Vet 0369

Unfortunately, that seems to be “par for the course” for many Government functions. Here in the U.S., the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had to issue a ban on Managers, Directors, and Associate Administrators who have influence on the regulatory decision making, who leave the FAA from accepting a position in the industry that they regulated for a specific number of years. However, the “influencers found a way around it by setting up “Consulting” Firms and saying they were “Contractors.”

Well, I wouldn’t stand any closer to the bogged tank than the length of the cable they are using to pull it loose. If that cable snapped at almost any point except right at the bogged tank, they would have been cut in half by it.

Some of those former USMC Abrams might already be even closer to Ukraine than most folks know. The USMC was (is?) the Rapid Deployment Force charged with the defense of Northern Norway. As such, they had (have?), among other things, armor already prepositioned in storage caverns in Norway.

As they should be! An intelligence “unit” is very adapt at developing “intentions” from what to many seem to be the most innocuous statements and releases. In fact, I don’t have a doubt that there are “Professional Agents” on this thread reading every word to try to determine the intentions of Ukraine, the EU, and the U.S. One of the most widely used catch phrases during WWII was “Loose lips sink ships” it is still appropriate today, and members of this Forum really need to keep it in mind when asking “how many …” and “Are Ukrainians getting X and being trained on Y.” No competent military member or public official should be contributing to Russia’s “intelligence” by providing them with that type of data. Nough said by this old Platoon Sgt.

Sorry folks, don’t know what happened with my first reply. I took a two-week course called “Negotiation Skills” one time when I worked when I worked for a major aircraft engine manufacturer. This tactic is known as the “Power of No Power.” It is very effective in a negotiation. “I can’t agree to that because I don’t have the authority.” I’ve actually used it very successfully a number of times.

Admittedly, I know next to nothing regarding turbine engines in ground vehicles, so I’m a bit confused about this. I’ve had an FAA Airman Certificate for Mechanic, with Airframe and Powerplant Certifications for almost 50 years (46 to be exact), and I believe that turbine engines are much more reliable and easier to maintain than reciprocating engines. A recip can have hundreds of parts that are subject to wear and failure, while a turbine engine has relatively few parts that can wear/fail. If a recip has issues, one tends to troubleshoot the issue(s) and fix them in place, while with a turbine engine, unless it’s an igniter or the electronic control unit (ECU) or the full-authority, digital electronic control unit (FADEC, an air carrier will simply replace the engine “package.” They don’t send the whole aircraft back to a repair facility. Why is that done with an MBT engine package? A tank engine is similar to a helicopter engine, and in many cases derived from an existing helicopter engine design. Here’s where my armor practices “ignorance” really shines through, why remove an entire MBT, and possibly an experienced crew, from the operational area when all you need are some preconfigured engine packages, a hoisting device, and a support vehicle from the Support Company? Is it because the Army has used manufacturer field reps for so long that it no longer has capable techs to change an engine? Not trying to be caustic or trolling, but it’s been a looong time since I worked on F4-B/RF4, and F4-J fighters.

Who wants to bet that there will soon be a “careless smoking accident” in Brian’s Oblast?

Well, to take a neutral stance in judgement, from the video, it appears that the conflict was initiated by the Pole when he heard the poster speaking Russian. So, it appears the Pole was looking for a confrontation. I honestly can’t say that in the same situation I wouldn’t have reacted differently to an unprovoked confrontation.

It could also be a case of Russian internet restrictions/surveillance of which we aren’t aware. I believe there are more than a couple of forum members who have “shutdown and gone to ground” for fear of prosecutions. One that I remember stated that they had just been “interrogated” so they were going to ground. It must be pretty dangerous for someone in Russia, or one of the occupied, annexed, or “break-away” territories to post on an admittedly pro-Ukraine forum. We all have had any good and instructive conversations with those who don’t share our points of view. It’s always beneficial to know and understand the opposing points of view. As Sun Tzu said, “know your enemy!”

But, but, but… wasn’t Portugal part of Spain? What about Etruria and Catalonia? Aren’t they all on the Iberian Peninsula? Just trolling a bit using a bit of historical context!

I watched a show about U.S. Military snipers a while back. The U.S. Sniper Training programs now include methods of how to create small holes, just larger than the bullet of the sniper rifle, in conjunction with another small hole for sighting through with the scope. I understand it can be very effective in a populated area to create a much more secure blind for the sniper team. It was quite fascinating.

Switzerland is “officially” neutral, and Ukraine is at war with Russia, so selling or giving any military systems to Ukraine would be violating their neutrality, unless they made the same offers to Russia. Qatar isn’t at war with anyone that I know of.

One of the biggest “effects” in the old films was using the Black and White film medium! They can do so much more showing of “mood” with the shading. Biggest reason I’m against “colorizing” the old classics.

They don’t have them yet, but I don’t think they are far off. A company in Vermont, U.S.A. contracted Austin Meyers, the creator of Laminar Research (LR), to design a fully electric dual-rotor aircraft to transport transplant organs from one hospital to another. It has to carry a pilot, a passenger, and the organ for transplant. Austin Meyers used the Plane Maker program of the LR flight simulator X-Plane to design and test the proof of concept and flight model for the copter. The company in Vermont built the prototype and performed actual flight testing. I understand the FAA might be flight testing it within the next few months. I’ve actually flown it a bit in X-Plane 12, and it’s pretty amazing.

I totally agree! I saw no sign of aiming stakes, which while not absolutely needed for a “hastily” setup solution for direct firing, (I had 60mm M2 gunners who could just Jan the ball on the base into the ground, fire a round for range, and proceed to adjust fire for effect by “Kentucky wind age.” In fact my M60 machine gun squads usually had to protect their Asbestos gloves, used for changing barrels, from other mortar sections from stealing them. The gunner used the glove to protect his hand from the heat of the mortar tube.

LOL, yeah, big hit with the 13-year old crowd.

Nope, too low tech, and would probably work too well! The Military wouldn’t be able pay enough for them. The F4 Phantom used two J-79 engines. One of my Uncles who was assembling them told me that ball bearings used in the engine cost $0.01 for three, but that the Government specified in the procurement contract that they would pay $0.05 each. Apparently, they believed that if one paid more, they’d get better quality.

Way off topic, but I was just on the “Few Good Men”web site in the Mods section, and it looks like the site might have been hacked on 3 January. It’s all in Russian or another Slavic Cyrillic text.

Oh crap! Apparently I forgot to hit “reply.” It was such a good response too. Anyhoo, long story short, on a personal level, I’m very happy, while on a “professional” military level, I’m horrified that no one seems to be thinking of the spare parts logistical nightmare all these “donations” of different designs are going to cause.

Please refer to my previously response above.

I wasn't saying it was a bad idea, just that as it was intended to "try" to ensure that Germany and Japan wouldn't become a threat to world peace (and by extention the "West's" influence), and I think it worked much better than Marshall and others thought it would, and that it had unintended effects decades later. For example, I suspect it definitely affects German willingness to help one of the belligerents to defeat the other, and wonder what will happen if North Korea launches a missile into Japan. I don't know enough about the Constitution in Japan to determine what their response might be. All that said, you sir are a joy to read and digest.

Welcome aboard Shady_Side! This is a really great Forum, and we don't normally ever beat up anyone too much over a comment:-) In my experience, it's usually better, and less dangerous, to overestimate an opponent. If you always expect them to have more and better than you, you'll never be surprised. The history of the world is rife with the consequences of underestimating an opponent. The usually clean your clock. Follow the forum. Many of the members are very experienced gamers, combat veterans, academics, serving military officers and enlisted, and even a few very highly placed folks with jobs that make the kinds of things we post here seem trivial by comparison, even a few blow hards:-) Well, maybe more than a few, myself not exempted.

Please, don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about combatants who die on the battlefield or by an artillery or air strike, or by partisan action. If I was fighting on on the battlefield, ran out of ammo, lost my rifle. pistol, knife, entrenching tool, etc, I'd be trying to rip out his or her throat with my teeth! It wouldn't even bother me at the time. What I'm saying is that having been in the cold, wet, hungry, exhausted states, I can relate to ANY combatant suffering. I believe that to do less makes me a little less human than I want to be.