Picture of the day

[scott585]

We worked on everything,watches to tanks.Not much battle damage,a lot just from the terrain and poor roads.Guns like the 25 pounder done a LOT of work and needed repair.Trucks ,weapons carriers,jeeps trailers ,water tanks Sherman tanks,rifles Brens,Browning MGs.30cal & 50 cal ,recoiless 3 inch guns
.Everything used by troops in the field.Ths was all done in the open ,Very little cover.As a welder it could be broken frames and springs on vehicles tosome battle damage on Shermans ,tent stoves, gas opperated lanterns and cookers,aluminum water trialers. All the time subject to the weather from 90 F.down to 10 -15 below. Come winter we had a few Quanset shelters and tarps to work under. US issued tents AKA Mash for troops and kitchens.I was evacked trough a Norwegian Mash hospital to Japan ,busted up left shoulder.A lot of the steel we used came from the WW2 Japanese submarine yards on the coast at Inchon which was roughly 45 miles from camp.This was still there from the surrender of the Japs in 1945.We I got back to Canada and Whitehorse the Alaska Hiway was still under control of the Army, so we looked after road maintenance,from Dawson Creek BC,Mile 0 to Scotty Creek Mile 1202 on the Alaska border .Rebuilding wooden bridges ,new steel bridged and straitening some of the twists and turns of the original road in 1941-42.A little Poem from then and there.
Winding in and winding out,
It fill my mind with serious doubt
As to the Dude,
Who built this route
Was going to Hell,
Or coming out.

what sort of things broke down on the 25 pounders?

what sort of rod was used to repair armour?

i drove a bit of the "historic" alaska highway, i recall a rather long curved wooden bridge fairly close to mile 0. much of the old route is now sliding off cliffs, etc. interesting to think your work might have been holding it up

 

[Donny Fenn1]

Speaking of carriers, here's a man they could have written a few books about: fist jet carrier landing and highest number of carrier landings: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Brown_(pilot) Greatest number of aircraft types flown: 487.

Just died last week.

Not sure if you're joking but they did write a few books about him, he even wrote a couple...

 

[Duker]

We used a nickel rod on armour and a lot of Amps from a big DC welder.The 25 pounders had recoil system break down because a LOT of Super charge was used. when shooting the guns ,depending on the range they used different charges,Charge 1,2,3,4 & super charge.When using super a alot the barrels got shotout and had to be replaced.There w as nearly always guns in the Wsksp.
The bridge you speak of was very likley the old Taylor bridge on the Peace river.It was replaced with a new steel one after i left the North.I spent some time on the road doing inspections and so got know it pretty well.I really liked Whitehorse and the Yukon .Done a lot of hunting and fishing while I was there

 

[Gibbs505]

 

[Robert Nicholson]

I always enjoy reading your posts Duker, very informative stuff..nice to hear from a Korean vet

It sure is! Feel free to share more anytime, Duker. When I was younger, back in the '70s I remember traveling on the Alaska Highway
there was one section that went thru a nice flat area and it still had the anti-landing strip "S" curvings. Made me sick by the time we got thru it!

 

[purple]

The Cdn Army had responsibility for maintaining the northern BC and Yukon portions of the Alaska Highway from 1946 to 1964. I served with people who had done a tour of duty on the highway and I never met a guy who didn't like the experience.

 

[Gibbs505]

May 1944. On November 11, 1943 this PBM reportedly performed an open sea rescue of 48 men from SS San Juan torpedoed by Japanese submarine. LIFE

 

[dryfire]

May 1944. On November 11, 1943 this PBM reportedly performed an open sea rescue of 48 men from SS San Juan torpedoed by Japanese submarine. LIFE

Martin Mariner !?

 

[Gibbs505]

P-51 Mustang fighter being re armed on Saipan (1945)

 

[sail32]

Duker post 8279 was interesting.

My cousin Scotty Sandison had immigrated from Scotland and ended up in the Canadian Army working on the Alaska Highway.

 

[dryfire]

P-51 Mustang fighter being re armed on Saipan (1945)

That looks like the whole nine yards

 

[AP]

That looks like the whole nine yards

more likely 380 or 270 rounds depending on the gun position

 

[XRCD011]

Interesting mix of ammo types judging by the nose paint. I think the belt is set up with 2 AP-2API-1 Trace.
Scroll well down and it has the various types of .50 rounds

http://www.nebraskaaircrash.com/50caliber.html

 

[Duker]

What time frame was he on the hiway,I dont remember the name.But I don't remember a lot of names these days.

 

[Robert Nicholson]

Duker post 8279 was interesting.

My cousin Scotty Sandison had immigrated from Scotland and ended up in the Canadian Army working on the Alaska Highway.

What time frame was he on the hiway,I dont remember the name.But I don't remember a lot of names these days.

.....

 

[Gibbs505]

The #rccrc meet and greet at moorabbin air museum

 

[Gibbs505]

British Mark V (female) tanks found in the aftermath of the Battle of Berlin, apparently units that once belonged to the Estonians, which were then captured by the soviets in 1940 after the invasion of the country, and then by the germans following Barbarossa.

There’s debate about their actual use in german service, some claim they were simply dragged from their storage places and used as pillboxes during the last days of the Reich, while others said these were in use as early as 1944 for patrolling duties inside Berlin with the Hitler Young.

 

[Gibbs505]

Convair B-36 “Peacemaker”

 

[Gibbs505]

C-5 and his much smaller friends

 

[XRCD011]

^ man that's one small looking Herc.