Jump to content
Special Upgrade 4 Tech Tips

Formerly Babra

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    938

  • Joined

  • Last visited

    Never

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Formerly Babra

    Tank Destroyers after World War 2

    in Combat Mission Archive #2 (2000)

    Posted

    Mention of the Ontos reminded me of another American TD used in Vietnam -- the M56 Scorpion. It mounted a 90mm AT gun in an open fighting compartment. There was no side or rear protection for the three-man crew and only a modest splinter shield on the front. Combat weight was 8 tons. This conceivably might have been a handy (though short-lived) vehicle in Europe, but in Vietnam it was a dismal failure.

    Anyway, as late as the '60s/'70s the US was fielding dedicated TDs.

    ------------------

    I remember it perfectly: The Germans wore grey; you wore blue...

    0

    Brumbar, Sturm Tiger, sIG 33 Bison, Panther II

    in Combat Mission Archive #2 (2000)

    Posted

    I'm torn. On the one hand, I'm a purist. On the other hand, I also like to "experiment".

    Perhaps a solution is to include "exotic" vehicles in a new category, or perhaps a new class of scenario. They could not be used in scenarios rated "historical" but could be purchased for scenarios rated "what if". Just some kind of clearly defined designation so that purists aren't ambushed by fantasy opponents.

    ------------------

    I remember it perfectly: The Germans wore grey; you wore blue...

    0

    Another Vet of WWII gone

    in Combat Mission Archive #2 (2000)

    Posted

    The mourner's kaddish (to expedite the transition of the soul).

    kdshheb.gif

    Yit-gadal v'yit-kadash sh'mey raba, b'alma di v'ra hirutey, vyam-lih mal-hutey b'ha-yey-hon uv'yomey-hon uv'ha-yey d'hol beyt yisrael ba-agala u-vizman kariv, v'imru amen.

    Y'hey sh'mey raba m'varah l'alam ul'almey alma-ya.

    Yit-barah v'yish-tabah v'yit-pa-ar v'yit-romam v'yit-na-sey v'yit-hadar v'yit-aleh v'yit-halal sh'mey d'kud-sha, b'rih hu, leyla* min kol bir-hata v'shi-rata tush-b'hata v'ne-hemata da-amiran b'alma, v imru amen.

    Y'hey sh'lama raba min sh'ma-ya, v'ha-yim aleynu v'al kol yisrael, vimru amen.

    Oseh shalom bim-romav, hu ya-aseh shalom aleynu v'al kol yisrael, v'imru amen.

    0

    Just cuz I wanna know...

    in Combat Mission Archive #2 (2000)

    Posted

    Not that it affects anything, but...

    I understand that some vehicles are more prone to brewing up due to gasoline engines, dry or poorly located ammo stowage &c. The question is: Does the probability that a unit will brew up decrease as its ammo is expended? If my dry-stowage, diesel engined Sherman takes a hit through the bins, will it go up like a Roman Candle if the bins happen to be empty at the time?

    ------------------

    I remember it perfectly: The Germans wore grey; you wore blue...

    0

    in operations should you shoot knocked out tanks?

    in Combat Mission Archive #2 (2000)

    Posted

    I'm always happy to plug away at abandoned vehicles for a few reasons.

    1) It's fun when they 'splode;

    2) So they won't be repaired;

    3) Frustration relief;

    4) (and most importantly) To see if my %@ing TD's will finally part with some of that tungsten ammo they're always hoarding. biggrin.gif

    ------------------

    "Monsieur Rick, what kind of man is Capitain Rénaud?"

    "Why, he's just like any other man, only moreso."

    0

    Gyrostabilizers

    in Combat Mission Archive #2 (2000)

    Posted

    For those wondering how gyrostabilization works:

    A gyroscope is any rotating body that exhibits two fundamental properties: gyroscopic inertia, or rigidity in space, and precession, the tilting of the axis at right angles to any force tending to alter the plane of rotation. These properties are inherent in all rotating bodies, including the earth itself. The term gyroscope is commonly applied to spherical, wheel-shaped, or disk-shaped bodies that are universally mounted to be free to rotate in any direction; they are used to demonstrate these properties or to indicate movements in space. A gyroscope that is constrained from moving around one axis other than the axis of rotation is sometimes called a gyrostat. In nearly all its practical applications, the gyroscope is constrained or controlled this way, and the prefix gyro is customarily added to the name of the application, as, for instance, gyrocompass, gyrostabilizer, and gyropilot.

    Gyroscopic inertia is the rigidity in space of a gyroscope. It is a consequence of Newton's first law of motion which states that a body tends to continue in its state of rest or uniform motion unless subject to outside forces. Thus, the wheel of a gyroscope, when started spinning, tends to continue to rotate in the same plane about the same axis in space. An example of this tendency is a spinning top, which has freedom about two axes in addition to the spinning axis. Another example is a rifle bullet that, because it spins or revolves in flight, exhibits gyroscopic inertia, tending to maintain a straighter line of flight than it would if not rotating. Rigidity in space can best be demonstrated, however, by a model gyroscope consisting of a flywheel supported in rings in such a way that the axle of the flywheel can assume any angle in space. When the flywheel is spinning, the model can be moved about, tipped, or turned at the will of the demonstrator, but the flywheel will maintain its original plane of rotation as long as it continues to spin with sufficient velocity to overcome the friction with its supporting bearings. Gyroscopes constitute an important part of automatic-navigation or inertial-guidance systems in aircraft, spacecraft, guided missiles, rockets, and ships and submarines.

    In these systems, inertial-guidance instruments comprise gyroscopes and accelerometers that continuously calculate exact speed and direction of the craft in motion. These signals are fed into a computer, which records and compensates for course aberrations. The most advanced research craft and missiles also obtain guidance from so-called laser gyros, which are not really inertial devices but instead measure changes in counterrotating beams of laser light caused by changes in craft direction. Another advanced system, called the electrically suspended gyro, uses a hollow beryllium sphere suspended in a magnetic cradle; fiber-optic systems are also being developed.

    ------------------

    Sounds like 100% weapons-grade Balonium to me.

    0

    Happy Veteran's Day

    in Combat Mission Archive #2 (2000)

    Posted

    In Flanders fields the poppies blow

    Between the crosses, row on row

    That mark our place; and in the sky

    The larks, still bravely singing, fly

    Scarce heard amid the guns below.

    We are the Dead. Short days ago

    We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

    Loved and were loved, and now we lie

    In Flanders fields.

    Take up our quarrel with the foe:

    To you from failing hands we throw

    The torch; be yours to hold it high.

    If ye break faith with us who die

    We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

    In Flanders fields.

    Cpt. John McRae, CEF, 1917

    Post Scriptum: On the off-chance any 196th LIB types from Tay Ninh, 66/67, hang out here, drop me a line -- I'm lookin' for someone.

    0

    Help me make my Christmas List

    in Combat Mission Archive #2 (2000)

    Posted

    Since you ask for memoirs, a few of my favourites include:

    Over the Abyss - My Life in Soviet Special Operations, Col. I.G. Starinov. Some good eastern front stuff.

    Dauntless Helldivers, Harold L. Buell. Interesting naval-aviation stuff from a survivor of all five carrier vs. carrier battles in the Pacific.

    Roll me Over - An Infantryman's WW2, Raymond Ganter. One of the better-known G.I. memoirs. A decent read.

    ------------------

    Sounds like 100% weapons-grade Balonium to me.

    0
×
×
  • Create New...