The Bison was an amphibious vehicle, optimised for traversing the tundra of Hibernia. Similar to Siberia, on Earth, the land could be frozen and snowy in the winter and then melt into swampland in the summer.

The design was based on the LVT Buffalo of WWII vintage. A big difference was that the Bison's ramp was front loading, whereas the Buffalo had a rear loading ramp. The Bison also featured extra plumbing, to enable hand washing, which was impossible in the old Buffalo design.

The cargo space was just large enough to hold one, half-sized standard Hibernia container or a small vehicle.

The South Brisbane Dry Dock was designed in 1875 by William Nisbet, chief engineer for the Department of Harbours & Rivers. Construction was undertaken by J & A Overend between 1876 and 1881. It served a major role in Queensland’s shipping industry until its closure in 1972, and is one of the oldest surviving, substantially intact dry docks in Australia. It has operated as part of the Queensland Maritime Museum since 1979.

Shipping played a significant role in 19th century Queensland as its primary – and sometimes only – means of trade and communication. Brisbane was declared a port of entry in 1846, a warehousing port in 1849, and in 1850 a Customs House was erected. With the rapid growth of Queensland’s economy in the 30 years following separation, ports were opened in 14 centres along the Queensland coast to service the adjacent hinterland regions. Queensland’s share of the total Australian shipping tonnage climbed from 3% in 1871 to 11% in 1881, in addition to its intercolonial direct trade. Much of this trade came to Brisbane, which had become a much more accessible port after the Upper Flats near the mouth of the river were cleared in 1871, enabling large vessels to access the Town Reach.

The busy Brisbane port required a substantial facility for the maintenance, repair and refitting of commercial ships and the Department of Harbours and Rivers’ dredges, barges and other vessels. Minor repairs could be undertaken at the small patent slip at Kangaroo Point, or by upending vessels on the mud flats, but most commercial vessels used the facilities at Sydney, while the Queensland government lacked any maintenance facilities.

A site for a graving, or dry dock, was chosen on government-owned land between Stanley Street and the river at South Brisbane. Soundings were taken in the Brisbane River in September 1873, and the site was found to have deep water and solid foundations, suitable for a dock capable of accommodating vessels up to 3000 tons. Civil engineer William D Nisbet, who had been engaged in dock work in England, Scotland and Malta, was appointed Engineer-in-Chief for Harbours and Rivers in 1875. Newly arrived from England, he drafted plans for a graving dock.

Nisbet’s design comprised a 32ft (9.75m) high, 313ft (95m) long dock, with a possible extension to 450ft (137m). It varied from 40-49.5ft (12-15m) wide at the bottom to 60-74ft (18-23m) at the top. A 3ft (1m) thick brick and cement arch formed the base of the dock, inverted in shape to reduce water pressure. The floor, atop this, was lined in stone and timbers to hold keel blocks along the centreline, which would ships in place during repairs. A series of stone altars (steps) lined both sides of the dock, providing support for timber shores to keep ships upright, and bollards on the ground on either side of the dock to help warp ships in and out. Two culvert drains on either side filled the dock, and a suction-well in a 5ft (1.5m) pit adjoining the dock allowed the water to be emptied. A ship would be floated into the dock, a caisson (dock gate) closed across the sill (or cill) at the entrance, and the dock pumped dry. Workers accessed the dock floor via two sets of stairs. Once the vessel was repaired, sluice gates in the dock were opened to allow river water in, the caisson opened and the ship was floated out.

The design included allowances for local conditions, with the dock set at an angle to the river, optimising ingress and egress, and the sill set at a height over spring tides, giving the dock protection during floods.

Tenders for excavation and masonry work for the dock were called in September 1875. Melbourne contractors Messrs J and A Overend were awarded the contract in January 1876, with work to take place over the following three years. James and Acheson Overend had established their construction business in 1872, and came highly recommended by the Victorian Railways Engineer-in-Chief for their work on the Oven’s River and Beechworth Railways. They moved their plant to Queensland after winning the Dry Dock contract, and successfully tendered for sections of the Southern and Western Railway (Dalby to Chinchilla). The firm went on to construct sections of the Bundaberg to Mount Perry Railway (including the Splitters Creek Railway Bridge in 1878), Southern Railway (Warwick to Stanthorpe, including Cherry Gully Tunnel, also 1878), Bundaberg (Saltwater Creek Railway Bridge, 1894) and Mackay (Mirani Railway Bridge, Pioneer River).

The Dry Dock site was excavated in the first eighteen months, with excess material laid on South Brisbane streets. Construction followed. Bricks were made on site or sourced locally. Portland cement, granite and porphyry stone (sourced from Queensland and the southern colonies) were employed on the floor, walls and pit, with sandstone (or freestone) on the altars. Brisbane ironfounders Smellie and Co constructed the iron caisson in 1880-1. Machinery to work the caisson and drain the dock, including centrifugal pumps and boilers, were installed next to the dock in a pump- and boiler-house, with steam escaping through a 46ft (14m) brick chimney. The total cost of the work was £83,849 8s 9d.

The barque Doon, which had been damaged in a storm, was the first to utilise the dock on 10 September 1881. Premier Thomas McIlwraith attended the launch of the Doon twelve days later, opening the dock without an official ceremony. The Premier declared that, with £4,000 already spent on repairs to the Doon, ‘the dock would answer the purpose for which it was intended, and… a substantial benefit accrued to the city from having a dock in which repairs to ships could be effected.’ Contemporary newspaper reports described the dock as ‘one of the most important of the public works of the colony’.

Rather than a public facility with employed staff, the dock was available for use by private contractors. A sliding scale of charges was set for use of the dock, and punching, drilling and shearing machinery was installed for hire by contractors undertaking repairs at the dock. In 1886 a workshop or machinery shop (partly extant) was built to house the equipment, adjoining the boiler-house. A crane (no longer extant) was also installed. These improvements to the facilities, plus the promise of a 117ft (35.6m) extension, encouraged shipowners to bring their vessels to Brisbane, instead of Sydney, for overhaul work.

Further improvements followed. The impending extension was interrupted by the construction of the railway extension. Site works around the Dry Dock, including the creation of an embankment and stone retaining walls, were undertaken in 1884-5. The dry dock was lengthened to 420 feet (121m) in 1886-7, by which time 240 vessels had used the facilities. An office (partly extant) was built for £66 in 1895, replacing one destroyed in floods. Additional cranes were installed, including the only extant crane, a 15 ton hand powered crane supplied by Ransome and Rapier of Ipswich in 1906, and put into use in 1907. The three Cornish boilers powering the dock were replaced by Brisbane firm Evans, Anderson and Phelan in 1906, to plans prepared by chief engineer Alexander Cullen; these boilers remain in situ. Electric motors replaced the pumping engines in 1924.

The dock served an essential function as Queensland’s only graving dock until the mid-20th century. It also served an interesting social function after 1902, with swimming carnivals held in the dry dock when not in use by ships. In its first twenty years of operation, an average of 60 vessels a year utilised the dry dock, with a peak of 90 vessels in 1909. Its size and shape limited the vessels it could dock, but it remained a profitable venture for the government until 1925, when patronage declined due to increasing vessel size.

Brisbane’s prominence in the South Pacific Campaign during World War II brought a renewed role for the South Brisbane Dry Dock. The HMAS Swan and Katoomba, damaged in the bombing of Darwin, were taken to the South Brisbane Dry Dock for repair in March 1942, inaugurating the dry dock as the Ship Repair Base. Additional facilities were built on the adjacent site (formerly a timberyard). A US Navy submarine base was also established at the dock in April 1942, necessitating additional wharfage and facilities. A new office building (1942), workshop (c1943), and mess and changing facilities (1945) were built on the Sidon Street side of the dry dock to accommodate over 100 arrivals per month. A concrete bomb-proof shelter was constructed over the pump- and boiler-house, engulfing part of the brick chimney. The dock was a vital piece of infrastructure during the war, docking and repairing 298 American, Australian, British and French vessels, before it was returned to the Department of Harbours and Marine in September 1946.

In 1944, the substantial Cairncross Dock was opened downstream on the Brisbane River. Capable of repairing larger ships, the Cairncross Dock catered for vessels that South Brisbane had previously been unable to dock. The South Brisbane Dry Dock became primarily a repair shop for Queensland government vessels, but remained viable for small government and commercial vessels for the next three decades.

Changes in shipyard practices, the dominance of large bulk carriers, construction of the Captain Cook Bridge and the need for a major rehabilitation of the dock compelled the government to close the South Brisbane Dry Dock in September 1972. Activities, personnel, plant and equipment were moved to an expanded Cairncross Dock, and the machine shop was partly dismantled.

In 1971, anticipating the closure of the dry dock, members of Queensland’s World Ship Society formed the Queensland Maritime Museum Association (QMMA), and approached the Queensland Government to suggest the establishment of a museum at the dry dock. QMMA members were concerned that the closure of the dock would result in its demolition, and viewed the dock as an ideal location to house its growing maritime artefact and vessel collection. Ownership of the South Brisbane Dry Dock site and buildings was transferred to the Land Administration Commission in 1973. QMMA established its base on the site in April 1973, and opened the museum to the public in 1979. The site was gazetted as a recreation park and museum in 1976, held in trust by the Brisbane City Council, and leased to QMMA. In 1981, the retired naval frigate HMAS Diamantina was docked in the dry dock, and was joined by the lightship Carpentaria in 1985. The machine shop was rebuilt in 1986, using bow trusses possibly from the original machine shop.

In the mid-1980s, sites between Stanley Street and the river were cleared in preparation for Expo 88, removing the last traces of the once-dominant shipping industry in the area. Buildings on the former Ship Repair Base were removed, but after some negotiation the Dry Dock was left intact and became a feature exhibitor, attracting over one million visitors during Expo. Additional buildings and displays were moved onto the site after 1988 as part of the museum. The caisson, which had breached in 1998, was demolished and replaced with a concrete riverwall in 2006. In 2001, the 1945 office was lowered for the construction of the Goodwill pedestrian bridge, which was built over the top of the Sidon Street retaining wall and WWII Dry Dock buildings.

Source: Queensland Heritage Register.

Alicia Keys - Fallin'

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urdlvw0SSEc&list=PLB7FADBE567...

The (hopefully) final match for the EVA team, Shane and myself with the IROSA solar arrays. A third spacewalk for the Alpha mission is set for tomorrow/today. It is not rare to do quite a few in a rather short time, but less frequent to do so many with the same person, as tomorrow/today will be our 5th spacewalk together, counting the 2 we did during Proxima. The whole Space Station crew and ground teams have to put all their energy together to make these happen and we are always grateful. After tomorrow we can all return to normal for a bit… if normal is flying in a space station!

Nouvelle extravéhiculaire pour Shane et moi demain, la 3e de la #MissionAlpha. On doit finir d'installer le 2e panneau solaire IROSA. C’est fréquent qu’elles s’enchaînent aussi vite (on optimise la préparation des scaphandres), par contre c’est plus rare d’en faire autant avec la même personne. C’est la 5e qui nous réunit Shane et moi, après les 2 durant Proxima. À bord de la Station et au sol, tout le monde a fait de son mieux pour que les choses se passent bien. Je leur en suis infiniment reconnaissant 🙏 Après ça, on pourra reprendre des activités moins extrèmes (mais toujours dans l’espace quand même ;))

Credits: NASA

GMT171_19_29_For ESA_Thomas Pesquet_EVA 75 Thomas camera

iss065e129888

Here's a link for info on the castle and grounds…

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvaston_Castle

Built with processing.

Trying to optimise a bit the texture rendering in opengl.

For now I got 48 thousand 512*512 transparents pngs rendering at 22fps !!!! (And this on my old 1ghz + 512 ram computer)

This is a single RAW image and was taken with the camera optimise settings on normal. I then processed the photo using Adobe Lightroom and ran the un-sharp filter over it to finish it off. I definitely notice that there is less post processing work needed with the new camera, or is it me.

Highest position: 74 on Wednesday, June 20, 2007 in Explore

Please Visit My Most Interesting Page

Bergen beach - NL

Photo optimised for large monitor view

The Jaguar programme began in the early 1960s, in response to a British requirement (Air Staff Target 362) for an advanced supersonic jet trainer to replace the Folland Gnat T1 and Hawker Hunter T7, and a French requirement (ECAT or École de Combat et d'Appui Tactique, "Tactical Combat Support Trainer") for a cheap, subsonic dual role trainer and light attack aircraft to replace the Fouga Magister, Lockheed T-33 and Dassault Mystère IV. In both countries several companies tendered designs: BAC, Hunting, Hawker Siddeley and Folland in Britain; Breguet, Potez, Sud-Aviation, Nord, and Dassault from France. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in May 1965 for the two countries to develop two aircraft, a trainer based on the ECAT, and the larger AFVG (Anglo-French Variable Geometry)

Cross-channel negotiations led to the formation of SEPECAT (Société Européenne de Production de l'Avion d'École de Combat et d'Appui Tactique – the "European company for the production of a combat trainer and tactical support aircraft") in 1966 as a joint venture between Breguet and the British Aircraft Corporation to produce the airframe. Though based in part on the Breguet Br.121, using the same basic configuration and an innovative French-designed landing gear, the Jaguar was built incorporating major elements of design from BAC – notably the wing and high lift devices.

Production of components would be split between Breguet and BAC, and the aircraft themselves would be assembled on two production lines; one in the UK and one in France, To avoid any duplication of work, each aircraft component had only one source. The British light strike/tactical support versions were the most demanding design, requiring supersonic performance, superior avionics, a cutting edge nav/attack system of more accuracy and complexity than the French version, moving map display, laser range-finder and marked-target seeker (LRMTS). As a result, the initial Br.121 design needed a thinner wing, redesigned fuselage, a higher rear cockpit, and after-burning engines. While putting on smiling faces for the public, maintaining the illusion of a shared design, the British design defacto departed from the French sub-sonic Breguet 121 to such a degree that it was for all intents and purposes a new design.

A separate partnership was formed between Rolls-Royce and Turbomeca to develop the Adour afterburning turbofan engine. The Br.121 was proposed with Turbomeca's Tourmalet engine for ECAT but Breguet preferred the RR RB.172 and their joint venture would use elements of both. The new engine, which would be used for the AFVG as well, would be built in Derby and Tarnos.

Previous collaborative efforts between Britain and France had been complicated – the AFVG programme ended in cancellation, and controversy surrounded the development of the supersonic airliner Concorde. Whilst the technical collaboration between BAC and Breguet went well, when Dassault took over Breguet in 1971 it encouraged acceptance of its own designs, such as the Super Étendard naval attack aircraft and the Mirage F1, for which it would receive more profit, over the Anglo-French Jaguar.

The initial plan was for Britain to buy 150 Jaguar "B" trainers, with its strike requirements being met by the advanced BAC-Dassault AFVG aircraft, with France to buy 75 "E" trainers (école) and 75 "A" single-seat strike attack aircraft (appui). Dassault favoured its own Mirage G aircraft above the collaborative AFVG, and in June 1967, France cancelled the AFVG on cost grounds. This left a gap in the RAF's planned strike capabilities for the 1970s at the same time as France's cancellation of the AFVG, Germany was expressing a serious interest in the Jaguar, and thus the design became more oriented towards the low-level strike role.

The RAF had initially planned on a buy of 150 trainers; however, with both TSR2 and P.1154 gone, the RAF were looking increasingly hard at their future light strike needs and realizing that they now needed more than just advanced trainers with some secondary counter insurgency capability. The RAF's strike line-up was at this point intended to consist of American F-111s plus the AFVG for lighter strike purposes. There was concern that both F-111 and AFVG were high risk projects and with the French already planning on a strike role for the Jaguar, there was an opportunity to introduce a serious backup plan for the RAF's future strike needs - the Jaguar.

While the RAF had initially planned to buy 150 trainers, the TSR2 and p.1154 were gone, and believing that both the US F-111 and AFVG were high-risk programs, and with the French already planning a strike role for their Jaguar, the MOD suddenly realized they were in bad need of a new light strike aircraft capable of delivering tactical nuclear weapons. As a result, by October 1970, the RAF's requirements had changed to 165 single-seat strike aircraft and 35 trainers.

The Jaguar was to replace the McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR2 in the close air support, tactical reconnaissance and tactical strike roles, freeing the Phantom to be used for air defence. Both the French and British trainer requirements had developed significantly, and were eventually fulfilled instead by the Alpha Jet and Hawker Siddeley Hawk respectively. The French, meanwhile, had chosen the Jaguar to replace the Aeronavale's Dassault Étendard IV, and increased their order to include an initial 40 of a carrier-capable maritime version of the Jaguar, the Jaguar M, for the Aeronavale. From these apparently disparate aims would come a single and entirely different aircraft: relatively high-tech, supersonic, and optimised for ground-attack in a high-threat environment.

Spitfire Mk IXc MK356 was built at Castle Bromwich and delivered to Digby in March 1944 fitted with a Merlin 66 engine, optimised for operations at low level and below 25.000 feet. She was allocated to 443 ‘Hornet’ Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, which became part of 144 Canadian Wing, commanded by Wing Commander J. E. ‘Johnny’ Johnson and was based at various locations on the South Coast of England.

The aircraft flew its first operational mission from Westhampnett on 14 April 1944 as part of a ‘Rodeo’ fighter sweep over occupied France. In the weeks leading up to the Invasion of France, MK356 was involved in various fighter and fighter-bomber missions. On D-Day +1 (7 June 1944) during an invasion beach head cover patrol, her pilot, Flying Officer Gordon Ockenden, a Canadian from Alberta, attacked 4 Bf109s “on the deck”. He chased one of the Messerschmitts, opened fire and obtained strikes. His wingman, Flt Lt Hugh Russell finished it off, so they were both credited with a shared kill.

MK356 was damaged 3 times herself, including 2 belly landings and on 14 June lost a wheel on take-off; the pilot completing the mission prior to making a third belly landing. Normally the aircraft would have been repaired on site but the Squadron moved to a forward operating base in France the next day, leaving MK356 behind to be picked up and stored by a Maintenance Unit.

After the war MK356 was used as an instructional airframe, as a gate guardian at Hawkinge and Locking, and she also served as a static airframe in the film ‘The Battle of Britain’ before going on display in the museum at St Athan.

In January 1992 a complete refurbishment to flying condition was commenced and in November 1997 the aircraft flew for the first time in 53 years, subsequently moved to her present home with the BBMF.

The aircraft has been repainted in order to commemorate “the hard-fought war in the deserts of North Africa.” The new markings recreate the desert camouflage of Mk IX EN152/QJ-3 of 92 Squadron, a machine that operated in Tunisia during April and May 1943 and was once flown by Flt Lt Neville Duke, who became the highest-scoring Allied ace of the Mediterranean theatre with 27 confirmed victories.

A bit of fun at Mild Bunch HQ with the Analog ‘A’ set in Fenway Park by Jason Walcott.

I tried optically correcting the finial but at Lego resolution the correction was far too blunt. :)

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The BMW R nineT is a standard motorcycle made by BMW Motorrad since 2014. It is a retro styled roadster marketed by BMW to custom builders and enthusiasts as a "blank canvas for customizing".

The BMW R nineT has several design elements configured to allow the bike to be easily modified, such as separate engine and chassis wiring harnesses and minimal bolts attaching the rear subframe, tail lights, and headlight.

The R nineT version of the bike has upside-down (USD) telescopic forks rather than BMW's usual Telelever front suspension. The other versions have conventional telescopic forks.

All variations have an air/oil-cooled oilhead flat twin (or boxer) 1,170 cc (71 cu in) engine, which has the inlet manifold at the rear of the cylinders and the exhaust at the front. The oilhead is arguably[by whom?] more suitable for customization as it has a more conventional appearance than the new water-cooled engine.

The R nineT Scrambler knows no conventions: rough, unadapted, individual. Its handling is balanced and unique. With the boxer, you can ride around with your head held high, it is available for every spontaneity. And the typical Scrambler look together with the relaxed seating position makes a lot of difference – and above all is a lot of fun. Design your R nineT Scrambler so that it fits perfectly into your life. No matter what the others say. Just typical Soulfuel.

Turn on the power: With the air/oil-cooled boxer of the Scrambler, you can do this in a playful way. We have optimised its power and torque curve and noticeably increased it in the 4,000 to 6,000 rpm range. This way, you have the power exactly where you need it and can remain powerful and completely relaxed out on the road. The peak torque remains at 116 Nm at 6,000 rpm. And of course the boxer complies with the Euro 5 standard.

A decent weather forecast was predicted for Tuesday last so I looked at optimising the potential for rail images reasonably local to me. Using my friend Mark B's loco list I noted an opportunity to repeat a shot I had gone for previously but in much better conditions. I had expected this to already have passed when I arrived so casually looked at 'cams' to note this was already approaching! I didn't want to deny a well lit opportunity so dashed out of the car to just grab this.

I was pleased with the camo-scheme, the colours being optimised for dry scrublands in places like the Middle East.

Cambo SC with Rodenstock Apo-Ronar 300mm f9 lens @ f32. This lens is optimised for 1:1 close up and reproduction work.

I had totally forgotten about this lens until I decided I wanted to make some close up prints of plants and flowers on baryta paper. I have printed this negative on 30x40 cm paper, which doesn't fit on my scanner. The result is similar to this negative scan.

4x5" Fomapan 100 iso. Stand developed in Rodinal 1:100 for 1 hour.

The virtual model was prelimiary built with MLCad and optimised with Stud.io. This image was rendered by using Stud.io built-in setting. Not bad :D

Processed with VSCO with al3pro preset

Snapped loading at the bus stop in Bath St., Levin, opposite New World Levin, for the 2pm departure to Shannon, Foxton, Foxton Beach and Waitarere Beach, the Tukapua Tours 1982 Hino BG100 coach (ex NZRRS No. 6128) operated by George Tukapua viewed on the last day day for this now aging coach operating on the Friday 'Day Out In Town' community bus service.

Passing is Tranzit No. 1127, a January 2011 BCI Explorer with Factory Built C57D bodywork, on the IC service from New Plymouth to Wellington.

The Tukapua Tours coach had been a pioneer of this service through the Te Horowhenua Trust since its inception in 2013 and started with a 3 month trial run which finished on 29 November 2013 and was revived on a permanent basis on Friday, 14 November 2014.

In a front page story in the Horowhenua Chronicle of 10 June 2016, it was publicised that the Horowhenua District Council said it was dissolving the Te Horowhenua Trust. The HDC citing that bringing the operation of the Horowhenua Library Trust and community services in-house was to optimise services, co-ordination and cost efficiencies, the overall aim being to improve the level and quality of services offered by the Council.

From Friday, 1 July 2016, the service will be subsidised by the Horizons Regional Council using a as yet unknown bus.

DAY OUT IN TOWN BUS TIMETABLE CHANGE

Thursday, 16 June 2016

Horowhenua's popular Day Out in Town Bus is to begin its loop of the District earlier in the day each Friday.

From Friday 1 July the bus's scheduled stops will be brought forward by 15 minutes, now departing from Te Takere in Levin at 9.15am. The bus will continue to travel via Shannon, Foxton Beach, Foxton and Waitarere Beach, before arriving back in Levin at 10.45am. It will then depart from Te Takere for the return loop at 1.45pm.

New timetables are available from Council's Levin office and service centres at the Foxton and Shannon community libraries, as well as from the visitor information centre at Te Takere.

The fare remains at $2 per passenger, providing affordable and reliable travel between the Horowhenua communities. The service will not operate on public holidays.

The Day Out in Town Bus service will be operated by Horizons Regional Council from July. Since 2014 it had been operated through Te Horowhenua Trust, funded by third party sources including New Zealand Lotteries, Infinity Foundation and Pub Charity.

New timetable is:

- 9.15am Levin: Bath Street bus stop outside Te Takere

- 9.30am Shannon: Ballance Street bus stop

- 10.00am Foxton Beach: Community Centre, Seabury Avenue

- 10.10am Foxton: Main Street bus stop by de Molen windmill

- 10.25am Waitarere Beach: Outside Four Square

- 10.45am Levin: Bath Street bus stop outside Te Takere

- 1.45pm Levin: Bath Street bus stop outside Te Takere

- 2.00pm Shannon: Ballance Street bus stop

- 2.30pm Foxton Beach: Community Centre, Seabury Avenue

- 2.40pm Foxton: Main Street bus stop by de Molen windmill

- 2.55pm Waitarere Beach: Outside Four Square

- 3.15pm Levin: Bath Street bus stop outside Te Takere

In 1981 NZRRS recieved 15 Hino BG100 coaches with NZMB bodies. 10 of these had C41F bodies and 5 C45F bodies. A number later received airconditioning including all the C45F vehicles.

TUKAPUA TOURS HINO BG100 HISTORY:

- New Zealand Railways Road Services No. 6128 KO2760 7/9/82

- New Zealand Railways Road Services No. 1071 1O71IC 16/10/89 (Auckland C45FA bodywork)

- Whangarei Bus Services Ltd No. 1071 1O71IC 15/7/91.

- Palmerston North Coach Line Ltd No. 411 1O71IC 6/10/94.

- Tukapua Tours Ltd, Levin, No. ? 1O7IC 5/7/04

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NGC7635's bubble, around 10ly diameter, is a star remnant illuminated gas cloud c 11,000ly distant.

NGC7654 (M52) lower right is an open cluster of undetermined distance*

NGC7538 lower left is bright nebula

Up is 5˚ E of N

All processing with PixInsight

77 x 180Sec + 30 x 300 Sec

, over multiple nights.

BIAS and Optimised DARK files used for calibration**.

ASI294MC, Esprit ED80, AVX mount.

*Current estimates are 3.5-5.0ly due intervening gas clouds

**There is an unresolved issue with FLATS for the relevant nights

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Incubation, which optimises temperature for chick development, usually begins after the last egg has been laid. In monogamous species incubation duties are often shared, whereas in polygamous species one parent is wholly responsible for incubation. Warmth from parents passes to the eggs through brood patches, areas of bare skin on the abdomen or breast of the incubating birds.

2014 03 040 Still Life EggAnd2more 3HDR

The Bison was an amphibious vehicle, optimised for traversing the tundra of Hibernia. Similar to Siberia, on Earth, the land could be frozen and snowy in the winter and then melt into swampland in the summer.

The design was based on the LVT Buffalo of WWII vintage. A big difference was that the Bison's ramp was front loading, whereas the Buffalo had a rear loading ramp. The Bison also featured extra plumbing, to enable hand washing, which was impossible in the old Buffalo design.

The cargo space was just large enough to hold one, half-sized standard Hibernia container or a small vehicle.

Now I am trying the 35m F2 lens. How does it compare to the 35mm F1.4?

Have a great Wednesday!

Fuji makes very good prime lenses at affordable prices (look at the price tags of similar ones made by Zeiss for Sony, Fuji and Nikon mount).

This is just repost of an old picture from last year.

Fuji X Pro-1 is the kind of camera that you just need to see and to click and then get good pictures. Great sensor and great lenses. The 35mm F1.4 is so well optimised with the sensor. I believe the design is done with the mission to fit with the X Trans sensor only.

Do you dare to use the X series camera? It is a challenge. Because you can blame nobody but only you if you cannot get a good picture out of it. :o)

A trial shot at Van Dusen Garden today.

Fuji X Pro-1

Fujinon 35mm F1.4

Quai de la Tourette 13/08/2016 12h45

One of the 6 100 percent electric buses along the Marseille harbour near the Cathérale La Major. With this test route 82 in Marseille is 100 procent electric.

Six Irizar 12E Electric Buses for Marseille

Irizars i2e 100% electric powered bus, which it claims guarantees an operating range of between 12 and 16 hours (up to 240km), has been designed to achieve the greatest energy efficiency, the lowest consumption and optimum end of life management. It says the bus has a very low carbon footprint of 8.45g CO2 eq./km.p (per kilometre and passenger). It means it saves around 800 tonnes of CO2 during its entire service life, compared to a conventional diesel bus.

The buses feature 16 sodium-nickel batteries and a Siemens motor, as well as CCTV, Wi-Fi, LED lights and a reversing camera. Irizar has installed an intelligent system which optimises the process of charging the six buses.

[ Busworld ]

Let us entertain you.

There will be plenty to see and do at this year’s fete, including raffles, face painting, crafts and kids activities.

The P&C of Jindalee State School is a group of parents who are focused on supporting school programs, raising funds and managing programs run through sub-committees and focus groups.

The P&C is increasingly dovetailing its activities with the school to optimise planning and development efforts for the benefit of our students.

Send me a message on Facebook or LinkedIn if you want me to do some design work for you!

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The EF Tempest IDS (interdiction/strike) is the specialized ground attack version of the Tempest F3. Optimised for low level ground attack and close-support operations, the IDS version sports increased fuel capacity and a more extensive air-to-ground avionics suite, including FLIR and a laser designator for independent targeting of laser-guided air-to-ground munitions. The IDS will serve with NDC's tactical strike squadrons, and it is also proposed as a likely successor to the RNoAF’s SEPECAT Jaguar Gr.4Ns when they reach the end of their life cycle.

I'm running out of plausible explanations storyline-wise for the radical design changes on my Tempest, so just try to forget the previous two versions, and let's re-boot from the top, ok?

You can see where the Forest Flame bush gets its name when you see the fiery looking leaves it produces!

Optimising my Lightroom 4 catalog seems to have speeded up Lightroom 4 for me a little, even though I have only 500 images in the catalog! I can only guess it's because I have over 100 Smart Collections!

~ FlickrIT ~ Lightbox ~ 500px ~ Google+ ~

THE LAST HURRAH: Snapped moments after leaving the Bath St. stop used for the Friday 'Day Out In Town' community bus service that runs via Shannon, Foxton, Foxton Beach and Waitarere Beach, the Tukapua Tours 1982 Hino BG100 coach (ex NZRRS No. 6128) operated by George Tukapua captured on Friday, 24 June 2026, on the 2pm homebound trip on the last day day for this now aging coach operating the service.

The Tukapua Tours coach had been a pioneer of this service through the Te Horowhenua Trust since its inception in 2013 and started with a 3 month trial run which finished on 29 November 2013 and was revived on a permanent basis on Friday, 14 November 2014.

In a front page story in the Horowhenua Chronicle of 10 June 2016, it was publicised that the Horowhenua District Council said it was dissolving the Te Horowhenua Trust. The HDC citing that bringing the operation of the Horowhenua Library Trust and community services in-house was to optimise services, co-ordination and cost efficiencies, the overall aim being to improve the level and quality of services offered by the Council.

From Friday, 1 July 2016, the service will be subsidised by the Horizons Regional Council using a as yet unknown bus.

DAY OUT IN TOWN BUS TIMETABLE CHANGE

Thursday, 16 June 2016

Horowhenua's popular Day Out in Town Bus is to begin its loop of the District earlier in the day each Friday.

From Friday 1 July the bus's scheduled stops will be brought forward by 15 minutes, now departing from Te Takere in Levin at 9.15am. The bus will continue to travel via Shannon, Foxton Beach, Foxton and Waitarere Beach, before arriving back in Levin at 10.45am. It will then depart from Te Takere for the return loop at 1.45pm.

New timetables are available from Council's Levin office and service centres at the Foxton and Shannon community libraries, as well as from the visitor information centre at Te Takere.

The fare remains at $2 per passenger, providing affordable and reliable travel between the Horowhenua communities. The service will not operate on public holidays.

The Day Out in Town Bus service will be operated by Horizons Regional Council from July. Since 2014 it had been operated through Te Horowhenua Trust, funded by third party sources including New Zealand Lotteries, Infinity Foundation and Pub Charity.

New timetable is:

- 9.15am Levin: Bath Street bus stop outside Te Takere

- 9.30am Shannon: Ballance Street bus stop

- 10.00am Foxton Beach: Community Centre, Seabury Avenue

- 10.10am Foxton: Main Street bus stop by de Molen windmill

- 10.25am Waitarere Beach: Outside Four Square

- 10.45am Levin: Bath Street bus stop outside Te Takere

- 1.45pm Levin: Bath Street bus stop outside Te Takere

- 2.00pm Shannon: Ballance Street bus stop

- 2.30pm Foxton Beach: Community Centre, Seabury Avenue

- 2.40pm Foxton: Main Street bus stop by de Molen windmill

- 2.55pm Waitarere Beach: Outside Four Square

- 3.15pm Levin: Bath Street bus stop outside Te Takere

COUNCIL TO BRING LIBRARY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES IN-HOUSE

Thursday, 9 June 2016

The Horowhenua District Council is to bring in-house all library and community services currently delivered by Te Horowhenua Trust, to optimise services, coordination and cost efficiencies.

This will take effect from 1 July 2016 to coincide with the end date of the service contract with the Trust, and comes as a result of a comprehensive review of community services in Horowhenua, completed in March.

The review was not solely on library and community services delivered by the Trust; but also Council's aquatic services, community service centres, and community development services including grants, events and recreation. It involved focus group discussions with eight community organisations including Te Horowhenua Trust.

Council's Chief Executive David Clapperton says the overall aim is to improve cost efficiencies, service coordination, as well as to increase the level, quantity, reach and accessibility of services.

"There is a need to create sustainable and cost-effective services that our community can afford," he said.

"Bringing the library and community services in-house will not only present cost-savings and opportunities for further savings, but also allow for improved service coordination, integration and delivery, as well as expanding reach and range of programmes."

Some other objectives are to enhance the library offerings in Foxton, Shannon and Tokomaru; increase district-wide programmes for local history, lifelong learning, literacy and digital literacy; increase opportunities for volunteers; to increase opportunities for library access; and also build the partnerships with schools and school libraries to strengthen community resources.

"For the community and anyone engaged with Te Takere, everything will continue like business as usual," Mr Clapperton said.

Horowhenua District Council is the only council in New Zealand that does not directly manage its library services.

"Council in-house library service provision is the norm in New Zealand and there has been a national trend away from operating Council-controlled organisations," Mr Clapperton said.

"We need to consider how we best meet community expectations in an affordable and sustainable way. We want our residents and ratepayers to be proud of Horowhenua's community services, and Council strives to deliver quality services that are efficient, effective and appropriate to both the current and anticipated future community needs and aspirations.

"The review highlighted many successes that come out of Te Takere and it recommended more community hubs like Te Takere be set up throughout our district, so this is not happening because they are not doing a great job. However, we have a restricted budget and to provide more services in our district within this restricted budget we need to rethink how we do things.

"Bringing the broader range of community services in house will allow for improved service coordination, integration and delivery as well as expanding reach and range of programming including the operationalisation of Te Awahou- Nieuwe Stroom in Foxton."

Mr Clapperton said in addition to optimising Library and Community Services, savings made from the transfer will also provide the resources required to progress other operational recommendations from the Review including:

- Expanding aquatics programming to include rehabilitation programming

- Increasing community participation and engagement through community based planning

- Operationalising Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom in Foxton

- Greater reach across the district for community development activities and community events.- Horowhenua District Council news

In 1981 NZRRS recieved 15 Hino BG100 coaches with NZMB bodies. 10 of these had C41F bodies and 5 C45F bodies. A number later received airconditioning including all the C45F vehicles.

TUKAPUA TOURS HINO BG100 HISTORY:

- New Zealand Railways Road Services No. 6128 KO2760 7/9/82

- New Zealand Railways Road Services No. 1071 1O71IC 16/10/89 (Auckland C45FA bodywork)

- Whangarei Bus Services Ltd No. 1071 1O71IC 15/7/91.

- Palmerston North Coach Line Ltd No. 411 1O71IC 6/10/94.

- Tukapua Tours Ltd, Levin, No. ? 1O7IC 5/7/04

The Jaguar programme began in the early 1960s, in response to a British requirement (Air Staff Target 362) for an advanced supersonic jet trainer to replace the Folland Gnat T1 and Hawker Hunter T7, and a French requirement (ECAT or École de Combat et d'Appui Tactique, "Tactical Combat Support Trainer") for a cheap, subsonic dual role trainer and light attack aircraft to replace the Fouga Magister, Lockheed T-33 and Dassault Mystère IV. In both countries several companies tendered designs: BAC, Hunting, Hawker Siddeley and Folland in Britain; Breguet, Potez, Sud-Aviation, Nord, and Dassault from France. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in May 1965 for the two countries to develop two aircraft, a trainer based on the ECAT, and the larger AFVG (Anglo-French Variable Geometry)

Cross-channel negotiations led to the formation of SEPECAT (Société Européenne de Production de l'Avion d'École de Combat et d'Appui Tactique – the "European company for the production of a combat trainer and tactical support aircraft") in 1966 as a joint venture between Breguet and the British Aircraft Corporation to produce the airframe. Though based in part on the Breguet Br.121, using the same basic configuration and an innovative French-designed landing gear, the Jaguar was built incorporating major elements of design from BAC – notably the wing and high lift devices.

Production of components would be split between Breguet and BAC, and the aircraft themselves would be assembled on two production lines; one in the UK and one in France, To avoid any duplication of work, each aircraft component had only one source. The British light strike/tactical support versions were the most demanding design, requiring supersonic performance, superior avionics, a cutting edge nav/attack system of more accuracy and complexity than the French version, moving map display, laser range-finder and marked-target seeker (LRMTS). As a result, the initial Br.121 design needed a thinner wing, redesigned fuselage, a higher rear cockpit, and after-burning engines. While putting on smiling faces for the public, maintaining the illusion of a shared design, the British design defacto departed from the French sub-sonic Breguet 121 to such a degree that it was for all intents and purposes a new design.

A separate partnership was formed between Rolls-Royce and Turbomeca to develop the Adour afterburning turbofan engine. The Br.121 was proposed with Turbomeca's Tourmalet engine for ECAT but Breguet preferred the RR RB.172 and their joint venture would use elements of both. The new engine, which would be used for the AFVG as well, would be built in Derby and Tarnos.

Previous collaborative efforts between Britain and France had been complicated – the AFVG programme ended in cancellation, and controversy surrounded the development of the supersonic airliner Concorde. Whilst the technical collaboration between BAC and Breguet went well, when Dassault took over Breguet in 1971 it encouraged acceptance of its own designs, such as the Super Étendard naval attack aircraft and the Mirage F1, for which it would receive more profit, over the Anglo-French Jaguar.

The initial plan was for Britain to buy 150 Jaguar "B" trainers, with its strike requirements being met by the advanced BAC-Dassault AFVG aircraft, with France to buy 75 "E" trainers (école) and 75 "A" single-seat strike attack aircraft (appui). Dassault favoured its own Mirage G aircraft above the collaborative AFVG, and in June 1967, France cancelled the AFVG on cost grounds. This left a gap in the RAF's planned strike capabilities for the 1970s at the same time as France's cancellation of the AFVG, Germany was expressing a serious interest in the Jaguar, and thus the design became more oriented towards the low-level strike role.

The RAF had initially planned on a buy of 150 trainers; however, with both TSR2 and P.1154 gone, the RAF were looking increasingly hard at their future light strike needs and realizing that they now needed more than just advanced trainers with some secondary counter insurgency capability. The RAF's strike line-up was at this point intended to consist of American F-111s plus the AFVG for lighter strike purposes. There was concern that both F-111 and AFVG were high risk projects and with the French already planning on a strike role for the Jaguar, there was an opportunity to introduce a serious backup plan for the RAF's future strike needs - the Jaguar.

While the RAF had initially planned to buy 150 trainers, the TSR2 and p.1154 were gone, and believing that both the US F-111 and AFVG were high-risk programs, and with the French already planning a strike role for their Jaguar, the MOD suddenly realized they were in bad need of a new light strike aircraft capable of delivering tactical nuclear weapons. As a result, by October 1970, the RAF's requirements had changed to 165 single-seat strike aircraft and 35 trainers.

The Jaguar was to replace the McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR2 in the close air support, tactical reconnaissance and tactical strike roles, freeing the Phantom to be used for air defence. Both the French and British trainer requirements had developed significantly, and were eventually fulfilled instead by the Alpha Jet and Hawker Siddeley Hawk respectively. The French, meanwhile, had chosen the Jaguar to replace the Aeronavale's Dassault Étendard IV, and increased their order to include an initial 40 of a carrier-capable maritime version of the Jaguar, the Jaguar M, for the Aeronavale. From these apparently disparate aims would come a single and entirely different aircraft: relatively high-tech, supersonic, and optimised for ground-attack in a high-threat environment.

Size 2000 x 1500 x 370 and 2000 x 750 x 325 mm, made from white/transparent PF-coated 9mm plywood. High shelf generated and optimised for 75% magazines and large art books. Low shelf generated and optimised for 50% large art books and 50% regular soft and hard cover books.

Greenliner -Etihad eco-flights

From electric tractors for baggage and freight loading, to optimised flight route planning and continuous descent, we use our eco-flights to trial, develop and calculate the impact of a number of different changes.

Operating on our Boeing 787s and innovative Etihad Greenliner, our eco-flights have a significantly lower impact on the environment. On average, they consume 15% less fuel, follow an optimised flight route and reduce the amount of single-use plastic on board.

Our eco-flights are also an exciting opportunity to trial innovative and eco-friendly products. We use our flights as a platform to challenge local and global suppliers, and to champion those which step up to the plate.

Week three of the Mechtober challenge, and this time's mech is inspired by the hammerhead shark.

The Hammerhead is obviously a bit more combat-oriented than the previous two: the adaptable all-round, possibly melee-oriented Mechtopus and the deep-sea, possibly recovery/salvage-optimised Spidercrab. I'm thinking this is the ranged combat unit of the family with that integral arm cannon.

Since the previous mech had blue windshields, blue needed to be a major body colour on this mech (which makes the final week 4 mech need to be predominantly green with red windshields).

As a bonus, I think this is the first time I've used that dark blue aeroplane part from one of the Arctic helicopters from a few years back in one of my MOCs.

Today we took our recently acquired Sony Handycam HDR-CX730 out with the Raynox DCR-250 to see how it would perform. For anyone unfamiliar with these little hexapods, they are about 2mm long and look pretty much like a small spec of dust to the naked eye.

The combination seems to work very well, the smaller sensor on the video camera providing more working depth of field compared to a DSLR and the Raynox enabling us to zoom in really close up on these tiny springtails.

The filming was done from a tripod using a ball head and macro rail to assist with optimising focal distance. I used natural light and an old rotting tree stump as a makeshift field studio. Helen was in charge of talent spotting and managed to find many potential tiny budding starlets!

Voici une prise de vue sensiblement identique, à ceci près que la météo s'est dégradée rapidement comme vous pouvez le constater ! En effet, ce soir-là (et juste après avoir réalisé le panoramique avec l'ISS), les nuages menaçaient de couvrir totalement la vallée de Vallouise, ce qu'ils ont fait en quelques minutes à peine.

Est-ce forcément signe de ranger le matériel car ça ne sert plus à rien de prendre des images ? Non !

La couverture nuageuse peut être utilisée pour mettre en avant la magnitude (la "force" de luminosité apparente) et la couleur de chaque étoile facilement : c'est le fameux effet Akira Fujii.

En effet, leur lumière se diffuse dans les nuages, ce qui permet à l'appareil de capturer plus facilement leur "halo" lumineux.

Ainsi, il est possible de photographier des constellations et de les reconnaître facilement sur les images, car les petites étoiles (celles de faible magnitude) sont filtrées par le voile de nuage, mais pas les plus lumineuses, celles qui ont été désignées par les anciens pour former ces formes imaginaires.

Simple, et le rendu est sympa ! Parfait pour boucler une séance photo

Matériel et EXIFS

Nikon D750 Astrodon

Samyang France 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC

NiSi France Natural Night 77mm

Tête panoramique Nodal Ninja IV RD-16

Embase EZ Leveller II

Panoramique de 25 images, projection Fisheye optimisée

Pour chaque image : 10s, f/2.8, 4000ISO, 35mm

Traitement DxO OpticsPro 11 Elite

Assamblage Autopano Giga 4.4.1

Retouches Lightroom CC

Image montée sur moniteur Samsung F2380M calibré

This is the Blake House made for people that live in waterfront and would like to optimise the space with the boat garage under and a living space in the upper space.

16 prims

20 x 30

copy / mod

Marketplace : marketplace.secondlife.com/p/ZAKER-The-Blake-House/22849847

Demo : maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bay%20City%20-%20Tanelorn/...

The Jaguar programme began in the early 1960s, in response to a British requirement (Air Staff Target 362) for an advanced supersonic jet trainer to replace the Folland Gnat T1 and Hawker Hunter T7, and a French requirement (ECAT or École de Combat et d'Appui Tactique, "Tactical Combat Support Trainer") for a cheap, subsonic dual role trainer and light attack aircraft to replace the Fouga Magister, Lockheed T-33 and Dassault Mystère IV. In both countries several companies tendered designs: BAC, Hunting, Hawker Siddeley and Folland in Britain; Breguet, Potez, Sud-Aviation, Nord, and Dassault from France. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in May 1965 for the two countries to develop two aircraft, a trainer based on the ECAT, and the larger AFVG (Anglo-French Variable Geometry)

Cross-channel negotiations led to the formation of SEPECAT (Société Européenne de Production de l'Avion d'École de Combat et d'Appui Tactique – the "European company for the production of a combat trainer and tactical support aircraft") in 1966 as a joint venture between Breguet and the British Aircraft Corporation to produce the airframe. Though based in part on the Breguet Br.121, using the same basic configuration and an innovative French-designed landing gear, the Jaguar was built incorporating major elements of design from BAC – notably the wing and high lift devices.

Production of components would be split between Breguet and BAC, and the aircraft themselves would be assembled on two production lines; one in the UK and one in France, To avoid any duplication of work, each aircraft component had only one source. The British light strike/tactical support versions were the most demanding design, requiring supersonic performance, superior avionics, a cutting edge nav/attack system of more accuracy and complexity than the French version, moving map display, laser range-finder and marked-target seeker (LRMTS). As a result, the initial Br.121 design needed a thinner wing, redesigned fuselage, a higher rear cockpit, and after-burning engines. While putting on smiling faces for the public, maintaining the illusion of a shared design, the British design defacto departed from the French sub-sonic Breguet 121 to such a degree that it was for all intents and purposes a new design.

A separate partnership was formed between Rolls-Royce and Turbomeca to develop the Adour afterburning turbofan engine. The Br.121 was proposed with Turbomeca's Tourmalet engine for ECAT but Breguet preferred the RR RB.172 and their joint venture would use elements of both. The new engine, which would be used for the AFVG as well, would be built in Derby and Tarnos.

Previous collaborative efforts between Britain and France had been complicated – the AFVG programme ended in cancellation, and controversy surrounded the development of the supersonic airliner Concorde. Whilst the technical collaboration between BAC and Breguet went well, when Dassault took over Breguet in 1971 it encouraged acceptance of its own designs, such as the Super Étendard naval attack aircraft and the Mirage F1, for which it would receive more profit, over the Anglo-French Jaguar.

The initial plan was for Britain to buy 150 Jaguar "B" trainers, with its strike requirements being met by the advanced BAC-Dassault AFVG aircraft, with France to buy 75 "E" trainers (école) and 75 "A" single-seat strike attack aircraft (appui). Dassault favoured its own Mirage G aircraft above the collaborative AFVG, and in June 1967, France cancelled the AFVG on cost grounds. This left a gap in the RAF's planned strike capabilities for the 1970s at the same time as France's cancellation of the AFVG, Germany was expressing a serious interest in the Jaguar, and thus the design became more oriented towards the low-level strike role.

The RAF had initially planned on a buy of 150 trainers; however, with both TSR2 and P.1154 gone, the RAF were looking increasingly hard at their future light strike needs and realizing that they now needed more than just advanced trainers with some secondary counter insurgency capability. The RAF's strike line-up was at this point intended to consist of American F-111s plus the AFVG for lighter strike purposes. There was concern that both F-111 and AFVG were high risk projects and with the French already planning on a strike role for the Jaguar, there was an opportunity to introduce a serious backup plan for the RAF's future strike needs - the Jaguar.

While the RAF had initially planned to buy 150 trainers, the TSR2 and p.1154 were gone, and believing that both the US F-111 and AFVG were high-risk programs, and with the French already planning a strike role for their Jaguar, the MOD suddenly realized they were in bad need of a new light strike aircraft capable of delivering tactical nuclear weapons. As a result, by October 1970, the RAF's requirements had changed to 165 single-seat strike aircraft and 35 trainers.

The Jaguar was to replace the McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR2 in the close air support, tactical reconnaissance and tactical strike roles, freeing the Phantom to be used for air defence. Both the French and British trainer requirements had developed significantly, and were eventually fulfilled instead by the Alpha Jet and Hawker Siddeley Hawk respectively. The French, meanwhile, had chosen the Jaguar to replace the Aeronavale's Dassault Étendard IV, and increased their order to include an initial 40 of a carrier-capable maritime version of the Jaguar, the Jaguar M, for the Aeronavale. From these apparently disparate aims would come a single and entirely different aircraft: relatively high-tech, supersonic, and optimised for ground-attack in a high-threat environment.

McLaren 675LT (2015-17) Engine 3799cc V8 Twin Turbo McLaren M838T 665bhp

Production 500 (limited)

Registration NumberJ 4 PPO (Cherished number , first allocated from Portsmouth)

McLAREN SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157624133981232...

The McLaren 675LT is a lightweight, track-focused evolution of the McLaren 650S, first announced February 2015, it made its show debut at the 2015 Geneva Motorshow. As with the 650S, the 675LT makes use of single-piece carbon fibre monocell weighing 75 kg (165 lb), with further carbon fibre used to minimise weight and increase rigidity. The 675LT is supplied with new carbon ceramic brake discs of 394 mm at the front and 380 mm at the rear. Six-piston calipers grip the front discs with four-piston caliper used for the rears. Braking performance is also aided by the air brake ability of the new rear wing. The 675LT is slightly longer than the 650S by virtue of its new rear wing/air brake assembly, new carbon fibre diffuser and larger front splitter.

The car is powered by a variation of the M838T 3.8 L twin-turbocharged V8 engine rated at 675 PS benefitting from new lightweight connecting rods, a bespoke camshaft, an electronic recirculation valve and a lightweight titanium exhaust featuring dual circular outlets. Also used in the engine are revised turbocharger compressor wheels and an optimised fuel pump

Diolch am olygfa anhygoel, 62,185,067 oblogaeth y Lloegr honno dros y Mynyddoedd

Thanks for a stonking 62,185,067 views

Shot 30-07-2017 exiting the 2017 Silverstone Classic REF 129-468

This photo was taken on Kodak Portra 160 film (my favourite film!) using a Pentax *ist, fitted with a Pentax DA XS 40mm f2.8 lens. Now this is a Pentax DA lens, which means it is optimised for digital cameras with an APS-C sensor (specifically the Pentax K-01).

And in a purely technical sense it doesn't work that well on a full frame film body: there is some light vingetting, especially wide open, and the sharpness in the corners is pretty dreadful in the corners... but I really like the character this lens gives on a full frame film body... I'm guess that it would work nicely on the Pentax K-1 too.

Because it has no aperture ring it really needs to be used on a body that allow aperture to be controlled from the camera, and the *ist falls into this classification. Together they make a really tiny (almost pocketable!) combination with a really nice focal length.

A 40mm f2.8 lens might not scream 'bokeh!!', but on full frame you can actually get some lovely bokeh effects with this lens.

Four different monoliths from the Occitane region, each with an element or association that may suggest late neolithic or early bronze age origins, and each with an element that may suggest a function related to pressing juice from fruit, be it an output canal for liquid, carved slots for a structure to potentially house wooden press levers and wide hard areas for action. Despite having surfaces for pressing and canals for collecting, it seems that evidence that these monoliths originated for fruit/grape pressing is patchy, slim and largely insufficient.

An image of a simple lever press is posted in the comment below. Other primitive fruit-press adaptions to a pressing basin might include a cross beam to help those who might be pressing fruit with their feet to afford directed pressure.

Alcohol was a way to preserve excess fruit harvests and wine was a Celtic product from a least 2,500 ybp so simple wine pressing troughs need to be kept in mind. Rituals and cultural practises with waters and herbs may also have adapted with new fermentation ideas, allowing neolithic stones to modulate and change their morphology through the iron ages and into the early medieval years. Again with these factors in mind, ideas of fruit press explanations for these examples of large carved monoliths are far from conclusive.

Top left: Saint Michel de Grandmont.

Aside this low 'basin' can be found a wide cluster of imposing and characterful neolithic dolmens and a wide range of basins including a monolithic throne - all monolithic carvings in keeping with chalcolithic and bronze age finds in the equally mineral hills of the Albera region in the north of Spain (geographically situated on the south side of the intervening flatland belt that stretches between the Mediterranean and Atlantic). Small-scale cups and canals confirm neolithic and bronze age dates. Whilst they are apparently missing from the Grandmont site, there exist examples of basins without cups and canals in direct association with megaliths (see below) so dates from as early as the neolithic remain active. With wine known from at least 2,500 ybp and a potential for 'transforming' fermenting and preserving repeated baskets of collected fruit produce, this basin must be considered as a potential pressing basin or 'wine pressing trough'. Two tall and rectangular carved mortice joints are visible to the near side, suggest a structure; potentially the wooden 'uprights' to hold a press with the beam weight landing on a carved indent opposite. It looks as if the indents may have damaged a pre existing circumference wall and that any collection for juice from a press would have been less that optimised. The photographer and researcher Laurent Crassous has isolated stones and canals with a debit and collection point ideal for heating water via the suns rays. Uses of fire free warm water are many from cleaning to bathing, babies and Epicurean pleasure. The large Grandmont basin may originally have naturally warmed water with the walls rounded by seated persons, with there having been a later attempt to put the 'sun trough' to use as a grape press. The carved marks that appear to be perfect for a press would also have been perfect for a bench to seat more people in communal contact with water and herbs - the bench's wooden feet kept away from the water.

Top right: le roc de la Fougasse - Morenci. The stone is found under a ridge that includes chalcolithic buriel sites, and petroglyphs that are difficult to date. The top surface may seem idea for a press, but in detail is not flat. The canals around the 'stump' of stone seem to make a journey for any liquids without being adapted for either collection or heating. This monolith may probably be closer to a podium for rites and cultural events. There may just be the faded goodbyes of petroglyphs on the surface of the disc - too difficult to assert.

Lower left: Pierre du Sacrifce de la Peyregade. The surface of the monolith is tilted and the trench has been effected by man but not in a way that might help a targeted use for juice collection or waming water. Cups and canals on the surface of this monolith help to date this stone to between the late neolithic and the early bronze age.

Lower right: Pierre du Sacrifice de la Causse de Lunas. 5.5m long, 3m wide and 1.25m high. Cups, canals and a faint 'neolithic' cross help to push the origins of this stone into a late prehistoric timescale. The stone is above the shadows of surrounding valleys and might have functioned for heating water by induction. A raised carved 'bar' splits the basin into two which may have helped with heating strategies if combined with hot stones (potential for dichotomies: cleaning rinsing, hot cold, two colours of herb and so on). The general appearance of the monlith might be described as being that of a simple boat. As with the Grandmont basin there are carved mortice joints for an additional structure - here two on each side. The joints are not opposite each other, and whilst arguments that the stone was adapted as a press at a later date in its chronology are intriguing, there does not seem to be an obvious functional synergy that comes from true design. There is a chapel down in the valley that dates to the fifth century, and attempts to add Christianized structure to the sacred trees and stones of the local landscape may have led to a re-appropriation of a locally sacred stone, with wine and Monks often associated.

The monoliths of each diagonal are within tens of kilometers of each other, and then around 150km between.

AJM 20.10.19

The Jaguar programme began in the early 1960s, in response to a British requirement (Air Staff Target 362) for an advanced supersonic jet trainer to replace the Folland Gnat T1 and Hawker Hunter T7, and a French requirement (ECAT or École de Combat et d'Appui Tactique, "Tactical Combat Support Trainer") for a cheap, subsonic dual role trainer and light attack aircraft to replace the Fouga Magister, Lockheed T-33 and Dassault Mystère IV. In both countries several companies tendered designs: BAC, Hunting, Hawker Siddeley and Folland in Britain; Breguet, Potez, Sud-Aviation, Nord, and Dassault from France. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in May 1965 for the two countries to develop two aircraft, a trainer based on the ECAT, and the larger AFVG (Anglo-French Variable Geometry)

Cross-channel negotiations led to the formation of SEPECAT (Société Européenne de Production de l'Avion d'École de Combat et d'Appui Tactique – the "European company for the production of a combat trainer and tactical support aircraft") in 1966 as a joint venture between Breguet and the British Aircraft Corporation to produce the airframe. Though based in part on the Breguet Br.121, using the same basic configuration and an innovative French-designed landing gear, the Jaguar was built incorporating major elements of design from BAC – notably the wing and high lift devices.

Production of components would be split between Breguet and BAC, and the aircraft themselves would be assembled on two production lines; one in the UK and one in France, To avoid any duplication of work, each aircraft component had only one source. The British light strike/tactical support versions were the most demanding design, requiring supersonic performance, superior avionics, a cutting edge nav/attack system of more accuracy and complexity than the French version, moving map display, laser range-finder and marked-target seeker (LRMTS). As a result, the initial Br.121 design needed a thinner wing, redesigned fuselage, a higher rear cockpit, and after-burning engines. While putting on smiling faces for the public, maintaining the illusion of a shared design, the British design defacto departed from the French sub-sonic Breguet 121 to such a degree that it was for all intents and purposes a new design.

A separate partnership was formed between Rolls-Royce and Turbomeca to develop the Adour afterburning turbofan engine. The Br.121 was proposed with Turbomeca's Tourmalet engine for ECAT but Breguet preferred the RR RB.172 and their joint venture would use elements of both. The new engine, which would be used for the AFVG as well, would be built in Derby and Tarnos.

Previous collaborative efforts between Britain and France had been complicated – the AFVG programme ended in cancellation, and controversy surrounded the development of the supersonic airliner Concorde. Whilst the technical collaboration between BAC and Breguet went well, when Dassault took over Breguet in 1971 it encouraged acceptance of its own designs, such as the Super Étendard naval attack aircraft and the Mirage F1, for which it would receive more profit, over the Anglo-French Jaguar.

The initial plan was for Britain to buy 150 Jaguar "B" trainers, with its strike requirements being met by the advanced BAC-Dassault AFVG aircraft, with France to buy 75 "E" trainers (école) and 75 "A" single-seat strike attack aircraft (appui). Dassault favoured its own Mirage G aircraft above the collaborative AFVG, and in June 1967, France cancelled the AFVG on cost grounds. This left a gap in the RAF's planned strike capabilities for the 1970s at the same time as France's cancellation of the AFVG, Germany was expressing a serious interest in the Jaguar, and thus the design became more oriented towards the low-level strike role.

The RAF had initially planned on a buy of 150 trainers; however, with both TSR2 and P.1154 gone, the RAF were looking increasingly hard at their future light strike needs and realizing that they now needed more than just advanced trainers with some secondary counter insurgency capability. The RAF's strike line-up was at this point intended to consist of American F-111s plus the AFVG for lighter strike purposes. There was concern that both F-111 and AFVG were high risk projects and with the French already planning on a strike role for the Jaguar, there was an opportunity to introduce a serious backup plan for the RAF's future strike needs - the Jaguar.

While the RAF had initially planned to buy 150 trainers, the TSR2 and p.1154 were gone, and believing that both the US F-111 and AFVG were high-risk programs, and with the French already planning a strike role for their Jaguar, the MOD suddenly realized they were in bad need of a new light strike aircraft capable of delivering tactical nuclear weapons. As a result, by October 1970, the RAF's requirements had changed to 165 single-seat strike aircraft and 35 trainers.

The Jaguar was to replace the McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR2 in the close air support, tactical reconnaissance and tactical strike roles, freeing the Phantom to be used for air defence. Both the French and British trainer requirements had developed significantly, and were eventually fulfilled instead by the Alpha Jet and Hawker Siddeley Hawk respectively. The French, meanwhile, had chosen the Jaguar to replace the Aeronavale's Dassault Étendard IV, and increased their order to include an initial 40 of a carrier-capable maritime version of the Jaguar, the Jaguar M, for the Aeronavale. From these apparently disparate aims would come a single and entirely different aircraft: relatively high-tech, supersonic, and optimised for ground-attack in a high-threat environment.

The Ford Falcon was a new introduction to the Ford lineup in 1960. The car was conceived as a cost-optimised compact car that still delivered the qualities and quantities that the US customer saw a critical in a family automobile.

As such, the car was considerably smaller than the full-size cars on sale during the Falcon's development. Even the engine, a 2.2 litre inline six, was considered to be small, as was the engine performance.

The Falcon was a success, and as such, provided the profitable funding for the basic model to be evolved into things it was not originally conceived to be. One of those things was to be the Ford Mustang - the first 'Pony car', but along the way, the basic building blocks to deliver Mustang were provided in the form of the compact, 4.3 litre V8 engine, as fitted to the 1963 Falcon Sprint.

The Sprint was a success, its small size and low weight led to spirited performance. The Sprint was available as both a hardtop coupe and a convertible model.

Size and performance set the template for what was to come. The second generation Falcon, launched in 1964 grew a little bit bigger, and a little bit faster, courtesy of the larger 4.7 L V8 engine, and was the basis for Ford's next big product hit, the Mustang.

This Lego Miniland-scale Ford 1963 Falcon Sprint hardtop Coupe has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 120th Build Challenge, - 'Happy 10th Anniversary, LUGNuts', - where all the previous challenge themes are open for use in creating builds for the Challenge.

The Challenge theme chosen is number 28 - 'The Animal Kingdom' - for any vehicle that is animal themed or named.

The Porsche 935 was introduced in 1976, as the factory racing version of the Porsche 911 turbo prepared for FIA-Group 5 rules. It was an evolution of the Porsche Carrera RSR 2.1 turbo prototype which had scored 2nd overall in the 1974 24 Hours of Le Mans. Because of its white color and long tail shape optimised for low drag, the 935/78 was often nicknamed Moby-Dick.

See more LEGO© pictures at www.mocpages.com/moc.php/268932

Introducing the newest member of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner family, the elongated Boeing 787-10 which entered commercial service nearly 2 years ago with production now ramping up being solely concentrated from their Charleston final assembly plant.

The Boeing 787-10 is the second stretch featured on the Dreamliner family, although unlike the Boeing 787-9 which saw a range increase compared to its smaller Boeing 787-8 brethren, the much larger Boeing 787-10 actually has the shortest range of the family, optimised for sub 10-hour flights.

Despite initial slow sales, the aircraft is performing better than expected with United Airlines being amongst airlines stretching the capabilities of the airframe by utilising them on transpacific flights.

Etihad was the second airline to take delivery of the Boeing 787-10 after Singapore Airlines, and became the first to receive the aircraft with General Electric GEnx-1B engines. In general, the Boeing 787 fleet have mainly been replacing Etihad's existing Airbus A330-200/300s with the majority now gone.

Manchester was the earliest destination for Etihad's Boeing 787-10s... In fact, they first appeared on EY15/16 since 8th December 2018 replacing the 2-class Boeing 777-300ERs that have been a fixture since the S14 schedule. They were briefly replaced by Boeing 787-9s from 1st January 2019 before becoming a permanent fixture since 1st February 2019.

For their second daily flight, EY21/22 has continued to see mix-and-matches, continuing to see 2-class Boeing 777-300ERs for the entire W18 schedule until 16th May 2019 it became a permanent Boeing 787-9.

Bringing things right up-to-date, Boeing 787-10s now operate on both EY15/16 and EY21/22 since 21st December 2019, and its expected to continue on for the S20 schedule although with a slight change between 2nd July 2020 to 14th October 2020 will see EY21/22 utilising Boeing 787-9s on Monday and Thursday only, with Boeing 787-10s operating the remaining flights.

Despite being ever so elusive, the longer Boeing 787-10 is definitely a looker and especially look forward to seeing more of them in the future...

Currently, Etihad Airways have 38 Boeing 787s in service, which includes 30 Boeing 787-9s and 8 Boeing 787-10s. Etihad Airways have 12 Boeing 787-9s and 22 Boeing 787-10s on-order.

Bravo Mike Bravo is one of 8 Boeing 787-10s in service with Etihad, delivered new to the flag-carrier on 15th November 2018 and she is powered by 2 General Electric GEnx-1B engines.

Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner A6-BMB on short finals into Runway 23R at Manchester (MAN) on EY21 from Abu Dhabi (AUH).

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Optimised flash lighting with diffuser 20x S-Plan Achromat, 40 frame stack.

Notes.

Optimised flash lighting with diffuser 20x S-Plan Achromat, 27 frame stack.