To address the critical housing, health, and social justice needs of the downtown eastside, First United Church is partnering with Lu’ma Native Housing Society to redevelop this site at 320 East Hastings.

 

This is the ninth of a series as the project proceeds. The deconstruction of the existing building started early June 2022.

 

The four-storey FIRST UNITED facility will serve as the pedestal for an additional seven stories of below-market rental housing for Indigenous Peoples (over 100 studio and one-bedroom units - 35 supportive housing units and 68 rental homes prioritized for Indigenous Peoples.)

 

The housing complex will be operated by Lu’ma Native Housing Society.

 

The non-residential portion of the project on floors one through four, will be a purpose-built First United facility offering a range of social services and programming for residents and the surrounding community.

 

Construction is expected to complete in late 2025. The residential floors will have a separate entrance at 438 Gore Ave.

A third of a mile of quad and lung burning goodness at the end of the Barton Creek Greenbelt. Austin, TX.

 

These vertical format photos are typically a stitch of 2 to 6 seperate photos. This allows different exposures, and tweaks to the saturation/contrast/levels for each seperately, giving a much greater range of values than would be possible otherwise. I try to get significant overlap between photos, allowing a smooth blend between each. Done using layers w/ gradient fill masks, and occasionally some hand work. Nothing too groundbreaking, but does help some. Not true HDR of course, but does allow incorporation of a broader range, and retains some value focal points, which often seem to get lost in HDR images.

  

I also like the format, since it allows me to shoot almost straight down at the ground, getting the cool little foreground details like gravel/grass/ripples in rich detail, and almost straight up into the sky. To me it results in kind of a story, with allot of interesting different things going on as your eye moves from the bottom to top, like a tapestry. The trick is to keep this range of focal points prioritized, (by acentuating some area towards center w/ value, composition, or color usually), so that the image as a whole can be enjoyed, as well as in parts. Depth or layers revealed upon closer examination, so to speak. This is something I'm obviously still working on. Often there is just to much going on of equal interest, so there is no priority of focal point, making the image less appealing.

Lake Tekapo, Tekapo, South Island, New Zealand

 

One of my shooting protocols after the trip is to scan through every shot that I have and picked the potential one to do post-processing by giving the tagging in my entire album.

 

This particular shot has already been tagged but for some reason, I've missed out terribly, nearly 3 years buried in my storage. Luckily was doing some scanning photos in my album and suddenly saw this, quickly dig out and straight into editing mode.

 

I still remember this was the first place in our itinerary; the legendary The Church of The Good Shepherd. While we have our vehicle parked few kilometers away from the actual location, so we gotta walk and right before the church, we have to cross the bridge first.

 

Spotted a couple (I suppose) standing there right at the center of the bridge. Find it a fascinating angle with the natural lights on them and overall blended in perfectly. Without hesitation pressed the shuttle where my cameras were already on my shoulders.

 

Wanted to do our wefie photography, because we were too excited to rush towards the church and also too many crowds upcoming over the bridge so end up ditch the idea and move on to what we have been prioritizing first.

 

#d80

#nikon

#nztravel

#laketekapo

#nikoncontest

#nikkor10_20mm

#nikonphotography

Excerpt from webapp.driftscape.com/map/35e190de-f6a9-11eb-8000-bc1c5a8...:

 

The Awakening

 

A moment of quiet reflection, Mother Earth sleeps, regaining her strength. Lately, replenishing her energies has become more difficult; her circulatory system has been plagued with thick clots, blocking the flow of nutrients and impeding her from cleansing toxins from her system. The creatures that depend on her are starting to feel the illness themselves.

 

The oceans, her lungs, produce most of the oxygen consumed on Mother Earth, and along with the forests, her waters are essential in sustaining mammal life. A whale swims across her lungs, but there are signs of contamination, and this giant ocean mammal must be wary of its course. The oceans have become the bearers of plastics and pollution. With pH levels changing and oceans becoming more acidic, even coral reefs are disappearing. An estimated 4,000 fish species, and about 25 percent of marine life depend on coral reefs, not to mention that an estimated 500 million people earn their livelihoods from the ecosystems sustained by coral reefs. Without immediate and prioritized climate action, the impact humans will have on the oceans will create profound imbalances.

 

The health of our oceans is dependent on our ability to break our addiction to consumerism. Markets establish factories in developing countries, with less regulation and cheaper labour, child labour. In the era of “me, myself and I”, of social media likes and influencers, disposable fashion goes unquestioned. The global textile industry discharges tens of thousands of tons of toxic dye into Mother Earth’s waters. Cutting, dyeing and finishing textile processes contribute to the release of microplastics, and the main source of primary microplastics is synthetic clothing, which now account for 35 percent of microplastics in the ocean.

 

(First person) Mother, we pray with you. You grace us with your beauty, and we stray from your love. We walk through troubled times, and tread heavily about, stomping on your bones, fracturing and bruising you. Forgetting our brothers and sisters. And yet, still you hold us, remember us, feed us. Your beauty and wisdom determined to awaken us. We pray for healing of the lands, waters and air, and are reminded that we are one with you and all of your living creatures. Inhale, exhale.

 

(First person) And as we breathe our prayer, we get caught in the thickness of yellow grey clouds. Smog and viruses; air contamination and illness.

 

As our ancient but fragile ecosystem is affected, we wear these masks. As air pollution increases, our behaviour is impacted. Air pollution is known to penetrate deep into our lungs and cardiovascular system, causing diseases including stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and respiratory infections. Air contamination continues to rise, impacting economies and quality of life. It is estimated that nine out of 10 people breathe air containing high levels of pollutants, and this dirty air is responsible for about seven million deaths globally per year. Climate change is expected to have a substantial effect on the burden of infectious diseases, including making conditions more favourable to their spread to new territories due to warmer climates, including Lyme disease, malaria and dengue.

 

(First person) Mother, we are surrounded by industry, outdated transportation modes, coal power plants and fuel usage, increasing floods and droughts, food insecurity and growing need for mass migrations – human and animal alike. For now, we shall wear these masks, and work towards a shift to renewable energies can lead us to clean airs once more.

 

In the distance, cries from the forests are muzzled by the ripping thunder of chainsaws. The old growth in Western Canada, the Amazon rainforest to the south; trees and their ancient wisdom are being cut down at massive rates. Animals lose their homes, protection against flooding and soil erosion is lost; local environmental racism hits hard. Nearby, a Deer Spirit stands in the tar sands, warning fellow animals to be cautious of toxic dangers that are seeping into the soils and waters, causing rare cancers and displacing communities. But extraction continues in order to satisfy our fossil fuel addiction, and profit goes up, and the intangible stock market grows.

 

The warning signs are here. Scientists have spoken for decades. Who will listen? Who will be brave enough to consider future generations in a time that only honours short term gains? Climate change has arrived, and it is up to us to be the protagonists in creating a sustainable future.

"Area secure, no hostiles in sight."

 

"Wound channel massive, multiple vital organs shredded, extreme blood loss....sir, you shouldn't be standing....let alone alive, but..."

 

"STOP TOUCHING ME!!"

 

"Sir, I need to at least examine you or--"

 

"I'M FINE, FUCK OFF!!!"

 

NW1: "....."

 

NW2: "....."

 

NW3: "......"

 

"What the hell are you looking at? Were the civvies wasted?"

 

NW1: "I uh...sent the order out but we have no confirmation if anyone even did so. The female Bloodfall made herself known right after I gave the order and alot of the crew in the building prioritized her."

 

"And look at where those priorities got you!! We lost both of them when I had one cornered because you retards can't do anything right! YOU'RE ALL WORTHLESS!!!"

 

NW3: "........"

 

".....the fuck's his problem?!"

 

NW2: "...He uh...he pee'd himself, sir."

 

"Oh for fucks sakes, get out of here, GO!! Fucking faggot..."

 

NW1: "W-what's our next move now, sir?...."

 

"Our last attempts to claim ground in this city went to shit because that's where we were; ground. We need to go higher up...."

 

NW1: "A-uh....skyscraper?"

 

"Is the PLAD ready?"

 

NW1: "The Laser drone? I think so, if was delivered not long ago...."

 

"Good. Everyone return to base, we need to make our next move..."

A gentle curve of architectural elegance defines this photo of the grand staircase at The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. The soft arching forms and golden-toned railings create a visual harmony that feels both modern and timeless. Photographed in warm ambient light, the scene captures the intersection of architecture, art, and atmosphere.

 

The staircase flows upward like a ribbon, inviting visitors into the museum’s upper gallery spaces. Its cream-colored balustrade contrasts subtly with the brass handrails and the charcoal-toned carpeted steps. There's a quiet grace to the ascent—each element has been designed not just for function, but to contribute to the viewer’s sense of spatial rhythm. The warm wood borders of the steps peek out from beneath the runner, adding a grounding detail to the otherwise airy palette.

 

Light gently illuminates the curved wall, creating a soft gradient that mimics the arc of the staircase itself. At every step, the architecture seems to whisper instead of shout—offering a moment of calm before you turn the corner into the next artistic experience. The subtle lighting also emphasizes the smooth plaster texture of the walls, revealing the care and craftsmanship that went into their creation.

 

Just beneath the sweep of the upper curve, part of a vivid, abstract painting emerges—an echo of the color and creativity housed throughout The Phillips Collection. The composition of this photograph is deliberate: the stairway leads the eye naturally into the world of art, both literal and figurative. The railing becomes a line of inquiry, the steps a metaphor for progression—an ascent into discovery.

 

Though clearly modern in execution, the staircase hints at Art Deco and Streamline Moderne influences in its curvature and elegance. The pairing of painted surfaces with rich brass and wood detailing is a nod to luxury without excess—refined and tasteful in a way that suits the museum’s broader sensibility.

 

As with many parts of The Phillips Collection, this staircase was designed with the visitor in mind. Its comfortable treads and sweeping form prioritize accessibility while still delivering a visually powerful experience. It's no wonder that this spot is a favorite among photographers, architecture enthusiasts, and museum-goers alike. Whether ascending to a new exhibit or simply admiring the lines and light, one can’t help but pause and take in the serenity of this beautifully crafted structure.

 

More than just a passageway, this staircase is a sculptural moment within the museum’s architecture—a physical bridge between eras, styles, and stories. With every footstep, you’re part of the museum’s evolving narrative.

"To be truly transformative, the post-2015 development agenda must prioritize gender equality and women’s empowerment. The world will never realize 100 per cent of its goals if 50 per cent of its people cannot realize their full potential."

 

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on International Women's Day

 

Thanks, as always, for stopping by and for all of your kind comments -- I appreciate them all.

 

© Melissa Post 2015

 

All rights reserved. Please respect my copyright and do not copy, modify or download this image to blogs or other websites without obtaining my explicit written permission.

© yohanes.budiyanto, 2009

 

A resort better than the spectacular St. Regis Bali? Well, after a comprehensive personal review, the results finally showed that Conrad Suites Bali reigns supreme with an overall score of 91.6 (St. Regis achieved 91.1).

 

This is a prime example of a hotel that prioritize guests satisfaction. General Manager Michael Burchett works relentlessly to make sure everybody has a most wonderful time there. A 30-year veteran in the hospitality world, Mr. Burchett is a native Australian and has previously spent 17 years with the Four Seasons group, managing award-winning and critically-acclaimed hotels, including Four Seasons in Bali and Jakarta before calling The Conrad Bali home. Mr. Burchett is currently the Vice Chairman of Bali Hotels Association.

 

The Conrad Suites is an exclusive collection of 55 oversize suites, housed in a separate new wing adjacent to the Conrad's Main resort. Although guests at Conrad Suites has full access to the extensive facilities found at the main resorts, additional private facilities are also being offered exclusively, which includes private infinity-edged pools with luxuriously appointed garden Bales with its large 4 poster daybed; access to the Club Lounge; and a host of other value added benefits.

 

CONRAD SUITES BALI

Tanjung Benoa, Nusa Dua, Bali

 

Promotional Rates

Conrad Suite is offering a promotional rate of USD 450++ for a typical Suite (110 sq.m); while the 120 sq.m Ocean Suite is priced at USD 550++. Pool Suite is also available.

 

General Manager: Michael Burchett, Hotel Manager: Frederic Lebegue

Chef de Cuisine: Richard Millar

Architect: Wimberley Allison Tong & Goo (WATG)

Landscape: Belt Collins International

Interior: Lim Teo + Wilkes Designworks

 

Become a Fan on The Diary of a Hotel Addict's Facebook Page

Okay, so here's a question (as I'm not working until tonight, and so have some time to sit here in front of the computer, commanding the internet to entertain me):

 

Is it better for new photographers to use digital or film? Does it make a difference?

 

Been giving digital & film a lot of thought lately, obviously, and the other day I was talking it over with a friend who's not a photographer, explaining to him the differences, the different challenges and limitations of both.

 

I'm of the opinion, and this is of course colored by my own experience, that film is better for new folk, that it's the specific limitations of film that help a budding photographer prioritize, and through that, begin to carve out a style.

 

Having to decide what shots you just HAVE to take, because there's only 36 frames, which shots do you really want, which shots are the most important.

 

But i'm open to other points of view, as long as they agree with me 100%.

July 18, 2023 The Hill Live brings together caregivers, patients, clinical experts, and lawmakers to answer these questions and more as we discuss the fight against Alzheimer’s and breakthroughs in providing relief to those who suffer from agitation and aggression.

Alzheimer’s disease affects about 55 million people worldwide, including 6.5 million Americans, and has no cure. Some patients with Alzheimer’s sometimes show signs of extreme aggression or become restless and anxious as their brains lose the ability to negotiate with new stimulus.

 

Agitation is a common neuropsychiatric symptom in Alzheimer’s dementia and one of the most complex and stressful aspects of caring for people living with the condition. It is reported in approximately half of people with Alzheimer’s dementia and is associated with earlier alternative living placement.

 

What do patients, caregivers and families navigating the complexities of agitation associated with Alzheimer’s need to know? How are researchers and doctors better understanding risk factors and diagnoses? What policy actions can prioritize research, detection and treatment? And what are the access considerations for patients and their caregivers as they navigate this difficult symptom?

LOCATION

National Press Club Holeman Lounge, 529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor, Washington, DC 20045

America’s global leadership and national security require a foundation of fiscal sustainability and economic growth. The Coalition for Fiscal and National Security — a highly distinguished, bipartisan group of former senior government officials, chaired by Admiral Mike Mullen — has just released a second statement to draw our country’s attention to how our fiscal health is fundamentally linked to our national security, and to the urgent need to update and re-prioritize our defense and foreign policy strategies to reflect a changing security environment. New York Times national security correspondent David Sanger (left) led a discussion among Admiral Mullen (right), Coalition chairman, and two of the Coalition’s members, former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and former Senator Sam Nunn.

 

Watch the video: youtu.be/DwoZpR_hjZ8

The Maserati 250F is a symbol of 1950s motorsport, encapsulating the era's elegance and ambition. Unveiled to capitalize on the 1954 Formula 1 regulation changes, the 250F featured a tubular space frame. This deceptively simple design, prioritized balance and agility, making it a formidable contender on the racetrack for several years, not only for privateers, but also professionals. It's success culminated in the 5th and last F1 World Champion title for Juan-Manuel Fangio in 1957.

 

2.500 cc

6 In-line

240 - 270 hp

 

Maserati 110 Years

19/12/2024 - 23/02/2025

 

Autoworld

www.autoworld.be

Brussels - Belgium

July 2024

The population of the Caucasian-Anatolian squirrel is undeniably dwindling across the Northern Aegean region of Türkiye. Conversations with local olive growers reveal their observations of increased numbers of field mice and snakes this year, signaling potential ecological imbalances. While reports on the impacts of the climate crisis inundate newspapers and TV news, the actions taken by humanity to address these issues remain uncertain.

 

Amidst the global preoccupation with wars, viruses, and economic turmoil, humanity's role in preserving nature often takes a backseat. The sight of a female Caucasian-Anatolian squirrel perched atop a centuries-old olive tree holds profound significance for me. As I contemplate the precariousness of their existence in this natural habitat, I can't help but wonder how many more years these remarkable creatures will have to perpetuate their lineage.

 

The answer to this question may seem inconsequential to many, but for scientists and conservationists, it embodies the urgency of safeguarding biodiversity and mitigating the anthropogenic threats faced by vulnerable species like the Caucasian-Anatolian squirrel. As stewards of the Earth, it is our collective responsibility to prioritize environmental preservation and enact measures that ensure the continued coexistence of humans and wildlife.

 

The Caucasian-Anatolian squirrel, scientifically known as Sciurus anomalus, is a captivating species endemic to the lush woodlands of the Caucasus region and certain parts of Anatolia in Türkiye. Renowned for its striking appearance, this arboreal mammal boasts a distinct black and white fur pattern, making it easily recognizable amidst the verdant foliage of its habitat.

 

These agile creatures navigate their arboreal homes with remarkable dexterity, effortlessly traversing the canopy and executing gravity-defying leaps between branches. Their acrobatic prowess is not only a spectacle to behold but also serves as a testament to their evolutionary adaptations for life among the treetops.

 

Inhabiting predominantly forested areas, the Caucasian-Anatolian squirrel sustains itself through a varied diet consisting of nuts, seeds, fruits, and occasional insects. Their foraging activities play a crucial role in the dispersal of seeds, contributing to the regeneration and diversity of their forest ecosystems.

 

Despite their resilience, these enchanting squirrels face challenges stemming from habitat loss and fragmentation, primarily driven by human activities such as deforestation and urbanization. Conservation efforts aimed at preserving and restoring their natural habitats are imperative for safeguarding their populations and ensuring their continued existence in the wild.

 

Observing the antics of the Caucasian-Anatolian squirrel in its native habitat is not only a delightful experience for nature enthusiasts but also serves as a poignant reminder of the intricate ecological relationships that sustain life on our planet.

 

The Caucasian-Anatolian squirrel, belonging to the Sciuridae family, is a medium-sized rodent with a body length ranging from 20 to 25 centimeters and a distinctive bushy tail measuring approximately 15 to 20 centimeters in length. Its fur exhibits a striking contrast between jet black and pristine white, with the black coloration extending from the head down to the tail, while the underbelly and parts of the face and limbs showcase a pristine white hue.

 

These arboreal creatures possess sharp claws and robust hind limbs, facilitating their adept climbing and leaping abilities. Their keen senses, including sharp eyesight and acute hearing, aid in detecting predators and locating food sources amidst the dense foliage of their forested habitats.

 

Caucasian-Anatolian squirrels are primarily diurnal, meaning they are most active during the day, engaging in foraging expeditions and social interactions with other members of their species. However, they may exhibit some nocturnal activity, particularly during periods of abundant food availability or in response to environmental factors such as temperature fluctuations.

 

During the breeding season, which typically occurs in the spring months, male squirrels engage in spirited displays of courtship to attract potential mates. Following a gestation period of approximately 38 to 42 days, females give birth to litters of two to six offspring, known as kits. The young squirrels are nurtured in intricately constructed nests, known as dreys, meticulously woven from twigs, leaves, and moss high in the tree canopy.

 

The survival of the Caucasian-Anatolian squirrel is intricately intertwined with the preservation of its forest habitat, which provides not only essential food resources but also refuge from predators and adverse environmental conditions. Conservation efforts aimed at mitigating habitat destruction, implementing sustainable forestry practices, and raising awareness about the ecological importance of this species are vital for ensuring its long-term survival.

 

By celebrating the unique beauty and ecological significance of the Caucasian-Anatolian squirrel, we deepen our appreciation for the rich biodiversity of our planet and reaffirm our commitment to coexisting harmoniously with nature.

  

I've captured some memorable moments with my camera, and I genuinely hope you'll experience the same joy in viewing these images as I did in capturing them.

 

Thank you immensely for visiting my gallery, whether you leave comments, add favorites, or simply take a moment to look around. Your support means a lot to me, and I wish you the best of luck and beautiful light in all your endeavors.

 

Lens - With Nikon TC 14E II - hand held or Monopod and definitely SPORT VR on. Aperture is f8 and full length. All my images have been converted from RAW to JPEG.

  

I started using Nikon Cross-Body Strap or Monopod on long walks. Here is my Carbon Monopod details : Gitzo GM2542 Series 2 4S Carbon Monopod - Really Right Stuff MH-01 Monopod Head with Standard Lever - Really Right Stuff LCF-11 Replacement Foot for Nikon AF-S 500mm /5.6E PF Lense -

 

© All rights reserved by R.Ertug. Please refrain from using this image without my explicit written permission. If you're interested in purchasing or using it, feel free to contact me via Flickr mail.

 

Your comments and critiques are highly valued.

 

Thanks for taking the time to stop by and explore :)

The Arulan Reaver units originated with a faulty 'cqc' script which led to the drone prioritizing close quarters combat over long range combat.

 

Though it was possible to fix the issue, several Arulan units opted to keep it. These units would lay the foundation for the infamous Arulan 'terror' squads, whose units would later be instrumental in the subsequent Arulan insurrection.

In June 2020, after experiencing a devastating spring due to COVID, New York State announced that certain businesses could begin partially opening again. New York City’s response included a program called Open Restaurants, which allowed restaurants to use sidewalks and parking spaces for outdoor, socially distant dining. Owners quickly built temporary enclosures in the streets in front of their businesses to try and recover from months of shutdown. Small stretches of Brooklyn in early 2021 display the variety and feel of these enclosures. Hopefully, the Open Restaurants initiative will help these businesses to survive and may even lead to a more permanent reorienting of streets to prioritize people over cars.

In June 2020, after experiencing a devastating spring due to COVID, New York State announced that certain businesses could begin partially opening again. New York City’s response included a program called Open Restaurants, which allowed restaurants to use sidewalks and parking spaces for outdoor, socially distant dining. Owners quickly built temporary enclosures in the streets in front of their businesses to try and recover from months of shutdown. Small stretches of Brooklyn in early 2021 display the variety and feel of these enclosures. Hopefully, the Open Restaurants initiative will help these businesses to survive and may even lead to a more permanent reorienting of streets to prioritize people over cars.

Heading home from Green Things with a red grapefruit plant on the backseat.

I captured these lovely A-10s from Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson through the passenger's windshield. I think we were stopped at a traffic light on Pima in Tucson, Arizona, USA. This is cropped from a moderate angle shot.

 

These A-10s are constantly in use for training. They are an amazingly effective anti-tank weapon for the Army. The Air Force keeps wanting to kill their budget. I believe we need an Army Air Force with its own budget.

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Republic_A-10_Thunderbolt_II

 

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

Design

 

Overview

 

Side-view drawing of aircraft with cut-throughs showing crucial internal components

A-10 inboard profile drawing

The A-10 has a cantilever low-wing monoplane wing with a wide chord.[32] The aircraft has superior maneuverability at low speeds and altitudes because of its large wing area, high wing aspect ratio, and large ailerons. The wing also allows short takeoffs and landings, permitting operations from primitive forward airfields near front lines. The aircraft can loiter for extended periods and operate under 1,000-foot (300 m) ceilings with 1.5-mile (2.4 km) visibility. It typically flies at a relatively low speed of 300 knots (350 mph; 560 km/h), which makes it a better platform for the ground-attack role than fast fighter-bombers, which often have difficulty targeting small, slow-moving targets.[52]

 

The leading edge of the wing has a honeycomb structure panel construction, providing strength with minimal weight; similar panels cover the flap shrouds, elevators, rudders, and sections of the fins.[53] The skin panels are integral with the stringers and are fabricated using computer-controlled machining, reducing production time and cost. Combat experience has shown that this type of panel is more resistant to damage. The skin is not load-bearing, so damaged skin sections can be easily replaced in the field, with makeshift materials if necessary.[54] The ailerons are at the far ends of the wings for a greater rolling moment and have two distinguishing features: The ailerons are larger than is typical, almost 50 percent of the wingspan, providing improved control even at slow speeds; the aileron is also split, making it a deceleron.[55][56]

 

The A-10 is designed to be refueled, rearmed, and serviced with minimal equipment.[57] Its simple design enables maintenance at forward bases with limited facilities.[58][59] An unusual feature is that many of the aircraft's parts are interchangeable between the left and right sides, including the engines, main landing gear, and vertical stabilizers. The sturdy landing gear, low-pressure tires, and large, straight wings allow operation from short rough strips even with a heavy aircraft ordnance load, allowing the aircraft to operate from damaged airbases, flying from taxiways, or even straight roadway sections.[60]

 

The front landing gear is offset to the aircraft's right to allow placement of the 30 mm cannon with its firing barrel along the centerline of the aircraft.[61] During ground taxi, the offset front landing gear causes the A-10 to have dissimilar turning radii. Turning to the right on the ground takes less distance than turning left.[Note 1] The wheels of the main landing gear partially protrude from their nacelles when retracted, making gear-up belly landings easier to control and less damaging. All landing gears retract forward; if hydraulic power is lost, a combination of gravity and aerodynamic drag can lower and lock the gear in place.[56]

 

Durability

 

The A-10 is exceptionally tough, being able to survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high-explosive projectiles up to 23 mm. It has double-redundant hydraulic flight systems, and a mechanical system as a backup if hydraulics are lost. Flight without hydraulic power uses the manual reversion control system; pitch and yaw control engages automatically, roll control is pilot-selected. In manual reversion mode, the A-10 is sufficiently controllable under favorable conditions to return to base, though control forces are greater than normal. The aircraft is designed to be able to fly with one engine, half of the tail, one elevator, and half of a wing missing.[62]

 

The cockpit and parts of the flight-control systems are protected by 1,200 lb (540 kg) of titanium aircraft armor, referred to as a "bathtub".[63][64] The armor has been tested to withstand strikes from 23 mm cannon fire and some strikes from 57 mm rounds.[59][63] It is made up of titanium plates with thicknesses varying from 0.5 to 1.5 inches (13 to 38 mm) determined by a study of likely trajectories and deflection angles. The armor makes up almost six percent of the aircraft's empty weight. Any interior surface of the tub directly exposed to the pilot is covered by a multi-layer nylon spall shield to protect against shell fragmentation.[65][66] The front windscreen and canopy are resistant to small arms fire.[67]

 

The A-10's durability was demonstrated on 7 April 2003 when Captain Kim Campbell, while flying over Baghdad during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, suffered extensive flak damage. Iraqi fire damaged one of her engines and crippled the hydraulic system, requiring the aircraft's stabilizer and flight controls to be operated via the 'manual reversion mode.' Despite this damage, Campbell flew the aircraft for nearly an hour and landed safely.[68][69]

 

The A-10 was intended to fly from forward air bases and semi-prepared runways with a high risk of foreign object damage to the engines. The unusual location of the General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofan engines decreases ingestion risk and allows the engines to run while the aircraft is serviced and rearmed by ground crews, reducing turn-around time. The wings are also mounted closer to the ground, simplifying servicing and rearming operations. The heavy engines require strong supports: four bolts connect the engine pylons to the airframe.[70] The engines' high 6:1 bypass ratio contributes to a relatively small infrared signature, and their position directs exhaust over the tailplanes further shielding it from detection by infrared homing surface-to-air missiles. The engines' exhaust nozzles are angled nine degrees below horizontal to cancel out the nose-down pitching moment that would otherwise be generated from being mounted above the aircraft's center of gravity and avoid the need to trim the control surfaces to prevent pitching.[70]

 

To reduce the likelihood of damage to the A-10's fuel system, all four fuel tanks are located near the aircraft's center and are separated from the fuselage; projectiles would need to penetrate the aircraft's skin before reaching a tank's outer skin.[65][66] Compromised fuel transfer lines self-seal; if damage exceeds a tank's self-sealing capabilities, check valves prevent fuel from flowing into a compromised tank. Most fuel system components are inside the tanks so that fuel will not be lost due to component failure. The refueling system is also purged after use.[71] Reticulated polyurethane foam lines both the inner and outer sides of the fuel tanks, retaining debris and restricting fuel spillage in the event of damage. The engines are shielded from the rest of the airframe by firewalls and fire extinguishing equipment. In the event of all four main tanks being lost, two self-sealing sump tanks contain fuel for 230 miles (370 km) of flight.[65][66]

 

Since the A-10 operates extremely close to enemy positions, where it is an easy target for MANPADS, surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), and enemy fighters, it can carry up to 480 flares and 480 chaff cartridges, which is more than any other fighter, but usually flies with a mix of both.[72]

 

Weapons

 

Although the A-10 can carry a considerable amount of munitions, its primary built-in weapon is the 30×173 mm GAU-8/A Avenger autocannon. One of the most powerful aircraft cannons ever flown, it fires large depleted uranium armor-piercing shells. The GAU-8 is a hydraulically driven seven-barrel rotary cannon designed specifically for the anti-tank role with a high rate of fire. The cannon's original design could be switched by the pilot to 2,100 or 4,200 rounds per minute;[73] this was later changed to a fixed rate of 3,900 rounds per minute.[74] The cannon takes about half a second to reach top speed, so 50 rounds are fired during the first second, 65 or 70 rounds per second thereafter. The gun is accurate enough to place 80 percent of its shots within a 40-foot (12.4 m) diameter circle from 4,000 feet (1,220 m) while in flight.[75] The GAU-8 is optimized for a slant range of 4,000 feet (1,220 m) with the A-10 in a 30-degree dive.[76]

  

Front view of the A-10's GAU-8 installation

The fuselage of the aircraft is built around the cannon. The GAU-8/A is mounted slightly to the port side; the barrel in the firing location is on the starboard side at the 9 o'clock position so it is aligned with the aircraft's centerline. The gun's 5-foot, 11.5-inch (1.816 m) ammunition drum can hold up to 1,350 rounds of 30 mm ammunition,[61] but generally holds 1,174 rounds.[76] To protect the GAU-8/A rounds from enemy fire, armor plates of differing thicknesses between the aircraft skin and the drum are designed to detonate incoming shells.[61][66]

 

The AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missile is a commonly used munition for the A-10, targeted via electro-optical (TV-guided) or infrared. The Maverick allows target engagement at much greater ranges than the cannon, and thus less risk from anti-aircraft systems. During Desert Storm, in the absence of dedicated forward-looking infrared (FLIR) cameras for night vision, the Maverick's infrared camera was used for night missions as a "poor man's FLIR".[77] Other weapons include cluster bombs and Hydra rocket pods.[78] The A-10 is equipped to carry GPS and laser-guided bombs, such as the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb, Paveway series bombs, JDAM, WCMD and glide bomb AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon.[79] A-10s usually fly with an ALQ-131 ECM pod under one wing and two AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles under the other wing for self-defense.[80]

 

Modernization

 

The A-10 Precision Engagement Modification Program from 2006 to 2010 updated all A-10 and OA-10 aircraft in the fleet to the A-10C standard with a new flight computer, new glass cockpit displays and controls, two new 5.5-inch (140 mm) color displays with moving map function, and an integrated digital stores management system.[18][43][44][81]

 

Since then, the A-10 Common Fleet Initiative has led to further improvements: a new wing design, a new data link, the ability to employ smart weapons such as the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser, as well as the newer GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb, and the ability to carry an integrated targeting pod such as the Northrop Grumman LITENING or the Lockheed Martin Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP). Also included is the Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver (ROVER) to provide sensor data to personnel on the ground.[43] The A-10C has a Missile Warning System (MWS), which alerts the pilot to whenever there is a missile launch, friendly or non-friendly. The A-10C can also carry an ALQ-184 ECM Pod, which works with the MWS to detect a missile launch, figure out what kind of vehicle is launching the missile or flak (i.e.: SAM, aircraft, flak, MANPAD, etc.), and then jams it with confidential emitting, and selects a countermeasure program that the pilot has pre-set, that when turned on, will automatically dispense flare and chaff at pre-set intervals and amounts.[82]

 

Colors and markings

 

Since the A-10 flies low to the ground and at subsonic speed, aircraft camouflage is important to make the aircraft more difficult to see. Many different types of paint schemes have been tried. These have included a "peanut scheme" of sand, yellow, and field drab; black and white colors for winter operations, and a tan, green, and brown mixed pattern.[83] Many A-10s also featured a false canopy painted in dark gray on the underside of the aircraft, just behind the gun. This form of automimicry is an attempt to confuse the enemy as to aircraft attitude and maneuver direction.[84][85] Many A-10s feature nose art, such as shark mouth or warthog head features.

 

The two most common markings applied to the A-10 have been the European I woodland camouflage scheme and a two-tone gray scheme. The European woodland scheme was designed to minimize visibility from above, as the threat from hostile fighter aircraft was felt to outweigh that from ground-fire. It uses dark green, medium green, and dark gray in order to blend in with the typical European forest terrain and was used from the 1980s to the early 1990s. Following the end of the Cold War, and based on experience during the 1991 Gulf War, the air-to-air threat was no longer seen to be as important as that from ground fire, and a new color scheme known as "Compass Ghost" was chosen to minimize visibility from below. This two-tone gray scheme has darker gray color on top, with the lighter gray on the underside of the aircraft, and started to be applied from the early 1990s.[86]

 

Operational history

 

Entering service

 

The first unit to receive the A-10 Thunderbolt II was the 355th Tactical Training Wing, based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, in March 1976.[87] The first unit to achieve full combat-readiness was the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina, in October 1977.[1] Deployments of A-10As followed at bases both at home and abroad, including England AFB, Louisiana; Eielson AFB, Alaska; Osan Air Base, South Korea; and RAF Bentwaters/RAF Woodbridge, England. The 81st TFW of RAF Bentwaters/RAF Woodbridge operated rotating detachments of A-10s at four bases in Germany known as Forward Operating Locations (FOLs): Leipheim, Sembach Air Base, Nörvenich Air Base, and RAF Ahlhorn.[88]

 

A-10s were initially an unwelcome addition to many in the Air Force. Most pilots switching to the A-10 did not want to because fighter pilots traditionally favored speed and appearance.[89] In 1987, many A-10s were shifted to the forward air control (FAC) role and redesignated OA-10.[90] In the FAC role, the OA-10 is typically equipped with up to six pods of 2.75 inch (70 mm) Hydra rockets, usually with smoke or white phosphorus warheads used for target marking. OA-10s are physically unchanged and remain fully combat capable despite the redesignation.[91]

 

A-10s of the 23rd TFW were deployed to Bridgetown, Barbados during Operation Urgent Fury, the American Invasion of Grenada. They provided air cover for the U.S. Marine Corps landings on the island of Carriacou in late October 1983, but did not fire weapons as Marines met no resistance.[92][93][94]

 

Gulf War and Balkans

 

The A-10 was used in combat for the first time during the Gulf War in 1991, destroying more than 900 Iraqi tanks, 2,000 other military vehicles, and 1,200 artillery pieces.[10] A-10s also shot down two Iraqi helicopters with the GAU-8 cannon. The first of these was shot down by Captain Robert Swain over Kuwait on 6 February 1991 for the A-10's first air-to-air victory.[95][96] Four A-10s were shot down during the war by surface-to-air missiles. Another two battle-damaged A-10s and OA-10As returned to base and were written off. Some sustained additional damage in crash landings.[97][98] The A-10 had a mission-capable rate of 95.7 percent, flew 8,100 sorties, and launched 90 percent of the AGM-65 Maverick missiles fired in the conflict.[99] Shortly after the Gulf War, the Air Force abandoned the idea of replacing the A-10 with a close air support version of the F-16.[100]

 

U.S. Air Force A-10 aircraft fired approximately 10,000 30 mm rounds in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1994–95. Following the seizure of some heavy weapons by Bosnian Serbs from a warehouse in Ilidža, a series of sorties were launched to locate and destroy the captured equipment. On 5 August 1994, two A-10s located and strafed an anti-tank vehicle. Afterward, the Serbs agreed to return remaining heavy weapons.[101] In August 1995, NATO launched an offensive called Operation Deliberate Force. A-10s flew close air support missions, attacking Bosnian Serb artillery and positions. In late September, A-10s began flying patrols again.[102]

 

A-10s returned to the Balkan region as part of Operation Allied Force in Kosovo beginning in March 1999.[102] In March 1999, A-10s escorted and supported search and rescue helicopters in finding a downed F-117 pilot.[103] The A-10s were deployed to support search and rescue missions, but over time the Warthogs began to receive more ground attack missions. The A-10's first successful attack in Operation Allied Force happened on 6 April 1999; A-10s remained in action until combat ended in late June 1999.[104]

 

Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and recent deployments

 

During the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, the A-10s did not take part in the initial stages. For the campaign against Taliban and Al Qaeda, A-10 squadrons were deployed to Pakistan and Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, beginning in March 2002. These A-10s participated in Operation Anaconda. Afterward, A-10s remained in-country, fighting Taliban and Al Qaeda remnants.[105]

 

Operation Iraqi Freedom began on 20 March 2003. Sixty OA-10/A-10 aircraft took part in early combat there.[106] The United States Air Forces Central Command issued Operation Iraqi Freedom: By the Numbers, a declassified report about the aerial campaign in the conflict on 30 April 2003. During that initial invasion of Iraq, A-10s had a mission capable rate of 85 percent in the war and fired 311,597 rounds of 30 mm ammunition. A single A-10 was shot down near Baghdad International Airport by Iraqi fire late in the campaign. The A-10 also flew 32 missions in which the aircraft dropped propaganda leaflets over Iraq.[107]

 

In September 2007, the A-10C with the Precision Engagement Upgrade reached initial operating capability.[81] The A-10C first deployed to Iraq in 2007 with the 104th Fighter Squadron of the Maryland Air National Guard.[108] The A-10C's digital avionics and communications systems have greatly reduced the time to acquire a close air support target and attack it.[109]

 

A-10s flew 32 percent of combat sorties in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. The sorties ranged from 27,800 to 34,500 annually between 2009 and 2012. In the first half of 2013, they flew 11,189 sorties in Afghanistan.[110] From the beginning of 2006 to October 2013, A-10s conducted 19 percent of CAS missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, more than the F-15E Strike Eagle and B-1B Lancer, but less than the 33 percent flown by F-16s.[111]

 

In March 2011, six A-10s were deployed as part of Operation Odyssey Dawn, the coalition intervention in Libya. They participated in attacks on Libyan ground forces there.[112][113]

 

The USAF 122nd Fighter Wing revealed it would deploy to the Middle East in October 2014 with 12 of the unit's 21 A-10 aircraft. Although the deployment had been planned a year in advance in a support role, the timing coincided with the ongoing Operation Inherent Resolve against ISIL militants.[114][115][116] From mid-November, U.S. commanders began sending A-10s to hit IS targets in central and northwestern Iraq on an almost daily basis.[117][118] In about two months time, A-10s flew 11 percent of all USAF sorties since the start of operations in August 2014.[119] On 15 November 2015, two days after the ISIL attacks in Paris, A-10s and AC-130s destroyed a convoy of over 100 ISIL-operated oil tanker trucks in Syria. The attacks were part of an intensification of the U.S.-led intervention against ISIL called Operation Tidal Wave II (named after Operation Tidal Wave during World War II, a failed attempt to raid German oil fields) in an attempt to cut off oil smuggling as a source of funding for the group.[120]

 

On 19 January 2018, 12 A-10s from the 303d Expeditionary Fighter Squadron were deployed to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, to provide close-air support, marking the first time in more than three years A-10s had been deployed to Afghanistan.[121]

 

Future

 

The future of the platform remains the subject of debate. In 2007, the USAF expected the A-10 to remain in service until 2028 and possibly later,[122] when it would likely be replaced by the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.[38] However, critics have said that replacing the A-10 with the F-35 would be a "giant leap backwards" given the A-10's performance and the F-35's high costs.[123] In 2012, the Air Force considered the F-35B STOVL variant as a replacement CAS aircraft, but concluded that the aircraft could not generate sufficient sorties.[124] In August 2013, Congress and the Air Force examined various proposals, including the F-35 and the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle filling the A-10's role. Proponents state that the A-10's armor and cannon are superior to aircraft such as the F-35 for ground attack, that guided munitions other planes rely upon could be jammed, and that ground commanders frequently request A-10 support.[110]

 

In the USAF's FY 2015 budget, the service considered retiring the A-10 and other single-mission aircraft, prioritizing multi-mission aircraft; cutting a whole fleet and its infrastructure was seen as the only method for major savings. The U.S. Army had expressed interest in obtaining some A-10s should the Air Force retire them,[125][126] but later stated there was "no chance" of that happening.[127] The U.S. Air Force stated that retirement would save $3.7 billion from 2015 to 2019. The prevalence of guided munitions allow more aircraft to perform the CAS mission and reduces the requirement for specialized aircraft; since 2001 multirole aircraft and bombers have performed 80 percent of operational CAS missions. The Air Force also said that the A-10 was more vulnerable to advanced anti-aircraft defenses, but the Army replied that the A-10 had proved invaluable because of its versatile weapons loads, psychological impact, and limited logistics needs on ground support systems.[128]

 

In January 2015, USAF officials told lawmakers that it would take 15 years to fully develop a new attack aircraft to replace the A-10;[129] that year General Herbert J. Carlisle, the head of Air Combat Command, stated that a follow-on weapon system for the A-10 may need to be developed.[130] It planned for F-16s and F-15Es to initially take up CAS sorties, and later by the F-35A once sufficient numbers become operationally available over the next decade.[131] In July 2015, Boeing held initial discussions on the prospects of selling retired or stored A-10s in near-flyaway condition to international customers.[42] However, the Air Force then said that it would not permit the aircraft to be sold.[132]

 

Plans to develop a replacement aircraft were announced by the US Air Combat Command in August 2015.[133][134] Early the following year, the Air Force began studying future CAS aircraft to succeed the A-10 in low-intensity "permissive conflicts" like counterterrorism and regional stability operations, admitting that the F-35 would be too expensive to operate in day-to-day roles. A wide range of platforms were under consideration, including everything from low-end AT-6 Wolverine and A-29 Super Tucano turboprops and the Textron AirLand Scorpion as more basic off-the-shelf options to more sophisticated clean-sheet attack aircraft or "AT-X" derivatives of the T-X next-generation trainer as entirely new attack platforms.[131][135][136]

 

In January 2016, the USAF was "indefinitely freezing" plans to retire the A-10 for at least several years. In addition to Congressional opposition, its use in anti-ISIL operations, deployments to Eastern Europe as a response to Russia's military intervention in Ukraine, and reevaluation of F-35 numbers necessitated its retention.[137][138] In February 2016, the Air Force deferred the final retirement of the aircraft until 2022 after being replaced by F-35s on a squadron-by-squadron basis.[139][140] In October 2016, the Air Force Material Command brought the depot maintenance line back to full capacity in preparation for re-winging the fleet.[141] In June 2017, it was announced that the aircraft "...will now be kept in the air force’s inventory indefinitely."[142][5]

 

Other uses

 

On 25 March 2010, an A-10 conducted the first flight of an aircraft with all engines powered by a biofuel blend. The flight, performed at Eglin Air Force Base, used a 1:1 blend of JP-8 and Camelina-based fuel.[143] On 28 June 2012, the A-10 became the first aircraft to fly using a new fuel blend derived from alcohol; known as ATJ (Alcohol-to-Jet), the fuel is cellulosic-based and can be produced using wood, paper, grass, or any cellulose based material, which are fermented into alcohols before being hydro-processed into aviation fuel. ATJ is the third alternative fuel to be evaluated by the Air Force as a replacement for the petroleum-derived JP-8 fuel. Previous types were a synthetic paraffinic kerosene derived from coal and natural gas and a bio-mass fuel derived from plant-oils and animal fats known as Hydroprocessed Renewable Jet.[144]

 

In 2011, the National Science Foundation granted $11 million to modify an A-10 for weather research for CIRPAS at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School[145] and in collaboration with scientists from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (SDSM&T),[146] replacing SDSM&T's retired North American T-28 Trojan.[147] The A-10's armor is expected to allow it to survive the extreme meteorological conditions, such as 200 mph hailstorms, found in inclement high-altitude weather events.[148]

 

Variants

 

YA-10A

Pre-production variant. 12 were built.[149]

A-10A

Single-seat close air support, ground-attack production version.

OA-10A

A-10As used for airborne forward air control.

YA-10B Night/Adverse Weather (N/AW)

Two-seat experimental prototype, for work at night and in bad weather. The one YA-10B prototype was converted from an A-10A.[150][151]

A-10C

A-10As updated under the incremental Precision Engagement (PE) program.[43]

A-10PCAS

Proposed unmanned version developed by Raytheon and Aurora Flight Sciences as part of DARPA's Persistent Close Air Support program.[152] The PCAS program eventually dropped the idea of using an optionally manned A-10.[153]

Civilian A-10

Proposed by the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology to replace its North American T-28 Trojan thunderstorm penetration aircraft. The A-10 would have its military engines, avionics, and oxygen system replaced by civilian versions. The engines and airframe would receive protection from hail, and the GAU-8 Avenger would be replaced with ballast or scientific instruments.[154]

Operators

 

The A-10 has been flown exclusively by the United States Air Force and its Air Reserve components, the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) and the Air National Guard (ANG). As of 2017, 282 A-10C aircraft are reported as operational, divided as follows: 141 USAF, 55 AFRC, 86 ANG.[155]

 

United States

United States Air Force

Air Force Materiel Command

514th Flight Test Squadron (Hill AFB, Utah) (1993-)

23rd Wing

74th Fighter Squadron (Moody AFB, Georgia) (1980-1992, 1996-)

75th Fighter Squadron (Moody AFB, Georgia) (1980-1991, 1992-)

51st Fighter Wing

25th Fighter Squadron (Osan AFB, South Korea) (1982-1989, 1993-)

53d Wing

422d Test and Evaluation Squadron (Nellis AFB, Nevada) (1977-)

57th Wing

66th Weapons Squadron (Nellis AFB, Nevada) (1977-1981, 2003-)

96th Test Wing

40th Flight Test Squadron (Eglin AFB, Florida) (1982-)

122nd Fighter Wing (Indiana ANG)

163d Fighter Squadron (Fort Wayne ANGS, Indiana) (2010-)

124th Fighter Wing (Idaho ANG)

190th Fighter Squadron (Gowen Field ANGB, Idaho) (1996-)

127th Wing (Michigan ANG)

107th Fighter Squadron (Selfridge ANGB, Michigan) (2008-)

175th Wing (Maryland ANG)

104th Fighter Squadron (Warfield ANGB, Maryland) (1979-)

355th Fighter Wing

354th Fighter Squadron (Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona) (1979-1982, 1991-)

357th Fighter Squadron (Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona) (1979-)

442nd Fighter Wing (AFRC)

303d Fighter Squadron (Whiteman AFB, Missouri) (1982-)

476th Fighter Group (AFRC)

76th Fighter Squadron (Moody AFB, Georgia) (1981-1992, 2009-)

495th Fighter Group (AFRC)

358th Fighter Squadron (Whiteman AFB, Missouri) (1979-2014, 2015-)

924th Fighter Group (AFRC)

45th Fighter Squadron (Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona) (1981-1994, 2009-)

47th Fighter Squadron (Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona) (1980-)

926th Wing (AFRC)

706th Fighter Squadron (Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona) (1982-1992, 1997-)

Former squadrons

 

18th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1982-1991)

23d Tactical Air Support Squadron (1987-1991) (OA-10 unit)

55th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1994-1996)

70th Fighter Squadron (1995-2000)

78th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1979-1992)

81st Fighter Squadron (1994-2013)

91st Tactical Fighter Squadron (1978-1992)

92d Tactical Fighter Squadron (1978-1993)

103d Fighter Squadron (Pennsylvania ANG) (1988-2011) (OA-10 unit)

118th Fighter Squadron (Connecticut ANG) (1979-2008)

131st Fighter Squadron (Massachusetts ANG) (1979-2007)

138th Fighter Squadron (New York ANG) (1979-1989)

172d Fighter Squadron (Michigan ANG) (1991-2009)

176th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Wisconsin ANG) (1981-1993)

184th Fighter Squadron (Arkansas ANG) (2007-2014)

353d Tactical Fighter Squadron (1978-1992)

355th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1978-1992, 1993–2007)

356th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1977-1992)[156]

509th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1979-1992)

510th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1979-1994)

511th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1980-1992)

Aircraft on display

 

Germany

 

A-10A

77-0264 – Spangdahlem AB, Bitburg[157]

South Korea

 

A-10A

76-0515 – Osan AB[158]

United Kingdom

 

A-10A

77-0259 – American Air Museum at Imperial War Museum Duxford[159]

80-0219 – Bentwaters Cold War Museum[160]

United States

 

YA-10A

71-1370 – Joint Base Langley-Eustis (Langley AFB), Hampton, Virginia[161]

YA-10B

73-1664 – Air Force Flight Test Center Museum, Edwards AFB, California[162]

A-10A

73-1666 – Hill Aerospace Museum, Hill AFB, Utah[163]

73-1667 – Flying Tiger Heritage Park at the former England AFB, Louisiana[164]

75-0263 – Empire State Aerosciences Museum, Glenville, New York[165]

75-0270 – McChord Air Museum, McChord AFB, Washington[166]

75-0293 – Wings of Eagles Discovery Center, Elmira, New York[167]

75-0288 – Air Force Armament Museum, Eglin AFB, Florida[168]

75-0289 – Heritage Park, Eielson AFB, Alaska[169]

75-0298 – Pima Air & Space Museum (adjacent to Davis-Monthan AFB), Tucson, Arizona[170]

75-0305 – Museum of Aviation, Robins AFB, Warner Robins, Georgia[171]

75-0308 – Moody Heritage Park, Moody AFB, Valdosta, Georgia[172]

75-0309 – Shaw AFB, Sumter, South Carolina. Marked as AF Ser. No. 81-0964 assigned to the 55 FS from 1994 to 1996. The represented aircraft was credited with downing an Iraqi Mi-8 Hip helicopter on 15 Feb 1991 while assigned to the 511 TFS.[173][174]

76-0516 – Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum at the former NAS Willow Grove, Horsham, Pennsylvania[175]

76-0530 – Whiteman AFB, Missouri[176]

76-0535 – Cradle of Aviation, Garden City, New York[177]

76-0540 – Aerospace Museum of California, McClellan Airport (former McClellan AFB), Sacramento, California[178]

77-0199 – Stafford Air & Space Museum, Weatherford, Oklahoma

77-0205 – USAF Academy collection, Colorado Springs, Colorado[179]

77-0228 – Grissom Air Museum, Grissom ARB (former Grissom AFB), Peru, Indiana[180]

77-0244 – Wisconsin Air National Guard Museum, Volk Field ANGB, Wisconsin[181]

77-0252 – Cradle of Aviation, Garden City, New York (nose section only)[182]

77-0667 – England AFB Heritage Park, Alexandria, Louisiana[183]

78-0681 – National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio[184]

78-0687 – Don F. Pratt Memorial Museum, Fort Campbell, Kentucky[185]

79-0097 – Warbird Park, former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina[186]

79-0100 – Barnes Air National Guard Base, Westfield, Massachusetts[187]

79-0103 – Bradley Air National Guard Base, Windsor Locks, Connecticut[188]

79-0116 – Warrior Park, Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona[189]

79-0173 – New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks, Connecticut[190]

80-0247 – American Airpower Museum, Republic Airport, Farmingdale, New York[191]

80-0708 – Selfridge Military Air Museum, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Harrison Township, Michigan[192]

Specifications (A-10A)

 

Data from The Great Book of Modern Warplanes,[193] Fairchild-Republic A/OA-10,[194] USAF[81]

 

General characteristics

 

Crew: 1

Length: 53 ft 4 in (16.26 m)

Wingspan: 57 ft 6 in (17.53 m)

Height: 14 ft 8 in (4.47 m)

Wing area: 506 ft2 (47.0 m2)

Airfoil: NACA 6716 root, NACA 6713 tip

Empty weight: 24,959 lb (11,321 kg)

Loaded weight: 30,384 lb (13,782 kg)

CAS mission: 47,094 lb (21,361 kg)

Anti-armor mission: 42,071 lb (19,083 kg)

Max. takeoff weight: 50,000 lb[195] (22,700 kg)

Internal fuel capacity: 11,000 lb (4,990 kg)

Powerplant: 2 × General Electric TF34-GE-100A turbofans, 9,065 lbf (40.32 kN) each

Performance

 

Maximum speed: 381 knots (439 mph, 706 km/h) at sea level, clean[194]

Cruise speed: 300 knots (340 mph, 560 km/h)

Stall speed: 120 knots (138 mph, 220 km/h) [196]

Never exceed speed: 450 knots (518 mph,[194] 833 km/h) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m) with 18 Mk 82 bombs[197]

Combat radius:

CAS mission: 250 nmi (288 mi, 460 km at 1.88 hour loiter at 5,000 ft (1,500 m), 10 min combat

Anti-armor mission: 252 nmi (290 mi, 467 km), 40 nmi (45 mi, 75 km)) sea-level penetration and exit, 30 min combat

Ferry range: 2,240 nmi (2,580 mi, 4,150 km) with 50 knot (55 mph, 90 km/h) headwinds, 20 minutes reserve

Service ceiling: 45,000 ft (13,700 m)

Rate of climb: 6,000 ft/min (30 m/s)

Wing loading: 99 lb/ft2 (482 kg/m2)

Thrust/weight: 0.36

Armament

 

Guns: 1× 30 mm (1.18 in) GAU-8/A Avenger rotary cannon with 1,174 rounds (original capacity was 1,350 rd)

Hardpoints: 11 (8× under-wing and 3× under-fuselage pylon stations) with a capacity of 16,000 lb (7,260 kg) and provisions to carry combinations of:

Rockets:

4× LAU-61/LAU-68 rocket pods (each with 19×/7× Hydra 70 mm/APKWS[198] rockets, respectively)

6x LAU-131 rocket pods (each with 7x Hydra 70 rockets)[199][200]

Missiles:

2× AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles for self-defense

6× AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles

Bombs:

Mark 80 series of unguided iron bombs or

Mk 77 incendiary bombs or

BLU-1, BLU-27/B, CBU-20 Rockeye II, BL755[201] and CBU-52/58/71/87/89/97 cluster bombs or

Paveway series of Laser-guided bombs or

Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) (A-10C)[202] or

Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (A-10C)

Other:

SUU-42A/A Flares/Infrared decoys and chaff dispenser pod or

AN/ALQ-131 or AN/ALQ-184 ECM pods or

Lockheed Martin Sniper XR or LITENING targeting pods (A-10C) or

2× 600 US gal (2,300 L) Sargent Fletcher drop tanks for increased range/loitering time.

Avionics

 

AN/AAS-35(V) Pave Penny laser tracker pod[203] (mounted beneath right side of cockpit) for use with Paveway LGBs (currently the Pave Penny is no longer in use)

Head-up display (HUD)[31]

Notable appearances in media

 

Main article: Aircraft in fiction § A-10 Thunderbolt II

Nicknames

 

The A-10 Thunderbolt II received its popular nickname "Warthog" from the pilots and crews of the USAF attack squadrons who flew and maintained it. The A-10 is the last of Republic's jet attack aircraft to serve with the USAF. The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was nicknamed the "Hog", F-84F Thunderstreak nicknamed "Superhog", and the Republic F-105 Thunderchief tagged "Ultra Hog".[204] The saying Go Ugly Early has been associated with the aircraft in reference to calling in the A-10 early to support troops in ground combat.[205]

 

See also

 

Craig D. Button – USAF pilot who crashed mysteriously in an A-10

190th Fighter Squadron, Blues and Royals friendly fire incident

1988 Remscheid A-10 crash

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

 

Ilyushin Il-102

Northrop YA-9

Sukhoi Su-25

Related lists

 

List of attack aircraft

List of active United States military aircraft

References

 

Notes

 

With the inner wheel on a turn stopped, the minimum radius of the turn is dictated by the distance between the inner wheel and the nose wheel. Since the distance is less between the right main wheel and the nose gear than the same measurement on the left, the aircraft can turn more tightly to the right.

 

Here's another from my recent Minnesota trip that was on my wish list. When we were here in May we only got one train here at the 37th Avenue crossing and it wasn't the classic head on view of a train coming south under the DMIR docks, so I prioritized that this time.

 

This is an interesting stretch of track because it sees trains of four different Class 1s operate on it, owner BNSF, and trains of CPKC, UP, and CN which are successors to legacy Twin Ports carriers Soo, CNW, and DMIR. Dating from 1892 the tracks here were once owned by the short Duluth Transfer Railway, a Northern Pacific subsidiary. Note the twin mileposts with the 2.51 at right being the BNSF's ex NP/DTRR mileage and the 0 at left which is the beginning of CN's ex Missabe mainline. To learn more about the NP and the Duluth Transfer check out this tremendous link: zenithcity.com/archive/historic-industry/the-northern-pac...

 

Just about to cross Merrit Creek and 37th Avenue is a CN Proctor Yard job bringing a string of ore hoppers down to the waterfront presumably for limestone loading at CN-Hallett Dock 5. The train is led by a pair of rebuilt tunnel motors bracketing an SD40-2, BLE 903, IC 6261, and DMIR 408 all in CN dress.

 

In the background at right berthed up beside CN's ex DMIR Dock 6 taking on a load of iron ore is the Interlake Steamship Company's M/V Mesabi Miner. The self unloading bulk carrier was laid down in 1975 by American Shipbuilding of Lorraine, OH and christened in 1977 to honor the men and women of Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range. She has always been part of the Interlake fleet and at 1004 ft long she was the 4th thousand footer on the Great Lakes and one of 13 still sailing (including one which is technically and ITB).

 

Duluth, Minnesota

Sunday October 8, 2023

An aerial photo shows a small section of the atoll that has slipped beneath the water line only showing a small pile of rocks at low tide on Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands on Nov. 8, 2015. For decades, the tiny Marshall Islands has been a stalwart American ally. Its location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean has made it a key strategic outpost for the U.S. military. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith, File)

___________

 

AP NEWS

 

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — For decades, the tiny Marshall Islands has been a stalwart American ally. Its location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean has made it a key strategic outpost for the U.S. military.

 

But that loyalty is being tested amid a dispute with Washington over the terms of its “Compact of Free Association” agreement, which expires soon. The U.S. is refusing to engage the Marshallese on claims for environmental and health damage caused by dozens of nuclear tests it carried out in the 1940s and ’50s, including a huge thermonuclear blast on Bikini Atoll.

 

The dispute has some U.S. lawmakers worried that China might be willing to step into the breach, adding to a bruising competition for geopolitical dominance between the two superpowers.

 

Since World War II, the U.S. has treated the Marshall Islands, along with Micronesia and Palau, much like territories. On the Marshall Islands, the U.S. has developed military, intelligence and aerospace facilities in a region where China is particularly active.

 

In turn, U.S. money and jobs have benefited the Marshall Islands’ economy. And many Marshallese have taken advantage of their ability to live and work in the U.S., moving in the thousands to Arkansas, Hawaii and Oklahoma.

 

But this month, 10 Democratic and Republican members of the House of Representatives wrote to President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, about the U.S. compact talks with the Marshalls, Micronesia and Palau.

 

“It is distressing that these negotiations do not appear to be a priority — there have been no formal meetings since this Administration began — even as our international focus continues shifting to the Indo-Pacific,” they wrote.

 

The lawmakers said the delays were putting the U.S. in a weaker position, and “China is all too ready to step in and provide the desperately needed infrastructure and climate resiliency investment that is sought by these long-time partners.”

 

China’s Foreign Ministry said the U.S. should face up to its responsibility to restore the environmental damage it caused with its nuclear tests. It said China was willing to engage with the Marshall Islands and other Pacific island nations on the basis of mutual respect and cooperation under the “One China Principle,” in which Taiwan is viewed as part of China.

 

“We welcome efforts to boost economic relations and improve the quality of life between the sides,” the ministry said in a statement.

 

China has steadily poached allies from Taiwan in the Pacific, including Kiribati and the Solomon Islands in 2019. Just this week, angry protesters in the Solomons set fire to buildings and looted stores in unrest that some have linked to the China switch.

 

James Matayoshi, the mayor of Rongelap Atoll on the Marshall Islands, said he and hundreds of others have remained displaced from their atoll since the nuclear tests and want to see it revitalized. He said officials have been talking with potential investors from Asia, after a previous proposal by a Chinese-Marshallese businessman fell through.

 

“It would be a business transaction. We don’t advocate for war or any superpower influence,” Matayoshi said. “But we want to be able to live in our backyard, and enjoy life here.”

 

Like many others on the Marshall Islands, Matayoshi believes a U.S. settlement of $150 million agreed to in the 1980s fell well short of addressing the nuclear legacy. He said his late mother was pregnant at the time of one massive nuclear blast and got exposed to radiation that was the equivalent of 25,000 X-rays before giving birth to a stillborn baby.

 

But the U.S. position has remained static for more than 20 years, the last time the compact came up for renegotiation. The U.S. maintains that nuclear compensation was dealt with in a “full and final settlement” and cannot be reopened.

 

Marshallese Senator David Paul — who is on the islands’ negotiating committee and also represents Kwajalein Atoll, which is home to a major U.S. military base — said continuing high cancer rates and the displacement of people remain huge issues.

 

“Everyone knows the negotiations at that time were not fair or equitable,” Paul said. “When you look at the total cost of property damage and the ongoing health issues to date, it’s a drop in the bucket. It’s an insult.”

 

Various estimates put the true cost of the damage at about $3 billion, including for repairs to a massive nuclear waste facility known as the Cactus Dome which environmentalists say is leaking toxic waste into the ocean.

 

A report to Congress last year from the U.S. Department of Energy said the dome contains over 100,000 cubic yards (76,000 cubic meters) of radioactively contaminated soil and debris but the structure wasn’t in any immediate danger of failing. The report concluded that any contaminated groundwater flowing beneath the structure was not measurably impacting the environment.

 

As it did in earlier compact negotiations, the U.S. has stonewalled discussions on the nuclear legacy, something that American officials acknowledge.

 

“We know that’s important, but there is a full and final settlement, and both sides agreed to it,” said a senior U.S. official who wasn’t authorized to publicly discuss the issue and spoke on condition of anonymity. “So, that issue is just not subject to being reopened. But, we’re still quite willing to work with the (Marshallese) on the broader issues that are important to us and that’s what we hope to do.”

 

The U.S. State Department said the Indo-Pacific is central to U.S. foreign policy.

 

“We are prioritizing achieving success in the negotiations related to the Compacts with the Freely Associated States as a regional foreign policy objective,” the department said.

 

The frustrations of the Marshallese were apparent in a letter sent last month by Foreign Minister Casten Nemra to Rep. Katie Porter, a California Democrat who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee’s oversight and investigations panel.

 

“The State and Interior Department officials involved have been unwilling to discuss an agenda for the talks and tried to confine the discussion to their own limited proposals,” Nemra wrote. “The nuclear issue clearly was one reason. All issues raised by the Marshall Islands were met with assertions that they did not have authority to discuss the matters without any indication that they would seek it.”

 

Sen. Paul said the American approach needs to change.

 

“I believe the U.S. has the legal and moral obligation to make sure they clean up this debris,” Paul said. “We want to make sure we get a better deal this time around. As they say, the third time is a charm.”

July 18, 2023 The Hill Live brings together caregivers, patients, clinical experts, and lawmakers to answer these questions and more as we discuss the fight against Alzheimer’s and breakthroughs in providing relief to those who suffer from agitation and aggression.

Alzheimer’s disease affects about 55 million people worldwide, including 6.5 million Americans, and has no cure. Some patients with Alzheimer’s sometimes show signs of extreme aggression or become restless and anxious as their brains lose the ability to negotiate with new stimulus.

 

Agitation is a common neuropsychiatric symptom in Alzheimer’s dementia and one of the most complex and stressful aspects of caring for people living with the condition. It is reported in approximately half of people with Alzheimer’s dementia and is associated with earlier alternative living placement.

 

What do patients, caregivers and families navigating the complexities of agitation associated with Alzheimer’s need to know? How are researchers and doctors better understanding risk factors and diagnoses? What policy actions can prioritize research, detection and treatment? And what are the access considerations for patients and their caregivers as they navigate this difficult symptom?

LOCATION

National Press Club Holeman Lounge, 529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor, Washington, DC 20045

The Days We Wear Masks 20210226

 

People age 60 and older and health care workers among some 2.4 million people currently prioritized to receive the vaccines can make their appointments online to get the jab at one of the eight community vaccination centers or 18 outpatient clinics across Hong Kong.

 

(20210226 The Standard)

I've had such a backlog of photos that needed to be processed and edited that I had to prioritize certain photos to be posted ahead of others. Here is one that was shot in December but benefited from my using Lightroom and Photoshop Express. I was able to bring out the colors in the clouds better using the new software, doing so without adding colors that didn't already exist.

In June 2020, after experiencing a devastating spring due to COVID, New York State announced that certain businesses could begin partially opening again. New York City’s response included a program called Open Restaurants, which allowed restaurants to use sidewalks and parking spaces for outdoor, socially distant dining. Owners quickly built temporary enclosures in the streets in front of their businesses to try and recover from months of shutdown. Small stretches of Brooklyn in early 2021 display the variety and feel of these enclosures. Hopefully, the Open Restaurants initiative will help these businesses to survive and may even lead to a more permanent reorienting of streets to prioritize people over cars.

With all my ❤️ I thank you for your ⭐ or 💬 or just for 👀 it.

A 📷 taken by me

THIS PHOTO IT'S NOT AI 📀

You can look at the Exif data on your right.➡️

 

In 299 seconds, which is equivalent to 4 minutes and 59 seconds, you can accomplish many things.

These are just a few ideas. Time can be used in many ways according to your interests and needs. I used them to create this beautiful image.

 

Here are some ideas:

Looking: a beautiful picture in flickr.

Take your camera: and take a photo.

Reply to emails: You can reply to a few quick emails or organize your inbox.

Make a to-do list: Take a moment to plan and prioritize your activities for the day.

Quick call: Make a brief phone call to confirm an appointment or discuss a simple matter.

Stretching exercise: Do a series of stretches to relieve muscle tension.

Meditation or breathing: Spend a few minutes meditating or doing deep breathing exercises.

Drink a glass of water and a healthy snack: Stay hydrated and energized.

Listen to a song: Enjoy a short song or part of a playlist.

Read an article: Read a brief article or part of a book.

Play a short game: Play a quick game on your phone.

Watch an educational video: Watch a short video on YouTube or a learning platform.

Review vocabulary: Learn or review some words in a foreign language.

Read the news: Catch up on the latest news headlines.

Write: Write a paragraph for an article, a story, or a journal entry.

Draw or color: Create a small sketch or color a page.

Play an instrument: Practice a song or scale on your musical instrument.

Send a message: Send a text or voice message to a friend or family member.

Check social media: Spend a few minutes checking and responding on your social media accounts.

Greet a colleague: Grettings from Peñíscola, Spain

 

Edgar Germain Hilaire Degas created 18 paintings, 4 drawings and 5 letters while here in New Orleans in 1872 and 1873. Also, Portraits in an Office, The New Orleans Cotton Exchange painting, the only painting to sell to a museum in Degas' lifetime, was painted here! However, the most important of his New Orleans accomplishments was his change in artistic style, creating (in his words), "Better Art", and re-prioritizing the goal of his youth, to begin a new art movement. This came to pass one year after leaving New Orleans and on his return to Paris, at the birth of the Impressionist Movement of 1874 and beyond!

 

Maisons des Ilustres! The Houses of the Illustrious!

Degas House is the only home or studio of the French Impressionist Master Edgar Degas, in the world, and is now included in the French Ministry of Culture's network of the Maisons des Illustres or Houses of the Illustrious. Degas House is now in the company of 236 houses in the global network, including the houses of Napoleon, Joan of Arc, Monet, Matisse, Renoir, Ravel (the composer), Louis Braille, Marie Curie, Louis Pasteur, The Chateau of Monte Cristo, French President Mitterrand, President de Gaulle's, Jules Verne; Albert Schweitzer; Victor Hugo; Cezanne and Nostradamus.

 

Degas House is only the second house in the U.S to be included in the network and is one of only four included that are not in France or one of the French territories!

 

In a ceremony at the Degas House on July 15th, 2019, French Ambassador Philippe Etienne presented the official marker of the Maisons des Illustres and remarked that the Degas House is now a monument or an institute. The marker was unveiled by the French Consul General, the French Heritage Society, the Lt. Governors Office, the City of New Orleans Mayor's Office, as well as the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce representatives, in a ceremony on October 23rd, 2019. The marker is positioned on the front porch of the house, where it will remain in-perpetuity.

 

www.degashouse.com/the-inn/about-degas-house.html

 

Esplanade Avenue

New Orleans, LA

2024

Monica Gandhi: Science in the Arena

 

I photographed Monica Gandhi on May 5, 2021, at Ward 86 at San Francisco General, one of the most historically significant HIV clinics in the world. It was the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time of uncertainty, shifting policies, and public anxiety. Gandhi was in the thick of it—writing op-eds, giving interviews, and advocating for a balanced, evidence-driven response to the crisis. She was everywhere, and whether people agreed with her or not, they listened.

 

She wasn’t just another public health voice repeating the party line. Gandhi was precise, pragmatic, and unafraid to challenge prevailing narratives when the science led her elsewhere. She spoke about risk assessment, the importance of ventilation, and the role of vaccines as the key to moving past fear and restriction. She often found herself at odds with more cautious approaches, pushing instead for policies that accounted for both public health and the human need for connection. Some saw her as a much-needed realist, others as a contrarian, but she was always deeply engaged in the data, unwilling to let ideology drive the response to a pandemic that demanded clear-eyed thinking.

 

But COVID wasn’t the first pandemic Gandhi had spent her career studying. Her roots were in HIV research, and that background shaped her approach. Ward 86, where we met, was a fitting place—ground zero for the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S. It was there that doctors had fought another deadly virus, one that in its early days was also met with confusion, stigma, and fear. Gandhi had dedicated much of her work to HIV treatment and prevention, with a particular focus on long-acting antiretrovirals, disparities in access to care, and the global fight against the virus. She studied how to simplify HIV treatment regimens for better adherence, how to make care more equitable, and how to develop new ways of preventing transmission—work that had a direct impact on real-world health outcomes.

 

By the time COVID arrived, Gandhi had spent decades thinking about infectious disease through the lens of both science and public policy. She understood that a virus wasn’t just a biological entity—it existed in a world shaped by politics, fear, and trust. She was particularly attuned to the impact of health policies on the most vulnerable. People living with HIV were disproportionately affected not just by COVID itself, but by the lockdowns and restrictions meant to control it. Many struggled with disrupted care, delayed treatments, and the social isolation that came with shutdowns. Those who were poor suffered the most—public school closures in the Bay Area lasted far longer than those of private schools, widening educational and economic disparities that would persist long after the pandemic was over.

 

Her work on HIV had also made her a fierce advocate for harm reduction—a philosophy she carried into COVID. She argued that the pandemic response needed to be practical, sustainable, and rooted in what people could realistically adhere to over time. She pushed for policies that focused on protecting the most vulnerable while allowing society to function, drawing from decades of research on how public health measures succeed or fail in the real world. She understood that restrictions had trade-offs, and that shutting down society came with its own set of consequences, particularly for those with the least resources.

 

When we met, she was warm, focused, and deeply thoughtful. She had that rare quality in a scientist—the ability to hold firm opinions while still being open to new data. She listened carefully, processed everything, and responded with precision. As she stood in the hallway of Ward 86, the history of another pandemic surrounding her, she spoke about the challenges of communication during a crisis. How do you give people clear guidance when the science is still evolving? How do you maintain public trust when policies shift? How do you weigh the costs of restrictions against their benefits? These were the questions she wrestled with daily, not just in academic circles but in the public arena.

 

Her willingness to step into that arena—to engage in the messiness of public debate—set her apart. It would have been easier to stay in the lab, publish papers, and let others handle the political side of things. But Gandhi believed that science wasn’t just about discovery; it was about application. And in a pandemic, applying science meant communicating it, defending it, and sometimes fighting for it against resistance from all sides.

 

In the years since, much of what she advocated for—ventilation as a key mitigation strategy, the prioritization of vaccines over prolonged restrictions, and the need for a balanced approach to risk—has become widely accepted. But at the time, it wasn’t always easy to say. She took criticism from those who felt she was too aggressive in pushing for normalcy and from those who thought she wasn’t aggressive enough. She walked that line carefully, always returning to the data.

 

That day at Ward 86, I saw a scientist who wasn’t just studying history—she was shaping it.

“One of Webb’s most complex instrument modes is with the MIRI Medium Resolution Spectrometer (MRS). The MRS is an integral-field spectrograph, which provides spectral and spatial information simultaneously for the entire field of view. The spectrograph provides three-dimensional ‘data cubes’ in which every pixel in an image contains a unique spectrum. Such spectrographs are extremely powerful tools to study the composition and kinematics of astronomical objects, as they combine the benefits of both traditional imaging and spectroscopy.

 

“The MRS is designed to have a spectral resolving power (observed wavelength divided by the smallest detectable wavelength difference) of about 3,000. That is high enough to resolve key atomic and molecular features in a variety of environments. At the highest redshifts, the MRS will be able to study hydrogen emission from the first galaxies. At lower redshifts, it will probe molecular hydrocarbon features in dusty nearby galaxies and detect the bright spectral fingerprints of elements such as oxygen, argon, and neon that can tell us about the properties of ionized gas in the interstellar medium. Closer to home, the MRS will produce maps of spectral features due to water ice and simple organic molecules in giant planets in our own solar system and in planet-forming disks around other stars.

 

“In order to cover the wide 5 to 28 micron wavelength range as efficiently as possible, the MRS integral field units are broken up into twelve individual wavelength bands, each of which must be calibrated individually. Over the past few weeks, the MIRI team (a large international group of astronomers from the USA and Europe) has been focusing primarily on calibrating the imaging components of the MRS. They want to ensure that all twelve bands are spatially well aligned with each other and with the MIRI Imager, so that it can be used to place targets accurately into the smaller MRS field of view. We show some early test results from this alignment process, illustrating the image quality achieved in each of the twelve bands using observations of the bright K giant star HD 37122 (located in the southern sky near the Large Magellanic Cloud).

 

“Once the spatial alignment and image quality of the several bands are well characterized, the MIRI team will prioritize calibrating the spectroscopic response of the instrument. This step will include determining the wavelength solution and spectral resolution throughout each of the twelve fields of view using observations of compact emission-line objects and diffuse planetary nebulae ejected by dying stars. We show the exceptional spectral resolving power of the MRS with a small segment of a spectrum obtained from recent engineering observations of the active galactic nucleus at the core of Seyfert galaxy NGC 6552. Once these basic instrument characteristics are established, it will be possible to calibrate MRS so that it is ready to support the wealth of Cycle 1 science programs due to start in a few short weeks.”

 

Read more:

blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2022/06/16/webbs-mid-infrared-spectro...

 

This image: These are the first engineering data cubes for each of the twelve MRS spectral bands, illustrating the astrometric registration and image quality for observations of HD 37122. In each panel the dashed cyan circle shows a 1 arcsecond radius region around the expected location of the star in celestial coordinates. While the star is bright at short wavelengths it fades toward longer wavelengths, where the MRS also detects thermal emission from Webb’s primary mirror. Credit: NASA, ESA, and the MIRI Consortium.

In Life There Is Time For Everything,,,The Worst Thing That Happens Is Many Do Not Know How To Allot It... Prioritize It,,,And Spend Time On Creativity & Selfless Service To Less Privileged.

 

So Dear Friends , NOW Is The THE TIME To Enjoy And Share Your JOY Especially With People Who

Need Your Attention And Assistance.

 

In June 2020, after experiencing a devastating spring due to COVID, New York State announced that certain businesses could begin partially opening again. New York City’s response included a program called Open Restaurants, which allowed restaurants to use sidewalks and parking spaces for outdoor, socially distant dining. Owners quickly built temporary enclosures in the streets in front of their businesses to try and recover from months of shutdown. Small stretches of Brooklyn in early 2021 display the variety and feel of these enclosures. Hopefully, the Open Restaurants initiative will help these businesses to survive and may even lead to a more permanent reorienting of streets to prioritize people over cars.

Sorry to be posting this pretty late in the month I was going to do it earlier but I've been pretty prioritized with school. Anyways let's get to the figs...

 

From L-R:

 

Solomon Grundy (Updated): Cyrus Gold (Solomon Grundy), is a Zombie supervillain who has clashed with many heroes over the years, including Green Lantern, Superman, Batman, the Justice Society of America, and the Justice League of America. Solomon Grundy frequently dies and resurrects in new incarnations, each of varying levels of strength and intelligence. Although primarily evil, some of his incarnations have shown the capacity for heroism.

 

Fig Formula: Hair (70162: Solomon Blaze), Head (71031: Zombie Captain America), Torso (71028: Griphook), Arms (70903: Batman), Hands (41255: Guy Diamond), Hip & Legs (71031: Monica Rambeau)

 

John Constantine (Updated): John Constantine is an occult detective from Liverpool, England. His violent and anti-social attitude makes him a formidable anti-hero, and he's known for doing whatever it takes to get the job done.

 

Fig Formula: Hair (76143: Captain America), Head (71018: Roman Gladiator), Torso & Arms (71031: Loki), Hands (71018: Yuppie), Hip & Legs (71031: Loki)

 

Design Inspirations Below:

 

Solomon Grundy - (static.wikia.nocookie.net/swampthing/images/5/5d/Solomon_...)

 

John Constantine - (static.wikia.nocookie.net/hellblazer/images/0/0d/013013_c...)

 

John Constantine is inspired by Steel Brick Customs design. Comment & fave below to let me know what you all think.

As long as the Capital planet as a whole is well defended and any outside treats are prioritized… the local sector police forces can rule their “thiefdoms” as they see fit, which is usually by corruption and coercion with criminal gangs and local triads, mafias and rich “mercenaries”

 

This especially applies to the lower levels, the deeper down towards the planet core you come the less rule-based the justicium and law enforcement get…

 

As no one really know how many levels down the urban network reaches and frankly where it ends being urban structures and architecture and where ancient sewers, natural cavities or mutant handdigged dens stop being urban, very few actually know how the system works down there…

 

Since the capital planet governmental system works a bit like an old feudal state, where a system of servitude where an overlord is only in contact with the underlings directly below him and at lower levels this underling is the overlord of lesser thiefdoms and so on…

 

Internal battle among the legal branches is common, border disputes, illegal economic revenues or sometimes even personal feuds can start a local war, most often between on sector block and another of the same…

 

But often these escalate by the nature of the informal system in place, i.e. a “feudal lord” calls up on his allies when under attack from an enemy law enforcement, in turn its opponent calls up on his allies and all the sudden a flurry of different armies partake in this Block sector conflict, Police forces and mutant bands supported by triads and mafia fights openly on the street…

 

Sometimes bands or gangers in their own turn are at a local conflict and end up on the same side, which in its turn can be uneasy and sometimes result in minor street feuds…

 

When a block fight turns so major that a larger number of blocks are involved, then local production falls and at such times the companies that rule the planet will negotiate a peace… since too much conflict is bad for the economy of the federation as a whole…

 

Since the board is made up of the largest companies, they are often not objective in the negotiation and sometimes it will result in company wars, this happens quite seldom, since all companies know this is really bad for business, so they have a complicated system where wealth and property decides how many votes they get and if a company war has started, then the Capital High lord businessman is awoken from his self-induced slumber in a cryostate…

 

Why the companies abide to his law no one knows? Perhaps he has some sort unknown power that can cause the companies much harm, this is only guesses, since all this happens far away from where any common person has ever been close to set his/her/its propulsion mechanism…

 

Here is a picture that shows the start of the 03335a-55577b Megablock War, where elite Police from Block 03335 and city law mercenaries 55577 fight with an allied Mega-police Robot…

 

The conflict started because the 55577 Police governor was beaten by the 03335 superintendent in a (at the start) friendly game of poker…

He has this sinking feeling…………

 

This is rather long and somber, I would skip reading it :)

 

His performance review at his place of employment is coming up within the next month. He is an architect and he loves his job. The job has a built in renewal and variety because each project is different and each typically has a relatively short time frame. He is able to explore emotional, physical and spiritual connections in conceptual design. He engages in technical and administrative problem solving during documentation. He wings it during the free-for-all that is construction. A project goes through all of the phases and then the next project starts anew.

 

He learns something new every single day. Although he still has much to learn, he has his moments where he is good at his job. He has been working on construction administration for the past two years on a single project, which is much longer than usual but the project is much larger. He has an acute understanding of the need for efficiency in his work, proper prioritization and the importance of highlighting potential construction and/or liability issues to his firm. This protects the firm financially and legally – which provides him with a salary and job security. It also protects his personal time which provides him with a well-rounded life – time to spend with her and the boys, time to play with pictures and time to do laundry.

 

His review one year ago was excellent. This is about to change this year – and he was forewarned in his mid-year review. The focus is shifting from his performance. His firm is instituting ‘performance management’. This is more of a cultural phenomenon than an architectural one. She is a speech language pathologist, also is facing some aspects of this at her place of employment and he has heard of other industries incorporating this as well.

 

‘Performance Management’ first establishes your job description. Part of your review is based on your ability to achieve your job requirements. Then you must then establish personal / professional goals that fall outside of the scope of your job description. Goals that increase the marketability of the firm and directly benefit the firm are greatly encouraged. Reviews to track goal achievement status are held bi-monthly.

 

Essentially what this means is that you have to do work for and on behalf of your firm on your personal time.

 

The emotionally intelligent response is to find goals that are mutually beneficial to you and the firm. At this particular stage in his life, however, he does not have any available free time to devote to extra work projects. Either she, the boys or personal hygiene would need to be sacrificed. Maybe he should stop showering until his new ‘personal’ goals have been attained.

 

One of the reasons that he loves working at his firm is that they are very smart and have excellent processes. Intelligence is something that he values greatly, but they have totally dropped the ball on this issue. They present this nonsense to him as if they are doing this for his benefit and that it is in his best interest – although he does not need help deciding how to use his free time.

 

Unemployment in the United States is an issue, particularly in architecture. Now he is in a difficult position. He can choose to sacrifice his personal life to maintain his standing in his firm and keep his job. Or he can play the survival game of trying to get through bi-monthly reviews that highlight his lack of achievement for as long as he can until his job is lost. There are many qualified candidates out there – and many of those would gladly devote their free time to the firm in exchange for being employed.

 

Choosing between having a life and working to survive isn’t much of a choice. It is simple, crass exploitation. It’s disappointing. He thought we were better than that – he guesses we are not.

 

And he has this sinking feeling…………..

 

Mural by ROSHI aka @dirtyoldroshi and Mister Toledo aka @mister_toledo, seen at 2268 Venice Boulevard in Los Angeles, California.

 

ROSHI states: "The foundation of self reflection always comes back to duality- the contrast of light/dark, good/evil, yes/no- the binary nature of mind in its attempt to understand, construct, and solve problems through a structure of coupling relativisms. We build perceptions on meaning and challenges to prioritize with this operating system. A crux of human experience: to be caught between the omnipotent state of being part of the collective godhead of creativity and the isolated fragment of being an individual satellite viewing their collective home from afar. Fun stuff to ponder on."

 

Drone photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

 

Edit by Teee.

In June 2020, after experiencing a devastating spring due to COVID, New York State announced that certain businesses could begin partially opening again. New York City’s response included a program called Open Restaurants, which allowed restaurants to use sidewalks and parking spaces for outdoor, socially distant dining. Owners quickly built temporary enclosures in the streets in front of their businesses to try and recover from months of shutdown. Small stretches of Brooklyn in early 2021 display the variety and feel of these enclosures. Hopefully, the Open Restaurants initiative will help these businesses to survive and may even lead to a more permanent reorienting of streets to prioritize people over cars.

Stephen J. Ubl, President and CEO, PhRMA speaks to Marilyn Serafini, Health Care Policy Consultant during a policy briefing entitled “Prioritizing Patients: A Discussion on Outcomes-Based Care” sponsored by The Value Collaborative, PhRMA, and The Hill at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, June 13, 2017.

We will never forget him or the thousands of others murdered in Egypt for their passion for freedom and Justice.

 

On 2 February 2018, about fifty people gathered outside the Egyptian Embassy in London for a vigil to mark the second anniversary of the discovery of the horrificly mutilated corpse of Cambridge university student, Giulio Regeni, at the edge of the Cairo-Alexandria desert road in Egypt.

 

Within hours of the discovery of his body, his family knew that he must have been the victim of the most appalling sustained violence. His corpse was so terribly disfigured that his mother explained he was virtually unrecognisable. She could only identiy him from the tip of his nose.

 

But what was equally striking was the location where the body had been dumped, on one of Egypt's busiest highways close to the watchtowers of a security services base.

 

On 25th January 2016, the fifth anniversary of Egypt's 2011 uprising, a thirty year old Italian national Giulio Regeni disappeared from the streets of Cairo.

 

He was a student of one of Britain's most prestigious universities - Cambridge and was researching the crucial role of trade unions in relation to Egyptian political power and workers' rights.

 

During his research he managed to cultivate contacts with numerous key individuals within several Independent trade unions which the Egyptian government planned to make illegal. He often expressed fear to his friends that he might be detained by Egyptian authorities.

 

It was not until 3 February 2016, nine days after his disappearance, that Regeni's half-naked and battered corpse was found dumped by the roadside. His mother remarked that Giulio's disfigured face carried "all the evils of the world."

 

A senior Egyptian police official, who it was later discovered had a prior criminal record for both torture and murder, announced that Regeni had been the victim of a road traffic accident.

 

However an Italian autopsy indicated that he had been tortured to death over a period of approximately one week and had suffered over 24 bone fractures, multiple stab wounds, numerous cigarette burns and sharp razor cuts and that all his finger and toe nails had been yanked out.

 

On 21 April a Reuters correspondent reported that he had received confirmation of Regeni's arrest and detention by Egyptian security services in January from no fewer than six sources in Egypt's police and intelligence services but Egypt's Interior Minister angrily denied the report as having "no basis in truth."

 

The Regeni case is not an isolated incident - every month dozens of Egyptians, from among those who either dare to criticize the government or dare in anyway not to conform, are forcibly disappeared from their homes or from the streets and many of them either die in detention or eventually appear months later in court charged with offences, such as protesting without a license or spreading false information against the state.

 

Recent estimates put the number of political detainees in Egypt's prisons at approximately 60,000.

 

The Italian government have been infuriated by the lack of any honest attempt by the Egyptian authorities to discover and punish those responsible for Regeni's murder. Although some Italians have been disappointed by the very limited scale of Italian diplomatic and economic reprisals - they have at least gone further than the British government - withdrawing their ambassador in April 2016 for consultations and on 30 June the Italian senate voted to halt aviation supplies for Egyptian military aircraft including F-16s.

 

Meanwhile the British government has done virtually nothing - except issue a brief statement after it was embarrassed into action by an online parliamentary petition - prior to which I'm unaware of any statement on the issue by British diplomats who appear to wish to prioritize profit and trade over human rights.

 

More information about the Regeni case and the human rights crisis in Egypt can be found from

 

The Egypt Solidarity Initiative at

 

egyptsolidarityinitiative.org/

 

and also on Facebook or from Amnesty International at

 

www.amnesty.org.uk/blogs/press-release-me-let-me-go/truth...

 

Update April 2020 -. If anyone is interested in the forgotten history of British imperialism and how it impacted the lives of millions of people around the world including Egypt from the 1700s until today - I've posted over 600 short articles on the following website. roguenation.org/ including the following page where you can select from over 600 pages according to country - roguenation.org/choose-by-country

California has been hit hard the past few weeks with storms. Storms bring lightning and lightning strikes cause wildfires. Currently there are at least five fire complexes in the area including River, Fork, South, Route and Mad River.

 

The Mad River complex is a series of seven lightning fires that started on July 30th, 2015 after a lightning storm moved through Northern California. After initial firefighters responded, 25 fires were reported and most of the fires were contained. Some additional fires might be detected from the original lightning storms in the upcoming days and will be attacked once they are found. Damage assessment is ongoing and crews will determine the extent of structures and equipment damaged or destroyed.

The River Complex is managing a total of 5 fires due to fires merging together on the Shasta-Trinity and the Six Rivers National Forests. Winds from the west are expected to lift the inversion today resulting in active fire behavior.

 

The Fork Complex consists of over 40 fires, all of which were ignited by lightning between July 29 and 31, 2015. These fires are still being identified, assessed, and prioritized. Updated acreage and information about specific fires will be published as it is known. Fire activity moderated throughout last night (8/4) with the smoke inversion layer remaining in place today. Hopefully this will create favorable conditions for fire crews to take direct fire attack on the fires edge, construct dozer line and scout for best firefighting locations on all fires in the complex.

 

The South Complex consists of approximately nine known fires, five of which are currently over 100 acres. The fires are active and defense of structures and point protection are in progress. The weather is trapping smoke in the valley causing very poor air quality. As the smoke lifts the fire activity increases.

Firefighters will continue to provide point protection on structures and to look for opportunities to build direct and indirect containment lines.

 

The Route Complex currently stands at 12,164 acres from seven separate fires and is at 2% containment. The overall acreage has been reduced because the South Fire on the nearby South Complex is merging with the Johnson Fire in the Route Complex resulting in decreased and revised fire perimeter acreage.

 

This natural-color satellite image collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Terra satellite shows smoke rising and drifting northwest from the various fire complexes. It was captured on August 04, 2015. Actively burning areas, detected by MODIS’s thermal bands, are outlined in red.

 

NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team.

 

NASA image use policy.

 

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.

 

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The Royal Navy was fairly late to the heavy cruiser, mostly due to limited funding until the Naval Act of 1936. The plus side of this is that they were never a signatory of the Eiswald Naval Treaty (a fact which they would exploit brutally), the downside being that they had a lot of catching up to do. After months of consulting naval analysts and taking notes on foreign designs, with many more devoted to a uniquely painstaking design process, the Odyssey class was cleared for construction in 1937, with the first, Achilles, (pictured here) being launched in early 1940. Following the Royal Navy's principles of gunnery and ruggedness before anything else, the Odysseys (like most succeeding Royal Navy cruisers) lacked the torpedoes that made many foreign equivalents powerful strike vessels. This was due in part to a design prioritizing fleet defense before offensive capabilities, but mostly because Nenya's torpedoes of this time were notoriously short ranged, and it simply wasn't worth installing them on a ship the size of an Odyssey. And boy were they big. At 219 meters long and 24 meters wide, they were among the largest cruisers in the world. Although initially designed with twelve eight inch guns in four triple turrets (to counter the plethora of heavily armed cruisers present in other nations), this design was scrapped in favour of a stern seaplane facility, complete with a heavy-lift crane with space and stores to operate four scout aircraft. The tonnage saved by the nerfing of the artillery allowed for a little more speed, while the spare weight was awarded to the massive anti-aircraft complex. Built around a series of the Navy's new Tachynometric Fire Computers, the AA suite consisted of twelve 5in guns, nineteen 40mm guns on raised pedestals (of which 16 were aided by the Tacky Computers) and twenty 20mm guns spread around the deck. In fact, preliminary designs utilizing the Papillon method of quad turrets could have allowed for a staggering forty to sixty 40mm cannons, but this was brought down to be kinder on weight and ammunition storage, as such an extreme measure was not deemed necessary, even for a ship intended to be a floating AA battery (The current year is also 1940, not 1945). Despite being so heavily armed and armoured, with the additional weight of a lot of fancy mechanisms, the Odysseys actually met their weight quotas just as planned, thus avoiding the seakeeping issues that seem to plague many other large cruiser designs, and are surprisingly maneuverable despite their size (the secret is to set out with a plan for a 14,000 ton cruiser from the start, and not change your mind along the way). Although they lack the punching power and night-fighting capabilities of torpedo-armed ships, their combination of firepower, armour and survivability mean that they should be able to hold their own in a gunfight against anything short of a capital ship. Combined with perhaps the most powerful AA setup of any cruiser class, they are indispensable defensive assets to any fleet. Of course, it's not exactly clear how many of them will see service, as they aren't cheap ships, and the nation which they serve isn't exactly rich.

 

-

 

At 219 studs, or five foot seven, this is the largest and grandest LDD model I have built to date. It started life as a Cleveland-style light cruiser, which was to be followed up by a Baltimore modification, but I decided to go heavy cruiser first due to the nice big 8in turrets I made, and how well they fit the deck. Also the whole thing about twelve main guns was just text flavour, I wouldn't have been able to fit that many turrets on. Although said deck and hull were complicated, and took a while to finish, the hardest part for me was the superstructure. There was just so much space to fill! And aiming for quality, I couldn't just fill all that space with junk. I was aiming for a Baltimore or Cleveland sort of look, but decided to go with the Des Moines (although I didn't realize the schematic I was copying was Des Moines until it was practically finished) with extra gun directors, smaller structure, one less midships AA mount a side and a single funnel. Although even more afield of the groups' date than the original Baltimore plan, it was the only structure I could make fit. Furthermore, finding an AA setup that both looked good and kept to Divide and Conquer VII's time frame was a challenge, but I'm fairly happy with the dual 40mm mounts.

 

Credit to Backward Matt for the hull and deck technique, to Awesome O'Saurus for inspiration on the variety of weapons designs and to Ian, because I definitely I used some of his techniques (the anchor, spotlights and single 40mm guns to name a few). I have tagged all three.

 

Also, thanks to Lego Pilot for the render! I swear I'll have my own POVray working soon.

 

I'm probably gonna take a short brake from ships this size, after which I'll (probably) make the light cruiser and light carrier modifications off this hull. Then I'll move onto an even larger ship, projected to be 250-270 studs (6.5-7 feet, god help me with this scale).

Dear Flickr Friends,

 

Today I finished my second 365 and will be taking a Flickr and BK break. 2012 was a long year! There were many highlights...BlytheCon Dallas and BlytheCon Manchester being the two most memorable events!! There were also some yucky moments but we won't talk about those.

 

Scotty-daddy-poopy-pants and I sold our house this week. I will also be returning to work after a long personal health break. The next few weeks are to prioritize, inventory, and sort out life so to speak. My account here will also be changed over to a private one. Most of my regular contacts have been added to my friends list. I will be around, just not active for awhile.

 

I wish everyone well and will miss you all! You all know how much you mean to me and I shall not forget the friendships and kindnesses extended to me and my dolly family these past two years!

 

Love Juliet

Sandeman winery, in Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto. We did a workshop on Porto Wine reportage and this is one of the things I drew. Now I did do a lot of writing and other sketches around it but I've cut those out of the sketch; I need to finish those off (part of the reportage, which was a bit rushed) but I liked the sketch by itself. The cable-car flew high above. I never took that, I would have liked to, but it cut into sketching time. I did look around Sandeman, but I didn't do the tour of the cellars, it cut into sketching time. Sketching time, sketching time, I prioritized that over everything... Maybe I'll do those things when I come back some day. I've drawn most of Porto by now...

“Self-reflection is a much kinder teacher than regret is. Prioritize yourself by making a habit of it.” – Andrena Sawyer

I love who I am ❤

Only when you love yourself, you can love another person well.

I spent two weeks in East Africa in December and January -- for this nature nerd, the absolute trip of a lifetime. I took 10,000 photos in two weeks and a ton of video. I have way too much to share, but I'll share a few highlights, starting with this elephant family in Amboseli National Park, at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro in southern Kenya. Seeing wild herds of elephants - so obviously intelligent, social, and loving - brought tears to my eyes. I just hope that we humans can pull it together to prioritize their conservation. Without a dedicated effort to stop poaching entirely, elephants will be gone in just 20 years.

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

  

Some background:

The Georgian Air Force and Air Defense Division (თავდაცვის ძალების ავიაციისა და საჰაერო თავდაცვის სარდლობა; tavdatsvis dzalebis aviatsiisa da sahaero tavdatsvis sardloba) was established on January 1, 1992, and in September the Georgian Air Force conducted its first combat flight during the separatist war in Abkhazia. On August 18, 1998, the two divisions were unified in a joint command structure and renamed the Georgian Air Force.

In 2010, the Georgian Air Force was abolished as a separate branch and incorporated into the Georgian Land Forces as Air and Air Defense sections. By that time, the equipment – primarily consisting of Eastern Bloc aircraft inherited from the Soviet Union after the country’s dissolution – was totally outdated, the most potent aircraft were a dozen Suchoj Su-25 attack aircraft and a handful of MiG-21U trainers.

 

In order to rejuvenate the air arm, Tbilisi Aircraft Manufacturing (TAM), also known as JSC Tbilaviamsheni and formerly known as 31st aviation factory, started a modernization program for the Su-25, for the domestic forces but also for export customers. TAM had a long tradition of aircraft production within the Soviet Union. In the 1950s the factory started the production of Mikoyan's MiG-15 and later, the MiG-17 fighter aircraft. In 1957 Tbilisi Aircraft State Association built the MiG-21 two-seater fighter-trainer aircraft and its various derivative aircraft, continuing the MiG-21 production for about 25 years. At the same time the company was manufacturing the K-10 air-to-surface guided missile. Furthermore, the first Sukhoi Su-25 (known in the West as the "Frogfoot") close support aircraft took its maiden voyage from the runway of 31st aviation factory. Since then, more than 800 SU-25s had been delivered to customers worldwide. From the first SU-25 to the 1990s, JSC Tbilaviamsheni was the only manufacturer of this aircraft, and even after the fall of the Soviet Union the production lines were still intact and spares for more than fifty complete aircraft available. Along with the SU-25 aircraft 31st aviation factory also launched large-scale production of air-to-air R-60 and R-73 IR guided missiles, a production effort that built over 6,000 missiles a year and that lasted until the early 1990s. From 1996 to 1998 the factory also produced Su-25U two-seaters.

 

In 2001 the factory started, in partnership with Elbit Systems of Israel, upgrading basic Su-25 airframes to the Su-25KM “Scorpion” variant. This was just a technical update, however, intended for former Su-25 export customers who would upgrade their less potent Su-25K export aircraft with modern avionics. The prototype aircraft made its maiden flight on 18 April 2001 at Tbilisi in full Georgian Air Force markings. The aircraft used a standard Su-25 airframe, enhanced with advanced avionics including a glass cockpit, digital map generator, helmet-mounted display, computerized weapons system, complete mission pre-plan capability, and fully redundant backup modes. Performance enhancements included a highly accurate navigation system, pinpoint weapon delivery systems, all-weather and day/night performance, NATO compatibility, state-of-the art safety and survivability features, and advanced onboard debriefing capabilities complying with international requirements. The Su-25KM had the ability to use NATO-standard Mark 82 and Mark 83 laser-guided bombs and new air-to-air missiles, the short-range Vympel R-73. This upgrade extended service life of the Su-25 airframes for another decade.

There were, however, not many customers. Manufacturing was eventually stopped at the end of 2010, after Georgian air forces have been permanently dismissed and abolished. By that time, approximately 12 Scorpions had been produced, but the Georgian Air Force still used the basic models of Su-25 because of high cost of Su-25KM and because it was destined mainly for export. According to unofficial sources several Scorpions had been transferred to Turkmenistan as part of a trade deal.

 

In the meantime, another, more ambitious project took shape at Tbilisi Aircraft Manufacturing, too: With the help of Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) the company started the development of a completely new attack aircraft, the TAM-1 “Gvelgeslas” (გველგესლას, Viper). It heavily relied on the year-long experience gathered with Su-25 production at Tblisi and on the tools at hand, but it was eventually a completely new aircraft – looking like a crossbreed between the Su-25 and the American A-10 with a T-tail.

 

This new layout had become necessary because the aircraft was to be powered by more modern, less noisy and more fuel-efficient Rolls Royce AE 3012 turbofan engines - which were originally intended to power the stillborn Yakovlev Yak-77 twin-engine business jet for up to 32 passengers, a slightly derated variant of the GMA 3012 with a 44 in diameter (112 cm) fan and procured via IAI from the United States through the company’s connection with Gulfstream Aerospace. Their larger diameter (the Su-25’s original Soyuz/Tumansky R-195 turbojets had a diameter of 109,5 cm/43.1 in) precluded the use of the former integral engine nacelles along the fuselage. To keep good ground clearance against FOD and to protect them from small arms fire, the engine layout was completely re-arranged. The fuselage was streamlined, and its internal structure was totally changed. The wings moved into a low position. The wings’ planform was almost identical to the Su-25’s, together with the characteristic tip-mounted “crocodile” air brakes. Just the leading edge inside of the “dogteeth” and the wing roots were re-designed, the latter because of the missing former engine nacelles. This resulted in a slightly increased net area, the original wingspan was retained. The bigger turbofans were then mounted in separate pods on short pylons along the rear fuselage, partly protected from below by the wings. Due to the jet efflux and the engines’ proximity to the stabilizers, these were re-located to the top of a deeper, reinforced fin for a T-tail arrangement.

 

Since the Su-25’s engine bays were now gone, the main landing gear had to be completely re-designed. Retracting them into the fuselage or into the relatively thin wings was not possible, TAM engineers settled upon a design that was very similar to the A-10: the aircraft received streamlined fairings, attached to the wings’ main spar, and positioned under the wings’ leading edges. The main legs were only semi-retractable; in flight, the wheels partly protruded from the fairings, but that hardly mattered from an aerodynamic point of view at the TAM-1’s subsonic operational speed. As a bonus they could still be used while retracted during emergency landings, improving the aircraft’s crash survivability.

 

Most flight and weapon avionics were procured from or via Elbit, including the Su-25KT’s modernized “glass cockpit”, and the TAM-1’s NATO compatibility was enhanced to appeal to a wider international export market. Beyond a total of eleven hardpoints under the wings and the fuselage for an external ordnance of up to 4.500 kg (9.900 lb), the TAM-1 was furthermore armed with an internal gun. Due to procurement issues, however, the Su-25’s original twin-barrel GSh-30-2 was replaced with an Oerlikon KDA 35mm cannon – a modern variant of the same cannon used in the German Gepard anti-aircraft tank, adapted to the use in an aircraft with a light-weight gun carriage. The KDA gun fired with a muzzle velocity of 1,440 m/s (4,700 ft/s) and a range of 5.500m, its rate of fire was typically 550 RPM. For the TAM-1, a unique feature from the SPAAG installation was adopted: the gun had two magazines, one with space for 200 rounds and another, smaller one for 50. The magazines could be filled with different types of ammunition, and the pilot was able select between them with a simple switch, adapting to the combat situation. Typical ammunition types were armor-piercing FAPDS rounds against hardened ground targets like tanks, and high explosive shells against soft ground targets and aircraft or helicopters, in a 3:1 ratio. Other ammunition types were available, too, and only 200 rounds were typically carried for balance reasons.

 

The TAM-1’s avionics included a SAGEM ULISS 81 INS, a Thomson-CSF VE-110 HUD, a TMV630 laser rangefinder in a modified nose and a TRT AHV 9 radio altimeter, with all avionics linked through a digital MIL-STD-1553B data bus and a modern “glass cockpit”. A HUD was standard, but an Elbit Systems DASH III HMD could be used by the pilot, too. The DASH GEN III was a wholly embedded design, closely integrated with the aircraft's weapon system, where the complete optical and position sensing coil package was built within the helmet (either the USAF standard HGU-55/P or the Israeli standard HGU-22/P), using a spherical visor to provide a collimated image to the pilot. A quick-disconnect wire powered the display and carried video drive signals to the helmet's Cathode Ray Tube (CRT).

 

The TAM-1’s development was long and protracted, though, primarily due to lack of resources and the fact that the Georgian air force was in an almost comatose state for several years, so that the potential prime customer for the TAM-1 was not officially available. However, the first TAM-1 prototype eventually made its maiden flight in September 2017. This was just in time, because the Georgian Air Force had formally been re-established in 2016, with plans for a major modernization and procurement program. Under the leadership of Georgian Minister of Defense Irakli Garibashvili the Air Force was re-prioritized and aircraft owned by the Georgian Air Force were being modernized and re-serviced after they were left abandoned for 4 years. This program lasted until 2020. In order to become more independent from foreign sources and support its domestic aircraft industry, the Georgian Air Force eventually ordered eight TAM-1s as Su-25K replacements, which would operate alongside a handful of modernized Su-25KMs from national stock. In the meantime, the new type also attained interest from abroad, e. g. from Bulgaria, the Congo and Cyprus. The IDF thoroughly tested two early production TAM-1s of the Georgian Air Force in 2018, too.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 15.53 m (50 ft 11 in), including pitot

Wingspan: 14.36 m (47 ft 1 in)

Height: 4.8 m (15 ft 9 in)

Wing area: 35.2 m² (378 sq ft)

Empty weight: 9,800 kg (21,605 lb)

Gross weight: 14,440 kg (31,835 lb)

Max takeoff weight: 19,300 kg (42,549 lb)

 

Powerplant:

2× Rolls-Royce AE 3012 turbofans with 44.1 kN (9,920 lbf) thrust each

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 975 km/h (606 mph, 526 kn, Mach 0.79)

Range: 1.000 km (620 mi, 540 nmi) with internal fuel, clean

Combat range: 750 km (470 mi, 400 nmi) at sea level with 4.500 kg (9,911 lb) of ordnance,

incl. two external fuel tanks

Service ceiling: 7.800 m (25,550 ft)

g limits: +6.5

Rate of climb: 58 m/s (11,400 ft/min)

 

Armament:

1× 35 mm (1.38 in) Oerlikon KDA cannon with 200 rds in two magazines

under the lower forward fuselage, offset to port side.

11× hardpoints with a capacity of up to 4.500 kg (9,911 lb) of external stores

  

The kit and its assembly:

This rather rigorous conversion had been on my project list for many years, and with the “Gunships” group build at whatifmodellers.com in late 2021 I eventually gathered my mojo to tackle it. The ingredients had already been procured long ago, but there are ideas that make you think twice before you take action…

 

This build was somewhat inspired by a CG rendition of a modified Su-25 that I came across while doing online search for potential ideas, running under the moniker “Su-125”, apparently created by someone called “Bispro” and published at DeviantArt in 2010; check this: (www.deviantart.com/bispro/art/Sukhoi-Su-125-Foghorn-15043...). The rendition shows a Su-25 with its engines re-located to the rear fuselage in separate nacelles, much like an A-10, plus a T-tail. However, as many photoshopped aircraft, the shown concept had IMHO some flaws. Where would a landing gear go, as the Su-125 still had shoulder wings? The engines’ position and size also looked fishy to me, quite small/narrow and very far high and back – I had doubts concerning the center of gravity. Nevertheless, I liked the idea, and the idea of an “A-10-esque remix” of the classic Frogfoot was born.

 

This idea was fueled even further when I found out that the Hobbycraft kit lends itself to such a conversion. The kit itself is not a brilliant Su-25 rendition, there are certainly better models of the aircraft in 1:72. However, what spoke for the kit as whiffing fodder was/is the fact that it is quite cheap (righteously so!) and AFAIK the only offering that comes with separate engine nacelles. These are attached to a completely independent central fuselage, and this avoids massive bodywork that would be necessary (if possible at all) with more conventional kits of this aircraft.

Another beneficial design feature is that the wing roots are an integral part of the original engine nacelles, forming their top side up to the fuselage spine. Through this, the original wingspan could be retained even without the nacelles, no wing extension would be necessary to retain the original proportions.

 

Work started with the central fuselage and the cockpit tub, which received a different (better) armored ejection seat and a pilot figure; the canopy remained unmodified and closed, because representing the model with an open cockpit would have required additional major body work on the spinal area behind the canopy. Inside, a new dashboard (from an Italeri BAe Hawk) was added, too – the original instrument panel is just a flat front bulkhead, there’s no space for the pilot to place the legs underneath the dashboard!

 

In parallel, the fin underwent major surgery. I initially considered an A-10-ish twin tail, but the Su-25’s high “tail stinger” prevented its implementation: the jet efflux would come very close to the tail surfaces. So, I went for something similar to the “Su-125” layout.

Mounting the OOB stabilizers to the fin was challenging, though. The fin lost its di-electric tip fairing, and it was cut into two sections, so that the tip would become long enough to match the stabilizers. A lucky find in the scrap box was a leftover tail tip from a Matchbox Blackburn Buccaneer, already shortened from a former, stillborn project: it had now the perfect length to take the Su-25 stabilizers! To make it fit on the fin, an 8mm deep section was inserted, in the form of a simple 1.5mm styrene sheet strip. Once dry, the surface was re-built with several PSR layers. Since it would sit further back on the new aircraft’s tail, the stinger with a RHAWS sensor was shortened.

 

On the fuselage, the attachment points for the wings and the engine nacelles were PSRed away and the front section filled with lots of lead beads, hoping that it would be enough to keep the model’s nose down.

 

Even though the wings had a proper span for a re-location into a low position, they still needed some attention: at the roots, there’s a ~1cm wide section without sweep (the area which would normally cover the original engine nacelles’ tops). This was mended through triangular 1.5 mm styrene wedges that extended the leading-edge sweep, roughly cut into shape once attached and later PSRed into the wings’ surfaces

 

The next construction site were the new landing gear attachment points. This had caused some serious headaches – where do you place and stow it? With new, low wings settled, the wings were the only logical place. But the wings were too thin to suitably take the retracted wheels, and, following the idea of a retrofitted existing design, I decided to adopt the A-10’s solution of nacelles into which the landing gear retracts forward, with the wheels still partly showing. This layout option appears quite plausible, since it would be a “graft-on” solution, and it also has the benefit of leaving lots of space for underwing stores, since the hardpoints’ position had to be modified now, too.

I was lucky to have a pair of A-10 landing gear nacelles at hand, left over from a wrecked Matchbox model from childhood time (the parts are probably 35 years old!). They were simply cut out, glued to the Su-25 wings and PSRed into shape. The result looked really good!

 

At this point I had to decide the model’s overall layout – where to place the wings, the tail and the new engine nacelles. The latter were not 1:72 A-10 transplants. I had some spare engine pods from the aforementioned Matchbox wreck, but these looked too rough and toylike for my taste. They were furthermore too bulky for the Su-25, which is markedly smaller than an A-10, so I had to look elsewhere. As a neat alternative for this project, I had already procured many moons ago a set of 1:144 resin PS-90A engines from a Russian company called “A.M.U.R. Reaver”, originally intended for a Tu-204 airliner or an Il-76 transport aircraft. These turbofan nacelles not only look very much like A-10 nacelles, just a bit smaller and more elegant, they are among the best resin aftermarket parts I have ever encountered: almost no flash, crisp molding, no bubbles, and perfect fit of the parts – WOW!

With these three elements at hand I was able to define the wings’ position, based on the tail, and from that the nacelles’ location, relative to the wings and the fin.

 

The next challenge: how to attach the new engines to the fuselage? The PS-90A engines came without pylons, so I had to improvise. I eventually found suitable pylons in the form of parts from F-14A underwing missile pylons, left over from an Italeri kit. Some major tailoring was necessary to find a proper position on the nacelles and on the fuselage, and PSRing these parts turned out to be quite difficult because of the tight and labyrinthine space.

 

When the engines were in place, work shifted towards the model’s underside. The landing gear was fully replaced. I initially wanted to retain the front wheel leg and the main wheels but found that the low wings would not allow a good ground clearance for underwing stores and re-arming the aircraft, a slightly taller solution was necessary. I eventually found a complete landing gear set in the scrap box, even though I am not certain to which aircraft it once belonged? I guess that the front wheel came from a Hasegawa RA-5C Vigilante, while the main gear and the wheels once belonged to an Italeri F-14A, alle struts were slightly shortened. The resulting stance is still a bit stalky, but an A-10 is also quite tall – this is just not so obvious because of the aircraft’s sheer size.

 

Due to the low wings and the landing gear pods, the Su-25’s hardpoints had to be re-arranged, and this eventually led to a layout very similar to the A-10. I gave the aircraft a pair of pylons inside of the pods, plus three hardpoints under the fuselage, even though all of these would only be used when slim ordnance was carried. I just fitted the outer pair. Outside of the landing gear fairings there would have been enough space for the Frogfoot’s original four outer for pylons, but I found this to be a little too much. So I gave it “just” three, with more space between them.

The respective ordnance is a mix for a CAS mission with dedicated and occasional targets. It consists of:

- Drop tanks under the inner wings (left over from a Bilek Su-17/22 kit)

- A pair of B-8M1 FFAR pods under the fuselage (from a vintage Mastercraft USSR weapon set)

- Two MERs with four 200 kg bombs each, mounted on the pylons outside of the landing gear (the odd MERs came from a Special Hobby IDF SMB-2 Super Mystère kit, the bombs are actually 1:100 USAF 750 lb bombs from a Tamiya F-105 Thunderchief in that scale)

- Four CBU-100 Rockeye Mk. II cluster bombs on the outer stations (from two Italeri USA/NATO weapon sets, each only offers a pair of these)

Yes, it’s a mix of Russian and NATO ordnance – but, like the real Georgian Su-25KM “Scorpion” upgrade, the TAM-1 would certainly be able to carry the same or even a wider mix, thanks to modified bomb racks and wirings. Esp. “dumb” weapons, which do not call for special targeting and guidance avionics, are qualified.

The gun under the nose was replaced with a piece from a hollow steel needle.

  

Painting and markings:

Nothing unusual here. I considered some more “exotic” options, but eventually settled for a “conservative” Soviet/Russian-style four-tone tactical camouflage, something that “normal” Su-25s would carry, too.

The disruptive pattern was adapted from a Macedonian Frogfoot but underwent some changes due to the T-tail and the engine nacelles. The basic tones were Humbrol 119 (RAF Light Earth), 150 (Forest Green), 195 (Chrome Oxide Green, RAL 6020) and 98 (Chocolate) on the upper surfaces and RLM78 from (Modelmaster #2087) from below, with a relatively low waterline, due to the low-set wings.

As usual, the model received a light black ink washing and some post-shading – especially on the hull and on the fin, where many details had either disappeared under PSR or were simply not there at all.

 

The landing gear and the lower areas of the cockpit were painted in light grey (Humbrol 64), while the upper cockpit sections were painted with bright turquoise (Modelmaster #2135). The wheel hubs were painted in bright green (Humbrol 101), while some di-electric fairings received a slightly less intense tone (Humbrol 2). A few of these flat fairings on the hull were furthermore created with green decal sheet material (from TL Modellbau) to avoid masking and corrections with paint.

 

The tactical markings became minimal, matching the look of late Georgian Su-25s. The roundels came from a Balkan Models Frogfoot sheet. The “07” was taken from a Blue Rider decal sheet, it actually belongs to a Lithuanian An-2. Some white stencils from generic MiG-21 and Mi-8 Begemot sheets were added, too, and some small markings were just painted onto the hull with yellow.

 

Some soot stains around the jet nozzles and the gun were added with graphite, and finally the kit was sealed with a coat of matt acrylic varnish.

  

A major bodywork project – and it’s weird that this is basically just a conversion of a stock kit and no kitbashing. A true Frogfoot remix! The new engines were the biggest “outsourced” addition, the A-10 landing gear fairings were a lucky find in the scrap box, and the rest is quite generic and could have looked differently. The result is impressive and balanced, though, the fictional TAM-1 looks quite plausible. The landing gear turned out to be a bit tall and stalky, though, making the aircraft look smaller on the ground than it actually is – but I left it that way.

NEW BLOG!

 

HONEYBAE~LAYLA DRESS FP

Out @ The Grand!!

HoneyB Social Links

Inworld Store: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Loveless%20Graceful/195/84/21

Instagram: www.instagram.com/honeyb.sl.2022/

FaceBook: www.facebook.com/honeyb.sl.2022

Flickr:https://www.flickr.com/groups/14787384@N25/

 

HB~TINA THIGH BOOTS FP

Out @ Mainstore!!

HoneyB Social Links

Inworld Store: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Loveless%20Graceful/195/84/21

Instagram: www.instagram.com/honeyb.sl.2022/

FaceBook: www.facebook.com/honeyb.sl.2022

Flickr:https://www.flickr.com/groups/14787384@N25/

  

Details & Blog: sakurasamael.wordpress.com/2024/02/02/prioritizing-peace-...

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/chelzm/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/chelly.uk

Fb: www.facebook.com/kitty.xuediangelo.3/

Ah, sure, i'll chuck this one in. I need two filler photos. This is another MANviro that i needed a retake of, and it is one that is yet to undergo a repaint. Maybe next year. It seems Hull are prioritizing MANs and other depot vehicles at the moment. Let's see what 2022 brings, maybe every single MANviro repainted?

 

Stagecoach Hull 24163, a 2009 MAN 18.240LF ADL Enviro 300, was seen coming up Holderness Road, whilst operating a service 4 to Bilton Grange. Although Hull doesn't really have a particular allocation, this was one of the more unusual vehicles on the 4 yesterday, considering it is typically E400 MMCs.

New to Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire.

Drowsy Driving Prevention Week

 

Drowsy Driving Prevention Week® is November 1-8, 2020. The National Sleep Foundation holds Drowsy Driving Prevention Week (DDPW) each year the week following the end of Daylight Saving Time.

 

The campaign will raise awareness and education about the dangers of drowsy driving and its prevention. The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) proivides drowsy driving prevention resources on their website at: www.thensf.org.

NSF encourages everyone to spread the word on Drowsy Driving Prevention Week through social media using hashtag #Sleepfirst.

 

Drowsy Driving is Preventable

 

The goal of this annual campaign is to reduce the number of drivers who drive while sleep deprived. Drowsy driving is responsible for more than 6,400 U.S. deaths annually. Fall-asleep crashes are often caused by voluntarily not getting the sleep you need. NSF encourages everyone to prioritize sleep and drive when alert and refreshed.

 

Three key steps before driving can help prevent falling asleep behind the wheel:

 

1.getting the recommended amount of sleep the night before your trip (7-9 hours on average),

2.planning long trips with a companion, and

3.scheduling regular stops every 100 miles or 2 hours.

 

The NSF Drowsy Driving Consensus Working Group’s 2016 report published in Sleep Health Journal concluded that sleep deprivation renders motorists unfit to drive a motor vehicle. Specifically, healthy drivers who have slept for two hours or less in the preceding 24 hours are not fit to operate a motor vehicle. NSF experts further agreed that most healthy drivers would likely be impaired with only 3 to 5 hours of sleep during the prior 24 hours.

 

Being a diligent driver starts with being aware—drowsy driving is preventable.

Sleepiness can slow down your reaction time, decrease awareness, impair judgment, and increase your risk of crashing. Whenever you are getting ready to drive, ask yourself, “Am I alert enough to operate a 3,000-pound moving machine on public roads?”

 

Before getting into the car with someone or driving yourself, ask the following:

1.Are you sleep-deprived or fatigued? Are you suffering regularly from sleep problems? Less than 6 hours of sleep triples your risk of falling asleep while driving!

2.Are you planning to drive long distances without proper rest breaks?

3.Will you be driving through the night, mid-afternoon, or when you would normally be asleep?

4.Are you taking medications that can make you sleepy such as antidepressants, cold tablets, or antihistamines?

5.Have you been working for more than 60 hours a week? A tightly-packed work schedule increases your risk of drowsy driving by 40%.

6.Have you been working more than one job and your main job involves shift work?

7.Did you drink alcohol? Even a small amount of alcohol can have an impact on your body.

 

Be proactive. Plan every short and long trip ahead of time. Ask a friend to join you on long-distance drives, so that your companion can help look for early warning signs of driver fatigue and switch drivers when needed.

 

8 Drowsy Driving Warning Signs to Watch for:

1.Finding it hard to focus on the road, frequent blinking, or heavy eyelids

2.Starting to daydream, wandering eyes, and have disconnected thoughts

3.Having trouble remembering the last few miles driven

4.Missing an exit or ignoring traffic signs

5.Yawning repeatedly or rubbing your eyes

6.Finding it hard to keep your head up or nodding off

7.Drifting from your lane, tailgating, or hitting a shoulder rumble strip

8.Feeling restless and irritable, or becoming aggravated with common annoyances such as sitting in traffic.

If you notice these warning signs for drowsy driving, pull over to a safe place and get some rest, stretch, or drink a caffeinated beverage. Continue driving when you feel alert and refreshed.

  

20201103 308/366

Another Friday spent along the rails of Cape Cod did not disappoint.

 

My main goal was to photograph newly repainted FL9 2011 which I did and then I had planned to again photograph the meet and swap with the northbound energy train. But those plans got changed when this unexpected train showed up.

 

Mass Coastal train MC2 was thrown into the mix as they came down from Rochester with a string of empty C&D gons for Cassova at Otis that they were going to swap out with loads before heading back north to Rochester and on to Wareham. Here they are holding the main at Taylor at MP 54.9 on the MassDOT owned and Mass Coastal operated former New Have Cape Mainline.

 

Leading the way is MC 2008, a GP9RM blt. Apr. 1956 as CN 2020. They have held here for a few min waiting on the Cape Cod Central passenger train to finish up their station work. The passenger consist is now pulling north into the siding to clear up the single main. Leading the way is freshly repainted FL9 2011 (blt. Sept. 1960 as NH 2038) with a couple of colorful super domes trailing. Despite the mismatched colors I do love the look of these cars.

 

And just like me both of these domes spent time in Alaska and were in fact still there and in service when I first moved north in 2007. The dome immediately behind the locomotive still wears its scheme from its time in Alaska and its name Matanuska but was built by Budd and delivered to the SantaFe in 1954. It never ended up in Amtrak service instead going to the private Auto Train and then the NYSW before being bought by Westours in 1985. After an extensive rebuild it came to Alaska in 1987. It would travel south for more upgrades in 1997 but would last under Westours successor Holland America Lines until 2009. That year it was acquired by Iowa Pacific and saw use on the Saratoga and North Creek before ending up here on the Cape. After IPH went defunct it was acquired outright by the Cape Cod Central and seems to have a secure home here.

 

The trailing dome was also built by Budd and delivered to the Great Northern in 1955 for use on the famed Empire Builder. It passed to BN in 1970 and then Amtrak in 1971 before being sidelined in 1979. After that it had a pretty fascinating history before being saved by Westours and restored to the tune of $1 million! It came to Alaska in 1997 and stayed for 22 years leaving in 2009 when Iowa Pacific bought it. They subsequently removed the rooftop a/c units from Holland America days and restored it to its rightful GN paint and name, Prairie View.

 

To learn more about these cars' histories check out this link:

 

alaskarails.org/fp/me/art/index.html

 

Anyway, once they are clear and the bridge is lowered MC2 will head south toward the Falmouth Branch and on to Otis meeting the waiting energy train at Canal Jct. The latter will use the same bridge closing to scoot back here and hold the main for a meet and crew swap with the passenger consist before they each then head on their respective ways to Seamass and back down to the station.

 

For a small little shortline it sure got busy here for a moment requiring some decisions on what I wanted to prioritizing shooting. Not a bad problem to have!

 

Wareham, Massachusetts

Friday September 15, 2023