Some Aircraft videos (Updated)

Here are a couple of neat flight videos.

Dramatic footage of some Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and their crews.

The music is quiet, but suits the subject matter. The next video is much louder, so watch your volume control.

NASA X-15 Rocket Plane 1959 to R.L. Burnside


I'll be going to the Avalon Airshow this weekend. There won't be any X-15s on display, but Chuck Yeager will be there, and a reproduction Bell X-1. Also some P-51 Mustangs.

UPDATE: here are a few pics from the Airshow.

Some old battlers...




... and something new.

100 Years Ago

The Shorpy Blog has amazing pictures from circa 1900, back when denim jeans were being invented. These pictures really get you thinking about how different our lives are compared to 100 years ago.

Shorpy Blog

Eternal 811 Update

An update with some early progress pictures.

I'm very happy with the jeans. They are a great slim (not tight) yet comfortable jean.

Buzz Rickson's Black MA-1 Long

Here are some pictures of my Buzz Rickson's MA-1. I got it at the start of summer, so I haven't really had a chance to wear it until now.

You can read about the Black MA-1 at History Preservation, or the Buzz Ricksons site.

You can read how William Gibson wrote about the Buzz Rickson's Black MA-1 before it existed.

...and then you can read the Gibson book "Pattern Recognition".



Here is a close-up of the nylon oxygen mask flap.


A close-up of the zipper.


In this close-up you can see a peg between the top teeth to stop the zipper.


This picture shows the bunching of the nylon on the inside of the arm.

In Pattern Recognition Gibson talks about the sewing machines not being able to grip the fabric (because nylon was still relatively new) so this was evident in the bunching and skewing of these seams. On my jacket it seems like the bunching/skewing is done on purpose to shape the arms.

A close-up of the front pocket with snap and bar-tack.


The lining, with the inner pocket - which looks the same as the finishing on the outside.


Impressions so far: The jacket is suprisingly heavy and VERY warm. It isn't like the modern versions you might see. It feels like it contains a double blanket layering between the nylon shell. I think it's only wearable for days where the maximum temperature is below 19°C.

Thanks to DDML for posting pics of his MA-1 and for sizing advice.

Real McCoy's Funbook 2007

Earlier I mentioned the Real McCoy's magazine that I got at Kinokuniya in Sydney. It's really a catalog that you have to pay for, but it's got some great pictures and probably some good information if you can read Japanese.

Here are some of my favourite parts.

Layout showing the various parts that comprise an A-2.

The internal padding/insulation of a B15. I presume that this filling is quite similar to what is inside my Buzz Rickson's MA-1.

Indigo by Jenny Balfour-Paul

My copy of the new edition of Indigo by Jenny Balfour-Paul has arrived.

It's a big book. Shiny hardback. And it has more information and colour pictures than I expected.

I suspect that it is exactly the same as the previous edition, just a different publisher.


Interestingly the book is published with assitance from Olah Inc. New York, Blue Track Srl Italy, and Kurabo Industries Japan.

I ordered my copy directly from Archetype books in the U.K..

ISBN: 1904982158
Book listing

Send them an email if you want to order.

This is a pair of Levi's Jeans: The Official History of the Levi's Brand (updated)

This book has been discontinued/sold-out, so I ordered a second-hand copy from overseas. When the title says "The Official History of the Levi's Brand" I was expecting timelines, dates and information. Not so. What you get is big pictures of jeans, letters, receipts, Levis advertisments, and people wearing jeans, but most of the interesting pictures have had weird colour treatments, and the textual information has had excessive layout font and colour treatment so that it has become impossible to read.

A better title for this would be "The Big Colour Layout Disappointment".

Here are some examples of what I mean.

1/5 Stars

Don't waste your money.

King of Vintage

This guy has the maddest collection of vintage clothing...



From the subtitles the top jeans in his collection appear to be:
1880 501
1937 501XX
1902 501XX
1920 201
1910 333
1910 501XX

As Indiana Jones always said about old artefacts... "It belongs in a museum".

U.S. Evisu CEO Explains Japanese Denim

"Evisu CEO Nick Starsmore of the U.S. tells Label Networks latest plans for the premium Japanese denim brand and it's collaborations with Puma in denim, sneaker culture, and the American marketplace."



I feel that he could've explained things better, but maybe this hype-approach is appropriate for the audience (not me).

Oversized Red Tab

The oversized red tab on these Big Face Evisu jeans made me laugh.