onetrack

... Constable Doubtfire was called in to restore order. "Yer 'onour, I think this pair of laggards need a ride in my divvy van!", he said - at which he grabbed the Rat and the Turd by the scruffs of their respective scrawny necks, and dragged them outside, to the waiting 'van. "What's the charge?" wailed Turgid. "Errorism by smartphone, capable of inflicting searing damage to the eyeballs of thousands of readers of NES!", stated Doubtfire grimly - "The very worst of the Errorism charges list!". "You ain't got nuffin' on me!!", squeaked the Rat. "Yes, I have", said Doubtfire with a grimace. "Aerial terrorism of the worst kind - actually pretending to be a pilot!". "You can't jail me!" squeaked the Rat, "Because I'm entitled to special treatment as a non-specific gender person! Even I don't know what sex I am now, so how are my enemies going to work that out!!" "Oh, they'll work that out alright", said Doubtfire, as he prepared to ....

.... the Rat is now another non-specific gender, since he was coaxed into entering into Onetracks surgery. However much the Rat liked playing with balls, he can't do that with his own anymore, so he seeks out other balls to play with. But playing with balls in places where you aren't supposed to, usually get you into a lot of trouble - as the Rat soon found out, when ....

... years ago a friend visited  gold mine in Fiji and saw all the miners wearing a feminine item around their foreheads. Apparently it was the best way to keep perspiration out of their eyes in a a very hot and humid environment.

 

In some of the underground mines in the West of Oz, large volumes of saline water containing nasty additional (naturally-occurring) chemicals such as Arsenic compounds are present.

The Arsenic-laced water attacks the soft fleshy parts of the body, and the Arsenic can be absorbed through the softer areas of skin, causing Arsenic poisoning symptoms.

To prevent problems, the miners working in this water underground, took to wearing tight pantyhose. The pantyhose was very effective at preventing the Arsenic attacking sensitive areas, such as the crotch.

However, I cannot see any reason for ever wearing pantyhose, whilst piloting an aircraft - unless you get off on that kind of kinkiness, of course.

10L of water goes with me everywhere, particularly in remote regions. More than one person has died of thirst in a remote area, before help reached them.

You'll all be sorry when MH370 flies out of the clouds next year, and lands in Beijing.

I know time warps can happen, my friends from the tunnels under the South Pole have told me it's true - so it must be!

What? You didn't know about the tunnels under the South Pole?? Just goes to show how little the "educated" people know! 

Oil definitely does play a big part in engine cooling, and this is a well-known fact. I agree, the comparison between vintage tractors and aircraft engines wasn't a good comparison, but I was simply pointing out that oil as a coolant is quite a viable idea, as evidenced by the current model Deutz diesel stationary engines, that use lube oil as a coolant.

There's also the oil cooling advantage of no cavitation, as compared to utilising water as a coolant, where cavitation is common.

https://www.deutz.com.au/2011_engine_series_deutz/

Spacey, in 1936, the old Hitlers Revenge might have had a superb pedigree, but engineering has advanced a considerable way since the young Ferdinand put pencil to drawing board, to produce a "peoples car".

In fact engine design, metallurgy, and manufacturing advances have advanced in sizeable leaps just in the last 20 years. Vastly improved metallurgy, with new high-strength alloys, in both steel and aluminium alloys, has led to much more durable engines.

Diamond-Like Coating (DLC) for fuel injection components and engine internal components, has led to improved power output, reduced wear, and longer engine life.

Sintered Powder Metallurgy has revolutionised the manufacturing of precision components, as well as adding strength with vastly improved metallic homogeneity, and improved grain structure.

Fracture-split connecting rods now utilised in many manufacturing operations results in a more durable conrod-bearing cap coupling, with a more precise fit.

https://mitchell1.com/shopconnection/fracture-split-connecting-rods-no-thats-not-a-broken-part/

All this of course, has been aided in the last 20-25 years, by substantial improvements in oils and new oil additives, with vastly better lubricating qualities and higher load-carrying capacities of the oils.

Let me guess. The Beemer was 100% in the wrong. The Beemer driver was changing lanes, or turning, without using its indicators!  

Of all the auto engines to choose from, my personal choice would be a Honda.

The reason being, I've don't ever recall seeing a Honda engine blown-up (not to say it doesn't happen), they last incredible kms in cars - and I've got a stack of new Honda water pumps I can't sell, because it appears Honda water pumps, last the life of the engine.

It's also the engine choice of Aeromomentum, and I'm sure they did their homework on reliability and durability.

Selleys "Liquid Nails" is a very effective method for fixing hairline cracks in aluminium radiators. Seen patches on cracked radiators done with LN, last for years.

Only problem being, it takes 24 hrs to set, and doesn't reach full strength for 7 days.

You might want to rethink that, "Oil doesn't cool things very well" statement, facthunter, if you take a look at the Rumely OilPull tractors, built from 1909 to 1930.

These tractors utilised oil for the engine cooling medium, and the oil-cooling of these engines was quite successful. Corrosion is totally eliminated, and the boiling point of oil is much higher than water.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_cooling

https://tractors.fandom.com/wiki/Rumely_Oil-Pull

I recently purchased a 2005 model Atlas-Copco trailer-mounted compressor for an associate. This unit is powered by a 4 cyl Deutz engine - and the Deutz engine cooling system uses oil as the cooling medium.

Engine cooling via oil allows higher engine operation temperatures, for increased efficiency, but the engine must be designed to handle the higher temperatures of oil cooling.

Water cooling is simply cheaper for manufacturers, and this design provides a steady income stream in parts and repairs, as it's reported that around 60% of engine problems are cooling-system related.

... and he met with some serious level of wire resistance? Certainly, enough resistance to stop his current path.

Skippy, some composite gasket material (nitrile bonded, rubberised cork) could be a better choice than just plain cork gasket.

Plain cork is good for vibration and noise reduction, but the composite of cork and nitrile rubber is particularly good at stopping weeps.

Oil pressure senders comprise two major parts - the thermoplastic section and the brass section. There are two rubber seals sealing the oil pressure at the face between these two major parts.

The thermoplastic section is pushed into the recess in the brass section and the lip on the brass section is merely mechanically crimped to hold the two sections together.

If the two rubber seals go hard, they can leak, and the oil will weep out between the crimped brass lip and the thermoplastic body section.

Here is a video showing how oil senders are made. The video is a bit like watching paint dry, but if you need to quickly see the crucial part involving joining the two sections, it's between 3:40 and 4:15 on the video.

...if I have to drag you screaming and kicking into the surgery". And scream and kick is what the Rat did, big-time. "EUNUCH!!??", he screamed, whilst kicking at Turgids shins - "That's not even a currently recognised gender!!"

"Oh yes, it is!", said Turgid, his grip tightening, as he held the Rat out at arms length, to prevent further damage to his sore shins.

Suddenly the surgeon appeared, and the Rat gasped and shuddered, and screamed louder. The surgeon was onetrack!!! And he was waving a scalpel!!

"This is a plot!! A cruel and heinous plot!!" screeched the Rat - "and you're in on it, too, Turgid!! I should've known, when you produced those Maccas vouchers, you were up to no good!!"

"Listen here", said Turgid, "as sure as God made little green apples"....

This stuff is the answer to any oil or fuel leak, in anything mechanical. Been around for yonks, still can't beat it.

https://www.permatex.com/products/gasketing/gasket-sealants/permatex-form-a-gasket-no-2-sealant/

.... that suited him. At the Medical Centre, he was surprised to see Turgid. "Please take a seat", said the receptionist. "Someone will be with you shortly. Meantimes, you may like to study this available gender chart".

The Rat sat down alongside Turgid and peered at the chart he'd been given. "Oooh! - look!!", he pointed out to Turgid - "'Androgynous' is first on the list!! That really appeals to me, I could confuse the hell out of the enemy!!"

Next thing, the receptionist is saying to the Rat, "The Nurse will see you now, Mr Rat, to prepare you for surgery".

"SURGERY!!!", yelped Rat - "No-one told me anything about surgery being needed for gender reassignment!! I thought it was just a matter of choosing one, sort of like choosing from a colour chart!!"

"I hate surgery! - ever since that circumcision operation I had when I was a week old, that left me unable to walk for 12 months, I've hated surgery!! It's painful and debilitating! I'm not going ahead with this!"

At that, the Rat made a bolt for the door .....

That's the ultimate high-wire act! Absolutely electrifying!!

When I look at your airstrip, all I can think of is the WW2 blokes who built up the Stuart Hwy, and all the airstrips along it, through to Darwin, starting from the South, during 1940 to 1943.

The Stuart Hwy was only called the "North-South Military Road" during the War. If you want to look up any historical references to it, use that description, and plenty of information on it will appear.

The U.S. 808th Engineer Aviation Battalion was the primary airfield construction operator from March 1942. They unloaded in Adelaide and took the 'Ghan North - but the 'Ghan was so slow, the Americans couldn't believe it.

Then, quite a few of the 'Ghan rail trucks broke under the weight of the U.S. Army construction equipment.

So the 808th ended up unloading at Alice Springs and then took off by themselves, just driving their dozers straight through the trees and scrub, and building airstrips as they headed North to Darwin.

The Facebook link below is to a book by Mike Reed about WW2 in the N.T., and the photographs are very numerous, and mostly very good.

Lots of aircraft photos, airfield photos, troop photos, vehicle and equipment photos.

Despite the 808th being the major constructor of the Stuart Hwy airstrips, I was surprised to see a couple of airstrips being constructed by the Allied Works Council. The AWC usually built the major roads towards Darwin.

The Americans did the majority of the airfield construction, because they had new Caterpillar dozers (D7's and D8's), new LeTourneau Carryalls (towed earth scrapers), new Cat graders, and new road rollers.

The AWC generally utilised a heap of "surplus" Australian Council (or "Road Boards" as they were then known) equipment to carry out their road and airfield construction.

This "surplus" equipment was often obsolete equipment that the Councils no longer wanted to use, such was its age, and the blokes operating this ancient equipment were pretty cheesed off when the Americans all turned up with the latest and greatest in new construction equipment.

But that was common all through WW2, in every operation - us Aussies battled along with old junk, and the Americans rolled up with oodles of fancy new equipment - even icecream-making equipment, and Briggs & Stratton-powered washing machines.

I once was in a gold-mining partnership (during the 1980's) with a bloke by the name of Don Blaxell (he of the Blaxell boat fame - and his sons make Blaxell surfboards) - and Don was allocated to 5 Airfield Construction Sqdn during WW2, and his story-telling of those times, was extremely interesting. Don only just died earlier this year at age 99.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/ourwar.com.au

Is that the airport perimeter Alsatian guard dog on duty, ready to bite anyone who appears on the strip, without an ASIC card? 

....gender reassignment. "Yes, you heard it here, first", said the Rat. I've always been dissatisfied with my gender, and now, after many years of struggling with my identity, and seeing how even some of our top military brass have changed from being men to women, and vikky verka - I reckon it's good enough for me to do it, too! Besides, what a great way to confuse the enemy, to change your gender!! Now, I'll have to see if my new shoes will operate the rudder pedals satisfactorily in the Corsair, without the high heels getting jammed under them!" At that, Captain decided he'd go shopping for ......

.... ran off to find his own, long-lost onesie that he'd forgotten about. Yes, folks, ol' Ratty-Rattus had actually been given a onesie as a gift upon completion of his flying course.- and the Rat had fallen in love with it.

As his instructor had often complained, "Rat, you're the biggest turkey I've ever had to try and train up, to an acceptable flying standard ..." - so the entire course chipped in to award the Rat, exactly what he deserved ....

.... decided to step in, to raise the tone of the whole discussion. "Alright", said Onetrack, "I think we need to set some rules, and probably include a whole heap of regulations, too. In fact, I think we probably need to appoint some ex-CASA employees to oversee the discussion, as they are the experts in this field of rules and regulations. Then we can apportion blame more evenly, when people step out of line."

"Hang on", said the Rat, "I've never complied with a rule or regulation in my life! - and I'm not starting now, at my advanced age!"

"Oh", said Onetrack - "So I guess this actually means you've been illegal all your life, and it's not likely you'll ever become legal?"

"Well, if you want to put it that way", said the Rat ...

.... there was a knock on the door, and upon answering it, Captain was surprised to find a Consumer Affairs official, notebook at the ready. "You are the gentleman known as Captain (a-la "the Rat"), correct?" said the official. "Yes, but I also go under the alias, the Kapooka Kid", squeaked the The Rat. "But I haven't done anything wrong! - and if I have, I'm sure a brown paper bag with some money in it, will fix things, won't it?

The CA official waved his finger, "You should know not to try and bribe public officials, there are seriously penalties for illegal behaviour like that!". "Not in NSW, there isn't!", interjected The Rat.

The CA official went on, "We have reason to believe you have been infringing copyrights and patents by producing copies of a certain famous Victorian clocktower, without authority, against regulations", intoned the official.

"No, no, I only produced a prototype for personal interest!", said the Captain, quaking in fear, realising that .....

The NTSB has held an information briefing for the media and did quite a good job of providing as much useful information as is available at this early stage, whilst diplomatically fielding the normal dumb questions from the assembled media.

https://www.wfsb.com/news-conference-ntsb-gives-update-on-investigation-into-b-/video_ba0e6c8e-67c3-5cb0-a918-9c07e26d0643.html

Interesting points revealed from media reports, and the NTSB interview were:

1. The Pilot and Co pilot are amongst the deceased.

2. The Pilot had 7300 hours on the B-17 and was the highest hour B-17 pilot in the U.S.

3. The aircraft was certified for 87 octane fuel and NTSB initial tests on remaining fuel indicated it had been fuelled with 100 octane LL fuel.

4. The aircraft initially struck landing lights attached to breakaway poles around 1000 feet out from the runway threshold.

5. The aircraft showed signs of being slightly right wing down at that point.

6. The pilot reported "engine problem" to ATC, and investigations are continuing to try and determine if more than one engine wasn't producing power (or full power).

7. There have been 21 crash incidents involving WW2 aircraft since 1982, the date when the NTSB started to collate records involving WW2 aircraft crashes. Of those 21 incidents, 3 involved B-17's.

8. There does not appear, at this stage, to be any single factor that is a standout repeat factor in those WW2 aircraft crashes.

No doubt the NTSB will be looking at whether the aircrafts impact with the landing lights affected its controllability from that point on.

Oh man, that's a whole lot of questions answered. Thanks for the update. Your luck must change soon, and for the better, I trust.

Maybe you'd be best advised to steer well clear of boats? I do, I detest them, because I get sick nearly every time I'm aboard one. Besides, they reckon boats absorb more $$$'s than aircraft.