My interview with Team Macedo is here.

Paul.

Paul,

Thank you, as always for providing the good information. It surely sounds like an interesting, moving and exciting display.

68,000 shells fired during their 2006 New Year's Eve display....that is quite a feat. Just curious, but what was the duration of that performance?

And you're right to say that the weather forecast, for a change, is looking fantastic for Saturday. As promised since nearly a week now, Summer weather will make its good return for the first weekend of July (my favorite month). The only thing I'm really watching is wind direction (SW-WSW). I'll have more on that later this evening.

Trav.

Madeira New Year Eve

9 Minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jnvGpH4rbo&feature=related

Best regards
Moreira

Moreira,

Thank you for sharing the video! That was incredible, especially when you're able to examine all the activity from a nice elevated vantage point.

Trav.

I'm back from La Ronde. Contrary to what Fernando Macedo said, some 12" mortars were indeed loaded on ramp #1 (they said to Paul that they were shooting no bigger than 8" ). However, all the 10" mortars on the LP visible from the Ferris Wheel were empty.

Also, the ramp #3 is quite loaded (around 10-11 positions) and I've noticed fan racks on ramp #4. This ramp is finally put to good use !

Ramp #2 is also quite full, with 4 well filled positions, but this had to be expected if they don't use ramp #1 much.

This should be quite a display !

Pictures available on my website tomorrow, as usual.

STL

Contrary to what Fernando Macedo said, some 12" mortars were indeed loaded on ramp #1 It certainly looks like that in your photo, but I'm not sure that I noticed any 12" shells during the display. I guess we will have to confirm this with Paul Csukassy.

Paul.

Contrary to what Fernando Macedo said, some 12" mortars were indeed loaded on ramp #1

Actually Paul, he is right. He took setup photos of one barrier of Ramp 1, and you can visibly see 12" mortars setup. So I think maybe Fernando meant 10", cause I hardly see 10" setup in STL's photo.

And the setup isn't really that large I find. I recall either in 2007 or 2008 (most probably 2007), Panzera had a very large setup, it was packed with mortars. So Macedo's didn't really have that big of a setup.

Pat

Actually Paul, he is right. He took setup photos of one barrier of Ramp 1, and you can visibly see 12" mortars setup. So I think maybe Fernando meant 10", cause I hardly see 10" setup in STL's photo.


The way I understand Paul's reply, he acknowledges that 12" mortars have been loaded.

Because Fernando Macedo told him that he was shooting no bigger than 8", Paul will ask Paul Csukassy (technical director) what's about these 12" that were not supposed to be there.

We should know for sure tomorrow, after Paul's visit on the firing ramps.

STL

The way I understand Paul's reply, he acknowledges that 12" mortars have been loaded.

It looks like they were loaded as they were covered in plastic, rather than buckets. But Fernando was quite insistent that they don't use 12" shells in general but would rather shoot several 8" at the same time. Also, I didn't notice anything that looked like a 12" shell in the show.

But I will confirm with Paul Csukassy.

So far this year, no-one has shot any 12" shells - the largest calibre being 10".

Paul.

Have a look at the rightmost 12" mortar (just besides the blue barrel):

Taiwan



Poland



Portugal




Notice the inverted "V" in the plastic covering the mortar. Unless La Ronde crew always puts the plastic in the exact same fashion, one can't help but wonder that this particular mortar has not been fired so far.

Therefore, although it appears loaded, I guess that the plastic is merely used instead of a bucket.

Therefore, Macedo's only shot 8", as they pretended, and Paul is right : no 12" were used so far this year.

Mystery solved