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On Saturday, May 15th, we celebrated 100 new and expecting military parents in Silverdale, WA! The sun was shining bright, and it was the perfect day to distribute diaper bags filled with goodies, diaper cakes, “for mom” items, and many more surprises. Walmart employees volunteered their time to pack and distribute items and congratulate the new mothers, which made this event truly special. This event would not have been possible without the generosity of all our sponsors. THANK YOU to Kendall Ford of Marysville, Walmart, P&G, Navy Federal Credit Union – Bremerton Branch, Modern Burlap, Kiinde, MAM, Project Linus, Manhattan Toy, United Through Reading, and Thrive Causemetics. Finally, thank you to all the military families for the sacrifices you make each day to keep this country safe. We are so grateful for all you do!
05.09
Sometimes you can't really expect people to just get things like it's their second nature. I know I'm guilty of that with some things in life. It just hurts a little sometimes when you feel like you aren't really a priority.
So what do you do?
Make yourself your own priority.
Damn, I'm slowly getting so pessimistic about these kind of things and trying to rely more on myself to just stay happy.
--
It was an afternoon out with Jen :). Just us two. Which we haven't done in SO SO long. We had a long talk and caught up at Half and Half then went to Target to grab some "shtuff". That was mainly it, but trust me, we took forever doing just those two things, haha. It felt good. Thank you Jen :))... you gave me the laughs, hahaha.
Other than that, my day sorta turned to poo when my night plans fell through. Then I just waited. And waited.
Maybe I was a bit impatient. But come to think about it, I shouldn't have really waited in the first place.
These images are of my friend visiting her mother at Hospice. Her mother has cancer. We thought it would be nice to include her in some maternity photos.
The Postcard
A postally unused postcard that was published by C. Richter (Publishers) ltd. of London NW6. The artwork was by Trow, and the card has a divided back.
Trow
"Trow" has been claimed as the pseudonym of Frank Eric Smith, who was born in Salisbury on the 2nd. March 1908, and who lived most of his life in Dorset and Wiltshire. He died on the 5th. October 1985.
According to Smith's family, he drew many seaside postcards in the late 40's and early 50's, and derived his pseudonym from 'Trowbridge', the county town of Wiltshire.
However, Smith claimed to have stopped drawing in 1952, whilst new cards signed "Trow" continued to appear in large numbers until the late 1960's.
It seems that the cards prosecuted by the DPP for indecency in the 1950's were in fact drawn by Thomas Trow (1909-1971) of Stoke on Trent, whose address appears on the reverse of surviving artwork, as the Greyfriars Art Studio.
“You expected to be sad in the fall. Part of you died each year when the leaves fell from the trees and their branches were bare against the wind and the cold, wintery light. But you knew there would always be the spring, as you knew the river would flow again after it was frozen. When the cold rains kept on and killed the spring, it was as though a young person died for no reason.”
― Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast
Seneca Forest North Virginia - Fall of 2013
November 20, 2013
Okay, I'll admit, I'm not trying to be something I'm clearly not, and that is a portrait photographer.
I have a very hard time shooting people. I'm great at meeting people, talking to people and mingling, but I'm not good at working with people who want their photos taken.
Luckily, this is my wife and the pressure was off....somewhat!
I was hoping to marry my passion for landscape photography, something I know, with taking a photo of a person, something I don't know and get a respectable outcome.
I have to admit I'm pretty happy with these for my experience. I left the pose up to her as she knew what she wanted.
Expecting mother with the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) - a type of community health worker in India - who accompanied her to the facility for an antenatal care visit. Urban Primary Health Center (UPHC), Ambapua, Berhampur.
Photo Credit: Mubeen Siddiqui/MCSP
These highly flitty, always-difficult-to-photograph birds migrate in approximately March each year, heading north to warmer climes. So you can find them in a lot of surprising places - but never did I expect one to visit my back yard! (I couldn't get any great shots because of low light and bird flittiness, but she did stick around long enough at least for a few pix.)
27 March 2017
P1570054crop
Gee, thanks Tips!
Steeles Avenue on the northern border of Toronto is being resurfaced this summer. A stretch of my commute that normally takes 5 minutes suddenly takes 25 minutes. Fortunately there are alternatives.
I love the addition to the sign "O Snap, What of my dentist" :)
Sunday.
Last day of 12 days off, and a day in which we were expected to have heavy thundery showers all afternoon, so had better do something in the morning.
And after breakfast that something was to go to Sandwich Bay, because of Lizard Orchids and check on the Marsh helleborines.
Jools wanted to go swimming, so I said I'd drop her off at the pool on the way, as Sandwich is a 15 minute blast away, so the plan was set.
It was a cloudy start, so there'd be no butterflies or dragonflies, and Jools had found my pass for the estate which I had to exchange for a sticker, meaning free entry all year as long as I park at the observatory.
There was the Women's Open Gold tournament on, so for a while I thought I might not be able to get across the course, but turned out that was at the other links course.
Yay.
I walked over the meadow and past the ringing area, and into the area of dune slacks at the Helleborines grow in. And at first I saw none, then once I got my orchid eye in, I saw hundreds of rosettes all around, some putting up a spike in the usual helleborine way.
There were dozens of Southern Marsh around to, which I learned this week, along with the Northern Marsh, have had their species status downgraded to sub-species, that of Broad Leaved Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza majalis).
Confusing.
Anyway, from there I took the path across the three fairways of the golf course, dodging flying balls and dressed in ridiculous clothes of pastel shades, heading for the safety of the gate onto the Strand.
On the way there were several Lizard spikes, and so more on the dunes beside the road. I snap many, but after a while was happy, so turned back for the car.
On the way back I saw another plant I had been looking for, Grass vetchling, a tall, willowy plant with a single pink pea-shaped flower, and being a windless day, was able to get a good shot of the flower.
Back then to the observatory, and as the sun had come out, a few butterflies were seen: Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Small tortoiseshell, and a single Dainty damsel having ventured far from her pond.
I went inside to get a drink, and met with John who helped arrange our trip to Svalbard, and we swapped news of things I saw on the trip after the one he did. We were very lucky, as we saw seven bears, his cruise saw just the one, and no Beluga.
Time was slipping, so I bid him farewell, and drove back to Whitfield where Jools was having a coffee in Subway.
I found three orchids she said, so we went to look, and three tall CSO spikes were growing in the formal border in front of the self-storage place.
We had to rush home, as Jen was back home, and back with Sylv, and we had been invited for Sunday dinner at one. So, we had to dash home so Jools could change, then drive to Whitfield to be on time.
Once there we admired the new skylight Mike had installed because the old one leaked, and we swapped news of things we have done. We regaled them with tales of the frozen north, of course.
Dinner was roast lamb, which was welcome, even if it was very hot in the house with both ovens going. We ate well, drank wine and made merry.
After eating, we could hear the rain falling, and we had left washing out on the line, so we made our excuses and went home.
The storm radar showed storms over Normandy, slowly drifting north and east, but slowly due to the light winds. We heard rumbles, but no storm arrived, though the rain did fall for hours.
We had butter fried asparagus for supper, before I watched yet more football: Spain v Croatia. Which isn't the last game of last season, as England play on Monday. And for those asking when the new season starts, I believe that to be Saturday when the preliminary rounds of the Champion's League start.
sigh.
--------------------------------------------------
'Once seen never forgotten' is the response of most people to finding their first Lizard Orchid. Its impressive size (up to a metre tall) and the unique structure of the lizard-like flowers, which vary in colour from greyish-green to purple, make it impossible to confuse with any of the other orchid species that occur in Britain. Classified as Near Threatened in Britain, the fluctuations in the Lizard Orchid's range and numbers make it difficult to assess accurately whether this is actually a success story or a potential failure. Although it has disappeared from its few former sites in the north of England, populations in Kent (Sandwich Golf Course is its most famous location) remain strong, and Himantoglossum hircinum plants pop up frequently, but sporadically, on new sites in other counties. Several of the recent 'new' sites have been on golf courses, leading to the suggestion that seed may have been inadvertently carried from one course to another by golfers. Other favoured habitats include field margins, sand dunes, scrub, woodland edges, and roadside verges where it easily competes with tall rank grasses. Sometimes growing on neutral soils, this orchid is more common on calcium-rich substrates. Lizard Orchid flowers from mid-May to the end of July, peaking in mid-June. On mainland Europe Himantoglossum hircinum grows from Holland and Germany in the north to as far south as Spain. In some parts of France this species can only be described as a 'roadside weed' - albeit a most welcome one. The flowers are said to smell strongly of billy goat.
Plant: size variable, usually around 30cm in height but occasionally up to 100cm; stem pale green marked with purple, ridged towards the tip; 2 or 3 scale leaves situated at the base.
Leaves: numerous grey-green (sometimes blotched purple) and with 4 to 10 large oval and rather floppy leaves forming a basal rosette. 3 to 5 narrower pointed leaves clasp the stem up to the base of the inflorescence.
Bracts: pale green-to-white sometimes washed red, narrow and pointed.
Flowers: up to 80 held in a densely-packed cylindrical inflorescence which takes up half the length of the stem; greyish-green but washed purple, especially the lip (the 'tail' of the lizard). The sepals are veined with numerous purple lines and blotches which show through to the outer sides. Petals are narrow and strap-shaped, while the lip is divided into 3 lobes with the centre lobe being much longer once it has uncurled from a tight coil as flowering progresses.
The specific name hircinum means 'of goat' and refers to the smell of the flowers.
There are no known subspecies, hybrids or varieties in Britain.
www.hardyorchidsociety.org.uk/hos%201012/orchidphotos/him...
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
Rockwell International’s A-8 light attack aircraft’s origins can be traced back to the U.S. Air Force the Attack Experimental (A-X) program that was launched in 1966. Criticism that the U.S. Air Force did not take close air support seriously prompted a few service members to seek a specialized attack aircraft. In the Vietnam War, large numbers of ground-attack aircraft were shot down by small arms, surface-to-air missiles, and low-level anti-aircraft gunfire, prompting the development of an aircraft better able to survive such weapons. Fast jets such as the North American F-100 Super Sabre, Republic F-105 Thunderchief, and McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II proved for the most part to be ineffective for close air support. The Douglas A-1 Skyraider – designed in the final WWII stages as a torpedo bomber – was the USAF's primary close air support aircraft, and completely outdated.
This situation had been expectable, though. Earlier on, in 1959, Cold War strategists had been focusing on supersonic and ever-complex aircraft, ICMBs, missile-carrying submarines and long-range bombers. Some in the Pentagon still saw a need for low-speed, close-in ground attack aircraft that could serve in "bush war"-style conflicts such as those blossoming in Southeast Asia. Private ventures like Chance Vought’s V-433 proposal for a low cost, versatile light attack aircraft to serve the needs of the US Navy and Marine Corps, potentially a successor for the highly robust and versatile Douglas AD/A-1 Skyraider, were considered but eventually rejected, leading to a severe CAS capability gap during the Vietnam conflict.
Things were to change on 6 March 1967, when the Air Force released a request for information to 21 defense contractors for the A-X. The objective was to create a design study for a low-cost attack aircraft. Discussions with A-1 Skyraider pilots operating in Vietnam and analysis of the effectiveness of current aircraft used in the role indicated the ideal aircraft should have long loiter time, low-speed maneuverability, massive cannon firepower, and extreme survivability: an aircraft that had the best elements of the Ilyushin Il-2, Henschel Hs 129 and Skyraider. While turboprop engines were requested in the initial request, by May 1969, requirements had changed to specify use of turbofan engines.
Among the initial responses was a rather radical proposal from North American Rockwell, the Model 456, a compact turboprop attack aircraft, slightly smaller than the Douglas A-1. The Model 456 was primarily designed by the company’s Los Angeles-based North American Aviation branch, after its merger with Rockwell International in September 1967. The concept was for an aircraft optimized for close support and versatility to perform the Navy attack mission. A major selling point would be a unit cost with Government Furnished Equipment to be under $400,000 each if the order was for 500 aircraft. To keep costs low and save development time, the Model 456 incorporated many design features and even wholesale hardware elements from the company’s former projects. For instance, the straight wings and swept tail elements were taken from the US Navy’s North American T-2 Buckeye trainer, while the fuselage reminded of the AF-1/FJ-4B Fury fighter bomber but featured more tapered tail section with a set of air brakes. The aircraft was designed for carrier operations and had attachment points for a launch cable under the wing roots as well as a retractable arrester hook, even though the wings – thanks to the aircraft’s compact dimensions – were not foldable.
The Model 456 was powered by a T64-GE-8 turboprop with an output of 2,850 hp (2,130 kW) at 1,160 propeller rpm. The engine was placed behind the cockpit and breathed through a lip intake and an air duct between the cockpit floor and the front landing wheel well. Its single exhaust port was on the starboard flank, and the directed jet efflux countered propeller torque. The four-blade propeller was driven through a shaft that ran above the air duct and below the cockpit floor, connected with the T64 through a reduction gearbox above the engine’s centreline, together with an airscrew brake and bolt-on control unit.
The pilot sat under a wide bubble canopy in an armored cockpit tub that protected against heavy machine gun fire, directly behind the large propeller. Thanks to the high and forward position the pilot had a very good all-round field of view. The tricycle landing gear was basically taken wholesale from former North American products: the front landing gear was based on the AF-1/FJ-4B Fury’s arrangement, which retracted backwards and rotated 90° to lie flat under the engine’s air intake duct, while the wide main landing gear, which fully retracted inwards into the low-set wings, was based on T-2 Buckeye’s production parts.
The aircraft was touted to be all-weather-capable with instrument flight equipment and a ground controlled all-weather bombing system. It was also mentioned that provisions would be provided for pylon-mounted electronic equipment to support full all-weather attack missions. Maximum speed at 25,000ft was projected to be .74 Mach. The aircraft was relatively compact, 35' 10" long with a wingspan of 37'.
Due to its donor parts and to keep the airframe as light and simple as possible the Model 456 did not feature internal weapons like guns, but was to have six external pylons for the carriage of a wide range of weapons (including gun pods), ECM pods, or radar or guidance pods (e.g. for the AGM-12 Bullpup). In addition to conventional bombs, Sidewinder AAMs could be carried, too, primarily for self-defence but also to attack enemy helicopters or slow low-flying aircraft. Normal bomb load was specified with 3,500lbs, which could be augmented on short-range missions with a reduced internal fuel load to 5.000 lbs. Beyond CAS missions, other important tasks for the Model 456 would be helicopter escort to support the Marine Corps and supporting a vertical envelopment for approximately 3 hours with a normal external weapons load.
In May 1970, the USAF issued a modified, and much more detailed request for proposals (RFP) around the A-X. The threat of Soviet armored forces and all-weather attack operations had become more serious. Now included in the requirements was that the aircraft would be designed specifically for the new and massive GAU-8 30 mm gatling cannon. Due the changed requirements, the Model 456 fell out of the program.
However, in parallel, following the United States Navy's (USN) VAL (“Heavier-than-air, Attack, Light”) requirement, which had yielded the LTV A-7, North American Rockwell’s Model 456 found interest by the USMC. Initially adopted by USN, the A-7 proved attractive to other services and air forces, soon being adopted by the United States Air Force (USAF) and the Air National Guard (ANG) to replace their aging Douglas_A-1_Skyraider"Skyraider and North American F-100 Super Sabre fleets. The A-7 was, however, not a complete replacement for the A-1, and the USMC did not adopt the type and rather stuck with the lighter A-4 Skyhawk, which had, with the A-4M Skyhawk II, in the meantime evolved into an attack/fighter bomber aircraft that had been upgraded and tailored to the USMC’s needs. There was, however, still the need for a simple, slower and foremost cheap attack/CAS aircraft, a requirement shared with the USAF which was also looking for a timely and cost-effective A-1 replacement. Both USMC and USAF requirements overlapped in many aspects, and North American Rockwell’s Model 456 was ordered as the A-8 ‘Destrier’ in late 1971.
The first YA-8, now under the new company name Rockwell International, after a further merger of North American Rockwell with Rockwell Manufacturing, made its maiden flight in Los Angeles on 30th of May 1973. Three prototype machines were built, and the following test program revealed some deficiencies, including directional instability around the longitudinal axis, which was countered with a bigger fin surface, achieved through a fin fillet. Other modifications that were introduced for serial production were additional wing tip tanks and more external hardpoints under the fuselage and the wings, so that more light weapons like gun or missiles pods or single bombs could be carried. The overall ordnance load was not increased, though. Additionally, internal guns were re-introduced, even though their integration into the airframe was not easy. To retain the original wings the weapons could not be integrated into the wings – there was no internal space for them, and the full span slats as well as the wide stance landing gear prevented their internal installation. One considered option to mount fixed guns was a pair of gondolas with a Mk. 12 20mm cannon each under the wings, but these would have blocked valuable hardpoints outside of the propeller disc, e.g. for guided and unguided missiles or more cannon pods). Eventually, shallow gondolas for guns and their ammunition supply were integrated under the wing roots, inside of the landing gear wells and using internal wing space at the wing roots. This kept the guns’ mass close to the aircraft’s center of gravity but required a solution to fire through the propeller disc, as on early WWII aircraft. An anachronistic arrangement, but it was adopted for the A-8 and as an innovative measure the firing sequence was not controlled through a classic mechanical gearbox but through an electronic signal that only allowed gunfire through spaces between the propeller blades.
A-8 production started in June 1974 and encompassed two versions: the A-8A for the USAF and the A-8B for the USMC, which only differed in service-typical equipment packages. 250 A-8As were ordered for the USAF and ANG units, primarily as replacement for F-84 and F-86H fighter bombers, plus 150 A-8Bs for the USMC which replaced early A-4 and OV-10 variants. The most distinctive feature of the A-8B was a massive, forked arrestor hook under the rear fuselage, which would allow carrier operations or the use of land-bound arrestor cable installations at improvised frontline airfields. The A-8A also featured an arrestor hook, but it was of simpler and lighter design, only intended for emergency uses.
Both service versions had a total of seven hardpoints (three under the fuselage, two under each wing outside of the landing gear) and also received wingtip tanks to extend fuel capacity and loiter time, while the maximum weapon ordnance was reduced to 2.800 lb (3.500 lb in overload configuration).
The Destrier was offered for export, too, Due to its small size, it could be operated from older, smaller World War II-era aircraft carriers still used by smaller navies during the 1970s. These older ships were often unable to accommodate newer Navy fighters such as the F-4 Phantom II and F-8 Crusader, which were faster and more capable, but significantly larger and heavier. However, a propeller-driven aircraft appeared outdated at that time, and despite the A-8s merits as an attack aircraft it found no takers - instead, many foreign air forces adopted the A-4 Skyhawk, which was similar in size but appeared "more modern".
The Marine Corps would not take the U.S. Navy's replacement, the LTV A-7 Corsair II, instead keeping Destriers and Skyhawks in service with both Regular Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve attack squadrons (VMA), and ordering the new A-4M model - what over time relegated the A-8 to secondary line duties. The last USMC Destrier was delivered in 1979, and they were used until the mid-1980s before they were replaced in frontline units, together with the Skyhawks, by the equally small, but more versatile STOVL AV-8B Harrier II.
The A-8B saw limited action in the Gulf War of 1990–91. Twenty-four aircraft of VMA-311 "Tomcats" based at on-shore bases, initially flew training and support sorties, as well as practicing with coalition forces. The A-8Bs were to be held in reserve during the initial phase of the preparatory air assault of Operation Desert Storm. The A-8B was first used in the war on the morning of 17 January 1991, when a call for air support from an OV-10 Bronco forward air controller against Iraqi artillery that was shelling Khafji and an adjacent oil refinery, brought the A-8B into combat. The following day, USMC A-8Bs attacked Iraqi positions in southern Kuwait. Throughout the war, A-8Bs performed armed reconnaissance, CAS and FAC missions, and worked in concert with coalition forces to identify or destroy targets. VMA-311 was also the last USMC unit to operate the A-8B and retired its last four aircraft on 22 June 1994.
USAF service of the A-8A was less dramatic. The Air Force Destriers were quickly handed over to National Guard units during the early Eighties, where the machines replaced, toghether with USAF A-7D Corsair IIs, F-86H, A-37 and F-84F fighter bombers. When 1st generation General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcons began to be phased out from frontline USAF units and handed down to the Air National Guards in the late Eighties the A-8As were gradually retired. The last were taken out of service in 1993 by the units at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 40 ft 11 in (12,42 m)
Wingspan: 39 ft 9 1/2 in (12,12 m) incl. tip tanks
Height: 18 ft (5,50 m)
Wing area: Wing area: 255 sq ft (23.7 m²)
Airfoil: root: NACA 64A212
Empty weight: 13,210 lb (6,000 kg)
Gross weight: 20,130 lb (9,200 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 23,700 lb (10,750 kg)
Fuel capacity: 691 US gal (575 imp gal; 2,620 L) total
Powerplant
1× General Elctric T64-P4D turboprop with 3,400 hp (2,500 kW)
and 550 lbf (2.45 kN) residual thrust,
driving a 4-bladed Hamilton Standard 54H60-77, 12 ft 3 in (3.74 m)diameter constant-speed
fully-feathering reversible propeller
Performance:
Maximum speed: 504 mph (812 km/h, 448 kn)
Maximum speed at sea level: 477.5 mph (768 km/h, 415 kn)
Cruise speed: 160–190 mph (250–300 km/h, 130–160 kn)
Stall speed: 100.5 mph (161.7 km/h, 87.3 kn) at 17,592 lb (7,980 kg)
Range: 1,460 mi (2,350 km, 1,270 nmi) with internal fuel and tip tanks
Ferry range: 2,200 mi (3,500 km, 1,900 nmi)
Combat range: 512 mi (824 km, 445 nmi) at 17,592 lb (7,980 kg) at 338 mph (294 kn; 544 km/h)
Service ceiling: 36,000 ft (11,000 m )
Rate of climb: 42 m/s (8,255 ft/min)
Wing loading: 255 kg/m² (60.7 lb/sq ft) at MTOW
Thrust/weight: 0.54
Take-off field distance sea level hot: 465 ft (142 m) at 17,592 lb (7,980 kg)
Take-off distance to 50 ft (15 m): 940 ft (290 m) at 17,592 lb (7,980 kg)
Take-off distance to 50 ft (15 m) hot: 1,350 ft (410 m) at 17,592 lb (7,980 kg)
Armament:
2× Mk. 12 20mm cannon under the wing roots with 144 RPG each,
synchronized to fire through the propeller arc
7× ventral and underwing hardpoints for a total maximum external ordnance load of
5.000 lb (2.270 kg) with reduced internal fuel (normal load: 3.500 lb/1.589 kg)
The model and its assembly:
The inspiration came )long ago) when I found some design proposals for USN/USMC attack aircraft from the Sixties, e.g. the Vought V-406A and V-433 designs/propsals. Additionally I had always thought about a strike version of the T-2 Buckeye, even though the latter turned out to be very unpractical. However, there remained the fact that the T-2 "recycled" the wings from the vintage FJ Fury jet fighter, and maybe North American or its successor, Rockwell International, had used that concept again for a light attack aircraft submission, as a A-1 successor for the USAF and cheaper alternative for the A-7, esp. for the USMC? This led to the T-2 and the FJ-4B as body donors (yes, Kit, it's the Emhar kit), and the concept of changing everything to a compact turboprop single-seater for CAS duties.
Work started with the T-2 wings, which were taken OOB but had their flaps cut out and lowered - easy to realize on the Matchbox parts, and it makes the static model later look a bit more interesting and lively.
Another thing that required lots of attention at this early stage was the Fury's cockpit tub (yes, its fuselage is used, but see below). Emhar's OOB offering is... doubtful, so I decided to implant a completely different/new cockpit tub and dashboard, including scratched side walls. This new tub also had the benefit that I was able to put lots of lead beads under it as support and to keep the nose down. At this stage I also started to modify the nose for a (massive) propeller implant, with a chin intake (using OOB parts, just opeing the duct) and a simulated deeper duct inside with blackened foamed styrene to block sight/light.
As already mentioned, the FJ-4B fuselage was used, but the tail called for a fundamental decision. Originally I just planned to use the whole hull, add the prop and close the jet exhaust at the tail, relocating the turboprop exhaust to the right flank (à la V-433 to counter torque). But I found that... boring, and I wanted a more original side profile. So, the idea was born to transplant the T-2 tail wholesale, too! That, however, called for more and massive surgery, because fuselage width and depth of the two airframes hardly match in size and shape. An initial measure to bring the parts together somehow was to cut away wedges from the FJ-4's fuselage halves to narrow them down by ~3mm, but the intersection with the T-2 tail still called for about 1mm PSR. Messy!
At that point I also started to work on the prop and its attachment to the nose. The prop came from a Quickboost set with resin props for a P-3 Orion - all blades separate and attached only with tiny/thin/fragile pins to the spinner, which thankfully comes with appropriate holes for them. To hold the prop and create an adapter I used a section from a Tornado drop tank to bridge the area in front of the windshield, added a styrene tube inside and a metal axis to the prop, so that it could spin freely.
Once the wing surfaces were attached the overall PSR orgy started... The area around the tail hook required more attention than expected, because of the raising ventral line of the T-2 tail vs. the "flat" FJ-4B bottom. Thanks to the Emhar kit's separate tail hook compartment I was able to bridge that area and create something plausible (with more PSR!).
Next problem: the canopy. It is not only utterly thick (1.5mm I guess), it also hardly matches the fuselage. So, more PSR, in an attempt to sculpt the cockpit area that it matches the clear parts, at least better than OOB... Once the overall shape was settled a hole for the new exhaust was drilled, a plastic straw would became the new jet pipe.
After even more PSR it became time for the smaller bits and piece, e .g. the landing gear (taken wholesale from the T-2 and the FJ-4B - looks a bit stalky but we will need the groudn clearance!), hardpoints, and cannon gondolas under the wing roots. These were a conceptional fight - I wanted guns (to suppress enemy fire during an attack), but the wings outside the propeller disc did not offer a suitable place to mount them. Underwing gondolas were ruled out because they's block space for other external ordnance. Most interestingy, designs like the V-433 were supposed to carry a synchronized M61 Vulcan gun in the belly to fire through the propeller - I found that to be too complex and just settled for a pair of 20mm Mk. 12 guns, also synchroniezd, though. Anachronistic, but the best available place and space.
With the ability to stand on lits of feet it was time to check the prop, its size and clearance. That turned out to look better than expected, I just clipped the prop tips (to a square shape) later because the original P-3 prop appeared slightly oversized. Additionally, the canopy was cut into two pieces and the windshield was attached, too.
At this stage I also settled upon external ordnance beyond the guns. I went for iron bombs, LOTS of them, exploiting the potential payload capability of the A-8. The result: a total of eighteen Mk. 81 "Firecracker" 250 lb bombs, on two MERs under the fuselage, plus two twin launchers and a pair of single bombsunder the outer wings. However, these parts/bombs came from a Hobby Boss A-7 kit, and all these eighteen(!) bombs had to be assembled from two halves plus the fuzes - a building nightmare! Due to the Hobby Boss sprues I had to outfit four of the bombs with elongated soft ground fuzes, these went under the streamlined twin ejector racks (left over from an Italeri F-18 kit. An impressive load, but the aircraft would have been able to haul it around - highly effective for its intended CAS role!
Painting and markings:
As per usual, I rather stick to conservative livery choices for fictional aircraft, and since I placed the A-8 in Seventies/Eighties time frame in USMC service I went for a paint scheme adopted from AV-8As/early AV-8Bs with FS 34064, 36099 and 36440 - a very dark olive drab tone, a bluish grey (much like RAF Ocean Grey from WWII) and Light Gull Grey underneath. The landing gear and its wells became glossy white, the cockpit tub medium grey (FS 36231), inspired by contemporary A-4Ms. The propeller spinner and the blades' cuffed sections became black while the outer blades medium grey, inspired by the finish of their donor aircraft, the P-3 Orion. The exhaust area was apinmted with iron metallic (Revell 91) and then treated with graphite for a better metallic shine and burnt look. The iron bombs were painted in Olive Drab (Tamiya) and received details like the yellow twin rings by brush. Again, a tedious affair, with eighteen items to handle...
Decals and marking primarily came from a Sky Models 1:72 sheet for Harriers and AV-8Bs, even though it's a mix of markings from various aircraft so that the markings better match the A-8's airframe. Stencils and other bits came from thze scrap box (including an Academy OV-10D sheet), and the red warning lines around the engine compartment as well as the black wing leading edges and the silver joints on flaps and fin rudder were created with generic decal stripe material from TL Modellbau.
Finally, everything was sealed with acrylic varnish from a rattle can - not totally matt, so that light reflexes emphasize the aircraft's lines.
Wayne Rooney expecting third child with Coleen: Wayne Rooney and his wife Coleen are expecting their third child. That made the couple Wednesday evening known via Twitter.
“Overjoyed that I and @ColeenRoo our third child on the way,” wrote the English footballer. His wife tweeted: &...
celebbee.com/wayne-rooney-expecting-third-child-with-coleen/
Convincing Towns Cup win against City of Derry
by Roger Corbett
Last year’s Towns Cup winners were comprehensively beaten 48-10 in the first round of this year’s competition by a well drilled and cohesive Bangor side.
With conditions very soft underfoot at Upritchard Park, the decision was made to play at the Bangor Grammar School’s new pitch nearby. It was hoped that the firmer ground and better than expected weather would give both sides a good opportunity to play to their respective strengths. As City of Derry 2nds were the current holders of the Towns Cup, and having brought a strong team to defend that position, Bangor were expecting a tough contest.
The visitors kicked off with a slight wind advantage, and pushed forward into Bangor’s twenty two. However, after 7 minutes of play, Bangor produced a fine break through crisp handling and good support that involved several players, before the ball came to Darren Kelly. With 10 metres to go, he powered through the Derry defence to score to the left of the posts. Neil Cuthbertson’s conversion was successful, getting the home side off to a great 7-0 start.
Shortly afterwards, another good combination between forwards and backs saw the ball come to Jason Morgan who seemed sure to score, but the ball somehow slipped from his grasp within sight of the Derry line. From the resulting scrum, Derry won the ball and cleared their lines by kicking for touch. The Bangor lineout was taken cleanly by Kelly, and Bangor picked off where they had left off moments earlier. This time it was Jamie Clegg who made the break before passing outside to Mark Widdowson on the left wing. Although he had to juggle the ball before controlling it, he still managed to squeeze in at the corner for Bangor’s second try. The touchline kick was missed making the score now 12-0 with 14 minutes gone.
City of Derry settled themselves and within 10 minutes were applying sustained pressure in Bangor’s twenty two. Having drawn in Bangor players to a ruck, they quickly passed the ball across their backs to find just enough room to score in the left hand corner. The kick was missed, but the gap had now closed to 12-5.
From Mark Thompson’s restart kick, the ball was knocked on by the City of Derry receiver. The Bangor scrum on the half way line was secured by Clegg before passing to Mike Aspley who accelerated through a gap in the centre, shook off a number of tackles and looked to be through for a score. However, with the City of Derry full back in front of him, Aspley unselfishly passed inside to Morgan who made the last few metres to score under the posts. Cuthberton’s simple kick made the score 19-5.
Most of the attacking play was now coming from the home side, prompting some desperate defending by the visitors. With 35 minutes gone, Derry were penalised for a deliberate knock on within their twenty two. The penalty was kicked to touch, and the subsequent lineout was again taken cleanly, this time by Adam Rushe. In a reversal of the previous try, Morgan took the ball forward before returning the compliment to Aspley to score close to the posts. The conversion brought the score to 26-5.
With the first half drawing to a close, Bangor kept up their pressure, forcing Derry to concede another penalty. From Bangor’s chosen scrum, the ball came to Morgan who, although wrapped up in defenders, managed to off-load to James Henly who made good ground before passing outside to Cuthbertson on the right wing who scored in the corner. His subsequent kick hit the upright and bounced out, but Bangor’s lead as the referee blew for half time was now 31-5.
City of Derry’s half time talk appeared to be paying dividends, as they started the second half with renewed vigour and eventually turned over a Bangor scrum. Having won the ball, they moved it wide to their right wing to score in the corner. Although the kick was missed, they were now in double figures at 31-10, with just a few minutes of the half gone.
Unfortunately, the Derry men were unable to build further from this promising start. On the 15 minute mark, Widdowson took a pass above his head, before side stepping the last defender to dive over in the left hand corner for his second try. A great kick by Cuthbertson made the score 38-10.
Several minutes later, Aspley had another good run, but this time was stopped short of the line. Undeterred, from the Bangor ruck, Andrew Jackson got the ball and, having pushed forward and brought play back into the centre, passed outside to Kelly who powered over from a couple of metres out to score his second try. The kick was missed, making the score 43-10.
With the contest all but over, and waiting for the final whistle, another Bangor attack saw Clegg push through before passing to Widdowson on his left. With defenders in front of him, and with little room to work with, Widdowson chipped over the defence and set off in pursuit. The ball didn’t bounce kindly for him, but did for the supporting Phil Whyte who gathered it well and dived over for a well-deserved try. For the second time in the game, Cuthbertson’s conversion hit the upright, making the final score 48-10.
This was another excellent Bangor performance that has brought a return to the kind of form shown at the start of the season. The timing couldn’t be better as the next game is away to league leaders Clogher Valley, who themselves are enjoying a great run of results.
Bangor side: P Whyte, A Jackson, J Harrison (J Leary), A Rushe, D Kelly, J Henly, R Latimer, J Clegg (c), C Harper, M Thompson, M Widdowson, M Aspley, J Morgan (G Caughey), N Cuthbertson, D Charles
Subs: J Leary, G Caughey
Bangor scores: D Kelly (2T), M Widdowson (2T), J Morgan (1T), M Aspley (1T), N Cuthbertson (1T, 4C), P Whyte (1T)
Expect to see more moose cow uploads here. I worked on a number of them last night. This lovely lady got close enough to the shore for me to get some really nice portrait shots of her as she grazed for the aquatic plants beneath the water of Fishercap Lake. She never appeared nervous or distressed that we were lining one side of the lakeshore. She appeared to feel comfortable in the water. She might even be used to seeing so many humans out there, all eyes on her. Who knows. I just feel privileged and lucky to have seen and photographed her for 3 days in a row during my Glacier Park stay.
All of the moose shots (except for any landscape-type images I might post here), were captured with the Canon 1DX and Canon 100-400mm mk II lens.
Copyright Rebecca L. Latson, all rights reserved.
County Grand Lodge of Ayrshire Renfrewshire Argyll,
Paisley Ferguslie Gardens Park,
Flute Bands Parade Saturday June 25th 2016,
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David Cameron Paisley Photographer defiantpose@talktalk.net
"All preview images are scaled down & low rez"
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Expected Bands,
Imperial Blues Flute,
Parkinson Accordion,
Prince of Wales Accordion,
Ayrshire Blue Belles Flute,
Saltcoats Protestant Boys Flute,
Ardrossan Winton Flute,
Leeds Crown Defenders Flute,
Govan Protestant Boys Flute,
Sir George White Memorial Flute,
Grenadiers Memorial Flute,
Batts Purple Star Flute,
New Stevenson Loyal Flute,
Pride of the Hill Flute,
Cambuslang Brittania Flute,
Bridgeton Loyalist Flute,
Caldercruix Defenders Flute,
Newtown Defenders Flute,
Crown Accordion,
Sandy Road Flute,
Spirit of Stewarton Flute,
Dykehead Sons of William Flute,
Saltcoats Protestant Girls Flute,
Heirs of Cromwell Flute,
Sons of Ulster Portrush Flute,
Partick Protestant Boys Flute,
Netherton Road Flute,
Ayr Protestant Boys Flute,
Pride of Bargeddie Flute,
Abbey Star Flute,
Lanarkshire Loyalist Flute,
Saracen Truth Defenders Flute,
Drongan Young Conquerors Flute,
Patna Faith Defenders Flute,
Camlachie Loyal Star Flute,
Sons of the Somme Flute,
Prince William Young Defenders Flute,
www.bandparades.co.uk/event/county-grand-lodge-of-ayrshir...
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The spirit of Scotland remembrance project
the-remembrance-project.blogspot.co.uk/
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Little did I expect to the see the purple and orange livery of 172 339 of West Midlands Railway while waiting for my train at Birmingham Moor Street Station!
It was after I popped to the city centre on the way back from Longbridge via Birmingham New Street, to see the Bullring Bull in it's orange West Midlands Railway outfit.
This time, I managed to also get the sides of the train as it advertised places such as Birmingham Botanical Gardens and the Black Country Living Museum (neither are really close to a railway line - although University or Five Ways are close to the BBG).
The train was heading to Stourbridge Junction, before later heading down to Dorridge.
13 Nov 1954, Cairo, Egypt --- Wearing the traditional Burnoose, but carrying Western clothes, Sheikh Ezzat Gaafar, Chief of the Cabinet of the Emir of Kuwait, arrives in Cairo from Rome. Gaafar is expected to marry ex-Queen Narriman of Egypt after she obtains a divorce from her present husband, Dr. Adham El Nakeeb. Narriman's first husband was ex-King Farouk. --- Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS
And he did not marry her
March 22, 2020: Okay. I didn’t expect this to happen today but I’ve been proud of coming out pansexual last week but today another Instagram user and myself were attacked for choosing to label ourselves as pansexual, as others view the term as biphobic and promoting bi-erasure.
But in thinking about my sexuality in recent years I had read that there has been debate over use of the term in the LGBTQ+ community, but still believe deep down inside that the contemporary definition used today in 2020 is reflective of who I am: “Pansexuality, or omnisexuality, is the sexual, romantic or emotional attraction towards people regardless of their sex or gender identity. Pansexual people may refer to themselves as gender-blind, asserting that gender and sex are not determining factors in their romantic or sexual attraction to others.” As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that sex and sexual attraction is less and less important to me and that the spiritual bond and connection I share with a partner is more important.
Wikipedia also says: “Because pansexual people are open to relationships with people who do not identify as strictly men or women, and pansexuality therefore rejects the gender binary, it is often considered a more inclusive term than bisexual.” Ultimately, I don’t view my pansexuality as a choice, it’s something I truly believe I’ve always been. It just took a few decades for the terminology to catch up with how I felt. I also chose to view and promote my pansexuality in a positive context as I have no wish to ever take away from what others feel best describes their experience of who they are: be it heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, polysexual, sapiosrxual, or asexual.
It’s been 10 days since my last emotional breakdown. And this is part of my personal photo project of 2020, to get a different selfie of me everyday, photo 82/366.
This was originally posted on my Instagram.
#selfies #SubvertedSelfies #Selfies #366daychallenge #366selfies #2020Selfies #DailySelfie #DailySelfies #livingmybestlife #queer #comingout #comingoutpansexual #pansexualpride #pansexuality #pansexualandproud #pansexualboy #pansexuallove #pansexualartist #pansexuality #pansexualityisreal #pansexualityisvalid
2017 World Championship Group Stage at Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium in Wuhan, Hubei, China on 7 October 2017.
The most adorable girl mimicking her pregnant mom. Update: when I took the photo I didn't know the tile 'Expecting a brother' would be the right one. The little girl did get the brother she expected. :)
Expect rationing, 'Keeping Mum' and the all the influences on daily life started by a certain Führer Adolf Hitler.
The decade also witnessed the early beginnings of new technologies (such as computers, nuclear power, and jet propulsion), often first developed in tandem with the war effort, and later adapted and improved upon in the post-war era.
The consequences of the war lingered well into the second half of the decade, with a war-weary Europe divided between the jostling spheres of influence of the Western world and the Soviet Union, leading to the beginning of the Cold War.