Stena Forerunner at Harwich.

 

Name: Stena Forerunner

Vessel type: Ro-Ro ferry

Design: Stena 4-Runner Mk II

Home port: Hoek van Holland

Flag: Netherlands

IMO: 9227259

MMSI: 244030593

Call sign: PCPG

Length overall: 195.3 m

Beam: 26.8 m

Draught: 6.6 m

Gross tonnage: 24,688 ton

Net tonnage: 7,407 ton

Max deadweight: 12,300 ton

Freight capacity: 3,000 lane metres

Engine: 4 x Wärtsilä Sulzer ZA 40S

Engine output: 4 x 8,046 hp (6,000 kW) at 510 rpm

Propulsion: 2 x propeller with adjustable screw blades

Top speed: 22.5 knots

Builder: Dalian Shipyard, Dalian, China

Yard number: RO123-3

Keel laid: 27th. December 2000

Launched: 24th. April 2001

Completed: 29th. August 2003 2003

Owner: Stena Roro Navigation Ltd, Gothenburg, Sweden

Operator: Stena Line BV, Hoek van Holland, Netherlands

   

Carlton North, Victoria

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on authentic facts. BEWARE!

  

Some background:

The forerunners of the Philippine Air Force was the Philippine Militia, otherwise known as Philippine National Guard (PNG). On March 17, 1917 Senate President Manuel L. Quezon enacted a bill (Militia Act 2715) for the creation of the Philippine Militia, in anticipation that there would be an outbreak of hostilities between United States and Germany.

 

The early aviation unit was lacking enough knowledge and equipment to be considered as an air force and was then limited only to air transport duties. In 1935, Philippine Military Aviation was activated when the 10th Congress passed Commonwealth Act 1494 that provided for the organization of the Philippine Constabulary Air Corps (PCAC). PCAC was renamed as the Philippine Army Air Corps (PAAC) in 1936 and started with only three planes on its inventory. In 1941, PAAC had a total of 54 aircraft including fighters and light bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, light transport and trainers. They later engaged the Japanese when they invaded the Philippines in 1941–42, and were reformed in 1945 after the country's liberation.

 

The PAF became a separate military service on July 1, 1947, and the main aircraft type became the P-51 Mustang, flown from 1947 to 1959. Ground attack missions were flown against various insurgent groups, with aircraft hit by ground fire but none shot down. The Mustangs would be replaced by the jet-powered North American F-86 Sabres in the late 1950s, assisted by Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star and Beechcraft T-34 Mentor trainers.

 

During the 70s, the PAF was actively providing air support for the AFP campaign against the MNLF forces in Central Mindanao, aside from doing the airlifting duties for troop movements from Manila and Cebu to the warzone. In late 1977, the Philippine government purchased 35 secondhand U.S. Navy F-8Hs that had been stored at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona. Twenty-five of them were refurbished by Vought and the remaining 10 were used for spare parts. As part of the deal, the U.S. would train Philippine pilots in using the (only) TF-8A, and they were mostly used for intercepting Soviet bombers. The F-8s were grounded in 1988 and were finally withdrawn from service in 1991 after they were badly damaged by the Mount Pinatubo eruption, and have since been offered for sale as scrap.

This left the PAF with the F-5 Freedom Fighter as the only jet-powered combat aircraft. The Philippine Air Force acquired 37 F-5A and F-5B from 1965 to 1998 (from Taiwan and South Korea). The F-5A/Bs were used by the 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Cobras) of the 5th Fighter Wing and the Blue Diamonds aerobatic team. The F-5s also underwent an upgrade which equipped it with surplus AN/APQ-153 radars with significant overhaul at the end of the 1970s to stretch their service lives another 15 years.

 

Since the retirement of the Northrop F-5s in September 2005, the Philippine Air Force was left without any fighter jets and thus also without any serious air cover, considerably weakening the countries position in the region. Financial constraints prevented the procurement of refurbished F-16A/Bs from US surplus stocks, so that the PAF initially resorted to Aermacchi S-211 trainer jets to fill the void left by the F-5's. These S-211's were later upgraded to light attack capability and used for air and sea patrol and also performed counter-insurgency operations from time to time. Apart from these trainers, the only active fixed wing aircraft to fill the roles were SF-260 trainers with light attack capability, and a handful of obsolete OV-10 Bronco light attack and reconnaissance aircraft.

 

With rising tensions and frequent incidents with Chinese forces, however, the PAF settled upon the “Flight Plan 2028”, a long-term modernization and procurement plan. One of the first investments in order to re-build the PAF’s jet fighter force was eventually settled in 2010, when the Philippines started negotiations with Israel to purchase refurbished IAI Kfir fighter-bombers. In August 2012 Israel Aerospace Industries officially announced that it would deliver twenty-one pre-owned Kfir fighter jets to the Philippines, with a 40-year guarantee and a supply of Python 4 IR-homing AAMs, at a rumored unit price of USD $20 million - a price that represents 1/3 the cost of a brand new fighter with similar capability, but without the weaponry.

 

These machines were Kfir C.10s, a variant developed especially for export, basically an updated C.7. The aircraft for the Philippines received the designation C.10P in order to reflect the new operator’s specifications. The most important changes of the C.10 update were the adaptation of an Elta EL/M-2032 multi-role radar and the integration of two 127×177mm MFDs in the cockpit.

The EL/M-2032 is an advanced Multimode Airborne Fire Control Radar designed for multi-mission fighters, oriented for both air-to-air and strike missions. Modular hardware design, software control and flexible avionic interfaces ensure that the radar can be installed in a wide range of existing fighter aircraft (such as F-16, F-5, Mirage, Harrier variants, F-4, MiG-21, etc.), and it can be customized to meet specific user requirements.

The EL/M-2032 greatly enhances the Air-to-Air, Air-to-Ground and Air-to-Sea capabilities of the aircraft, even though the PAF’s machines did not feature the optional Helmet Mounted Display System (as installed on board of the upgraded Ecuadorean Kfir C.10s). In the Air-to-Air modes, the radar enables long-range target detection and tracking for weapon delivery or automatic target acquisition in close combat engagements. The EL/M-2032 has a maximum range of 150 km and can detect and track an aerial target with a 1m² radar reflection surface equivalent at 100 km. Up to 64 aerial targets can be tracked at the same time, and this information can be shared with other aircraft, including the status which aircraft actually tracks which target.

In Air-to-Ground missions, the radar provided very high-resolution mapping (SAR), surface target detection and tracking over RBM, DBS and SAR maps in addition to A/G ranging. In Air-to-Sea missions, the radar provided long-range target detection and tracking, including target classification capabilities (RS, ISAR).

 

The first Kfir C.10Ps were quickly delivered, and in September 2014 the PAF’s 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron “Cobras” at Basa AB was reformed, the unit which had formerly operated the country’s last F-5s until 2005. Despite the type’s multirole capability, the Filipino Kfirs primarily fulfill interceptor and air patrol tasks against intrusions into Philippine airspace. Their prime task is to act as a general repellant against Chinese aggressions in the South China Sea, esp. in defense of the Scarborough Shoal fishing ground that Manila claims as part of its territorial waters.

Since 2015, the PAF’s jet fighter force has also been augmented by supersonic FA-50 trainers, procured from South Korea, and the PAF’s updated “Flight Plan 2028” lists another 16 Kfirs C.10Ps (including four TC.10P two-seaters), as well as more FA-50s, planned for the future.

 

Since their introduction the FAP’s Kfirs frequently intercepted Chinese and Russian reconnaissance aircraft (typically Y-8 maritime patrol aircraft, but also H-6 missile strike bombers and reconnaissance aircraft) over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, even though with no serious confrontations so far.

Beyond these standard duties, the PAF’s new type also took part in several other deployments: On 26 January 2017, two Philippine Air Force Kfir C.10s demonstrated their strike capabilities for the first time and conducted a nighttime attack on terrorist hideouts in Butig, Lanao del Sur province in Mindanao, the first “hot” combat sortie flown by these aircraft. In June 2017, Kfirs and FA-50s were sent out to conduct airstrikes against Maute terrorists entrenched in the city of Marawi, starting in May 2017.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: One

Length: 15.65 m (51 ft 4¼ in)

Wingspan: 8.22 m (26 ft 11½ in)

Height: 4.55 m (14 ft 11¼ in)

Wing area: 34.8 m² (374.6 sq ft)

Empty weight: 7,285 kg (16,060 lb)

Loaded weight: 11,603 kg (25,580 lb) two 500 L drop tanks, two AAMs

Max. takeoff weight: 16,200 kg (35,715 lb)

 

Powerplant:

1× IAl Bedek-built General Electric J-79-J1E turbojet with a dry thrust of 52.9 kN (11,890 lb st)

and 79.62 kN (17,900 lb st) thrust with afterburner

Performance:

Maximum speed: 2,440 km/h (2 Mach, 1,317 knots, 1,516 mph) above 11,000 m (36,000 ft)

Combat radius: 768 km (415 nmi, 477 mi) in ground attack role, with, hi-lo-hi profile, seven 500 lb

bombs, two AAMs, two 1,300 L drop tanks

Maximum range: 3,232 km (2,008 miles, 1744 nm), high profile, with two 1,300 L drop tank

Service ceiling: 22,860 m (75,000 ft)

Rate of climb: 233 m/s (45,950 ft/min)

 

Armament:

2× Rafael-built 30 mm (1.18 in) DEFA 553 cannons, 140 RPG

9× hardpoints for a total payload of 5,775 kg (12,730 lb), including an assortment of unguided

air-to-ground rockets, guided missiles (AIM-9 Sidewinders, Shafrir or Python-series AAMs; Shrike

ARMs and AGM-65 Maverick ASMs) or bombs such as the Mark 80 series, Paveway and Griffin

LGBs, SMKBs,TAL-1 OR TAL-2 CBUs, BLU-107 Matra Durandal, reconnaissance pods or Drop tanks

  

The kit and its assembly:

Like many of my what-if models, this one is rooted in real life. AFAIK, the PAF actually considered the procurement of refurbished, ex-Israeli Kfirs after the purchase of 2nd hand F-16s had turned out to be too costly – but even the Kfir deal did not materialize due to budgetary restrictions. However, whifworld can change this… And eventually, the PAF procured the South Korean FA-50 Golden Eagle multi-role advanced trainer.

 

The kit is the Italeri Kfir C.2/7, a sound and priceworthy offering, but it comes with some inherent flaws - the alternative Hasegawa kit is IMHO much easier to build, even though it is not much more detailed. Problem zones of the Italeri kit include the complex intersection between the air intakes, wings and the fuselage (nothing fits well, gaps galore!), ejector pin markings on the landing gear and on the wheels, sinkholes on the wings’ upper side towards the leading edges and the cockpit tub as a whole, which seems to stem from a different kit - including the dashboard, which is too wide, too.

 

In order to keep things simple and plausible, the kit was mostly built OOB, which is in itself enough work, with only a few cosmetic changes:

- a new nose section with a bigger radome from the scrap box and transplanted chines and pitot

- replacement of the early OOB Shafrir AAMs with Python AAMs, left over from a Trumpeter J-8

- additional/modified antennae and air sensors, including a RHAWS sensor at the top of the fin

- a refueling probe above the right air intake, from a Harrier GR.3, modified

- a Martin Baker ejection seat and some cockpit interior details

  

Painting and markings:

Since the fictional PAF Kfirs were to be primarily operated in the interceptor role, I gave the aircraft an air superiority scheme. Inspiration was taken from the type’s predecessor, the PAF’s F-8 Crusaders and their late Eighties livery, a wraparound scheme in two grey tones, coupled with low-viz (black) markings.

 

I actually used the F-8 camouflage pattern as benchmark and tried to adapt it to the delta-wing Kfir, but this eventually ended in almost complete improvisation. The colors are – based on visual impressions of some PAF Crusaders rather than on hard facts (since these turned out to be quite contradictive and/or implausible) – FS 36440 and 36270, Humbrol 129 and 126, respectively. The result appears a bit pale and reminds a lot of the French air superiority scheme (which is more bluish, though), but it does not look bad at all.

The radome and other dielectric fairings were slightly set apart from the camouflage tones (with Revell 47). The landing gear as well as the air intake interior were painted in gloss white (Humbrol 22), while the cockpit was painted in Sea Grey (Humbrol 27).

 

The model only received a light weathering treatment through a black ink washing and some post-shading with slightly lighter tones, since the aircraft would be relatively new in service – even though I have the impression that any PAF aircraft’s exterior quickly suffered under the local climate?

 

The national markings belong to a Philippine F-5 (a late camouflaged aircraft, hence the insignias’ small size), taken from an Aztec Decal sheet. The modex was created from code markings for a Bréguet Alizé and the cobra emblems on the fin belong to a Malaysian MiG-29 (Begemot sheet). The contemporary USAF-style BuNo for PAF aircraft was created with single decal letters – a fiddly affair.

Only a few stencils were actually taken from the OOB sheet and many of the original red markings were replaced. Most stencils became black and the walkway markings on the wings were replaced by segmented lines from a Mirage 2000.

After some final, very light weathering with graphite the kit was finally sealed with a coat of matt acrylic varnish (Italeri) and completed.

  

Nothing spectacular, but rather an exotic and still plausible what-if build, rooted in real life. While the paint scheme as such is not outstanding, I must say that the two-tone grey scheme suits the Kfir well, esp. together with the subdued markings.

 

Tanágra, 6 November 2016.

 

The forerunner of the Mirage 2000 was Mirage F1. Most of the 40 delivered are still in storage or preserved on the base.

 

Every year in November all Hellenic Air Force bases are open for the public during 4 days. There's a small static of usually 4 or 5 aircraft but no airshow.

The 1955 Chevrolet Cameo was the first pickup truck to merge luxury passenger car and pickup design. Featuring full styled sides along the load box, it was a forerunner to the 'styled side' series from GM and its competitors. The load box featured the standard box insert from the other Chev commercial series, and added the styled side in fibreglass, a low tooling cost solution, from from the supplier of the Corvette bodies (Molded Fiberglass Products Company).

 

The Cameo also featured six and Vee-eight cylinder engines of up to 265 cid but with lower power than the Passenger cars. The Cameo, as the premium offering from Chevrolet Truck division, was well dressed in large chrome bumpers, grille and other trimmings. The stylist was none other than Chuck Jordan who later became Vice President of Design.

 

The single colour scheme for 1955 was white body, with red detailing in the bed and interior. For 1956 the colour options were expanded, which nonetheless still resulted in significantly fewer sales.

 

As the name suggests, the Cameo only made a brief appearance on Chevrolet's sales list, ceasing at the end of 1958. They now command a high premium among light truck collectors from this period.

 

Berge Stahl on the high seas with a cargo of 355,000 tons of Brazilian iron ore destined for Rotterdam. (Credit - Bergesen Bulk)

"O Prophet and Forerunner of the coming of Christ, in spite of our eagerness to render you due honour, we fall short when singing your praise. Your glorious birth saved your mother from the shame of barrenness, returned to your father the power of speech, and proclaimed to the world the Incarnation of the Son of God"

 

– Troparion for the Nativity of the Holy Forerunner.

 

Today, 24 June, is the Solemnity of St John the Baptist, and this mosaic of the saint is from the west facade of the Rosary Basilica in Lourdes.

 

My sermon for today's feast can be read here.

Events in Egypt reminded me of the Pyramids. I took the shot while riding a camel..:)

In this busy ferry scene looking from North Shore to Circular Quay in Sydney we can see:

Centre - vehicular ferry BARANGAROO with men on horses

Foreground - unidentified VICTORIA type paddle ferry.

Right - small ferry POSSUM, with PS SAPPHIRE and vehicular ferry WARRANE

 

The S.S Possum, a tiny ferry owned and operated by the North Shore Steam Ferry Company (the forerunner to Sydney Ferries Ltd.) ran an all-night service from Circular Quay. Tied up beside on the right is the Sapphire (1877 – 1893), typical of many small paddle ferries.

 

Other images of the s.s. Possum can be found in the ALBUM POSSUM

 

Details:

Name: Possum

Type: Passenger ferry/Tug/Cargo/Fishing

Length: 60.0 ft

Beam: 13.5 ft

Draft: 5.0 ft

Engine: Steam 12nhp S.1Cy.10"-10" Chapman &Co, Sydney

Builder: Rock Davis

Built: Blackwall, Brisbane Water, NSW.

Launched: 2nd January 1884

Official number: No 89229

Gross: 31.59 tons

Underdeck: 29.74 tons

Net: 21.48 tons

Registered: Sydney 1884/01

Owners:

- North Shore Steam Ferry Co. Ltd. Sydney - Richard Manning (1884-1899)

- Mary Wilson Blackwood

- Edwin Jackson Saxby (MO) +George Bulmer (JO) (both of Taree)

- William Wallbridge - Hastings River

 

Construction:

Planking: Carvel

Stem: Scow

Figurehead: Billet

Stern: Counter elliptical

 

All night ferry 1884 - 1899 In March of 1884 the North Shore Steam Ferry Co. Ltd. completed the purchase of the small passenger ferry, putting her on the first all-night service from Circular Quay to Milsons Point, McMahons Point, and Lavender Bay. Aptly named the Possum and licensed to carry 120 passengers, the little steam ferry regularly ran from midnight to 5am. The single fare was 1/- ; regular nightly travellers were provided for by monthly tickets at 10/- which, for an average of 25 return trips a month, showed a substantial saving.

 

Collision in the Harbour

Considerable damage was sustained to the Possum when she collided with steam tug Goolwa at around 5-50am on the morning of the 13th July 1898. The Possum was coming astern from the Mosman wharf, Circular Quay, after just dropping off her passengers on the last run of the morning. Media reported the force of the impact was that great, “the Possum is a wreck above the water line, nearly the whole of her deck fittings, awnings, staff rail, and gear being carried away, her funnel lying at a rakish angle, and her stern splintered to an extent showing the force of the impact to have been violent. There was also small damage done to her machinery, the whistle-cock being broken, also the waste steam pipes, allowing a great escape of steam.” Although damage to the Goolwa was slight, the Possum was subsequently towed to the company’s wharf for repairs.

By early 1899 the Possum was replaced by the passenger ferry Nautilus.

 

Camden Haven - Batemans Bay 1899 - 1903

Chartered in May 1899 by Mr John Horn, the little ferry Possum took on a new role as a steam tug towing barges on the Camden Haven river in conjunction with construction of the training wall for the Public Works Dept.

Extract: “The work at the quarry has quite changed the aspect of North Brother Mountain. Where three years ago, was a gradual slope is now a cliff eighty feet deep, a sheer face of precipitous rock, at the foot of which a small army of workmen are busy loading trucks with the stone detached by blasting. It is taken to the breakwater by punts, towed by a small tug called the Possum, and at times, owing to the strong winds, narrow passage, and confined current, it taxes the skill of the Master Capt. Horn, to avoid accident. He is certainly a master of his art." Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Districts of New South Wales - Saturday 26th January 1901

 

During this time Mr Horn was also successful in tendering for other towing work and, for a period, the Possum was engaged in the Harbours and Rivers work at Batemans Bay NSW.

 

Manning River NSW 1903 - 1905

Australian Dairying Company

In October 1903 the Australian Dairying Company had just purchased the steam ferry Oceana, for their operations on the Manning River, but tragedy struck on the 7th October 1903 whilst crossing the Harrington bar on her maiden run from Sydney, the Oceana capsized and was a total loss.

"Australian Dairying Co. – Capt. Craig, Managing Director of the Australian Dairying Co., who has been on a visit to the district for a few days, left for Sydney again by the Electra on Thursday. Capt Craig informs us that, in order to make better provision for the conveyance of cream to the Purfleet factory, the company has been fortunate in chartering for a term of six months the steamer Possum, which was formerly engaged on the Camden Haven towing punts for the harbour works. The Possum, which is a speedy little boat, is licensed to carry 120 passengers, and has just received a thorough overhauling. She is roomy and comfortable, has a length of about 60 feet, with a beam of 14 ft, and a depth of 6 ft. Mr George J Rickets is to have command of the steamer, which is expected to arrive on the Manning in the course of a day or two. If necessary the Possum may be chartered for a longer period, but on the termination of her contract with the A.D. Co, we understand, she is to be used by Mr M Parker, of Taree for river trading purposes. On the recovery of the boiler and engines, which were lost in the wreck of the Oceana on the Harrington bar, it is the company’s intention to have a steamer constructed on the river in every respect similar to the Oceana - all the seats, life saving apparatus, & etc being at Taree, having been sent on ahead of the wrecked steamer. The Possum should be a very suitable boat on the river.

We have received a wire from Capt. Craig stating that the Electra passed the Possum off Broken Bay at 7 o’clock yesterday. (Friday morning, proceeding north.)"

Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Districts of New South Wales (Taree, NSW : 1898 – 1954) Saturday 7th November 1903.

 

Crossing the bar The smart little steamer Possum crossed the Harrington bar at the mouth of the Manning River on Tuesday the 10th November 1903, arriving at the Australian Dairying Company’s wharf in Taree by 2pm. During the 6 months charter to the company the Possum not only transported milk to the factory, but was occasionally called upon for some towing duties and the conveyance of passengers to regattas and outings around the river.

It was also during this period that there was a change of ownership of the Possum to Mr E Saxby and Mr G Bulmer (both of Taree).

 

River trader On 11th May 1904 after her short time with the Australian Dairying Company the Possum was handed back to her owners. Beached near Fotheringham’s wharf Taree, the steamer underwent a thorough overhaul, including the addition of an extra deck house.

Media Advertisement The SS. Possum - Mr. E. J. Saxby announces that the steamer Possum will carry parcels to any part of the river at reasonable rates. The steamer is also fitted for towing, and is open for charter on Wednesday and Saturday- being certified to carry 130 passengers.

 

Camden Haven and Hastings River 1905-1906

Fishing Boat

By August 1905 the Possum was chartered to Mr W. Mathers of Dunbogan NSW to be used in the fishing industry. After undergoing a complete overhaul, and the fitting of an extra mast at the Cundletown dry dock, the Possum crossed out over the Harrington bar on the 7th August 1905 bound for the Camden Haven.

 

Hastings River - Port Macquarie NSW

She operated out of both Camden Haven and the Hastings River. Within a few months as a fishing boat, tragedy struck when, in January 1906, when the Possum sank alongside her moorings at Settlement Point Farm, about 1 ½ miles upstream from Port Macquarie. The cause of the sinking was attributed to the fact that the Possum was thought to be moored too close to a sloping bank and the tide receding caused her to turn turtle.

 

Possum Sold

The little steamer was sold and successfully raised from her watery grave by her new owner Mr. W. Wallbridge in May 1906 and underwent repairs on the Hamilton slip before resuming her life on the river. The last media article mentioning the Possum was in April 1907 when “Mr Wallbridge conveyed a good number of up-river folk to and from the regatta in his well-known steamer Possum.”

 

Fate: Listed as lost Hastings River NSW 1911. Register closed 14th April 1913.

 

Image Source:

Image 079973: Graeme Andrews Working Harbour Collection. (City of Sydney Archives.)

 

Acknowledgements: The assistance of Mori Flapan (Mori Flapan boatregister) by providing access to his extensive database is greatly appreciated.

 

The assistance of the Cundletown Museum by providing access to their extensive collection of information and images is greatly appreciated.

Cundletown Museum

 

All Images in this photostream are Copyright - Great Lakes Manning River Shipping and/or their individual owners as may be stated above and may not be downloaded, reproduced, or used in any way without prior written approval.

 

GREAT LAKES MANNING RIVER SHIPPING, NSW - Flick Group --> Alphabetical Boat Index --> Boat builders Index --> Tags List

TVR Griffith (1991-02) Engine 3950cc V8 Hi Lift Cam

TVR SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623722776067...

Like its forerunner namesakes, the Griffith 200 and Griffith 400, the modern Griffith was a light weight (1048 kg or 2310 lb) fiberglass bodied, 2 door, 2 seat sports car with a V8 engine. Originally, it used a 4.0 L 240 hp (179 kW) Rover V8 engine, but that could be optionally increased to 4.3 L 280 hp (209 kW) in 1992 with a further option of big valve cylinder heads. In 1993 with a TVR-developed 5.0 L 340 hp (254 kW) version of the Rover V8 became available. All versions of the Griffith use the Lucas 14CUX engine management system.

All models use a five speed manual transmission.

Although the Griffith was almost mechanically identical to its sister car, the Chimaera, it had a different body design and was produced in much smaller numbers.

 

Many thanks for a fantabulous

48,823,062 views

 

Shot at the NEC Classic Car Show 13:11:2015 Ref. 112-548

   

Its forerunner under the name Golden Eagle was founded in the 17th century, 1623. Its contemporary furniture was prepared in the 1880s. Its facade is decorated with a majolica manufactured in the Zsolnay factory in Pécs.

A gyógyszertárat 1623-ban alapította Pralich Péter és a Várkerület 31. szám alatt működött Arany Sas Patika néven. Néhány év múlva, 1635-ben kapta az Oroszlán nevet. Jelenlegi helyére, a Várkerület 29.sz alá 1724-ben került. A patika egyedülállóan érdekes és szép majolika portálja a pécsi Zsolnay kerámiagyárban készült.

Bethel and the Moravians.

The Czech Moravian Brethren of Bethel near Tarlee were one of the unique religious groups to settle in this “Paradise of Dissent”. Moravia is a province of the Czech Republic (around Prague) which was from 1850 part of Bohemia. The origins of the Brethren go back to John Huss a Catholic heretic who in 1415 was burned at the stake by the Catholic Church. Heretic followers of Huss formed a breakaway group from the Catholic Church in 1467 including some forerunners of the Moravian Brethren. Martin Luther created the big break from the Catholic Church in Germany in 1517. Eventually during the Counter Reformation and the Thirty Years War (1618-48), a new group of Moravian Brethren moved to Saxony in 1722 to the town of Herrnhut. A new spiritual awakening and the founding of a Moravian Church occurred in 1727 led by Count Zinzendorf (1700-1760). In 1735 many Moravians went to America and founded the church there in the colonies of Georgia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. About 825,000 people worldwide are today members of the Moravian Brethren (Unitas Fratrum). They base everything on the Bible and bishops are selected and elected from the most spiritual members. They pursue missionary work, especially in Africa, and the largest concentration of Moravians today is in Tanzania! They allow members lots of freedom and members can be members of other churches, such as the Lutheran or Presbyterian Churches with which they maintain close links. The Moravian Church is part of the Lutheran World Federation. In Australia Moravians settled in the Western Districts of Victoria from 1850 as well as at Bethel near Tarlee from 1854. Bethel is a German word meaning “place of God.” The Moravians formed “utopian like” communities with communal lands here at Bethel and also at Herrnhut near Hamilton in Western Victoria. Their purpose in forming a farming commune in South Australia was fuelled by the desire for freedom and independence to follow their Christian beliefs and traditions.

  

The Moravian Brethren came from Saxony although the sect was originally Czech. So they spoke German and usually had German names. They are perhaps best known for their system of houses or “choirs” whereby they maintained separate seating in church for women, men, and single sisters and widows who were separated from the rest of the community. Virgins and single women were usually required to live in one large house together so that their spiritual needs could be dealt with separately. When a girl turned sixteen she was obliged to always wear some pink, usually a scarf or shawl but for church she might wear a pink blouse. Married women would always wear a rich red scarf or shawl. This practice of separating men and women carried over to the cemetery as well, with women being buried on one side and men on the other. You can see this today in the old part of the Bethel cemetery.

 

In 1854 a pastor by the name of Schondorf was sent out by the parent church at Herrnhut in Saxony to establish a traditional Moravian Christian commune. Schondorf bought up 1,912 acres near Tarlee. The centre of the commune was to be one hundred acres of church property which initially was to be governed and managed by the community for the welfare of the church and pastor alike. A church and school were built and families allocated land which they thought they were buying. The Moravians worked harmoniously together to build their homes, clear their land, and establish a little village in which the focal point was the Church. The Band Hall was for their music performances as these people had a great culture of fine German and European music and they regularly staged performances and concerts, and those musicians in their commune would practice together. They saw their musical talents as perhaps their greatest possession. The Moravians also had a number of different ceremonies, one was the coming of age, or debut, for the girls at sixteen and also the young men attaining their majority at 21 years of age. There were many other functions and ceremonies mostly attached to their worship, Christmas and Easter taking pre-eminence.

All went well for the first twenty years until families discovered they were not buying land, they were only renting it. The community wrote to the mother church in Herrnhut asking for a new priest. In the early 1870's a number in the church members, mainly the younger generation, felt Schondorf was getting too old (he was 60) and they could do with someone with more fluency and style. So they wrote to Herrnhut in Bohemia asking for a younger pastor - without telling Pastor Schondorf. When he found out he objected, refusing to move from the church house because it had been legally signed over to him some years before. The governing committee took him to court but they lost the case and then they took it to the Supreme Court of South Australia where they lost it again. This brought about a permanent rift in the community. However when the new pastor (Jacobi) arrived in 1876 Schondorf had to move out to a cottage he had built for himself about half a mile from the church. Some of the commune members went to his home for services, but in 1877 Schondorf retired a broken man. He died in 1898 and was buried in Kapunda. A few of the community had stayed loyal to Schondorf and they built another church by Schondorf’s cottage 1876. The ruins of the Schondorf properties can be seen from Bethel.

The new Moravian Brethren pastor named Jacobi arrived in 1876. Pastor Jacobi continued until 1891 when he died. Herrnhut then sent out another man, Pastor Buch, but just a few years later in 1895 the Lutherans built a large church at Bethel adjacent to the community. Most of the remaining Moravian Brethren began to attend the Lutheran Church. Pastor Buch was recalled to Bohemia in 1906 so the community severed their connection with Herrnhut in Bohemia and joined a Lutheran Synod. Many of the Moravians were not happy with the new arrangement as the Lutheran pastor (Benman) progressively brought in the practices of the Lutherans including robes, fees for weddings and funerals etc. Not far away from Bethel other Lutherans and Wends ( now called Sorbs) built another Lutheran Church only a kilometre away at Steinthal. The Moravians continued in SA with an offshoot community at South Kilkerran on Yorke Peninsula as the Moravians practised their missionary with the Narrunga people of Yorke Peninsula at Point Pearce Aboriginal Mission. The ruins of Schondorf’s second house, church and graveyard can be seen from the Bethel Lutheran Church. The Moravian church and large school has now been demolished. The Lutheran manse next to the Lutheran Church was built in 1908. The Moravian burials are numbered chronologically, with men and women separated.

 

As well as the Moravian Brethren there were a number of people of Wendish origin living in the Bethel district. They were from Lusatia, a small area in Germany and had struggled for centuries to maintain their own culture, language and worship although over-ruled by Saxony and Prussia for most of the time. This group had come out to South Australia in 1848, settling at near Riverton, Ebenezer and St Kitts. But some Wends like Peter and George Doecke took up land at Bethel in 1856. Soon others of their family followed. They joined in worship with the Moravians and their children attended the Bethel school, (German being spoken) but by 1860 this influx was over-crowding both the school and the Moravian church. Peter Doecke decided to erect a room on his property for a school and a bit later another to be used as a church which they called "Steinthal". It had an altar and a pipe organ (donated by Peter Doecke who was the organist) and a choir of six! Most of the congregation were Peter Doecke's relatives, and pastors came from neighbouring areas to preach there. They remained on good terms with Pastor Schondorf (he was often a guest preacher) and there was a lot of inter-marrying between the Wends and the Moravians. Both practised infant baptism. In 1906 Peter Doecke died and as numbers at Steinthal had declined the Wendish group asked to be amalgamated with the Moravian Church which amalgamated with the Lutheran Church at that time.

 

s/n 1039GT

 

250 bhp at 7,000 rpm, 2,953 cc SOHC alloy block-and-head V-12 engine, triple Weber carburettors, four-speed manual gearbox, independent front suspension with A-arms and coil springs, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 2,600 mm

 

• One of the most desirable competition-bred Ferraris extant

• Alloy coachwork and V-12 power

• Desirable covered headlamps; one of 36 “single-louver” examples

• Ferrari Classiche-certified and matching numbers

• Restoration by marque specialists in Italy

 

The Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta not only has breathtaking looks, it remains arguably the greatest and most important Ferrari road/racing car ever built. Its forerunner was the 250 MM, so-named after the famous Mille Miglia race, which hard-charging Italian hillclimb champion Giovanni Bracco won for Ferrari in 1952. That achievement, plus Ferrari’s first World Driver’s Championship win with Alberto Ascari driving the Type 500 and the company’s first collaboration with Pinin Farina (the 212 Inter cabriolet) combined to make the year 1952 a particularly significant one in the marque’s history.

 

THE 250 GT LWB BERLINETTA

 

The last 250 MMs had been built by 1954, and work began on what would become the 250 GT Berlinetta Tour de France. A new strengthened 2,600-mm tubular chassis was equipped with a modern wishbone/coil-spring suspension and the Colombo Tipo 112 “short-block” V-12 engine. Subsequently, this engine was developed further and re-designated Tipo 128B, C and D. Three more 250 GTs similar to the 250 MM followed the prototype Pinin Farina-bodied Berlinetta, 0369 GT, between April and July 1955.

 

That October, another car was shown at the Paris Salon and was the first design with many side louvers set within the rear sail-panels. Pinin Farina made two more prototypes, one of which was owned by the Marquis de Portago from Spain. At Nassau in December 1955, he scored the first victory for the car, a record that would reach epic proportions by the end of the decade. The Le Mans tragedy of 1955, where Peter Levegh’s Mercedes flew into a crowd of spectators, killing 80 and injuring another 200, prompted the creation of a new Gran Turismo category with an engine capacity of 3.0 litres, which would play directly into Ferrari’s hands in 1956.

 

Not to be outdone by Pinin Farina, Scaglietti appeared at the 1956 Geneva Motor Show with their own 250 GT prototype, which became known as the limited production, Series I, “14-louvre” 250 GT Berlinetta. The first production car was built in November 1956, and production was now the responsibility of Scaglietti in Modena.

 

There were five series of 250 GT Berlinettas in all. From mid-1957, the Series II cars were introduced, with three louvers and covered headlights. Just 15 were produced. Series III numbered 36 cars; these retained the covered headlights but had just a single vent louver. In 1959, eight single-louver cars were built with open headlights, a new Italian requirement. Zagato also made five superlight cars.

 

The real start of the 250 GT Berlinetta’s competition career began in 1956, and the car went on to win more races than either of its legendary successors, the 250 GT SWB and the GTO. Olivier Gendebien won the GT class in the Tour of Sicily at the beginning of 1956, but that year’s Tour de France was 250 GT Berlinetta’s most important race and propelled the car into the annals of motorsport history.

 

The Tour de France took five or six days and covered almost 5,000 gruelling kilometres around France, sometimes venturing into Italy, Belgium or Germany. The race consisted of up to six circuit races, two hillclimbs and a sprint. In 1956, in de Portago’s first attempt, with Edmund Nelson as co-driver in his Ferrari, he took the victory with Stirling Moss in a Mercedes 300SL second and Gendebien third in the first Pinin Farina ex-works development car, 0357 GT. With this win, ‘Fon’ de Portago earned the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta its enduring sobriquet, the Tour de France. In the hands of Olivier Gendebien, the 250 GT Tour de France was victorious for the next three straight years in the race whose name the car had now unofficially taken, and the car and its enviable competition record remain the stuff of legends today.

 

CHASSIS 1039 GT

 

The example offered here, 1039 GT, was supplied new via US Ferrari Importer Luigi Chinetti Motors of Greenwich, Connecticut to its first owner Hastings Harcourt of Santa Barbara, California on 26 November, 1958. Mr. Harcourt was the heir and owner of Harcourt Brace, the well known book publisher. Of particular note, 1039 GT is one of the 39 competition 250 GT LWB Berlinettas originally produced by Ferrari with all-alloy bodywork, the single vent and the desirable covered-headlamp configuration.

 

1039 GT remained in America for most of its life, and during this phase, it changed hands amongst a number of American collectors, as documented by Ferrari historian Marcel Massini. Early in its life in the United States, Ford units replaced the original engine and gearbox. The original 250 series V-12 engine was later reunited with the TdF, as confirmed by the Ferrari Classiche certification. In 1974, Charles W. Betz and Fred Peters of Orange, California acquired 1039 GT and re-united the TdF with its original Ferrari 250 series V-12 engine and gearbox.

 

The rare Ferrari remained in America for many years thereafter and was successfully campaigned a number of times at the world-famous Monterey Historic Automobile Races in Laguna Seca during the 1980s. In the early 1990s, 1039 GT was sold to Switzerland, and there, it joined an important Swiss-based private automobile collection. The prominent owner used the car sparingly in Switzerland and abroad, when it was driven on the Tour Auto in 1997 and in 1999. He retained 1039 GT for many years, and in 2005, it was certified by the Ferrari Classiche program, which confirms that the car retains its engine and all of its main components the way it was built by the factory, and therefore, it is indeed a true matching-numbers example.

 

The car was restored in Italy by some of the finest recognised Ferrari specialists in the Modena area, the birthplace of Ferrari. The engine was entrusted to Diena, who performed a full rebuild, Bacchelli & Villa handled the coachwork, and the interior was entrusted to the respected Selleria Luppi. Upon completion of the restoration, the car was tested and featured in Octane in January 2006, marking a thoroughly enjoyable and particularly satisfying drive for the magazine’s testers.

 

From Switzerland, the car was sold to its next and current English owner in late 2005, who is himself a fastidious collector. Upon acquisition of the car, he enrolled and was accepted to participate in that year’s edition of the Mille Miglia. Demanding perfection of all of the cars within his collection, the current owner recently commissioned UK-based Ferrari specialists GTO Engineering to perform a full, no-expense-spared service on 1039 GT at a cost of over GBP 10,000. Any mechanical part that was at all worn was changed, and as offered now, the 1039 GT runs beautifully and stands ready to be enjoyed. Of course, with its legendary pedigree, it will surely be welcomed at most any event the new owner chooses to enter.

 

RM Auctions has recently inspected the car, and we can confirm that 1039 GT presents very well. Some of the world’s premier Ferrari experts carried out its restoration, and it still shows today. The bodywork is straight, and the doors display proper fit. The paintwork is near-perfect, and the correctly trimmed tan leather upholstery presents beautifully, a true mark of Luppi’s workmanship, with the crackle-finished dash giving 1039 GT a true competition feel when you slip behind the wheel. The outside fuel filler, covered headlamps and single louver give the car an undeniable competition-bred presence, and as offered today, 1039 GT is correct in every way—a fact confirmed not only by marque specialists but also by the all-important Ferrari Classiche certification binder that accompanies it. Truly rare, purposefully beautiful and capable of performance that remains very impressive even today, this 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta is steeped in Ferrari’s rich competition legacy and very capably represents one of the most highly coveted Ferrari models ever built.

 

[Text from RM Auctions]

 

www.rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm?lot_id=851162

 

This Lego miniland-scale Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta 'Tour de France' (1958 - Scaglietti), has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 89th Build Challenge, - "Over a Million, Under a Thousand", - a challenge to build vehicles valued over one million (US) dollars, or under one thousand (US) dollars.

 

This particular vehicle was auctioned by the RM Auction house on Wednesday, October 26, 2012, where it sold for 2,240,000 British Pounds (US$3.342,080).

 

Another back road with a cinematic feel and according to Mrs C is a fine butchers in Ware.

The Volkswagen Type 2, officially known as the Transporter or informally as Bus (US) or Camper (UK), was a panel van introduced in 1950 by German automaker Volkswagen as its second car model – following and initially deriving from Volkswagen's first model, the Type 1 (Beetle), it was given the factory designation Type 2.

As one of the forerunners of the modern cargo and passenger vans, the Type 2 gave rise to competitors in the United States and Europe, including the Ford Econoline, the Dodge A100, and the Corvair 95 Corvan, the latter adopting the Type 2's rear-engine configuration. European competition included the Renault Estafette and the Ford Transit. As of January 2010, updated versions of the Type 2 remain in production in international markets— as a passenger van, as a cargo van, and as a pickup truck.

Like the Beetle, the van has received numerous nicknames worldwide, including the "microbus", "minibus", "kombi" and, due to its popularity during the counterculture movement of the 1960s, "hippie van".

 

The concept for the Type 2 is credited to Dutch Volkswagen importer Ben Pon. (It has similarities in concept to the 1920s Rumpler Tropfenwagen and 1930s Dymaxion car by Buckminster Fuller, neither of which reached production.) Pon visited Wolfsburg in 1946, intending to purchase Type 1s for import to Holland, where he saw an improvised parts-mover and realized something better was possible using the stock Type 1 pan. He first sketched the van in a doodle dated April 23, 1947, proposing a payload of 690 kg (1,500 lb) and placing the driver at the very front. Production would have to wait, however, as the factory was at capacity producing the Type 1.

When capacity freed up a prototype known internally as the Type 29 was produced in a short three months. The stock Type 1 pan proved to be too weak so the prototype used a ladder chassis with unit body construction. Coincidentally the wheelbase was the same as the Type 1's. Engineers reused the reduction gear from the Type 81, enabling the 1.5 ton van to use a 25 hp (19 kW) flat four engine.

Although the aerodynamics of the first prototypes were poor (with an initial drag coefficient of 0.75), engineers used the wind tunnel at the Technical University of Braunschweig to optimize the design. Simple changes such as splitting the windshield and roofline into a "vee" helped the production Type 2 achieve a drag coefficient of 0.44, exceeding the Type 1's 0.48. Volkswagen's new chief executive officer Heinz Nordhoff (appointed 1 January 1948) approved the van for production on 19 May 1949 and the first production model, now designated Type 2, rolled off the assembly line to debut 12 November. Only two models were offered: the Kombi (with two side windows and middle and rear seats that were easily removable by one person), and the Commercial. The Microbus was added in May 1950, joined by the Deluxe Microbus in June 1951. In all 9,541 Type 2s were produced in their first year of production.

An ambulance model was added in December 1951 which repositioned the fuel tank in front of the transaxle, put the spare tire behind the front seat, and added a "tailgate"-style rear door. These features became standard on the Type 2 from 1955 to 1967. 11,805 Type 2s were built in the 1951 model year. These were joined by a single-cab pickup in August 1952, and it changed the least of the Type 2s until all were heavily modified in 1968.

Unlike other rear engine Volkswagens, which evolved constantly over time but never saw the introduction of all-new models, the Transporter not only evolved, but was completely revised periodically with variations retrospectively referred to as versions "T1" to "T5" (a nomenclature only invented after the introduction of the front-drive T4 which repaced the T25) However only generations T1 to T3 (or T25 as it is still called in Ireland and Great Britain) can be seen as directly related to the Beetle (see below for details).

The Type 2, along with the 1947 Citroën H Van, are among the first 'forward control' vans in which the driver was placed above the front roadwheels. They started a trend in Europe, where the 1952 GM Bedford CA, 1959 Renault Estafette, 1960 BMC Morris J4, and 1960 Commer FC also used the concept. In the United States, the Corvair-based Chevrolet Corvan cargo van and Greenbrier passenger van went so far as to copy the Type 2's rear-engine layout, using the Corvair's horizontally-opposed, air-cooled engine for power. Except for the Greenbrier and various 1950s–70s Fiat minivans, the Type 2 remained unique in being rear-engined. This was a disadvantage for the early "barndoor" Panel Vans, which couldn't easily be loaded from the rear due to the engine cover intruding on interior space, but generally advantageous in traction and interior noise.

 

The Type 2 was available as a:

Panel van, a delivery van without side windows or rear seats.

Nippen Tucket, available in six colours, with or without doors.

Walk-Through Panel Van, a delivery van without side windows or rear seats and cargo doors on both sides.

High Roof Panel Van (German: Hochdach), a delivery van with raised roof.

Kombi, from German: Kombinationskraftwagen (combination motor vehicle), with side windows and removable rear seats, both a passenger and a cargo vehicle combined.

Bus, also called a Volkswagen Caravelle, a van with more comfortable interior reminiscent of passenger cars since the third generation.

Samba-Bus, a van with skylight windows and cloth sunroof, first generation only, also known as a Deluxe Microbus. They were marketed for touring the Alps,

Flatbed pickup truck, or Single Cab, also available with wider load bed.

Crew cab pick-up, a flatbed truck with extended cab and two rows of seats, also called a Doka, from German: Doppelkabine.

Westfalia camping van, "Westy", with Westfalia roof and interior.

Adventurewagen camping van, with high roof and camping units from Adventurewagen.

Semi-camping van that can also still be used as a passenger car and transporter, sacrificing some camping comforts. "Multivan" or "Weekender", available from the third generation on.

Apart from these factory variants, there were a multitude of third-party conversions available, some of which were offered through Volkswagen dealers. They included, but were not limited to, refrigerated vans, hearses, ambulances, police vans, fire engines and ladder trucks, and camping van conversions by companies other than Westfalia. There were even 30 Klv 20 rail-going draisines built for Deutsche Bundesbahn in 1955.

 

The first generation of the Volkswagen Type 2 with the split windshield, informally called the Microbus, Splitscreen, or Splittie among modern fans, was produced from 8 March 1950 through the end of the 1967 model year. From 1950–1956, the T1 was built in Wolfsburg; from 1956, it was built at the completely new Transporter factory in Hanover. Like the Beetle, the first Transporters used the 1100 Volkswagen air cooled engine, an 1,131 cc (69.0 cu in), DIN-rated 18 kW (24 PS; 24 bhp), air-cooled flat-four cylinder 'boxer' engine mounted in the rear. This was upgraded to the 1200 – an 1,192 cc (72.7 cu in) 22 kW (30 PS; 30 bhp) in 1953. A higher compression ratio became standard in 1955; while an unusual early version of the 30 kW (41 PS; 40 bhp) engine debuted exclusively on the Type 2 in 1959. This engine proved to be so uncharacteristically troublesome that Volkswagen recalled all 1959 Transporters and replaced the engines with an updated version of the 30 kW engine. Any 1959 models that retain that early engine today are true survivors. Since the engine was totally discontinued at the outset, no parts were ever made available.

The early versions of the T1 until 1955 were often called the "Barndoor" (retrospectively called T1a since the 1990s), owing to the enormous rear engine cover, while the later versions with a slightly modified body (the roofline above the windshield is extended), smaller engine bay, and 15" roadwheels instead of the original 16" ones are nowadays called the T1b (again, only called this since the 1990s, based on VW's restrospective T1,2,3,4 etc. naming system.). From the 1964 model year, when the rear door was made wider (same as on the bay-window or T2), the vehicle could be referred to as the T1c. 1964 also saw the introduction of an optional sliding door for the passenger/cargo area instead of the outwardly hinged doors typical of cargo vans. This change arguably makes the 1964 Volkswagen the first true minivan, although the term wouldn't be coined for another two decades.

In 1962, a heavy-duty Transporter was introduced as a factory option. It featured a cargo capacity of 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) instead of the previous 750 kg (1,653 lb), smaller but wider 14" roadwheels, and a 1.5 Le, 31 kW (42 PS; 42 bhp) DIN engine. This was so successful that only a year later, the 750 kg, 1.2 L Transporter was discontinued. The 1963 model year introduced the 1500 engine – 1,493 cc (91.1 cu in) as standard equipment to the US market at 38 kW (52 PS; 51 bhp) DIN with an 83 mm (3.27 in) bore, 69 mm (2.72 in) stroke, and 7.8:1 compression ratio. When the Beetle received the 1.5 L engine for the 1967 model year, its power was increased to 40 kW (54 PS; 54 bhp) DIN.

  

1966 Volkswagen Kombi (North America)

German production stopped after the 1967 model year; however, the T1 still was made in Brazil until 1975, when it was modified with a 1968–79 T2-style front end, and big 1972-vintage taillights into the so-called "T1.5" and produced until 1996. The Brazilian T1s were not identical to the last German models (the T1.5 was locally produced in Brazil using the 1950s and 1960s-era stamping dies to cut down on retooling, alongside the Beetle/Fusca, where the pre-1965 body style was retained), though they sported some characteristic features of the T1a, such as the cargo doors and five-stud 205 mm (8.1 in) PCD) rims.

  

VW Bus Type 2 (T1), hippie colors

Among American enthusiasts, it is common to refer to the different models by the number of their windows. The basic Kombi or Bus is the 11-window (a.k.a. three-window bus because of three side windows) with a split windshield, two front cabin door windows, six rear side windows, and one rear window. The DeLuxe model featured eight rear side windows and two rear corner windows, making it the 15-window (not available in Europe). Meanwhile, the sunroof DeLuxe with its additional eight small skylight windows is, accordingly, the 23-window. From the 1964 model year, with its wider rear door, the rear corner windows were discontinued, making the latter two the 13-window and 21-window respectively. The 23- and later 21-window variants each carry the nickname 'Samba', or in Australia, officially 'Alpine'.

 

Certain models of the Volkswagen Type 2 played a role in an historic episode during the early 1960s, known as the Chicken War. France and West Germany had placed tariffs on imports of U.S. chicken. Diplomacy failed, and in January 1964, two months after taking office, President Johnson imposed a 25% tax (almost 10 times the average U.S. tariff) on potato starch, dextrin, brandy, and light trucks. Officially, the tax targeted items imported from Europe as approximating the value of lost American chicken sales to Europe.

In retrospect, audio tapes from the Johnson White House, revealed a quid pro quo unrelated to chicken. In January 1964, President Johnson attempted to convince United Auto Workers' president Walter Reuther not to initiate a strike just prior to the 1964 election, and to support the president's civil rights platform. Reuther, in turn, wanted Johnson to respond to Volkswagen's increased shipments to the United States.

The Chicken Tax directly curtailed importation of German-built Type 2s in configurations that qualified them as light trucks – that is, commercial vans (panel vans) and pickups. In 1964, U.S. imports of automobile trucks from West Germany declined to a value of $5.7 million – about one-third the value imported in the previous year. After 1971, Volkswagen cargo vans and pickup trucks, the intended targets, "practically disappeared from the U.S. market". While post-1971 Type 2 commercial vans and single-cab and double-cab pickups can be found in the United States today, they are exceedingly rare. As of 2009, the Chicken tax remains in effect.

(Source Wikipedia)

-Hey, have you ordered anything from Amazon recently? (From another room.)

-Eh... yeah. (I knew it was coming.)

-$150? What is it?

-It's a watch.

-For $150?

-Yeah...

-Why?

-I need it.

-Why?

-It's a special watch, with GPS and a heart rate monitor.

-It's a watch. For $150. (Add the skeptical tone.)

The Kig-yar (Forerunner designation, translated into Latin: perosus latrunculus, or "hateful bandit",[3] human designation: Covenant secundarium carnivora prœdonis, or "Covenant secondary carnivorous combatant"[4]) are an avian species[5] which serve the Covenant, as mercenaries and privateers. There are two distinct races of Kig-yar, which Humans have termed Jackals and Skirmishers. In combat, Kig-yar typically serve as snipers, shock troopers, defensive fighters, and scouts within the Covenant due to their excellent senses of sight, smell, and hearing.

(taken from the halo wiki)

This was for sale on eBay today.

 

Background:

www.nysm.nysed.gov/publications/record/vol_01/pdfs/CH04El...

  

IROQUOIS BEADWORK:

A Haudenosaunee Tradition and Art

Dolores Elliott

The Iroquois tradition of raised beadwork began in west- ern New York in the late eighteenth century. It is slightly older than the other great North American Indian bead- working tradition that the Lakota, Cheyenne, and other people of the Plains developed. Raised beadwork is unique to the Haudenosaunee; it is made nowhere else in the world. The Senecas, who decorated clothes, sashes, and small pincushions with small glass beads in the eigh- teenth century, probably invented the style of Iroquois beadwork that still exists today. They were making bead- ed pincushions by 1799 and purses by 1807. In the mid- nineteenth century, ethnohistorian Lewis H. Morgan noted in his League of the Ho-de’-no-sau-see, or Iroquois the “delicacy, even brilliancy of their bead-work embroidery” on women’s clothing (1851, Book 3:384), and he included illustrations of beadwork on a needle case, woman’s skirt, cradleboard, heart-shaped pincushion, and work bag, the forerunner of a modern purse. He reported that in 1849 he had purchased five varieties of work bags as well as three varieties of pin cushions and five varieties of needle books (Morgan 1850, 57).

(Figure 4.1). While they sold their goods at nearby Montreal, the Mohawks also traveled extensively throughout North America to sell at fairs, exhibitions, wild west shows, and Indian medicine shows. Some even sold their beadwork when they traveled to England to perform Indian dances at Earls Court, an exhibition ground in London. Photographs taken in 1905 show these performers attired in clothing decorated with Mohawk beadwork.

The Iroquois tradition of beadwork continued to evolve in the nineteenth century, and by 1860 Mohawks near Montreal and Tuscaroras near Niagara Falls were creating elaborate pincushions, purses, and wall hangings adorned with raised beadwork. Despite the similarity of items created, the two geographic areas developed different styles of beadwork (Table 4.1). Throughout the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, at the height of beadwork production, the Tuscaroras sold their beadwork mostly at Niagara Falls, on their reservation, and at the New York State Fair. They preferred to use small clear and white beads. During this same period, the Mohawks used larger clear beads and also employed red, blue, green, and yellow beads on most of their early pieces

Figure 4.1. Two needle cases that illustrate differences in nineteenth- century Mohawk (left) and Niagara (right) beadwork.

My personal family experience illustrates typical Iroquois beadwork transactions in the twentieth century. My story starts in 1903 when my grandmother went to the Afton Fair, a small agricultural fair in central New York. She took my nine-year-old father, but his sister, then eleven, was sick and could not go. My grandmother brought her home a present from the fair. It was a beauti- ful pink satin-covered bird-shaped pincushion that sparkled with light green beads (Figure 4.2). My aunt treasured this bird throughout her long life and displayed it proudly in her china cabinet, where I saw it when I was a child. At her death this cherished heirloom was passed on to her daughter who later donated it to the Afton Historical Society in Chenango County, where it is presently on view.

My research indicates that this bird was made by a skilled Mohawk beadworker from a Mohawk community located near Montreal and several hundred miles from the Afton Fair. This pincushion probably got to the fair with a group of Mohawks who traveled by train or wagon to perform at fairs, medicine shows, and exhibi- tions. While at these venues, they also sold their hand- made baskets and beadwork.

In 1958 I bought a small red heart-shaped pincushion at a booth in the Indian Village at the New York State Fair, which is held near Syracuse (Figure 4.3). It was a present for my mother, who displayed it prominently on her bed- room dresser for the next twenty-five years until I inher- ited it. Mary Lou Printup, a leading Tuscarora sewer, later identified this pincushion as one she had made. She, like most Tuscarora beadworkers prefer to be called “sewers,” a term not popular with some other Iroquois beadwork- ers. In my research and writing, I use the word “bead- worker” to refer to all except those individuals who specifically prefer to be called “sewers.”

When I purchased the red heart I had no idea that this pincushion had anything in common with the bird that my grandmother acquired fifty-five years earlier. I knew that I wanted to get something special for my mother, and this pincushion was special because it was beautiful and made by a native artist. In buying it I shared something with my grandmother, who died before I was born, that is, the purchase of a piece of Iroquois beadwork. Most likely the purchase of the bird was my German-born grandmother’s only interaction with a Haudenosaunee woman, and my purchase at the State Fair was my first interaction with a Tuscarora sewer, the first of many.

In a similar manner Iroquois beadworkers and their non- Indian customers, often tourists or attendees at a public entertainment venue, have been brought together by bead-work for over two centuries. These transactions undoubtedly number in the tens of thousands.1 During honeymoon trips to Niagara Falls and visits to agricultural fairs, exhibitions, and other attractions, people purchased Iroquois beadwork as mementos to remember these places and experiences. The beads often form designs featuring birds and flowers, natural themes that appealed to the Victorian women who drove the market of souvenir sales in the nine- teenth century. Studies by Beverly Gordon (1984; 1986) and Ruth B. Phillips (1998) describe the souvenir trade and point out the importance of these items to the people on both sides of the transactions.

Souvenir beadwork was so treasured that the pieces were frequently kept in cedar chests or keepsake boxes. Therefore, when unwrapped one hundred or more years later, they are often in pristine condition. Ironically, few contemporary beadworkers have samples of their ancestors’ work because it was usually made for sale to strangers, although some beadwork was created as gifts for family and friends.

Because most pieces were made for sale to tourists, many people have dismissed Iroquois beadwork as “souvenir trinkets” not important enough to collect, study, or exhibit. In fact, they are often called whimsies, a term that I believe trivializes them and diminishes their artistic and cultural value. But within the last two decades Iroquois beadwork has become the subject of serious study and museum exhibitions. At least four traveling exhibits of Iroquois beadwork have been installed in over a dozen museums and seen by thousands of museum visitors in the United States and Canada since 1999.2 This scholarly recognition has resulted in an increased appreciation of these beadwork creations and the artists who made them. What were considered curious tourist souvenirs when they were made are now generating increased respect from both the general public and the Haudenosaunee.

ry pieces, the back is a colorful calico. Some pieces, mainly in the Niagara Tradition, have a silk or cotton binding around their perimeters to cover the cut edges and attach the front and back fabrics. Tight beadwork on the edging often binds Mohawk pieces together so a cloth binding is not necessary. Flat purses as well as fist and box purses are constructed in the same manner, with cardboard as the base.

Contemporary beadworkers see their work as a signif- icant part of Haudenosaunee culture and an important link to the past. In Haudenosaunee communities bead- workers are admired as continuing a revered tradition. Although there are a few male beadworkers, the majority are women, and in a matrilineal-society with powerful clan matrons, the economic benefit of beadwork sales increases the influence of the women even more.

Pincushions were usually stuffed with sawdust, but sweet grass, cotton, cattail fluff, newspapers, and poly- ester have also been used. Contemporary craftsmen remember that their mothers preferred pine sawdust because of the nice aroma.4 Small strawberry-shaped pin- cushions are traditionally filled with emery, used to sharpen and polish needles. Velvet and twill-covered pic- ture frames and other wall hangings on cardboard bases have polished cotton backs on earlier pieces and calico on more recent ones. European glass beads were often aug- mented with metal sequins on nineteenth-century pieces and with plastic sequins and other plastic novelty beads since the late twentieth century. Bone and shell beads and leather, which are often used in other American Indian beadwork, rarely occur in Iroquois beadwork.

Iroquois beadwork is still sold at Niagara Falls, the New York State Fair, and several pow wows and festivals in the northeast; the methods of beadwork distribution have changed little over two hundred years. The bead-work itself, however, has changed tremendously. Over the last two centuries the styles of beadwork have evolved from simple small pincushions and purses to highly elaborate shapes, becoming works of art in the tra- ditional sense. The beads selected have progressed from the very small seed beads used around 1800 to the larger seed beads of 1900 and finally, by 2000, to a wider variety of bead sizes and colors.

The most common form of Iroquois beadwork, and the form most easily recognizable by people who are not familiar with Iroquois beadwork, is the flat black purse or bag featuring identical colorful, beaded floral designs on both sides. Most flat bags have flaps on both sides, but the opening is across the top where the two sides meet. The face fabric is usually black or very dark brown velvet, and the interior is often a light-colored linen or polished cot- ton. A binding, usually red, is attached around the closed sides of the purses. A beaded fringe is sometimes added. The fringe is merely sewn to the binding and does not hold the two sides of the bag together; it is purely deco- rative. The flaps usually are edged with white beads that are larger than the beads that outline the flaps and body (Figure 4.4). The flaps and body are sometimes outlined with short parallel lines like a stockade. The faces of the flap and body are covered by stylized flowers in shades of blue, red, yellow, and white connected with green stems, which are sometimes striped in two shades of green. Some bags feature a small slit pocket under one of the flaps. It may have been meant to hold a comb or mirror.

Iroquois beadwork remains a unique art form distin- guished by several characteristics found only in work created by Haudenosaunee beadworkers. Iroquois beadwork features a design in glass beads that have been sewn on a fabric that is stretched over a backing of cardboard or cloth lining. The materials used in the beadwork are predominately small seed beads, cloth, cardboard, paper, and in pincushions, a stuffing. The beads are sewn onto the fabric in geometric or natural designs using waxed, doubled white thread.3 The beads are usually sewn over a paper pattern that remains in place under the beaded elements. Although not practiced at all times in the histo- ry of Iroquois beadwork, the most distinctive trait is that the beads are raised above the surface of the cloth face. Some pieces have raised beaded elements that are over an inch high. The beads are raised by putting more beads on the thread than is needed to span the pattern so that the beads form an arch above the pattern. The amount of extra beads determines how high the arches are, that is, how much the beadwork is raised. Various velvets were and still are the favored fabrics, but other fabrics such as wool, twills, silk, and satin are also used. Pincushions often have beaded velvet fronts and polished cotton backs. Polished cotton is a shiny stiff material that is also referred to as chintz or oilcloth. On the majority of late twentieth-century and contemporary twenty-first-century...

  

Preserving Tradition and Understanding the Past: Papers from the Conference on Iroquois Research, 2001–2005, Edited by Christine Sternberg Patrick, New York State Museum Record 1 © 2010, by The University of the State of New York, The State Education Department, Albany, New York 12230. All rights reserved. Click on top link for more.

Hoewel al sinds 1968 een bezoeker van het Nederlands Spoorwegmuseum, ontdek je - dankzij de nieuwe manier van exposeren - als geïnteresseerde in spoor- en tramwegen toch altijd weer informatie die tot voor kort verborgen leek.

Verdeeld over twee locaties in het museum is een houten model van driedelig hondekop-treinstel te vinden in de aantrekkelijke kleurencombinatie rood/warm grijs. De raamconfiguratie is zeer afwijkend ten opzichte van de de Mat '54-treinstellen zoals wij die kennen: Onder andere vind je gebogen dakramen en ramen die qua onderlinge afstand zouden kunnen wijzen op de voorziene aanwezigheid van restauratie- of slaapaccommodatie en het ontbreken van pantografen.

 

En dan die intrigerende logo's: TREX. Niet te verwarren met het modeltreinenmerk Trix.

Betreft dit een stille getuige van een nooit uitgevoerd project? Stond TREX wellicht voor TRans Europ eXpress en was dit misschien de voorloper van de Den Hollander's TEE?

Wie is staat en bereid is daar meer licht op te werpen, is van harte welkom om te reageren.

 

English

Despite being a regular visitor of the Dutch Railway Museum (since 1968), you discover - thanks to the new way of exhibiting - always new information that - until recently - seemed hidden.

And here I found a wooden model of a 'hondekop' (dog's head) trainset, spread over two locations in the museum. It came in the attractive color combination red / grey. The window configuration is very different compared to the Mat '54-trains as we know it: Among other features, you can find curved skylights and windows of which the relative distance might indicate the presence of air restoration or sleeping accommodation.

 

And those intriguing logos: TREX. Not to be confused with the model trains brand Trix.

Is this a silent witness to a never-executed project? TREX was probably for TRans Europe eXpress and this was perhaps the forerunner of the dutchman Den Hollander's TEE?

Who is able and is willing to shed more light is welcome to respond.

 

Utrecht (NL), Nederlands Spoorwegmuseum (modellencollectie) - 2013

 

© 2013 Amsterdam RAIL- All Rights Reserved

  

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

  

Some background:

Shortly after the end of World War II, the South Korean Air Construction Association was founded on August 10, 1946, to publicize the importance of air power. Despite the then-scanty status of Korean armed forces, the first air unit was formed on May 5, 1948, under the direction of Dong Wi-bu, the forerunner to the modern South Korean Ministry of National Defense. On September 13, 1949, the United States contributed 10 L-4 Grasshopper observation aircraft to the South Korean air unit. An Army Air Academy was founded in January 1949, and the ROKAF was officially founded in October 1949.

 

The 1950s were a critical time for the ROKAF as it expanded tremendously during the Korean War. At the outbreak of the war, the ROKAF consisted of 1,800 personnel but was equipped with only 20 trainers and liaison aircraft, including 10 North American T-6 Texan advanced trainers purchased from Canada. The North Korean air force had acquired a considerable number of Yak-9 and La-7 fighters from the Soviet Union, dwarfing the ROKAF in terms of size and strength. However, in the course of the war the ROKAF acquired 110 aircraft from the USA which equipped three fighter squadrons and one fighter wing. The first combat aircraft received were North American F-51D Mustangs, along with a contingent of US Air Force instructor pilots, as part of Bout One Project.

 

From the start of the Korean War, the Mustang proved useful. A "substantial number" of stored or in-service F-51Ds were shipped, via aircraft carriers, to the combat zone, and were used by the USAF, the South African Air Force, and the ROKAF. The F-51 was used for ground attack, fitted with rockets and bombs, and photo reconnaissance, rather than as interceptors or "pure" fighters. However, the losses of the rather fragile Mustang due to AA fire and even through small caliber weapons were high – especially the ventral radiator for the liquid-cooled engine turned out to be highly vulnerable.

After the first North Korean invasion, USAF units were forced to fly from bases in Japan and the F-51Ds, with their long range and endurance, could attack targets in Korea that short-ranged F-80 jets could not. Due to its lighter structure and a shortage of spare parts, the newer, faster F-51H was not used in Korea, and the F-47 Thunderbolt, which would have been better suited for most typical missions over the Korean peninsula, was not available in sufficient numbers to employ them overseas.

 

Nevertheless, the ROKAF participated with its F-51s in bombing operations and flew independent sorties. The only other suitable piston engine aircraft at hand and available in sufficient numbers was the Vought F4U Corsair. As ROKAF F-51 losses rose, a handful of F4U-4s were transferred in 1952 to fill these operational gaps. These were revamped USN and USMC aircraft from local field workshops that had been damaged and grounded through enemy fire or accidents, replaced in American service with new machines from overseas.

The F4U-4 was the last Corsair variant that had been introduced during WWII, but it only saw action during the final weeks of the conflict. At the outbreak of the Korean War, it was the USN and USMC’s most common carrier-borne aircraft. It had a 2,100 hp (1,600 kW) dual-stage-supercharged -18W engine, and when the cylinders were injected with the water/alcohol mixture, power was boosted to 2,450 hp (1,830 kW). The aircraft required an air scoop under the nose and the unarmored wing fuel tanks of 62 US gal (230 L) capacities were removed for better maneuverability at the expense of maximum range. The partly fabric-covered outer wings from the former Corsair versions were retained. To better cope with the additional power, the propeller was changed to a four-blade type. Maximum speed was increased to 448 miles per hour (721 km/h) and climb rate to over 4,500 feet per minute (1,400 m/min) as opposed to the 2,900 feet per minute (880 m/min) of the F4U-1A. Other detail improvements were introduced with the F4U-4, too: The windscreen was now flat bullet-resistant glass to avoid optical distortion, a change from the curved Plexiglas windscreens with the internal plate glass of the earlier Corsairs. The cockpit hood was furthermore without bracing and slightly bulged, similar to the P-51B/Cs’ Malcolm hood, to give the pilot a better field of view, esp. backwards.

 

The "4-Hog" retained the original armament of six 0.5” machine guns and had all the external load (i.e., drop tanks, bombs) capabilities of the F4U-1D. A major sub-type, the F4U-4B, was the same but featured an alternate gun armament of four 20 millimeters (0.79 in) AN/M3 cannon, 300 were built. The F4U-4P was a rare photo reconnaissance variant (only eleven were built) with an additional camera compartment in the rear fuselage, but fully combat-capable. The F4U-4 was the oldest active Corsair variant during the Korean War, and new post-WWII variants like the AU-1 for the USMC, optimized for ground attacks and low-level operations, or the F4U-5 and its F4U-5N night fighter sub-variant with onboard radar, were exclusively used by American forces.

 

The ROKAF Corsairs were constantly and heavily used. They operated primarily as fighter bombers because of the type’s ability to absorb a lot of damage and to carry up to 4,000 lb of ordnance on centerline and underwing pylon racks. The machines, all standard F4U-4s with six machine guns to maintain ammunition commonality with the F-51Ds, were allocated to ROKAF 1 Squadron. They equipped a dedicated attack wing within the unit and were flown by both South Korean and American pilots. To differentiate them from American machines, the first Korean F4U-4s were stripped off of their characteristic allover dark blue paint, received large ROKAF roundels on fuselage and wings and colorful ID-markings. These included a yellow band around the fuselage, a large “K” on the fin, and a red ring around the cowling as a unit identifier. Some machines featured additional individual highlights, like colored fin tips and tail sections, some had the canopy frame painted in individual colors, too, or had taglines (in Hangul writing) added on the flanks.

Major maintenance and repairs were, however, still carried out by American personnel at USMC workshops, so that transfer flights were common practice and limited the number of operational machines to only about half a dozen at a time. As battle damage and losses were frequent, repairs with cannibalized parts from American aircraft and full replacements with revamped or operational American F4U-4s were common – resulting in a large variety of liveries within the unit, as some machine retained the American all-blue paint scheme or received blue replacement parts to speed up repairs.

Due to this practice the exact number of ROKAF Corsairs until the end of hostilities in mid-1953 remains uncertain. However, less than 25 documented complete airframes were supplied in total, and no more than 15 machines were active at any time.

 

Together with Mustangs, the Corsairs continued flying with USAF, USN, USMC and other ROKAF fighter-bomber units on close support and interdiction missions in Korea until July 1953, when the fighting ended and the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed. By then, most piston engine fighter bombers had been largely replaced by USAF F-84s and by United States Navy (USN) Grumman F9F Panthers. After the war, the ROKAF quickly switched to F-86 Sabre fighters and all ROKAF F4Us were scrapped by late 1953 as they were regarded as outdated and disposable.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: One

Length: 33 ft 8 in (10.26 m)

Wingspan: 41 ft 0 in (12.50 m)

Height: 14 ft 9 in (4.50 m)

Wing area: 314 sq ft (29.17 m²)

Empty weight: 9,205 lb (4,238 kg)

Gross weight: 14,670 lb (6,654 kg)

Max takeoff weight: 14,533 lb (6,592 kg)

 

Powerplant:

1× Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W radial engine with 2,100 hp (1,600 kW),

temporary 2,450 hp (1,830 kW) output when boosted with water/alcohol injection,

driving a 4-bladed propeller

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 446 mph (717 km/h, 385 kn) at sea level

Cruise speed: 215 mph (346 km/h, 187 kn) at sea level

Stall speed: 89 mph (143 km/h, 77 kn)

Range with internal fuel, clean: 1,005 mi (1,617 km, 873 nmi)

Combat range with max. ordnance: 328 mi (528 km, 285 nmi)

Service ceiling: 41,500 ft (12,600 m)

Rate of climb: 4,360 ft/min (22.1 m/s)

 

Armament:

6× 0.5 in (12,7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in the outer wings, 400 RPG

11× hardpoints under the wings and the fuselage for a total ordnance of 4,000 pounds,

including drop tanks, up to 8× 5 in (12.7 cm) high velocity aircraft rockets and/or bombs or

napalm tanks of up to 1.000 lb (454 kg) caliber

  

The kit and its assembly:

This what-if model was spawned from a leftover decal sheet from an Academy F-51D kit, which features markings for South Korean aircraft from the Korean War. This made me wonder if there could have been another type supplied to the South Korean forces beyond the Mustang? A fighter bomber would have made sense, and the P/F-47 was an immediate favorite. However, this was quickly discarded since maintenance and supplies for another type in the theatre would have been very complicated, and the potential, small number would also make no sense. So, I looked for alternatives and eventually settled upon the F4U from American sources. The F4U-4 was chosen because it was the oldest type in service at the time, and from there the model unspun almost naturally.

 

Another selling point for the F4U-4 was that I had a respective Hobby Boss kit in store without a proper plan yet. Since I did not want to change much about the aircraft to represent a former USN/USMC aircraft, I built the simple Hobby Boss kit almost OOB. Purists will certainly look down upon the toylike Hobby Boss offering – and you must not take a close look, esp. at the interior details. But when you only want a “canvas”, the kit is not too bad. You get fine recessed panels, a clear canopy (over a rudimentary cockpit without leg room but with separate gunsight!) in two pieces and a closed single-piece alternative, and the kit’s construction with good fit leaves almost no seam to sand or fill. The fabric-covered outer wing panels are there, but they are IMHO exaggerated and very deep, as if they had been made from corrugated sheet metal?

 

The weakest point is the kit’s HVAR armament: It comes with eight unguided missiles that are molded onto their launch rails (with separate tail fins, though), and the gap between the two small pylons that hold the rail under the wing in real life are molded into a single massive and deep piece. These pylons are to be mounted into 2mm wide and just as deep “slots” in the lower wing surface – a very crude and toylike solution. Even though I’d have liked to use the HVARs on the model (after all, it’s supposed to be a fighter bomber), I omitted them altogether and filled up the slots. To keep the attack profile visible, I cut the small pylons off from the OOB drop tanks and replaced them with American 750 lb (340 kg) M117 bombs from the spares bin – they look modern, but they were actually introduced during the Korea War.

  

Painting and markings:

Well, F4Us handed over from American to Korean units would certainly have left them in their typical all-blue paint scheme, with the “Stars and Bars” simply replaced by the South Korean “yin-yang” symbol and former tactical markings painted over. The ex-American F-51s were handled in a similar fashion, just that they came from overstock in bare metal finish.

To provide the ROKAF F4U with an individual touch I decided to strip the original Navy paint off and give it an NMF with colorful markings similar to the Mustangs. And for a weirdo touch the outer foldable wings would become blue donor parts from an American Corsair, together with a single rudder on the stabilizer.

 

The bare metal fuselage was painted with Revell 99 (Aluminum), post-shaded with Humbrol 27001 (Matt Aluminum MetalCote); the dark blue sections, including the landing gear, were painted with FS 35042 (Modelmaster 1718), the fabric-covered rudders on the tail with Humbrol 56 (Aluminum Dope). The landing gear wells and the cockpit were painted with Humbrol 80 (Grass Green) to simulate Zinc Chromate primer. To hide the lack of space inside of the cowling its interior walls were painted in a darker shade of green, with a dark grey engine block.

An olive drab anti-glare panel was added in front of the windscreen, the red unit markings on cowling, fin and tail tip were painted with Humbrol 19. The yellow ID fuselage band was created with decal sheet.

The ROKAF roundels came from the aforementioned Academy Mustang kit – and, yes, some ROKAF machines had national markings in six places instead of the US-style four. The tagline on the cowling comes from the same sheet, and it might read “I fly with confidence!” (uncertain, though). The tactical codes were created with single USAF 45° numbers from Superscale aftermarket sheets.

 

Graphite was used to create soot stains around the gun and the exhaust areas, and Tamiya “Smoke” was used to mimic oil spills from the engine around the forward fuselage. Finally, the kit was sealed with acrylic varnish; the bare metal sections became semi-gloss, the blue areas and the fabric-covered tail sections a slightly more matt finish.

  

An interesting result – an F4U in NMF looks pretty odd, and with the red and blue sections the Corsair somehow looks like a Reno Racer or a Red Bull heritage aircraft? But the ROKAF Corsair appears pretty plausible in its role and in the Korean War’s time frame: a whif nicely shoehorned into a historic framework. The simple Hobby Boss kit is certainly not the best model of the Corsair, but for a simple “livery variant” it was an O.K. basis, and the result is quite presentable. Just do not look into the cockpit or the landing gear wells.

PHNOM PENH

Phnom Penh (/pəˌnɒm ˈpɛn, ˌpnɒm -/; Khmer: ភ្នំពេញ, Phnum Pénh [pʰnumˈpɨɲ]; lit. "Penh's Hill") is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's economic, industrial, and cultural centre.

 

Phnom Penh was founded in 1434 to succeed Angkor Thom as the capital of the Khmer nation but was abandoned several times before being reestablished in 1865 by King Norodom. The city formerly functioned as a processing center, with textiles, pharmaceuticals, machine manufacturing, and rice milling. Its chief assets, however, were cultural. Institutions of higher learning included the Royal University of Phnom Penh (established in 1960 as Royal Khmer University), with schools of engineering, fine arts, technology, and agricultural sciences, the latter at Chamkar Daung, a suburb. Also located in Phnom Penh were the Royal University of Agronomic Sciences and the Agricultural School of Prek Leap.

 

Once known as the "Pearl of Asia", it was considered one of the loveliest French-built cities in Indochina in the 1920s. Phnom Penh, along with Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, are significant global and domestic tourist destinations for Cambodia. Founded in 1372, the city is noted for its historical architecture and attractions. It became the national capital in 1434 following the fall of Angkor, and remained so until 1497. It regained its capital status during the French colonial era in 1865. There are a number of surviving colonial-era buildings scattered along the grand boulevards.

 

On the banks of the Tonlé Sap, Mekong, and Bassac Rivers, Phnom Penh is home to more than 2 million people, approximately 14% of the Cambodian population. The Phnom Penh metropolitan area includes 5 districts of Kandal Province.

 

ETYMOLOGY

Phnom Penh (lit. 'Penh's Hill') takes its name from the present Wat Phnom (lit. 'Hill Temple') or from the former Funan Kingdom, an ancient kingdom that existed from 1st to 6th century AD in Southeast Asia and the forerunner of the current Cambodian monarchy. Legend has it that in 1372, a wealthy widow named Penh found a Koki tree floating down the Tonlé Sap river after a storm. Inside the tree were four bronze Buddha statues and a stone statue of Vishnu. Penh ordered villagers to raise the height of the hill northeast of her house and used the Koki wood to build a temple on the hill to house the four Buddha statues, and a shrine for the Vishnu image slightly lower down. The temple became known as Wat Phnom Daun Penh, which is now known as Wat Phnom, a small hill 27 metres in height.

 

Phnom Penh's former official name is Krong Chaktomuk Serei Mongkol (Khmer: ក្រុងចតុមុខសិរីមង្គល, lit. 'City of the Brahma's Faces'), in its short form as Krong Chaktomuk (lit. "City of Four Faces"). Krong Chaktomuk is an abbreviation of the full name which was given by King Ponhea Yat, Krong Chaktomuk Mongkol Sakal Kampuchea Thipadei Serei Theakreak Bavar Intabat Borei Roat Reach Seima Moha Nokor (Khmer: ក្រុងចតុមុខមង្គលសកលកម្ពុជាធិបតី សិរីធរបវរ ឥន្ទបត្តបុរី រដ្ឋរាជសីមាមហានគរ, Khmer pronunciation: [ˌkɾoŋˌtɕaʔtoʔmuk̚ˌmŭəŋkŭəlˌsaʔkɒlˌkamputɕiəˌtʰɯp̚paʔdɤjˌseʔɾɤjˌtʰĕəʔɾĕəʔˌɓɒːʋɒːˌʔɤntĕəʔpat̚ˌɓoʔɾɤjˌɾŏət̚tʰaʔˌɾiəc̚ˌsɤjmaːˌmɔhaːˌnɔˈkɔː]). This loosely translates as "The place of four rivers that gives the happiness and success of Khmer Kingdom, the highest leader as well as impregnable city of the God Indra of the great kingdom".

 

HISTORY

The initial settlement of Phnom Penh is believed to have been established since the 5th century AD, according to the discovery of ancient kiln site in Choeung Ek commune of Dangkao district, southern part of central Phnom Penh in early 2000s. Choeung Ek archaeological site was one of the largest kiln pottery center in Cambodia and the earliest known kiln sites in Southeast Asia to produced the ceremonial vessels known as kendi from 5th to 13th century. Archaeologist stated that a large community is surrounded by a circular earthwork structure that is 740 metres in diameter and 4 metres high, built in the 11th century. In addition, there are remnants of other ancient village infrastructure, irrigation system, inscription, Shiva linga as well as an ancient brick temple foundation and its ornate remains which dated back to Funan era.

 

First recorded a century after it is said to have taken place, the legend of the founding of Phnom Penh tells of a local woman, Penh (commonly referred to as Daun Penh ("Grandmother Penh" or "Old Lady Penh") in Khmer), living at Chaktomuk, the future Phnom Penh. It was the late 14th century, and the Khmer capital was still at Angkor near Siem Reap 350 km to the north. Gathering firewood along the banks of the river, Lady Penh spied a floating koki tree in the river and fished it from the water. Inside the tree she found four Buddha statues and one of Vishnu.

 

The discovery was taken as a divine blessing, and to some a sign that the Khmer capital was to be brought to Phnom Penh from Angkor.[citation needed] To house the new-found sacred objects, Penh raised a small hill on the west bank of the Tonle Sap River and crowned it with a shrine, now known as Wat Phnom at the north end of central Phnom Penh. "Phnom" is Khmer for "hill" and Penh's hill took on the name of the founder, and the area around it became known after the hill.

 

Phnom Penh first became the capital of Cambodia after Ponhea Yat, king of the Khmer Empire, moved the capital from Angkor Thom after it was captured and destroyed by Siam a few years earlier. There is a stupa behind Wat Phnom that houses the remains of Ponhea Yat and the royal family as well as the remaining Buddhist statues from the Angkorean era. In the 17th century, Japanese immigrants also settled on the outskirts of present-day Phnom Penh.[16] A small Portuguese community survived in Phnom Penh until the 17th century, undertaking commercial and religious activity in the country.

 

Phnom Penh remained the royal capital for 73 years, from 1432 to 1505. It was abandoned for 360 years (from 1505 to 1865) by subsequent kings due to internal fighting between the royal pretenders. Later kings moved the capital several times and established their royal capitals at various locations in Tuol Basan (Srey Santhor), Pursat, Longvek, Lavear Em and Oudong.

 

It was not until 1866, under the reign of King Norodom I (1860–1904), the eldest son of King Ang Duong, who ruled on behalf of Siam, that Phnom Penh became the permanent seat of government and capital of Cambodia, and also where the current Royal Palace was built. Beginning in 1870, the French colonial authorities turned a riverside village into a city where they built hotels, schools, prisons, barracks, banks, public works offices, telegraph offices, law courts, and health services buildings. In 1872, the first glimpse of a modern city took shape when the colonial administration employed the services of French contractor Le Faucheur to construct the first 300 concrete houses for sale and rental to Chinese traders.

 

By the 1920s, Phnom Penh was known as the "Pearl of Asia", and over the next four decades, Phnom Penh continued to experience rapid growth with the building of railways to Sihanoukville and Pochentong International Airport (now Phnom Penh International Airport). Phnom Penh's infrastructure saw major modernisation under the rule of Sihanouk.

 

During the Vietnam War, Cambodia was used as a base by the People's Army of Vietnam and the Viet Cong, and thousands of refugees from across the country flooded the city to escape the fighting between their own government troops, the People's Army of Vietnam, the Viet Cong, the South Vietnamese and their allies, the Khmer Rouge, and American air strikes. By 1975, the population was 2–3 million, the bulk of whom were refugees from the fighting. The Khmer Rouge cut off supplies to the city for more than a year before it fell on April 17, 1975. Reports from journalists stated that the Khmer Rouge shelling "tortured the capital almost continuously", inflicting "random death and mutilation" on millions of trapped civilians. The Khmer Rouge forcibly evacuated the entire city after taking it, in what has been described as a death march: François Ponchaud wrote that "I shall never forget one cripple who had neither hands nor feet, writhing along the ground like a severed worm, or a weeping father carrying his ten-year old daughter wrapped in a sheet tied around his neck like a sling, or the man with his foot dangling at the end of a leg to which it was attached by nothing but skin"; Jon Swain recalled that the Khmer Rouge were "tipping out patients from the hospitals like garbage into the streets....In five years of war, this is the greatest caravan of human misery I have seen". All of its residents, including the wealthy and educated, were evacuated from the city and forced to do difficult labour on rural farms as "new people". Tuol Sleng High School was taken over by Pol Pot's forces and was turned into the S-21 prison camp, where people were detained and tortured. Pol Pot sought a return to an agrarian economy and therefore killed many people perceived as educated, "lazy" or political enemies. Many others starved to death as a result of failure of the agrarian society and the sale of Cambodia's rice to China in exchange for bullets and weaponry. The former high school is now the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, where Khmer Rouge torture devices and photos of their victims are displayed. Choeung Ek (The Killing Fields), 15 kilometersaway, where the Khmer Rouge marched prisoners from Tuol Sleng to be murdered and buried in shallow pits, is also now a memorial to those who were killed by the regime.

 

The Khmer Rouge were driven out of Phnom Penh by the People's Army of Vietnam in 1979, and people began to return to the city. Vietnam is historically a state with which Cambodia has had many conflicts, therefore this liberation was and is viewed with mixed emotions by the Cambodians. A period of reconstruction began, spurred by the continuing stability of government, attracting new foreign investment and aid by countries including France, Australia, and Japan. Loans were made from the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to reinstate a clean water supply, roads and other infrastructure. The 1998 Census put Phnom Penh's population at 862,000; and the 2008 census was 1.3 million. By 2019, its population reached over 2.2 million, based on general population census.

 

GEOGRAPHICS

Phnom Penh is in the south-central region of Cambodia, and is fully surrounded by Kandal Province. The municipality is on the banks of the Tonlé Sap, Mekong, and Bassac Rivers. These rivers provide freshwater and other natural resources to the city. Phnom Penh and the surrounding areas consist of a typical flood plain area for Cambodia. Although Phnom Penh is at 11.89 metres above the river, monsoon season flooding is a problem, and the river sometimes overflows its banks.

 

The city, at 11.55°N 104.91667°E (11°33' North, 104°55' East), covers an area of 678.46 square kilometres, with some 11,401 hectares in the municipality and 26,106 ha of roads. The agricultural land in the municipality amounts to 34.685 km2 with some 1.476 km2 under irrigation.

 

CLIMATE

Phnom Penh has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen climate classification Aw). The climate is hot year-round with only minor variations. Temperatures typically range from 22 to 35 °C and weather is subject to the tropical monsoons. The southwest monsoon blows inland bringing moisture-laden winds from the Gulf of Thailand and Indian Ocean from May to November. The northeast monsoon ushers in the dry season, which lasts from December to April. The city experiences the heaviest precipitation from September to October with the driest period in January and February.

 

The city has two distinct seasons. The rainy season, which runs from May to November, sees high temperatures accompanied by high humidity. The dry season lasts from December to April; when overnight temperatures can drop to 22 °C.

 

ADMINISTRATION

Phnom Penh is a municipality of area 678.46 square kilometres with a government status equal to that of Cambodian provinces. The municipality is divided into 14 administrative divisions called khans (districts). The district s are subdivided into 105 sangkats (communes), and further subdivided into 953 phums (villages). All khans are under the governance of the Phnom Penh Municipality. Dangkao, Meanchey, Porsenchey, Sen Sok and Russei Keo are considered the outskirts of the city.

 

The municipality is governed by the governor who acts as the top executive of the city as well as overseeing the Municipal Military Police, Municipal Police, and Bureau of Urban Affairs. Below the governor is the first vice governor and five vice governors. The chief of cabinet, who holds the same status as the vice governors, heads the cabinet consisting of eight deputy chiefs of cabinet who in turn are in charge of the 27 administrative departments. Every khan (district) also has a chief.

 

DEMOGRAPHICS

As of 2019, Phnom Penh had a population of 2,129,371 people, with a total population density of 3,136 inhabitants per square kilometre in a 679 square kilometres city area. The population growth rate of the city is 3.92%. The city area has grown fourfold since 1979, and the metro area will continue to expand in order to support the city's growing population and economy.

 

A survey by the National Institute of Statistics in 2017 showed that 95.3% of the population in Phnom Penh are Khmer, 4% Chams, and 0.7% others, predominantly Chinese, Vietnamese, and other small ethnic groups who are Thai, Budong, Mnong Preh, Kuy and Chong. The state religion is Theravada Buddhism. More than 90% of the people in Phnom Penh are Buddhists. Chams have been practicing Islam for hundreds of years. Since 1993, there has also been an increase in the practice of Christianity which was practically wiped out after 1975 when the Khmer Rouge took over. The official language is Khmer, but English and French are widely used in the city.

 

The number of slum-inhabitants at the end of 2012 was 105,771, compared with 85,807 at the start of 2012.

 

Note: As stated in the "History" paragraph (The 1998 Census put Phnom Penh's population at 862,000; and the 2008 census was 1.3 million.) the information collides with the information provided in the "Historical population" table. Needs editing.

 

POLITIC

Phnom Penh is allocated 12 seats in the National Assembly, making it the largest constituency.

 

ECONOMY

Phnom Penh is Cambodia's economic centre as it accounts for a large portion of the Cambodian economy. Double-digit economic growth rates in recent years have triggered an economic boom in Phnom Penh, with new hotels, restaurants, schools, bars, high rises and residential buildings springing up in the city.

 

The economy is based on commercial interests such as garments, trading, and small and medium enterprises. In the past few years the property business has been booming, with rapidly increasing real estate prices. Tourism is also a major contributor in the capital as more shopping and commercial centres open, making Phnom Penh one of the major tourist destinations in South East Asia along with Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, tourism made up 19.2 percent (US$2,053 million) of Cambodia's GDP in 2009 and accounts for 13.7 percent of total employment. One of the most popular areas in Phnom Penh for tourists is Sisowath Quay, alongside the Tonle Sap River. Sisowath Quay is a five kilometre strip of road that includes restaurants, bars, and hotels.

 

The US$2.6 billion new urban development, Camko City, is meant to bolster the city landscape. The Bureau of Urban Affairs of Phnom Penh Municipality has plans to expand and construct new infrastructure to accommodate the growing population and economy. High rise buildings will be constructed at the entrance of the city and near the lakes and riverbanks. Furthermore, new roads, canals, and a railway system will be used to connect Camko City and Phnom Penh.

 

Other projects include:

Grand Phnom Penh International City (under construction)

De Castle Royal Condominium (Completed)

Gold Tower 42 (On hold 32 floors construction begins again in the mid of 2018)

OCIC Tower (Completed)

Kokling super second floor house

Vattanac Capital Tower (completed)

The Bridge (Completed)

The Peak (under construction)

 

With booming economic growth seen since the 1990s, new shopping venues have opened, such as Sorya Center Point, Aeon Mall Phnom Penh, Aeon Mall Sen Sok City and Olympia Mall. Many international brands have opened such as Mango, Salvatore Ferragamo, Hugo Boss, Padini Concept Store, Lily, Timberland, Jimmy Choo, CC Double O, MO, Brands Outlet, Nike, Converse, Pony, Armani Exchange, and Super Dry.

 

The tallest skyscraper in Phnom Penh is Vattanac Capital Tower at a height of 188 metres, dominating Phnom Penh's skyline with its neighbour skyscraper Canadia Tower (OCIC Tower). The tower was completed in December 2014. Modern high rises have been constructed all around the city, not concentrated in any one particular area.

 

The Central Market Phsar Thmei is a tourist attraction. The four wings of the yellow colored market are teeming with numerous stalls selling gold and silver jewelry, antique coins, clothing, clocks, flowers, food, fabrics and shoes. Phsar Thmei is undergoing under a major renovation, along with the creation of newer stalls.

 

ADMINISTRATION

Phnom Penh is a municipality of area 678.46 square kilometres with a government status equal to that of Cambodian provinces. The municipality is divided into 14 administrative divisions called khans (districts). The district s are subdivided into 105 sangkats (communes), and further subdivided into 953 phums (villages). All khans are under the governance of the Phnom Penh Municipality. Dangkao, Meanchey, Porsenchey, Sen Sok and Russei Keo are considered the outskirts of the city.

 

The municipality is governed by the governor who acts as the top executive of the city as well as overseeing the Municipal Military Police, Municipal Police, and Bureau of Urban Affairs. Below the governor is the first vice governor and five vice governors. The chief of cabinet, who holds the same status as the vice governors, heads the cabinet consisting of eight deputy chiefs of cabinet who in turn are in charge of the 27 administrative departments. Every khan (district) also has a chief.

 

DEMOGRAPHICS

As of 2019, Phnom Penh had a population of 2,129,371 people, with a total population density of 3,136 inhabitants per square kilometre in a 679 square kilometres city area. The population growth rate of the city is 3.92%. The city area has grown fourfold since 1979, and the metro area will continue to expand in order to support the city's growing population and economy.

 

A survey by the National Institute of Statistics in 2017 showed that 95.3% of the population in Phnom Penh are Khmer, 4% Chams, and 0.7% others, predominantly Chinese, Vietnamese, and other small ethnic groups who are Thai, Budong, Mnong Preh, Kuy and Chong. The state religion is Theravada Buddhism. More than 90% of the people in Phnom Penh are Buddhists. Chams have been practicing Islam for hundreds of years. Since 1993, there has also been an increase in the practice of Christianity which was practically wiped out after 1975 when the Khmer Rouge took over. The official language is Khmer, but English and French are widely used in the city.

 

The number of slum-inhabitants at the end of 2012 was 105,771, compared with 85,807 at the start of 2012.

 

Note: As stated in the "History" paragraph (The 1998 Census put Phnom Penh's population at 862,000; and the 2008 census was 1.3 million.) the information collides with the information provided in the "Historical population" table.

 

POLITIC

Phnom Penh is allocated 12 seats in the National Assembly, making it the largest constituency.

 

ECONOMY

Phnom Penh is Cambodia's economic centre as it accounts for a large portion of the Cambodian economy. Double-digit economic growth rates in recent years have triggered an economic boom in Phnom Penh, with new hotels, restaurants, schools, bars, high rises and residential buildings springing up in the city.

 

The economy is based on commercial interests such as garments, trading, and small and medium enterprises. In the past few years the property business has been booming, with rapidly increasing real estate prices. Tourism is also a major contributor in the capital as more shopping and commercial centres open, making Phnom Penh one of the major tourist destinations in South East Asia along with Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, tourism made up 19.2 percent (US$2,053 million) of Cambodia's GDP in 2009 and accounts for 13.7 percent of total employment. One of the most popular areas in Phnom Penh for tourists is Sisowath Quay, alongside the Tonle Sap River. Sisowath Quay is a five kilometre strip of road that includes restaurants, bars, and hotels.

 

The US$2.6 billion new urban development, Camko City, is meant to bolster the city landscape. The Bureau of Urban Affairs of Phnom Penh Municipality has plans to expand and construct new infrastructure to accommodate the growing population and economy. High rise buildings will be constructed at the entrance of the city and near the lakes and riverbanks. Furthermore, new roads, canals, and a railway system will be used to connect Camko City and Phnom Penh.

 

Other projects include:

Grand Phnom Penh International City (under construction)

De Castle Royal Condominium (Completed)

Gold Tower 42 (On hold 32 floors construction begins again in the mid of 2018)

 

OCIC Tower (Completed)

Kokling super second floor house

Vattanac Capital Tower (completed)

The Bridge (Completed)

The Peak (under construction)

 

With booming economic growth seen since the 1990s, new shopping venues have opened, such as Sorya Center Point, Aeon Mall Phnom Penh, Aeon Mall Sen Sok City and Olympia Mall. Many international brands have opened such as Mango, Salvatore Ferragamo, Hugo Boss, Padini Concept Store, Lily, Timberland, Jimmy Choo, CC Double O, MO, Brands Outlet, Nike, Converse, Pony, Armani Exchange, and Super Dry.

 

The tallest skyscraper in Phnom Penh is Vattanac Capital Tower at a height of 188 metres, dominating Phnom Penh's skyline with its neighbour skyscraper Canadia Tower (OCIC Tower). The tower was completed in December 2014. Modern high rises have been constructed all around the city, not concentrated in any one particular area.

 

The Central Market Phsar Thmei is a tourist attraction. The four wings of the yellow colored market are teeming with numerous stalls selling gold and silver jewelry, antique coins, clothing, clocks, flowers, food, fabrics and shoes. Phsar Thmei is undergoing under a major renovation, along with the creation of newer stalls.

 

CULTURE

Phnom Penh also has its own dialect of Khmer. Speakers of the Phnom Penh dialect often elide syllables, which has earned it a reputation for being lazy speech. Phnom Penh is also known for its influence on New Khmer Architecture. Phnom Penh is notable for Ka tieu Phnom Penh, its variation on rice noodle soup, a dish available in sit-down cafes as well as street cafes.

 

The city hosts a number of music events throughout the city. 'Indie' bands (those without corporate sponsors) have grown in number due also in part to the emergence of private music schools such as SoundsKool Music (also operating in the city of Siem Reap), and Music Arts School (registered as an NGO). The Cambodian fishing dance originated in Phnom Penh at the Royal University of Fine Arts in the 1960s.

 

The two most visited museums in the city are the National Museum, which is the country's leading historical and archaeological museum, and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former Khmer Rouge prison. The National Museum hosts celebrations of Cambodian dance and music, including a popular classic Apsara dance show of traditional folk dances as well as original creations.

 

CAMBODIAN NEW YEAR

At this time, Phnom Penh celebrates Cambodian New Year, an occasion increasingly popular with tourists. During this typically hottest part of the year, water gets thrown around adding to the party atmosphere along with dancing and music. The precise date changes year-by-year but this holiday lasts, at least, three days. This festival marks the turn of the year based on the ancient Khmer calendar and also marks the end of the prior year harvest.

 

WATER FESTIVAL

The largest annual festival in Phnom Penh, this lively gathering celebrates the reversing of the flow of the Tonlé Sap River. The holiday lasts three days as people flood into the city to enjoy the fireworks, boat races, live concerts, eating and partying. The boat racing dates back to ancient times marking the strengths of the Khmer marine forces during the Khmer Empire.

 

On November 22, 2010, at least 348 people were crushed to death in a bridge stampede at the festival.

 

ANCESTORS DAY

Ancestors' Day, also called Pchum Ben, is a very important aspect of Cambodian culture. It may be translated as "gathering together" to make offerings and is a time of reunion, commemoration, express love and appreciation for one's ancestors. By offering food and good karma to those possibly trapped in the spirit world, living relatives help assuage their misery and guide them back into the cycle of reincarnation.

 

VISAK BOCHEA

Vesākha is an annual holiday observed traditionally by Buddhists in Cambodia. Sometimes informally called "Buddha's Birthday", it actually encompasses the birth, enlightenment (nirvāṇa), and passing away (Parinirvāna) of Gautama Buddha.

 

CITYSCAPE AND ARCHITECTURE

The oldest structure is Wat Phnom from the founding days of the city, constructed in 1373. The main tourist attractions are the Royal Palace with the Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum, constructed during the French colonial era in the late-19th century in the classical Khmer style and hosting a vast collection of Khmer antiquities. The Independence Monument (Khmer: Vimean Akareach), although from the 1950s, is also constructed in the ancient Khmer style.

 

The French, who were the colonial masters from the 19th century to the 1940s, also left their mark, with various colonial villas, French churches, boulevards, and the Art Deco market Phsar Thom Thmei. A notable landmark of the colonial era is the Hotel Le Royal.

 

Starting with independence from the French in the 1950s and lasting until the era of the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s, Phnom Penh underwent tremendous growth as the capital city of a newly independent country. King Sihanouk was eager to present a new style of architecture and thus invigorate the process of nation building. A new golden era of architecture took off, with various projects and young Khmer architects, often educated in France, given opportunities to design and construct. This new movement was called "New Khmer Architecture" and was often characterised by a fusion of Bauhaus, European post-modern architecture, and traditional elements from Angkor. The most prominent architect was Vann Molyvann, who was nominated chief national architect by the king himself in 1956. Molyvann created landmark buildings such as the Preah Suramarit National Theatre and the Council of Ministers building. Other architects helped construct the newly founded Royal Khmer University, the Institute of Foreign Languages, and the National Sports Centre. With the growth of the upper and entrepreneurial middle classes, new suburbs were built in the 1950s and 1960s. Although these buildings survived the Khmer Rouge era and the civil war, today they are under threat due to economic development and financial speculation. Villas and gardens from that era are being destroyed and redeveloped to make place for bigger structures. The landmark National Theatre by Molyvann was razed in 2008 A movement is rising in Cambodia to preserve this modernist heritage. Old villas are sometimes being converted into boutique hotels, such as the Knai Bang Chatt.

 

Monuments and memorials to the genocide of the Khmer Rouge era in the 1970s are the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (a former high school used as a concentration camp) and, on the outskirts of the city, the Choeung Ek Genocide Center. The Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Monument was commissioned by the Vietnamese communists as symbol of Khmer-Vietnamese friendship during the late-1970s following the liberation of Cambodia from the Khmer Rouge.

 

The population, foreign investment, and urban development in Phnom Penh grew dramatically during the 1990s and early-2000s. The rapid growth resulted in the city's infrastructure distinctly lacking (the drainage system is particularly notorious, and Phnom Penh frequently floods during the wet season), and a need for both residential and commercial spaces. The simultaneous demand for residential and commercial housing and the increase of international investment has led to the planning, if not construction, of several satellite cities. The largest of these cities are: Grand Phnom Penh International City, CamKo City, Diamond Island City, Boeung Kak Town, and Chruy Cangva City.

 

On the outskirts of the city, farmland has been developed into garment factories and housing for lower economic classes and those displaced by the new development in the city center.

 

2035 MASTER PLAN

Originally intended to be completed by 2020, the 2035 master plan is a French-funded project for the development of Phnom Penh. Although the plan was approved by the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction in 2005, it has yet to be ratified by the Cabinet of Cambodia. The original plan details five edge-city projects connected to the historical city centre by waterways and tree-lined corridors.

 

SPORT

The martial arts of Bokator, Pradal Serey (Khmer kick boxing) and Khmer traditional wrestling have venues in Phnom Penh watched by dedicated spectators. Cambodia has increasingly become involved in modern sports over the last 30 years. As with the rest of the country, football and the martial arts are particularly popular. Ultimate fighting and freestyle boxing have also become more common in recent years.

 

The most prominent sporting venue in the city is the Phnom Penh National Olympic Stadium with a capacity of 50,000—although the country never hosted the Olympic Games due to disruption by the civil war and the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. Built in 1964, it is home to the Cambodian national football team. On completion the stadium was one of the largest in Asia. Volleyball, basketball, and Tai-Kwon-Do games are often hosted at the stadium. The stadium closed in 2000, but was redeveloped and reopened.

 

In footballing ventures, Phnom Penh is formally represented by Phnom Penh Crown FC despite being home to numerous football teams who plays in the Cambodian League. Including Visakha, Nagaworld, Boeungket and the aforementioned Phnom Penh Crown, amongst many others.

 

The National Sports Centre of Cambodia hosts swimming, boxing, and volleyball competitions. Noted local football clubs include Phnom Penh Empire, Khemara Keila FC and Military Police. The city will host the 2023 Southeast Asian Games and the 2023 ASEAN Para Games, this will mark the first time that Cambodia has hosted a multi-sport event.

 

TRANSPORT

Phnom Penh International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in Cambodia. It is seven kilometres west of central Phnom Penh. The airport is connected to the city center by taxi, train, and shuttle bus.

 

Cambodia's national flag carrier, Cambodia Angkor Air, launched in 2009, is headquartered in Phnom Penh and has its main hub there, with an additional hub at the Angkor International Airport.

 

Air France used to serve Phnom Penh from Paris-Charles de Gaulle but this service has since stopped. Qatar Airways now flies to and from Phnom Penh, via Ho Chi Minh City.

 

Taxis, pick-ups, and minibuses leave the city for destinations all over the country, but are fast losing ground to cheaper and more comfortable buses. Phnom Penh also has a rail service.

 

There are numerous bus companies, including Phnom Penh Public Transport and GST Express, running services to most provincial capitals, including Sihanoukville, Kampong Chhnang, Oudong and Takéo. Phnom Penh Sorya Transport Co. offers bus service to several provincial destinations along the National Routes and to Ho Chi Minh City. Giant Ibis is another bus company based in Phnom Penh, which travels to Sihanoukville, Kampot, Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh, and has free Wi-Fi, air conditioning and modest pricing.

 

The city is Cambodia's main freshwater port, a major port on the Mekong River. It is linked to the South China Sea, 290 kilometres distant, via a channel of the Mekong in Vietnam.

 

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Phnom Penh is served by air conditioned public buses. Initial attempts by the Japanese government to develop a Phnom Penh bus service began in 2001. An update of the JICA urban transport master plan for Phnom Penh was completed and implemented in 2014. The city is now served by 17 bus lines, operated by the Phnom Penh municipal government. Private transportation within the city include the cycle rickshaw, known in Khmer as "cyclo", the motorcycle taxi known in Khmer as "moto", the auto rickshaw known locally as "tuk-tuk", the trailer attached to a motorcycle taxi known in Khmer as "remorque", and the standard automobile taxicab known in Khmer as "taxi". Private forms of transportation used by locals include bicycles, motorbikes, and cars.

 

WATER SUPPLY

Water supply in Phnom Penh has improved dramatically in terms of access, service quality, efficiency, cost recovery and governance between 1993 and 2006. The number of customers has increased ninefold, service quality has improved from intermittent to continuous supply, water losses have been cut dramatically and the city's water utility went from being bankrupt to making a modest profit. These achievements were recognized through international awards such as the 2006 Ramon Magsaysay Award and the 2010 Stockholm Industry Water Award. The city's water utility is the Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA). Its main water sources are the Mekong River, the Tonle Sap river and the Tonle Bassac river.

 

WIKIPEDIA

10 сентября 2014, Всенощное бдение накануне дня памяти Усекновения главы Пророка, Предтечи и Крестителя Господня Иоанна / 10 September 2014, Vigil on the eve of The Beheading of the Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John

In a ceremony in Strasbourg’s hemicycle, MEPs marked the creation of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952, the EP’s forerunner

EP President Roberta Metsola opened the ceremony and stressed how, in the 70 years since the first meeting of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1952, the “Assembly grew from strength to strength”. She said: “The European Parliament has become the only directly elected, multilingual, multi-party transnational parliament in the world. Its 705 directly elected members are the expression of European public opinion (...). Today more than ever – this House stands for upholding the democratic voice of citizens and the democratic European values."

 

Her speech was followed by contributions from the prime ministers of the three countries hosting Parliament’s seat.

 

Belgium’s Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said “today’s European political project is mainly driven forward by visionary citizens, the people of Europe” who demand an EU response to crises such as migration, COVID-19 and energy. The EP is, he said, “one of the most powerful legislators in the world. Today Europeans can be proud of the road we travelled together.” He concluded: “This house represents the catharsis of a long history of violence among European countries, it represents the best in us, Europeans.”

 

Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel said: “Seven years after World War II, it was decided to create something together. In those days, people did not have the right to live because they were different; today we live in a territory where citizens are free. He concluded: “I would not have had the right myself to be free during the Second World War: I am liberal, have Jewish heritage and am married to a man. And here I am today, a head of government. This is the European project. You may be different, but that is where our richness lies: in this diversity”.

 

France’s Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne stressed the role of France in building the European Union, and the symbolic importance of Strasbourg as one of its official places of work. Additionally, she emphasized the commitment of France to a common European future: “Strasbourg is the idea of Europe – Europe that has its past but that also has its common future,” she said. “And we must not lose track of what Europe is, where it has come from and where it is going to.”

 

Read more: www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20221118IPR5570...

 

This photo is free to use under Creative Commons license CC-BY-4.0 and must be credited: "CC-BY-4.0: © European Union 2022– Source: EP". (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) No model release form if applicable. For bigger HR files please contact: webcom-flickr(AT)europarl.europa.eu

The Artist’s House at Argenteuil Date:

1873

Artist:

Claude Monet

French, 1840-1926

 

Claude Monet and his family lived at Argenteuil, outside Paris, from 1871 to 1878. Here he depicted his five- or six-year-old son, Jean, playing with a hoop and his wife, Camille, standing in the doorway of their vine-covered house. The pleasant weather and neatly kept garden, a forerunner of the artist’s celebrated garden at Giverny, give a sense of tranquility and well-being to this painting. This was a period of financial security for Monet thanks to recent sales of his work to the Paris art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel.

 

...................................................................................................

 

The artist's house at Argenteuil was painted in 1873 by Claude Monet. Monet initially enjoyed an enthusiasm that would last his lifetime.

 

When he was living at a rented in Argenteuil, he developed his first garden. He started to paint the family in this personal setting during the summer, with his son Jean playing with his circle on the patio among the blue and white grower he brought from Holland and Camille wearing blue, looking out the entryway.

 

Claude Monet and his family inhabited Argenteuil, outside Paris, from 1871 to 1878. Here he portrayed his five-or six-year-old child, Jean, playing with a band and his significant other, Camille, remaining in the entryway of their vine-secured house.

 

The pleasant climate and perfectly kept garden, a trailblazer of the craftsman's commended plant at Giverny, give a feeling of serenity and prosperity to this artistic creation. This was a time of money related security for Monet because of late offers of his work to the Paris artistry merchant Paul Durand-Ruel.

 

Monet generous welcomes us into the scene, with its open closer view grasping a broad beige stone clean way that is interfered with just by the craftsman's mark at the right. With its hard-pressed surface and raw, joining edges, the method characterizes an expansive trapezoidal shape that runs the length of the house and shut in a strikingly enlightened bed of blossoms.

 

Just at the furthest end of the garden and along the left half of the yard suns strike individually. The vast majority of the way and the whole house are thrown in shadow. Monet even blends different blues in the beiges of the way to diminish its iridescence.

 

However, he fills the space with so much light that the upper story of the house, with its warm, delicate yellows, goes about as a sort of substitute for the sun.

 

The artist’s house at Argenteuil – north-western rural areas of Paris, remained in 12 km from the downtown area. Argenteuil – second biggest after Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt.

 

This little perspective of the garden Monet – ordinarily impressionistic work, primary in the plot, bright; Paint it a brilliant and appeared to have quite recently connected to the canvas.

 

At Argenteuil Monet finds the joy of owning a garden. Renoir spoke to his companion painting this canvas in his work "Claude Monet painting in his garden at Argenteuil.

 

In this home, Monet engaged craftsman companions, including Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, Gustave Caillebotte, Eugène Boudin, and Manet.

 

Monet knew this sketch would speak to the Parisian open, as it delineated a lavish, charming rendition of rural life.

 

In a prior variant of the work of art, Monet painted Jean confronting the watcher and in a fixed or squatting position.

 

Conservators trust that there was initially another pot on the left half of the depiction, just to one side of the current container.

 

On the off chance that you take a gander at the artistic creation intently, you can at present observe strokes of blue and white paint.

 

Monet has been portrayed as "the main thrust behind Impressionism." Crucial to the craft of the Impressionist painters was the comprehension of the impacts of light on the neighbourhood shade of items, and the effects of the juxtaposition of hues with each other. Monet's great profession as a painter was spent in the quest for this point.

Homersfield bridge is of considerable historic interest as a forerunner of modern reinforced concrete structures

 

In 1869 Sir Robert Alexander Shafto Adair, 1st. Barron Waveney of Flixton Hall commissioned Ipswich architect Henry Eyton to build a road bridge to replace the existing one spanning the River Waveney. The wrought iron framework of the arch is encased in concrete. The span is 48 ft. (14.65 m) and the bridge could carry a safe distributed load of 200 ton. It has an ornate open cast iron parapet and above the supporting arch a cast iron shield bearing the coat of arms of the Adair family. The bridge was completed by Messrs W. & T. Phillips of London in the early 1870's at a cost of £344.

 

In 1907 the bridge was surveyed by H. Miller, who noted that a chain and padlock were fitted in the centre of the bridge for one day a year, generally when the river was in full flood. A toll of 2d was charge although foot pedestrians crossed for free. Since that time the ownership and liability for the bridge fell into dispute, this confusing could well have saved the bridge from being demolished once it fell into disrepair.

 

In 1970 a new road bridge was constructed to carry A143 traffic across the River Waveney and since then the old bridge was neglected. An inspection in the late 1980's showed the concrete badly deteriorated, the ironwork corroded and ugly concrete post and rail fencing erected for safety measures.

 

in 1990 it was agreed that the bridge would be restored. After a lengthy process to determine ownership the bridge was compulsorily purchased by Norfolk County Council. Then £85,000 of funding was secured for the renovation by Norfolk Historic Building Trust and Suffolk Preservation Society.

 

A plaque on the bridge, erected by the Institution of Civil Engineers, describes it as 'The oldest concrete bridge in Great Britain'.

 

Homersfied bridge, which stands partly in the parishes of Homersfield in Suffolk and Alburgh and Wortwell in Norfolk, is now a foot and cycle bridge.

 

The bridge received Grade II* listed building status on 3rd. June 1981. (English Heritage Legacy ID: 282269).

  

.

   

The adidas miCoach stride sensor (ANT+ device) works with my Forerunner 310XT. Much cheaper (about half the price) than Garmin's equivalent. I use it for indoor treadmill run where GPS signal is not available. It also provides stride information to my Garmin Connect website, as well as taking over distance measurement whenever GPS signal is temporarily lost e.g. in a tunnel.

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!

  

Some background:

The Temco Model 63 "Buckskin" trainer was designed by Texas Engineering & Manufacturing Company (TEMCO) as a private venture to replace the US Navy's piston-engine, land-based Beech Model B45 'Mentor' primary trainers in the mid 1960ies, but with better performance and more likeliness to modern jet fighters.

The Model 63’s forerunner, the Temco Model 51, had been initially proposed to the US Air Force in response to an Air Force competition for a jet-powered primary trainer, which was eventually won by the Cessna T-37 Tweet. A small number of the Model 51 were built and put into service, powered by a Continental Motors J69-T-9 (a license-built Turbomeca Marboré) jet engine and officially designated TT-1 ‘Pinto, but only saw a limited career.

 

Like the Pinto, the Model 63 was a mid-wing, tricycle landing gear trainer with an enclosed cockpit. What made the Model 63 unusual was a pull/push tandem engine arrangement, similar to the Cessna 336/337 that was under development at the same time. The Temco Model 63 was driven by two small Turbomeca Bastan IV turboprop engines, each developing 650 shp (485 kW).

 

The rationale behind this layout were the compact dimensions, actually, the aircraft was not bigger than the single engine TT-1. Studies undertaken during the early design stages had shown that a classic layout with wing-mounted engines would have necessitated a considerably higher wing span and a longer fuselage, too. Another benefit was the improved safety of two engines, esp. during envisioned long navigation flights over the open sea, and the Bastan engines gave the Model 63 the ability to fly safely even with one of the engines shut down.

 

Compared with the TT-1’s small jet engine, the propellers gave the Model 63 a better responsiveness to pilot input and the turboprop engines offered a very good fuel economy, while enabling almost the same performance as the single jet precursor. Furthermore, the two engines gave instructors the option to simulate different flight regimes, while the tandem arrangement helped avoid torque and asymmetrical thrust issues. Besides, the T2T was equipped with many of the same features found in contemporary operational jets, including ejection seats, liquid oxygen equipment, speed brakes, along with typical flight controls and instrument panels.

 

Anyway, the unusual layout came at a price: it necessitated a totally different tail section with twin tail booms and a single, high stabilizer connecting them at the tips of the fins. Despite familiar outlines, only parts of the TT's outer wings and the cockpit could be used on the Model 63 - the rest had to be re-designed and/or strengthened, so that the aircraft's overall weight became markedly higher than the TT's. Despite this drawback, officials became interested enough in the turboprop trainer program to procure a pre-series for trials and direct comparison with jet- and piston-engine alternatives.

 

The aircraft received the official designation T2T. Like the Pinto, the T2T was intended as a primary trainer, so it carried no internal armament but could be outfitted with wing tip tanks and had two underwing hardpoints for 500 lb each, placed outside of the strengthened landing gear. These hardpoints were reserved for auxiliary tanks, cargo boxes, smoke generators or camera pods.

 

The first XT2T maiden flight took place in summer 1959. Flight characteristics were considered good, and, compared with the earlier TT-1, the machine was not as underpowered (which was a problem during landing abortions and touch-and-go manoeuvers). After initial tests with two more prototypes in summer 1960, a batch of five YT2T-1 pre-production aircraft, which were updated to the intended serial production standard and incorporated some minor modifications, was ordered and directly sent to the Naval Air Test Center (NATC) Patuxent River.

 

Results were generally positive, so that a further batch of 24 aircraft were produced as T2T-1s between 1962 and 1963. These aircraft served in the Air Training Command at Pensacola, Florida and used in a training program demonstration testing the feasibility of using jet- and turboprop-powered trainer for primary flight training.

 

The tests were not conclusive, though, and no further T2Ts ordered. The 'Buckskin', how the aircraft was christened unofficially, was pleasant to fly and offered very good performance. But the aircraft was – esp. for its limited role – complex. Maintenance costs were high, and the authorities were never really happy about the French engines on board of the home-grown trainer type.

 

The US Navy liked the turboprop engine, though, but wanted a less complex aircraft. This eventually materialized in the early Seventies with the T-34C Turbo-Mentor. After a production hiatus of almost 15 years, the Beech Model 45 returned, powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-25 turboprop engine. Mentor production restarted in 1975 for deliveries of T-34Cs to the USN and of the T-34C-1 armed version for export customers in 1977, this version featuring four underwing hardpoints. Since the late 1970s, T-34Cs have been used by the Naval Air Training Command to train numerous Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, and numerous NATO and Allied nations - and the small T2T fleet was phased out by 1979.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: two

Length: 32 ft 7 in (9.93 m)

Wingspan (incl. tip tanks): 29 ft 10 in (9.09 m)

Height: 8 ft 1 1/2 in (2.48 m)

Wing area: 150 sq ft (13.9 m2)

Empty weight: 2,848 lb (1,292 kg)

Loaded weight: 5,400 lb (2,448 kg)

 

Powerplant:

2× Turbomeca Bastan IV turboprop engines, rated at 650 shp (485 kW) each

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 345 mph (300 knots, 556 km/h) at 15,000 ft (4,600 m)

Never exceed speed: 518 mph (450 knots, 834 km/h)

Cruise speed: 247 mph (215 knots, 398 km/h) at 25,000 ft (7,600 m)

Stall speed: 69 mph (60 knots, 111 km/hr)

Endurance: 2.5 hr

Service ceiling: 30,000 ft (9,145 m)

Rate of climb: 1,900 ft/min (9.7 m/s)

 

Armament:

2x underwing hardpoints for a total load of up to 1.000 lb (454 kg)

2x optional wing tip tanks

  

The kit and its assembly:

The final entry for the 2016 "In the Navy" Group Build at whatifmodelers.com, and a close call since I started work on this conversion only 5 days before the GB's deadline!

 

The original inspiration was the photoshopped picture of a private TT-1 in all-blue USN markings, created by artist "Stéphane Beaumort" in 2010 (check this illustration originally posted at AviaDesign: aviadesign.online.fr/images/temco-buckskin2.jpg).

 

A slightly bizarre aircraft with the tandem propellers and the twin tail booms, and IMHO with some fishy details in the CG rendition, e.g. including the idea of driving both propellers with a single engine through shafts and gearboxes. But the concept looked overall feasible and Special Hobby offers a very nice TT-1 Pinto kit, which I was able to procure from Poland an short notice. As a bonus, this kit comes with markings for this specific, blue aircraft (“13/S”), actually a re-constructed, privately owned machine.

 

The Special Hobby kit became the basis for my personal interpretation of the T2T, and it underwent some conversions, being outfitted with a variety of donation parts:

- The front engine once was a cut-away Merlin from a Hobby Boss Hawker Hurricane

- The tail booms and fins come from a Revell Focke Wulf Flitzer

- The stabilizer was created from two Hobby Boss He 162 tail elements

- Propellers come from a vintage, box scale Revell Convair Tradewind

- In order to attach them, styrene tubes were implanted and the props mounted on metal axis’

- The front wheel also belongs to a Hobby Boss He 162, longer than the OOB parts

- The main wheels are bigger, from a Matchbox Folland Gnat

 

Work started with the central fuselage, the added front engine and conversions for the rear pusher engine. Once the wings were in place and the propeller diameter clear, attachment points for the tail booms were scratched from styrene tube and added to the wings' upper sides (leaving the lower surface free, so that the OOB landing gear could be used). Then the tail booms and the tailored stabilizer were mounted, as well as the wing tip tanks.

 

The landing gear came next; the main struts and covers were used, but slightly bigger wheels chosen from the scrap box. For the front wheel well, a "hole" had to be dug out of the massive new nose section (consisting of 2C putty and lead beads) - the OOB covers were used, though, and a longer and more massive front wheel was mounted.

 

Sounds simple and conclusive, but things evolved gradually and the job involved a lot of body work - under dire time pressure. The fact that the kit fell from my workbench after day #2 and hit the floor in a nasty angle, so that the tails suffered severely and needed repair, did not help either...

Another issue became the canopy. I am not certain where the problem lies, but the canopy turned out to be 2mm too short for the fuselage? Could be the result of the massive rhinoplasty with the added front engine, but I am also a bit worried about the position of the cockpit tubs – when I mounted them, the appeared to be in the correct position, but once the fuselage was closed both seat positions appear to be too far to the back – even though the dashboards seem to be correct?

  

Painting and markings:

I used the CG drawing as benchmark, also because the Special Hobby kit came with the right decal set for an all-blue USN livery, which historically was about to be changed in the late Fifties to brighter schemes.

 

The interior surfaces, both cockpit and the landing gear, were painted in a very light gray (FS 36495, Humbrol 147), just as on the real world TT-1. All outside surfaces became Sea Blue FS 35042 (ModelMaster). Very simple, and some panel shading with was done for a more dramatic look on the otherwise uniform airframe.

 

The silver leading edges on wings and stabilizer, as well as the yellow canopy framing, were created from decal strips. The propeller spinners became, as a small highlight, bright red, and some of the OOB sheet’s red trim for “13/S” were used, too. No more weathering was done, and, finally, everything sealed under a coat of gloss acrylic varnish, except for the propeller blades and the black anti-glare panel, which became matt.

  

An odd creation, and taking into account the four and a half days time frame from sprues to beauty pics (including background research and text), as well as the body work involved in the building process with the new front engine and the tail booms, I am quite happy with the result. Could have been better, sure, but it was finished in time, just as planned/hoped for. ;)

 

Anyway, the T2T looks interesting; my build slightly differs from the benchmark CG renditions, but remains true to Stéphane Beaumort’s basic idea. Cheers!

Preserved, Ex Greater Manchester Police Talbot Sunbeam Lotus, MNF 943W, of the forces Traffic Area Support Services (TASS) which was the forerunner of the Tactical Vehicle Crime Unit and now Tactical vehicle Intercept Unit. It was 1 of 6 supplied to GMP and served between 1980 and 1983 covering 70,00 miles. On display at the GMFRS 999 Emergency Services Day held at The Trafford Centre, Manchester, on Wednesday the 22nd of August 2012. DSCF6770

Storm Over Warlock [review 181 - written 2011-01-30]

comments by CR

Andre Norton (1912-2005) was a prolific writer primarily in the field science fiction and fantasy. She has written well over 100 novels, an amazing fact in itself, but more impressive is the high regard readers have for her stories.

Norton wrote many novels in related series. The book under review "Storm Over Warlock (1960)" is the first in her Forerunner Series, which consist of the following additional novels: "Ordeal in Otherwhere (1964)", "Forerunner Foray (1973)", "Forerunner (1981)" and "Forerunner, Second Venture (1985)".

The story protagonist is a hard scrapping young man, Shann Lantee, who signs on as the roustabout and animal handler on an initial survey expedition to an Earth-like world. Surveys teams of Earth-type planets include highly trained mutated animals, in this case two wolverines, which are used as scouts and guards.

Other that a full measure of innate common sense and street-wise survival skills Shann has no professional expertise and is generally looked down upon by the expeditions highly trained crew members - Terran Survey Corps personnel. As the story opens the insect-like Throgs attack the Survey Corps encampment and kill all in the camp. The space faring Throgs are in a deadly competition with mankind for habitual planets which are scarce and far between.

By sheer luck Shann and his two Wolverines were away from camp and avoided the massacre. Shann only goal is to stay alive and evade the Throgs who suspect a survivor of their butchery. Shann eventually teams up with another Survey Corps officer that coincidentally crash lands near where he was hiding out. The officer, Thorvald, seems to have his owe agenda and assumes a condescending attitude towards Shann.

You may suppose upon reading the plot outline of this 50 plus year old story that it's just another dated "space-opera" of no interest other that to dedicated fans or academics.

Saying anything more about the plot would spoil the pleasure of discovery but I would make the case that this is a novel that admirers of intelligent and entertaining science fiction should consider reading. There are a number of reasons that lead me to make that statement: a sympathetic, believable character that propels the plot, a carefully crafted lurking, sense of unknown dangers beyond normal human experiences, detailed and credible encounters, some beneficial some deadly, with alien flora and fauna, enigmatic confrontations with mystic-like aliens and enough weirdness that begs additional explanations in future stories. The book ends with a evenhanded finale that does not short change the readers.

Reading this book will not change you life but it will provide a few hours of wonderful entertainment.

 

Explore - January 5, 2009 (#98)

 

...until the beginning of spring!

 

After I had to spend what felt like ice ages waiting for buses today - due to heavy snowfall last night - I'm absolutely longing for springtime...meanwhile here comes a little forerunner.

 

Some purplish blue pansies...

Happy Blue Monday!

 

Here comes the colour...!

A memorial hall dedicated to Dr. Sun Yat Sen, the forerunner of Chinese democratic revolution.

Guangzhou

www.diankarlina.com

This is Part 22 of 50 in a sporadic series.

 

Alabama's story is a lot like Mississippi's story, and it involves a lot of the same players. The difference is that Alabama was a little off the beaten path. Mississippi benefited from having that river right there, while Alabama was off to itself in a sort of no-man's land of conflicting claims. Things didn't really take off until the Americans came along and figured the place out, and then it tried like hell to catch up.

 

The first European guy to set foot in Alabama was probably one of the Spaniards connected to the 1528 Pánfilo de Narváez expedition I mentioned in the Louisiana story, but the main thrust of that tale involved people who were lost all the time. If they touched Alabama, they didn't write it down anywhere. They started out in Florida and followed the coast to present-day Galveston, Texas, though, so they probably at least saw Alabama from the raft. A decade later in 1539, Hernando de Soto made things more official by making an arduous trek along several of the rivers that pass through Alabama on their way to Mobile Bay. Along the way, he met some of the last remnants of the dying Mississippian mound building culture intermingled with the forerunners of the cultures that would exist when the United States finally came along, and he probably contributed to everybody's downfall by giving everyone small pox.

 

Next up were probably the French, though things start getting a little muddled for a while. England's King Charles II included portions of Alabama in charters he granted to a few North Carolina colonists in 1663 and 1665, and the North Carolina folk probably made a few expeditions along the Alabama River to trade with the natives in the 1680s. But no European lived in Alabama until the French built a fort near the mouth of the Mobile River in 1702. A small, short-lived settlement grew up around the fort and lasted until a flood wiped it out in 1711. The settlers then moved a short distance south to build what would become the current city of Mobile in 1712.

 

But nothing much more happened in Alabama for a long time. The problem with the place was that it was stuck out almost literally in the middle of nowhere. It was too far west for the English in the Carolinas or Georgia to take any real interest. Aside from the little piece of northern Alabama that dips into the Tennessee Valley, all the rivers flowed directly to the Gulf with no inland connection to the growing French commercial ports along the Mississippi. And though the Spanish liked to say their Florida claim included at least the southern half of Alabama, they never committed all that much to settling Florida, much less anything north of it. European settlement thrived throughout the 1700s all around Alabama, but almost nobody settled inside the territory.

 

Things started shifting between the two Treaties of Paris of 1763 and 1783. The first, you'll recall, kicked the French off the continent and gave Britain control over Spanish Florida. The second ended the American Revolution and gave Florida back to Spain. At some point in the interim, an English surveyor made note of a spot along the Tombigbee River that might make for a good inland port. The English never did anything with the information, but in 1787, the Spanish governor at Mobile had a fort built at the spot, and a settlement called St. Stephens soon grew up around it. But the settlers of St. Stephens weren't Spanish. They were Americans, citizens of the newly-minted United States who started pouring themselves west from the former English colonies with a vengeance. They all knew the Spanish claim was weak, anyway, and they figured possession of the land would be 9/10ths of the law. And, as it turned out, they were right.

 

Spain tried to hold onto its claim of at least the southern halves of Alabama and Mississippi, which it saw as an extension of both the old Florida claim and the more recent claim on the Louisiana territory Spain had been given in 1763. But the American settlers just kept coming, as was their way, and the Spanish crown had too much on its plate back home to really commit to holding onto everything it wanted. It finally let the Americans have most of Alabama and Mississippi in the Treaty of San Lorenzo of 1795, granting the Americans everything north of Florida and keeping only a narrow strip of the territory--the segments of both states I think of as the "stems"--along the Gulf Coast to connect Florida and Louisiana. The Americans would eventually just claim that strip outright in 1812, and the Spanish would be too distracted by Napoleon by that point to stop them.

 

This all happened just as the United States was getting the ball rolling on its project of western settlement, and for a while there was a fight over what to do with the new territory. At first, Georgia tried to pull a Virginia and claim all of Mississippi and Alabama for itself, but the other states weren't having any of that. The federal government finally talked Georgia into establishing a firm western border for itself in 1798, and everything south of Tennessee and north of what was left of Spanish Florida between Georgia and the Mississippi River was declared the Mississippi Territory.

 

Stars (and Settlers) Fell on Alabama

 

So just who were all these new settlers finally flooding into the Alabama half of the Mississippi Territory? The answer here looks a lot like the people who came flooding into the Mississippi half, only with a few differences imposed by geography. Unlike the western half of the Mississippi Territory, there was a lot of Alabama that wasn't suited for the big cotton plantations the wealthier settlers in the west wanted to build. The swampy country in the south and the hilly country in the north were better suited for small-hold farms--or in some cases, for nothing at all. The men who dreamed of cotton were better off if they kept to a narrow strip of Alabama just south of the centerline known as the Black Belt.

 

Now, you might think the term "Black Belt" applied to a segment of Alabama was meant to be a descriptor of race, and in the modern era, that's largely what it is. But in settlement days, the term was meant to describe a particular type of dark soil that had developed over centuries above an impermeable layer of chalk. The nature of this soil meant that though fertile, the land tended to dry out in the summer, and the region's landscape was mostly dominated by short-grass prairie. But it was particularly good soil for growing cotton, so the wealthiest and most successful Alabama cotton plantations built over top of it. And because this strip was where most of the plantations were founded, it was where most of the slaves were bought and sold. And once the Civil War freed all the slaves, this strip was where the slaves stayed.

 

Just to get ahead of myself for a moment, this makes for some interesting maps in the modern era. The blue on this map of Alabama soils shows where the Black Belt prairie soils dominated. Here's how Alabama's African-American population was distributed in the 2000 census. Here's a map of Alabama poverty. And almost any map of Alabama elections results looks like this.

 

It's interesting to ponder just how much this pattern of racial population distribution would affect the nation as a whole in the coming century. Montgomery is in the middle of this belt, where Rosa Parks would kick off a bus boycott. Martin Luther King, Jr. would lead a march to a bridge located in this belt. The Civil Rights Movement as a whole would rise from this place, and it all traces back to the geographic oddity of a particular type of soil.

 

Heart of Dixie

 

Once the Americans started coming into Alabama and settling, the place grew quickly. This soon turned into a bad thing for Alabama's population of Native Americans, who had up to this point mostly been left alone. The Choctaws and Creeks and other regional tribes tried their best to assimilate into American culture as it advanced, and for a while the natives of the area were known to Americans as the "Five Civilized Tribes." But as I've pointed out many times before, Americans would only allow so much assimilation among people with darker skin, and they soon started working as hard to drive the Indians out of Alabama as they had anywhere else. There was an Indian war against the Creeks wrapped up in the War of 1812, and the policy from that point on was that all of Alabama was United States territory meant for United States men. Mostly of the white variety.

 

And what to do with that territory? It was all part of Mississippi, after all, and it would have made a certain amount of sense to have kept the thing whole and have it all join the Union as a single state.

 

But there was this thing going on I've referred to a couple of times now as the Americans have carved new states from the western wilderness. There was a kind of political arms race happening in the frontier between states that wanted to allow slavery and states that wanted to prohibit it. American shorthand for this paints it as a fight between "slave states" and "free states." The number of each type of state matters because of the way the framers of the Constitution had set up the Congress, with each state getting two representatives in the US Senate without consideration of the state's size or population. If slave states had a numerical advantage in the Senate, they could drive legislation that would expand slavery throughout the nation and ruin things for the abolitionists. (And also the slaves.) If free states had an advantage, they could establish laws limiting or even banning slavery. Both sides wanted the advantage, and the settlement patterns of the first half of the 19th century were driven in large part by each side trying to get one up on the other.

 

And how did that affect the Mississippi Territory? Well, the Mississippi Territory was just large enough to justify breaking the thing up into two states, each with its own set of senators. So the western half of the territory was admitted to the Union as a slave state in 1817, bringing the number of slave states and free states into balance. Illinois gave the free states a brief numerical advantage in 1818. But in 1819, slave-holding Alabama brought it all back into balance when it was admitted as the 22nd state of the Union. With Alabama, the count of slave states to free states stood at an 11-11 tie.

In a ceremony in Strasbourg’s hemicycle, MEPs marked the creation of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952, the EP’s forerunner

EP President Roberta Metsola opened the ceremony and stressed how, in the 70 years since the first meeting of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1952, the “Assembly grew from strength to strength”. She said: “The European Parliament has become the only directly elected, multilingual, multi-party transnational parliament in the world. Its 705 directly elected members are the expression of European public opinion (...). Today more than ever – this House stands for upholding the democratic voice of citizens and the democratic European values."

 

Her speech was followed by contributions from the prime ministers of the three countries hosting Parliament’s seat.

 

Belgium’s Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said “today’s European political project is mainly driven forward by visionary citizens, the people of Europe” who demand an EU response to crises such as migration, COVID-19 and energy. The EP is, he said, “one of the most powerful legislators in the world. Today Europeans can be proud of the road we travelled together.” He concluded: “This house represents the catharsis of a long history of violence among European countries, it represents the best in us, Europeans.”

 

Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel said: “Seven years after World War II, it was decided to create something together. In those days, people did not have the right to live because they were different; today we live in a territory where citizens are free. He concluded: “I would not have had the right myself to be free during the Second World War: I am liberal, have Jewish heritage and am married to a man. And here I am today, a head of government. This is the European project. You may be different, but that is where our richness lies: in this diversity”.

 

France’s Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne stressed the role of France in building the European Union, and the symbolic importance of Strasbourg as one of its official places of work. Additionally, she emphasized the commitment of France to a common European future: “Strasbourg is the idea of Europe – Europe that has its past but that also has its common future,” she said. “And we must not lose track of what Europe is, where it has come from and where it is going to.”

 

Read more: www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20221118IPR5570...

 

This photo is free to use under Creative Commons license CC-BY-4.0 and must be credited: "CC-BY-4.0: © European Union 2022– Source: EP". (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) No model release form if applicable. For bigger HR files please contact: webcom-flickr(AT)europarl.europa.eu

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!

  

Some background:

In September 1939, the US Army was ill-prepared as far as armored vehicles, training and tactics went. Soon, it became clear that a new model, which could be favorably compared to the European models, had to be studied for mass production. The very early M1 Combat Car was nothing more than a very small tank with two machine guns. Its main purpose was scouting and as such ordered for “cavalry” units. This was in 1937, and became the forerunner of all light tanks to come.

In 1935, a new model, the M2 Light Tank, was designed. At first, it was an immediate upgrade of the M1, but with the heavier .50 (12.7 mm) caliber machine gun, immediately followed by the M2A2 with twin turrets equipped with .30 (7.62 mm) caliber M1919 machine guns. The “Mae West” gave way in 1938 to a small series of M2A3 37 mm (1.45 in) single turret tanks, and then to the final M2A4 in 1940, with improved armor, motorization and equipment. These fought at Guadalcanal with the US Marine Corps, and with the British Army through Lend-Lease, performing well in Burma and India against the Japanese, despite being obsolete.

 

The following M3 was built under the light of recent events in France. The quick fall of France, due to inadequate tactics, quickly led the US Army Corps to think about a new doctrine, which led to an independent US armored force. From the material point of view, the latest M2A4 and the M3 were both designed to be more effective than only infantry support units, their main duty was scouting and screening.

The M3 was, at first, a simple upgrade of the last M2, with a more powerful Continental petrol engine, a new vertical volute spring suspension system and up to four machine guns in addition to a main, quick-firing M5 (and later M6) 37 mm (1.45 in) anti-tank gun, with a new gun recoil system.

 

Most of the initial M3 tanks were provided to the British and Commonwealth forces through Lend-Lease. Some were immediately thrown into action in Northern Africa, where they immediately became popular for their speed, sturdiness and reliability. Although the official British designation was “Stuart”, paying homage to Civil War Confederate general J.E.B. Stuart, they found themselves affectuously dubbed “Honey”, because of their smooth ride.

Beyond British and Commonwealth forces, the US Forces used many M3s in their first major operation in the west, the North African invasion in November 1942 (Operation Torch). They had some success against Italian tanks, but were butchered by German 88 mm (3.46 in) artillery and the up-gunned Panzer IIIs and IVs. It was clear that their high profile and the flat squared hull was too vulnerable. However, the M3 was popular, reliable and mobile, and the introduction of a diesel engine in the M3A1 made the small tank even more suitable for reconnaissance missions, so that the British Army asked by late 1941 for a dedicated scout variant that would trade-in the weak cannon armament (and the fourth crewman associated with it) for more mobility and range. This led to the M3A2, better known under the British name “Parsival”, because it was never adopted and operated by the U.S. Army.

 

The Parsival Mk. I used the standard M3 hull, but the lateral sponsons that formerly housed fixed machine guns were outright deleted in order to save weight and to reduce manufacturing effort as well as frontal area. Another major modification concerned the running gear: in order to improve speed and handling at higher speed, the M3’s vertical springs were replaced by a modified Christie running gear, which consisted of the standard drive wheel at the front, four large road wheels and three return rollers per side. The last pair of road wheels was mounted on trailing swing arms for increased ground contact and also acted as idler wheels. The M3A1’s optional 9-cylinder Guiberson T-1020 diesel became the Parsival’s standard engine, and, beyond the internal tanks, two additional external fuel drums could be mounted to the rear hull, extending range from 100 to 150 miles.

 

A new cast turret, similar in shape to the airborne M22 Locust tank, was mounted, which had a much lower profile and offered better ballistic protection than the M3’s original turret with vertical side walls. The reduced height was a trade-off for firepower, though: the turret did not carry a full-fledged cannon anymore, only a medium 0.5” (12.7 mm) machine gun as well as a light, coaxial 0.303” (7.62 mm) machine gun, all operated by the commander. The machine gun in the front bow, handled by the radio operator, was retained, and another light machine gun could optionally be mounted on top of the turret against aircraft. The turret was furthermore equipped with a set of two smoke grenade launchers.

 

Through the different weight saving measures, the Parsival’s weight could be reduced from 12.7 to 10.8 tons, resulting in a slight improvement in overall performance but with a much better handling, esp. when moving off-road.

 

In the summer of 1942, the first Parsival Mk. Is arrived in the North African theatre of operations where they excelled in their dedicated reconnaissance role. Concerning the standard M3, the British usually kept the Stuarts out of direct tank-to-tank combat, using them primarily for reconnaissance, too. In consequence, the turret was removed from some British M3 examples to save weight and improve speed and range, but these were inferior to the Parsival and became known as "Stuart Recce". Some others were converted to armored personnel carriers known as the "Stuart Kangaroo", and some were converted into command vehicles and known as "Stuart Command".

After the Africa campaign, British Stuarts and Parsival took successfully part in the liberation of Italy. About 500 were produced, 160 of them were delivered to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease, the rest was exclusively operated by the British Army in Europe. Parsivals, M3s, M3A3s, and M5s continued in British service until the end of the war.

  

Specifications:

Crew: Three (commander, driver, radio operator)

Weight: 10.8 tons

Length: 14ft 2in (4.33 m)

Width: 7ft 4in (2.33 m)

Height: 2.49 metres (8 ft 1 1/2 in)

Suspension: Christie system

Ground clearance: 16.5" (419 mm)

Fuel capacity: 54 US gal (200 l)

Armor:

0.52 - 2 in (13 - 51 mm)

 

Performance:

Speed:

- Maximum, road: 40 mph (65 km/h)

- Cross country: 22 mph (36 km/h)

Climbing capability:

- 40% side slope and 60% max grade

- Vertical obstacle of 24 inches (61 cm)

- 72 inches (1,8 m) trench crossing

Fording depth: 36 inches (91 cm)

Operational range: 100 ml (160 km) on road with internal fuel

Power/weight: 23.1 hp/t

 

Engine:

1× Guiberson T-1020 9-cylinder radial diesel engine with a 1,021 cu in (16.73 l) displacement,

delivering 250 hp (190 kW)

 

Transmission:

Hydramatic, 4 speeds forward, 1 reverse

 

Armament:

1× 0.5” (12.7) mm M2 machine gun with 900 rounds

3× 0.303” (7,62 mm) M1919A4 machine guns

(co-axial in the turret, in the front bow and as an AA weapon on top of the turret)

with a total of 6,750 rounds

2× smoke dischargers on the turret’s right side

  

The kit and its assembly:

This M3 conversion was spawned by the idea of a dedicated recce variant of the popular Stuart tank. Originally, I just planned to use the chassis from a Hasegawa 1:72 kit and replace the turret with a smaller option (including lighter armament), I already had organized a resin turret for/from an American T17 “Staghound” WWII recce car. But, as always, you can drive a simple idea easily further, so that I also thought about a different suspension and other modifications that would improve the tank’s agility. This led to a Christie-style running gear and the deletion of the M3’s machine gun sponsons, which were in practice used as storage space after the machine guns had been deleted.

 

The Staghound turret came from a ModelTrans/Silesian Models conversion set, which also includes a nice commander figure as well as two fuel drums. The sponsons were simply cut away and the gaps filled with 0.5 mm styrene sheet – a small modification, and thanks to the M3’s boxy hull design a simple affair. Only some small PSR on the side wall implants as well as on the mudguards (which are segmented) was necessary, and this modification changes the M3’s look considerably!

 

The running gear was scratched and more complicated, in particular because assembly and painting had to go hand in hand. The eight road wheels actually come from a 1:72 T-72 tank from ModelCollect, their width perfectly matched the track’s and they had the same size as the M3’s large idler wheel at the rear. The road wheels’ depth just looks a little disturbing, but not implausible. The trailing idler wheel (using the original suspension arm) defined the stance and the other wheels were mounted on plastic rods to the hull, with simulated suspensions arms (styrene profile) behind them. Since the drive and idler wheels’ position effectively remained unchanged, I was able to use the OOB vinyl tracks, which are really smooth and easy to handle. However, this move necessitated to retain the return wheels – I wanted to omit them, for an even more Christie-esque look, but without them the track would have been too long and slacked through, with a lot of space between the tracks and the mudguards. Nevertheless, the return wheels’ position was slightly changed, in order to reflect the modified road wheels’ position. And the whole affair simply looks different from the original, so I am fine with it.

 

In order to liven the small tank up, I added the fuel drums from the Staghound set to the rear fenders and added some more boxes and folded tarpaulins (made from paper tissue drenched in thinned white glue) on the mudguards, somewhat masking the new side walls from sight. I also mounted the M3’s OOB AA machine gun to the turret.

  

Painting and markings:

I wanted a Northern Africa paint scheme and at first considered the iconic Caunter scheme, but then I thought that, since this livery was also used on the real British Stuarts, I rather wanted something different.

I eventually settled for a simple two-tone scheme, used on British cruiser tanks like the Crusader as well as on M3 Lee medium tanks of American origin. The basic colors I used are Humbrol 168 (Hemp) for the Light Stone tone, and Humbrol 98 (Chocolate) for the dull, dark brown.

 

As common practice, the basic colors were separated with thin, white lines in order to emphasize the contrast between them. Sometimes in practice, an additional black line was added, too, but due to the model’s small size I just painted a white line.

Another common practice of the British army, esp. on cruiser tanks with large wheels, was to paint the front and rear road wheels in a uniform, light color, while the wheels between them became dark – an attempt to mimic a lorry, esp. when a light “Sunshield” canopy was mounted over the hull that resembled a truck’s outline.

 

The model received a light wash with a mix of black, grey and brown, the decals (taken from the OOB sheet) were applied next. Over this came some dry-brushing with light grey and ochre and the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (from the rattle can). Once the tracks were mounted, the lower areas of the tank were finally dusted with a mix of sand and light grey pigments.

  

Even though the Hasegawa M3 was a simple basis to start with, the conversions, esp. the running gear, were quite challenging. But I like the result a lot: the Parsival looks like a slimmed-down race variant of the M3, just what I wanted to achieve, and the British camouflage suits the small tank well, too – the white contrast line adds an exotic touch.

 

Forerunner to John Browning’s Colt 1911

A very rare 1961 Auto Union 1000SP coupe (forerunner of Audi), back when the manufacturer produced cars with two-stroke engines

 

A small town show in rural Alberta was the very last place I ever expected to spot one of these, especially as I've never seen one before in my life...

Heres information about central florida broadcast stations

 

Broadcast Tower,WFTT-TV is the Telefutura affiliate for Tampa Bay, owned by Univision and operated by Entravision, owners of WVEA-TV. The station, which broadcasts on UHF channel 50, is based at WVEA's studios on Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa, and transmits from Riverview. WFTT can be seen on cable throughout the Bay Area on Bright House channel 5, and on Comcast in Sarasota County on channel 23.

 

With the completion of the 442.550 repeater in Riverview at 805ft in January, the western pointing antenna on the 442.825 repeater caused a expected overlap that was unnecessary. Since 442.550 now blankets Hillsborough County, we have as of April 11th taken the antenna off the west leg of the Pebbledale tower site at 800ft and moved it to the east leg of the tower. What does mean for users? The tower has a 7 foot wide face, which creates a null that is created behind the antenna. This null used to face a huge portion of Polk County. By moving this antenna to the east, the null is now facing essentially Brandon/Riverview, where 442.550 is now located at 805ft. So far we have gotten incredible results from users in eastern Polk County. Some users in Sebring reporting almost full scale signal, and mobile users with hand helds on 27 at 5 watts can use 442.825 now. None of this was previously possible. So with this move, expect to hear more Polk, Osceola and I-4 corridor area users making it into the network.

 

A nother tower WVEA (channel 62) is Tampa Bay, Florida's first Spanish-language TV station, which had its start in the early-1980s as low-powered W50AC ch.50, which offered programming from the Spanish International Network (SIN), the forerunner of today's Univision. In 1988, to make way for new HSN flagship WBHS (now WFTT-TV), the station relocated to channel 61 and became W61BL. In the mid-1990s, the station was re-called "WVEA-LP". In 2000, WVEA's parent company, Entravision, acquired Sarasota English independent WBSV channel 62, with the intent of moving the transmitter from Venice to the antenna farm at Riverview. WBSV signed on May 3, 1991 as the Sarasota area's own independent station, designed to compete against WWSB and the other stations in the Tampa Bay and nearby Ft. Myers markets. Licensed to Venice, Florida the call letters stood for Bradenton, Sarasota, Venice, the three cities it primarily served. WBSV had a variety of syndicated and local programming, plus infomercials and home shopping programs. early on, they also had its own newscast. But, WBSV was eternally in red ink, and relied more on home shopping and infomercials to keep the station afloat....

 

And then,WTVT, channel 13, is a television station in Tampa, Florida. It is an owned and operated station of the Fox Broadcasting Company, a subsdiary of the News Corporation. WTVT's studios are located in Tampa, and its transmitter is located in Riverview, Florida.

 

Overall the WUSF (89.7 FM) is an NPR-member radio station licensed to Tampa, Florida, USA. The station is currently owned by the University of South Florida. WUSF signed on in 1963, seven years after USF's founding in 1956.

 

WOPX channel 56 is a television station based in Orlando, Florida, USA. An affiliate of the ION Television network, it transmits its analog signal on UHF channel 56 and its digital signal on UHF channel 48, both from a transmitter located near Holopaw. The station signed on the air in 1986.

 

WIWA (1160 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish language Christian format. Licensed to St. Cloud, Florida, USA, it serves the greater Orlando area. The station is currently owned by Centro De La Familia Cristiana Inc.

 

WAFZ-FM (92.1 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Regional Mexican format. Licensed to Immokalee, Florida, USA, the station is currently owned by Glades Media Company LLC. WAFZ's programming is also heard on WAFZ AM 1490 in Immokalee.

 

WTVY or WTVY News 4 is a CBS-affiliated television station broadcasting on channel 4 in Dothan, Alabama, owned by Gray Television. The station's signal, originating from a transmitter in Holmes County, Florida, reaches large portions of Alabama, Georgia and Florida. WTVY is also the designated CBS affiliate for the Panama City, Florida market, where Gray also owns that city's NBC affiliate, WJHG-TV. In exchange, WJHG is available in Dothan on cable since Dothan does not have its own NBC affiliate. In fact, WTVY's transmitter is located within the Panama City market. WTVY-DT uses digital subchannels to operate MyNetworkTV affiliate My 4 and CW affiliate Dothan's CW.

 

WJED (91.1 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format. Licensed to Dogwood Lakes Estate, Florida, USA. The station is currently owned by Bethany Bible College.

 

WTVJ, channel 6, is the NBC owned-and-operated television station for South Florida, licensed to Miami. Its analog transmitter is located in Redland. The station's digital transmitter is located near Dolphin Stadium in north Miami-Dade County. Owned by NBC Universal, the station is sister to South Florida's Telemundo owned-and-operated station, WSCV. The two share studios at Peacock Plaza in Miramar.

 

WOIR (1430 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish News/Talk format. Licensed to Homestead, Florida, USA, the station serves the Miami area. The station is currently owned by Amanecer Christian Network, Inc..

 

WTLH is a Fox television affiliate licensed to Bainbridge, Georgia and serves the Tallahassee, Florida television market. It broadcasts its analog signal on UHF channel 49 and its digital signal on UHF channel 50. The station began operations on November 25, 1989. Its transmitter is located in Metcalf, Georgia. The Station is owned by CP Media, LLC. The station runs a duopoly with WFXU, The CW station in Tallahassee. WTLH programming is also seen on a low-powered, Class-A repeater, WBVJ-LP channel 35 in Valdosta.

 

WTXL-TV is the ABC affiliate station for Tallahassee, Florida, Thomasville, Georgia, and Valdosta, Georgia, broadcasting on channel 27. The station is owned by Calkins Media, Inc., a Pennsylvania-based mass media company that owns several small newspapers in Pennsylvania and two other television stations: WWSB in Sarasota and WAAY-TV in Huntsville, Alabama. It was previously owned by Media Ventures Management, and operated by the Sinclair Broadcast Group pursuant to an outsourcing agreement (See: [1]), the first of its kind in the United States. This agreement merged virtually all of WTXL-TV's operations with that of Sinclair's NBC affiliate WTWC. Denis LeClair, General Manager of WTXL-TV and WBXT-TV at the time, was made General Manager for WTXL, WBXT and WTWC under this agreement. He would be followed by Chris Butterick and then Bob Franklin. Eventually, Kim Urbuteit (who was fired in May, 2007) would be named General Manager of WTXL only as Bob Franklin (now in Mobile, AL) oversaw WTWC. Gary Wordlaw is the current General Manager of WTXL-TV.

 

WFSU is the callsign (or variations thereon) for public radio stations operated by Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. WFSU also operates 3 radio stations that serve northern Florida: * WFSU-FM 88.9 FM: Tallahassee-based news/talk/public affairs station carrying several NPR programs and overnight BBC World Service programming. Also heard on these low-powered repeaters: * 97.1 - Carrabelle * 106.1 - Marianna * 96.7 - Apalachicola * 93.7 - Downtown Tallahassee (necessary because the main WFSU transmitter must conform its signal to protect WTSU in Troy, Alabama) * WFSQ-FM 91.5 FM: Tallahassee-based classical music station. Also heard on WFSL-FM 90.7 in Thomasville, Georgia, and on low-powered 92.7 FM in the northeast portion of the city of Tallahassee. * WFSW-FM 89.1 FM: Panama City-based news/talk/public affairs station. Offers many of the same programs as WFSU. Also heard on low-powered 91.1 FM in the Port St. Joe area along the Gulf of Mexico, as well as 94.5 FM in Fort Walton Beach.

 

WESH is the NBC affiliate in Orlando, Florida. It is licensed to Daytona Beach, with studio facilities in Winter Park. It transmits its analog signal on VHF channel 2 and its digital signal on VHF channel 11, when viewed over the air PSIP will display 2.1 for WESH DT and 2.2 for WESH Weather Plus. It is currently owned by Hearst-Argyle Television along with the area's CW affiliate, WKCF. WESH's transmitter is located in Orange City, Florida. The tower is the tallest man-made structure in Florida, at 1,740 feet (530 m). The station also serves as the default NBC affiliate for the Gainesville market, and can be seen on the fringes of the Tampa Bay and Jacksonville markets. WESH was the first station in Orlando to carry an on-site RADAR facility, SuperDoppler 2 as opposed to relying on National Weather Service RADARs. It is installed on top of the tower located at the Winter Park broadcast studio. Today it also promotes a VIPIR 3D RADAR system, taking advantage of the fact that the RADARs at Melbourne, Tampa, Jacksonville and Miami can all reach Orlando, in addition to SuperDoppler 2. The primary news anchors at WESH are Martha Sugalski and Jim Payne....

 

WOMX is a radio station located in the Orlando, Florida area and broadcasts at 105.1. WOMX 105.1 plays the "Best MIX of the 80s, 90s and Today," though the station programming focuses mostly on rock and modern rock music from the 90's and 2000's. Every Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m., Mix 105.1 presents Friday Night 80's. The "Saturday Night Party MIX" airs every Saturday night from 7 p.m. to midnight. The "Saturday Night Party MIX" replaced the Orlando heritage show "Seventies Saturday Night" in 2005.

 

WOTF-TV Channel 43 is the TeleFutura station serving the Orlando/Daytona Beach/Melbourne, Florida television market. It is owned by Univision and managed by Entravision which owns Univision affiliate WVEN-TV 26 and radio station WNUE 98.1 FM and offers a Spanish language entertainment format featuring movies, dramas, comedy shows, and kids shows. The studios are located in Altamonte Springs which is also shared by WVEN.

 

WOFL, "Fox 35", is the Fox owned-and-operated television station serving the Orlando, Florida metropolitan area. It is licensed to Orlando, with studios located in Lake Mary. It broadcasts its analog signal on UHF channel 35, and its digital signal on UHF channel 22. Its transmitter is located in Bithlo, Florida. Its Digital TV transmitter has a power of 1,000 kW. Its Analog TV transmitter has a power of 2,570 kW. WOFL and sister station WTVT of the bordering Tampa market commonly share reporters and footage, as other station groups do.

 

WFTV channel 9 is a television station based in Orlando, Florida, affiliated with the ABC network. It transmits its analog signal on VHF channel 9 from a transmitter located in Bithlo, Florida, and its digital signal on UHF channel 39 from a transmitter located in Christmas, Florida. It is owned by Cox Enterprises along with independent station WRDQ TV 27. The primary news anchors at WFTV are Bob Opsahl and Martie Salt. They anchored the main afternoon newscasts from 1984 through 1994, when Ms. Salt transferred to WFTS, a TV station in Tampa (where she was known as "Martie Tucker"). She returned to anchor WFTV's news again with Opsahl in 2003. Opsahl is one of the longest-serving (at one station) local news anchors in Florida. Barbara West, a 20 year veteran at WFTV and the station's medical reporter is paired with Opsahl at 5:30. Marla Weech, a former anchor for WFTV, was paired up with Bob Opsahl during most of Salt's absence. Weech currently works for WKMG. Tom Terry is the "Chief Meteorologist". WFTV's Severe Weather Center 9 includes WFTV's own doppler weather radar station located at Joint Venture TV Tower Bithlo. Its radar has features that are...

 

WRBW-TV is the MyNetworkTV owned and operated station serving the Orlando/Daytona Beach/Melbourne, Florida television market. It is owned by the Fox Television Stations Group, along with Fox station WOFL Channel 35. Known on-air as "My65", the station offers sitcoms, cartoons, court shows, and talk/reality shows. Its transmitter is located in Christmas, Florida.

 

WNTF (1580 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Bithlo, Florida, USA, it serves the Orlando area. The station is currently owned by Rama Communications, Inc.

 

WBCC is an educational television station serving the Orlando television market. It broadcasts on UHF channel 68, with a digital signal on channel 30. It is one of the Orlando market's PBS member stations. WBCC's digital signal, on channel 30, offers programming from the University of Central Florida (channel 68.2) and BPS-TV from Brevard Public Schools (channel 68.3), in addition to WBCC's standard programming.

 

WRDQ, channel 27, is an independent television station in Orlando, Florida. Its analog transmitter is located in northeastern Osceola County. The station's digital transmitter is located in Christmas. Onwed by Cox Enterprises, WRDQ is sister to ABC affiliate WFTV. The two stations share studios on East South Street in downtown Orlando. WRDQ offers the Retro Television Network on its second digital subchannel. It can also be seen on Bright House digital channel 1028. Syndicated programming on WRDQ includes: South Park, Scrubs, Merv Griffin's Crosswords, Oprah, According to Jim, and George Lopez. The station can be considered an alternate ABC affiliate. As such, it may take on the responsibility of airing ABC programs whenever WFTV may not be able to do so as in a news-related emergency.

 

WXPX is a television station licensed to Bradenton, Florida. Operating on channel 66, it is an ION Television affiliate, owned and operated by ION Media Networks (formerly Paxson Communications), which has owned the station since its founding in 1994. Current programming on WXPX is virtually the same as other ION affiliates -- infomercials throughout the day and during the overnights, plus ION programming in the evenings. WXPX also shows Tampa Bay Lightning hockey, Orlando Magic basketball, some college football and Tampa Bay Rays baseball, though most of these games are in the evenings only, as WXPX tend to reserve non-prime-time hours for infomercials. Rays games air in high definition on WXPX in the 720p format, the same format as FSN Florida, the producers of the games (See: [1]). The only local programming on WXPX is i on Tampa (public affairs) and the aforementioned Rays and Magic games. The station once aired Miccosukee Magazine along with WPXM Miami and WPXP West Palm Beach, but no longer airs the program. (the latter two stations still do, along with WOPX Orlando) WXPX started in 1994 as WFCT, which featured infomercials at all hours under...

 

Wesh News Cast Bay News 9 Cast Weather Channel

Kristina

 

Abernathy

 

Stephanie

 

Abrams

 

Natalie

 

Allen

 

Tetiana

 

Anderson

 

Adam

 

Berg

 

Mike

 

Bettes

 

Vivian

 

Brown

 

Jim

 

Cantore

 

Jennifer

 

Carfagno

 

Kelly

 

Cass

 

Betty

 

Davis

 

Kristin

 

Dodd

 

Jorma

 

Duran

 

Dr Marcus

 

Eriksen

 

Paul

 

Goodloe

 

Ryan

 

Goswick

 

Rich

 

Johnson

 

Bill

 

Keneely

 

Danny

 

Lipford

 

Warren

 

Madden

 

Mark

 

Mancuso

 

Dr Anna

 

Marie

 

Julie

 

Martin

 

Jeff

 

Mielcarz

 

Jarod

 

Miller

 

Nicole

 

Mitchell

 

Samantha

 

Mohr

 

Jeff

 

Morrow

 

Carl

 

Parker

 

Kim

 

Perez

 

Sharon

 

Resultan

 

Kevin

 

Robinson

 

Marshall

 

Seese

 

Mike

 

Seidel

 

Alexandra

 

Steele

 

Heather

 

Tesch

 

Nick

 

Walker

 

Alex

 

Wallace

Dr Steve Lyons

 

Dr Greg Forbes

 

Dr Heidi Cullen

 

Stu Ostro

Aixa Diaz (NEWS ANCHORS

Jen Holloway

Al Ruechel

Leigh Moody

Erica Riggins

Rick Elmhorst

 

(METEOROLOGISTS)

Mike Clay

Juli Marquez

Josh Linker

Diane Kacmarik

Brian McClure

Alan Winfield

 

(NEWS REPORTERS

Jennifer Anderson

Dalia Dangerfield

Laurie Davison

Melissa Eichman

Samantha Hayes

Chuck Johnson

Troy Kinsey

Jason Lanning

Emily Maza

Carol Minn Vacca

Jonathan Petramala

Josh Rojas

Summer Smith

Kathryn Simmons

Melanie Snow

Melissa Sogegian

Anna Tataris

Ferdinand

Zogbaum

 

(EN ESPANOL

Lydia Guzmán

Roy De Jesús

Sandra Pinto

 

Jim Payne

Syan Rhodes

Martha Sugalski

Scott Walker

Eryka Washington

  

Weather:

Jason Brewer

Tony Mainolfi

Malachi Rodgers

Amy Sweezey

 

WESH.com Web Staff:

Jeff Cousins

Managing Editor

Jessica Seeley

   

Washington Reporters:

 

Sally Kidd

Nikole Killion

Laurie Kinney

 

Orlando Sentinel:

Roger Moore

Movie Critic

 

Sports:

 

Pat Clarke

Guy Rawlings

   

Reporters:

Danielle Bellini

Dan Billow

Greg Fox

Bob Kealing

Jeff Lennox

Craig Lucie

Dave McDaniel

Michelle Meredith

Claire Metz

Amanda Ober

Kendra Oestreich

Gail Paschall-Brown

Tim Trudell

Todd Wilson

 

Other Talent:

Jason Chepenik

Financial Analyst

Dr. Todd Husty

Dan McCarthy

Chopper 2 Pilot

Kimberly Williams

Traffic Reporter

 

List of the tallest towers.

 

1 Burj Dubai 2,684 feet 818 m 2009 Skyscraper

 

2 Warsaw Radio Mast 2,121 feet 646.4 m 1974 Guyed mast

 

3 KVLY/KTHI TV Mast 2,063 feet 628.8 m 1963 Guyed mast

 

4 KXJB-TV mast 2,060 feet 627.8 m 1998 Guyed mast

 

5 KXTV/KOVR Tower 2,049 feet 624.5 m 2000 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Walnut Grove, California Tallest structure in California

 

6 KATV Tower 2,000 feet 609.6 m 1965?1967? Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Redfield, Arkansas

 

7 KCAU TV Tower 2,000 feet 609.6 m 1965 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Sioux City, Iowa

 

8 WECT TV6 Tower 2,000 feet 609.6 m 1969 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Colly Township, North Carolina

 

9 WHO-TV, KDIN-TV,WOI-FM Tower 2,000 feet 609.6 m 1972 Guyed mast VHF-TV, FM radio transmission U.S. Alleman, Iowa

 

10 Des Moines Hearst-Argyle Television Tower Alleman 2,000 feet 609.6 m 1974 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Alleman, Iowa

 

11 WEAU-Tower 2,000 feet 609.6 m 1981 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Fairchild, Wisconsin

 

12 Diversified Communications Tower 2,000 feet 609.6 m 1981 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Floyd Dale, South Carolina

 

13 AFLAC Tower 2,000 feet 609.6 m 1984 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Rowley, Iowa

 

14 WBTV-Tower 2,000 feet 609.6 m 1984 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Dallas, North Carolina

 

15 Hearst-Argyle Tower 2,000 feet 609.6 m 1985 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Walnut Grove, California

 

16 WTTO Tower 2,000 feet 609.6 m 1986 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Windham Springs, Alabama

 

17 WCSC-Tower 2,000 feet 609.6 m 1986 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Awendaw, South Carolina

 

18 KTVE-Tower 2,000 feet 609.6 m 1987 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Bolding, Arkansas

 

19 WCTV Tower 2,000 feet 609.6 m 1987 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Metcalf, Georgia

 

20 WCIX/CH6 TV Mast 2,000 feet 609.6 m 1992 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Homestead, Florida

 

21 KDLT Tower 2,000 feet 609.6 m 1998 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Rowena, South Dakota

 

22 KMOS TV Tower 2,000 feet 609.6 m 2002 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Syracuse, Missouri

 

23 Liberman Broadcasting Tower Era 2,000 feet 609.6 m 2006 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Era, Texas

 

24 Winnie Cumulus Broadcasting Tower 2,000 feet 609.6 m ? Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Winnie, Texas

 

25 WRAL HDTV Mast 2,000 feet 609.5 m 1991 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Auburn, North Carolina

 

26 Perry Broadcasting Tower 2,000 feet 609.5 m 2004 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Alfalfa, Oklahoma

 

27 KY3 Tower 1,999 feet 609.4 m 2000 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Fordland, Missouri

 

28 SpectraSite Tower Thomasville 1,999 feet 609.4 m 2002 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Thomasville, Georgia

 

29 Pegasus Broadcasting Tower 1,999 feet 609.4 m Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Metcalf, Georgia

 

30 CBC Real Estate Tower Auburn 1,999 feet 609.4 m Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Auburn, North Carolina

 

32 KLDE Tower 1,999 feet 609.3 m 1986 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Liverpool, Texas

 

33 WCKW/KSTE-Tower 1,999 feet 609.3 m 1988 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Vacherie, Louisiana

 

34 American Towers Tower Elkhart 1,999 feet 609.3 m 2001 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Elkhart, Iowa

 

35 Salem Radio Properties Tower 1,999 feet 609.3 m 2002 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Collinsville, Texas

 

36 Stowell Cumulus Broadcasting Tower 1,999 feet 609.3 m ? Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Stowell, Texas

 

37 WLBT Tower 1,998 feet 609 m 1999 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Raymond, Mississippi

 

38 Beasley Tower 1,997 feet 608.7 m Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Immokalee, Florida

 

39 KYTV Tower 1,996 feet 608.4 m 1973 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Marshfield, Missouri

 

40 SpectraSite Tower Raymond 1,996 feet 608.4 m Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Raymond, Mississippi

 

41 Hoyt Radio Tower 1,996 feet 608.38 m 2003 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Hoyt, Colorado

 

42 Service Broadcasting Tower Decatur 1,995 feet 608.1 m 2000 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Decatur, Texas

 

43 WTVD Tower 1,994 feet 607.8 m 1978 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Auburn, North Carolina

 

44 Channel 40 Tower 1,994 feet 607.8 m 1985 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Walnut Grove, California

 

45 Liberman Broadcasting Tower Devers 1,994 feet 607.7 m 2006 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Devers, Texas

 

46 KHYS Tower 1,992 feet 607.2 m 1997 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Devers, Texas

 

47 Clear Channel Broadcasting Tower Devers 1,992 feet 607 m 1988 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Devers, Texas

 

48 Media General Tower 1,992 feet 607 m 1987 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Awendaw, South Carolina

 

49 Eastern North Carolina Broadcasting Tower 1,989 feet 606.2 m 1980 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Trenton, North Carolina

 

50 WNCN Tower 1,989 feet 606.2 m 2000 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Garner, North Carolina

 

51 KELO TV Tower 1,985 feet 605 m 1974 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Rowena, South Dakota

 

52 WITN Tower 1,985 feet 605 m 1979 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Grifton, North Carolina

 

53 Noe Corp Tower 1,984 feet 604.7 m 1998 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Columbia, Louisiana

 

54 Pappas Telecasting Tower 1,980 feet 603.6 m 2000 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Plymouth County, Iowa

 

55 KHOU-TV Tower 1,975 feet 602 m 1992 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Missouri City, Texas

 

56 Richland Towers Tower Missouri City 1,973 feet 601.3 m 2001 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Missouri City, Texas

 

57 Senior Road Tower 1,971 feet 600.7 m 1983 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Missouri City, Texas

 

58 KTRK-TV Tower 1,970 feet 600.5 m 1982 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Missouri City, Texas

 

59 Houston Tower Joint Venture Tower 1,970 feet 600.5 m 1985 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Missouri City, Texas

 

60 American Towers Tower Missouri City 1,970 feet 600.5 m 2000 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Missouri City, Texas

 

61 Fox-TV Tower 1,970 feet 600.4 m 1982 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Missouri City, Texas

 

62 Mississippi Telecasting Tower 1,969 feet 600 m 1982 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Inverness, Mississippi

 

63 WCNC-TV Tower 1,969 feet 600 m 1992 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Dallas, North Carolina

 

64 Capstar Radio Tower 1,969 feet 600 m 2001 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Middlesex, North Carolina

 

65 KDUH/CH4 TV Mast 1,965 feet 599 m 1969 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Hemingford, Nebraska

 

66 American Towers Tower Liverpool 1,963 feet 598.3 m 1992 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Liverpool, Texas

 

67 Media General Tower Dillon 1,962 feet 598 m 2001 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Dillon, South Carolina

 

68 Duffy-Shamrock Joint Venture Tower 1,960 feet 597.4 m 1990 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Bertram, Texas

 

69 AMFM Tower Collinsville 1,960 feet 597.4 m 2002 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Collinsville, Texas

 

70 KOLR/KOZK Tower 1,960 feet 597.3 m (orig. 609.6 m) 1971 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Fordland, Missouri

 

71 Cosmos Broadcasting Tower Winnabow 1,954 feet 595.6 m 1981 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Winnabow, North Carolina

 

72 Spectra Site Communications Tower Robertsdale 1,944 feet 592.6 m 2001 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Robertsdale, Alabama

 

73 CBC Real Estate Co. Inc Tower 1,944 feet 592.4 m 1985 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Dallas, North Carolina

 

74 Cosmos Broadcasting Tower Grady 1,935 feet 589.8 m 1977 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Grady, Alabama

 

75 American Towers Tower Columbia 1,929 feet 587.9 m 1986 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Columbia, Louisiana

 

76 Sonsinger Management Tower 1,928 feet 587.6 m 1988 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Splendora, Texas

 

77 Cedar Rapids TV Tower 1,927 feet 587.3 m 1974 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Walker City, Iowa

 

78 Channel 6 Tower Eddy 1,924 feet 586.4 m 1981 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Eddy, Texas

 

79 Entravision Texas Tower 1,920 feet 585.2 m 1998 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Greenwood, Texas

 

80 Multimedia Associates Tower 1,916 feet 584 m 1999 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Rio Grande City, Texas

 

81 American Towers Tower Randleman 1,910 feet 582.3 m 2004 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Randleman, North Carolina

 

82 KTUL Tower Coweta 1,909 feet 581.8 m 1988 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Coweta, Oklahoma

 

83 American Towers Tower Robertsdale 1,903 feet 579.9 m 2004 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Robertsdale, Alabama

 

84 Baldpate Platform 1,902 feet 579.7 m 1998 Offshore platform Oil drilling U.S. Garden Banks, Gulf of Mexico (Offshore)

 

85 WDJR-FM Tower 1,901 feet 579.42 m 1978 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Bethlehem, Florida

 

86 Clear Channel Broadcasting Tower Redfield 1,889 feet 578.8 m 1985 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Redfield, Arkansas

 

87 WFMY Tower 1,889 feet 575.9 m 2002 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Greensboro, North Carolina

 

88 Cox Radio Tower 1,879 feet 572.8 m 2000 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Shepard, Texas

 

89 Media General Tower Spanish Fort 1,879 feet 572.7 m 1986 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Spanish Fort, Alabama

 

90 WFTV Tower Saint Cloud 1,874 feet 571.1 m 2000 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Saint Cloud, Florida

 

91 Capstar Radio Operating Gray Court Tower 1,861 feet 567.1 m 1980 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Gray Court, South Carolina

 

92 KLKN Tower 1,854 feet 565.1 m 1965 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Genoa, Nebraska

 

93 Pinnacle Towers Tower Princeton 1,842 feet 561.3 m 1993 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Princeton, Florida

 

94 WTVJ Tower Princeton 1,841 feet 561.1 m 1993 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Princeton, Florida

 

95 Pappas Partnership Stations Tower Gretna 1,836 feet 559.6 m 1985 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Gretna, Nebraska

 

96 KBIM Tower 1,834 feet 559.02 m 1965 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Roswell, New Mexico

 

97 Tulsa Tower Joint Venture Tower Oneta 1,834 feet 559 m 1984 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Oneta, Oklahoma

 

98 KTBS Tower 1826 ft 556.5 m 2003 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Shreveport, Louisiana

 

99 CN Tower 1,814 feet 553 m 1976 Concrete tower Observation, UHF/VHF-transmission Canada Toronto, Ontario

 

100 SBA Towers Tower Haynesville 1,797 feet 547.7 m 1989 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Haynesville, Alabama

 

101 Channel 32 Limited Partnership Tower 1,797 feet 547.7 m 1990 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Haynesville, Alabama

 

102 KATC Tower Kaplan 1,793 feet 546.6 m 1978 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Kaplan, Louisiana

 

103 Cosmos Broadcasting Tower Egypt 1,793 feet 546.5 m 1981 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Egypt, Arkansas

 

104 Raycom Media Tower Mooringsport 1,791 feet 545.8 m 1975 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Mooringsport, Louisiana

 

105 Pinnacle Towers Tower Mooringsport 1,781 feet 542.8 m 1985 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Mooringsport, Louisiana

 

106 Bold Springs Salem Radio Properties Tower 1,779 feet 542.2 m 2005 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Bold Springs, Georgia

 

107 Branch Young Broadcasting Tower 1775 ft 541 m ? Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Branch, Louisiana

 

108 Ostankino Tower 1,772 feet 540.1 m 1967 Concrete tower Observation, UHF/VHF-transmission Russia Moscow 2000 Fire led to renovation

 

109 KLFY TV Tower Maxie 1,772 feet 540 m 1970 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Maxie, Louisiana

 

110 American Towers Tower Eglin[5] 1,766 feet 538.3 m 2001 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. 29045, South Carolina also known as WOLO TV Tower

 

111 Cusseta Richland Towers Tower 1,766 feet 538.2 m 2005 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Cusseta, Georgia

 

112 Cox Radio Tower Flowery Branch 1,765 feet 537.9 m 1984 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Flowery Branch, Georgia

 

113 Alabama Telecasters Tower 1,757 feet 535.5 m 1995 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Gordonsville, Alabama

 

114 WIMZ-FM-Tower 1,752 feet 534.01 m 1963 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Knoxville, Tennessee also known as WBIR TV-mast, World's tallest structure, 1963

 

115 Capitol Broadcasting Tower Broadway 1,749 feet 533.1 m 1985 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Broadway, North Carolina dismantled

 

116 Capitol Broadcasting Tower Columbia 1,749 feet 533.1 m 2000 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Columbia, North Carolina

 

117 WTVM/WRBL-TV & WVRK-FM Tower 1,749 feet 533 m 1962 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Cusseta, Georgia also known as WTVM TV Mast, World's tallest structure, 1962-1963

 

118 WAVE-Mast 1,739 feet 530.05 m 1990 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. La Grange, Kentucky

 

119 Moody Centex Television Tower 1739 ft 530 m 1985 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Moody, Texas

 

120 Louisiana Television Broadcasting Tower Sunshine 1,737 feet 529.4 m 1972 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Sunshine, Louisiana

 

121 Bullwinkle Platform 1,736 feet 529.1 m 1989 Offshore platform Oil drilling Gulf of Mexico Manatee Field Located appr. 160 miles (257 km) southwest of New Orleans

 

122 Pinnacle Towers Tower Addis 1,735 feet 528.8 m 1986 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Addis, Louisiana

 

123 Richland Towers Tower Cedar Hill 1,731 feet 527.6 m 2004 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Cedar Hill, Texas

 

124 Sears Tower 1,730 feet 527.3 m 1974 Skyscraper Office, observation, UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Chicago, Illinois

 

125 World Trade Center, Tower 1 1,727 feet 526.3 m 1973 Skyscraper Office, UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. New York City destroyed on September 11, 2001

 

126 WAFB Tower Baton Rouge 1,725 feet 525.8 m 1965 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

127 WAEO Tower 1,721 feet 524.5 m 1966 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Starks, Wisconsin destroyed on November 17, 1968 at aircraft collision

 

128 Media Venture Tower 1,714 feet 522.5 m 1999 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Fincher, Florida

 

129 Media Venture Management Tower Fincher 1,714 feet 522.5 m 1999 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Fincher, Florida

 

130 Orlando Hearst Argyle Television Tower 1,714 feet 522.5 m 1980 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Orange City, Florida

 

131 Pinnacle Towers Tower Moody 1,714 feet 522.4 m 1988 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Moody, Texas

 

132 Clear Channel Broadcasting Tower Rosinton 1,707 feet 520.3 m 1981 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Rosinton, Alabama

 

133 Pacific and Southern Company Tower Lugoff 1,707 feet 520.2 m 1985 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Lugoff, South Carolina

 

134 Young Broadcasting Tower Garden City 1,705 feet 519.7 m 1978 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Garden City, South Dakota

 

135 Gray Television Tower Carlos 1,705 feet 519.7 m 1983 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Carlos, Texas

 

136 South Dakota Public Broadcasting Network Tower 1,695 feet 516.7 m 1974 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Faith, South Dakota

 

137 Spectra Site Communications Tower Orange City 1,695 feet 516.6 m 1984 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Orange City, Florida Height reduced to 512.7 metres

 

138 Christmas Brown Road Tower 1,695 feet 516.6 m 2001 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Christmas, Florida

 

139 Gray Television Tower Madill 1,694 feet 516.3 m 1984 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Madill, Oklahoma

 

140 American Tower Christmas 1,684 feet 513.3 m 2001 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Christmas, Florida

 

141 Richland Towers Bithlo 1,682 feet 512.7 m 2002 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Bithlo, Florida

 

142 Northland Television Tower Rhinelander 1,682 feet 512.6 m 1979 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Rhinelander, Wisconsin

 

143 Gray Television Tower Moody 1,679 feet 511.8 m 1978 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Moody, Texas

 

144 KFVS TV Mast 1,677 feet 511.1 m 1960 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Cape Girardeau County, Missouri World's tallest structure, 1960-1961

 

145 Taipei 101 1,671 feet 509.2 m 2004 Skyscraper Office, observation, UHF/VHF-transmission Taiwan Taipei

 

146 Cox Radio Tower Verna 1,667 feet 508.1 m 1994 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Verna, Florida

 

147 WMTW TV Mast 1,667 feet 508.1 m 2001 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Baldwin, Maine

 

148 American Towers Tower Cedar Hill 1,661 feet 506.2 m 1999 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Cedar Hill, Texas

 

149 American Towers Tower Oklahoma City 1,647 feet 502 m 1999 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

 

150 University of North Carolina Tower 1,642 feet 500.5 m 2000 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Columbia, North Carolina

 

151 Richland Towers Tower Cedar Hill 2 1,635 feet 498.4 m 2000 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Cedar Hill, Texas

 

152 WWTV Tower 1,631 feet 497 m 1961 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Cadillac, Michigan Tallest Structure in Michigan

 

153 WWRR Renda Tower 1,631 feet 497 m 1987 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Kingsland, Georgia

 

154 QueenB Television Tower 1,627 feet 496 m 1964 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. La Crosse, Wisconsin Height reduced to 484.3 metres

 

155 KDEB Tower 1,627 feet 496 m 1968 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Fordland, Missouri also known as American Towers Tower Fordland, dismantled

 

156 WPSD-TV Tower 1,627 feet 495.9 m 2004 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Kevil, Kentucky

 

157 NVG-Amarillo Tower 1,626 feet 495.6 m 1969 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Amarillo, Texas

 

158 WGME TV Tower 1,624 feet 495 m 1959 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Raymond, Maine World's tallest structure, 1959-1960

 

159 Sinclair Television Tower Oklahoma 1,619 feet 493.5 m 1979 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

 

160 Shanghai World Financial Center 1,614 feet 492 m 2008 Skyscraper Office, hotels, residential China Shanghai topped out

 

161 WFTV TV Tower Christmas 1,613 feet 491.6 m 2000 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Christmas, Florida

 

162 WJJY TV Mast 1,611 feet 491 m Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Bluffs, Illinois collapsed in 1978

 

163 Media General Tower Jackson 1,611 feet 491 m 1989 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Jackson, Mississippi

 

164 WHNS TV-Tower 1,611 feet 491 m 2001 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Brevard, South Carolina

 

165 KOBR-TV Tower 1,610 feet 490.7 m 1956 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Caprock, New Mexico also known as KSWS-TV Transmitter, World's tallest structure, 1956-1959, collapsed in 1960 at storm, rebuilt afterwards

 

166 Joint Venture TV Tower Bithlo 1,608 feet 490.2 m 1992 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Bithlo, Florida

 

167 American Towers Tower Bithlo 1,605 feet 489.2 m 1984 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Bithlo, Florida

 

168 NYT Broadcast Holdings Tower Oklahoma 1,601 feet 488 m 1965 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma also known as WKY TV Mast

 

169 Clear Channel Broadcasting Tower Boykin 1,600 feet 487.8 m 1997 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Boykin, Georgia

 

170 WVFJ Tower Saint Marks 1,600 feet 487.7 m 1998 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Saint Marks, Georgia

 

171 Paramount Tower Oklahoma 1,596 feet 486.4 m 1980 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

 

172 WTVA TV Tower 1,593 feet 485.5 m 1972 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Woodland, Mississippi

 

173 KTVT Tower 1,587 feet 483.7 m 2002 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Cedar Hill, Texas

 

174 GBC LP DBA Tower 1,582 feet 482.2 m 1997 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Cedar Hill, Texas dismantled

 

175 WLFL Tower Apex 1,579 feet 481.3 m 1986 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Apex, North Carolina

 

176 WFAA Tower 1,578 feet 481 m 1998 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Cedar Hill, Texas

 

177 Griffin Television Tower Oklahoma 1,576 feet 480.5 m 1954 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma also known as KWTV Tower, World's tallest structure, 1954-1956

 

178 WCOM-TV Mansfield, Ohio 1,576 feet 480.5 m 1988 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Butler, Ohio Was the tallest structure in Ohio until it was dismantled in 1995

 

179 Viacom Tower Riverview 1,575 feet 480 m 1998 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Riverview, Florida

 

180 Tampa Tower General Partnership Tower Riverview 1,573 feet 479.4 m 1987 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Riverview, Florida

 

181 Riverview Florida West Coast Public Broadcasting Tower 1,572 feet 479.1 m 1999 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Riverview, Florida

 

182 American Towers Tower Riverview 1,568 feet 478 m 2001 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Riverview, Florida

 

183 KBSI TV Mast 1,567 feet 477.6 m 1983 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Cape Giradeau, Missouri

 

184 Media General Tower Saint Ansgar 1,565 feet 477.1 m 1964 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Saint Ansgar, Iowa

 

185 Red River Broadcast Tower Salem 1,565 feet 477 m 1976 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Salem, South Dakota

 

186 Hearst-Argyle Television Tower 1,563 feet 476.4 m 1963 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

 

187 Augusta Tower 1,561 feet 475.6 m 2003 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Jackson, South Carolina

 

188 WAGT TV Tower 1,560 feet 475.5 m 1985 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Beach Island, South Carolina

 

189 KPLX Tower 1,559 feet 475.1 m 1969 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Cedar Hill, Texas

 

190 KTAL TV Tower 1,558 feet 474.9 m 1961 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Vivian, Louisiana

 

191 Mississippi Authority for Educational Television Tower 1,558 feet 474.9 m 2000 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Raymond, Mississippi

 

192 KRRT TV Tower 1,553 feet 473.3 m 1985 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Lake Hills, Texas

 

193 Hearst-Argyle Tower Watsonville 1,552 feet 473.1 m 1984 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Watsonville, California

 

194 Media General Tower Forest Hill 1,552 feet 473 m 1965 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Forest Hill, Louisiana

 

195 WVAH Tower 1,552 feet 473 m 1980 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Scott Depot, West Virginia destroyed on February 19, 2003

 

196 American Towers Tower Cedar Hill]] 2 1,551 feet 472.7 m 1980 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Cedar Hill, Texas

 

197 KXTV/KOVR/KCRA Tower 1,549 feet 472.1 m 1962 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Walnut Grove, California

 

198 SpectraSite Tower Holopaw 1,549 feet 472.1 m 1997 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Holopaw, Florida

 

199 Troll A platform 1,549 feet 472 m 1996 Offshore platform Oil drilling Norway North Sea

 

200 Morris Tower Perkston 1,540 feet 469.4 m 1986 Guyed mast UHF/VHF-transmission U.S. Perkston, Mississippi

[Karl Kautsky: Forerunners of Modern Socialism , Volume 2, translated into Yiddish by Haim Kantorovitch], Farlag «Culture», New York (1921). Lettering on the cover, designer unknown.

 

An earth castle from the period of the Magyar conquest was the forerunner of the stone castle which was under royal ownership in the 12th C. The settlement at the foot of the fortification received its charter in the 14th C. In 1534 the castle and town became the property of the influential Nádasdy family. Under Tamás Nádasdy Sárvár was the focus of the reformist and humanist struggle in West Hungary; he made possible the publication of the first Hungarian translation of the bible and a grammar in Hungarian by János Sylvester, a scholar of Erasmus. For the rebuilding of the castle he brought Italian experts in fortifications to Sárvár who designed the pentagonal Renaissance castle with its defensive ramparts. The famous Andrea Palladio is said to have been involved in the plans for the massive gate tower. Tamás's successor Ferenc Nádasdy, who completed the castle around 1650, was involved in the conspiracy of the Hungarian aristocracy against the Habsburgs ("Wesselényi conspiracy) and paid for it with his life; the Habsburgers took his art treasures with them to Vienna.

It was the later owners who gave the building its Classical façade.

 

The Renaissance tower has been preserved in its original style of 1598. There is an impressive palatial room with stucco-framed frescos decorating its walls. The ceiling paintings, by an artist with the signature H.R.M., commissioned by Ferenc Nádasdy portray the Nádasdys as commanders in the Turkish wars; on the walls are scenes from the Old Testament by Stefan Dorffmeister (1769). The allegorical paintings in the tower room, are also his work, in which the role of the lord of the castle as patron of the arts and sciences is emphasized - a logical continuation of the frescos in the palatial room. Other rooms of the castle are also decorated with frescos and 18th C furniture.

 

The Ferenc Nádasdy museum, housed in the castle, is devoted to the history of the family, regional folk art and the town's history.

 

hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A1rv%C3%A1ri_v%C3%A1r

Hoek van Holland 7-8-2023 , STENA FORERUNNER vervangt tijdelijk de STENA TRANSIT die voor onderhoud ligt bij Damen shipyard in de Botlek

One of the world's classic airliners, the Boeing 727 was built to carry on the successful legacy of its forerunner, the 707. With a low-altitude, high-speed cruising capability, it provided economic jet travel on short- and medium-range routes and was able to serve smaller airports. Its production run extended from 1963 to 1984, producing a total of 1,832 units that were flown by more than 100 different airlines. It was the world's best-selling passenger jet in its time, until it was surpassed by the next generation of airliners, the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320.

 

The 727 is instantly recognizable by its tail-mounted, tri-jet configuration. The key to its short runway performance was its innovative high-lift system of triple-slotted trailing edge flaps, outboard leading edge slats, and inboard leading-edge Krueger flaps. The 727 was the first Boeing jetliner to undergo now-standard fatigue testing, the first to have completely hydraulically powered flight controls, and the first to incorporate an auxiliary power unit (APU) to provide ground power at remote locations. The initial 727-100 model was superseded by the stretched 727-200 in 1965.

 

Another characteristic 727 feature is its hydraulically actuated aft air-stairs. Although intended for ground use only, this portal entered local aviation lore when hijacker D. B. Cooper used it to parachute out of a Northwest Airlines 727 on November 24, 1971.

 

The Museum's airplane was the first 727 ever produced. Following the conclusion of Boeing's flight-test program in 1964, it entered regular passenger service with United Airlines. For its donation to the Museum in 1991, UAL repainted the historic aircraft in its original delivery colors. On March 2, 2016, this aircraft made one last flight from the Museum's Restoration Center at Paine Field in Everett, Washington to Boeing Field, where it moved into permanent display in the Aviation Pavilion in the fall of 2016.

Iroquois beaded Glengarry cap.

 

IROQUOIS BEADWORK:

A Haudenosaunee Tradition and Art

Dolores Elliott

The Iroquois tradition of raised beadwork began in west- ern New York in the late eighteenth century. It is slightly older than the other great North American Indian bead- working tradition that the Lakota, Cheyenne, and other people of the Plains developed. Raised beadwork is unique to the Haudenosaunee; it is made nowhere else in the world. The Senecas, who decorated clothes, sashes, and small pincushions with small glass beads in the eigh- teenth century, probably invented the style of Iroquois beadwork that still exists today. They were making bead- ed pincushions by 1799 and purses by 1807. In the mid- nineteenth century, ethnohistorian Lewis H. Morgan noted in his League of the Ho-de’-no-sau-see, or Iroquois the “delicacy, even brilliancy of their bead-work embroidery” on women’s clothing (1851, Book 3:384), and he included illustrations of beadwork on a needle case, woman’s skirt, cradleboard, heart-shaped pincushion, and work bag, the forerunner of a modern purse. He reported that in 1849 he had purchased five varieties of work bags as well as three varieties of pin cushions and five varieties of needle books (Morgan 1850, 57).

(Figure 4.1). While they sold their goods at nearby Montreal, the Mohawks also traveled extensively throughout North America to sell at fairs, exhibitions, wild west shows, and Indian medicine shows. Some even sold their beadwork when they traveled to England to perform Indian dances at Earls Court, an exhibition ground in London. Photographs taken in 1905 show these performers attired in clothing decorated with Mohawk beadwork.

The Iroquois tradition of beadwork continued to evolve in the nineteenth century, and by 1860 Mohawks near Montreal and Tuscaroras near Niagara Falls were creating elaborate pincushions, purses, and wall hangings adorned with raised beadwork. Despite the similarity of items created, the two geographic areas developed different styles of beadwork (Table 4.1). Throughout the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, at the height of beadwork production, the Tuscaroras sold their beadwork mostly at Niagara Falls, on their reservation, and at the New York State Fair. They preferred to use small clear and white beads. During this same period, the Mohawks used larger clear beads and also employed red, blue, green, and yellow beads on most of their early pieces

Figure 4.1. Two needle cases that illustrate differences in nineteenth- century Mohawk (left) and Niagara (right) beadwork.

My personal family experience illustrates typical Iroquois beadwork transactions in the twentieth century. My story starts in 1903 when my grandmother went to the Afton Fair, a small agricultural fair in central New York. She took my nine-year-old father, but his sister, then eleven, was sick and could not go. My grandmother brought her home a present from the fair. It was a beauti- ful pink satin-covered bird-shaped pincushion that sparkled with light green beads (Figure 4.2). My aunt treasured this bird throughout her long life and displayed it proudly in her china cabinet, where I saw it when I was a child. At her death this cherished heirloom was passed on to her daughter who later donated it to the Afton Historical Society in Chenango County, where it is presently on view.

My research indicates that this bird was made by a skilled Mohawk beadworker from a Mohawk community located near Montreal and several hundred miles from the Afton Fair. This pincushion probably got to the fair with a group of Mohawks who traveled by train or wagon to perform at fairs, medicine shows, and exhibi- tions. While at these venues, they also sold their hand- made baskets and beadwork.

In 1958 I bought a small red heart-shaped pincushion at a booth in the Indian Village at the New York State Fair, which is held near Syracuse (Figure 4.3). It was a present for my mother, who displayed it prominently on her bed- room dresser for the next twenty-five years until I inher- ited it. Mary Lou Printup, a leading Tuscarora sewer, later identified this pincushion as one she had made. She, like most Tuscarora beadworkers prefer to be called “sewers,” a term not popular with some other Iroquois beadwork- ers. In my research and writing, I use the word “bead- worker” to refer to all except those individuals who specifically prefer to be called “sewers.”

When I purchased the red heart I had no idea that this pincushion had anything in common with the bird that my grandmother acquired fifty-five years earlier. I knew that I wanted to get something special for my mother, and this pincushion was special because it was beautiful and made by a native artist. In buying it I shared something with my grandmother, who died before I was born, that is, the purchase of a piece of Iroquois beadwork. Most likely the purchase of the bird was my German-born grandmother’s only interaction with a Haudenosaunee woman, and my purchase at the State Fair was my first interaction with a Tuscarora sewer, the first of many.

In a similar manner Iroquois beadworkers and their non- Indian customers, often tourists or attendees at a public entertainment venue, have been brought together by bead-work for over two centuries. These transactions undoubtedly number in the tens of thousands.1 During honeymoon trips to Niagara Falls and visits to agricultural fairs, exhibitions, and other attractions, people purchased Iroquois beadwork as mementos to remember these places and experiences. The beads often form designs featuring birds and flowers, natural themes that appealed to the Victorian women who drove the market of souvenir sales in the nine- teenth century. Studies by Beverly Gordon (1984; 1986) and Ruth B. Phillips (1998) describe the souvenir trade and point out the importance of these items to the people on both sides of the transactions.

Souvenir beadwork was so treasured that the pieces were frequently kept in cedar chests or keepsake boxes. Therefore, when unwrapped one hundred or more years later, they are often in pristine condition. Ironically, few contemporary beadworkers have samples of their ancestors’ work because it was usually made for sale to strangers, although some beadwork was created as gifts for family and friends.

Because most pieces were made for sale to tourists, many people have dismissed Iroquois beadwork as “souvenir trinkets” not important enough to collect, study, or exhibit. In fact, they are often called whimsies, a term that I believe trivializes them and diminishes their artistic and cultural value. But within the last two decades Iroquois beadwork has become the subject of serious study and museum exhibitions. At least four traveling exhibits of Iroquois beadwork have been installed in over a dozen museums and seen by thousands of museum visitors in the United States and Canada since 1999.2 This scholarly recognition has resulted in an increased appreciation of these beadwork creations and the artists who made them. What were considered curious tourist souvenirs when they were made are now generating increased respect from both the general public and the Haudenosaunee.

ry pieces, the back is a colorful calico. Some pieces, mainly in the Niagara Tradition, have a silk or cotton binding around their perimeters to cover the cut edges and attach the front and back fabrics. Tight beadwork on the edging often binds Mohawk pieces together so a cloth binding is not necessary. Flat purses as well as fist and box purses are constructed in the same manner, with cardboard as the base.

Contemporary beadworkers see their work as a signif- icant part of Haudenosaunee culture and an important link to the past. In Haudenosaunee communities bead- workers are admired as continuing a revered tradition. Although there are a few male beadworkers, the majority are women, and in a matrilineal-society with powerful clan matrons, the economic benefit of beadwork sales increases the influence of the women even more.

Pincushions were usually stuffed with sawdust, but sweet grass, cotton, cattail fluff, newspapers, and poly- ester have also been used. Contemporary craftsmen remember that their mothers preferred pine sawdust because of the nice aroma.4 Small strawberry-shaped pin- cushions are traditionally filled with emery, used to sharpen and polish needles. Velvet and twill-covered pic- ture frames and other wall hangings on cardboard bases have polished cotton backs on earlier pieces and calico on more recent ones. European glass beads were often aug- mented with metal sequins on nineteenth-century pieces and with plastic sequins and other plastic novelty beads since the late twentieth century. Bone and shell beads and leather, which are often used in other American Indian beadwork, rarely occur in Iroquois beadwork.

Iroquois beadwork is still sold at Niagara Falls, the New York State Fair, and several pow wows and festivals in the northeast; the methods of beadwork distribution have changed little over two hundred years. The bead-work itself, however, has changed tremendously. Over the last two centuries the styles of beadwork have evolved from simple small pincushions and purses to highly elaborate shapes, becoming works of art in the tra- ditional sense. The beads selected have progressed from the very small seed beads used around 1800 to the larger seed beads of 1900 and finally, by 2000, to a wider variety of bead sizes and colors.

The most common form of Iroquois beadwork, and the form most easily recognizable by people who are not familiar with Iroquois beadwork, is the flat black purse or bag featuring identical colorful, beaded floral designs on both sides. Most flat bags have flaps on both sides, but the opening is across the top where the two sides meet. The face fabric is usually black or very dark brown velvet, and the interior is often a light-colored linen or polished cot- ton. A binding, usually red, is attached around the closed sides of the purses. A beaded fringe is sometimes added. The fringe is merely sewn to the binding and does not hold the two sides of the bag together; it is purely deco- rative. The flaps usually are edged with white beads that are larger than the beads that outline the flaps and body (Figure 4.4). The flaps and body are sometimes outlined with short parallel lines like a stockade. The faces of the flap and body are covered by stylized flowers in shades of blue, red, yellow, and white connected with green stems, which are sometimes striped in two shades of green. Some bags feature a small slit pocket under one of the flaps. It may have been meant to hold a comb or mirror.

Iroquois beadwork remains a unique art form distin- guished by several characteristics found only in work created by Haudenosaunee beadworkers. Iroquois beadwork features a design in glass beads that have been sewn on a fabric that is stretched over a backing of cardboard or cloth lining. The materials used in the beadwork are predominately small seed beads, cloth, cardboard, paper, and in pincushions, a stuffing. The beads are sewn onto the fabric in geometric or natural designs using waxed, doubled white thread.3 The beads are usually sewn over a paper pattern that remains in place under the beaded elements. Although not practiced at all times in the histo- ry of Iroquois beadwork, the most distinctive trait is that the beads are raised above the surface of the cloth face. Some pieces have raised beaded elements that are over an inch high. The beads are raised by putting more beads on the thread than is needed to span the pattern so that the beads form an arch above the pattern. The amount of extra beads determines how high the arches are, that is, how much the beadwork is raised. Various velvets were and still are the favored fabrics, but other fabrics such as wool, twills, silk, and satin are also used. Pincushions often have beaded velvet fronts and polished cotton backs. Polished cotton is a shiny stiff material that is also referred to as chintz or oilcloth. On the majority of late twentieth-century and contemporary twenty-first-century...

  

Preserving Tradition and Understanding the Past: Papers from the Conference on Iroquois Research, 2001–2005, Edited by Christine Sternberg Patrick, New York State Museum Record 1 © 2010, by The University of the State of New York, The State Education Department, Albany, New York 12230. All rights reserved. Click on top link for more.