Polish AT-rifle WZ.35

Anti-tank rifle, model 35 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The weapon was initially a top secret of the Polish Army, and was also known by various codenames. Until mobilization in 1939, the combat-ready rifles were held in closed crates enigmatically marked, "Do not open; surveillance equipment."

After the fall of Poland, the German army captured large numbers of the kb ppanc wz.35 and used it as "Panzerbüchse 35 (polnisch)" (abbreviated "PzB 35(p)"). The Italian army also benefitted from the booty and used it under its own designation as "fucile controcarro 35(P)." Both names translate roughly as "Anti-tank Rifle 35 (Polish)."


Maroszek WZ 35, polish secret weapon - WW2inColor Talk

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Dunlap continued on to become a top designer for the Douglas Aircraft in 1936. Here he worked on the first all metal skin stressed twin-engine bomber. This bomber was designated the B-18 "BOLO Bomber. Other models he was involved with were the B-23 "DRAGON" and the DC-5 high-winged transport.

David E. Dunlap

He was the sole designer of the main landing gear for the XB-19, 80 ton giant, experimental bomber. It was largest plane ever built as of 1941. The famous B-17's, B-24's and B-29's bombers used XB-19 technology in their designs.

It was physically the largest American aircraft yet built, and was to remain so until the completion of the Convair B-36 in 1946.


Goleta Air and Space Museum: Douglas XB-19

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thats really interesting, my brother-in-law bought one last year, i'll have to check it to see if it is one of the exports ot an original.

KA-BAR

The KA-BAR is a 12-inch fighting and utility knife (7 inches making up the blade) first used by the US Marines in World War II.

As to its name,

Soon after its introduction in the mid-1920's, the KA-BAR trademark became widely known and respected. There have been many versions of how the KA-BAR name came to be, but all evidence points to a letter received from a fur trapper. This particular fur trapper's testimonial turned out to be the most significant ever received by the company.

He wrote, in very rough English, that his gun had jammed and that he had therefore relied on his knife to kill a wounded bear that was attacking him. In thanking the company for their quality product the trapper described using his knife to kill the bear. All that was legible of his scrawled writing was "k a bar". The company was so honored by this testimonial that they adopted this phrase and used it as their trademark, KA-BAR.

KA-BAR - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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On Me-163 Komet

The Messerschmitt Company had sub-contracted the production of the first 70 pair of wings to a factory in Zeulenroda. They had previously produced transport gliders. It was found during a quality control check in Regensburg that the main kingpin for the wing mounting connection had two millimeters of play. That could have caused catastrophic wing failure during high-speed flight. In the meantime, and, at the expense of considerable man-hours, all of the wings had had to be ripped open so that the production flaw could be corrected.

Top secret bird by Wolfgang Späte

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It was impossible to plan for more than 190 Me-163´s because the vast quantities of hydrogen super oxide that were needed could not be produced. And at that time, it was still uncertain whether the hot engine( I think this means the engine for more than testing ) would ever be delivered from the Walter factory. The air frame had been completed precisely on schedule, but three-quarters of a year after the agreed delivery date, no one had seen anything of the first fully capable rocket engine.( winter-early spring 1943 )

Top Secret bird by Späte

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Fallschirmjäger gravity knife ( pictures from a seller on a Finnish auction site )

Attached Images

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Cannone da 90/53

Comando Supremo: Cannone Da 90/53

Of all the anti-aircraft guns in service with Italy from 1941-1943, none was better than the Cannone da 90/53. It was an excellent weapon that could stand comparison with any of its contemporaries and it was a good, sound and modern design. The Cannone da 90/53 was built and designed by Ansaldo and the first examples were produced in 1939, with production being authorized in three main versions.

By July 1943 only 539 weapons of all variants had been delivered. In July 1943, the production line fell into German hands and was continued for German use alone. German forces in North Africa had already had the 90/53 in service for some time as they recognized it was a good gun comparable with their own 88.

The Germans valued the 90/53 so highly that following the Italian surrender in July 1943, they impressed as many of the 90/53s as they could find and sent many of them back to Germany for defense of the Reich as the 9-cm Flak 41(i), although the official designation was the 9-cm Flak 309/l(i). By December 1944, 315 such guns are mentioned in German records, though many were emplaced in Northern Italy.

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