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deramin2 · 9 months

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I don't know how to really express this except to come across as a "kids these days" scold, but so much of the criticism of queerness in Good Omens would simply not be a thing if kids these days watched more 20th century queer media. Or more complex indie queer media in general.

People seem to want a show that's like the straight stories they grew up with but gay. Or the gay fanfiction they grew up with. But that's not really the tradition it's coming from. First off the novel was released in 1990. Queer film classics of the time are Dead Poet's Society (1989) and Torch Song Trilogy (1988). The TV miniseries Tales of the City (1993) wasn't made until 3 years later and it was so far out there it never had a huge audience. Philadelphia (1993) is also 3 years out and was basically the first big studio queer film. The first fluffy queer Hallmark-style romcom wasn't until Big Eden in 2000, a full 10 years after publication.

Queer stories from the time it was written were about complex and often fraught relationships between people who the world was trying to force apart. There is an incredibly strong tradition in queer films of relationships with no guarantees they will work out both in the face of their personal baggage and the weight of the world. Take a film like Torch Song Trilogy that's about the two great loves of Arnold Beckoff's life over 9 years and how homophobia shapes them. Both externally (especially Allen) and internally like Ed struggling with his bisexuality and being terrified of being publicly out. Written and starred in by Harvey Fierstein, who identified as a gay man at the time and only came out as nonbinary last year.

The Boys In The Band (1968 play, filmed 1970 and 2020) was a monumental moment in Broadway history where finally there was a play about gay men in their own words where no one died and very strongly showed that homosexuality doesn't make people miserable but homophobia sure does. But that homophobia also throws their personal lives into constant turmoil and none of them are in happy relationships, although Hank and Larry are devoted to each other in their own fucked up way.

"Relationships are complicated and hard to make work and sometimes a struggle against the odds" is an aesthetic of classic queer film making. Partly it was influenced by the Hays Code (although independent films were not bound to it), partly influenced by the rampant queerphobia in society at the time that was inescapable. But it's also an aesthetic choice to resist the banal and unrealistic relationship depictions of straight media. There are actual stakes to the relationship. Queer people were actively resisting a world that said "Romance is seeing someone across the room and instantly falling in love with each other and little conflicts happen along the way but ultimately they're destined to be together and everything is happily ever after." Recall that "stalking as romance" was a completely inescapable trope in 1980s straight romance films, and every goddamn movie was being turned into a romance film.

So queer people in film and television when they can make what they please have a long tradition of saying instead "People don't always realize the feelings they've developed for a queer partner right away. They may have reasons for denying those feelings that are both a reflection of the cruelty in society and of their own insecurities. People struggle with where they belong and their relationships reflect that. Loving someone doesn't mean they don't also drive you crazy and you might fight with them constantly. But that doesn't negate the love or that feeling that even if things aren't okay, they're better with that person around. But maybe that person can't stay around. The world may be against you. And also maybe you don't just want that one person in your life. Soulmates is a very flawed model. Sometimes the strongest love is a struggle with yourself and the world and your person. You have to overcome yourself first. Happily ever after is a lie. You may be happy for a while, and hopefully for a long while, but everything ends. And you have to be ready to love again. Also your platonic bonds are just as important and life-altering as your romantic ones. Sometimes those platonic bonds include fucking if you want them to. Real life isn't a bunch of platitudes and world-altering moments, it's daily work to better yourself and the world around you. Especially when things just fucking suck. But also remember to have fun and fuck the haters. People who don't support you can eat rocks and you should yell at them more to shut the fuck up."

That is a fundamentally different outlook on what a "good relationship depiction" looks like. Personally, I thought I hated romance movies and then I started watching queer romance movies and discovered I love them and watch them all the time. Because it turns out what I hated was relationships being shown that had nothing at all to do with reality and privileged incredibly toxic ideals. Finally there was complexity, there were stakes, and there were people who had to truly want to be together enough to fight the world for it and not because they happened to be there. There were people actually talking out their problems and looking for resolutions. (And sometimes that resolutions was "I can't fucking deal with this bullshit anymore and I'm out.") For the first time it felt real.

I'm an aroace trans gay man. Nothing about relationships or being in relationships has come easy to me, and the whole paradigm of straight patriarchal romance depictions makes absolutely no sense to me. It's completely alien. Queer romance stories actually feel human.

And that's the tradition Good Omens is coming from, even as it's being retold in 2019-2023 and hopefully beyond. Gaiman's work has always been based in that queer media paradigm. (I've been remiss and daunted and haven't read Pratchett but from what I do know his work also seems to sit more in that world view.) It's a beautiful cinematic tradition and it's baffling to me that people would resist it instead of embracing it for being honest.

And that's when I turn into a crotchety old man complaining about the youth not connecting with the history of their beautiful culture and instead begging for assimilation into a shithole allocishet media landscape that doesn't actually want them except for their money and has nothing at all interesting or valuable to say. But it's very funny (annoying) to me when people claim Good Omens is someone against queer culture when it's so thoroughly bathed in the best of queer media's storytelling traditions and what people are asking for is straight media with the serial numbers filed off. Like, stop being boring please and know literally anything about the culture the adults in the room lived through and were influenced by. The world didn't begin in 2015.

EDIT: I also want to add that in straight media arcs are linear. Traditionally in queer media arcs are cyclical. Queer media very often depicts people going around in circles relearning the same lesson over and over as they inch towards it sinking in. But every time they go through the cycle they gain just a little bit more enlightenment and slowly move towards a better place. From the comments this is an immensely important distinction. People don't actually have cathartic moments where suddenly all their past bad programming is shed and they saunter forward a new person with none of their old baggage. In reality people fall into the same patterns over and over even though they have had every opportunity to learn better. "People magically get better" is a trope of straight media that's an outright and frankly dangerous lie. Again, Good Omens follows the queer tradition not the straight one and it's depicted 6,000 years of that cycle. The world didn't end, and the wheel keeps turning, as it always has and always will. That's so fundamental to queer storytelling traditions I forgot to even mention it.

#good omens #good omens season 2 #good omens spoilers #go s2 spoilers #good omens discourse #queer media #queer history #discourse #I have been a crotchety old man against the youths since middle school to be clear #if you don't know where you've been you have no hope of knowing where you should go next #I didn't sit all the way through deeply homophobic Brokeback Mountain or Tár just to hear people complain that honest rep is bad rep #This is also why I'm a critchety old man about most Critical Role Shadowgast haters #Liam and Matt have not only watched but copiously reference older queer media and Shadowgast is so clearly that tradition

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baberoe-archive · 1 month

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"There’s no limit to what John Egan can take. John Egan can take a shovel to the head. He can take a German cigarette. He can take a plane getting shot to hell, plummeting to the ground. He can take Air Exec as long as he can shove it up Hap Arnold’s ass. He can take the loneliness and the jealousy and the rage and the stupid fucking war and these stupid fucking Nazis and the goddamn cold and the feeling he gets sometimes, the absolute certainty that hits him like a bullet every so often, that he’s already dead, and this is Purgatory. He can take it all. He can take it when Buck says he won’t escape, won’t even think about it, because he wants to make it back to Marge alive — to hell with John, already dead and rotting in front of him. He can take that, too." In which John Egan wants and wants and wants.

i looked for it on all fours (clegan, one-shot, 10.4k) on ao3

#masters of the air #clegan #gale cleven #john egan #mota #buck cleven #bucky egan #thats probably enough tags lol #op

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usafphantom2 · 8 months

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11 September 1939. The first DC-3 purchased by the Army Air Corps was Douglas C-41A, serial number 40-070, (DC-3-253A s/n 2145). It was used by General Hap Arnold, Chief of Staff, Air Corps.

@ron_eisele via X

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teamsunfluff · 1 year

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(@ask-a-staravia) "Do you have any friends here in Cosmos town?" Mukudori asked the pair of Shaymin. "Or, um, at least Pokemon you know? What are they like?" He added hastily at the end.

"Oh yeah, we know a fair amount of residents due to how involved the whole town is with the refugee program here," Kaji said. He gestured towards the bar across the room, where a Tinkaton was cleaning out some glasses. "We already introduced her, but that's Ilva. She's the owner of this café, The Gigaton Brew. She can come off as a bit brash at first, but she's just very passionate about her job and confident in her craft.

"Then there's Prisca. She's a shiny Mightyena Absol crossbread who is a traveling merchant that comes by Cosmos Town every once in a while with rare materials. She really enjoys spelunking, so she finds all sorts of stuff, ranging from evolution stones to maps for other dungeons, the works. Normally she only stays in Cosmos Town for a week before she heads out again, but due to the recent incident at Sky Peak, she's settled in for a time until the guild can ascertain how safe it is to venture out of the town's radius again.

"Speaking of the guild, the Cosmos Town guild is run by a shiny Rapidash named Hrímfaxi. Guildmaster Hrímfaxi is a pretty stern guy, but I think that comes with the territory of being a seasoned explorer. He's seen some things and doesn't want to see those mistakes or tragedies repeated. He's also in charge of investigating what happened at Sky Peak, which is why we're staying at the guild currently. We're key witnesses," Kaji explained.

"He's tried to be gentle with us though, I can tell," Avin cut in. "The incident was... extremely traumatic, so while he definitely wants information from us, I think he's trying to let us adjust to being here first before he does any sort of interrogations."

Kaji nodded. "Much to the chagrin of his vice guildmaster, Mefitis. The two of them were apparently famous explorers once upon a time as Team Midnight? We'd never heard of them but when the Rapidash Scolipede duo opened up a guild, their reputation was enough that they had people in a line out the door and down the road. Or so Ilva says.

"We've also met a fair few of the guild members. Not all of them, since a lot of the teams operate out of their own bases, but the apprentices and staff all stay on site so when we were first given a tour we got to meet all of them.

"Firstly, there's six main staff members: Circe, Otrera, Cluri, Arnold, Roksana, and Kiko. Otrera is the primary doctor on staff, with Circe being her apprentice. The two of them make for a great healing duo since Otrera has natural healing abilities as an Audino, while Circe can handle some patients that Otrera can't, like ghost-types or ones who can only be reached via flying. They usually stay on site but sometimes are sent out during major disasters, like at Sky Peak," Kaji elaborated.

"Cluri is the main chef for the guild. Supposedly her name is short for something but in all candor, she kinda scares me. I can’t decide if it’s just the creepy vibes she gives off as a Morgrem or if it’s because she seems to intimidate the other recruits too, but, she seems like the type you don’t want to mess with, at least in my opinion.

“Arnold and Roksana are the tag team that handles sentry duty. That Boltund Watchog duo can't be beat! They're also an exploration team that graduated a few winters ago, which probably explains why they have such good synergy. Supposedly they caught a couple outlaws who were trying to mascarade as a guild team last year, all because Arnold recognized their scent!

"Then there's Kiko. She's in charge of changing out the job mission and outlaw boards. Apparently she's got a cousin who changes out those requests at a guild in the west too? She often talks about how cool it is that she can go into the ocean when he can't. I'm not really sure what she means by that, but if it makes her little Wiglett-self happy then so be it!" Kaji said with a laugh.

"Oh and then," Avin interjected, "There's the other apprentices. Besides us, there's eight other apprenticing members at the guild that make up three teams. There's Team ZipZop, which primarily focuses on water rescues and missions. Cosmos Town is really close to the ocean so having a team consisting of largely water-types is handy for that. Being a Dreepy, Lich is really fast so they're able to scout out ahead for any danger or people in need of rescue! Then Dre, Rami, and Ju can come in and perform the rescue itself. Between Dre's flotation devices, Rami's schooling ability, and Ju's swift flying and diving, they're able to pretty quickly get people out of the water and to safety!

"Then there's Team RockyShock. Their leader is Fen, an older apprentice at the guild, who took Deli and Vulcan under his wings to form the team. And I do mean that literally, since Fen is an Oricorio. They're currently operating mostly in the Northern Desert region, since Deli and Vulcan are rock and ground-types respectively and still need to get used to the ins and outs of exploring. It's a bit rough on Fen, but he says they're doing pretty well for being newer apprentices.

"Lastly, there's Donahue, a solo explorer and the only member of Team X-Scissor. You wouldn't think a Ninjask would be able to hold his own, but Donahue's a really skilled fighter and rescuer. He's also the apprentice that's been at the guild the longest, so all the others sorta look up to him. I think he's set to graduate soon too? I'll need to ask him more about it."

Kaji lightly smacked his paws on the table in excitement. "Oh! And of course we can't forget-"

"Adam!" Avin said excitedly. The two Shaymin laughed together before turning to Mukudori. "Adam was one of the first non-guild members we met in Cosmos Town. He actually really wants to be part of the guild, but he's failed the entry exam three times already because he gets too scared and runs away. We were thinking of offering to help him train to see if it would calm his nerves down a bit."

Kaji nodded. "He seems like a really nice guy. You wouldn't think a Garchomp would be so easily intimidated by the entry exam, but given we didn't technically take it ourselves... well... we don't actually know what it entails, so best we can do is help him train and hope it works, right?"

"Sorry, I know that was probably more than you were expecting," Avin said with a chuckle, "Did you want to ask about any particular details?"

Ask Hints have been Updated!

#shaymin #teamsunfluff #ask a staravia #pokemon mystery dungeon #written ask blog #pokemon ask blog #avinshaymin #kajishaymin #chrono #thanks for the ask!

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brookstonalmanac · 10 months

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Birthdays 6.25

Beer Birthdays

David Edgar (1963)

Andy French (1968)

Five Favorite Birthdays

Denys Arcand; film director (1941)

Clifton Chenier; Zydeco musician (1925)

Tim Finn; rock musician (1952)

Ricky Gervais; English comedian, actor, writer (1961)

George Orwell; English writer (1903)

Famous Birthdays

George Abbott; film director (1887)

Henry "Hap" Arnold; U.S. Army-Air Force general (1886)

Peter Blake; English artist (1932)

Eric Carle; writer (1929)

Gustave Charpentier; French composer (1860)

Antonio Gaudi; architect (1852)

Phyllis George; television broadcaster (1949)

Dorothy Gilman; writer (1923)

Robert Henri; artist (1865)

Allen Lanier; rock keyboardist (1946)

June Lockhart; actor (1925)

Sidney Lumet; film director (1924)

Yann Martel; writer (1963)

Michele Merkin; model (1975)

George Michael; pop singer (1963)

Walther Nernst; German chemist (1864)

Tsar Nicholas I; Russian leader (1796)

Rose O'Neill; illustrator, designed "Kewpie Doll" (1874)

Peyo; Belgian cartoonist (1928)

Willis Reed; New York Knicks C (1942)

Carly Simon; pop singer (1945)

Sonia Sotomayor; U.S. Supreme Court justice (1954)

Jackie Swanson; actor (1963)

Jimmie Walker; comedian, actor (1947)

#Birthdays

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formeroklahoman · 1 year

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Meet Jacqueline Cochran!

When contemplating starting her own business, Cochran learned to fly at the suggestion of her future husband Floyd Odlum, founder and president of the Atlas Corporation, to market the venture. In 1932, she soloed at Roosevelt Flying School on Long Island and received her license after only three weeks of lessons; she then immediately pursued advanced instruction at the Ryan School of Aeronautics and built up flight time. She earned her instrument rating and commercial and transport pilot licenses and entered the 1934 MacRobertson Air Race from London, England, to Melbourne, Australia, flying a Granville R-6H QED, only to be forced down by mechanical difficulty in Bucharest, Romania.

In 1935 she established Jacqueline Cochran Cosmetics, Wings of Beauty, in Chicago, Los Angeles, and eventually on New York's Fifth Avenue, successfully competing with Helena Rubenstein and Elizabeth Arden beauty houses. Cochran flew around the country delivering test products and building up distributors, and she formulated a moisturizer to combat dry skin resulting from high altitude flight. After a flight, Cochran always took time to repair her makeup and comb her hair as a personal preference, while also cognizant of the public view of women pilots as non-feminine.

Cochran was an ambitious record setter. She set two women's speed records in her Beech D-17W Staggerwing in 1937, followed by three major (men's and women's) flying records and, after three attempts, she won the prestigious 1938 Bendix Trophy Race flying Alexander de Seversky's P-35 pursuit plane.

As war in Europe approached, Cochran was one of several women who felt women should be utilized in wartime aviation. In 1941, Cochran selected a group of 27 highly qualified U.S. women pilots to ferry military aircraft in Great Britain for the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), as most male military pilots were flying in combat. In 1942, Cochran, at the request of Army General Henry "Hap" Arnold, organized the Women's Flying Training Detachment (WFTD) to train civilian women pilots in anticipation of a similar domestic shortage of American military pilots during World War II. Based first at Houston and then Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, the WFTD received primary flight training in military aircraft from military instructors. The WFTD soon merged with Nancy Love's Women's Auxiliary Ferry Squadron (WAFS, a group of experienced pilots) to form the civilian Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) with Cochran as director. From 1943 to 1944, 1,074 women flew over 60 million miles ferrying aircraft and personnel, towing targets, and other transport duties. The WASP flew every military aircraft including Boeing B-17 and B-29 bombers. The WASP were disbanded in 1944, and Cochran was at the center of complications that prevented the group from being absorbed into the USAAF's Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC). The WASP finally received retroactive military status in 1977.

Following the war, Cochran earned more speed records including multiple ones in her Lockheed Lodestar. In 1953, she borrowed a Canadair F-86 Sabre jet (because military aircraft were not available to civilian and especially female pilots) to break the sound barrier; she was coached by Major Charles "Chuck" Yeager, the first man to break the sound barrier.

For several years Cochran traded records with French pilot Jacqueline Auriol, a matter of pride for both nations. In 1961, she received permission to fly a company-owned Northrop T-38 Talon and promptly set straightaway courses, speed over various distance closed courses, and altitude records, including an absolute altitude record of 56,071.80 feet that bested Auriol's. In May 1964, now 58 years old and allowed to fly a USAF Lockheed F-104G Starfighter, she set three new speed records and flew Mach 2, twice the speed of sound.

By the time of her death, Cochran received the Distinguished Service Medal for her leadership of the WASP and three Distinguished Flying Cross awards for other records. She was also a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

By Dorothy Cochrane and P. Ramirez

https://buff.ly/44nH4kk

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sfc-paulchambers · 1 year

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In the earliest years of the U.S. Army’s use of airplanes, the primary mission of aircraft was intelligence gathering and swift delivery of messages; in March 1911 the Army began experimenting with other possible military uses. Following the lead of European and Japanese armies, the Army used aircraft to adjust observed artillery fire for the first time at Fort Riley, Kansas, from 5 through 13 November 1912. Using two Wright Model C "Speed Scout" planes, which were designed to perform reconnaissance and could carry radio and photographic equipment with a two-man crew (a pilot and observer), Captain Frederick B. Hennessy and 2nd Lieutenants Henry H. “Hap” Arnold and Thomas DeWitt Milling observed the strike of rounds and adjusted the fire of the batteries on the ground to the targets using radiotelegraphy, drop cards, and smoke signals. Lieutenant Colonel Edward McGlachlin, commandant of the Field Artillery School, embraced the idea and further developed aerial observation at Fort Sill in 1915-1916. DID YOU KNOW - 2nd Lieutenant Henry H. “Hap” Arnold, who began his career as an infantry officer and served in the Philippines, was detailed to the Signal Corps and learned to fly from the Wright Brothers. - Hap Arnold went on to command U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II and was promoted to the 5-star rank of General of the Army in 1944. #Armyhistory #USArmy #MilitaryHistory #TRADOC #MilitaryAviation #SignalCorps #ArmyAviation #WrightBrothers #Artillery #AirForceHistory Posted @withrepost • @armyhistory https://www.instagram.com/p/CklJqQ_usxM/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#armyhistory #usarmy #militaryhistory #tradoc #militaryaviation #signalcorps #armyaviation #wrightbrothers #artillery #airforcehistory

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militarymetalart · 2 years

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Headquartered at Kirtland Air Force Base (AFB) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the 377th Air Base Wing (ABW) provides support for the nation’s nuclear enterprise, and installation and medical support to over 100 mission partners and tenant units both on and off base. The 377 ABW and organizations of “Team Kirtland” constitute 13% of Albuquerque’s workforce, with an economic impact of over $7 billion to the local area. The mission of the 377th Air Base Wing is to execute nuclear logistics, readiness, and support operations for American airpower. Kirtland AFB is a center for research, development and testing of non-conventional weapons, space and missile technology, laser warfare, and much more. HISTORY Kirtland Air Force Base began as an Army Air Corps training field. Late in 1939, the U.S. Army leased land east of Albuquerque's newly completed municipal airport for transient military aircraft support. With World War II on the horizon, construction on an Army Air Base began in January 1941. The base was ready for initial occupation in the spring and by the summer of 1941, the first major occupants of the new base began to arrive. First designated Albuquerque Army Air Base, the new base became Kirtland Army Air Field on Feb. 25, 1942, in honor of pioneer Army aviator Col. Roy C. Kirtland, who had been instrumental in forming the Army's aviation service. Kirtland, a longtime friend of General H. H. "Hap" Arnold, died in May 1941, after being recalled to active duty. During World War II, personnel at Kirtland Field trained several thousand aircrew members for duty on the Army Air Forces B-17, B-24, and B-29 bombers, which saw action in all theaters of the war. For most of World War II, the base's major training schools, including bombardier, multi-engine transition, and combat crew training, operated at full capacity. In October 2015, the 377th Air Base Wing realigned under Air Force Global Strike Command to improve the effectiveness of and support for the Air Force's nuclear enterprise. https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci3KmvIOFJ7/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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football-writing · 3 years

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Trent Alexander Arnold - you deserve the world and more

Warnings: some sexual innuendos, teasing, overall birthday fluffiness

a/n: so i got a request for Trent but i don't actually know him that well? anyway watched some videos, thought his accent was cute and i don't mind the request either way so... here we are :p sorry it took a bit longer, i was quite busy with school unfortunately :(

"HAP-"

"Don't even start Trent, I will break up with you." You sat up against the headboard of your bed, a pointed finger raised toward his figure as he entered your bedroom, although it did nothing to add any significance to the empty threat.

He pouted as you interrupted his attempt at singing happy birthday to you. Granted it was early in the morning and his terrible singing was probably not the best thing to wake up to, he still figured you'd deserve some love on your birthday. Besides, he loved when you'd get all embarrassed at his antics, especially if your cheeks flushed and that shy smile played on your lips. He simply thought you were adorable.

"Please? I made a crazy remix just for you." He pleaded with you, but your glare - albeit playful - told him not to push it.

"Alright well, you'll hear it next year then." He joked as he sat down on the edge of the bed, propping himself up on his elbows before nodding his head at you. "Get dressed, baby, we got a lot to do today."

"Do we, now?" Your tone was teasing, but really you were curious as to what he had planned. It was Trent after all - the boy always planned everything to perfection.

"Didn't think I didn't have anything planned for your birthday, did you?" He raised his eyebrows at you, a smirk playing on his lips.

You only hummed amusedly in response as you got out of bed. It wasn't entirely uncommon for him to sit and wait on your bed while you got ready; he'd been round yours countless of times and knew his way around, being perfectly capable of entertaining himself while you showered and did your hair and make up. It was no surprise that when you were done and walked back into your room, he was sprawled out on your bed, watching summaries of last night's football matches.

Still, his eyes were on you as soon as you walked in in only your underwear. "Dang girl, I thought it was your birthday but this sure is a present for me." He flirted as his eyes wandered over your body. The comment earned him a roll of your eyes as you continued your way to your wardrobe, but the blush that adorned your cheeks gave away the impact that it had on you. Surely, you'd have to be used to it by now, but all his flirty remarks and admiring gazes still made butterfly erupt in your stomach.

"It's nothing too fancy, just wear something you're comfortable in." He said as he noticed you weighing your clothing options.

"How comfortable are we talking here?" You pondered out loud as you ran your hand across some shirts, trying to pick one.

"Well, not sweatpants-comfortable."

You let out a laugh at that. He knew you all too well, and if you could, you'd spend the whole day in your sweats. Instead, you opted for a white turtleneck with a black slip-on dress. It was comfortable yet cute, and matched perfectly with your doc martens. It was coincidentally also one of Trent's favourite outfits of yours.

"Dang! You tryna impress me here?" Trent hollered as soon as he saw the outfit you'd put on, immediately shutting off the tv and walking up to you.

"Depends. Is it working?" You asked as you teasingly smiled up at him, wrapping your arms around his neck.

"Perhaps." He fiddled with the straps of your dress, twisting them beneath his fingers as he avoided making eye contact with you. The blush on his cheeks betrayed him though; you had as much of an effect on him as he did on you, even after dating for so long.

it was evident too, when you drove to wherever he was taking you, his hand firmly on your thigh the whole time.

"Alright, we're here. I know what you're thinking: 'Trent, we're at the park', but it's gonna be fun, I promise." He said as soon as he parked the car.

You only held your hands up in defense as both of you got out, Trent walking over to your side immediately. The piece of cloth in his hands made you look warily at him, which he took quick notice of.

"I just wanna keep this a surprise, okay? I need to get some things from the trunk and I don't want you to see just yet. Please can I put the blindfold on?"

And if it wasn't for his stupid puppy eyes and perfect smile you would've said no. But alas, here we are, as you reluctantly let him blindfold you. You could only peak down and see the toes of your shoes, but the rest was total darkness as you relied on your sense of hearing to know that Trent was rummaging in the back of his car. Then, your sense of touch took over as Trent's hand appeared in yours, guiding you for a small walk before telling you to wait on the spot as you once again heard him rummaging around.

"You know, in any other situation this blindfold might've been fun, but I'd really like to take it off now." You hummed. Patience was never one of your virtues. And although you couldn't see Trent, the sound of his choked out breath at your innuendo made you bite back a cheeky smile.

"It's done, you can take it off."

And you did. Your eyes needed some time to adjust to the bright sun, but once they did, a gasp fell from your mouth. He stood before you with a bouquet of your favourite flowers, a picnic blanket spread out on the grass with various items laid on it. A quick glance made you realise how much thought he put into this: there were chocolate covered strawberries, grapes, some of your favourite snacks and a bottle of wine to share. He even brought a speaker so you could listen to music. The scene in front of you looked like it came straight out of a movie.

"Trent, this- this is just- I mean, wow." You stuttered out.

"Let's just enjoy ourselves, yeah? You wanna start with the strawberries?" He asked with a proud smile on his face, before gently kissing your cheek as you were still completely awestruck.

And so the rest of the day was spent sitting at that little spot in the park. You'd fed each other strawberries, giggling as Trent got chocolate on his chin, eating all your favourite snacks and reminiscing on the past year. The whole time he's just sitting there, admiring you and everything you've achieved this year, telling you time and time again how proud he is of you. It's a day well spent, and as the cold evening breeze picks up, you're moving closer to him, resting your head on his shoulder. His hand comes down on your thigh, then, just beneath the hem of your dress. He'd momentarily slip his pinky finger an inch or so underneath it, rubbing gentle circles on the now exposed skin.

"This has been amazing, Trent. Really, I appreciate it so much. just goes to show I picked the right guy, don't it?" You're giggling as you look up at him, but the confession is as genuine as it gets.

"You deserve it, baby." He whispers as he looks down into your eyes. And it's true. The whole world knows how much you deserve it. All you can do is smile brightly.

"God, I love you so much." You confess in a rushed whisper.

He doesn't even have time to respond that he loves you more before your lips are already on his, kissing him passionately to emphasise the truth in your previous statement. He kisses back with just as much intensity, his hands holding your face as he smiles in the kiss. It doesn't take long before his tongue slips in your mouth, slowly and teasingly, and you can only press yourself further into him as a response to his actions.

As much as he wants to continue, give you exactly what you want, he's awfully aware that you're both still in public. He also has another surprise for you. So he reluctantly breaks the kiss, much to your dismay.

"I- uhh. I actually have something else for you." He admits as he starts going through the basket, taking out a small box.

"Trent, really, this is too much."

"Open it baby." He says as he hands you the box. Your hand reaches up to cover your mouth as you gasp loudly, looking up at him in disbelief as soon as you open it and see what's inside.

"No way. Is this-?" You can't even form a proper sentence.

"Your birthstone and mine, yeah. I heard you talk about how much you liked the idea of them, so I thought this would be really cool. And it would look really good on you."

His confession makes you well up slightly as you roam over the necklace. It's delicate and dainty, the two birthstones sitting right beside each other in a beautiful pendant. It's absolutely mesmerising to look at, and it's the perfect gift to top off a perfect day.

"Do you want me to put it on for you?" He's whispering as he kisses your forehead, and he can feel you nod against his lips.

You turn around so he's got access to your neck. It's convenient because he won't notice the tears that silently fall from your eyes. This would go down as your best birthday ever, and it's all because of him. You couldn't have wished for anything more in life than to be by his side, and you're hoping the rest of your future together will have you feeling this pure happiness, forever. You're having to look up at the sky to stop the tears from overflowing even more.

He's careful as he puts the necklace on, brushing your hair aside, fingertips grazing over the warm skin beneath your ear as he does, rubbing your arms once he's done, signalling for you to turn back around. He kisses your shoulder before resting his chin on it as he realises you're not ready to face him yet, quickly trying to wipe away any stray tears as you try and compose yourself.

"It's okay, you don't have to hide from me baby. You deserve the world and more, you know that." He's smiling gently as he whispers from his position behind you, his arms wrapping around you too as he gently sways you from side to side.

"I'm just- this is just so nice. Everything you've done for me." Your voice is strained, and it sounds like you're holding in a sob at his kind words.

"I love you." He's whipsering as his lips find their way to your shoulder, and your neck, and cheek, peppering them in tender kisses to bring your wonderful smile back on your lips. Your head leans to his, indicating that you're okay again, saying the three words back to him once more. He's letting you go then, just so you can turn around and look him in the eyes again. He's grinning, and the mischievous glint in his eyes makes you look at him skeptically.

"Actually, I have another surprise for you."

"Babe I don't think I can take another surprise."

"You're gonna like this one, though." He's full on smirking now, and you call out his name in warning.

"Yeah, it's gonna take all night long." Your mouth falls open in shock at his vulgar comment, groaning out a quiet 'oh my god' as you slap his chest, while he's full on giggling as he falls back on the blanket.

That one comment is all it takes for you to fall back into your usual joking, teasing routine. And it's all you could ever ask for.

He is all you could ever ask for, and so much more, too.

#trent alexander arnold #trent alexander arnold oneshot #trent alexander arnold fanfic #trent alexander arnold imagine #trent alexander arnold x reader

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skyfire85 · 3 years

Text

-A U.S. Army Air Forces Bell XP-59A Airacomet (s/n 42-108784) at Muroc Dry Lake, California. | Photo: USAAF

FLIGHTLINE: 184 - BELL P-59 AIRACOMET

The XP-59 was the first production jet fighter for the US, but the subpar performance saw the few aircraft completed relegated to training.

Development of the P-59 can be traced back to April 1941, when Major General Hap Arnold of the USAAC attended a demonstration of the Gloster E.28/39, the first British jet aircraft. Seeing the potential of the technology, Arnold took copies of the plans for the Power Jets W.1 engine, and arranged for an engine to be flow to the US along with a team or Power Jets engineers as well as plans for the uprated W.2B/23. General Electric was offered the license to produce the engine in the US, where it was known as the GE I-A, while Bell Aircraft was granted a contract to build a fighter to use it. In order to disguise the nature of the program, the new aircraft was given the designation P-59A, making it appear to be a development of the unrelated XP-59 project developed for the R-40C competition. Three prototypes were authorized under the contract, and the design of the new plane was finalized on 9 January 1942, after which construction began.

-Orthograph of the P-59A. | Illustration: Kaboldy

DESIGN AND SPECS

The P-59A was of all-metal stressed skin semi-monocoque construction, with mid-mounted, straight wings. The GE J31 engines, developments of the I-A, were housed in nacelles under the wings and close to the fuselage. The single-place, pressurized cockpit was positioned above the leading edge of the wing, behind the armaments stored in the nose. The prototypes were armed with two 37mm M10 autocannon with 44 rounds each. Self-sealing fuel tanks within the wings, two per side, carried 290gal of fuel. The P-59s were fitted with electrically-actuated tricycle landing gear, an advanced feature for the time. The plane was 38 feet long, with a wingspan of 45' 6", and a height of 12 feet. Empty they weighed 8,165lb, while at max TO the weight increased to 13,700lbs. Maximum speed was a little over 400mph, while cruise was 375mph. Combat range was 375 miles, and the service ceiling was 46,000 feet. The P-59 was not an interceptor, as the time to 30,000 was a positively sedate fifteen and a half minutes.

The prototypes were constructed at a factory formerly occupied by Pierce-Arrow, though none of the elevators at the facility could accommodate the completed aircraft, and a wall needed to be removed to extract the aircraft. The first XP-59A was shipped by train to Muroc Army Air Field (now Edwards AFB) on 12 September 1942, and the first (accidental) flight was on 1 October during high-speed taxi tests, with the official maiden flight occurring the next day. During shipping and testing, the XP-59s wore a false propeller to disguise their true nature. By March 1943, the second prototype had joined the first, and after rains flooded Muroc it was towed, on a public road, to Hawes Field at nearby Victorville Army Airfield to continue test flights.

-An XP-59A prototype, under a tarp and with a false propeller affixed to its nose, likely at either Muroc or Victorville AAF. | Photo: USAAF

Even before the first flight of the XP-59, the Army ordered an additional 13 pre-production models, designated YP-59A, for familiarization and training. This was followed in July 1943 by an order for 100 operational model P-59A, which received the name Airacomet in a poll of Bell employees. The A model would be equipped with three .50cal M2 Browning machine guns as well as a single M10 autocannon, and would also differ from the XP and YP-59 in having improved model J31 engines, as well as squared off wingtips and horizontal stabilizers. A further 80 P-59B were ordered as well, which had two additional self-sealing fuel tanks, one in each outer wing, and provisions for two 1,590gal drop tanks.

FLIGHT TESTING

-An XP-59A with the short-lived red-outlined roundel, dating the photo to between June and September 1943. | Photo: USAAF

Deliveries of the YP-59 began in July 1943, and one aircraft was bailed to the RAF in exchange for a Gloster Meteor. British pilots were not enamored with the Bell jet, finding it underpowered and unstable compared to their usual mounts. Two other YP-59s were lent to the US Navy as YF2L-1s, but the Navy judged them to be unsuitable for carrier operations. Flight tests of the XP and YP-59s continued, but, as with the Navy and RAF, the AAF found them slow and unstable, with a tendency to "snake" at speeds over 290mph. The J31s had poor reliability and throttle response (as was typical of first generation jets), and the thrust produced was below expectations. Combat trials against P-38 Lightnings and P-47 Thunderbolts found the older prop-driven planes were faster and more maneuverable.

-The first production P-59A in formation with a P-63 Kingcobra. | Photo: USAAF

The results of these trials cooled the USAAF's interest in the P-59, and the order for P-59As was cut to 50 machines on 10 October '44, with the P-59B order cut to just 30 aircraft. Bell ceased production of the Airacomet at the end of 1944 in order to focus on P-63 Kingcobra for the Soviet Air Force, with only 20 A models and 30 B models completed. Most of the P-59Bs were assigned to the 412th Fighter Group at Muroc for familiarization of pilots and ground crews, while three aircraft were transferred to the Navy for further flight trials and training. With the end of WWII and more advanced aircraft like the Lockheed P-80 now flying, the P-59 was relegated to ground tests, and by June of 1948 the Status Prefix Z, indicating an obsolete aircraft, had been applied to the P-59, functionally ending its career.

SURVIVING AIRCRAFT

Of the 66 Airacomets built, only 6 are known to survive: a single XP-59 is on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, while the only P-59A is located at the March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California. Three P-59Bs survive, one at the National Museum of the USAF in Dayton, another mounted on a pole outside Edwards AFB, and the last at Pioneer Village in Minden, Nebraska. A YP-59A has been undergoing restoration to flying condition at the Planes of Fame Museum in California for the last decade.

-The NMUSAF's P-59B, outside during a reorganization of the hangar in 2007. | Photo: NMUSAF

-The YP-59A at 2006 Warbird Airshow. As was done more than 60 year previously, a false propeller was fitted to the plane. | Photo: Brian Lockett

#aircraft #aviation #avgeek #airplanes #airplane #aviation history #usaf #usaaf #wwii aircraft #wwii history #ww2 aircraft #ww2 #ww2 jets #early jet #bell aircraft #general electric

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