View allAll Photos Tagged workload
A slow shutter speed gives flight to fallen autumn leaves.
Probably not the best shot to launch a "comeback," but none the less, it's good to be back Flickr'ing again. Postings may be a little sporadic for the first while until I get some of my heavy workload behind me. Hope y'all come back now. ;-)
This is a look at the wall of steel inside a rear loader, but only being an example of what it looks like inside a Heil 4000 body. The shot on the left is within a US model, whereas the right picture is a Euro model, captured from inside a brand new truck before any rubbish had gone through. The ejectors generally always serve the same purpose, but there are still different designs and engineering aspects that set various makes apart. Typically these eject blades ride a set of rails on the left and right edges of the body, however sometimes dual rails run along the middle of the body floor. Often a single telescopic cylinder of varying stage extensions provides the driving power for the blade, with a lower pressure to retract the wall of steel, whereas a higher pressure is required for extending to achieve push out of the load. Even though these eject blades do just what their name suggests, they can also play a crucial role in compaction. When aiming for maximum density payload, the concept is to pack material against this wall of steel right throughout the length of the body, where it gradually moves backwards due to the resulting pressure from the compaction process (or by manual means). This helps achieve the best load possible in every square metre of available volume, although maximum compaction in a rear loader isn’t always necessary depending on the workload circumstances and waste stream being handled.
In a room normally used as a women’s prayer space, children in the village of Guéchémé, including Zanoibana (12) and Fatima (7), pursue their studies while a new village school is being built. The prayer room also serves as a training center. In Niger, where 80 percent of the population is rural, two-thirds of inhabitants are illiterate. The Ministry of Population, Advancement of Women and Protection of Children has established programs designed to lighten women’s workload, especially in rural areas, by providing access to mills and hulling devices. Its chief aim is to free up the time demands on young girls, enabling them to go to school instead of helping their mothers work In this village, women organized their own cooperative and received modern equipment to process grains and increase their revenue. They are also able to send their children to school. In Niger, the Ministry of Education adopted the slogan for the 2015 – 2016 school year “I’m standing up for girls’ education, because it changes lives.” Photo: © Stephan Gladieu / World Bank
Camera: Canon PowerShot A560
Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Actually it reminds us our those childhood where we used to study with a Candle and we had not sufficient electricity supply... Bunch of books and lots of workload.. need to be done under one Candle night....
Here is the other version: flickr.com/photos/munaz/2517170549/
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on authentic facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The Latvian Air Force was first founded during the Latvian War of Independence in 1919. In 1939, the Aviation Regiment consisted of three fighter squadrons, armed with 24 Gloster Gladiator and 6 Bristol Bulldog (a fourth squadron was in organization), three reconnaissance squadrons, armed with up to 12 Letov Š-16LS, 2 Hawker Hind and 10 Stampe SV.5, and a naval reconnaissance squadron with 4 Fairey Seal and two other planes. The Soviet occupation in 1940 ended the activities of the Air Force. At that time there were almost 130 aircraft in service.
The post-Soviet Latvian Air Force was formed on 24 February 1992 at Spilve Airport. In August 1994, the air force moved to an ex-soviet Lielvārde Air Base. In the beginning of the new century two new and more heavy Mi-8MTV Hip helicopters were bought for search and rescue equipment duties, but they were also used for transportation of troops, evacuation and support of the Special Forces. In March 2004 Latvia joined NATO and the Ministry of Defense made the decision to improve the small country’s air defense with a dedicated fighter squadron. The country also bought two more Mi-8MTV's at the Russian Ulan Ude helicopter (rework) factory that year, augmenting the SAR fleet.
In 2005, soldiers of the Air Force Air Defense Wing started a training course in order to prepare an upgraded air defense. At the same time, the Latvian Air Force commenced the modernization of the surface air defense capabilities by signing a contract regarding procurement of RBS-70 manpads missiles from Sweden and negotiated the purchase or leasing of 2nd hand Saab JAS 39 Gripen. Coming from a neutral country, the Gripen was the LAF’s wish candidate for the new interceptor aircraft, but eventually Latvia could be convinced (primarily through the USA and with generous financial support thorugh the “Baltic Peace II” program) to buy eight F-5E fighters and two F-5F trainers with relatively low flying hours and in good overall condition from Switzerland. Besides the financial support, the type’s ruggedness and relatively low maintenance costs led to this choice.
The Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II itself was part of a highly successful supersonic light fighter family, initially designed in the late 1950s by Northrop Corporation. Being smaller and simpler than contemporaries such as the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, the F-5 cost less to both procure and operate, making it a popular export aircraft. The F-5 started life as a privately funded light fighter program by Northrop in the 1950s. The design team wrapped a small, highly aerodynamic fighter around two compact and high-thrust General Electric J85 engines, focusing on performance and low cost of maintenance. Though primarily designed for the day air superiority role, the aircraft was also a capable ground-attack platform.
After winning the International Fighter Aircraft competition in 1970, a program aimed at providing effective low-cost fighters to American allies, Northrop introduced the second-generation F-5E Tiger II in 1972. This upgrade included more powerful engines, higher fuel capacity, greater wing area and improved leading edge extensions for a better turn rate, optional air-to-air refueling, and improved avionics including air-to-air radar. A total of 1,400 Tiger IIs were built before production ended in 1987, and the type is still in operational use in many countries round the world.
The Swiss F-5E airframes for Latvia were overhauled and the avionics suite modernized in 2006 and 2007 by SAI in Italy. Elbit Systems from Israel became the sub-contractor responsible for systems integration. Upgrades for the fighters included an Italian FIAR Grifo-F X band multi-mode radar with BVR (beyond-visual-range) missile and Look-down/shoot-down capabilities, making the modernized F-5E capable of deploying AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, which were, together with AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs, part of the Baltic Peace II support for Latvia. The new radar necessitated an enlarged radome for its scanner antenna, resulting in a duckbill shape. The fighters’ port side M39 20 mm cannon was removed to make way for the additional avionics.
All machines received a revamped cockpit with new MIL-STD-1553R databuses, a GEC/Ferranti 4510 Head-up display/weapons delivery system, two BAE Systems MED-2067 Multi-function displays, Litton LN-93 inertial navigation system and Hands On Throttle-And-Stick controls (HOTAS) to reduce pilot workload. Reportedly, the Elisra SPS2000 radar warning receiver and countermeasure system was also installed.
The modernization process was completed by early 2007 and the machines were re-designated F-5L/M. By late 2007, the Latvian air defense had become operational and worked closely together with its Baltic neighbors and the NATO forces that were frequently deployed to the Baltic NATO countries.
The small Latvian F-5 fleet is expected to remain in service until 2024, even tough, if there is sufficient funding, the machines will certainly be replaced beforehand by more capable models. The Saab Gripen is still a favored candidate, but F-16C/Ds from USAF stocks are a potential option, too.
By end of 2009, the LAF’s Fighter Squadron moved to Lielvārde Air Base, in an attempt to ensure centralization of Air Force units and to establish an efficient command and control system, which will result in a reduction of the Air Force units’ maintenance costs. With the Fighter Squadron the Air Force carries out Latvian airspace surveillance, control and defense and provides air defense support to the Land Forces units.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 47 ft 4¾ in (14.45 m)
Wingspan: 26 ft 8 in (8.13 m)
Height: 13 ft 4½ in (4.08 m)
Wing area: 186 ft² (17.28 m²)
Airfoil: NACA 65A004.8 root, NACA 64A004.8 tip
Empty weight: 9,558 lb (4,349 kg)
Loaded weight: 15,745 lb (7,157 kg)
Max. take-off weight: 24,722 lb (11,214 kg)
Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.02
Drag area: 3.4 ft² (0.32 m²)
Aspect ratio: 3.82
Internal fuel: 677 U.S. gal (2,563 L)
External fuel: up to 3× 275 U.S. gal (1,040 L) drop tanks
Powerplant:
2× General Electric J85-GE-21B turbojet with 3,500 lbf (15.5 kN) dry thrust
and 5,000 lbf (22.2 kN) thrust with afterburner each
Performance:
Maximum speed: 917 kn (Mach 1.6, 1,060 mph, 1,700 km/h) at altitude
Range: 760 nmi (870 mi, 1,405 km)
Ferry range: 2,010 nmi (2,310 mi, 3,700 km)
Service ceiling: 51,800 ft (15,800 m)
Rate of climb: 34,400 ft/min (175 m/s)
Lift-to-drag ratio: 10.0
Armament:
1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M39A2 Revolver cannon in the nose with 280 rounds
7 hardpoints (2× wing-tip AAM launch rails, 4× under-wing & 1× under-fuselage pylon stations,
only pylon stations 3, 4 and 5 are wet-plumbed) with a capacity of 7,000 pounds (3,200 kg)
The kit and its assembly:
A relatively simple build, originally inspired by a Blue Rider decal sheet for Latvian Air Force aircraft that I had bought some time ago, as part of a vague plan to build a modern what-if aircraft for each of the young and small Baltic states’ air forces. The first one had been a Lithuanian MiG-21, Estonia is still pending (even though there’s a vague idea), and the Lithuanian interceptor was recently spawned when I bought an Italeri F-5E as part of a kit lot, even though it lacked box, decals and instructions and had a slight damage.
The Tiger II was built mostly OOB, the only changes I made are replaced wing tip launch rails (they were damaged beyond repair), I omitted port side cannon and created a modified “shark nose” radome, which was sculpted with putty; in real life, the enlarged radome for the upgraded radar is 33cm deeper than the original F-5E radome, even though the aircraft’s overall length remained the same, as well as the nose profile. In order to make the model look a little less static I slightly lowered the slats and the flaps – easy to realize on this model. The leftover cannon received a better barrel, made from a hollow steel needle. The pair of AIM-120s and their respective launch rails come from a Hasegawa air-to-air weapons set. The ventral drop tank came from the kit.
The Italeri F-5E is a simple affair and goes together well, even though the section ahead of the air intakes called for considerable PSR work – not certain if that’s my fault or an innate flaw of the kit (which comes with an upper and lower fuselage half)? The raised panel lines are another weak point – the kit cannot conceal its age, and there are certainly better options today (e .g. from Hobby Boss).
Painting and markings:
I wanted something that would neither look too Western, nor a typical Soviet-style livery. The resulting paint scheme is purely fictional and was inspired by a grey North Korean MiG-21 and USAF aggressor schemes for F-5Es – both reminiscent of the Soviet “Pumpkin” paint scheme for export MiG-21s. For the choice of colors, the complex “Norm 81” scheme from German Luftwaffe F-4Fs had an influence.
The result became a primarily grey air superiority scheme with uniform light grey undersides (FS 36495, Humbrol 147) and light Ghost Grey (FS 36375, Humbrol 127) fuselage and fin. The wings’ upper surfaces became mostly Dark Gull Grey (FS 36231, Testors 1740) and patches of the same tone were applied to the fuselage and the fin, too. On the wings’ upper surfaces, some patches in a dull, greenish grey (Humbrol 111, Uniform Grey) were finally added in order to break the aircraft’s outlines from above. The result somewhat reminds of German WWII camouflage, even though unintentionally.
The radome was painted in Revell 75 (Light Grey, with a brownish hue) to set it apart from the rest of the aircraft. Humbrol 140 was used for the cockpit interior. The landing gear became classic glossy white, while the air intake interior was painted in Humbrol 127, matching the aircraft’s flanks. Only subtle post-shading and weathering was done.
As mentioned above, the Latvian air force markings came from a Blue Rider decal sheet. The tactical codes and the matching serial number come from a Begemot MiG-21sheet. Other fictional elements are the NATO emblem on the fin and a small squadron emblem on the nose, which is a vintage Polish air force motif.
Most stencils had to be salvaged from secondary sources, since the kit came without a decal sheet. Fortunately, I had a spare F-5E sheet left over from a Hobby Boss kit. As a final step, the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (Italeri).
A rather simple project, but re-sculpting the nose was a tedious task. However, I am happy with the outcome and how the fictional paint scheme works. Together with the exotic Latvian roundels, this creates an interesting, if not plausible, look.
Had a run out to Woodlesford this morning to see Tornado at Woodlesford. Sue came along with me and with the extra workload taking the wheelchair, blue badge and various other items which are so necessary these days plus the fact that I'm now in my 80s and probably loosing it a bit I forgot to put the most important item in the car (the camera) so as I had my phone with me a video was my best option.
60163 Tornado arrives at Woodlesford with 1Z42 the 0928 York to Carlisle, I wonder how long it is since a steam train stopped at Woodlesford it's got to be something like 60 years.
See this locomotive in the video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDP5mgPXMf0&feature=youtu.be
At last! A steam tour comes to town after months of silence, today in the form of flagship British Railways Standard Class 7, 70000 'Britannia', hauling the 'Torbay Express' from Bristol Temple Meads to Kingswear and return. Here, the train works the return service along the banks of the River Teign, whistling loudly and proudly to the sound of the the water and the Seagulls.
One of the last and most powerful steam locomotives ever built, the British Rail Standard Class 7 was BR's top express locomotive, and could have been utilised far better in its short lifespan, but ended up only serving the railways for 15 years, a blink of an eye compared to other mainline Pacifics of the time that had operated under the pre-nationalisation companies.
Designed by Robert Riddles, who had previously coined the design for the War Department Austerity 2-10-0 and 2-8-0 freight locomotives, the BR Standard Class 7's were conceived of as a result of the 1948 locomotive exchanges, which were done to test the best and worst aspects of locomotive design within the Big Four railway companies that had existed before nationalisation. The research gained from operating the best designs of the GWR, LMS, LNER and Southern railways on different areas of the British Railways network paved the way for several new classes of standardised locomotives to be constructed, largely to replace many of the ageing Victorian era engines that even in the late 1940's continued to ply their merry trade.
The first design requested by the Railway Executive was for a new express passenger Pacific locomotive, designed specifically to reduce maintenance and using the latest available innovations in steam technology from home and abroad. Various labour-saving devices were utilised to produce a simple, standard and effective design, able to produce equivalent power to some of the Pacifics that were still available as legacies of the Big Four.
The basic design of the Standard 7's can be traced to LMS construction practices, largely owed to Riddles' previous career with that company, but complimented this with the boiler and trailing wheel design of the Southern Railway's Merchant Navy Pacifics so as to follow the best design practice. The firebox was also similar in having a rocking grate, which allowed the fire to be rebuilt without stopping the locomotive, removing both ash and clinker on the move. A self-cleaning smokebox was used, which enabled ash to flow into the atmosphere, reducing the workload of the engine cleaner at the end of a working day. A single chimney was placed on top of the smokebox, which was unusual for a Pacific type of locomotive.
The Standard 7's were fitted with 6 ft 2 in driving wheels, allowing these engines greater capacity for use in mixed-traffic working, which made them available for both sustained fast running with heavy passenger trains, yet small enough to allow them to undertake more mundane tasks such as freight haulage.
55 of these engines were constructed between 1951 and 1954, with 70000 'Britannia' being the first and flagship of the fleet, with residual locomotives of the class being dubbed 'Britannia-Class'. Three batches were constructed at Crewe Works, before the publication of the 1955 Modernisation Plan.
Britannia was built at Crewe, completed on 2 January 1951. She was the first British Railways standard locomotive to be built and the first of 55 locomotives of the Britannia class. The locomotive was named at a ceremony at Marylebone Station by the then Minister for Transport Alfred Barnes on 30 January 1951. The BR Locomotive Naming Committee were determined not to use names already in use on other locomotives. They tried to observe this by not selecting the name Britannia for use on 70000 because it was already in use on one of the ex-LMS Jubilee Class locomotives, but Robert Riddles overruled them and the Jubilee had to be renamed.
The Britannias took their names from great Britons, former Star Class locomotives, and Scottish firths, although one locomotive, 70047, was never named. The success of these first Standard Pacifics gave birth to two other Pacific classes over the BR years, including the unique BR Standard Class 8, number 71000 'Duke of Gloucester', which was built in 1954 to replace the destroyed Princess Royal Class locomotive number 46202 Princess Anne, lost in the Harrow and Wealdstone rail disaster of 1952, and the fleet of 10 BR Standard Class 6 'Clan' Pacifics that were employed on services in the west of Scotland, but failed to gain a stellar reputation due to their employment on timetables for the more powerful Standard 7's they couldn't keep up to.
The class gained a warm response from locomotive crews across all British Railway Regions, with especially glowing reports from those operating them from Stratford depot on the Eastern Region, where its lower weight and high power transformed motive power over the restricted East Anglian lines. However, negative feedback was received from various operating departments, most notably on the Western Region. The criticism was primarily out of partisan preference for GWR-designed locomotive stock among Western Region staff; in particular, the class was 'left-hand drive' in contrast to 'right-hand drive' GWR locomotive and signalling practice, a factor in the Milton rail crash of 1955.
For this reason, the Western Region locomotive depots at Old Oak Common and Plymouth Laira declared that the class was surplus to requirements. However Cardiff Canton depot displayed its liking for the class (despite being part of the former GWR empire) and managed to obtain good results on South Wales passenger traffic.
The Midland Region also had favourable reports, but a marked consistency in losing time on the longer runs between Holyhead and Euston was recorded, although all complaints were down to the individual techniques of the operating crews. This was compounded by the irregular allocation of the class to depots all over the network, meaning that few crews ever had a great deal of experience in driving them. The Southern Region also had an allocation of seven in May 1953, when all Merchant Navy Class locomotives were temporarily withdrawn for inspection after 35020 "Bibby Line" sheared a crank axle on the central driving wheel.
Repairs to the class were undertaken at Crewe, Swindon and Doncaster Works until the financial constraints of the British Railways Modernisation Plan in terms of expenditure on steam began to preclude the regular overhaul of locomotives. During the mid-1960s overhauls were carried out exclusively at Crewe Works.
Britannia was initially based at Stratford in order to work East Anglian expresses to Norwich and Great Yarmouth, but was also particularly associated with the Hook Continental boat train to Harwich. Subsequently, the loco was based at Norwich Thorpe in January and March 1959 before spending the remainder of her career on the London Midland Region based at Willesden, Crewe North, Crewe South and finally Newton Heath.
The locomotive also had the distinction of hauling the funeral train for King George VI from King's Lynn, Norfolk to London following his death in February 1952 at Sandringham House, Norfolk. For this task, Britannia had her cab roof painted white, as was the custom with royal locomotives. Britannia has also worn the white roof in preservation.
However, as the locomotives entered the 1960's, the modernisation plan continued to gather pace, and diesel locomotives started to replace steam on most parts of the network. Very soon the Standard 7's placement on Top-Line expresses were demoted to the on-again-off-again work of freight and parcels, and cosmetic maintenance was reduced as their final years loomed. The lavish BR Brunswick Green soon faded to grey, and in some cases BR Lined Black was adopted for ease.
The first locomotive to be withdrawn from service was number 70007 Coeur-de-Lion in 1965, and the entire class was gradually transferred to Carlisle Kingmoor and Glasgow Polmadie depots. Britannia was withdrawn in May 1966, after 15 years of service.
A succession of bulk withdrawals began in 1967, culminating in the very last steam operation in British Railways service on August 11th, 1968, where Standard 7 number 70013 Oliver Cromwell, was chosen to assist in hauling the Fifteen Guinea Special, the last steam hauled British Railways passenger service from Liverpool to Carlisle via the S&C. 70013 was chosen as it was the last the last BR-owned steam locomotive to undergo routine heavy overhaul at Crewe Works, being out-shopped after a special ceremony in February 1967. The engine hauled the Manchester to Carlisle leg of the service via the Settle and Carlisle line, with LMS Class 5 45110, and LMS Stanier Class 5 locomotives, 44781 and 44871 double-heading the return working back to Manchester.
Upon withdrawal, 70000 was initially planned for preservation with the National Railway Museum due to it's cultural significance, but because of its prototypical nature, 70013 was instead chosen and bought up for preservation. 70000 would later be preserved by Britannia Locomotive Company Ltd.
After moving from one home to another, the engine wound up on the Severn Valley Railway, where she remained for a number of years in operational but non-mainline condition. With the society wishing to make more use of the locomotive, she was moved to the European gauge Nene Valley Railway in Peterborough, where she was also fitted with an air-brake compressor. Britannia made her return to the main line on 27 July 1991, successfully working enthusiast trips until 1997.
With an expired mainline boiler certificate, due to the high cost of refurbishment, the locomotive was sold to Pete Waterman in 2000. Stored at Waterman's workshops at the Crewe Heritage Centre, after initial assessment the amount of work resulted in Waterman selling her to Jeremy Hosking. The locomotive underwent restoration at Crewe which involved a newly refurbished cab, a new smoke box and major work on the boiler; replacement steel sides, new crown stays, new front section barrel section, new steel and copper tubeplate, repairs and patches to door plate and major work to copper firebox.
Transferred to the Royal Scot Locomotive and General Trust, the locomotive was returned to main line operational condition in 2011, initially out shopped in its prototype black British Railways livery. After a running-in period, in 2012 the locomotive was repainted in British Railways Brunswick Green, but with an early BR crest. On 24 January 2012, the loco hauled the Royal Train with Prince Charles on board to Wakefield Kirkgate, where he rededicated the locomotive. For the trip the loco again had a painted white cab roof, removed after the engine's appearance at the West Somerset Railway's Spring Gala.
Grangemouth to Davantry working again hauled by DRS whose workload is strongest on the north half of the WCML
(Same timeframe as issue 1.)
**Varadero, Cuba, 2:36 P.M:**
When I said my job wasn’t hectic, I underestimated myself.
I’m a superhero, and a full time doctor. Saving lives is my priority. Then I began dating, which I never experienced unlike my friends; it felt like a burden—commitments only made me more busier.
Sam and I have been together for nearly five months, after realizing we had mutual attractions. We first met on the opposite end from our teams; his base had been attacked and needed our help in stopping North and his Exiled Spectres. As resident medics and me being a historian/archivist, we shared a passion for medicine and science alike, which brought us closer, asked each other out, and our romance blossomed.
Then he decided to take me on a vacation, which I really needed because I was working on a big project…
We’re currently on the Cuban beaches, embracing the summer sky and the blazing air that could scorch our skin if we stayed longer. Even if was only a few hours away from sunset, we decided on walking, because we already did most of the stuff when we came here.
But we can’t keep working—this is a literal vacation. Our conversations in the last 4 months were just about work, and superhero stuff. It just blurred in and felt like the same, no difference. And barely any time to see each other, and Sam would be the one to crash at my couch, or he would catch me sleeping at my desk overnight.
I have to admit it was killing me on the inside. I’m enjoying this break and half of it tells me it wasn’t a good idea, I should have gotten more coffee and egg toasts, researching on some stupid plants instead. Something about my blood. And it feels like shit that I haven’t told my boyfriend about that.
Sam: “Your heart’s beating fast. Kinda faster than usual. You good?”
Lyra: “I-I’m fine.”
Sam: “Are you still doing the mediation stuff Gary teaches you, like twice a week?”
Lyra: “Yeah..not so much. I’m too busy. Molecular biology. And then I have to deal with this fucking history book I just memorised page 356 of it.”
Sam: “Well, I got classes to teach about surgery, a procedure on a patient who just had a cardiac arrest, and—-“
Lyra: “Ok, I got 4 papers to type, I have to fucking probe up archives for the team, and just—ugh, so much to do!”
Sam: “I already have so many patients, and I can’t even catch a break—“
Lyra: “Ok, let’s just shut up, and find somewhere to sit.”
I find two chairs near the edge of the ocean, as we’re almost done walking. Sam orders two pina coladas, and we start drinking in silence. I can feel the winds blowing, but it doesn’t bother me since I adapt quickly. And so we stare at the sky as an hour passes.
There is clearly a lot of awkwardness between us since no one is talking amongst the crowd having fun. But my inner thoughts creep up again, and I start to feel a little guilty for unloading my workload on my boyfriend. I can imagine if he felt the same, based on the way I read his lips. Then, he sits up and starts muttering something.
Sam: “Why didn’t you call last week?”
Lyra: “I was busy.”
Sam: “That’s not the best excuse. I didn’t get time off, but you did.”
Lyra: “I needed a break! I only took 2 days of annual leave! Are you expecting me to be on a 24/7 basis?!”
Sam: “Ok, then what about the missions? I know we’re supposed to act pro as hell, but why are you ignoring me all the time?!”
Lyra: “Because people are pressing me into talking! I just wanted to get away from everyone, I wanted to be at home so I could feel like myself!”
Sam: “Ly, I’m sorry—“
Lyra: “Sorry doesn’t cut it Sam, you forgot about my birthday! And our six month anniversary! I know you were flying out to Mexico that day, but you didn’t even remember about it at all!”
Sam: “Peaches, I’m sorry…”
I start to feel my tears running down my face, as I look down on my toes; the teardrops soak through the dry sand. Sunset is slowly approaching, and it’ll get older. Sam caresses my hair, but I push him away. He touches my hands, yet I still refuse to look at him.
Deciding that I can’t do this anymore, I bury my head into his chest, still crying. Sam strokes my head gently, and I hug onto him like a koala that can’t let go of a tree as he sits still.
We cuddle each other for a bit longer before I start untangling myself, and wipe my tears off.
Lyra: “I’m sorry too, I shouldn’t have yelled at you pumpkin…the stress has been too much for me.”
Sam: “For both of us Ly, we’re like the den parents of the team, their well-being and the people we protect are important. We do have our shitty days.”
Lyra: “I wish I wasn’t always thinking about work all the time…”
Sam: “Me too, sometimes I’m angry and upset that I have to do a lot, but we got responsibilities. We’re lucky we could have a vacation. And it’s only day 2.”
Lyra: “Mhm. Wait—-did you just call me peaches? It’s either always my name, or Ly this, Ly that…”
Sam: “So? You called me pumpkin. It’s Sam, or very rarely Sammy for you.”
Lyra: “Ok…touché.”
I giggle at the notion that we have given pet names for each other, but we choose to address formally by our names, and sometimes even code names. Only Ty and Erin do that a lot, moreso when they’re already married, previously with Jesse and Gary.
I order another round of alcohol and snacks for us and we eat the rest of the day away. Another two hours pass and we continue talking, with my head resting on Sam’s chest. He kisses my cheeks, making me blush.
Sam: “If Riley found out we fought, she’d kill me first. Then I bet Kieran would be second.”
Lyra: “You know how much she loves me. I’m like their young sister.”
Sam: “I can’t even remember when’s the last time we ever had a date like this; just free from any stress and we could talk about our lives.”
Lyra: “Two months in—and we went to Haiti together. You told me you stayed there for a year as a doctor.”
Sam: “When I turned 19, yeah. Before the whole black market ordeal. I’m glad I’ve impressed you with my French; you read my tongue well.”
Lyra: “Yeah, life goes by fast—that we’ve been together for this long. Could you imagine that you’re my first boyfriend? Like ever?”
Sam: “I don’t regret a single thing about meeting you, Ly. Now, close your eyes.”
Lyra: “Hm?”
Sam guides my hands toward the ocean; it is already night by now. The sound of the crowds around get louder. I can feel the wetness of my toes, and it slowly engulfs up to my midriff.
“Peaches, keep your eyes closed and don’t open until I say so”, he says gently. I nod my head and shut my eyes. Nothing happens in the next few minutes except the sounds of us breathing in the nightly air. I can feel the way he holds my hands, caressing my face. “Now, open them,” he says.
Slowly, he tells me to open. My eardrums are exposed to the sound of fireworks. I can’t believe what I’m seeing in front of me—they’re really fireworks. All the people around me are amazed by it, but nothing is more surprising than my reaction.
Lyra: “You did this…all for me?”
Sam: “I wanted to make something special for you, so I talked with some locals for setting the fireworks, and tonight was perfect.”
Lyra: “I…I can’t believe it. It’s so beautiful.”
Sam: “Not as beautiful as you. Happy nine months to us, Lyra. I love you.”
He places his hands on my waist and starts kissing me as I kiss him back, standing in the water on my tiptoes. I can feel myself lost in the moment, as if i’ve forgotten everything that’s happened just now.
Sam: “Move in with me, Lyra. I feel so lonely when I’m living on my own, and I know you’re going through the same. I’m apologising again because we’re both so caught away and I should have never left you hanging like that, twice.”
Lyra: “Sam…”
Sam: “I don’t feel like the best boyfriend as of recently and I haven’t done much to work on our relationship, but you've done a lot for me which makes me miss you more everyday. If it weren’t for our friends encouraging us we would not be together for this long.”
Lyra: “I…me too! I feel like I haven’t contributed to what we are, and I devoted myself to endless work which is ruining our vacation right now. So promise me, no work talk for the next three days, understood?”
Sam: “Yes, loud and clear.”
***
The beach date was Sam’s idea after all, and I couldn’t say no to that. It would be also be a waste if we left now, because it was a five day vacation before we had to go back.
After some more romantic stargazing, we went to our hotel and had a shower together, before resting on the bed.
Lyra: “Wow, this time I’m actually exhausted from a holiday trip instead of being a superhero or my own job.”
Sam: “I feel a little bit like that, but I still have some energy left, if you know what that means…”
Lyra: “Of course I do.”
Sam: “I meant I still have another gift for you peaches. It won’t make up for missed opportunities but this’ll do. Here, bracelets I made myself. Like it, muffin?”
Lyra: “Ohmygods. Really? From Nigeria?”
Sam: “I learnt a thing or two from my cousin, and my previous trips there.”
Lyra: “Ok I’m not mad at you anymore pumpkin. I love you to death.”
Sam: “Guess we’re both lucky and talented when we got adopted.”
***
After enjoying a light dinner, we decided to watch something, toyed with a few gadgets we brought over for fun, and then…just some intimate sessions. Which I’m totally beat for the rest of the night. Now we’re cuddling each other in bed and it feels comfortable.
Sam: “Can’t sleep?”
Lyra: “I’m about to, but I can’t when I’m staring at your handsome looks. Also, did you like my bikini? It’s all red. The girls helped me pick out some good outfits.”
Sam: “Of course, you know me. Did you love my blue trunks? I got the guys to decide on what to wear as well. But then you’re just beautiful everyday, even in the battlefields—no matter what you’re suited up as. Remember how I used to wonder if your pink hair was really dyed? Then I found out it was natural and I loved the uniqueness.”
Lyra: “Yes l love that too, but gosh Sam…you’re making me blush so much!”
Sam: “Your freckles are cute too. I bet you must have been popular back then.”
Lyra: “Uh…not really. But I like them.”
Sam: “It’s what makes you attractive. Also, I have to mention your lips, they’re just really soft. I should know better to take care of mines because it dries easily, but kissing you is just…moist.”
Lyra: “Ugh ok you can stop complimenting me…it’s starting to get embarrassing.”
Sam: “Don’t like it? I mean look at us, I’m 6’2 , and you’re 5’5, I love our height difference. It makes hugging great. You know we can even do power moves with that too.”
Lyra: “I-I…”
I’m blushing harder than a tomato. Sam’s right, I am the shortest and the youngest, and he’s among the tallest on the team. And he does compliment me when he feels like it, being my first man do to so. His calm demeanour is what makes me attracted to him so much.
Still trying to hide my face under the blankets, he chuckles and kisses me again, as our foreheads press against each other, and I drift off into the night…
**10:37 A.M:**
Sam: “Morning muffin, I just got breakfast for us.”
Lyra: “Aww, thanks. Love you pumpkin.”
We dress up casually and head into the city; Cuba is now futuristic as hell and I’ve never been here before, so it’s off my bucket list. I hold onto his arms as we walk slowly.
Sam: “I promised to bring no weapons, because we’d get our asses busted.”
Lyra: “Aren’t you looking at one right now? A living human being? All superhuman?”
Sam: “Point taken. Any part of our bodies can become something like that, because I know WIng Chun too.”
Lyra: “Showoff. You still haven’t beaten me in boxing.”
Lyra: “Sure, whatever you say…”
Sam: “Oh shit. No work talk, only the good stuff. Right.”
Lyra: “So what are today’s plans?”
Sam: “Looking for artifacts? Library scouring? Coffee? What do you want to see? I’ll let you choose.”
Lyra: “I don’t know, maybe go to hospitals for fun? That could be on the schedule.
Sam: C’mon.”
Lyra: Hey, the last time I went to the hospital , it was testing out new lab equipment. I wanted to try out the new shitty lung thing the hospital got for me.”
Sam: “Peaches, don’t kill me with work talk anymore, please.
Lyra: “I’m kidding. But you know we could go to a clinic—
Sam: “Oh whatever, fuck work.”
***
Pasted from Wikipedia: Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey
• • • • •
The Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey is a multi-mission, military, tiltrotor aircraft with both a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), and short takeoff and landing (STOL) capability. It is designed to combine the functionality of a conventional helicopter with the long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft.
The V-22 originated from the U.S. Department of Defense Joint-service Vertical take-off/landing Experimental (JVX) aircraft program started in 1981. It was developed jointly by the Bell Helicopter, and Boeing Helicopters team, known as Bell Boeing, which produce the aircraft.[4] The V-22 first flew in 1989, and began years of flight testing and design alterations.
The United States Marine Corps began crew training for the Osprey in 2000, and fielded it in 2007. The Osprey's other operator, the U.S. Air Force fielded their version of the tiltrotor in 2009. Since entering service with the U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force, the Osprey has been deployed for combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Contents
•• 1.2 Flight testing and design changes
• 2 Design
• 8 Notable appearances in media
Development
Early development
The failure of the Iran hostage rescue mission in 1980 demonstrated to the United States military a need[5] for "a new type of aircraft, that could not only take off and land vertically but also could carry combat troops, and do so at speed."[6] The U.S. Department of Defense began the Joint-service Vertical take-off/landing Experimental (JVX) aircraft program in 1981, under U.S. Army leadership. Later the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps took the lead.[7][8] The JVX combined requirements from the Marine Corps, Air Force, Army and Navy.[9][10] A request for proposals (RFP) was issued in December 1982 for JVX preliminary design work. Interest in the program was expressed by Aérospatiale, Bell Helicopter, Boeing Vertol, Grumman, Lockheed, and Westland. The DoD pushed for contractors to form teams. Bell partnered with Boeing Vertol. The Bell Boeing team submitted a proposal for a enlarged version of the Bell XV-15 prototype on 17 February 1983. This was the only proposal received and a preliminary design contract was awarded on 26 April 1983.[11][12]
The JVX aircraft was designated V-22 Osprey on 15 January 1985; by March that same year the first six prototypes were being produced, and Boeing Vertol was expanded to deal with the project workload.[13][14] Work has been split evenly between Bell and Boeing. Bell Helicopter manufactures and integrates the wing, nacelles, rotors, drive system, tail surfaces, and aft ramp, as well as integrates the Rolls-Royce engines and performs final assembly. Boeing Helicopters manufactures and integrates the fuselage, cockpit, avionics, and flight controls.[4][15] The USMC variant of the Osprey received the MV-22 designation and the Air Force variant received CV-22; reversed from normal procedure to prevent Marine Ospreys from having a conflicting designation with aircraft carriers (CV).[16] Full-scale development of the V-22 tilt-rotor aircraft began in 1986.[2] On 3 May 1986 the Bell-Boeing partnership was awarded a $1.714 billion contract for V-22 aircraft by the Navy, thus at this point the project had acquisition plans with all four arms of the U.S. military.[17]
The first V-22 was rolled out with significant media attention in May 1988.[18][19] However the project suffered several political blows. Firstly in the same year, the Army left the program, citing a need to focus its budget on more immediate aviation programs.[20] The project also faced considerable dialogue in the Senate, surviving two votes that both could have resulted in cancellation.[21][22] Despite the Senate's decision, the Department of Defense instructed the Navy not to spend more money on the Osprey.[23] At the same time, the Bush administration sought the cancellation of the project.[23]
Flight testing and design changes
The first of six MV-22 prototypes first flew on 19 March 1989 in the helicopter mode,[24] and on 14 September 1989 as a fixed-wing plane.[25] The third and fourth prototypes successfully completed the Osprey's first Sea Trials on the USS Wasp in December 1990.[26] However, the fourth and fifth prototypes crashed in 1991-92.[27] Flight tests were resumed in August 1993 after changes were incorporated in the prototypes.[2] From October 1992 until April 1993, Bell and Boeing redesigned the V-22 to reduce empty weight, simplify manufacture and reduce production costs. This redesigned version became the B-model.[28]
Flight testing of four full-scale development V-22s began in early 1997 when the first pre-production V-22 was delivered to the Naval Air Warfare Test Center, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. The first EMD flight took place on 5 February 1997. The first of four low rate initial production aircraft, ordered on 28 April 1997, was delivered on 27 May 1999. Osprey number 10 completed the program's second Sea Trials, this time from the USS Saipan in January 1999.[2] During external load testing in April 1999, Boeing used a V-22 to lift and transport the M777 howitzer.[29] In 2000, Boeing announced that the V-22 would be fitted with a nose-mounted GAU-19 Gatling gun,[30] but the GAU-19 gun was later canceled.[31]
In 2000, there were two further fatal crashes, killing a total of 19 Marines, and the production was again halted while the cause of these crashes was investigated and various parts were redesigned.[32] The V-22 completed its final operational evaluation in June 2005. The evaluation was deemed successful; events included long range deployments, high altitude, desert and shipboard operations. The problems identified in various accidents had been addressed.[33]
Controversy
The V-22's development process has been long and controversial, partly due to its large cost increases.[34] When the development budget, first planned for $2.5 billion in 1986, increased to a projected $30 billion in 1988, then-Defense Secretary Dick Cheney tried to zero out its funding. He was eventually overruled by Congress.[32] As of 2008, $27 billion have been spent on the Osprey program and another $27.2 billion will be required to complete planned production numbers by the end of the program.[2]
The V-22 squadron's former commander at Marine Corps Air Station New River, Lt. Colonel Odin Lieberman, was relieved of duty in 2001 after allegations that he instructed his unit that they needed to falsify maintenance records to make the plane appear more reliable.[2][35] Three officers were later implicated in the falsification scandal.[34]
The aircraft is incapable of autorotation, and is therefore unable to land safely in helicopter mode if both engines fail. A director of the Pentagon's testing office in 2005 said that if the Osprey loses power while flying like a helicopter below 1,600 feet (490 m), emergency landings "are not likely to be survivable". But Captain Justin (Moon) McKinney, a V-22 pilot, says that this will not be a problem, "We can turn it into a plane and glide it down, just like a C-130".[31] A complete loss of power would require the failure of both engines, as a drive shaft connects the nacelles through the wing; one engine can power both proprotors.[36] While vortex ring state (VRS) contributed to a deadly V-22 accident, the aircraft is less susceptible to the condition than conventional helicopters and recovers more quickly.[5] The Marines now train new pilots in the recognition of and recovery from VRS and have instituted operational envelope limits and instrumentation to help pilots avoid VRS conditions.[32][37]
It was planned in 2000 to equip all V-22s with a nose-mounted Gatling gun, to provide "the V-22 with a strong defensive firepower capability to greatly increase the aircraft's survivability in hostile actions."[30] The nose gun project was canceled however, leading to criticism by retired Marine Corps Commandant General James L. Jones, who is not satisfied with the current V-22 armament.[31] A belly-mounted turret was later installed on some of the first V-22s sent to the War in Afghanistan in 2009.[38]
With the first combat deployment of the MV-22 in October 2007, Time Magazine ran an article condemning the aircraft as unsafe, overpriced, and completely inadequate.[31] The Marine Corps, however, responded with the assertion that much of the article's data were dated, obsolete, inaccurate, and reflected expectations that ran too high for any new field of aircraft.[39]
Recent development
On 28 September 2005, the Pentagon formally approved full-rate production for the V-22.[40] The plan is to boost production from 11 a year to between 24 and 48 a year by 2012. Of the 458 total planned, 360 are for the Marine Corps, 48 for the Navy, and 50 for the Air Force at an average cost of $110 million per aircraft, including development costs.[2] The V-22 had an incremental flyaway cost of $70 million per aircraft in 2007,[3] but the Navy hopes to shave about $10 million off that cost after a five-year production contract starts in 2008.[41]
The Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office in Amarillo, Texas will design a new integrated avionics processor to resolve electronics obsolescence issues and add new network capabilities.[42]
Design
The Osprey is the world's first production tiltrotor aircraft, with one three-bladed proprotor, turboprop engine, and transmission nacelle mounted on each wingtip. It is classified as a powered lift aircraft by the Federal Aviation Administration.[43] For takeoff and landing, it typically operates as a helicopter with the nacelles vertical (rotors horizontal). Once airborne, the nacelles rotate forward 90° in as little as 12 seconds for horizontal flight, converting the V-22 to a more fuel-efficient, higher-speed turboprop airplane. STOL rolling-takeoff and landing capability is achieved by having the nacelles tilted forward up to 45°. For compact storage and transport, the V-22's wing rotates to align, front-to-back, with the fuselage. The proprotors can also fold in a sequence taking 90 seconds.[44]
Most Osprey missions will use fixed wing flight 75 percent or more of the time, reducing wear and tear on the aircraft and reducing operational costs.[45] This fixed wing flight is higher than typical helicopter missions allowing longer range line-of-sight communications and so improved command and control.[2] Boeing has stated the V-22 design loses 10% of its vertical lift over a Tiltwing design when operating in helicopter mode because of airflow resistance due to the wings, but that the Tiltrotor design has better short takeoff and landing performance.[46]
The V-22 is equipped with a glass cockpit, which incorporates four Multi-function displays (MFDs) and one shared Central Display Unit (CDU), allowing the pilots to display a variety of images including: digimaps centered or decentered on current position, FLIR imagery, primary flight instruments, navigation (TACAN, VOR, ILS, GPS, INS), and system status. The flight director panel of the Cockpit Management System (CMS) allows for fully-coupled (aka: autopilot) functions which will take the aircraft from forward flight into a 50-foot hover with no pilot interaction other than programming the system.[47] The glass cockpit of the canceled CH-46X was derived from the V-22.[48]
The V-22 is a fly-by-wire aircraft with triple-redundant flight control systems.[49] With the nacelles pointing straight up in conversion mode at 90° the flight computers command the aircraft to fly like a helicopter, with cyclic forces being applied to a conventional swashplate at the rotor hub. With the nacelles in airplane mode (0°) the flaperons, rudder, and elevator fly the aircraft like an airplane. This is a gradual transition and occurs over the rotation range of the nacelles. The lower the nacelles, the greater effect of the airplane-mode control surfaces.[50] The nacelles can rotate past vertical to 97.5° for rearward flight.[51][52]
The Osprey can be armed with one M240 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 in caliber) or M2 .50 in caliber (12.7 mm) machine gun on the loading ramp, that can be fired rearward when the ramp is lowered. A GAU-19 three-barrel .50 in gatling gun mounted below the V-22's nose has also been studied for future upgrade.[31][53] BAE Systems developed a remotely operated turreted weapons system for the V-22,[54] which was installed on half of the first V-22s deployed to Afghanistan in 2009.[38] The 7.62 mm belly gun turret is remotely operated by a gunner inside the aircraft, who acquires targets with a separate pod using color television and forward looking infrared imagery.
U.S. Naval Air Systems Command is working on upgrades to increase the maximum speed from 250 knots (460 km/h; 290 mph) to 270 knots (500 km/h; 310 mph), increase helicopter mode altitude limit from 10,000 feet (3,000 m) to 12,000 feet (3,700 m) or 14,000 feet (4,300 m), and increase lift performance.[55]
Operational history
US Marine Corps
Marine Corps crew training on the Osprey has been conducted by VMMT-204 since March 2000. On 3 June 2005, the Marine Corps helicopter squadron Marine Medium Helicopter 263 (HMM-263), stood down to begin the process of transitioning to the MV-22 Osprey.[56] On 8 December 2005, Lieutenant General Amos, commander of the II MEF, accepted the delivery of the first fleet of MV-22s, delivered to HMM-263. The unit reactivated on 3 March 2006 as the first MV-22 squadron and was redesignated VMM-263. On 31 August 2006, VMM-162 (the former HMM-162) followed suit. On 23 March 2007, HMM-266 became Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 (VMM-266) at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina.[57]
The Osprey has been replacing existing CH-46 Sea Knight squadrons.[58] The MV-22 reached initial operational capability (IOC) with the U.S. Marine Corps on 13 June 2007.[1] On 10 July 2007 an MV-22 Osprey landed aboard the Royal Navy aircraft carrier, HMS Illustrious in the Atlantic Ocean. This marked the first time a V-22 had landed on any non-U.S. vessel.[59]
On 13 April 2007, the U.S. Marine Corps announced that it would be sending ten V-22 aircraft to Iraq, the Osprey's first combat deployment. Marine Corps Commandant, General James Conway, indicated that over 150 Marines would accompany the Osprey set for September deployment to Al-Asad Airfield.[60][61] On 17 September 2007, ten MV-22Bs of VMM-263 left for Iraq aboard the USS Wasp. The decision to use a ship rather than use the Osprey's self-deployment capability was made because of concerns over icing during the North Atlantic portion of the trip, lack of available KC-130s for mid-air refueling, and the availability of the USS Wasp.[62]
The Osprey has provided support in Iraq, racking up some 2,000 flight hours over three months with a mission capable availability rate of 68.1% as of late-January 2008.[63] They are primarily used in Iraq's western Anbar province for routine cargo and troop movements, and also for riskier "aero-scout" missions. General David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, used one to fly around Iraq on Christmas Day 2007 to visit troops.[64] Then-presidential candidate Barack Obama also flew in Ospreys during his high profile 2008 tour of Iraq.[65]
The only major problem has been obtaining the necessary spare parts to maintain the aircraft.[66] The V-22 had flown 3,000 sorties totaling 5,200 hours in Iraq as of July 2008.[67] USMC leadership expect to deploy MV-22s to Afghanistan in 2009.[66][68] General George J. Trautman, III praised the increased range of the V-22 over the legacy helicopters in Iraq and said that "it turned his battle space from the size of Texas into the size of Rhode Island."[69]
Naval Air Systems Command has devised a temporary fix for sailors to place portable heat shields under Osprey engines to prevent damage to the decks of some of the Navy's smaller amphibious ships, but they determined that a long term solution to the problem would require these decks be redesigned with heat resistant deck coatings, passive thermal barriers and changes in ship structure in order to operate V-22s and F-35Bs.[70]
A Government Accountability Office study reported that by January 2009 the Marines had 12 MV-22s operating in Iraq and they managed to successfully complete all assigned missions. The same report found that the V-22 deployments had mission capable rates averaging 57% to 68% and an overall full mission capable rate of only 6%. It also stated that the aircraft had shown weakness in situational awareness, maintenance, shipboard operations and the ability to transport troops and external cargo.[71] That study also concluded that the "deployments confirmed that the V-22’s enhanced speed and range enable personnel and internal cargo to be transported faster and farther than is possible with the legacy helicopters it is replacing".[71]
The MV-22 saw its first offensive combat mission, Operation Cobra's Anger on 4 December 2009. Ospreys assisted in inserting 1,000 Marines and 150 Afghan troops into the Now Zad Valley of Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan to disrupt communication and supply lines of the Taliban.[38] In January 2010 the MV-22 Osprey is being sent to Haiti as part of Operation Unified Response relief efforts after the earthquake there. This will be the first use the Marine V-22 in a humanitarian mission.[72]
US Air Force
The Air Force's first operational CV-22 Osprey was delivered to the 58th Special Operations Wing (58th SOW) at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico on 20 March 2006. This and subsequent aircraft will become part of the 58th SOW's fleet of aircraft used for training pilots and crew members for special operations use.[73] On 16 November 2006, the Air Force officially accepted the CV-22 in a ceremony conducted at Hurlburt Field, Florida.[74]
The US Air Force's first operational deployment of the Osprey sent four CV-22s to Mali in November 2008 in support of Exercise Flintlock. The CV-22s flew nonstop from Hurlburt Field, Florida with in-flight refueling.[5] AFSOC declared that the 8th Special Operations Squadron reached Initial Operational Capability on 16 March 2009, with six of its planned nine CV-22s operational.[75]
In June 2009, CV-22s of the 8th Special Operations Squadron delivered 43,000 pounds (20,000 kg) of humanitarian supplies to remote villages in Honduras that were not accessible by conventional vehicles.[76] In November 2009, the 8th SO Squadron and its six CV-22s returned from a three-month deployment in Iraq.[77]
The first possible combat loss of an Osprey occurred on 9 April, 2010, as a CV-22 went down near Qalat, Zabul Province, Afghanistan, killing four.[78][79]
Potential operators
In 1999 the V-22 was studied for use in the United Kingdom's Royal Navy,[80] it has been raised several times as a candidate for the role of Maritime Airborne Surveillance and Control (MASC).[81]
Israel had shown interest in the purchase of MV-22s, but no order was placed.[82][83] Flightglobal reported in late 2009 that Israel has decided to wait for the CH-53K instead.[84]
The V-22 Osprey is a candidate for the Norwegian All Weather Search and Rescue Helicopter (NAWSARH) that is planned to replace the Westland Sea King Mk.43B of the Royal Norwegian Air Force in 2015.[85] The other candidates for the NAWSARH contract of 10-12 helicopters are AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin, Eurocopter EC225, NHIndustries NH90 and Sikorsky S-92.[86]
Bell Boeing has made an unsolicited offer of the V-22 for US Army medical evacuation needs.[87] However the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency issued a report that said that a common helicopter design would be needed for both combat recovery and medical evacuation and that the V-22 would not be suitable for recovery missions because of the difficulty of hoist operations and lack of self-defense capabilities.[88]
The US Navy remains a potential user of the V-22, but its role and mission with the Navy remains unclear. The latest proposal is to replace the C-2 Greyhound with the V-22 in the fleet logistics role. The V-22 would have the advantage of being able to land on and support non-carriers with rapid delivery of supplies and people between the ships of a taskforce or to ships on patrol beyond helicopter range.[89] Loren B. Thompson of the Lexington Institute has suggested V-22s for use in combat search and rescue and Marine One VIP transport, which also need replacement aircraft.[90]
Variants
• V-22A
•• Pre-production full-scale development aircraft used for flight testing. These are unofficially considered A-variants after 1993 redesign.[91]
• HV-22
•• The U.S. Navy considered an HV-22 to provide combat search and rescue, delivery and retrieval of special warfare teams along with fleet logistic support transport. However, it chose the MH-60S for this role in 1992.[92]
• SV-22
•• The proposed anti-submarine warfare Navy variant. The Navy studied the SV-22 in the 1980s to replace S-3 and SH-2 aircraft.[93]
• MV-22B
•• Basic U.S. Marine Corps transport; original requirement for 552 (now 360). The Marine Corps is the lead service in the development of the V-22 Osprey. The Marine Corps variant, the MV-22B, is an assault transport for troops, equipment and supplies, capable of operating from ships or from expeditionary airfields ashore. It is replacing the Marine Corps' CH-46E[57] and CH-53D.[94]
• CV-22B
•• Air Force variant for the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). It will conduct long-range, special operations missions, and is equipped with extra fuel tanks and terrain-following radar.[95][96]
Operators
•• 8th Special Operations Squadron (8 SOS) at Hurlburt Field, Florida
•• 71st Special Operations Squadron (71 SOS) at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico
•• 20th Special Operations Squadron (20 SOS) at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico
•• VMM-161
•• VMM-162
•• VMM-261
•• VMM-263
•• VMM-264
•• VMM-266
•• VMM-365
•• VMMT-204 - Training squadron
•• VMX-22 - Marine Tiltrotor Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron
Notable accidents
Main article: Accidents and incidents involving the V-22 Osprey
From 1991 to 2000 there were four significant crashes, and a total of 30 fatalities, during testing.[32] Since becoming operational in 2007, the V-22 has had one possible combat loss due to an unknown cause, no losses due to accidents, and seven other notable, but minor, incidents.
• On 11 June 1991, a mis-wired flight control system led to two minor injuries when the left nacelle struck the ground while the aircraft was hovering 15 feet (4.6 m) in the air, causing it to bounce and catch fire.[97]
• On 20 July 1992, a leaking gearbox led to a fire in the right nacelle, causing the aircraft to drop into the Potomac River in front of an audience of Congressmen and other government officials at Quantico, killing all seven on board and grounding the aircraft for 11 months.[98]
• On 8 April 2000, a V-22 loaded with Marines to simulate a rescue, attempted to land at Marana Northwest Regional Airport in Arizona, stalled when its right rotor entered vortex ring state, rolled over, crashed, and exploded, killing all 19 on board.[37]
• On 11 December 2000, after a catastrophic hydraulic leak and subsequent software instrument failure, a V-22 fell 1,600 feet (490 m) into a forest in Jacksonville, North Carolina, killing all four aboard. This caused the Marine Corps to ground their fleet of eight V-22s, the second grounding that year.[99][100]
Specifications (MV-22B)
Data from Boeing Integrated Defense Systems,[101] Naval Air Systems Command,[102] US Air Force CV-22 fact sheet,[95] Norton,[103] and Bell[104]
General characteristics
• Crew: Four (pilot, copilot and two flight engineers)
• Capacity: 24 troops (seated), 32 troops (floor loaded) or up to 15,000 lb (6,800 kg) of cargo (dual hook)
• Length: 57 ft 4 in (17.5 m)
• Rotor diameter: 38 ft 0 in (11.6 m)
• Wingspan: 45 ft 10 in (14 m)
• Width with rotors: 84 ft 7 in (25.8 m)
• Height: 22 ft 1 in/6.73 m; overall with nacelles vertical (17 ft 11 in/5.5 m; at top of tailfins)
• Disc area: 2,268 ft² (212 m²)
• Wing area: 301.4 ft² (28 m²)
• Empty weight: 33,140 lb (15,032 kg)
• Loaded weight: 47,500 lb (21,500 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 60,500 lb (27,400 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× Rolls-Royce Allison T406/AE 1107C-Liberty turboshafts, 6,150 hp (4,590 kW) each
Performance
• Maximum speed: 250 knots (460 km/h, 290 mph) at sea level / 305 kn (565 km/h; 351 mph) at 15,000 ft (4,600 m)[105]
• Cruise speed: 241 knots (277 mph, 446 km/h) at sea level
• Range: 879 nmi (1,011 mi, 1,627 km)
• Combat radius: 370 nmi (426 mi, 685 km)
• Ferry range: 1,940 nmi (with auxiliary internal fuel tanks)
• Service ceiling: 26,000 ft (7,925 m)
• Rate of climb: 2,320 ft/min (11.8 m/s)
• Disc loading: 20.9 lb/ft² at 47,500 lb GW (102.23 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.259 hp/lb (427 W/kg)
Armament
• 1× M240 machine gun on ramp, optional
Notable appearances in media
Main article: Aircraft in fiction#V-22 Osprey
See also
• Elizabeth A. Okoreeh-Baah, USMC - first female to pilot a V-22 Osprey
Related development
Comparable aircraft
Related lists
• List of military aircraft of the United States
References
Bibliography
• Markman, Steve and Bill Holder. "Bell/Boeing V-22 Osprey Tilt-Engine VTOL Transport (U.S.A.)". Straight Up: A History of Vertical Flight. Schiffer Publishing, 2000. ISBN 0-7643-1204-9.
• Norton, Bill. Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, Tiltrotor Tactical Transport. Midland Publishing, 2004. ISBN 1-85780-165-2.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: V-22 Osprey
• V-22 Osprey web, and www.history.navy.mil/planes/v-22.html
• CV-22 fact sheet on USAF site
• www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/v-22.htm
• www.airforce-technology.com/projects/osprey/
• "Flight of the Osprey", US Navy video of V-22 operations
Barway Services is owned by the G’s Agricultural Group; to transport their workers around the fenland area to work in the various factories, fields and packing plants as the seasons and workload dictates. VoSA record three declared operating centres for the company, at the Barway HQ, Shippea Hill and Wissington. I had never seen any vehicles at the latter until today when I drove past in my van. I parked up for my break, and hoped it would come past. Thankfully it did……
Visibility was reduced this week, and the surge made macro shooting a challenge, but I embraced the workload and came home with some decent slug shots.
A frostbitten birch on the shores of the Haringvliet near Hellevoetsluis in the Netherlands.
My apologies for visiting so little at the moment, the workload is tremendous and has to come first.
I'm getting ready for my long week of nights, and the busy workload over the holiday weekend next week. But it was so difficult not to go back to say hello to my new little friend. This chick is soooooo precious to me!
Como ya saben muchos de ustedes, siempre salgo con Balta3010 a tomar fotos, asi que esta es una panoramica de 4 fotos de la misma tarde del 07/08/09, se disfruta mucho admirar estos regalos de la naturaleza, despues de la lluvia, aunque los mosquitos estan a la orden del dia, valio la pena los piquetes, ustedes que opinan???
Gracias por su tiempo y sus visitas, se que los tengo algo abandonados pero ahora la carga de trabajo es mucha, espero ponerme al corriente con todos ustedes pronto.
un abrazo y buen inicio de semana.
As many of you know, hang out with Balta3010 always taking pictures, so this is one of 4 panoramic photos of the afternoon of 07/08/09, you will enjoy much admire these gifts of nature, after rain, but mosquitoes are the order of the day was worth picketing, you believe that?
Thanks for your time and views are something that I have left now but the workload is heavy, I hope to date with all of you shortly.
a hug and a good start week.
I've got a thing...
I've got a thing about my rear windscreen wiper...
You see, it only has two settings...
On...
Or off...
This really bothers me...
In my old car it used to be intermittent...
Swish...
Wait...
Swish...
That's how I want it...
But in my new car it does too much...
Swish, swash, swish, swash, swish, swash, swish, swash, swish, swash...
It is very distracting. So much so I can't concentrate on the traffic in front. All I can do is look at it swish-swashing in the rear view mirror.
You see, I'm worried about wearing it out. I'm not going to get my full entitlement of swishes, let alone swashes.
Mostly we consider ourselves to be logical, rational creatures and yet we are surrounded by the evidence of our neuroses, contrariness and irrationality.
Why will I quibble about something cheap being twenty pence too expensive? When I will happily waste one hundred times that amount on something I don't need.
We all know it's better to take the long way round a traffic jam, even if it takes longer, as at least you feel like you are achieving something when you are moving forward in some way towards your destination.
I'm quite happy to switch on my front windscreen wipers whenever it looks even slightly cloudy on the horizon, sometimes putting them on super-fast just for the hell of it. But their less able and incapable rear window cousins couldn't deal with such abuse and I worry how they'll not cope with their current workload.
So just what am I banging on about?
I guess it's something to do with the direction I want to take my life in. I hope to shed off the assumed, the incorrect, the downright delusional. I want to replace the false and blinkered and harmful with something more succinct, more truthful and more accurate.
Don't we all...
The question is "how to separate one from the other?"
I suspect I need to answer that question before all others.
Perhaps that's where art comes in?
Note to self...
If you want to search for answers, through art and through living a life. Then perhaps it would be a good idea to do some and make more of your life whilst you're living it.
Note to self...
Stop making excuses that you're working too much, or uninspired or plainly can't be bothered. It won't happen unless you invest the time and stop worrying about whether there's a point.
After all there isn't a point until you make one and even then one may not materialise. But what is certainly true:-
You can guarantee there will be no answers if you give up asking questions altogether...
Swish-swash, swish-swash, swish-swash...
I made this sculpture almost exactly a year ago. A few days past I went along to the tree I gathered the leaves from and it is producing the same colours as back then. But I'm having trouble reconnecting with nature just because I haven't put in the effort to create as much this year (see excuses above). The disconnected feeling breeds discontent and the solace I seek from that connection being missing makes me feel a little adrift.
There are other trees from which I gathered leaves last autumn that have not put on the same show this year. Some crab apples nearby, were ablaze with hundreds of hues and yet this year only managed green, yellow and brown. But it's not enough to notice this whilst passing, it's time to become more wholeheartedly involved.
It seems I'm the one who hasn't been listening. Many times I've said land art is all about the process, the doing, the feeling, the seeing. And it's high time I tried to remember that as autumn will be over all too soon.
A life lesson about fleeting existence, the transience and flux of all there is. If you don't take the time to stop and listen then that moment is not grasped but gone forever.
Note to self...
okay, i think im starting to like this watercolor idea. and just like that, i've tripled my workload on coloring the book. GREAT.
The work continues on the Avengers: Endgame project once again with Pepper Potts’ Rescue armor. MK 49 is complete ✅ youtu.be/_qqbJTMTq7k
Still hyped to work on these projects no matter how many years pass. Infinity Saga is still what inspires me most. MCU has otherwise been mostly in disarray up until 2025 anyway.
Got this prepped soon after Wolverine earlier this summer and have been painting it on/off ever since. Even got to work on Pepper here a little bit while visiting the AV Figures crew in CA too ✈️
Entire figure of course would not have been possible without the outstanding work of Tuminio. This actually uses parts from the V1 kit from way back. Despite some inaccuracies here/there, I still thought the V1 looked great. You have to really study it to spot the differences anyway.
All fully painted by me, including the magnetically attached Energy Displacer Sentries. Added a good chunk of time to the figure—so worth it though. Arms and legs were pretty challenging design-wise.
Arealight curved torso, face is an extra Pepper head from 2013, and the hair is a modded Leyile Brick piece just chopped up to accommodate the armor and repainted ️
Metallic paint work was easier here, but still a long workload. Had to sculpt the shoulders on myself during prep too. Didn’t really feel like painting hand armor—too much handling on them anyway when swapping the sentries.
Would love to hear what you guys think. Unintentionally ended being the best suit I’ve ever painted—oops
Definitely a thrill to take all the shots in-camera. Started feeling like I’d never do some of these scenes
Making my way down to Pocra Quay at Aberdeen Harbour Scotland this evening Thursday 21st June 2018, I passed this beauty, swiftly parking my car I hoped to chat with the driver and gain permission to capture a few shots, I could see the cab curtain drawn with no sign of anyone in the cab , hence I snapped away, posting a few of the better shots I managed to take .
Ian S Roger Transport - History
Three generations of Ian S Roger's family has been involved in the livestock haulage business and the next generation is waiting in the wings to get going if they so desire. Ian S Roger was born at Newton of Forgie in 1943 and has lived there all his life. His father John was a cattle dealer and after leaving school, Ian attended all the local markets with him and developed a great interest in the attendant transporting floats. The arrival of a 3- ton, petrol driven Austin lorry with a Clark and Sutherland wooden body for own account operations at the family farm in 1960, saw Ian S Roger achieve his ambition in driving.
Just like today, back then a livestock truck body was a considerable investment for any business, so the next truck to arrive, a 1962 BMC Diesel, reused the same well cared for wooden float. The BMC lasted six years and gave way to an 8-ton Commer, complete with a varnished cedar wood float with sheep decks.
In 1969, Ian married Rachel who shared the same level of enthusiasm for livestock and haulage as Ian and in 1975 the business name of Ian S Roger first appeared on the side of a lorry, after Ian's father decided to retire.In the same year the new company purchased a one-year old Volvo F86 6- wheeler, which was a technologically advanced motor for its time. One factor that makes the Ian S Roger fleet of vehicles so recognizable is the colour scheme which is truly unique and currently there's no other haulier in Britain that uses their base hue of Rover Sand paint which is an old British Leyland colour.
In addition to bringing up two sons, Graeme and Colin born in 1970 and 1972 respectively, Ian and Rachel dedicated every waking minute to running the farm and haulage business. Their hard graft began to pay dividends when gradual expansion occurrerd towards the end of the decade. In 1981, not long after the death of his father, Ian purchased his first articulated combination and that year also witnessed the arrival of the then new aluminium built floats with folding sheep decks. The frequent cleaning of the livestock containers also moved forward by leaps and bounds, as the acquisition of more modern pressure washers made the drivers' lives somewhat easier.
In addtion to the expanding livestock requirements, general haulage work was also on the increase and always up for a challenge the Ian S Roger trucks began appearing further and wider across the UK than ever before. By the end of the 1980s, Ian and Rachel actively gave up farming at Newton of Forgie to concentrate exculsively on road transport. From that point onwards the farm's 150 acres would be annually acutioned off for grazing to produce good land management and this useful practice still continues today.
After serving engineering apprenticeships in nearby Elgin, sons Graeme and Colin officially joined the family firm in 1991 and 1992 respectively, to help with the ever-growing levels of work, although as boys from an early age, both had shown a remarkable interest in the family's work and most of their free time was spent enthusiastically supporting their parents.
The family take their business roles seriously, but always have time for a wee bit of good natured banter along the way. The healthly mix of responsibility and enjoyment is perhaps the secret of how all four individuals work so well together and they are quick to point out that there are no official job titles used - it's all about teamwork to get the job done properly. In the workshop there is one full time mechanic assisted by an apprentice and around 15 drivers but peaks in workloads often see seasonal staff employed. All the staff live relatively locally and there's always a waiting list for any any vacancies.
The Newton of Forgie farm depot was extended in 2006 and a new wash area and office were added. Most of the vehicles are kept at another depot in Aultmore, where there's plenty of room for HGV parking.
Some years ago, Corgi ,the diecast model makers, approached the Roger Family and asked if they could make a model of one of their tractor units with a livestock trailer. The family readily agreed and the chosen unit was a 2003 Foden Alpha with a Houghton Parkhouse 2/4 deck livestock trailer, scale 1:50. It is now much sought after by collectors because Foden ceased production in 2005 and livestock trailers are much less common than other articulated trailers.
Hadiza (center) prepares a family meal, aided by her daughters Nadia, 4, and Layhanatou, 10, who grind millet in a wooden mortar. At age 32, Hadiza has six children, four sons and two daughters. She lives in Rabé chantier, a village 25 kilometers east of Dosso comprised of circular huts made of mud brick covered with straw, and granaries topped with straw hats. The little girls help their mother with chores while the men work in the fields. The village marabout sees to the children’s education. The most widely grown grain in Niger, it is the country’s dietary mainstay. Threshing, hulling and grinding millet by hand makes for a long, exhausting workday. The Ministry of Population, Advancement of Women and Protection of Children has made it a priority to lighten women’s workloads by providing them access to mills, hullers and water sources. In the countryside, however, many Niger women have no choice but to use the traditional methods.
The agriculture sector in Niger is characterized by very low levels of farm input use and low productivity. Women account for approximately 24% of Niger’s agricultural farm labour, but have sole ownership of only 9% of the total land area controlled by Niger’s households. Increasing women’s contributions to Niger’s agricultural sector could help rural households lift themselves out of poverty. Photo: © Stephan Gladieu / World Bank
"The OV-10A was a short takeoff and landing aircraft conceived by the U.S. Marine Corps and developed under a U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps tri-service program. The first production OV-10A was ordered in 1966, and its initial flight took place in August 1967. The Bronco's missions included observation, forward air control (FAC), helicopter escort, armed reconnaissance, artillery spotting, utility, and limited ground attack. The USAF, however, acquired the Bronco primarily as a FAC aircraft. The rear fuselage compartment has a capacity of 3,200 pounds of cargo, five combat-equipped troops, or two litter patients and a medical attendant. The first USAF OV-10As destined for combat arrived in Vietnam in July 1968. A total of 157 OV-10As were delivered to the USAF before production ended in April 1969.
This OV-10A, S/N 67-14675, was manufactured by North American Aviation in Columbus, Ohio, and gained by the Air Force on December 3, 1968. In January 1969 it was assigned to the 504th Tactical Air Support Group at Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam. It also served with the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing and 498th Air Base Wing at Da Nang, and with the 56th Special Operations Wing at Nakhon Phanom RTAFB, Thailand.
In June 1974 the plane moved to the 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron at Osan AB, Korea. It also served there with the 51st Composite Wing. The plane was later assigned to the 507th Tactical Air Control Wing at Shaw AFB, South Carolina, the 601st Tactical Air Control Wing at Sembach AB, Germany, the 602nd Tactical Air Control Wing at George AFB, California, and Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.
On February 6, 1991 this aircraft was moved to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan AFB and placed in storage. In 2004 it was relocated to Mesa, Arizona, to support a project for the Colombian Air Force. The aircraft belongs to the Ogden Air Logistics Center's Mature and Proven Aircraft office at Hill AFB and was loaned to the museum for display. It arrived on 30 May 2006 and is being reassembled and restored by museum staff and volunteers, with support from various organizations on base.
In 1988, Air Force Logistics Command shifted some OV-10 workload from the San Antonio Air Logistics Center to the Ogden ALC at Hill AFB. The first OV-10 arrived at Hill in January 1988 for structural refurbishment, rewiring, and installation of a secure voice radio. Forty-eight OV-10s were to be worked in a period of five years. Later plans upped that number to 74, but project funding was cut before that was attained. The Bronco workload ended in 1990." - www.hill.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/3972...
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The AH-1 Cobra was developed in the mid-1960s as an interim gunship for the U.S. Army for use during the Vietnam War. The Cobra shared the proven transmission, rotor system, and the T53 turboshaft engine of the UH-1 "Huey". By June 1967, the first AH-1G HueyCobras had been delivered. Bell built 1,116 AH-1Gs for the U.S. Army between 1967 and 1973, and the Cobras chalked up over a million operational hours in Vietnam.
The U.S. Marine Corps was very interested in the AH-1G Cobra, too, but it preferred a twin-engine version for improved safety in over-water operations, and also wanted a more potent turret-mounted weapon. At first, the Department of Defense had balked at providing the Marines with a twin-engine version of the Cobra, in the belief that commonality with Army AH-1Gs outweighed the advantages of a different engine fit. However, the Marines won out and awarded Bell a contract for 49 twin-engine AH-1J SeaCobras in May 1968. As an interim measure the U.S. Army passed on thirty-eight AH-1Gs to the Marines in 1969. The AH-1J also received a more powerful gun turret with a three-barrel 20 mm XM197 cannon based on the six-barrel M61 Vulcan cannon.
During the 1990s, the US forces gradually phased out its Cobra fleet. The withdrawn AH-1s were typically offered to other potential operators, usually NATO allies. Some were also given to the USDA's Forest Service for fire surveillance, and a handful AH-1s went into private hands, including the NASA. Among these airframes were some USMC AH-1Js, which had in part been mothballed in the Mojave Desert since their replacement through more powerful and modern AH-1 variants and the AH-64.
About twenty airframes were, after having been de-militarized, bought by the Kaman Corporation in 2003, in a bold move to quickly respond to more than 20 inquiries for the company’s K-1200 ‘K-Max’ crane synchropter since the type’s end of production in 2001 from firefighting, logging and industry transport requirements. While not such a dedicated medium lift helicopter as the K-1200, which had from the outset been optimized for external cargo load operations, the twin-engine AH-1J promised to be a very effective alternative and a powerful basis for a conversion into a crane helicopter.
The result of this conversion program was the Kaman K-1300, also known as the “K-Cobra” or “Crane Cobra”. While the basic airframe of the AH-1J was retained, extensive detail modifications were made. To reduce weight and compensate for the extensive hardware changes, the SeaCobra lost its armor, the chin turret, and the stub wings. Beyond that, many invisible changes were made; the internal structure between the engine mounts was beefed up with an additional cage structure and a cargo hook was installed under the fuselage in the helicopter’s center of lift.
To further optimize the K-Cobra’s performance, the dynamic components were modified and improved, too. While the engine remained the same, its oil cooler was enlarged and the original output limit to 1.500 shp was removed and the gearbox was strengthened to fully exploit the twin-engine’s available power of 1,800 shp (1,342 kW). The rotor system was also modified and optimized for the transport of underslung loads: the original UH-1 dual-blade rotors were replaced with new four-blade rotors. The new main rotor with rugged heavy-duty blades offered more lift at less rotor speed, and the blades’ lift sections were moved away from the hub so that downwash and turbulences directly under the helicopter’s CoG and man hook were reduced to keep the cargo load more stable. Due to the main rotor’s slightly bigger diameter the tail rotor was changed into a slightly smaller four-blade rotor, too. This new arrangement made the K-1300 more stable while hovering or during slow speed maneuvers and more responsive to steering input.
The Cobra’s crew of two was retained, but the cockpit was re-arranged and split into two compartments: the pilot retained the original rear position in the tandem cockpit under the original glazing, but the gunner’s station in front of him, together with the secondary dashboard, was omitted and replaced by a new, fully glazed cabin under the former gunner position. This cabin occupied the former gun station and its ammunition supply and contained a rearward-facing workstation for a second pilot with full controls. It was accessible via a separate door or a ladder from above, through a trap door in the former gunner’s station floor, where a simple foldable bench was available for a third person. This arrangement was chosen due to almost complete lack of oversight of the slung load from the normal cockpit position, despite a CCTV (closed circuit television) system with two cameras intended for observation of slung loads. The second pilot would control the helicopter during delicate load-handling maneuvers, while the primary pilot “above” would fly the helicopter during transfer flights, both sharing the workload.
To accommodate the cabin under the fuselage and improve ground handling, the AH-1J’s skids were replaced by a stalky, fixed four-wheel landing gear that considerably increased ground clearance (almost 7 feet), making the attachment of loads on the ground to the main ventral hook easier, as the K-1300 could be “rolled over” the cargo on the ground and did not have to hover above it to connect. However, an external ladder had to be added so that the pilot could reach his/her workstation almost 10 feet above the ground.
The bulky ventral cabin, the draggy landing gear and the new lift-optimized rotor system reduced the CraneCobra’s top speed by a third to just 124 mph (200 km/h), but the helicopter’s load-carrying capacity became 35% higher and the Cobra’s performance under “hot & high” conditions was markedly improved, too.
For transfer flights, a pair of external auxiliary tanks could be mounted to the lower fuselage flanks, which could also be replaced with cargo boxes of similar size and shape.
K-1300 buyers primarily came from the United States and Canada, but there were foreign operators, too. A major operator in Europe became Heliswiss, the oldest helicopter company in Switzerland. The company was founded as „Heliswiss Schweizerische Helikopter AG“, with headquarters in Berne-Belp on April 17, 1953, what also marked the beginning of commercial helicopter flying in Switzerland. During the following years Heliswiss expanded in Switzerland and formed a network with bases in Belp BE, Samedan GR, Domat Ems GR, Locarno TI, Erstfeld UR, Gampel VS, Gstaad BE and Gruyères FR. During the build-up of the rescue-company Schweizerische Rettungsflugwacht (REGA) as an independent network, Heliswiss carried out rescue missions on their behalf.
Heliswiss carried out operations all over the world, e. g. in Greenland, Suriname, North Africa and South America. The first helicopter was a Bell 47 G-1, registered as HB-XAG on September 23, 1953. From 1963 Heliswiss started to expand and began to operate with medium helicopters like the Agusta Bell 204B with a turbine power of 1050 HP and an external load of up to 1500 kg. From 1979 Heliswiss operated a Bell 214 (external load up to 2.8 t).
Since 1991 Heliswiss operated a Russian Kamov 32A12 (a civil crane version of the Ka-27 “Helix”), which was joined by two K-1300s in 2004. They were frequently used for construction of transmission towers for overhead power lines and pylons for railway catenary lines, for selective logging and also as fire bombers with underslung water bags, the latter managed by the German Helog company, operating out of Ainring and Küssnacht in Germany and Switzerland until 2008, when Helog changed its business focus into a helicopter flight training academy in Liberia with the support of Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
A second Kamov 32A12 joined the fleet in 2015, which replaced one of the K-1300s, and Heliswiss’ last K-1300 was retired in early 2022.
General characteristics:
Crew: 2, plus space for a passenger
Length: 54 ft 3 in (16,56 m) including rotors
44 ft 5 in (13.5 m) fuselage only
Main rotor diameter: 46 ft 2¾ in (14,11 m)
Main rotor area: 1,677.64 sq ft (156,37 m2)
Width (over landing gear): 12 ft 6 in (3.85 m)
Height: 17 ft 8¼ in (5,40 m)
Empty weight: 5,810 lb (2,635 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 9,500 lb (4,309 kg) without slung load
13,515 lb (6,145 kg) with slung load
Powerplant:
1× P&W Canada T400-CP-400 (PT6T-3 Twin-Pac) turboshaft engine, 1,800 shp (1,342 kW)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 124 mph (200 km/h, 110 kn)
Cruise speed: 105 mph (169 km/h, 91 kn)
Range: 270 mi (430 km, 230 nmi) with internal fuel only,
360 mi (570 km 310 nmi) with external auxiliary tanks
Service ceiling: 15,000 ft (4,600 m)
Hovering ceiling out of ground effect: 3,000 m (9,840 ft)
Rate of climb: 2,500 ft/min (13 m/s) at Sea Level with flat-rated torque
External load capacity (at ISA +15 °C (59.0 °F):
6,000 lb (2,722 kg) at sea level
5,663 lb (2,569 kg) at 5,000 ft (1,524 m)
5,163 lb (2,342 kg) at 10,000 ft (3,048 m)
5,013 lb (2,274 kg) at 12,100 ft (3,688 m)
4,313 lb (1,956 kg) at 15,000 ft (4,600 m)
The kit and its assembly:
This is/was the second contribution to the late 2022 “Logistics” Group Build at whatifmodellers.com, a welcome occasion and motivation to tackle a what-if project that had been on my list for a long while. This crane helicopter conversion of a HueyCobra was inspired by the Mil Mi-10K helicopter – I had built a 1:100 VEB Plasticart kit MANY years ago and still remembered the helicopter’s unique ventral cabin under the nose with a rearward-facing second pilot. I always thought that the AH-1 might be a good crane helicopter, too, esp. the USMC’s twin-engine variant. And why not combine everything in a fictional model?
With this plan the basis became a Fujimi 1:72 AH-1J and lots of donor parts to modify the basic hull into “something else”. Things started with the removal of the chin turret and part of the lower front hull to make space for the ventral glass cabin. The openings for the stub wings were faired over and a different stabilizer (taken from a Revell EC 135, including the end plates) was implanted. The attachment points for the skids were filled and a styrene tube was inserted into the rotor mast opening to later hold the new four-blade rotor. Another styrene tube with bigger diameter was inserted into the lower fuselage as a display holder adapter for later flight scene pictures. Lead beads filled the nose section to make sure the CraneCobra would stand well on its new legs, with the nose down. The cockpit was basically taken OOB, just the front seat and the respective gunner dashboard was omitted.
One of the big challenges of this build followed next: the ventral cabin. Over the course of several months, I was not able to find a suitable donor, so I was forced to scratch the cabin from acrylic and styrene sheet. Size benchmark became the gunner’s seat from the Cobra kit, with one of the OOB pilots seated. Cabin width was less dictated through the fuselage, the rest of the cabin’s design became a rather simple, boxy thing – not pretty, but I think a real-life retrofitted cabin would not look much different? Some PSR was done to hide the edges of the rather thick all-clear walls and create a 3D frame - a delicate task. Attaching the completed thing with the second pilot and a dashboard under the roof to the Cobra’s lower hull and making it look more or less natural without major accidents was also a tricky and lengthy affair, because I ignored the Cobra’s narrowing nose above the former chin turret.
With the cabin defining the ground helicopter’s clearance, it was time for the next donors: the landing gear from an Airfix 1:72 Kamow Ka-25, which had to be modified further to achieve a proper stance. The long main struts were fixed to the hull, their supporting struts had to be scratched, in this case from steel wire. The front wheels were directly attached to the ventral cabin (which might contain in real life a rigid steel cage that not only protects the second crew member but could also take the front wheels’ loads?). Looks pretty stalky!
Under the hull, a massive hook and a fairing for the oil cooler were added. A PE brass ladder was mounted on the right side of the hull under the pilot’s cockpit, while a rear-view mirror was mounted for the ventral pilot on the left side.
The rotor system was created in parallel, I wanted “something different” from the UH-1 dual-blade rotors. The main rotor hub was taken from a Mistercraft 1:72 Westland Lynx (AFAIK a re-boxed ZTS Plastyk kit), which included the arms up to the blades. The hub was put onto a metal axis, with a spacer to make it sit well in the new styrene tube adapter inside of the hull, and some donor parts from the Revell EC 135. Deeper, tailored blades were glued to the Lynx hub, actually leftover parts from the aforementioned wrecked VEB Plasticart 1:100 Mi-10, even though their length had to be halved (what makes you aware how large a Mi-6/10 is compared with an AH-1!). The tail rotor was taken wholesale from the Lynx and stuck to the Cobra’s tail with a steel pin.
Painting and markings:
Another pushing factor for this build was the fact that I had a 1:72 Begemot aftermarket decal sheet for the Kamow Ka-27/32 in The Stash™, which features, among many military helicopters, (the) two civil Heliswiss machines – a perfect match!
Using the Swiss Helix’ as design benchmark I adapted their red-over-white paint scheme to the slender AH-1 and eventually ended up with a simple livery with a white belly (acrylic white from the rattle can, after extensive masking of the clear parts with Maskol/latex milk) and a red (Humbrol 19) upper section, with decorative counter-colored cheatlines along the medium waterline. A black anti-glare panel was added in front of the windscreen. The auxiliary tanks were painted white, too, but they were processed separately and mounted just before the final coat of varnish was applied. The PE ladder as well as the rotors were handled similarly.
The cockpit and rotor opening interior were painted in a very dark grey (tar black, Revell 06), while the interior of the air intakes was painted bright white (Revell 301). The rotor blades became light grey (Revell 75) with darker leading edges (Humbrol 140), dark grey (Humbrol 164) hubs and yellow tips.
For the “HELOG/Heliswiss” tagline the lower white section had to be raised to a medium position on the fuselage, so that they could be placed on the lower flanks under the cockpit. The white civil registration code could not be placed on the tail and ended up on the engine cowling, on red, but this does not look bad or wrong at all.
The cheatlines are also decals from the Ka-32 Begemot sheet, even though they had to be trimmed considerably to fit onto the Cobra’s fuselage – and unfortunately the turned out to be poorly printed and rather brittle, so that I had to improvise and correct the flaws with generic red and white decal lines from TL Modellbau. The white cross on the tail and most stencils came from the Begemot sheet, too. Black, engine soot-hiding areas on the Cobra’s tail were created with generic decal sheet material, too.
The rotor blades and the wheels received a black ink treatment to emphasize their details, but this was not done on the hull to avoid a dirty or worn look. After some final details like position lights the model was sealed with semi-matt acrylic varnish, while the rotors became matt.
A weird-looking what-if model, but somehow a crane-copter variant of the AH-1 looks quite natural – even more so in its attractive red-and-white civil livery. The stalky landing gear is odd, though, necessitated by the ventral cabin for the second pilot. I was skeptical, but scratching the latter was more successful than expected, and the cabin blend quite well into the AH-1 hull, despite its boxy shape.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The AH-1 Cobra was developed in the mid-1960s as an interim gunship for the U.S. Army for use during the Vietnam War. The Cobra shared the proven transmission, rotor system, and the T53 turboshaft engine of the UH-1 "Huey". By June 1967, the first AH-1G HueyCobras had been delivered. Bell built 1,116 AH-1Gs for the U.S. Army between 1967 and 1973, and the Cobras chalked up over a million operational hours in Vietnam.
The U.S. Marine Corps was very interested in the AH-1G Cobra, too, but it preferred a twin-engine version for improved safety in over-water operations, and also wanted a more potent turret-mounted weapon. At first, the Department of Defense had balked at providing the Marines with a twin-engine version of the Cobra, in the belief that commonality with Army AH-1Gs outweighed the advantages of a different engine fit. However, the Marines won out and awarded Bell a contract for 49 twin-engine AH-1J SeaCobras in May 1968. As an interim measure the U.S. Army passed on thirty-eight AH-1Gs to the Marines in 1969. The AH-1J also received a more powerful gun turret with a three-barrel 20 mm XM197 cannon based on the six-barrel M61 Vulcan cannon.
During the 1990s, the US forces gradually phased out its Cobra fleet. The withdrawn AH-1s were typically offered to other potential operators, usually NATO allies. Some were also given to the USDA's Forest Service for fire surveillance, and a handful AH-1s went into private hands, including the NASA. Among these airframes were some USMC AH-1Js, which had in part been mothballed in the Mojave Desert since their replacement through more powerful and modern AH-1 variants and the AH-64.
About twenty airframes were, after having been de-militarized, bought by the Kaman Corporation in 2003, in a bold move to quickly respond to more than 20 inquiries for the company’s K-1200 ‘K-Max’ crane synchropter since the type’s end of production in 2001 from firefighting, logging and industry transport requirements. While not such a dedicated medium lift helicopter as the K-1200, which had from the outset been optimized for external cargo load operations, the twin-engine AH-1J promised to be a very effective alternative and a powerful basis for a conversion into a crane helicopter.
The result of this conversion program was the Kaman K-1300, also known as the “K-Cobra” or “Crane Cobra”. While the basic airframe of the AH-1J was retained, extensive detail modifications were made. To reduce weight and compensate for the extensive hardware changes, the SeaCobra lost its armor, the chin turret, and the stub wings. Beyond that, many invisible changes were made; the internal structure between the engine mounts was beefed up with an additional cage structure and a cargo hook was installed under the fuselage in the helicopter’s center of lift.
To further optimize the K-Cobra’s performance, the dynamic components were modified and improved, too. While the engine remained the same, its oil cooler was enlarged and the original output limit to 1.500 shp was removed and the gearbox was strengthened to fully exploit the twin-engine’s available power of 1,800 shp (1,342 kW). The rotor system was also modified and optimized for the transport of underslung loads: the original UH-1 dual-blade rotors were replaced with new four-blade rotors. The new main rotor with rugged heavy-duty blades offered more lift at less rotor speed, and the blades’ lift sections were moved away from the hub so that downwash and turbulences directly under the helicopter’s CoG and man hook were reduced to keep the cargo load more stable. Due to the main rotor’s slightly bigger diameter the tail rotor was changed into a slightly smaller four-blade rotor, too. This new arrangement made the K-1300 more stable while hovering or during slow speed maneuvers and more responsive to steering input.
The Cobra’s crew of two was retained, but the cockpit was re-arranged and split into two compartments: the pilot retained the original rear position in the tandem cockpit under the original glazing, but the gunner’s station in front of him, together with the secondary dashboard, was omitted and replaced by a new, fully glazed cabin under the former gunner position. This cabin occupied the former gun station and its ammunition supply and contained a rearward-facing workstation for a second pilot with full controls. It was accessible via a separate door or a ladder from above, through a trap door in the former gunner’s station floor, where a simple foldable bench was available for a third person. This arrangement was chosen due to almost complete lack of oversight of the slung load from the normal cockpit position, despite a CCTV (closed circuit television) system with two cameras intended for observation of slung loads. The second pilot would control the helicopter during delicate load-handling maneuvers, while the primary pilot “above” would fly the helicopter during transfer flights, both sharing the workload.
To accommodate the cabin under the fuselage and improve ground handling, the AH-1J’s skids were replaced by a stalky, fixed four-wheel landing gear that considerably increased ground clearance (almost 7 feet), making the attachment of loads on the ground to the main ventral hook easier, as the K-1300 could be “rolled over” the cargo on the ground and did not have to hover above it to connect. However, an external ladder had to be added so that the pilot could reach his/her workstation almost 10 feet above the ground.
The bulky ventral cabin, the draggy landing gear and the new lift-optimized rotor system reduced the CraneCobra’s top speed by a third to just 124 mph (200 km/h), but the helicopter’s load-carrying capacity became 35% higher and the Cobra’s performance under “hot & high” conditions was markedly improved, too.
For transfer flights, a pair of external auxiliary tanks could be mounted to the lower fuselage flanks, which could also be replaced with cargo boxes of similar size and shape.
K-1300 buyers primarily came from the United States and Canada, but there were foreign operators, too. A major operator in Europe became Heliswiss, the oldest helicopter company in Switzerland. The company was founded as „Heliswiss Schweizerische Helikopter AG“, with headquarters in Berne-Belp on April 17, 1953, what also marked the beginning of commercial helicopter flying in Switzerland. During the following years Heliswiss expanded in Switzerland and formed a network with bases in Belp BE, Samedan GR, Domat Ems GR, Locarno TI, Erstfeld UR, Gampel VS, Gstaad BE and Gruyères FR. During the build-up of the rescue-company Schweizerische Rettungsflugwacht (REGA) as an independent network, Heliswiss carried out rescue missions on their behalf.
Heliswiss carried out operations all over the world, e. g. in Greenland, Suriname, North Africa and South America. The first helicopter was a Bell 47 G-1, registered as HB-XAG on September 23, 1953. From 1963 Heliswiss started to expand and began to operate with medium helicopters like the Agusta Bell 204B with a turbine power of 1050 HP and an external load of up to 1500 kg. From 1979 Heliswiss operated a Bell 214 (external load up to 2.8 t).
Since 1991 Heliswiss operated a Russian Kamov 32A12 (a civil crane version of the Ka-27 “Helix”), which was joined by two K-1300s in 2004. They were frequently used for construction of transmission towers for overhead power lines and pylons for railway catenary lines, for selective logging and also as fire bombers with underslung water bags, the latter managed by the German Helog company, operating out of Ainring and Küssnacht in Germany and Switzerland until 2008, when Helog changed its business focus into a helicopter flight training academy in Liberia with the support of Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
A second Kamov 32A12 joined the fleet in 2015, which replaced one of the K-1300s, and Heliswiss’ last K-1300 was retired in early 2022.
General characteristics:
Crew: 2, plus space for a passenger
Length: 54 ft 3 in (16,56 m) including rotors
44 ft 5 in (13.5 m) fuselage only
Main rotor diameter: 46 ft 2¾ in (14,11 m)
Main rotor area: 1,677.64 sq ft (156,37 m2)
Width (over landing gear): 12 ft 6 in (3.85 m)
Height: 17 ft 8¼ in (5,40 m)
Empty weight: 5,810 lb (2,635 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 9,500 lb (4,309 kg) without slung load
13,515 lb (6,145 kg) with slung load
Powerplant:
1× P&W Canada T400-CP-400 (PT6T-3 Twin-Pac) turboshaft engine, 1,800 shp (1,342 kW)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 124 mph (200 km/h, 110 kn)
Cruise speed: 105 mph (169 km/h, 91 kn)
Range: 270 mi (430 km, 230 nmi) with internal fuel only,
360 mi (570 km 310 nmi) with external auxiliary tanks
Service ceiling: 15,000 ft (4,600 m)
Hovering ceiling out of ground effect: 3,000 m (9,840 ft)
Rate of climb: 2,500 ft/min (13 m/s) at Sea Level with flat-rated torque
External load capacity (at ISA +15 °C (59.0 °F):
6,000 lb (2,722 kg) at sea level
5,663 lb (2,569 kg) at 5,000 ft (1,524 m)
5,163 lb (2,342 kg) at 10,000 ft (3,048 m)
5,013 lb (2,274 kg) at 12,100 ft (3,688 m)
4,313 lb (1,956 kg) at 15,000 ft (4,600 m)
The kit and its assembly:
This is/was the second contribution to the late 2022 “Logistics” Group Build at whatifmodellers.com, a welcome occasion and motivation to tackle a what-if project that had been on my list for a long while. This crane helicopter conversion of a HueyCobra was inspired by the Mil Mi-10K helicopter – I had built a 1:100 VEB Plasticart kit MANY years ago and still remembered the helicopter’s unique ventral cabin under the nose with a rearward-facing second pilot. I always thought that the AH-1 might be a good crane helicopter, too, esp. the USMC’s twin-engine variant. And why not combine everything in a fictional model?
With this plan the basis became a Fujimi 1:72 AH-1J and lots of donor parts to modify the basic hull into “something else”. Things started with the removal of the chin turret and part of the lower front hull to make space for the ventral glass cabin. The openings for the stub wings were faired over and a different stabilizer (taken from a Revell EC 135, including the end plates) was implanted. The attachment points for the skids were filled and a styrene tube was inserted into the rotor mast opening to later hold the new four-blade rotor. Another styrene tube with bigger diameter was inserted into the lower fuselage as a display holder adapter for later flight scene pictures. Lead beads filled the nose section to make sure the CraneCobra would stand well on its new legs, with the nose down. The cockpit was basically taken OOB, just the front seat and the respective gunner dashboard was omitted.
One of the big challenges of this build followed next: the ventral cabin. Over the course of several months, I was not able to find a suitable donor, so I was forced to scratch the cabin from acrylic and styrene sheet. Size benchmark became the gunner’s seat from the Cobra kit, with one of the OOB pilots seated. Cabin width was less dictated through the fuselage, the rest of the cabin’s design became a rather simple, boxy thing – not pretty, but I think a real-life retrofitted cabin would not look much different? Some PSR was done to hide the edges of the rather thick all-clear walls and create a 3D frame - a delicate task. Attaching the completed thing with the second pilot and a dashboard under the roof to the Cobra’s lower hull and making it look more or less natural without major accidents was also a tricky and lengthy affair, because I ignored the Cobra’s narrowing nose above the former chin turret.
With the cabin defining the ground helicopter’s clearance, it was time for the next donors: the landing gear from an Airfix 1:72 Kamow Ka-25, which had to be modified further to achieve a proper stance. The long main struts were fixed to the hull, their supporting struts had to be scratched, in this case from steel wire. The front wheels were directly attached to the ventral cabin (which might contain in real life a rigid steel cage that not only protects the second crew member but could also take the front wheels’ loads?). Looks pretty stalky!
Under the hull, a massive hook and a fairing for the oil cooler were added. A PE brass ladder was mounted on the right side of the hull under the pilot’s cockpit, while a rear-view mirror was mounted for the ventral pilot on the left side.
The rotor system was created in parallel, I wanted “something different” from the UH-1 dual-blade rotors. The main rotor hub was taken from a Mistercraft 1:72 Westland Lynx (AFAIK a re-boxed ZTS Plastyk kit), which included the arms up to the blades. The hub was put onto a metal axis, with a spacer to make it sit well in the new styrene tube adapter inside of the hull, and some donor parts from the Revell EC 135. Deeper, tailored blades were glued to the Lynx hub, actually leftover parts from the aforementioned wrecked VEB Plasticart 1:100 Mi-10, even though their length had to be halved (what makes you aware how large a Mi-6/10 is compared with an AH-1!). The tail rotor was taken wholesale from the Lynx and stuck to the Cobra’s tail with a steel pin.
Painting and markings:
Another pushing factor for this build was the fact that I had a 1:72 Begemot aftermarket decal sheet for the Kamow Ka-27/32 in The Stash™, which features, among many military helicopters, (the) two civil Heliswiss machines – a perfect match!
Using the Swiss Helix’ as design benchmark I adapted their red-over-white paint scheme to the slender AH-1 and eventually ended up with a simple livery with a white belly (acrylic white from the rattle can, after extensive masking of the clear parts with Maskol/latex milk) and a red (Humbrol 19) upper section, with decorative counter-colored cheatlines along the medium waterline. A black anti-glare panel was added in front of the windscreen. The auxiliary tanks were painted white, too, but they were processed separately and mounted just before the final coat of varnish was applied. The PE ladder as well as the rotors were handled similarly.
The cockpit and rotor opening interior were painted in a very dark grey (tar black, Revell 06), while the interior of the air intakes was painted bright white (Revell 301). The rotor blades became light grey (Revell 75) with darker leading edges (Humbrol 140), dark grey (Humbrol 164) hubs and yellow tips.
For the “HELOG/Heliswiss” tagline the lower white section had to be raised to a medium position on the fuselage, so that they could be placed on the lower flanks under the cockpit. The white civil registration code could not be placed on the tail and ended up on the engine cowling, on red, but this does not look bad or wrong at all.
The cheatlines are also decals from the Ka-32 Begemot sheet, even though they had to be trimmed considerably to fit onto the Cobra’s fuselage – and unfortunately the turned out to be poorly printed and rather brittle, so that I had to improvise and correct the flaws with generic red and white decal lines from TL Modellbau. The white cross on the tail and most stencils came from the Begemot sheet, too. Black, engine soot-hiding areas on the Cobra’s tail were created with generic decal sheet material, too.
The rotor blades and the wheels received a black ink treatment to emphasize their details, but this was not done on the hull to avoid a dirty or worn look. After some final details like position lights the model was sealed with semi-matt acrylic varnish, while the rotors became matt.
A weird-looking what-if model, but somehow a crane-copter variant of the AH-1 looks quite natural – even more so in its attractive red-and-white civil livery. The stalky landing gear is odd, though, necessitated by the ventral cabin for the second pilot. I was skeptical, but scratching the latter was more successful than expected, and the cabin blend quite well into the AH-1 hull, despite its boxy shape.
No. 66 of 115 Pictures in 2015: Pollination
It's been a while since I got out there with the camera, but the workload that kept me away is now over, so I took advantage of today's morning sunshine to chase this hoverfly around the garden. The dill is homegrown. I'm quite proud of this fact; I'm in the process of developing a regenerative life.
Hopefully I should be more flickr active again and be able to take the time to browse your efforts.
I can't find the most appropriate photo for what I feel right now...so here it is...the not so macro photo...
I still have heavy workload this week...administering my "real office" and administering several groups here in flickr...
I will get back soon...and always leave those sweet photos you have so I can nibble on them later....
I looked out for this very old company after the recent clearout by M&R.I can remember them having a new Ford R1114/Plaxton in 1980 though these days they have a fleet of minibuses to cover their workload.
Last of a forgotten trend….
LA697 (HGD903L) was one of the last batch of Atlanteans ordered by Glasgow Corporation Transport (GCT), and was delivered in GCT colours, shortly after the formation of Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive (GGPTE).
You may notice the dual doors. This was a fad that many operators went through towards the late 1960s and 1970s when driver only operation was legalised. The perceived wisdom from so-called experts was that dual door buses would ease passenger traffic flows and ease the drivers’ workload if the passengers left the bus from the ones they came on from. However the truth was all they did was reduce the capacity of the bus and in sone cases actually add to delays.
GCT was an early convert to driver only operation, mainly to reduce costs. It started ordering dual-door buses but the system they ordered was particularly troublesome. It was because some whizz-kid salesperson convinced GCT that the safest way was if the exit doors would only open if someone pressed the bell on the bus to signify that they wanted off, something that for many years passengers had been told was the conductor’s responsibility. You could see the flaws in it daily. The bus came to a stop. The passengers went to exit doors to get off. The doors stayed shut. The driver shouted something in frustrated Glaswegian about ‘pressing the bell’ with an expletive added. By this stage, the front doors had opened and the passengers had used these to leap to freedom. An interlock then prevented the bus from moving until the exit doors were opened and closed.
Despite this obvious flaw, a combination of hope and inertia meant several hundred dual door Atlanteans arrived, both PDR-types and AN68 when they type was launched. When the PTE inherited the GCT fleet, it decided to launch a standard design of bus based on the Atlantean with a single door (more seats) and panoramic windows, which in due course presented their own issues. But after the PTE took control, it then spent a fortune ripping out the dual doors and panelling them over.
Although delivered with dual doors, LA697 escaped the normal conversion back to single door layout that many Atlanteans had. Its dual-door layout meant that towards the end of its service life it was ideal for conversion to a driver training bus, at which point the front door was removed to make space for an instructor's seat, leaving the bus as a centre-entrance vehicle.
LA697 was initially restored by a group of Strathclyde's Buses drivers who bought the bus when it was replaced as a driver trainer by a more modern Atlantean. By this stage, it had been on fleet strength for over 20-years but was saved by some drivers of the company who restored it, which included reinstalling the front door. It then spent a bit of time in the Bristol area before it came back to the Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust and now looks as good as new. Also note the running card in the windscreen and the ‘please pay driver’ sign. This was someone that could be reversed when a conductor was on board and was designed to enable potential passengers to know whether a conductor was on board.
Mid-air collision (the M25 would have struck the M22 from the rear) during a test flight intended to develop catapult adjustment instructions. Human error linked to an unusual workload would seem to be the most likely cause of the accident.
Stumbled upon this bunch of 'projects' in Livinhac-le-Haut. Some pictures from years ago can be found of some of these cars in a better shape. It seems the workload has grown over the owner's head. This BX looks as if it might be able to drive.
Amish corn fields, cold and desolate, in the depths of winter. A mist in the air, ice crusted snow underfoot, the air is still and silent. In the distance the familiar clip clop as an Amish family goes about their day in their horse and buggy. Life slows down and almost stops and then the wind blows.
—
Amish stack the corn in these stacks called corn shocks.
A hundred years ago, corn harvesting required more labor than any other farm crop. Corn was used not only for grain, but the stalk and leaves made good feed for horses, cattle, and sheep.
Farmers had to chop down the cornstalks one at a time, and stack them in shocks to dry. A field of shocks, like hundreds of teepees in straight rows, was a magnificent sight.
But this was not all. After the stalks had dried, they were loaded on wagons and taken to the farmstead. Then they were shucked by hand or by machine. Some parts went into the barn for livestock, while the ears were moved to a corncrib for further drying.
Sometimes the corn was shucked in the field from standing stalks. The ears were stripped from the stalk and tossed into a wagon, which was slowly moved through the field. This greatly increased the farmer's workload and was a terrible task.
As machines were invented, the time needed to harvest corn was lessened. Also, farmers could grow more corn without increasing the workload too much. Early machines took over cutting and bundling of stalks but left a lot of handwork such as hauling and shucking to the farmer.
Since the Amish still cling to "old ways" (which is NOT a bad thing in my opinion) you will see a lot of fields with corn shocks like that.
The raw photo was processed in lightroom for overall exposure and to remove some distractions. I then processed the photo in onOne Layers and effects for a color version.
It has been a difficult Christmas and New Year's for me. My grandma had a stroke at the age of 91 in the nursing home and was sent to the hospital.
Meanwhile work is as usual, boss is as usual. Work is getting harder and more. I'm feeling more and more tired and unmotivated to work anymore. Apart from the money to pay rent, bills and buy more Lego stuff, which I'm also feeling burnt out from.
My family car is also giving me problems, I had to take leave to send the car for service. At the service centre, they told me they couldn't take out the part and had to send it to an external shop for an extra fee. I was worried that they could steal other parts from my car engine (it is known here that a lot of workshops do that, exchanging original parts and replacing them with lousy or old ones) But I couldn't do anything but to trust them. The car was supposed to be done in a day but because of the external shop it had to be left overnight.
This made me even more behind in my workload. I didn't manage to finish anything before the New year's holiday. And then new year's eve night was the worst. We received news that grandma might not make it. It was very stressful and sad night as I was at home trying to sleep while my uncle, aunt and cousins were at the hospital. I kept checking my phone every 5 minutes. Finally dozed off....
Grandma somehow made it, we visited her the next morning on new year's day. Met the secondary doctor and he was not the nicest person. I guess he was upset that he had to come back to work on a holiday. But still... his attitude was no excuse honestly. Nevertheless, uncle aunt cousins and mum discussion that morning we had to make the most difficult decision to let grandma go peacefully. No more antibiotics or any treatment. Scanned results was that grandma had end stage renal (kidney) failure.
Seeing grandma there bedridden and trying to breathe... it was horrible. Felt so helpless, only wish that she could get well but of course, she is too old and too ill. I don't know how many more days before she will go.
I hope everyone else has had a better Christmas and New year's.
It's been a pretty gnarly week and it's only Wednesday. Today was one of those days that stacks up against you. A 7am start, the need to crank-something-out fire drill style, a lunchtime presentation that you volunteered to do weeks ago (when today was going to be like any other day), and an early evening meeting to listen to middle-school bureaucracy at work. Oh, and my wife's been on the East Coast, so wrap that in full "Mr. Mom" duties. That's a thumbnail of my Wednesday. It's hard to work a 365 photo into this kind of day. However, there is a cool, modern wall near my work-space that changes colors. I was looking at after I finished my presentation, had my fire drill under control and realized that all I had left was a nasty commute and school meeting. The sign went from a deep, dreary purple, to one of my favorite colors - - orange. The color that represents the sun and "a new day", tough mudders, the county where I live, and a lot of other things that I think are positive and cool. Yes, I was feeling orange at that moment, and my week had literally turned the corner.
The Royal Air Force unveiled impressive images of a unique aircraft formation to celebrate the forty years of service of the Panavia Tornado GR4 attack jet.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine, variable-sweep wing multirole combat aircraft, jointly developed and manufactured by Italy, the United Kingdom, and West Germany. There are three primary Tornado variants: the Tornado IDS (interdictor/strike) fighter-bomber, the suppression of enemy air defences Tornado ECR (electronic combat/reconnaissance) and the Tornado ADV (air defence variant) interceptor aircraft.
The Tornado was developed and built by Panavia Aircraft GmbH, a tri-national consortium consisting of British Aerospace (previously British Aircraft Corporation), MBB of West Germany, and Aeritalia of Italy. It first flew on 14 August 1974 and was introduced into service in 1979–1980. Due to its multirole design, it was able to replace several different fleets of aircraft in the adopting air forces. The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) became the only export operator of the Tornado in addition to the three original partner nations. A tri-nation training and evaluation unit operating from RAF Cottesmore, the Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment, maintained a level of international co-operation beyond the production stage.
The Tornado was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF), Italian Air Force, and RSAF during the Gulf War of 1991, in which the Tornado conducted many low-altitude penetrating strike missions. The Tornados of various services were also used in conflicts in the former Yugoslavia during the Bosnian War and Kosovo War, the Iraq War, Libya during the Libyan civil war, as well as smaller roles in Afghanistan, Yemen, and Syria. Including all variants, 992 aircraft were built.
Development
Origins
During the 1960s, aeronautical designers looked to variable-geometry wing designs to gain the manoeuvrability and efficient cruise of straight wings with the speed of swept wing designs. The United Kingdom had cancelled the procurement of the TSR-2 and subsequent F-111K aircraft, and was still looking for a replacement for its Avro Vulcan and Blackburn Buccaneer strike aircraft.[1] Britain and France had initiated the AFVG (Anglo French Variable Geometry) project in 1965, but this had ended with French withdrawal in 1967. Britain continued to develop a variable-geometry aircraft similar to the proposed AFVG, and sought new partners to achieve this.[3] West German EWR had been developing the swing-wing EWR-Fairchild-Hiller A400 AVS Advanced Vertical Strike (which has a similar configuration to the Tornado).
In 1968, West Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Canada formed a working group to examine replacements for the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, initially called the Multi Role Aircraft (MRA), later renamed as the Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA). The participating nations all had ageing fleets that required replacing; but, as the requirements were so diverse, it was decided to develop a single aircraft that could perform a variety of missions that were previously undertaken by a fleet of different aircraft.[10] Britain joined the MRCA group in 1968, represented by Air Vice-Marshal Michael Giddings, and a memorandum of agreement was drafted between Britain, West Germany, and Italy in May 1969.
By the end of 1968, the prospective purchases from the six countries amounted to 1,500 aircraft. Canada and Belgium had departed before any long-term commitments had been made to the programme; Canada had found the project politically unpalatable; there was a perception in political circles that much of the manufacturing and specifications were focused on Western Europe. France had made a favorable offer to Belgium on the Dassault Mirage 5, which created doubt as to whether the MRCA would be worthwhile from Belgium's operational perspective.
Panavia Aircraft GmbH
On 26 March 1969, four partner nations – United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, agreed to form a multinational company, Panavia Aircraft GmbH, to develop and manufacture the MRCA. The project's aim was to produce an aircraft capable of undertaking missions in the tactical strike, reconnaissance, air defence, and maritime roles; thus allowing the MRCA to replace several different aircraft then in use by the partner nations. Various concepts, including alternative fixed-wing and single-engine designs, were studied while defining the aircraft. The Netherlands pulled out of the project in 1970, citing that the aircraft was too complicated and technical for the RNLAF's preferences, which had sought a simpler aircraft with outstanding manoeuvrability. An additional blow was struck by the German requirement reduced from an initial 600 aircraft to 324 in 1972. It has been suggested that Germany deliberately placed an unrealistically high initial order to secure the company headquarters and initial test flight in Germany rather than the UK, so as to have a bigger design influence.
When the agreement was finalised, the United Kingdom and West Germany each had a 42.5% stake of the workload, with the remaining 15% going to Italy; this division of the production work was heavily influenced by international political bargaining. The front fuselage and tail assembly was assigned to BAC (now BAE Systems) in the United Kingdom; the centre fuselage to MBB (now EADS) in West Germany; and the wings to Aeritalia (now Alenia Aeronautica) in Italy.[19] Similarly, tri-national worksharing was used for engines, general and avionic equipment. A separate multinational company, Turbo-Union, was formed in June 1970 to develop and build the RB199 engines for the aircraft, with ownership similarly split 40% Rolls-Royce, 40% MTU, and 20% FIAT.
At the conclusion of the project definition phase in May 1970, the concepts were reduced to two designs; a single seat Panavia 100 which West Germany initially preferred, and the twin-seat Panavia 200 which the RAF preferred (this would become the Tornado). The aircraft was briefly called the Panavia Panther, and the project soon coalesced towards the two-seat option. In September 1971, the three governments signed an Intention to Proceed (ITP) document, at which point the aircraft was intended solely for the low-level strike mission, where it was viewed as a viable threat to Soviet defences in that role. It was at this point that Britain's Chief of the Defence Staff announced "two-thirds of the fighting front line will be composed of this single, basic aircraft type".
Prototypes and testing
The first of more than a dozen Tornado prototypes took flight on 14 August 1974 at Manching, Germany; the pilot, Paul Millett described his experience: "Aircraft handling was delightful... the actual flight went so smoothly that I did begin to wonder whether this was not yet another simulation". Flight testing led to the need for minor modifications. Airflow disturbances were responded to by re-profiling the engine intakes and the fuselage to minimise surging and buffeting experienced at supersonic speeds.
According to Jim Quinn, programmer of the Tornado development simulation software and engineer on the Tornado engine and engine controls, the prototype was safely capable of reaching supercruise, but the engines had severe safety issues at high altitude while trying to decelerate. The triple shaft engine, designed for maximum power at low altitude, resulted in severe vibrations while attempting to decelerate at high altitude. At high altitude and low turbine speed the compressor did not provide enough pressure to hold back the combustion pressure and would result in a violent vibration as the combustion pressure backfired into the intake. To avoid this effect the engine controls would automatically increase the minimum idle setting as altitude increased, until at very high altitudes the idle setting was so high, however, that it was close to maximum dry thrust. This resulted in one of the test aircraft being stuck in a mach 1.2 supercruise at high altitude and having to reduce speed by turning the aircraft, because the idle setting at that altitude was so high that the aircraft could not decelerate.
The British Ministry of Supply[when?] ordered Chief Engineer Ted Talbot from the Concorde development team to provide intake design assistance to the Tornado development team in order to overcome these issues, which they hesitantly agreed to after noting that the Concorde intake data had apparently already been leaked to the Soviet Union. The German engineers working on the Tornado intake were unable to produce a functional Concorde style intake despite having data from the Concorde team. To make the problem worse, their management team incorrectly filed a patent on the Concorde design, and then tried to sue the British engineers who had provided the design to them. The German lawyers realized that the British had provided the designs to the German team, and requested further information to help their engineers overcome the problems with the Tornado intake, but Chief Engineer Talbot refused. According to Talbot, the Concorde engineers had determined the issue with the Tornado intake was that the engine did not respond to unexpected changes in the intake position, and therefore the engine was running at the wrong setting for a given position of the intake ramps. This was because the Concorde had similar issues due to control pressure not being high enough to maintain proper angles of the intake ramps. Aerodynamic forces could force the intakes into the improper position, and so they should have the ability to control the engines if this occurs. The Tornado intake system did not allow for this. Due to the behaviour of the German management team, the British engineers declined to share this information, and so the Tornado was not equipped with the more advanced intake design of the Concorde.
Testing revealed that a nose-wheel steering augmentation system, connecting with the yaw damper, was necessary to counteract the destabilising effect produced by deploying the thrust reverser during landing rollouts.
From 1967 until 1984 Soviet KGB agents were provided details on the Tornado by the head of the West German Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm Planning department, Manfred Rotsch.
Two prototypes were lost in accidents, both of which had been primarily caused by poor piloting decisions and errors leading to two ground collision incidents; a third Tornado prototype was seriously damaged by an incident involving pilot-induced pitch oscillation. During the type's development, aircraft designers of the era were beginning to incorporate features such as more sophisticated stability augmentation systems and autopilots. Aircraft such as the Tornado and the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon made use of these new technologies. Failure testing of the Tornado's triplex analogue command and stability augmentation system (CSAS) was conducted on a series of realistic flight control rigs; the variable-sweep wings in combination with varying, and frequently very heavy, payloads complicated the clearance process.
Production
The contract for the Batch 1 aircraft was signed on 29 July 1976. The first aircraft were delivered to the RAF and German Air Force on 5 and 6 June 1979 respectively. The first Italian Tornado was delivered on 25 September 1981. On 29 January 1981, the Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment (TTTE) officially opened at RAF Cottesmore, remaining active in training pilots from all operating nations until 31 March 1999. The 500th Tornado to be produced was delivered to West Germany on 19 December 1987.
Export customers were sought after West Germany withdrew its objections to exporting the aircraft; Saudi Arabia was the only export customer of the Tornado. The agreement to purchase the Tornado was part of the controversial Al-Yamamah arms deal between British Aerospace and the Saudi government. Oman had committed to purchasing Tornados and the equipment to operate them for a total value of £250 million in the late 1980s, but cancelled the order in 1990 due to financial difficulties.
During the 1970s, Australia considered joining the MRCA programme to find a replacement for their ageing Dassault Mirage IIIs; ultimately the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet was selected to meet the requirement. Canada similarly opted for the F/A-18 after considering the Tornado. Japan considered the Tornado in the 1980s, along with the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and F/A-18, before selecting the Mitsubishi F-2, a domestically produced design based on the F-16. In the 1990s, both Taiwan and South Korea expressed interest in acquiring a small number of Tornado ECR aircraft. In 2001, EADS proposed a Tornado ECR variant with a greater electronic warfare capability for Australia.
Production came to an end in 1998; the last batch of aircraft being produced went to the Royal Saudi Air Force, who had ordered a total of 96 IDS Tornados. In June 2011, it was announced that the RAF's Tornado fleet had flown collectively over one million flying hours. Aviation author Jon Lake noted that "The Trinational Panavia Consortium produced just short of 1,000 Tornados, making it one of the most successful postwar bomber programs". In 2008, AirForces Monthly said of the Tornado: "For more than a quarter of a century ... the most important military aircraft in Western Europe."
African girls are always busy, their everyday workload is much more than boys and they are the first to be taken out of school if the household requires more work. These girls are from Uganda.
It’s not very often a council runs a front lift in-house, I think most that do are probably located in Western Australia. In NSW one of a few local governments which has a front lift as part of its plant and equipment is Mid-Western Regional Council. This good looking Bucher/Scania front loader runs through all the rural and outer lying areas of the council to gradually service 14 transfer stations, provided for residents which don’t receive a kerbside collection service. Whilst I’m sure it does a small amount of commercial pickups and other council related waste collections, the bulk of the workload I understand is based on transfer stations 7 days a week. I don’t know how long the front lift job has existed here, but prior to this Mudgee Shire Council ran a 6x4 MJE/Volvo, upgraded in 2007 to a Superior Pak Iveco and then this Scania in 2015. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out for me videoing this truck, however I was lucky enough to snap this photo as it departed the landfill.
Towards the end of Lothian Buses operating a coaching fleet, some former Wallace Arnold coaches were hired in to cover the seasonal workload. Lothian names were added to the stock white paintwork.
Farewell to the Flinders - one last look back as we headed for home. It is a beautiful place and we were sorry to leave. Our car was not so sorry as by this stage the muffler was being held on by fencing wire. Can't quite remember where I got that :-) The dirt roads and corrugations had taken their toll.
As we farewell the Flinders I'm afraid I must also farewell Flickr for a time. My small business is demanding a heavy workload of marketing duties and as I'm the entire Marketing Department, it will leave very little spare time in my days. I'm very sorry to have to leave. I will miss your wonderful images and kind, thoughtful comments. I hope to be able to return again perhaps in a couple of months and I look forward to that time very much. But, alas, it must be farewell for now.
From the archive, original on colour positive 35 mm film using a Milolta SRT 101 with a 58 mm lens (36 mm DSLR equivalent) scanned from the positive at 2400 dpi.
Flinders Ranges, South AustraliaA portion of the uplifted edge of the sedimentary rock layers which form parts of the Flinders Ranges.
From the archive, original on colour positive 35 mm film using a Milolta SRT 101 with a 58 mm lens (36 mm DSLR equivalent) scanned from the positive at 2400 dpi.
Flinders Ranges, South Australia circa 1973
Looking back on the month...I really need to get out of the house ...I may have almost exhausted all the things in my house that I can shoot. My motivation is again at an all time low...workload has been heavier in the past month or two mostly from staff shortages from Covid leave.
Apologies to everyone for not commenting on your pics as often as I'd like...and thank you to everyone who takes the time to comment/fav mine...It is all very much appreciated :)
Laura, 24 y/o, was among five finalists at the Hanami Festival Costumes Competition in Roihuvuori, Finland.
"I come from a rather low income family, which ended up being just me, my sister and our mother. She raised us as a single mother.
I never felt like we were struggling as a kid, but when more and more responsibilities came upon myself, I knew that I had to put in some effort in order to make it in the adult world.
"During my journey to adulthood, I've studied art, Japanese language, pop culture and singing. All of these are my passion, but as I'm still new to the field. I have to keep putting the bread on the table by other means. I've worked as a cashier and currently I'm working during night time as the person who delivers your newspaper to your door.
"Whenever my workload becomes bigger, thus more stressful, I try to relax with the help of my hobbies--cosplay, music, drawing and video games.
"My message to everyone: A day has way too few hours in it. Use your time well.
"Right now I'm struggling with my weight and body image, but more importantly I'm worried. Will the things I'm passionate about carry me anywhere in my life?
"To my younger self I have only one piece of advice: choose your friends well."
This is my 475th submission to The Human Family group.
Visit the group here to see more portraits and stories: www.flickr.com/groups/thehumanfamily.
The lady whose house is on my back boundary poisoned my cats in MY yard because when they are in my yard the neighbour's dogs beside me bark. This lady who poisoned the cats had a go at me when I moved in for asking the neighbours to control their dogs. (of course this incited the dog owners to make sure the dogs barked every time I used my yard). She is best friends with them. She had been hosing my cats as well so they would run inside rather then sit in my yard. She lured them to her side (I had trained them not to go over and they were always happy to sit in my yard) and she threw food over and put food on the fence. Charlie became obsessed with running up and down the top of the fence looking for food on her side. Matilda would run up to the fence at night, bang at the door to go out, then run to the back and sit watching the top of the fence waiting for her to throw the bait.
The neighbours with the dogs also put baited food in the yard. (Pizza...it has onion powder and it's very bad for cats and dogs).
OUTCOME: Raphael and Charlie were unable to eat for 4 days, I had to syringe feed and I wasn't aware they had been poisoned. Charlie appears to have recovered ok but he is not how he used to be. Raphael is not getting enough oxygen...his gums and nose and paws go white. I thought he was anemic but the vet said likely lack of oxygen. His heart sounded fine. He has a little colour return. He is less active than usual and I worry he won't fully recover. His eyes have not returned to their usual colour. I still need to get his urine tested.
The poisoning has been happening for a while as I've noticed Raphael's skin looked bluish at times. And his eyes were going dark grey rather than amber...he hasn't looked well for a while. And Charlie's gum hasn't been healing we think because the poisoning has been happening for a while and they've increased their efforts last week. Charlie and Raphael have lost weight.
Mercedes got out 2 days ago, and yesterday she was vomiting, couldn't keep her food down.
I'm trying to build enclosures...I take one day at a time. I'm doing well though and I'm actually getting better. I turned a corner in my health a month ago. It's coming hotter here and the house is an oven. I don't have air con and I'm trying to get areas enclosed for them to be outside.
Raphael has learnt to walk on a lead...the others are not impressed! thanks everyone for your visits, your kind words and your care. I will visit when I can. I don't get to the computer for a few days often because I'm trying to build the enclosures, and the workload of raphael and Charlie spraying is difficult. But I am well !!! I'm sorry I can't get to your photos. I'm guessing about a month to get the things done that will make the cats more comfortable.
Dr Alia Crum arrived in the soft brightness that comes after a storm. The air outside Stanford’s Psychology Building was cool and clear, the kind of light that makes everything feel freshly washed. She settled into a comfortable chair in her office with an easy calm, as if the morning’s weather had cleared a little space around her too.
Crum is a psychologist who studies something deceptively simple. She examines how beliefs shape physiology. Not in the loose mystical way that phrase sometimes gets tossed around. Her work cuts closer to the bone. The body is not a passive machine. It responds to expectation. It listens to mindset. She has built a career showing that what we think about stress, food, exercise, illness and treatment can tilt the body’s response in measurable ways.
Her early work came out of a moment most of us would ignore. While studying stress at Yale she realized that stress itself was not always the enemy. The fear of stress could be worse. The belief that stress is damaging primes the body to show more harmful patterns. The belief that stress can sharpen performance nudges the system toward resilience. Not wishful thinking. Observable biology. Shifts in cortisol. Changes in blood vessel constriction. A different hormonal conversation between mind and body.
One of her most famous studies grew from that instinct to question the obvious. The milkshake experiment has been told and retold because of how blunt and beautiful it is. Crum and her team gave participants a milkshake. Same ingredients. Same calories. Same everything. But the label was switched. For one group it was described as a rich decadent indulgence. For the other it appeared as a restrained sensible shake. People drank it while their hunger hormones were measured. Ghrelin the hormone that pushes hunger up or down behaved as if the labels were real. The decadent shake triggered a steep drop in ghrelin as though the body believed satisfaction had arrived. The restrained shake left ghrelin high as though the body had been shortchanged. The stomach listened not just to what was swallowed but to the story around it.
Crum leans into these contradictions. The world is overflowing with advice about how to treat your body. She keeps asking how the body treats belief. Her research at the Mind and Body Lab explores placebos, treatment expectations, the power of framing and how subtle shifts in context can rewrite physiology. People heal faster when they think a treatment is potent even if the medication is identical. Housekeepers who were told their daily work counted as exercise showed improvements in weight and blood pressure without any change in actual workload. Mindset became part of the treatment itself.
Talking with her you sense someone who has not grown cynical despite years of studying human perception. She seems fascinated by how easily the mind can box itself in and how quickly it can step out again with the right nudge. During the shoot she often rested her hand on a notebook the way some people hold a compass. These experiments begin as questions scribbled on a page before they grow into protocols, measurements and data sets that surprise the field again and again.
There is a warmth to the way she listens. She gives every idea a moment to breathe before responding. It makes sense. Her whole scientific life is built on the idea that thoughts matter. Beliefs matter. Not in a magical way. In a biological way. You walk out of her lab with the unsettling and oddly hopeful sense that the stories we tell ourselves are not just background noise. They seep inward. They shape the body. They set the terms for how we cope with stress, how we move through illness and how we meet our own expectations.
Photographing her on that quiet afternoon at Stanford felt like brushing up against the edge of a much larger truth. The mind is not sealed off from the body. Crum has spent her career proving it. And she is only getting started.
I've started school (college) and it's already quite the workload.
help out a soon to be college student by buying some prints in my etsy shop!
Sawah Padi Tali Air 5, Sekinchan, Selangor, Malaysia
Sekinchan is a small town located in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. It is located along the coastal Federal Route 5 between the towns of Sabak Bernam and Tanjung Karang.
This is also considered one of my KPI listing, the initial plan was suppose to travel together with our hired photographer alongside with his clients (wife's friend) for their pre wedding shoot back in year 2012. Wanted to participate the precious moment but we know we missed it, we wanted to travel to this place so badly. Due to the heavy workload in our career path, we had postpone this trip to 2 years later.
The great thing about here is that, it feels so relax and connecting to the big mother nature. We were always hunting the date of harvesting, as during these period only will be able to see the rolls almost everywhere. I heard that is a magnificent scenery, unfortunately we didn't get the chance as we were late for 1 day. Darn... We been asking around the neighbourhood where else would have in the progress of harvesting and the answer was quite disappointing, we didn't give up easily. We been travel for 30 minutes just to continue hunting if we able to spot one.
By looking at the bad weather, we stopped our hunting process and headed back the place we went earlier, the harvested padi field. We spent about 30 minutes just to let the rain finished its job, I then suggested wifey that we should start looking at the ideal scene for our shooting.
The one you looking at now is the only spot that would be suitable to do my own shooting. You might think this is easy, the fact is that it ain't. The wet dirt soil, the unblock / cleaner scene, the 2 posing spot to be balance out the composition, and the last one is for the tripod. I have to go forth and back with carefully steps just to avoid the dirt stick on my shoes, no matter how careful I am, I still see some stains on my shoes.
It was quite amusing when we were posing with the timer set and remote triggered, some tourists still standing behind the camera and wonder why we doing that? Well, I just wanted to tell them this been a usual practice for us whenever we travel anywhere.
It is a new beginning, the year of Twenty Fourteen were way too much unexpected disasters, transportation accidents and the disease. I hope the year of Twenty Fifteen, filled with more laughters, happiness and make the world to be better place. Let's us embrace the new Twenty fifteen and so much looking forward to that.
You must see this on large View On White and View On Black
----
P/s : This is Photoshop CS 5 and Lightroom 4 editing parts can be seen in the commentary too.
See this locomotive in the video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDP5mgPXMf0&feature=youtu.be
At last! A steam tour comes to town after months of silence, today in the form of flagship British Railways Standard Class 7, 70000 'Britannia', hauling the 'Torbay Express' from Bristol Temple Meads to Kingswear and return. Here, the train works the return service along the banks of the River Teign, whistling loudly and proudly to the sound of the the water and the Seagulls.
One of the last and most powerful steam locomotives ever built, the British Rail Standard Class 7 was BR's top express locomotive, and could have been utilised far better in its short lifespan, but ended up only serving the railways for 15 years, a blink of an eye compared to other mainline Pacifics of the time that had operated under the pre-nationalisation companies.
Designed by Robert Riddles, who had previously coined the design for the War Department Austerity 2-10-0 and 2-8-0 freight locomotives, the BR Standard Class 7's were conceived of as a result of the 1948 locomotive exchanges, which were done to test the best and worst aspects of locomotive design within the Big Four railway companies that had existed before nationalisation. The research gained from operating the best designs of the GWR, LMS, LNER and Southern railways on different areas of the British Railways network paved the way for several new classes of standardised locomotives to be constructed, largely to replace many of the ageing Victorian era engines that even in the late 1940's continued to ply their merry trade.
The first design requested by the Railway Executive was for a new express passenger Pacific locomotive, designed specifically to reduce maintenance and using the latest available innovations in steam technology from home and abroad. Various labour-saving devices were utilised to produce a simple, standard and effective design, able to produce equivalent power to some of the Pacifics that were still available as legacies of the Big Four.
The basic design of the Standard 7's can be traced to LMS construction practices, largely owed to Riddles' previous career with that company, but complimented this with the boiler and trailing wheel design of the Southern Railway's Merchant Navy Pacifics so as to follow the best design practice. The firebox was also similar in having a rocking grate, which allowed the fire to be rebuilt without stopping the locomotive, removing both ash and clinker on the move. A self-cleaning smokebox was used, which enabled ash to flow into the atmosphere, reducing the workload of the engine cleaner at the end of a working day. A single chimney was placed on top of the smokebox, which was unusual for a Pacific type of locomotive.
The Standard 7's were fitted with 6 ft 2 in driving wheels, allowing these engines greater capacity for use in mixed-traffic working, which made them available for both sustained fast running with heavy passenger trains, yet small enough to allow them to undertake more mundane tasks such as freight haulage.
55 of these engines were constructed between 1951 and 1954, with 70000 'Britannia' being the first and flagship of the fleet, with residual locomotives of the class being dubbed 'Britannia-Class'. Three batches were constructed at Crewe Works, before the publication of the 1955 Modernisation Plan.
Britannia was built at Crewe, completed on 2 January 1951. She was the first British Railways standard locomotive to be built and the first of 55 locomotives of the Britannia class. The locomotive was named at a ceremony at Marylebone Station by the then Minister for Transport Alfred Barnes on 30 January 1951. The BR Locomotive Naming Committee were determined not to use names already in use on other locomotives. They tried to observe this by not selecting the name Britannia for use on 70000 because it was already in use on one of the ex-LMS Jubilee Class locomotives, but Robert Riddles overruled them and the Jubilee had to be renamed.
The Britannias took their names from great Britons, former Star Class locomotives, and Scottish firths, although one locomotive, 70047, was never named. The success of these first Standard Pacifics gave birth to two other Pacific classes over the BR years, including the unique BR Standard Class 8, number 71000 'Duke of Gloucester', which was built in 1954 to replace the destroyed Princess Royal Class locomotive number 46202 Princess Anne, lost in the Harrow and Wealdstone rail disaster of 1952, and the fleet of 10 BR Standard Class 6 'Clan' Pacifics that were employed on services in the west of Scotland, but failed to gain a stellar reputation due to their employment on timetables for the more powerful Standard 7's they couldn't keep up to.
The class gained a warm response from locomotive crews across all British Railway Regions, with especially glowing reports from those operating them from Stratford depot on the Eastern Region, where its lower weight and high power transformed motive power over the restricted East Anglian lines. However, negative feedback was received from various operating departments, most notably on the Western Region. The criticism was primarily out of partisan preference for GWR-designed locomotive stock among Western Region staff; in particular, the class was 'left-hand drive' in contrast to 'right-hand drive' GWR locomotive and signalling practice, a factor in the Milton rail crash of 1955.
For this reason, the Western Region locomotive depots at Old Oak Common and Plymouth Laira declared that the class was surplus to requirements. However Cardiff Canton depot displayed its liking for the class (despite being part of the former GWR empire) and managed to obtain good results on South Wales passenger traffic.
The Midland Region also had favourable reports, but a marked consistency in losing time on the longer runs between Holyhead and Euston was recorded, although all complaints were down to the individual techniques of the operating crews. This was compounded by the irregular allocation of the class to depots all over the network, meaning that few crews ever had a great deal of experience in driving them. The Southern Region also had an allocation of seven in May 1953, when all Merchant Navy Class locomotives were temporarily withdrawn for inspection after 35020 "Bibby Line" sheared a crank axle on the central driving wheel.
Repairs to the class were undertaken at Crewe, Swindon and Doncaster Works until the financial constraints of the British Railways Modernisation Plan in terms of expenditure on steam began to preclude the regular overhaul of locomotives. During the mid-1960s overhauls were carried out exclusively at Crewe Works.
Britannia was initially based at Stratford in order to work East Anglian expresses to Norwich and Great Yarmouth, but was also particularly associated with the Hook Continental boat train to Harwich. Subsequently, the loco was based at Norwich Thorpe in January and March 1959 before spending the remainder of her career on the London Midland Region based at Willesden, Crewe North, Crewe South and finally Newton Heath.
The locomotive also had the distinction of hauling the funeral train for King George VI from King's Lynn, Norfolk to London following his death in February 1952 at Sandringham House, Norfolk. For this task, Britannia had her cab roof painted white, as was the custom with royal locomotives. Britannia has also worn the white roof in preservation.
However, as the locomotives entered the 1960's, the modernisation plan continued to gather pace, and diesel locomotives started to replace steam on most parts of the network. Very soon the Standard 7's placement on Top-Line expresses were demoted to the on-again-off-again work of freight and parcels, and cosmetic maintenance was reduced as their final years loomed. The lavish BR Brunswick Green soon faded to grey, and in some cases BR Lined Black was adopted for ease.
The first locomotive to be withdrawn from service was number 70007 Coeur-de-Lion in 1965, and the entire class was gradually transferred to Carlisle Kingmoor and Glasgow Polmadie depots. Britannia was withdrawn in May 1966, after 15 years of service.
A succession of bulk withdrawals began in 1967, culminating in the very last steam operation in British Railways service on August 11th, 1968, where Standard 7 number 70013 Oliver Cromwell, was chosen to assist in hauling the Fifteen Guinea Special, the last steam hauled British Railways passenger service from Liverpool to Carlisle via the S&C. 70013 was chosen as it was the last the last BR-owned steam locomotive to undergo routine heavy overhaul at Crewe Works, being out-shopped after a special ceremony in February 1967. The engine hauled the Manchester to Carlisle leg of the service via the Settle and Carlisle line, with LMS Class 5 45110, and LMS Stanier Class 5 locomotives, 44781 and 44871 double-heading the return working back to Manchester.
Upon withdrawal, 70000 was initially planned for preservation with the National Railway Museum due to it's cultural significance, but because of its prototypical nature, 70013 was instead chosen and bought up for preservation. 70000 would later be preserved by Britannia Locomotive Company Ltd.
After moving from one home to another, the engine wound up on the Severn Valley Railway, where she remained for a number of years in operational but non-mainline condition. With the society wishing to make more use of the locomotive, she was moved to the European gauge Nene Valley Railway in Peterborough, where she was also fitted with an air-brake compressor. Britannia made her return to the main line on 27 July 1991, successfully working enthusiast trips until 1997.
With an expired mainline boiler certificate, due to the high cost of refurbishment, the locomotive was sold to Pete Waterman in 2000. Stored at Waterman's workshops at the Crewe Heritage Centre, after initial assessment the amount of work resulted in Waterman selling her to Jeremy Hosking. The locomotive underwent restoration at Crewe which involved a newly refurbished cab, a new smoke box and major work on the boiler; replacement steel sides, new crown stays, new front section barrel section, new steel and copper tubeplate, repairs and patches to door plate and major work to copper firebox.
Transferred to the Royal Scot Locomotive and General Trust, the locomotive was returned to main line operational condition in 2011, initially out shopped in its prototype black British Railways livery. After a running-in period, in 2012 the locomotive was repainted in British Railways Brunswick Green, but with an early BR crest. On 24 January 2012, the loco hauled the Royal Train with Prince Charles on board to Wakefield Kirkgate, where he rededicated the locomotive. For the trip the loco again had a painted white cab roof, removed after the engine's appearance at the West Somerset Railway's Spring Gala.