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Kit Bashing

Supercharging the old AMT Opel GT kit

Image December 26, 2012 Hutchins AAron

Click the pics to see more

: Re-issue of AMT’s old Opel GT kit. Has lots-o-extra parts for what could be optional builds, yet no mention in the instructions, and extras are not complete.

: I though it would look neat with a supercharged V6 engine. There were some extra parts suggesting that at one point you could get the kit with a supercharger.

: There are no attachment points for the engine, it’s secured at the transmission mount.

: Classic ‘stingray’ look of the Opel GT. The rear wheels are smoothies, which came with the kit. However, only three come in the re-issue. You get two complete sets of stock type wheels, like the ones on the front.

: The small instruments are gauge faces I printed on paper. The large instruments are dry brushed.

: The kit’s interior looks a lot better with a little creative painting.

: The rear ‘meats’ (fat tires) came from a kit of a 1990s Corvette. They actually look small on the Corvette.

: The front tires are the kit issued stock tires.

: The fan belt set up came with the kit, and is obviously for a supercharger, yet no supercharger came with it. I used a supercharger from a old AMT 1940s Ford kit. Of course it had to be shortened for the V6, and I flipped the belt drive pulley to clear the distributor.

: The kit was a last minute build as a gift, so no time for engine bay detailing, which this old kit sorely needs. Note how big the V6 distributor is, most distributors for V8 kits are half this size!

: The kit came with drag racing headers, which exhausted under the car, yet there is no mention of them in the instructions. You’ll discover there are a lot of missing steps in the instructions.

: Why didn’t Santa bring me a real one?

KIT BASHING: HOBBY BOSS F-5E TIGER II, NOT AN “EASY ASSEMBLY” KIT, BUT WELL WORTH THE LITTLE BIT-O-MONEY IT COSTS!

Idaho, Technology

Vehicle I-D: Rat Rod 1967 BLH Austin-Western USN SeaBees road grader $14,794

Image November 28, 2012 Hutchins AAron

Spotted in 2012 in a Chubbuck, Idaho, storage unit yard. It gone now.

Click on the pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make them bigger and see more:

: Built at Austin-Western factory Aurora, Illinois, for Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton corporation. Lying in repose, Chubbuck, Idaho.

: USN SeaBees

: Rear steer

: Rear wheel

: Clutch instructions

: Which gear do I use?

: Left of operator’s seat.

: Made in 1967.

: Business end

: Front steer

: Front wheel

: Operator’s station

: U.S. Navy’s 1967 purchase price.

2012 POCATELLO AIRPORT: IDAHO NATIONAL GUARD A-10C THUNDERBOLT 2

Idaho

2010 Chubbuck Days car show in Idaho

Image November 25, 2012 Hutchins AAron

Photos by AAron B. Hutchins, click the pics to make them bigger:

: 1979 L82 Chevy Corvette

: First generation Chevy Camaro

: Newer model Ford Mustang GT

: Late 1970s Pontiac Firebird Trans Am with 400ci (6.6 liter) V8 engine

: 1939/40 Nash

: 1967 Buick Skylark

: 1940(?) Ford Deluxe

: Corvette

: 1969 Datsun pick up truck

: Mid 1950s Pontiac

: All the way from California

: 1934(?) Chevy

: 1970(?) Chevy Nova

: Chevy 350ci (5.7 liter) V8 engine

: 1930 Ford Model A Speedster

: Late 1970s-early ’80s Chevy 4×4 pick up truck “for sale”

: 1950 Dodge Coronet

: 1970 454ci (7.4 liter) Corvette Stingray

Idaho, Kit Bashing, Technology

2012 Pocatello Airport: Idaho National Guard A-10C Thunderbolt 2

Image September 15, 2012 Hutchins AAron

Photos by AAron Hutchins. Model kit builders take note of the mass of raised rivets all over the tank-killer. Click pics to make bigger:

: Go Idaho!

: In 2007 the USAF decided to replace the wings of A-10s, allowing to American Stuka to soldier on until 2040, supposedly saving taxpayers $1.3-billion in the long run!

: The awesome A-10 is the last of Idaho’s Air National Guard air assets. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

: Despite the lies by Pentagon officials, the A-10 is still the most destructive ground attack aircraft in U.S. inventory.

2012 POCATELLO AIRPORT: U.S. ARMY SHERPA

Idaho, Technology

2012 Pocatello Airport: U.S. Army Sherpa

Image September 14, 2012 Hutchins AAron

Click on pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

: Aviation Center, Pocatello airport, Idaho, May 2012.

: British (Northern Ireland) made Short C-23 Sherpa.

: U.S. Army uses the Sherpa to support National Guard units.

: The Sherpa will be replaced by the Italian Alenia C-27J Spartan.

IDAHO WILDFIRES, POCATELLO TANKER BASE: 13 SEPTEMBER 2012, SIKORSKY & USMC IN TOWN

KIT BASHING: SPECIAL OPS BOEING MH-47 CHINOOK, POCATELLO AIRPORT

Idaho, Technology

Idaho Wildfires, Pocatello Tanker Base: 13 September 2012, Sikorsky & USMC in town

Image September 14, 2012 Hutchins AAron

Click pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

: A couple of BAEs and an ancient Neptune, September 2012.

: There’s a Neptune on the nose of the Neptune that belongs to Neptune Aviation Service!

: Off into the smokey skies of Idaho.

: Air Tractor 892 follows Neptune’s lead….

: ….as does 894.

: CONAIR’s Convair, notice the retardant stains, from the day before, have been cleaned off.

: Day off for Netune’s leased BAe 146-200s.

: Croman’s Sikorsky S-61. All the way from Oregon.

: Photo by AAron B. Hutchins, 2012.

: USMC Beech UC-12F Huron, just passin’ through, Ma’am.

IDAHO WILDFIRE UPDATE, 12 SEPTEMBER 2012: ANOTHER SMOKEY DAY, MORE AIR TANKERS ARRIVE AT POCATELLO TANKER BASE. EVACUATIONS IN EFFECT!

Idaho, Technology

Idaho Wildfire Update, 12 September 2012: Another smokey day, more air tankers arrive at Pocatello Tanker Base. Evacuations in effect!

Image September 13, 2012 Hutchins AAron

12 September 2012

“Large fires Washington, Oregon, Montana and Idaho made significant acreage gains over the past 24 hours. In Washington, the Barker Canyon Complex burned more than 75,000 acres, and the Apache Pass fire burned 10,000. The Dutch fire in Montana grew by nearly 16,000 acres, and the Mustang fire in Idaho burned an additional 8,400 acres. About 14,500 firefighters and support personnel are currently assigned to large fires across the country.”-National Interagency Fire Center statement

There haven’t been any new fires reported in eastern Idaho, but there are still major fires burning throughout the state, and region. More privately run air tankers have landed at Pocatello Tanker Base (Pocatello airport), including a second BAe-146-200; tanker 40 of Montana’s Neptune Aviation (leased from Tronos in Canada).

Click pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

: Sun setting through the smoked out sky, looking west from Chubbuck, Idaho, 12 September 2012.

: Neptune Aviation’s BAe 146-200 tanker 41 after landing, spoilers deployed, at the smokey Pocatello Tanker Base.

: Immediately following tanker 41 is the ancient Convair CV-580, operated by Canada’s CONAIR.

: Following the old Convair is Neptune Aviation’s tanker 40, touching down.

: Here’s comes a regular visitor, Neptune Aviation’s old PV-2 Neptune tanker 05.

: Retardant staining on the old Convair.

: As well on BAe 146-200 tanker 41….

: ….and tanker 40. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

: Neptune’s Neptune showing a little staining.

There are now nine large fires burning throughout Idaho.

Halstead Fire: More than 150,000 acres (60,702.8 hectares), evacuations in effect.

McGuire Complex Fire: More than 25,000 acres (10,117.14 hectares), evacuations are in effect.

Mustang Complex Fire: More than 289,000 acres (116,954.15 hectares), area closures are in effect.

Porcupine Complex Fire: More than 17,800 acres (7,203.4 hectares).

Powell SBW Complex Fire: More than 42,000 acres (16,996.79 hectares), area closures are in effect.

Sheep Fire: More than 21,600 acres (8,741.2 hectares), evacuations are in effect.

Skull Fire: New fire 35 miles northeast of Roundup.

Trinity Ridge Fire: More than 146,500 acres (59,286.44 hectares), area closures are in effect.

Wesley Fire: More than 3,800 acres (1,537.8 hectares), residences are threatened.

IDAHO WILDFIRE UPDATE, 11 SEPTEMBER 2012: MORE CANADIAN AIRCRAFT ARRIVE AT POCATELLO

Idaho, Technology

Idaho Wildfire Update, 11 September 2012: More Canadian aircraft arrive at Pocatello; BAe 146. U.S. capitalist aviation companies can’t handle the competition?

Image September 11, 2012 Hutchins AAron

11 September 2012, a large and new firefighting aircraft has been seen flying in and out of Pocatello airport (Pocatello Tanker Base) the past few days. It’s a British Aerospace (BAe) 146 flown by Neptune Aviation of Montana (leased from Tronos in Canada).

Click pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

: BAe 146 Neptune Aviation tanker 41 taxis in Pocatello Airport, 11 September 2012.

: The 146 has been proposed to replace the decades old aircraft used by private aviation firefighting companies in the U.S.

: Staged for takeoff run. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

: See ya!

The use of the BAe 146 has been delayed in the United States, due to complaints filed by U.S. aviation companies that do not want the competition from the 146. The disputes are being reviewed by the U.S. General Accountability Office (GAO).

The latest update is that Neptune Aviation’s tanker 41 has been given a contract to help fight the fires, from 01 September to 09 November 2012.

IDAHO WILDFIRE UPDATE, 10 SEPTEMBER 2012:

….and tanker 40. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

CANADA JOINS THE FIGHT AT POCATELLO TANKER BASE!

Idaho, Technology

Idaho Wildfire Update, 10 September 2012: Canada joins the fight at Pocatello Tanker Base!

Image September 11, 2012 Hutchins AAron

10 September 2012, the smoke just won’t go away, ’cause fires just keep poppin’ up! So far, the year to date fire retardant used by fire fighting aircraft out of Pocatello airport (aka Pocatello Tanker Base) is 261,797 gallons (991,009.4 liters).

Little “seeders” 802 Air Tractors are the backbone of airborne firefighting operations out of Pocatello airport, but Neptunes, MAFFS C-130s and now Convair CV580 operated by CONAIR of Canada, are making appearances at the tanker base.

Click pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

: CONAIR Convair CV580, Pocatello airport, 10 September 2012.

: Firefighting Neptune parked behind the Convair CV580. Mainstay firefighter Air Tractor 802 comes in for a landing, while a Delta Airlines CRJ-100 taxis for takeoff.

: AT-802 sneaks past Neptune.

: MAFFS 1 C-130 of Wyoming National Guard, around 28 August 2012.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, there are new fires in Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Wyoming. There are currently 34 large wildfires burning through the United States.

Idaho has seven large fires, with 640,881 acres (259,355.3 hectares) burned! California has nine fires, but with fewer burned acres, at 151,988 (61,507.36 hectares).

The most recent fires here in eastern Idaho were the Flint Canyon Fire south of American Falls, West Menan Fire and the Pickering Fire near Rexburg.

Regarding the now notorious Mustang Complex Fire, recently officials said the fire was so hard to get to that it would probably burn until the first heavy snowfall of winter!

The Mustang Complex Fire, burning along the Idaho/Montana border, increased by 20,000 acres (8,093.7 hectares) on 09 September 2012. Mandatory evacuations were ordered. The fire is now the single largest in the United States, at 281,000+ acres (113,716.6 hectares)!

EAST IDAHO WILDFIRE UPDATE, 29 AUGUST 2012: BURN AREAS BECOME DUST FARMS.