Picture of the day

At the other end of the spectrum.
Patented 550 lbs Aluminum alloy diving suit by Chester E. Macduffee, 1911
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Flash Gordon anyone?

http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-strange-and-wonderful-history-of-diving-suits-from-1262529336

Would you believe 1878 for this one?
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grelmar said:
And came across this...

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On the left, a young Lt. John Marks, in 1991, early on in the Gulf War, showing off some fresh paint on his A-10. (He would go on to collect over 30 tank kills in Gulf 1, depending on sources).

On the right, Lt. Col. John Marks, still flying A-10's with custom paint (although the paint is now hidden behind a service panel). Most recent combat deployment is 2014 in Afghanistan.

Currently a Pilot instructor at Whiteman Air Force Base. In mid November, he crossed over the 6000 hour mark in the A-10, including 950 Combat Hours. So far.

"Marks plans on flying the A-10 until he is no longer capable, which gives him a few more years in the cockpit and the potential to reach 7,000 hours."

http://www.afrc.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/5059/Article/1017122/whiteman-pilot-logs-6000-a-10-hours.aspx

https://warisboring.com/after-nearly-30-years-a-10-pilot-reaches-more-than-6-000-hours-in-the-cockpit-b65b1ee866f1#.rdy1buxbp

And with a bit of creative Google-Foo, lots more about this guy. Possibly the single most experienced combat pilot currently serving the in USAF.
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26 years as an active pilot, service in two wars, and he's still only a light colonel?? He must have decided he'd rather fly than accept staff assignments to further his career.
 
shredder said:
26 years as an active pilot, service in two wars, and he's still only a light colonel?? He must have decided he'd rather fly than accept staff assignments to further his career.
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Also interesting that he serves on an A/C that the development of which was contributed to by another record holding tank killer - Hans Ulrich Rudel. Over 500 tanks and over 700 vehicles of all sorts destroyed in over 2500 missions over the period of six years of WWII , flying far less technically advanced A/C Ju87 and Fw190.
 
bush1 said:
Getting 9000 hours in that type of aircraft is no big deal at all especially with extra crew and inflight meals but someone getting 6000 hours in a A10 or a fighter is really quite remarkable.
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Considering how long the B-52 has been trucking, and how long the missions can be, I will respectfully disagree.
 
shredder said:
26 years as an active pilot, service in two wars, and he's still only a light colonel?? He must have decided he'd rather fly than accept staff assignments to further his career.
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Very likely. Met such people before. Excellent soldiers who decided that they could make a difference at the post they were instead of improving their personal career.
 
donor said:
Polish Blyskawica sub gun.Underground produced version of STEN.About 640 were produced.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Błyskawica_submachine_gun
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Part Sten, part MP40, part "original". Basically, a sub-gun designed to make use of commonly available materials, that could be produced by people with a limited skill set, in secrecy.

One of the things I found interesting was that it was specifically designed to come together with threaded parts and screws - no welds, no bolts.
 
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