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This beautiful V12 Jaguar Coupe with the optional US spec Quad headlight was at the Jaguar event in Ace Cafe London. Spoke to the owner, who said he spend lots of time and money over this immaculate Jaguar over the years
The addition of an extra 75cc, more power and torque, twin balancer shafts, new exhaust muffler and taller gearing - plus a host of detail upgrades including ABS now fitted as standard, and revised software for the optional DCT gearbox - further improve one of the most cost-effective and all-round useful motorcycles available.The NC700X - launched two years ago as a brand new model, part of a 3-bike platform - has achieved an impressive level of sales, becoming one of the best selling motorcycles in Europe. Its combination of torque-laden parallel twin-cylinder engine, frugal fuel economy and tough adventure-style chassis, riding position and looks has won it recognition from thousands of customers as a superb, stylish do-it-all tool.
Launched as a Fun Crossover Commuter concept from Honda, loaded with a great deal of fresh thinking and new technologies, its sheer all-round competence - with convenient details like helmet storage space where the fuel tank would normally be - made it a truly useful motorcycle both for day-to-day living and weekend touring.
For 2014, Honda has added to its range the NC750X - a bike designed to offer more of what every rider liked about the original, and nothing less.
Model Overview
A larger 745cc engine capacity gives the NC750X more power and torque throughout the entire rev-range, whilst delivering the pride in ownership of a full 750cc motorcycle. *
The gearing is taller but acceleration and top speed are both improved, while the addition of twin-balancer shafts and new exhaust muffler ensure a smooth yet characterful engine feel.
Additional instrumentation, plus a span-adjustable brake lever, 2-channel ABS, revised seat material and off-road pattern tyres round out the updates. Still affordable to buy and run - and still made in Japan - the NC750X offers high build quality and the option of Honda's unique Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) six-speed gearbox. The DCT itself has received software updates and offers an even more intuitive riding experience.
Over the last two years the NC700X has proved itself a unique and compelling two-wheeled proposition - and the NC750X is even better.
*A 35kW NC700X with DCT remains available for A2 licence holders.
Engine
An extra 75cc capacity has been added to the liquid-cooled, SOHC 8-valve parallel twin-cylinder engine thanks to a bore increased 4mm to 77mm. Stroke remains at 80mm, as does compression ratio of 10.7:1. Peak power is boostedto 40.3kW @ 6,250rpm with maximum torque of 68Nm @ 4,750rpm. Both power and torque curves are considerably stronger throughout the entire rev-range.
The design of the NC750Xengine ensures punchy performance in the low-to-mid range. Its relatively long-stroke architecture and specially shaped combustion chambers combine with the high-inertial mass crankshaft to produce large amounts of effortless torque from very low rpm.
In addition, for 2014 Honda's engineers have added an extra balancer shaft to inject the engine with just the right amount of ‘good' vibration. The effect of the twin balancers is to counteract vibration from higher rpm inertia, making the engine feel more refined, yet still with the distinct "throb" delivered by its 270° firing order.
A new muffler design with revised internals to regulate backpressure due to the capacity increase further adds to the riding experience, with a more characterful beat and exhaust note.
The overall gearing is now 6% taller, giving increased top speed and more relaxed highway cruising; another effect of the taller gearing is to broaden the usable rpm range relative to road speed For those choosing the DCT option - 34% in the first nine months of 2013 - the gearing is 6% taller across 1st to 5th gears, and 3% taller in 6th.
There are other benefits to the NC750X's innovative engine configuration. It is both practical and efficient in terms of layout, freeing up space within the body of the motorcycle - thus making room for the large storage compartment, capable of taking a full-face helmet.
By keeping the number of parts to a minimum, the engine is kept light (it weighs 62.4kg, 69.2kg in DCT form), efficient and reliable. There is just one 36mm throttle body and where possible components are made to do more than one job; the camshaft drives the water pump, while one of the balancer shafts drives the oil pump.
Thanks to extensive stoichiometric analysis during development the engine is always fed the exact fuel/air ratio required for a complete and clean burn at all rpm in any riding situation. Fuel consumption of 28.9km/l (WMTC mode) is particularly impressive and goes a long way toward making the NC750X inexpensive to run day-to-day. It also extracts a 400km plus range from the 14.1-litre underseat fuel tank.
The clean combustion also minimises harmful exhaust gas emissions; PGM-FI fuel injection system supplies the optimum amount of fuel/air mixture thanks to an oxygen sensor in the exhaust. A revised high-absorption catalyser is located close to the engine - as a result the catalyst reaches operating temperature quickly after a cold start, further reducing emissions.
Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT)
Available as an option on the NC750X, Honda's second-generation DCT gearbox offers a unique combination of direct riding feel and ease of use. A world first for motorcycles when launched on the VFR1200F in 2010, it delivers consistent, seamless gear changes, and very quickly becomes second nature in use.
The system uses two clutches: one for start-up and 1st, 3rd and 5th gears: the other for 2nd, 4th and 6th, with the mainshaft for each clutch located inside the other for compact packaging. Each clutch is independently controlled by its own electro-hydraulic circuit. When a gear change occurs, the system pre-selects the target gear using the clutch not currently in use. The first clutch is then electronically disengaged as, simultaneously, the second clutch engages.
The result is a consistent, fast and seamless gear change. Furthermore, as the twin clutches transfer drive from one gear to the next with minimal interruption of the drive to the rear wheel, any gear change shock and pitching of the machine is minimised, making the change feel direct as well as smooth.
With extra benefits such as durability (as the gears cannot be damaged by missing a gear), impossibility of stalling, low stress urban riding, and reduced rider fatigue, DCT has seen increasing acceptance in the market: 34% of NC700X customers chose the DCT option across Europe in the first nine months of 2013, compared with 20% in the whole of 2012.
Three modes of operation are available. MT mode gives full manual control, allowing the rider to shift with the handlebar trigger control buttons. Automatic D mode is ideal for city and highway riding, and achieves optimum fuel efficiency. Automatic S mode is sportier and the ECU lets the engine rev a little higher before shifting up, giving greater performance. It also shifts down sooner when decelerating for extra engine braking.
In either D or S mode DCT offers immediate manual intervention if required - the rider simply selects the required gear using the up and down shift triggers. At an appropriate time DCT seamlessly reverts back to automatic mode, depending on throttle angle, vehicle speed and gear position.
Furthermore, in "D" mode, the DCT system detects variations in rider input typical to certain environments, from busy urban streets to mountain switchbacks, and adapts its gear change schedule accordingly to create an extra level of riding compatibility.
For the NC750X, upgrades to the software and operating logic ensure an even more intuitive system; downshifts in D and S mode happen earlier for a more responsive feel and extra engine braking, making corner entry natural. Kick down is also smoother thanks to faster gear changes.
Chassis
The NC750X's rugged steel diamond frame delivers the high levels of rigidity required for agile, responsive handling in a variety of conditions. It's also ideal where space is at a premium, since it takes up very little volume but offers superb riding dynamics. Rake is set at 27° with trail of 110mm, wheelbase of 1,540mm and front/rear weight distribution of 48/52. Kerb weight is 219kg (229kg DCT).
Seat height is 830mm and the seat itself features a new cover for improved grip. The riding position is upright and neutral, with a high viewpoint for enhanced hazard perception; the addition of a 6-position span-adjustable brake lever for 2014 adds adaptability. Another advantage of this adventure-style riding position is great low-speed control - combined with the low centre of gravity and 35 degree steering lock, the result is exceptional low-speed handling and balance.
And thanks to a carefully shaped fairing the NC750X is equally comfortable when cruising at speed; the windscreen and bodywork divert wind around the rider, minimising fatigue.
41mm telescopic forks feature 153.5mm stroke. The rear monoshock has 150mm travel and operates through Pro-Link which offers an optimised balance of a soft initial stroke, for dealing with low-speed bumps, together with excellent control.
The front 320mm wavy disc and two-piston brake caliper offer plenty of easy to modulate stopping power, complemented by the rear 240mm wavy disc and single-piston caliper. Lightweight two-channel ABS - fitted as standard equipment -greatly reduces the chance of wheel lock-ups on slippery or wet road surfaces.Cast aluminium front and rear wheels - sizes 17 x 3.50-inch and 17 x 4.50-inch - wear 120/70 ZR17 and 160/60 ZR17 tyres.
The clear and easy-to-read instrument display features a digital speedometer, digital bar-type tachometer, clock, bar-type fuel meter and two trip meters. Updates for 2014 include a gear position indicator and ‘instant' and ‘average' fuel consumption.
The NC750X features the Honda Ignition Security System (HISS), an effective anti-theft set-up. If the ID chip embedded in the motorcycle's key and the ID in the Engine Control Unit (ECU) do not match, the engine will not start.
With this electronic inter-lock system, the engine will only fire when one of the keys with the correct ID chip is used. Also, even if attempts are made to hot-wire the engine, or substitute the ignition switch module because it's the ECU that's in control the engine will not start.
The NC750X will be available in the following colour options:
Sword Silver Metallic
Graphite Black
Matt Pearl Glare White
Candy Arcadian Red
Optional designs included in this crochet pattern for ballet slippers. Ribbed or smooth stitches - Double soles - ribbed edging - different tops. Many ways to make these slippers your own and be creative! I added a complimentary revamped vintage pattern for mesh ballet slippers.
Fourth generation (1991–1996)
The 1991 model was completely restyled—It replaced the 1977-based rectilinear design with rounded, more aerodynamic sheetmetal. While the body and interior were all new, excluding the Anti-Lock Braking System, the chassis and powertrain were carried over from the 1990 model. and several major components (including the floor pan) are entirely interchangeable between 1977 and 1996.
Motor Trend awarded the new Caprice Classic Car of the Year. Two trim levels were initially offered—Caprice and Caprice Classic, replacing the previous Classic and Brougham models. General Motors had hoped to regain the top spot as America's favorite automobile with the new aerodynamic styling of their full-size offering.
The last-generation Caprice was not well received by critics and did not hold on to high sales numbers. The car's styling was criticized with car aficionados calling it a "beached whale" and "an upside-down bathtub". For 1993 there were some revisions, the most obvious being the removal of the skirted rear wheel wells in favor of more conventional, open wheel wells. This applied only to the sedan model; station wagons retained the skirted wheel wells. In 1995, minor modifications were made to the C-pillars & the wagon was given the same mirrors as the sedan; 1995 was the final year for the Caprice wagon.
In 1994 the Caprice received the new-generation GM engines, including an optional detuned version of the Corvette's LT1 350 cu in (5.7 L) engine that put out 260 hp (194 kW) and 330 lb·ft (447 N·m) of torque. The standard engine in all sedans, including the 9C1 police cars, was the 200 hp (150 kW), L99 263 (4.3 L) V8. The LT1 was optional in the 9C1 police-package and standard in the wagon. The LT1 350 was standard in the civilian sedans with the addition of the B4U towing package. The towing package also gave a heavy duty suspension nearly identical to the 9C1 police car suspension, 2.93 gears, heavy duty cooling, heavy duty rear drum brakes and positraction. The 265 (4.3 L) L99, and 350 (5.7 L) LT1 look nearly identical externally. Many 4.3 L99 equipped sedans are passed off as 5.7 LT1 cars. The 8th digit in the Vehicle Identification Number is the Engine code. W: 4.3 L L99, P: 5.7 L LT1. The 1994 Caprice's interior had a redesign which featured a Camaro steering wheel, digital speedometer and a new console.
The Caprice 9C1 with the LT1 engine became one of the fastest and most popular modern day police vehicles. This vehicle established such strong devotion by many police departments that a cottage industry thrived in refurbishing Caprices for continued police service after GM discontinued production of the car.
The car's production was stopped in 1996 from sales pressure from the mid-size Chevrolet Lumina, financial troubles at General Motors, and consumer demand shifting from full-sized family sedans to the increasingly popular sport utility vehicles. The Arlington, Texas vehicle assembly plant (used for Caprices, Buick Roadmaster, Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser, and Cadillac Fleetwood) was converted to produce GM's more profitable full size SUVs (the Tahoe and Suburban). In 1997, the Lumina LTZ would take the Caprice's place as Chevrolet's premium passenger car. Total production of 1991–96 models was 689,257 with production ending on December 13, 1996.
Aftermath
With the exit of the Caprice, the Ford Crown Victoria and its corporate siblings (Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car), continued as the sole traditional rear-drive, body-on-frame, V8-powered American sedans (though the final assembly point is in Canada) until their discontinuation in 2011. Thereafter the Ford Crown Victoria dominated police vehicle sales from 1997 through 2011. Dodge would introduce the unibody Dodge Charger in 2006 (Chrysler Corp and AMC had a long history of using unibody rather than body on frame for their full sized cars since 1960 and 1948, respectively), the division's first rear-wheel drive sedan since 1989.
The Chevrolet Impala nameplate was reintroduced to the American passenger car market in 2000 as the marque's premium offering, albeit in a front wheel drive configuration.
[Text from Wikipedia]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Caprice
The car shown here is a 1992 Caprice Taxi from the film '28 Days'.
www.imcdb.org/vehicle.php?id=3421
This miniland-scale Lego Chevrolet Caprice Taxi (1991 - '28 Days') has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 92nd Build Challenge, - "Stuck in the 90's", - all about vehicles from the decade of the 1990s.
Esglesia Sant Antoni de la Grella, Cami Ral, Anyos, La Massana, Vall nord, Andorra, Pyrenees
More Anyos & La Massana parroquia images: Follow the group links at right side.
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Andorra has more than 60 churches. See them all on 1 page >>> www.lutz-meyer.com/reise/0809and-churches.htm
A supposedly Free day
Technically this was a free day on our itinerary. But I warned everyone from beforehand that this wasn't a holiday, and that we would try to pack in as much as possible. But you could tell that most people needed a little bit of time to absorb things and for some quiet contemplation – well, apart from two heathens who wanted to watch the football. So we had an optional programme for the afternoon, and fair play to everyone, most people came along.
In the morning I took Reverend Robert and Fran to Al-Aqsa to show them around. They haven't had the chance to visit it yet, since it's closed off to non-Muslims at the prayer times. So before their Sunday Worship we took this opportunity. It was actually very interesting to hear the Christian perspective of the history of the place, and how it aligned with the Islamic view. Again this is the real tragedy for me – the facts of the three religions are so tightly interwoven, yet there is so much division. Personally I blame politics for this rather than religion, but I know others disagree (of course they are wrong).
After Robert and Fran left for their worship, I decided to visit the graves of two of the companions of the Prophet (Peace be upon him). They are buried just outside the old city walls by the Golden Gates. These are the bricked up doors, that is said will be the entrance into Jerusalem by Jesus (Peace be upon him) when he returns.
I was very impressed with myself as I successfully asked directions to the graves of the companions in Arabic. But the guy would only tell me after I could prove that I was a Muslim. This is quite a common occurrence. Many of us have had to do this – mostly before entering the Al-Aqsa complex. The standard procedure is that as you walk up to the gates, the Israeli police would eye you up and notice that we're obviously not Palestinian. They ask where we are from – we'd tell them Britain – they find this difficult to accept since we're brown – we'd have to tell them we're originally Indian (this in particular I find offensive after my decision a while back that my ethnicity is officially “brown and lilac”. We'd then have to show them our passports. They'd then question if we are Muslim, and to prove it we'd normally have to recite some passages of the Quran.
The problem here is not that we can't do it. But it's just such a weird situation as armed police are telling you to recite prayers like you'd have to when you were a kid. So normally I start panicking and pronounce things weirdly. But so far I've always been let through. Actually today's was the most grilling I got. The police guy was even stopping random other people who were walking past, asking them if they've seen me before and if they knew I was really a Muslim.
Anyway, after visiting the graves, I just wandered around soaking in the atmosphere. I randomly started talking to one of the Muslim Guards of the Mosque (there's a weird two tiered guard system – armed Israeli police outside, then unarmed Muslim guards inside – more like caretakers) He was telling me how the job of being a guard was a family tradition. His father was a guard, and his grand father, and the whole line all the way back to when Caliph Omar first took over Jerusalem. His son is currently 20 and is training to be a guard.
I spent quite a bit of time with him as he told me the history of the so called “Soloman's stables” Islamically these are known as the Marwani Mosque – an underground set of chambers which is underneath the Aqsa. During the Crusades thousands of Muslims were killed in this mosque. The crusaders then used the mosque to house their horses – hence the name “Soloman's Stables”.
Two of our group spent the morning going to a small place outside Hebron to visit a family. Iqbal sponsors an Orphan, and so wanted to visit him personally. The kid is 10 years old now, but when he was 10 days old his father was shot dead with two other people at a checkpoint by Israeli police.
In the afternoon we met up with Mohammed. He's a local Palestinian who some of the group have met before, and in fact he's been to Gloucester too. He first took us to the Khanka of Sallahuddin (I'm not too sure how to translate Khanka – basically it was the place where Sallahuddin would go to pray and contemplate on the state of the empire, and where we would conduct his business and give advice). When he conquered Jerusalem he built his Khanka right next to the Church of the holy Sepulchre, and if I'm right he even had his own personal entrance into the church from his Khanka (it's shut up now).
Next was the Mosque of Omar. This mosque is named after the Caliph Omar. He was the one who first took Jerusalem – and he did it without bloodshed. The Christians of Jerusalem actually welcomed him and voluntarily gave him the key to the city. When he got to Jerusalem we went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and met with the local priests and paid his respects there. But it was the time for the Prayers – the priest told Omar to pray inside the Church. But Omar said that if he did, future generations of Muslims would want to do the same, and sooner or later they would take the church away from the Christians. So instead he prayed outside. The Mosque of Omar was built in honour of this occasion.
On the door of the mosque is inscribed the original declaration that was made at this time by the Caliph. It said that all the rights the Muslims had would be extended to the Christians as long as they paid their taxes. When Jerusalem was under Christian rule, Jews weren't allowed in Jerusalem, and Caliph Omar was the one to give them visitation rights.
Mohammed wanted to invite us over to his house. 19 of us ended up going! He lives in a small town called Zaim just on the other side of the Mount of Olives in the West Bank. The first thing we noticed as we entered his house was a picture above his door. It was this old sketch of a Mosque. On closer inspection it turned out to be our local Mosque in Gloucester. This picture was one of the presents a friend of mine gave him when he visited the UK in 2000. He was very pleased to hear that the Imam of that mosque is with our group.
We knew that he wanted us over for some tea and food, but as it turned out, his wife had prepared this huge feast for us. We started panicking as we realised we also had dinner at the hotel. But she had gone to a serious amount of effort, and besides it looked and was much tastier – so we chowed down.
Talking to Mohammed's brother, Ahmed, we found out that he had just come out of Prison about a month and half ago. He had been in for 5 years. This would seem shocking but pretty much every young Palestinan male has been in prison for some time or another – it's just part of life. As someone else pointed out, he seemed particularly cheery even though he clearly had a bad time, and he was questioned about it. He just said how it's just one of those things – you have to expect it. So rather than complain just live with it. He said how if he was in prison for a crime he did commit then that would be different – but instead he was there for what they believe is doing the right thing.
After we got back to the hotel Imran asked Ahmed to take him to a barber – it's his policy to get his hair cut in a local place whenever he goes travelling. So he took us to a little barbershop in the old city, and while we were waiting, Ahmed took us to this secret little spot where you can get a great view of the Wailing Wall and the two Mosques. The last time from up close we couldn't get an overview of how they are situated, but this time you could see just how close and connected it all is. The Wailing Wall is literally the outer wall for Aqsa, and it's pretty much in between the two domes. You have to wonder why this area causes division rather than unification. It was an interesting thought at the end of the day.
** The picture shows Robert and Fran in front of the Mosque of the dome of the Rock. Oh I've also decided that instead of changing these photos later for ones that I finalise, I would just add the extra ones as new ones. This will mean I will have 10 extra photos this year - but I don't care.
Mystic. Moli watermill at Riu Valira d'Orient. Bordes de l'Aldosa, Canillo, Vall d'Orient, Andorra, Pyrenees
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More Aldosa & Canillo parroquia images: Follow the group links at right side.
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About this image:
* Medium format high quality image
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We offer 100.000+ photos of Andorra and North of Spain. HighRes & HighColour GeoCoded pictures with metadata in 4 languages. Prepared for easy organising and advanced publishing for print and internet as Culture-GIS (Geographic Info System). The professional photo collection from the Pyrenees.
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Ask for licence! lutz(at)lutz-meyer.comcles & Canillo parroquia images: Follow the group links at right side.
+++ 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:
HNLMS Karel Doorman (R81) was a Colossus-class aircraft carrier of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Formerly the British ship HMS Venerable, she was sold to the Netherlands in 1948 as a light attack carrier and operated Fairey Firefly strike fighters and Hawker Sea Fury fighters, which were in 1958 replaced by Hawker Sea Hawk jet aircraft. In 1960, she was involved in the decolonization conflict in Western New Guinea with Indonesia. After a major refit in 1964, following the settlement of issues threatening its former colonial territories and changes in the mission for the Royal Netherlands Navy within NATO, the role was changed to anti-submarine warfare carrier and primarily ASW aircraft and helicopters were carried. At that time, the last Dutch Sea Hawks were phased out and the Koninlijke Marine ’s FJ-4B fighter bombers were relegated to land bases and soon handed back to the USA and re-integrated into USMC units. As an alternative multi-role aircraft that could both deliver strikes against ground as well as sea targets and provide aerial defense for the carrier or escort its slow and vulnerable ASW aircraft, the American Douglas A-4 Skyhawk was procured.
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk was a single-seat subsonic carrier-capable light attack aircraft developed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps in the early 1950s. The delta-winged, single turbojet-powered Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later by McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated A4D under the U.S. Navy's pre-1962 designation system. The Skyhawk was a relatively light aircraft, with a maximum takeoff weight of 24,500 pounds (11,100 kg), had a top speed of 670 miles per hour (1,080 km/h) and very good handling, making it a serious threat in an aerial dogfight. The aircraft's five hardpoints supported a variety of missiles, bombs, and other munitions.
The A4D (re-named into A-4 under the USA’s unified designation system) was capable of carrying a bomb load equivalent to that of a World War II–era Boeing B-17 bomber and could even deliver nuclear weapons using a low-altitude bombing system and a "loft" delivery technique. The A-4 was originally powered by the Wright J65 turbojet engine, but from the A-4E onwards, the more fuel efficient and powerful Pratt & Whitney J52 engine was used. The Skyhawk proved to be a relatively common United States Navy aircraft export of the postwar era. Due to its small size, it could be operated from the older, smaller World War II-era aircraft carriers still used by many smaller navies during the 1960s. These older ships were often unable to accommodate newer Navy fighters such as the F-4 Phantom II and F-8 Crusader, which were faster and more capable than the A-4, but significantly larger and heavier than older naval fighters.
At the same time as the Netherlands, Australia was looking for a new carrier-borne jet aircraft, too, and in negotiations with Douglas for newly built A-4s for the RAN's carrier HMAS Melbourne, a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier. These aircraft had a very similar duty profile to those the Royal Netherlands Navy was looking for, and in order to save development costs and speed up the procurement process, the Royal Netherlands Navy simply adopted the Australian specifications which became the unique A-4G variant, the Skyhawk’s first dedicated export version.
The A-4G was directly developed with minor variations from the current, most modern Skyhawk variant, the USN's A-4F. In particular, the A-4G was not fitted with the late Skyhawk variants' characteristic avionics "hump", had a simple ranging radar for air-to-air combat and was modified to carry four underwing Sidewinder AIM-9B missiles (instead of just two), increasing their Fleet Defense capability. Additionally, the A-4Gs for the Royal Netherlands Navy received the avionics package to deploy radio-controlled AGM-12 Bullpup missiles, which the Kon. Marine had been using together with the FJ-4Bs for some years, and Skyhawks’ capability to provide buddy-to-buddy refueling services with a special pod made them a vital asset for carrier operations, too.
A total of twenty A-4G Skyhawks were purchased by the Royal Australian Navy in two batches for operation from HMAS Melbourne, and the Koninlijke Marine ordered twelve. These aircraft were part of the first A-4G production batch and arrived in 1967, together with four TA-4J trainers, for a total fleet of sixteen aircraft. The machines were delivered in the contemporary US Navy high-visibility scheme in Light Gull Grey and White, but they were soon re-painted in a less conspicuous scheme of Extra Dark Sea Grey on the upper surfaces and Sky underneath, conforming to NATO standards of the time. After initial conversion training from land bases the re-formed MLD 861 Squadron (a carrier-based unit that had operated Fairey during the Fifties) embarked upon HNLMS Karel Doorman in February 1968 with a standard contingent of six carrier-based aircraft. The rest was stationed at Valkenburg Naval Air Base for maintenance and training and frequently rotated to the carrier.
However, the Dutch Skyhawks' career at sea was very short – it lasted in fact only a couple of months! A boiler room fire on 26 April 1968 removed HNLMS Karel Doorman from Dutch service. To repair the fire damage, new boilers were transplanted from the incomplete HMS Leviathan. But this did not save the ship, and in 1969 it was decided that the costs for repairing the damage in relation to the relatively short time Karel Doorman was still to serve in the fleet proved to be her undoing and she was sold to the Argentine Navy, renamed Veinticinco de Mayo, where she would later play a role in the 1982 Falkland Islands Conflict.
Additionally, the fatal fire accident coincided with the arrival of land-based long range maritime patrol aircraft for the Royal Netherlands Navy that were to take over the ASW role Karel Doorman had been tasked to perform ever since the start of the 1960s. These were one squadron of Breguet Atlantique sea-reconnaissance aircraft and one of P-2 Neptunes, while the international NATO anti-submarine commitment was taken over by a squadron of Westland Wasp helicopters operated from six Van Speijk-class anti-submarine frigates.
This left the Royal Netherlands Navy with a full operational squadron of almost brand-new aircraft that had overnight lost their raison d'être. To avoid sunk costs the government decided to keep the Skyhawks in active service, even though only land-based now and as part of the Netherlands air force's home defense – a plan that had been envisioned for the A-4Gs for the mid-Seventies, anyway.
In 1974, the A-4G's MLD 861 Squadron was disbanded (again) and the aircraft were formally transferred to the Royal Netherlands Air Force, where they received new tactical codes (H-30XX - H- 30YY) and formed the new RNLAF 332 Squadron, primary tasked with aerial support for the Netherlands Marine Corps. To avoid staff and equipment transfer costs to a different location, the Skyhawks stayed at their former home base, Valkenburg Naval Air Base, where they operated alongside the MLD’s new long-range maritime patrol aircraft.
At that time, the machines received a small update during regular overhauls, including the ability to deploy the new TV-guided AGM-65 Maverick missile (which replaced the unreliable and rather ineffective AGM-12) as well as more effective AIM-9J air-to-air missiles, and an AN/APQ-51 radar warning system, recognizable through small cone-shaped radomes under the nose, at the tail and under the wing roots. Being land-based now, some machines received a new NATO-style camouflage in Olive Drab and Dark Grey with Light Grey undersides, even though the Skyhawks’ full carrier capability was retained in case of a NATO deployment on another nation’s carrier.
In 1979, when the RNLAF received its first F-16A/B fighters, all Skyhawks eventually received a more subdued grey three-tone camouflage with toned-down markings which was effective both over the sea and in the sky, similar to the RNLAF’s NF-5A/B day fighters.
However, the arrival of the modern F-16, which was in any aspect superior to the A-4 except for a lack of carrier-capability, meant that the RNLAF Skyhawks’ career did not last much longer. In the early Eighties, all Dutch A-4Gs were replaced with license-built F-16A/B fighter bombers. They were placed in store and eventually sold to Israel in 1985, where they were revamped and re-sold with surplus A-4Es to Indonesia as attrition replacements after high losses during the anti-guerilla warfare in East Timor. They were delivered in 1986 and served in Indonesia until 2003, where the last Skyhawks were finally retired in 2007.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 40 ft 1.5 in (12.230 m)
Wingspan: 27 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
Height: 15 ft 2 in (4.62 m)
Wing area: 260 sq ft (24 m²)
Airfoil: root: NACA 0008-1.1-25; tip: NACA 0005-.825-50
Empty weight: 9,853 lb (4,469 kg)
Gross weight: 16,216 lb (7,355 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 24,500 lb (11,113 kg)
Powerplant:
1× Pratt & Whitney J52-P-6A turbojet engine, 8,500 lbf (38 kN) thrust
Performance:
Maximum speed: 585 kn (673 mph, 1,083 km/h) at sea level
Range: 1,008 nmi (1,160 mi, 1,867 km)
Ferry range: 2,194 nmi (2,525 mi, 4,063 km)
g limits: +8/-3
Rate of climb: 5,750 ft/min (29.2 m/s)
Wing loading: 62.4 lb/sq ft (305 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.526
Armament:
2× 20 mm (0.79 in) Colt Mk 12 cannon with 100 RPG
5× hardpoints with a total capacity of 8,500 lb (3,900 kg)
The kit and its assembly:
This what-if project was more or less a stopgap: I had a Hasegawa 1:72 A-4E/F kit in The Stash™, primarily bought for its separate avionics hump that is supposed to be transplanted on a Fujimi A-4C someday to create an A-4L, of which AFAIK no OOB kit exists. However, I played with potential fictional operators, and read about the Australian A-4Gs. When I compared them with the historic timeframe of the Dutch HNLMS Karel Doorman, I recognized very close parallels (see background above) so that a small Skyhawk fleet for a single carrier with a focus on ASW duties would make sense – even though Karel Doorman was soon struck by a fire and ended the story. However, this was a great framework to tell the story of Dutch Skyhawks that never had been, and my model depicts such an aircraft soon after its update and in late RNLAF colors.
The Hasegawa kit is not bad, but IMHO there are better offerings, you can see the mold’s age. It goes together easily, comes with a good pilot figure and offers optional parts for an E or F Skyhawk, plus lots of ordnance, but it comes with raised (yet very fine) panel lines and an odd canopy: the clear part is actually only the canopy’s glass, so that the frame is still molded into the fuselage. As a result, opening the cockpit is a VERY tricky stunt (which I eventually avoided), and the clear piece somehow does not fit well into its intended opening. The mold dates back to 1969, when the A-4E/F was brand new, and this was all acceptable in the Seventies and Eighties. But for today’s standards the Hasegawa kit is a bit outdated and, in many cases, overpriced. Permanent re-boxings and short-run re-issues do not make the old kit any better.
Despite these weaknesses the kit was built OOB, without big modifications or the optional camel hump for the A-4F, with the early straight IFR probe and with parts from the OOB ordnance. This included the ventral drop tank (which comes with an integral pylon) and the underwing pylons; from the outer pair the integral launch rails for the Bullpups were sanded away and replaced with a pair of longer launch rails for AIM-9B Sidewinder AAMs from the scrap box.
As a modern/contemporary detail I scratched a training/dummy AGM-65 Maverick without fins for one of the inner underwing stations, which would later become a colorful eye-catcher on the otherwise quite subdued aircraft. Additionally, some small blade antennae were added around the hull, e. g. on the front wheel well cover for the Bullpup guidance emitter.
Painting and markings:
A Kon. Marine Skyhawk offers a wide range of painting options, but I tweaked the background that I could incorporate a specific and unique Dutch paint scheme – the early Eighties livery of the RNLAF’s NF-5A/Bs. These aircraft initially wore a NATO-style green/grey livery with pale grey undersides, but they were in the late Seventies, with the arrival of the F-16s, repainted with the F-16s’ “Egypt One” colors (FS 36118, 36270 and 36375). However, the Egypt One scheme was not directly adopted, only the former RAF-style camouflage pattern was re-done with the new colors. Therefore, the Skyhawks were “in my world” transferred from the Dutch Navy to the Air Force and received this livery, too, for which I used Humbrol 125, 126 and 127. The pattern was adapted from the sleek NF-5s as good as possible to the stouter A-4 airframe, but it worked out.
However, the result reminds unintentionally a lot of the Australian A-4Gs’ late livery, even though the Aussie Skyhawks carried a different pattern and were painted in different tones. Even more strangely, the colors on the model looked odd in this striped paint scheme: the dark Gunship Gray appeared almost violet, while the Medium Gray had a somewhat turquoise hue? Weird! Thankfully, this disappeared when I did some post-panel-shading after a light black in washing…
The cockpit became Dark Gull Grey (FS 36231, Humbrol 140), even though there’s hardly anything recognizable through the small canopy: the pilot blocks anything. The landing gear and the respective wells became classic bright white (Revell 301), as well as the air intake ducts; the landing gear covers received a thin red outline.
The Sidewinders and their launch rails became white, the drop tank was painted in FS 36375 like the underside. The dummy AGM-65 was painted bright blue with a white tip for the live seeker head.
The decals were gathered from various sources. The RNLAF roundels came from a generic TL Modellbau sheet, the tactical code from a Swiss F-5E. The small fin flash is a personal addition (this was not common practice on RNLAF aircraft), the red unit badge with the seahorse comes from a French naval WWII unit. Most stencils were taken from the OOB sheet but supplemented with single bits from an Airfix Skyhawk sheet, e. g. for the red trim around the air intakes, which was tricky to create. The interior of the fuselage air brakes was painted in bright red, too.
After a Koninlijke Marine FJ-4B Fury some years ago, here’s a worthy and logical successor, even though it would have quickly lost its naval base, HNLMS Karel Doorman. Really bad timing! Even though not much was changed, this simple looking aircraft has IMHO a certain, subtle charm – even though the paint scheme makes the Dutch Skyhawk look more Australian than intended, despite representing an A-4G, too. But time frame and mission profiles would have been too similar to ignore this parallel. Not a spectacular model, but quite convincing.
Optional Flash Bracket for the early Olympus PEN-EE cameras.
The older PEN-EE's didn't have an accessory shoe.
OPTIONAL BUS, LEEDS
Towards the end of 1998 some midi buses were taken into stock.
F437CJK (o.F916CWJ) a MCW MetroRider MF158/10, 33 seater, came from Aston Express in November of that year.
It was owned by Hunter, Moortown.