Picture of the day

[Gibbs505]

 

[Gibbs505]

The USS San Francisco (CA 38) is forward of the USS Tuscaloosa (CA 37) on the left and the USS Houston (CA 30) is forward of the USS Chicago (CA 29) at Mare Island Navy Yard between Nov 3rd and 5th in 1936

 

[Gibbs505]

German catapult ship, Bussard

 

[bearhunter]

I really want to thank all of the folks that post these great pics. The history they represent is fully visible for all to see. Yes, some of them are staged propaganda shots but even that is representational of the period. Thanks again.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Very cool pic of the Bussard, Gibbs. I had no idea such a thing existed. They sure went big on insignia, didn't they?

You saw the Ostschlepper. Here is BETTER version made by hard-working Comrades of Glorious Soviet Union. I present the Russian Heavy Tractor Voroshilovets (and variations thereon):

A sick little part of me wants one.

 

[XRCD011]

^ The only way to increase that vehicles brutish looks would be if it was steam powered.

 

[shredder]

In Soviet Russia, tractor drives YOU!!!

If looks could kill.........

 

[diopter]

Perfect transporter for a soccer babushka.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

^ The only way to increase that vehicles brutish looks would be if it was steam powered.

If they could have gotten away with square wheels, they would have.

Comrade Engineer believes french curve is decadent counter-revolutionary western invention intended to feminize products of Soviet labour. Ptui. Good comrades use only t-square.

 

[AP]

German catapult ship, Bussard

BV 138's ... nice well armed little aircraft! With diesel engines (and not by VW!) the Wiki links to a video of this aircraft using "JATO" (or 'RATO'!) .. very interesting

 

[Gibbs505]

F4U-4B Corsair fighter of US Navy squadron VF-113 in flight over USS Missouri, Inchon, Korea, 2 Oct 1950

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Lt. V. Rhodes of the WAAC at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia 1943

I'm in. Where do I sign up?

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Oh, no! Your attack against the Soviet Union isn't going well and you find yourself retreating, but you don't want the Russians chasing you on your own railroad lines. Shovels and picks are too slow, and dynamite makes a mess. What to do?

You need the K-Tel Schwellepflug!

"Gee, Bob - how's it work?"

"Don't be an idiot, Dave - it's simple!"

http://2.bp.########.com/-5Y3Krnzgmek/U2vrSqeRN2I/AAAAAAAAJCk/3japugLnkbY/s1600/German+troops+use+a+Schwellenpflug+to+destroy+rail+tracks+while+withdrawing+from+Soviet+territory,+1944+3.jpg

Simply lower the Schwellenpflug down into the ballast and pull behind the locomotive.

It couldn't be easier! And look how effective it is!

Simply sweep away the shattered remnants of the ties (along with your dreams of world dominance) and recycle the rails! It couldn't be any easier!

Only $29.95! Order now, and we'll throw in an increasingly demoralized Feldwebel named Kurt! Pay only separate shipping and handling!

Operators are standing by now to take your order - Call Now!

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Until today, I had never heard of the "Land-Wasser-Schlepper LWS 300 Schwimmpanzer Kettenfahrzeug". I still can't pronounce it. But it's kind of a German DUKW.

This from Wikipedia:

Ordered by the Heereswaffenamt in 1935 for use by German Army engineers, the Landwasserschlepper (or LWS) was intended as a lightweight river tug with some capacity to operate on land.[1][2][3]

Intended to aid river crossing and bridging operations, it was designed by Rheinmetall-Borsig of Düsseldorf. The hull was similar to that of a motor launch, resembling a tracked boat with twin rear-mounted tunnelled propellers and twin rudders. On land, it rode on steel-shod tracks with four bogies per side.[1][2]

By the autumn of 1940 three prototypes had been completed and were assigned to Tank Detachment 100 as part of Operation Sea Lion. It was intended to use them for pulling ashore unpowered assault barges during the invasion and for towing vehicles across the beaches. They would also have been used to carry supplies directly ashore during the six hours of falling tide when the barges were grounded. This involved towing a Kässbohrer amphibious trailer (capable of transporting 10-20 tons of freight) behind the LWS.[3]

The Landwasserschlepper was demonstrated to General Franz Halder on 2 August 1940 by the Reinhardt Trials Staff on the island of Sylt and, though he was critical of its high silhouette on land, he recognized the overall usefulness of the design. It was proposed to build enough LWSs that each invasion barge could be assigned one or two of them, but difficulties in mass-producing the vehicle prevented implementation of that plan.[3]

Due to protracted development, the Landwasserschlepper did not enter regular service until 1942 and, though it proved useful in both Russia and North Africa, it was produced in only small numbers. In 1944 a completely new design was introduced, the LWS II. This vehicle was based on a Panzer IV tank chassis and featured a small raised armored driver's cabin and a flat rear deck with four fold-down intake and exhaust stacks.[4]

Landwasserschleppers remained operational until the end of the war in May 1945.[1][2]

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

And here's video of der Schwellepflug in action:

[youtube]kRBN6oFt2hw[/youtube]

 

[J996]

One hint....1954

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Germans? Camo looks German-ish.

Bofors product?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
LVT - just the thing for waterfowl season.

http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/photos/photo_us_lvt-2_1-cdts-########Warsnet.jpg

 

[J996]

Germans? Camo looks German-ish.

Bofors product?

No on both Close though.

The weapon was developed 1954, the camo was fielded 1957.

 

[RRCo.]

Oh, no! Your attack against the Soviet Union isn't going well and you find yourself retreating, but you don't want the Russians chasing you on your own railroad lines. Shovels and picks are too slow, and dynamite makes a mess. What to do?

You need the K-Tel Schwellepflug!

"Gee, Bob - how's it work?"

"Don't be an idiot, Dave - it's simple!"

http://2.bp.########.com/-5Y3Krnzgmek/U2vrSqeRN2I/AAAAAAAAJCk/3japugLnkbY/s1600/German+troops+use+a+Schwellenpflug+to+destroy+rail+tracks+while+withdrawing+from+Soviet+territory,+1944+3.jpg

Simply lower the Schwellenpflug down into the ballast and pull behind the locomotive.

It couldn't be easier! And look how effective it is!

Simply sweep away the shattered remnants of the ties (along with your dreams of world dominance) and recycle the rails! It couldn't be any easier!

Only $29.95! Order now, and we'll throw in an increasingly demoralized Feldwebel named Kurt! Pay only separate shipping and handling!

Operators are standing by now to take your order - Call Now!

Looks like the raising and lowering screw wasn't up to the job : they took it out and lowered it down with a screw jack. Made things easier for the German PoWs who probably going to be tasked with re-laying the line in Russian broad gauge anyway.

You can see it has derailed itself by spreading the rails too close the rear axle. Fritz should have put double flanged wheels on the back.

 

[diopter]

German in only certain parts of the country.
http://www.militaerfahrzeuge.ch/unterkategorie_26_34_340.html