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Improvised/Adapted Weapons in WWII


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Originally posted by Wicky:

The Hobart funnies rank for me as the best 'Scrapheap Challenge' vehicles

"From persecution, victimization, and his incredible misemployment as a Home Guard corporal, Hobart's resurrection to a decisive command in the Allied armies is one of the more startling personal stories of the Second World War. "

The Little-Known Story of Percy Hobart

That was an intersting read, but after completing it the website spurred my memory of its unsavory claims and holocaust denial Link
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Originally posted by Michael Emrys:

Can anybody name another radar equipped single seat night fighter that actually fired its guns in anger during the war?

Not to split hairs, but the field-converted P-38 night fighters were single-seaters - I assume they saw some action, but maybe not? The production P38M (shown in the pic I posted on page 1) added the radar operator's rear cockpit.
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Originally posted by HVAP:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Wicky:

The Hobart funnies rank for me as the best 'Scrapheap Challenge' vehicles

"From persecution, victimization, and his incredible misemployment as a Home Guard corporal, Hobart's resurrection to a decisive command in the Allied armies is one of the more startling personal stories of the Second World War. "

The Little-Known Story of Percy Hobart

That was an intersting read, but after completing it the website spurred my memory of its unsavory claims and holocaust denial Link </font>
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Since the topic question is about improvising and adapting, here's one the kind of boggles my mind. The latest issue of Aviation History arrived yesterday, and it is a letter to the editor from a guy who flew B-24s out of India while in the RAF. He claims that on one mission they attacked a railway bridge in Siam using the Liberator as a dive bomber! I expect this is some kind of exaggeration, that glide bomber may be a more apt description, but that's what the man wrote. He further claims to have released his bombs at 400 feet, which casts further doubt on the dive bomber claim.

Michael

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The M2 50 cal, meant to deal with the Luftwaffe (and the flying ones, in P-51s and P-47s, did). Still going strong today, in quite a different role.

Shaped charges, which started as engineering equipment and turned into the great infantry AT "equalizer".

The escort carrier. Meant to spot U-boats, turned into whole flotillas providing close air support for the Marines.

Radar direction finding. Started as just a navigational aid, to help planes find airfields at night or in poor weather. Turned into ECM, ECCM, the first "beam riding" smart weapons, etc.

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The "Molotov Cocktail"

First you drink the liquid, then you use the bottle in an efficient way.

Then, all these trucks with a cannon on them, like the Lancia 3RO with a 90mm cannon mounted on top.

And all the French tanks and tankettes transformed by the Germans in anti-tank platforms, artilleries etc.

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I did not mean to insuinuate anything wicky, I assumed you had googled it as nothing you have posted has led me to believe you are some sort of holocaust denier. Although it was intersting to read it did leave me feeling a little creeped out. Anyway I dont mean to hijack or make any fuss.

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Originally posted by JasonC:

The M2 50 cal, meant to deal with the Luftwaffe (and the flying ones, in P-51s and P-47s, did). Still going strong today, in quite a different role.

Eh? I thought that the .50cal was a WWI development as an automatic anti-tank weapon. So it was developed in the ground role but then used in the air. (with appropriate modifications)

WP in the offensive role? ;)

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