Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving my fellow Americans!

Tragedy Above the Bismarck Sea

On February 26, 1943, a Japanese convoy was spotted by Allied forces at Rabaul. At this point in the war, the Japanese were trying to build up their strength in New Guinea after losing control of the Solomon Islands. Fifth Air Force would try to keep a close eye on this convoy, but due to the weather, could not watch it for two days. On March 1st, the weather finally cleared up enough for a 90th Bomb Group crew to see the convoy on its way from Rabaul to Lae. The crew immediately reported the situation as well as the size of the convoy. With six troop transports, two vessels carrying aviation fuel, a boat full of Japanese marines, eight destroyer escorts, and 100 fighter planes, this was not a target to be missed. B-17s from the 63rd Squadron were soon sent to bomb the convoy, but were thwarted by weather. That night, 1/Lt. William Crawford, Jr.’s crew set off to find and monitor the convoy while Fifth Air Force got ready to attack.

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Hot Rod

Boeing RB-47E  U.S. Air Force photo

It just looks right…

For all of us who’ve quit smoking

January makes a year for me so it turns out I’m a quitter after all!

So I thought I’d post a selfie…

OK it’s not me. It’s a pic I ran across of someone in the First Balkan War, October 1912 to May 1913.

 

Making splinters, sawdust and toothpicks

U.S.S. Pennsylvania’s carpenter shop as circa 1916-1918

I’m not sure what the piece of equipment is on the right.  A band saw?  I’d be happy with a wood working shop like that, steam powered or otherwise…

Heads-up for hydrocarbon heritage

Castrol racing livery ranks in my top favorite racing liveries of all time.  The old Gulf blue and orange is my number 1 with the others shuffling up and down as the mood hits me.  The Marlboro Ferraris, the John Player Specials, The Ramchargers, The Blue Max, the Hot Wheels Snake and Mongoose…OK I’ll shuffle off and be old now….

BP-Castrol’s return to Formula 1 as a partner to McLaren-Honda has been announced. This news has got the F1 community rather excited – let’s face it, any new sponsor announcement is a novelty in F1 these days – but it’s perfectly simple and logical step to have taken.Castrol is arguably the most prolific partner to motor manufacturers in competition, attached to Ford in GT racing, V8 Supercars and the World Rally Championship; Volkswagen Group in the World Endurance Championship, World Rally Championship*, World Rallycross Championship, German Touring Car Championship and European Rally Championship; Volvo in the World and Swedish Touring Car Championships and Kia in Global Rallycross.

More here: Heads-up for hydrocarbon heritage

Remember, its not about saving 20 percent on bedding today

In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words:

To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…

Source: Remember, its not about saving 20 percent on bedding today

When your ground crew missed the time change but you still have a schedule to keep

Cleo of Corinth

The British frigate HMS CLEOPATRA (F28) in the Corinth Canal that connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea, 1970. The rock walls, which rise 300 ft. above sea level, are at a near-vertical 80° angle.

More here: Cleo of Corinth