Tag Archives: wall street

How to assemble your 1:1 scale MQ-1 Predator

Video March 17, 2020 Hutchins AAron

“We have just won a war with a lot of heroes flying around in planes. The next war may be fought by airplanes with no men in them at all… It will be different from anything the world has ever seen.”-General Henry H. ‘Hap’ Arnold, U.S. Army Air Force, 1945

The first Predator flew a recon mission over Albania in July 1995, then it was known as RQ-1. Despite many official denials, back then, several RQ-1s were lost to ‘global warming climate change’ (bad weather) or shot down.

It was the Airmen who maintained the General Atomics RQ-1 who adapted helicopter weapon pylons to the giant remote control aircraft, as well as adding a turbocharger to the piston engine, finally proving its combat capability in October 2001. In 2002, the RQ-1 became MQ-1 (M for multi-role). In March 2018, the USAF officially retired the MQ-1.

On 03MAR2020, the Iowa Air National Guard got a massive model kit of the MQ-1 Predator. It’s actually a retired MQ-1 that will end up on static display at the Air National Guard Bureau in Washington DC. The Iowa Air Guard has the honor of assembling and painting it.

Unboxing the monster kit.

Who wouldn’t be happy about a kit this big?

You’ll need some jacks and jigs.

A bunch of people about to get bombed at the 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing HQ at Creech Air Force Base (AFB), Nevada, 06JUN2019.

On 03MAR2018, the MQ-1 took its official last flight in Nevada, being replaced by the MQ-9 Reaper.

Creech AFB MQ-1 retirement video report:

30NOV2017, removing the ‘brains’, the Primary Control Module, Creech AFB.

Removing the antenna. This was done prior to the MQ-1 being sent to United Kingdom to become a ‘gate guard’.

Final combat mission (undisclosed location) of 361st Expeditionary Attack Squadron’s MQ-1B, 01JUL2017.

MQ-1B Predator remote piloted aircraft with the 147th Air Reconnaissance Wing, Texas Air National Guard, on display at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Expedition, Malaysia, 21MAR2017.

Video report, being a Predator Pilot:

MQ-1 final flight at Holloman AFB, New Mexico, 27FEB2017.

Video report, Holloman AFB MQ-1 retirement, 2017:

Video, repairing and prepping the wing of a MQ-1 slated for gate guard duty at Holloman AFB, 2016:

Video, engine maintenance, Holloman AFB, June 2015:

Kit shopping list:

HOW TO BUILD A 1:1 SCALE U.S. ARMY ‘FAKE NEWS’ BMP-2

EC-135E FIRE-BIRD, 10329 COMES BACK TO LIFE, AGAIN! OR, WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR EXTRA KC-135 KIT.

Technology

Robot Wars: A-I Painters to save the F-22 Raptor?

Video March 17, 2020 Hutchins AAron

An F-22 Raptor is masked-off for new paint, on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Hawaii Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman John Linzmeier, 21AUG2020.

The F-22 Raptor is a hi-tech aircraft that has not resulted in making things easier for the U.S. Air Force (USAF). I’ve already written how the sensitive ‘skin’ of the aircraft is a nightmare for sheet metal shop personnel. Now the USAF admits that painting the aircraft is a pain-in-the-butt as well.

An F-22 gets its air intakes painstakingly ‘gap filled’ at Hill AFB, Utah. USAF photo by Alex R. Lloyd, 19NOV2020.

As of February 2020, the USAF has a new hi-tech tool that will supposedly solve one of the hi-tech aircraft’s skin problems; a robot designed specifically to paint the inside of the air intakes.

Hawaii Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman John Linzmeier, 21AUG2020.

The company, Aerobotix, that makes the robot painter claims it’ll save U.S. taxpayers $28-million in labor costs to paint the F-22, and apparently it can be used on other aircraft.

Video report:

Photo via Aerobotix.

Update, 31AUG2022: Aerobotix Marks 40th Restoration of Air Inlet Ducts on F-22 Raptor Aircraft

VEHICLE I-D:F-22 RAPTOR

Robot Wars: A-I Strips an A-10 naked!

TEXAS TURNS TO ROBOTS TO WASH F-16

Influenza

Operation CoViD-19: Hot Zone Daegu

Video March 17, 2020 Hutchins AAron

On 13MAR2020, soldiers with the U.S. Army, and the Republic of Korea (RoK), took part in disinfection ops in the hot zone known as Daegu.

Video, U.S. Army Installation Clean Teams:

Video, U.S. Army Trace Teams, or how they can trace where an infected military members has been:

Operation CoViD-19: U.S. Border Patrol, 13MAR2020

Influenza, U.S.

Operation CoViD-19: U.S. Border Patrol

Image March 17, 2020 Hutchins AAron

CoViD-19=CoronaVirus Disease 2019

The following pics were taken at the Dulles International Airport, Virginia, 13MAR2020:

The following pics were taken at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Georgia, 13MAR2020:

Operation Jupiter: OPERATION COVID-19 IS FOR REAL

Influenza

Operation Jupiter: Operation CoViD-19 is for real

Video March 16, 2020 Hutchins AAron

CoViD-19=CoronaVirus Disease 2019

U.S. military updates as of 14-15MAR2020.

At Camp Pendleton, California, U.S. Marine Corps held a Installations West meeting to discuss scenarios for CoViD-19 response.

Marines onboard Camp Pendleton also built a quarantine site for anybody who test positive for the virus.

Video of U.S. Marines building a quarantine site on Camp Pendleton:

Official video announcement, USMC Camp Pendleton shuts down or reduces onboard services due to CoViD-19:

In the New Rochelle area of New York state, the Army National Guard began preparations for Operation CoViD-19.

Official video report, New York Army National Guard CoViD-19 Mobile Testing Center in Glenn Island Park:

Effective March 14, 2020, gate guards will no longer handle I-D cards, instead they’ll use a scanner. Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, video explainer:

Video, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, implements new CoViD-19 gate checks:

On 11 March, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, issues video explaining what you should do if you think you’re infected:

THE DAY AFTER MEDICAL-MARTIAL-LAW WAS DECLARED: SHOPPING MAYHEM AT POCATELLO WINCO!

Going Viral, 11-12 March 2020: “STOP SAYING IT’S A BAD FLU!”

OPERATION JUPITER: U.S. SOLDIER INFECTED, U.S. BASES PREPPING FOR EVACUATIONS!

International

Survive by eating giant Spiders?: Pacific Ring of Fire, 01-07 March 2020

Video March 16, 2020 Hutchins AAron

Incomplete list of links to seismic/natural disaster reports from around the Pacific Ring of Fire, days 01 to 07 of Gregorian March 2020.

It’s all about money as Earthquake Insurance Market analysts predict rapid sales growth thru-2025!

Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica is Now Causing Earthquakes

AUSTRALIA: b ans travel from Korea over virus

CHINA: enlists A-I to speed up monitoring and prediction of earthquakes

INDONESIA: airport shutdown after Java volcano erupts

JAPAN: Ceremony marking 9 yrs since quake-tsunami canceled amid virus fears

quarantine visitors from China, Korea

Typhoons Faxai and Hagibis dumped more than 2-million tons of debris into the Pacific Ocean!

New Typhoon-proof wind turbine

Video of U.S.-Japan Tomodachi Rescue Exercise (which took place at the end of February):

KOREA: Releases 221 Foreigners From Coronavirus Quarantine

U.S. Air Force 51st Aerospace Medicine Squadron updates its CoViD-19 map, 04MAR2020, Osan Air Base. (CoViD-19=CoronaVirus Disease 2019)

MEXICO: 5.6 quake shakes U.S. border towns

THAILAND: Can you survive the jungle? Video not for the weak:

UNITED STATES: Cascadia Subduction Zone; Silent earthquakes are tied to changes in fluid deep below

Alaska; After two months of activity, Pavlof Volcano has been downgraded to a ‘normal’ alert level.

California; San Diego faces critical earthquake danger from fault long believed to be inactive

Utah; 3.1 quake Box Elder County

Wyoming; USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) recorded 222 earthquakes in the Yellowstone area

Pacific Ring of Fire, 23-29 February 2020: “HOSTILE WEATHER CONDITIONS”

Climate Change, 01-07 March 2020: TREES ARE MAXED OUT!

Kit Bashing, Technology

EC-135E Fire-Bird, 10329 comes back to life, again! Or, what to do with your extra KC-135 kit.

Image March 15, 2020 Hutchins AAron

U.S. Air Force photo by Greg L. Davis, 04OCT2019.

This rudderless and engine-less EC-135E has risen from the ashes of retirement not once, but twice.

USAF photo by Greg L. Davis, 04OCT2019.

An electronic warfare version of the venerable Boeing C-135 family of aircraft, EC-135E #61-0329 (tail code 10329) was first retired to Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, as a rudderless ‘battle damage’ repair trainer.

USAF photo by Greg L. Davis, 29APR2019.

In the above pic you can see the bare metal area around the nose indicating where the original ‘Snoopy’ nose was hung.

USAF photo by Greg L. Davis, 29APR2019.

In 2019, instead of scrapping the chock-ful-of patches bird, 61-0329 was again reborn but this time as a fire fighter trainer.

USAF photo by Greg L. Davis, 04OCT2019.

Unveiled on 04OCT2019. ‘Never Forget 343’ titles honor the 343 firefighters killed during the attacks during 11SEP2001.

USAF photo by Greg L. Davis, 04OCT2019.

Apparently EC-135Es were re-engined EC-135Ns.

Tail code 10329 in its final days as a Snoopy.

EC-135Es were officially called ARIA (Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft) , but were better known as ‘Snoopy’ because of their bulbous noses.

10329 in its glorious 2nd incarnation as a Snoopy. Notice the different jet engines. Its 1st incarnation was as a C-135 cargo hauler.

AMtech issued a 1:72 scale EC-135N/E. There are some fit problems and you need to strengthen the wing to prevent drooping. It is out of production.

The ancient Nova vacformed 1:72 KC-135 came with optional parts to make several EC versions, but not the bulbous Snoopy nose.

In 1:144, Welsh Models makes a Snoopy conversion.

National Museum of the United States Air Force: EC-135E ARIA explainer

For an even more detailed explainer visit Air Force Space & Missile Museum

Vehicle I-D: KC-135 CITY OF DERBY

D-DAY KC-135, ‘HUNDRED PROOF’ & OTHER NOSE ARTS

VEHICLE I-D: MARK 82

PAINTING A P-51 MUSTANG WITH VINYL DECALS?

Idaho, Influenza

The Day After Medical-Martial-Law Was Declared: Shopping mayhem at Pocatello WinCo!

Image March 14, 2020 Hutchins AAron

14 March 2020 / 09:19 (UTC-07 Tango 06) 24 Esfand 1398/19 Rajab 1441/21 Ji-Mao 4718

CoViD-19=CoronaVirus Disease 2019

On the morning of 13 March, Idaho’s Governor Brad Little declared a State of Emergency over the CoViD-19 pandemic. Shortly after that President Donald Trump declared a National Emergency. Later in the day Governor Little revealed the first confirmed case of coronavirus in Idaho. Without warning the store I prefer to do my grocery shopping at, and the only remaining 24 hours operation in the Pocatello/Chubbuck area, suspended their overnight sales purportedly to “clean” the store as a result of the CoViD-19 pandemic.

“24 Hours of Savings WinCo Foods” re-opened at 05:00 (5am), I arrived at 05:30 and it was already mayhem!

The pics were taken with my phone cam which has a fogged lens. These checkout lines are what greeted me at 05:30, just 30 minutes after WinCo re-opened! They run to the back of the warehouse style store.

Many of the fresh meat items were gone, all the fresh ground beef was gone, by 05:30!

The empty shelves on the left side of the above pic used to be filled with pancake syrup. Pancake syrup, really, do you people need that much pancake syrup? The empty shelves on the right of the pic is where sugar used to be, all gone now.

The infamous toilet paper isle, this time WinCo was not able to re-stock before opening.

I bought $60 worth of food. I got in at 05:30 and didn’t get out until 07:00, the lines were that long, and despite most of WinCo’s check stands being open.

I stopped in at the next door Fred Meyer, they weren’t crowded, but were missing many items as well. An employee told me things have been getting crazy after 08:30 and they’ve been having trouble getting orders into corporate. One of the items I noticed they were out of was bottled water, mmmm, I don’t remember CoViD-19 being able to shut-off your water supply.

Fred Meyer at the former Pocatello Mall location

The employee I talked to pointed out something that makes sense; many people in eastern Idaho save up their money for the end of year holiday season, but people are now spending money like mad due to the CoViD-19 fear-mongering, on top of that people are already being told not to come to work, the result will be that many people here in eastern Idaho are not going to have money to spend for the end of year holidays.

MORE ECONOMIC DECLINE FOR EASTERN IDAHO: COVID-19 SHUTDOWN 24HRS WINCO?

Business/Economics, Idaho, Influenza

More economic decline for eastern Idaho: CoViD-19 shutdown 24hrs WinCo?

Image March 14, 2020 Hutchins AAron

14 March 2020 / 05:15 (UTC-07 Tango 06) 24 Esfand 1398/19 Rajab 1441/21 Ji-Mao 4718

CoViD-19=CoronaVirus Disease 2019

No more “24 Hours of Savings WinCo Foods”, at least for a week.

After yesterday’s declaration of State of Emergency by Idaho’s Governor Brad Little, then followed by President Donald Trump’s declaration of National Emergency, the store I prefer to do my grocery shopping at, and the only remaining 24 hours operation in the Pocatello/Chubbuck area, halted their 24 Hours of Savings!

I’ve always shopped there after midnight because I don’t like crowded grocery stores. I and several dozen people arrived after midnight, 14 March, to find the doors closed for the first time. No signage was posted to explain it.

I drove back home and checked Boise based WinCo’s website and sure enough there is a message saying they’re halting 24hr operations at selected stores due to CoViD-19.

“March 13, 2020

Dear WinCo Customers,

As we all deal with the Coronavirus fallout in these unprecedented times, WinCo Foods remains committed to taking care of our customers, our communities and our employee owners.

As we experience higher than normal demand on a variety of products, we are working around the clock to not only keep our stores open, but also clean and as stocked as possible. We are also ever-mindful of keeping our employee owners, our customers and our communities as safe as possible. To that end we are working with the CDC and local Health Agencies to make sure we follow all Coronavirus protocol, as well as our own internal hygiene and food safety protocols.

We at WinCo Foods understand that you are relying on us in these difficult days to continue providing you with quality food at the lowest possible prices. On behalf of our 19,000+ employee owners, we have no intention of closing our stores and every intention of keeping our shelves as stocked as we possibly can. To help this, we will be temporarily closing various locations between the hours of 12am and 5am for the next week, so the stores can clean and re-stock. We will re-evaluate this policy after this week has passed.

We appreciate your patience while we do this. WinCo remains committed to all of you, and to providing you with foods for your hungry families.

Thank you,

The employee owners of WinCo Foods”

I guess the ’employees of WinCo’ don’t realize that most people are not going to think of checking WinCo’s website before heading out to the store.

This was WinCo’s toilet paper isle several days prior to their overnight lockdown.

The only difference between a State of Emergency and martial law is that under martial law the military is in total control: “States of emergency can also be used as a rationale or pretext for suspending rights and freedoms guaranteed under a country’s constitution or basic law.”

Going Viral, 11-12 March 2020: “STOP SAYING IT’S A BAD FLU!”

MORE ECONOMIC DECLINE: NO MORE IDAHO SHOPKO? THERE NEVER WAS A SHOPKO IN POCATELLO!

2013: ECONOMIC RECOVERY? WINCO ABOUT TO CLOSE STORE NUMBER 5 IN POCATELLO!

Kit Bashing, Technology

How to build a 1:1 scale U.S. Army ‘Fake News’ BMP-2

Image March 14, 2020 Hutchins AAron

U.S. Army photo by Mark Cleghorn, 02OCT2017.

“The vehicles needed a number of redesigns to address these obsolescence issues and known systemic design issues causing failures. One major redesign was the Thermal Sight Unit, which addressed the OSV’s ability to stay competitive and more accurately simulate a foreign force. There is a new emphasis on these systems because they are 20-years old.”-Justin King, U.S. Army’s Integrated Logistics Support Center

U.S. Army photo by Mark Cleghorn, 02OCT2017.

Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty (Боевая Машина Пехоты)= literally Battle Machine Infantry (not infantry fighting vehicle as many military sites say)

U.S. Army photo by Mark Cleghorn, 03OCT2017.

The following pics are from the 2017 Anniston Army Depot, Alabama, re-build of fake BMP-2 armored vehicles.