Military Parade 05-06 1994

In nearly 1991, the Western press ("Jane's Defence Weekly", 1991, vol. 16, No. 3, p. 88) reported that a US Marines'Harrier II aircraft on a mission in the Persian Gulf was supposedly shot down by a missile fired from a Soviet-made SA-16 Gimlet portable surface-to-air missile system. Adopted by the Soviet Army in 1981 this weapon, with the Russian name "lgla-1" (Needle-1), was indeed supplied to a number of countries in Africa and the Middle East. The need for portable surface-to-air (SA) missile systems to provide AA cover for fighting troops became evident after the subsequent changes in air tactics. These changes were, in turn, corollary to two interrelated factors. Firstly, the advent of air defense missile systems dramatically increased the combat capabilities of air defences during the destruction of intruder aircraft at medium and high altitudes. Secondly, in a bid to safeguard the aircraft against ground fire, the designers provided the flight-navigation equipment, sighting complexes and other aircraft systems with capabilities allowing them to approach and attack targets with bombs and missiles, while standing off the effective range of SA missiles, i. e., flying at tow (150 - 600 m) and extremely low (25- 150m) altitudes. The air forces of various countries did more than merely try out such air attack techniques, they successfully employed them in local wars. These tactics were extensively used by the coalition forces to bomb the Iraqi troops during the "Desert Storm" operation.

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Secret History of Chemical Warfare

The term 'chemical warfare' can, without some form of qualification, encompass a vast range of weapons from tear gas, through the choking gases like chlorine and the vesicant blistering agents like mustard gas, to the instantly fatal nerve gases such as sarin or 'VX', and may too justify the inclusion of chemical defoliants like Agent Orange and phosphorous, used either as an incendiary or as a component of marker smoke. In either of the latter roles the primary purpose of phosphorous weapons is not to inflict personal injury, although that is frequently the collateral effect. In order to contain this book within manageable bounds, interest is strictly confined to those agents formulated specifically to harass, maim or kill combatants and so will make no further mention of military insecticides, defoliants - although they figured with great contention throughout the Vietnam War - psycho-chemicals (from the same period) or the broad range of marking and concealing smoke-cloud generators. For a similar motive, this book is heavily weighted with developments made in the field of chemical warfare between the years 1915 and 1956, the years which, coincidentally, mark Britain's initial adoption and final rejection of chemical weapons as a legitimate mode of war. We have stretched the boundaries a little to follow the final refinement of the nerve agent 'VX' which, in reality, was chemical warfare's last spasm and which was so horrifyingly toxic that, by so terrifying its possessors, effectively brought about its own death.

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Sound the Charge - The US Cavalry in the American West 1866-1916

In 1865 a victorious Yankee army began to disband. No longer needed to fight a life-and-death struggle to preserve the Union, most of the men who wore the blue now put aside their uniforms and returned to civilian pursuits. Not all of these veterans, however, were to follow this course. The nation still needed a force to occupy the defeated South, as radical Republicans used the military as a sword to enforce the policies of Reconstruction. In the West, ever-growing numbers of settlers, miners, and others flowed into the region between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean in search of land, riches, or scores of other inducements both real and imagined. Their presence heightened tensions with the first inhabitants of the deserts, mountains, and plains - people referred to as Indians' by those who came in a steady stream from the East and elsewhere. The borders between Canada and the United States, and the sometimes volatile line separating Mexico from its northern neighbor, likewise required troops, especially during the period of unrest when the Austrian archduke Maximilian ruled as Emperor of Mexico.

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Wehrmacht Camouflage Uniforms & Post-War Derivatives

The first aim of this project has been to establish a definite typology for German camouflage patterns and garments, since much confusion over their designations exists among post-war collectors. Appropriately, I believe, the terms used here for the various camouflage patterns described are those employed by the German forces themselves, though even here there is often no universal nomenclature for a given pattern. Just as elements of medieval armour are known by French terms, it is only appropriate that German terminology be used in discussing German camouflage clothing. Throughout this book German terms will appear in italics, and a glossary of terms can be found at the end of the book. For various reasons the author has also included in this book camouflage patterns and clothing of the postwar German military establishments. Primarily, this is because my intent is to document the entire history of German camouflage- printed uniforms. Secondly, they are included for the benefit of uniform collectors, since post-war items are often confused with (and sometimes unscrupulously sold as) the World War II equivalents. For the same reason similar foreign camouflage patterns, obviously inspired by German originals and occasionally confused with them, are also included here. Finally, it should be noted that post-1945 camouflage clothing can be interesting and collectable in its own right: indeed, some of the post-war German items are actually rarer than many of World War II vintage.

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Waffen-Arsenal Sonderband S-59 - Mercedes Pkw 1935-1945

In den zwanziger Jahren mußte sich die Führung der Reichswehr mit handelsüblichen Personenwagen zufriedenstellen, da nach dem verlorenen Ersten Weltkrieg die Konstruktion spezieller Militärfahrzeuge von den Siegermächten verboten war. Hinzu kam, daß infolge der katastrophalen Inflation die Finanzlage sowohl der Reichsregierung wie bei den Automobilfirmen sehr angespannt und an die Entwicklung besonderer Geländewagen kaum zu denken war. Die Reichswehrstellen entschieden sich für Fahrzeuge der mittleren Hubraumklasse, weil die Anschaffungs- und Unterhaltungskosten gering waren, der Kauf also wirtschaftlich sinnvoll schien. Völlig unverändert - wenn man einmal von der Lackierung mit Tarnfarben absieht - wurden von den Herstellern nur geschlossene PKW übernommen. Aber die militärischen Dienststellen bevorzugten natürlich offene Wagen, bei denen rasches Einsteigen oder Abspringen möglich ist. Deshalb kam es bei der Reichswehr zur Einführung sogenannter Gelände-PKW: Wagen mit offenen Aufbauten auf der Basis handelsüblicher Personenwagen. Von BMW, Ha-nomag, Horch, Mercedes, Wanderer und anderen wurden solche "Kübelwagen" gebaut, die ihren kuriosen Namen von der merkwürdigen Schalenform der Sitze haben.

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Waffen-Arsenal Band 107 - Krupp-Kraftwagen Im Kriege

Auf Grund der guten Erfahrungen mit dem L 3 H 63 ging Krupp im Jahre 1929 daran. auch einen leichten geländegängigen Dreiachser (6 x 4) zu bauen, der 1930 als L 2 H 43 herauskam. Das Fahrzeug hatte einen luftgekühlten 4-Zylinder-Vergaser-Boxermotor. synchronisiertes Viergang-Getriebe. ein Zusatz-Getriebe für Straßen-/Geländegang, und an Doppelschwingen aufgehängte, angetriebene Hinterräder.
Einige Versuchsmuster waren mit Dieselmotor bzw. Stützrädern an der vorderen Stoßstange ausgestattet. Die Reihenfertigung wurde 1932 mit einem 55 PS-Vergasermotor aufgenommen. 1936 kam der L 2 H 143, der u. a. einen auf 60 PS gesteigerten Motor, eine verlängerte vordere Stoßstange und einen vergrößerten Abstand der Hinterräder aufwies. Bei der Wehrmacht lief dieses robuste und fortschrittliche Fahrzeug vor allem als Protz-und als Mannschafts-Kraftwagen. Die Fertigung wurde 1942 eingestellt. Versuchsweise wurden zwei Fahrzeuge als L 2 H 243 mit 70 PS-Vergasermotor versehen. Ein Fahrzeug wurde dann als L 2 H 343 mit 70 PS-Motor und zusätzlichem Vorderradantrieb (6x6) ausgerüstet, was eine Gewichtsmehrung von 350 kg brachte. Beide Typen gingen jedoch nicht in Serie.

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Russian T-34 Battle Tank

It is not true that the T-34 — a great surprise for the German soldiers in World War II — arose out of the blue. There was simply a lack of reconnaissance.
The BT (Bystrochodya Tank = Fast Tank) 1-7 series, which originated in 1931, and the BT-IS (Ispitatelniy = Researcher) developed in 1936 featured from the start the Christie running gear with the big road wheels, which was later typical of the T-34 as well. Since the BT-7 they were equipped with robust Diesel engines, and the BT-IS was the first to have angled armor plate. All of them, including the two successor models, the A-20 and A-30, were still armed with a 4.5 cm tank gun and could travel on their road wheels even without tracks — hence the "Fast Tank" designation. There was much in them that pointed the way to the T-34. Even more similar was the T-32 (1939) based on the A-30, which did not go into series production but was a decisive transitional step to the ensuing T-34. This design already included the 7.62 cm gun, the fifth (previously there had been only four) pair of road wheels, and it had finally dispensed with the complicated wheel-and-chain system.

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Opel Militarfahrzeuge 1906-1956

1862 gilt als das Gründungsjahr der heutigen Adam Opel AG. Es war das Jahr, in dem Otto von Bismarck von König Wilhelm I. zum Preußischen Ministerpräsidenten und Außenminister ernannt wurde. Bis zum deutsch-französischen Krieg von 1870/71 folgten drei von ihm provozierte Militäreinsätze. Eine Zeit, die nach Soldaten in Uniformen rief, sorgte auch für Aufschwung bei Schneidern und Fabrikanten für Nähmaschinen. Adam Opel hatte damals seine Wanderjahre beendet und 1862 in einem Rüsselsheimer Kuhstall seine erste Nähmaschine zusammengesetzt. Dies waren Nähmaschinen, die noch sensible Gußteile aus Frankreich erforderten. Durch den Krieg von 1870/71 wurde zwar vorübergehend die erfolgreich begonnene Nähmaschinenproduktion beeinträchtigt, doch konnten schon bald verbesserte Modelle den Absatz neu beleben. Für Adam Opel war der Krieg gegen Frankreich schnell vergessen. Seit seinen Lehrjahren in Paris hatte der Firmengründer immer eine besondere Vorliebe zu Frankreich beibehalten und konnte bald nach Kriegsende seine intensive Handelsbeziehung fortsetzen. So blieben ihm auf einer seiner Geschäftsreisen nach Paris auch die ersten englischen Fahrräder nicht verborgen. Fahrräder, die ab 1886 in seiner Fabrik in Rüsselsheim am Main weiterentwickelt und zu echten »Rennern« vervollkommnet werden konnten. Über 16000 Einheiten verließen um die Jahrhundertwende das Mainstädtchen.

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German Armored Trains on the Russian Front 1941-1944

After the successful conclusion of the French campaign at the end of June 1940, Hitler hoped he could move Britain to make peace. After this was shown to be an illusion and no alternative to continuing the sea war appeared on that front—the only halfhearted plan to invade Great Britain was soon ruled out by the loss of the air war over the island—. Hitler turned to the enemy whom National Socialism had regarded as one of his chief foes from the beginning, Communism, and especially its embodiment in the Soviet Union. Here it was not just an ideological disagreement between two dictatorial systems, both unscrupulous and inhuman, but also the presumably necessary expansion of the "Lebensraum" of the German 'Master Race" at the expense of the Slavic "Untermenschen", which implied measures to wipe out the native population. On August 28, 1939 Hitler had made an agreement with Stalin, to the amazement of many, that kept his back free for the invasion of Poland, but it was probably clear to both that this was an agreement for a time, which they would keep as long as it was useful, and that each would be ready to renounce or break at the optimal time for him. Of course the Soviet Union had armed itself steadily since 1930, but this process was not yet finished. The results of Stalin's purges in 1937-1939, to which numerous high-ranking officers had fallen victim, were by no means overcome, the lessons of the difficult 1939-1940 winter war with Finland were just beginning to be processed, the production of new and more effective weapons, such as the T 34 tank and the 'Katyusha rocket launcher (the feared "Stalin Organ") were just beginning in 1940-1941.

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Air Pictorial 1957 11

AIR fares are much in the news these days, and most of us are rather bewildered by all the conflicting statements appearing in the Press. For the last year or two, we have been tantalised by the prospect of lower fares for tourist services which would enable the ordinary traveller (who does not have his fare paid by his employer) to travel extensively about the world more cheaply than at present and thus to make his personal contribution to a better understanding of other countries' and other people's problems. Yet to many of us, a lowering of air fares has seemed somewhat improbable in view of rising costs in every direction. In aviation circles, on the other hand, it has been confidently predicted that the yearly increase in the number of passengers travelling by air must inevitably lead to a reduction in fares. It is perhaps not universally realised that in the end it is governments who control air fares. To many of us, it has seemed that this was a function of the International Air Traffic Association, of which almost all international air carriers are members; and up to now for a variety of reasons this has practically been the case. I.A.T.A. meets annually to review the air fares situation and to make its recommendations to governments.

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Kagero Topshots No. 11030 - An-26

The Antonov An-26 (NATO reporting name "Curl") was originally designed for "Aeroflot" - the Russian national airline and biggest carrier in Russia - to meet its requirement for a light passenger/cargo transport aircraft capable of replacing its ageing fleet of Li-2s and II-14s. The development of such an aircraft commenced as early as the late fifties at the Antonov design bureau. This early work resulted in the creation of the An-24, a 44-seat twin-turboprop transport. First flown in 1959, it was ordered into production in 1972, and soon became a valued acquisition for local airlines. The design dominated air-passenger transport in the USSR over medium haul distances. In the meantime, the Antonov design bureau had begun work on a military version of the aircraft. Its fuselage was slightly reshaped and fitted with a rear-loading ramp. Designated An-24 TW, it first flew on 21st May 1969. The aircraft proved to be a very effective means of transporting up to 40 troopers and light combat vehicles (up to 5 tons in weight). Furthermore, it could equally well serve as an airborne ambulance, with enough room to accommodate 24 injured personnel on stretchers whilst operating from forward landing grounds.

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The British Bombers since 1914

Whatever verdict historians and moralists of the distant future, no longer constrained by personal experience and familiarity, consider appropriate on the bombing aeroplane of the twentieth century, one fact is incontestable: it represented the most powerful weapon in the arsenals of the belligerent nations in two World Wars, potentially decisive in the first and demonstrably so in the second. Despite being conceived in times of international tranquility, the flying machine was inevitably doomed to become a weapon of war, for such is the short-sighted ingenuity of mankind whatever the motives, be they aggression or survival in the face of it. International war may be the result of failed diplomacy, but it is also a product of human greed and the fear of uncontrolled tyranny. Unfortunately wars in the twentieth century have become a reality too quickly for any genuine understanding to be gained of the ultimate cost in human life, and the breakup of social structures they engender. During the lifespan of the bombing aeroplane even the accepted rules of warfare, for so long observed to a greater or lesser degree, were almost wholly abandoned. The assumed ability of the bomber to deliver a decisive attack has rendered obsolete the traditional declaration of war, for such a declaration would not only eliminate the essential element of surprise but would invite pre-emptive action — itself potentially decisive.

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