Love the pistol grip M14
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Jarines,... figures.
Anyone, praytell, see the point? Full auto for counter ambush (breaking contact)? CQB in Hue?
Love the pistol grip M14
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Strictly for pray & spray, cowboy action.Jarines,... figures.
Anyone, praytell, see the point? Full auto for counter ambush (breaking contact)? CQB in Hue?
Jarines,... figures.
Anyone, praytell, see the point? Full auto for counter ambush (breaking contact)? CQB in Hue?
"This is my Handgun. There are many like it, but this one is mine..."
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nothing about those two dudes would suggest a "show and tell photo op". I would be more inclined that they have "been there done that" and the M14 has been purpose altered to fit a position of handiness in any # of trucks or armored vehicles and be right at hand when the shtf.
They were also called Martin Marauders and used as night fighters during WWII.
Oh... That would be a long bad day....
I would be thinking..... "my face is 4' from a ####ing mine.... well this sucks..."
Not to be a know-it-all, Bearhunter, but you're not quite on the money there.
The Douglas Invader was originally designated "A (for attack) 26". When the USAF was formed in 1947, everything that size became a "B for Bomber", and so the yanks, having retired the previous B26, dropped the same designation on the Invader.
The Martin Marauder was the original B26. Looked like this:
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Very slick, very fast. HIGH wing loading. Pilots called them the "Baltimore Whore" as they had no visible means of support. Fast to land, fast to fly, unforgiving of mistakes and rookie stuff. Not used as night fighters.
This, on the other hand, is the Douglas A20 Havoc, which the Yanks sold to the USSR and RAF:
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She was slower, FAR more stable than the Martin product, and the precursor to the A26 that Douglas would start producing later in the war. The A20 was used as a big, lumpy, slow, stable night fighter, where she was designated the "P70 Nighthawk", which is metal as hell. Here's one kitted out for just such work, then parked and neglected, poor old girl:
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...and an RAF version, also working the night shift:
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Russians liked the A20. Was simple, like potato. Could be fixed with rock and broken screwdriver, by comrade technician who was drunk on brake fluid.
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So to recap:
A20/P70 came first. Widely used, including as a night fighter
B26 Martin Marauder came second. Fast daylight bomber.
A26 came last. Fast daylight bomber. Redesignated B26 after the war. Later sold surplus and often seen as waterbombers.
B25 - twin tails, not easily confused.
That is a heartbreaking picture.
The whole "swords into plowshares" thing shows an extraordinary absence of foresight. What would just one of those B29's be worth today?
The whole "swords into plowshares" thing shows an extraordinary absence of foresight. What would just one of those B29's be worth today?
"Those that beat their weapons into plowshares will plow for those that do not."