Picture of the day

[Ed Smurf]

Always wondered how you "hide" a Battleship on a flat ocean.? Any benefits to this paint job?

 

[scott585]

Always wondered how you "hide" a Battleship on a flat ocean.? Any benefits to this paint job?

it obscures the direction the ship is headed, and its size, in rougher seas it can even hide the ship if its far off

 

[Ganderite]

Always wondered how you "hide" a Battleship on a flat ocean.? Any benefits to this paint job?

When your vantage point is low and the ship is near the horizon, the camouflage breaks up the outline so much you can't tell what you are looking at. When you get closer, you might be in big trouble.

I used to fly in bombers that attacked at low level. Seeing something and identifying it were two different things.

 

[pounder]

donor , Dad moved around a lot with the general,he did not talk about it very much.
pounder

 

[Gibbs505]

An American trainer gets taken out for use. 1916

 

[Ganderite]

George Patton just scolded a tank crew for timidly sandbagging a tank, Germany, May 1945.

Can someone familiar with tanks explain this to me? Is sandbagging hard on the tank suspension? Or ineffective?

 

[shredder]

My grandfather (who drove a Firefly in Northern Europe) told me that the sandbagging was done to add protection for the crew (duh). He did say that it made the tank harder on fuel, and the extra weight did not help the reliability.

 

[Still alive]

My grandfather (who drove a Firefly in Northern Europe) told me that the sandbagging was done to add protection for the crew (duh). He did say that it made the tank harder on fuel, and the extra weight did not help the reliability.

Any proof that sandbags can stop an AP round? Or are they looking for some lucky deflection at long range? Or just to make you feel better kinda thing?
Coz I would think Patton would be a no BS kinda guy and tell them to remove the sandbags, if anything!

 

[purple]

Can someone familiar with tanks explain this to me? Is sandbagging hard on the tank suspension? Or ineffective?

Somewhat effective against a shaped charge warhead, but not really against a kinetic penetrator. It did put a strain on the suspension but gave crews something of a psychological boost that they had a bit more protection. Cdn units festooned their Shermans with extra track for the same reasons. In spite of the pic I don't think Patton spent too much time checking tanks for non-reg protection.

 

[shredder]

Somewhat effective against a shaped charge warhead, but not really against a kinetic penetrator. It did put a strain on the suspension but gave crews something of a psychological boost that they had a bit more protection. Cdn units festooned their Shermans with extra track for the same reasons. In spite of the pic I don't think Patton spent too much time checking tanks for non-reg protection.

During the last few months of WWII in Europe, my grandpa said that the biggest threat to them wasn't German armor, but the solo infantryman with a Panzerfaust or Panzershreck. Sandbags and extra track welded on the hull did boost morale and provide some extra protection against enemy anti-tank weapons.

 

[musketjon]

My [late] father, S Sgt Thomas E. Turner, 503rd PIR, Hollandia, July '44.
Jon

 

[ipscgraz]

 

[gewehr76]

My [late] father, S Sgt Thomas E. Turner, 503rd PIR, Hollandia, July '44.
Jon

Hollandia? look like Palm trees in the background. Don't think palm trees grow in northern Europe.
Ok got it New guinea.

 

[diopter]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hollandia

 

[stevebc]

A restored, captured Hurricane?

 

[shredder]

Finnish, I think......

 

[AP]

A restored, captured Hurricane?

Maybe a 'BF 109' ??

no -- probably not ... I think you are correct!

(good thing I am not the aircraft recognition guy in an 'AA' battery ... )

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Another angle:

Apparently, this one is ex-RCAF. She's a long way from home.

Here's another interetsing "Finnish" bird:

During the Finnish Winter War, the Gloster Gladiator was used with some effect against Soviet intruders. These fighters had Finnish markings but were lent from Sweden and flown by Swedish pilots, for this occasion volunteers in the temporary squadron F 19 Finland. It consisted of about thirty aircraft, twelve of them Gloster Gladiators. Nine made it back to Sweden after the armistice on March 13, 1940. During the 62 days of service, F 19 had lone responsibility for the entire region of northern Finland.

An example remains in the Swedish Air Museum.

 

[XRCD011]

Maybe a 'BF 109' ??

no -- probably not ... I think you are correct!

(good thing I am not the aircraft recognition guy in an 'AA' battery ... )

Finland Hurricane, they bought a dozen and even captured one from the Soviets.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Something I learned today - the Swedes had an indiginous modern WW2 fighter. The FFVS J 22.

Check out that crazy gear:

Kinda looks like what would happen if Grumman built the FW 190.

There are three survivors, including this one at the Ängelholms Flyg Museum: