Michael Emrys Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 But weren't they timing the fuses in WW1 even? I believe it goes back even further than that. Mortar shells had burning fuses intended to give airbursts by the beginning of the 19th. century if not earlier. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sublime Posted January 26, 2013 Author Share Posted January 26, 2013 Odd. That makes it more strange of a mistake. It's unfortunate that this is one of my weaker areas of WW2 history so I can't really say if some new type of artillery ammunition or something was introduced, something he may be confusing it with. Oh well. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Odd. That makes it more strange of a mistake. Or maybe a very human one. He probably had read something about the VT fuse but not remembered clearly when it was introduced into ground combat. Then he reads something while preparing his book about artillery delivering airbursts. Not being totally steeped in the history of the war, he—mistakenly—puts the two together and voilá! instant mistake. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apocal Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 I think he might have gotten confused with time set fuses, which will airburst over the target if set correctly and all the planets are aligned. We have those in CM already for planned barrages. They work for TRPs as well, not all indirect fire modules, but most field artillery as far as I can tell. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sublime Posted January 27, 2013 Author Share Posted January 27, 2013 Yes. Not for mortars though, like you said only artillery. TRPs or preplanned fire. Always good to note though, I have seen 25 lber fire (so German 105 or US 105 would do nicely. Not mortars and I dont know about 75s) kill Panthers and Tigers of mine. In that case it's better to use regular shells. Same with infantry in a building as a target, or bunkers for that matter. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Sertorius Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Kind of off-topic, but has anyone read Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin novels? Captain Aubrey was always looking for cheap black powder so he could have his crew practice marksmanship, and one time he got a few oddly-marked barrels from a defunct fireworks manufacturer. When the crew tried them out their cannons let out huge red, green, and white bursts. Just thought I'd mention it, since this thread reminded me of those great books. I wonder whether tracer colors changed due to late-war supply and quality control problems (there, that was sort of on topic). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Kind of off-topic, but has anyone read Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin novels? Oh heck yeah! Some of the best historical fiction I've read. I'm on book 17 right now, The Commodore. I've been working my way through them the past few years. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sublime Posted January 27, 2013 Author Share Posted January 27, 2013 I wonder whether tracer colors changed due to late-war supply and quality control problems (there, that was sort of on topic). Hmm but he's talking about early 1943. I guess that's sort of late war. I never got into the Master and Commander series, but I did always love the Hornblower series. (of books) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Kind of off-topic, but has anyone read Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin novels? Yep. Been through the entire series (except for the posthumous book 21) twice now. Have toyed with going through it again but haven't gotten around to it yet. Captain Aubrey was always looking for cheap black powder so he could have his crew practice marksmanship, and one time he got a few oddly-marked barrels from a defunct fireworks manufacturer. When the crew tried them out their cannons let out huge red, green, and white bursts. Just thought I'd mention it, since this thread reminded me of those great books. I remember that episode. Thought it was funny. O'Brian was not a perfect writer—if I were to put on an academic cap I could find things to fault him for—but he was a damned good one and one of the most entertaining I've ever come across. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 I never got into the Master and Commander series, but I did always love the Hornblower series. (of books) Seems like one must choose one or the other. I read all the Hornblower books and enjoyed them, but like O'Brian better. Haven't gotten into the Kent Alexander stories yet. He definitely has his partisans, so I may wander into them yet. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkerner Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 I found O'Brian too dry, but maybe I never gave him enough chance. I only read the first one. But Master & Commander movie was excellent! I didn't start reading O'Brian until after I'd gone through the complete Hornblower twice. Loved Hornblower! Alexander Kent is good too. Haven't read all of them though. Stuck in WWII at the moment. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 I found O'Brian too dry, but maybe I never gave him enough chance. I only read the first one. Ah well, you need to persevere. For instance, the relationship between Maturin, his wife and daughter is anything but dry! Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sublime Posted January 28, 2013 Author Share Posted January 28, 2013 Ah well, you need to persevere. For instance, the relationship between Maturin, his wife and daughter is anything but dry! Michael eh? Do tell! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Captain Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Absolutely LOVED the Aubrey/Maturin books. Just the relationship between the two of them was fantastic. When I was finishing them I really didn't want them to end. It was like I was going to lose two great friends. I remember the fireworks black powder too, great stuff! Those books stand very high on my lists of all time favorites. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Sertorius Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Ah well, you need to persevere. For instance, the relationship between Maturin, his wife and daughter is anything but dry! Michael Yeah, book two definitely takes off in an unexpected (but good) direction. Personally I favor the middle of the series where it gets more heavily involved in espionage. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 eh? Do tell! READ THE BOOKS! Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Personally I favor the middle of the series where it gets more heavily involved in espionage. Yeah, I think I like the middle of the series best too. That story where Maturin cooks up a phony report that implicates in treason all the top men in the French intelligence service and then plants it on an American spy who was working for the French was just delicious. But I think my favorite story was the one set in Mauritius. That was just beautiful. India was nice too. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejetset Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Kind of off-topic, but has anyone read Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin novels? Captain Aubrey was always looking for cheap black powder so he could have his crew practice marksmanship, and one time he got a few oddly-marked barrels from a defunct fireworks manufacturer. When the crew tried them out their cannons let out huge red, green, and white bursts. Just thought I'd mention it, since this thread reminded me of those great books. I wonder whether tracer colors changed due to late-war supply and quality control problems (there, that was sort of on topic). Yes! ... These are just a great series. I think I got to book #11 and have been meaning to complete the series since a couple of years ago ... But have since gotten caught up in different reads. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejetset Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Yeah, I think I like the middle of the series best too. That story where Maturin cooks up a phony report that implicates in treason all the top men in the French intelligence service and then plants it on an American spy who was working for the French was just delicious. But I think my favorite story was the one set in Mauritius. That was just beautiful. India was nice too. Michael And I think it might have been book #3 ... where Aubrey is laid up on land with half-pay and Maturin manages to get him a ship ... but he has to leave NOW. .... Not a half page later and he's rumbling down the stairs with his war-chest ready to head out to sea again ... wife in shock .. kids whimpering ... Jack Aubrey beaming! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Sertorius Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 India was nice too.The part about the young Indian girl who adopts Maturin is indeed very memorable. My favorite setting though is the island in Indonesia where Maturin hikes to the old Buddhist temple up in the mountains and finds the animals there are all tame. It's either The Nutmeg of Consolation or the book right before. I feel for you guys who are reading the series piecemeal. I used a coupon to buy a nice complete set at a discount, and it was a great purchase. If you like the books, I recommend going the complete set route if you can, since otherwise you'll always be hunting around for the next volume. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sublime Posted January 29, 2013 Author Share Posted January 29, 2013 I cant believe my thread was hijacked by Master and Commander enthusiasts. Jesus maybe I'm finally getting old. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejetset Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I cant believe my thread was hijacked by Master and Commander enthusiasts. Jesus maybe I'm finally getting old. Reminds me of that Cacafuego action. Tough nut to crack that was. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sublime Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 Eh ? Lol? Drakes ship? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Sertorius Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I cant believe my thread was hijacked by Master and Commander enthusiasts. Jesus maybe I'm finally getting old. It's my fault. Sorry. Still, it could be worse. Your thread could have been hijacked by a discussion of Twilight. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkerner Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Well, so far, it's sounds like O'Brian's series is boring as hell, just like the first one I tried to like, but couldn't. Isn't there ever any action, fer chrissakes? (Sorry Jeff, I'll get it back on track...) So, what color ya'll like your tracers to be? I like red. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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