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A view of the wooden space frame trusses that form the structure of this bridge - with a bit of postprocessing, obviously.
Here is a night view on the other side of the Isar river.
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
Road bridge over the Isar, with a wooden space frame truss construction
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
Wooden space frame trusses form the structure of this bridge.
Lit by yellow lights at night, for late hour admirers.
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
A view of the wooden space frame trusses that form the structure of this bridge.
Here is a night view on the other side of the Isar river.
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
An Isar river bridge with a wooden space frame truss.
Here is a night view of the bridge from the other side of the Isar river.
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
As previously mentioned, the 74th members Meeting at Goodwood this year featured a number of Porsche 917's both on display and doing demonstration laps round the circuit. Quite possibly the most iconic of these is the Gulf liveried 917 that featured in the Steve McQueen film Le Mans. At the 74MM there were 3 917's that were shown in the Gulf livery, including this car, chassis 917-031, which forms part of the Rofgo Collection of Gulf Liveried cars.
The Porsche 917 was designed by Hans Mezger, chief engineer at Porsche. The car was built using a light spaceframe chassis that was pressurised with gas to detect cracks in the welding. Hans Mezger designed the original 4.5ltr V12 engine, which used two Porsche 2.25ltr flat-6 engines mated together. The gearbox, mounted longitudinally, was designed to take a set of four or five gears as dictated by the circuit and conditions. To ensure that the size of the car remained compact, the driver actually sits with feet positioned ahead of the front axle.
The 917 made use of components made of titanium and magnesium to provide strength and lightness, while the the gear knob was made from balsa wood. One of the clever techniques used to save weight was to put the oil through to the front cooler via the tubular spaceframe chassis itself rather than adding independent pipework that would add weight and complexity.
The Porsche 917 ran in the 1969, 1970 and 1971 World Sportscar Championship. Initially it was described as being incredibly unstable, using all the road at speed by factory driver Brian Redman. When suspension modifications did not resolve the issue, it was found that the long tail was creating an amount of lift not seen in sports racing before. As the 917 was significantly faster than anything that had run at Le Mans before, the aerodynamic lift was a new experience for the teams involved in this kind of racing.
Interestingly, the works racers at the time preferred the Porsche 908 due to its stability, especially on the more complex and technical tracks. This however caused a problem for Porsche who had a surplus of 917's to sell and so wanted to continue promoting the car. To do this they initially approached BMW and asked for their drivers Hubert Hahne and Dieter Quester to compete in the 917 at the 1000km Nurburgring, but after initial testing BMW refused. This led Porsche to turn to Englishman David Piper and Australian Frank Gardner, but they struggled to finish in 8th place whereas the Porsche Team entry of six 908's finished in the top 5 places.
At the 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans, the inexperienced privateer and British gentleman-driver John Woolfe crashed and was killed when his Porsche 917 came off the track at Maison Blanche on the opening lap.
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Excerpt from the Poster:
Interact with the dimensions that exist within this seemingly floating sculpture. This installation explores the geometry of three volumetric cubied rectangles using two different lighting mechanics. What at first glance seems like an empty spaceframe, fills up with many faces of beauty.
This is the Ferrari 312T5, designed by Mauro Forghieri for the 1975 season and winner (in its various iterations from 1975 to 1980) of 27 Grands Prix. The 312 was superseded in 1981 by the 126, Ferrari's first turbo charged F1 car.
The car is built using aluminium panels fixed to a tubular steel spaceframe, and features a transverse-mounted gearbox that gives the car its T designation (T stands for trasversale). The 312 was designed to be more neutral handling than its predecessor, the understeer prone 312B3, partly achieved through the mounting of the gearbox ahead of the rear axel, and narrowing the front track of the car.
The 312T debuted at the 3rd race of the 1975 season, but suffered some initial setup and power issues that led Ferrari to test their new car against the previous years car at Fiorano that showed the new car was indeed faster. The 312T then went on to win the very next (non championship) race, driven by Nicki Lauda, and another 4 in the middle of the F1 season. The drivers title was wrapped up for Lauda and the contructors championship for Ferrari by the time the F1 season got to Monza, the first contructors win for Ferrari since 1964.
For the 1980 season, aerodynamic progress by the teams using the Cosworth DFV engine meant that Ferrari has to run a heavily updated version of the 312T4, the 312T5. Using the 312 Boxer engine, the 312T5 was unreliable, slow, and outclassed by the aeordynamically superior competition. For the first time since 1973, Ferrari failed to win a single race in the 1980 F1 season and finished down in 10th place in the contructors championship. It was the last season for Ferrari driver Jody Scheckter, who retired after a dismal season where he retied 4 times, did not qualify once, and his highest placed finish was 5th. Gilles Villeneuve season wasn't any better, with 6 retirements. Two 5th place finishes were about the only highlight for him that year.
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The Ford RS200S was the road-going version of the RS200 developed for Group B homologation in 1986. It used a mid-mounted 1.8-litre turbocharged Cosworth BDT inline-four engine producing about 250 hp in standard S specification. Power was delivered through a five-speed manual gearbox and a permanent all-wheel-drive system with a Ferguson viscous center differential. The chassis consisted of a steel spaceframe with composite body panels. Approximately 200 units were built to satisfy homologation rules. The RS200S could accelerate from 0–100 km/h in roughly 5 seconds and had a top speed of about 225 km/h.
Europe, Portugal, Algarve, Sotavento, Tavira, Alto de Santa Maria, Torre de Tavira (slightly cut from all sides)
The Torre de Tavira from outside. It’s a former water castle which now houses the camera obscura. It is a modernist reinforced concrete structure and is build on the highest point of the city -the Alta de Santa Maria- in the thirties of the previous century.
The metal space frame is a part of the ticket office at the base of the tower.
A picture of the camera obscura itself is here.
Number 772 of the Minimalism/explicit graphism album
This is the start of a series about Tavira’s modernist public buildings.
There was a British Car show near my area recently. Here is one of the favorites that I liked. The following info was listed near this unique car:
The AC MA-200, designed by Mr. Marczewski, was a prototype intended to replace the AC Ace, featuring a larger size, advanced spaceframe chassis, and independent suspension.
It utilized the Ford 289 cu. in. Cobra "Hi-Po" engine, offering more power and efficiency than the previous AC 2.4 liter six, but was never mass-produced due to Shelby's orders for the Ace body.
After being registered in 1963, the car was driven by AC's managing director until sold in 1968, gaining attention as a "prototype AC Cobra" in a 1964 magazine.
A comprehensive restoration was completed in 2006, leading to accolades such as Best in Class at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in 2010.
The MA-200 has been featured in various publications and has a substantial history file documenting its provenance and restoration efforts.
Die Karosserie des F400 Carving besteht aus kohlefaserverstärktem Kunststoff [CFK] und wiegt etwas mehr als 100 Kilogramm. Das Chassis in Spaceframe-Bauweise ist aus Stahl, Aluminium und gleichfalls CFK gefertigt.
The body of the F400 Carving is made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic [CFRP] and weighs a little more than 100 kilograms. The spaceframe chassis is made of steel, aluminum and also CFRP.
James Dean will forever be associated with the Porsche 550 Spyder, It was not a sportscar. It was a true, purebred racecar, with lightweight aluminium body over tubular spaceframe and a light but powerful 1,500 cc engine, providing 81 kW (110 hp) at 7,800 rpm.
However, Dean first rode to fame in a 1949 Mercury similar to the one pictured. In the 1955 film Rebel Without a Cause, James Dean’s character (Jim Stark) drives a mildly customized 1949 Mercury Club Coupe. The iconic movie car featured several subtle modifications It was painted a dark, moody blue and had the chrome trim, badges, and hood ornament shaved off for a sleek, streamlined look. The roof was chopped about 2.5 inches and the suspension was lowered, giving the car a classic, low-slung Southern California custom look.
Manufacturer: Bombardier AstroSystems
Role: Multi-Role Utility & Interdiction Patrol Boat
Length: 10.0m
Beam: 8.5m
Height 4.8m
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The Trichechus is synonymous with the IBN. Many craft still operating today are well over a century old, and some early spaceframes are approaching a century and a half in service.
During the early formation of the IBN, fleets of Trichechus boats were instrumental in allowing crews to patrol the Belt and enforce its emerging laws. Rugged, modular, and easily refitted, the platform quickly became the workhorse of frontier security operations.
While newer and more sophisticated spacecraft have since entered service, the Trichechus continues to be widely used by specialist units such as the SBS. Crews favour the platform for its reliability and adaptability, often echoing the old engineering maxim:
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Multi-role, robust, and dependable, the Trichechus is widely regarded as one of the most successful military utility spacecraft ever produced. Originally designed by Bombardier AstroSystems, the craft’s near-perfect balance of durability, modularity, and maintainability has ensured its longevity across multiple generations of upgrades.
The defining feature of the design is its modular mission nose bay, which allows a wide range of interchangeable packages to be installed depending on operational requirements. These modules may include:
•radar and targeting suites
•weapons systems
•maintenance and repair manipulators
•autonomous drone ports
•sensor and survey packages
•cargo racks or salvage equipment
The raised cockpit provides excellent visibility for manual docking and close-quarters manoeuvring — a capability still highly valued in environments where line-of-sight piloting remains preferable to automated docking systems.
The primary crew compartment can accommodate up to eight personnel in transport configuration, though most patrol missions operate with smaller crews. Internal volume is sufficient for additional cargo or mission equipment depending on configuration.
At the rear of the craft, a dual-purpose airlock door functions both as a loading ramp when docked in a station hangar and as an extendable soft-docking tube for direct station interface. However, in most SBS operations teams deploy directly via EVA while the Trichechus remains nearby to provide overwatch and security.
Additional dorsal rack assemblies allow further mission modules to be mounted atop the hull.
Magnetic docking skids integrated into the landing structure allow the craft to secure itself directly to station hulls, ferous asteroid surfaces, or external truss structures, making it well suited to the improvised environments common throughout the Belt.
An EVA umbilical and service pack is typically carried in the rear cargo basket for extended external operations.
While many Trichechus craft retain their original spaceframes, nearly all operational examples have undergone extensive modernization.
Current Block VI refits commonly include:
•upgraded dual fusion-torch drives with triple-nozzle main engines
•modern cold-gas RCS assemblies for fine manoeuvring
•updated avionics and flight control systems
•integrated radar, lidar, and multi-spectral targeting packages
•modernized data bus architecture for modular mission equipment
These upgrades allow the century-old spaceframe to remain fully competitive with much newer designs.
Kearey’s Patrol Trichechus - "Buttercup"
Buttercup is configured in a typical SBS patrol configuration. The nose bay houses an integrated targeting and navigation suite combining radar, lidar, and a 12 mm rotary cannon turret for close-range interdiction. A modular dorsal rack carries a six-tube missile pack, consisting of five OG-88 "Brine" cluster interceptors and a single SX-3 "Silvercap" EMP soft-kill missile intended for disabling hostile electronics or drone swarms. The launcher interfaces with the vessel’s fire control suite via an external data bus linking the missile rack with the opposing targetting sensor package.
This configuration allows her to perform escort, interception, and electronic suppression roles while maintaining her primary function as a patrol and transport craft.
Like many long-serving patrol boats, Buttercup carries an unofficial crew mascot - Teddy Boatswain. Teddy has been happily strapped to the rear cargo basket for hundreds of missions ever since Dave stumbled into a briefing with no pants and Teddy tucked under his arm. (...the crew stopped asking questions a long time ago...) Teddy has been bringing them luck ever since.
The Lamborghini 350 GTV is a Lamborghini prototype and forerunner of the automaker's first production model, the 350 GT. It was first presented to the public at the 1963 Turin Auto Show.
The design and development of the 350 GTV was overseen by Lamborghini chief engineer Giampaolo Dallara, assistant Paolo Stanzani and test driver Bob Wallace, the core engineering team that developed many early Lamborghini cars. Giotto Bizzarrini was commissioned to design the engine and an early version of the chassis.[3]
The 350 GTV's name signified the 3.5 L displacement of the engine, the "GT" for grand tourer and the "V" for the Italian word "Veloce" (meaning "fast").[4]
The 350 GTV body was designed by Franco Scaglione and built by Carrozzeria Sargiotto in Turin.[1][5] Ferruccio Lamborghini's opinion had a significant amount of influence on the design. He reportedly requested styling echoing the Aston Martin DB4's tapering rear bodywork and the sleek front of the Jaguar E-type. The 350 GTV had many styling details that were unusual at the time of its introduction, including hidden headlamps and six exhaust tailpipes (three on each side of the car's rear). The body was constructed of aluminum and steel. As workers at Sargiotto were primarily skilled in building molds for plastic products, the 350 GTV's body had numerous fit and finish issues.[4]
Initially, Bizzarrini designed a racing-style tubular spaceframe chassis for the 350 GTV. Giorgio Neri and Luciano Bonacini built the tube frame chassis in Modena.[6][7][4] This design was later reworked by Dallara into a more conventional, heavier design constructed of mostly square and rectangular section tubing that would be used in the production 350 GT.[4]
Ferruccio Lamborghini commissioned Giotto Bizzarrini to develop the 350 GTV engine. This was the first iteration of the Lamborghini V12 series of engines, which would power future Lamborghini models up through the end of Murciélago production in 2010. Bizzarrini developed a 3.5 litre racing-specification V12 engine, with an output of 255 kW (347 PS; 342 bhp) at 8,000 rpm, and torque of 326 N⋅m (240 lbf⋅ft),[1] using the DIN measurement standard.[6][8] This design was derived from Bizzarrini's plan for a 1.5 litre Formula One racing engine.[3] Top speed was claimed by the factory to be 280 kilometres per hour (170 mph),[7] although this was an estimate as the car was never driven or tested by the factory.[4]
This engine had a compression ratio of 9.5:1 and relatively aggressive valve timing compared to later versions of the Lamborghini V12. The higher redline, compression ratio and timing made the 350 GTV's engine more suitable for competition use rather than as a comfortable road car. The 350 GTV engine was also equipped with six downdraft Weber carburetors and a dry sump lubrication system.[9][3]
The transmission was a 5 speed manual made by ZF. Power was directed to the rear wheels via a Salisbury self-locking differential.[9] The independent suspension used triangular wishbones on the front and trapezoidal wishbones on the rear, with telescopic shock absorbers and coil springs at all four corners. Servo-controlled disc brakes were equipped on all four wheels. The Borrani center locking wire wheels were fitted with Pirelli Cinturato HS tires.[3]
The 350 GTV was never a complete, driveable car during its time as a Lamborghini prototype.[4] During assembly, the workforce discovered that the body panels would not fit around the engine. Since he had no further plans for the 350 GTV beyond being a show car, Mr. Lamborghini had the engine bay ballasted with bricks and kept the bonnet shut throughout the Turin Auto Show. The incomplete show car also lacked brake calipers, foot pedals and windshield wipers.
The 350 GTV was introduced to the public at the 1963 Turin Auto Show. It was covered extensively by the press and received both positive and negative reactions.[3][7] A sales brochure was produced and Ferruccio Lamborghini used the unveiling of this prototype to cultivate interest in a production version.[9][3][10] At the time of the 350 GTV's introduction, Mr. Lamborghini told Road & Track magazine of his intention to make both touring and competition versions of the 350 GTV,[11] although no competition version was ever realized. Lamborghini later garnered a reputation for being reluctant to build racing versions of his cars.[4]
Ferruccio Lamborghini was dissatisfied with several design features of the 350 GTV,[5] and with the state of tune of the engine.[6][8] He commissioned Carrozzeria Touring to redesign the car to be more practical[5] and had the engine detuned to 270 bhp (201 kW; 274 PS) at 6,500 rpm for use in the production car.[6][8] The compression ratio and redline were lowered and the camshaft profiles altered to moderate the valve timing.[3] The racing-derived dry sump lubrication and downdraft carburetors were also replaced with a simpler wet sump system and a more common model of Weber sidedraft carburetors.[3] The new body and retuned engine resulted in the first production Lamborghini, the 350 GT.
Wikipedia
Balloons by Paul, arrangement by me.
Camera: Mamiya 645 Pro TL
Lens: 35mm f/3.5 Sekor N
Film: Fuji Reala 100, metered @ EI 50
Take these little rockets lightly at the traffic light, and you lose! "To give some idea of this mechanical system’s efficiency, the Delta S4 Corse famously ran 0-60 MPH in 2.4 seconds on gravel, nearly identical to the F1 cars of the era."
The Group B car rulebook stipulated that 200 identical roadgoing variants of the car had to be presented for a competition variant to qualify and the Delta S4 was finally homologated on November 1st 1985.
Now, certain sources claim that the actual number of produced models is closer to 150, while some argue that the numbers were in fact much smaller. That wouldn’t be a surprise considering Lancia’s legendary ruse when homologating the 037 by presenting the same batch of cars on two different lots.
The delays in development meant that the Delta S4 race car was ready to debut at the very end of the group B rally car 1985 season which it did in great style, but more on that later. Now, let’s see what made Lancia Delta S4 so formidable.
For the competition cars to maintain light weight, Abarth constructed the frame of the S4 in used lightweight chrome-molybdenum tubular spaceframe with carbon fiber reinforcements.
The tubular frame of the Delta S4 was constructed in a similar manner to the 037, yet with improved rigidity, enabling the car to perform better under demanding conditions of various rallying across the championship.
Even though the car shared its name with the 5-door hatchback, the Delta S4 Stradale retained only the front grille, the windshield glass and rear lights with its pedestrian namesake. The headlights were sourced from the Fiat Ritmo and virtually everything else was unique for this car.
The two-door hatchback-like car featured lightweight epoxy and fiberglass body panels with both the front and the rear being clamshell panels. The S4 Stradale featured the iconic flared fenders which later found their way onto the Delta HF Integrale, whereas the large side scoops covering the whole C pillar fed air to the turbo and supercharger intercoolers mounted horizontally behind the engine bay cover.
The imposing look of the Delta S4 Stradale was upped even more in the competition-ready Corse trim. The front clamshell panel featured a Gurney flap on the hood and a front splitter with aerodynamic winglets moulded into the edges of the front bumper panel. The rear had exposed exhausts, and the roof mounted spoiler featured a prominent aerodynamic wing.
The body of the Corse version was constructed in lighter carbon fiber composite with hollow shell Kevlar doors keeping the weight even more down. Unlike the glass windows of the S4 Stradale, the Lancia Delta S4 Corse had fixed perspex windows.
Engine and Transmission
Carrying over from the 1984 variant of the 037, the Delta S4 had a Fiat Twin Cam 16-valve inline-four engine.
Originally developed by Aurelio Lamperdi, this aluminum alloy engine had been in production since 1966 and over the course of decades, it powered various Fiats, Alfa Romeos, and Lancias. In the case of the Delta S4, it was one of its most extreme iterations as it was thoroughly reworked by Abarth, officially getting the name Abarth 233 ATR 18S.
Unlike the 2.1-liter unit from the 037 EVO, the Delta S4 used the 1.8-liter variant which enabled the car to stay under the 2.5-liter class with a minimum weight of 1,962 lb or 890 kg, essential for rally success. Also, for better weight distribution due to the centrally mounted transfer case, the engine was rotated 180° compared to its position on the Lancia 037.
Just like in the 037 EVO, the engine was twin-charged, meaning it was both turbocharged and supercharged to eliminate issues with turbo lag – a common occurrence in early turbocharged cars. This complicated system was well-engineered and proved to be reliable during pre-production testing and Delta S4’s competing years too.
In the lower RPM range, it was the supercharger boost giving additional power to the engine while the turbo activated to work in unison with the supercharger midway into the RPM range. Finally, when the engine was getting to its redline, the supercharger disengaged letting the turbo provide
For the Corse variant, the Abarth was able to extract way more power from the setup. Various sources claim that the power during engine testing surpassed the 1000 hp mark, but the rally cars ran around 450 horsepower at 8,000 RPM and 289 lb-ft of torque for the 1985 season.
In 1986, the figures were raised to 480 hp at 8,400 RPM and 362 lb-ft of torque, although the power output was unofficially over 550 horsepower. Moreover, Markku Alen claimed that his Delta S4 had 750 horsepower at the final event of the 1986 season.
The S4 Corse engine ran on 7.1:1 compression, while the KKK K27 Turbo and Volumex R18 supercharger provided a boost of 1.5 bar. Both the competition and the street trim engine had dry-sump lubrication, but only the racing car had a functional roof-mounted scoop for the oil cooler
This tour de force of an engine was mated to Hewland 5-speed dogleg manual gearbox sending the power to the wheels via innovative three-differential all-wheel drive. In the Corse variant, the central Ferguson viscous coupling allowed front-to-rear power distribution to range from 25:75 to 40:60 to both the front and the rear ZF limited-slip differential.
On the other hand, the Delta S4 Stradale had fixed 30:70 power distribution between the front open and the rear limited-slip ZF differential via central Ferguson viscous coupling.
To give some idea of this mechanical system’s efficiency, the Delta S4 Corse famously ran 0-60 MPH in 2.4 seconds on gravel, nearly identical to the F1 cars of the era.
Manufacturer: Bombardier AstroSystems
Role: Multi-Role Utility & Interdiction Patrol Boat
Length: 10.0m
Beam: 8.5m
Height 4.8m
______
The Trichechus is synonymous with the IBN. Many craft still operating today are well over a century old, and some early spaceframes are approaching a century and a half in service.
During the early formation of the IBN, fleets of Trichechus boats were instrumental in allowing crews to patrol the Belt and enforce its emerging laws. Rugged, modular, and easily refitted, the platform quickly became the workhorse of frontier security operations.
While newer and more sophisticated spacecraft have since entered service, the Trichechus continues to be widely used by specialist units such as the SBS. Crews favour the platform for its reliability and adaptability, often echoing the old engineering maxim:
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Multi-role, robust, and dependable, the Trichechus is widely regarded as one of the most successful military utility spacecraft ever produced. Originally designed by Bombardier AstroSystems, the craft’s near-perfect balance of durability, modularity, and maintainability has ensured its longevity across multiple generations of upgrades.
The defining feature of the design is its modular mission nose bay, which allows a wide range of interchangeable packages to be installed depending on operational requirements. These modules may include:
•radar and targeting suites
•weapons systems
•maintenance and repair manipulators
•autonomous drone ports
•sensor and survey packages
•cargo racks or salvage equipment
The raised cockpit provides excellent visibility for manual docking and close-quarters manoeuvring — a capability still highly valued in environments where line-of-sight piloting remains preferable to automated docking systems.
The primary crew compartment can accommodate up to eight personnel in transport configuration, though most patrol missions operate with smaller crews. Internal volume is sufficient for additional cargo or mission equipment depending on configuration.
At the rear of the craft, a dual-purpose airlock door functions both as a loading ramp when docked in a station hangar and as an extendable soft-docking tube for direct station interface. However, in most SBS operations teams deploy directly via EVA while the Trichechus remains nearby to provide overwatch and security.
Additional dorsal rack assemblies allow further mission modules to be mounted atop the hull.
Magnetic docking skids integrated into the landing structure allow the craft to secure itself directly to station hulls, ferous asteroid surfaces, or external truss structures, making it well suited to the improvised environments common throughout the Belt.
An EVA umbilical and service pack is typically carried in the rear cargo basket for extended external operations.
While many Trichechus craft retain their original spaceframes, nearly all operational examples have undergone extensive modernization.
Current Block VI refits commonly include:
•upgraded dual fusion-torch drives with triple-nozzle main engines
•modern cold-gas RCS assemblies for fine manoeuvring
•updated avionics and flight control systems
•integrated radar, lidar, and multi-spectral targeting packages
•modernized data bus architecture for modular mission equipment
These upgrades allow the century-old spaceframe to remain fully competitive with much newer designs.
Kearey’s Patrol Trichechus - "Buttercup"
Buttercup is configured in a typical SBS patrol configuration. The nose bay houses an integrated targeting and navigation suite combining radar, lidar, and a 12 mm rotary cannon turret for close-range interdiction. A modular dorsal rack carries a six-tube missile pack, consisting of five OG-88 "Brine" cluster interceptors and a single SX-3 "Silvercap" EMP soft-kill missile intended for disabling hostile electronics or drone swarms. The launcher interfaces with the vessel’s fire control suite via an external data bus linking the missile rack with the opposing targetting sensor package.
This configuration allows her to perform escort, interception, and electronic suppression roles while maintaining her primary function as a patrol and transport craft.
Like many long-serving patrol boats, Buttercup carries an unofficial crew mascot - Teddy Boatswain. Teddy has been happily strapped to the rear cargo basket for hundreds of missions ever since Dave stumbled into a briefing with no pants and Teddy tucked under his arm. (...the crew stopped asking questions a long time ago...) Teddy has been bringing them luck ever since.
Photographed at the Cars & Coffee of the Upstate.
Location: Michelin North America Headquarters in Greenville, South Carolina. Address: 1 Parkway S, Greenville, SC 29615
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarsCoffeeUpstate
Instagram: www.instagram.com/carsandcoffeeoftheupstate
SLS AMG Coupé Black Series is a supercar version of SLS AMG Coupé inspired by the racing version of the SLS AMG GT3. It includes increased engine power to 631 PS (464 kW; 622 hp) and decreased torque to 635 N⋅m (468 lb⋅ft), increased engine's redline to 8000 rpm, fully revised high-speed valve train with modified camshafts, adapted cam geometry and optimised bucket tappets featuring a special coating which is otherwise exclusive to racing vehicles, modification of the intake air ducting (derestriction and adaptation to the new maximum engine speed), adaptation of the engine application and increase in peak pressure. This results in a 0-60 speed of 3.5 seconds (1/10 of a second faster than the non-Black Series SLS), and a top speed of 196 mph (1 mph slower than the non-Black series). The vehicle is 70 kg (150 lb) lighter than the standard model. This is accomplished by increased use of carbon fibre in body panels, mechanical components, and the spaceframe. Further, a switch from steel to titanium for the exhaust reduces weight by 13 kg (29 lb). The use of lithium-ion battery reduces weight by 8 kg (18 lb). The AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmission is installed 10mm lower in order to achieve a lower centre of gravity for the vehicle and is braced against the body by gas-filled struts in order to avoid stress cycles. The transmission's "Sport plus" and "Manual" modes feature faster shifting speed. The downshifting throttle blips are more audible. The new temporary M mode enables the driver to activate manual mode without having to remove a hand from the steering wheel, by pressing the "up" or "down" shift paddle once. Other features include electronically controlled AMG rear-axle differential lock with a shorter rear-axle ratio, new AMG RIDE CONTROL performance suspension (tauter basic tuning and electronically controlled two-stage damping, coil-over spring retainers to enable adjustment of wheel loads, elastokinematics 50 / 42% more rigid (front/rear axle), track width increased by 20 / 24 millimetres (front/rear axle), new wheel carriers on front axle and new front stabiliser tuning, matte black with high-sheen AMG 10-spoke light-alloy wheels in particularly light forged design with optimised strength (10x19-inch front, 12x20-inch rear), Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 sports tyres (275/35 R 19 front, 325/30 R 20 rear), AMG speed-sensitive steering with newly defined power steering characteristic), AMG ceramic brake discs (402 x 39 millimetres front and 360 x 32 millimetres rear) with increased hardness, wide flared wings with an added width of 13 mm (front) and 26 mm (rear) on each side, darkened headlamps and black surrounds for the rear lights, front apron and rear apron with diffusor along with side sill panels in Black Series-specific design (carbon fibre-reinforced plastic front splitter, carbon inserts in the side sills and the rear apron made of carbon fibre, enlarged air intakes with carbon-fibre flics), carbon-fibre bonnet with central air outlet, Alcantara black or Alcantara black/red interior AMG Performance steering wheel with Alcantara upholstery, metal bezel features a high-gloss black paint finish to match the high-gloss black surrounds of the air vents, Alcantara strip in anthracite across the entire width of dashboard leather with red contrasting stitching in the leather, designo leather and Alcantara upholstery (including bottom section of the dashboard, door centre panels and on the AMG sports bucket seats in Alcantara), deleted COMAND APS multimedia system replaced by a carbon-fibre trim element (COMAND APS is optionally available), AMG DRIVE UNIT, red seat belts and red contrasting stitching on the AMG sports bucket seats, the upper and lower section of the dashboard and the door panelling; floor mats with red edging, optional Bang & Olufsen BeoSound AMG surround sound system. Optional AMG Aerodynamics package includes a fixed adjustable carbon-fibre rear aerofoil in the style of the SLS AMG GT3, rear aerofoil braced by aluminium elements on a special insert on the boot lid, additional carbon-fibre flics on the front apron. New body colour choice include AMG solar beam (total 7, including matte paint designo magno alanite grey) Other options include AMG carbon-fibre exterior mirror, AMG carbon-fibre engine cover, AMG Interior Carbon-Fibre package, AMG infotainment system (incl. COMAND APS, AMG Performance Media and backup camera), Media Interface. The vehicle was unveiled in 2012 LA Auto Show, with a market launch that began in June 2013. US model went on sale in summer 2013 as 2014 model year vehicle. The production breakdown for the 2014 SLS Black Series Coupe in the USA: 132 - total vehicles of which: 39 (-197 Obsidian Black), 32 (-048 designo Mystic White), 30 (-278 Solarbeam Yellow), 10 (-756 Imola Grey), 7 (-775 Iridium Silver), 7 (-044 Magno Alanite Grey), 5 (-590 Mars Red), 1 (-494 LeMans Red (pre-production car that was built before 494 was cancelled on the SLS platform)), and 1 (-777 Silver Arrow (one-off car made for internal purposes))
The newly developed bodyshell comprises an aluminium spaceframe, thus the exclusive design combines intelligent lightweight design with outstanding strength.
Source: www.mercedes-benz.com/sls-amg
Designed by Bertone stylist Marcello Gandini for the 1968 Paris Motor Show, this striking concept car used the spaceframe rolling chassis of the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale and was fitted with a 230 bhp four-cam V8 engine linked to a six-speed transaxle gearbox, giving it a top speed of 155 mph. Its colour and name derive from a small green beetle and the car is very low, being under a metre tall (990mm/39in).
Javits Center Sunlight - Chroma Cameras Chroma Baby Cube 35mm pinhole camera, Film Photography Project Mummy 400 B&W Film
Gordon Keeble GK1/1T (1964-66) Engine 227 cu in (5395cc) V8 OHV Production 99 (+ 1)
Registration Number 2 GKR (Vehicle related number, originating pre-1962 from Kent)
GORDON KEEBLE ALBUM
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157627063631758...
The company John Gordon, formerly of Peerless and Jim Keeble who came together in 1959 to produce the Buick powered Gordon GT. The car still in development was later fitted with a Chevrolet 283 V8 into a spaceframe chassis with independent front suspension and all-round disc brakes. The complete chassis was then taken to Turin, Italy, where a body made of aluminium panels designed by Giugiaro was built by Bertone.
The car appeared on the Bertone stand in March 1960, branded simply as a Gordon, at the Geneva Motor Show., after road testing the car was shipped to Detroit were the Chevrolet management agreed to supply engines and components for a production run.
The production ready car was altered with a glass fibre body made by Williams Pritchard Limited. replacing the aluminium of the prototype and a larger Chevrolet 327 Ci V8 (5398cc) engine
The luxury Grand Tourer sold for a then astronomic £2798
Problems with suppliers occurred and before many cars were made the money ran out and the company went into liquidation after only about 90 cars had been built, the company was purchased by Harold Smith and Geoffrey West and was re-registered as Keeble Cars Ltd. with production resuming in 1966 but halted after only a few car were built, with a combine total of 99 cars constructed, a final car was produced in 1967 from factory spares.
An attempt was made to restart production in 1968 when the rights to the car were bought by an American, John de Bruyne, but this came to nothing, although two cars badged as De Bruynes were shown at that year's New York Motor Show along with a new mid-engined coupé
Diolch am 92,587,611 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.
Thanks for 92,587,611 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.
Shot 23.04.2022 at the Bicester Spring Scramble, Bicester, Oxfordshire 158-189
The Mercedes-Benz W194 (also 300 SL) is the Mercedes-Benz entry for the 1952 Sportscar racing season, its first after World War II.
Powered by a 3.0 litre SOHC straight-6, it ran off an impressive string of victories that included 24 Hours of Le Mans, Bern-Bremgarten, the Eifelrennen at Nürburgring, and Mexico's Carrera Panamericana.[1]
Only ten W194s were made.[2] It was succeeded by the Mercedes-Benz W196 on the track and the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR on the road racing circuit. This led to the iconic Mercedes 300 SL W198 Gullwing road car in 1954. The racing W194 300 SL was built around a mere 140-150 pound welded aluminum tube spaceframe chassis to offset the relatively underpowered M194 engine.[2] Designed by Daimler-Benz's chief developing engineer, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, the metal skeleton saved weight while still providing a high level of strength. Since it enveloped the passenger compartment traditional doors were impossible, giving birth to the model's distinctive gull-wing arrangement.
Heilig Geist Kirche
Erkrath Hochdahl-Sandheide
(near Düsseldorf, Germany)
Gottfried Böhm, arch 1969-1972
I'm not sure which space-frame system they used here, but it looks a lot like it is from Mero.
Herr Böhm turns 100 next week!
Crumbling leaves from Autumn lie on the ground, while Daffodils thrust upwards to the sky.
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This is my 16th photo to make Explore!
Steven Moss' 1965 Ford Anglia Spaceframe with 2.0 turbocharged engine ran successfully in the CSCC Wendy Wools Special Saloons and Modsports Series.
The Moulton bicycle is a unique design with many features that set it apart from other bicycles. Back in the 1950s, Alex Moulton defined the key features of the Moulton bicycle - small wheels, suspension, stiff unisex frame, adaptability to suit intended use, and innovation in design, engineering and manufacture.
Small wheels with high pressure tyres have been integral to the Moulton design from the beginning. The combination of the lower rolling resistance of high pressure tyres and the lower aerodynamic drag of small wheels, allows the bicycle to go faster with less effort.
In contrast to large bicycle wheels, the smaller Moulton wheels are immensely strong. Their lower moment of inertia allows faster acceleration and more responsive steering. Smaller wheels also reduce the overall length of the bicycle, making it compact and easier to transport.
In order to accommodate the hard ride of the ultra-rigid frame, strong wheels and high pressure tyres, full suspension has been a mandatory feature of all Moulton bicycles. This coupling of advanced suspension and small wheels provides superior comfort and road holding.
As with other vehicles, bicycle frame stiffness is a key element of performance. Lateral rigidity is vital, as any of the rider's energy spent flexing a frame is lost. A stiff frame also ensures accurate wheel tracking for secure road holding and cornering stability.
The unique Moulton space frame, a highly engineered lattice of small diameter tubes, is far stiffer than a conventional diamond frame. This frame architecture fits riders of all sizes and the low step-through allows the bike to be mounted with ease by both sexes. The low weight and high stiffness of the Moulton frame produces a ride that is lively and amazingly efficient.
All Moulton bicycles are inherently more compact and most feature separable frames for storage or transport. This separability introduces no compromises other than a little extra weight; there is no loss of stiffness or ride quality. When disassembled, the two halves of a Moulton fit easily in the boot of a car or travel case.
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This is my 34th photo to make Explore.
Lines, lines and some more lines in Liège-Guillemins train station. Our journey back from Rome to Sittard was an awful one, but passing this architectural wonderland worked miracles on my humor.
© Rik Hermans. All rights reserved.
Time to get my hair cut again.
At 46 years of age I've done well to keep my hair, so it has come as a bit of shock to find myself thinning quickly over the last 6 months... but I digress.
On Wednesday's the Barber is the original owner of the shop, a 70 year old man of Italian origin. He allows me to bring my bicycle into the shop.
On this occasion I arrived on my Moulton TSR. It aroused interest as usual and questions were asked. Then another chap entered. He was in his 70's and used to work for Halfords (when they were a proper retailer). He sold bicycles and remembered selling F frame Moultons.
An interesting snippet was he mentioned they had a female friend who rented the gatehouse at The Hall at Bradford on Avon (the home of Alex Moulton) and would visit often.
Messerschmidt KR200 (1955-64) Engine 191cc S1 TS
Production 41,190
Registration Number 565 EOB (Birmingham)
MESSERSCHMIDT (Car) ALBUM
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/albums/72157624963580230
Messerschmidt were temporarily banned from building aircraft following World War II and had turned to producing other products, in 1952 they were approached by Fritz Fend with a view to manufacturing a small motor model was the KR175 launched in 1952 powered by a 175cc engine. based on his Fend Flitzer invalid carriage. The first vehicle was the From this came the three wheeled KR175 a two seater with tandem seats, with tubular spaceframe, handle bar steering, and bonded rubber suspension the KR standing for Kabinenroller - scooter with a cabin
Replaced in 1955 by the larger engined KR200 which incorporated the same basic frame as the KR175 with changes to the bodywork (notably including wheel cut outs in the front fenders) and an improved canopy design and had a car type throttle and clutch, Dyna start and a reversible engine. Which frighteningly means the car maximum speed of around 56mph, can be replicated when going backwards. The KR200 was powered by a 191cc Fichtel & Sachs air-cooled, single cylinder, two-stroke engine positioned in front of the rear wheel. The rear suspension and engine mounting were reworked, and hydraulic shock absorbers were installed at all three wheels. Tire sizes were enlarged to 4.00×8
Retailing for around DM 2,500, the KR200 was considered an instant success with almost 12,000 built during its first year, maximum speed was probably determined by the bravery of its pilot but due its lightweight the little car was capable of a speed in excess of 90 km/h (56 mph).
The KR2000 was available in three different body configurations. A 1 dor Coupe, 1 door Convertible or 1 door Roadster.
In 1956, around a year after West Germany joined NATO, Messerschmitt was allowed to manufacture aircraft again and lost interest in Fend's microcars. Messerschmitt sold the Regensburg works to Fend who, with brake and hub supplier Valentin Knott, formed Fahrzeug- und Maschinenbau GmbH Regensburg (FMR) to continue production of the KR200 but as the German and other economies began to recover sales of the bubble car derivatives decline and Messerchmidt car production ceased
Diolch am 97,426,765 o olygiadau gwych, mae pob un ohonynt yn cael eu gwerthfawrogi'n fawr.
Thanks for 97,426,765 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.
Shot 21.08.2022, at Lupin Farm, Kings Bromley, Staffordshire REF 163-200
Across the nation men (and it is usually men) have hauled their bikes from the shed after its winter rest, pulled out cycle specific clothing from the back of the wardrobe and hit the road.
Me? I'll here all year round.
The chap in front has some skills to learn about road position and riding technique - but we all need to start somewhere. He could start by removing the headphones. You need you all senses to be good cyclist.
Everyone has equal right to use the road, so let's be tolerant of other users (says he).
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This is my 17th photo to make Explore.
- The Noble P4 is a replica of a 1967 Ferrari 330 P4 Spyder Sports Prototype, designed by Noble Motorsports Ltd, Chesterfield - UK.
- This fiberglass kit car with spaceframe, wheelbase 247cm, serial number 0006, has a 2664cc V-6 engine (aluminum type PRV 112 90 degree V-6) with 149 bhp, triple Weber DRLA 42 carburettors, a five-speed manual gearbox, capable of doing 240 km/h and 0-100 km/h within 5 seconds.
- Lenght: 442cm, width: 187cm, height: 107cm, curb weight 890 kg.
- Only four original Ferrari P4-engined cars were ever made: one P3/4 and three 330 P4's.
- A real Ferrari P4 has driven in the 1967 Daytona 24 Hours by Mike Parkes and Ludovico Scarfiotti.
Messerschmidt KR200 (1955-64) Engine 191cc S1 TS
Production 40,000
Registration Number XRP 375 (Northamptonshire)
MESSERSCHMIDT (Car) ALBUM
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/albums/72157624963580230
Messerschmidt were temporarily banned from building aircraft following World War II and had turned to producing other products, in 1952 they were approached by Fritz Fend with a view to manufacturing a small motor model was the KR175 launched in 1952 powered by a 175cc engine. based on his Fend Flitzer invalid carriage. The first vehicle was the From this came the three wheeled KR175 a two seater with tandem seats, with tubular spaceframe, handle bar steering, and bonded rubber suspension the KR standing for Kabinenroller - scooter with a cabin
Replaced in 1955 by the larger engined KR200 which incorporated the same basic frame as the KR175 with changes to the bodywork (notably including wheel cut outs in the front fenders) and an improved canopy design and had a car type throttle and clutch, Dyna start and a reversible engine. The KR200 was powered by a 191cc Fichtel Sachs air-cooled, single cylinder, two-stroke engine positioned in front of the rear wheel, driving through a four speed sequential gearbox. The rear suspension and engine mounting were reworked, and hydraulic shock absorbers were installed at all three wheels. and seating capacity for two adults and one child, seated in tandem. Tyre sizes were enlarged to 4.00×8
Retailing for around DM 2,500, the KR200 was considered an instant success with almost 12,000 built during its first year, maximum speed was probably determined by the bravery of its pilot but due its lightweight the little car was capable of a speed in excess of 90 km/h (56 mph)
In 1956, around a year after West Germany joined NATO, Messerschmitt was allowed to manufacture aircraft again and lost interest in Fend's microcars. Messerschmitt sold the Regensburg works to Fend who, with brake and hub supplier Valentin Knott, formed Fahrzeug- und Maschinenbau GmbH Regensburg (FMR) to continue production of the KR200 but as the German and other economies began to recover sales of the bubble car derivatives decline and Messerchmidt car production ceased
I deliberately left the chair in shot to illustrate the cars size, and no, it is not one of those chairs that they have in the likes of Butlins for the family to climb into for a holiday snap.
Diolch am 95,209,740 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.
Thanks for 95,209,740 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated
Shot 03.07.2022, at Cars in the Park, Lichfield, Staffordshire REF 161-112
The Moulton TSR9.
I replaced the original saddle with the Selle Itaila Anatomic (the model used on early Alex Mouton spaceframe machines).
Blocky in build and fuselage but gifted with performance where it counts, the XF-37 is a recent addition to the escort fighter market from Balt Industries, building on the spaceframe of the Vicuña.
A variant of the Raptor aeroframe designed for both air and space combat. These can't hope to out gun Viper spaceframes, but they are much faster. And with full SSTO capability they are often times the best way to quickly respond to a situation just about anywhere.
I composed this image of dune buggies racing around sand dunes while visiting Utah's Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park.
I had been contemplating initiating a self-imposed photography challenge: "Create a Photograph that Begets a Question." I decided this image would meet that challenge. The question? Is driving a dune buggy around sand dunes a sport? If not, what is it?
Fot those interested, here is more information about dune buggies.
A dune buggy — also known as a beach buggy — is a recreational off-road vehicle with large wheels, and wide tires, designed for use on sand dunes, beaches, off-road or desert recreation. The design is usually a topless vehicle with a rear-mounted engine. A dune buggy can be created by modifying an existing vehicle or custom-building a new vehicle.
Dune buggies are typically created by modifying an existing road vehicle, while sandrails are built from the ground up as a custom vehicle.
For dune buggies built on the chassis of a rear-engined existing vehicle, the Volkswagen Beetle has been most commonly used as the basis for the buggy. The Beetle platform chassis is used because the rear engine layout improves traction, the air-cooled engine avoids the complexities and failure points associated with a water-cooled engine, the Beetle's front torsion bar suspension is not only considered cheap and robust, but is also extremely easy to alter and adjust its ride-height.
A sandrail is a lightweight vehicle similar to a dune buggy, but designed specifically for operation on open sand.
Sandrails are usually built as a spaceframe by welding steel tubes together. The name sandrail is due to the frame "rails" present. The advantage of this method is that the fabricator can change fundamental parts of the vehicle (usually the suspension and addition of a built-in roll cage). Sandrails, as per dune buggies, often have the engine located behind the driver. Sizes can vary from a small-engine one-seat size to four-seat vehicles with eight or more cylinders.
TVR Tasmin (1981-84) Engine 3272cc
Registration Number A 390 JFC (Oxford)
TVR SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623722776067...
The TVR Tasmin was designed by Oliver Winterbottom as the first of TVRs wedge shaped cars which formed the basis of its 1980's model range launched in 1980 as a 2=2 Coupe The Tasmin was the first production car in the world to have both a bonded windscreen and also to incorporate the aerial in the rear screen heater element. As with all TVRs, the running gear was located in a tubular spaceframe steel chassis which was powder coated for extra corrosion resistance. Much of the running gear was sourced from Fords of the period. The suspension and steering was sourced from the Ford Cortina, with TVR engineered trailing arms at the rear,
In 1981 a series II car appeared, incorporating various improvements or modifications to the series I. These included a front suspension redesign, returning the tie-rods to the tension mode used by Ford rather than the compression mode into which TVR had initially installed them addressing the complaints of bump steer A bodyshell restyle also altered the proportions of the car (largely by tilting the previously-vertical glass tail panel) so it appeared shorter in the nose and longer at the rear; this coincided with the launch of the convertible/drophead version
Diolch am olygfa anhygoel, 64,027,066
oblogaeth y Lloegr honno dros y Mynyddoedd
Thanks for a stonking 64,027,066, views
Shot 01.01.2018 at Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey Ref 132-288
i