R. Doug Wicker's Blog, page 124

El Paso International Airport and Biggs Army Airfield Histories — Part 3

El Paso ATCT “Firsts”:

There are several ‘firsts’ associated with El Paso International Airport and the FAA Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) facility which serves it. In the early 1960s the FAA commissioned famed architect I.M. Pei to design a new type of control tower. The FAA originally intended to install Pei towers at 50 airports around the country, although this number would eventually drop to 16. The Pei towers were taller and more advanced than any control tower used at the time. T...

El Paso International Airport and Biggs Army Airfield Histories — Part 2

El Paso Civil Aviation:

El Paso’s first civilian airfield, El Paso Municipal Airport, was built in 1928 near the eastern base of the Franklin Mountains in the area that today is just northeast of Railroad Drive at Liberty Expressway. Indeed, a road at this location still retains the name Planeport Loop. Operational from 1928 until 1945, El Paso Municipal Airport was managed beginning in 1934 by the newly established Varney Speed Lines, the predecessor of what would eventually become Continent...

El Paso International Airport and Biggs Army Airfield Histories — Part 1

El Paso Military Aviation and Biggs Army Airfield:

In 1919 the first permanent aviation presence arrived at Fort Bliss Aviation Field. The U.S. Army deployed to Fort Bliss the 104th Aero Squadron, which operated the Geoffrey de Havilland-designed Dayton-Wright DH-4. These aircraft patrolled the border between the United States and Mexico, becoming the first aerial Border Patrol operation.

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Dayton-Wright DH-4, based on the Airco D.H.4

Meanwhile, in December of that same year, the Army relocated...

Fun Photo Friday — 54 Days at Sea, Stromboli and Katakolon Favorites

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Study in Angles and Rule of Thirds

Here are today’s Fun Photo Friday favorites from Stromboli Volcano and colorful Katakolon, Greece (see the note at the end for what awaits you next week):

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Katakolon Tug

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Stromboli Smoke

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Katakolon Fishing Boat

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Katakolon Café

Note: Next week I’ll be interrupting 54 Days at Sea for a three-part history of aviation here in El Paso, Texas.

54 Days at Sea — Exploring Katakolon

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Katakolon, Greece

Katakolon is known as the port for Ancient Olympia, which we did not visit this trip, so I’ll save that for an upcoming cruise article.

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Katakolon, Greece

Even the fishing boats in this small port are picturesque:

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Katakolon Fishing Boat

As I mentioned Monday, this port offers a lot of color. As such, black-and-white conversions really make no sense here.

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Katakolon Doors

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Katakolon shutters

And if you keep a look out, you may even spot a well-maintained classic car. The Citroën...

54 Days at Sea — April 13/14, Stromboli Volcano and Katakalon, Greece

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Stromboli volcano

MS Prinsendam left Civitavecchia (Rome) on April 12 for a two-day journey to our next destination. But before reaching Katakolon, Greece, we would pass by a volcano that has been erupting constantly for the past 2,000 years, and for much of the past 20,000 years. This is the (surprisingly) inhabited island of Stromboli, made famous in the 1864 Jules Verne novel Journey to the Center of the Earth and the 1950 Ingrid Bergman film Stromboli.

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Stromboli volcanic crater

About a mi...

Fun Photo Friday — 54 Days at Sea, Rome Favorites Black & White Edition

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Colosseum

Most of today’s photographs, with two exceptions, are black-and-white conversions. This concludes our tour of Rome. Beginning next week we move on to Katakalon, Greece, after first sailing by the active Stromboli volcano.

54 Days at Sea — Rome Architecture

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All roads led to Rome

Today’s photos are geared toward highlighting the architectural details of Rome. Enjoy:

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The Forum

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Roman architectural details

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Roman architectural details

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Roman architectural details

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Roman architectural details

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Roman architectural details

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Roman statuary

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Roman architectural details

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Roman architectural details

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Temple of Antoninus and Faustina

54 Days at Sea — More Images of Rome

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Theatre Café

Below are images of more ancient Roman temples and other structures, including the photograph of the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina:

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Temple of Antoninus and Faustina

In this next photo of Santi Luca e Martina you can see to the right of the church a multi-story building with a tall tower. This is the Tabularium (BC 78), the office building that held the official records of the Roman Empire.

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Santi Luca e Martina (left) and Tabularium (tall structure to right)

Now for today’s pho...

Fun Photo Friday — 54 Days at Sea, Rome Favorites Color Edition

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Shutter Study in Red

Next week’s Fun Photo Friday I’ll present Rome Favorites in Black & White. Until then, here’s some Roman color:

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Shutter Study in Yellow

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Shutter Study in Green

And now for today’s photo gallery and slide show: