Russia looks to its own Manufacturers?

 Aeroflot and the Russian government is looking to Illyushin and Yakolev!

With so many sanctions now imposed on Russia by the United States over the Ukraine Boeing is refusing to supply parts for all the grounded 737 types that have been employed in recent years?

So Russia is looking to Yakolev to have its MC21 commercial jet ready and for Illyushin to upgrade its Il-118 turboprop for domestic flying, as it has with the IL-85/95 long range types.

Meanwhile the Tupolev has been successful with its range of jet types, TU-204, 214, that are now in service, but there is much hope in the MC-21 and the Chinese airline types replacing the unwanted American aircraft?

Aeroflot has sued Sukhoi for structural failures on its Sukhoi Super-Jet 100/200 not being resolved, with still crashes and incidents!

Aerobatic/Racing Aircraft. One.

New Concepts?

Older ideas from the bi-plane era and smaller lighter material has moved us away from agricultural spraying to aerobatic displays and racing. Now some of these bi-planes did put on shows back in the 1920' to 40's in the various showmen and stunt shows, but they seemed to have died out with the introduction of the jet age in the 1950's, when speed was all the new thing-craze?

But in recent years there has been a demand for air racing and many successful light training aircraft have been super-charged to meet this demand. Thus so has stunt flying returned and aerobatic displays, we will not cover the types of aircraft in this blog because there are so many!

That will be something for you to check out for yourself, meanwhile there are also many other machines, home or kit builds that meet the requirement of Micro-lights that too are meeting this new demand, Gyro-copters are coming back into the airshows around the world.

Happy New Year 2017.

New Aircraft!

China has two top brand aircraft coming on to the commercial market for 2017 onwards the COMAC ARJ-21 and C919.

These two will be a threat to Boeing and Airbus in China and the far-east in the years to come, but Japan is not to be left out with its Mitsubishi MRJ business jet?

Canada has the Bombardier C-Series, while Airbus its A350-900 now entering service and Boeing plans for the 737-900 and MAX.

What is making these new types attractive is new computing systems, fuel efficiency and improved materials. Embraer and Sukhoi have hit the market with professionalism and there are many more to follow with the business size commercial airliner filling in on the shorter routes?

Engines. Part-One.

The heart of every Machine.

If one visits the Science Museum in London, U.K. or nearly every country in the world, you are confronted by the engines of all the great machines that have ever been built. For mechanics this is a day out, for others perhaps after looking at a couple one can get bored easily?

But it is the engine from the petrol to the hydro-electric fusion that has been the heart of motive power this last 125 years. Engines have helped in the development of getting into space, going to the depths of our oceans, building all forms of structures and tunnels.

 Ford T-Model car, Mark 1 tank, Holland Submarine, Sputnik, Ferrari, Porche,Apollo Rockets, Queen Mary, Spitfire, Volkswagen Beetle, Drones, Hydro Power, Trains, Mustang P-51, Rolls-Royce, MiG-15, SR-71, Bullet train, Antonov 225 Mirya, X-Planes, Mars Rovers,

Steam was one thing, Diesel another, fusion is something else and nuclear elctro fusion will take us out of our solar system?

Modelling. Part-Two.

Presents Opened.

Now that we got what we thought we were getting, its time to take out the contents and start to study what to do next? The model world is almost unlimited to making adaptions to what we have to start with and that is part of the great fun of it!

Wither we make our models to show as accurate copies or for the war gaming table, model railway, boat lake racing, flying in garden or field, it is all really to show to close and wider afield. Now with You Tube and Vimeo and the many other free film formats one can show the world from box contents to the finished and working items.

Paints, glues, clays and tools are the start, but many extras can be made with matchsticks, paper mache and also with cardboard. It really is up to each individual to disguise the diorama with what is at hand, instead of spending more money on sometimes disappointing extras.

France Intervenes.

France is showing off its naval Power.

With the recent attacks in Paris last month in which 130 people were murdered, France has had no choice but to be seen on the offencive against the elusive Islamic Khalifate. The first time deployment of a battle group since the end of the second world war (1939-45) is now well underway. 

France has a host of untested combat aircraft type such as the Rafael and its latest Mirage fighter jets. Time will only tell if they are as effective as the Russian bombing missions in eastern-Syria. France has as we have seen has a long history in military equipment developments at sea, air and on land. In fact an interesting fact to be worth noting is that their Surface to Air and air to air missile systems were very effective during the Falklands War. These being Crotale and the Exocet.

Currently this union with Russia may already be under strain, as their aircraft carrier is due to re-deploy to the Persian Gulf. We have to take a historical look at the roles and influences in this region that were marked out by France and Britain 100 years ago in the division up the middle-east, after the collapse of the Turkish Ottoman Empire in 1919. 

Meanwhile modern Turkish action recently against Russia, with the downing of a Russian Jet and tensions over the French support and recognition of the Armenian Genocide of 1900, may be one of many reasons forcing France into U.S. Policy for the region, wither they like it or not?

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.

Auto-Gyros.

Simple and Cheaper.

The Gyro-Copter is now available to anyone who can afford to buy or to build their own (See Gyro-Planes. Part-One/Two). 

New types of plastic and fibre glass have made this concept of combined aircraft and helicopter much lighter from using glass and metal.

The concept was first conceived jointly in the 1930's in Nazi-Germany and the United States, by the late 50's into the 1960's there were several types flying. From one to five seat versions and the British were responsible for building the largest ever. But they never really took off, in one or two of the fictional James Bond movies 'Nelli was a serious contender for a real military version.

It was believed that designer Barnes-Wallis may of built special one offs for the British secret service? 

 Today there are still many uses for this type of aircraft from patrol of borders to many other similar inspection works, on electricity and pipe lines, other than that it is for sheer pleasure

Aviation Lifters. Part-One.

From civil to Military.

Air freight is one thing, but to lift specialist loads aircraft have been designed for the job. Initially these types of aircraft started off as the heavy bombers of the early years in aviation history and during World War-II (1939-45) they were developed for the movement of mass troops and long range flying boats.

After the second world war there was a demand for the movement of main battle tanks and missiles components and so began the need for bigger and bigger aircraft. 

Soviet Russia had its giant Antonov An-22, while the United States developed the C-141 Starlifter, Boeing 747-100-400/8, Globemasters 1-111 and the C-5 Galaxy.

Russia replied with the need for an aircraft to carry its robotic space shuttle Buran and so was born the Antonov An-124 Ruslan and 224 Mirya.

Back to the Past. Part-One.

'Cold War Tactics.

It would now seem that both the United States and European NATO are on the verge of another Cold War with the new Russia or as propaganda wants us to believe the Dictatorship of Putin. Meanwhile it looks like both America and Britain are openly supporting Ukrainian Neo-Nazism being held at bay by the European Union German and French leadership of Merkle and Holland.

NATO Air forces are reported now to be intercepting Russian Tupolev TU-95 Bears on a regular bases over the English Channel and off the west-coast of the Republic of Ireland.

The TU-95 is the only survivor of the former Soviet maritime reconnaissance type, it is unique in that it has propellers that rotate in opposite directions on each engine. This effect is known to be very fuel officiant giving the Bear a long operational distance. 

At the moment the United States and NATO have no equivalent type to do this role.

UAV.UCAV and Drones.

Will they replace manned combat?

Computer technology is now moving at a alarming rate that Stephen Hawking's has joined the concerned camp that humanity might be overrun by Robots. Could he be right? 

Most missions that are today being carried out in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Horn of Africa are done by robotic drones controlled from NATO bases in Europe or from ships in the Indian ocean.

This new type of warfare is saving human lives of pilots and special operation ground troops, but it is not saving civilians. This is because Jihadi militants have the habit of using human shields were ever they are operating from.

The technology employed in the drones gives 3D mapping of the terrain and is able to update by the minute with live day and infra-red imagery. Missiles can now be targeted and launched 90 miles from the target, meaning that the UAV/UCAV is neither seen nor heard by the enemy.

These drones are also deployed at sea, surface and underneath, there are a various array of robotic vehicles that also can be more effective without human capacity.

Sleds...

From Santa to the Polar regions.

The sled business remains big business, because they are in their modern motorised form an essential for travelling across and working in all snowy regions. In my research since last time during this part of the year I have not been able to find out much more.

There does not seem to be any books on the subject, perhaps someone will be able to enlighten me to this. There must be many countries involved in the design and production of these machines, such as Scandinavia, Japan, the U.S. and Canada.

The Christmas sled has more of an origin in Russia, than Lapp land or Switzerland. This was used as transport from ancient times in winter and polar conditions. Rivers that are not frozen remain a problem, apart from that military vehicles today seem to be snow tractors of various types over sleds or skies. Many aircraft also are fitted with sleds and skis to cope with winter conditions of ice. 

New Combat Aircraft Types. Part-Two.

Mysterious Booms.

There has been recent speculation as to what is going on across the United Kingdom in relation to booms and various explosions. Last month I head one of these and for me it sounded like the old Concorde and its sonic booms.

Then one could hear Concorde crossing the Atlantic if you were living or working out in the open in the south of the Irish Republic. It is viable that both the F-35 and F-22 jets are now on training runs before their respective deployments to the British Royal navies two new Aircraft carriers.

Apart from that, it could be a cover up or News blackout on widespread terrorism in the U.K. But it would eventually spill out if there was?

Freezers. Part-One.

Advancement for Humanity.

The ability to freeze goods has given the world a great advantage, perhaps one of the biggest in human history. 

Today we have freezers on aircraft, shipping, fishing trawlers, factories and trucks both road and rail cars. Meanwhile various types of goods from meats to flowers can now cross thousands of miles and arrive fresh the same day.

Prior to the invention of the refrigerator ice and cool boxes were it and food could not really be moved very far or kept very long. Flowers really had to be picked fresh and many other things eaten with in at least 24 hours.

ROBOT's Part-Two.

The Revolution.

We have now entered the age of relying upon electronic computer systems to control many aspects of our daily lives. Travel, communications, pleasure, mapping and medicine.

People today are no longer able to cope without their mobile phone, aircraft are flying on remote control, injured people and animals are monitored by various machines, cars and vehicles are built by robots.

Robots can do many good things, but I expect that in time we may have a revolution to turning it all off just like the American TV series by the same name?

Air Frieghters. Part-Three.

Enter the Jet Age.

The 1950's was the start of real cargo flying, this was for two reasons the first being that aircraft were now much larger and second the Jet age had began.

Many World War-II aircraft continued to be in demand such as the C-47/C-46 and there civil versions DC-3/4. Many were to find their way to the outback and remote location workings in Australia, Canada, Africa and South-Central Americas.

From the outset of the British Comet, French Caravelle and early Boeing and McDonnell-Douglas aircraft cargo could now be moved much faster on trans-ocean crossings. Meat, flowers and medical goods were able to arrive fresh in the same 24-hour period.

Easter Weekend Attractions.

Steam fairs to Vintage displays.

Many people around the globe this weekend are going to perhaps attend some kind of event, which has been laid on for the Easter holidays. From vintage trains, specials, fairs, displays, regattas and so the lists can go on and on.

I wonder what we are going out to see may be the best of that has survived time or the rare, the one offs. What ever it is, I hope you have a good time and enjoy riding, filming, photographing or just watching.

Tomorrows classics today are already being marked out for the collectors clubs and collections and their are still many types of machines that await restoration or to be purchased. But what was not able to be saved and what has been lost, perhaps due to lack of part?

The reason for these biog posts are to encourage anyone out their to do something, even if it is just maintaining your lawnmower, and any other machine. But it is also to come up with new ideas or adaptions of older one. 

Many Thanks and a Happy Easter.

Ships. Part-One.

A Essential Need.

The first ship ever built, was perhaps Noah's Ark? What we know of this vessel is to be found in the Bile, Tanakh and the Koran. We believe it to be made of Gopher wood, but since we do not know what Gopher is, it may not have been wood/

Ever since humans have had water, they have built all types of boats from hollowed out trees to reed rafts, boats and coracles. The boat was a vehicle to move from A to B/Z, to carry one or two persons across a lake or a river and eventually the sea's and Oceans.

Goods, weapons and other loads, boats for warfare and for fishing were perhaps the first essentials. Today ships come in all sizes and shapes, some are used to carry general cargo, others are much larger such as the bulk carriers and carry coal, ores and even the largest tankers are for gas and crude oil.

They all work on the same design and principles and are mostly of the same shape, apart from specialist ships. Humans have increased size and development in the warship from sailed cannon carriers to nuclear powered aircraft carriers such as the Nimitz class.

We also live in the age of underwater travel and their are a whole host of passenger ferry ships from river craft to super luxury liners. 

But what is the future of shipping?

Sukhoi 100 v Boeing 737 family.

Small to medium Commercial jet airliners.

Without a fact no one can say 'that Boeing has not had commercial success with its 737-100/900 family over the last forty years. Airbus has over the last 25 years, starting with the A330 done and equality good job in competition and taking the market from the Americans with its ever expanding new smaller jets.

But here we want to look at what Russia, post Soviet Union  is doing to take their own place in the groving competative stance of world aviation industry. The Sukhoi 100/200 is the equivalent to the Boeing 737, which the new Russia has employed in great number to replace its own ageing fleet's. 

This aircraft if successful will fill a needed gap, replacing the out dated and long lived Tupolev TU-134/154. There are many other Russian design bureaus such as Antonov with their designs, but Sukhoi has the appeal to western airlines who may want something to replace their favourite DC-9's and the ill fated Boeing 717-1/200's.

The biggest market for such an aircraft is that of package holiday tourism, which will now expand in Europe, as the EU expands into Eastern-Europe and the Caucasus?

ROBOTS. Part-One.

For Warfare.

Science fiction and reality is now becoming part of everyday living, or dying in relation to warfare.The drone/UAV has been around for sometime, but since the 1970's and Israel's needs, many nations such as the US and Great Britain have followed with their own versions. Russia was actually the first to develop this type of platform.

But we have robotic aircraft, naval and army systems now controlling a whole host of devices, from artillery fire control and targetting to the bomb disposal robots. 

Remote controlled aircraft perhaps will eventuality lead to both tanks and ships, if they do not already exist in secret.

The Asimo robot and its counterparts may be the robotic soldiers of the future?  What will define robotics, will be the development of self thinking machines and that may be our downfall?