First time I’ve had any issue with either Nikon camera...all shots taken yesterday, including this, have a strong blue cast which when opened shows “colour temperature” away to the left at 2200 and “tint” at -3. I can change from “As Shot” to another setting to get something close to normal but highlights are still wildly overexposed meaning no detail at all in white areas. This is as good as I can get from a dozen images tried...my solution, get my D7000 and set the D610 as its older sibling is set and hope for the best.

 

Georgios Alexios is a general cargo ship built in the Netherlands in 2000 and on its way to Tilbury, which it is minutes away from...in real time still within Tilbury Docks and about to sail for Vlissingen, Netherlands.

 

[DSC_5595a]

[Time: 4:40 P.M.]

[Location: Dr. Nimble's Evil Lair]

 

So, yeah. Nancy caught me off guard while I was… distracted. She's got this thing floating above me and now I'm stuck in this immobilizing ray while she monologues.

 

Dr. Nimble:"Fluxx, it seems you're little invasion failed. It was so predictable… And by that I mean completely unpredictable! What are you doing here?"

 

-Phillip stares at her flatly, unable to reply.-

 

Dr. Nimble:"Hm. Immobilization kind of ruins the whole nemesis banter thing. Noted. Let's see… I captured you, I monologued, what next?"

 

Jumping Jack:"He kicks your butt?"

 

That would be Nancy's son, Jack. He's a little… I don't want to say bratty, but…

 

-Nancy turns to her son, who's playing Zombie Mayhem 3 or some other gory game.-

 

Dr. Nimble:"Jack B. Nimble, don't talk to your mother that way."

 

Jack:"Whatever…"

 

-Jack goes back to violently slicing virtual zombies-

 

Dr. Nimble:"I don't know what I'm going to do with that boy... Anyway, what to do with this boy?"

 

-Nancy turns back to Philip and puts her hand on her chin.-

 

Dr. Nimble:"It's normally around this time that you escape. I guess I never did think this far ahead."

 

-Now it was Philip's turn to roll his eyes-

 

I can't believe I'm stuck like this. I need to find a way out before she gets any ideas. I need to do something! I need...

 

-Phillip sees a familiar, armored friend drop behind Nancy.-

 

I need a hero! (Ooh, I should listen to that song next time.)

 

Rongzero (Attempting a Ewan McGregor voice): "'Hello there.'"

 

-Nancy does a 180, surprised by Rongzero's sudden appearance-

 

Dr. Nimble:"Who are you?"

 

-Rongzero's shoulders droop and, even with the opaque visor, is clearly disappointed-

 

Rongzero:"No, you're supposed to say: 'General Kenobi'."

 

Jack:"*coughnerdcough*"

 

-Nancy looks Rongzero over with a raised eyebrow, wondering just what he was supposed to be.-

 

Dr. Nimble:"Are you... Fluxx's sidekick or something?"

 

Rongzero:"Seriously? I'm Rongzero. I'm a freakin' Flickr Fighter, c'mon!"

 

Dr. Nimble:"As if I have time to keep track of all of you... children. Aren't you a little short to be a superhero?"

 

Rongzero:"First: I'll have you know I'm seventeen. Second: No, no I am not."

 

-Rongzero fires a laser from his mask, destroying the immobilizer and freeing his friend-

 

Dr. Nimble:"Nooo!"

 

-Rongzero flies over to Philip and helps him off the floor-

 

Rongzero:"Watcha' doin?"

 

Fluxx:"Oh, you know, just regretfully facing the consequences of my own reckless decisions."

 

Rongzero:"Fun. Recur told me you came here, I figured you could use some backup."

 

Fluxx:“Just a little.”

 

Dr. Nimble:"You'll pay for that! Jack, take care of these pests!"

 

Jack:"Do I have to? I'm kinda' in the middle of something here."

 

Dr. Nimble:"What did we talk about?"

 

Fluxx:"Didn't you tell him that if he wanted to have a rival he had to take care of him?"

 

Dr. Nimble:"Exactly! See, Jack, why can't you be more like your nemesis?"

 

-Jack just rolls his eyes, ignoring his mother.-

 

I'm telling you, that kid's got an attitude overload.

 

Dr. Nimble:"I'll straighten him out later. But, first! You will pay for your intrusion!"

 

-With exaggerated movements Nancy pulls a remote from her labcoat and dramatically presses a big red button on it. Philip and Rongzero put on their game-faces and prepare to fight. But all that happens is the monitor behind Nancy activates, displaying static. Surprising everyone, including Nancy.-

 

Rongzero:"Uh… Was that supposed to happen?"

 

Dr. Nimble:"I could've sworn that was the right button..."

 

-Nancy presses several other buttons only to end up toggling lights on and off, opening and closing doors and resetting the VCR. At one point, she momentarily activated the lair's self-destruct sequence-

 

Dr. Nimble:"Sorry about this, I keep forgetting to label the buttons on this thing. If you could just stand there while I figure this out, that'd be great."

 

-Philip and Rongzero exchange a look, followed by Philip nodding towards the exit. Nancy is too busy messing with the remote to notice the two of them silently float away. Jack does notice, but is too apathetic to speak up.-

 

Perfect, we'll just slip away like nothing happened.

 

-Right as they approach the door, two drones whiz in front of it, blocking their path.-

 

Dr. Nimble:"Found it."

 

-Before you could even say "Holy automatons, Batman!" the room was full of Nancy's robots. Attack robots, like the ones Phil already faced, clanked into the room by the dozens. Drones buzzed in from openings in the ceiling. Pretty soon Philip and Rongzero had enough laser sights targeting them to light them up like a couple of poorly-decorated Christmas Trees.-

 

Fluxx:"That's a lot of guns."

 

Rongzero:"Yup."

 

Fluxx:"Think we can take 'em."

 

Rongzero:"You go low, I'll go high."

 

Fluxx:"Cool. Want to listen to some music while we beat 'em up."

 

Rongzero:"You just read my mind."

 

-Philip slowly reached into his pocket to restart his MP3 player while Rongzero synced his helmet to it. (A lot more convenient than sharing earbuds)-

 

Dr. Nimble:"You think you can defeat the full force of my robots? Ha! Don't make me laugh maniacally. They were built for combat! Built by the greatest scientific genius in the world! Me. And if you--Oh, look at that, they already started."

 

-While Nancy fell into her monologuing habits, the two boys had already gotten to work gleefully dismantling robots. All to the tune of some high-energy video game soundtracks.-

 

🎶To-GETHER we can show the world what we can do! You are next to me and I'm next to you! Pushing on through until the battle's woooon!🎶

 

If this isn't an awesome team-up song, I don't know what is.

 

-Sparks, laser bolts and metal scraps fly all over the place as the two duke it out with the robot army. A shrunken Rongzero ricochets like a bullet from drone the drone, destroying them one by one. Meanwhile, Phil pulls more of the same stunts as before, ramming and kicking the bots into submission.-

 

Rongzero:"Are these the toughest bots you have? I could take on all these clankers at once!"

 

He's not wrong, we're kicking some robot chassis right now. This should be a breeze!

 

Dr. Nimble:"You deadbolts! I know I programmed you better than that! Fine. Whichever of you wastes of wiring defeats these heroes gets to be Robot Drone of the Month!"

 

-Being Robot Drone of the Month is quite prestigious. Not only do you get your picture on the wall and a reserved parking space, you also get a free coupon for Ed's car wash with all the works. This seems to fill the robots with some newfound determination.-

 

Rongzero:"Now what? I'm not sure if we can keep this up."

 

Fluxx:"You may be right, but how can we stop them without fighting them?"

 

-There’s a moment of silence. Well, there would have been if there wasn't robots to fend against.-

 

Fluxx + Rongzero:"Nancy's remote!"

 

Fluxx:"Well, you said you could take them all on at once. You got this while I snag the remote?"

 

Rongzero:"Uh… Sure. Just be quick about it."

 

Fluxx:"Quick. You got it."

 

-Fluxx forcefully pushes his way out of the mob and quickly locates Nancy, specifically spotting her remote.-

 

Bingo! I'll be taking that.

 

-His powers easily pull the remote towards him, right out of Nancy's clutches.-

 

Dr. Nimble:"Hey! Give that back this instant!"

 

-She grabs for it, but by that point it was just out of reach. Unfortunately, moments before, Rongzero had struck a drone right as it was about to fire, causing it to misfire and nearly hit Jack. Up until then, Jack had his headphones on and brain turned off as he played his video game. But a laser bolt touching down at his feet was enough to convince him to get in on the action. He looked up and saw his mother's remote floating through the air and it didn't take long for him to figure out what was going on.-

 

Come to papa! Once I have the remote I can turn the bots against Nancy and get my answers.

 

-Right before Philip's eager fingers close on the device it’s snatched by Jack.-

 

Jack:"Yoink!"

 

-He had leapt with the grace of a trained dancer and effortlessly plucked the remote from the air.-

 

Fluxx:"Hey!"

 

-Jack shows off with a flip before landing with practiced poise. He stands up and puts a hand to his hip. He examines the remote with mock interest before smirking at his rival.-

 

Jack:"You want it? Come and get it."

 

-He clips the remote to his belt and snaps into a battle pose and his armor lights up with a white glow.-

 

As much as I hate fighting this guy, I need that remote!

 

Fluxx:"Fine. Have it your way."

 

-Philip tackles Jack, reaching for the remote that's just out of reach. They float and flip across the room, Jack's hands and feet rapidly delivering blows as Phil dodges and shields, all the while making attempts to steal back his objective.-

 

Jack:"You still not gonna' fight me?"

 

Fluxx:"Like I even know how."

 

Jack:"You say you can't fight, but I bet you're probably just too lazy to learn any moves."

 

Fluxx:"Well, you're not wrong…"

 

Rongzero:"Fluxx! Just get that remote already! I'm dying over here! Literally, if you don't hurry."

 

Fluxx:"Sorry! I'm working on it. Boy, this is some mess I dragged you into."

 

Rongzero:"Don't beat yourself up, Nancy's the one who hired Stan to attack you."

 

Dr. Nimble:"Wait, I did what now? Everyone STOP!"

 

-At once all the robots freeze and Fluxx and Jack stop their brawling. The only thing that continues moving is Rongzero who is abruptly stopped when he accidentally hits a drone that froze right in his flight path.-

 

Dr. Nimble:"You mean to tell me you're here because you think I paid that oafish fellow to beat you up for no reason?"

 

It sounds kind of dumb when you put it that way...

 

Fluxx:"Uh… Yeahiguessso"

 

Dr. Nimble:"Quit mumbling!"

 

Fluxx:"Yes ma'am!"

 

Dr. Nimble:"Well, seeing as I am not guilty of what you're accusing me of, why don't you just leave and we can forget this ever happened."

 

Rongzero:"Huh? You're just gonna' let us go? Just like that?"

 

Dr. Nimble:"It was all just a misunderstanding, besides, I'm not actually up to anything evil. At least, not at the moment. My latest dastardly plot isn't even past the brainstorming stage. Besides, I don't need you wrecking any more of my robots. Those things don't come cheap, you know!"

 

-Rongzero looks around at all the broken robot parts he was responsible for, suddenly feeling rather guilty.-

 

Fluxx:"Well, I'm glad we could come to a peaceful solution."

 

Dr. Nimble:"Yes, yes, I'm so merciful. Now leave."

 

Fluxx:"Well, see ya' Jack."

 

Jack:"Whatever, I'll beat you one of these days."

 

Dr. Nimble:"Bye, boys. And be sure to shut the blast door on your way out, I'm not paying to heat the outdoors!"

 

Well that ties things up with a nice little bow, doesn’t it? No loose ends, no unanswered questions. No-

 

Rongzero:“So, if Nancy didn’t hire Stan, why’d he attack you?”

 

I knew I was forgetting something. Well, there’s only one more issue, so it shouldn’t be long before we find out. Right?

 

Look at me! Again!

Rialto Bridge View_Grand Canal_Venezia (Venice), Italia (Italy).

=====

I'm humbled and absolutely chuffed that another one of my images has been been published :) This time it is one from Flickr and is being featured in the current issue of online publication Camerapixo; HOTSHOT Page 18. Thank you so much Artur and Anetta Heller :-)

=====

Download Camerapixo issue № 22 Here

You can find the image on Flickr Here

=====

A Big Issue seller trying to inject some humour in his sales pitch.

ilovefluffycakes.wixsite.com/lovefcake/single-post/2017/0...

Caucasian pre-teen girl using computer.

8faces.com/

instagram: instagram.com/a.creature

tumblr: art-creature.tumblr.com

online shops:

artcreature.storenvy.com

society6.com/artcreature

Hey. This took long enough, huh? Well, do you wanna' know why? Because I'm slow. Because I was making this video to go along with the part!

 

drive.google.com/file/d/1_V925ZLO9rjQev20ggSVH526A_H6Zt0W...

 

It probably would be best to watch it after reading the issue.

It took a lot of time and a moderate amount of effort, so I'd appreciate you watching it.

-------------------------------------------

 

[Time: 3:45 P.M.]

[Location: Outside FF HQ]

 

Fant and Scott had more things they wanted to do together and I was starting to feel like a third wheel. So I told them to go ahead without me and that I'd just hang out in the FF HQ.

 

-Philip floats into the lobby only to find it completely deserted.-

 

That's weird, this place was bustling earlier. Oh well.

 

-He looks around as he floats over to sit on the couch. He flops down on it and immediately regrets it as he feels the pain from the bruises Stan gave him earlier.-

 

Oof, that's some pain. What was up with Stan, even? Why would he come all the way to Advent City just to deliver me a beating? Come to think of it, how'd he even know I was here…

 

-Philip rubs his chin as his mind starts to wander deep into thought...-

 

*FLASH*

 

-Something flashes beside Philip making him jump back, suspending himself in the air-

 

What the--Oh, it's just Recur. (You remember him. Teleporter, on the younger side, likes cookies. I mentioned him in the second issue.)

 

Fluxx: "Dude, you almost gave me a heart attack."

 

Recur: "Oops. Sorry."

 

-Recur tries not to laugh and Philip ends up smirking himself.-

 

Fluxx: "Heh, it's fine. I guess I was just deep in thought."

 

-Philip drops back down to the couch, next to Recur.-

 

Recur: "What were you thinking about?"

 

Fluxx: "Well, one of my nemeses attacked me earlier and I have no idea why. It was kinda' out of the blue, you know?"

 

Recur: "Hm… Maybe another bad guy hired him to?"

 

Fluxx: "Another bad guy...?"

 

But who would…? Nancy. She's always finding new ways to make my life just a little bit more painful.

 

Fluxx: "Recur, you're a genius!"

 

Recur: "You mind telling that to Mr. Sharp?"

 

Fluxx: "Uh, maybe later. Right now, I gotta go grill Dr. Nimble."

 

Recur: "Ooh, ooh! Are you gonna storm her evil lair? Can I come?"

 

Fluxx: "Sorry, not this time."

 

Recur: "C'mon, it'll be dangerous to go alone, take me!"

 

Fluxx: "It being dangerous is all the more reason you shouldn't come. I can't have you getting hurt, remember what happened to Matchstick when he fought that Forge chick? If something like that happens to you… Let's just say we'd both be in trouble."

 

Recur: "I guess you're right..."

 

Fluxx: "Don't get me wrong, you have amazing potential! Maybe another time. Ya' know, a time with less risk of dismemberment."

 

Recur: "Fine."

 

-Turns to leave before smacking his forehead-

 

Fluxx: "Shoot. I guess it doesn't really matter anyway, I forgot her base is all the way back in New England."

 

Recur: "Why don't you just take one of the jets?"

 

Fluxx: "What? Okay, first: How come no one told me we have jets!?"

 

Recur: "I just did"

 

Fluxx: "Second, I haven't even gotten my license yet. What makes you think I can fly a jet?"

 

Recur: "You don't have too, they have autopilot."

 

Fluxx: "Oh."

 

-There's a couple seconds of awkward silence.-

 

Fluxx: "I guess I'll do that then."

 

[Time: 4:30 P.M.]

[Location: A FF jet somewhere in the skies above New England]

 

Autopilot: "We will be above the drop point shortly, Mr. Delacroix."

 

Fluxx: "Thank you, computer. And you can call me--Actually, I kind of like the sound of that."

 

Okay, I better suit up.

 

-Philip stands up and walks to the door. With unsteady hands he zips his mission suit.-

 

Autopilot: "Approaching the drop point in five..."

 

-He adjust his gloves, more out of anxiousness than preparation.-

 

Autopilot: "...Four..."

 

-He readies himself and floats slightly as he begins to light up.-

 

Autopilot: "...Three..."

 

-The door slides open and wind begins whipping through the cabin.-

 

One last thing...

 

-He reaches into his jacket pocket and removes an MP3 player and a pair of earbuds.-

 

Autopilot: "...Two..."

 

-He puts on the earbuds and selects a playlist titled "Fight Songs" before shoving the MP3 player back in his jacket.-

 

Autopilot: "...One. Happy landings."

 

It's now or never.

 

-After a brief moment of psyching himself up, Philip shuts his eyes and leaps out the window.-

 

Fluxx: "Aaaaaah!"

 

What was I thinking!?

 

-At first he panics and starts spinning around wildly. But after a few terror-stricken seconds, a song comes on in his ears.-

 

"Good morning. Today's forecast calls for Blue Skies."

 

-Hearing the music Philip starts to relax and does his best to take a deep breath.-

 

Alright, you got this.

 

-As the music picks up speed, Philip does the same as he straightens out. He shoots down like a falcon as the drums kick in and spots his target quickly approaching. He glows with more intensity as he works to slow his descent.-

 

Here goes nothing.

 

-The music drops, perfectly timing with Fluxx's humanly impossible three-point landing. The massive cloud of dust he created dissipates revealing an army of robots with laser cannons all aimed at his face. He smirks before jumping up, riding the explosion of dozens of lasers hitting the very spot he was just in.-

 

“Sun is shinin' in the sky…”

 

-He soars up and hangs a bit before gravity kicks in again and he starts falling back down into the fray.-

 

“There ain't a cloud in sight”

 

While it's tempting to just go all jedi on these clankers, I've got to focus on getting to Nancy.

 

-Wasting no time, Phil does his gravity boost trick and blasts forward, crashing through any robots unfortunate enough to be in his way.-

  

“It's stopped rainin' everybody's in the play”

 

-Phil rockets into the compound only to skid to a stop at a split in the corridors.-

 

“And don't you know”

 

Left, right or forwards... Which way? Ugh, I hate these kinds of decisions...

 

“It's a beautiful new day, hey hey”

 

-Before Phil can decide anything the corridors abruptly slam shut around him one by one. Before he can even react, he's trapped. And to make matters worse, two remote lasers retract from the ceiling, both aiming at Phil's frightened face.-

 

Not good.

 

“Runnin' down the avenue”

 

-With no other choice Phil leaps here and there dodging the more-or-less lethal bolts of energy.-

 

I need to get outta' here, fast!

 

-Phil charges at one of the blast doors, using a force field as a battering ram, only to ricochet off like a glow-in-the-dark bouncy ball.-

 

“See how the sun shines brightly in the city”

 

-He's barely able to recover before he has to keep dodging to unrelenting lasers.-

 

Okay, one problem at a time here. First problem, these stupid lasers.

 

“On the streets where once was pity”

 

-Trying a move he'd only done in practice before, Phil leaps up and delivers a shielded kick to the nearest blaster that puts it out of commission. Before he celebrates he pushes off the wall and crashes into the other blaster, tearing it out of it socket and knocking it on the floor-

 

-Phil lands back on the ground and wipes his forehead.-

 

Phew, that takes care of that. Now I just need to do something about these doors.

 

“Mr. Blue Sky is living here today, hey hey”

 

-After taking a moment to muster some power Phil grunts as he forces all the doors back up.-

 

Phil: Gyagh!

 

-With his path unblocked, he zooms out of the room. He finds some more robots waiting for him, these ones look like they're designed for combat-

 

You know what I like about robots...

 

-Phil attacks the bots head-on. Without over-thinking it he rams, punches and kicks them, all to the beat of the song-

 

“Mr. Blue Sky please tell us why”

 

-A punch to the face here, a kick in the back there-

 

“You had to hide away for so long (so long)”

 

-Another punch, a shoulder ram-

 

…I don't have to worry about hurting them!

 

-He kicks the head off the last bot and watches it fall, headless to the ground.-

 

This sure would be graphic if they weren't robots...

 

“Where did we go wrong?”

 

-With the battle over, his goal just around the corner and the music kicking in, Philip takes some time to let the music move him and starts dancing around like a weirdo. (Likely looking ridiculous.)-

 

-Philip slides across the floor in time the guitar. He turns around to see Dr. Nancy Nimble standing uncomfortably close and staring at him through her round goggles.-

 

“Hey you with the pretty fa-”

 

-Suddenly, the music cuts and Philip realizes he can't move, stuck in place by one of Nancy's inventions.-

 

Dr. Nimble: "Hello, pumpkin."

 

To Be Continued...

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

  

Some background:

The OV-10 Bronco was initially conceived in the early 1960s through an informal collaboration between W. H. Beckett and Colonel K. P. Rice, U.S. Marine Corps, who met at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California, and who also happened to live near each other. The original concept was for a rugged, simple, close air support aircraft integrated with forward ground operations. At the time, the U.S. Army was still experimenting with armed helicopters, and the U.S. Air Force was not interested in close air support.

The concept aircraft was to operate from expedient forward air bases using roads as runways. Speed was to be from very slow to medium subsonic, with much longer loiter times than a pure jet. Efficient turboprop engines would give better performance than piston engines. Weapons were to be mounted on the centerline to get efficient aiming. The inventors favored strafing weapons such as self-loading recoilless rifles, which could deliver aimed explosive shells with less recoil than cannons, and a lower per-round weight than rockets. The airframe was to be designed to avoid the back blast.

 

Beckett and Rice developed a basic platform meeting these requirements, then attempted to build a fiberglass prototype in a garage. The effort produced enthusiastic supporters and an informal pamphlet describing the concept. W. H. Beckett, who had retired from the Marine Corps, went to work at North American Aviation to sell the aircraft.

The aircraft's design supported effective operations from forward bases. The OV-10 had a central nacelle containing a crew of two in tandem and space for cargo, and twin booms containing twin turboprop engines. The visually distinctive feature of the aircraft is the combination of the twin booms, with the horizontal stabilizer that connected them at the fin tips. The OV-10 could perform short takeoffs and landings, including on aircraft carriers and large-deck amphibious assault ships without using catapults or arresting wires. Further, the OV-10 was designed to take off and land on unimproved sites. Repairs could be made with ordinary tools. No ground equipment was required to start the engines. And, if necessary, the engines would operate on high-octane automobile fuel with only a slight loss of power.

 

The aircraft had responsive handling and could fly for up to 5½ hours with external fuel tanks. The cockpit had extremely good visibility for both pilot and co-pilot, provided by a wrap-around "greenhouse" that was wider than the fuselage. North American Rockwell custom ejection seats were standard, with many successful ejections during service. With the second seat removed, the OV-10 could carry 3,200 pounds (1,500 kg) of cargo, five paratroopers, or two litter patients and an attendant. Empty weight was 6,969 pounds (3,161 kg). Normal operating fueled weight with two crew was 9,908 pounds (4,494 kg). Maximum takeoff weight was 14,446 pounds (6,553 kg).

The bottom of the fuselage bore sponsons or "stub wings" that improved flight performance by decreasing aerodynamic drag underneath the fuselage. Normally, four 7.62 mm (.308 in) M60C machine guns were carried on the sponsons, accessed through large forward-opening hatches. The sponsons also had four racks to carry bombs, pods, or fuel. The wings outboard of the engines contained two additional hardpoints, one per side. Racked armament in the Vietnam War was usually seven-shot 2.75 in (70 mm) rocket pods with white phosphorus marker rounds or high-explosive rockets, or 5" (127 mm) four-shot Zuni rocket pods. Bombs, ADSIDS air-delivered/para-dropped unattended seismic sensors, Mk-6 battlefield illumination flares, and other stores were also carried.

Operational experience showed some weaknesses in the OV-10's design. It was significantly underpowered, which contributed to crashes in Vietnam in sloping terrain because the pilots could not climb fast enough. While specifications stated that the aircraft could reach 26,000 feet (7,900 m), in Vietnam the aircraft could reach only 18,000 feet (5,500 m). Also, no OV-10 pilot survived ditching the aircraft.

 

The OV-10 served in the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy, as well as in the service of a number of other countries. In U.S. military service, the Bronco was operated until the early Nineties, and obsoleted USAF OV-10s were passed on to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms for anti-drug operations. A number of OV-10As furthermore ended up in the hands of the California Department of Forestry (CDF) and were used for spotting fires and directing fire bombers onto hot spots.

 

This was not the end of the OV-10 in American military service, though: In 2012, the type gained new attention because of its unique qualities. A $20 million budget was allocated to activate an experimental USAF unit of two airworthy OV-10Gs, acquired from NASA and the State Department. These machines were retrofitted with military equipment and were, starting in May 2015, deployed overseas to support Operation “Inherent Resolve”, flying more than 120 combat sorties over 82 days over Iraq and Syria. Their concrete missions remained unclear, and it is speculated they provided close air support for Special Forces missions, esp. in confined urban environments where the Broncos’ loitering time and high agility at low speed and altitude made them highly effective and less vulnerable than helicopters.

Furthermore, these Broncos reputedly performed strikes with the experimental AGR-20A “Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS)”, a Hydra 70-millimeter rocket with a laser-seeking head as guidance - developed for precision strikes against small urban targets with little collateral damage. The experiment ended satisfactorily, but the machines were retired again, and the small unit was dissolved.

 

However, the machines had shown their worth in asymmetric warfare, and the U.S. Air Force decided to invest in reactivating the OV-10 on a regular basis, despite the overhead cost of operating an additional aircraft type in relatively small numbers – but development and production of a similar new type would have caused much higher costs, with an uncertain time until an operational aircraft would be ready for service. Re-activating a proven design and updating an existing airframe appeared more efficient.

The result became the MV-10H, suitably christened “Super Bronco” but also known as “Black Pony”, after the program's internal name. This aircraft was derived from the official OV-10X proposal by Boeing from 2009 for the USAF's Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance requirement. Initially, Boeing proposed to re-start OV-10 manufacture, but this was deemed uneconomical, due to the expected small production number of new serial aircraft, so the “Black Pony” program became a modernization project. In consequence, all airframes for the "new" MV-10Hs were recovered OV-10s of various types from the "boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona.

 

While the revamped aircraft would maintain much of its 1960s-vintage rugged external design, modernizations included a completely new, armored central fuselage with a highly modified cockpit section, ejection seats and a computerized glass cockpit. The “Black Pony” OV-10 had full dual controls, so that either crewmen could steer the aircraft while the other operated sensors and/or weapons. This feature would also improve survivability in case of incapacitation of a crew member as the result from a hit.

The cockpit armor protected the crew and many vital systems from 23mm shells and shrapnel (e. g. from MANPADS). The crew still sat in tandem under a common, generously glazed canopy with flat, bulletproof panels for reduced sun reflections, with the pilot in the front seat and an observer/WSO behind. The Bronco’s original cargo capacity and the rear door were retained, even though the extra armor and defensive measures like chaff/flare dispensers as well as an additional fuel cell in the central fuselage limited the capacity. However, it was still possible to carry and deploy personnel, e. g. small special ops teams of up to four when the aircraft flew in clean configuration.

Additional updates for the MV-10H included structural reinforcements for a higher AUW and higher g load maneuvers, similar to OV-10D+ standards. The landing gear was also reinforced, and the aircraft kept its ability to operate from short, improvised airstrips. A fixed refueling probe was added to improve range and loiter time.

 

Intelligence sensors and smart weapon capabilities included a FLIR sensor and a laser range finder/target designator, both mounted in a small turret on the aircraft’s nose. The MV-10H was also outfitted with a data link and the ability to carry an integrated targeting pod such as the Northrop Grumman LITENING or the Lockheed Martin Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP). Also included was the Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver (ROVER) to provide live sensor data and video recordings to personnel on the ground.

 

To improve overall performance and to better cope with the higher empty weight of the modified aircraft as well as with operations under hot-and-high conditions, the engines were beefed up. The new General Electric CT7-9D turboprop engines improved the Bronco's performance considerably: top speed increased by 100 mph (160 km/h), the climb rate was tripled (a weak point of early OV-10s despite the type’s good STOL capability) and both take-off as well as landing run were almost halved. The new engines called for longer nacelles, and their circular diameter markedly differed from the former Garrett T76-G-420/421 turboprop engines. To better exploit the additional power and reduce the aircraft’s audio signature, reversible contraprops, each with eight fiberglass blades, were fitted. These allowed a reduced number of revolutions per minute, resulting in less noise from the blades and their tips, while the engine responsiveness was greatly improved. The CT7-9Ds’ exhausts were fitted with muzzlers/air mixers to further reduce the aircraft's noise and heat signature.

Another novel and striking feature was the addition of so-called “tip sails” to the wings: each wingtip was elongated with a small, cigar-shaped fairing, each carrying three staggered, small “feather blade” winglets. Reputedly, this installation contributed ~10% to the higher climb rate and improved lift/drag ratio by ~6%, improving range and loiter time, too.

Drawing from the Iraq experience as well as from the USMC’s NOGS test program with a converted OV-10D as a night/all-weather gunship/reconnaissance platform, the MV-10H received a heavier gun armament: the original four light machine guns that were only good for strafing unarmored targets were deleted and their space in the sponsons replaced by avionics. Instead, the aircraft was outfitted with a lightweight M197 three-barrel 20mm gatling gun in a chin turret. This could be fixed in a forward position at high speed or when carrying forward-firing ordnance under the stub wings, or it could be deployed to cover a wide field of fire under the aircraft when it was flying slower, being either slaved to the FLIR or to a helmet sighting auto targeting system.

The original seven hardpoints were retained (1x ventral, 2x under each sponson, and another pair under the outer wings), but the total ordnance load was slightly increased and an additional pair of launch rails for AIM-9 Sidewinders or other light AAMs under the wing tips were added – not only as a defensive measure, but also with an anti-helicopter role in mind; four more Sidewinders could be carried on twin launchers under the outer wings against aerial targets. Other guided weapons cleared for the MV-10H were the light laser-guided AGR-20A and AGM-119 Hellfire missiles, the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System upgrade to the light Hydra 70 rockets, the new Laser Guided Zuni Rocket which had been cleared for service in 2010, TV-/IR-/laser-guided AGM-65 Maverick AGMs and AGM-122 Sidearm anti-radar missiles, plus a wide range of gun and missile pods, iron and cluster bombs, as well as ECM and flare/chaff pods, which were not only carried defensively, but also in order to disrupt enemy ground communication.

 

In this configuration, a contract for the conversion of twelve mothballed American Broncos to the new MV-10H standard was signed with Boeing in 2016, and the first MV-10H was handed over to the USAF in early 2018, with further deliveries lasting into early 2020. All machines were allocated to the newly founded 919th Special Operations Support Squadron at Duke Field (Florida). This unit was part of the 919th Special Operations Wing, an Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the United States Air Force. It was assigned to the Tenth Air Force of Air Force Reserve Command and an associate unit of the 1st Special Operations Wing, Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). If mobilized the wing was gained by AFSOC (Air Force Special Operations Command) to support Special Tactics, the U.S. Air Force's special operations ground force. Similar in ability and employment to Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC), U.S. Army Special Forces and U.S. Navy SEALs, Air Force Special Tactics personnel were typically the first to enter combat and often found themselves deep behind enemy lines in demanding, austere conditions, usually with little or no support.

 

The MV-10Hs are expected to provide support for these ground units in the form of all-weather reconnaissance and observation, close air support and also forward air control duties for supporting ground units. Precision ground strikes and protection from enemy helicopters and low-flying aircraft were other, secondary missions for the modernized Broncos, which are expected to serve well into the 2040s. Exports or conversions of foreign OV-10s to the Black Pony standard are not planned, though.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: 2

Length: 42 ft 2½ in (12,88 m) incl. pitot

Wingspan: 45 ft 10½ in(14 m) incl. tip sails

Height: 15 ft 2 in (4.62 m)

Wing area: 290.95 sq ft (27.03 m²)

Airfoil: NACA 64A315

Empty weight: 9,090 lb (4,127 kg)

Gross weight: 13,068 lb (5,931 kg)

Max. takeoff weight: 17,318 lb (7,862 kg)

 

Powerplant:

2× General Electric CT7-9D turboprop engines, 1,305 kW (1,750 hp) each,

driving 8-bladed Hamilton Standard 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) diameter constant-speed,

fully feathering, reversible contra-rotating propellers with metal hub and composite blades

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 390 mph (340 kn, 625 km/h)

Combat range: 198 nmi (228 mi, 367 km)

Ferry range: 1,200 nmi (1,400 mi, 2,200 km) with auxiliary fuel

Maximum loiter time: 5.5 h with auxiliary fuel

Service ceiling: 32.750 ft (10,000 m)

13,500 ft (4.210 m) on one engine

Rate of climb: 17.400 ft/min (48 m/s) at sea level

Take-off run: 480 ft (150 m)

740 ft (227 m) to 50 ft (15 m)

1,870 ft (570 m) to 50 ft (15 m) at MTOW

Landing run: 490 ft (150 m)

785 ft (240 m) at MTOW

1,015 ft (310 m) from 50 ft (15 m)

 

Armament:

1x M197 3-barreled 20 mm Gatling cannon in a chin turret with 750 rounds ammo capacity

7x hardpoints for a total load of 5.000 lb (2,270 kg)

2x wingtip launch rails for AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs

  

The kit and its assembly:

This fictional Bronco update/conversion was simply spawned by the idea: could it be possible to replace the original cockpit section with one from an AH-1 Cobra, for a kind of gunship version?

 

The basis is the Academy OV-10D kit, mated with the cockpit section from a Fujimi AH-1S TOW Cobra (Revell re-boxing, though), chosen because of its “boxy” cockpit section with flat glass panels – I think that it conveys the idea of an armored cockpit section best. Combining these parts was not easy, though, even though the plan sound simple. Initially, the Bronco’s twin booms, wings and stabilizer were built separately, because this made PSR on these sections easier than trying the same on a completed airframe. One of the initial challenges: the different engines. I wanted something uprated, and a different look, and I had a pair of (excellent!) 1:144 resin engines from the Russian company Kompakt Zip for a Tu-95 bomber at hand, which come together with movable(!) eight-blade contraprops that were an almost perfect size match for the original three-blade props. Biggest problem: the Tu-95 nacelles have a perfectly circular diameter, while the OV-10’s booms are square and rectangular. Combining these parts and shapes was already a messy PST affair, but it worked out quite well – even though the result rather reminds of some Chinese upgrade measure (anyone know the Tu-4 copies with turboprops? This here looks similar!). But while not pretty, I think that the beafier look works well and adds to the idea of a “revived” aircraft. And you can hardly beat the menacing look of contraprops on anything...

The exotic, so-called “tip sails” on the wings, mounted on short booms, are a detail borrowed from the Shijiazhuang Y-5B-100, an updated Chinese variant/copy of the Antonov An-2 biplane transporter. The booms are simple pieces of sprue from the Bronco kit, the winglets were cut from 0.5mm styrene sheet.

 

For the cockpit donor, the AH-1’s front section was roughly built, including the engine section (which is a separate module, so that the basic kit can be sold with different engine sections), and then the helicopter hull was cut and trimmed down to match the original Bronco pod and to fit under the wing. This became more complicated than expected, because a) the AH-1 cockpit and the nose are considerably shorter than the OV-10s, b) the AH-1 fuselage is markedly taller than the Bronco’s and c) the engine section, which would end up in the area of the wing, features major recesses, making the surface very uneven – calling for massive PSR to even this out. PSR was also necessary to hide the openings for the Fujimi AH-1’s stub wings. Other issues: the front landing gear (and its well) had to be added, as well as the OV-10 wing stubs. Furthermore, the new cockpit pod’s rear section needed an aerodynamical end/fairing, but I found a leftover Academy OV-10 section from a build/kitbashing many moons ago. Perfect match!

All these challenges could be tackled, even though the AH-1 cockpit looks surprisingly stout and massive on the Bronco’s airframe - the result looks stockier than expected, but it works well for the "Gunship" theme. Lots of PSR went into the new central fuselage section, though, even before it was mated with the OV-10 wing and the rest of the model.

Once cockpit and wing were finally mated, the seams had to disappear under even more PSR and a spinal extension of the canopy had to be sculpted across the upper wing surface, which would meld with the pod’s tail in a (more or less) harmonious shape. Not an easy task, and the fairing was eventually sculpted with 2C putty, plus even more PSR… Looks quite homogenous, though.

 

After this massive body work, other hardware challenges appeared like small distractions. The landing gear was another major issue because the deeper AH-1 section lowered the ground clearance, also because of the chin turret. To counter this, I raised the OV-10’s main landing gear by ~2mm – not much, but it was enough to create a credible stance, together with the front landing gear transplant under the cockpit, which received an internal console to match the main landing gear’s length. Due to the chin turret and the shorter nose, the front wheel retracts backwards now. But this looks quite plausible, thanks to the additional space under the cockpit tub, which also made a belt feed for the gun’s ammunition supply believable.

To enhance the menacing look I gave the model a fixed refueling boom, made from 1mm steel wire and a receptor adapter sculpted with white glue. The latter stuff was also used add some antenna fairings around the hull. Some antennae, chaff dispensers and an IR decoy were taken from the Academy kit.

 

The ordnance came from various sources. The Sidewinders under the wing tips were taken from an Italeri F-16C/D kit, they look better than the missiles from the Academy Bronco kit. Their launch rails came from an Italeri Bae Hawk 200. The quadruple Hellfire launchers on the underwing hardpoints were left over from an Italeri AH-1W, and they are a perfect load for this aircraft and its role. The LAU-10 and -19 missile pods on the stub wings were taken from the OV-10 kit.

  

Painting and markings:

Finding a suitable and somewhat interesting – but still plausible – paint scheme was not easy. Taking the A-10 as benchmark, an overall light grey livery (with focus on low contrast against the sky as protection against ground fire) would have been a likely choice – and in fact the last operational American OV-10s were painted in this fashion. But in order to provide a different look I used the contemporary USAF V-22Bs and Special Operations MC-130s as benchmark, which typically carry a darker paint scheme consisting of FS 36118 (suitably “Gunship Gray” :D) from above, FS 36375 underneath, with a low, wavy waterline, plus low-viz markings. Not spectacular, but plausible – and very similar to the late r/w Colombian OV-10s.

The cockpit tub became Dark Gull Grey (FS 36231, Humbrol 140) and the landing gear white (Revell 301).

 

The model received an overall black ink washing and some post-panel-shading, to liven up the dull all-grey livery. The decals were gathered from various sources, and I settled for black USAF low-viz markings. The “stars and bars” come from a late USAF F-4, the “IP” tail code was tailored from F-16 markings and the shark mouth was taken from an Academy AH-64. Most stencils came from another Academy OV-10 sheet and some other sources.

Decals were also used to create the trim on the propeller blades and markings on the ordnance.

 

Finally, the model was sealed with a coat of matt acrylic varnish (Italeri) and some exhaust soot stains were added with graphite along the tail boom flanks.

  

A successful transplantation – but is this still a modified Bronco or already a kitbashing? The result looks quite plausible and menacing, even though the TOW Cobra front section appears relatively massive. But thanks to the bigger engines and extended wing tips the proportions still work. The large low-pressure tires look a bit goofy under the aircraft, but they are original. The grey livery works IMHO well, too – a more colorful or garish scheme would certainly have distracted from the modified technical basis.

My friend Erica took a few pix of me after we had dinner at Freddie's last month! I had to give her a lesson in using the zoom lens to fit all of me in frame for the next pic after this one! She's a fast learner! Thanks, Erica!

 

My outfit for the evening- my sparkly shattered glass print tank style minidress from coquetryclothing.com, Hanes Alive Barely There support hose from onehanesplace.com and my black peep toe ankle strap platform pumps from venus.com.

 

To see more pix of me in other tight, sexy and revealing outfits click this link: www.flickr.com/photos/kaceycdpix/sets/72157623668202157/

 

To see more pix of me in clothes from Coquetry Clothing click this link:

www.flickr.com/photos/kaceycdpix/sets/72157626739774869/

 

To see more pix of me in pink & fuchsia ensembles click this link: www.flickr.com/photos/kaceycdpix/sets/72157622518296496/

 

To see more pix of me out & about click this link: www.flickr.com/photos/kaceycdpix/sets/72157632318953102/

 

To see more pix of me with friends and acquaintances click this link: www.flickr.com/photos/kaceycdpix/sets/72157622620508143/

 

_DSC0281-3

ilovefluffycakes.wixsite.com/lovefcake/single-post/2017/0...

 

A Vons market in La Verne, Southern California.

The NRMs preserved class 71 E5001 (71001) departs London Waterloo with the Waterloo to Southampton leg of Pathfinder Tours "d c Green Flasher" railtour (1Z39 Deby - Birmingham New Street). 17th July 1993.

 

New on my YouTube Channel SE UK Rail 47. This issue features a variety of workings filmed during May 2018 including 33012 and a pair of 20s on a tour to Swanage, ROG 37s on a variety of stock moves, COLAS 37s on a railtour to Norwich, a loco convoy, class 68s on Chiltern passenger turns plus a variety of freight.

youtu.be/iFQmohmXLmc

Dhaka, Bangladesh 2013

This image is in the current April/May issue of National Wildlife Magazine, as a two page lead in for the article "Certified Success". This one's special because it was my first two-page lead..

www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Birds/Ar...

See also the "Candid Cameras" article same issue:

www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Gardenin...

 

Also the macro contest winner at L'Image Magazine, and soon to be in print as well. www.limagemagazine.com/photo-contest.php

    

Seeing as my good friend, Justin, put up some great shots from the University of Chicago Theological Seminary from when he first introduced me to this incredible place, I felt I should look through some archives for a seminary shot. This image was taken one night after work, sneaking into this library that has been depleted of its contents. it was a little scary entering this dark room and having to find the light switches, but it worked out. Thanks again, Justin, and also Yvonne, for enlightening me to this great spot!

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Hairbase ⇢ Rick Hairbase by addon+ at Mancave Event

 

Freckles ⇢ Rick Freckles by addon+ at Mancave Event

 

Eyebrows ⇢ Ellis HD Brows by addon+ at ACCESS

 

Earrings ⇢ Gabriel Earrings by Badwolf at Warehouse Sale

»»———-　　———-««

 

This is dedicated to my friend BossBob50. Check out his CD cover set: www.flickr.com/photos/bossbob50/sets/72157607782882854/

 

AND don't miss this take off on my pic above:

www.flickr.com/photos/bossbob50/5997870813/

 

I suppose this could be the cover of a Blue Note issue, one of those classic jazz albums produced by the creative people at Blue Note Records back in the hard bop days. At least that's what it reminded me of when I was getting into this. Perhaps something by their main tenor man Hank Mobley or their brilliant trumpeter Lee Morgan ... ?

Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary is a 400 acre non-profit refuge in Poolesville, Maryland for farm animals and wildlife that relies entirely on public donations for support. Our mission is to offer care, rehabilitation, and permanent sanctuary for neglected, abused or abandoned farm animals, as well as providing a protected habitat for wildlife. We promote compassion and the humane treatment of all animals by educating the public on farm animal and wildlife issues.

#Milpitas #photojournalism

Leica MP

Leica Elmarit 28mm f/2.8 III

Kodak Portra 160

Bellini Foto C-41

Scan from negative film

The honorable society is where you don't expect it.

Die ehrenwerte Gesellschaft ist dort, wo du sie nicht erwartest.

 

See also my collection: messages and... you are welcome to visit my profile You should have a look on my Faves too.

www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/487693

issuu.com/hindsightzine/docs/issue01

hindsightzine.blogspot.com

Selon sa composition, un curry peut être très doux ou bien très épicé, et il est généralement très parfumé

Thor traverse le ciel à l'aide de son char, tiré par deux boucs nommés Tanngrisnir et Tanngnjóstr (« Dents grinçantes » et « Dents étincelantes »)..

Enfin ce palais de reine a des issues secrètes.

Après quatre années merveilleuses de recherche, ce dessin est enfin achevé.

Qu'il soit vu par beaucoup ou par quelques uns ...

No correspondence.

 

Looking every bit like a regular infantryman, this cavalryman (Kgl.Sächs. Karabiner-Regiment?) has swapped his gallant warhorse for Shank's pony.

 

I'm leaning towards the Königl. Sächsisches Karabiner-Regiment on account this card was found in Saxony and also because of his regular infantry belt-buckle, which was issued to Saxon cavalry formations from 1911. Cavalry formations from other contingents were issued an open-face type buckle.

 

Although for the most part indiscernible, the keen eye will notice he has his name written onto the straps of his backpack.

OUT NOW!

A5 MAGAZINE ISSUE 9 - REMIX

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77 ARTISTS PRESENT WORKS INSPIRED BY MUSIC AND THEIR FAVORITE SONGS

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82 separate postcards (size 19x19 cm) in a special box //

Printed in black and white + additional blue color //

All texts in Hebrew and English

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AVAILABLE AT OUR NEW ONLINE SHOP. VISIT:

www.thea5magazine.com/fitnew.html

 

Glad to be part of Underdogs vol.9, moreover I really enjoyed the editing! A print version is available via Peecho.

 

Melisa, one of Bath's regular Big Issue sellers, usually found on her pitch in Burton Street, adapting to the heavy crowds visiting the Christmas Market on Milsom Street.