Wings Over Solano 2026: U-2 Dragon Lady with all the accessories, including Dodge Charger chase car, pilot’s helmet, detachable pogo wheels, and T-38 Talon proficiency training aircraft. 99th Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, California
The Wings over Solano airshow is held every year at Travis Air Force Base in glamorous Fairfield, CA. It’s a great airshow for sure, but I was really there to get a peek at the base itself and check out all the aircraft on static display. Great success! It was a superlative #avgeek experience and very photogenic. I’ll share a series of posts during the next few days devoted to a single aircraft or theme. Today let’s enjoy: A-10 Warthog from the 303d Fighter Squadron (“KC Hawgs”) based out of Missouri.
The Dajiban is back! After the original engine (inevitably) failed about a year ago, @bernaldadsracing completed a tidy engine upgrade — swapping out the dead Chrysler V-6 for a turbocharged Ford Ecoboost. At Sonoma Raceway last weekend the repowered Dajiban was on track again for @24hoursoflemons , and (as expected) there were some shakedown issues to sort through. Still, a very great time was had, and we all agreed it’s delightfully fun to drive. Less fun was the lame-ass BMW driver who hit me broadside on Sunday while going through the Bus Stop (T9). So I’ll be making a junkyard run soon to find a new set of doors. 😐 Finally, big hat tip to @noriyaro for all the inspiration, all those years ago!
I visited the battleship USS Missouri recently; it was launched In 1944 and decommissioned in 1992. I was mostly drawn toward all the interfaces and control surfaces, and sadly this will probably come as no surprise to those who know me well. 🙄
I’ve been driving this 1997 Toyota Century for about a week, and I can already tell this lifestyle is very easy to get used to.
The car has a V-12 engine, air suspension, heavy sound dampening, and enough switches, screens, and rear seat amenities to satisfy even the most demanding corporate titans or heads of state. The rear seats recline quite a bit, and the rear curtains are power-operated. The cabin exudes a conspicuous silence; the kind of palpable quiet you aspire to get inside a recording booth.
The driving experience is serene. There’s plenty of power and the handing is quite composed. Everything feels tightly put together, and the V12 never makes noise, even when cruising up big Pacific Heights hills, so it’s all about the smooth. So smooth. Smooth like the tone of a temple bell, moments before you find enlightenment. Always smooth, no matter what else is happening outside. The Century is a mobile sanctuary for traversing a fallen and chaotic world, and really, who does need some more of that?
R’s Day USA is a festival of Nissan Skyline abundance. A decade ago, Skylines and GT-Rs were basically unobtanium; forbidden objects of desire, experienced mostly through movies, video games, or grainy YouTube clips. Now we’re deep into the R34 era, and Rs Day USA has evolved into a giddy celebration of the community these cars have spawned on the West Coast. Plus, we get to gather at Laguna Seca, one of the most legendary race tracks in the world. Such good vibes. Huge thanks to Jack Yi and friends for organizing @official_rsday and bringing us all together. Can’t wait til next year!
make&model 9 - Midnight Crown, Act 3
make - 1997 Toyota Crown Royal Saloon, 岐阜県・日本
model - Kaya @kayas.coords
One last thank you to @telstarlogistics and @rchen for letting us use their absolute artwork of a car. For those who have been following along from the start, thanks for keeping up with 9 make&model projects! 🙇
sneaky appendix thank-you to @rinbleu for
make&model 9 - Midnight Crown, Act 2
make - 1997 Toyota Crown Royal Saloon, 岐阜県・日本
model - Kaya @kayas.coords
shoutout to the icon @teresateng.official
make&model 9 - Midnight Crown, Act 1
make - 1997 Toyota Crown Royal Saloon, 岐阜県・日本
model - Kaya @kayas.coords
This project drew lots of inspiration from film director Wong Kar-Wai. From the colors and themes, to music and camera-work, this is my homage to Hong Kong's New Wave cinema era.
I’m not Italian-American, but I am from New Jersey — and so is our 1966 Mustang. That was apparently enough to qualify us to carry a parade queen in the 2025 Italian Heritage Parade in North Beach, San Francisco. The Mustang met royal standards, and North Beach was in epic party mode, with long tables on the sidewalks full of people drinking wine and feasting on pizza and pasta. Not bad! Not a hellscape!
Huge thanks to @sf_old_car_picnic for inviting us to be part of the family.
