Postcard from Tucson

No, I am not back in Tucson. I am still enjoying the crisp cool air of the San Francisco Bay Area…specifically Walnut Creek. Kind of wish I was back home as the weather there is in the mid to high 70’s right now. But, when I get back there in early February, I will have plenty of nice weather for a few months. So, I am fine here for now. It’s a nice change.

For airplane aficionados, I am sure you recognize the aircraft in this photo…a Boing B-17 bomber (AKA “The Flying Fortress”), the key bomber used in World War II, especially in daylight bombing raids over Europe. Flying mainly out from bases in Great Britain, the B-17 hit targets in occupied France and Germany.  It was a potent, high-flying, long-range bomber that was able to defend itself, and to return home despite extensive battle damage.

How tough was it? In one instance, a B-17 suffered a mid-air collision with a German fighter plane, losing an engine and suffering serious damage to both the starboard horizontal stabilizer and the vertical stabilizer. It was knocked out of formation by the impact. The B-17 was reported as shot down by observers, but it survived and brought its crew home without injury.

It dropped more bombs in Europe than any other bomber used by the Allies. Being a long-range bomber, the aircraft could fly deep into enemy airspace, but with a cost. Fighter aircraft could fly cover for the bombers only part way. From there on, the bombers were unprotected, making them easier targets for German fighter planes. So flying in one of these planes during the war was very hazardous duty.

Later in the war, the US began flying the P-51 Mustang as a fighter escort. It could flying the entire way with the bombers…thereby reducing bomber losses and effectively ending the effectiveness of the German Air Force in protecting the Fatherland against US bombers. 

This particular aircraft was restored and put on display in Tucson at the Pima Air and Space Museum…well worth a visit if you are ever down my way.

Postcard from San Francisco

I’m back after an extended holiday vacation…but, at the same time, I am not back. Let me explain:

I had a great Christmas in Yuma with my son and his new extended family. Eric gave me a new iPhone 5 which I love. Still learning about what it can do. He also gave me a Blue-Ray player for my new high definition TV (my Christmas gift to myself). But, more than all that, we all had a great time together for the first time.  

After returning to Tucson for a few days, I took off again…this time for Walnut Creek in the San Francisco Bay Area. I am house sitting (and dog sitting) for my friends the Millers while they enjoy a month in Hawaii. Even though it is cold here, it is also cold in Tucson, so I have not given up much, weather-wise. I love the Bay Area, as I’ve mentioned here before…and so far, so good.

It is difficult, but not impossible, to keep up my blogs while on the road. With that said, I will only be doing one Postcard blog a week until I get back to Tucson. I hope that is OK.

Today’s photo shows another one of those great buildings in San Francisco. It does not have a name, at least that I can find. It is down in the Embarcadero District on California Street. I titled the photo, “Little Building in a Big City,” an apt description as you can see from the surrounding buildings.

The Embarcadero District, located down by the Ferry Building on the wharf has changed a lot since I was a young man living in the Bay Area. Lots of new buildings, mostly tall as it is part of the financial district. So some big name companies are headquartered here.

For me, that means a lot of fun exploring architectural art forms with my camera…hence this photo and others you have seen in the past. I have more which I will share over time in the future.

So far, I have not made it yet over to The City yet. It’s too cold and wet for this newly annointed son-of-the-desert. But I will soon. I did a lot of exploring with my camera when I was last here in July. For now I ‘ve been settling in with my new duties and getting used to the weather. I also plan to experiment with my new iPhone camera, supposedly the best smart phone camera today. We shall see.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

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