"If I were the Devil" a Warning from Paul Harvey

 This is a reprint from an article I did back in 2015, This was prompted by an article that Old NFO posted that was a to use a term from the Bill and Ted Movie "A Most Excellent Rant".  And it jogged memories of Paul Harvey talking about "If I was the Devil" and other things Paul Harvey.

  I was talking to one of my friends at work, My friend Alex had his toolbox at the nose of the airplane so I was reading the part of the toolbox that is normally covered up by other toolboxes.  In it he had this letter from Paul Harvey.  It was titled "A letter to children".   I read it and remembered who Paul Harvey was.  I used to listen to Paul Harvey and his "Rest of the Story" when I was living in Alabama and would tune into the radio station out of Heflin Alabama.  I would hear Paul Harvey and I figured that he was a local announcer, I didn't realize until much later he was a national figure.  Paul Harvey was remembered for his down home manner of speech and the ability to explain an issue.  I remembered that he had a well developed sense of right and wrong and he was fiercely loyal to his friends and causes he believed in. 

1918-2009

Robert D. McFadden, writing Harvey's obituary for the New York Times, examined his unique radio style and how it interacted with his political views:

[He] "personalized the radio news with his right-wing opinions, but laced them with his own trademarks: a hypnotic timbre, extended pauses for effect, heart-warming tales of average Americans and folksy observations that evoked the heartland, family values and the old-fashioned plain talk one heard around the dinner table on Sunday."

"'Hello, Americans,' he barked. 'This is Paul Harvey! Stand byyy for Newwws!'"

"He railed against welfare cheats and defended the death penalty. He worried about the national debt, big government, bureaucrats who lacked common sense, permissive parents, leftist radicals and America succumbing to moral decay. He championed rugged individualism, love of God and country, and the fundamental decency of ordinary people."

We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.

I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches.. I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.

I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.

And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.

I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.

I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy / girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it... And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he/she is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbour's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.
                                                                                                                                         Paul Harvey


  I also will add his "If I was the Devil" that he did back in 1965.

 

Warning to a nation.....Given back in 1965

 

The Douglas A-20 Havoc, A versatile Medium Bomber

  I am doing an Historical Planes post, I didn't know a whole lot about the A-20, she seemed to get short shrift compared to the B26 and the B25. 

 

During WWII, every aircraft in America’s roster of medium bombers was excellent. These were the B-26 Marauder, the B-25 Mitchell, and the A-20 Havoc. The latter was overshadowed by the more famous B-25 and B-26, but was no less capable, and in some ways was better than these aircraft. For an early war aircraft of this size, the Havoc was fast and agile, earning praise from many pilots who loved its flying characteristics.

The aircraft’s origins date back to the mid-1930s, when a team of talented aircraft designers from Douglas drew up plans for a bomber with a shoulder-mounted wing. Under each wing was to be a 450 horsepower radial engine, which would have given the aircraft rather lackluster performance. The planes involved in the Spanish Civil War proved that this aircraft would not be able to compete with foreign designs and it was canceled.

Photo Credit: United States Army Air Forces

The following year, in 1937, the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) sent out a requirement for a new aircraft. It turned out these requirements were similar to Douglas’ 1936 design. Recognizing this, Douglas drew up a similar aircraft, but with 1,100 horsepower engines this time, and named the Model 7B. The 7B first flew on 26 October 1938.

At this phase of development, it was competing against a few aircraft from other manufacturers, including the North American NA-40, which would later lead into the B-25 Mitchell.

Although the U.S. was not hugely impressed by the aircraft, the French were, after a purchasing committee witnessed it in action. In 1939, the French placed an order for 270 7Bs, which caused Douglas to make some hefty redesigns to perfect the aircraft. The updated aircraft was now powered by two 1,600-1,700 horsepower supercharged or turbosupercharged radial engines and renamed the DB-7.

With these engines, the aircraft was very fast for its size, and now caught the attention of the U.S. They placed an order for the aircraft, which they named the A-20. The British placed an order for DB-7s too.

The aircraft was quick for the day, able to reach a speed of around 320 mph, which was not much less than fighter aircraft at the time. In comparison, the B-25 Mitchell, which first flew two years after the A-20, had a top speed of around 270 mph.

Women working on the Wright R-2600 Cyclone 14 engine of a Douglas A-20 Havoc twin-engine bomber at Douglas Aircraft Company’s plant in Long Beach, California.

The A-20G was the most numerous version built, and carried two .50 caliber machine guns and four 20 mm cannons in the nose. After 250 A-20Gs had been made, the four 20 mm cannons were replaced with .50 caliber machine guns. It had a dorsal gunner position with two .50 caliber machine guns and another .50 caliber mounted underneath the aircraft behind the bomb bay.

It carried a crew of three: the pilot, gunner, and bombardier.

Depending on the variant, the A-20 could carry 2,000 pounds of bombs, and it often dropped a large array of different ordnance including torpedoes, bombs, incendiary bombs, and rockets.

                Workers groom lines of transparent noses for A-20 attack bombers.

Many pilots thought the A-20 was an excellent and easy aircraft to fly as it required little effort to throw it around in the sky. As it was controlled by a single person, this let the pilot truly fly the aircraft how they wanted. The A-20 was particularly friendly to novice pilots, unlike the B-26 Marauder that needed to be controlled in a very precise manner during take-offs and landings.

When the aircraft was reviewed by the RAF, a test pilot said it “has no vices and is very easy to take off and land … The aeroplane represents a definite advantage in the design of flying controls … extremely pleasant to fly and manoeuvre.”

Although it was fast and handled great, the A-20 lacked range, which somewhat limited its use throughout the war.

Servicing [an] A-20 bomber, Langley Field, Va. (Photo Credit: Alfred T. Palmer / Library of Congress)

France’s order for the aircraft had hardly been fulfilled when Germany invaded in 1940. A number of their DB-7s participated in the defense of France against the Nazis before they were taken to North Africa to stop them from falling into enemy hands. Some of these were eventually used against the Allies by the Vichy government.

France’s undelivered DB-7s were diverted to Britain after France fell, and they were absorbed into the RAF. The A-20’s biggest user by far was the Soviet Union, who received 3,400 of them. They made some modifications to the aircraft’s armaments and to help it operate in freezing environments. The Soviets used more A-20s than the U.S.

The A-20 was highly versatile, being used in ground attack, as a night fighter, intruder, bomber, in reconnaissance, and in anti-ship missions, just to name a few.

Production of the A-20 stopped in 1944, after nearly 7,500 were built overall.

 

Monday Music "Shoot to Thrill" by AC/DC

 

 Man this theme is still rolling.......

 I am continuing my string of "bugaloo" songs.  This discussion was started in the "Monster Hunter Nation, Hunters Unite", back in November of 2019? it is a Facebook group with enthusiast of the ILOH "International Lord of Hate" A.K.A Larry Correia.  We were talking about what song would we use if we looked out of our window or glanced at our security camera and saw this.....

One of the alphabet bois lining up to take down your house...What would be your "Valhalla" song and you would set it up to play as you load up magazines set up the Tannerite Rover, turn on the water irrigation system and fill it with gasoline instead of water and prepare yourself.

 I figured it would scar the alphabet boys if they come busting in and hearing a song about people standing for their beliefs and willing to fight for them no matter the cost, Good Music  unlike that crap they listen to now.  What can I say, My humor is warped....just a bit. Next week will be "Streets of Fire" by Various Artist, ..How Appropriate, LOL,  Now that should really cause some psych evals., hehehe, some poor ATF guy trying to explain the attraction to his mother because he is imaging himself as The savior of the American way rather than working for an agency that have the initials of a convenience store.  Now because we ain't gonna answer that door.  They can kick it in and start "the Dance"    I am very unhappy that the various .gov agencies have been weaponized by Obunger and continued to this day by the alphabet agencies because they don't like people that ain't on the democrat plantation.  Well I kinda like my freedom and stuff and that is anathema to the deep state and their operatives.

   I got the idea for this song from this book:

Tolkien meets Shock and Awe

Orcs. Trolls. Wraith riders. Dark wizards. Together, they form an unstoppable force. Or so they thought.
Dark Army… meet the U.S. Army Rangers.
When a Joint Task Force of elite Rangers are transported to a strange and fantastic future where science and evolution have incarnated the evils of myth and legend, they find themselves surrounded, pinned down, and in a desperate fight for their very survival—against nightmares of flesh and blood made real. Which means only one thing.
It’s time to Ranger Up and stack bodies.
The forces of evil have no idea how dangerous a Ranger has been trained to be, and once the action starts, it won’t let up in this no-holds-barred, full-auto, epic battle for survival in the Forgotten Ruin.

From the creators of Galaxy's Edge...

     The Protagonist is called "Talker" he has the ability to speak multiple languages, and is a ad-hoc ad on to the Ranger Unit tasked to "Save Civilization", and he was taught a trick when he went through the "Shoot house" to play a song while going through the house to help empty his mind and this song seemed to do the trick for him   "SURPRISE, LOSERS!", LOL as the Rangers bring the hate., LOL   The book is a rocking good read if you are a fan of Tolken and Dungeon and Dragons and Stacking Bodies, you will like this book, and the 2 sequels.

    

"Shoot to Thrill" is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It is the second track on the 1980 album Back in Black. This song is also the second track of AC/DC Live and AC/DC Live: 2 CD Collector's Edition, and is included on the Iron Man 2 soundtrack.Although the studio version was never released as a single, the song is a fan favourite and a staple on classic rock radio stations. 

 

When explaining his lyrical inspiration for the song, lead singer and then-songwriter Brian Johnson recalled reading a British article about a neighbourhood pusher who made daily rounds (almost like a milkman) throughout the London suburbs, selling narcotics to bored, lonely and depressed housewives. These substance-effected homemakers would then peruse the local clubs and bars, seeking out torrid, extra-marital relationships. The term "Shoot to thrill.." most likely refers to certain solutions such as diazepam (valium), which is often administered via injection to treat anxiety and depression.

Lead guitarist Angus Young has recently commented that the song's 'break-down', which occurs soon after the main solo (a muted and repeating three chord sequence of A Major triad, G Major triad, and a D power-chord leading up to a bombastic outro-solo), was inspired by the trio gun-battle climax from Sergio Leone's classic, Italian western 'The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly". In this seminal scene, gun-fighters Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach stare one another down in the centre of a Civil-War cemetery for minutes-on-end to an eventual shoot-out. Young said this sequence in the song was designed to mirror the actual soundtrack selection 'Il Triello' by composer Ennio Morricone. Both compositions feature a slow quiet build-up, increasing in tension to a thunderous, cataclysmic finale.

 

   This is the Version used in "Iron Man II"

 

The P-8 platform as a "Missile Truck"

 I saw this article on a article called "!945" and they were talking about the P-8 Poseidon.  I added in a comments that it is unnecessary to get any P-8's from the Navy for the P-8 is a modified Boeing 737 ERX that is still being built,  it would be easier to get Boeing to build purpose built planes for the Airforce than get any P-8's from the Navy especially since Boeing is building the plane type for the Australians, Norwegians, British, Indians, Japanese and others.

The United States military is continuing with its efforts to improve its capabilities when it comes to operating in contested environments that appear likely to increasingly characterize modern battlefields. The military’s aviation community has not been exempt from these efforts, with continued improvements in both Russian and Chinese air defense networks promising to present a real challenge.

 

For the Air Force, efforts to overcome this challenge have included its fleet of bombers and long-range strike aircraft, with the service considering the future of its bomber fleet as it makes plans to purchase an ever-increasing number of B-21 Raider bombers. Efforts to develop future capabilities, however, have to be balanced with efforts to develop accessible and cost-effective solutions for improving near-term capabilities. For the Air Force, one possible option for doing just that includes adopting and modifying a current naval aircraft platform for use as a long-range strike aircraft.

The aircraft in question is the Navy’s P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. Developed by Boeing, the P-8 has proven to be a versatile and successful platform capable of undertaking long-range and extended-duration reconnaissance and surveillance operations as well as naval strike missions. In addition, the Poseidon is an important tool for the Navy when it comes to anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations.

As written about on The Warzone, the P-8 Poseidon is a candidate for adoption by the Air Force and conversion into a long-range strike aircraft. The recommendation offered in the article argues that Air Force variants of the P-8 – which the article labels as “RB-8” aircraft – are stripped of their maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare equipment, excluding any relevant communication and defensive countermeasure capabilities and any electronic support measures. Conversion of P-8s into RB-8s would also see the installation of a new modern active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar in the aircraft’s nose.

 

Dropping the P-8’s maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare equipment would free up converted RB-8s to function as long-range missile delivery platforms. Current P-8s are outfitted with stations for carrying 2,500 pounds worth of weapons. P-8s use these stations to mount a range of weapons such as AGM-84 Harpoons and Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) missiles, and the RB-8s could supplement this arsenal by mounting the Joint Air-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM). The RB-8 could also make use of the five hardpoints inside of the P-8’s weapons bay, each of which are capable of mounting 1,000 pounds of munitions. These could be used to hold a number of weapons such as the GBU-53B Stormbreaker guided bombs. 

 

Conversion of P-8s into these RB-8 missile platforms would provide the Air Force with a versatile strike aircraft capable of engaging a wide range of targets on land and at sea while doing so more efficiently than fighter aircraft. In addition, this conversion would allow the Navy’s P-8s to focus primarily on maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare operations, both of which require a large commitment of aircraft.

 

In addition, given that the Air Force would be making use of the Navy’s preexisting development of the P-8 platform, costs of the new aircraft would be relatively low. The conversion of the P-8s into RB-8s would likely be a relatively straightforward and quick process. This would provide the Air Force with a short-term boost in its long-range strike capacity without detracting from its ability to purchase higher-end platforms such as the B-21 in the future, and would give the service a valuable high-low mix of bomber and strike-aircraft moving forward. 

 

Been Super Busy...

 I have been super busy in the "Real World", I haven't been able to pull together a blog post....Yet....My apologies to my readers for my lapses.

    I will Put up a post later this evening.

Monday Music "Give it up By Kacey of K.C and the Sunshine Band

 This was supposed to "Drop" Monday Morning.....Well it didn't.....So we will have "Monday Music" on Tuesday!!!!!!  YAY!!!    Hey it happens., LOL

 Man this theme is still rolling.......

 I am continuing my string of "bugaloo" songs.  This discussion was started in the "Monster Hunter Nation, Hunters Unite", back in November of 2019? it is a Facebook group with enthusiast of the ILOH "International Lord of Hate" A.K.A Larry Correia.  We were talking about what song would we use if we looked out of our window or glanced at our security camera and saw this.....

One of the alphabet bois lining up to take down your house...What would be your "Valhalla" song and you would set it up to play as you load up magazines set up the Tannerite Rover, turn on the water irrigation system and fill it with gasoline instead of water and prepare yourself.

 I figured it would scar the alphabet boys if they come busting in and hearing a song about people standing for their beliefs and willing to fight for them no matter the cost, Good Music  unlike that crap they listen to now.  What can I say, My humor is warped....just a bit. Next week will be "Shoot To Thrill" by AC/DC..How Appropriate, LOL,  Now that should really cause some psych evals., hehehe, some poor ATF guy trying to explain the attraction to his mother because he is imaging himself as The savior of the American way rather than working for an agency that have the initials of a convenience store.  Now because we ain't gonna answer that door.  They can kick it in and start "the Dance"    I am very unhappy that the various .gov agencies have been weaponized by Obunger and continued to this day by the alphabet agencies because they don't like people that ain't on the democrat plantation.  Well I kinda like my freedom and stuff and that is anathema to the deep state and their operatives.

 

"Give It Up" was a hit song for KC and the Sunshine Band, although it was simply credited as KC in many countries, including the US. Following the backlash against many disco artists on the charts at the beginning of the 1980s, the song was a comeback hit for the act in the US, where it peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1984. The song had been an even bigger hit in the UK several months earlier, where it had hit No. 1 for three weeks in August 1983. It went on to become the 18th best-selling single of the year in the UK. It was the last of the act's hits in the US and UK, and the most successful of its 10 UK hits.

I used to catch the video on MTV and of course "Night Tracks" on NBC, I always thought the video and the song was cool and catchy and I always thought KC and the Sunshine Band was a neat band and they represented the 70's well and they were trying to get past the Disco backlash that was prevalent at the time.

The DC-10 as an "Air Force One" Proposal.

 I ran across this article and it was something that I had never heard of, that a replacement for the venerable 707 might have been a DC-10.  Personally with the problems that the DC-10 had and as I recall, the FAA pulled the "Airworthy certificate" due to the cargo door issues for a bit until McDonald Douglass got it figured out and the airplane turned out to be a good airplane, but there was a stigma attached to the plane until more time elapsed and her safety record was comparable to other 2nd generation aircraft.

 

 

 Air Force One is the descriptor for any aircraft carrying the President of the United States, but to avgeeks it generally refers to the highly customized Boeing 747-200 (VC-25A) with the unique Raymond Loewy designed paint livery.  It is a powerful symbol of the United States of America,  and commands a presence wherever it travels.  Serving as a mobile command center for the President when he travels, it features over 4,000 square feet of space accommodating the President, his staff, and a small traveling press pool.  Many wonderful and detailed books have been written on the history of aircraft that have transported the President.

The Special Air Mission (SAM) VC-137 was a specially outfitted Boeing 707. It has been replaced by a 747. SAM 26000 is on display at the NMUSAF (NMUSAF Photo)

In 1985, the VC-137C was reaching nearly twenty-five years in service.  As a result, the United States Air Force (USAF) began to plan for a replacement aircraft.  After internal requirements had been set, the USAF began to send out request for proposals (RFP) to Boeing, Lockheed, and McDonnell Douglas.  General John Michael Loh was appointed to Air Force Director of Operational Requirements in 1985, and Loh’s job was to find a replacement aircraft and suitable proposals for the aging VC-137Cs.  There were really only two choices at the time of this new RFP from the USAF:  The Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10.  Lockheed’s L-1011 had ceased production, not to mention it barely met the endurance requirement the Air Force had set, and Lockheed wasn’t about to build an all new aircraft for the VC-137C replacement nor restart the L-1011 production line

 

Boeing of course offered the Boeing 747-200 aircraft, even though the Boeing 747-300 had entered service two years prior. The 747-200 had more in common with the current fleet of E-4B aircraft, the Advanced Airborne Command Post, that were flying for the USAF.  Boeing knew that with the E-4Bs flying, the current Presidential aircraft being a Boeing with four engines, and that the 747 easily met or exceeded all the operational requirements, it had the advantage to walk away with the contract award.  Boeing was also keenly aware that both Lockheed and McDonnell Douglas had no interest in competing for what they viewed as a sole-sourced competition that had already been decided in their view.  

What happened next was chronicled in Air and Space Weekly in a fascinating article by Lara Seligman back in 2016. Seligman interviewed Gen Loh for an article that discussed the latest acquisition of the Boeing 747-8i to fulfill the role as the next Air Force One. According to the article, Boeing met with Loh, and presented its proposal: two Boeing 747-200 aircraft retrofitted with all the custom fitment, countermeasures, and other operational requirements that the USAF requested at just under $1billion USD in 1985 ($2.4billion adjusted for inflation in 2020).  Boeing was in for a rude awakening.

 

The list price of the Boeing 747-200 in 1985 was $112million for green aircraft (new), or $224million for two aircraft, and this was the list price before discounting (which generally occurs).  Boeing was then adding nearly four times the cost of the aircraft for customization and fitment to meet the USAF’s requirements.  Loh was reportedly furious at the estimate, and knew that unless he had a viable and alternative proposal, he’d have very little leverage against Boeing’s proposal.

McDonnell Douglas was already 100% focused on their struggling C-17 airlifter.  Facing delays, cost overruns, and the threat of cancelation, Loh convinced McDonnell Douglas to compete for the Air Force One replacement.  Seligman reported that Loh already knew the DC-10 was a viable alternative to the 747, and with McDonnell Douglas struggling, Loh told McDonnell Douglas “Look, if you are interested in keeping your C-17 and building a strategic airlifter, I think you ought to be interested in bidding on Air Force One.”  What Loh knew that wasn’t quite clear to McDonnell Douglas was that Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger was considering cancellation of the C-17 project and would instead go with Boeing’s proposal for a new C-X alternative based on the 747.  

Model of C-10. Jim Keeshan Model collection

McDonnell Douglas submitted a proposal based on the DC-10. They produced a book in 1985 called “C-10 – The Presidential Aircraft” with details about their proposal.  The C-10 was centered around the DC-10-30 as the baseline aircraft because of its longer endurance range, time in service, and in-service reliability.   The offering had integrated air stairs at the center-main passenger and rear doors on the port side, and numerous options including inflight refueling.  For comparison purposes, McDonnell Douglas compared the C-10 to an ‘equivalent’ competitive aircraft: The Boeing 747SP, not the proposed 747-200.  The C-10 was also presented as an aircraft that can operate from many more airports that the 747SP could not.  Comfort, performance, and reliability were based on the commercial DC-10 counterpart.

McDonnell Douglas showed the C-10 as 17% less expensive per flight vs the 747SP with an estimated operating cost of $30,000 for a 2,000 nautical mile trip (using $1 a gallon fuel cost from 1983), and that the maintenance and fuel costs as being 37% more efficient vs the Boeing aircraft (using a Boeing performance report #D6-33819).   McDonnell Douglas took another dig at the Boeing 747 by noting that it couldn’t utilize the existing hangars at Andrews AFB, and the USAF had already estimated new hangar facilities would add another $40 million to the cost of operating any 747.  The C-10 could use the existing hangar facilities

 

The C-10 even included a proposed floor plan, that featured a stateroom in the front of the aircraft, and a radio operating station in place of the forward galley (which had been moved to in front of the main door entrance).  Medical and conference facilities were mapped out, as well as sections identified for traveling staff, executives, and areas for media.  The rear featured a full galley as well as stairs to the lower deck, while the front galley had a lift to the lower deck.  

The Current Air Force One, SAM 28000, is a specially equipped Boeing 747, designated VC-25. Note: the call sign applies only when the President is on board. When the President is not aboard, the aircraft is identified by its tail number, 28000. (USAF Photo)

The McDonnell Douglas proposal was substantially lower than Boeing’s proposal, and had the desired effect that Loh had wanted: Boeing dropped the price in their proposal from nearly $1billion for two modified aircraft to just $249 million in a fixed-price contract according to Loh.  In the end, Loh’s pressure on McDonnell Douglas to submit a proposal for a VC-137C replacement was a win-win for both the USAF and McDonnell Douglas.

The USAF saved nearly $700million ($1.6billion adjusted for inflation in 2020), and it won brownie points for McDonnell Douglas at the USAF, negating a sole-source bid from Boeing.  Boeing was awarded the newly designated VC-25 contract to build the replacement aircraft for the VC-137s and the rest is history.

In the end however, Seligman notes in her article that the Boeing had to absorb nearly $600 million in unforeseen costs before the first VC-25 was delivered and entered service, bringing that actual cost of each aircraft to approximately $425million each.  This figure doesn’t include the upgrades to the VC-25 fleet over the years after delivery.  Loh maintained in the article that every Presidential aircraft, every single part from the airframe to the rivets should have competitive bids to ensure the USAF (and the taxpayer) receives value for their money.

The C-10 never became Air Force One. It was a long shot from the beginning. With less space, just three engines, and a mixed public perception of the jet, the odds were not in McDonnell Douglas’ favor. It remains a unique footnote in aviation history, leaving many avgeeks to wonder what could have been after all these years

 

Door to Door.......Really? And other rants and musings.....

 This rant has been percolating and there is bad language ahead.....I am slightly *Miffed*...

 I saw this in the news,  This ties is the the push that apparently the Xiden administration also wants to go door to door and "Verify everyone's vaccination status" and those people that ain't vaccinated, to "encourage" them to get vaccinated.  There is a groundswell amongst the liberal left to punish those that ain't vaccinated and those that don't want to be vaccinated.  They want to get them fired from their jobs, punish them in society, and have them move to areas where others like them also can "Stew in their own unvaccinated filth" and keep them together away from civilized society for the benefit of society and if they have to travel amongst the vaccinated, they have to wear some article on their clothes to identify them as "antivaxxers" to the rest of society so they can be shunned and mocked.

 

     I don't know, but I remember version 1.0 of this software and I wasn't impressed it ultimately  crashed after causing a lot of problems, and I don't want to experience the 2nd version either.   My tolerance is getting smaller and smaller as is my patience.  So far my employer isn't requiring it of me, but oh boy are they pushing it though with cash giveaways and other things.

  

     Another rant is that the Donks  have created a hell of a crime wave and now they are trying to blame the GOP and the legal gun owners for their own fucking things up.  As you can tell, I am really pissed off about this and the damm lapdog media that at one time was educated under the standards of Edward R. Murrow and other Titans of media have become little more than lapdogs and shills for one political party and one ideology, My how the mighty have fallen....

   Another thing the Xiden administration did was get Involved with Xidens son "Selling Artwork" and they set it up to avoid any ethic issues and the buyers are to remain "anonymous" .....Really?    If us regular people tried that stuff, we would get rode out of town on a rail and we would be fired for soo many ethic violations it would be a nightmare, but for some reason, he skates ........again.

        The liberal democrats are pushing "Critical Race Theory" basically the theory that the United States is a inherently racist country and that everything bad that happens to POC's is on account of inherent racism and that white people are responsible for fomenting systemic racism on everybody else to maintain their spot on top of the pyramid and what is worse is that they are pushing this crap on our troops 

    We have Russia and China modernizing their military and training together and I read a report from the Japanese warning us that the Chinese are planning a "Pearl Harbor Style" attack and we are busy purging a huge chunk of soldiers out of our ranks because they hold traditional American values?.  I am a student of History and I recall the purges that Stalin did to the Red Army in the late 1930's and got rid of good officers and promoted "politically reliable people instead and the Soviet Union paid for that in the great Winter war with Finland and when Germany invaded in Operation Barbarossa and the Red Army collapsed and the Germans came almost to the gates of Moscow.  Now we have Officers that are more concerned about pleasing their political masters than doing the right thing, they are more concerned about getting that next star, that next rank as they totally screw over the country as long as they are taken care of.  What happened to "Duty, Honor, Country"?   Now it is Me, Me, Me...We are screwed if we get into a war, we will not have time to repair the damage done by these self serving  traitorous leeches.  With the Speed of modern war, we will get our ass handed to us and be forced to capitulate and a huge section of of our population that supports  CRT will rejoice in this.

What is worse, they are doing this crap to our kids, they are poisoning a generation of kids, they are telling all the black kids that no matter what happens, they will suck, and that will make them bitter and hateful, and they will tell all the white kids that no matter how good that they are, they are representative of an evil people that is responsible for all the evil in the world and that have to atone for it.  What kind of a guilt trip you want to lay on a kid with that load of crap?   Really?  You are gong to poison several generations of kids and poison race relations like nothing you have ever seen.

And don't even get me going on all these spoiled rotten athletes that live better than 95% of the rest of the world, but they have to virtue signal and denigrate  the country and flag that they are suppose to represent.  If this place is soo damm bad, then f**king leave, go to Africa or South America or China and see how people REALLY live and how much freedom you don't have the moment you say something that goes against whatever the ruling junta says and watch your entitled ass get thrown into a camp or raped and murdered.   Jeez   I am really tired of this crap.

More goings at Casa De Garabaldi

 Several things going on, We had Fathers day recently and my son being a good kid that he is treated his Dad to club level Atlanta United tickets, I was surprised and touched that he did that and I asked him "Why?" and he looked kinda at his feet and said "Well this is your first Fathers Day without your Dad and I wanted to do something nice for you."  I was extremely touched, I have a good Son and I am proud of him and that a teenager had a bit of empathy was telling.

  Our first stop was our usual stop, the Krasnovian Embassy of Waffles and Friendship. Then off to the Benz to watch the Game,

The seats were really good, but with people standing, you couldn't sit down so you were almost obligated to stand unless you wanted to watch the action on the Jumbotron.

   Then we went here to the club area to get food and drinks, no pushy crowds and the bathrooms were clean...I can see why people pay extra for club seats.  And while I was there I did buy a hat

I needed something that goes with my "Lucky Shamrock" Atlanta United Scarf, that I wear to the games along with my Dutch Camouflage goretex jacket that was one of my souvenirs that I had collected during my time stationed in Germany.  It pays to lose over 120 pounds and I can wear stuff that I haven't worn on over 20 years. 

 

     Now I had gotten a couple of things for the my Focus, First off, remember my Post I did changing my foglights from incandescent to LED, Well I did another mod on the car, I changed the foglight covers to the "basketweave" style.  That is what the European Focus Mark 3.5 uses.  The cars share a lot of components and styles, but there are some differences.

     I also decided to work in my bonus room, that is the room that has all my books, Military souvenirs and other things in, I spent several hours putting stuff away, and squaring the room away so it looked decent again.  I have been meaning to do it for a long time and finally did it.   While I was doing it, I was playing my old cassette player from the traditional stereo that we GI's always buy from the PX playing music from the 80's CD's that I burned to cassette while I drove the Autobahn.  

Well back to the Focus again, I had ordered a month prior LED high beams to replace the factory bulbs, and so I pulled out the owners manual...

 Then I turned on the headlights including the Highbeams, I wanted to make sure that they would work without my cranking up the car...

   On my Truck and older vehicles, you can turn on the lights without any fuss, but the new cars like my Focus are more computer sensitive so I wanted to make sure.

      I opened the box of H11 LED bulbs for my High beams....

   The Headlights assembly are held in place with 2 torx screws.  I started loosening the first one...As you can tell, I am wearing gloves, as per habit I wear gloves as to not leave a residue on the bulbs from my skin which will shorten the lifespan of the bulb.

     

   I then started loosening the second one......

         I then grouped the screws in a cubby on the fascia above the radiator as to not lose them.

  And slid the Headlight assembly forward, compared to earlier cars, this was easy.  I am glad I recall on some of the earlier cars, changing lightbulbs can be quite an endeavor.

I immediately located the cover for the highbeam on the drivers side...opened it up..

    Ruh Roh Shaggy, it don't match the plug that I thought it would...so I fish the bulb out...

   It don't match........crap....what did I mess up....  I did some digging and discovered that the LED bulbs I bought for my Highbeams will work for my "lowbeams"...Oh Well I changed my Lowbeams instead...

      This is what it looked like plugged it, it is literally "Plug and Play".

  I put it back in place, and it slid in easily..So I walked around and turned it on...

   It works, you can see the difference between the bulbs. 

   I went and repeated the process, this is what the light looks like inside the headlight assembly housing before I put the cover back on.

I repeat the process on the other side, this is my tightening the torx screws on the headlight housing.

  Tightening the 2nd Torx screw......

   Looks a bit different with the LED headlights, I will order some H1 LED headlights to "do" the highbeams.  

    This is the pic of the car with the LED headlight and foglights....it was a cheap and easy mod on the car.

 

       I had decided to build a shadowbox with the flag from my Dads memorial service, and I had put it together, and I had sent some pics to Old NFO for some ideas, and he made some really good suggestions and I incorporated them into it and it made it look really good, Thanks Jim.    I don't have all his unit patches, but I will eventually get them.  I had "squiggled" out the name for obvious reasons, I am very proud of my Dad, but I do prize my anonymity.