Sunday, August 28, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
HMS Dragon - A Type 45 Destroyer
I recently came across a posting about the launch of the 4th Type 45 Destroyer-named HMS Dragon. What caught my eye was the painting on both sides of the bow, was a dragon.
Checking out some other websites, HMS Dragon has a 18-meter long Welsh Dragon painted on it's 152 meter length hull when it was launched from BVT shipyard at Govan into the river Clyde on November 17, 2008.
This ship is the fourth of eight planned Type 45 destroyers for the British Royal Navy. This type of vessel is planned as escorts for the new British carrier (yet to be built). The rear flightdeck can operate helicopters up to the size of a Chinook type helicopter. It will normally carry a Lynx or Merlin type helicopter.
It has the latest satellite communication systems and packing the Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS). Other missile systems include Surface-toAir (SAM) Sea Vipers. Then smaller Aster 15 and Aster 32 missiles.
As for guns, it has 1 Vickers 4.5 inch and two 20mm Vulcan Phalanx Close-in Weapon systems guns.
Max speed will be about 29 knots and the ship can cruise up to 7000 nautical miles at 18 knots. Crew numbers about 187.
As an added bonus, in my search I came across the Marine Traffic.com website and it showed the current postion of this warship as it was sailing down the Clyde. Pretty cool. In time of war, I hope that the British (or the American) warships are not tracked like this.
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Ref.
1. Armed Forces UK, Navy ( http://www.armedforces.co.uk/navy/listings/l0014.html ).
2. Kincardineshire Observer. "" by . August 27, 2011. ( http://www.kincardineshireobserver.co.uk/news/scottish-headlines/warship_dragon_heads_to_new_home_1_1808760 ).
3. Marine Traffic.com. HMS Dragon ( http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/shipdetails.aspx?MMSI=235053408 ).
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Movie Review for Cowboys & Aliens
Daniel Craig changes out of his business suits for his James Bond character and puts on a cowboy hat for a wild ride in the recent movie Cowboys & Aliens.
Craig's character is Jake Lonergan who is an outlaw with amnesia due to contact with the aliens. Along for the ride is Harrison Ford who plays Colonel Woodrow Dolarhyde. Your typical powerful, rich cattleman who has the town of Absolution in his back pocket.
Then there is beautiful Ella Swenson, played by Olivia Wide; as the mysterious traveler. Doc, the saloon owner is played by Sam Rockwell.
Now, this blogger never saw or read the comic that this movie is based off of. But I had heard of it and was waiting with baited breath for it to come out. I was not disappointed. For me, it was interesting to see Ford play a bad guy. But you know movie story lines, he moves from bad guy to good guy over the course of the film.
The creatures (aliens) were referred to as "Demons" by the town folk and they were done very nice - scary looking and great CGI work.
I like this movie and I will be looking forward to getting this on DVD when it comes out.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Reaganite Republican: Last Surviving Pilot of 1942's Astonishing 'Doolit...
Reaganite Republican: Last Surviving Pilot of 1942's Astonishing 'Doolit...: "A great and genuine American hero Col William Bower The audacious US Army air attack upon the Japanese home islands in April..."
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