Motivational Poster Thread (warning content)

true motivation

 

And now for something completely different.....

You folks may remember the old AN-2 (Clot) bi-plane of the old Soviet? Solid workhorse, if a bit dated.


And you might have thought - these were long gone - who would want a radial-engined biplane in today's world - outside of hauling cargo in Africa, Alaska and other undeveloped regions?

HAng onto your hat - there is a 'new' bionic AN-2MC - turine powered. Just like the old DeHaviland Beavers were upgraded - so the new Colt is on the market .

In addition to a new turbine engine, upgraded flight controls and wingtip vortice generators, the lower wig as redeigned as well.

Hhttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Antonov.an-2.ha-mkf.arp.jpg/220px-Antonov.an-2.ha-mkf.arp.jpg


AN-2M with turbine refit


AN-2MC with V/STOL mod and kitting.

A composite version is in test now
All-composite derivative of An-2 biplane flies - Russian aviation news (photos here as well)

So, everything old is new again? Or just good made better with new technology?

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 

There are very few "Acts of God". This was not one of them.

 

Just another day at the beach in Nutlandia

 

Back in the day, Mark Twain was quoted as saying, " "Buy land, they're not making it anymore"

Of course today, that isn't so true, especially for the Chinese... and since you can't tell the players without a scorecard....


Chinese Islands


Vietnamese island (reclaimed as well)


Taiwan is getting into the act


South China Sea: Who Occupies What in the Spratlys?
This link takes you to a detailed listing who is claiming what part of the South China Sea.

So it would seem Mr Twain had it all wrong after all.

 

The US has been known to inhabit the odd Island from time to time
or
Kingman Reef


and this
Scarborough Reef high and low tides.


Yeah - crazy American Hams....

 

Crazy photos of the guys setting up stations on a rock. Hopefully they've read the tides right... I've a few hobbies that I take fairly seriously but this, this is a whole 'nuther level of dedicated.

 

Of course, it isn't all fun and games


The removal of the shipwrecks and coral reef recovery work at Palmyra Atoll and Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuges is the one of the largest and most complex coral reef recovery projects in the Pacific Ocean.

The iron (rust) from the shipwrecks is feeding invasive species on the reefs. Your tax dollars at work....



The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has taken an extraordinary conservation action to remove nearly one million pounds of shipwrecks to protect some of the most pristine coral reefs in the world...Palmyra Reef - an old WWII base.

 

Ooopps. Sorry. Here is an aerial view of Palmyra Island/reef from the east end. It is now an Eco-tourist site - fly in via HI.