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My dear friend Azelia has this adorable kitten named Jade that she loves to photograph. Jade is just so doggone cute that I cannot resist her, and sometimes when I see one of the photos Azelia has posted, I am compelled to modify it. In this photo it looked to me as if she was stalking something, so I thought I'd make her into a jungle kitty! Modification completed on 9/9/06 in the wee hours, as always!
only took 20 minutes but thus far is my most painful tat.
For those cretins who don't know what this is, it's the Tolkien symbol (see the JRRT?)
Modified version of the LEGO Brick Bank (#10251).
There's now an ATM and the additional floor provides room for an insurance agent, who might not be the most respectable one.
Some background:
The G.91Y was an increased-performance version of the Fiat G.91 funded by the Italian government. Based on the G.91T two-seat trainer variant, the single Bristol Orpheus turbojet engine of this aircraft was replaced by two afterburning General Electric J85 turbojets which increased thrust by 60% over the single-engined variant. Structural modifications to reduce airframe weight increased performance further and an additional fuel tank occupying the space of the G.91T's rear seat provided extra range. Combat manoeuvrability was improved with the addition of automatic leading edge slats.
The avionics equipment of the G.91Y was considerably upgraded with many of the American, British and Canadian systems being licence-manufactured in Italy.
Flight testing of three pre-production aircraft was successful, with one aircraft reaching a maximum speed of Mach 0.98. Airframe buffeting was noted and was rectified in production aircraft by raising the position of the tailplane slightly.
An initial order of 55 aircraft for the Italian Air Force was completed by Fiat in March 1971, by which time the company had changed its name to Aeritalia (from 1969, when Fiat aviazione joined the Aerfer). The order was increased to 75 aircraft with 67 eventually being delivered. In fact, the development of the new G.91Y was quite long, and the first order was for about 20 pre-series examples that followed the two prototypes. The first pre-series 'Yankee' (the nickname of the new aircraft) flew in July 1968.
AMI (Italian Air Force) placed orders for two batches, 35 fighters followed by another 20, later cut to ten. The last one was delivered around mid 1976, so the total was two prototypes, 20 pre-series and 45 series aircraft. No export success followed. These aircraft served with 101° Gruppo/8° Stormo (Cervia-S.Giorgio) from 1970, and later, from 1974, they served with the 13° Gruppo/32° Stormo (Brindisi).
Those 'Gruppi' (Italian equivalent of British 'squadrons', usually equipped with 18 aircraft) lasted until the early '90s, as the only ones equipped with the 'Yankee', using them as attack/recce machines, both over ground and sea, until the AMX replaced them. All in all, Italy operated 65 Fiat G.91Ys until 1994.
General characteristics:
Crew: one
Length: 11.67 m (38 ft 3.5 in)
Wingspan: 9.01 m (29 ft 6.5 in)
Height: 4.43 m (14 ft 6.3 in)
Wing area: 18.13 m² (195.149 ft²)
Empty weight: 3,900 kg (8,598 lb)
Loaded weight: 7,800 kg (17,196 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 8,700 kg (19,180 lb)
Powerplant:
2 × General Electric J85-GE-13A turbojets, 18.15 kN (4,080 lbf) each
Performance:
Maximum speed: 1,110 km/h (600 kn, 690 mph. (Mach 0.95 at 10,000 m (33,000 ft)
Range: 3,400 km (ferry range with droptanks) (2,110 mls)
Service ceiling: 12,500 m (41,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 86.36 m/s (17,000 ft/min)
Wing loading: 480 kg/m² (98.3 lb/ft² (maximum)
Thrust/weight: 0.47 at maximum loading
Armament:
2× 30 mm (1.18 in) DEFA cannons
4× under-wing pylon stations with a capacity of 1,814 kg (4,000 lb)
The kit and its assembly:
A real world model, and IMHO one of the nicest special paint schemes I've come across because it's so simple. For its 70th anniversary in 1987, the Italian Air Force's 13° Gruppo turned one of its 32° Stormo G.91Y fighter bombers (as far as I could tell it's 32-13, confirmed by a small code number on the frontal landing gear cover) into a fill-fledged shark, taking the squadron's markings (a classic shark mouth on the aircraft's nose) literally to full scale.
But instead of adding lots of glitter and colors, the scheme remained very simple - a black shark on a white background, with minimal markings and stencils. I've already built this aircraft many years ago when I saw it in a print magazine in 1988 or so (remember - there was no internet at that time!), but I had the plan to re-create it on the basis of more and better photo footage.
Said and done, I dug a Matchbox G.91Y out of the pile and started. The kit is pretty simple, and in this case the fit of the fuselage halves was questionable, calling for massive PSR along the seams. In some areas the kit is really primitive, so I made some minor cosmetic mods:
The cockpit "tub" with an integrated seat is a clumsy joke and was replaced by a cockpit floor with side consoles from a Revell G.91. The seat comes from a Matchbox Gnat trainer and was pimped with ejection handles made from thin wire.
The kit's landing gear is rather simple, too, but I took it OOB since noone would later look into the wells.
The jet exhausts were drilled open (OOB these are just blank covers, only 0.5 mm deep!) and inside some afterburners were simulated.
The molded guns were cut away, to be later replaced with free-standing hollow steel needles. In order to add some more exterior detail I also scratched the thin protector frames around the nozzles with thin wire.
Finally, the drop tanks were replaced by F-86 alternatives with end plate fins, which were typically carried by Italian G.91s, including the anniversary G.91Y (as confirmed by photo footage).
Painting and markings:
I must admit that the paint scheme is, to a certain degree, the result of a guessing game, because any shots I found are profiles views, even in flight! Some details, like the black fins on the wings and the stabilizers could be deduced from the material at hand, but I have no idea how the wings' undersides look like. I think that they remained all-white, just like the aircraft's belly - at least that's what the information I have suggest.
And even though the two-tone paint scheme is rather simple it's still challenging - esp. because I do not use an airbrush. As a consequence, I had to improvise with the means at hand, which meant a basic coat of acrylic white (actually an off-white Volkswagen car color called "Grauweiss") from the rattle can with the shark added on top of that with matt black (in this case from Modelmaster). This is not the smartest way to create the scheme, but I wanted to avoid tedious multi-layers of uneven, brushed white. Horror... :-(
Anyway, the white basic layer ended up thicker than I expected (the paint turned out to be a bit pastous due to age), but the black shark would cover many problem zones, anyway. Painting was done free-handedly, the only masking was used on the canopy during the white base spraying.
The finish was not perfect, but I did not want a "uniform" aircraft, anyway, since most of the aircraft's pictures show it in a used state and not as a pristine museum piece. After a black ink wash (in order to emphasize surface details) the final blemisches were covered under some post-shading and dry-brushing with various shades of black, very dark grey and white that would add some more structure to the hull.
The few markings of this aircraft were taken from the OOB sheet. Since I was not able to find pictures that show it from above or below. I guesstimated the warning stencils on the wings.
The drop tanks became all-white and the "70 anni" slogan on the outer flanks was created with single, black 3mm letters from TL Modellbau.
Finally the kit was sealed with rather matt varnish, a mix of matt and semi-gloss Italeri acyrlic varnish in a 4:1 ratio. Apparently, 32-13 had been painted in a rather dull finish, despite carrying an anniversary scheme.
Well, I am not 100% happy with the result, I had hoped for a better, sharper finish. But it's an improvement when compared to my first attempt to build this machine 30 years ago, and I still find this simple anniversary to be very stylish and elegant, since it goes so well with the G.91Y's lines.
Things continue to go poorly. In my efforts to repair the front left wedge, the front right fell off completely resulting in another backwards step. To fix this I had to flip the ship back over, which innitially went well but damaged the one part of the ship that was still solid and the most difficult to install.
The two rear wings that caused me so much frustration to install both came loose at the top. I had to completly remove the left wedge and re attach it, which also ment removing an engine. Miraculously I got it back on after several hours, everything was attached but only just. I attempted to straighten one of the hinges and then it fell through and then everything broke all over again, completly undoing 3 and half hours of work! To make matters worse the right side then decided to let go in the same spot as well!
I am really at a complete loss as to how to fix this. Other problems were easy to identify but this... its hard to see what went wrong much less how to fix it. I tried to add an extra lift arm underneith the hinges but that buts up against the 1x2 technic bricks holding the skin to the frame, which is still holding some how, which also makes it harder to reattach the broken section.
So now all 6 major body pannles, 4 wedges and the two panles above the hanger are now off the ship. Only the 4 corners around the hanger remain intact. So six months of work has been all for nothing! At this point I really, really hate working on this project, as every thing I attempt to fix breaks something else and I no longer have any cofidence in my designs ability to endure moving it.
There's a new owner of the Cafe Corner. The previous proprietor allowed the building to fall into disrepair. So it was time for renovation and restoration: a new facade and completely redecorated and refurnished hotel rooms (and an additional floor). Only the cafe on the ground floor is still the same.
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Almost two years ago I built my version of the Cafe Corner (#10182) with a slightly different colour scheme and some modifications, basically because the original building was already too expensive. I also added some interiors and replaced the stairwell by an elevator.
I didn't like the colours anymore and the building didn't match my other modulars anymore. Since my town still needs a hotel and I didn't want to destroy the old version completely I came up with this one.
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See all photos of the new and the old Cafe Corner here.
Here are some modifications to the 2023 UCS X-Wing Starfighter set 75355. The landing gear stand is the biggest addition, I've also made subtle changes to the nose of the ship and added an almost correctly scaled R2-D2. Free instructions and parts lists for all three mods are on Rebrickable.
rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-149544/ron_mcphatty/ucs-x-wing-s...
The Landing Gear Stand provides an easy way to display the X-Wing on a coffee table. The ship doesn't need to be modified at all, just lifted off the set's original stand and slotted onto the positioning support. The gear are built into the stand itself!
As a seperate mod I've rebuilt the top surface of the nose section to give it a bit of a slope, hopefully improving the very flat looking nose. The side panels need some slight modifications to fill some gaps and I've made the nose grey, just out of personal perference.
The midi-scale R2-D2 is slightly too large but I think looks good next to the ship when landed! Huge thanks to Jan Woźnica for letting me use his very clever R2 design and make some adjustments, please check out his instagram (@john.carter.creations) and his awesome Tales of The Space Age Lego Ideas set!
Modification of set #10220 (VW T1 Camper Van) with different colours and a slightly different interior.
la modification consiste à offrir a cette dame des jambes beaucoup plus articulées que d'origine.aucune figurines n'a souffert durant l'opération ( c'est ce qu'il m'a semblais! )
the change is to offer this lady has much more articulated legs that original. no figures have suffered during the operation (that is what it seemed!)
Work in progress:
modifications of 'Taiga' face mold, sculpting on the cast porcelain part - beginning.
Рабочий процесс:
модификации модели лица "Тайга", изменение скульптуры на фарфоровой отливке - начало.
FROM WIKIPEDIA
The Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse ("Hornet") was a German heavy fighter and Schnellbomber used by the Luftwaffe during World War II. Though essentially a straightforward modification of the Me 210, it was designated the Me 410 to avoid association with its notoriously flawed predecessor
Development of the Me 210 had been under way since 1939 but the aircraft proved extremely unstable and was never considered for full-scale production. Modifications to the layout produced the Me 210C and 210D, which proved somewhat superior. As studies progressed on the Me 210D, and with a separate parallel attempt to improve upon the 210 with the Messerschmitt Me 310 in the second half of 1943 — which provided almost no aerodynamic improvement over the 210's risky handling qualities — it was instead decided to introduce a "new" model, the Me 410.
The major change between the Me 210 and 410 was the introduction of the larger (at 44.5 litre, 2,715 in3 displacement) and more powerful Daimler-Benz DB 603A engines, which increased power to 1,750 PS (1,730 hp, 1,290 kW) compared to the 1,475 PS DB 605s used on the Me 210C - the interim Me 310 design experiment actually used the DB 603 powerplant choice first. The engine performance increased the Me 410's maximum speed to 625 km/h (388 mph), greatly improved rate of climb, service ceiling, and most notably the cruising speed, which jumped to 579 km/h (360 mph). It also improved payload capability to the point where the aircraft could lift more war load than could fit into the bomb bay under the nose. To address this, shackles were added under the wings for four 50 kg (110 lb) bombs. The changes added an extra 680 kg (1,500 lb) to the Me 210 design, but the extra engine power more than made up for the difference.
Basic side-by-side comparison of the Me 210 and Me 410 wing planforms
The new version included a lengthened fuselage and new, automatic leading edge slats, both of which had been tested on Me 210s and were found to dramatically improve handling. The slats had originally been featured on the earliest Me 210 models, but had been removed on production models due to poor handling. When entering a sharp turn, the slats had a tendency to open, due in part to the turn causing a drop in air pressure at the leading edge of the wings, analogous to the low pressure activation the slats were designed for in a slow landing approach (this problem was first observed on the Bf 109V14 and V15 prototypes for the Bf 109E), which added to the problems keeping the aircraft flying smoothly. However, when the problems with the general lateral instability were addressed, this was no longer a real problem. The wing panels of the earlier Me 210 had been designed with a planform geometry that placed the aerodynamic center in a rearwards direction in comparison to the earlier Bf 110, giving the outer sections of the wing planform beyond each engine nacelle a slightly greater, 12.6° leading edge sweepback angle than the inner panels' 6.0° leading edge sweep angle. This resulted in unreasonable handling characteristics in flight for the original Me 210 design. The new Me 410 outer wing panels had their planform geometry revised to bring the aerodynamic center further forwards in comparison to the Me 210, thus making the leading edge sweepback of the outer panels identical to the inner wing panels with both having identical 5.5° sweepback angles, which improved handling.
Deliveries began in January 1943, two years late and continued until September 1944, by which point a total of 1,160 of all versions had been produced by Messerschmitt Augsburg and Dornier München. When it arrived, it was liked by its crews, even though its improved performance was not enough to protect it from the swarms of high performance Allied fighters they faced at this stage of the war.
Operational history[edit]
An Me 410A-1/U4 with a BK 5 autocannon peels off during attack on USAAF B-17s
The Me 410 night bomber proved to be an elusive target for the RAF night fighters. The first unit to operate over the UK was V./KG 2, which lost its first Me 410 on the night of 13–14 July 1943, when it was shot down by a de Havilland Mosquito of No. 85 Squadron RAF.
The Me 410 was also used as a bomber destroyer against the daylight bomber formations of the USAAF, upgraded through the available Umrüst-Bausätze factory conversion kits, all bearing a /U suffix, for the design — these suffixes could vary in meaning between subtypes. As one example, the earlier Me 410 A-1/U1 designation signified a camera-fitting in the undernose ordnance bay for reconnaissance use (as the A-3 was meant to do from its start), while the same /U1 designation or the later Me 410 B-2 signified a mount of a pair of the long-barreled, 30mm calibre MK 103 cannon in the undernose ordnance bay. The /U2 suffix designated a fitment of two additional 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons in the under-nose ordnance bay instead — the A-1/U4 subtype fitted the massive, 540 kg (1,190 lb) weight Bordkanone series 50 mm (2 in) BK 5 cannon, loaded with 21 rounds in the same undernose ordnance bay in place of either the /U1's cameras or MK 103s, or the /U2's added pair of MG 151/20 autocannon. For breaking up the bomber formations, many Me 410s also had four underwing tubular launchers, two per wing panel, firing converted 21 cm (8 in) Werfer-Granate 21 infantry barrage rockets. Two Geschwader, Zerstörergeschwader 26 and 76, were thus equipped with the Me 410 by late 1943.
They were moderately successful against unescorted bombers through 1943, with a considerable number of kills against USAAF day bomber formations being achieved. However, the Me 410 was no match in a dogfight with the lighter Allied single-engine fighters such as the North American P-51 Mustang and Supermarine Spitfire. In early 1944, the Me 410 formations encountered swarms of Allied fighters protecting the bomber streams, usually flying far ahead of the combat box formations as an air supremacy move in clearing the skies of any Luftwaffe opposition, resulting in the Me 410's previous successes against escorted bombers now often being offset by their losses. An example of this — as part of a campaign started two days earlier by the USAAF — was on 6 March 1944 during an attack on Berlin by 750 8th AF heavy bombers, when 16 Me 410s were shot down in return for eight B-17s and four P-51s (which were destroyed by Bf 109 and Fw 190 fighters escorting the Me 410s).[1][2] The following month on 11 April, with 8th AF raids hitting Sorau, Rostock and Oschersleben, II.ZG 26's Me 410s accounted for a rare success, initially bringing down 10 B-17s without any losses. During the course of the same raid, their second sortie was intercepted by P-51s that destroyed eight Me 410s and three Bf 110s. Sixteen crewmen were killed and three wounded.[3]
From mid-1944, despite being Hitler's favourite bomber destroyer, the Me 410 units were taken from Defence of the Reich duties and production was phased out in favour of heavily armed single-engine fighters as dedicated bomber destroyers, with the Me 410s remaining in service flying on reconnaissance duties only.[4] Some Me 410s were used with Junkers Ju 188s during the Battle of Normandy, for high-altitude night reconnaissance
Two Me 410s survive today:
Me 410 A-1/U1 (W.Nr.10018, converted from Me 210 airframe)This Aircraft held by the American National Air and Space Museum and stored awaiting restoration, at the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility. It was found intact at an airfield in Trapani, Sicily, in August 1943 bearing the markings of the Luftwaffe's 2.Staffel/Fernaufklärungsgruppe 122 and was shipped to the United States in 1944; it was given the US serial number FE499,[5]
Me 410, W.Nr.420430, RAF Museum Cosford (2009)Me 410 A-1/U2 (W.Nr.420430)This aircraft is part of the collection of the RAF Museum and is publicly displayed at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford. It was built in late 1943 by Messerschmitt in Augsburg. There is evidence it served with Zerstörergeschwader 26 before being surrendered at Vaerlose, Denmark in May 1945. It was one of six Me 410s that were taken to the UK in 1945 for evaluation, but the only one to be later selected for preservation and to avoid being scrapped. It underwent restoration in 1986, after which both engines were successfully run on the ground. It was moved to Cosford in 1989 and has remained there since
This is a brand new City of Brooksville, Florida, Department Public Works, Solid Waste Division, recycling truck. The cab/chassis is a Ford F-750 Superduty and it was converted by Monroe Modifications into a dual drive configuration (standing drive on the right hand side). The body is a Kann Up and Over (an improved version of the Dempster Recycle-One body). This truck also has a Kann Side Dump Plastics Compactor.
If you would like to know specifics about this vehicle you will need to contact Waste Equipment and Parts LLC at 866-288-2411 or visit their website: www.waste-equip.com
If you would like to see a "detailed tour" of this truck, please watch my video on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPhRSyrU-E8
If you want to use this image, ask permission PRIOR to use. Don't be a thief - under most circumstances, I'm quite reasonable.
Copyright 2012 - Alan B.
1985 – 1986 Citroën BX 16 RS Break (Pick-up modification)
We were parked with our white BX Break when something yellow, at the same time familiar and strange, caught our attention. Unfortunately, it was too fast... We then guessed where it could have come from, and found a garage. Later, it was there, as expected (and hoped!)
So this was once a rare BX Break phase.1 / mk.1, if I understood right, as petrol, therefore BX 16 RS. I don't hope that it was a very rare 19 TRS Break (which has the BX 19 GT engine).
I felt sad for this rare BX, but then the owner told me that shortly after he had bought it, a tree fell on it during a storm. So instead of scrapping it, he transformed it to a pick-up!
How to get the front off an Argus C3 "Brick" to repair, flash sync, or otherwise tinker with the innards.
The newer modifications are not that noticeable, but I want your input on how the cab door i came up with looks on the model. I'm refining the parts by picking the best priced parts. I did try to add a bit of detail to the back of the cab interior based on the photos from the Ditcot Railway. I'm really proud of how this model has come together. I think its about time I actually build the thing. The next process I will start on, is the long grueling task of instructions so that I can put it on Rebrickable. Please leave any comments or concerns I would love to hear them.
The Colt Tornado (a name that almost got me sued by a friend; you know who you are) with some small changes. Mainly the sides, which needed some vents. I achieved the structure of those sides by modding some brackets.
MG ZR160 (2001-05) Engine 1796cc S4 K series
Race Number 75 Andy Spencer
MG SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623797586658...
The MG ZR is an MG branded "hot hatch" version of the Rover 25 supermini produced at Longbridge 2001-05. Compared to the Rover 25, the ZR featured a number of styling modifications and performance enhancements, such as updated sports suspension and a less baffled exhaust.
The entry level ZR 105 came with the 16 valve 1.4 K series engine which produced 102 bhp, the ZR 120 came with a larger 1.8 K series engine which produced 115 bhp this came with an improved vented braking system and with the rear drums replaced with discs. The range topping ZR 160 came with a 1.8 K Series VVC engine producing 159 bhp and came with larger disc brakes. There were also two diesel variants of the ZR, the first being the ZR TD 100 which had a 2.0 L Series engine producing 99 bhp and the TD 115 which came with the same 2.0 L series engine tuned to 111bho
In January 2004 the ZR recieved a facelift in line with the rest of the Rover range, the work of Peter Stevens the car was tweaked with new front and rear bumpers, headlights, tailgate, and various other exterior features, along with a revamped interior.
The MG Trophy is a single make club championship in the United Kingdom offering close racing for the front wheel drive MG ZR in three classes. From 2014 the Championship saw the introduction of the ‘new’ 160 class (D) for basic road-going ZR160 cars. The previous 160 class (C) was upgraded with an ECU remap and other changes and rebranded as the 170 class. Later the Class A ZR190 class was introduced for the more experienced race driver the fully race prepared ZR190 (190bhp) running on either Dunlop (control) slicks/wets, or Yokohama (control) slicks.
Thankyou for a massive 57,645,575 views
Shot 09.04.2017 at the MGCC Races, Donington Park, Leicestershire REF 125-059
Well I will let you in on a secret, ok it is not but anyway, when my wife comes across Lego sets on sale for about 50% off she lets me know and I thought on this one it might be worth the parts but then I decided to try an alternate build so here it is. Except for one part, a 2x4 white tile on the trunk, it would be considered an alternate.
Matchbox Series No4 Dodge K Series Stake Bed Truck Restoration. 1966 to 1968 - 1-75 Series. This is the second Stake bed I found stuffed in a box with a few other beat up old Matchbox I bought years ago at a swap meet. Until I started restoring these I would not have thought to even touch this. This one is pretty rough when it comes to the bed, it is really a mess and for some reason the factory made the axles really long so I cut them down. This one turns out different than the first restoration.
From silver and vinyl to satin black and leather.
What it originally looked like: www.flickr.com/photos/zzpza/9407868445/
+++ 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:
Tyne was the second of the five River-class light cruisers in the Royal Navy, which were introduced during the interwar period and played, after modifications, an active role in World War II, especially in the Mediterranean theatre of operations.
After the construction of the Danae-class cruiser, the demerits of the small cruiser concept became apparent. At the end of 1917, plans for an additional six C-class vessels, plus three new-design 7,200 ton-class scouting cruisers were shelved, in favor of an intermediate 5,500 ton-class vessel which could be used as both a long-range, high speed scout ship, and also as a command vessel for destroyer or submarine flotillas. The resulting River-class vessels were essentially enlarged versions of the Danae-class cruisers, with greater speed, range, and weaponry. With improvements in geared-turbine engine technology, the River-class vessels were capable of the high speed of 36 knots (67 km/h), and a range of 9,000 nmi (17,000 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h). The number of BL 6-inch (152.4 mm) L/45 Mark XII guns was increased from only three to seven in single mounts and provision was made for 48 naval mines. However, the four triple torpedo launchers on the Danae-class were reduced to just two double launchers, and the River-class remained highly deficient in anti-aircraft protection, with only two QF 3 in 20 cwt L/45 Mk. I and two QF 2-pounder L/39 Mk. II guns. A total of eight ships were ordered, but, with less pressure after the end of WWI, only five were built and finished.
The first River-class ship, H.M.S. “Trent”, was laid down in December 1918 and launched in August 1919. H.M.S. “Tyne” was the second cruiser of this new class, laid down 8 July 1919, launched 24 September 1920 and completed at Chatham Royal Dockyard 2 June 1922. Completed too late to see action in the First World War, “Tyne” was initially assigned to operate in the Baltic Sea against the Bolshevik revolutionaries in Russia. She was then on detached service in the West Indies. Following this assignment, she was attached to the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron of the Atlantic Fleet for the following five years. 1923/24, “Tyne” became a member of the Cruise of the Special Service Squadron, also known as the “Empire Cruise”. Following this tour, she went with the squadron to the Mediterranean for the next few years.
In May 1928 “Tyne” was assigned to the North America and West Indies Station, based at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda. She ran aground on 2 July 1928 on the Thrum Cap Shoal, 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) off Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and was badly damaged, suffering the breach of her engine room and of one of her boiler rooms. She was abandoned by most of her 445 crew, the officers remaining on board. Subsequently, all her guns and torpedo tubes and much of her other equipment had to be removed to lighten her. She was finally refloated on 11 July 1928 and towed off by H.M.S. “Despatch” and several tugs. She was repaired throughout 1929 and then reduced to the reserve.
In 1930, however, due to a shortage of ships at foreign theatres of operation, she was reactivated and transferred back to the America and West Indies Station. During 1931-1933 she served with the South American Division, and in 1934 she relieved the cruiser “Curlew” in the Mediterranean and was reassigned to the 3rd Cruiser Squadron. In 1935 she returned to Britain to be paid off into the reserve, but “Tyne” was kept active in British coastal waters for cadet training.
On the outbreak of the Second World War, “Tyne” was recommissioned and thoroughly modernized, since the original armament and other equipment had become obsolete by 1939. All five River-class ships were re-designed as light trade protection cruisers and were outfitted with new, state-of-the-art equipment and armament, including six new and very compact turrets. Pairs were placed at the bow and at the stern each, with another two placed singly at port and starboard amidships. Each was armed with twin 5.25-inch (133 mm) guns in high angle mountings. These new, quick-firing weapons were primarily surface weapons, but it was intended to fire the heaviest shell suitable for anti-aircraft defense, so that the ships could be used for convoy protection from aerial attacks.
The ballistic performance of the QF 5.25 was very good, with a maximum range of 24,070 yd (22,010 m) at 45 degrees with an 80 lb (36.3 kg) HE shell. In comparison, the contemporary French 138 mm (5.4 in) Mle 1934 guns as used on the Mogador-class destroyers had a maximum range of 21,872 yards (20,000 m) at 30 degrees with an 88 lb (39.9 kg) SAP shell, and the Italian 135/45 mm gun as used on the Capitani Romani-class cruisers had a maximum range of 21,435 yards (19,600 m) at 45 degrees with a 72.1 lb (32.7 kg) AP shell.
The new turrets were far more modern in design than previous light cruiser turrets and offered efficient loading up to 70 degrees to provide the intended dual-purpose capability. Furthermore, “Tyne” was, like its revamped sister ships, outfitted with four twin QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-poms" and a pair of triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tube launchers, mounted under the main deck. The latter carried a steam catapult for a reconnaissance waterplane, initially a Fairey Swordfish on floats but later replaced by a Supermarine Walrus amphibious flying boat. The depth charge racks were augmented by two new launchers.
After her modifications at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard, field tests in the Channel and receiving a light disruptive Admiralty paint scheme, “Tyne” joined the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, escorting convoys to Scandinavia and engaged in the hunt for the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. After the Norwegian Campaign she participated in the operations hunting the German battleship Bismarck and, together with the cruiser “Kenya”, intercepted one of the German supply ships, “Belchen”, on 3 June 1941.
Between July and August 1941, as part of Force K with the Home Fleet, she was involved in “Operation Gauntlet”, with operations to Spitzbergen and Bear Island. After one of these sorties, in company with the cruiser “Nigeria”, she intercepted a German troop convoy off Northern Norway, and the German ship “Bremse” was sunk. Later that year she was transferred to the Mediterranean and arrived in Alexandria on 21 October 1941 to join a new Force K, where the ship received a new high-contrast paint scheme, typical for this theatre of operations.
On 9 November 1941, Force K, consisting of “Tyne”,”Aurora”, “Penelope”, “Lance” and “Lively”, she was involved in the destruction of the Beta Convoy. In the resulting battle the Italian destroyer “Fulmine” was sunk, as well as the German transports “Duisburg” and “San Marco”, the Italian transports “Maria”, “Sagitta” and “Rina Corrado”, and the Italian “Conte di Misurata” and “Minatitlan”. The Italian destroyers “Grecale” and “Euro” were damaged.
On 24 November Force K, intercepted an Axis convoy about 100 nautical miles west of Crete. The Axis convoy was bound from the Aegean to Benghazi. The two German transports in the convoy, “Maritza” and “Procida”, were both sunk by H.M.S. “Penelope” and H.M.S. “Lively” despite the presence of the Italian torpedo boats “Lupo” and “Cassiopea”. On 1 December 1941 Force K, with “Tyne”, “Penelope” and ”Lively”, attacked the Mantovani Convoy. The Italian destroyer “Alvise Da Mosto” and the sole cargo ship “Mantovani” were sunk. H.M.S. “Tyne” next participated in the First Battle of Sirte on 17 December 1941. On 19 December, while steaming off Tripoli, she was heavily damaged in a mine field and was forced to retire to Malta for hull repairs.
After repairs, which lasted several months into summer 1942, she returned to service in the MTO and joined Force H. In November she became part of the Centre Task Force for the Landings in North Africa, Operation Torch. Off Oran, she engaged the Vichy French destroyers “Tramontane” and “Tornad”e on 8 November 1942, damaging the former so badly that it had to be beached. The following day she badly damaged the destroyer “Épervier” and drove it ashore. By early December 1942 she was operating as part of Force Q at Bône against the Axis evacuation and supply convoys between Trapani and Tunis.
However, “Tyne” was hit on 20 December 1942 off Trapani (Sicily) by an air-dropped torpedo. She caught fire, had two of her turrets out of action and was badly flooded. Later that day she was attacked once more by German dive-bombers, and a fatal bomb hit at the ship’s stern eventually led to her loss the following day. 115 men were killed through the attacks, the rest, more than two-thirds of the crew, was rescued.
All River-class ships had a very active war career and proved to be satisfactory in service, even though they were hardly a match for full-fledged battleships and worked best in conjunction with other ships. Especially in the Mediterranean they were very effective in protecting crucial convoys to Malta and even managed to see off some ships of the Italian Royal Navy. However, their outdated WWI machinery became their Achilles heel and limited their potential, and the relatively light main guns lacked range and firepower to take on major enemy ships their own.
From 1940 on the ships were to be replaced by the much more modern and better-equipped new Dido-class cruisers, but a shortage of guns for them, due to difficulties in manufacturing them, delayed their introduction so that the River-class cruisers had to soldier on. Two ships, “Tyne” and “Thames”, were lost, and the three post-war survivors “Trent”, “Severn” and “Mersey”, were immediately put into reserve after the end of hostilities in Europe and quickly broken up.
General characteristics:
Displacement: 5,100 long tons (5,200 t) (standard)
Length: 500 ft (152.4 m)
Beam: 47 ft (14.2 m)
Draft: 16 ft (4.8 m)
Draught: 12 ft 6 in (3.8 m) (deep)
Armor: Belt: 64 mm (3 in), Deck: 29 mm (1 in)
Complement: 450
Propulsion:
12× Admiralty boilers with 4× geared steam turbines, developing 90,000 shp (67,000 kW)
and driving four shafts
Performance:
Top speed: 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range: 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Armament (after conversion):
12× 5.25 guns (133 mm) 50 caliber guns in six twin turrets
4× twin QF 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom" AA guns in powered mounts
2× triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
2× throwers and 2× racks astern with 48 depth charges
The kit and its assembly:
The Royal Navy’s River-class light cruisers never existed. These fictional interwar ships were based on the Dido-class cruisers’ concept, just placed in an earlier generation and realized on the basis of an old/outdated ship. Inspiration came with an aftermarket set of six 1:700 white metal turrets that I came across recently, and I wanted to use it to build something like the American Atlanta-class light cruisers with a specialized AA armament.
However, this armament called for a suitable and bigger hull than my former destroyer builds, and I was eventually able to hunt down a cheap Tamiya kit of a Japanese Kuma-class light cruiser as starting point. It was perfect in size (almost exactly as big as a Dido-class cruiser!), shape and time frame, even though I I basically only used the kit’s single-piece hull as starting point. I had to modify the superstructures thoroughly to adapt the Japanese ship to the new role and also to a more Western layout and silhouette.
For instance, the typically Japanese tall “pagoda” bridge/command section of that era had to disappear, and I changed the superstructures almost completely, because the new twin turrets needed much more space than the small single guns of the Kuma cruiser. I also wanted to place them at different levels, and this called for suitable staggered platforms, too.
Initially there was the plan to mount the six turrets in groups of three at both bow and stern, but it was soon clear that this would not work – this arrangement would have been too long and too high, too, so that I went with two staggered pairs. I also wanted to give the ship – unlike the American Atlanta-class ships – a catapult for an on-board aircraft, and this required some free space on deck.
With this framework I scratched new/additional superstructures, using leftover pieces from the two recently built Matchbox K-class destroyers and from a Revell H.M.S. Ark Royal carrier. Everything evolved through trial-and error, in an attempt to find a plausible layout for all the deck equipment. The lowered hull section for the Kuma-class’ front torpedo tubes was filled with a cabin and re-purposed for lifeboats. Then the initially continuous superstructure was split to make room for the steam catapult amidships at deck level. The rear turrets eventually found their final places on a separate superstructure that would also carry the secondary mast and the crane for the floatplane, and I mounted the last two turrets in lateral positions (again somewhat inspired by the Atlanta-class arrangement with similar positions), above the Kuma-class’ openings for the rear torpedo launch tubes. These did not make sense at this position anymore, so that the OOB openings were closed/filled and moved further forward, under the new “flight deck”. Some PSR had to be done, too, in order to blend some disparate donor parts and fill the worst gaps. Therefore, the finish is certainly not as crisp as an OOB model – but I think that these flaws remained on an acceptable level.
Once the general deck layout had been settled, detail work began. This included a re-arrangement of bridge, masts and funnels, and the main deck had to offer enough space for the re-located catapult, together with the turrets in the side positions, lifeboats and AA stations, which found their place at deck level and in two twin alcoves in higher positions. Fiddly stuff, and I must admit that “creating” such a battleship is conceptually not easy.
The aircraft on board is actually the OOB Kawanishi E7K floatplane from the Kuma-class cruiser kit – but it looks similar enough to a Swordfish that this illusion could be easily supported with a suitable paint scheme.
Painting and markings:
I used the opportunity to apply another typical Royal Navy paint scheme, a so-called “Alexandria-style” pattern. This was a high-contrast scheme, sometimes described as consisting of black and white, but it was typically made up from 507a (Dark Grey) and 507c (Light Grey). It had been christened after the dockyard where it had been initially applied, and it was actually not a defined pattern (like the Admiralty schemes, which had been designed at offices by people who frequently had no practical naval experience!), but rather a common but individual application of standard paints that had been in ample supply at most dockyards! The ships had to be painted with what was at hand, and so the disruptive scheme caught on and was applied, like Mountbatten Pink, to a considerable number of British ships operating in the MTO. This two-tone scheme was not intended to conceal the ships, but rather to confuse the observer concerning speed, direction and what the ship actually was.
The pattern I applied to the model was loosely based on what the cruiser H.M.S. Devonshire carried in 1941, a kind of zebra pattern with wide, well-defined block stripes. As a visual gimmick these stripes were kind of “mirrored” along a line on the hull, as if reflected by the water and therefore making assessing size or distance even more difficult.
The paints are Humbrol 147 (Light Grey, FS 36495) and 27 (Sea Grey). The deck was painted as if the wooden areas had not been overpainted yet and allowed to weather, so that the once-holystoned, yellow-ish light wood had become dull and rather grey-ish. I used Humbrol 168 (RAF Hemp) and Revell 87 (Beige) as basis, and some light shading with thinned sepia ink was done to enhance the wooden look – and it’s nice contrast to the rather cold, grey camouflage. Metal decks, turret tops and the bow area were painted with Revell 47, simulating 507b (Medium Grey). Areas around the bridge were painted with Humbrol 62 (Leather) to simulate Corticene coating.
I originally wanted to paint the model in separate elements before final assembly, but this was not possible due to the many adjustments. The model was slightly weathered with a highly thinned black ink wash. Some Sienna Brown water paint was used for rust stains here and there. Portholes along the hull and on the superstructures were created with a thin black felt tip pen. The same tool was used to paint the muzzles of the guns. The crisp black boot topping was easy to create through the kit’s separate waterline bottom – OOB it comes in red, and it just had to be re-painted.
The kit’s segments were sealed with a coat of acrylic matt varnish before final assembly. Finally, rigging with heated and extended dark grey sprue material was done and paper flags were added.
It is not obvious, but the fictional H.M.S. “Tyne” took more scratchwork and mods than one would expect – it was/is almost a scratch build on the basis of a stock cruiser hull. More or less, the whole superstructure was re-arranged and the whole armament is new, but I think that the outcome looks quite plausible. The camouflage – even though only consisting of two shades of grey - looks interesting, too, and I think that the confusing effect becomes obvious in some of the beauty pics.
R230
Bonhams : the Zoute Sale
Estimated : € 260.000 - 320.000
Sold for € 270.250
Zoute Grand Prix 2018
Knokke - Zoute
België - Belgium
October 2018
'For anyone wishing to give their Mercedes that extra personal touch, Mercedes-AMG GmbH has just the answers. The Daimler-Chrysler subsidiary offers the combined experience of Mercedes-Benz and AMG in the field of high-quality enhancements for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and puts the emphasis firmly on individuality when creating the customer's dream Mercedes.' - Mercedes-AMG GmbH.
AMG, which is now the official performance division of Mercedes-Benz, has a long history of producing high-performance derivatives of Mercedes' standard production vehicles, and these improved versions enjoy an enthusiastic following world-wide, with prominent figures of the motor sports, entertainment, sport and business communities being counted among aficionados.
Offered here is a beautiful SL65 AMG Black Series, the third of this evocatively titled and exclusive limited-edition family that had begun with SLK55 of 2006. Intended as even more highly developed versions of Mercedes-Benz's AMG performance models, the Black Series consists of two-seater fixed-head coupé designs only. In the case of the SL65, this meant abandoning the 'ordinary' version's folding metal hardtop in favour of a fixed carbon fibre roof, which also made room for the Black Series' retractable rear spoiler. This insane SL was pushing the boundaries of the AMG badge to the max. This version was developed in the newly created AMG Performance Studio which was a division of AMG, showcasing the cars their newly devised department could create, with an 'Anything is Possible' attitude. The 'SL65 Black Series' was the pinnacle of this ethos.
The SL65 AMG Black Series was unveiled at Monterey in 2008. The base-car SL65 AMG's 6.0-litre V12 engine was retained for the Black Series but received larger turbochargers, a bigger inter-cooler, a new exhaust system, and a suitably remapped ECU, resulting in an increase in maximum power to 670bhp (approximately a 10% improvement over the stock SL65 AMG) while torque went up to a mighty 737lb/ft, delivered between 2,200 and 4,200 revs. AMG's engineers not only increased engine output but also trimmed 250kg (550lb) off the car's all-up weight courtesy of additional carbon fibre panels, further improving the power-to-weight ratio. The result was a 0-100km/h time of 3.8 seconds, while top speed was electronically limited to 320km/h.
The extraordinary engine specifications made the SL 65 AMG Black Series the most powerful AMG model at the time! This stupendous performance reached the road via AMG's Speedshift Plus multi-mode five-speed automatic gearbox. As one would expect, given the Black Series raison d'être, the chassis too underwent considerable modification, featuring quicker steering, wider front and rear track, and redesigned suspension in the interests of enhanced roadholding and controllability. Mercedes-Benz recognised that many Black Series customers would wish to enjoy their cars on the racetrack (where else could one safely enjoy its performance to the full?) and thoughtfully made the multi-link rear suspension adjustable. The SL65 AMG Black Series rolled on AMG light-alloy wheels - 19.5" at the front, 20" at the rear - while stopping power was provided by 6-pot callipers at the front, 4-pot at the rear. Only 350 of these amazing cars were made, and all found customers despite a stratospheric asking price of €330,000 without options.
Still the most powerful standard road-going Mercedes-Benz AMG to date, this pristine example has covered a mere 6,300 kilometres from new and is finished in arguably the best colour combination of silver with black interior (as one can imagine, most are black!). One of only approximately 175 examples destined for Europe (most went to the USA or Asia), it is one of only 5 delivered new to France.
Delivered in September 2009, the car has been well maintained and is presented in excellent 'as new' condition, as one would expect from its low odometer reading. The accompanying maintenance history printout records services at Mercedes-Benz Paris in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and in August 2018, the latter at 6,318 kilometres. This car also comes equipped with every conceivable option, the very embodiment of the phrase 'fully loaded' (detailed specification available). Offered with all books and tools, it represents a possibly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire one of these fabulous limited-edition supercars, the like of which Mercedes most probably will never produce again – an incredible aggressive looking beast!
Soon the approaching rain storm will make very slight modifications to this desert landscape. Those tiny changes eventually lead to these natural beauty sites that all photographers love.
Brighton, 9 November 2011.
This Scania Omnicity is on loan while Brighton's own Omnicity's recieve modifications from Scania. It was also used by Bluestar during the summer.
Donk - a strange term.
Used in Australia as a slang term for a car engine, Donk is a whole sub-culture of vehicle modification in the US focusing on overly large wheels.
The term 'Donk' refers directly back to the original donor vehicle, popularly, the Chevrolet Impala. It has been said that the leaping Impala logo looks somewhat like a donkey!
The cars are also known by the more generic term of 'Hi-riser' - somewhat more descriptive, but less colourful name.
Hi-Risers are a type of highly customized automobile, typically a traditional, full-size, body on frame, V8 powered, rear wheel drive American-built sedan modified by significantly increasing the ground clearance and adding large-diameter wheels with low-profile tires. Depending on the model and style of body, autos customized in this manner can be labeled "donk," "box," or "bubble."
Hi-risers originally grew out of the Dirty South subculture, but the trend has spread across the United States. Vehicles customized in the hi-riser style are distinguished by their oversized (even disproportionate) wheels, ranging from 20 inches to 30 inches or more in diameter (largest being 50 inch), as well as fanciful custom paint-jobs and expensive audio equipment. Suspension modifications similar to those employed on lifted pickup trucks are made to give adequate clearance for the large wheels. Often the suspension is modified so the front end sits slightly higher than the rear end, giving the car a swaggering appearance. Because of the exaggerated look gained from installing a lifted suspension and enormous wheels, donks are also known as "hi-risers" or "sky-scrapers."
The most popular vehicles for these types of modifications are late 20th century, full-size, rear wheel drive sedans and coupes manufactured by General Motors (Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Buick, and Cadillac), namely the Impala, Caprice, Buick Roadmaster, Oldsmobile 98, and Cadillac Fleetwood/Fleetwood Brougham, as well as mid-sized models such as the Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. However, similar full-size Ford models (Crown Victoria, Lincoln Town Car, Mercury Grand Marquis) are also popular, largely due to the ability to cheaply buy former police service Crown Victorias. There are three main sub-types of hi-riser, although the distinctions are blurred and open to debate. Most hi-riser enthusiasts agree that a "donk" traditionally is a 1971 to 1976 Impala. They were given this name because the "Impala" symbol was referred to as a "donkey" by owners or "donk" for short.[citation needed] To complement the sloping rear, the suspension of donks are frequently higher in the front end than the rear, resulting in a nose-up stance. Other hi-risers are usually raised evenly, resulting in a more or less level stance. A box is another sub-type of hi-riser, usually a 1977-1990-era Impala or Caprice with a boxy or squared-off front and rear end. Other models that are frequently made into hi-risers include the G-body Buick Regal, Oldsmobile Cutlass, Chevrolet El Camino, Pontiac Grand Prix, and Pontiac Bonneville.
Other vehicles gaining in popularity as hi-risers are the Cadillac DeVille and Seville, as well as the Buick Roadmaster. Also gaining in popularity are the Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car sedans. These three are the last full sized, body-on-frame, RWD sedans of which the Lincoln Town Car is the only one still being sold for 2011. In fact, the Grand Marquis in particular is enjoying a slight sales surge due to the increasing popularity of buying them new and turning them into hi-risers. Several rappers have alluded to the Grand Marquis in their music, such as Dorrough's "Ice Cream Paint Job": "Grand Marquis, paint job grape jelly
[Text from Wikipedia]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hi-Riser_(automobile)
A key enabler for many of these vehicles is the use of the longitudinal powertrain, driving the rear wheels, and also the use of separate chassis (body-on-frame), decoupling the chassis forces from suspension from the body structure. The BOF layout also allows simpler modification of the vehicle, adopting parts and design solutions from the similarly configured Light Truck, e.g. Ford F150 or similar.
The 1971 Chevrolet Impala Convertible used here as the base vehicle offers these features and more. Notably engines not restricted by vehicle emissions standards, which had such a detrimental effect on engine output, staring from 1972. The 1971 Impala (the first year of this 5th generation Impala platform), was fitted with engines up to 454 CID (7.4 litres) rated at 365 hp. In 1976, the last year of this 5th generation vehicle, the 454 CID output had fallen to only 225 HP.
For interest, this 1971 Impala Donk is named 'Polar Bear'. Enormous, powerful, and super-cool (especially roof-down in winter), and for the icing blue exterior colour.
This Lego miniland-scale Chevrolet 1971 Impala Convertible Donk (1971), has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 90th Build Challenge, - "Fools Rush In!", -
to the subtheme - "BaDONKadonk!". The 90th build challenge presenting 13 different subthemes to choose to build to.
Test with two soft boxes modified to bring out continuum light.
post - Magic Bullets Looks
song - Babe i'm gonna leave you
Will sent me some shortshots of the M1917A1 machine gun barrel awhile ago, and I really had no clue what to do with them.. So I tried drilling a hole in one of them to use as a regular blaster. I kind of like it, but if I wanted it to stay, I'd have to glue it on. It's not very tight right now. Oh, and the red tron disk is an energy blast powering up. Lol
I just got an AWESOME drill set for Christmas, so I've been using them for modding. ^_^ I have to get the feel of how big to make holes though, so that I can make them nice and snug.
Feedback is appreciated! And if you favorite, why not comment? ;)