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The News
Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot -October 2012
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- Created on Friday, 12 October 2012 16:50
The Knob Creek machine gun shoot is going on right now in Kentucky, near Fort Knox, and if you are close by you should drop in for a real martial treat. Gun enthusiasts (people that like to mess with guns, not criminals) from all over gather to enjoy their hobby. This event has been going on for years with relatively few injuries, which is amazing considering the lethal nature of the hobby. Credit must go to the organizers of the event, and the patrons, who all have safety on their minds.
This time of year there isn't a pumpkin save from being riddled, and the odd propane tank gets it too, for a little instant gratification. If you ever wanted to know what being in a war zone sounds like, you get the idea walking into the range from the parking lot, Along the way are plenty of military vehicles to check out, and you might even get to hitch a ride on a mule.
Civil War enthusiasts like to bring their cannons too. Anything that can delivered a lead slug down range is utilized for maximum enjoyment of the crowd. The sheer amount of WW2 calibers being used in the guns keep the surplus vendors happy. For a unique American treat, you ought to check it out. You won't find a nicer bunch of guys (and gals).
The video is from motos channel
Satan bombs
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- Created on Sunday, 07 October 2012 21:45
Germany really had it in for the Brits. If the war had ended in 1943, the Germans would have had the trophy for the largest bombs dropped on anybody. One of those bombs was nicknamed the Satan bomb, possibly by the residents of Bristol, in England, one of the main recipients of the weapon.
Bristol was home to the Port of Bristol, and of course, the Bristol Airplane Company. Huge numbers of other targets also made it a focus for the Luftwaffe, army training centers, gas works, fuel depots and others. The place was easy for the bombers to find by moonlight, just follow the river and fat juicy Bristol was a plum waiting to be plucked. The worst raid was in early January, 1941, when the Luftwaffe pounded Bristol for 12 hours. Heinkel 111's dropped, among others, Satan bombs. These were serious bombs, carrying 1,800 kg's of explosives (thats 4000 lbs for metric insensitive Americans). The Bristol city center was devastated and some neighborhoods haven't recovered yet. One of the Satan bombs didn't go off, and the brave bomb disposal crews actually dug one out of the ground, which was 29 feet down, disarming it, and it was used in the VE day parade in London.
Malta was pounded into dust by these bombs also, usually delivered by JU-88's. That wasn't enough to bring the population to surrender, but almost. A Satan bomb was dismantled in Valletta Malta also. These aircraft and the Heinkels could only carry one of these big boys at a time. It was good for us that Hitler couldn't see the value of a 4 engine bomber, and idea that the Brit's and the US didn't let pass.
Libyan citizens turning in weapons
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- Created on Sunday, 30 September 2012 19:04
It's hard to believe that a populace recently engaged in a bloody revolution is already voluntarily turning in their arms to the newly established government. Due to the repressive nature of the rulers in the middle east, and their poor track record in human rights, it is remarkable that the ordinary Libyan citizen trusts their government already.
The police departments in the US have been trying gun turnin projects for years, even resorting to buy back programs, or offering discounts on popular items to encourage gun owners to relinquish their guns. These programs do bring in some guns, mostly worn out or cheap guns, but they do get some guns off the street. This is nothing compared to what's being turned in Libya. Almost every rifle is a machine gun. Thousands of these are being turned in. Rocket launchers, rocket propelled grenades, mortars, anti-aircraft guns, and so far, 2 tanks. The guns that we in the US turn in look like BB guns compared to this lot. See story on Al-Jazeera.
AKA Peace converts AK-47's to art
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- Created on Saturday, 29 September 2012 15:36
It's no doubt the AK is a symbol of global violence, revolution, evil nation-states, resistance to the man, or whatever you like. Artists can't seem to keep their hands off of them either. At London's Institute of Contemporary Arts, AK's have become sculpture, in a project known as AKA Peace started by Sunday Times photographer Bran Symondson.
Art by Tim Noble & Sue Webster
The show runs till the end of September, after which the guns will be auctioned off to support Peace One Day, a group that sponsors world peace by calling for a global non-vialent day each year on September 21st. In a perfect world, guns would be only for hobbyists to blast away at their gun clubs, terrorizing only empty pop bottles. Let's hope peace catches on.
AKA Peace art show
Peace One Day's intro video
Hybrid aircraft, the Hispano ha-1112 Buchon
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- Created on Sunday, 23 September 2012 20:50
Updated 30 September, 2012
Early in WW2, Spain had made a deal with Nazi Germany for the rights and drawings and 25 airframes of Messerschmitt Bf109 G2 fighters, to be built in Spain with Germany supplying running gear and guns, which in the end Germany failed to do as they were busy fighting with the rest of the world.
Not to let a few engines and propellers stop them from fitting out their fighter force, they cobbled on a few Hispano Suiza engines and VDM props and flew by 1944, but was never satisfactory. The Hispano installation was finally sorted out by 1951, and the aircraft worked reasonably well, although the tail was designed for a counter clockwise turning propeller, and the Hispano ran clockwise, but this mostly was only a problem on taking off. The motor was also an upright v design putting the exhausts higher on the nose, the Messerschmitt's original engine being an inverted Daimler Benz.
By 1954, the Spaniards acquired some Rolls Royce Merlin engines which were now surplus, and this engine was just the ticket to make the Spanish fighter a performer again. Ironically, the first few Bf 109s built by the Germans flew with Rolls Royce Kestrel engines, the forerunner to the famous Merlin, as German engines weren't ready. So the Buchon was just a 109 that had returned to it's roots. This version, equipped with 20mm cannon and rockets, had possibly been used in Spanish territories in Africa, where there was no competition for the outdated, but still formidable fighter. The Spanish Buchon also appeared in the movies where the visual differences apparently didn't matter, starring in "Memphis Belle", and "Tuskegee Airmen". The plane was also used as, of all things, a Hawker Hurricane in "Battle of Britain".
Following video shows a Buchon in action, from Auldm's channel, Wings