subsonic design. Measures to reduce radar cross-section included airframe shaping such as alignment of edges, fixed-geometry serpentine inlets that prevented line-of-sight of the engine faces from any exterior view, use of radar-absorbent material (RAM), and attention to detail such as hinges and maintenance covers that could provide a radar return. The A-14 was furthermore designed to have decreased radio emissions, infrared signature and acoustic signature as well as reduced visibility to the naked eye.
The resulting airframe was surprisingly large for an attack aircraft – in fact, it rather reminded of a tactical bomber in the F-111/Su-24 class than an alternative to the A-10. The A-14 consisted of a rhomboid-shaped BWB (blended-wing-and-body) with extended wing tips and only a moderate (35°) wing sweep, cambered leading edges, a jagged trailing edge and a protruding cockpit section which extended forward of the main body.
The majority of the A-14’s structure and surface were made out of a carbon-graphite composite material that is stronger than steel, lighter than aluminum, and absorbs a significant amount of radar energy. The central fuselage bulge ended in a short tail stinger with a pair of swept, canted fins as a butterfly tail, which also shrouded the engine’s hot efflux. The fins could have been omitted, thanks to the aerodynamically unstable aircraft’s fly-by-wire steering system, and they effectively increased the A-14’s radar signature as well as its visual profile, but the gain in safety in case of FBW failure or physical damage was regarded as a worthwhile trade-off. Due to its distinctive shape and profile, the A-14 quickly received the unofficial nickname “Squatina”, after the angel shark family.
The spacious and armored cockpit offered room for the crew of two (pilot and WSO or observer for FAC duties), seated side-by-side under a generous glazing, with a very good field of view forward and to the sides. The fuselage structure was constructed around a powerful cannon, the five-barrel GAU-12/U 25 mm ‘Equalizer’ gun, which was, compared with the A-10’s large GAU-8/A, overall much lighter and more compact, but with only little less firepower. It fired a new NATO series of 25 mm ammunition at up to 4.200 RPM. The gun itself was located under the cockpit tub, slightly set off to port side, and the front wheel well was offset to starboard to compensate, similar in arrangement to the A-10 or Su-25. The gun’s ammunition drum and a closed feeding belt system were located behind the cockpit in the aircraft’s center of gravity. An in-flight refueling receptor (for the USAF’s boom system) was located in the aircraft’s spine behind the cockpit, normally hidden under a flush cover.
Due to the gun installation in the fuselage, however, no single large weapon bay to minimize radar cross section and drag through external ordnance was incorporated, since this feature would have increased airframe size and overall weight. Instead, the A-14 received four, fully enclosed compartments between the wide main landing gear wells and legs. The bays could hold single iron bombs of up to 2.000 lb caliber each, up to four 500 lb bombs or CBUs, single laser-guided GBU-14 glide bombs, AGM-154 JSOW or GBU-31/38 JDAM glide bombs, AGM-65 Maverick guided missiles or B61 Mod 11 tactical nuclear weapons, as well as the B61 Mod 12 standoff variant, under development at that time). Retractable launch racks for defensive AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles were available, too, and additional external pylons could be added, e.g. for oversize ordnance like AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) or AGM-158 Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), or drop tanks for ferry flights. The total in- and external ordnance load was 15,000 lb (6,800 kg).
The A-14 was designed with superior maneuverability at low speeds and altitude in mind and therefore featured a large wing area, with high wing aspect ratio on the outer wing sections, and large ailerons areas. The ailerons were placed at the far ends of the wings for greater rolling moment and were split, making them decelerons, so that they could also be used as air brakes in flight and upon landing.
This wing configuration promoted short takeoffs and landings, permitting operations from primitive forward airfields near front lines. The sturdy landing gear with low-pressure tires supported these tactics, and a retractable arrester hook, hidden by a flush cover under the tail sting, made it possible to use mobile arrested-recovery systems.
The leading edge of the wing had a honeycomb structure panel construction, providing strength with minimal weight; similar panels covered the flap shrouds, elevators, rudders and sections of the fins. The skin panels were integral with the stringers and were fabricated using computer-controlled machining, reducing production time and cost, and this construction made the panels more resistant to damage. The skin was not load-bearing, so damaged skin sections could be easily replaced in the field, with makeshift materials if necessary.
Power came from a pair of F412-GE-114 non-afterburning turbofans, engines that were originally developed for the A-12, but de-navalized and lightened for the A-14. These new engines had an output of 12,000 lbf (53 kN) each and were buried in blended fairings above the wing roots, with jagged intakes and hidden ducts. Flat exhausts on the wings’ upper surface minimized both radar and IR signatures.
Thanks to the generous internal fuel capacity in the wings and the fuselage, the A-14 was able to loiter and operate under 1,000 ft (300 m) ceilings for extended periods. It typically flew at a relatively low speed of 300 knots (350 mph; 560 km/h), which made it a better platform for the ground-attack role than fast fighter-bombers, which often have difficulty targeting small, slow-moving targets or executing more than just a single attack run on a selected target.
A mock-up was presented and tested in the wind tunnel and for radar cross-section in late 2008. The A-14’s exact radar cross-section (RCS) remained classified, but in 2009 M7 Aerosystems released information indicating it had an RCS (from certain angles) of −40 dBsm, equivalent to the radar reflection of a "steel marble". With this positive outcome and the effective design, M7 Aerosystems eventually received federal funding for the production of prototypes for an official DT&E (Demonstration Testing and Evaluation) program.
Three prototypes/pre-production aircraft were built in the course of 2010 and 2011, and the first YA-14 made its maiden flight on 10 May 2011. The DT&E started immediately, and the machines (a total of three flying prototypes were completed, plus two additional airframes for static tests) were gradually outfitted with mission avionics and other equipment. This included GPS positioning, an inertial navigation system, passive sensors to detect radar usage, a small, gyroscopically stabilized turret, mounted under the nose of the aircraft, containing a FLIR boresighted with a laser spot-tracker/designator, and an experimental 3-D laser scanning LIDAR in the nose as a radiation-less alternative to a navigation and tracking radar.
Soon after the DT&E program gained momentum in 2012, the situation changed for M7 Aerosystems when the US Air Force considered the F-35B STOVL variant as its favored replacement CAS aircraft, but concluded that the aircraft could not generate a sufficient number of sorties. However, the F-35 was established as the A-14’s primary rival and remained on the USAF’s agenda. For instance, at that time the USAF proposed disbanding five A-10 squadrons in its budget request to cut its fleet of 348 A-10s by 102 to lessen cuts to multi-mission aircraft in service that could replace the specialized attack aircraft.
In August 2013, Congress and the Air Force examined various proposals for an A-10 replacement, including the A-14, F-35 and the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle, and, despite the A-14’s better qualities in the ground attack role, the F-35 came out as the overall winner, since it was the USAF’s favorite. Despite its complexity, the F-35 was – intended as a multi-role tri-service aircraft and also with the perspective of bigger international sales than the more specialized A-14 – regarded as the more versatile and, in the long run, more cost-efficient procurement option. This sealed the A-14’s fate and the F-35A entered service with U.S. Air Force F-35A in August 2016 (after the F-35B was introduced to the U.S. Marine Corps in July 2015). At that time, the U.S. planned to buy 2,456 F-35s through 2044, which would represent the bulk of the crewed tactical airpower of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps for several decades.
Since the A-14’s technology was considered to be too critical to be marketed to export customers (Israel showed early interest in the aircraft, as well as South Korea), the program was cancelled in 2016.
General characteristics:
Crew: 2 (pilot, WSO)
Length: 54 ft 11 1/2 in (16.78 m)
Wingspan: 62 ft 11 1/2 in (19.22 m)
Height: 11 ft 3 3/4 in (3.45 m)
Wing area: 374.9 ft² (117.5 m²)
Empty weight: 24,959 lb (11,321 kg)
Loaded weight: 30,384 lb (13,782 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 50,000 lb (22,700 kg)
Internal fuel capacity: 11,000 lb (4,990 kg)
Powerplant:
2× General Electric Whitney F412-GE-114 non-afterburning turbofans
with 12,000 lbf (53 kN) thrust each
Performance:
Maximum speed: 630 mph (1,010 km/h, 550 kn) at 40,000 ft altitude /
Mach 0.95 at sea level
Cruise speed: 560 mph (900 km/h, 487 kn) at 40,000 ft altitude
Range: 1,089 nmi (1,253 mi, 2,017 km)
Ferry range: 1,800 nmi (2,100 mi, 3,300 km)
Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,200 m)
Rate of climb: 50,000 ft/min (250 m/s)
Wing loading: 133 lb/ft² (193 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.48 (full internal fuel, no stores)
Take-off run: 1,200 m (3,930 ft) at 42,000 lb (19,000 kg) over a 15 m (30 ft) obstacle
Armament:
1× General Dynamics GAU-12/U Equalizer 25 mm (0.984 in) 5-barreled rotary cannon
with 1,200 rounds (max. capacity 1,350 rounds)
4x internal weapon bays plus 4x external optional hardpoints with a total capacity of
15,000 lb (6,800 kg) and provisions to carry/deploy a wide range of ordnance
The kit and its assembly:
A major kitbashing project which I had on my idea list for a long time and its main ingredients/body donors already stashed away – but, as with many rather intimidating builds, it takes some external motivation to finally tackle the idea and bring it into hardware form. This came in August 2020 with the “Prototypes” group build at whatifmodellers.com, even though is still took some time to find the courage and mojo to start.
The original inspiration was the idea of a stealthy successor for the A-10, or a kind of more modern A-7 as an alternative to the omnipresent (and rather boring, IMHO) F-35. An early “ingredient” became the fuselage of a Zvezda Ka-58 stealth helicopter kit – I liked the edgy shape, the crocodile-like silhouette and the spacious side-by-side cockpit. Adding wings, however, was more challenging, and I remembered a 1:200 B-2A which I had turned into a light Swedish 1:72 attack stealth aircraft. Why not use another B-2 for the wings and the engines, but this time a bigger 1:144 model that would better match the quite bulbous Ka-58 fuselage? This donor became an Italeri kit.
Work started with the fuselage: the Ka-58’s engine and gearbox hump had to go first and a generous, new dorsal section had to be scratched with 1mm styrene sheet and some PSR. The cockpit and its glazing could be retained and were taken OOB. Under the nose, the Ka-58’s gun turret was omitted and a scratched front landing gear well was implanted instead.
The wings consist of the B-2 model; the lower “fuselage half” had its front end cut away, then the upper fuselage half of the Ka-58 was used as benchmark to cut the B-2’s upper wing/body part in two outer wing panels. Once these elements had been glued together, the Ka-58’s lower nose and tail section were tailored to match the B-2 parts. The B-2 engine bays were taken OOB and mounted next, so that the A-14’s basic hull was complete and the first major PSR session could start. Blending the parts into each other turned out to be a tedious process, since some 2-3 mm wide gaps had to be filled.
Once the basic BWP pack had been finished, I added the fins. These were taken from an 1:72 F-117 kit (IIRC from Italeri), which I had bought in a lot many moons ago. The fins were just adapted at their base to match the tail sting slope, and they were mounted in a 45° angle. This looks very F-117ish but was IMHO the most plausible solution.
Now that the overall length of the aircraft was defined, I could work on the final major assembly part: the wing tips. The 1:144 B-2 came with separate wing tip sections, but they proved to be much too long for the Squatina. After some trials I reduced their length by more than half, so that the B-2’s jagged wing trailing edge was kept. The result looks quite natural, even though blending the cut wing tips to the BWB turned out to be a PSR nightmare because their thickness reduces gently towards the tip – since I took out a good part of the inner section, the resulting step had to be sanded away and hidden with more PSR.
Detail work started next, including the cockpit glazing, the bomb bay (the B-2 kit comes with one of its bays open, and I kept this detail and modified the interior) and the landing gear, the latter was taken from the F-117 donor bank and fitted surprisingly well.
Some sensors were added, too, including a flat glass panel on the nose tip and a triangular IRST fairing under the nose, next to the landing gear well.
Painting and markings:
For a stealth aircraft and a prototype I wanted something subdued or murky, but not an all-black or -grey livery. I eventually settled for the rather dark paint scheme that the USAF applied to its late B-52Gs and the B-1Bs, which consists of two tones from above, FS 36081 (Dark Grey, a.k.a. Dark Gunship Grey) and 34086 (Green Drab), and underneath (FS 36081 and 36118 (Gunship Grey). The irregular pattern was adapted (in a rather liberal fashion) from the USAF’s early B-1Bs, using Humbrol 32, 108 and 125 as basic colors. The 108 turned out to be too bright, so I toned it down with an additional coat of thinned Humbrol 66. While this considerably reduced the contrast between the green and the grey, the combination looks much better and B-1B-esque.
The wings’ leading edges were painted for more contrast with a greyish black (Tar Black, Revell 09), while the landing gear, the interior of the air intakes and the open bomb bay became glossy white. The cockpit was painted in medium grey (Humbrol 140) and the clear parts received a thinned inner coating with a mix of transparent yellow and brown, simulating an anti-radar coating – even though the effect turned out to be minimal, now it looks as of the plastic parts had just yellowed from age…
After the initial livery had been finished the model received a black ink washing and some post-panel shading with slightly brightened variations of the basic tones (using Humbrol 79, 144 and 224). Decals were added next, an individual mix from various sources. The “Stars-and-Bars” come from a PrintScale A-7 sheet, most stencils come from an F-16 sheet.
After some more detail painting and a treatment with graphite on the metal areas (exhausts, gun port), the model was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (Italeri).
Batman’s next Batwing? Maybe, there’s certainly something fictional about this creation. But the “Squatina” turned out much more conclusive (and even pretty!) than I expected, even though it became a bigger aircraft than intended. And I am positively surprised how good the bodywork became – after all, lots of putty had to be used to fill all the gaps between parts that no one ever expected to be grafted together.
Pirate and Crunchy bring their formation of L-39s past the crowd on Saturday afternoon.
To view a hi-res version and for more information visit my website:NAS Oceana Air Show 2015
Following the evaluation of the prototype ECW bodied Leyland Olympian double deck coach. The NBC decided that the vehicle was not what they wanted for their busy National Express services, but it was better suited for use on the busy commuter services into and out off London. Here we see prior to the fitting of the destination blinds one of the first ECW (CH45/28F) Leyland Olympian long wheelbase double deck coaches (GKE 442Y) to enter service with Maidstone & District. Note the stylish Invictaway livery based on the NBC stippey livery. These impressive vehicles were a popular sight in London during the 80s , Alder Valley, Eastern National and London Country all operated ECW Olympian coaches on commuter services, with the Eastern National vehicles built to low hight. These long wheelbase Olympians for the NBC used the chasis type code ONTL11/2Rsp , the sp part of the code denotes special. At the 1984 Motor Show, Leyland Bus showed a re-styled ECW bodied long wheelbase Olympian in the livery of Ebdon's of Sidcup, who never took delivery of this impressive vehicle. The NBC took a small number of the re-styled ECW Olympian coach, Eastern National had the 11.3-metre low hight version, and Alder Valley were to take the 9.6-metre versions, but Alder Valley were split up, before delivery of the short wheelbase Olympians.