Submarines, and Drones.
Many nations around the world still build, buy and use the submarine, technology has moved on with computing, nuclear power and drone ability? The early vessels were cramped and many crews on board died from fumes poisoning. The U.S lead with the first Holland Class vessels, which the British and many other nations copied and adapted.
But it was Imperial Germany that made the advances in the submariner world, with their own design which remained effective into the 1920's. With the advance of National-Socialism in Germany a new improved class of boats came into effect that was well ahead of all the nations.
Britain and the U.S. did catch up quickly during the second world war (1939-45), while others lagged behind such as Italy. It was the development of Sonar from Radar that gave Britain and the U.S the advantage of knowing where the enemy was. Many other nations opted for the Midget subs along with Britain and these small boats if they survived their missions could be quite effective, but they were really very limited?
From the Cold War era (1948-1994) it was the Soviet Union and the U.S.A that have dominated the design and construction of some seriously advanced vessels, while Britain and France have not been left out of the picture with their own. Nuclear powered vessels do not need to surface to be refuelled, they can remain hidden for months at great depths.
Advancements in miniaturization has allowed for drones of various type and robotic subs to be put into service doing dangerous work, without the cost of human life and losses.
Tuesday, 25 July 2017
The Motorbike. Two.
Today?
The role of the motorbike is far from over today, as it was yesterday? It is now one of the fastest machines on the surface, with top quality racing at all levels and its just that we do not see enough of the sport on TV?
Motorbikes have been adapted for Paramedic work in Israel and the U.S.A., these are the first responders to various situations? Nearly every police and paramilitary force in the world uses the motorbike for traffic and escorting duties because of their flexibility.
Italy, Japan, Brazil, India, Australia and Russia still make some serious top quality machines for civil and military use. Some nations have copied British and U.S. designs and successfully adapted them
Today's machines are either top end or mass produced and in many nations in the developing world, such as India they are used for every imaginable use? China has moved on to advanced technology in the first mass produced electric battery powered machines, in fact there is no end now to the use and viability of this machine and its other various components, such as the scooter, scrambler and motorcycle.
Even the military are still using motorbikes in the communications role, despite the Internet and many other advanced forms of communications, we may not but others are.
The role of the motorbike is far from over today, as it was yesterday? It is now one of the fastest machines on the surface, with top quality racing at all levels and its just that we do not see enough of the sport on TV?
Motorbikes have been adapted for Paramedic work in Israel and the U.S.A., these are the first responders to various situations? Nearly every police and paramilitary force in the world uses the motorbike for traffic and escorting duties because of their flexibility.
Italy, Japan, Brazil, India, Australia and Russia still make some serious top quality machines for civil and military use. Some nations have copied British and U.S. designs and successfully adapted them
Today's machines are either top end or mass produced and in many nations in the developing world, such as India they are used for every imaginable use? China has moved on to advanced technology in the first mass produced electric battery powered machines, in fact there is no end now to the use and viability of this machine and its other various components, such as the scooter, scrambler and motorcycle.
Even the military are still using motorbikes in the communications role, despite the Internet and many other advanced forms of communications, we may not but others are.
Tuesday, 11 July 2017
Tractors. Part-Two.
Construction, Engineering and Mining.
This is perhaps not the place one would think to find the need for the tractor, but some of the machines we use today came first from these uses. Caterpillar is one of several companies that developed tracked machines for working in heavy soils, this was the same in Soviet Russian Steppes where land was not intersected by ditches as in the west.
Today many giant machines working in all of the titled areas are tractors, limited by speed and used to move loads about in tight spots even underground. These machines do not look like our idea of the farm machines but they are mechanically the same, the Bulldozer is in fact a converted tractor for the road and building construction industry.
The future for the tractor of all types will be there Robotising into unmanned piloted vehicles, from vast area farming to construction, tunnelling and mining. May be the only human contact in the near future will be for repairing and cleaning?
This is perhaps not the place one would think to find the need for the tractor, but some of the machines we use today came first from these uses. Caterpillar is one of several companies that developed tracked machines for working in heavy soils, this was the same in Soviet Russian Steppes where land was not intersected by ditches as in the west.
Today many giant machines working in all of the titled areas are tractors, limited by speed and used to move loads about in tight spots even underground. These machines do not look like our idea of the farm machines but they are mechanically the same, the Bulldozer is in fact a converted tractor for the road and building construction industry.
The future for the tractor of all types will be there Robotising into unmanned piloted vehicles, from vast area farming to construction, tunnelling and mining. May be the only human contact in the near future will be for repairing and cleaning?
Tuesday, 4 July 2017
Wales Air Show 2017.
1st-2nd July 2017 Best two Days?
This year has been another fine show of aviation past and present and one is putting in an advanced request for next years 100th Anniversary and the possibility of a BAE Harrier and Apache Helicopter? But what ever comes will be very welcome, as this event seems to be a yearly success now!
The security precautions and road blocks worked out well, so that more people seemed to be free to move about without the worry of passing traffic. The old favourites re-appeared the RAF Typhoon fighter Jet, RAF Boeing-Vertol Chinook transport helicopter and the Red Arrows again wooing the crowds, while the weather was much better than expected.
Vintage or classic aircraft comprised the World War-II (1939-45) Bristol Blenheim bomber, fighters Super marine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane. Former RAF Jet fighters two De Havilland Vampires, single and two seat training versions in Norwegian Air Force colours and the BAC Strike master, both of these aircraft where also widely exported.
The Vampire was too late for WW-II service and so joined several other types from 1948 to the early 1960;s. The BAC later BAE Strike Master was conceived in the 1950's and enter production in 1967, other aircraft included the RAF Grob G.115E Tutor trainer and the Soviet Union/Polish Warsaw Pact era MIG-15UTI Midget.
Team Raven opened with a magnificent display in their Vans RV-8's, while the Red Arrows were flying the new Mark-II BAE Hawks. The Pitts 1S1 Special did some acrobatic flying and the combined forces Tigers parachute team did something different, with two drops from the Swansea based Cessna 206 Caravan-II.
HM Coastguard Augusta-Westland AW-139 G-CILP SAR helicopter worked in tandem in winching from RNLI Lifeboat 16-27 during several rounds of inshore Swansea Bay and the Defence helicopter Flying School SA-350BB Squirrel helicopter brought in Red leader one via the St. Helens rugby and cricket grounds on the Mumbles Road.
This year has been another fine show of aviation past and present and one is putting in an advanced request for next years 100th Anniversary and the possibility of a BAE Harrier and Apache Helicopter? But what ever comes will be very welcome, as this event seems to be a yearly success now!
The security precautions and road blocks worked out well, so that more people seemed to be free to move about without the worry of passing traffic. The old favourites re-appeared the RAF Typhoon fighter Jet, RAF Boeing-Vertol Chinook transport helicopter and the Red Arrows again wooing the crowds, while the weather was much better than expected.
Vintage or classic aircraft comprised the World War-II (1939-45) Bristol Blenheim bomber, fighters Super marine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane. Former RAF Jet fighters two De Havilland Vampires, single and two seat training versions in Norwegian Air Force colours and the BAC Strike master, both of these aircraft where also widely exported.
The Vampire was too late for WW-II service and so joined several other types from 1948 to the early 1960;s. The BAC later BAE Strike Master was conceived in the 1950's and enter production in 1967, other aircraft included the RAF Grob G.115E Tutor trainer and the Soviet Union/Polish Warsaw Pact era MIG-15UTI Midget.
Team Raven opened with a magnificent display in their Vans RV-8's, while the Red Arrows were flying the new Mark-II BAE Hawks. The Pitts 1S1 Special did some acrobatic flying and the combined forces Tigers parachute team did something different, with two drops from the Swansea based Cessna 206 Caravan-II.
HM Coastguard Augusta-Westland AW-139 G-CILP SAR helicopter worked in tandem in winching from RNLI Lifeboat 16-27 during several rounds of inshore Swansea Bay and the Defence helicopter Flying School SA-350BB Squirrel helicopter brought in Red leader one via the St. Helens rugby and cricket grounds on the Mumbles Road.
The planned RN Sea Vixen did not make it, it seems to have broken a wheel a few days ago?
Tuesday, 20 June 2017
Missile Testing?
Not illegal under the UN Convention!
Iran, N-Korea and many more are free to test weapons and missile systems within their own ranges under International law, something the Media this year has failed to report? This week for the first time Iran fired its missiles at ISIL/S targets in Syria as a payback for the deadly terrorists attacks last week in Tehran.
N-Korea has fired hundreds of test rockets landing in the Sea of Japan, but well within its sea borders about 170 miles or 250Km from its shore line and well away from Japan? N.A.T.O. and other world power's make tests across the world in many far-flung places from the Marshall islands in the Pacific to the plains of Northern-Canada, Western-Australia, the Kerguelen archipelago. (A challenge to find where that is on the world map?).
The great fear is the development of a nuclear bomb outside the five main powers? Israeli intelligence believe that there are up to thirty five countries with the capability to develop a low grade warhead and this includes at least twelve International terrorist groups?
Their problem is the unstable equipment and cost, if something where to go wrong? The UN meanwhile has failed with the world media to report the construction and use of smaller short range rockets being used by Terrorist groups in the Middle-East paid for by all the European Aid monies?
Iran, N-Korea and many more are free to test weapons and missile systems within their own ranges under International law, something the Media this year has failed to report? This week for the first time Iran fired its missiles at ISIL/S targets in Syria as a payback for the deadly terrorists attacks last week in Tehran.
N-Korea has fired hundreds of test rockets landing in the Sea of Japan, but well within its sea borders about 170 miles or 250Km from its shore line and well away from Japan? N.A.T.O. and other world power's make tests across the world in many far-flung places from the Marshall islands in the Pacific to the plains of Northern-Canada, Western-Australia, the Kerguelen archipelago. (A challenge to find where that is on the world map?).
The great fear is the development of a nuclear bomb outside the five main powers? Israeli intelligence believe that there are up to thirty five countries with the capability to develop a low grade warhead and this includes at least twelve International terrorist groups?
Their problem is the unstable equipment and cost, if something where to go wrong? The UN meanwhile has failed with the world media to report the construction and use of smaller short range rockets being used by Terrorist groups in the Middle-East paid for by all the European Aid monies?
Tuesday, 13 June 2017
British Rail Class31/33.
Dwindling to Preservation?
Today these are either found working Departmental or Network track testing trains and one hopes may of what is left will soon head for the various preservation societies?
The Class 31 is the Brush/English Electric A1A-A1A, built between 1958-62 and could be described as a light engine. These Loughborough engines were originally numbered D5520-5862, today only one locomotive still carries D5613, 31190.
31/1 Is standard and only six remain, 31/4 has electric supply fitted and only six also remain in service. The last is 31/6 two with ETS wiring remain.
Top speed was originally 90mph, continues traction was 23.5 mph and weights 106-111 tons.
The Class 33 was built between 1960-61 at Birmingham BRCW/SULZER Bo-Bo Speed 85mph and weights were lighter than the Class 31's coming in at 78-78tons.
These locomotives were also originally numbered D6500-D6597 but not in order. Only 33012 still carries D6515.
33/0 Standard class has only four left, while 33/2 is one engine
Tuesday, 6 June 2017
Aircraft carriers Viability. Two.
Smaller Vessels.
HMS Ocean and Albion are in the class of the smaller carrier, equiptted with more helicopters and drones than actual aircraft? The Spanish proposed Matador class carriers gave the option of both V/STOL (Vertical and short take-off and landing) aircraft in conflict and helicopters in the peace role, but one does not know if this is what the British Royal Navy would do with it ships?
There is always value in good design and it has been found that smaller targets do better in wars than the larger ones that are more vulnerable to being hit? Large carriers need more defensive weapons systems to counteract incoming missiles, where as the small targets are actually more likely to avoid being hit!
One of the big problems with smaller carriers is their limitations in aircraft availability and many studies have been made for their role not just as a carrier of six to eight own jets. But that of buddy refueling systems for larger fighters to give them extended flight over returning to their own carriers?
These smaller carriers also have the advantage as the U.S. navy has found of shock attack missions with their seals on unsuspecting targets? These operations again take advantage of modern technology such as the Predator drones doing reconnaissance and pin-point target hitting, while helicopter gunships can back up boat landing craft and transport helicopters in and out quickly!
HMS Ocean and Albion are in the class of the smaller carrier, equiptted with more helicopters and drones than actual aircraft? The Spanish proposed Matador class carriers gave the option of both V/STOL (Vertical and short take-off and landing) aircraft in conflict and helicopters in the peace role, but one does not know if this is what the British Royal Navy would do with it ships?
There is always value in good design and it has been found that smaller targets do better in wars than the larger ones that are more vulnerable to being hit? Large carriers need more defensive weapons systems to counteract incoming missiles, where as the small targets are actually more likely to avoid being hit!
One of the big problems with smaller carriers is their limitations in aircraft availability and many studies have been made for their role not just as a carrier of six to eight own jets. But that of buddy refueling systems for larger fighters to give them extended flight over returning to their own carriers?
These smaller carriers also have the advantage as the U.S. navy has found of shock attack missions with their seals on unsuspecting targets? These operations again take advantage of modern technology such as the Predator drones doing reconnaissance and pin-point target hitting, while helicopter gunships can back up boat landing craft and transport helicopters in and out quickly!
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