I've got a few...
For teaser purposes... Titles.
Warren and the security booth.
Warren and the UH-1H.
Warren and the windshield.
Rhonda and the tail.
Fuzzygeff, Vacuum, Hyperspace and Tie-Downs.
Anglave and the Trusting Tenderfoot.
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04 September 2014
A Suggestion
Willard says that instead of ugly guys in kilts, we should have hot school-girls in leather.
Make a big enough donation and I think we can make that happen.
Y'all will have to settle for 18+ school girls because we're only so creepy here.
Make a big enough donation and I think we can make that happen.
Y'all will have to settle for 18+ school girls because we're only so creepy here.
Guess Again
Concerning the lens flares in Star Trek's reboot by JJ Abrams.
Actually no.
We started noticing and focusing on the lens flares because we'd checked out from the "fun and excitement" already. With nothing else to do, we started noticing things that should have been in the background.
People just don't notice bad camera work and poor lens choices when there's something on the screen engaging them.
Yet, a lot of people walked out of that really fun, exciting movie unable to do anything but complain about lens flare. Ultimately, that's a good thing: Abrams made such a good movie that the biggest problem most viewers had is that the lights did a stretchy thing across the screen.
Read more: http://www.cracked.com/blog/4-public-apologies-we-shouldnt-accept/#ixzz3CLxTUnkw
Actually no.
We started noticing and focusing on the lens flares because we'd checked out from the "fun and excitement" already. With nothing else to do, we started noticing things that should have been in the background.
People just don't notice bad camera work and poor lens choices when there's something on the screen engaging them.
Risk Management
In no way should saying, "this is why you were selected as a victim," be taken to absolve or mitigate the responsibility of the criminal for their actions.
Once the criminal has gotten to the victim selection portion of the event, they've already committed themselves to the commission of the crime.
Someone is going to be a victim and the best you can do is make yourself less enticing to them.
Sometimes there's nothing the victim can do to reduce their chances because the decision to commit the crime is tied to committing it on that person. Stalking falls into this category. The stalker doesn't start with "I'm going to stalk, oh... that random person there." They back into a justification of stalking a particular person based on specious at best reasoning. It's rarely the "at best" scenario. Most of the time the rationale is bug-nuts.
It's a fine line to tread about "blaming the victim." The blame and fault is entirely on the criminal for the crime. It is not, however, unhealthy to ask, "what could I have done differently?"
If every girl walking home drunk from a bar through a bad neighborhood while wearing a slinky cocktail dress and heels gets raped; but not a single sober female jogger in sweats does... There's a pattern to be aware of.
Once the criminal has gotten to the victim selection portion of the event, they've already committed themselves to the commission of the crime.
Someone is going to be a victim and the best you can do is make yourself less enticing to them.
Sometimes there's nothing the victim can do to reduce their chances because the decision to commit the crime is tied to committing it on that person. Stalking falls into this category. The stalker doesn't start with "I'm going to stalk, oh... that random person there." They back into a justification of stalking a particular person based on specious at best reasoning. It's rarely the "at best" scenario. Most of the time the rationale is bug-nuts.
It's a fine line to tread about "blaming the victim." The blame and fault is entirely on the criminal for the crime. It is not, however, unhealthy to ask, "what could I have done differently?"
If every girl walking home drunk from a bar through a bad neighborhood while wearing a slinky cocktail dress and heels gets raped; but not a single sober female jogger in sweats does... There's a pattern to be aware of.
KTKC
We were at $75 yesterday morning.
If we keep up the $25 a day pace we should pull $750 by the time this closes!
Y'all can do it!
There are 15 followers down there, $20 each and we're at $300.
200 people hit this site on average every day; even a BUCK from each of you is $200.
You've got a dollar, don't you?
Leave a comment for ideas that will incentivize you. As long as it's legal and I won't injure myself past embarrassment I'm likely to do it.
If we keep up the $25 a day pace we should pull $750 by the time this closes!
Y'all can do it!
There are 15 followers down there, $20 each and we're at $300.
200 people hit this site on average every day; even a BUCK from each of you is $200.
You've got a dollar, don't you?
Leave a comment for ideas that will incentivize you. As long as it's legal and I won't injure myself past embarrassment I'm likely to do it.
03 September 2014
Your Participation Is Required
In every single crime, the victim is a participant in the victim selection process. In Perfect World®, there'd be no behavior on the victim's part that made them more likely to be selected by the criminal. In real world, there are things you can do that increase your chances of being selected. Wishing that wasn't so doesn't change this.
If I give you my PIN number and ATM card to pull out $20 and you take $200, who is at fault? You. But how much could you have stolen if I'd not given you the card and PIN?
This is the core of the nudie pics drama. If you don't want someone to see pictures of you nekkid; never EVER take a picture of yourself nekkid. That applied before there was an internet. The reason is that there are thieves and scumbags out there who will be more than happy to share them with the world should they ever discover how you've secreted them away.
Celebrities should be aware that all of that doubly applies to them and the security measures that keep a picture of my nekkidness secure are meaningless to someone with real motivation to see them, and the mere fact of celebrity means that motivations exists. That means that celebs need to take extraordinary measures to secure their data. Why? Because we don't live in Perfect World®!
So we lecture the victim and punish the thieves! To skip the lecture assures the victim will be selected again. Becoming self-rightous and indignant when someone points out the victim's participation in the process makes you a fool.
Figured It Out
The reason that President Obama can't come to a decision about ISIS...
Thanks to Bill Clinton they no longer know what 'IS' means and it's in ISIS twice!
Thanks to Bill Clinton they no longer know what 'IS' means and it's in ISIS twice!
02 September 2014
I Just Bleeping Stabbed Myself
Bought me a spiffy kopis style Cold Steel machete.
Hacked at an unwanted tree limb in the back yard, because that's why I bought the thing. It effortlessly sliced right through the limb and because it didn't slow down even a bit, I wasn't prepared to stop it before it hit my poorly placed foot.
In a flip flop...
This could have been so much worse!
Hi, my name is Thag and I am stupid.
Hacked at an unwanted tree limb in the back yard, because that's why I bought the thing. It effortlessly sliced right through the limb and because it didn't slow down even a bit, I wasn't prepared to stop it before it hit my poorly placed foot.
In a flip flop...
This could have been so much worse!
Hi, my name is Thag and I am stupid.
01 September 2014
Not Invited
Clicked on Tam's blog and got...
I'd been on my best behavior lately too! Took showers, used deodorant, chewed with my mouth closed...
Update:
Apparently she's quit and this is how a retired blog looks.
Fair weather and calm seas, Tam!
This blog is open to invited readers only
http://booksbikesboomsticks.blogspot.com/It doesn't look like you have been invited to read this blog. If you think this is a mistake, you might want to contact the blog author and request an invitation.
You're signed in as mcthag - Sign in with a different account
I'd been on my best behavior lately too! Took showers, used deodorant, chewed with my mouth closed...
Update:
Apparently she's quit and this is how a retired blog looks.
Fair weather and calm seas, Tam!
Oddities
I was just reading that the flight of a bullet gives of an rf signal that a radio can pick up.
That's neat!
I guess the copper of the round passing through the earth's magnetic field is responsible.
Attempts to Google more information have hit the typical wall...
That's neat!
I guess the copper of the round passing through the earth's magnetic field is responsible.
Attempts to Google more information have hit the typical wall...
KTKC '14 Is ON!
Click on the pic to your right, don't forget to click the box for "This donation is made as part of a Fundraising Team" then select "team McThag" from the drop down menu that will appear.
I'd be pleased as punch to have $1,000 channeled through my name this year. I'd be nearly as thrilled to have just $20, but that doesn't do near as much good for the recipients.
We hit $500 and I'll do the "dunk your junk" bit!
The Dog might have to translate anything I say after that though...
I'd be pleased as punch to have $1,000 channeled through my name this year. I'd be nearly as thrilled to have just $20, but that doesn't do near as much good for the recipients.
We hit $500 and I'll do the "dunk your junk" bit!
The Dog might have to translate anything I say after that though...
31 August 2014
OMG
It's sometimes remarkable what gets you to give up going to a forum.
Buh bye arfcom!
Incestual rape isn't funny and isn't a joking matter.
If the site staff isn't even going to give the asshole a time out for it, I don't think I want to be associated with the place any longer.
Which is a shame because there is some good stuff there in some of the more technically focused forums. Losing the retro section as a resource is going to suck.
Buh bye arfcom!
Incestual rape isn't funny and isn't a joking matter.
If the site staff isn't even going to give the asshole a time out for it, I don't think I want to be associated with the place any longer.
Which is a shame because there is some good stuff there in some of the more technically focused forums. Losing the retro section as a resource is going to suck.
29 August 2014
To Put It Another Way
About resurrection-cloning.
There will be a person whose perspective is they went to sleep/blacked out and then woke up.
How they feel about who they are NOW is mostly determined by how they felt about it BEFORE.
I suspect that the people who feel strongly that the clone isn't, and can't be, them won't avail themselves of the service.
If such a service becomes even somewhat widely available I also suspect that the perspective that the clone cannot be you will be lost. Dying and waking up in a new body will simply become how things are and there won't be a philosophical divide about it.
There will be a person whose perspective is they went to sleep/blacked out and then woke up.
How they feel about who they are NOW is mostly determined by how they felt about it BEFORE.
I suspect that the people who feel strongly that the clone isn't, and can't be, them won't avail themselves of the service.
If such a service becomes even somewhat widely available I also suspect that the perspective that the clone cannot be you will be lost. Dying and waking up in a new body will simply become how things are and there won't be a philosophical divide about it.
May Day (US)
It is labor day weekend! One of the few national holidays where I say get out there and SHOP! Why? Because it's a Marxist/Leninist/Socialist holiday. The rest of the world does it on May 1st, but our native commies tried to hide its origins.
So, stick it to the working man and indulge in crass capitalistic behavior! Triple word score if you can force a union worker to work Monday.
So, stick it to the working man and indulge in crass capitalistic behavior! Triple word score if you can force a union worker to work Monday.
28 August 2014
That Whole 1911 v 1911A1 Thing
I was looking at past posts and notice that I mentioned liking the feel of the flat mainspring housing and long trigger.
My how quickly that feeling faded into a desire for it to feel familiar in my hand.
I blame my acquisition of the Hi-Power for the change.
It's kind of illustrative how fickle "feel" can be.
The constant swapping of furniture on the AR's is another indicator.
Even though there's a constant quest to get the perfect feel, it's also amazing how adaptive we can be towards ergonomics we cannot so readily change.
My how quickly that feeling faded into a desire for it to feel familiar in my hand.
I blame my acquisition of the Hi-Power for the change.
It's kind of illustrative how fickle "feel" can be.
The constant swapping of furniture on the AR's is another indicator.
Even though there's a constant quest to get the perfect feel, it's also amazing how adaptive we can be towards ergonomics we cannot so readily change.
Free Insurance
I remember when the $2,500 the NRA offers for insurance on your guns was enough to cover everything I owned...
Now...
The steady accumulation over the past 20 years really shows.
Now...
The steady accumulation over the past 20 years really shows.
Worshipping Milspec
On one hand, milspec is something that's passed stringent testing and made to a very tight tolerance.
On the other, should a genuine improvement in process or material or dimension come along; mil-spec is an inflexible barrier to change.
One need not look farther for an example than the extractor spring on the M16 series. Colt had identified a solution to the problems encountered on many rifles but the DoD determined that it wasn't happening on enough rifles to justify making a change to the supply chain. At least not for a very long time. Even so, further improvement has been made in the civilian sector, and is not (officially) allowed on the mil's guns.
It's especially amusing to watch someone extoll the virtues of mil-spec on their rifle while shunning the very much mil-spec USGI 30-round magazine.
On the other, should a genuine improvement in process or material or dimension come along; mil-spec is an inflexible barrier to change.
One need not look farther for an example than the extractor spring on the M16 series. Colt had identified a solution to the problems encountered on many rifles but the DoD determined that it wasn't happening on enough rifles to justify making a change to the supply chain. At least not for a very long time. Even so, further improvement has been made in the civilian sector, and is not (officially) allowed on the mil's guns.
It's especially amusing to watch someone extoll the virtues of mil-spec on their rifle while shunning the very much mil-spec USGI 30-round magazine.
Cracked
Tam made a post a while back talking about the 10mm's propensity to crack the frame right above the slide stop cut-out.
Colt's solution was to open up the cut-out all the way.
What I noticed today was that 10mm isn't the only place they've done it. My .38 Super came with an open cut-out too.
By way of contrast, my 2006 Springfield USGI in .45 is thus:
Marv's 1983 made .45 is from before the change.
It makes me wonder if .38 Super had the same cracking problem as 10mm or if Colt just made the change to the cut-out on all of their 1911s.
Colt's solution was to open up the cut-out all the way.
What I noticed today was that 10mm isn't the only place they've done it. My .38 Super came with an open cut-out too.
By way of contrast, my 2006 Springfield USGI in .45 is thus:
Marv's 1983 made .45 is from before the change.
It makes me wonder if .38 Super had the same cracking problem as 10mm or if Colt just made the change to the cut-out on all of their 1911s.
27 August 2014
The Way .38 Super Should Be
Because .38 Super was introduced in 1929, the guns were always 1911A1 pattern. Scalloped frame, arched mainspring housing and short trigger.
My gun has the scallops, but it's presently stylish to put the long trigger and flat mainspring housings on them. Which makes the gun feel wrong in my hand.
So I fixed it! I had it in my head that this was going to be hard. Not even a little bit difficult, even lining up the series 80 linkage was a non-event.
Obviously, I've corrected the "problem" by changing some parts around.
I'm kind of bemused at myself here. Purist enough to want it fully in an A1 configuration; but leaving the better, taller sights and not having any sort of kittens about theplastic polymer mainspring housings. Even the series 80 part doesn't bother me.
My gun has the scallops, but it's presently stylish to put the long trigger and flat mainspring housings on them. Which makes the gun feel wrong in my hand.
So I fixed it! I had it in my head that this was going to be hard. Not even a little bit difficult, even lining up the series 80 linkage was a non-event.
 |
| At last, my hand is complete! |
 |
| As she left the Colt factory. |
I'm kind of bemused at myself here. Purist enough to want it fully in an A1 configuration; but leaving the better, taller sights and not having any sort of kittens about the
How Things Work FAL Edition
Because Weer'ds comment section is malfunctioning...
Photos taken of pages from Small Arms of the World 12th Edition, Ezell (1990).
How this all works... In semi the trigger rotates, taking the sear with it and that releases the hammer. The sear pivots on the same pin as the trigger, but is slotted. When the nose of the sear is caught by the hammer, it's pushed back and the tail of the sear rests above a shelf on the trigger. It's this shelf that raises the tail of the sear, thus lowering the nose and releasing the hammer. As soon as the hammer is flying, the sear moves forward and the tail drops down into a groove in the trigger and raises the nose to catch the hammer as the bolt-carrier resets it; which shoves the sear back into the groove so you have to release the trigger to let it slide on its slot and put the tail over the shelf again.
The safety sear tries to catch the hammer every shot. When the bolt carrier locks the bolt, the rest of its movement pivots the safety sear and releases the hammer. In semi-auto mode, that lets the sear grab it, but in auto, the trigger can pivot a bit more and the nose of the sear is held too low for it to grab the hammer; it's the safety sear releasing that sets off the next round.
Military FALs which were "semi-auto-only" have a block on the selector on the outside of the gun. Inch pattern guns have a lobe that will hit the upper receiver preventing it from rotating all the way to the auto position.
Metric guns have a hook that engages a pin on the lower that prevents the same movement.
The shaft of the selector in both cases is still cut with the extra depth that lets the trigger move the nose of the sear below the notch of the hammer. As you can see, a couple of minutes with a grinder or Dremel will restore the auto-mode.
In the US, having the safety sear, or even having the upper cut to accept it, makes your FAL a machine-gun unless you have one of the very few "sear-cut" guns FN imported under the Browning imprint.
Photos taken of pages from Small Arms of the World 12th Edition, Ezell (1990).
How this all works... In semi the trigger rotates, taking the sear with it and that releases the hammer. The sear pivots on the same pin as the trigger, but is slotted. When the nose of the sear is caught by the hammer, it's pushed back and the tail of the sear rests above a shelf on the trigger. It's this shelf that raises the tail of the sear, thus lowering the nose and releasing the hammer. As soon as the hammer is flying, the sear moves forward and the tail drops down into a groove in the trigger and raises the nose to catch the hammer as the bolt-carrier resets it; which shoves the sear back into the groove so you have to release the trigger to let it slide on its slot and put the tail over the shelf again.
The safety sear tries to catch the hammer every shot. When the bolt carrier locks the bolt, the rest of its movement pivots the safety sear and releases the hammer. In semi-auto mode, that lets the sear grab it, but in auto, the trigger can pivot a bit more and the nose of the sear is held too low for it to grab the hammer; it's the safety sear releasing that sets off the next round.
Military FALs which were "semi-auto-only" have a block on the selector on the outside of the gun. Inch pattern guns have a lobe that will hit the upper receiver preventing it from rotating all the way to the auto position.
The shaft of the selector in both cases is still cut with the extra depth that lets the trigger move the nose of the sear below the notch of the hammer. As you can see, a couple of minutes with a grinder or Dremel will restore the auto-mode.
In the US, having the safety sear, or even having the upper cut to accept it, makes your FAL a machine-gun unless you have one of the very few "sear-cut" guns FN imported under the Browning imprint.
What If
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| Click To Embiggen Open In New Tab For Full Size |
I'd imagine there'd be hasta vs pilum and gladius vs spatha debates on ARXV.com and MIV.net...
Special thanks to Willard for the inspired artwork!
26 August 2014
25 August 2014
1033
Among the things that piss me off about the 1033 program is the fact the Federal Government is giving the material away.
Material that would surely sell would that an exception in 18 USC §922(o) be carved out for CMP.
For some things, they don't even need that exception. There's a passle of folks who'd love to lay hands on unmolested M16A1 uppers for their retro builds. Double infuriating here since many 1033 recipients are tossing that upper into the corner while they make an M4 out of the 1033 gun.
Unrelated to guns, my county nabbed five surplus OH-58C from this program because Bell 206 parts are relatively available only to discover that there's significant differences between the OH-58 and 206 in many important parts. They also found that the idea of cannibalizing parts might get them in trouble because they might not be able to readily restore the parts-birds to "as given" condition.
Material that would surely sell would that an exception in 18 USC §922(o) be carved out for CMP.
For some things, they don't even need that exception. There's a passle of folks who'd love to lay hands on unmolested M16A1 uppers for their retro builds. Double infuriating here since many 1033 recipients are tossing that upper into the corner while they make an M4 out of the 1033 gun.
Unrelated to guns, my county nabbed five surplus OH-58C from this program because Bell 206 parts are relatively available only to discover that there's significant differences between the OH-58 and 206 in many important parts. They also found that the idea of cannibalizing parts might get them in trouble because they might not be able to readily restore the parts-birds to "as given" condition.
Changed The Ammo
Pretty weak complaint.
The change to M855A1 in the trials was because the Army was changing over to the new round and the supplicants would have to accommodate it.
I've been reading about the new round and it wasn't "tailored for the M4", it's a replacement round for every 5.56x45mm NATO gun in the inventory.
Grumble.
The change to M855A1 in the trials was because the Army was changing over to the new round and the supplicants would have to accommodate it.
I've been reading about the new round and it wasn't "tailored for the M4", it's a replacement round for every 5.56x45mm NATO gun in the inventory.
Grumble.
Tea Leaves
Ever see someone doing DNA testing?
They squirt fluids into vials and stuff.
Then a pattern emerges.
Viola! DNA match! or not.
I am not going to pretend I understand the process, what it looks like more than in general or how it works. I do know that it's repeatable. I've seen enough of it explained that I can grasp the idea of what's going on even if I don't know the details.
Someone from the 18th century would call you a witch because what's going on is apparently no different from reading tea leaves.
What's that old line? Something about sufficiently advanced technology?
This sort of thing is what divides the Tech Levels in games.
They squirt fluids into vials and stuff.
Then a pattern emerges.
Viola! DNA match! or not.
I am not going to pretend I understand the process, what it looks like more than in general or how it works. I do know that it's repeatable. I've seen enough of it explained that I can grasp the idea of what's going on even if I don't know the details.
What's that old line? Something about sufficiently advanced technology?
This sort of thing is what divides the Tech Levels in games.
22 August 2014
Credit
To give credit, where credit is due.
When I asked Marv how often he checked to make sure his powder measure was feeding the correct amount of powder; his answer wasn't "huh?"
When I asked Marv how often he checked to make sure his powder measure was feeding the correct amount of powder; his answer wasn't "huh?"
Blame
Got linked to an article about the militarization of the cops.
Nixon and Reagan are entirely to blame it seems.
Except...
It's not JUST them.
Until recently, a president needed Congress to pass the laws they were signing and enforcing. Congress was decidedly one party from 1955 to 1994 in the house and with the exception of 1981-1987 the senate too.
That'd make it bipartisan, wouldn't it?
I also notice that while the Democrats controlled both congress and the white house they didn't rush out to repeal the laws which offend us so today. Nor did any Republican president condemn those laws.
Again, bipartisan.
I'd like to say that the Republicans didn't make things worse when they had both houses and The White House, but Patriot Act...
Do not forget, when you see this politician or that condemning the effects of this law or that; how did they vote on it? It's often surprising to see they supported the law when it was a bill and oppose it now that it's a law. It's depressing that they very seldom get called on it.
Another issue at play here, and its something I have to grudgingly give LBJ credit for, "You do not examine legislation in the light of the benefits it will convey if properly administered, but in the light of the wrongs it would do and the harms it would cause if improperly administered."
Too much law is passed with the idea that the people administering it agree with the authors of the bill and completely understand what the authors meant by it.
Nixon and Reagan are entirely to blame it seems.
Except...
It's not JUST them.
Until recently, a president needed Congress to pass the laws they were signing and enforcing. Congress was decidedly one party from 1955 to 1994 in the house and with the exception of 1981-1987 the senate too.
That'd make it bipartisan, wouldn't it?
I also notice that while the Democrats controlled both congress and the white house they didn't rush out to repeal the laws which offend us so today. Nor did any Republican president condemn those laws.
Again, bipartisan.
I'd like to say that the Republicans didn't make things worse when they had both houses and The White House, but Patriot Act...
Do not forget, when you see this politician or that condemning the effects of this law or that; how did they vote on it? It's often surprising to see they supported the law when it was a bill and oppose it now that it's a law. It's depressing that they very seldom get called on it.
Another issue at play here, and its something I have to grudgingly give LBJ credit for, "You do not examine legislation in the light of the benefits it will convey if properly administered, but in the light of the wrongs it would do and the harms it would cause if improperly administered."
Too much law is passed with the idea that the people administering it agree with the authors of the bill and completely understand what the authors meant by it.
New Toy
It's that time of every other year!
The Lovely Harvey renews her phone contract and gets a new phone.
This year they offered us a free tablet with the phone upgrade.
While most reviews are pretty negative about the freebie, it's $150 less than the one all of the reviews recommended. Sound advice if one was paying outright, but FREE.
It's a fun little toy, like my smart-phone but larger.
It's something I have zero need of, but... Hurray fun!
The Lovely Harvey renews her phone contract and gets a new phone.
This year they offered us a free tablet with the phone upgrade.
While most reviews are pretty negative about the freebie, it's $150 less than the one all of the reviews recommended. Sound advice if one was paying outright, but FREE.
It's a fun little toy, like my smart-phone but larger.
It's something I have zero need of, but... Hurray fun!
21 August 2014
Adventures In Sleep Deprivation
The pattern of late has been finally falling asleep around 0300. Then three to four hours down, POP I'm awake and alert.
Then at around 10 or 11, a rapid fade. Then four or five hours of sleep then a groggy up until about 0300, repeat.
Yesterday flat doesn't exist. I know I talked to some people online, because chat records.
I have an ephemeral impression that Willard was here, because there's a copy of Cooper's Art of the Rifle here.
It's taxing.
I sometimes wonder if I've been making soap.
Then at around 10 or 11, a rapid fade. Then four or five hours of sleep then a groggy up until about 0300, repeat.
Yesterday flat doesn't exist. I know I talked to some people online, because chat records.
I have an ephemeral impression that Willard was here, because there's a copy of Cooper's Art of the Rifle here.
It's taxing.
I sometimes wonder if I've been making soap.
19 August 2014
Worse Than 1911 VS Glock
Because fighter pilots are involved...
The Aviationist posted Hoser's gun camera pic of him embarrassing an F-15C jock at a time when embarrassing an Eagle driver was bad for sales.
This led to comments about the superiority of the F-14 over the F-15 and vice versa.
First off, that's not a Tomcat with a gun pipper painting the pilot. Second, Joe Satrapa was a Shit Hot pilot. Third, even the lowly A-4 Skyhawk can get a guns kill on an F-15 if the Eagle pilot gets into a situation where the A-4 is superior.
It's a mantra over and over in air to air. The best plane flown by the worst pilot is probably going to lose against a lesser plane flown by the best pilot. Hoser was the guy to beat at the time, if you'd bested him, you could brag.
On paper, the Eagle should be all over the Tomcat in just about any engagement where the knives come out. While things are still beyond visual range, the Tomcat has many advantages; not least of which is the radar. The AIM-54 can reach out farther than any weapon ever carried by the F-15 (assuming one wanted to use them on fighters).
They used the same medium range missiles the entire time both planes were in service with the US with the AIM-120 capability given to the F-15C and denied the F-14A and D giving an edge to the Eagle.
Sidewinder fit was identical.
Same gun, Eagle has more bullets.
The F-15C has a much better thrust to weight ratio than the F-14A, but not so much over the F-14D. Wing loading is hard to figure because the space between the engines on the Tomcat provides actual useful lift when the Phoenix pallets are left in the garage.
When things get low and slow, Navy planes shine because the handling characteristics that let you be successful around the boat help out there.
With the F-14A though, there are some serious warts in a dogfight. The TF-30 was finicky. The phrase pilots used was they had to fly the engine. It also wallowed a lot. When the F-14A+/F-14B and F-14D's came along they got to fly the plane and the B/D got improved flight control gizmos so that, "it finally went where I pointed it".
The F-15C is what is known as a "care free" handling plane. It's got lots of thrust, and doesn't bite without giving lots and lots of growling to pull your hand back. It's the kind of plane that makes a mediocre pilot good and a good pilot great.
Something that colors these comparisons is the Navy and Air Force took great pains to keep the Eagles and Tomcats separated. It appears that neither service wanted a definitive answer to which plane was better in the real world. Also the Navy imposed rather severe peacetime restrictions on the F-14 fleet so as to save the airframes and let them serve longer. The Hoser picture is from one of, if not the, first times that those restrictions were lifted.
And that's what happens when the F-14A is flown by someone whose motto is, "pull on the stick until the RIO pukes and the rivets pop; there's no kill like a GUNS kill!"
The Aviationist posted Hoser's gun camera pic of him embarrassing an F-15C jock at a time when embarrassing an Eagle driver was bad for sales.
This led to comments about the superiority of the F-14 over the F-15 and vice versa.
First off, that's not a Tomcat with a gun pipper painting the pilot. Second, Joe Satrapa was a Shit Hot pilot. Third, even the lowly A-4 Skyhawk can get a guns kill on an F-15 if the Eagle pilot gets into a situation where the A-4 is superior.
It's a mantra over and over in air to air. The best plane flown by the worst pilot is probably going to lose against a lesser plane flown by the best pilot. Hoser was the guy to beat at the time, if you'd bested him, you could brag.
On paper, the Eagle should be all over the Tomcat in just about any engagement where the knives come out. While things are still beyond visual range, the Tomcat has many advantages; not least of which is the radar. The AIM-54 can reach out farther than any weapon ever carried by the F-15 (assuming one wanted to use them on fighters).
They used the same medium range missiles the entire time both planes were in service with the US with the AIM-120 capability given to the F-15C and denied the F-14A and D giving an edge to the Eagle.
Sidewinder fit was identical.
Same gun, Eagle has more bullets.
The F-15C has a much better thrust to weight ratio than the F-14A, but not so much over the F-14D. Wing loading is hard to figure because the space between the engines on the Tomcat provides actual useful lift when the Phoenix pallets are left in the garage.
When things get low and slow, Navy planes shine because the handling characteristics that let you be successful around the boat help out there.
With the F-14A though, there are some serious warts in a dogfight. The TF-30 was finicky. The phrase pilots used was they had to fly the engine. It also wallowed a lot. When the F-14A+/F-14B and F-14D's came along they got to fly the plane and the B/D got improved flight control gizmos so that, "it finally went where I pointed it".
The F-15C is what is known as a "care free" handling plane. It's got lots of thrust, and doesn't bite without giving lots and lots of growling to pull your hand back. It's the kind of plane that makes a mediocre pilot good and a good pilot great.
Something that colors these comparisons is the Navy and Air Force took great pains to keep the Eagles and Tomcats separated. It appears that neither service wanted a definitive answer to which plane was better in the real world. Also the Navy imposed rather severe peacetime restrictions on the F-14 fleet so as to save the airframes and let them serve longer. The Hoser picture is from one of, if not the, first times that those restrictions were lifted.
And that's what happens when the F-14A is flown by someone whose motto is, "pull on the stick until the RIO pukes and the rivets pop; there's no kill like a GUNS kill!"
Everything Mosin
The Mosin-Nagant Rifle 6th Edition by Terrence W Lapin.
THIS is what a book for collectors should look like!
Since this is my first book for a collector, they might all look like this, but I suspect they don't.
His data contradicts some online sources and he backs up why he thinks as he does. There's a lot here to absorb in a very concise tome.
Thanks Willard!
THIS is what a book for collectors should look like!
Since this is my first book for a collector, they might all look like this, but I suspect they don't.
His data contradicts some online sources and he backs up why he thinks as he does. There's a lot here to absorb in a very concise tome.
Thanks Willard!
Cop Wanna Be Soldier
My oldest post I can find about police militarization.
Note: if you ever delete your blogger blog in an attempt to import your live journal, it kills the search box in the upper left from seeing the posts that were deleted then restored.
Note: if you ever delete your blogger blog in an attempt to import your live journal, it kills the search box in the upper left from seeing the posts that were deleted then restored.
Uncivilized
I am once again struck that rioting and looting is not how civilized people behave.
Is there a way to say, "these people aren't part of our culture," without it sounding racist?
I guess, just like slander and libel, truth cleanses the crime.
If they really aren't part of our culture, then it isn't racist to notice.
The next question is do we want them to be?
I do. I think things are better if everyone living in a nation is part of the same culture, at least the same base culture.
I think we're cultivating enclaves where a different base culture is the norm. Some are being active about it, some are passive.
The end is balkanization as competing cultures tend to draw lines on maps rather than merge.
The saddest part of this was we had a system in place for a very long time that blended diverse cultures into the American one.
Is there a way to say, "these people aren't part of our culture," without it sounding racist?
I guess, just like slander and libel, truth cleanses the crime.
If they really aren't part of our culture, then it isn't racist to notice.
The next question is do we want them to be?
I do. I think things are better if everyone living in a nation is part of the same culture, at least the same base culture.
I think we're cultivating enclaves where a different base culture is the norm. Some are being active about it, some are passive.
The end is balkanization as competing cultures tend to draw lines on maps rather than merge.
The saddest part of this was we had a system in place for a very long time that blended diverse cultures into the American one.
17 August 2014
Repurposed
L to R
A pen, a bottle opener and a dummy.
The bottle opener is by far the smoothest and best opener I've ever used!
The dummy round was the most expensive, it came with a donation to keep Liberty Belle flying; and we all know how that turned out.
A pen, a bottle opener and a dummy.
The bottle opener is by far the smoothest and best opener I've ever used!
The dummy round was the most expensive, it came with a donation to keep Liberty Belle flying; and we all know how that turned out.
15 August 2014
Unicorn
You'd think, as popular as the long 1911 trigger is as an aftermarket item that a blued short trigger would be easy to find as someone's discarded part.
I'd take black plastic or aluminum at this point, I simply would like a short trigger!
You know, like came in every 1911 from Colt for decades?
Update:
Apparently voicing my need caused the universe to make several appear. A guy on Gunbroker is selling "a sack full," so I nabbed one of his.
I didn't mention it here, because busy weekend; and Tam offered me one of her take-offs. Fingers crossed that I don't need to take her up on her generous offer!
I'd take black plastic or aluminum at this point, I simply would like a short trigger!
You know, like came in every 1911 from Colt for decades?
Update:
Apparently voicing my need caused the universe to make several appear. A guy on Gunbroker is selling "a sack full," so I nabbed one of his.
I didn't mention it here, because busy weekend; and Tam offered me one of her take-offs. Fingers crossed that I don't need to take her up on her generous offer!
Beginner Mistake
The Lovely Harvey is giving on-body carry a shot.
She's discovered that selecting your cover garment has some provisos.
She's discovered that selecting your cover garment has some provisos.
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