Latest news with #Vampires
Indian Express
4 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
Man with most flying hours on MIG-21 wants one last sortie as it flies into the sunset
When it comes to MIG-21s, there is no one more knowledgeable than Air Commodore Surendra Singh Tyagi (retd), who has a record-breaking 4,306 hours flying the aircraft–a feat acknowledged by the Russians themselves–and a staggering 6316 sorties in total. So when he speaks about the pros and cons of the Russian aircraft, everyone listens. And now, when the departure of MIG-21 BISON from the Indian Air Force (IAF) is imminent, all that the 83-year-old veteran fighter pilot wants is one last take-off roll down the runway in the power-packed aircraft before it bids adieu. 'This is one request which I will be making to the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, whom I shall be meeting very soon,' says Air Marshal Tyagi in a freewheeling conversation with this reporter over the phone from his home in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The intrepid fighter pilot who flew almost every fighter aircraft in IAF's inventory till he retired in 1996 made Jamnagar his home after multiple tenures there and finally retiring as the air officer commanding of the Jamnagar air base. 'I would also be presenting my logbook, which I have meticulously maintained throughout my service from the first day to the last to the air chief with the request that it may be placed in the IAF museum, where it could serve as an inspiration for future generations,' says Air Commodore Tyagi. Air Commodore Tyagi has flown aircraft ranging from Vampires, Hunters, Gnat, Ajeet, Jaguar, Canberra, MIG-23, MIG-29, and Mirage during his service in the IAF from 1965 to 1996. Air Commodore Tyagi's first operational unit was 27 Squadron flying Hunters before he moved to MIGs. Initially he flew Vampires. In 1968 he trained on MIG-21s in the No. 45 Squadron in Chandigarh, where pilots were given operational conversion training on MIG-21 FL. 'Hunter was a docile aircraft. We never thought of MIG-21s as a problem aircraft, though it was very different. We never felt any problem. It was definitely fast handling, and the challenge was of a kind that you were always busy in the cockpit,' recalls Tyagi. He says the MIG-21 FL type 77 had a fixed gunsight while the Hunter had a gyro sight. 'In firing from a MIG-21, you have to cater for a lot of things. Also, Hunter used to turn very well, and we initially thought it turned better than MIGs. Later, after flying MIGs, I found that the vertical manoeuvring of the aircraft was very good. However, the aircraft would not react instantly, whatever the pilot demanded of it, and the pilot had to understand what the aircraft wanted,' he says. In those early days of MIG-21 in the IAF, the pilots used to wear pressurised spacesuits of the same kind that Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin had worn into space. 'Actually, when MIG-21 came to India, it was considered to be an interceptor aircraft. It was very agile at great heights, going up to 24 km at times at speeds close to 2.4 mach. You would be really climbing like a rocket. Then we modified it into the ground attack role with rocket pods and external guns, 500 kg bombs on either side, which we used extensively in the 1971 war. We used to get reasonably good results,' Air Commodore Tyagi says. Tyagi says that in the MIG-21 Type 96, the drag increased, and they were not as fast in the ground attack role. But with time came the MIG21 BIS upgrade, and it had a powerful engine. We flew to 12.3 km height in two minutes and 40 seconds. The Type 96 MIG 21 M was also very stable for air-to-ground firing,' he says. Having seen 24 postings in his operational service, Air Commodore Tyagi served in a number of MIG-21 squadrons and went on to command No. 35 and No. 32 squadrons besides serving a tenure in Iraq as an instructor. Air Commodore Tyagi underwent no ejection from MIG-21 but went through a crash landing on the runway in Pathankot in October 1978 and was very lucky to walk away alive. 'I had two rocket pods and three tanks on my aircraft. On short finals, I was asked to go around because of a dog on the runway. I raised my nose, opened maximum power, and started climbing. At around 150 m, the nozzle failed, the cone failed, the engine thrust went down, and the engine flamed out. As part of the ejection sequence which I initiated, the canopy flew off. But I saw that I was too low to continue the ejection within safety margins. The aircraft landed on its belly as the undercarriage was retracted for the go around. On the other side of the runway, there were five aircraft of the No. 3 Squadron waiting to fly, and I was in danger of piling into them. It was a Tuesday, and as I used to fast for Hanuman, I felt nothing would go wrong. The aircraft lurched to a halt well past these, and I unstrapped and ran out. I have never run so hard in my life, and the aircraft exploded behind me. Later, I flew more MIG-21s after the crash than I flew before. 'In 2013, the Russian ambassador gave me a trophy for the maximum hours on MIG-21. Earlier, in 1993, then PM Narasimha Rao called me and felicitated me. I never flew for myself. You flew for the people with you, and you gave them whatever positive things you learnt. The then chief presented me with a golden plaque,' says Air Commodore Tyagi. The veteran pilot says the growth of the IAF is related to the growth of MIG-21 in the country. 'Modernising gradually and slowly now we have reached the fourth generation. At one time, 70-75 per cent of IAF squadrons had MIG-21. When you calculate the rate of accidents, it is not alarming. But when you calculate the number, it is alarming,' he says. Air Commodore Tyagi says an IAF fighter pilot is a 'soldier pilot' because he puts his country ahead of his safety. 'In earlier MIG-21s, we used to see it written on the nose that 'this aircraft costs Rs 47 lakh'. Our pay at the time used to be Rs 1,200-1,400. You used to be conscious that India cannot afford to lose the aircraft. 'Later, when low-level sorties started and we went into the ground attack role, we used to have bird hits. The brief was to pull up, gain height and reheat the engine. But an engine with turbine damage will not relight. Our pilots tried to relight and were so low that ejection was not possible, and they used to crash with aircraft. Abroad, no pilot waits, he ejects,' he says. Air Commodore Tyagi says the fatalities went down when the procedures were amended. 'This is one of the best aircraft ever produced. Every fighter pilot in the world wants to fly a MIG 21,' he says.
Gizmodo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
‘Talamasca: The Secret Order' Lures You Deeper Into the World of ‘Interview With the Vampire'
Vampires, witches, and demons, beware: the Talamasca, a secret group that fans of Interview With the Vampire will already have an inkling about, has you under surveillance. But can the watchers themselves be trusted? The first teaser trailer for Talamasca: The Secret Order, AMC's latest show in its Anne Rice Immortal Universe, suggests that even those on the inside should definitely watch their backs. The trailer heavily features a very blonde Elizabeth McGovern doing her best to recruit Nicholas Denton's character (who has a special gift, we're told) into the group. You also get a glimpse of guest star Jason Schwartzman having what appears to be an absolute blast playing a vampire—as well as Eric Bogosian, reprising his fan-favorite journalist character Daniel Molloy from Interview With the Vampire. The rest of the cast includes William Fichtner, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, and Celine Buckens; the co-showrunners are John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side) and Mark Lafferty (Halt and Catch Fire). Talamasca: The Secret Order hits AMC October 26. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
USA Today
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
'Zombies 4' star Milo Manheim on his 'weird' career, dealing with nosebleeds while acting
Even though he's only 24, Milo Manheim has been a singing Disney zombie for so long that the youngsters who grew up watching him are now his costars. That was extremely helpful going into 'Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires' because Manheim and fellow returning mainstay Meg Donnelly didn't have to explain the franchise vibe: catchy tunes, group dancing, fun monster stuff, good times had by all. But Manheim wasn't expecting so many of the new kids to be old-school 'Zombie" fans. 'They were clearly like, 'Oh my God, that's Zed and Addison!' ' Manheim recalls. 'To know that we've made such an impact is really crazy.' Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox In the latest "Zombies" (streaming now on Disney+), gridiron-dominating zombie boy Zed (Manheim) and his human/alien cheer captain sweetheart Addison (Donnelly) go on a road trip the summer after their busy freshman year of college. They wish they could spend more time with each other, and they do, although it winds up being trying to bring peace to two new warring factions: Daywalkers and Vampires. Manheim, who's also an executive producer on the film, has been a staple of the 'Zombies' world since the first 2018 movie, and his star's been on the rise since. He competed on a season of 'Dancing with the Stars,' starred in the movies 'Thanksgiving' and 'Journey to Bethlehem,' and currently plays a high school football phantom on the teen supernatural show 'School Spirits,' which starts production on Season 3 soon. Plus, he just wrapped a stint playing Seymour opposite Elizabeth Gillies' Audrey in the off-Broadway revival of 'Little Shop of Horrors.' The California native, son of Emmy-winning actress Camryn Manheim, discusses the new 'Zombies,' his 'Little Shop' run and what's next. Question: In recent years, you've either played or been around zombies, ghosts, vampires, werewolves, a man-eating plant and a holiday-themed serial killer. Are you just drawn to horror and the supernatural, or have you just followed the best characters and projects so far? Milo Manheim: I don't know why the industry seems to pull me in this direction. Not that I disliked horror movies or paranormal activity TV shows or anything, but I never watched them. The best part of this all is that I have totally opened my mind and found what makes them so awesome. So maybe the universe was trying to teach me something. I have no idea why I'm always like a dead football player or something that has to do with the afterlife but I'm not complaining. What's new this time around playing Zed? Zed has always been a leader, but the biggest change is he's no longer the young 'un. He has now kind of taken on the, I don't even want to say father figure, but that's kind of what it is. He is inspiring the next generation to pick up where he left off. But outside of the movie, having all these new young kids that reminded me so much of my experience on the first movie, I really wanted to step up to that position. I am looking forward to seeing how they take hold of this franchise. Was that emotional for you and Meg, to pass the torch on to the new folks because it has been such a big part of your life? We did a lot of crying before, during and after shooting the movie. But I will say before we started the movie, I was nervous. I was scared, and a small part of me didn't want to pass the torch because I'm like, "We've done this thing, we've created it." But literally immediately after we had our new cast members, it was like, "I can't wait for them to take this torch and run with it and burn the flame even brighter." What did you learn about yourself playing Seymour in 'Little Shop' eight shows a week? Not to toot my own horn, but I learned that I am a better singer than I thought I was. I went into this show seeing the names of the past Seymours in the dressing room – Darren Criss, Jeremy Jordan, Jonathan Groff – and being like, 'I don't know what I'm doing here.' I sort of told myself, 'Milo, don't worry about the singing. Seymour doesn't have to be a good singer. He just needs to serve the story.' And I really focused on the comedy of it all and the physical aspect. And then as I went through the show with Liz, I really grew my confidence as a singer and just a performer on stage. Did the show fuel your passion to do more musical theater or to be on Broadway? It fueled everything. It fueled my drive, my excitement, my passion. It also fueled my fear, for sure, but that's the best part of it. There was one show where I had a nosebleed on stage, and I ran off and I put a tissue in my nose. We fixed it really fast. After the show, I went up to a cast member and I was like, "Ugh, this is why I hate theater." And she goes, "No, this is why you love theater." Seymour getting a nosebleed would be in character. I know. (Laughs) It's very obviously kind of a nerdy look to have a tissue in your nose. But also it happened before the plant opened up, so I was like, 'I started bleeding too early. Come on, Milo!' Zed's now in college, and you're now moving to a phase in your career where maybe you're not playing teens all the time. What are you most excited and most nervous about? It's probably the same thing. The nerves and the excitement go hand in hand. I don't necessarily have a "this is what I want to do" mindset. I have a "let's see what comes my way" mindset. I'm a big believer that things will work out and the universe sort of will push things your direction when it's time. I'm just looking forward to stepping into different shoes, whatever they are. I've already done so many different things. I mean, I played Joseph as in Mary, Jesus and Joseph. I played an (expletive) boyfriend in a horror movie. I'm a zombie in a musical franchise. I hope it's continuously weird and diverse in the things that I do.
Buzz Feed
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Milo Manheim Meg Donnelly Zombies 4 Guess Who
It's no secret that Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly are Disney royalty for this generation of Disney kids. The duo have starred together as Zed and Addison in four Zombies movies since 2018, with the fourth one being released this week. The new movie, titled Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires, is set to follow Zed and Addison when their summer road trip takes an unexpected detour — landing them in the middle of a monster rivalry: Daywalkers vs. Vampires. As tensions flare, Zed and Addison find themselves as camp counselors between the two opposing sides, with hopes of convincing sworn enemies to unite their warring worlds as an even bigger threat looms on the horizon. Alongside Milo and Meg, Chandler Kinney, Freya Skye, Malachi Barton, Julian Lerner, Swayam Bhatia, and Mekonnen Knife also star. So, to celebrate the fourth installment of this Disney franchise, we had Milo and Meg play a game of Guess Who, but featuring their costars, friends, Disney characters, and more. And this isn't a regular game of Guess Who, Milo and Meg were asking some pretty hilarious questions in order to narrow down who the other person has. From Milo asking if Meg would fart in front of this person... ...to Meg actually crying just thinking about if Milo and her person were roommates. The whole thing is hilarious and wholesome, and just continues to prove that they are one of the best Disney Channel duos. Period. You can watch their full Guess Who game below: And be sure to watch Milo and Meg in Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires on Disney Channel and Disney+.
UPI
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
'Zombies 4' reminded Milo Manheim, Meg Donnelly to be present
1 of 5 | From left, Meg Donnelly, Malachi Barton, Freya Skye and Milo Manheim, seen at the 2025 Disney Upfront in New York City, star in "Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires." File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo LOS ANGELES, July 7 (UPI) -- Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly say Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires, on Disney Channel Thursday, reflects life lessons and how far they've come since the original 2018 movie Zombies. The sequel finds high school sweethearts Zed (Manheim) and Addison (Donnelly) contemplating different paths the summer after their freshman year in college. Through the events of the film, they realize their friends and loved ones are most important. In a recent Zoom interview with UPI, Manheim, 24, and Donnelly, 25, said they related to the film's theme of being present in the moment. Zed realizes he's been neglecting Addison to focus on football, and vice versa for Addison's cheerleading. "I wouldn't be lying if I said that I think about the fact that I'm getting older every day," Donnelly said. "I try to be as present as possible and try to tell myself that I don't have to have anything figured out." When Zombies premiered in 2018, Donnelly already had five years of acting credits. The Disney Channel film was Manheim's first lead role, having performed in stage musicals since he was 7. "I also feel like if you are like I need to get all this done before it's too late, then you can't enjoy the ride," Manheim said. "So I think the best thing we can do for ourselves is just be gratefully present." Passing the torch Before they go their separate ways, zombie Zed and alien/human hybrid Addison stumble into a feud between Vampires and Daywalkers, which closely resembles the divisions they faced between humans and zombies as teens. The Vampires and Daywalkers are battling over a fruit grove that nourishes each of their superpowers. Sure enough, a romance blooms between Daywalker Nova (Freya Skye) and Vampire Victor (Malachi Barton). In one of Zombie 4's new songs, Zed and Addison literally sing that it's up to Nova and Victor to carry on their message of tolerance. "I remember looking at that lyric like, 'Oh,'" she said. "'It feels like forever since we were your age. We're passing you the torch so don't hesitate.'" Manheim laughed at the spinoff possibilities for a Vampires film. "We literally said 'we pass you the torch,' if it wasn't clear enough," he said. Barton and Freya were ready to step up. Barton, 18, has been working with Disney Channel since he joined the cast of Stuck in the Middle in 2016, following several Nickelodeon projects. Barton met Manheim and Donnelly prior to Zombies 4 through events Disney held for its young stars. He was excited to join the pair in what is Barton's first musical. "Disney Balls were these little proms for all the homeschool kids that were on Disney that didn't get an actual prom," Barton said. "I randomly saw Meg at one of the softball games. We used to have a softball league for Stuck in the Middle." Zombies 4 is 15-year-old Freya's first movie, after appearing in video games Dragon Quest Treasures and Final Fantasy XVI. Though she practiced ballet before, she trained in hip-hop dance and martial arts for her role as Nova. "I was doing a couple hours every day of stunt training," Freya said. Now I feel like I've got those skills which is really cool. I feel very tough." The Vampire clan includes Vera, played by Sway Bhatia, who previously appeared in Disney's Mighty Ducks: Game Changers series. In a separate phone interview with UPI, Sway, 17, said Donnelly and Manheim were also integral to her career. Sway appeared on stage with Donnelly in New York when Sway was six. She met Manheim at the 2023 premiere of his Disney film Prom Pact, where he predicted she'd be cast in Zombies 4. "I had no words when he said that," Sway said, adding that, though she still had to audition, co-starring together took them "from fan to friend and family." Appearing in a musical also took Sway back to the beginning of her career. As a 2-year-old in Dubai, Sway danced in a Priyanka Chopra-Jonas televised concert. "It was for, I believe, 16 and above," Sway said. "I think they just saw how excited I was to just be in that room surrounded by artists and surrounded by dancers, that they gave me the job." Three years ago, Sway met Chopra-Jonas again at an event for South Asians in Hollywood. "I got to show her the photo because I had it in my camera roll," Sway said. "She got emotional just thinking about how long ago it was and how I got to be in this industry so many years later." Dance challenges Disney-style dancing required different moves from Sway's Bollywood-style dance background. Sway added that choreographer Dondraico Johnson gave each character dance moves specific to their character. "For Vera, I think she's such a spunky and sassy character that a lot of me was vamping out to be honest," Sway said. "You have to find that perfect medium of not too scary, slight friendliness in there but still a little bit scary." The Zombies 4 dances included added challenges like dancing on the beach. Going from studio rehearsals to the sand was a challenge for Freya. "I struggle carrying my towel and my beach bag down to the place I want on the beach, let alone doing full choreography," Freya said. "In the rehearsal studio we were all like, 'Yeah, we've got this. This is going to be a breeze filming.' I got there, I was sorely mistaken." Barton said he struggled to nail his steps on the beach. "Your feet feel like they're 10 pounds heavier than they actually are when you're on sand," Barton said. "You also can't spin around on sand." The 'Zombies' legacy One thing that has not changed across four Zombies films is Zed and Addison's love for each other. While another franchise might have broken Zed and Addison up, a believable plot twist for high schoolers, the conflicts in the Zombies films came from adding new monsters each film. "The more important thing was what they were fighting for," Manheim said, which typically meant Zed and Addison "tried to unite people." Donnelly said a couple's one or two year anniversary are the biggest hurdles, and Zed and Addison have made it through four movies over seven years. "In Zombies 4 for sure I think they're solidified which is really cool to see," Donnelly said. Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires streams on Disney+ Friday.
