Replacing skies is kind of one of my favorite challenges to (realistically) accomplish lately, and I'm pretty happy with how this one turned out! I'm also glad I took a second to think about the direction of the light and flip the replacement sky to match. These things need consideration.

  

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Replacing and earlier scanned photo with a better version 26-Aug-18.

 

First flown in Feb-77 with the Boeing test registration N8280V, the aircraft was stored at the Boeing factory at Everett, WA, USA until it was delivered to British Airways as G-BDXB in Jun-77. It was wet-leased to Nigeria Airways in Nov-99 repainted in their full livery, returning to British Airways in Aug-00. The aircraft was retired and stored at Kemble, UK in Oct-01 after 24 years in service. In Dec-01 it was sold to 'Snapdragon Ltd' and remained at Kemble until it was ferried to Xiamen, China sometime in 2003 and became an instructional airframe. It was noted still stored at Xiamen in Nov-16, still in basic British Airways livery and in very poor condition.

Demolished in 2010 and replaced by a block of 63 apartments.

 

Postally unused.

For a couple years I worked as a roofer, and having roof top delivery of materials is a life saver. I included as many details as I could on the roof, but the rest of the house is a bit lacking.

Still, not bad for my first diorama.

 

There is one big mistake being made in this diorama, and whoever spots it gets an imaginary cookie!

Royal retreat

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert bought Osborne House on the Isle of Wight from Lady Isabella Blachford in October 1845. They wanted a home removed from the stresses of court life. Victoria had spent two holidays on the Isle of Wight as a young girl, when her mother, the Duchess of Kent, rented Norris Castle, the estate next door to Osborne. The setting of the three-storey Georgian house appealed to Victoria and Albert; in particular, the views of the Solent reminded Albert of the Bay of Naples in Italy. They soon realised that the house was too small for their needs and decided, with advisors, to replace the house with a new, larger residence.[3]

  

Queen Victoria's bathing machine (restored)

The new Osborne House was built between 1845 and 1851 in the style of the Italian Renaissance, complete with two belvedere towers. Prince Albert designed the house himself in conjunction with Thomas Cubitt, the London architect and builder whose company also built the main facade of Buckingham Palace.[3] The couple paid for much of the new house's furnishings by the sale of the Royal Pavilion at Brighton.[4] The Prince Consort participated directly in the laying out of the estate, gardens and woodlands, to prove his knowledge of forestry and landscaping. At the more official royal residences, he had been overruled by the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, who had official responsibilities for the grounds.[5] Below the gardens on Osborne Bay was a private beach, where the Queen kept her own private bathing machine. According to a news report, "The queen's bathing machine was unusually ornate, with a front veranda and curtains which would conceal her until she had entered the water. The interior had a changing room and a plumbed-in WC."[6]

  

The Pavilion Wing from the south-west

The house's original square wing was known as 'The Pavilion', containing the principal and royal apartments on the ground and first floors, respectively. The principal apartments, particularly, hold reminders of Victoria's dynastic links with the other European royal families. The Billiard Room holds a massive porcelain vase that was a gift of the Russian Tsar. The Billiard Room, Queen's Dining Room, and the Drawing Room on the ground floor all express grandeur.

  

Prince Albert's Dressing Room, 1851, watercolour by James Roberts

In marked contrast is the more homely and unassuming décor of the royal apartments on the first floor. These include the Prince's Dressing Room, the Queen's Sitting Room, the Queen's Bedroom, and the children's nurseries. Intended for private, domestic use, these rooms were made as comfortable as possible. Both Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were determined to bring up their children in a natural and loving environment. They allowed the royal children to visit their parents' bedrooms frequently, at a time when children of aristocrats often lived at a remove from their parents in nurseries, joining them occasionally in public rooms, rather than in shared intimate spaces.[7]

  

North east façade

 

John Brown (1826–1883) Memorial Bench at Osborne House

The main wing was added later: it contains the household accommodation and council and audience chambers, as well as a suite for Victoria's mother. The final addition to the house was a wing built between 1890 and 1891. This wing was designed by John Lockwood Kipling, father of the poet Rudyard Kipling. On the ground floor, it includes the famous Durbar Room, named after an anglicised version of the Hindi word durbar, meaning court. The Durbar Room was built for state functions; it was decorated by Bhai Ram Singh in an elaborate and intricate style, and has a carpet from Agra. It now holds gifts Queen Victoria received on her Golden and Diamond jubilees. These include engraved silver and copper vases, Indian armour, and a model of an Indian palace.[8] The first floor of the new wing was for the sole use of Princess Beatrice and her family. Beatrice was the Queen's youngest daughter, and she lived near Victoria during her life.

 

Osborne House expresses numerous associations with the British Raj and India, housing a collection of paintings of Indian persons and scenes, painted at Queen Victoria's request by Rudolf Swoboda. These include depictions of Indians resident or visiting Britain in the 19th century, and scenes painted in India when Swoboda traveled there to create such works.[9]

 

The royal family stayed at Osborne for lengthy periods each year: in the spring for Victoria's birthday in May; in July and August when they celebrated Albert's birthday; and just before Christmas.[3] In a break from the past, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert allowed photographers and painters to make works featuring their family in the grounds and in the house. This was partly for their own enjoyment and partly as a form of public relations, to demonstrate to the nation their character as a happy and devoted family. Many thousands of prints of the royal family were sold to the public, which led Victoria to remark, "no Sovereign was ever more loved than I am (I am bold enough to say)."[10] Writing to her daughter Victoria in 1858 about the gloominess of Windsor Castle, Queen Victoria stated, "I long for our cheerful and unpalacelike rooms at Osborne."[11]

  

The Swiss Cottage

The grounds also included a 'Swiss Cottage' for the royal children. The cottage was dismantled and brought piece by piece from Switzerland to Osborne where it was reassembled.[5] There, the royal children were encouraged to garden. Each child was given a rectangular plot in which to grow fruit, vegetables and flowers. They sold their produce to their father. Prince Albert used this as a way to teach the basics of economics. The children also learned to cook in the Swiss Cottage, which was equipped with a fully functioning kitchen. Both parents saw this kind of education as a way of grounding their children in the activities of daily life shared by the people in the kingdom despite their royal status.[3]

 

In 1859 Prince Albert designed a new and larger quadrangular stable block, which was built by Cubitts on the former cricket pitch. The building is listed Grade II* on the National Heritage List for England.[12]

 

After Prince Albert died at Windsor Castle in December 1861, Queen Victoria continued to visit Osborne House because it was one of her favourite homes.

 

In 1876, as a tribute to Queen Victoria, the Government House of the colony (now State) of Victoria, Australia, was constructed as a copy of Osborne House.

 

On 14 January 1878, Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated an early version of the telephone to the queen at Osborne House,[13] placing calls to Cowes, Southampton and London. These were the first publicly witnessed long-distance telephone calls in Britain. The queen tried the device and considered the process to be "quite extraordinary" although the sound was "rather faint".[14] She later asked to buy the equipment that was used, but Bell offered to make "a set of telephones" specifically for her, Wikipeda

Replacing Your Home Air Filter and Why It’s Important. t.co/KxDsYhh9JM t.co/cKRH9O29RZ (via Twitter twitter.com/ProSaverApp/status/783423403420155904)

Furniture Room Makeover Design Ideas Renovating room by replacing some of the old furniture with new ones, you can use the services of a renovation, but if you do not intend to use it, you can find some information that can help you to renovate your room. furniture When you renovate your room, you have to adjust the size of the room with furniture you want to put in it. If you think you've got room furniture suite, then you must adjust the character of the room, a family with which you want to put furniture in it. makeover The following is some information on the renovation of furniture in your room. Good luck! design ideas Furniture Room Makeover Design Ideas youtu.be/EY2Y5_Qrjxw

via Instagram kotaserang.net/1TQhA6p, When the sunset has come, no candle can replace it. #repost Photo by : @dilhamnandi . . #serang #kotaserang #pulautiga #sunset #island #karangantu #holiday #weekend #senja #Banten #indonesia. . kotaserang.net/1BFtNAa , May 29, 2016 at 07:46PM When the sunset has come, no candle can replace it. #repost Photo by : @dilhamnandi . . #serang #kotaserang #pulautiga #sunset #island #karangantu #holiday #weekend #senja #Banten #indonesia. . kotaserang.net/1BFtNAa #KotaSerangDotCom #KotaSerang Original Post: kotaserang.net/1TQhA6p Link Gambar: kotaserang.net/1qUjvLG By: www.kotaserang.net

Lyndhurst.

A pastoral station 35 kms east of the town site was taken out in 1858 and named after John Copley the first Baron of Lyndhurst. Around 1860 Sir Thomas Elder acquired Mount Lyndhurst station and eventually that passed to the Beltana Pastoral Company. In 1869 a copper mine, and later in the 1880s several silver and lead mines, began on Mount Lyndhurst station. They lasted into the 1890s and some gold was mined from 1899. The town was surveyed for the coming of the railway to Farina in 1882 but it was not gazetted until 1896 when town blocks were put up for sale in June. The siding became important for wool carted down the Strzelecki Track from the QLD border and from closer stations like Cordillo Downs (another Thomas Elder station) and Mount Lyndhurst. A general store was licensed in Lyndhurst in 1891 and it had a license to sell wine by 1893. The Lyndhurst Hotel was licensed from 1896. This burnt down following a gas explosion in 1988 and was replaced with current building. The government school opened in 1920 and closed in 1942. The hotel now runs a caravan park. North of the town are some Aboriginal ochre (saprolite) pits were mined for thousands of years by the local Aboriginal people. The quarries are 6 kms long and up to 2 kms wide and 30 metres high. The red ochre was highly prized and traded along routes into the gulf country of QLD and elsewhere. The first railway yards were developed in 1882 and the second east of the town in 1957. Lyndhurst has a population of 24.

 

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 25-Feb-25.

 

First flown in Mar-88 with the British Aerospace (Avro) test registration G-5-099, this aircraft was delivered to Trident Aviation Leasing and leased to Loganair as G-OLCA in Jul-88.

 

It was wet-leased to British Airways for three months between May / Jul-90 and wet-leased to NortJet (a Spanish charter airline) for four months between Sep / Nov-90. It was also wet-leased to AirSur (Spain) between Dec-90 / Feb-91.

 

The aircraft was returned to British Aerospace Asset Management in Nov-91 and stored until it was leased to Air UK for three months between Jan / Mar-92. A few days later it was leased to LAR Transregional (Portugal) and returned to the lessor in Oct-92.

 

It was immediately leased to Malmo Aviation (Sweden) and returned to the lessor in Feb-93. The aircraft was leased to Jersey European Airways in Mar-93 and was re-registered G-JEAJ in Sep-93. It was wet-leased to Malmo Aviation in Mar-98 and returned to Jersey European the following month.

 

In Jun-00 Jersey European was renamed British European Airways (the original British European [BEA] was merged with BOAC to form British Airways in 1974). This British European was renamed FlyBe Airlines in Jul-02.

 

The aircraft was returned to the lessor and stored at Kemble, UK in Oct-06. It was ferried to Bacau, Romania in Mar-07 and converted to B.Ae 146-200QT standard with the addition of a main deck cargo door.

 

It was due to be leased to Amerer Air (Austria) as OE-IAA but the lease wasn't taken up and the aircraft was ferried to Southend, UK, in Jun-08 for further storage. It returned to Bacau in Dec-08 and returned to long-term storage. Converting it to a freighter appears to have been a waste of money as it was broken up at Bacau, Romania in 2015. Updated 25-Jan-23.

Thousands of women (and men and kids) Marched in DC from Freedom Plaza to the Supreme Court on October 17, 2020 as part of hundreds of similar nationwide events to denounce Donald Trump's actions to replace a Supreme Court justice ahead of the presidential election. Although the fourth annual Women's March occurred earlier this year, this event was organized to encourage voting and in honor of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Replacing an earlier scanned slide with a better version 09-Nov-15.

 

Southend Airport Museum closed in 1987.

The Dassault-Breguet "Super Etendard" ("Banner" in French) is a light embarked fighter bomber , successfully tested in combat, on various attack missions in Argentina, Iraq, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and recently in Libya.

 

It is a development of the Dassault Étendard IV attack aircraft in parallel with the new "Air-surface" version of the Aérospatiale anti-ship missile, the AM 39 "Exocet". The first test prototype flew on October 28, 1974. The French Navy initially ordered 60 units of the new model, which were delivered in June 1978.

 

The Argentine Navy acquired 14 "Super Etendard" in 1980, after the US. UU. He denied the possibility of replacing his A-4Q "Skyhawk's" with the new F-18 naval fighters and being able to continue, the operations embarked from the light aircraft carrier ARA Twenty-fifth of May, whose remaining useful life was calculated in 10 years. They were enrolled from 0751/3-A-201 to 0764/3-A-214, and were assigned to the 2nd Hunting and Attack Aircraft Squadron of the Naval Aviation Command.

 

Argentine pilots trained in France between November 1, 1980 and August 31, 1981, used similar Navy aircraft, completing their training from the Aircraft Carrier (R-98) "Clemenceau".

 

On December 7, 1981 they officially join the 2nd Squadron with the reception, in Argentina of the first 5 devices of the series, together with 5 missiles AM-39 "Exocet".

By April 2, 1982, at the start of the Falklands War, they had received only 45 hours of flight in this type of aircraft and the integration by French technicians of the interface between the plane and the missile was pending.

 

Although the French technicians returned to their country due to pressure from England and NATO, the Argentine Navy personnel managed to complete the assembly work. Finally, during the Falklands War, operating from the Admiral Hermes Quijada Air Base, in Río Grande Tierra del Fuego.

 

MISSION OF THE UNIT: Execute Offensive Naval Air Operations, destroying or neutralizing surface units, in order to contribute to the defense of the MALVINAS ISLANDS. Participating aircraft: 4 SUPER ETENDARD (3-A-202; 3-A-203; 3-A-204 and 3-A-205).

 

April 1: The take-off and landing race tests were started with the configuration planned before the possibility of operating on short tracks such as PUERTO ARGENTINO.

 

April 10: A flight refueling practice was carried out with a FAA KC-130 aircraft. The commissioning of the AM-39 system was completed, completing all the tests for the four aircraft that stood out.

April 12: Aerospatiale staff visit canceled.

 

April 15 and 16: Attack practices were carried out on the Destroyer ARA "SANTISIMA TRINIDAD" analyzing the capabilities of the enemy's radar and how to evade its detection. Recall that this ship was twin at Type 42, the backbone of the Royal Navy's air defense.

 

April 17: The practice of a complete mission with two planes was carried out. It was resupplied from a KC-130 aircraft located 300 MN from the take-off airfield with an attack on the Destroyer mentioned in the previous paragraph located 230 MN from the tank. The position was given by an S-2E, 15 minutes before launch.

On April 18, the NAVAL AVIATION COMMAND ordered the deployment of the four airplanes to the ALMIRANTE AERONAVAL BASE QUIJADA in order to complete their training, now in the area of ​​operations.

 

On 19, a section (3-A-202/204) was highlighted to the south and 20 the other section (3-A-203/205). Maintenance personnel and spare parts were transported in transport aircraft.

On May 1, when hostilities began, the radar of PUERTO ARGENTINO reported the presence of three targets at 095º and 15 miles. The NAVAL AVIATION COMMAND ordered the Squadron to carry out an attack, for which 3-A-204 (CC COLOMBO) and 3-A-203 (TF MACHETANZ) were enlisted. The maneuver began without inconvenience, but the 3-A-204 began to have a loss of fuel that endangered the mission, so it had to be canceled.

 

On May 4, a classic mission of efficient coordination of exploratory aircraft (2-P-112) and attack aircraft (3-A-202 and 3-A-203) was accomplished, which caused the sinking of the HMS Destroyer "SHEFFIELD ". flying at low altitude to not be detected, it launched two Exocet AM / 39 missiles of which one hit HMS Sheffield and, although it did not explode, caused an uncontrollable fire with the fuel it was carrying and had not yet been consumed. The ship's wrecks sank on May 10, 1982.

 

On May 25, by the method of analyzing the movement of airplanes on its radar, PUERTO ARGENTINO reported the presence of a large target and 5 mediums at latitude 50º55 '(S) longitude 56º00' (W). This mission was accomplished with 3-A-203 (CC CURILOVIC) and 3-A-204 (TN BARRAZA). The target turned out to be container ship MV Atlantic Conveyor, being attacked at 4:41 p.m. Two "Exocet" AM / 39 missiles hit the port near the stern, causing an opening in the hull the size of a house and large fires on board. It sinks on May 28, 1982.

 

On the 26th they returned to COMPORANTE ESPORA on 3-A-203 and 3-A-204.

On May 30 PUERTO ARGENTINO reported the position of a British GT at latitude 51º42 (S) longitude 54º40 '(W). He also reported the possible presence of a picket at 160º and 60 miles, the composition of the force being unknown.

 

The execution of a double refueling in flight was planned with detailed precision. For its part, the ARGENTINE AIR FORCE Command expressed its desire to carry out the operation jointly, for which the participation of 4 A4-C planes in this attack was requested. The two KC-130 took off on May 30 to 1125 from RIO GALLEGOS and the six attackers, to 1243 from RIO GRANDE, heading towards the established meeting point.

 

The fifth missile was launched against the HMS Invincible aircraft carrier, failing the target according to the English and damaging it according to the Argentines. Of the four Air Force A-4Cs, two were shot down and the other two pilots continued their attack on the aircraft carrier, carrying out the ground bombardment and subsequent evasion maneuvers. When they dropped their bombs, they observed a large fire on board. First Lieutenant URETA and Ensign ISAAC, separately, said they had attacked a large ship, with a flat deck and starboard superstructure, which was damaged and was throwing smoke.

 

On June 1, both planes returned to COMPORANTE ESPORA to meet the rest of the Squadron because the last "EXOCET" had already been launched.

 

Finally, on June 13, it was ordered to highlight a section to RIO GRANDE for Guiding Attack Groups, but this order was canceled on 14.

 

After the Falklands War, the Naval Aviation Command (COAN) of the Argentine Navy received the remaining Super Étendard units previously requested, which completed the 14 aircraft requested.

 

After the reforms in the light aircraft carrier (PAL) ARA Twenty-five of May (V-2) (POMA), they began to operate, forming part of their GAE (Embarked Air Group), on April 18, 1983, Captain Corvette Augusto Bedacarratz, first landed on the aircraft carrier May 25 (POMA).

 

Until mid-1988 they continued to be part of the GAE, together with the Grumman S-2 Tracker and the Douglas A-4Q "Skyhawk", on that date the POMA entered a period of reforms that were never completed and the ship was finally scrapped to late 90s, in Alang India.

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

  

Some background:

Following good performance from the pioneering diesel-hydraulic locomotive the DB Class V 80, the Deutsche Bundesbahn planned in 1953 to build several types of new diesel locomotive, primarily to replace steam powered locomotives.These were: V 60, and V 65, both shunters, the V 65.2, also for shunting as well as light freight trains, the heavy DB Class V 200, for express passenger trains, and the universal V 160 for both freight and passenger work on the main network.

 

The new V 160 class was a central piece in this line-up, because it would replace important steam-powered engines such as the BR 03, BR 23, BR 38.10 (former Prussian P 8 class), BR 39 (ex P 10), BR 50, BR 57 (ex G 10) and BR 78 (ex T 18). Steam heating for passenger coaches was necessary, and a top speed of 120 km/h was specified. Initially, a 1,600 hp powerplant, consisting of two engines of the same type as in the light V 80 was planned, the first newly developed diesel locomotive built for main line service by the Deutsche Bundesbahn (but only built in 10 examples). This dual engine arrangement had already been successfully introduced in the heavy V 200, which was initially powered by two 1,000 hp diesel engines. However, it was soon realized, that, if a single, high-powered engine could be used, weight, complexity and therefore maintenance and other costs would be considerably reduced. The V 160’s design was modified accordingly and a single MTU V16 four-stroke diesel engine was chosen. Both two-axle bogies were powered via drive shafts from a two speed hydraulic drive from Voith, which offered a compromise between the requested high speed for light passenger trains and the alternative reduced second gear with lower top speed, but much higher torque, for freight train service. Gears could only be switched when the locomotive was standing still, though.

 

In the spring of 1956, V 160 development began at Krupp. Welded steel components along with other lightweight materials were used to keep the axle load well below 20t, so that the V 160 could be safely operated on secondary lines. However, in the main production series of locomotives, some of the lighter weight welded construction was abandoned in favor of less expensively produced components - leading to an increase in axle weight from ~18.5 to ~20t, which was still acceptable but lowered overall production costs. This was furthermore not regarded as a major problem since the DB perspectively started to abandon branch lines, switching to more economical diesel multiple units or giving them up altogether towards the Seventies.

 

The first V 160 unit was delivered on 6 August 1960, with eight more following by 1962 from both Krupp and Henschel. These prototype units, due to their rounded, “busty” front end, were later to become unusual amongst the entire V 160 family and earned them the nickname “Lollo” (in allusion to Gina Lollobrigida). A final prototype V 160 010, the tenth, was manufactured by Henschel in 1963 and the first to feature the serial locomotives’ angled front end, which was inspired by the design of the super-heavy V 320 Henschel prototype.

 

Despite the single main engine, the V 160 was still a complex locomotive. In addition to the main engine, the V 160 featured a small, independent auxiliary diesel engine, driving a generator providing the 110 V electrical supply for lighting as well as driving an electric air compressor for the brakes. The steam heating apparatus, sourced from Hagenuk and powered by fuel oil, took up one end of the locomotive, between the engine and drivers cabin. It had the capacity to satisfactorily heat 10 coaches when the outside temperature was -10°C. For passenger train service, most V 160 locomotives were also equipped for push-pull operation, as well as for multiple working, controlled via a 36 pin control cable and respective sockets on the locomotives front ends.

 

The prototypes performed well, and volume production began, numbers V 160 011 to V 160 224 being built between 1964 and 1968 by Krupp, Henschel, KHD, Krauss-Maffei and MaK. The first V 160/216 locomotives entered service on the Hamburg to Lübeck line, working push-pull double decked passenger trains, replacing the BR 38.10 and BR 78 steam engines. The engines were also used on freight workings as well. On push-pull passenger working, the locomotives were sometimes found in the middle of the train - which facilitated easier separation of carriages en route.

 

By the time the 156th example was under completion, the Deutsche Bundesbahn changed its numbering system. From then on, the V 160 class were re-designated as Class (Baureihe = BR) 216, with the individual unit numbering continuing as before. Over the next decade, because of changing requirements – mostly in terms of increased power, speed as well as the requirement for electrical passenger heating – a number of related classes sprang up, the BR 210, 215, 217, 218 and 219. Although some were a little longer and carried additional components (e.g. an auxiliary jet engine), all of them were essentially based on the original V 160 and more than 800 machines of all types were eventually built.

 

Since the 1990s, the Bundesbahn’s BR 216 locomotives scope of work started to shift more on freight than on passenger trains because of the lack of steam-heated passenger stock. From 2000 onwards, the Deutsche Bahn AG’s BR 216 fleet was phased out, with the last locomotive being decommissioned in 2004.

Several locomotives were sold to private operators like rail construction companies and remained in frequent use, and some retired BR 216s were re-built and offered for sale, too. The first in the series of rebuilt Class 216s was called type “DH 1504” and created in 1998 by the firm 'On Rail'. Despite only little external changes, the result was an almost completely new locomotive, only the transmission, bogies and frame were saved from the original locomotive. The original V16 diesel engine with 1,370 kW (1.900 hp), was replaced with a lighter but more powerful 1500 kW (2,085 hp) V12 four-stroke diesel engine, also from MTU. On customer demand, a new electric Webasto heating system could be installed instead of the original steam heating system, making the DH 1504 capable of operating modern passenger trains, and for this purpose the units were also fitted for multiple working as well as for remote control operation (e.g. for shunting). Another option was additional ballast, so that the axle load could be kept at 20 tons for better traction. Otherwise, 18 t axle load was standard for the revamped DH 1504.

 

Since 1998, 6 of these locomotives were re-built for private operators in Germany. By late 2019, three DH 1504 locomotives were in the use of the Osthannoversche Eisenbahnen (OHE), two work for the Niederrheinische Verkehrsbetriebe (NIAG) and one for the Mindener Kreisbahnen (MKB). However, the biggest sales success for OnRail’s modernized BR 216 was the export to Poland, where the PKP (Polskie Koleje Państwowe, Polish State Railways). After its privatization in 2001, the PKP was looking for a low-cost replacement for its last ST-43 Class diesel electric freight locomotives of Romanian origin, which dated back to the 1960ies. Twenty DH 1504 locomotives for mixed duties were built by OnRail between 2001 and 2005 and entered PKP service as Class SU-29 (spalinowa uniwersalna = mixed-traffic diesel locomotive with hydraulic transmission and multiple-unit control). Their initial primary field of duty was the cross-border freight traffic on the east-west relation on the PKP “Polskie line Kolejowe”, the so-called “Niederschlesische Gütermagistrale”. Since 2005, this route had been expanded, electrified and became double-railed, so that the SU-29s gradually took over more and more passenger train duties on non-electrified major lines. The SU-29 machines are expected to remain in PKP service beyond 2030.

  

General characteristics:

Gauge: 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in) standard gauge

UIC axle arrangement: B´B´

Overall length: 16,800 mm (52 ft 57⁄8 in)

Pivot distance: 8,600 mm

Bogie distance: 2,800 mm

Wheel diameter (when new): 1000 mm

Fuel supply: 3,800 l

Service weight: 80 t

 

Engine:

MTU 4000R20 V12diesel engine with 1500 kW (2,085 hp) at 1,800 RPM

 

Gearbox:

Voith L821rs 2-speed gearbox

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 120 km/h (75 mph) or 80 km/h (50 mph)

Torque: 235,2 kN

 

The kit and its assembly:

Well, this is a rather unusual what-if “build”, since this not a model kit as such but rather the conversion of a readymade H0 gauge model railway locomotive for the “Back into service” group build at whatifmodelers.com in late 2019.

 

The inspiration was not original, though: some time ago I stumbled across a gift set from the former East-German manufacturer Piko, apparently for the Polish market. It contained a set of double deck passenger wagons, and a (highly simplified, toy-like) German BR 216 in PKP markings. It was called SU-29 and carried a very crude and garish green livery with yellow front ends – inspired by real world PKP diesel locomotives, but… wrong. I found this so bizarre that it stuck in my mind. When I dug a little further, my surprise even grew when I found out that there were other national adaptations of this simple Piko BR 216 (e .g. for Denmark) and that Piko’s competitor Roco offered a similar BR 215 in PKP colors, too! This time, the fictional locomotive was designated SU-47 (which cannot be since this would indicate a locomotive with electric power transmission – poor job!), and it also wore a bright green livery with yellow front markings. Bizarre… And the PKP does NOT operate any BR 216 at all?!

 

However, with the GB topic in mind, I decided to create my own interpretation of this interesting topic – apparently, there’s a market for whiffy model locomotives? The basis became a 2nd hand Märklin 3075 (a BR 216 in the original red DB livery), not a big investment since this is a very common item.

In order to easy painting, the locomotive was disassembled into its major sections and the body stripped of any paint in a one-week bath in oven cleaner foam, a very mild and effective method.

 

The heavy metal chassis was not modified, it just received a visual update (see below).

 

The upper body underwent some cosmetic surgery, though, but nothing dramatic or structural, since the DH 1504 described above only differs in minor external details from the original BR 216. I decided to modify the front ends, especially the lights: Locomotives in PKP service tend to have VERY large lamps, and I tried to incorporate this characteristic feature through masks that were added over the original light conductors, scratched from styrene tube material.

In the course of this facial surgery, the molded handles at the lower front corners were lost. They were later replaced with three-dimensional silver wire, mounted into small holes that were drilled into the hull at the appropriate positions. Fiddly stuff, but I think the effort was worth it.

 

The original vent grills between the lower lamps were sanded away and covers for the multiple working cable adapters on the front ends added – scratched with small styrene profile bits.

For a cleaner, modern look, I removed the original decorative aluminum profile frame around the upper row of cooling louvers. The roof was modified, too: beyond the bigger headlight fairing, the exhaust for the auxiliary diesel engine was removed, as well as the chimney for the old steam heating system. The diesel engine’s exhaust pipes were lengthened (inspired by similar devices carried by DB BR 218), so that the fumes would be deviated away from the locomotive’s hull and the following wagons. Horns and a blade antenna for each driver’s cabin were added, too.

  

Painting and markings:

Both Piko and Roco V 160s in PKP markings look garish – righteously, though, since PKP locomotives used to carry for many years very striking colors, primarily a dark green body with a light green/teal contrast area on the flanks and yellow quick recognition front markings. However, I did not find any of the two model designs convincing, since they rather looked like a simple toy (Piko) or just wrong (Roco, with a surreal grass green contrast tone instead of the pale teal).

 

I rather went for something inspired by real world locomotives, like the PKP’s SU- and SP-45s. The basic design is an upper body with a dark green base (Humbrol 76, Uniform Green) and a pale green-grey area around the upper row of louvres (an individual mix of Humbrol 96 and 78). The kink under the front windows was used for waterline reference, the front section under the windows (in the dark green base) was painted in bright yellow (Humbrol 69) as a high-viz contrast, a typical feature of PKP locomotives. The chassis received a grey-green frame (somewhat visually stretching the locomotive) with bright red (Humbrol 19) headstocks, a nice color contrast to the green body and the yellow bib.

Silver 1.5mm decal stripes (TL Modellbau) were used to create a thin cheatline along and around the whole lower section. At some time I considered another cheatline between the light and dark green, but eventually ignored this idea because it would have looked too retro. The locomotive’s roof became medium grey (Revell 47).

 

The running gear and the tanks between the bogies were painted in very dark grey (Humbrol 67, similar to the original DB livery in RAL 7021) and weathered with a light black ink wash, some thinned Burnt Umbra (simulating dust and rust) plus some light dry-brushing with dark grey that emphasized the surface details. This used look was also taken to the upper body of the locomotive with watercolours (Grey, Black and some Sienna and Burnt Umbra) for a more natural look of daily service – rather subtle, and I emphasized the louvres, esp. on the light background, where they tended to disappear.

 

Individual markings consist of single decal letters in silver and white in various sizes (also TL Modellbau) for the locomotive’s registration code as well as of H0 scale catenary warnings from Nothaft Hobbybedarf, plus some generic stencils from various model decal sheets (incl. Cyrillic stencils from an 1:72 MiG-21 decal sheet…).

 

For a uniform finish I gave the locomotive an overall coat of matt acrylic varnish from the rattle can – it still has a slightly sheen finish and matches well the look of Märklin’s standard rolling stock.

  

A different kind of what-if project, but this has not been my first H0 scale locomotive conversion. The fictional PKP SU-29 looks a bit weird, with the garish paint scheme and the oversized headlights, but this strangeness makes this model IMHO quite convincing. The model is fully functional, even the light works well in the enlarged headlight fairings. Maybe I’ll sell it, since I do not have the appropriate model railway set at hand to effectively use it (which is also the reason for the rather limited scope of pictures of the finished item). And I am curious what people might be willing to pay for such a unique, fictional item?

 

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 28-Jan-22 (DeNoise AI).

 

This aircraft was delivered to Australian Airlines as VH-TAY in Jun-87. Australian Airlines was merged into QANTAS Airways in Oct-93.

 

It continued in service until it was leased to Jet Connect (New Zealand) as ZK-JNA in Nov-03. It was returned to QANTAS in Jun-06 as VH-XMR and stored at Avolon.

 

The aircraft was converted to freighter configuration with a main deck cargo door at Avolon in Jan-07 and leased to Australian Air Express, operating on behalf of QANTAS Freight.

 

It was repainted in full QANTAS livery with 'QANTAS Freight' titles in Oct-14. The QANTAS Freight titles were replaced by 'Australia Post' titles in Jul-20. It's now 35 years old! Current, updated 28-Jan-22.

Na Fonte da Telha, num antigo quartel, a bandeira lá estava... ao sabor do vento!

 

The flag of Portugal consists of a 2:3 rectangle vertically divided into green, at the hoist, and red, at the fly, with a simple version of the national coat of arms (armillary sphere and Portuguese shield) centered over the color junction. It was officially adopted on June 30, 1911, thus replacing the old constitutional monarchy flag

Since the foundation of Portugal, the national flag was always linked to the royal arms and, up until 1640, there was no official distinction between both.[13] It evolved in a way that incorporated stepwise most of the symbols present on the current coat of arms.

  

[edit] 1095 - 1248

 

Banner of Henry, count of Portugal (1095).

Banner of King Afonso I (1143).

Banner of King Sancho I (1185).

 

The first banner that can be associated with what would be the Portuguese nation was a shield used by Henry of Burgundy, during his battles in Iberia against the Moors. For his services, King Alfonso VI of Castile offered him the County of Portugal, in 1095, which he ruled until his death (1112). This square (1:1) shield was heraldicly very simple – a blue cross over a white (or silver) field.

 

Henry's son Afonso Henriques succeeded him on the county and took on the same blazon. On 1139, he defeated an outnumbering army of Almoravid Moors at the Battle of Ourique and proclaimed himself King of Portugal, as Afonso I in front of his troops. Following the castilian king's recognition in 1143, Afonso quickly changed his banner in order to reflect his new status. Sources state he charged the cross with five groups of eleven silver bezants (most likely large-headed silver nails), on the center and each arm, symbolizing Afonso's newly gained right to issue currency.[14][15]

 

In these days, it was not usual to repair damages inflicted to the battle shields, so changes like loss of pieces, color shifts or involuntary stains were natural. When Sancho I of Portugal succeeded his father, in 1185, he inherited a very worn off banner – the blue-stained leather that made the cross was lost except where the bezants (nails) held it in place. This unwanted degradation of the shield became the basis for the next step on the evolution of the coat of arms, where a plain cross was transformed into a compound cross of five blue bezant-charged escutcheons – the quinas were thus born.[14][15]

 

Now, Sancho's personal banner (called "Portugal ancien"[16]) consisted of a white/silver field with a compound cross of five quinas, with the side ones' points facing towards the center; each was still charged with eleven silver bezants. Both Sancho's son Afonso II and grandson Sancho II inherited and used this banner unchanged, as it is usual on direct succession lines (father to first-born son). A new modification of the royal arms was made when the Sancho II's younger brother became king, in 1248.

  

[edit] 1248 - 1495

 

Banner of King Afonso III (1248).

Banner of King João I (1385).

Banner of King João II (1485).

 

Afonso III of Portugal was not a first-born, so heraldic practices stated he should not take his father's banner without any personal variation. Before becoming king, Afonso was married with Matilda II of Boulogne; her inability to provide him with a royal heir led Afonso to divorce her, in 1253. He remarried with Beatrice of Castile, an illegitimate daughter of Alfonso X of Castile. It was most likely this connection with Castile that justified the new addition to the royal banner – a red bordure charged with an undetermined number of yellow castles – instead of the definitive conquest of the Algarve with its Moorish fortresses, considering that the number of castles was only fixed in 1640.[17]

 

Nevertheless, the majority of the reconstructions display this banner with 16 castles. The inner portion contained the arms of Sancho I, though the number of bezants varied between 7, 11 and 16 (this number was used on Afonso's personal standard while he was still Count of Boulogne).[15] This same banner was used by the Portuguese kings until the end of the first dinasty, in 1383, when a succession crisis put the country in war with Castile and without a ruler for two years.

 

In 1385, in the wake of the Battle of Aljubarrota, a second dinasty was installed when João, Master of the Order of Aviz, an illegitimate son of King Pedro I, acceeded to the throne as João I. Into his personal banner, which was the first to be used effectively as national flag, João I added his Order's green fleur-de-lys cross, displayed as flowery points on the red bordure; this reduced the number of castles to nine. The number of bezants per escutcheon were reduced from the regular eleven to seven.[15] It lasted a hundred years until João I's great-grandson João II restyled the flag in 1485, introducing important changes – removal of the Aviz cross, downward arrangement and rounding of the five quinas, and definitive fixing of five saltire-disposed bezants per quina. Curiosly, seven castles were fixed on the bordure (as is currently).[18]

 

João II's shield was the last armorial square banner used as national flag.[15] Following his death in 1495, radical changes were made by his successor.

  

[edit] 1495 - 1667

 

Flag of Portugal, since Manuel I (1495).

Flag of Portugal, since Sebastião (1577).

Flag of Portugal, since João IV (1640).

 

João II was succeeded in 1495 by his cousin Manuel I. The "Fortunate" king was the first to convert the traditional armorial square royal banner into a rectangular field (2:3) with the coat of arms on the center. Specifically, the flag was now a white rectangle charged on its center with an ogival shield-like coat of arms (bearing eleven castles) and surmounted by an open royal crown.[15] This flag was solely the kingdom's banner because Manuel I possessed a personal standard [3], which included the armillary sphere for the first time.

 

In 1577, during Sebastião's reign and on the eve of the fatal Battle of Alcácer Quibir, the flag was again modified – the castles were definitively fixed as seven, and the royal crown was converted into a closed three-stemmed one, which symbolized a stronger royal authority.[15]

 

With Sebastião's death and the short-lived reign of his great-uncle Cardinal Henrique, in 1580, a dynastic crisis was solved with the spanish king Filipe II acceeding to the Portuguese throne as Filipe I, and installing a spanish dynasty. This accession was made on the condition that Portugal was ruled as a separate, autonomous state, not a province; this was fulfilled as Portugal and Spain formed a personal union under Filipe I's ruling and his successors. A consequence of this administrative situation was the keeping of the flag created under Sebastião's reign as the national flag, while Spain had its own.[15] As ruling house in Portugal, the Habsburg arms included the national coat of arms [4].

 

The country regained its independence from Spain, in 1640, in a coup d'état that put on the throne João, Duke of Bragança, as King João IV. Under this ruler, the national flag changed very slightly - the ogival shield became a rounded one (so called "Portuguese type" shield). It was from this monarch on, that the royal arms and the kingdom's arms became distinct banners.[15]

  

[edit] 1667 - 1830

 

Flag of Portugal, since Pedro II (1667).

Flag of Portugal, since João V (1707).

Flag of Portugal, since João VI (1816).

 

When Afonso VI's younger brother Pedro II replaced him on the throne, in 1667, he adapted the flag's crown to the contemporary trends, transforming it into a five-stemmed crown.[19] This new flag did not settle for too long, though; it was refurbished by Pedro's son, João V, when he occupied the royal seat in 1707. Heavily influenced by the luxurious, ostentatious court of the french king Louis XIV and France's political and cultural impact in Europe, João V wanted to transpose such style into the country's coat of arms – a red beret was added under the crown and the rounded shield was converted to a samnitic ("French type") shield.[15] Created by an absolute monarch, this flag endured through almost the entire absolutist period in Portugal – João V (1707-1750), José I (1750-1777) and Maria I (1777-1816).

 

At the time of queen Maria's death, the royal family was living in Brazil, fleeing from Portugal after it was invaded by Napoleon's imperial army in 1807. The Portuguese colony had been elevated to kingdom in 1815 and, in doing so, the monarch started using the title "King/Queen of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarves". Maria I's son João VI thus changed the nation's flag to reflect this new union – the coat of arms, whose shield point became again rounded, now rested upon a blue-filled yellow armillary sphere (arms of Brazil) surmounted by the same beret-bearing five-stemmed closed crown.[15] Apart from the crown and white background, this flag resembles the most with the current one.

  

[edit] 1830 - 1910

 

Flag of Portugal, since Maria II (1830).

Portugal ensign, since Maria II (1830).

 

João VI died in Lisbon, in 1826. His son Pedro, who had declared the independence of Brazil, in 1822, becoming Emperor Pedro I of Brazil, succeeded in the Portuguese throne as Pedro IV. However, because the new brazilian constitution did not allow another personal union of Portugal and Brazil, he abdicated the Portuguese crown in favour of his elder daughter, Maria da Glória, who became Maria II of Portugal. She was only seven years-old, so Pedro stated she would marry his brother Miguel, who would act as regent. In 1828, Miguel deposed Maria II and proclaimed himself King Miguel I, abolishing the 1822 liberal constitution and ruling as absolute monarch. This started the period of the Liberal Wars.

 

The liberals formed a separate government, exiled on the azorian island of Terceira (Junta Governativa da Ilha Terceira). It was this government that issued two decrees establishing modifications to the national flag. While the supporters of Miguel, still upheld the flag estatuted by João VI, the new liberal-associated standard imposed important changes to it – the background was vertical and equally divided into blue (hoist) and white (fly); the armillary sphere (associated with Brazil) was removed and the coat of arms was centered on the bicolor border; the shield was reverted to the "French type" shape of João V. This flag was decreed for terrestrial use solely, and a variation of it was used as the national ensign. It differed on the way the color fields occupied the background (blue 1/3, white 2/3) and the arms positioning.[15]

 

With the defeat and exile of Miguel, by the liberal troops, in 1834, queen Maria II was reinstated and the victorious side's standard was hoisted in Lisbon, as the new national flag. It would survive for 80 years, witnessing the last period of the Portuguese monarchy and its abolition in 1910.

  

Replace the front machine gun with a custom one,

and hollow the end to make it more realistic.

Also I added an axe and 3rd party shuffle on the back.

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

Latest update here;

www.flickr.com/photos/129721037@N03/33419710810/in/datepo...

Replacing an earlier photo from 2017 with a better version 02-Oct-20.

 

Operated on behalf of TAP Express by Portugalia Airlines.

 

Named: "Faro".

 

Embraer don't allocate test registrations when the aircraft is being delivered to a Brazilian airline. This aircraft was delivered to Air Lease Corporation and leased to TRiP Linhas Aereas as PP-PJO in Aug-11. TRiP was merged into Azul Linhas Aereas Brazileiras in May-12. The aircraft was stored in Apr-15. It was sub-leased to Portugalia Airlines as CS-TPQ and is operated on behalf of TAP Express. Current, updated (Oct-20).

Ardvreck Castle is a castle, now ruinous, standing on a rocky promontory in Loch Assynt, Sutherland, Scotland, UK. The structure dates from about 1490 and is associated with the then landowners, the Macleods of Assynt.

 

The castle was built in the 15th century by the MacLeods of Assynt. It replaced Assynt Castle which was four miles north-west of Inchnadamph.

 

Ardvreck is notable as the place where the royalist James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose was handed over in 1650 to the Covenanter forces by MacLeod, Laird of Assynt after the Battle of Carbisdale. The true history of this event is unclear. One account is that MacLeod, loyal to the Covenanters, arrested the weary, fleeing, Montrose and held him. Another is that he provided comfortable shelter, but betrayed Montrose for a £25,000 reward.

 

Clan Mackenzie attacked and captured Ardvreck Castle in 1672, and then took control of the Assynt lands. In 1726 they constructed a more modern manor house nearby, Calda House which takes its name from the Calda burn beside which it stands. A fire destroyed the house in 1737 and both Calda House and Ardvreck Castle stand as ruins today. They are designated as scheduled monuments.

 

The castle was a simple rectangular keep with a round staircase tower at the south-east angle. It was corbelled out on the upper floors to form square rooms, the small stair turret to these upper rooms being carried on the corbelling. There were three compartments on the ground floor which were all vaulted. There appear to have been four floors, and the first of these is also vaulted with the other floors being simply joisted. The castle also had several gunports.

 

The Highlands is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots language replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands. The term is also used for the area north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault, although the exact boundaries are not clearly defined, particularly to the east. The Great Glen divides the Grampian Mountains to the southeast from the Northwest Highlands. The Scottish Gaelic name of A' Ghàidhealtachd literally means "the place of the Gaels" and traditionally, from a Gaelic-speaking point of view, includes both the Western Isles and the Highlands.

 

The area is very sparsely populated, with many mountain ranges dominating the region, and includes the highest mountain in the British Isles, Ben Nevis. During the 18th and early 19th centuries the population of the Highlands rose to around 300,000, but from c. 1841 and for the next 160 years, the natural increase in population was exceeded by emigration (mostly to Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand, and migration to the industrial cities of Scotland and England.) and passim  The area is now one of the most sparsely populated in Europe. At 9.1/km2 (24/sq mi) in 2012, the population density in the Highlands and Islands is less than one seventh of Scotland's as a whole.

 

The Highland Council is the administrative body for much of the Highlands, with its administrative centre at Inverness. However, the Highlands also includes parts of the council areas of Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Moray, North Ayrshire, Perth and Kinross, Stirling and West Dunbartonshire.

 

The Scottish Highlands is the only area in the British Isles to have the taiga biome as it features concentrated populations of Scots pine forest: see Caledonian Forest. It is the most mountainous part of the United Kingdom.

 

Between the 15th century and the mid-20th century, the area differed from most of the Lowlands in terms of language. In Scottish Gaelic, the region is known as the Gàidhealtachd, because it was traditionally the Gaelic-speaking part of Scotland, although the language is now largely confined to The Hebrides. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably but have different meanings in their respective languages. Scottish English (in its Highland form) is the predominant language of the area today, though Highland English has been influenced by Gaelic speech to a significant extent. Historically, the "Highland line" distinguished the two Scottish cultures. While the Highland line broadly followed the geography of the Grampians in the south, it continued in the north, cutting off the north-eastern areas, that is Eastern Caithness, Orkney and Shetland, from the more Gaelic Highlands and Hebrides.

 

Historically, the major social unit of the Highlands was the clan. Scottish kings, particularly James VI, saw clans as a challenge to their authority; the Highlands was seen by many as a lawless region. The Scots of the Lowlands viewed the Highlanders as backward and more "Irish". The Highlands were seen as the overspill of Gaelic Ireland. They made this distinction by separating Germanic "Scots" English and the Gaelic by renaming it "Erse" a play on Eire. Following the Union of the Crowns, James VI had the military strength to back up any attempts to impose some control. The result was, in 1609, the Statutes of Iona which started the process of integrating clan leaders into Scottish society. The gradual changes continued into the 19th century, as clan chiefs thought of themselves less as patriarchal leaders of their people and more as commercial landlords. The first effect on the clansmen who were their tenants was the change to rents being payable in money rather than in kind. Later, rents were increased as Highland landowners sought to increase their income. This was followed, mostly in the period 1760–1850, by agricultural improvement that often (particularly in the Western Highlands) involved clearance of the population to make way for large scale sheep farms. Displaced tenants were set up in crofting communities in the process. The crofts were intended not to provide all the needs of their occupiers; they were expected to work in other industries such as kelping and fishing. Crofters came to rely substantially on seasonal migrant work, particularly in the Lowlands. This gave impetus to the learning of English, which was seen by many rural Gaelic speakers to be the essential "language of work".

 

Older historiography attributes the collapse of the clan system to the aftermath of the Jacobite risings. This is now thought less influential by historians. Following the Jacobite rising of 1745 the British government enacted a series of laws to try to suppress the clan system, including bans on the bearing of arms and the wearing of tartan, and limitations on the activities of the Scottish Episcopal Church. Most of this legislation was repealed by the end of the 18th century as the Jacobite threat subsided. There was soon a rehabilitation of Highland culture. Tartan was adopted for Highland regiments in the British Army, which poor Highlanders joined in large numbers in the era of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1790–1815). Tartan had largely been abandoned by the ordinary people of the region, but in the 1820s, tartan and the kilt were adopted by members of the social elite, not just in Scotland, but across Europe. The international craze for tartan, and for idealising a romanticised Highlands, was set off by the Ossian cycle, and further popularised by the works of Walter Scott. His "staging" of the visit of King George IV to Scotland in 1822 and the king's wearing of tartan resulted in a massive upsurge in demand for kilts and tartans that could not be met by the Scottish woollen industry. Individual clan tartans were largely designated in this period and they became a major symbol of Scottish identity. This "Highlandism", by which all of Scotland was identified with the culture of the Highlands, was cemented by Queen Victoria's interest in the country, her adoption of Balmoral as a major royal retreat, and her interest in "tartenry".

 

Recurrent famine affected the Highlands for much of its history, with significant instances as late as 1817 in the Eastern Highlands and the early 1850s in the West.  Over the 18th century, the region had developed a trade of black cattle into Lowland markets, and this was balanced by imports of meal into the area. There was a critical reliance on this trade to provide sufficient food, and it is seen as an essential prerequisite for the population growth that started in the 18th century. Most of the Highlands, particularly in the North and West was short of the arable land that was essential for the mixed, run rig based, communal farming that existed before agricultural improvement was introduced into the region.[a] Between the 1760s and the 1830s there was a substantial trade in unlicensed whisky that had been distilled in the Highlands. Lowland distillers (who were not able to avoid the heavy taxation of this product) complained that Highland whisky made up more than half the market. The development of the cattle trade is taken as evidence that the pre-improvement Highlands was not an immutable system, but did exploit the economic opportunities that came its way.  The illicit whisky trade demonstrates the entrepreneurial ability of the peasant classes. 

 

Agricultural improvement reached the Highlands mostly over the period 1760 to 1850. Agricultural advisors, factors, land surveyors and others educated in the thinking of Adam Smith were keen to put into practice the new ideas taught in Scottish universities.  Highland landowners, many of whom were burdened with chronic debts, were generally receptive to the advice they offered and keen to increase the income from their land.  In the East and South the resulting change was similar to that in the Lowlands, with the creation of larger farms with single tenants, enclosure of the old run rig fields, introduction of new crops (such as turnips), land drainage and, as a consequence of all this, eviction, as part of the Highland clearances, of many tenants and cottars. Some of those cleared found employment on the new, larger farms, others moved to the accessible towns of the Lowlands.

 

In the West and North, evicted tenants were usually given tenancies in newly created crofting communities, while their former holdings were converted into large sheep farms. Sheep farmers could pay substantially higher rents than the run rig farmers and were much less prone to falling into arrears. Each croft was limited in size so that the tenants would have to find work elsewhere. The major alternatives were fishing and the kelp industry. Landlords took control of the kelp shores, deducting the wages earned by their tenants from the rent due and retaining the large profits that could be earned at the high prices paid for the processed product during the Napoleonic wars.

 

When the Napoleonic wars finished in 1815, the Highland industries were affected by the return to a peacetime economy. The price of black cattle fell, nearly halving between 1810 and the 1830s. Kelp prices had peaked in 1810, but reduced from £9 a ton in 1823 to £3 13s 4d a ton in 1828. Wool prices were also badly affected.  This worsened the financial problems of debt-encumbered landlords. Then, in 1846, potato blight arrived in the Highlands, wiping out the essential subsistence crop for the overcrowded crofting communities. As the famine struck, the government made clear to landlords that it was their responsibility to provide famine relief for their tenants. The result of the economic downturn had been that a large proportion of Highland estates were sold in the first half of the 19th century. T M Devine points out that in the region most affected by the potato famine, by 1846, 70 per cent of the landowners were new purchasers who had not owned Highland property before 1800. More landlords were obliged to sell due to the cost of famine relief. Those who were protected from the worst of the crisis were those with extensive rental income from sheep farms.  Government loans were made available for drainage works, road building and other improvements and many crofters became temporary migrants – taking work in the Lowlands. When the potato famine ceased in 1856, this established a pattern of more extensive working away from the Highlands.

 

The unequal concentration of land ownership remained an emotional and controversial subject, of enormous importance to the Highland economy, and eventually became a cornerstone of liberal radicalism. The poor crofters were politically powerless, and many of them turned to religion. They embraced the popularly oriented, fervently evangelical Presbyterian revival after 1800. Most joined the breakaway "Free Church" after 1843. This evangelical movement was led by lay preachers who themselves came from the lower strata, and whose preaching was implicitly critical of the established order. The religious change energised the crofters and separated them from the landlords; it helped prepare them for their successful and violent challenge to the landlords in the 1880s through the Highland Land League. Violence erupted, starting on the Isle of Skye, when Highland landlords cleared their lands for sheep and deer parks. It was quietened when the government stepped in, passing the Crofters' Holdings (Scotland) Act, 1886 to reduce rents, guarantee fixity of tenure, and break up large estates to provide crofts for the homeless. This contrasted with the Irish Land War underway at the same time, where the Irish were intensely politicised through roots in Irish nationalism, while political dimensions were limited. In 1885 three Independent Crofter candidates were elected to Parliament, which listened to their pleas. The results included explicit security for the Scottish smallholders in the "crofting counties"; the legal right to bequeath tenancies to descendants; and the creation of a Crofting Commission. The Crofters as a political movement faded away by 1892, and the Liberal Party gained their votes.

 

Today, the Highlands are the largest of Scotland's whisky producing regions; the relevant area runs from Orkney to the Isle of Arran in the south and includes the northern isles and much of Inner and Outer Hebrides, Argyll, Stirlingshire, Arran, as well as sections of Perthshire and Aberdeenshire. (Other sources treat The Islands, except Islay, as a separate whisky producing region.) This massive area has over 30 distilleries, or 47 when the Islands sub-region is included in the count. According to one source, the top five are The Macallan, Glenfiddich, Aberlour, Glenfarclas and Balvenie. While Speyside is geographically within the Highlands, that region is specified as distinct in terms of whisky productions. Speyside single malt whiskies are produced by about 50 distilleries.

 

According to Visit Scotland, Highlands whisky is "fruity, sweet, spicy, malty". Another review states that Northern Highlands single malt is "sweet and full-bodied", the Eastern Highlands and Southern Highlands whiskies tend to be "lighter in texture" while the distilleries in the Western Highlands produce single malts with a "much peatier influence".

 

The Scottish Reformation achieved partial success in the Highlands. Roman Catholicism remained strong in some areas, owing to remote locations and the efforts of Franciscan missionaries from Ireland, who regularly came to celebrate Mass. There remain significant Catholic strongholds within the Highlands and Islands such as Moidart and Morar on the mainland and South Uist and Barra in the southern Outer Hebrides. The remoteness of the region and the lack of a Gaelic-speaking clergy undermined the missionary efforts of the established church. The later 18th century saw somewhat greater success, owing to the efforts of the SSPCK missionaries and to the disruption of traditional society after the Battle of Culloden in 1746. In the 19th century, the evangelical Free Churches, which were more accepting of Gaelic language and culture, grew rapidly, appealing much more strongly than did the established church.

 

For the most part, however, the Highlands are considered predominantly Protestant, belonging to the Church of Scotland. In contrast to the Catholic southern islands, the northern Outer Hebrides islands (Lewis, Harris and North Uist) have an exceptionally high proportion of their population belonging to the Protestant Free Church of Scotland or the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland. The Outer Hebrides have been described as the last bastion of Calvinism in Britain and the Sabbath remains widely observed. Inverness and the surrounding area has a majority Protestant population, with most locals belonging to either The Kirk or the Free Church of Scotland. The church maintains a noticeable presence within the area, with church attendance notably higher than in other parts of Scotland. Religion continues to play an important role in Highland culture, with Sabbath observance still widely practised, particularly in the Hebrides.

 

In traditional Scottish geography, the Highlands refers to that part of Scotland north-west of the Highland Boundary Fault, which crosses mainland Scotland in a near-straight line from Helensburgh to Stonehaven. However the flat coastal lands that occupy parts of the counties of Nairnshire, Morayshire, Banffshire and Aberdeenshire are often excluded as they do not share the distinctive geographical and cultural features of the rest of the Highlands. The north-east of Caithness, as well as Orkney and Shetland, are also often excluded from the Highlands, although the Hebrides are usually included. The Highland area, as so defined, differed from the Lowlands in language and tradition, having preserved Gaelic speech and customs centuries after the anglicisation of the latter; this led to a growing perception of a divide, with the cultural distinction between Highlander and Lowlander first noted towards the end of the 14th century. In Aberdeenshire, the boundary between the Highlands and the Lowlands is not well defined. There is a stone beside the A93 road near the village of Dinnet on Royal Deeside which states 'You are now in the Highlands', although there are areas of Highland character to the east of this point.

 

A much wider definition of the Highlands is that used by the Scotch whisky industry. Highland single malts are produced at distilleries north of an imaginary line between Dundee and Greenock, thus including all of Aberdeenshire and Angus.

 

Inverness is regarded as the Capital of the Highlands, although less so in the Highland parts of Aberdeenshire, Angus, Perthshire and Stirlingshire which look more to Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth, and Stirling as their commercial centres.

 

The Highland Council area, created as one of the local government regions of Scotland, has been a unitary council area since 1996. The council area excludes a large area of the southern and eastern Highlands, and the Western Isles, but includes Caithness. Highlands is sometimes used, however, as a name for the council area, as in the former Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service. Northern is also used to refer to the area, as in the former Northern Constabulary. These former bodies both covered the Highland council area and the island council areas of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles.

 

Much of the Highlands area overlaps the Highlands and Islands area. An electoral region called Highlands and Islands is used in elections to the Scottish Parliament: this area includes Orkney and Shetland, as well as the Highland Council local government area, the Western Isles and most of the Argyll and Bute and Moray local government areas. Highlands and Islands has, however, different meanings in different contexts. It means Highland (the local government area), Orkney, Shetland, and the Western Isles in Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service. Northern, as in Northern Constabulary, refers to the same area as that covered by the fire and rescue service.

 

There have been trackways from the Lowlands to the Highlands since prehistoric times. Many traverse the Mounth, a spur of mountainous land that extends from the higher inland range to the North Sea slightly north of Stonehaven. The most well-known and historically important trackways are the Causey Mounth, Elsick Mounth, Cryne Corse Mounth and Cairnamounth.

 

Although most of the Highlands is geographically on the British mainland, it is somewhat less accessible than the rest of Britain; thus most UK couriers categorise it separately, alongside Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, and other offshore islands. They thus charge additional fees for delivery to the Highlands, or exclude the area entirely. While the physical remoteness from the largest population centres inevitably leads to higher transit cost, there is confusion and consternation over the scale of the fees charged and the effectiveness of their communication, and the use of the word Mainland in their justification. Since the charges are often based on postcode areas, many far less remote areas, including some which are traditionally considered part of the lowlands, are also subject to these charges. Royal Mail is the only delivery network bound by a Universal Service Obligation to charge a uniform tariff across the UK. This, however, applies only to mail items and not larger packages which are dealt with by its Parcelforce division.

 

The Highlands lie to the north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault, which runs from Arran to Stonehaven. This part of Scotland is largely composed of ancient rocks from the Cambrian and Precambrian periods which were uplifted during the later Caledonian Orogeny. Smaller formations of Lewisian gneiss in the northwest are up to 3 billion years old. The overlying rocks of the Torridon Sandstone form mountains in the Torridon Hills such as Liathach and Beinn Eighe in Wester Ross.

 

These foundations are interspersed with many igneous intrusions of a more recent age, the remnants of which have formed mountain massifs such as the Cairngorms and the Cuillin of Skye. A significant exception to the above are the fossil-bearing beds of Old Red Sandstone found principally along the Moray Firth coast and partially down the Highland Boundary Fault. The Jurassic beds found in isolated locations on Skye and Applecross reflect the complex underlying geology. They are the original source of much North Sea oil. The Great Glen is formed along a transform fault which divides the Grampian Mountains to the southeast from the Northwest Highlands.

 

The entire region was covered by ice sheets during the Pleistocene ice ages, save perhaps for a few nunataks. The complex geomorphology includes incised valleys and lochs carved by the action of mountain streams and ice, and a topography of irregularly distributed mountains whose summits have similar heights above sea-level, but whose bases depend upon the amount of denudation to which the plateau has been subjected in various places.

Climate

 

The region is much warmer than other areas at similar latitudes (such as Kamchatka in Russia, or Labrador in Canada) because of the Gulf Stream making it cool, damp and temperate. The Köppen climate classification is "Cfb" at low altitudes, then becoming "Cfc", "Dfc" and "ET" at higher altitudes.

 

Places of interest

An Teallach

Aonach Mòr (Nevis Range ski centre)

Arrochar Alps

Balmoral Castle

Balquhidder

Battlefield of Culloden

Beinn Alligin

Beinn Eighe

Ben Cruachan hydro-electric power station

Ben Lomond

Ben Macdui (second highest mountain in Scotland and UK)

Ben Nevis (highest mountain in Scotland and UK)

Cairngorms National Park

Cairngorm Ski centre near Aviemore

Cairngorm Mountains

Caledonian Canal

Cape Wrath

Carrick Castle

Castle Stalker

Castle Tioram

Chanonry Point

Conic Hill

Culloden Moor

Dunadd

Duart Castle

Durness

Eilean Donan

Fingal's Cave (Staffa)

Fort George

Glen Coe

Glen Etive

Glen Kinglas

Glen Lyon

Glen Orchy

Glenshee Ski Centre

Glen Shiel

Glen Spean

Glenfinnan (and its railway station and viaduct)

Grampian Mountains

Hebrides

Highland Folk Museum – The first open-air museum in the UK.

Highland Wildlife Park

Inveraray Castle

Inveraray Jail

Inverness Castle

Inverewe Garden

Iona Abbey

Isle of Staffa

Kilchurn Castle

Kilmartin Glen

Liathach

Lecht Ski Centre

Loch Alsh

Loch Ard

Loch Awe

Loch Assynt

Loch Earn

Loch Etive

Loch Fyne

Loch Goil

Loch Katrine

Loch Leven

Loch Linnhe

Loch Lochy

Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park

Loch Lubnaig

Loch Maree

Loch Morar

Loch Morlich

Loch Ness

Loch Nevis

Loch Rannoch

Loch Tay

Lochranza

Luss

Meall a' Bhuiridh (Glencoe Ski Centre)

Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary at Loch Creran

Rannoch Moor

Red Cuillin

Rest and Be Thankful stretch of A83

River Carron, Wester Ross

River Spey

River Tay

Ross and Cromarty

Smoo Cave

Stob Coire a' Chàirn

Stac Polly

Strathspey Railway

Sutherland

Tor Castle

Torridon Hills

Urquhart Castle

West Highland Line (scenic railway)

West Highland Way (Long-distance footpath)

Wester Ross

Replacing an earlier scanned print with a better version 16-Mar-22 (DeNoise AI).

 

This aircraft was delivered to Western Airlines as N913WA in Jul-79. Western was merged into Delta Air Lines in Apr-87. It was sold to UAS United Aviation Services in Jun-88 and was leased to Scanair (a SAS subsidiary) later the same month.

 

It was re-registered SE-DHS in Dec-88. Scanair was renamed Premiair in Jan-94 and in Dec-96 Premiair was bought out by the UK based Airtours Group and the aircraft was re-registered OY-CNS.

 

It was transferred to Airtours International Airways as G-DPSP in Aug-00. In May-02 Airtours was renamed MyTravel Airways. By this time the aircraft was 25 years old and as the DC-10's would soon be retired they were left in basic Airtours livery with MyTravel titles.

 

The aircraft was retired and stored at Exeter, UK in Sep-03. It was ferried to Kemble UK in Jan-04 where it was due to be broken up. It was repainted as 'Oriental Airways' in Apr-04 and was 're-registered' with the fictional registration G-BPPL for a TV film.

 

It was sold to Executive Aerospace in Oct-04 and 'exported to Swaziland' as 3D-MRR. It was ferried to Johannesburg in Nov-04 and sold to Interlink Airways. It operated until May-05 when it was permanently retired at Johannesburg.

 

It was noted at Johannesburg in deteriorating condition in Feb-08 and still in basic Airtours livery. Although it was no longer flyable, it was re-registered S9-GAP around Apr-09 and re-registered ZS-GAP to Global Aviation Investments (Pty) Ltd in Mar-12.

 

It was last noted still at Johannesburg in Dec-12. I'm advised that it was finally broken up in Oct-15.

I finally got the large old two handed Hamilton proofing roller recovered and ready to use. I had it covered with rubber, because composition would never survive the variations of temperature and humidity that I experience in my shop space. The core of the roller is 14 inches and made of wood, which helps with the weight, but I doubt that it would survive another re-coating. The missing handles were replaced with handles from T. N. Lawrence, and it weighs in at five pounds. The three green rollers are also from Lawrence, and have held up very well considering they are about 15 years old. The poster composing stick hanging on the right was sold by R. Hoe & Company, and is easily 100 years old. The brackets used to hold the rollers are curtain-rod brackets; for the smaller rollers they had to be significantly altered to hang the rollers closer to the backing board. My father always cautioned that I didn't have to re-invent the wheel, but I have discovered in the letterpress field, and especially the hand-press part of it, that re-invention is almost a daily necessity.

Garden City

Replacing an earlier digital photo with a better version 06-Nov-19.

 

Suffering from some heat shimmer.

 

This aircraft was delivered to Finnair O/Y as OH-LHB in May-75. It was wet-leased to Nigeria Airways for 3 weeks in Sep-81, to Sudan Airways (short-term) in Sep/Oct-81, to Nigeria Airways again between Oct/Nov-81 and to VASP Brasil between Mar-94/Mar-94. It was wet-leased to SkyJet Belgium in Jun-94 and immediately sub-leased to Birgenair (Turkey), still operated by Finnair. It was returned to SkyJet and Finnair in Sep-94. The aircraft was sold to the Capra Corporation in Jun-95 and immediately leased to Air Liberte (France) as F-GPVB. It was returned to the lessor and sold to Continental Airlines as N17085 in May-97. The aircraft was withdrawn from service and stored at Mojave, CA, USA in Oct-01. It was sold to Omni DC-10 Leasing LLC and leased to Omni Air International in Nov-02. It was returned to Omni DC-10 Leasing and stored at Victorville, CA, USA in Mar-07. In Nov-07 the aircraft was sold to 10 Tanker Air Carrier LLC and remained stored until it was converted to a fire fighting tanker aircraft at Victorville in Jul-08. It was sold to BC Aircraft Leasing in Mar-14 and leased back to 10 Tanker Air Carrier. Now 44.5 years old it continues in service. Current, updated (Nov-19).

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 09-Oct-18.

 

First flown with the ATR test registration F-WWEV, this aircraft was delivered to GPA Propjet Ltd and leased to Resort Air (USA) as N425TE in Feb-89. Resort Air was renamed Trans States Airlines in Oct-89. It was sold to the Boeing Capital Corporation in Feb-99 while the lease to Trans States continued for another two months. The aircraft returned to Boeing Capital and was stored at Exeter UK in Apr-99. It was returned to GPA ATR Ltd and leased to Muk Air Taxi (Denmark) as OY-MUH in Aug-99. Muk Air ceased operations in Jun-01. The aircraft was returned to the lessor and initially stored at Dinard (France) at the end of Jun-01. It was later moved to Toulouse for further storage. It was due to be leased to Danish Air Transport in Nov-01 but the lease was cancelled and it remained stored until it was sold to Bradley Air Services (Canada), trading as First Air, as C-GSRR in Aug-04. Current (Oct-18).

we have to replace all the

electrical receptacles in our house

to eventually satisfy our insurance company

because of the age of our home.

- lucky Ross is an electrician.

 

song - "Stayin' Alive" sung as if

it were written in the 16th century -

- quite wonderful !

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zGf7_YL70M&list=PL8q8S7uOH3d...

 

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 31-Oct-19.

 

First flown in Jan-94 with the Airbus test registration F-WWIP, this aircraft was due to become G-MALE with Monarch Airlines, but they obviously gave it a bit more thought. That registration wasn't used and it was delivered to ILFC International Lease Finance Corporation and leased to Monarch Airlines as G-OZBA ('ZB' was Monarch's flight code) in Mar-94. It was returned to ILFC in Apr-99. It was leased to Air Jamaica as 6Y-JMB the following month. The aircraft was returned to ILFC in May-08 and in Jul-08 it was leased to Vladivostok Avia as VP-BEQ. It returned to ILFC in Jan-14 and was permanently retired at St. Athan, Wales, UK in Feb-14.

 

Note: The registration 6Y-JMB was previously used on an Air Jamaica Boeing 727-200 between Jan-75/Oct-85.

Replacing a photo from 15-May-09 with a better version 28-May-09.

 

Named: "Monchengladbach".

 

First flown in Feb-04 with the Airbus test registration F-WWYV, this aircraft was delivered to Lufthansa as D-AIHI in Apr-04. It was placed in winter storage at Munich, Germany between Dec-15 / Mar-16.

 

When the COVID-19 Pandemic hit the world in Mar-20 the aircraft was initially stored at Munich and moved to Teruel, Spain for further storage in May-20. There was some discussion about permanently retiring the A340-600 fleet, however it returned to service in May-22.

 

The aircraft was permanently retired at Frankfurt-Hahn, Germany in Dec-25 and is due to be sold to USC Universal Sky Carrier GmbH for spares recovery. Updated 10-Dec-25.

Replacing an earlier digital photo with a better version 01-Jun-20.

 

Repainted all white with just MyTravel titles and logo after winter lease to Skyservice Canada.

 

This aircraft was delivered to Airtours International Airways as G-WJAN in Mar-97. Airtours was renamed MyTravel Airways in May-02.

 

It was leased to Skyservice Airlines Canada as C-FFAN between Nov-03/May-04, returning to MyTravel Airways as G-WJAN. It was leased to Skyservice as C-FFAN again in Nov-04, but this time it didn't return to MyTravel as G-WJAN until Oct-05.

 

The aircraft was leased to Skyservice again, as C-FFAN, in Nov-06. This time it stayed away even longer. MyTravel was merged into Thomas Cook Airlines UK at the end of Mar-08 and the aircraft returned to Thomas Cook as G-WJAN in Apr-09.

 

It was leased to Skyservice again as C-FFAN in Nov-09. Skyservice Airlines ceased operations at the end of Mar-10 and the aircraft was returned to Thomas Cook as G-WJAN at the beginning of Apr-10.

 

In Nov-10 the aircraft was leased to Jazz Air (Canada) as C-GJZS and operated on behalf of Thomas Cook Travel Canada, returning to Thomas Cook UK as G-WJAN in Mar-11. For the next four winters, between Dec-11/Apr-12, Dec-12/Apr-13, Dec-13/Apr-14 and Dec-14/Apr-15 the aircraft was wet-leased to WestJet Airlines (Canada) and operated on behalf of Thomas Cook Travel Canada.

 

After the return from Canada the aircraft continued to operate for Thomas Cook Airlines UK until it was sold to Wells Fargo Bank Northwest (as trustee for SF Airlines, China) as N553CC in May-16.

 

It was stored at Prestwick, Scotland, UK until it was converted to freighter configuration with a main deck cargo door at Xiamen, China in Mar-17. The aircraft was sold to SF Airlines as B-1432 in Apr-17 and continues in service. Current, updated (Jun-20).

 

Note: The aircraft suffered a severe tail strike at Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic after a flight from the UK with a fuel stop at Bangor, Maine, USA on 01-Jan-1998. It had made two failed ILS approaches in bad weather when the Captain decided to do a visual circuit. The aircraft touched down heavily to the right of the runway on the third attempt, successfully carried out a go-around and diverted to Santo Domingo where it landed safely. There were no injuries. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service.

Replaced the original with this cropped one :)

Replacing the usual Boeing 787-9.

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 05-Aug-17.

 

KLM UK was renamed from Air UK and operated ATR.72's and Fokker 100's until it was absorbed into KLM Cityhopper in Holland. The ATR's were disposed of and the Fokker 100's were re-registered in Holland

 

First flown in Sep-96 with the ATR test registration F-WWLT, this aircraft was stored at Toulouse, France until it was delivered to ATRiam Capital and leased to Air UK as G-UKTN in Jun-98.

 

It was repainted and renamed KLM uk in Apr-99. The aircraft was withdrawn from service abd stored to Norwich, UK in Nov-99. It ferried to Jersey, Channel Islands, UK in basic KLM livery in Dec-99 and was used as a back-up aircraft by British Regional Airlines operating for British Airways Express.

 

The aircraft was stored at Norwich again in Oct-01 and returned to service with KLM uk in Feb-02 for the summer season and was stored at Norwich again in Sep-02. In Nov-02 KLM uk became KLM cityhopper UK while G-UKTN remained stored.

 

It was returned to ATRiam Capital as F-WQNL in Jun-03 and was stored at Toulouse until it was leased to Cimber Air, Denmark as OY-RTF in Nov-04. Cimber Air was renamed Cimber Sterling in Dec-08 after it bought parts of Sterling Airways after it ceased operations two months earlier.

 

It was wet-leased to AeroSvit Ukrainian Airlines in Oct-11 and returned to Cimber Sterling in May-12 when they ceased operations. The aircraft was stored at Soenderborg, Denmark.

 

It was sold to Danish Air Transport Leasing as OY-LHB in Apr-13 and operated as Danish Air Transport A/S. In Jul-13 the aircraft was wet-leased to Aer Arran and operated flights on behalf of Aer Lingus Regional for one month, it returned to Danish Air Transport in Aug-13.

 

In Jul-18 it was wet leased to an Italian subsidiary, DAT Volidisicilla and operates local flights within southern Italy. On 27-Mar-19 Danish Air Transport became known as DAT A/S, the services for DAT Volidiscilla continued. Current, updated 22-Feb-25.

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 27-Jul-19, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 08-Aug-24.

 

Airtours Group (UK) short-lived venture into the German tourist market with Frosch Turistik International.

 

Another lessor owned aircraft with a long history. It was originally ordered by the Orix Aircraft Corporation for lease to Mexicana but the lease was cancelled, the aircraft was first flown with the Airbus test registration F-WWBY in Aug-93, it was delivered to Orix and leased to Leisure Air (USA) as N444RX in Oct-93 (444 was also the c/n).

 

The aircraft was wet-leased to Translift Airways (Ireland) for the European Summer Season between May/Nov-94. It was repossessed from Leisure Air in Jan-95 and they ceased operations the following month.

 

The aircraft was leased to Onur Air (Turkey) as TC-ONF in Apr-95. It was wet-leased to Shorouk Air for the month of Nov-97 and to Victoria Air between Jul/Oct-98. It was returned to Orix as N444RX in Feb-99.

 

The aircraft was leased to Fly FTi (Frosch Touristik International - a German subsidiary of the Airtours International Group) as D-ACAF in Mar-99. It was briefly returned to Orix as N444RX in Nov-01 and the lease was transferred to Airtours International Airways.

 

The registration G-SSAS had been assigned but wasn't taken up and the aircraft became G-FHAJ later in Nov-01. Airtours International was renamed MyTravel Airways in May-02. The aircraft was transferred to MyTravel Lite (a scheduled 'low-cost' subsidiary based at Birmingham, UK). It was reintegrated back into MyTravel Airways in Oct-05.

 

The aircraft was returned to the lessor in Apr-06 and immediately leased to MyAir (My Way Airlines), Italy as EI-DOD. MyAir ceased operations in Jul-09 when the aircraft was returned to the lessor and stored at Ljubliana, Slovenia.

 

It remained stored until it was leased to Adria Airways, Slovenia as S5-AAS in Apr-11. It was returned to the lessor in Dec-14. The aircraft was sold to Danish Air Transport Leasing A/S and leased to DAT Danish Air Transport as OY-JRK a few days later.

 

It was wet-leased to Adria Airways (Slovenia) between Apr/Sep-15 and wet-leased to Norwegian Air Shuttle between Jan/Mar-20. The aircraft was stored at Billund, Denmark in Mar-20 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

 

It was ferried to Sofia, Bulgaria in Dec-20 for maintenance and further storage. It returned to Billund in at the end of Mar-21 and returned to service. The aircraft was wet-leased to Corendon Airlines Europe in Apr-22 for the summer season and returned to Danish Air Transport in Oct-22.

 

It was wet leased to Transavia Airlines France in early 2023 and operated it's last service from Malaga to Paris-Orly on 27-Feb-23. It was ferried to Johannesburg (South Africa) in Mar-23 and sold to Global Aviation as ZS-GAB in Apr-23.

 

It was due to operate for Lift Airlines (South Africa) but that hasn't happened and it was stored. The aircraft has recently had two test flights (in Jun & Jul-24) and maybe it will return to service. It's now 31 years old and Global Aviation operate some of the oldest A320's still flying, c/n 053, 054, 064 and 067. Updated 13-Aug-24.

Temple de l'Amour

 

The Palace of Versailles (/vɛərˈsaɪ, vɜːrˈsaɪ/ vair-SY, vur-SY; French: château de Versailles [ʃɑto d(ə) vɛʁsɑj]) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about 18 kilometres (11 mi) west of the city centre of Paris, in the Yvelines department of Île-de-France region in France.

 

The palace is owned by the government of France and since 1995 has been managed, under the direction of the French Ministry of Culture, by the Public Establishment of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles. About 15,000,000 people visit the palace, park, or gardens of Versailles every year, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.

 

Louis XIII built a hunting lodge at Versailles in 1623. His successor, Louis XIV, expanded the château into a palace that went through several expansions in phases from 1661 to 1715. It was a favourite residence for both kings, and in 1682, Louis XIV moved the seat of his court and government to Versailles, making the palace the de facto capital of France. This state of affairs was continued by Kings Louis XV and Louis XVI, who primarily made interior alterations to the palace, but in 1789 the royal family and French court returned to Paris. For the rest of the French Revolution, the Palace of Versailles was largely abandoned and emptied of its contents, and the population of the surrounding city plummeted.

 

Napoleon, following his coronation as Emperor, used the subsidiary palace, Grand Trianon, as a summer residence from 1810 to 1814, but did not use the main palace. Following the Bourbon Restoration, when the king was returned to the throne, he resided in Paris and it was not until the 1830s that meaningful repairs were made to the palace. A museum of French history was installed within it, replacing the courtiers' apartments of the southern wing.

 

The palace and park were designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979 for its importance as the centre of power, art, and science in France during the 17th and 18th centuries. The French Ministry of Culture has placed the palace, its gardens, and some of its subsidiary structures on its list of culturally significant monuments.

 

History

 

In 1623, Louis XIII, king of France, built a hunting lodge on a hill in a favourite hunting ground, 19 kilometres (12 mi) west of Paris, and 16 kilometres (10 mi) from his primary residence, the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The site, near a village named Versailles, was a wooded wetland that Louis XIII's court scorned as being generally unworthy of a king; one of his courtiers, François de Bassompierre, wrote that the lodge "would not inspire vanity in even the simplest gentleman". From 1631 to 1634, architect Philibert Le Roy replaced the lodge with a château for Louis XIII, who forbade his queen, Anne of Austria, from staying there overnight, even when an outbreak of smallpox at Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1641 forced Louis XIII to relocate to Versailles with his three-year-old heir, the future Louis XIV.

 

When Louis XIII died in 1643, Anne became Louis XIV's regent, and Louis XIII's château was abandoned for the next decade. She moved the court back to Paris, where Anne and her chief minister, Cardinal Mazarin, continued Louis XIII's unpopular monetary practices. This led to the Fronde, a series of revolts against royal authority from 1648 to 1653 that masked a struggle between Mazarin and the princes of the blood, Louis XIV's extended family, for influence over him. In the aftermath of the Fronde, Louis XIV became determined to rule alone. Following Mazarin's death in 1661, Louis XIV reformed his government to exclude his mother and the princes of the blood, moved the court back to Saint-Germain-en-Laye, and ordered the expansion of his father's château at Versailles into a palace.

 

Louis XIV had hunted at Versailles in the 1650s, but did not take any special interest in Versailles until 1661. On 17 August 1661, Louis XIV was a guest at a sumptuous festival hosted by Nicolas Fouquet, the Superintendent of Finances, at his palatial residence, the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Louis XIV was impressed by the château and its gardens, which were the work of Louis Le Vau, the court architect since 1654, André Le Nôtre, the royal gardener since 1657, and Charles Le Brun, a painter in royal service since 1647. Vaux-le-Vicomte's scale and opulence led him to imprison Fouquet that September, as he had also built an island fortress and a private army. But Louis XIV was also inspired by Vaux-le-Vicomte, and he recruited its authors for his own projects. Louis XIV replaced Fouquet with Jean-Baptiste Colbert, a protégé of Mazarin and enemy of Fouquet, and charged him with managing the corps of artisans in royal employment. Colbert acted as the intermediary between them and Louis XIV, who personally directed and inspected the planning and construction of Versailles.

 

Construction

 

Work at Versailles was at first concentrated on gardens, and through the 1660s, Le Vau only added two detached service wings and a forecourt to the château. But in 1668–69, as a response to the growth of the gardens, and the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1668), Louis XIV decided to turn Versailles into a full-scale royal residence. He vacillated between replacing or incorporating his father's château, but settled on the latter by the end of the decade, and from 1668 to 1671, Louis XIII's château was encased on three sides in a feature dubbed the enveloppe. This gave the château a new, Italianate façade overlooking the gardens, but preserved the courtyard façade, resulting in a mix of styles and materials that dismayed Louis XIV and that Colbert described as a "patchwork". Attempts to homogenize the two façades failed, and in 1670 Le Vau died, leaving the post of First Architect to the King vacant for the next seven years.

 

Le Vau was succeeded at Versailles by his assistant, architect François d'Orbay. Work at the palace during the 1670s focused on its interiors, as the palace was then nearing completion, though d'Orbay expanded Le Vau's service wings and connected them to the château, and built a pair of pavilions for government employees in the forecourt. In 1670, d'Orbay was tasked by Louis XIV with designing a city, also called Versailles, to house and service Louis XIV's growing government and court. The granting of land to courtiers for the construction of townhouses that resembled the palace began in 1671. The next year, the Franco-Dutch War began and funding for Versailles was cut until 1674, when Louis XIV had work begun on the Ambassadors' Staircase, a grand staircase for the reception of guests, and demolished the last of the village of Versailles.

 

Following the end of the Franco-Dutch War with French victory in 1678, Louis XIV appointed as First Architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart, an experienced architect in Louis XIV's confidence, who would benefit from a restored budget and large workforce of former soldiers. Mansart began his tenure with the addition from 1678 to 1681 of the Hall of Mirrors, a renovation of the courtyard façade of Louis XIII's château, and the expansion of d'Orbay's pavilions to create the Ministers' Wings in 1678–79. Adjacent to the palace, Hardouin-Mansart built a pair of stables called the Grande and Petite Écuries from 1679 to 1682 and the Grand Commun, which housed the palace's servants and general kitchens, from 1682 to 1684. Hardouin-Mansart also added two entirely new wings in Le Vau's Italianate style to house the court,[75] first at the south end of the palace from 1679 to 1681 and then at its north end from 1685 to 1689.

 

War and the resulting diminished funding slowed construction at Versailles for the rest of the 17th century. The Nine Years' War, which began in 1688, stopped work altogether until 1698. Three years later, however, the even more expensive War of the Spanish Succession began and, combined with poor harvests in 1693–94 and 1709–10, plunged France into crisis. Louis XIV thus slashed funding and cancelled some of the work Hardouin-Mansart had planned in the 1680s, such as the remodelling of the courtyard façade in the Italianate style. Louis XIV and Hardouin-Mansart focused on a permanent palace chapel, the construction of which lasted from 1699 to 1710.

 

Louis XIV's successors, Louis XV and Louis XVI, largely left Versailles as they inherited it and focused on the palace's interiors. Louis XV's modifications began in the 1730s, with the completion of the Salon d'Hercule, a ballroom in the north wing, and the expansion of the king's private apartment, which required the demolition of the Ambassadors' Staircase. In 1748, Louis XV began construction of a palace theatre, the Royal Opera of Versailles at the northernmost end of the palace, but completion was delayed until 1770; construction was interrupted in the 1740s by the War of the Austrian Succession and then again in 1756 with the start of the Seven Years' War. These wars emptied the royal treasury and thereafter construction was mostly funded by Madame du Barry, Louis XV's favourite mistress. In 1771, Louis XV had the northern Ministers' Wing rebuilt in Neoclassical style by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, his court architect, as it was in the process of falling down. That work was also stopped by financial constraints, and it remained incomplete when Louis XV died in 1774. In 1784, Louis XVI briefly moved the royal family to the Château de Saint-Cloud ahead of more renovations to the Palace of Versailles, but construction could not begin because of financial difficulty and political crisis. In 1789, the French Revolution swept the royal family and government out of Versailles forever.

 

Role in politics and culture

 

The Palace of Versailles was key to Louis XIV's politics, as an expression and concentration of French art and culture, and for the centralization of royal power. Louis XIV first used Versailles to promote himself with a series of nighttime festivals in its gardens in 1664, 1668, and 1674, the events of which were disseminated throughout Europe by print and engravings. As early as 1669, but especially from 1678, Louis XIV sought to make Versailles his seat of government, and he expanded the palace so as to fit the court within it. The moving of the court to Versailles did not come until 1682, however, and not officially, as opinion on Versailles was mixed among the nobility of France.

 

By 1687, however, it was evident to all that Versailles was the de facto capital of France, and Louis XIV succeeded in attracting the nobility to Versailles to pursue prestige and royal patronage within a strict court etiquette, thus eroding their traditional provincial power bases. It was at the Palace of Versailles that Louis XIV received the Doge of Genoa, Francesco Maria Imperiale Lercari in 1685, an embassy from the Ayutthaya Kingdom in 1686, and an embassy from Safavid Iran in 1715.

 

Louis XIV died at Versailles on 1 September 1715 and was succeeded by his five-year-old great-grandson, Louis XV,[78][106] then the duke of Anjou, who was moved to the Château de Vincennes and then to Paris by Louis XV's regent, Philippe II, Duke of Orléans. Versailles was neglected until 1722, when Philippe II removed the court to Versailles to escape the unpopularity of his regency, and when Louis XV began his majority. The 1715 move, however, broke the cultural power of Versailles, and during the reign of Louis XVI, courtiers spent their leisure in Paris, not Versailles.

 

During Christmas 1763, Mozart and his family visited Versailles and dined with the King. The 7-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart played several works during his stay and later dedicated his first two harpsichord sonatas, published in 1764 in Paris, to Madame Victoria, daughter of Louis XV.

 

In 1783, the palace was the site of the signing of the last two of the three treaties of the Peace of Paris (1783), which ended the American Revolutionary War. On 3 September, British and American delegates, led by Benjamin Franklin, signed the Treaty of Paris at the Hôtel d'York (now 56 Rue Jacob) in Paris, granting the United States independence. On 4 September, Spain and France signed separate treaties with Britain at the Palace of Versailles, formally ending the war.

 

The King and Queen learned of the Storming of the Bastille in Paris on 14 July 1789, while they were at the palace, and remained isolated there as the Revolution in Paris spread. The growing anger in Paris led to the Women's March on Versailles on 5 October 1789. A crowd of several thousand men and women, protesting the high price and scarcity of bread, marched from the markets of Paris to Versailles. They took weapons from the city armoury, besieged the palace, and compelled the King and royal family and the members of the National Constituent Assembly to return with them to Paris the following day.

 

As soon as the royal family departed, the palace was closed. In 1792, the National Convention, the new revolutionary government, ordered the transfer of all the paintings and sculptures from the palace to the Louvre. In 1793, the Convention declared the abolition of the monarchy and ordered all of the royal property in the palace to be sold at auction. The auction took place between 25 August 1793 and 11 August 1794. The furnishings and art of the palace, including the furniture, mirrors, baths, and kitchen equipment, were sold in seventeen thousand lots. All fleurs-de-lys and royal emblems on the buildings were chambered or chiselled off. The empty buildings were turned into a storehouse for furnishings, art and libraries confiscated from the nobility. The empty grand apartments were opened for tours beginning in 1793, and a small museum of French paintings and art school was opened in some of the empty rooms.

 

By virtue of an order issued by the Versailles district directorate in August 1794, the Royal Gate was destroyed, the Cour Royale was cleared and the Cour de Marbre lost its precious floor.

 

19th century – history museum and government venue

 

When Napoleon became Emperor of the French in 1804, he considered making Versailles his residence but abandoned the idea because of the cost of the renovation. Prior to his marriage with Marie-Louise in 1810, he had the Grand Trianon restored and refurnished as a springtime residence for himself and his family, in the style of furnishing that it is seen today.

 

In 1815, with the final downfall of Napoleon, Louis XVIII, the younger brother of Louis XVI, became king, and considered returning the royal residence to Versailles, where he had been born. He ordered the restoration of the royal apartments, but the task and cost was too great. Louis XVIII had the far end of the south wing of the Cour Royale demolished and rebuilt (1814–1824) to match the Gabriel wing of 1780 opposite, which gave greater uniformity of appearance to the front entrance. Neither he nor his successor Charles X lived at Versailles.

 

The French Revolution of 1830 brought a new monarch, Louis-Philippe to power, and a new ambition for Versailles. He did not reside at Versailles but began the creation of the Museum of the History of France, dedicated to "all the glories of France", which had been used to house some members of the royal family. The museum was begun in 1833 and inaugurated on 30 June 1837. Its most famous room is the Galerie des Batailles (Hall of Battles), which lies on most of the length of the second floor of the south wing. The museum project largely came to a halt when Louis Philippe was overthrown in 1848, though the paintings of French heroes and great battles still remain in the south wing.

 

Emperor Napoleon III used the palace on occasion as a stage for grand ceremonies. One of the most lavish was the banquet that he hosted for Queen Victoria in the Royal Opera of Versailles on 25 August 1855.

 

During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871, the palace was occupied by the general staff of the victorious German Army. Parts of the château, including the Hall of Mirrors, were turned into a military hospital. The creation of the German Empire, combining Prussia and the surrounding German states under William I, was formally proclaimed in the Hall of Mirrors on 18 January 1871. The Germans remained in the palace until the signing of the armistice in March 1871. In that month, the government of the new Third French Republic, which had departed Paris during the war for Tours and then Bordeaux, moved into the palace. The National Assembly held its meetings in the Opera House.

 

The uprising of the Paris Commune in March 1871, prevented the French government, under Adolphe Thiers, from returning immediately to Paris. The military operation which suppressed the Commune at the end of May was directed from Versailles, and the prisoners of the Commune were marched there and put on trial in military courts. In 1875 a second parliamentary body, the French Senate, was created and held its meetings for the election of a President of the Republic in a new hall created in 1876 in the south wing of the palace. The French Senate and National Assembly continue to meet in the palace in joint session on special occasions, such as the amendment of the Constitution of France.

 

20th century

 

The end of the 19th and the early 20th century saw the beginning of restoration efforts at the palace, first led by Pierre de Nolhac, poet and scholar and the first conservator, who began his work in 1892. The conservation and restoration were interrupted by two world wars but have continued until the present day.

 

The palace returned to the world stage in June 1919, when, after six months of negotiations, the Treaty of Versailles, formally ending the First World War, was signed in the Hall of Mirrors. Between 1925 and 1928, the American philanthropist and multi-millionaire John D. Rockefeller, Jr. gave $2,166,000, the equivalent of about 38 million dollars in 2024, to restore and refurbish the palace.

 

More work took place after World War II, with the restoration of the Royal Opera of Versailles. The theatre was reopened in 1957, in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

 

In 1978, parts of the palace were heavily damaged in a bombing committed by Breton terrorists.

 

Starting in the 1950s, when the museum of Versailles was under the directorship of Gérald van der Kemp, the objective was to restore the palace to its state – or as close to it as possible – in 1789 when the royal family left the palace. Among the early projects was the repair of the roof over the Hall of Mirrors; the publicity campaign brought international attention to the plight of post-war Versailles and garnered much foreign money including a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation.

 

One of the more costly endeavours for the museum and the French Fifth Republic has been to repurchase as much of the original furnishings as possible. Consequently, because furniture with a royal provenance – and especially furniture that was made for Versailles – is a highly sought-after commodity on the international market, the museum has spent considerable funds on retrieving much of the palace's original furnishings.

 

21st century

 

In 2003, a new restoration initiative – the "Grand Versailles" project – was started, which began with the replanting of the gardens, which had lost over 10,000 trees during Cyclone Lothar on 26 December 1999. One part of the initiative, the restoration of the Hall of Mirrors, was completed in 2006. Another major project was the further restoration of the backstage areas of the Royal Opera of Versailles in 2007 to 2009.

 

The Palace of Versailles is currently owned by the French state. Its formal title is the Public Establishment of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles. Since 1995, it has been run as a Public Establishment, with an independent administration and management supervised by the French Ministry of Culture.

 

The grounds of the palace hosted the equestrian competition during the 2024 Summer Olympics.

 

The Queen's hamlet and Theatre

 

Near the Trianons are the French pavilion, built by Gabriel in 1750 between the two residences, and the Queen's Theatre and Queen's Hamlet, built by architect Richard Mique in 1780 and from 1783 to 1785 respectively. These were both built at the behest of Marie Antoinette; the theatre, hidden in the gardens, indulged her appreciation of opera and is absolutely original, and the hamlet to extend her gardens with rustic amenities. The building scheme of the Queen's Hamlet includes a farmhouse (the farm was to produce milk and eggs for the queen), a dairy, a dovecote, a boudoir, a barn that burned down during the French Revolution, a mill and a tower in the form of a lighthouse.

 

Modern political and ceremonial functions

 

The palace still serves political functions. Heads of state are regaled in the Hall of Mirrors; the bicameral French Parliament—consisting of the Senate (Sénat) and the National Assembly (Assemblée nationale)—meet in joint session (a congress of the French Parliament) in Versailles to revise or otherwise amend the French Constitution, a tradition that came into effect with the promulgation of the 1875 Constitution. For example, the Parliament met in joint session at Versailles to pass constitutional amendments in June 1999 (for domestic applicability of International Criminal Court decisions and for gender equality in candidate lists), in January 2000 (ratifying the Treaty of Amsterdam), in March 2003 (specifying the "decentralized organization" of the French Republic), and in March 2024 (to enshrine the freedom of women to have recourse to abortion).

 

In 2009, President Nicolas Sarkozy addressed the Great Recession before a congress in Versailles, the first time that this had been done since 1848, when Louis Napoleon Bonaparte gave an address before the French Second Republic. Following the November 2015 Paris attacks, President François Hollande gave a speech before a rare joint session of parliament at the Palace of Versailles. This was the third time since 1848 that a French president addressed a joint session of the French Parliament at Versailles. The president of the National Assembly has an official apartment at the Palace of Versailles. In 2023 a state visit by Charles III to France included a state banquet at the Palace.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Das Schloss Versailles (französisch château de Versailles) in der gleichnamigen Nachbarstadt von Paris ist eine der größten Palastanlagen Europas und war von der Mitte des 17. Jahrhunderts bis zum Ausbruch der Französischen Revolution die Hauptresidenz der Könige von Frankreich. Der Barockbau, dessen größte Ausdehnung mehr als einen halben Kilometer beträgt, gilt als ein Höhepunkt europäischer Palastarchitektur und diente vom 17. bis zum 19. Jahrhundert als Vorbild für zahlreiche weitere Schlossbauten.

 

Ursprünglich von Philibert Le Roy als Jagdschloss für König Ludwig XIII. errichtet, wurde die Anlage ab 1661 unter Ludwig XIV. durch Louis Le Vau, François II d’Orbay, Jules Hardouin-Mansart und Robert de Cotte in mehreren Phasen um- und ausgebaut. Die Innenausstattung schuf Charles Lebrun, die berühmten Gartenanlagen, die aus einem Jagdpark hervorgingen, stammen von André Le Nôtre. Erst 1682 war der Riesenbau so weit vorangeschritten, dass der „Sonnenkönig“ mit seinem Hofstaat von Schloss Saint-Germain-en-Laye nach Versailles umziehen konnte. In seiner Zeit als Residenz war der Palast fast durchgehend von einem mehrere tausend Personen umfassenden Hofstaat bewohnt und bildete das kulturelle und große politische Zentrum Frankreichs.

 

Seit dem 19. Jahrhundert wird das Schloss als Museum genutzt. Es steht heute für Besucher offen, ebenso wie die weitläufigen Gartenanlagen und wie die drei weiteren im Park befindlichen Lustschlösser Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon und Hameau de la Reine. Während der Mittelbau mit den Staatssälen des 17. und 18. Jahrhunderts in der ursprünglichen Form zu sehen ist, beherbergen die großen Seitenflügel das im 19. Jahrhundert eingerichtete Museum der Geschichte Frankreichs. 1979 wurde Schloss Versailles in die Liste des UNESCO-Weltkulturerbes aufgenommen.

 

Das Schlossgebäude

 

Das Bauwerk

 

Der Ursprung: Ein kleines Jagdschloss

 

Der Ort Versailles vor den Toren der Hauptstadt Paris wurde 1038 erstmals urkundlich erwähnt. Der Wortstamm – versare, d. h. umgraben, umwenden – lässt seine ursprüngliche Bedeutung noch erkennen und verweist auf das kleine Bauerndorf und seine Äcker, die einst hier lagen.[3] Im Dorf Versailles befanden sich im 17. Jahrhundert ein verfallenes kleines Schloss und eine Mühle. Die Ländereien und das Anwesen gehörten zum größten Teil der ansässigen Familie Gondi, ein kleinerer Teil befand sich in königlichem Besitz. Ludwig XIII., der das wildreiche Gebiet der Galie häufig bei Jagdausflügen aufsuchte, nächtigte gelegentlich in dem mittelalterlichen Versailler Schloss und sogar in der Mühle.

 

1623 ließ sich der König anstelle der Mühle ein kleines Jagdhaus errichten, in dem er 1624 das erste Mal übernachtete. Dieser gelegentlich als Kartenschloss verspottete Ansitz war so klein, dass er nicht einmal Räumlichkeiten für die Königin enthielt. François de Bassompierre bezeichnete das Jagdhaus als „ein armseliges Schloss, bei dem nicht mal ein einfacher Edelmann Neid empfindet“. Nachdem der König Ländereien der Gondi in Versailles hinzu erworben hatte, ließ er das Gebäude von 1631 bis 1634 durch Philibert Le Roy zu einem dreiflügeligen Jagdschloss erweitern. Das verfallene alte Schloss wurde später abgetragen. Das von einem Graben umgebene, aus Backstein erbaute und mit Sandsteinelementen gegliederte neue Versailler Schloss wurde im Stil des frühen französischen Barock errichtet. Dieses Jagdschloss bildet bis heute den Kern der Anlage, es umschließt den Marmorhof, den letzten und kleinsten der drei Ehrenhöfe, die der Stadtseite des Palastes vorgelagert sind. Nach dem Tode Ludwig XIII. ging das Gebäude als Teil des Erbes an seinen Sohn und Nachfolger Ludwig XIV. über. Der junge König residierte nach seiner Regierungsübernahme 1661 regelmäßig in Versailles, das ihm zunächst vor allem als Lustschloss und Sommersitz diente und in dem er große Hoffeste ausrichten ließ.

 

Den entscheidenden Impuls zum Ausbau des Palastes lieferte wohl der Finanzminister Nicolas Fouquet. Dieser ließ sich mit Vaux-le-Vicomte ein aufsehenerregendes Schloss erbauen, das nicht nur die Kunst des höfischen Barock in Frankreich nachhaltig prägen sollte, sondern auch den Zorn des Königs erregte. Ludwig XIV. vermutete, dass Fouquet die Pracht zu einem Großteil mit dem Griff in die Staatskasse finanzierte. Er warf seinem Minister Untreue vor und ließ ihn verhaften. Das in Vaux geschaffene Gesamtkunstwerk aus Bauarchitektur und Gartenkunst bestätigte den König in seinem Vorhaben, sich eine zeitgemäße Residenz errichten zu lassen. Er zog Fouquets Architekten und Künstler zu Rate und beauftragte sie schließlich mit dem Ausbau des kleinen Schlosses seines Vaters.

 

Ausbau zum Residenzschloss

 

Entgegen dem Ratschlag des Finanzministers Colbert, der aus Kosten- und Prestigegründen einen Neubau empfahl, weigerte sich Ludwig XIV. für die Versailler Residenz das alte Jagdschloss aufzugeben und so wurde das den späteren Marmorhof umschließende Gebäude im Laufe der Zeit umgebaut und in mehreren Abschnitten in den Neubau integriert. Der König schrieb in seinen Memoiren sogar, selbst wenn das alte Schloss hätte abgerissen werden müssen, so hätte er es ganz genauso wieder errichten lassen, wie es war. Nach anfänglichen kleineren Umbauten ab 1661 bildete der Aachener Frieden von 1668 den Auftakt zu einer ersten Erweiterung des Schlosses. Der U-förmige Mittelbau Ludwigs XIII., Kern des heutigen Corps de Logis, erhielt von 1668 bis 1671 durch Le Vau die enveloppé. Dabei handelte es sich um eine bauliche, sogenannte Ummantelung des alten Schlosses durch zwei neue, äußere Trakte. Die südlichen Flügel der Ummantelung nahmen die Paradezimmer der Königin auf, die nördlichen jene des Königs. Dieser Bau besaß anstelle der späteren Spiegelgalerie noch eine große Terrasse über den gartenseitigen Arkaden des Erdgeschosses.

 

1677 verkündete der König, Versailles zum künftigen Regierungssitz zu bestimmen. Der damit verbundene Ausbau des Palastes begann im Zuge des Friedens von Nimwegen, der Umzug des Hofstaats erfolgte ab dem 5. Mai 1682. Von 1678 bis 1684 wurde die Terrasse des Corps de Logis samt den ihr benachbarten Salons durch Jules Hardouin-Mansart über- und umgebaut und die Spiegelgalerie, sowie die Salons des Krieges und des Friedens installiert. Die ursprünglich waagerechten Fensterabschlüsse des ersten Stockwerkes wurden durch Rundbogenfenster ersetzt, die mit den Spiegeln der großen Galerie korrespondierten. Mit diesen Baumaßnahmen erhielt die Gartenfassade des Hauptgebäudes ihre heutige Gestalt.

 

Um Platz für den Hofstaat zu schaffen, wurden gleichzeitig mit den Erweiterungen am Corps de Logis 1678 die Arbeiten am Südflügel und ab 1685 die am Nordflügel begonnen. Mansart plädierte zudem dafür, das Schloss um ein weiteres Stockwerk zu erhöhen, um so mehr Wohnraum zu erhalten, was der König jedoch aus unbekannten Gründen ablehnte. Beide Flügelbauten bestehen aus jeweils zwei parallel zueinander errichteten langen Gebäuderiegeln, je einer auf der Garten- und einer auf der Stadtseite. Diese sind durch Querbauten mehrfach miteinander verbunden und beinhalten so eine Anzahl kleinerer Lichthöfe. Der Südflügel war 1684 weitgehend fertig gestellt, der später begonnene Nordflügel fünf Jahre darauf. Die Arbeiten an dessen stadtseitig gelegenem Trakt wurden wegen der Kosten des Pfälzischen Erbfolgekrieges jedoch eingestellt und der Bau erst im 19. Jahrhundert vollendet. Für den Bau des Nordflügels musste die Thetis-Grotte, ein mit Statuen geschmücktes Brunnenhaus von 1664, abgerissen werden. Die darin ausgestellten Skulpturen befinden sich heute zum Teil im sogenannten Boskett des Apollo-Bades im Park des Schlosses. Auf dem Standort der Thetis-Grotte erhebt sich der Bau der 1710 durch Robert de Cotte fertiggestellten Schlosskapelle, deren Zugang durch den Nordflügel erfolgt.

 

Die Flügel des Versailler Schlosses und seiner Nebengebäude gruppieren sich um drei in einer Achse gelegene Hofplätze, die zusammen eine weitgehend zusammenhängende Fläche bilden und vom Zentrum des Schlosses in Richtung der Stadt führen. Den Ausgangspunkt bildet der kleine Marmorhof (Cour de Marbre) des umbauten Jagdschlosses, auf diesen folgt der von den Verlängerungstrakten des Corps de Logis umgebene Königshof (Cour Royale) und schließlich der große Platz des Ministerhofs (Cour des Ministres) mit den freistehenden Ministerflügeln. Da Versailles nicht nur königliche Residenz, sondern auch Regierungssitz war, wurde mit diesen Gebäuden Platz für die Hofbeamten geschaffen. Den Höfen stadtseitig gegenüber stehen der kleine und der große Marstall, umfangreiche Gebäude für die Pferde und den Fuhrpark der königlichen Familie. Östlich, vom Südflügel des Schlosses und dem südlichen Ministertrakt begrenzt, befindet sich außerdem das vierflügelige Grand Commun, ein solitär stehender Wirtschaftsbau von 1682, der die Schlossküchen und Bedienstetenwohnungen für über 1.000 Hofangestellte enthielt.

 

Nach dem Umzug des Hofes 1682 arbeiteten zeitweise über 22.000 Menschen an und in Versailles, nach den Angaben eines Zeitgenossen erreichte die Zahl der Arbeiter im Jahr 1685 sogar 36.000. Zum Ende des 18. Jahrhunderts war Versailles in seinen heutigen Dimensionen weitgehend fertiggestellt; die Gartenfassade ist 570 Meter breit.

 

Stilistische Einordnung

 

Das Äußere des Schlosses ist in zwei verschiedenen Stilformen gehalten, die zudem durch die unterschiedliche Addition der einzelnen Baukörper einen konträren Eindruck vermitteln. Die Stadtfassaden bestehen aus zahlreichen Einzelgebäuden, so dass sich dem Betrachter erst beim näheren Hinsehen erschließt, dass sie alle gemeinsam ein großes, zusammenhängendes Gebäude bilden. Die Fassaden des Schlosses folgen hier dem älteren Stil des ursprünglichen Jagdschlosses rund um den Marmorhof und entsprechen noch dem frühen französischen Barock. Sie sind aus rotem Ziegelstein errichtet, der mit Sandsteinelementen gegliedert ist, die Baukörper tragen sichtbare Mansarddächer.

 

Die Gartenfassaden des Schlosses sind im Stil des für Frankreich typischen klassizistischen Barocks gestaltet und gehen damit auf die Vorgabe von Le Vaus Ummantelung zurück. Horizontale Linien dominieren das Bauwerk und nur risalitartig hervorspringende Portale lockern die strengen Sandsteinfassaden auf. Die abschließende Balustrade des Obergeschosses ist mit steinernen Vasen und Trophäendarstellungen dekoriert und verbirgt hinter sich flache Dächer. Die Gartenfassade fasst die Gebäudeteile zu einem großen Block zusammen, dessen Breitenwirkung durch die horizontale Gliederung noch gesteigert wird.

 

Die verschiedenen Baustile des Schlosses, die majestätisch-monotone Garten- und die kleinteiligeren Stadtfassaden riefen nicht nur Bewunderung, sondern auch Kritik hervor. Versailles steht im völligen Kontrast zu den anderen Barockschlössern Frankreichs, die zumeist nicht nur kleiner, sondern wie Vaux-le-Vicomte oder Maisons-Laffitte auch im Pavillonsystem errichtet wurden. In der Kunstgeschichte werden insbesondere die Gartenfassaden zwar häufig als überwältigend in ihrer Wirkung, aber auch als eintönig beschrieben, Colbert nannte das Schloss einen „Mann mit großen Armen und einem dicken Kopf.“ Der Herzog Saint-Simon bezeichnete den Kontrast der Baustile als „schönes und häßliches, das zusammengenäht wurde“ und über das hinter der Attika verborgene Flachdach schrieb er „man glaubt einen abgebrannten Palast zu sehen, dem das obere Stockwerk und das Dach fehlen.“ Die Kapelle wurde als Riesenkatafalk verspottet und Voltaire bezeichnete sie als einen „erstaunlichen Firlefanz“.

 

Zur Zeit Ludwigs XV. wurde eine als grand dessin bezeichnete Neugestaltung der Stadtseite im Stil des Klassizismus erwogen. Die alten Fassaden dort sollten, den Gartenfassaden ähnlich, mit Haustein überbaut werden. Auch war über dem Hauptgebäude eine Kuppel geplant. Die Leitung dieses Projekts übernahm Ange-Jacques Gabriel. Letztlich erfolgte aus finanziellen Gründen jedoch ab 1771 nur der Umbau eines zu dieser Zeit baufälligen, stadtwärts gerichteten Trakts, der seit jener Zeit Gabrielflügel genannt wird. Der Pavillon des gegenüberliegenden Gebäudes, des Dufourflügels, wurde erst um 1820 angepasst und die Symmetrie der Hoffassade knapp ein halbes Jahrhundert nach Beginn der Umbauarbeiten halbwegs wiederhergestellt. Die parallel gegenüberstehenden Gebäudeteile tragen noch heute verschiedene Fassadenstile. 1780 durch Étienne-Louis Boullée vorgelegte Pläne zu einer vollständigen Neugestaltung des Schlosses im Sinne der Revolutionsarchitektur wurden nicht realisiert.

 

Symbolik und Kosten

 

Symbolik des Schlosses

 

Neben der offensichtlichen Zurschaustellung von Luxus und Reichtum diente das Schloss auch einer subtileren Darstellung des Ruhms und der Macht des Königtums. Die unter Ludwig XIV. angelegten Staatsräume und Säle verherrlichen den Sonnenkönig. Die Dekoration des Stucks und die Themen der Gemälde sind auf seine wirtschaftlichen und politischen Erfolge abgestimmt und künden von seinen Feldzügen und Siegen.[ Eine große Rolle nahmen außerdem die römische und die griechische Mythologie ein, mit deren Motiven die oberen Gesellschaftsschichten des 17. und 18. Jahrhunderts wohlvertraut waren. Die Mythologie wurde als Gleichnis eingesetzt und Ludwig XIV. wiederholt als Gott Apollon dargestellt, was der Hofgesellschaft zahlreiche Interpretationen ermöglichte. Die Darstellung als antiker Gott der Sonne und des Lichts verlieh Ludwig XIV. zudem die Aura eines mystischen, höchsten Wesens, ohne zugleich mit der Kirche in Widerspruch zu geraten – denn den Rang des Königs mit dem christlichen Gott gleichzusetzen, war auch im absolutistischen, aber immer noch katholisch geprägten Frankreich unmöglich und wäre einem Sakrileg gleichgekommen. Der Vergleich mit Apollon dagegen bekräftigte seinen Ruf als Sonnenkönig.

 

Kosten und Finanzierung

 

Obwohl der französische Haushaltsplan immense Ausgaben für das Schloss vorsah, war das Geld in Versailles immer knapp und die Bauphasen konnten nur in den Friedenszeiten zwischen den Reunionskriegen vorangetrieben werden. Nachdem Ludwig XIV. den Pfälzischen Erbfolgekrieg begonnen hatte, musste er 1689 sogar das berühmte Silbermobiliar der Spiegelgalerie verkaufen und einschmelzen, um die Kriegsausgaben zu bestreiten. Viele geplante Bauvorhaben, wie der oben beschriebene Umbau der Stadtfassaden, konnten aus Kostengründen nicht in Angriff genommen werden. Fast alle Aufträge wurden ausgeschrieben, Voranschläge unbedingt eingehalten und die Armee in Friedenszeiten zu Bauarbeiten herangezogen. Der Sonnenkönig selbst sagte: „… am liebsten wird mir immer alles sein, was möglichst schön ist und wenig kostet“. Was den meisten Betrachtern als unglaublicher Luxus erschien, war in Wirklichkeit so kostengünstig wie nur möglich gebaut, was zur Folge hatte, dass die Kamine oft nicht zogen, die Fenster nicht richtig schlossen und das Leben dort im Winter sehr unkomfortabel war.

 

Bereits zwischen 1661 und 1663 waren mehr als 1.500.000 Livres für das Schloss ausgegeben worden. Der erste Bau Ludwigs XIII. hatte insgesamt gerade einmal 300.000 Livres verbraucht, wovon 213.000 auf das Schloss verwendet und weitere 82.000 für die Gärten benötigt wurden. Im Zeitraum von 1664 bis 1688 wurde jährlich durchschnittlich eine Million Livres in Versailles verbaut. Der französische Staatshaushalt verfügte in den 1680er Jahren über ein Budget von etwa 110 Millionen Livres, wovon Ludwig nach dem Frieden von Nimwegen 15 Millionen für seine Bautätigkeiten genehmigt bekam. Bis zum Tode des Sonnenkönigs sollen 300 Millionen Livres in die Versailler Schlösser, den Park, die Ausstattung und den Unterhalt geflossen sein. Fünfzig bis sechzig Millionen allein für das Mobiliar und zwei Millionen für den Bau des Eure-Kanals. Bescheiden nimmt sich dagegen die Leibpension für die bei Unfällen verstorbenen Arbeiter aus, deren Familien im Schnitt 40 bis 100 Livres als Hinterbliebenenrente erhielten.

 

Die Trianonschlösser und der Weiler

 

Im Park von Versailles befinden sich mehrere Lustschlösser: das Grand Trianon, das Petit Trianon sowie das Hameau de la Reine (deutsch: Weiler der Königin).

 

Das weitläufige Gartenschloss Grand Trianon (großes Trianon) oder Trianon de marbre (Marmor-Trianon) stammt noch aus der Zeit Ludwigs XIV. Es war ursprünglich dem König und seiner Familie vorbehalten, doch im Laufe der Jahre wurde es auch dem weiteren Hofstaat zugänglich gemacht. Das benachbarte Petit Trianon (kleines Trianon) ist ein Werk, das Ludwig XV. für seine Mätresse Madame de Pompadour erbauen ließ. Diese starb jedoch vor der Vollendung des kleinen, klassizistischen Schlösschens. Nachdem sein Nachfolger Ludwig XVI. es Marie-Antoinette geschenkt hatte, wurde es durch sie prunkvoll ausgestattet und ein neuer Gartenbereich angelegt, in dem auch ein kleines Theater seinen Platz fand. Die Königin ließ sich hier zudem, einer damaligen Mode folgend, ein künstliches Dorf, den so genannten Weiler der Königin mit augenscheinlich windschiefen Häusern errichten, die aber in Wirklichkeit prunkvolle Dekoration für die Schäferspiele der Herrscherin waren.

 

All diese Gebäude wurden eine halbe Fußstunde entfernt vom Hauptschloss errichtet, um den Königen Entspannung und Erholung abseits des überfüllten Palastes zu bieten. Versailles war zudem in ein ganzes Netzwerk von kleineren Schlössern eingebunden. Noch im Ort selbst befand sich das Schloss Clagny, welches Madame de Montespan gewidmet war (und bereits 1769 der Spitzhacke zum Opfer fiel), und nur eine halbe Wegstunde zu Pferde entfernt befand sich das Schloss von Marly, das mit seinen Gärten und Wasserspielen zu den berühmtesten Lustschlössern des ausgehenden 17. Jahrhunderts gehörte. Ebenfalls in Reichweite lagen die königlichen Residenzen Saint-Germain-en-Laye und Saint-Cloud.

 

Geschichtlicher Überblick

 

17. und 18. Jahrhundert: Das Ancien Régime

 

Die Residenz des Sonnenkönigs und seiner Nachfolger

 

Frankreich war im 17. Jahrhundert der mächtigste Staat Europas und unter dem Wirken des Sonnenkönigs zum kulturellen, wirtschaftlichen und politischen Zentrum des Kontinents geworden. Das Schloss des Königs war ein Ausdruck der Leistungsfähigkeit Frankreichs und ein Symbol seiner Größe und Stärke. Die geordnete Natur der Parkanlagen war ein Spiegelbild der Ordnung, die Ludwig XIV. dem Land brachte.

 

Nachdem er als Kind die Gefahr der Fronde in Paris am eigenen Leib erleben musste, konnte sich der König nie für die französische Hauptstadt begeistern, er liebte dagegen das kleine Jagdschloss seines Vaters. Dort konnte er einen angemessen repräsentativen und weitläufigen neuen Palast erbauen, der zudem so im engen Paris undenkbar gewesen wäre. Der Entschluss, den Hof 1682 aus dem Palais du Louvre und dem Tuilerienpalast sowie dem bis 1682 zumeist bewohnten Schloss Saint-Germain-en-Laye hierher zu verlegen, sollte Frankreichs Geschichte für viele Jahre prägen. Hier vollendete Ludwig XIV. den Regierungsstil, den man später als Absolutismus bezeichnete. Der König wollte weitere Aufstände wie die Fronde verhindern, er schnitt die Aristokratie von ihrer alten Aufgabe der Provinzverwaltung ab und setzte Beamte dafür ein, die Mitglieder des Adels wurden dagegen an den Hof geholt. Eine mögliche Opposition aus der Ferne gegen ihn, wie sie zum Beispiel seinem Vater widerfuhr, wurde somit erschwert. Die Angehörigen des Adels wurden politisch entmachtet und im Gegenzug mit kostbaren Geschenken und prunkvollen Festen entschädigt. Der einst mächtige hohe Adel Frankreichs verließ bereitwillig seine Schlösser in den Provinzen, nur wenige konnten es sich leisten, dauerhaft eigene Hofgesellschaften zu unterhalten. Um auf der Höhe der Zeit zu sein und den neuesten Moden des Hofes folgen zu können, verschuldeten sich die Aristokraten oder erhielten willkürliche Renten vom König.

 

Eine Wohnung in Versailles zugewiesen zu bekommen, war ein bedeutendes Privileg, das zudem die Illusion vermittelte, im Zentrum der Macht an der Regierung beteiligt zu sein. Wer zu den Logeants, den im Schloss Wohnenden gehörte, stand im Rang über den Galopins, den Kutschierenden, die Abends zurück in ihre Stadtwohnungen nach Paris mussten. Innerhalb des Hoflebens übernahm das Hofzeremoniell eine bedeutende Rolle; im Prinzip unbedeutende Hofämter standen symbolisch für politischen Einfluss. Lediglich bei Hofe konnten Posten, Titel und Ämter errungen werden, und wer sich vom Sonnenkönig distanzierte, lief Gefahr, Vorrechte und Rang zu verlieren. Aus diesem Grund hielt sich die Aristokratie so gut wie ständig um ihren König auf und versuchte, ihm gefällig zu sein. Das sorgte dafür, dass zeitweise mehrere Tausend Menschen zugleich das Schloss bewohnten.

 

Für die französische Gesellschaft bedeutete der Wandel des Zweiten Standes vom Land- zum Hofadel auf Dauer eine schwere Belastung. Von ihren alten Pflichten und Aufgaben weitgehend entbunden, fristete der französische Adel bald ein dekadentes Dasein. Während der Dritte Stand die Steuerlast und die Arbeit zu tragen hatte, konnte – beziehungsweise musste – sich der Adel dem Müßiggang hingeben. Dieser Umstand sollte über hundert Jahre später einer der Auslöser der Französischen Revolution werden.

 

Leben im Schloss

 

Ludwig XIV. führte einen streng geregelten Tagesablauf, beginnend mit dem Lever (ca. 8 Uhr), einem feierlichen Staatsakt, dem Dutzende Familienangehörige und Mitglieder des Hofstaats beiwohnen mussten, ferner auswärtige Besucher und Gesandte sowie besonders auszuzeichnende Persönlichkeiten, die der König selbst täglich aussuchte. Es folgte die Arbeit im Kabinett (ca. 2 Stunden). Der ganze Tag war vom Hofzeremoniell durchgetaktet, dazu gehörten Jagden und Ausfahrten sowie Besuche und Theateraufführungen. Zu diesen Anlässen war er zu jeder Zeit von Würdenträgern umgeben. Zur späten Stunde wurde ein Hofball abgehalten. Gunstbeweise verteilte er durch Gewährung kleiner zeremonieller Aufgaben oder Vorrechte, er gestattete oder entzog Einzelnen die Teilnahme an bestimmten Zeremonien oder Festlichkeiten und wusste auf diese Weise den gesamten französischen Adel meisterhaft zu beherrschen und in Schach zu halten.

 

Nach dem Tode Ludwigs XIV. 1715 und der Regentschaft Philipp II. im Namen von Ludwig XV., der zu dieser Zeit noch ein Kind war, verließ der Hof den riesigen Palast und begab sich bis 1723 nach Paris, wo die Adligen sich aber vom Hof des Regenten im Palais Royal (oder auf seinem Schloss Saint-Cloud) teilweise fernhielten und stattdessen ihre eigenen Salons in ihren Hôtels particuliers im Marais oder im Faubourg Saint-Germain führten. Unter den Nachfolgern des Sonnenkönigs verlor Versailles seine umfassende zentralistische Bedeutung und die Gesellschaft traf sich nun zunehmend auch wieder in den Landschlössern des Adels oder den Pariser Hôtels. Dennoch residierten auch Ludwig XV. und Ludwig XVI. in Versailles, so dass das Schloss ab 1682 nur mit kurzen Unterbrechungen fast ständig von der Königsfamilie bewohnt war. Obwohl öfter Ausflüge in die vielen weiteren Schlösser rund um Paris unternommen wurden, blieb Versailles immer Regierungssitz und Mittelpunkt des höfischen Frankreichs.

 

Am Ende des Ancien Régime umfasste der Hofstaat rund 10.000 Personen, von denen bis zu 5.000 direkt im Schloss lebten. Die eigentlichen Höflinge machten davon rund 1.000 Personen aus, hinzu kamen Kammerfrauen, Köche, Leibwachen und andere Bedienstete. Der Palast war eine Stadt unter einem großen Dach, mit Wohnungen, Arbeitsräumen und Vergnügungsstätten. Auf den Gängen und Höfen ließen sich Händler nieder. Das Schloss war fast ständig überbelegt, und die Aristokratie, so sie nicht zur königlichen Familie gehörte, war zum Teil verarmt und hauste sogar in den engen Dachkammern der oberen Geschosse oder im benachbarten Grand Commun, da Ludwig XIV. seiner Ehre wegen jedem einen Schlafplatz bieten wollte. Victor Hugo bezeichnete das Schloss später als eine einzige Höflingskaserne. Der Palast war nicht allein dem Adel vorbehalten: Zugang hatte auch das gewöhnliche Volk, die Neugierigen wurden von den Bewohnern als Voyeux bezeichnet. Je höher der Rang des Besuchers war, desto weiter durfte er in das Innere des Schlosses gelangen. Der englische Reisende Arthur Young berichtete in seiner Schrift Reise durch Frankreich in den Jahren 1787, 1788, 1789 und 1792 über Versailles: „Es war höchst belustigend, wenn Strolche in den ärmlichsten Lumpen unbeobachtet durch den Palast […] spazierten.“ Der freie Zugang zum Schloss bedeutete jedoch nicht zugleich Kontakt mit den hier lebenden Personen. Wer als Bittsteller kam oder auf ein Amt hoffte, musste offiziell bei Hofe vorgestellt werden, wozu man neben einem verbrieften Titel üblicherweise die Fürsprache eines bereits etablierten Höflings benötigte. Als etabliert galt, wer über eines der zahlreichen käuflichen Hofämter verfügte, die, je nach Bedeutung des Amts, vom König oder dem Haushofmeister vergeben wurden.

 

Trotz der prunkvollen Ausstattung war Versailles ein unkomfortables Schloss. Die en filade gereihten, zugigen und hohen Räume ließen sich schlecht heizen, und Madame de Maintenon beklagte, „man erträgt lieber die Zugluft durch die Türen […], man muss in Symmetrie zugrunde gehen“. Im strengen Winter 1709 platzten sogar Likörflaschen durch die Kälte. Die große Spiegelgalerie besaß keine Kamine, und auch das zentrale Schlafzimmer Ludwigs XIV. war so kalt, dass Ludwig XV. ein privates Schlafzimmer im Nordtrakt des Corps de Logis einrichten ließ, das er nach der Zeremonie des Coucher zum Schlafen aufsuchte und morgens rechtzeitig zum Lever wieder verließ.

 

Es gab, wie damals in ganz Europa üblich, im Schloss weder fließendes Wasser noch fest installierte Toiletten. Man verrichtete die Notdurft in Leibstühle und Nachttöpfe, deren Inhalte von der Dienerschaft in bis zu 29 Sickergruben in der Umgebung des Schlosses ausgeleert wurden. Ludwig XVI. ließ sich Frankreichs erstes Wasserklosett mit Toilettenspülung einbauen. Das Schloss hatte wiederholt mit Ratten- und Mäuseplagen zu kämpfen und einmal jährlich begab sich der Hof nach Fontainebleau, damit der Versailler Palast in dieser Zeit von Grund auf gereinigt werden konnte. Der Körperpflege wurde im 17. Jahrhundert zwar noch kein übermäßiger Stellenwert zugeschrieben, doch bereits Ludwig XIV. ließ sich im Untergeschoss des Corps de Logis mehrere Zimmer umfassende Badegemächer einrichten. Im Laufe des 18. Jahrhunderts fanden sich auch zunehmend Baderäume in den Appartements der königlichen Familienmitglieder, während sich die übrigen Schlossbewohner weiterhin mit feuchten Tüchern und Waschschüsseln behelfen mussten.

 

Die Versorgung des Hofstaats mit Nahrungsmitteln und Getränken beschäftigte eine Anzahl von mehreren hundert Angestellten. Die Mitglieder der königlichen Familie und Höflinge von hohem Rang wurden als commensaux, als Tischgenossen des Königs betrachtet und aus seiner Küche versorgt.[80] Verschiedene Höflinge hatten die Verpflichtung, offene Tafeln zur Verkostung weiterer Schlossbewohner zu halten, andere Hofangestellte erhielten für ihre bouche eine finanzielle Entschädigung, mussten sich um die Versorgung allerdings selbst kümmern. Die Mahlzeiten stammten zum Teil aus den Wirtshäusern in der Umgebung des Schlosses, zum Teil aus selbst organisierten Küchen, von denen sich im Laufe der Zeit immer mehr in den Höfen und unter den Dächern des Schlosses einfanden.

 

Das Leben bei Hof bedeutete Verzicht auf Privatsphäre. Die Königsfamilie nahm selbst gewöhnliche Mahlzeiten vor Publikum ein und auch die Niederkünfte der Königinnen waren innerhalb der Hofgesellschaft traditionell öffentliche Ereignisse – so sehr, dass Marie-Antoinette während der Geburt ihres ersten Kindes in Lebensgefahr geriet, als sich zu viele Menschen in ihrem Schlafzimmer aufhielten. Schon unter den Vorgängern des Sonnenkönigs gab es strenge Riten zur Verherrlichung der französischen Herrscher, doch um das Schloss Versailles und Ludwig XIV. wurde eine beispiellose Abfolge von Zeremonien entwickelt. Die Etikette regelte und beschrieb jeden Vorgang, von großen Festlichkeiten und Empfängen bis hin zu so alltäglichen Dingen wie dem Mittagsmahl. Auch für den Fall von Krankheit und Tod gab es vorgeschriebene Regeln, und als Ludwig XV. 1774 im Trianon an den Pocken erkrankte, wurde er eilig ins Versailler Schloss gebracht, um dort unter den Augen des Hofs zu sterben. Die Bedeutung dieses Systems kann heute nicht mehr annähernd nachvollzogen werden. Dem König widerfuhr eine nahezu göttliche Verehrung und entrückte diesen, durchaus beabsichtigt, vom Volk und unterstrich seine übergeordnete Stellung. Dem König zu dienen bedeutete, Frankreich zu dienen. Ihm beim Aufstehen, beim Lever behilflich zu sein, ihm einfach nur das Wasser oder das Hemd zu reichen, galt als allergrößte Ehre, die über Aufstieg und Fall bei Hofe entscheiden konnte. Ob man in der Gegenwart des Königs stehen, sitzen oder sprechen durfte und selbst durch welche Tür man sein Schlafzimmer betrat, war ein für alle Anwesenden sichtbares Zeichen des eigenen Rangs. Ludwig XIV. schrieb in seinen Memoiren „Im übrigen ist es eine der hervorragendsten Wirkungen unserer Macht, einer Sache, die an sich keinen Wert hat, einen unbezahlbaren Preis zuzuordnen.“

 

Die Etikette galt nicht nur im Umgang mit dem König, sondern auch für jeden Herzog, jeden Prinzen, jeden Höfling. Das Protokoll regelte den Umgang miteinander und wies jedem Mitglied des Hofs einen für alle sichtbaren Platz innerhalb dieser Gesellschaft zu. Das uralte System der höfischen Etikette wurde auch unter den Nachfolgern des Sonnenkönigs kaum verändert. Ein Beispiel für das streng geregelte Hofzeremoniell ist folgende Anekdote, die durch Madame Campan, die Kammerfrau der Königin überliefert wurde und die Marie-Antoinettes Alltag im Schloss beschrieb:

 

„Das Lever der Königin vollzog sich analog dem Lever des Königs. Die Hofdame vom Dienst hatte das Recht, der Königin beim Ankleiden das Hemd zu reichen. Die Palastdame zog ihr den Unterrock und das Kleid an. Kam aber zufällig eine Prinzessin der königlichen Familie dazu, so stand dieser das Recht zu, der Königin das Hemd überzuwerfen. Einmal also war die Königin gerade von ihren Damen ganz ausgekleidet worden. Ihre Kammerfrau hielt das Hemd und hatte es soeben der Hofdame präsentiert, als die Herzogin von Orléans eintrat. Die Hofdame gab das Hemd der Kammerfrau zurück, die es gerade der Herzogin übergeben wollte, als die ranghöhere Gräfin von Provence dazukam. Nun wanderte das Hemd wieder zu der Kammerfrau zurück, und erst aus den Händen der Gräfin von Provence empfing es endlich die Königin. Sie hatte die ganze Zeit nackt, wie Gott sie geschaffen hat, dabeistehen und zusehen müssen, wie die Damen sich mit ihrem Hemd überkomplimentierten.“

 

– Madame Campan

 

Die französische Revolution

 

Am 5. Mai 1789 traten im Grande Salle des Menus Plaisirs die Generalstände zusammen. Damit begann die konstitutionelle Phase der Französischen Revolution. Der König, dem nach der Verfassung die Einberufung und Entlassung der Generalstände zustand, ließ den Sitzungssaal aus politischen Gründen schließen. Die Abgeordneten des Dritten Standes, die sich mittlerweile zur Nationalversammlung erklärt hatten, zogen sich darauf in das außerhalb des Schlossgeländes liegende Ballhaus zurück. Dort leisteten sie am 20. Juni den Ballhausschwur „… sich niemals zu trennen, bis der Staat eine Verfassung hat …“.

 

Ludwig XVI. und Marie-Antoinette bewohnten das Schloss samt ihrer Familie und dem Hofstaat bis zum 5. Oktober 1789. An diesem Tag stürmten die Poissarden das Schloss und zwangen den König und seine Familie tags darauf, Versailles für immer zu verlassen und nach Paris in den Tuilerien-Palast zu ziehen. Das Schloss wurde von den Revolutionären in den folgenden Jahren zum Teil geplündert und stand weitgehend leer.

 

Das 19. Jahrhundert

 

Nach der Revolution

 

Nach der Revolution konnte das Schloss nur notdürftig erhalten werden. Napoléon erwog, den Palast wieder als Residenz herzurichten, doch wurden die Pläne nie umgesetzt und der Kaiser der Franzosen begnügte sich damit, das Grand Trianon für Wohnzwecke umzugestalten. Seit der Regierung Louis-Philippes I. dagegen wurden die Räume des Schlosses wiederhergestellt, sowie ein historisches Nationalmuseum eingerichtet und mit Büsten, Porträts, Schlachtenbildern und anderen Kunstwerken von vorwiegend historischem Wert ausgeschmückt (darunter Meisterwerke von Horace Vernet, Eugène Delacroix, Ary Scheffer, Adolphe Yvon, James Pradier). In dieser Epoche wurden große Veränderungen im Nord- und Südflügel vorgenommen, Museumsräume in den ehemaligen Appartements eingerichtet und der große Schlachtensaal und die sogenannten Kreuzfahrer- und die Afrikasäle installiert. In diesen historistischen Museumsräumen wurden die französische und die europäische Geschichte thematisiert.

 

Der Gartenarchitekt Gabriel Thouin präsentierte 1820 in seinem Werk Plans raisonnés de toutes les espèces de jardins einen Vorschlag zur teilweisen Umgestaltung und Einbettung des (im Kernbereich geometrisch belassenen) Schlossparks in einen noch größeren Landschaftsgarten, der jedoch nicht umgesetzt wurde. Der deutsche Gartenarchitekt Peter Joseph Lenné wurde bei seinen Entwürfen durch den Plan Thouins beeinflusst.

 

Zweite Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts

 

Eine besondere Bedeutung gewann das Schloss für die deutsch-französische Geschichte. Vom 5. Oktober 1870 bis 13. März 1871 war es im Deutsch-Französischen Krieg Sitz des großen Hauptquartiers der deutschen Armeen. Im Spiegelsaal des Schlosses fand am 18. Januar 1871 mit der Ausrufung König Wilhelms I. von Preußen zum deutschen Kaiser Wilhelm I. die Gründung des Deutschen Reiches statt. Dieser Ort war im Sinn einer historischen Gerechtigkeit ausgewählt worden, da viele Deckengemälde die Feldzüge und Eroberungen Ludwigs XIV. in Deutschland verherrlichten. Die besiegten Franzosen hingegen sahen in dem Akt jedoch nur eine Demütigung ihres Königtums.

 

Die Friedenspräliminarien wurden am 26. Februar 1871 in Versailles unterzeichnet. Am 10. März 1871 verlegte die Nationalversammlung den Regierungssitz von Bordeaux nach Versailles; erst 1879 wurde er wieder nach Paris verlegt. Seit der Dritten Republik trat der Kongress des Parlaments in Versailles zusammen. Für diesen Zweck wurde ein Kongresssaal in den mittleren Lichthof des Südflügels eingebaut. Von 1879 bis 1953 wurden hier die Präsidenten der Republik gemeinsam von Abgeordneten und Senatoren gewählt. Auch heute tritt der Kongress bei Verfassungsänderungen zur Unterstreichung deren Bedeutsamkeit hier zusammen, das Schloss selbst dient oft als Ort von Staatsempfängen.

 

Das 20. Jahrhundert und die Gegenwart

 

Vom Versailler Vertrag zur Nachkriegszeit

 

Nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg wurde der Friedensvertrag, den das unterlegene deutsche Reich 1919 unterschreiben musste, im Versailler Schloss verhandelt. Die Franzosen wählten den Ort als Revanche für die Kaiserproklamation von 1871. Im Grand Trianon wurde der Vertrag von Trianon ausgehandelt. Die Bedingungen des Versailler Vertrages, die Deutschland eine Alleinschuld am Krieg anlasteten, werden als eine der Ursachen für den politischen Aufstieg der Nationalsozialisten betrachtet. Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg wurden Versailles und sein Schloss eine Stätte der deutsch-französischen Aussöhnung. Davon zeugten auch die Feierlichkeiten anlässlich der 40. Wiederkehr der Unterzeichnung des Élysée-Vertrages vom 22. Januar 1963 (2003) in der Schlachtengalerie.

 

Am 26. Juni 1978 verübten bretonische Separatisten einen Sprengstoffanschlag auf das Schloss, das ihrer Meinung nach als Symbol für den französischen Zentralismus stand. Nach 2:00 Uhr nachts explodierte ein Sprengsatz, der die Einrichtung in drei Sälen vollständig zerstörte und in sieben anderen schwere Verwüstungen anrichtete. Der entstandene Sachschaden wurde auf fünf Millionen Francs geschätzt. 1979 erfolgte die Aufnahme in die Liste des UNESCO-Weltkulturerbes. 1982 diente das Schloss als Kulisse für den Weltwirtschaftsgipfel der G7.

 

Das Schloss heute

 

Das Schloss mit seinen Gartenanlagen, Museen und Parkschlössern ist für Besucher geöffnet und zugleich das meistbesuchte Schloss Frankreichs, es zählt damit zu den größten Touristenmagneten des Landes. Rund um den Palast, seine Pflege und Verwaltung sind um die 900 Personen beschäftigt. Versailles samt seiner Museen wird von einer staatlichen Betreibergesellschaft geführt. Von 2002 bis 2007 war die spätere französische Kulturministerin Christine Albanel Geschäftsführerin des Établissement public de Versailles, ihre Amtszeit stand in der Kritik, da Albanel keine kunstwissenschaftliche Erfahrung besaß und ihr zeitweise ein Ausverkauf des französischen Nationaldenkmals vorgeworfen wurde. Gegenwärtiger Geschäftsführer ist Jean-Jacques Aillagon.

 

Für die Besichtigung der verschiedenen Museen, der Sonderausstellungen und der Gartenanlagen wird ein Eintrittsgeld verlangt, EU-Bürger unter 26 Jahren und Behinderte sind davon ausgenommen. Aufgrund der weltweiten Bekanntheit von Versailles gehören Schloss und Gärten für viele Frankreich- und Paris-Touristen zum Pflichtprogramm, im Jahr 2022 wurden fast 7 Millionen Besucher gezählt. Gäste müssen unter Umständen mit langen Warteschlangen an den Kassen, besonders im Sommer und an den Wochenenden, rechnen.

 

In der Schlossanlage und den Gärten fanden und finden zu Beginn des 21. Jahrhunderts umfangreiche Restaurierungsarbeiten statt, die bis heute (2022) andauern. Für das Projekt stellte die Regierung unter Jacques Chirac 2003 rund 390 Millionen Euro zur Verfügung. In einem ersten Abschnitt wurden u. a. die Deckengemälde im Spiegelsaal restauriert, die im Juni 2007 fertiggestellt und der Öffentlichkeit übergeben wurden. Andere fundamentale Etappen der Restaurierungskampagne waren das Bassin de Latone und einige Boskette im Park sowie Dachstuhl, Fenster und das Äußere der Schlosskapelle (Chapelle Royale). Letztere wurde im April 2021 fertiggestellt.

 

Während der Olympischen Sommerspiele 2024 in Paris wurden auf den Außenanlagen des Schlosses die Reitsportwettbewerbe sowie die Entscheidungen im Modernen Fünfkampf ausgetragen.

 

(Wikipedia)

still quite new at HDR.. replaced the image...

I'm going to replace this one tomorrow. Hate the asymmetry and DoF in it.

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

 

The F-112 started life as a privately funded light fighter program by Republic under the handle AP-95 in the mid-1950s, aiming at export markets which were about to replace their 1st generation jet fighters like the F-86 or F-84 and air forces which could not afford or simply want the heavy supersonic fighters under development at that time. In the USA, it was also aimed at the replacement of these Korean War era types in the Air National Guards.

 

The AP-95 was inspired by both Lockheed's CL-246 (the later F-104 Starfighter) and Northrop's N-156 Light Fighter concept (which eventually developed into the highly successful F-5 fighter family, aiming at the same niches. In size and performance the aircraft fell more or less in between these two design – it was heavier and larger than Northrop’s project, and a less radical alternative to the CL-246. Republic's design team started the development in 1955 and relied heavily on the huge F-105 fighter bomber that had been under development at the time, but the AP-95 was to be a pure interceptor. The basic idea was "to build a relatively small and highly aerodynamic fighter around the same engine that drives the F-100, but focusing on high performance and low cost of maintenance, as well as good field performance."

 

Actually, the AP-95, called "Thunderdart",was revealed to USAF officials for the first time as a full-sized mock-up in early 1957, and it looked much like a scaled-down F-105. It combined a slender, area-ruled fuselage with highly swept wings and a conventional, low tail.

The nose offered space for a relatively large radar dish. The air intakes were placed in the wing roots, with Ferri-style, forward-swept leading edges that had also been used on the F-105 and other Republic designs like the AP-75 interceptor.

From the F-105 the landing gear concept had been borrowed, too. The long main legs retracted inwards into the wings, leaving only the outer wings free for ordnance loads, but allowed much space in the fuselage for fuel and avionics. The aircraft was to be powered by a Pratt & Whitney J57-P-21 turbojet, with a dry thrust of 10,200 lbf (45 kN) and 16,000 lbf (71 kN) with afterburner.

 

The basic armament of the AP-95 was an internal 20 mm (.79 in) M61 Vulcan Gatling gun, which had a rate of fire of 6,000 rounds per minute. The cannon, mounted in the lower part of the port fuselage, was fed by a 725-round drum behind the pilot's seat. Additionally, the AP-95 was able to carry up to four AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs under its wings. Total external payload was 6.000 lb (2.727 kg) on five hardpoints, a centerline pylon under the fuselage was "wet" in order to take a single drop tank. Alternatively, iron bombs or napalm tanks could be carried in a secondary ground support role.

 

The AP-95 was an attractive design but faced a strong competition, if not opposition. Among USAF officials it was not popular, because it was - despite its basically good performance and low development risks - regarded as an inferior aircraft. It did not reach Mach 2 (what the F-104 promised, despite many other weaknesses), and adding a complex radar system (which would have allowed longer range AAMs like the AIM-7 Sparrow) with an additional operator would further reduce performance.

The aircraft shared a "bad image" fate with the later F-5, which became nevertheless very popular in oversea markets due to its simplicity, versatility and efficacy. On the other side, Europe was already in Lockheed's strong grip, as the F-104G had been selected as NATO's standard fighter bomber - under dubious circumstances, though, but it successfully blocked the market.

 

Anyway, the AP-95 was nevertheless a capable aircraft which was more cost-effective than the thirsty and short-legged F-104, or the larger F-102 and F-106 which formed the air defense backbone at that era. While the US Air Force did not want another type in its arsenal, it was decided to buy and build the aircraft as a state-of-the-art replacement for the ageing ANG Sabres and Thunderstreaks, with the prospect of delivery of the type to NATO partners all over the world, too.

 

The original design was quickly approved and the AP-95 prototype made its maiden flight on October 10th, 1960, only equipped with a basic AN/ASG-14T ranging radar. After completing trials and further development with two further YF-112 pre-production aircraft, the Thunderdart was officially introduced as F-112A in March 1962 to the USAF. These production aircraft now featured an AN/APQ-83 radar for night and all-weather interceptions. Additionally, one of the YF-112 was modified in late 1962 to carry a second crew member under a lengthened canopy and with reduced internal fuel - it was planned as a F-112B trainer, but did not find interest since the T-38 already offered supersonic performance at much lower cost, and the Thunderdart's range suffered considerably. The F-112B remained a one-off.

 

In 1964 the F-112A was also introduced to the US ANG forces and attained some interest from other countries, including Spain, Italy, Turkey, Greece, South Korea and Japan. Most of these foreign countries settled for the Starfighter in the 60ies, and the door for the F-112 was closing: As a result of winning the International Fighter Aircraft competition in 1970, a program aimed at providing effective low cost fighters to American allies, Northrop introduced the second-generation F-5E Tiger II in 1972. This upgrade included more powerful engines, higher fuel capacity, greater wing area and improved leading edge extensions for better turn rate, optional air to air refueling, and improved avionics including air-to-air radar. It became a great success and made the F-112 obsolete, which lacked further development potential and was too limited to its interceptor role to be a versatile option for smaller air forces.

 

From 1962 until 1965, a total of 145 F-112As were built. Compared with the 1.400 Tiger II versions until 1987 only a very small number, and further orders from the USA did not materialize, even though the Thunderdart showed good flight characteristics.

 

As a final attempt to improve the Thunderdart's potential, 80 F-112A aircraft were modernized from 1969 on, all of them ANG aircraft. These machines received a more powerful J57-P-20 engine, rated at 18.040lbf (8.200kN) thrust at full afterburner – which finally allowed to break the Mach 2 barrier.

On the avionics side, a new AN/APQ-124 radar was fitted – which still did not allow the guidance of medium range missiles, though, the AIM-9 remained the Thunderdart’s primary weapon. Further enhancements included a more modern firing system and an AAS-15 infrared sensor. These updated aircraft received the designation F-112C, and the MLU phase lasted until 1972. Externally these modified aircraft could easily be identified by the bigger radome and the added IR sensor pod under the nose.

 

No F-112 was ever used in combat, despite the raging Vietnam War. The original F-112As remained with the USAF, but these were only used for training purposes or as instructional airframes on the ground. These F-112As were quickly phased out during the 70ies, the last one in September 1977. The modernized F-112C soldiered on with several ANG forces until 1985, being replaced by F-4 and F-16 as interceptors and multi-role combat aircraft.

  

F-112A general characteristics

Crew: 1

Length: 56 ft 9 ¼ in (17.02 m)

Wingspan: 25 ft 7 in (7.81 m)

Height: 15 ft 9 ¼ in (4.82 m)

Wing area: 277 ft² (25.75 m²)

Empty weight: 14.000 lb (6.350 kg)

Loaded weight: 20.640 lb (9.365 kg)

Max. take-off weight: 29.027 lb (13.170 kg)

 

Powerplant

1× Pratt & Whitney J57-P-21 turbojet with 10.200 lbf (45 kN) dry thrust and 16.000 lbf (71 kN) with afterburner:

 

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 1.86 (1.225 mph, 1.975 km/h) at 36,000 ft (11.000 m)

Combat radius: 450 mi (730 km)

Ferry range: 1.735 mi (2.795 km) with external fuel

Service ceiling: 58.000 ft (17.700 m)

Rate of climb: 31.950 ft/min (162.3 m/s)

 

Armament

1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61 Vulcan gatling cannon with 725 RPG

5 hardpoints for 6.000 lb of ordnance (2.727 kg); typically 2× or 4× AIM-9 Sidewinder under the wings, plus an optional drop tank under the fuselage.

  

The kit and its assembly:

This is a totally fictional aircraft with no real paradigm. The initial idea was that I wondered if one could not make something from an early MiG-21F with its small diameter air intake, when this would be replaced by a radome?

 

That the project eventually evolved into a kind of anti-Starfighter came through the wings: there was the problem of placing the air intakes somewhere. To solve that problem I remembered the Tamiya 1:100 F-105 kit, I built one years ago and it’s still available, even though I had to import a NIB kit from Hong Kong for this occasion. Calculations had indicated that the wing size and span would match a 1:72 MiG-21 well, and so the F-112 was born*. The Thunderchief’s air intakes are SO characteristic that anything else than a Republic design was out of question, the rest was spun around this basic idea.

 

But back to the model itself: the whole thing is a true Frankenstein job, puzzled together from a lot of bits and pieces. The most important ingredients:

 

● Fuselage from a 1:72 Academy MiG-21F, incl. canopy

● Radome from a 1:72 Hasegawa F-4E

● Wings, pylons and main landing gear from a 1:100 Tamiya F-105

● Stabilizer fins from a 1:72 Revell F-16, shortened

● Main wheels from a 1:72 Hobby Boss F-86F

● Fin from a 1:100 Il-28(!)

● Horizontal stabilizers from a 1:72 Matchbox A-7E w. reduced span

● Front wheel from an 1:72 Italeri A-4M

● Engine nozzle from a 1:72 Matchbox F-104G

● The afterburner inside is actually a sprocket wheel from an 1:72 ESCI M1A1 Abrams

● Cockpit tub and dashboard come from a 1:72 Heller Alpha Jet

● Seat and pilot from Matchbox (unknown origin)

 

The MiG-21 lost any characteristic detail (blow-in doors, 30mm cannons, slots for wings and stabilizers, even its fin and spine), and the landing gear wells were covered. The F-105 wings were placed slightly lower on the fuselage side. The fin was simply replaced, the tail a bit shortened and the new/bigger nozzle attached. The new nose had almost the same diameter as the original air intake piece from the Academy MiG-21F. For the Corsair II stabilizers, ‘consoles’ were added on the lower rear fuselage, so that they could also be placed in a lower position.

 

My plan/wish was to make the thing look as little MiG-21ish as possible, and IMHO I succeeded well. Actually, the Thunderdart reminds a LOT of the much bigger F-105, and there is also a lot of F-101 in it, too, despite its ADC livery? You take at least two looks, since proportions are different from the F-105, yet the thing looks VERY familiar… “Could it have been…?”

 

External loads were limited to just two AIM-9 training rounds with launch rails under the outer pylons, even though all wing pylons were fitted (the Tamiya kit has large slots to hold them, I was too lazy to fill them).

 

The cannon bulges, the IR sensor as well as some air scoops and antennae were sculpted from simple pieces of sprue or styrene.

  

Painting and markings:

As an USAF/ADC interceptor, an overall Aircraft Grey (FS 36473, used ModelMaster 1731) was clear from the start – and it’s actually a fine option, as the F-105 as lookalike benchmark was basically only operated in bare metal or SEA camouflage. An ADC aircraft would be deceiving, too, and provoke third looks.

 

The cockpit interior was painted medium grey, the landing gear wells in interior green and the air intakes in white with red trim.

 

Anyway, making an ANG aircraft from this base was more tricky. At first I wanted to create an Oklahoma ANG aircraft (had some nice markings for the fin, but they turned out to me too large since they belong to a modern F-16…), but finally settled on a D.C. Air Guard aircraft since I had such fuselage markings from a F-86H at hand.

 

Basic tone is an overall FS 16473 ADC Grey (Testors 1731), some panels on the upper side and the flanks were highlighted with a slightly lighter grey (FS 16515). The cockpit front area received a flat black anti-glare panel, to which a black trim was added - F-106 style, and this turned out to be VERY characteristic, if not deceiving! Around the rear fuselage some heat marks – reminiscent of the F-100 – were added through metallizer (Steel and Titanium, partly mixed with Humbrol 113, Rust) and some dry-painting. The kit was then lightly weathered through a thin wash with black ink and very light dry-painting with pale grey.

 

The colorful fin markings were designed by myself – inspired by a 2008 postal stamp from the ‘Flags of our Nation’series. My fin decoration is purely fictional, though, and incorporates the D.C. flag (two red horizontal bars on a white ground, with three red stars above) as well as some iconic cherry blossoms, as these seem to be a local identity symbol? Additionally the fin features on one side the District of Columbia Sign, on the other side the Eastern Air Defence Sector badge. The fin decoration was created on a PC with Corel Draw and printed on Experts' Choice white decal paper with an inkjet printer at 600dpi - even though the touchy decals suffered under the soaking process... A lot of cosmetic correction had to be done by hand/brush, it's far from perfect, just the result of my first large scale self-.made decal experiment. The rest of the markings were puzzled together from the scrap box.

 

After painting and decals, the kit received an overall coat of semi-gloss Humbrol varnish, since I wanted a slight shine but not a hi-gloss finish. The anti-glare panel was covered with matt varnish - which did not dry up properly, leaving a milky film. Nevertheless, it looks like sun-bleached black paint, so I kept it. Undesired side effect... The radome was painted with gloss varnish, so that three shades of black meet at the Thunderdart's nose.

  

A major kitbash. The Thunderdart looks unspectacular, but it is IMHO very deceiving. It combines characteristic elements of various Century fighters in shape and color, and it should keep some folks wondering what's actually wrong about it... Sleek aircraft - behold what's in a simple 1st generation MiG-21!

*As a side note: This what-if kit originally bore the designation “F-109”, which was originally allocated to a Bell VTOL aircraft that never made it beyond a mock-up stage. “F-109”, however, has recently found a common use for a fictional fighter which is more or less a crossbreed of an F-104 with F-100 wings and a low tail, so I switched to “F-112” for my own Thunderdart creation. “F-112” had NEVER been used, even though Douglas had used the F-112 code for an F-101 development, but only for internal purposes. Offially it has AFAIK never been used.

Replacing an earlier digital photo with a better version 05-Nov-23.

 

Operated by Germania on behalf of TUIfly,com. With the 'Bach - Leipzig Airport promo tail livery.

 

Delivered to Germania as D-AGEE in Oct-88, this aircraft was sold to Pembroke Capital in Oct-97 and leased back to Germania. It was returned to the lessor in Apr-98.

 

It was leased to Ukraine International Airways as UR-GAG a few days later. In Jun-99 it was wet-leased to Blue Panorama Airlines (Italy) and returned to Ukraine International at the end of Oct-99. It was immediately leased to Princess Airlines (Greece) as SX-BFY, returning to Ukraine International in Feb-00.

 

In Apr-00 the aircraft was leased to Aerosweet Airlines (Ukraine), they became Aerosvit Airlines in Oct-00 and it was returned to Ukraine International in Jan-02.

 

It was wet-leased to Blue Panorama again in Jun-02 and returned to Ukraine International in early Nov-02. The aircraft was returned to the lessor in May-03.

 

It was leased to Germania again as D-AGEE the following day. It was operated on behalf of DBA,com (formerly Deutsche BA) between Feb-04 / Jan-07. DBA,com was taken over by Air-Berlin in 2006 but continued to operate as DBA.

 

In Feb-07 the aircraft was wet-leased to TUIfly and operated in their full livery with the Leipzig tail. It returned to Germania in Nov-09. The aircraft was returned to the lessor in Dec-11 and permanently retired at Kemble, UK. It was broken up there in Aug/Sep-12.

Pirellis’ 2016 Calendar Replaces Sexy Stars With Influential Women

 

jh-siesta.com/photography/pirellis-2016-calendar-replaces...

A transmission lineman disconnects insulators on a 115kV overhead line.

Replacing an earlier digital photo with a better version 09-Nov-24.

 

This aircraft was delivered to Guinness Peat Aviation (later to become GECAS) and leased to Air 2000 as G-OOOU in Aug-91. It was wet-leased to Kiwi Travel International (New Zealand) in Nov-95 and returned to Air 2000 in Apr-96.

 

In Mar-99 it was operated for TCS Expeditions in an all First Class configuration for exclusive 'Round-the-World' charter flights, returning to Air 2000 the following month. Similar flights were operated for TCS Expeditions between Jan/Mar-00, Jan/Mar-01 and Nov-01/Feb-02.

 

The aircraft was returned to the lessor in Sep-02 and stored. In Apr-03 it was leased to Air Atlanta Icelandic as TF-ARI and operated on behalf of Excel Airways in May-03. It returned to Air Atlanta Icelandic in Nov-04 and was placed in winter storage at Marana, AZ, USA until Mar-05 when it was again operated for Excel Airways.

 

In Nov-05 the lease was transferred to Excel Airways and the aircraft was re-registered G-VKNA. Excel Airways was renamed XL Airways in Nov-06. The aircraft was returned to the lessor in Sep-07 and immediately leased to Aladia.com (Mexico) as XA-MTY.

 

Aladia ceased operations in Oct-08 and the aircraft was returned to the lessor and re-registered N240MQ in Nov-08. It was initially stored at Lake City, FL, USA and later at Victorville, CA, USA.

 

It was sold to FedEx Federal Express in Aug-09 and remained stored at Victorville. The aircraft was re-registered N930FD in May-10 and was ferried to Mobile-BFM, AL, USA for freighter conversion with a main deck cargo door. It entered service with FedEx in Oct-10. Current, updated 09-Nov-24.

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 27-Aug-22 (DeNoise AI).

 

Left side.

 

This aircraft was delivered to JAS Japan Air System as JA8029 in Oct-97. It was sold to a lessor and leased back to JAS in Mar-98. JAS was merged into Japan Airlines in Apr-04 and integrated into JAL's new Domestic Division.

 

in Oct-06 the aircraft was transferred to Japan Airlines - International Division. The separate divisions were brought together when it all became Japan Airlines again in Apr-11.

 

This aircraft operated JAL's 'final' MD-90 service in Mar-12 and was stored at Tokyo - Haneda. However, after three months in storage the aircraft was returned to service in Jun-12 and was finally retired in Apr-13.

 

In mid May-13, it was sold to Delta Air Lines (USA) as N951DL and ferried to Jacksonville - Cecil Field, FL, USA for heavy maintenance and cabin reconfiguration. It entered service in Sep-13.

 

Delta Air Lines managed to get another six years service out of the aircraft before it was permanently retired at Birmingham, AL, USA in Sep-19. Updated 27-Aug-22.

Chester High street with it's mock Tudor style buildings. A Lot of the original Tudor buildings have long since vanished but have been replaced with pseudo style buildings

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

  

The KAI T-50 Golden Eagle (골든이글) is a family of South Korean supersonic advanced trainers and light combat aircraft, developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) with Lockheed Martin. The T-50 is South Korea's first indigenous supersonic aircraft and one of the world's few supersonic trainers.

 

The T-50 program started in the late Nineties and was originally intended to develop an indigenous trainer aircraft capable of supersonic flight, to train and prepare pilots for the KF-16 and F-15K, replacing trainers such as T-38 and A-37 that were then in service with the ROKAF. Prior South Korean aircraft programs include the turboprop KT-1 basic trainer produced by Daewoo Aerospace (now part of KAI), and license-manufactured KF-16.

 

The mother program, code-named KTX-2, began in 1992, but the Ministry of Finance and Economy suspended the original project in 1995 due to financial constraints. The basic design of the aircraft was set by 1999, and eventually the development of the aircraft was funded 70% by the South Korean government, 17% by KAI, and 13% by Lockheed Martin.

 

In general, the T-50 series of aircraft closely resembles the KF-16 in configuration, but it actually is a completely new design: the T-50 is 11% smaller and 23% lighter than an F-16, and in order to create enough space for the two-seat cockpit, the air intake was bifurcated and placed under the wing gloves, resembling the F/A-18's layout.

 

The aircraft was formally designated as the T-50 'Golden Eagle' in February 2000, the T-50A designation had been reserved by the U.S. military to prevent it from being inadvertently assigned to another aircraft model. Final assembly of the first T-50 took place between 15 January and 14 September 2001. The first flight of the T-50 took place in August 2002, and initial operational assessment from 28 July to 14 August 2003.

 

The trainer has a cockpit for two pilots in a tandem arrangement, both crew members sitting in "normal" election seats, not in the F-16's reclined position. The high-mounted canopy is applied with stretched acrylic, providing the pilots with good visibility, and has been tested to offer the canopy with ballistic protection against 4-lb objects impacting at 400 knots.

 

The ROKAF, as original development driver, placed an initial production contract for 25 T-50s in December 2003, with aircraft scheduled to be delivered between 2005 and 2009. Original T-50 aircraft were equipped with the AN/APG-67(v)4 radar from Lockheed Martin. The T-50 trainer is powered by a GE F404 engine built under license by Samsung Techwin. Under the terms of the T-50/F404-102 co-production agreement, GE provides engine kits directly to Samsung Techwin who produces designated parts as well as performing final engine assembly and testing.

 

The T-50 program quickly expanded beyond a pure trainer concept to include the TA-50 armed trainer aircraft, as well as the FA-50 light attack aircraft, which has already similar capabilities as the multirole KF-16. Reconnaissance and electronic warfare variants were also being developed, designated as RA-50 and EA-50.

 

The TA-50 variant is a more heavily armed version of the T-50 trainer, intended for lead-in fighter training and light attack roles. It is equipped with an Elta EL/M-2032 fire control radar and designed to operate as a full-fledged combat platform. This variant mounts a lightweight three-barrel cannon version of the M61 Vulcan internally behind the cockpit, which fires linkless 20 mm ammunition. Wingtip rails can accommodate the AIM-9 Sidewinder missile, a variety of additional weapons can be mounted to underwing hardpoints, including precision-guided weapons, air-to-air missiles, and air-to-ground missiles. The TA-50 can also mount additional utility pods for reconnaissance, targeting assistance, and electronic warfare. Compatible air-to-surface weapons include the AGM-65 Maverick missile, Hydra 70 and LOGIR rocket launchers, CBU-58 and Mk-20 cluster bombs, and Mk-82, -83, and -84 general purpose bombs.

 

Among the operators of the TA-50 are the Philippines, Thailand and the ROKAF, and the type has attracted a global interest, also in Europe. The young Republic of Scotland Air Corps (locally known as Poblachd na h-Alba Adhair an Airm) chose, soon after the country's independence from the United Kingdom, after its departure from the European Union in 2017, the TA-50 as a complement to its initial procurements and add more flexibility to its small and young air arm.

 

According to a White Paper published by the Scottish National Party (SNP) in 2013, an independent Scotland would have an air force equipped with up to 16 air defense aircraft, six tactical transports, utility rotorcraft and maritime patrol aircraft, and be capable of “contributing excellent conventional capabilities” to NATO. Outlining its ambition to establish an air force with an eventual 2,000 uniformed personnel and 300 reservists, the SNP stated the organization would initially be equipped with “a minimum of 12 interceptors in the Eurofighter/Typhoon class, based at Lossiemouth, a tactical air transport squadron, including around six [Lockheed Martin] C-130J Hercules, and a helicopter squadron”.

 

According to the document, “Key elements of air forces in place at independence, equipped initially from a negotiated share of current UK assets, will secure core tasks, principally the ability to police Scotland’s airspace, within NATO.” An in-country air command and control capability would be established within five years of a decision in favor of independence, it continues, with staff also to be “embedded within NATO structures”.

This plan was immediately set into action after the country's independence in late 2017 with the purchase of twelve refurbished Saab JAS 39A Gripen interceptors for Quick Reaction Alert duties and upgraded, former Swedish Air Force Sk 90 trainers for the RoScAC. But these second hand machines were just the initial step in the mid-term procurement plan.

 

The twelve KAI TA-50 aircraft procured as a second step were to fulfill the complex requirement for a light and cost-effective multi-purpose aircraft that could be used in a wide variety of tasks: primarily as an advanced trainer for supersonic flight and as a trainer for the fighter role (since all Scottish Gripens were single seaters and dedicated to the interceptor/air defense role), but also as a light attack and point defense aircraft.

 

Scotland was offered refurbished F-16C and Ds, but this was declined as the type was deemed to be too costly and complex. Beyond the KAI T-50, the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master and the BAe Hawk were considered, too, but, eventually, a modified TA-50 that was tailored to the RoScAC’s procurement plans was chosen by the Scottish government.

 

In order to fulfill the complex duty profile, the Scottish TA-50s were upgraded with elements from the FA-50 attack aircraft. They possess more internal fuel capacity, enhanced avionics, a longer radome and a tactical datalink. Its EL/M-2032 pulse-Doppler radar has been modified so that it offers now a range two-thirds greater than the TA-50's standard radar. It enables the aircraft to operate in any weather, detect surface targets and deploy AIM-120 AAMs for BVR interceptions. The machines can also be externally fitted with Rafael's Sky Shield or LIG Nex1's ALQ-200K ECM pods, Sniper or LITENING targeting pods, and Condor 2 reconnaissance pods to further improve the machine’s electronic warfare, reconnaissance, and targeting capabilities.

 

Another unique feature of the Scottish Golden Eagle is its powerplant: even though the machines are originally powered by a single General Electric F404 afterburning turbofan and designed around this engine, the RoScAC TF-50s are powered by a Volvo RM12 low-bypass afterburning turbofan. These are procured and serviced through Saab in Sweden, as a part of the long-term collaboration contract for the RoScAC’s Saab Gripen fleet. This decision was taken in order to decrease overall fleet costs through a unified engine.

 

The RM12 is a derivative of the General Electric F404-400. Changes from the standard F404 includes greater reliability for single-engine operations (including more stringent birdstrike protection) and slightly increased thrust. Several subsystems and components were also re-designed to reduce maintenance demands, and the F404's analogue Engine Control Unit was replaced with the Digital Engine Control – jointly developed by Volvo and GE – which communicates with the cockpit through the digital data buses and, as redundancy, mechanical calculators controlled by a single wire will regulate the fuel-flow into the engine.

 

Another modification of the RoScAC’s TA-50 is the exchange of the original General Dynamics A-50 3-barrel rotary cannon for a single barrel Mauser BK-27 27mm revolver cannon. Being slightly heavier and having a lower cadence, the BK-27 featured a much higher kinetic energy, accuracy and range. Furthermore, the BK-27 is the standard weapon of the other, Sweden-built aircraft in RoScAC service, so that further synergies and cost reductions were expected.

 

The Scottish Department of National Defense announced the selection of the TA-50 in August 2018, after having procured refurbished Saab Sk 90 and JAS 39 Gripen from Sweden as initial outfit of the country's small air arm with No. 1 Squadron based at Lossiemouth AB.

 

Funding for the twelve aircraft was approved by Congress on September 2018 and worth € 420 mio., making the Golden Eagle the young country’s first brand new military aircraft. Deliveries of the Golden Hawk TF.1, how the type was officially designated in Scottish service, began in November 2019, lasting until December 2020.

The first four Scottish Golden Hawk TF.1 aircraft were allocated to the newly established RoScAC No. 2 Squadron, based at Leuchars, where the RoScAC took control from the British Army. The latter had just taken over the former air base from the RAF in 2015, losing its “RAF air base” status and was consequentially re-designated “Leuchars Station”, primarily catering to the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards who have, in the meantime, become part of Scotland’s Army Corps. The brand new machines were publically displayed on the shared army and air corps facility in the RoScAC’s new paint scheme on 1st of December 2019 for the first time, and immediately took up service.

 

General characteristics:

Crew: 2

Length: 13.14 m (43.1 ft)

Wingspan (with wingtip missiles): 9.45 m (31 ft)

Height: 4.94 m (16.2 ft)

Wing area: 23.69 m² (255 ft²)

Empty weight: 6,470 kg (14,285 lb)

Max. takeoff weight: 12,300 kg (27,300 lb)

 

Powerplant:

1× Volvo RM12 afterburning turbofan, rated at 54 kN (12,100 lbf) dry thrust

and 80.5 kN (18,100 lbf) with afterburner

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: Mach 1.5 (1,640 km/h, 1,020 mph at 9,144 m or 30,000 ft)

Range: 1,851 km (1,150 mi)

Service ceiling: 14,630 m (48,000 ft)

Rate of climb: 198 m/s (39,000 ft/min)

Thrust/weight: 0.96

Max g limit: -3 g / +8 g

 

Armament:

1× 27mm Mauser BK-27 revolver cannon with 120 rounds

A total of 7 hardpoints (4 underwing, 2 wingtip and one under fuselage)

for up to 3,740 kg (8,250 lb) of payload

  

The kit and its assembly:

A rare thing concerning my builds: an alternative reality whif. A fictional air force of an independent Scotland crept into my mind after the hysterical “Brexit” events in 2016 and the former (failed) public vote concerning the independence of Scotland from the UK. What would happen to the military, if the independence would take place, nevertheless, and British forces left the country?

 

The aforementioned Scottish National Party (SNP) paper from 2013 is real, and I took it as a benchmark. Primary focus would certainly be set on air space defense, and the Gripen appears as a good and not too expensive choice. The Sk 90 is a personal invention, but would fulfill a good complementary role.

Nevertheless, another multi-role aircraft would make sense as an addition, and both M-346 and T-50 caught my eye (Russian options were ruled out due to the tense political relations), and I gave the TA-50 the “Go” because of its engine and its proximity to the Gripen.

 

The T-50 really looks like the juvenile offspring from a date between an F-16 and an F-18. There’s even a kit available, from Academy – but it’s a Snap-Fit offering without a landing gear but, as an alternative, a clear display that can be attached to the engine nozzle. It also comes with stickers instead of waterslide decals. This sounds crappy and toy-like, but, after taking a close look at kit reviews, I gave it a try.

 

And I am positively surprised. While the kit consists of only few parts, moulded in the colors of a ROCAF trainer as expected, the surfaces have minute, engraved detail. Fit is very good, too, and there’s even a decent cockpit that’s actually better than the offering of some “normal” model kits. The interior comes with multi-part seats, side consoles and dashboards that feature correctly shaped instrument details (no decals). The air intakes are great, too: seamless, with relatively thin walls, nice!

 

So far, so good. But not enough. I could have built the kit OOB with the landing gear tucked up, but I went for the more complicated route and trans-/implanted the complete landing gear from an Intech F-16, which is available for less than EUR 5,- (and not much worth, to be honest). AFAIK, there’s white metal landing gear for the T-50 available from Scale Aircraft Conversions, but it’s 1:48 and for this set’s price I could have bought three Intech F-16s…

 

But back to the conversion. This landing gear transplantation stunt sounds more complicated as it actually turned out to be. For the front wheel well I simply cut a long opening into the fuselage and added inside a styrene sheet as a well roof, attached under the cockpit floor.

For the main landing gear I just opened the flush covers on the T-50 fuselage, cut out the interior from the Intech F-16, tailored it a little and glued it into its new place.

 

This was made easy by the fact that the T-50 is a bit smaller than the F-16, so that the transplants are by tendency a little too large and offer enough “flesh” for adaptations. Once in place, the F-16 struts were mounted (also slightly tailored to fit well) and covers added. The front wheel cover was created with 0.5 mm styrene sheet, for the main covers I used the parts from the Intech F-16 kit because they were thinner than the leftover T-50 fuselage parts and feature some surface detail on the inside. They had to be adapted in size, though. But the operation worked like a charm, highly recommended!

 

Around the hull, some small details like missing air scoops, some pitots and antennae were added. In a bout of boredom (while waiting for ordered parts…) I also added static dischargers on the aerodynamic surfaces’ trailing edges – the kit comes with obvious attachment points, and they are a small detail that improves the modern look of the T-50 even more.

 

Since the Academy kit comes clean with only a ventral drop tank as ordnance, underwing pylons from a SEPECAT Jaguar (resin aftermarket parts from Pavla) and a pair of AGM-65 from the Italeri NATO Weapons set plus launch rails were added, plus a pair of Sidewinders (from a Hasegawa AAM set, painted as blue training rounds) on the wing tip launch rails.

Since the T-50 trainer comes unarmed, a gun nozzle had to be added – its position is very similar to the gun on board of the F-16, on the upper side of the port side LERX. Another addition are conformal chaff/flare dispensers at the fin’s base, adding some beef to the sleek aircraft.

  

Painting and markings:

I did not want a grey-in-grey livery, yet something “different” and rather typical or familiar for the British isles. My approach is actually a compromise, with classic RAF colors and design features inspired by camouflage experiments of the German Luftwaffe on F-4F Phantoms and Alpha Jets in the early Eighties.

 

For the upper sides I went for a classic British scheme, in Dark Green and Dark Sea Grey (Humbrol 163 and 164), colors I deem very appropriate for the Scottish landscape and for potential naval operations. These were combined with elements from late RAF interceptors: Barley Grey (Humbrol 167) for the flanks including the pylons, plus Light Aircraft Grey (Humbrol 166) for the undersides, with a relatively high waterline and a grey fin, so that a side or lower view would rather blend with the sky than the ground below.

 

Another creative field were the national markings: how could fictional Scottish roundels look like, and how to create them so that they are easy to make and replicate (for a full set for this kit, as well as for potential future builds…)? Designing and printing marking decals myself was an option, but I eventually settled for a composite solution which somewhat influenced the roundels’ design, too.

My Scottish roundel interpretationconsists of a blue disk with a white cross – it’s simple, different from any other contemporary national marking, esp. the UK roundel, and easy to create from single decal parts. In fact, the blue roundels were die-punched from blue decal sheet, and the cross consists of two thin white decal strips, cut into the correct length with the same stencil, using generic sheet material from TL Modellbau.

 

Another issue was the potential tactical code, and a small fleet only needs a simple system. Going back to a WWII system with letter codes for squadrons and individual aircraft was one option, but, IMHO, too complicated. I adopted the British single letter aircraft code, though, since this system is very traditional, but since the RoScAC would certainly not operate too many squadrons, I rather adapted a system similar to the Swedish or Spanish format with a single number representing the squadron. The result is a simple 2-digit code, and I adapted the German system of placing the tactical code on the fuselage, separated by the roundel. Keeping British traditions up I repeated the individual aircraft code letter on the fin, where a Scottish flag, a small, self-printed Fife coat-or-arms and a serial number were added, too.

 

The kit saw only light weathering and shading, and the kit was finally sealed with matt acrylic varnish (Italeri).

  

Creating this whif, based on an alternative historic timeline with a near future perspective, was fun – and it might spawn more models that circle around the story. A Scottish Sk 90 and a Gripen are certain options (and for both I have kits in the stash…), but there might also be an entry level trainer, some helicopters for the army and SAR duties, as well as a transport aircraft. The foundation has been laid out, now it’s time to fill Scotland’s history to come with detail and proof. ;-)

 

Besides, despite being a snap-fit kit, Academy’s T-50 is a nice basis, reminding me of some Hobby Boss kits but with less flaws (e .g. most of the interiors), except for the complete lack of a landing gear. But with the F-16 and Jaguar transplants the simple kit developed into something more convincing.

Replacing an earlier scanned print with a better version 29-Dec-18.

 

Janes Aviation was renamed Emerald Airways in Sep-99.

 

First flown with the British Aerospace test registration G-11-8, this aircraft was delivered to Trinidad & Tobago Air Services as 9Y-TFS in Dec-77. TTAS was merged into BWIA International in Jan-80. It was sold to Chieftain Airways as G-GLAS in Jan-87. Chieftain started services in Mar-87 and by mid Apr-87 they'd ceased operations. The aircraft was stored until it was sold to Scottish European Airways as G-BPDA in Oct-88. They didn't do much better than Chieftain Airways and the aircraft was sold to Greyhound Financial Services in Aug-90. It was stored until it was sold to Janes Aviation in Oct-91. Janes was renamed Emerald Airways in Sep-93. The aircraft was wet-leased to Reed Aviation in Feb-95 and re-registered G-ORAL in Aug-99. It continued to be operated for Reed Aviation until Emerald ceased operations in May-06. The aircraft was stored at Blackpool UK and was eventually broken up with the forward fuselage section going to the Avro Heritage Museum at the old Avro factory at Woodford, Cheshire, UK.

Replacing an earlier digital photo with a better version 06-Nov-22.

 

Leased to Mexican start-up Aladia for winter 2006/07, this reverted to its original UK registration, G-JMCE, on return.

 

First flown with the Boeing test registration N1795B, this aircraft was delivered to GATX and leased to jmc AIR as G-JMCE in Jun-00. It was wet-leased to Ryan International Airlines, operating for Apple Vacations (USA), between Dec-01/Apr-02, Dec-02/Apr-03 (jmc Air had officially been renamed Thomas Cook Airlines on 31-Mar-03) and again between Dec-03/May-04 and Dec-04/May-05.

 

In Nov-06 the aircraft was sub-leased to Aladia,com (Mexico) as XA-JPB, it returned to Thomas Cook in May-07. For two winter seasons, Nov-10/Apr-11 & Dec-11/Apr-12, the aircraft was sub-leased to Jazz Air (Canada) as C-GJZH and operated on behalf of Thomas Cook Canada. In Jan-14 it was wet-leased to Thomas Cook Scandinavia and returned to Thomas Cook UK in Apr-14.

 

The aircraft was returned to the lessor in May-15 and was stored at Southend, UK. It was sold to Wells Fargo Bank Northwest as N169CR in Aug-15, as trustee for Shun Feng Airlines (SF Airlines, China). It was transferred to SF Airlines three weeks later as B-7082 and ferried to Xiamen, China in Sep-15. It was converted to freighter configuration with a main deck cargo door in Dec-15. The aircraft entered service with SF Airlines in early Jan-16. Current, updated 30-Jul-21.

 

Photo by Chuck Pulin R.I.P. April 21, 2010

 

Photo by Chuck Pulin - not mine, but that's me in the picture, so All Rights Reserved ... or I will kill you.

www.davidmcgough.com www.chuckpulin.com

 

replaced by original file found by David McGough and known as NoeSTUDIO_54_by_Chuck_Pulin_529_ORIG

 

On Friday, April 13, 2012 9:45 AM, David McGough wrote:

 

"... found the original. Deep Purple party 1977"

 

[pic of Noe and Patti Dryden at STUDIO 54 by Chuck Pulin ATTACHED]

  

>"}}}}”> Subscribe! To, Doctor Noe's Smooth Gadget doctornoemedia.blogspot.com/

(and share with others!) at: feeds.feedburner.com/DoctorNoesSmoothGadget

   

_____________________

 

R.I.P. Chuck Pulin

 

Bebe Buell: RIP Chuck Pulin- legendary rock photographer. Chuck took some of the most iconic photos ever taken. Beyond that, he was my friend. I will miss your face at all my shows and your loyalty to me over the years was always appreciated. RIP dear Chuck, pop culture ICON!

April 21, 2010 at 12:02pm

 

Chet Flippo, Deborah Frost and 19 others like this.

 

Joe Gauthier

It is a whole different type of photography - trying to capture a piece of an artist is not easy. Kudos to Chuck and all the others who try and may Chuck be in heaven capturing the souls of Hendrix, Joplin, etc......... on film

Yesterday at 12:05pm

 

Liz Feralcat

no!! so sad =-( what happened?

Yesterday at 12:08pm

 

Bebe Buell

He passed in his sleep- peacefully... yesterday.

Yesterday at 12:14pm

 

Timothy C Sullivan

R.I.P. Chuck

Yesterday at 12:16pm

 

Liz Feralcat

Awww :-( rest in peace sweet chuck

Yesterday at 12:21pm

 

Ben Pesta

Bad year for rock photographers.

Yesterday at 12:23pm

 

Harry George Pellegrin

I am sory to hear this. It is a small consolation that his passing was peacful.

Yesterday at 12:26pm

 

Karina Van Ron

May he be in the heavens above & still watching over you ..ANGEL NUMBER FAITH, love is all, Photographic memories. Much love, keep well...Karina Van Ron x

Yesterday at 12:36pm

 

Dustin Pittman

I can't believe that Chuck died. Shit. Chuck was "the man" in the photo pit with me for many many years. He was a kind and gentle guy and a great photographer. I will miss him. RIP

dp

Yesterday at 12:44pm

 

Rhonda S Markowitz

Chuck was so intrinsically kind that he often took other photographers under his wing, not seeing them as competitors in what can be a cut-throat enterprise. He was one of a kind, and I will miss my friend more than I can say.

Yesterday at 12:49pm

 

Deborah Frost

I agree with all. There are more comments on my page. A dear man and true professional.

Yesterday at 1:04pm

 

Sesu Coleman

Another loss to our history book....RIP...

Yesterday at 1:17pm

 

Howie Lucero

RIP Chuck - I used to have the b/w promo photo he took of Hot Tuna many years ago . . . such a fine photographer.

Yesterday at 1:28pm

 

Christine Natanael

Bebe, you have given words at a time when I can find no words...

Yesterday at 1:49pm

 

Christopher John Maguire

wow, that is most sad. i knew him from my record biz days.....hope it wasn't a painful departure....

Yesterday at 2:46pm

 

Rosalyn Howard Arnold

I'm sorry for your loss ~

Yesterday at 2:56pm

 

Cory Rivard

I'm sorry Bebe.

Yesterday at 5:40pm

 

Carrie Atwell Goodman

Sorry for the loss of you friend

Yesterday at 6:05pm

 

Alan Mercer

A real legend who will be missed.

Yesterday at 8:23pm

 

Susan Anton

sorry for your loss

Yesterday at 8:47pm

 

Jon March

Bebe- i know you carry on the good of your close friends- we can feel it! XO

Yesterday at 9:44pm

 

Noe Gold

Sad news indeed. Chuck's amazing eye for detail and emotion in motion can be seen here:

 

www.flickr.com/photos/doctor_noe/2971267480/in/set-721576...

  

_____________________

  

This was in the joint's heyday. The hoi polloi rubbed elbows with the hoity toity. That's me on the right doing the funky boogaloo with my friend Patty. We were quite the Public Dancers in those days.

 

Mick Jagger was a regular ... we bumped into him at all kinds of parties ... Sly Stone's wedding, Stevie Wonder's birthday party. These shindigs were held in tony spots like the Rainbow Room and the Starlight Roof, usually paid for by a record label. Those were the days! Clive Davis, before he became know as the American Idol paterfamilias -- way before -- famously spent $60K of Columbia Records' money on his son's bar mitzvah in a party just like those.

  

The Rolling Stones and Martin Scorsese teamed up for the new rockumentary “Shine a Light” opening in IMAX and theatres everywhere April 4th. Paramount Pictures was kind enough to release footage and phone interviews with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards exclusively to Mahalo Daily. In the words of the Stones themselves, start me up!

 

Story Links:

www.flickr.com/photos/doctor_noe/sets/72157604378193620/

Shine a Light

Mick Jagger

Keith Richards

Martin Scorsese

The Rolling Stones

Shine a Light Movie

Paramount

Noe Gold : doctornoemedia.blogspot.com/

  

Josh (Joshua) Rowan is the Captain of the Schooner.

 

Rowan Family (Info from sailschoonerhindu.com website)

William Rowan

"Hindu is a dream come true,” new owner William Rowan of Key West, Florida says. “I’m happy I could save this historic boat before it rotted away.” Rowan, a historical renovation architect, has been part of the team that has replaced hull planking, cotton caulking, keel bolts, and innumerable other parts of the key west schooner over the past few years.

Joshua Rowan

Josh is a boat systems designer and builder, doing business as Rowan Boatworks L.L.C. He has been at the forefront of Schooner Hindu’s restoration, which has been ongoing since August, 2011. “It’s been a long road, and my family has sacrificed a lot of time and money, but I think it’s paid off,” Rowan says, “We’ve been very lucky that so many people have helped us along the way. By the time we’re done, I think the boat will be in the best shape of its life.” Joshua Rowan, 34, has held a captain’s license since age 16. His father and mother raised he and two of his brothers while cruising on a 50-foot sailboat they constructed in the woods of Oregon in the 1970s. Rowan chartered that sailboat in the late 1990s in Key West until Hurricane Wilma damaged the boat in 2005. He is now restoring that boat in a shop in Canton, N.Y., when he can get away. He attended Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass. He earned a degree in engineering in New Zealand from the Southern Institute of Technology.

 

Visit: sailschoonerhindu.com/history/about-us-key-west-schooner/

  

Visit: sailschoonerhindu.com/summer-sailing-in-provincetown/

 

Schooner HINDU

Designer : William H Hand Jr.

Builder: Hodgdon Bros., East Boothbay, Maine

Year Built: 1925

 

Sail Area: 2,250 sq. FT.

Mast Material: Douglas Fir

Sail Material: Dacron

Mast Height: Fore 52’, Main 64’

 

Engine: BMW (Marinized by Yanmar)

Year:2012

H.P.: 150 Turbo

Model: 4 BY 2-150

Prop: 24’’ X 36’’ pitch, 3 blades

 

Sparred Length: 79’

Length on Deck: 61’3’’

Length on Water Line: 51’ 2’’

 

Beam: 15’ 9’’

Draft: 8’4’’

Displacement: 31 tons

 

Hull Planking: Douglas Fir, 3 Long Leaf

Deck Planking: Northern White Pine

Frames/Ribs: White Oak

 

HISTORY

 

1925: Launched “PRINCESS PAT”

1928: Sold, Renamed “SAIS PAS”

1935: Sold, Renamed “ANNA LEE AMES”

1938: Sold, Renamed “HINDU” after sailing to India as a spice trader.

1940: Commissioned by the US NAVY to serve in WWII

1946: Sold, used as a charter vessel for first commercial Whale Watches off Cape Cod

2006: Rebuilt by Kevin “foggy” Foley

2012: Rebuilt by the Rowan Family.

 

SCHOONER

 

Visit: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schooner

  

A schooner /ˈskuːnər/ is a type of sailing vessel with fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts, the foremast being shorter than the main and no taller than the mizzen if there is one. Originally gaff-rigged, modern schooners typically carry a Bermuda rig.

 

Such vessels were first used by the Dutch in the 16th or 17th century. They were further developed in North America from the early 18th century, and came into extensive use in New England. The most common type, with two masts, were popular in trades requiring speed and windward ability, such as slaving, privateering, blockade running, and offshore fishing. In the Chesapeake Bay area several distinctive schooner types evolved, including the Baltimore clipper, bugeye, and pungy. Schooners were also popular among pirates in the West Indies during The Golden Age of Piracy, for their speed and agility. They could also sail in shallow waters, and while being considerably smaller than other ships of the time period (such as frigates and galleons), they could still hold enough cannons to intimidate merchant vessels into submission.

 

Schooners were popular on both sides of the Atlantic in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, long dominating yacht races such as the America's Cup, but gradually gave way in Europe to the cutter.

 

Schooners first evolved in the late 1600s from a variety of small two-masted gaff-rigged vessels used in the coast and estuaries of the Netherlands. Most were working craft but some pleasure yachts with schooner rigs were built for wealthy merchants and Dutch nobility. Following the arrival of the Dutch monarch William of Orange on the British throne, the British Royal Navy built a Royal yacht with a schooner rig in 1695, HMS Royal Transport. This vessel, captured in a detailed Admiralty model, is the earliest fully documented schooner. Royal Transport was quickly noted for its speed and ease of handling, and mercantile vessels soon adopted the rig in Europe and in European colonies in North America. Schooners were immediately popular with colonial traders and fishermen in North America with the first documented reference to a schooner in the United States appearing in Boston port records in 1716. North American shipbuilders quickly developed a variety of schooner forms for trading, fishing and privateering. (Wikipedia)

 

© Copyright

This photo and all those in my Photostream are protected by copyright. No one may reproduce, copy, transmit or manipulate them without my written permission.

 

LEGO IDEAS LINK: ideas.lego.com/s/p:a9c40ca1678149f5b529696b30a080c3?s=l

 

Planning to make a better arrangement for Talyllyn Railway Train Set, Rev. Awdry's Books are going to change different Lego Parts and more details.

1. One Yellow book is a 1x2 Tile with sticker has a cover shows The first book (The Three Railway Engines) Published in 1945.

2. One Book is a Book Cover (24093), book Binding (24324) and 1 tile 1x2 with two stickers. One has a transparent book cover and one book page of Foreword.

3. One 2x3 Tile is a DVD with a DVD cover shows "A Day on Awdry's Railway", Released in 14th August 2021.

4. All Stickers are made from Photoshop.

 

All the Lego Pieces (Formerly 1x2, 2x2 and 2x3 Tiles) are posted for Update.

 

So For LEGO Fans, If you think Talyllyn Railway can make a great LEGO Train Set, please let me know your comments and support.

Thank you very much.