Maggie’s Military Jeopardy

#451
Downtown got it... And the trapezoid was important because that shape was only used to defend irbm launchers. Other field manuals specified other layouts. So when analysts saw Sam batteries in a trapezoid, they knew that there were irbm launchers being deployed. And immediately found nuke storage bunkers and crates that could only have been Sov nuclear missiles. It helped that the us analysts had a copy of the Soviet "book" thanks to Oleg Penkovsky. Any other sam layout and U.S. intelligence would not have found the missiles on Cuba until it was too late and they were operational.

But enjoyed the detail on pmi post....

Cheers, Sirhr
 
#454
Sorry I was so verbose Sirh, but I was one of the "analysts" you describe, so a flood of memories come back when I start talking PID of assets. I still think the most challenging (and fun) task, was "calling out" the SS-24Mod1's, scattered in the rail yards. Was always an interesting test in patience/persistence to track them as the rail cars moved around a yard.
 
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#455
Fs.. animals are not eligible for the Victoria Cross itself.

But there is an equivalent called the Dickens medal or something like that. And several pigeons earned it for everything from carrying messages from Invasion beaches to rescuing aircrew.

When I was at Bletchley Park last fall I saw a great exhibit on the birds and animals in one of the restored hot's. Including several medals. They were awarded to dogs horses and lots of pigeons. The pigeons being the focus of The Bletchley Park exhibit because often those messages were coded.

Cheers sirhr
 
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#456
FS1 said:
In world war 2 a pigeon was awarded the Victoria cross for this action.
Click to expand...

His name was Commando and he was a bad ass motherfucker that carried nearly 100 messages across enemy lines. I remember this from a documentary.

He wasn't issued the Victoria Cross though, he was issued the animal version (I had to look this up when I went to check if I was right, it's the Dickins Medal) which sold for a fortune.
 
#459
Davy Crockett s an operation was one of Hal Moore's Air Cav Search and Destroy missions early in the VN war.

But you are probably talking about the Nuclear recoiless rifle? Or Nuclear Bazooka.

Back when they were even considering making things like 'nuclear hand grenades.' Technically possible. What idiot would throw it, however?

Fun to give out squad level nukes... except for the squad. Which was probably why they cancelled the program.

If you read my buddy Jim's book on the Berlin Det., he talks about the SADARM's for the first time. That's the backpack nukes that were designed to be carried into targets by SF. To this day, noone knows whether the 'Start Timer' button just set the thing off. ;-)

Cheers,

Sirhr
 
#460
sirhrmechanic said:
If you read my buddy Jim's book on the Berlin Det., he talks about the SADARM's for the first time. That's the backpack nukes that were designed to be carried into targets by SF. To this day, noone knows whether the 'Start Timer' button just set the thing off. ;-)

Cheers,

Sirhr
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What was the title of this book? I ask because the wife was a USAF "pocket rocket" in Berlin circa the early eighties. It'd be interesting to compare notes. OpPlan Trip Wire comes to mind...
 
#469
SA-2 Missiles, again in Cuba, in a Star of David pattern.
 

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#474
SirHR, nope.... but you're definitely onto a potentially right track.

I chose this one, because as far as I know, it's pretty much "ungoogle-able" and not only that, but as I would understand.... very few people would/should actually recognize what it is, and/or what it does.

The average civilian absolutely won't have a clue. So lets see how this goes......
 
#476
Thumper580 said:
Regarding the Azorian project... here is the section of cable from the sub recovered by the CIA.
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That is beyond amazing. But,are you sure that is Azorian and not Ivy Bells??? Same timeframe... Lots of the sam folks. Looks more like underwater cable than sub part. Though I was not a naval engineer... So could easily be a nuc power cable.

Whatever it is...,awesome!!!

Cheers, Sirhr
 
#479
sirhrmechanic said:
Davy Crockett s an operation was one of Hal Moore's Air Cav Search and Destroy missions early in the VN war.

But you are probably talking about the Nuclear recoiless rifle? Or Nuclear Bazooka.

Back when they were even considering making things like 'nuclear hand grenades.' Technically possible. What idiot would throw it, however?

Fun to give out squad level nukes... except for the squad. Which was probably why they cancelled the program.

If you read my buddy Jim's book on the Berlin Det., he talks about the SADARM's for the first time. That's the backpack nukes that were designed to be carried into targets by SF. To this day, noone knows whether the 'Start Timer' button just set the thing off. ;-)

Cheers,

Sirhr
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Yeah, the Davy Crockett mortar. They have two of 'em in the Infantry Museum at Benning, the big one and the "small" one. It looks like a big ass bottle rocket on bipod with a small fat man bomb on the end. Super simple. The idea was to stop a Russian invasion in it's tracks. But yeah, the big one put the operator in or awful close to the blast radius and both were prone to massive radiation exposure depending on weather.

I read about backpack nukes in a SOF magazine when I was a kid (damn, nearly 28 years ago!) and I read something by a guy that was familiar with 'em... Maybe the guy you're talking about? Anyway, based on the protocol they assumed it was a "detonate now" button because if they had enough time to get away, they'd have to leave a fucking nuke unsecured.

You KNOW that shit ain't happening!

I forget all the details around it though --or the details I was privy to.
 
#481
Sean the Nailer said:
Ok, for a "Daily Double", here goes:

What is it,
And what's it do?

(I know that isn't the correct format, but work with me here)
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Is that an old torpedo fuse? I'm guessing based on the shape and material and wear spots it's a naval fuse of some type. Second guess would be a depth charge fuse.

edit: didn't see Mike called the torp. fuse at first... Sorry.
 
#482
No, it isn't an "old torpedo fuse" nor is it an "artillery fuse" (?) or a "depth charge fuse".... but here's another photo with a Canuckian Nickle in there, for scale and comparison. With an added bonus hint, for some.

 

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#483
Interesting. I'm assuming the ID of that tube is stepped, so that a flanged something that goes in the tube can be released to extend of pas through the tube?
 
#487
I know, I know,!!! It is a clerenderm that works in conjunction with a zoomerino that goes along with a bogatrod in series!!!
In other words, I haven't a fucking clue. You have got me here.
I will be watching for the answer in eager anticipation. FM
 
#488
Well, I won't deny that I'm actually enjoying this, because "You lot" are the ones with the experience and the brains and the history. But even then, it is only a "small" segment of ya'll whom actually "SHOULD" know what this is.

In a perfect world. How I know, and learned, is a different story.... to say the least. But, since only a few have looked/responded/guessed, it is up to ya'll as to how long before I "pop that balloon" and everything fizzles.

I was hoping there'd be a "wider" selection of branches inputting, because one of ya'll HAS to know what it is. Too many have 'fiddled' with them, over time.

(stack of hints, in the above)
 
#497
You guys are thinking 'intricate' and 'complicated' and whatnot. This is much more common and simple. But as I stated to begin with, very few will ever actually have seen it. If you did, you either "shouldn't be" or were in a considerable specialty.

Remember, ya'll'd throw these things away, before anyone used one.

:D
 
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