Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Happy United States Independence Day

I hope you all have a great 4th of July. For those of you who can, be careful with the fireworks.

And please, while you all are going about your day today, seeing friends, cooking out, whatever, take a moment and remember those who have served in our armed forces.  They have made, make, and will ensure that this day's celebrations remain possible. Also, please say a prayer for all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting our country and our way of life.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Blogorado, The Epic Trek Out

Okay, it's after 10 pm, Blogoradoville time, and I'm checked into a new hotel.  Well, new for me anyway. I am posting this from the hotel that is a registered historic landmark for the state of BlogoradovilleState.  I like it.   There's a picture of the Duke on my wall. 

Today started early.  I met NFO at his hotel in Tulsa and we loaded all the rifles and other assorted implements of shootiness and hit the road with some vague plans to do some stuff and maybe some other stuff too.  If we get time. And aside from the usual construction suspects getting across the state was easy.  Except for listening to the great anointed one do a multi-hour news conference were he managed to be condescending, berating, belittling, and more general fear mongering.  My blood pressure....

We ended up calling Lawdog, Phlemmy, Expert Witness, The Great Tam herself, and Ambulance Driver and coordinated a meeting in Amadillorillo for a late lunch with plans to caravan the rest of the way to Blogoradoville.

Two words, Cat Herding.

We eventually lallygagged our way to Blogoradoville where Mr and Mrs Sci-Fi and Christina_LMT were already there.  Having successfully managed to avoid any lallygagging, ambling, loping, or other forms of non-urgent perambulations coming from the other direction.

I ate too much. 

Somehow, FarmMom has gotten better at making fried chicken.  Yes, I know. It's shocking.  I still find it hard to believe myself. But the oily proof was all over my hands and face by the time I raised the white flag.

Tomorrow, we finish the set up on the range, scope out a direction that will give us 6 miles of clearway for long range shooting, rezero for the altitude, and probably eat too much again.

Tomorrow, Tractortracks and her squeezetoy, Salamander and his family, Evyl Robot of the quality holsters with his sexay holster model, InJennifersHead and their offspring, plus a couple of others will arrive.  It looks to be a good group.

Honestly, I plan to blog something and maybe have pictures too, maybe, everyday.  But, as the saying goes, a plan is just a list of things that won't happen.  So, we'll see how I do with that.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Range Day Report.

This time with pics!

Since hunting season is quickly approaching, I thought it might be a good idea to make sure that I can actually, you know, hit stuff with my rifles.  And since every other hunter and his kin are probably having the same idea, I figured now would be a good time to get out there.  Early enough that maybe only the black powder guys are out, late enough that I'm not doing it in OMGLOLWTF heat.

Nice day today, upper 70's to lower 80's with a good breeze straight down the range.

I loaded up the Garand, the M14 and the AR.  Because I just wasn't sure what I'd be hunting and with what.  It was actually a quick rezeroing session today.  I'd had the Garand looked at by an expert since I'd shot it last and he'd moved the rear sight around.  But the Danes were nice enough to leave their zeroing sticker on the inside of the stock, so I used that and I figured I'd see what that did for me.  The M14 really hadn't been messed with too much and the AR had only had a rough zero from when I first shot it right after the build.


Like I said, quick day.  The upper left is the Garand using the Danes zero info.  I guess they do know how to shoot over there.  Or at least some of them do. The upper right is the M14.  Both of them using iron sights. Not bad, if I do say so myself.  Center is the AR using a 4x ACOG.

Here's a close up:


The first 3 were at 6:30 - 7 right on the edge of the X ring.  I adjusted up 3 for the next group and up 2 more for the final group.  With one flyer at 9.

I then finished the clip or mags on a half size steel torso at 100m.  Went 6/6 with the Garand, 17/17 with the M14, and 15/20 with the AR.  I think I was sighting wrong with the ACOG.  I was aiming between the shoulders and hitting head shots.  Which makes sense for the trajectory/zero/distance.  I should have aimed at the lower COM and expected shots in the breastbone/heart region. That's why I missed 5 with the AR. That's my story and I'm sticking too it. 

Then I had Chicago style pizza at the new place 2 blocks from home.  Yummo.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

New Easter Tradition

My new Easter tradition will be shooting an M1 Thompson.  Now if I could only afford one... or to shoot it....

Sorry, no pics from today's range visit.  But trust me, shooting the Thompson was F.U.N.!

On Tuesday I fly back to darkest dark continent to start making buckets of money again.  If you haven't guessed.  I'm squeezing in all the shooting I can because I'm looking at a long dry spell ahead.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Quick Update

Just so you all don't think I fell off the face of the earth again and landed in Africa. I'm still in the US. I'm up in Jayhawk territory visiting friends from college with their 3 grade school aged boys. I still haven't gotten to the range to do a sighting or range report on the new OMGBFR.  But rest assured, I'm as anxious as the rest of you to do it.  It should be sunday or monday when it happens.

Till then, stay warm.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Sunday, September 19, 2010

ITLAPD!!!

Aaarrr Me Matey's....

It be that season again. Batten down yer hatches, shiver yer timbers... and clean up that parrot dookie will ya?!?

It's...

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Christmas Traditions...

Mine are the traditional Christmas meal of Chinese food at the only buffet open on Christmas day and watching KungFu movies all day.

What are yours?

Sunday, December 21, 2008

A little blast from the...

from the (aviation) past. I had this forwarded to me from one of my flying buddys. It does put a different light on flying doesn't it.



WW1 ROYAL FLYING CORPS MONTHLY SAFETY REPORT
December 1917

Another good month. In all, a total of 35 accidents were reported, only six of which were avoidable. These represented a marked improvement over the month of November during which 84 accidents occurred, of which 23 were avoidable. This improvement, no doubt, is the result of experienced pilots with over 100 hours in the air forming the backbone of all the units.

RESUME OF ACCIDENTS

1. Avoidable accidents this last month:

a. The pilot of a Shorthorn, with over 7 hours of experience, seriously damaged the undercarriage on landing.He had failed to land at as fast a speed as possible as recommended in the Aviation Pocket Handbook.

b. A B.E.2 stalled and crashed during an artillery exercise. The pilot had been struck on the head by the semaphore of his observer who was signalling to the gunners.

c. Another pilot in a B.E.2 failed to get airborne. By an error of judgement, he was attempting to fly at mid-day instead of at the recommended best lift periods, which are just after dawn and just before sunset.

d. A Longhorn pilot lost control and crashed in a bog near Chipping-Sodbury. An error of skill on the part of the pilot in not being able to control a machine with a wide speed band of 10 MPH between top speed and stalling speed.

e. While low flying in a Shorthorn the pilot crashed into the top deck of a horse drawn bus near Stonehenge.

f. A B.E.2 pilot was seen to be attempting a banked turn at a constant height before he crashed. A grave error by an experienced pilot.

2. There were 29 unavoidable accidents from which the following are selected:

a. The top wing of a Camel fell off due to fatigue failure of the flying wires. A successful emergency landing was carried out.

b. Sixteen B.E.2s and 9 Shorthorns had complete engine failures. A marked improvement over November's fatigue.

c. Pigeons destroyed a Camel and 2 Longhorns after mid-air strikes.

COST OF ACCIDENTS Accidents during the last three months of 1917 cost #317 10 shillings and sixpence, money down the drain and sufficient to buy new gaiters and spurs for each and every pilot and observer in the Service.

ACCIDENT BRIEFS

No.1 Brief:
No. 912 Squadron, 3 December 1917, Aircraft type B.E. 2C, No. XY 678, Total solo - 4.0

Pilot Lt. J. Smyth-Worthington, Solo in type -- 1.10.

The pilot of this flying machine attempted to maintain his altitude in a turn at 2,500 feet. This resulted in the aeroplane entering an unprecedented manoeuvre, entailing a considerable loss of height. Even with full power applied and the control column fully back, the pilot was unable to regain control. However, upon climbing from the cockpit onto the lower mainplane, the pilot managed to correct the machines altitude, and by skilful manipulation of the flying wires successfully side-slipped into a nearby meadow.

Remarks: Although through inexperience this pilot allowed his aeroplane to enter an unusual attitude, his resourcefulness in eventually landing without damage has earned him a unit citation.

No. 2 Brief:
No. 847 Squadron, 19 December 1917, Aircraft type Spotter

Balloon J17983, Total solo 107.00. Pilot Capt. D. Lavendar, Solo in type 32.10.

Captain Lavendar of the Hussars, a balloon observer, unfortunately allowed the spike of his full-dress helmet to impinge against the envelope of his balloon. There was a violent explosion and the balloon carried out a series of fantastic and uncontrollable manoeuvres, whilst rapidly emptying itself of gas. The pilot was thrown clear and escaped injury as he was lucky enough to land on his helmet.

Remarks: This pilot was flying in full-dress uniform because he was the Officer of the Day. In consequence it has been recommended that pilots will not fly during periods of duty as Officer of the Day.

Captain Lavendar has subsequently requested an exchange posting to the Patroville Alps, a well known mule unit of the Basques.

No. 3 Brief:
Summary of No. 43 Brief, dated October 1917.


Major W. deKitkag-Watney's Nieuport Scout was extensively damaged when it failed to become airborne. The original Court of Inquiry found that the primary cause of the accident was carelessness and poor airmanship on the part of a very experienced pilot. The Commandant General, however, not being wholly convinced that Major de Kitkag-Watney could be guilty of so culpable a mistake ordered that the Court should be re-convened. After extensive inquiries and lengthy discussions with the Meteorological Officer and Astronomer Royal, the Court came to the conclusion that the pilot unfortunately was authorized to fly his aircraft on a day when there was absolutely no lift in the air and therefore could not be held responsible for the accident. The Court wishes to take this opportunity to extend its congratulations to Major de Kitkag-Watney on his reprieve and also on his engagement to the Commandant General's daughter, which was announced shortly before the accident.

FLYING SAFETY TIPS

Horizontal turns. To take a turn the pilot should always remember to sit upright, otherwise he will increase the banking of the aeroplane. He should NEVER lean over.

Crash precautions: Every pilot should understand the serious consequences of trying to turn with the engine off. It is much safer to crash into a house when going forward than to sideslip or stall a machine with engine troubles.

Passengers should always use safety belts, as the pilot may start stunting without warning. Never release the belt while in the air, or when nosed down to land.

Engine noises. Upon the detection of a knock, grind, rattle or squeak, the engine should be at once stopped. Knocking or grinding accompanied by a squeak indicates binding and a lack of lubricant.

WATCH THAT FIRST STEP The First Marine Air Wing had this write up in their Safety publication Wing Tips:

It was conceded by all that the pilot had accomplished a brilliant piece of work in landing his disabled machine without damage under the circumstances. It is not with intent to reflect less credit upon his airmanship, but it must be noted that he is a well experienced aviator with over 40 total hours in the air, embracing a wide variety of machines, and this was his seventh forced landing due to complete failure of the engine. It was doubly unfortunate that upon alighting from his machine he missed the catwalk on the lower airfoil and plunged both legs through the fabric, straddling a rib, from which he received a grievous personal injury.

Some thought should be devoted to a means of identifying wing-traversing catwalks to assist aviators in disembarking from their various machines."

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Out of Pocket.

Starting tomorrow, I'll be spending 6 days in Nassau, The Bahamas. Aside from the whole cloud in the silver lining part of no friends and family during the season of friends and family, it ain't half bad. I spent Thanksgiving in the Caymans and now I'll spend Christmas in the Bahamas. Not knowing what the internet connection will by like, I may or may not be able to blog over the next week. I just wanted to wish you all a Merry (or Happy if you're Canandian or British) Christmas while I had the chance. I hope you get what you want from Santa.

Edit: As usual we're up to plan D right now. We're turning right around and coming back to head back out there monday. So, it's two days in the Bahamas instead of 6. Thems the breaks.

Friday, July 4, 2008

Have a happy 4th.

Happy 232nd birthday everyone. Enjoy the cooking out and fireworks.