Picture of the day

[grelmar]

I respectfully disagree. the SdKfz302 and 303 where expendable, the SdKfz301 (Borgward IV ) dropped its charge then exited the area. In the picture the charge box is the front section with a couple of rocks on it, the front of the vehicle was rather slope shaped and the charge would slide forward and off, and the vehicle back out and away to be reused (good luck with that).

Yes, that was the design, I won't argue that.

However, by the end of the war a number of things conspired against it being used that way. Even though the "C" variant had the thickest armor, even .50 cals could de-track it. It was also slow, and not particularly stealthy. Even though the radio range was up to (an optimal) 2Km, in practice it was much less. This left the operator well within artillery range, and often even small arms fire range, while the machine slowly trundled back for recovery and re-arming. Realistically, it would get chewed to bits before this happened. This left the operator in the danger zone for longer than any sane person would consider a good idea, for no appreciable game.

Can't remember where I read it, but the few late war reports of it being used, as seen by the Allies, was essentially as a radio controlled kamikaze. They would be controlled forward, then lit off without dropping the charge, the interior of the hull having been stuffed with extra explosives. After this, the operator would quite sensibly hoof it.

 

[grelmar]

A DUKW out of water... In the forests of Oregon:

https://barnfinds.com/dry-docked-duck-dukw-amphibious-vehicle/

 

[ss109]

A DUKW out of water... In the forests of Oregon:

https://barnfinds.com/dry-docked-duck-dukw-amphibious-vehicle/

A batt. and a little gas......good to go?

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

The DUKW is cute...

But the LARC-LX is a little bigger...

An amphibious barge. Interesting concept.

 

[Sharps '74]

Yeah, a bigger target .....

 

[diopter]

This one can fight back.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zubr-class_LCAC

 

[fat tony]

The Americans tried using a British designed hover craft in combat - they were doing well until the enemy devised a standard ied / ambush method to deal with them - that was the end of their combat use by the Americans.

Saunders - Roe SrN5 produced under license

I read about this somewhere on the net this is the only reference I can find now:

https://www.militaryfactory.com/ships/detail.asp?ship_id=PACV-ACV-PacVee-Monster

scrolling down to where it says the US Army PACV it says in one sentence:

ACV 901 and ACV 902 were eventually destroyed in January and August of 1970 respectively

without further elaboration.

This reference I once looked at claimed they ran into an ambush with command detonated mines. The enemy were not stupid.

Before they figured them out they were a devastating weapon to use against the enemy what with the swamps used as cover by the enemy in the estuaries etc.

Like the Chinook gunships the PACV's became a high priority target by the enemy.

Riverine forces:

http://www.warboats.org/stonerbwn/the brown water navy in vietnam_part 2.htm

 

[fat tony]

Disposition of ACVs:

Number 901 was written off in January 1970 when an ARVN soldier with full equipment was sucked through the lift fan.Number 901 was used as a source of spare parts for Numbers 902 and 903.

From the link above - jeepers!

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Disposition of ACVs:

From the link above - jeepers!

Terrible way to go, but likely fast.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Military organizations seem to collect mascots. Here's "The Princess Louise" of the 8th Princess Louise's New Brunswick Hussars.

Born in Italy, found by Canadians, restored to her health, smuggled to France with the regiment in a truck with a false wall, plenty of grub and an attendant, and brought home in 1946 via ocean liner, Louise was very well cared for by her Regiment. Here, some time later with another personage of equal rank:

 

[diopter]

The Americans tried using a British designed hover craft in combat - they were doing well until the enemy devised a standard ied / ambush method to deal with them - that was the end of their combat use by the Americans.

Saunders - Roa SrN5 produced under license

I read about this somewhere on the net this is the only reference I can find now:

https://www.militaryfactory.com/ships/detail.asp?ship_id=PACV-ACV-PacVee-Monster

scrolling down to where it says the US Army PACV it says in one sentence: without further elaboration.

This reference I once looked at claimed they ran into an ambush with command detonated mines. The enemy were not stupid.

Before they figured them out they were a devastating weapon to use against the enemy what with the swamps used as cover by the enemy in the estuaries etc.

Like the Chinook gunships the PACV's became a high priority target by the enemy.

Riverine forces:

http://www.warboats.org/stonerbwn/the brown water navy in vietnam_part 2 .htm

An old acquaintance of mine was involved in the Norwegian/American Nasty MTB design for the Naval versions of the Napier Deltic two stroke, 3 crankshaft opposed cylinder Diesel.
He showed me a binder with original drawings.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napier_Deltic#/media/File:Napier_Deltic_Engine.jpg

 

[Ganderite]

^^ Was it a smooth running engine?

 

[diopter]

See for yourself:
Early English trials:

Starts around 2:40

 

[fat tony]

Those pistons & cylinders appear to be having altogether too much fun.

 

[Chas]

Spigot mortar technology evolved quite a bit int he twenty years between big European wars. Here's the Churchill AVRE:

She carried a 240mm spigot mortar whose happy job in life was reducing enemy strongpoints to deep holes.

Pretty effective, apparently:

[youtube]Bd1_YJgKtic[/youtube]

Sitting in Pearson on a return trip which included a bus tour of Juno Beach and environs last week. Though this tank looked familiar and sure enough there is one on display near Juno. Interesting story, drove into a shell crater, couldn't get out, engineers bridged over it and then filled in the crater. Years later tank was excavated and put on display. Will put pictures up later when get uploaded (as well as others from Juno). The following link has details and pics

http://wikimapia.org/24793624/1-Charlie

 

[Ganderite]

See for yourself:
Early English trials:

Starts around 2:40

Looks like the MTB is on the step. I would have assumed it was a displacement hull.

 

[dryfire]

Looks like the MTB is on the step. I would have assumed it was a displacement hull.

Also reminiscent of the Schnellboat .

 

[DeadeyeDave]

Also reminiscent of the Schnellboat .

Ja, it is a scnellboat. Video says former german motor boat. Appears to be under new ownership.

 

[donor]

 

[grelmar]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/avro-arrow-recovered-lake-ontario-1.4793463

Sunken Avro Arrow model recovered from Lake Ontario

Aircraft was designed to intercept Soviet planes over the Arctic
CBC News · Posted: Aug 22, 2018 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: 8 hours ago

An iconic piece of Canada's aviation history has been pulled from the depths of Lake Ontario, and now the team that recovered it is hoping to find more beneath the waves.

Divers brought what is believed to be a scale model of the Avro Arrow to the surface last week off Prince Edward, and delivered it to the Canada Aviation and Space Museum on Tuesday.

Since last September, a series of models has been found at the bottom of Lake Ontario.

The recovered model is about three metres long — a 1/8 scale of the actual plane, according to Erin Gregory, an assistant curator at the museum.

"It looks like a rocket with large triangular wings," she said.

The Canadian Conservation Institute and the museum will oversee conservation and restoration of the models.

What they found last week isn't the full replica of the Arrow the search group was hoping to find. Instead they believe the smaller model was meant to test the delta wing design — the triangular shape the plane was known for.

Several different models were flown for testing over Lake Ontario between 1954 and 1957 as the plane was being developed.

"The delta wing was a relatively new concept at that point, so it required a lot of testing to determine whether or not it would perform well, particularly at supersonic speeds," Gregory said.

The test was conducted at such a high speed the nose of the model was likely bent when it hit the water, Gregory said.

John Burzynski, the leader of the search group, said he's happy they recovered the model and plan to recover anything they find, but that the real prize would be one of the last five versions tested before a fully functional jet was built.

"The original object of the survey was to find one of those last five. It's very identifiable as an exact replica of the flying plane," Bruzynski said.

The greatest plane that never was

The Avro Arrow was the first and only supersonic interceptor built in Canada, developed to respond to Soviet bombers that could attack North America by flying over the Arctic.

In 1959, the Arrow program was suddenly cancelled. Six completed planes and related construction material were destroyed.

Finding the models and being able to see the progression of the program highlights Canadian ingenuity, Gregory said.

"[It] speaks to the science, technology and engineering that went into the production of the greatest plane that never was."

Four other models have been located on the bottom of the lake, and Burzynski said his team plans to bring them up next summer and hopefully locate more.

"The Avro has been in the forefront of a lot of Canadians' minds over the years. It's really more of a piece of living history."

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Typhoon painted in same colours as Hawker Hurricane GN-A as flown by Flight Lieutenant E.J.B. Nicholson, VC, DFC.

“Flight Lieutenant J.B. Nicolson of 249 Squadron was patrolling in his Hurricane west of Tangmere at seventeen thousand feet. He dived on some Ju. 88s when suddenly his Hurricane staggered. From somewhere behind bullets and cannon shells ripped through the hood, hit him in the foot and pierced his centre-tank. A searing mass of flame filled the cockpit. As he whipped into a steep turn he saw the offender, a Me. 110, slide below, diving hard. A wild resolve, stronger than reason, seized Nicolson. The cockpit a furnace, his dashboard ‘dripping like treacle’ and his hands fused by heat onto throttle and stick, he yelled, ‘I’ll get you, you Hun.’ And he went firing until the Me. 110 fell, until the frightful agony of his burns had passed the threshold of feeling. Then he struggled out of the cockpit and still wreathed in flames fell until the rush of cold air extinguished them. Only then did his mutilated hand fumble for the ripcord and somehow find strength to pull it. As if his sufferings were not already enough, some imbecile of a Home Guard fired at Nicolson and hit him fifty feet above the village of Millbrook in Hampshire.

Following the action of 16 November, Flight Lieutenant Nicolson was hospitalized at the burn unit of Princess Mary’s Hospital, RAF Halton, Buckinghamshire, and then sent to a convalescent facility at Torquay, Devon. On 12 January 1941, he was promoted to Squadron Leader.

Nicolson returned to duty 24 February 1941, with 54 Operational Training Unit. From 21 September 1941 to 16 March 1942, he commanded No. 1459 Flight at RAF Hibaldstow, Lincolnshire. This was a night fighter unit, flying the Douglas Boston (P-70 Havoc). He was next assigned as a staff officer at Headquarters, 293 Wing, Royal Air Force, Alipore, West Bengal, India. After another staff assignment, Squadron Leader Nicolson was given command of 27 Squadron, a de Havilland Mosquito squadron at Agartala, in northeast India.

Nick Nicolson was promoted to Wing Commander 11 August 1944 and assigned to 3rd Tactical Air Force Headquarters in the Comilla Cantonment, East Bengal.

Wing Commander Eric James Brindley Nicolson, V.C., D.F.C., died 2 May 1945, while flying as an observer aboard a No. 355 Squadron Consolidated Liberator B Mk.VI, KH210, “R” (B-24J-85-CF 44-44071). At approximately 0250 hours, two engines caught fire. The bomber, piloted by Squadron Leader G.A. De Souza, RAF, and Flight Sergeant Michael Henry Pullen, Royal Australian Air Force, ditched in the Bay of Bengal, approximately 130 miles (209 kilometers) south of Calcutta. Of the eleven on board, only Pullen and one of the gunners survived.

Nicolson was the only RAF Fighter Command pilot awarded the Victoria Cross during World War II.

[youtube]2ERvv0yaV9M[/youtube]

Left hand looks a little malfunctional here. Guess it was badly burned.