Thursday 26 November 2015

Modelling. Part-One.

Closest to the Subject.

For many people today the world of modelling allows one to get close to the subject of their interest, wither it be aircraft, space, submarines or missiles. Most of us will see real trains everyday, with shipping and vehicles at easy access to photograph or film.

But the model allows us that chance to have a closer look at the detailing that has gone into the engineering of a machine. Scale, what is the best?

I think it is easier for younger folk to work with the smaller scales, because they are fiddly. Larger scales such as 1:48/35/32 and 25 are perhaps the best for adults and us who are getting a bit older. Detailing of these kits are much easier, especially if ones hands shake.

There is such a variety of model making kits now available from plastic, to metal and of course some can create from just matchsticks.

Thursday 19 November 2015

The Alvis Family. Part-One.

A British Success Story.

The basis of many British military tracked vehicles from 1969 to the present have been based on the chassis and engine of the Alvis. Two of the most popular have been the Scorpion light tank, now known as a ARV (armoured reconnaissance vehicle) and the Scimitarr with its 30mm Cannon.

The Scorpion has tow choices of gun, the standard 76mm or the option for the 90mm Cockerel which has proven superior for the role of this vehicle with the Irish Army on UN duties in South-Lebanon.

There are many other versions, numbering about thirty-three in all from engineering, recovery and command. Alvis was also very successful in their wheeled vehicles such as the Saladin prior to tracked. All of its vehicles have a good story in the exportation of and use world wide.

Thursday 12 November 2015

Antonov Family An-24-32. Part-One.

Western equivalents of the De Haviland DHC-5-8 and Fokker F25/50.

In fact there are many western equivalents of this most successful Soviet to present Russian federation series of medium transport aircraft. Both the military and civil airlines always have a demand for a capable 30-60 seat aircraft and Antonov made its tremendous hit from 1960 with the introduction of the first An-24 N.A.T.O. code named Coke transport to meet this role.

All four types are basically improvements of the previous and over 1000 have been built, with licence to China as the Y7-100. Over the years with the diamonds of the war in Afghanistan newer versions, such as the An-30/32 could now cope with landing and take off at higher levels. 

The expansion into Siberia to search for more fossil fuels demanded shot take-off and landing (STOL) and the An-32 was well able to meet that requirement with a 2,200 to 4000 km range, while also comping with the colder conditions.

Thursday 5 November 2015

Commuter Trains. Part-One.

Mass Movement.

The commuter train has become one of the most blandest of train types across the world? They are really box trains sometimes painted in nice colour schemes, but generally they have a dirty appearance of over long term use. 

Indian railways and recent films showing the commuter system in Mumbai portray this demand for rush hour traffic! South Africa, Great Britain and Russia also portray a similar image, perhaps with less dirt and more colour.

Terms such as D/EMU (Diesel/ Electric Multiple Unit) is the official name for these trains that are capable of carrying 700 to 2000 people per run. Japan and India have the worst overcrowding problems, while the United States, Denmark, and Israel know deploy double decker carriages.