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Used a tilt-shift adapter (Fotodiox) on my Canon DSLR. Lens was a Pentax 6x7 55mm.

Mixing two kinds of photo images in a new way. I really enjoy the colors here. The mixing of the minds thoughts and colors. Or its all the Pink Floyd in my mind.

 

Mike

 

Father and son collaboration

 

Our photographic art is a kinetic motion study, from the results of interacting with my son A.J and his toys.

 

He was born severely handicapped much like a quadriplegic. On December 17,1998. Our family’s goal has always been to help A.J. use his mind, even though he has minimal use of his body.

 

A.J. likes to watch lights and movement. One of the few things he can do for himself is to operate a switch that sets in motion lights and various shiny, colorful streamers and toys that swirl above his bed.

 

One day I took a picture of A.J. with his toys flying out from the big mobile near his bed like swings on a carnival ride. I liked the way the swirling objects and colors looked in the photo.

 

I wanted to study the motion more and photograph the whirling objects in an artful way, I wanted my son A.J. to be a part of it. After all, he’s the one who inspires me. When A.J. and I work together on our motion artwork, A.J. starts his streamers and objects twirling, I take the photographs.

 

Activating a tiny switch might not seem like much to some, but it’s all A.J. can do. He controls the direction the mobile will spin, as well as when it starts and stops. The shutter speeds are long, and sometimes, I move the camera and other times I hold it still.

 

I begin our creation with a Nikon digital camera. Then I use my computer with Photoshop to alter the images into what I feel might be an artistic way. Working with Photoshop, I find the best parts from several images and combine them into the final composite photograph. I consider the finished work to be fine art. The computer is just the vehicle that helps my expressions grow.

 

I take the photographs and A.J. adds the magic. It’s something this father and son do together. After I’ve taken a few shots, I show him the photos in the back of the camera. When the images are completed, I show him from a laptop. He just looks. He can’t tell me whether or not he likes the images, but he’s always ready to work with me again.

 

It offers me my only glance into A.J.’s secret world. We’ve built a large collection of images and I hope the motion and color move you as much as they do me.

 

A.J. inspires me to work harder to understand my life in the areas of art, photography, people, spirituality, and so much more. He truly sets my mind in motion and helps me find the beauty in everyday things.

 

AJ Patnode - A Journey of Hope (documentary):

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR7m8QFcmRM

 

This shows how I do the Camera work:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmjVVGraUVw

 

AJ'S blog:

www.ajpatnode.com

 

Abstract set:

www.flickr.com/photos/patnode-rainbowman/sets/72157602269...

An old farm across the street from the flower shot. 21 shots HDR/Pano stitched/ Silver Efex to convert to B&W

LEGAL NOTICE | protected work • All Rights reserved © B. Egger photographer retains ownership and all copyrights in this work.

 

licence | please contact me before to obtain prior a license and to buy the rights to use and publish this photo. ▻ more..

 

photographer ▻ Bernard Egger • collections • sets

| Евразия Europe | mediterranean & alpine scapes

 

📷 | Bootsverleih Salza Stausee :: rumoto images # 3713

 

rumoto images, Bernard Egger, фотография, Я фотограф, 写真家, カメラマン, 摄影师, Nikon FX, photographer, photography, Fotografie, фотограф, Fotográfico, Fotografo, stunning, awesome, Австрия, Bad Mitterndorf, Hinterberg, Styria, Steiermark, Österreich, Austria, Autriche, Bernard Egger, Lake, See, Gewässer, Bergsee, Salza Stausee, Salza, Stausee, Wasser, water, river, creek, boats, Boote, Bootsverleih, Kanu, Kajak, Tretboot, Ruderboot, Fischen, fishing, hunter, fisherman, Bootshütte, Lodge, Paddeln, Urlaub, Erholung, Rast, holidays, vacanze, Tourismus, tourism, Freizeit, Wassersport, MTB, reflection, Spiegelung, Natur, nature, outdoor, outside, countryside, summer, Sommer, Heilbrunn, Neuhofen, Paß Stein, Salzkammergut, Europe, artprint, fine art, posters, Kunstdruck, Europe, calendar,

Used Red Filter shot at ISO 200

© Copyright 2013 Francisco Aragão

© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Use without permission is illegal.

© TODOS OS DIREITOS RESERVADOS. Usar sem permissão é ilegal.

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Portuguese

A Igreja de Nosso Senhor Bom Jesus dos Martírios era originalmente uma capela coberta de telhas, com alvenaria de tijolos, bom alicerce de pedras unidas com cimento e azeite de baleia, como de costume da época, cuja madeira foi tirada do morro do Jacutinga, por trás da mesma. No dia 30 de outubro de 1881 foi procedida a benção solene do templo, quando por volta das 16 horas as irmandades e o povo conduziam as imagens da Matriz para os Martírios.

Situada na Praça Floriano Peixoto, a Igreja passou por longas reformas e as obras conferiram à construção um estilo eclético, misto de barroco, neoclássico e neogótico, onde destaca sua bela fachada principal, recoberta de azulejos portugueses do século XIX de cor azul, estampilhados e torres com coroamentos retorcidos. O interior traz ornamentos rococó, além de rodapés em azulejo colorido no melhor estilo art nouveau.

Na área interna da Igreja há também painéis portugueses do século XX (provavelmente em meados) e rodapé do final do século XIX ou início do XX no estilo art nouveau. Atualmente, é um dos pontos turísticos de nosso Estado.

 

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Portuguese

O Museu Palácio Floriano Peixoto localiza-se na cidade de Maceió, estado de Alagoas, no Brasil.

Museu Palácio Floriano Peixoto - Esboço Histórico

Ex-sede do governo do Estado de Alagoas, o prédio destacado por Craveiro Costa "como o mais belo edifício do Estado pela suntuosidade de seu estilo e proporções" (LAGES, 85), teve sua construção iniciada em 1893," cuja pedra fundamental foi lançada no dia 14 de setembro…" (SANT’ANA, 08), com o projeto arquitetônico e execução sob a responsabilidade do engenheiro militar alagoano Carlos Jorge Calheiros de Lima, na administração do Dr. Gabino Suzano de Araújo Besouro (1892/1894), autorizado pela Lei nº 30, de 26 de maio de 1893.

Com a deposição do governador Gabino Besouro em 16 de julho de 1894 e devido a escassez de recursos as obras foram paralisadas e, reiniciadas na administração de Manoel Gomes Ribeiro Júnior, Barão de Traipú (1894/1897), "período em que atuaram, entre outros, os engenheiros Morada, Adolfo Lins, Francisco Severiano Braga Torres e Luiz Gonzaga, ficando novamente interrompidas as mencionadas obras, com a saída do Barão de Traipú do governo, a 12 de junho de 1897(SANT’ANA, 08)".

No governo de Euclides Vieira Malta os trabalhos mais uma vez foram reiniciados, sob a responsabilidade do engenheiro do Estado, arquiteto Luiz Lucariny, que recebera a incumbência do governador, em 12 de junho de 1900, de prosseguir a edificação daquele prédio, cujos trabalhos só seriam reencetados em 1902 (SANT’ANA, 09) e que promoveu diversas modificações na planta original. "Segundo Craveiro Costa o edifício ficou completamente alterado, a fachada, sobretudo, sofreu radical transformação, oferecendo um belo conjunto, magnificamente tratado na sua ornamentação e elegância de estilo ´(LAGES, 85)". Essas interferências conferiram à planta do edifício, algumas modificações ao gosto eclético da época (PAIVA). Destaque-se que o arquiteto italiano Luiz Lucariny residia em Maceió e foi responsável por outras obras de grande porte e que marcam a arquitetura em nossa terra, como o Teatro Deodoro (Maceió) e o Teatro Sete de setembro (Penedo).

"Majestosa, a construção tem como ponto alto o Salão Nobre, com altos relevos e móveis estilo Luis XV. Em de suas alas, esculturas em louça portuguesa representam: a justiça, a lavoura, o comércio e a história (SECOM)."

"A fachada do edifício é de ordem toscana, modificada, com dois magníficos pórticos, um inferior e outro superior que formam o terraço. Da entrada ao vestíbulo uma escadaria de granito de cinco degraus que serve de base aos pórticos da fachada, ao lado das quais sobressaem dois corpos colaterais da mesma ordem, trabalho esmerado em pedra de talha, imitando cantaria, formando o baseamento da obra, com quatro janelas em estilo dórico (LAGES, 85)".

Coroando as festividades da Emancipação Política de Alagoas, em 16 de setembro de 1902, o Palácio é solemente inaugurado, com presença expressiva da comunidade local.

Através do Decreto Estadual nº 417, de 17 de outubro de 1947, assinado pelo governador Silvestre Péricles de Góes Monteiro, o edifício oficial, residência e palácio do governo, passa a denominar-se de "Palácio Marechal Floriano Peixoto".

"Anteriormente à construção deste edifício funcionaram como Palácio do Governo, o sobrado do abastado comerciante português, Francisco José da Graça, localizado à Rua do Comércio, esquina com a Rua da Rosa, atual Senador Mendonça, onde se instalou em 1819, o 1º Governador da Capitania, Sebastião Francisco de Mélo e Póvoas, e o sobrado do Barão de Jaraguá, situado na Rua Barão de Anadia. Este palacete foi demolido em 1940, para no local edificar-se o prédio do Instituto de Aposentadoria e Pensão dos Empregados em Transportes e Cargas [IAPETEC] (LAGES, 86)".

 

http://paroquiabomparto.blogspot.com.br/p/igreja-dos-martirios.html

Wikipedia

Used as the exteriors of Gruber's in the Paddington movies, I was inside looking for gifts & the shopkeeper, recognising my accent (Australian) mentioned the terrible bushfires. This was on the 13th of November.

 

These fires have gotten much worse, & Our Prime Minister is completely useless. Only cares about himself.

 

He has gone to disaster zones just for photo ops, & was filmed grabbing onto a woman's hand to shake it, & when she begged for more help he walked away.

 

Half a billion animals have been killed, & our PM did not bother to do anything to prepare the country for these bushfires, even though he had so much time to do so.

 

I only mentioned these fires in this post because of the discussion I had with the shopkeeper back in November.

 

Nikon F4. AF Nikkor 14mm F2.8D lens. CineStill 50 35mm C41 film.

Used a scan of Washi paper as texture. Might try printing it on this paper actually

 

View On Black

 

used monochrome settings of my camera

Using Virtual Painter app on iPadPro

© All rights reserved. Use without permission is illegal.

 

La zona, posta a metà strada tra la montagna e la pianura e punto di passaggio per raggiungere il Friuli, fu da sempre un sito strategico. Attorno al X secolo fu eretta una fortezza controllata dai vescovi di Belluno, ma di probabili origini romane. Lo stesso toponimo sembra derivare dal latino cuniculus indicante i passaggi sotterranei del castello[6].

Conegliano "nacque" però nel XII secolo, quando un gruppo di famiglie nobili si organizzò creando un governo di tipo comunale attorno alla bastia, con la conseguente formazione di un borgo. Il Castello di Conegliano rimase sempre il centro del potere, sia civile (con la sede della podesteria) che religioso (con la collegiata di San Leonardo). Le attività artigianali ed agricole furono incentivate dalla fondazione di numerosi monasteri: Santa Maria in Mater Domini (1231), il convento dei Padri Umiliati di San Polo (1316), Sant'Antonio, San Francesco dei Frati Minori (1231), per non parlare degli ospizi e delle congregazioni di laici.

 

Con il sanguinoso assalto del 1153, Conegliano fu però subito sottomessa al comune di Treviso che ne potenziò le difese, ricostruendo il castello, vista la posizione chiave verso il Friuli con i domini del Patriarcato di Aquileia. La cittadina seguì le sorti della Marca e passò agli Ezzelini e agli Scaligeri, che la munirono di nuove fortificazioni. Anche con la Repubblica di Venezia, a cui Treviso passò nel 1337, e la breve parentesi dei Carraresi (1384-1388) l'opera fu continuata e venne innalzata una cinta muraria che racchiudesse il borgo. I lavori di fortificazione e di ampliamento si protrassero anche nei secoli successivi, nonostante il rovinoso attacco degli Ungari del 1411. Il paese si abbellì anche di palazzi signorili e istituzionali ma la decadenza si fece sentire già dopo la guerra della Lega di Cambrai.

 

Nel Settecento il castello, già da tempo in rovina, fu in gran parte demolito per fornire materiale di recupero utile alle nuove costruzioni, tra cui il Palazzo Comunale (1744).

 

Come tutto il Veneto, la città passò a Napoleone e infine agli Austriaci che ne svilupparono l'economia e le infrastrutture. Con la costruzione della Strada Maestra d'Italia e della ferrovia (1858) il centro vitale del paese si spostò più a sud, attorno alla stazione. Nel 1866 passò con tutto il Veneto al Regno d'Italia. Nel 1917, dopo la Disfatta di Caporetto, Conegliano fu occupata dagli Imperi Centrali e subì notevoli danni. La città riuscì successivamente a risollevarsi grazie alle ferventi attività economiche (prodotti caseari, vinicoli, officine meccaniche ecc.).

it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conegliano

  

View On Black

 

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Jörg hears about a good deal in Strasbourg.

Used a Sepia Toner

used an old mine as a background & made the miners from bits in a previous abstract ....thanks for looking....

Used as an employee shuttle service by SM in their business offices neat the Mall of Asia.

Used only Once

Excellent Condition

Taken off our back deck in Zirconia, North Carolina

 

Thanks so much for looking.

Comments are so appreciated.

www.fluidr.com/photos/mturnau

I found these in a departmentstore a couple of days ago. Can't decide yet, what to use them for :-)

Used some fill flash due to Overcast and a bit of fog.

Bluff Top Coastal Park. Half Moon Bay, Ca. 9-27-2012

+++ 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:

The OV-10 Bronco was initially conceived in the early 1960s through an informal collaboration between W. H. Beckett and Colonel K. P. Rice, U.S. Marine Corps, who met at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California, and who also happened to live near each other. The original concept was for a rugged, simple, close air support aircraft integrated with forward ground operations. At the time, the U.S. Army was still experimenting with armed helicopters, and the U.S. Air Force was not interested in close air support.

The concept aircraft was to operate from expedient forward air bases using roads as runways. Speed was to be from very slow to medium subsonic, with much longer loiter times than a pure jet. Efficient turboprop engines would give better performance than piston engines. Weapons were to be mounted on the centerline to get efficient aiming. The inventors favored strafing weapons such as self-loading recoilless rifles, which could deliver aimed explosive shells with less recoil than cannons, and a lower per-round weight than rockets. The airframe was to be designed to avoid the back blast.

 

Beckett and Rice developed a basic platform meeting these requirements, then attempted to build a fiberglass prototype in a garage. The effort produced enthusiastic supporters and an informal pamphlet describing the concept. W. H. Beckett, who had retired from the Marine Corps, went to work at North American Aviation to sell the aircraft.

The aircraft's design supported effective operations from forward bases. The OV-10 had a central nacelle containing a crew of two in tandem and space for cargo, and twin booms containing twin turboprop engines. The visually distinctive feature of the aircraft is the combination of the twin booms, with the horizontal stabilizer that connected them at the fin tips. The OV-10 could perform short takeoffs and landings, including on aircraft carriers and large-deck amphibious assault ships without using catapults or arresting wires. Further, the OV-10 was designed to take off and land on unimproved sites. Repairs could be made with ordinary tools. No ground equipment was required to start the engines. And, if necessary, the engines would operate on high-octane automobile fuel with only a slight loss of power.

 

The aircraft had responsive handling and could fly for up to 5½ hours with external fuel tanks. The cockpit had extremely good visibility for both pilot and co-pilot, provided by a wrap-around "greenhouse" that was wider than the fuselage. North American Rockwell custom ejection seats were standard, with many successful ejections during service. With the second seat removed, the OV-10 could carry 3,200 pounds (1,500 kg) of cargo, five paratroopers, or two litter patients and an attendant. Empty weight was 6,969 pounds (3,161 kg). Normal operating fueled weight with two crew was 9,908 pounds (4,494 kg). Maximum takeoff weight was 14,446 pounds (6,553 kg).

The bottom of the fuselage bore sponsons or "stub wings" that improved flight performance by decreasing aerodynamic drag underneath the fuselage. Normally, four 7.62 mm (.308 in) M60C machine guns were carried on the sponsons, accessed through large forward-opening hatches. The sponsons also had four racks to carry bombs, pods, or fuel. The wings outboard of the engines contained two additional hardpoints, one per side. Racked armament in the Vietnam War was usually seven-shot 2.75 in (70 mm) rocket pods with white phosphorus marker rounds or high-explosive rockets, or 5" (127 mm) four-shot Zuni rocket pods. Bombs, ADSIDS air-delivered/para-dropped unattended seismic sensors, Mk-6 battlefield illumination flares, and other stores were also carried.

Operational experience showed some weaknesses in the OV-10's design. It was significantly underpowered, which contributed to crashes in Vietnam in sloping terrain because the pilots could not climb fast enough. While specifications stated that the aircraft could reach 26,000 feet (7,900 m), in Vietnam the aircraft could reach only 18,000 feet (5,500 m). Also, no OV-10 pilot survived ditching the aircraft.

 

The OV-10 served in the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy, as well as in the service of a number of other countries. In U.S. military service, the Bronco was operated until the early Nineties, and obsoleted USAF OV-10s were passed on to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms for anti-drug operations. A number of OV-10As furthermore ended up in the hands of the California Department of Forestry (CDF) and were used for spotting fires and directing fire bombers onto hot spots.

 

This was not the end of the OV-10 in American military service, though: In 2012, the type gained new attention because of its unique qualities. A $20 million budget was allocated to activate an experimental USAF unit of two airworthy OV-10Gs, acquired from NASA and the State Department. These machines were retrofitted with military equipment and were, starting in May 2015, deployed overseas to support Operation “Inherent Resolve”, flying more than 120 combat sorties over 82 days over Iraq and Syria. Their concrete missions remained unclear, and it is speculated they provided close air support for Special Forces missions, esp. in confined urban environments where the Broncos’ loitering time and high agility at low speed and altitude made them highly effective and less vulnerable than helicopters.

Furthermore, these Broncos reputedly performed strikes with the experimental AGR-20A “Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS)”, a Hydra 70-millimeter rocket with a laser-seeking head as guidance - developed for precision strikes against small urban targets with little collateral damage. The experiment ended satisfactorily, but the machines were retired again, and the small unit was dissolved.

 

However, the machines had shown their worth in asymmetric warfare, and the U.S. Air Force decided to invest in reactivating the OV-10 on a regular basis, despite the overhead cost of operating an additional aircraft type in relatively small numbers – but development and production of a similar new type would have caused much higher costs, with an uncertain time until an operational aircraft would be ready for service. Re-activating a proven design and updating an existing airframe appeared more efficient.

The result became the MV-10H, suitably christened “Super Bronco” but also known as “Black Pony”, after the program's internal name. This aircraft was derived from the official OV-10X proposal by Boeing from 2009 for the USAF's Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance requirement. Initially, Boeing proposed to re-start OV-10 manufacture, but this was deemed uneconomical, due to the expected small production number of new serial aircraft, so the “Black Pony” program became a modernization project. In consequence, all airframes for the "new" MV-10Hs were recovered OV-10s of various types from the "boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona.

 

While the revamped aircraft would maintain much of its 1960s-vintage rugged external design, modernizations included a completely new, armored central fuselage with a highly modified cockpit section, ejection seats and a computerized glass cockpit. The “Black Pony” OV-10 had full dual controls, so that either crewmen could steer the aircraft while the other operated sensors and/or weapons. This feature would also improve survivability in case of incapacitation of a crew member as the result from a hit.

The cockpit armor protected the crew and many vital systems from 23mm shells and shrapnel (e. g. from MANPADS). The crew still sat in tandem under a common, generously glazed canopy with flat, bulletproof panels for reduced sun reflections, with the pilot in the front seat and an observer/WSO behind. The Bronco’s original cargo capacity and the rear door were retained, even though the extra armor and defensive measures like chaff/flare dispensers as well as an additional fuel cell in the central fuselage limited the capacity. However, it was still possible to carry and deploy personnel, e. g. small special ops teams of up to four when the aircraft flew in clean configuration.

Additional updates for the MV-10H included structural reinforcements for a higher AUW and higher g load maneuvers, similar to OV-10D+ standards. The landing gear was also reinforced, and the aircraft kept its ability to operate from short, improvised airstrips. A fixed refueling probe was added to improve range and loiter time.

 

Intelligence sensors and smart weapon capabilities included a FLIR sensor and a laser range finder/target designator, both mounted in a small turret on the aircraft’s nose. The MV-10H was also outfitted with a data link and the ability to carry an integrated targeting pod such as the Northrop Grumman LITENING or the Lockheed Martin Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP). Also included was the Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver (ROVER) to provide live sensor data and video recordings to personnel on the ground.

 

To improve overall performance and to better cope with the higher empty weight of the modified aircraft as well as with operations under hot-and-high conditions, the engines were beefed up. The new General Electric CT7-9D turboprop engines improved the Bronco's performance considerably: top speed increased by 100 mph (160 km/h), the climb rate was tripled (a weak point of early OV-10s despite the type’s good STOL capability) and both take-off as well as landing run were almost halved. The new engines called for longer nacelles, and their circular diameter markedly differed from the former Garrett T76-G-420/421 turboprop engines. To better exploit the additional power and reduce the aircraft’s audio signature, reversible contraprops, each with eight fiberglass blades, were fitted. These allowed a reduced number of revolutions per minute, resulting in less noise from the blades and their tips, while the engine responsiveness was greatly improved. The CT7-9Ds’ exhausts were fitted with muzzlers/air mixers to further reduce the aircraft's noise and heat signature.

Another novel and striking feature was the addition of so-called “tip sails” to the wings: each wingtip was elongated with a small, cigar-shaped fairing, each carrying three staggered, small “feather blade” winglets. Reputedly, this installation contributed ~10% to the higher climb rate and improved lift/drag ratio by ~6%, improving range and loiter time, too.

Drawing from the Iraq experience as well as from the USMC’s NOGS test program with a converted OV-10D as a night/all-weather gunship/reconnaissance platform, the MV-10H received a heavier gun armament: the original four light machine guns that were only good for strafing unarmored targets were deleted and their space in the sponsons replaced by avionics. Instead, the aircraft was outfitted with a lightweight M197 three-barrel 20mm gatling gun in a chin turret. This could be fixed in a forward position at high speed or when carrying forward-firing ordnance under the stub wings, or it could be deployed to cover a wide field of fire under the aircraft when it was flying slower, being either slaved to the FLIR or to a helmet sighting auto targeting system.

The original seven hardpoints were retained (1x ventral, 2x under each sponson, and another pair under the outer wings), but the total ordnance load was slightly increased and an additional pair of launch rails for AIM-9 Sidewinders or other light AAMs under the wing tips were added – not only as a defensive measure, but also with an anti-helicopter role in mind; four more Sidewinders could be carried on twin launchers under the outer wings against aerial targets. Other guided weapons cleared for the MV-10H were the light laser-guided AGR-20A and AGM-119 Hellfire missiles, the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System upgrade to the light Hydra 70 rockets, the new Laser Guided Zuni Rocket which had been cleared for service in 2010, TV-/IR-/laser-guided AGM-65 Maverick AGMs and AGM-122 Sidearm anti-radar missiles, plus a wide range of gun and missile pods, iron and cluster bombs, as well as ECM and flare/chaff pods, which were not only carried defensively, but also in order to disrupt enemy ground communication.

 

In this configuration, a contract for the conversion of twelve mothballed American Broncos to the new MV-10H standard was signed with Boeing in 2016, and the first MV-10H was handed over to the USAF in early 2018, with further deliveries lasting into early 2020. All machines were allocated to the newly founded 919th Special Operations Support Squadron at Duke Field (Florida). This unit was part of the 919th Special Operations Wing, an Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the United States Air Force. It was assigned to the Tenth Air Force of Air Force Reserve Command and an associate unit of the 1st Special Operations Wing, Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). If mobilized the wing was gained by AFSOC (Air Force Special Operations Command) to support Special Tactics, the U.S. Air Force's special operations ground force. Similar in ability and employment to Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC), U.S. Army Special Forces and U.S. Navy SEALs, Air Force Special Tactics personnel were typically the first to enter combat and often found themselves deep behind enemy lines in demanding, austere conditions, usually with little or no support.

 

The MV-10Hs are expected to provide support for these ground units in the form of all-weather reconnaissance and observation, close air support and also forward air control duties for supporting ground units. Precision ground strikes and protection from enemy helicopters and low-flying aircraft were other, secondary missions for the modernized Broncos, which are expected to serve well into the 2040s. Exports or conversions of foreign OV-10s to the Black Pony standard are not planned, though.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: 2

Length: 42 ft 2½ in (12,88 m) incl. pitot

Wingspan: 45 ft 10½ in(14 m) incl. tip sails

Height: 15 ft 2 in (4.62 m)

Wing area: 290.95 sq ft (27.03 m²)

Airfoil: NACA 64A315

Empty weight: 9,090 lb (4,127 kg)

Gross weight: 13,068 lb (5,931 kg)

Max. takeoff weight: 17,318 lb (7,862 kg)

 

Powerplant:

2× General Electric CT7-9D turboprop engines, 1,305 kW (1,750 hp) each,

driving 8-bladed Hamilton Standard 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) diameter constant-speed,

fully feathering, reversible contra-rotating propellers with metal hub and composite blades

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 390 mph (340 kn, 625 km/h)

Combat range: 198 nmi (228 mi, 367 km)

Ferry range: 1,200 nmi (1,400 mi, 2,200 km) with auxiliary fuel

Maximum loiter time: 5.5 h with auxiliary fuel

Service ceiling: 32.750 ft (10,000 m)

13,500 ft (4.210 m) on one engine

Rate of climb: 17.400 ft/min (48 m/s) at sea level

Take-off run: 480 ft (150 m)

740 ft (227 m) to 50 ft (15 m)

1,870 ft (570 m) to 50 ft (15 m) at MTOW

Landing run: 490 ft (150 m)

785 ft (240 m) at MTOW

1,015 ft (310 m) from 50 ft (15 m)

 

Armament:

1x M197 3-barreled 20 mm Gatling cannon in a chin turret with 750 rounds ammo capacity

7x hardpoints for a total load of 5.000 lb (2,270 kg)

2x wingtip launch rails for AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs

  

The kit and its assembly:

This fictional Bronco update/conversion was simply spawned by the idea: could it be possible to replace the original cockpit section with one from an AH-1 Cobra, for a kind of gunship version?

 

The basis is the Academy OV-10D kit, mated with the cockpit section from a Fujimi AH-1S TOW Cobra (Revell re-boxing, though), chosen because of its “boxy” cockpit section with flat glass panels – I think that it conveys the idea of an armored cockpit section best. Combining these parts was not easy, though, even though the plan sound simple. Initially, the Bronco’s twin booms, wings and stabilizer were built separately, because this made PSR on these sections easier than trying the same on a completed airframe. One of the initial challenges: the different engines. I wanted something uprated, and a different look, and I had a pair of (excellent!) 1:144 resin engines from the Russian company Kompakt Zip for a Tu-95 bomber at hand, which come together with movable(!) eight-blade contraprops that were an almost perfect size match for the original three-blade props. Biggest problem: the Tu-95 nacelles have a perfectly circular diameter, while the OV-10’s booms are square and rectangular. Combining these parts and shapes was already a messy PST affair, but it worked out quite well – even though the result rather reminds of some Chinese upgrade measure (anyone know the Tu-4 copies with turboprops? This here looks similar!). But while not pretty, I think that the beafier look works well and adds to the idea of a “revived” aircraft. And you can hardly beat the menacing look of contraprops on anything...

The exotic, so-called “tip sails” on the wings, mounted on short booms, are a detail borrowed from the Shijiazhuang Y-5B-100, an updated Chinese variant/copy of the Antonov An-2 biplane transporter. The booms are simple pieces of sprue from the Bronco kit, the winglets were cut from 0.5mm styrene sheet.

 

For the cockpit donor, the AH-1’s front section was roughly built, including the engine section (which is a separate module, so that the basic kit can be sold with different engine sections), and then the helicopter hull was cut and trimmed down to match the original Bronco pod and to fit under the wing. This became more complicated than expected, because a) the AH-1 cockpit and the nose are considerably shorter than the OV-10s, b) the AH-1 fuselage is markedly taller than the Bronco’s and c) the engine section, which would end up in the area of the wing, features major recesses, making the surface very uneven – calling for massive PSR to even this out. PSR was also necessary to hide the openings for the Fujimi AH-1’s stub wings. Other issues: the front landing gear (and its well) had to be added, as well as the OV-10 wing stubs. Furthermore, the new cockpit pod’s rear section needed an aerodynamical end/fairing, but I found a leftover Academy OV-10 section from a build/kitbashing many moons ago. Perfect match!

All these challenges could be tackled, even though the AH-1 cockpit looks surprisingly stout and massive on the Bronco’s airframe - the result looks stockier than expected, but it works well for the "Gunship" theme. Lots of PSR went into the new central fuselage section, though, even before it was mated with the OV-10 wing and the rest of the model.

Once cockpit and wing were finally mated, the seams had to disappear under even more PSR and a spinal extension of the canopy had to be sculpted across the upper wing surface, which would meld with the pod’s tail in a (more or less) harmonious shape. Not an easy task, and the fairing was eventually sculpted with 2C putty, plus even more PSR… Looks quite homogenous, though.

 

After this massive body work, other hardware challenges appeared like small distractions. The landing gear was another major issue because the deeper AH-1 section lowered the ground clearance, also because of the chin turret. To counter this, I raised the OV-10’s main landing gear by ~2mm – not much, but it was enough to create a credible stance, together with the front landing gear transplant under the cockpit, which received an internal console to match the main landing gear’s length. Due to the chin turret and the shorter nose, the front wheel retracts backwards now. But this looks quite plausible, thanks to the additional space under the cockpit tub, which also made a belt feed for the gun’s ammunition supply believable.

To enhance the menacing look I gave the model a fixed refueling boom, made from 1mm steel wire and a receptor adapter sculpted with white glue. The latter stuff was also used add some antenna fairings around the hull. Some antennae, chaff dispensers and an IR decoy were taken from the Academy kit.

 

The ordnance came from various sources. The Sidewinders under the wing tips were taken from an Italeri F-16C/D kit, they look better than the missiles from the Academy Bronco kit. Their launch rails came from an Italeri Bae Hawk 200. The quadruple Hellfire launchers on the underwing hardpoints were left over from an Italeri AH-1W, and they are a perfect load for this aircraft and its role. The LAU-10 and -19 missile pods on the stub wings were taken from the OV-10 kit.

  

Painting and markings:

Finding a suitable and somewhat interesting – but still plausible – paint scheme was not easy. Taking the A-10 as benchmark, an overall light grey livery (with focus on low contrast against the sky as protection against ground fire) would have been a likely choice – and in fact the last operational American OV-10s were painted in this fashion. But in order to provide a different look I used the contemporary USAF V-22Bs and Special Operations MC-130s as benchmark, which typically carry a darker paint scheme consisting of FS 36118 (suitably “Gunship Gray” :D) from above, FS 36375 underneath, with a low, wavy waterline, plus low-viz markings. Not spectacular, but plausible – and very similar to the late r/w Colombian OV-10s.

The cockpit tub became Dark Gull Grey (FS 36231, Humbrol 140) and the landing gear white (Revell 301).

 

The model received an overall black ink washing and some post-panel-shading, to liven up the dull all-grey livery. The decals were gathered from various sources, and I settled for black USAF low-viz markings. The “stars and bars” come from a late USAF F-4, the “IP” tail code was tailored from F-16 markings and the shark mouth was taken from an Academy AH-64. Most stencils came from another Academy OV-10 sheet and some other sources.

Decals were also used to create the trim on the propeller blades and markings on the ordnance.

 

Finally, the model was sealed with a coat of matt acrylic varnish (Italeri) and some exhaust soot stains were added with graphite along the tail boom flanks.

  

A successful transplantation – but is this still a modified Bronco or already a kitbashing? The result looks quite plausible and menacing, even though the TOW Cobra front section appears relatively massive. But thanks to the bigger engines and extended wing tips the proportions still work. The large low-pressure tires look a bit goofy under the aircraft, but they are original. The grey livery works IMHO well, too – a more colorful or garish scheme would certainly have distracted from the modified technical basis.

Large Aboriginal child mural by Guido Van Helten on the side wall of 3 Woodburn Street, facing Cleveland Street.

 

Redfern, Sydney, Australia (Wednesday 10 May 2017)

Using iPhone 5s burst mode, I captured my cat's thought process when I reminded him He already got his treats.

Computers and electronic technology are in the classrooms for good. Many schools have 1 to 1 initiatives that put a computing device into the hands of each student. This graphic is a challenge for teachers to move beyond the obvious and traditional uses of computers (browsing, clicking, chatting, and gaming) to inventing, designing, creating, building, sharing. Inspired by a Mitch Resnick Lifelong Kindergarten video. www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7rlLml5ReQ

 

We don't just browse, click, chat, game, we invent, we design, we create, we build, we share.

Danbo trying to keep up with my photography skills (like I have any).

 

263/365

 

Sorry this was uploaded late, I had to get up early to go on this college fieldtrip to UC Davis & UC Berkley. Was kinda fun. :D

Used Aurora HDR to make a 3 shot HDR also DXO to reduce noise, PhotoScape X for sharping and Lightroom

Butterflies use their antennae to sense the air for wind and scents. The antennae have clubbed-tips. The sensory receptors are concentrated in the tips and can detect odor's.

 

Taste receptors are located on the palps and on the feet. Adult butterflies consume only liquids, ingested through the proboscis as they sip water and feed on nectar from flower. The proboscis is elongated and tubular expands when needed to feed and curls up at rest.

 

Butterflies are brightly colored flying insects with four wings that vary in color and pattern according to species, the wings are covered with tiny overlapping rows of scales.

 

Butterflies in their adult stage can live from a week to nearly a year depending on the species.

 

Butterflies are important as pollinators, although in general they do not carry as much pollen as bees. They are however capable of moving pollen over greater distances.

 

Butterflies are widely used as objects of art in jewelry, artwork, furnishings and photographic art. A famous illustration was in Alice in Wonderland, the caterpillar seated on a toadstool and is smoking a hookah.

 

Hope you enjoy!

 

All rights reserved ©Pix.by.PegiSue

www.flickr.com/photos/pix-by-pegisue/

 

Butterfly Jungle @SDZSafariPark

Taken at:

San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Escondido, CA

I took a gamble and used a couple vacation days and headed to Pennsylvania solo to try something that's long been on my bucket list. The Port Road branch down the Susquehanna River from near Harrisburg, PA to Perryville, MD and the chance to shoot real freight trains under the wire on the Northeast Corridor.

 

While most of the Amtrak Northeast Corridor is bereft of heavy duty thru freight trains the sixty or so mile stretch between Wilmington, Delaware and Baltimore, Maryland is the exception. Conrail gave up on electrified freight operations in 1981 and even then already had plans to reroute traffic off the NEC. For one, Amtrak and the assorted commuter operators were increasing frequencies and long relatively slow freights use up valuable capacity. Two, Amtrak trackage use fees made other routing options more economic. Three, Conrail had other routes that allowed it to bypass the NEC for through traffic destined to connections to the south. Four, the tragic Chase, MD wreck in 1987 between light Conrail power and the Colonial that killed 16 only led to more clamor to eliminate freight traffic as soon as possible. The southern anchor for all corridor freight traffic was Potomac Yard in Alexandria, VA and by 1991 it was closed and thru freights under the wires were but a memory....except this stretch.

 

With the Baltimore and Wilmington areas both major sources of traffic Conrail and successor Norfolk Southern had no other way to access those markets except via the Amtrak mainline. So traffic for those points from east, west, and north tunnel into the Harrisburg area via NS' former Pennsy and Reading mainlines and then run east (compass south) down river along the east bank of the Susquehanna to Perryville where a wye connection allows Wilmington bound trains to turn north and Baltimore bound trains to turn south under the wires. At the present the route toward Baltimore is the busier of the two with intermodal, manifest, and autos moving daily (though the modern PSR driven NS seems content to often run a one-train-does-it-all monster) along with unit coal trains for export destined to the Consol terminal on Baltimore harbor. Right now the export business is booming and it seems there is at least a couple coal trains most days and some days up to five. The route to the north from Perryville sees a pair of daily trains to and from Edgemoor Yard as well as occasional unit grain trains for the Delmarva Penninsula and and occasional ethanol and crude oil trains to the Delaware City refinery complex. A few years ago the latter were much more frequent than they are now, but such are the changing fortunes of the Port Road.

In the modern era, though, even this remaining traffic I just described was almost 100% nocturnal due to the volume of passenger traffic during daylight hours and Amtrak's inability or unwillingness to provide windows for freight traffic. But the reduced frequencies they have been running due to pandemic induced ridership drops has opened up space for freight traffic to run in daylight hours. And over the last few months the once exceedingly rare daylight freight has become much more common. But this is expected to end soon once Amtrak returns to their planned full schedule thanks to stimulus funding they received and increasing demand as the economy opens.

 

So I knew if I didn't at least try now I would come to regret it later. I gave myself three days and despite a slow start my gamble ultimately paid off an I achieved all my goals and more! But it wasn't looking good initially as Thursday morning I headed trackside with no reports of sightings or anything called. So I swung by Safe Harbor just to see it the went to the are of the three tunnels clustered near the state line. While driving to that area I got a message from a friend that a northbound was lined up and I realized I'd missed him while driving up and around. As it turns out that would be the only daylight train on the Port Road for 11 hrs or so and I'd missed it!

 

So after striking out miserably I headed down to Maryland to look for NS local H04 based out of Bayview Yard in Baltimore that works north along the corridor serving a few customers. I drove over an hour to the MARC station at Martin Airport only to miss them by seconds! But then I heard the radio chatter that CTEC-2 was putting them in the siding at Edgewood for two before they could continue north to clear up on the Channel Lumber track to go work Clorox. This delay gave me just enough time to drive the almost 30 min back north because even though it's only 9 rail miles it's substantially longer driving miles and there is a lot of traffic. I arrived just moments before they got the light out of the siding. So finally, at 3PM after 7 hrs trackside I finally photographed something! It was an inauspicious start to the trip but it would all look up from here!

 

Anyway, here is NS train H04 with three units bracketing 16 cars (2 on the north end account one was dead) crossing over out of the siding at CP WOOD MP 75.3 on Amtrak's former Pennsylvania Railroad northeast corridor mainline. This view is from the northbound MARC commuter rail platform. Just out of sight to the left is the surviving former PRR Edgewood Tower dating from the 1938 when the PRR built out the freight electrification, though this section had been electrified in 1935. The tower controlled the CTC interlocking here and the next two south at Magnolia and Gunpowder remotely, and it remained in service at least through the late 1980s by Amtrak.

 

To read more about the Port Road and a little history of Pennsy electrification check out this link to the only prior time I'd visited a bit of the Port Road: flic.kr/p/2hYYUSg

 

Edgewood, Maryland

Thursday April 1, 2021

Using call-sign 'Fear 31', US Air Force 5th BW Boeing B-52H Stratofortress 61-0018 'Night Train' slides by Shoreham at 20,000 feet whilst on a coastal round-robin of the Southern UK

 

276A1522

I wonder if people just get used to giant wind turbines everywhere they look. I don't think the cows mind.

  

These are from my own personal collection. They are free to use in your Art only, not for Sale on a Collage Sheet or a CD.

Using an Ektachrome Infrared (EIR) film to take a picture from the window seat

These are from my own personal collection. They are free to use in your Art only, not for Sale on a Collage Sheet or a CD.

Using an Olympus (almost toy ) water resistant digital camera....

The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft with a two-man crew that served during and after the Second World War. It was one of few operational front-line aircraft of the era constructed almost entirely of wood and was nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder". The Mosquito was also known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews. Originally conceived as an unarmed fast bomber, the Mosquito was adapted to roles including low to medium-altitude daytime tactical bomber, high-altitude night bomber, pathfinder, day or night fighter, fighter-bomber, intruder, maritime strike aircraft, and fast photo-reconnaissance aircraft. It was also used by the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) as a fast transport to carry small high-value cargoes to, and from, neutral countries, through enemy-controlled airspace.

 

When the Mosquito began production in 1941, it was one of the fastest operational aircraft in the world. Entering widespread service in 1942, the Mosquito was a high-speed, high-altitude photo-reconnaissance aircraft, continuing in this role throughout the war. From mid-1942 to mid-1943 Mosquito bombers flew high-speed, medium or low-altitude missions against factories, railways and other pinpoint targets in Germany and German-occupied Europe. From late 1943, Mosquito bombers were formed into the Light Night Strike Force and used as pathfinders for RAF Bomber Command's heavy-bomber raids. They were also used as "nuisance" bombers, often dropping Blockbuster bombs - 4,000 lb (1,812 kg) "cookies" - in high-altitude, high-speed raids that German night fighters were almost powerless to intercept.

 

As a night fighter, from mid-1942, the Mosquito intercepted Luftwaffe raids on the United Kingdom, notably defeating Operation Steinbock in 1944. Starting in July 1942, Mosquito night-fighter units raided Luftwaffe airfields. As part of 100 Group, it was a night fighter and intruder supporting RAF Bomber Command's heavy bombers and reduced bomber losses during 1944 and 1945. As a fighter-bomber in the Second Tactical Air Force, the Mosquito took part in "special raids", such as the attack on Amiens Prison in early 1944, and in precision attacks against Gestapo or German intelligence and security forces. Second Tactical Air Force Mosquitos supported the British Army during the 1944 Normandy Campaign. From 1943 Mosquitos with RAF Coastal Command strike squadrons attacked Kriegsmarine U-boats (particularly in the 1943 Bay of Biscay, where significant numbers were sunk or damaged) and intercepting transport ship concentrations.

 

The Mosquito flew with the Royal Air Force (RAF) and other air forces in the European theatre, and the Mediterranean and Italian theatres. The Mosquito was also used by the RAF in the South East Asian theatre, and by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) based in the Halmaheras and Borneo during the Pacific War.

 

By the early-mid-1930s, de Havilland had a reputation for innovative high-speed aircraft with the DH.88 Comet racer. The later DH.91 Albatross airliner pioneered the composite wood construction that the Mosquito used. The 22-passenger Albatross could cruise at 210 miles per hour (340 km/h) at 11,000 feet (3,400 m), better than the 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) Handley Page H.P.42 and other biplanes it was replacing. The wooden monocoque construction not only saved weight and compensated for the low power of the de Havilland Gipsy Twelve engines used by this aircraft, but simplified production and reduced construction time.

 

Air Ministry bomber requirements and concepts:

 

On 8 September 1936, the British Air Ministry issued Specification P.13/36 which called for a twin-engined medium bomber capable of carrying a bomb load of 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg) for 3,000 miles (4,800 km) with a maximum speed of 275 miles per hour (443 km/h) at 15,000 feet (4,600 m); a maximum bomb load of 8,000 pounds (3,600 kg) which could be carried over shorter ranges was also specified. Aviation firms entered heavy designs with new high-powered engines and multiple defensive turrets, leading to the production of the Avro Manchester and Handley Page Halifax.

 

In May 1937, as a comparison to P.13/36, George Volkert, the chief designer of Handley Page, put forward the concept of a fast unarmed bomber. In 20 pages, Volkert planned an aerodynamically clean medium bomber to carry 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg) of bombs at a cruising speed of 300 miles per hour (480 km/h). There was support in the RAF and Air Ministry; Captain R N Liptrot, Research Director Aircraft 3 (RDA3), appraised Volkert's design, calculating that its top speed would exceed the new Supermarine Spitfire. There were, however, counter-arguments that, although such a design had merit, it would not necessarily be faster than enemy fighters for long. The ministry was also considering using non-strategic materials for aircraft production, which, in 1938, had led to specification B.9/38 and the Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle medium bomber, largely constructed from spruce and plywood attached to a steel-tube frame. The idea of a small, fast bomber gained support at a much earlier stage than sometimes acknowledged though it was unlikely that the Air Ministry envisaged it not using light alloy components.

  

Project Mosquito:

 

Once design of the DH.98 had started, de Havilland built mock-ups, the most detailed at Salisbury Hall, in the hangar where E0234 was being built. Initially, this was designed with the crew enclosed in the fuselage behind a transparent nose (similar to the Bristol Blenheim or Heinkel He 111H), but this was quickly altered to a more solid nose with a more conventional canopy.

 

The construction of the prototype began in March 1940, but work was cancelled again after the Battle of Dunkirk, when Lord Beaverbrook, as Minister of Aircraft Production, decided there was no production capacity for aircraft like the DH.98, which was not expected to be in service until early 1941. Although Lord Beaverbrook told Air Vice-Marshal Freeman that work on the project had better stop, he did not issue a specific instruction, and Freeman ignored the request. In June 1940, however, Lord Beaverbrook and the Air Staff ordered that production was to focus on five existing types, namely the Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, Vickers Wellington, Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley and the Bristol Blenheim. Work on the DH.98 prototype stopped, and it seemed that the project would be shut down when the design team were denied the materials with which to build their prototype.

 

The Mosquito was only reinstated as a priority in July 1940, after de Havilland's General Manager L.C.L Murray, promised Lord Beaverbrook 50 Mosquitoes by December 1941, and this, only after Beaverbrook was satisfied that Mosquito production would not hinder de Havilland's primary work of producing Tiger Moth and Oxford trainers and repairing Hurricanes as well as the licence manufacture of Merlin engines. In promising Beaverbrook 50 Mosquitoes by the end of 1941, de Havilland was taking a gamble, because it was unlikely that 50 Mosquitos could be built in such a limited time; as it transpired only 20 Mosquitos were built in 1941, but the other 30 were delivered by mid-March 1942.

 

During the Battle of Britain, nearly a third of de Havilland's factory time was lost because the workers took cover in the factory's bomb shelters. Nevertheless, work on the prototype went quickly, such that E0234 was rolled out on 19 November 1940.

 

In the aftermath of the Battle of Britain, the original order was changed to 20 bomber variants and 30 fighters. It was still uncertain whether the fighter version should have dual or single controls, or should carry a turret, so three prototypes were eventually built: W4052, W4053 and W4073. The latter, both turret armed, were later disarmed, to become the prototypes for the T.III trainer. This caused some delays as half-built wing components had to be strengthened for the expected higher combat load requirements. The nose sections also had to be altered, omitting the clear perspex bomb-aimer's position, to solid noses designed to house four .303 machine guns and their ammunition.

 

Overview:

 

The Mosquito was a fast, twin-engined aircraft with shoulder-mounted wings. The most-produced variant, designated the FB Mk VI (Fighter-bomber Mark 6), was powered by two Merlin Mk 23 or Mk 25 engines driving three-bladed de Havilland hydromatic propellers. The typical fixed armament for an FB Mk VI was four Browning .303 machine guns and four 20 mm Hispano cannon while the offensive load consisted of up to 2,000 pounds (910 kg) of bombs, or eight RP-3 unguided rockets.

 

Construction:

 

The oval-section fuselage was a frameless monocoque shell built in two halves being formed to shape by band clamps over a mahogany or concrete mould, each holding one half of the fuselage, split vertically. The shell halves were made of sheets of Ecuadorean balsawood sandwiched between sheets of Canadian birch, but in areas needing extra strength— such as along cut-outs— stronger woods replaced the balsa filler; the overall thickness of the birch and balsa sandwich skin was only 7⁄16 inch (11 mm). This sandwich skin was so stiff that no internal reinforcement was necessary from the wing's rear spar to the tail bearing bulkhead. The join was along the vertical centre line. This split construction greatly aided the assembly of the internal equipment as it allowed the technicians easy access to the fuselage interior. While the glue in the plywood skin dried, carpenters cut a sawtooth joint into the edges of the fuselage shells, while other workers installed the controls and cabling on the inside wall. When the glue completely dried, the two halves were glued and screwed together. The fuselage was strengthened internally by seven bulkheads made up of two plywood skins parted by spruce blocks, which formed the basis on each half for the outer shell. Each bulkhead was a repeat of the spruce design for the fuselage halves; a balsa sheet sandwich between two plywood sheets/skins. Bulkhead number seven carried the fittings and loads for the tailplane and rudder, The type of glue originally used was Casein, which was later replaced by "Aerolite", a synthetic urea-formaldehyde, which was more durable. Many other types of screws and flanges (made of various woods) also held the structure together.

 

The fuselage construction joints were made from balsa wood and plywood strips with the spruce multi-ply being connected by a balsa V joint, along with the interior frame. The spruce would be reinforced by plywood strips at the point where the two halves joined to form the V-joint. Located on top of the joint the plywood formed the outer skin. During the joining of the two halves ("boxing up"), two laminated wooden clamps would be used in the after portion of the fuselage to act as support. A covering of doped Madapolam (a fine plain woven cotton) fabric was stretched tightly over the shell and a coat of silver dope was applied, after which the exterior camouflage was applied. The fuselage had a large ventral section cut-out, which was braced during construction, to allow it to be lowered onto the wing centre-section. Once the wing was secured the lower panels were replaced, and the bomb bay or armament doors fitted.

 

The all-wood wing was built as a one-piece structure and was not divided into separate construction sections. It was made up of two main spars, spruce and plywood compression ribs, stringers, and a plywood covering. The outer plywood skin was covered and doped like the fuselage. The wing was installed into the roots by means of four large attachment points. The engine radiators were fitted in the inner wing, just outboard of the fuselage on either side. These gave less drag. The radiators themselves were split into three sections: an oil cooler section outboard, the middle section forming the coolant radiator and the inboard section serving the cabin heater. The wing contained metal framed and skinned ailerons, but the flaps were made of wood and were hydraulically controlled. The nacelles were mostly wood, although, for strength, the engine mounts were all metal as were the undercarriage parts. Engine mounts of welded steel tube were added, along with simple landing gear oleos filled with rubber blocks. Wood was used to carry only in-plane loads, with metal fittings used for all triaxially loaded components such as landing gear, engine mounts, control surface mounting brackets, and the wing-to-fuselage junction. The outer leading wing edge had to be brought 22 inches (56 cm) further forward to accommodate this design. The main tail unit was all wood built. The control surfaces, the rudder and elevator, were aluminium framed and fabric covered. The total weight of metal castings and forgings used in the aircraft was only 280 lb (130 kg).

 

In November 1944, several crashes occurred in the Far East. At first, it was thought these were as a result of wing structure failures. The casein glue, it was said, cracked when exposed to extreme heat and/or monsoon conditions. This caused the upper surfaces to "lift" from the main spar. An investigating team led by Major Hereward de Havilland travelled to India and produced a report in early December 1944 stating that "the accidents were not caused by the deterioration of the glue but by shrinkage of the airframe during the wet monsoon season". However a later inquiry by Cabot & Myers definitely attributed the accidents to faulty manufacture and this was confirmed by a further investigation team by the Ministry of Aircraft Production at Defford which found faults in six different Marks of Mosquito (all built at de Havilland's Hatfield and Leavesden plants) which showed similar defects, and none of the aircraft had been exposed to monsoon conditions or termite attack; thus it was concluded that there were construction defects found at the two plants. It was found that the "Standard of glueing...left much to be desired”. Records at the time showed that accidents caused by "loss of control" were three times more frequent on Mosquitoes than on any other type of aircraft. The Air Ministry forestalled any loss of confidence in the Mosquito by holding to Major de Havilland's initial investigation in India that the accidents were caused "largely by climate" To solve the problem, a sheet of plywood was set along the span of the wing to seal the entire length of the skin joint along the main spar.

 

Information regarding the de Havilland DH98 Mosquito has been taken from excerpts contained on Wikipedia

 

Aston Martin Ulster Roadster (1936)

 

In 1927 Aston Martin was taken over by race driver A. C. Bertelli. He designed a 1.5-litre, SOHC engine which would eventually power the LeMans-racing Ulster. Thoughout the years the engine was devloped to include dry sump lubrication.

 

The Aston Martin Ulster stands as one of the most respected pre-war racecars. It was largely based on the Mark II which came before it.

 

The Ulster had a breif two year race program. During this time they dominated the British Tourist Trophy at Goodwood. In 1934, Ulsters took first, second and third place. The best LeMans result was achieved in 1935. Chassis LM20 raced to third overall which put it first in the 1101 to 1500cc class.

 

After the race efforts, Aston Martin readied a production version of the LeMans cars. Twenty-One of these cars were built of which all are accounted for today.

 

Aston Martin Ulster information used from:

 

www.supercars.net/cars/2084.html

 

In the 1980's a small number (7) replicas of the Aston Martin Ulster Roadster were manufactured as a kit car:

 

Fergus Mosquito (Aston Martin Ulster replica)

 

Kop Hill Climb - 25th September 2011

 

Fergus Mosquito - an Aston Martin Ulster replica.

 

Only seven were made in Kingsbridge, Devon, in the 1980s, using donor Morris Marina B-series engines and other parts.

 

UIJ233 is the best of the 7 replicas.

 

These two models, the de Havilland DH98 Mosquito aircraft and the Aston Martin Ulster Roadster of 1936 have been created in Lego miniland scale for Flickr LUGNuts' 79th Build Challenge, - 'LUGNuts goes Wingnuts" - featuring automotive vehicles named after, inspired by or related to aircraft.

used a Height extender and now Im a 8ft tall Kupra chick with longgggg legs :D

Not gonna lie, this is really just an excuse to use this picture I took...a while ago, and never got to use. Welp, I've found a use. It's also a nice oppurtunity to do a proper bio of my version of the Doctor, as I never quite got round to it.

 

This is the kinda thing I'm looking for in an entry. Of course, you could trade in the companions for a couple of villains. Or make a Tardis console room and put your Doctor in that. Right, I'm babbling, so I'll skip to the description.

 

So, this Doctor, the one in my series, has just come out of the Time war. He is approximately 900-ish years old and is in his 9th incarnation. since regenerating, he has a new lease on life, even if he is plagued by the demons of the time war. They will fade, hopefully. He's a fairly cheerful chap, always with a smile on his face. Unless someone threatens those he cares about. Then his smile turns to a frown, and his eyes burn with the fury of a thousand suns. In the time war he saw many die. Friends, family, innocent bystanders. But no more. e will never let anyone close to him get hurt ever again.

 

So, that's that. Have fun coming up with your entries, I can't wait to see them :D

Made in USA ; expiration date 1995 . Kodak Gold 400 film inside .

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