Picture of the day

[bearhunter]

The lesson of Afghanistan is to stay the hell away from it. Too much history, too much culture, and too much geography have defeated foreign invaders many times in recent history; British, Russian and NATO. Maybe the Chinese will do it differently.

They will certainly be extremely brutal about it, if they see the Taliban methods not to their benefit.

They most certainly won't try to impose their culture on the Afghans or waste their time trying to change their religious/political affiliations. They will just simply impose their rules and enforce them in the most dramatic form necessary to make sure they are for the most part complied with

 

[bearhunter]

Pretty country. Damn shame.

It's mostly rock, gravel, some sand and you can smell the feces when you get off the plane in Khandahar.

IMHO, the area is a sh1thole.

I mostly like the people though. For the most part they were pleasant and trustworthy on the levels I dealt with them

The one's I didn't trust were the condesending bureaucratic types.

 

[HuskyDude]

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

It's mostly rock, gravel, some sand and you can smell the feces when you get off the plane in Khandahar.

IMHO, the area is a sh1thole.

I mostly like the people though. For the most part they were pleasant and trustworthy on the levels I dealt with them

The one's I didn't trust were the condesending bureaucratic types.

Hey, it might smell like poo and be built of rocks, but you can't call views like that ugly...

That being said, it's an awful place to die. People keep finding this out, but it's a lesson that seems to never sink in.

 

[Tikka223]

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

What are we looking at here, Tikka?

 

[Tikka223]

May 15, 1948 was the first day of the first Arab-Israeli war. If you ever want some in-depth history on what lead to the conflict, check out the Martyrmade podcast. Each side definitely has their own story!

 

[Rob]

 

[bdft]

“AFRICA – A British soldier picks himself out a sun helmet from a pile of them which were left behind when Italian troops left the scene hurriedly somewhere on the western desert.”

http://www.militarysunhelmets.com/2014/where-are-they-now-the-discarded-helmets-of-world-war-ii

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

I need a time machine and a 40' sea can... There are some Fallschirmjager helmets in there.

 

[Bubba Yugga]

The one's I didn't trust were the condescending bureaucratic types.

Nothing to do with nationality. It's a human trait universally despised.

 

[old303]

A very popular product in the Netherlands after the war involved three little feet welded to the top of each German helmet and a quick coat of paint for conversion to a chamber pot.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Meanwhile, in Chile:

And when the armour rolls by, a familiar tune:

[youtube]o-qfGLdgPTs[/youtube]

 

[diopter]

Heinkel HE45 Single engine twin seat biplane recon and trainer.

Type: Recon bomber and advanced trainer
Origin: Ernst Heinkel AG, Rostock-Marienehe
Models: a, b, c, d and C
Production: 512
First Flight: Spring, 1932
Powerplant: Typical configuration
BMW VI 7-3 Watercooled V12
Horsepower: 750hp

Fuel/Fluids:
Fuel Capacity: N/A
Type: N/A
Lubricant Capacity: N/A
Type: N/A
Hydraulic Fluid Capacity: N/A
Type: N/A

Dimensions:
Wing span: 11.50m (37 ft. 8.75 in.)
Wing Surface Area: N/A
Length: 10.59m (34 ft. 9.25 in.)
Height: 3.60m (11 ft. 9.75 in.)
Stabilizer Span: N/A
Weights:
Empty (C): 2105kg (4,641 lb.)
Loaded (C): 2745kg (6,052 lb.)
Performance:
Maximum Speed: 180 mph (290 kph)
Cruise Speed: N/A
Range: 1200km (746 miles)
Initial Climb : N/A
Endurance: N/A
Service Ceiling: N/A

Armament:
One hand aimed MG 15 in rear cockpit
He 45b added a synchronized MG 17 above engine
And
Up to 440lb. (200kg) bombs on lower wing racks.

Production Numbers:
Heinkel: 69*
BFW: 156
Gothaer Wagonfabrik: 68
Focke-Wulf: 219
*Includes airframes designated He 61 for export to China.
Notes:
A sturdy and reliable though unremarkable aircraft, the He 45 was constructed of fabric covered steel tubing for the fuselage and wooden wings. One of the first front line aircraft serving with the Luftwaffe, the He 45 also served with Nationalist Spain (at least 40 aircraft) and 6 He 45C aircraft served with the Legion Kondor. Most surviving He 45C were relegated to training schools by 1939, though in the Autumn of 1942 most remaining aircraft were transfered to Storkampfstaffeln (night harrasment squadrons) on the eastern front.

Kitten's name was not listed.

 

[bearhunter]

Nothing to do with nationality. It's a human trait universally despised.

That was the implication behind the post. Thanx for bringing it into the open.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Heinkel HE45 Single engine twin seat biplane recon and trainer.

Thanks for that, Diopter. I like the weird, lesser-known birds.

Here's an odd one - the Arado AR-232, the answer to the question "what the hell are we supposed to do with eight thousand 24-inch casters?"

Initially built with two engines until someone noticed the FW190 was a better use for them. "B" models went with four less-mighty powerplants.

Intended as a replacement for Tante Ju. This from Wikipedia:

The first two prototypes, bearing the Stammkennzeichen alphabetic codes GH+GN and VD+YA respectively, started trials in early 1941. The first flight resulted in the collapse of the nose gear, but the twenty-two "millipede wheels" saved the aircraft from damage. A further ten pre-production machines were built, and were used operationally as the Ar 232A-0 while awaiting production versions. In general, the Ar 232 completely outperformed the Ju 52/3m. It carried roughly double the load over longer distances, operated from shorter runways and rougher fields if need be, and cruised about 70 km/h (44 mph) faster.

Hell of an innovative aircraft for its time - hydraulic clamshell loading doors, high-mounted tailboom, well out of the way of loading and unloading, great short-field performance, the belly wheels allowed it to take off from dirt. Many things seen here became de rigeur in postward transport aircraft.

The RAF operated a couple after the war. "Winkle" Brown gave it high marks.

Had Fat Hermann not been obsessed with fighting aircraft, this may have made a significant contribution in places like Stalingrad. But transport aircraft weren't ###y, no one was terribly interested, the Ju52 was "good enough", and so few were made and mostly shuttled parts between Arado facilities. A wasted opportunity.

 

[AP]

18873543[/URL]]

[/
QUOTE]

I got quite the lecture from my father when I wanted to buy a German helmet years ago….he was quite irritated at the notion and pointed out that the Canadians had used these helmets as roadbed material — crushing them with tanks.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

18873543[/URL]]

[/
QUOTE]

I got quite the lecture from my father when I wanted to buy a German helmet years ago….he was quite irritated at the notion and pointed out that the Canadians had used these helmets as roadbed material — crushing them with tanks.

Every Biker's dream.

Grizz

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

The Laister-Kauffman CG-10 combat transport glider:

Capable of lifting 5.4 tons of cargo or 42 troops.

Just the thing when dropping soldiers into mainland Japan. 90 were on the line when the Japanese hung it up. Cancelled, only two ever built - 42-61099 (the prototype) and 42-61100 (first production CG-10A).

 

[M1-Garand]

A very popular product in the Netherlands after the war involved three little feet welded to the top of each German helmet and a quick coat of paint for conversion to a chamber pot.

I had one like that LOL. That was my potty, nothing else available at the end of the war
Also remember the green tin can with yellow lettering containing lemonade crystals. Given to us by Canadian soldiers.