Picture of the day

Nihang Sikh with(?) Ishapore .315" Express Rifle, calibre 8x50mm Steyr Rimmed. I would much prefer not to get hit with a 244 gn. r.n. bullet @ 2000 fps. Sounds like a fearsome mid range killer. Don't sell WWI technology short. It seems they were chasing a performance envelope similar to the ones sought today.

You have that backwards. Manufacturers are always "developing" new performance cartridges and claiming it as the best new thing since sliced bread. Everything old is new again.

It sucks that smellie is no longer on here. He probably knows more about photography then he does about shooting.
 
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The pic that was to bring "The Whirlwind" shortly.

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After being "visited"

German V2 rocket launch pad?
 
Must have been a real confidence builder to fly an aircraft assembled in just over one hour and test flown for likely not much longer. What was the time frame for building a B-17 by comparison?

The B-24 had a reputation of breaking apart when hit amidships and was generally not highly thought of by aircrews. Several negative comments in "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand, the story of US Olympian Louie Zamperini. Flying in a "Jonah" B-24 that had been cannibalized for parts resulted in a crash at sea and a heroic saga of survival and suffering at the hands of the Japanese.

Great read.
 
Because they could? Maybe to reassure aircrews that they could put it down in the drink and survive? Would have been a good landing had it been a flying boat.

Reminiscent of the Zampereni crash where the airframe broke at the mainspar upon impact. The aircraft began to sink pretty quick and Louie had to fight to get out.

It didn't take the Luftwaffe long to discover the weak spot of the B-24 and they tried to hit it midships to break the mainspar, causing catastrophic failure.
 
Must have been a real confidence builder to fly an aircraft assembled in just over one hour and test flown for likely not much longer. What was the time frame for building a B-17 by comparison?

The B-24 had a reputation of breaking apart when hit amidships and was generally not highly thought of by aircrews. Several negative comments in "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand, the story of US Olympian Louie Zamperini. Flying in a "Jonah" B-24 that had been cannibalized for parts resulted in a crash at sea and a heroic saga of survival and suffering at the hands of the Japanese.

Great read.

Just because they turned out 1 an hour doesn't mean they only took an hour to build. That Willow Point plant was massive. However the B-24 wasn't as tough as the B-17. On the other hand it could fly further with a heavier bomb load. Always compromises.
 
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