#up vargas museum

[kalakian]

In celebration of national arts month this February, the UP Vargas Museum offers a week of free guided tours around its four current exhibitions: You Betrayed the Party Just When You Should Have Helped It; the Vargas Museum Permanent Collection; The PCGG Artworks Collection: Objects of Study; and Jorge B. Vargas: A Collecting Life.

A maximum of 15 pax will be accommodated per four daily tour time slots. Regular museum admission rates apply. After 18 February, regular guided tour rates of P200 per group of 10 or fewer will resume.

Sign up now to join the free guided tour: bit.ly/UPVMFreeTour.

Ang larawan at impormasyon ay kuha sa kanilang Facebook post.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

of course

***Spoilers for the Stitch summer event below the cut!***

Of coooourse Azul and Floyd jump on the opportunity to extort their classmates while they’re stranded on a deserted island 😭 Such an Ursula moment when Azul asks the group what they’re willing to do to be rescued… 😭 Not Floyd suggesting they all be Octa’s errand boys until the end of time 😭 AnD NOT hIM CALLiNG AzUL NICE FOR LOWERInG iT TO “just” A WEEk???? 😭 Why are fish like this—

This is even funnier when you look back at Birthday Union/Jacket vignettes, where some characters are asked “If you could bring one person with you on a deserted island, who would you choose?”. Of the 6 characters featured in Lost in the Book with Stitch, Jack is the only one who was asked this question. He at first says he can survive on his own, and though he eventually provides Epel as his answer. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT??? Jack also states in the interview that he would not want to be stuck with anyone in Octavinelle because “they seem like the types to ask for compensation whenever they have to do something” 🤡 Which. Isn’t far from the reality they’re now experiencing…

Addendum: In Jack’s Labwear vignettes, Floyd asks Azul if they can “keep him”, as though Jack were a stray dog. Again, Floyd’s affinity for dogs reappears in the Stitch event, where he doesn’t want to hand Stitch over to Gantu.

Other related points from Union Birthday/Birthday Jacket vignettes (the other 5 were asked “if you could pick any student from NRC to be your sibling, who would you choose?”): Ace would pick Azul to essentially get free stuff I bet he’s regretting his decision right about now, eh, Floyd would pick Ace so Ace can take the fall for him in sticky situations why do I suddenly have a bad feeling for what’s to come, and Lilia would pick… FLOYD 😂 because Floyd is mischievous, challenges people, and keeps surprising him with unexpected things… Oh, don’t worry, I’m sure plenty of “unexpected things” are going to happen, whether the boys like it or not 💦

On a more serious note, I do find it interesting that we get formal confirmation that merpeople in human forms need to remove their clothes before returning to their true forms. (This was always assumed before, but was never explicitly brought up in scenes where they actually had to revert back, such as book 4, Vargas Camp, and the first Halloween event.) However, Azul and Floyd say that the Beachwear clothes must be magic because they can’t be removed. I’m assuming either it’s unsafe to revert while still wearing clothes or the magical clothes just prevent them from bursting out of it a la Vanessa to Ursula in The Little Mermaid:

It’s also implied that their human forms are not suited for swimming long distances (or at least they are not used to swimming long distances in human forms yet)?? Which makes me think their anatomy and physiology must become entirely human when they drink their usual transformation potion??? Like, I’m assuming there aren’t gills on their human forms (because they’d serve zero purpose) which could hinder swimming as a human. (For that one scene in book 3 where Azul joins the group at the Atlantica Museum, I always assumed he just drank one of those “breathing underwater” potions he gave out earlier in the book!)

Side note: thanks to this event for gatekeeping us from potentially getting a peak at Azul’s non-OB octomer form/j 🙄

[yuurei20]

Jade and Floyd Info Compilation part 10: Azul (pt1)

Floyd says that while he, Jade and Azul have been classmates since elementary school he wouldn’t describe them as childhood friends because he barely knew Azul existed until just before they started middle school.

The drama of Book 3 revolves around Azul trying to get a photo from an elementary school field trip removed from a Coral Sea museum, but Floyd says he likes the old Azul because “he’d make a better meal than the one we’ve got now.”

It seems both twins have been to the restaurant run by Azul’s family, but Floyd says that the only thing he remembers is that Azul hated it.

In Book 3 we learn that the twins have signed an NDA covering Azul’s past, which is possibly why Jade refuses to tell Vil how it is that they and Azul met. When asked, he says, “I haven’t the foggiest idea. It’s completely slipped my mind.” Vil is incredulous.

Jade and Floyd both encourage Azul to change into his mer-form at the end of Book 3, with Jade saying that “No one would see the cute chubby little merman in the picture and connect that it’s you,” and Floyd asking why he limits himself to two legs when he can have eight.

In Harveston Jade tries a spiced stew and reflects on how Azul could probably identify all its ingredients if he were there.

Jade says that Azul is “as hardworking as it gets” and will do anything to achieve his goals. “It’s an easily misunderstood temperament, you see.”

Jade encourages Grim to have faith in Azul in Book 4.

Jade and Azul work well together, ganging up on Jamil on the subject of introducing a new dish to Mostro Lounge (despite Jamil’s protests) and managing to convince Idia to keep the Ignihyde Halloween display running (because they have produced a pamphlet that the are selling to visitors, which features Ignihyde’s projection mapping set up).

They also come together to tease Riddle during Spectral Soiree about a surprisingly impassioned speech concerning Azul, and Jade steps in to distract Cater, who threatens to interrupt Azul’s efforts to influence Kalim during Vargas Camp 2.

During the drama of the camp, Jade recommends that he and Azul escape the Vargas Monster by hiding in the lake, offering no solution for Vil and Trey.

When Azul tries to leverage his supply of magestones to help Vil and Trey fight the monster, Jade assures them that Azul is aware that it is an emergency. “I’m sure the terms will be more than favorable. Isn’t that right, Azul?”

When Vil insists on working at Mostro Lounge for only two days rather than the five days that Azul is asking, Jade interjects with the idea that, if they are to compromise to suit Vil’s schedule, they will require exclusive sales rights to his homemade smoothies.

Both Azul and Vil agree with Jade’s compromise.

Sometimes Jade will keep Azul from derailing conversations, such as when they first hear about Kalim’s “absurdly marketable” unique magic and when Azul tries to turn a conversation about the Coral Sea into a tourism opportunity.

Floyd tells Ortho about a time that he hydro-dipped Azul’s hat.

Azul was less than pleased and returned his hat to its usual appearance without ever trying it on, but Floyd is undeterred and says that the next time he comes up with an interesting idea, he will be testing it out on Azul.

We see him attempt just that in the Port Fest event when, after enjoying the form of performance taught to them by Jack, Floyd immediately invites Azul to join them the next time. (Azul is reluctant but Jade follows with, “We’re in,” to Azul’s displeasure.)

Floyd says he finds it hilarious how Azul will go around “like some kinda shark in guppy’s clothing” when important visitors are on campus for ceremonies.

Floyd also has a voice line about giving a stone that he made in alchemy class to Azul that he assumes was worth “a ton of thaumarks,” because Azul was seriously happy to receive it.

[usafphantom2]

MAAM P-61 Nose Art – Introducing “Moonbeam Dream”

Moreno Aguiari

After 79 years, the P-61 now has it’s own unique identity. Photo by Nick Chismar

Aircorps Art Dec 2019

By Nick Chismar

Just over a month ago, in June 2024, the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum (MAAM) unveiled a brand-new paint job on their Northrop P-61B Black Widow, USAAF #42-39445. The massive fighter sat proudly, fully covered in gloss black paint, as visitors from around the country stopped to take photos during the museum’s 33rd Annual World War II Weekend. Just recently, during the museum’s members’ day picnic on July 20th, there was another unveiling to do. After 79 years, their P-61 has its own identity and nose art; Moonbeam Deam.

MAAM P 61 Nose Art – Introducing Moonbeam Dream82539 copy scaled

Work was well underway just two weeks before the member’s day event. Tucked inside the main hangar, Hummelstown, Pennsylvania artist Jennifer “Hot Rod Jen” Thomas was steadying her hand against the side of the P-61. Jen’s interest in warbirds began with family ties as both her uncle and grandfather had flown Stearmans and worked alongside her father on the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation’s C-54 Spirit of Freedom. While Jen is well known for her automotive pinstriping, the P-61 is not her first piece of aviation nose art.

MAAM P 61 Nose Art – Introducing Moonbeam Dream80147 copy scaled

Recently, Jen painted the nose art on the Wings of War’s Cessna T-50 Bobcat, known as Bamboo Betty, which made its this year’s WWII Weekend. Not long after completing the gT-50’s nose art, a photographer suggested she contact MAAM President Russ Strine. It wouldn’t be until this year’s WWII Weekend that she could pass a card along, but it wasn’t long after that she was in contact with Russ, and things kicked off from there.

As Jen would tell me, there are some times when clients may not know exactly what they want, but not in this case. Having nose art on the P-61 has long been something Russ wanted to do. Since the aircraft had crashed only four days into its career, the crew never had the opportunity to properly name their aircraft. So, Russ set out to find something that he felt fit the project. Selecting from a book of Vargas pin-up girls, Russ looked for one that wasn’t too risqué or similar to that on their B-25 Briefing Time. The moon and stars were selected to symbolize how the P-61 fought in the night sky. He then chose the name Moonbeam Baby and added a full-size cutout to the aircraft which many visitors may recall seeing over past years. This name, however, was only intended to be a placeholder for inspiration.

The name Moonbeam Baby never really sat well with Russ, and after some time he decided to change the name to Moonbeam Dream. As he would tell me, “I was never really comfortable with the name ‘baby’, and I thought about it. I thought that the P-61 was a dream of ours, not only in acquiring it but restoring it to flying condition.” With the nose art already selected by Russ, Jen went to work.

MAAM P 61 Nose Art – Introducing Moonbeam Dream82547 copy scaled

With the full-size cut-out at home, Jen began by making tracings of the artwork and letters. Patterns and an electro pounce were made of the letters while the surface was thoroughly cleaned to begin painting. The image of the girl was first hung and then transferred using Saral paper for the outline and to be blocked in white to make it easier for skin tones to be painted. Using urethane and sign painting enamel paints Jen began the process of painting the nose art. Jen would use the Axalta urethane paint for the lettering and to block in the white and yellow on the pinup as well as for the moon. As a more aggressive paint, it bites into the black paint of the fuselage offering a sturdy base. For the rest, Jen would use 1-Shot lettering enamel to complete the nose art on the aircraft. Working from roughly 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM, and with an immense amount of skill and a steady hand, the nose art would slowly go on over the course of three days.

When member’s day came around and the first visitors rounded the tail of the museum’s replica D3A “Val” there was a sense of awe as they spotted the nose art. Comments could be heard about the level of detail and simply how impressive it was. As visitors continued and made their way to the other side of the P-61 they immediately took note of the emblem of the 550th Night Fighter Squadron, painted completely by freehand on the aircraft. Painted to the emblem’s left however were three names. Beneath the cockpit could be seen the name “Annie” in honor of Russ’ late mother, painted in bright red. Below that and in a more subtle blue was the image of the iconic “Kilroy” with the words “Pappy was here. Brenda too.” A tribute to Russ’ late father Eugene and Brenda Saylor, both of whom had spent countless hours to make their shared dream, a reality.

After 79 years, the P-61 now has its own unique identity. For Jen, this would be a special moment. After moving to Allentown years ago, friends soon told her about World War II Weekend. Jen said, “2006 was the first year I came here and I was hooked ever since. …coming here for years and the amount of work that is going into this aircraft is amazing. I’ve seen it when it was just barely anything and I loved the story, and I’m just blown away to be a part of it…it feels like a dream.” As Russ would tell me, “We needed to give the airplane our own identity, and this nose art, I think, accomplishes that.” With the names of the pilot Logan Southfield and radio operator Ben Goldstein who had been onboard during the fateful crash, the nose art is the final piece of the aircraft’s identity.

Special thanks to the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum and Jennifer Thomas for allowing me to photograph the process of painting the nose art. Thank you to Russ Strine and Jennifer for taking the time to talk about their process in this latest part of the restoration.

MAAM P 61 Nose Art – Introducing Moonbeam Dream82554 copy scaled It has been a few years since we last reported on restoration progress with the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum‘s Northrop P-61B Black Widow #42-39445. As most of you will remember, a team from the museum recovered the aircraft from the side of Mount Cyclops in Hollandia, New Guinea during the late 1980s. They have made great strides in their effort to rebuild the WWII night fighter to airworthy condition, and we thought you would like to hear (and see) some of the work that has been going on with the Widow of late. Below are our two latest report.

Author ProfileRelated Posts

Moreno-Aguiari

Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.

@Warbirdnews via X

[lunarw0rks]

Gift Giving | Task Force 141 Headcanons

Summary: How I headcanon they give their S/O gifts 𓆩♡𓆪

Warning(s): established relationship, mild-suggestive content w/ Soap's, domestic!fluff | Word Count: 553

꒦꒷ MAIN MASTERLIST ꒷꒦ TF 141 MASTERLIST ⋆ ⚘ 🕊 ˚✧ ₊˚ʚ have a request?

Simon Riley

ੈ✩‧₊˚ He’s awful about giving physical gifts, so don’t expect a box with a pretty bow around it. When he does buy you something, it’s the little things. He sees no point in grandeur and never has. Often the physical gifts are placed somewhere you’ll find them long after he’s left for work, like on the kitchen counter or on your nightstand.

He gifts you things that can be kept within the walls of your house—a shirt you pointed at weeks before when you were window shopping or tickets to an event you’ve wanted to go to. God help you if you try to get him to come with you though, he’d rather stay in the car and wait for you.

When you bring up the gift or show your excitement about it, he’ll dismiss it at first, but behind the mask, he’s pleased with himself. ⋆·˚ ༘ *

Soap MacTavish

ੈ✩‧₊˚ A vast difference between him and Simon. He won’t make things over the top, but he’s not afraid to be in public. He loves when the two of you can go out to dinner somewhere decent, although he’s not opposed to a bar.

He loves small gifts that aren’t explicitly romantic—a bracelet or piece of clothing he’d want you to wear when he’s away. But, if you’re into it, possibly some lingerie or perfume he wants you to wear next time you two are alone. ⋆·˚ ༘ *

John Price

ੈ✩‧₊˚ He struggles with what to get you, especially if there’s a bit of an age gap.

Most likely he’d keep it old-fashioned with a piece of jewelry, or maybe set you up for a spa day or something. If he’s truly stumped, he’d probably hand you his card and let you buy something for yourself.

“Your card? Really, John?”

“It was either that or a box of cigars…” ⋆·˚ ༘ *

Kyle/Gaz

ੈ✩‧₊˚ Being on the younger side of the others, he’s better at shopping for his S/O. Hoodies, jewelry, dinner at a new hotspot. When he’s away for long, he’d make sure to Facetime/call as often as he could, planning what you two want to do together when he’s back.

If he was really serious about pampering you, he’d rent an Airbnb for the week and enjoy being away from it all with you. ⋆·˚ ༘ *

Alejandro Vargas

ੈ✩‧₊˚ His most common gift to you would be a night of relaxation. Not a foot set in the kitchen while he cooks, nor will you help him clean up after either. He doesn’t have a lot of time to go out with you, so if he can give you a special night at home, he’s satisfied with that.

You’ll probably be eating the best food you’ve ever tasted, and then watching a movie/show on the couch until you both slip into a food coma.

If it’s ever a physical item, he’d get something custom-made—like an engraved watch or necklace personalized for you. ⋆·˚ ༘ *

Kate Laswell

ੈ✩‧₊˚ A true romantic at heart—quite formal with her gifting.

Wine tasting, visiting an art museum, or if you’d rather be outdoors, going sailing with you during her time away from work. Aside from destinations, she would definitely get you some sort of jewelry you could match with her, that way a piece of you is always with her when she’s away. ⋆·˚ ༘ *

[geisterland]

The promised Brazil in WW2 post! I did verify some information, but this is actually mostly based on my previous knowledge (from a Brazilian perspective)  and my visit to a museum on this topic, so I always encourage searching about it yourself! :D This will be more general facts I find interesting than a complete look into our participation, as that is a bit complicated to speak about in a short post. But let's get into it, shall we?

So, the thing about Brazil's participation in WW2 is that it actually came in sort of late. We only started fighting in late 1944 in Northern Italy, after the fall of fascism there, but we technically declared war back in 1942.

The two reasons we entered the war (after a period of neutrality in which we still had a commercial relationship with the main three Axis countries as well as the Allies) were...

Getúlio Vargas' government striking a deal in which the USA would build military bases on our territory in exchange for them investing in our metallurgical industry (long story);

The German sinking of six commercial Brazilian ships (Baependi, Araraquara, Aníbal Benévolo, Itagiba, Arará and Jacira), which ended up killing 607 people, civilian and military alike.

Once we actually entered the war, I would say that our most important ally within the... Allies was the USA - with Brazilian soldiers (the Pracinhas) even serving in the US Fifth Army. We filled very important gaps, and eventually, once the USamericans turned their efforts elsewhere, we played a very important role in the fight against the Nazis in Italy.

A thing to note was actually the sense of connection that a lot of Brazilians had with Italy. Many of the soldiers drafted (and those who volunteered) were of European descent, with a sizable chunk being Italian, so they were both fighting for their homeland and for their ancestors' homeland. Not only that, but the Pracinhas were treated warmly by the Italian citizens, which nurtured an even stronger emotional bond and sense of duty.

The main battle fought by FEB (The Brazilian Expeditionary Forces) was the Battle of Monte Castelo - was a very important defense point for the Nazis - which lasted for three months and was considered the largest battle in the history of the Brazilian Army. Brazil also participated in the Battle of Castelnuovo, Montese, Collecchio, and Fornovo di Taro.

A big thing to mention is that there were actually Brazilians on both sides of the war. Which actually contributed to the psychological warfare by the Nazis to try and convince the Pracinhas to desert - there was even a radio program transmited by a Brazilian woman from Santa Catarina to try and reach that goal, although most of the propaganda was done through leaflets that would appeal to the conditions the soldiers were enduring (such as the extreme cold).

Interesting tidbit about the cold: the Pracinhas would stuff straw in their boots, especially when it was cold, which actually led them to have fewer cases of Trench Foot than the USamericans.

Women in the Brazilian Army acted as field nurses, about 73 iirc going to serve in Italy. I will attach a picture below of some of them.

At this time, Brazil was actually in a dictatorship, which restricted even what the Brazilians could write in letters back home. They were encouraged to never say anything negative, and even if they did, their letters would always be read to check for it. Interestingly enough, once the war was ending and the Pracinhas would come home, people began seeing more and more similarities between the way things were being run by the Vargas' regime and the nazifascists... Hm...

Let's get to the last thing I want to talk about this night - the symbols used by our soldiers!

The main one you may have seen around is the Smoking Cobra. But what does it mean? See, there was this popular phrase within the country that "if Brazil enters the war, the cobra will smoke", something akin to "when pigs fly". And so, when we did join the war, this symbol was used as a sort of cheeky nod to the saying. The Pracinhas had a really good sense of humor.

And the less known, but in my opinion just as funny, symbol for our Aviation group. Which was based on two things: the phrase "Senta a Pua" which was already used in the airbase of Salvador to tell people to hurry up, and the ostrich, a symbol based on soldiers' jokes that they needed an ostrich's stomach to handle the food the USamericans gave them on the boat ride over lmao. I put both symbols below.

And I believe that will be all for now! There's still a lot to be said, and a lot that I will want to talk about at some point, but for now, I hope you enjoyed this little snapshot I gave you. ^_^

[mirimiramiri]

We found love...

“Prince Van Fanel. I hereby name you King of Fanelia and present you with the sacred insignia of power.” 

A sword, Hitomi thought in wonder as she stretched her neck to peer over the soldiers' heads. She had rather expected that the unfriendly boy, or rather, conceited prince, would take off the oversized helmet and someone would try to force a crown onto this bird's nest of black hair. On the other hand, the Tennō was also presented with the ancient sword of Japan. Apparently a coronation didn't always include a crown.  

She discreetly looked around at the warriors among whom she was kneeling. Everything seemed like she was visiting a museum. A museum the size of an entire city. 

The men looked like samurai; the rooms in the palace reminded of her grandparents' traditional-style house in the country. At the same time, no one wore a kimono and no one walked around on geta. The people, this prince (or now king) and the unfoundedly jealous girl with cat ears were more reminiscent of extras from a Central European historical drama flick. 

If only this was all a set-up, an incredibly elaborate prank at her expense like Hidden Camera. She would laugh it off graciously and hide the fact that she had already begun to doubt her sanity. 

Why did I end up here, she asked herself. Why for heaven’s sake? And when can I go home again? 

Her gaze wandered to the cloudless sky. She almost hoped to see that ray of light, like from a flying saucer, again. Which beamed her away, back to the sports field, back to Yukari and Amano. 

Was it that unfriendly Van‘s fault that she was here? After all, the pink stone from the dragon had started to glow just before she was ripped away from Earth's gravity. Had he done that on purpose? Hardly, as coldly as he had treated her after the nice wolfish grandpa had picked them both up. This rude Van guy clearly wasn't keen on her. At least he let her stay in his castle. But beyond that, he barely seemed interested in her. There were obviously a lot more important things right now, like this humble event at the moment and ruling over a kingdom later. 

Van had probably already forgotten about her. On the other hand, he had at least told his fencing master that she had helped him defeat the dragon. That wouldn't have been necessary. Nevertheless she was impressed by his honesty. 

She had finally understood that the fight against the dragon was a ritual, the success of which proved him to be a worthy heir to the throne. Was it against the rules to get help? But she was a little flattered by the way Vargas gave her a look of genuine gratitude while the cat girl cuddled the prince almost to the point of unconsciousness. 

Hitomi sighed softly. This scar-covered mountain of a man had given her his word of honor to find a way to send her home after the coronation. He looked scary, but spoke gentle and respectful. 

She couldn't wait to finally leave all this inexplicable weirdness behind…

Shouts reached her ears, getting louder and louder as the priest reeled off a monotonous speech to the Fanelian royal family tree. People began to turn around and the crowd became restless. 

What was going on, Hitomi wondered. In the distance, a thin column of black smoke seemed to rise into the sky. The priest had fallen silent. The new king, Van, had also turned around and appeared to be facing the city gate. She couldn't see the expression on his face beneath the huge helmet and behind the tangle of black strands. But somehow the atmosphere had changed. The crowd was nervous, small children began to cry and were hugged tightly by their mothers and fathers. The ceremony was interrupted and hardly anyone was paying attention to the important event. 

Then a fast rider appeared, forcing his way through the crowd and shouting, “We are under attack! The women and children go hide in the mountains, the men should take up arms! We must face the enemy!” 

Was this a drill, a show? But no one laughed, rather there were panicked shouts as the men around them jumped up and ran away in different directions. Hitomi stood up but stayed put. What should she do? She often had to make way for a samurai to avoid being run over. Nobody paid any attention to her. 

Nor, she noticed, on the newly crowned king. He stood apart, as ordered and uncollected, with the blue sword in his hands. He seemed lost, overwhelmed, and that left a bitter taste of fear on her tongue. Finally he started moving, running as best he could in the ceremonial armor to Vargas.

Hitomi could see the two briefly exchange a few words. Then, to her amazement, they both turned to stare at her for a second. Vargas then ran away and the boy dove towards her. He looked quite frightening in his white armor and flowing cloak. 

“You there!” he shouted. “Don’t stand around, come with me.” 

“What me?” Hitomi babbled confused as he grabbed her arm rather roughly and dragged her behind him. 

“Who else,” he grumbled. There was a slight metallic echo in his voice under the helmet, like a robot. He ruthlessly made his way through people. He paid them no attention, just as they paid him none. Some, soldiers, men of all ages, ran towards the tumult with their swords and lances drawn. The others in the opposite direction. Many carried small children or old people on their backs. Here and there someone was desperately calling out the names of friends or family members. 

Hitomi had never seen so much haunted fear on other people's faces. She tore herself away from the boy's grasp and followed him. "What's happening?" 

“What does it look like?! My country is being attacked!” As he ran, the boy grabbed the helmet and carelessly threw it away. The useless thing rolled over the cobblestones with a clatter. Then he sprinted to a small pedestal and picked up the stone on display that he had cut from the dragon's carcass. 

“Come now, stay close to me!” 

Attacked? Hitomi thought, but somehow she still didn't understand. She ran alongside him to the middle of the square. She saw the people who had excitedly attended the ceremony fleeing in all directions. Horrible noises could be heard in the distance and dark smoke, increasing in volume, rose ominously. "You there! Hold this!” the boy suddenly shouted and threw both his new sword and the pink stone at her. 

“Hey!” she complained, but caught both deftly. The dragon’s stone, the color of happy bubblegum, pulsed in her hand with a warm energy, as if it were still the heart of this horrible creature. It was scary in a way that's hard to describe, but not the least bit gross. Rather, it felt good in her hand. Just as if it enjoyed the touch of her skin.

The thing and the weapon together were surprisingly heavy and Hitomi panted as she ran, but managed to keep up with the boy. He was already starting to get rid of the annoying armor. To do this, he untied several ribbons. The breastplate and the cloak simply fell to the ground. Underneath he wore the simple red shirt and slim beige trousers again. 

Now he looked much less like a king, if not at all. 

“My name is Hitomi and not you there!” she snapped at him as he simply snatched the sword out of her hand and strapped it to his belt. 

“I have other things to worry about right now!” he hissed back. Nevertheless, he took the time to give her a stressed look. But there was more to it than that…fear coupled with fierce determination. Like yesterday, or was it the day before yesterday, when he killed a real-life mythical creature in front of her eyes. 

Side by side they rushed through the gate of the square building in the center of the courtyard. The boy - King Van - made a short, strange hand sign as they sprinted past the stone carving of a woman in warrior's outfit. Maybe a greeting, a small religious gesture that you had to take time for under all circumstances? 

They continued through a dark corridor. Hitomi followed her instinct rather than poor vision. Or even the quick breaths in front of her. <-- you can probably omit this. it doesn't flow well and just adds unnecessary context that feels out of place. 

Was that a bomb shelter? Then why did only the two of them flee here? Without warning, a vast, semi-subterranean chamber revealed itself before them. It was beautifully decorated, the walls full of colorful, mystical patterns. Partly covered in gold, like a subtle reference to the poor country's long lost wealth. 

Hitomi concluded from the excellent condition of the room that it must be an important, possibly sacred place. Fanelia did not appear to be a well situated country, but here they were not stingy with opulent decorations.

Was it a burial chamber? 

There were three coffin-shaped boxes standing next to each other back there. But the floor was particularly noticeable. Steep stairs led down to an angular pool. Several circles of metal slid into one another, looking like gears, all coordinated with one another. The colorful mosaic of a mechanical watch. A light shaft provided poor but atmospheric illumination. Countless grains of dust glittered in the few rays of sunlight. 

Speechless, as if she were a tourist in the Vatican, Hitomi took it all in. Van, however, was in a hurry. Without thanking her, he grabbed the stone and ran into the middle of the structure. Every step he took, every breath and every heartbeat was clearly audible. It was dead quiet here. The noise from outside was not allowed into this sacred site. 

Van pulled out his new sword. Even in the dim light here, the sharp blade shimmered. Then he intentionally cut his thumb. It had to be a deep wound because he was bleeding profusely and a considerable amount ran directly into the grooves of the stone. It disappeared into it like rain between the petals of a rose. Hitomi watched him spellbound. He didn't say a word, seemed absolutely sure of himself and his actions. 

Van raised his arm and Hitomi's gaze followed. A huge boulder hung from the ceiling. How strange, it seemed to be held by steel chains but at the same time floating independently. How did that work? What was the structure used for and why did they even flee here? 

Then she saw that his actions resulted in something that could only be described in one word: 

Magic. 

Just a moment ago the energist had been pretty, but dormant.

Nourished by the king's blood, it awoke to new life and shone brightly like a star fallen from heaven in his outstretched hand. Something similar had happened before. Just like in front of Sasuke Inari Shrine, when that light burst from the night sky, her running shoes suddenly just lifted off the ground and she was plucked from the Earth. 

Out of nowhere she was startled when the young king began to roar: “I am Van Fanel, King of Fanelia. My blood shall seal the pact with you in the fight against evil, Escaflowne!” 

An incantation, Hitomi was amazed, because there was no one here to whom he could speak. The marble ground vibrated slightly under her feet as if a weak earthquake were occurring. 

“The moment has come to awaken your spirits again, mighty dragon!” 

With that his magic was probably complete, because all of a sudden the colorful circles around him began to rotate. They turned smoothly against each other. As if they had always done it that way and would continue to do so for all eternity. 

Hitomi caught her breath. The spectacle was too strange and beautiful. Streams of air rose from the platform, shining like an upside-down waterfall of shooting stars. They enveloped the king's lanky form in his splendor until he faded into the shadow of a human being. 

Any average person would have fled by now. Not so the boy. Suddenly wild lightning danced around him, as if he was creating a small thunderstorm. Their origin were the wheels turning ever faster. The electrical discharges were aimed at the large rock on the ceiling. It broke like an egg under pressure. A deafening crack filled the air. The spell was broken, the seal lifted, and a power beyond what Hitomi dared imagine was unleashed. 

Freed from its cocoon, an oversized suit of knight's armor emerged into the open. The metal was a brilliant white. It appeared clumsy and light-footed at the same time and landed directly in front of its lord and master. Large blue marbles on the visor looked down at the fragile little humans, like insect eyes. Red and green heraldic symbols made of crystal glittered on the chest and helmet tip. The long purple cloak fluttered as the armor genuflected and bowed. 

The boy remained calm as if it was the most normal thing in the world. This despite the fact that the armor - Escaflowne - could easily trample him to death. He hurried towards it, the energist secure in his hand. His arrival was expected by Escaflowne like a savior in an emergency. 

It was time for blood and triumph. 

The armor had been caged, it’s might restrained for far too long.

Eager to be sent back into battle. To serve the cause. 

"So this is Escaflowne, like in my vision," Hitomi murmured. 

As in my vision of Escaflowne...

What followed next marked the end of a coronation in flames and the beginning of a long, long journey.

Note: Thanks to wonderful @eireanness to help translate this little snapshot from my ongoing fanfiction. I decided to not use the term "energist" here to often because it is Hitomi'POV and she only learns about them during that mine heist. The title might seem strange, but this was only the introduction to a longer chapter. The last thought of Hitomi really works better in English than in German.

[azulashengrottospiano]

yuusona time!! its literally just me (i used the yuusona picrew 1 & yuusona picrew 2 HELP i cant draw)

(cyath rendition!!) (sapphy rendition!!)

(school uniform) (gym clothes) (labwear) (dorm uniform) (ceremonial robes)

(halloween i) (halloween ii) (firelit sky) (culinary crucible) (new years sale) (beanfest) (tsumderland) (sledathon) (fairy gala) (ghost bride) (camp vargas) (wish upon a star) (glorious masquerade) (stitch)

Name: Auburn

Pronouns: She/They

Species: Human

Dorm: Ramshackle

Class: Class A, No. 9 (Shares a seat with Grim)

Birthday: April 3rd.

Age: 18

Height: 174 centimeters

Dominant Hand: Right.

Homeland: Unknown.

Best Subject: Alchemy

Club: Mountain Lovers -> switched to Science Club

Hobbies: Writing stories.

Pet Peeves: Leaving dirty utensils on the counter.

Talents: Making people laugh.

Favorite Food: Any kind of cheesecake.

Least Favorite Food: Onions.

Unique Magic: None.

Other Funky Stuff

She didn't think she would be that good at alchemy but was very curious about it. It ended up being her best subject.

They've recently gotten into doodling their classmates and has even painted some of them, but only Grim knows this.

(Brief discussion of their anxiety disorders) Had really bad anxiety the first week of being in Twisted Wonderland that caused them to be physically ill and panicked. Managed to adjust after a while with help from Heartslabyul since they were her first real friends here.

Helps Ruggie run errands for Leona because they love to help out with anything and everything. In fact, they feel worse if they aren't helping. This caught the attention of a certain cephalopod.

They really didn't notice Azul until he (kind of) opened up to her at the museum. She realized they have a lot of things in common and got very irritated (lovingly!!) when he thought she was flattering him.

They shrugged it off though, and ultimately decided to let him judge their character as he saw fit since they're not only a terrible liar but are very animated. Then a raging crush hit. Oops.

She was a bit wary of the Leech twins at first because of what everyone said, but once she got to know them she was very open!! She's on good terms with them.

They often have to try to tell Kalim to chill out with his parties because he puts too much pressure on Jamil. He usually doesn't listen and they feel too guilt to stay for long.

They sneak Epel snacks because they cringe at the thought of spending one day in Pomfiore. it's not that they hate Vil, it's just there's no way they could keep up with him.

At first they thought they could be friends with Idia, but the second he opened his mouth they were annoyed. (Know-it-alls being their second highest pet peeve sigh.) It took a long, LONG time for those two to get along, and although they're on good terms now it freaks out Auburn's friends.

Makes an effort to invite Malleus over as often as possible and has even set aside a room for him when he wants to stay in the ruins he used to find so calming. (They actually feel a little guilty for taking away his safe space.)

They clean up Ramshackle in their spare time because they can't STAND living in a dusty, dirty environment. Grim appreciates this because he doesn't have to help, the demon.

Sam is their favorite faculty member and they always give him a high five after a shopping trip.

[cloudcountry]

yuusona time!! its literally just me (i used the yuusona picrew 1 & yuusona picrew 2 HELP i cant draw)

(cyath rendition!!) (sapphy rendition!!) (dorm uniform card) (height comparison)

(school uniform) (gym clothes) (labwear) (dorm uniform) (ceremonial robes)

(halloween i) (halloween ii) (firelit sky) (culinary crucible) (new years sale) (beanfest) (tsumderland) (sledathon) (fairy gala) (ghost bride) (camp vargas) (wish upon a star) (glorious masquerade) (stitch)

Name: Auburn

Pronouns: She/They

Species: Human

Dorm: Ramshackle

Class: Class A, No. 9 (Shares a seat with Grim)

Birthday: April 3rd.

Age: 18

Height: 174 centimeters

Dominant Hand: Right.

Homeland: Unknown.

Best Subject: Alchemy

Club: Mountain Lovers -> switched to Science Club

Hobbies: Writing stories.

Pet Peeves: Leaving dirty utensils on the counter.

Talents: Untying knots.

Favorite Food: Any kind of cheesecake.

Least Favorite Food: Onions.

Unique Magic: None.

Other Funky Stuff

She didn't think she would be that good at alchemy but was very curious about it. It ended up being her best subject.

They've recently gotten into doodling their classmates and has even painted some of them, but only Grim knows this.

(Brief discussion of their anxiety disorders) Had really bad anxiety the first week of being in Twisted Wonderland that caused them to be physically ill and panicked. Managed to adjust after a while with help from Heartslabyul since they were her first real friends here.

Helps Ruggie run errands for Leona because they love to help out with anything and everything. In fact, they feel worse if they aren't helping. This caught the attention of a certain cephalopod.

They really didn't notice Azul until he (kind of) opened up to her at the museum. She realized they have a lot of things in common and got very irritated (lovingly!!) when he thought she was flattering him.

They shrugged it off though, and ultimately decided to let him judge their character as he saw fit since they're not only a terrible liar but are very animated. Then a raging crush hit. Oops.

She was a bit wary of the Leech twins at first because of what everyone said, but once she got to know them she was very open!! She's on good terms with them.

They often have to try to tell Kalim to chill out with his parties because he puts too much pressure on Jamil. He usually doesn't listen and they feel too guilt to stay for long.

They sneak Epel snacks because they cringe at the thought of spending one day in Pomfiore. it's not that they hate Vil, it's just there's no way they could keep up with him.

At first they thought they could be friends with Idia, but the second he opened his mouth they were annoyed. (Know-it-alls being their second highest pet peeve sigh.) It took a long, LONG time for those two to get along, and although they're on good terms now it freaks out Auburn's friends.

Makes an effort to invite Malleus over as often as possible and has even set aside a room for him when he wants to stay in the ruins he used to find so calming. (They actually feel a little guilty for taking away his safe space.)

They clean up Ramshackle in their spare time because they can't STAND living in a dusty, dirty environment. Grim appreciates this because he doesn't have to help, the demon.

Sam is their favorite faculty member and they always give him a high five after a shopping trip.

[knackfandomarchive]

Condensed version of my Lucas Headcanon Post.

Because I'm a chatterbox. Sorry to @bestbuybathroom if the answer to your ask was overwhelming.

Lucas:

Liked school. Very smart.

Lost his mom in a fire when he was 8 and he lost all his belongings.

None of his blood relatives wanted to adopt him.

May or may not exhibit some bully behaviors.

Cried at night

vaguely suicidal

Had few/no friends

Was exhausted all the time

Threw tantrums

was otherwise polite to grown-ups

was/is interested in physics.

Loves puzzles

Raided the beverage tables for hot cocoa mix. Straight up ate it a few times.

Dedicated his life to solving the orb as a way to prove his self-worth, essentially. Vaguely obsessive/possessive.

Liked to hold the orb and carry it around where possible.

I may have accidentally made every character autistic.

Was 10 when Knack was 'born'

12 in the first game, 16 in the second game.

Acted as the older brother to Knack first. Treated him somewhat like a Toddler and a Pet in one.

Thought of Knack as *his* achievement, not the Doctor's.

Can be willfully ignorant.

Taught Baby Knack good stuff and funny stuff but also bad stuff.

Reenacted some things his mother would do as a means of affection, e.g bedtime stories, dancing. Kind of acted as a pseudo-parent.

Thought Baby Knack was dying when Knack was very sleepy.

Got good at reading Knack's body language.

Talked to the Doctor for Knack. Was the first to figure out Knack is able to communicate.

sometimes imitates Knack's mannerisms and vice versa.

Rarely jealous, but it does come up.

Kick-starts Knack's mischievous streak and teaches him some of his more overtly animal-like behaviors.

Thinks of Knack as Little Knack

Was very grabby with Baby Knack and often still touches Knack for this or that.

Grows confident that Knack would never hurt him. Too confident in some cases; for example taking something from a Baby Knack who was growling at him.

Would pass out if his scalp is massaged, but also very sheepish about it.

Sees himself in Knack.

Grew skeptical of the Doctor's authority

Encourages Knack to try new things

Knack & Lucas:

Switch big-brother-little-brother roles from scene to scene. Vulnerability, protection, defense and projection.

Ryder:

could not take care of Lucas while in the throes of grief.

gave Lucas the holoprojector locket.

convinced the Doctor to take Lucas in.

Gave Lucas a knife for his 12th birthday. In the original post I said butterfly knife because it's cool. I am now convinced that it's a soil knife to dig poop holes, because it's funny.

Doctor Vargas:

Played peek-a-boo with Lucas when the boy was a toddler

Super lonely

Throws himself into his work to push away his grief. Inadvertently teaches this to Lucas.

Well-meaning but selfish

Doesn't know what Lucas needs to heal.

Treated Lucas like he was sick when he cried.

Introduced Knack's orb to Lucas in an attempt for Doc and Lucas to both heal.

Took Lucas to museums and aquariums etc. Later Lucas and Knack. Later Lucas and Knack and Charlotte.

Initially thought of Knack as a kind of device.

Gave Lucas the Grappling Gun for his 12th birthday.

Once describes Lucas as having become more responsible since Knack came into their lives.

Knack:

Started out with 0 knowledge. Minor intuitions baked in, much like any infant.

Fell asleep for the first time in Lucas's arms. Doc had to carry him to his own room because he is a heavy boy even when Little.

Had a kind of imprinting process. It played a major part in his early behavior and the development of his personality. It sounds like a big deal and it kind of is, but it's not any more special than human babies imprinting. Occasionally more robot angle.

In canon, Knack's role seems to depend on his size. I like to subvert this on occasion.

Hangs out with Lucas as Little Knack

Is the Doctor's favorite...

Is a major teacher's pet.

[afrodytis]

Carlos Bastos

Carlos Frederico Bastos (Salvador BA 1925). Painter, muralist, illustrator, draftsman, scenographer and editor. He studied at the Bahia School of Fine Arts until 1946, being a disciple of Mendonça Filho, Aguiar and Valença. Between 1944 and 1946, he studied at the National School of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro, where he studied with Santa Rosa, Iberê Camargo and Carlos Oswald. Still in the 1940s, he attended the Brazilian Society of Fine Arts and the Getúlio Vargas Foundation, taking private lessons with Portinari in parallel. He also does scenography at UEB with Eros Martins Gonçalves, frequenting Humberto Cozzo's studio. Years later, he studied at the Arts Students League in New York (United States), where he was taught by Harry Strongberg and Nicolay Abracheff. He continues his drawing studies at the Académie La Grande Chaumière in Paris. Returning from France, eight years later, he set up his atelier at Solar da Jaqueira in Salvador. In 1965 he edited the drawing book Igrejas, Santos e Anjos da Bahia with a preface by Jorge Amado and in 1973 he received the title of Benefactor of the City Museum from the City Hall of Salvador. During the 70s and 80s, he made illustrations for several books.

[3jane-rosen]

(via Shirley Manson on the Garbage YouTube Community page)

I identified as a goth. I loved painting my face white and wearing black lipstick. I was extremely interested in post punk music and record shops. I worked at a teen clothing store behind the make up counter until blotted my copybook and was relegated to the shop floor and eventually the stock room for my unpleasant and at times aggressive attitude to the customers. My bedroom walls were still covered in Laura Ashley wallpaper which I had grown to despise. To disguise my embarrassment, I covered every square inch of it with pictures torn from magazines. Free Esso posters of tigers that they gave away at garages whenever my dad spent enough money on petrol and ticket stubs to concerts, art museums and the theatre. There were Bauhaus and Siouxsie and the Banshees album covers up there. Robert Mapplethorpe postcards. Alberto Vargas images and a whole slew of passport photographs of me and various friends, taken inside the photobooth uptown at the Waverley Train Station in the city centre of Edinburgh.

I favoured Benson and Hedges Blue cigarettes at the time, despite their inflated cost, as this was the brand the man was sleeping with liked to smoke. I ate toast with tomato ketchup or boiled eggs and a Mars bar. I was immature and impetuous and a pain in the arse.

I also had a very sweet heart. I was devoted to my grandmother, my mum, the performing arts and the family dog.

Boys at school called me a witch and were wary of me. This is the way I liked things, even back then.

[gas-stxtion]

bold what applies to your muse

antonio vargas

aries: bonfires, competitiveness, hand veins, loud laughs, messy hair, sneaking out at 2am, abandoned beaches, stray dogs, candle lights, body language, creaking floorboards, ouija boards, having no regrets, karaoke nights out

taurus: house plants, oversized sweaters, soft hands, fuzzy socks, visiting big cities, snoozing your alarm clock, the colour yellow, vanilla scented candles, aloe vera, fruit smoothies, baking cookies, the mom friend, loves the ukulele

gemini: femme fatale movies, in love with female villains, sharp eyeliner, quick-witted, does things out of spite, do no harm but take no shit, in love with dogs, probably cries during sad movies but won’t admit it, easily excited, ripped jeans

cancer: mermaids, easily infatuated by love, smelling flowers, picnics in open fields, gets sad when thinking about the past, impressed easily, daydreaming in class, plucking fresh fruit, loves skirts and fashion, would die for their friends

leo: confident in what they do, kill them with kindness, high ponytails, probably wants to visit paris once, not afraid to tell the truth, in love with cute animals, the one to lift others up, good at teamwork, the warm feeling of summer, dragons

virgo: pastel markers, the smell of lavender, has a welcoming vibe around them, actually organized, scrunchies, neat notes, loves going to museums, probably into photography, neutral colours, handwritten letters, stardust

libra: soft blankets, cuddling the ones you love, always standing up for your friends, hopeless romantic, can be very distant, can be a little dramatic, pretty hair, dresses nicely, tries to be popular on social media, optimistic, humorous

scorpio: cottages in the woods, in love with greek mythology, vintage t-shirts, really emotional but doesn’t want anyone to know, determined, moonlight, pretty handwriting, into the retro aesthetic, rainy days, doesn’t judge people, cats

sagittarius: always ready for an adventure, street smart, wants to travel the world someday, doesn’t easily trust people, alcohol, paintbrushes, can’t sit still, untied shoelaces, tangled up earphones, blasting music at midnight, eye-gazing

capricorn: cold aura, coffee is what keeps them going, probably haven’t slept in two days, actually a big softie, high-waisted jeans, cute pet videos, small apartments, has too many notebooks, often goes to the library, writing essays

aquarius: loves to paint and do any kind of art, wants to live at the seaside, knows a lot of random facts, shares food, messy notes, bullshits an entire essay, graffiti, has their own distinct style, wants to live their life like they want to

pisces: old teddy bears, unsent love letters, mom-jeans, loves to sing, feels at home by the ocean, writes poetry, hard worker, always up for deep conversations, probably did the stupid thing, open curtains, a soft breeze

stolen from @rejectshumanity

tagging: steal it! <3

[yuurei20]

Seiyuu Birthday: Epel's Tsuchiya Simba

Happy Birthday to Epel's VA Tsuchiya Simba!

Recently Tsuchiya has voiced Kimura Reo in “The Seven Voice Museum” anime with Ortho’s VA Aoi Shouta as Arata Hikari and Vargas’ VA Takeuchi Ryouta as Yamagawa Rimuto.

Tsuchiya has also voiced Saeki Nao in Ao no Orchestra, Konno Kazuyuki in season 2 of In/Spectre and he is also in animated movie “Gridman Universe” (released in theaters on March 24th) with Crewel’s VA Ito Kent.

He also voiced Goshiki Tsutomi in Haikyuu!! with Floyd's VA Okamoto and Idia's VA Uchiyama, as well as main protagonist Fujita Tatara in Welcome to the Ballroom.

In mid-February he performed on stage with group FUKAIPRODUCE-hagoromo in “Platonic Body Scrum."

In 2022 he appeared as a guest in episodes 30 and 31 of Deuce’s VA Kobayashi Chiaki’s “Blue Monologue."

Tsuchiya has a pet dog that he has named Epel

Thus far he has appeared in two Twisted Wonderland Exhibition promotional videos with Vil’s VA Aiba Hiroki.

In a promotion for “The Seven Voice Museum” anime he explains what he would do if a robber invaded his house: “I have a dog whom I love very much and I imagine he would bark, but he loves people…so that would be a problem. If the robber kicked my dog I would beat them up. But if the robber thought that my dog was cute, then…if I had eggs in my refrigerator I would make omelette rice for them and listen to what they have to say. I would give them a DVD from a series that I am in. Tell them, ‘Hey, watch this and cheer up.’"

More here

[usafphantom2]

Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in 2005

The story of the Shoo Shoo Baby begins like many other B-17s, at Boeing Plant No.2 in Seattle, Washington, where it was built as construction number 7190. Accepted into the US Army Air Force as serial 42-32076 on January 17, 1944, it was subsequently fitted with all necessary armaments and other combat-related equipment at the Continental Airlines Modification Center #13 at Stapleton International Airport (currently Denver International Airport), and the United Air Lines Modification Center #10 at Cheyenne Municipal Airport (currently Cheyenne Regional Airport). After being processed at Grand Island Army Airfield, Nebraska, its last stop in the US before going to England was Presque Isle Army Airfield, Maine. Arriving at RAF Burtonwood, Lancashire on March 2, it would ultimately be assigned to the 401st Bomb Squadron of the 91st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force at RAF Bassingbourn on March 23. The aircraft’s allotted code was LL*E, and the crew named the aircraft Shoo Shoo Baby, after a popular song by the Andrews Sisters that was the favorite of crew chief T/Sgt Hank Cordes and his wife back home. The nose art, inspired by Alberto Vargas’ Hawaii pin up girl for Esquire, was applied by line mechanic Cpl. Tony Starcer, one of four nose artists in the 91st. Just one day after arriving, Shoo Shoo Baby flew on the first of what turned out to be 23 missions during its operational life with the 91st. Unlike other B-17s in the group, 42-32076 did not have a permanently-assigned crew, but Lt. Paul G. McDuffie, who ferried the aircraft from Burtonwood to Bassingbourn, would fly the ship on several occasions.

The nose art of B-17G serial 42-32076 “Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby” (coded LL-E) of the 401st Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: ’29/5/44.’ Photo credit: American Air Museum in Britain

One of the most interesting anecdotes in the Shoo Shoo Baby’s history was when her crew flew her on a one-ship mission for the 91st Bomb Group. On April 9, 1944, the 91st flew up to bomb the port city of Gdynia in occupied Poland. However, the mission was soon called off, but the crew of the Shoo Shoo Baby, under the command of Lt. McDuffie, could not be reached due to a faulty radio. They climbed through heavy clouds to 30,000 feet, encountering a formation of B-24s. Realizing it was clearly the wrong group, they searched but found no sign of the 91st, though they found another formation of B-17s. They followed the formation to a Focke Wulf plant in Marienburg (now Malbork), Poland. They dropped their bombs when the others did, and followed them back to England, then diverted to return to Bassingbourn, where all four engines quit on the runway due to fuel exhaustion. Despite expecting to be chewed-out, they were instead congratulated for having single-handedly given the 91st Bomb Group a victory. When McDuffie completed his tour of duty and was rotated out, an extra “Shoo” was added to the aircraft on May 25. Just four days later, Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby would fly her last mission with the 401st.

Shoo Shoo Baby is on the left in this photo.

Mission #23 was to be another long one. The 401st was to bomb a Focke-Wulf aircraft component factory in Poznań, Poland. On route to the target, while crossing the German border, the No.3 engine lost oil pressure and quit. The pilot in command, 2nd Lt. Robert Guenther, tried to feather the propeller on this engine, but it would not rotate. Instead, the No.3 propeller continued to windmill, and Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby began to lag behind the formation, but stayed on course. Releasing its deadly payload over Poznań, pilots Guenther and 2nd Lt. George Havrisik turned westward. What surprised them most, however, was that the German fighters that responded to the American bombers were focused on the distant formations, but no attention was paid to them despite the fact that they were straggling outside the formation. Though fortunate for the crew aboard Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby, it was uncharacteristic of German fighters that actively looked out for stragglers to make easier kills.

But before they even reached the Baltic coast, the No.2 engine also failed. Realizing they could not return to England, Guenther asked the navigator, 2nd Lt. John M. Lowdermilk, to plot a course for Sweden. The crew knew what this meant: internment by Swedish officials and the confiscation of the aircraft, but it was much more preferable to be interned in Sweden than become prisoners of war in Germany. All loose equipment was ordered to be thrown overboard to lighten the aircraft, including guns and ammo, radio equipment, and spare clothing not in use. The crew even attempted, after ball turret gunner S/Sgt. Nick Premenki exited the turret, to jettison the turret altogether, as was standard procedure in the event of a wheels-up landing, but the turret would not budge. Lowdermilk plotted a course for a coastal town on the southernmost tip of Sweden, Ystad. As they reached the Swedish coast, however, the crew of the Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby encountered flak fired on them from anti-aircraft batteries. It was clear to the crew that the Swedes were trying to warn them not to do anything foolish. Just before reaching land, a third engine went out. It was at this point when a Seversky J 9, an export version of the prewar P-35 design, flew up and escorted the stricken bomber to Malmö, about 58 kilometers northwest of Ystad. There, a B-24 Liberator had just landed ahead of them, and Guenther and Havrisik had to swing the Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby wide to avoid the Liberator on landing.

Upon landing, the crew and the plane were interned by the Swedish government. The Swedes treated Allied pilots fairly, but they were still far from home, and it was the intention of the US State Department to bring home the American airmen. Handling the negotiations in Sweden was American air attaché, Colonel Felix M. Hardison, who had been stationed in Stockholm since February 1944. Hardison had previously served as a B-17 pilot with the 19th Bomb Group of the 5th Air Force, stationed in the South Pacific, flying the famed B-17E 41-2489, known as Suzy-Q, which had returned to the US after extensive combat in the early phases of the Pacific War. Hardison finally struck a deal with the Swedes. In exchange for 300 American airmen being returned to the United States on the guarantee that the airmen would be prohibited from further combat, the nine B-17s were transferred to the Swedish government on July 10. 1945. Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby was among the nine B-17s, and this would turn out to be a boon for the airlines in Sweden.

Before the war, they had been interested in acquiring Douglas DC-4 airliners, but when war broke out, the orders dried up as the DC-4 was adapted by the USAAF as the C-54 Skymaster. In addition to this, the Swedes had been flying airliners throughout Europe, usually filled with diplomats trying to negotiate during the war. Though the war was not over, by late 1944, it was clear that sooner or later, the Allies would win, and Sweden would still need long-range airliners for the immediate postwar years for routes that the venerable DC-3 simply didn’t have the range to achieve. And so, after the American airmen were sent on their way home in October 1944, the Swedish government ordered Svenska Aeroplan AktieBolag (Swedish Aeroplane Company Limited (SAAB)), to convert seven of the bombers into airliners while the remaining two examples would be cannibalized for spare parts. All military equipment was removed, the nose section was lengthened by three feet, and interior settings in the former waist gunners and radio operator compartments would provide the aircraft with the ability to carry 14 passengers. In addition to this, the bomb bay was converted to carry cargo, with the left hand bay door sealed shut and reinforced to be part of the floor, while the right hand door would still open so that a lift could be lowered from the bomb bay to bring cargo and luggage up into the compartment. They were also referred to as “Felixes” in honor of the American air attaché.

Registered on the Swedish civil registry as SE-BAP for flight testing with Swedish Intercontinental Airlines (Svensk Interkontinental Lufttrafik AB, SILA), which operated through the publicly-backed AB Aerotransport, Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby flew again on November 2, 1945, and was soon sold to Danish Air Lines (Det Danske Luftfartselskab, DDL) and registered as OY-DFA, and was given a new name; Stig (Wanderer) Viking. DDL received another converted B-17G that had landed in Sweden during the war, USAAF serial 42-107067, registered as OY-DFE, which was named Trym (a figure from Norse mythology) Viking. As an airliner, Stig Viking would travel the world, starting out with a Copenhagen-England route, but eventually flying as far as Khartoum, Sudan, Nairobi, Kenya, and Johannesburg, South Africa. With the introduction of the long-awaited DC-4 to the international market, the Swedish-operated Felixes were soon retired, and they were scrapped.

They were not without incident, however, as on November 28, 1945, when Stig Viking was on approach to Blackbushe Airport in Yateley, Hampshire, the left landing gear failed to extend, so the pilot made an emergency landing that resulted in no injuries to any occupants, and the aircraft was soon repaired and returned to service. However, Danish Air Lines’ other B-17 “Felix” was not so lucky. Trym Viking was written off on January 30, 1946, when it overshot the runway on arrival from England to Copenhagen Airport and collided with a parked RAF Douglas Dakota III, serial number KG427. Though no one was seriously hurt, both aircraft were beyond economic repair and were eventually scrapped. Meanwhile, Stig Viking, the former Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby, continued in service with DDL until March 31, 1948, when it was assigned to the Danish Army Air Corps. There, it was assigned the serial 67-672, and would carry yet another name, “Store Bjørn” (Great Bear). During its military use in Denmark, it was converted into an aerial survey aircraft for use in Greenland, with the addition of cameras, mapping radar, and a 1,400-liter fuel tank in the bomb bay. On December 1, 1949, it was transferred to the Royal Danish Navy but continued its work in Greenland, and when the Danish Army Air Corps and Naval Air Service were merged to become the Danish Air Force, Store Bjørn continued its survey work in Greenland, often working alongside US Air Force survey aircraft. It would continue its work in Greenland until October 1, 1953, when it was retired from flight duty and placed in storage.

67-672 in Greenland

On February 6, 1955, it was purchased by the Babb Company Inc. of New York, an aircraft brokerage firm. It did not return to the U.S. at that point, however, as the firm sold the old bomber off to the Institut Geographique National in France for continued use as a survey plane, this time over France and her overseas territories and colonies. Registered as F-BGSH, the bomber previously known as Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby would continue to fly for the IGN, being based out of Creil Airport near Paris, along with other B-17s modified for such purposes. One such aircraft was the B-17G 44-85718 (registered as F-BEEC), which later flew for the Lone Star Flight Museum as Thunderbird, and is now undergoing maintenance at the Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras, Oregon on behalf of the Mid America Flight Museum in Mount Pleasant, Texas. Another aircraft flown with the former Shoo Shoo Shoo baby at this time was the B-17G 44-8846, which later flew in the movie Memphis Belle (1990) and is displayed at La Ferte Alais, France as The Pink Lady. F-BGSH surveyed the Middle East, Africa, and South America before being retired from flying for IGN on June 15, 1961. Its engines and other parts were removed, and it was kept on a corner of Creil, receiving damage to its nose section from an accident at one point, but otherwise quietly sitting on display at Creil. Were it not for a chance discovery, Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby was likely destined for the scrapyard.

Shoo Shoo Baby as F-BGSH at Creil

This rediscovery of Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby’s combat record was made by Australian aviation historian Steve Birdsell, who had by this point recently left Vietnam after serving as a war correspondent. He tracked down the service record of 42-32076 and brought the attention of its existence to the 91st Bomb Group Memorial Association and the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. The museum already had a B-17 in its ranks, B-17G 44-83624, but this one had never seen combat, being accepted into the USAAF on April 26, 1945, and serving in the postwar years as a missile launcher (MB-17G) and a drone director (DB-17G) before being donated to the museum in 1957. Needless to say, the chance to snag a combat-veteran B-17 was too good to pass up. The museum appealed to the US and French governments, and on April 22, 1971, the Shoo Shoo Baby was transferred to the NMUSAF. But that was the easy part. There was still the problem of shipping it back to America. This was achieved by dismantling the old aircraft at Creil and trucking it in pieces to Rhein-Main Air Force Base near Frankfurt, West Germany, where it was loaded aboard a Lockheed C-5A Galaxy and flown to Wright-Patterson AFB on June 17, 1972 to be restored by volunteers on the base.

Arrival at Dover AFB

The years had not been kind to Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby. The museum, having only moved to its present-day location from the Patterson Field portion of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base just two years prior and with other aircraft in need of restoration, chose to store Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby for another six years. It was then that the 512th Military Airlift Wing at Dover AFB, Delaware agreed to take on the project in 1978. But rather than simply restoring it to static display condition, Shoo Shoo Baby would be restored to fully-flyable condition. The work lasted 10 years, and although the aircraft served in combat in bare aluminum, the sheer amount of work to bring the old Baby back to its wartime configuration would mean that leaving it in bare aluminum would show differences between the old panels of aluminum and the new. This combined with the need for long-term corrosion protection led to the decision, rather than apply a silver lacquer to the aircraft, to apply an olive-drab and neutral gray camouflage that was modeled off a unique variation developed for B-17s manufactured at Boeing plants in Seattle where the olive drab looped around the engine cowlings. The change to olive drab also resulted in the bomb row turning white rather than being a different color after every fifth bomb, the aircraft identification codes turning yellow from black, and where the original block numbers on the nose were all on olive-drab against the natural metal finish, a small portion incorporating the aircraft’s serial and subvariant distinction was left unpainted. In 1981, all completed portions of the aircraft were painted, and since the nose section was among the completed portions, Tony Starcer was called out of retirement to recreate his nose art for the aircraft back in 1944. Unfortunately, Starcer would not live to see the aircraft completed, passing away in 1986, but his recreation of the nose art remains today.

On September 10, 1988, Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby rolled out of the restoration hangar at Dover Air Force Base to a public ceremony celebrating the completion of her restoration. She would return to Dayton, but this time she would fly under her own wings. After several shakedown flights, flying as a US government aircraft with her wartime serial number standing in for an N-number, Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby arrived at Dayton on October 12 for a final ceremony on October 15 with an escort of two P-51 Mustangs, with the landing at 11:00 being accompanied by two Beechcraft T-34 Mentors. Once the public ceremonies were over, Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby was brought into the museum’s hangars, while the museum’s previous B-17G, 44-83624, would go on to be displayed at the Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover AFB under the name “Sleepy Time Gal”. This is the point, until recent years, where the story ended, but as it so happens, it seems the Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby has somewhat of a restless spirit if one were to be poetic.

In 2005, after over 50 years of being on display in the city of Memphis, Tennessee, the B-17F 41-24485 known to history as the Memphis Belle was brought to Dayton for restoration and eventual display. Two years later, in 2007, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s collections committee voted to transfer the oldest existent B-17, B-17D 40-3097 “The Swoose” to the National Museum of the USAF as well, and The Swoose would arrive the following year in 2008. The latter trade resulted in a deal between the National Museum of the USAF and the National Air and Space Museum that would see the Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby transferred to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum upon completion of either the Memphis Belle or The Swoose. In May 2018, the Belle was completed, and yet another ceremony followed, where a changing of the guard if it were commenced by placing the Memphis Belle and the Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby face to face before the former took the latter’s place and the latter was sent to the storage hangars to be disassembled for the journey to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles International Airport, Chantilly, Virginia. As of this article, the engines and some other components have already arrived at Udvar-Hazy, while the rest of the aircraft, especially the wings and fuselage remain, for the time being, at Dayton. The reason for this delay has been because of the ongoing renovations at the National Mall, which should take another two years to complete.

Memphis Belle nose to nose with Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby. (photo by Ken LaRock for USAF)

[toonbly]

hiiii im making a self indulgent ass post w/ all the fun little details i packed into tip the ferrymen pages up til today (excluding all the stuff thats foreshadowing for later spoilers) im gonna put it all under the cut though!!!

so hi. funny little bg details in ferrymen that i think is fun:

pg2 - Russel's grave! his last name, Marek, is named after an NPC in a really old dnd campaign my buddy jay ran for us back in high school

pg8 - there's a lot here so im just showing all of it LMAO. ambrosia bar back alley in the bg, one of eddie's murals is on the wall, eileen's missing poster is on the left, and as a lil spoiler: one of the ghosts in the background is gonna be a major character in arc 2!

pg20 - one of joey's drawings is of a younger nathan and the other is a blue cowboy, if you know what thats a nod to you know lol

pg20 - Eddie's gifts for the fortunes include a cat angel statue, white lillies (often used in funerals), and a blue candle. most of this is just supposed to be a nod towards who's leaving these gifts

pg33 - this is kinda hard to see due to the coloring (which i plan on going back and fixing at a later date) but the title of this book is "the wonderful world of elevators" which is a taz reference

pg37 - this is more a production fun fact but i made the eyes on the shadow creature in esther's portrait by just heavily editing a photo of my eye lol

pg37 - as eddie sneaks away from the vargas's, he glitches out which is meant to show that he's using his shapeshifting powers. foreshadowing!

pg45 - foreground detail so everyone noticed it but eddies just kinda chilling here when the vargas's enter andy's library

pg46 and pg81 - bim bim the bear's tears match esther's death injuries, he also copies joeys expressions throughout the first arc!

pg52 - the author of this book is mai's dad, arthur!

pg54 - eddie's "tell" when she's shapeshifted as someone else is that the scar over her eye stays no matter what. this isn't the only instance of this, but emily's disguise makes it the most obvious!

while we're at it-- eddie can mimic the blank eyes of ghosts because he knows they have blank eyes from watching paranathan, but he doesn't know what their death injuries like so they can't mimic them.

pg60 - the environments in sarah's station are made of cardboard cut outs, mimicing the kinda toy-like feeling of a giant train model

pg68- anime sparkles

pg71 - my favorite example of bimbim mimicking joey's expressions

pg74 - this is obvious i just really wanna point out nathan blushing when he sees how fucking tall eddie is

pg76 - when stumbling across the recreation of the murder scene, joey and eddie stare at the replica of the murder weapon in horror while nathan looks ahead at the portrait on the wall. nathan has seen this scene before back when it actually happened, it wouldn't be shocking to him but the museum of grief lizzie's made for herself would. eddie and joey, who have never seen the scene before, focus on the replica weapon.

pg83 - joey and esther bein BUDS

theres a few for page 84 so here we go:

one of eddie's murals is on a wall next to an ad for spectech, the mural is mocking eli

glenn and henry from a certain dnd podcast

more missing posters but theyre mega small so lol

pg86 - this is not a small detail i just really, really wanna point out nathan's cut off expression when eddie says this and how joey reacts to it being able to see what the audience cant. makes me insane

pg93 - ghost boxers. this isn't obvious but its 10x funnier if you know that its paranathan merch

pg100 - the newspaper changes to read "He's dead you're still here" when nathan starts to dissasociate

pg104 - this was a self indulgent lil thing for me but my players characters in our interstitial campaign are hidden back here!

pg114 - one of the background ghosts from pg8 is right here highlighted in red

pg117 has two things!

one of the background characters is holding a paranathan phone case

steve and alex of mc fame. this reference wasnt intentional at first but a friend pointed it out while i was coloring and i thought it was funny as hell and just ran with it

pg118 due to A Shenanagin in the tip the ferrymen discord server, corporate art style babe ruth is now a thing in this comic

pg127 - eddie seeing eli in the same room as them and just immediately deciding to leave

theres a bunch more but those are all foreshadowing for BIG spoilers later and this is mostly lil easter eggs/goofs/etc HFJSDHFKDS