On 13AUG2019, Iran revealed its new six wheel drive MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle called Ra’d (pronounced Ra-ad).
VEHICLE I-D: NEW ARMORED ECM MRAP
POKEY AIRPORT 02 AUGUST 2014: SISTR LENCO BEARCAT
U.S. CIVIL WAR 2014: MRAP SPOTTED IN POCATELLO!
The Iranian Defense Ministry announced the delivery of a domestically produced utility vehicle, the Aras-2.
The maker of the Aras-2 officially began deliveries on 13AUG2019. It can also carry heavy weapons.
NHRA SPONSORS RACING IN IRAN, CHEVY VS BMW!
17 August 2019 (17:34 UTC-07 Tango 06) 26 Mordad 1398/15 Dhu l-Hijja 1440/17 Ren-Shen 4717
Virginia Air National Guard photo by First Lieutenant Andrew Layton, 17AUG2019.
Appalachian Care Innovative Readiness Training 2019 began 16AUG2019, and ends on the 29th (that’s according to the military info, but the facebook page says 19-26). It involves National Guard, Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Army, Army Reserve and Navy Reserve personnel conducting ‘free’ (taxpayer expense) to the public medical care in Wise County, Virginia.
Virginia Air National Guard photo by First Lieutenant Andrew Layton, 17AUG2019.
Military personnel will provide medical, dental, optometry and even pet care! So much for ObamaCare-ACA, these Appalachian Care/Appalachian Mountain IRT operations began under President Obama precisely because Obama knew people were not covered under the Affordable Care Act. Official video report from 2014:
Since 2014 the Appalachian Care/Appalachian Mountain Individual Readiness Training ops have been taking place at various locations across the Appalachian Mountain region.
Communities interested in hosting an IRT mission can contact one of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense by going to https://irt.defense.gov
OBAMACARE DEATH SPIRAL, JANUARY 2019:“MARKET DEMANDS”
It’s pronounced Cav-all-ry, not calvary (calvary is the name of the hill where supposedly somebody named Jesus of Nazareth was executed), and today’s German army still trains up old fashioned horse riders.
Video with soothing music in which male and female German mountain-soldiers (Gebirgsjäger) profess that their blond-haired horses are their comrades:
Video with more upbeat music showing Mountain troops having fun riding their horses (Pferde) through Alpine villages:
HI-TECH FAIL: NATO GERMANY PROVES MULES (Mulis) STILL RULE MOUNTAIN WARFARE
In June 2019, Germany began test-firing its new MG6 minigun from its H145M special forces helicopters.
Bundeswehr video of H145M armed with MG6 minigun, posted in August 2020:
Night-fire of minigun: 
HI-TECH FAIL: NATO GERMANY PROVES MULES STILL RULE MOUNTAIN WARFARE
VEHICLE I-D: NATO GERMANY SHOWS OFF ARMORED FIGHTING VEHICLES, IST KOOL!
C-ERFP stands for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) Enhanced Response Force Package (ERFP). It happened in Illinois at the end of July 2019. Did you hear about it?
The Illinois National Guard’s CERFP unit is responsible for Search and Extraction, Decontamination, and Medical Treatment of victims of human-made or natural disasters.
They conducted CERFP training at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, 26JUL2019, focusing on rescuing people from a collapsed building. Ooh, looks like that one lost its head as well as its clothes!
Here’s video of how they’ll rescue your sorry butt during a disaster in a ‘contaminated’ area:
RESCUING DOGS, AND DOGS WHO’LL RESCUE YOU!
IDAHO BLACK HAWKS HEAD SOUTH, DOWN CENTRAL AMERICA WAY, FOR MASS CASUALTY EVAC!
ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE IN WISCONSIN, OPERATION PATRIOT NORTH IS UNDERWAY!
Fast spreading forest fire forced the Alaska National Guard to rescue 26 people and two dogs from a recreation lodge on 23JUL2019.
On 19JUL2019, Kentucky Air National Guard’s Master Sergeant Rudy Parsons checks out para-rescue dog Callie after a skydive. She’s carried in a bag strapped to his front. According to the press release, Callie is the only para-rescue dog in the U.S. Department of Defense.
Kentucky National Guard’s Callie the rescue dog taking part in Patriot North disaster training in Wisconsin, 17JUL2019.
KENTUCKY DOG CALLIE TRAINS TO RESCUE ALASKANS FROM A HC-130J!
Official video report, from February 2019, about Callie the first U.S. para-rescue dog who can jump out of a perfectly good airplane:
On 07JUL2019, a woman and her dog were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard, after a small landslide caused her and one of her three dogs to fall, at Lake Michigan.
Video of Lake Michigan rescue:
THE U.S. MILITARY TRAINS TO SAVE YOUR PET FROM DISASTER!
WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR PETS AFTER PARADISE IS DESTROYED BY THE FIRES OF HELL?
Official video of California National Guard’s efforts to help the pets of the victims of the 2018 Camp Fire:
Dramatic U.S. Coast Guard video of dog (and people) rescue after Hurricane Florence, in South Carolina (just one of dozens of similar rescues):
FEMA search & rescue after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.
HURRICANE MARIA: FREE SHOTS FOR PUERTO RICO PETS!
From March 2013, this FEMA search & rescue dog is about to take a trip on a C-17 during Patriot Hook, at Los Alamitos Army Airfield.
HURRICANE HARVEY: VET=VETERINARY EMERGENCY TEAM, HELPING ANIMALS IS GOOD FOR YOU!
In Arizona, awaiting night time load-up into C-5 Galaxy, destine for Puerto Rico. Photo via U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 01OCT2017.
Photo via U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 02OCT2017.
Photo via U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 02OCT2017.
C-5 delivers the CBP UH-60s to Puerto Rico. Photo via U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 02OCT2017.
Photo via U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 03OCT2017.
Photo via U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 07OCT2017.
Photo via U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 07OCT2017.
Photo via U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 13OCT2017.
Minicraft first issued its 1:48 scale UH-60 kits in 1986. In 2001, Minicraft re-boxed it as a U.S. Customs Black Hawk. The box art, and even photos of completed kit on the sides of the box, depict it with a FLIR pod under the chin, but no such animal can be found on the sprues. All you get is a crappy looking search light. I’ll have to scratch build the FLIR, or steal it from a different helicopter kit. Many of the Customs Black Hawks have the bent tip rotary wings, the Minicraft kit still has the straight blades from the 1980s. The Minicraft markings are for U.S. Customs, which ceased to exist as an independent agency in 2003, merged with U.S. Border Patrol, and parts of Immigration and Naturalization Service, becoming today’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). As you can see from the photos above, the CBP markings are slightly different from the old U.S. Customs markings, and today’s Black Hawk has an extended nose for housing the FLIR (Forward Looking Infra-Red) as well as mounts on the side of the cockpit for other electronic gadgets.
The interior of the Minicraft UH-60 is devoid of details, but can be expeditiously improved using the old-but-gold Monogram crew figures from the still viable Monogram UH-1 Huey (interesting that the Monogram ‘copter first issued in 1959 is more detailed than the Minicraft ‘copter first issued in 1986).
PJ Production also has a new resin set of 1:48 U.S. helicopter crew figures, although they’re sold as Vietnam era crew figures I think they could be used for late Cold War Black Hawks.
IDAHO BLACK HAWKS HEAD SOUTH, DOWN CENTRAL AMERICA WAY, YOU PAID FOR IT!
VEHICLE I-D: BLACK HAWK WITH SKIS
RF-84F THUNDERFLASH & YRF-84F, AN APPEAL TO MONOGRAM!
“We are going to have to stop being the policemen of the world.”-Donald Trump, August 2015 interview with Hugh Hewitt
Idaho Army National Guard photo by Thomas Alvarez, 27APR2019.
At the end of April 2019, Idaho Army National Guard’s 1-183rd Assault Helicopter Battalion deployed to Guatemala in support of operation Beyond the Horizon.
Idaho Army National Guard photo by Thomas Alvarez, 27APR2019.
Keep in mind this is the Central American country allegedly sending the most illegals into the U.S., forcing the U.S. President to make a deal with the leaders of Guatemala to make an effort to keep their people home (never mind that the U.S. Department of Defense spends untold tax dollars conducting massive military and natural disaster training ops in Guatemala).
Idaho Army National Guard photo by Thomas Alvarez, 27APR2019.
1-183rd Assault Helicopter Battalion will provide casualty evacuation support and equipment transportation for National Guard engineers and medics as they spend U.S. taxes building schools and medical clinics in Guatemala.
Idaho Army National Guard photo by Thomas Alvarez, 27APR2019.
The 1-183rd’s mission to Guatemala ended on 27JUL2019.
Official video explainer of Idaho UH-60 Black Hawk refueling ops in Guatemala:
Interview with Idaho Black Hawk crew concerning mass casualty training in Guatemala:
U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Anshu Pandeya, 20JUN2019.
National Guard personnel from Virginia and Washington build a new school in Guatemala. U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Anshu Pandeya, 11JUN2019.
The Guatemalan City Fueling the Migrant Exodus to America
GREAT RENEGER: DEPLOYMENTS SO COMMON EVEN BEERS ARE NAMED AFTER THEM
Iowa Air National Guard photo, November 1960.
174th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Iowa Air Guard, Sioux City Sue RF-84F, photo taken in 1960, aircraft retired 1961.
Iowa Air National Guard Photo by Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, October 2013.
Sioux City Sue, 2013
Iowa Air National Guard Photo by Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, October 2013.
Iowa Air National Guard Photo by Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, October 2013.
Iowa Air National Guard Photo by Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, October 2013.
Iowa Air National Guard photo, April 1958.
The secret hi-tech for 1960s aerial-recon; big lens, big negatives. The RF-84F also used a three camera system called Tri-Metrogon, to take horizon-to-horizon photos.
Iowa Air National Guard Photo by Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, October 2013.
Official video report about the history of the RF-84 and the restoration of Iowa Air Guard gate guard Sioux City Sue:
Iowa Air National Guard photo, February 1960.
The large ‘screen’ at top center of the instrument panel is not for radar, it’s the pilot’s aiming view-port for the camera.
Iowa Air National Guard photo, June 1958.
Before the unit got the proper equipment for developing the massive negatives, they had to drape them over chairs to dry them.
Iowa Air National Guard photo, August 1958.
Republic Aviation Corporation YRF-84F Thunderstreak. NACA photo, 1954.
And now for something different, how about the YRF-84F? 51-1828 — NACA tail number 154. Only one built. NACA High-Speed Flight Research Station used the aircraft from 1954 until 1955.
Model Kit Round-Up: 
Italeri’s RF-84F was the first in 1:72 scale, first released in 1974 (according to ScaleMates). It’s also been issued by Revell-Germany and Testors. It’s a modification of their F-84F kit. It’s very basic, no interior details, surface details are raised. Reviewers say it has shape problems. With patient searching it can be had as a pre-owned kit for as little as five bucks (not including shipping), yet for some reason most internet sellers expect at least $20 and as much as $40 (outrageous).
Another RF-84F in 1:72 scale is the PJ Production multi-media kit, in resin, PE, metal and vacform plastic. It is highly accurate and detailed. Reviewers report it is not for beginners and requires a lot of dry fitting to reveal the difficult areas of assembly. The kit has been around for at least a decade, yet PJ Production website still lists it as a “new product”. It lists for 41.50 Euros (about $50 to $60 USD depending on the exchange rate).
PJ PRODUCTION HAS NEW STUFF FOR 2014!
Almost forgot that in 2018 Sword issued their RF-84F. The quality of the parts is typical of Sword kits. Issued in two boxings with four different markings per box. Initial reviews are good. In the United States the price ranges from $20 to $32, and they’re selling fast.
For decades the only 1:48 scale RF-84F was the not so good Heller kit. Apparently first released in 1979-80 along with its F-84F Thunderstreak. About four years later Monogram released its way better F-84F, but for some reason decided not to do a much needed RF version. The Heller kit is as basic as the 1:72 scale Italeri kit, it’s been re-issued continuously and the U.S. price for previously owned kits averages $20, while the latest new issues are going for as much as $40 (outrageous given its age and lack of quality).
About 15 to 20 years ago Foundier Miniature (FM) tried to improve the Heller kit by adding resin parts for the cockpit, metal parts for the landing gears, and PE parts for things like the speed brakes/spoilers. It was issued under their Xkit label. Beware, the kit I bought (second hand) has massive warp-age of the Heller parts.
It also has a massive decal sheet marked F-84F, and a tiny sheet marked RF-84F. The large sheet is from FM’s F-84F issue, but you’re meant to use the national insignia on that sheet for the RF-84F. The instructions are modified Heller instructions with additions to show the usage of the FM detail parts.
And now for something really outrageous. Recently a Japanese company called Tanmodel issued the newest 1:48 scale RF-84F. You’d think it was the best damn thing in the world going by how much sellers are asking for it. An internet review said it was better than the ancient Heller kit, but the recessed surface detailing is not much better than Monogram’s raised detailing. In fact the reviewer said the recessed rivets (which there are no such thing on real airplanes) look more like 1:32 scale rivets, the pics of the completed kit makes it look like the trench-n-divet surface details are raised because they’re so over-scale. You get air intake ducting and an exhaust pipe. You also get a detailed camera bay, which is pointless because the fuselage is not molded so that you can poise the access door in the open position (you could do surgery). The ultimate reason this kit is so outrageous is its asking price, I’ve seen prices ranging between $70 and $180!!!
In 1:32 scale there was the I.D. Models vac-formed kit, released in the 1990s. It was basic, no detailing, only the main fuselage and wings, canopy, external tanks, nothing else. Starting in 2014 there were rumors that Kitty Hawk was going to issue a 1:32 RF-84F. The rumors got a lot of people excited, so far nothing has materialized.
Everybody needs to contact the neue Eigentümer der Monogram and demand they make a 1:48 scale RF-84F!
For now (meaning whenever I get a round to it) I’m going to attempt to mate the nose and main wings of my warped Heller-FM RF-84F to one of the many Monogram F-84Fs in my stash. (somebody attempted it using a Kinetic/Italeri kit)
Vehicle I-D: TIME TO SEE THE ‘DOC’ (B-29)
RETIRED USN CRAFTSMAN RECALLS DAYS OF BEING PAID TO BUILD GIANT MODEL PLANES!
SUPER GUPPY BE OLD, BUT NASA STILL USES IT!