Tag Archives: freedom

International

NATO: Finland’s 155 PsH K9 Moukari SPG

Video

In 2017, Finland began buying ‘surplus’ Korean K9 Thunder SPGs (Self Propelled Gun).  Finland calls it the 155 PsH (Panssari-Haupitsien) K9 Moukari (Sledge-Hammer).  In April 2023, Finland became a full member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Dynamic Front is a NATO wargame involving at least 28 countries, taking place across Finland, Estonia, Germany, Poland, and Romania.

I edited U.S. Army/Air Force videos (via First Sergeant Jacob Conner, Private First Class Jolene Cintron & Senior Airman Joshua Fontenot) recorded during NATO’s Dynamic Front wargame for November 2024, on the Ravajärven training area near Rovaniemellä, Finland:

Vehicle I-D: KOREAN 대한민국 K9 Thunder

Finland’s SP guns 155 PsH K9 & 122 PsH 74

NATO: Sweden’s Archer pounds Finland!

International, Technology

NATO: Sweden’s Archer pounds Finland!

Video

In March 2024, Sweden became a full member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

I edited down a U.S. Army video (recorded on 18NOV2024, via Sergeant First Class Kyle Larsen) of Swedish made autoloading Archer SPG (Self Propelled Gun) during NATO’s Dynamic Front wargame in Finland (wargames also in Estonia, Germany, Poland, and Romania).

First shots:

Reload:

Evening shots:

Slow-mo:

NATO Vehicle I-D: The Archer from Sweden pounds Indiana!

Technology, U.S.

Tennessee Air Guard boasts about a year of Reaper drone ops!

Video

Tennessee Air National Guard’s 118th Wing shows-off some of its military accomplishments, during 2024.

MQ-9 Reaper combat UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle):

Cyber Security:

Targeting Group:

Medical Group:

Mission Support Group:

There was more video, but it was getting pretentious.

Tools of the British empire?: National Guard, older than the United States itself! 

U.S.

National Guard, older than the United States itself! Tools of the British empire?

Video

The first militia units of the British empire’s Massachusetts Bay Colony were formed on 13DEC1636, three hundred and eighty eight years ago! Today, such militia units are known as National Guard. Air National Guard video by Master Sergeant Amber Monio:

Michigan Air Guard: A year of deployments & vaccinations.

Return to the Empire: A-M-P-V making profits off U.S. taxpayers, for the British Empire!

Kit Bashing

Birthday P-47D Thunderbolt: Family connection, and made in U.S.A. Monogram -vs- made in China Revell!

Video

In April 2024, I decided to build a birthday present, for somebody whose B-day had already come-n-gone!  It was finally finished by mid-November 2024!

Shenanigans part-1:

Shenanigans part-2:

Shenanigans part-3:

Can I use original made in U.S.A. parts to fix the made in China parts, how about some pancakes?:

Why do I have so many P-47 kits?:

The brother of my Great Uncle, Lloyd Hutchins,  is the birthday girl-Jenny’s Great Grand Father O.G. Hutchins.  I found color film of Lloyd Hutchins’ U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) unit, the 365th Fighter Group (FG, of the 9th USAAF)/386th Fighter Squadron (FS) Hell Hawks:

Great Uncle gets into trouble:

Whoa, whose side are they on?:

It’s working:

More warpage:

More bits:

While my motivation for a full-size file-cabinet stuffed full of P-47s is related to my relative, the markings for the birthday build are based on the gift receiver’s name: Jenny. The decals came from Eagle Strike’s (Cartograf) Early Birds of the 353FG Thunderbolts, #48171, welcome to decal hell:

P-47D 42-76280 ‘Jenny’ was flown by Lieutenant Chauncy Rowan of the 353rd FG/350th FS (of the 8th USAAF), from 1943-44.  In May 1944 Rowan became a prisoner of war (PoW), and accused by the Germans of shooting at civilians.  More decal hell:

As good as it’s going to get, whose got the best prop? Part-1:

Best props, Part-2:

Anorexic pilots and the magic of clear flat spray paint:

Finally! Be careful with that clear spray paint:

Another gift build: Airfix Birthday Bomber

1949-50 Mercury: Joker’s wild neon Gotham City cop car!

Kit Bashing

Joker’s wild neon Gotham City cop car!

Video

In February 2024, I joined a group build for the 1949 Mercury, also known as the third generation of the Mercury Eight series of vehicles.  Typical; it took me until August to decide which of my stash-kits to build:

A simple snap-together?:

Glass & Lights:

Lights & seats:

Tires:

Paint & Sand:

Headlights:

More sand, sand, paint, paint:

Interior:

Finally finished, October 2024:

Close up:

Joker’s neon cop car:

More neon in plastic: BLACKLIGHT REVELL DEAL’S WHEELS

Neon in the military: Retro Dayglo, and how neon paint helps keep airplanes from falling outta the sky!

Going gangbusters: Lincoln Model L roadster unboxing.

Idaho

Smoke ’em if you got ’em: First ever (legal) Drift Car event, at the Mall!

Video

The Pine Ridge Mall in Chubbuck, Idaho, hosted three SCCA autocross events this year, and for an encore hosted an Inaugural Drift Car event.

Work began on the evening of 04OCT2024, establishing the area of the parking lot that would be used.  Formula Drift-Rudy Hansen, Apex Idaho, Pocatello Car Club, and a host of others, helped make the inaugural smoke show possible.

The cleanest that part of the parking lot has been in decades!

They were still prepping the parking lot the next morning.

Waiting in the wings, 05OCT2024:

Plenty of seating, at a safe distance.

Warming up (teasing) the spectators who were straggling in:

Too bad they didn’t drift this patriotic van.

The pros show you how:

It’s amazing how cars sliding around light poles can hold people’s attention for several hours. One more time:

The event ran most of the day.  For a fee you could view the action from danger-close in the ‘restricted area’, and for another fee you could take a ride (of your life).  Going by the size of the spectator crowd (which was bigger than any of the SCCA autocross events) I suspect (hope) they’ll be a Second Annual Drift Car Show, in 2025.

At the Mall: Early Halloween, Trunk or Treat

Idaho

Veterans Memorial Car Show: They’re coming to take you away!

Video

A 2004 Cadillac Hearse was dispatched from Idaho Falls, apparently to collect some people in Pocatello.

The Second Annual Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building car show, in Pocatello, Idaho, 31AUG2024.

Here’s my video:

The money raised from the car show goes to maintaining the Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building.

So many cars showed up last year that they had to stage cars in the adjacent Memorial Park, this year.

Veterans Memorial Car Show: Z Muncie!

Idaho

Veterans Memorial Car Show: Z Muncie!

Video

1971 Chevy Camaro Z28, lives in Pocatello with its Muncie 4-speed transmission.

The Second Annual Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building car show, in Pocatello, Idaho, 31AUG2024.

Here’s my video:

The money raised from the car show goes to maintaining the Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building.

So many cars showed up last year that they had to stage cars in the adjacent Memorial Park, this year.

Veterans Memorial Car Show: Hydramatic Task Force!

Idaho

Veterans Memorial Car Show: Hydramatic Task Force!

Video

1956 Chevy 3100 pickup, calls Inkom home.  The 3100 model is part of the Task Force series of pickup trucks.  Hydramatic is a type of automatic transmission.

The Second Annual Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building car show, in Pocatello, Idaho, 31AUG2024.

Here’s my video:

So many cars showed up last year that they had to stage cars in the adjacent Memorial Park, this year.

The money raised from the car show goes to maintaining the Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building.

Veterans Memorial Car Show:  A horse born in 1969.