Donny Fenn1
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East Kootenays
The guns were in the wing outside of the propeller arc.
Picture of the day
- Thread starter jwhc
- Start date
The guns were in the wing outside of the propeller arc.
Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
Not a photo, but if we're thinking about birdlike aircraft, that impulse goes back darn near to the start. Here's the Rumpler Taube:
"Have at you, Englander Schwein!"
If you're embarking on a new technoloigical journey, it makes sense to see what's out there and adapt it to your purposes.
"Have at you, Englander Schwein!"
If you're embarking on a new technoloigical journey, it makes sense to see what's out there and adapt it to your purposes.
Cpl. Wojtek ("the Happy Warrior"). Young Syrian who grew up as a camp follower of the Polish 22nd Artillery Supply Company, later enlisting as a Private. Promoted to the rank of Corporal after tirelessly (and unprompted) carrying 100lb crates of shells forward to the batteries during the Battle of Monte Cassino, without dropping a single crate. His likeness would become the emblem of the 22nd.
Demobilized after the war, spent his retirement in Edinburgh. Was known to be fond of beer, like all good Corporals.
Demobilized after the war, spent his retirement in Edinburgh. Was known to be fond of beer, like all good Corporals.
Cpl. Wojtek ("the Happy Warrior"). Young Syrian who grew up as a camp follower of the Polish 22nd Artillery Supply Company, later enlisting as a Private. Promoted to the rank of Corporal after tirelessly (and unprompted) carrying 100lb crates of shells forward to the batteries during the Battle of Monte Cassino, without dropping a single crate. His likeness would become the emblem of the 22nd.
Demobilized after the war, spent his retirement in Edinburgh. Was known to be fond of beer, like all good Corporals.
"Bomb Bear"! How in hell did they get the bear to pack ammo? Mule pack saddle? Panniers? At least they didn't train the poor bugger to carry a shell into enemy lines and then detonate it. No wonder he drank in retirement - PTSD!
Not a photo, but if we're thinking about birdlike aircraft, that impulse goes back darn near to the start. Here's the Rumpler Taube:
"Have at you, Englander Schwein!"
If you're embarking on a new technoloigical journey, it makes sense to see what's out there and adapt it to your purposes.
Reminds me of one of my favorite movies when I was growing up.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x59k93q
Donny Fenn1
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East Kootenays
"Ver damte! Is das ein verschlugenende baren mit eine bombe?"
The parental guidance version .....
My dads battalion , 2nd Battalion Welsh Guards , the armoured recconisance component of the Guards Armored Division , was equipped with the Cromwell tank , powered by a 1649 cu. in V12 ,600 HP , Rolls Royce engine, this tank could get up to 40 mph on the road , armed with. 75 mm gun, and 2 Besa 7.92 mm machine guns
No training involved. The bear had been with the 22nd for a few years by this point, very well socialized and taken care of. When the excrement hit the rotating air pushers at Monte Cassino, he was left un-attended while everyone in the unit ran like banshees to feed the cannons. Wojtek simply did a case of "monkey see, monkey do" - or in this case "bear see, bear do" - got up on his hind legs, grabbed a 100lb crate of 25lb shells with his forepaws, and walked it up to the gunnery line and set it down by one of the guns. then trotted back to the ammo dump to repeat. He kept it up for several hours, without dropping a single crate.
The whole thing was witnessed by much of the unit, including officers, and several British officers in the area. Wojtek became a minor celebrity after that.
After the war, when the unit was de-mobbed in Scotland, his unit didn't have the heart to take him back to Poland and the, erm, "uncertainties" of the situation there with the new Soviet bosses, so they donated him to the Edinburgh zoo (a very kind thing to do, and probably brought a few tears to a few eyes).
He lived to a very healthy 21, passing away in 1963. Friendly and affable to the end, he was a frequent guest on the children's show "Blue Peter," and was visited by members of his unit numerous times over the years. The zoo staff would turn a blind eye, and allow the former comrades in arms to sit together in the enclosure and share a case of beer.
Monuments to Wojtek in Krakow and Edinburgh, respectively:
... was a favorite of mine as well!! Great movie!
