Jobbo_Fett posted:

PittTheElder posted:

I'm thinking of that transition from biplane to monoplane fighters at the tail of the 30s; did "modern" monoplanes (say the Bf-109 or Hawker Hurricane) capable of matching or exceeding the climb rates of the biplanes they replaced?

Curious about the interplay between the need for interceptors and radar developments.

aphid_licker posted:

Yo what are those cottonseed hulls doing in there? Are they basically packing material around those explosive pellets, or god forbid shrapnel, is there non-designated explosive mixed in with the hulls and the hulls are for desensitizing or something?

PittTheElder posted:

Are the front and back of the weapon as held below what they appear to be? Namely black end caps made of styrofoam? Do those get jettisoned by a gas system, or are you supposed to remove before (non-promotional) use?

Jobbo_Fett posted:

The I-16 had a definite advantage over the CR.32 in the Spanish Civil War. Without checking stats on all the planes, the monoplames should have an advantage on top speed just by virtue of better enginesand less drag. Aircraft like the I-15 or Hawker Hart were outdated and onky saw action in World War 2 proper out of desperation or a lack of anything better.

feedmegin posted:

Let no-one malign the Swordfish

quote:

The SA-kuva.fi website contains many pictures of Degerö's “Searchligh Lotta” training in Laajasalo in the Yliskylä fields and around Ilomäki in 1944.

Borrowed from Lotta Svärd's website:

Special training for searchlighs in the summer of 1944

During the Continuation War, an effective air defense had been created around Helsinki, which included several searchlighs. Their job was to locate and illuminate enemy bombers in the dark so the air defense could shoot them. Searchlighs also had a deterrent and glare effect on enemy aircraft.

In the spring of 1944, when several devastating bombings had taken place in Helsinki, the Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces decided to supplement Helsinki's air defense with an air surveillance unit made up of Lotta Svärd and other female students. The idea was to free the men from air surveillance, to prevent a possible landing of enemy troops on Helsinki or an attack with parachutes.
In the late spring of 1944, a group of 18-24-year-old university students and recent graduates from Turku, Tampere and Helsinki were invited to Helsinki Stadium. The women only found out about the nature of their future education on the spot. Course participants from southern Finland started searchligh Lotta training at Degerö School, those from the Turku region in Ispoinen and Central and Northern Finns at Tampere at Hyhky Elementary School.

The study included basic education and special education. For special training, women were divided into four groups: searchlight leaders (25), acoustic detection system listeners (30), searchlight Lottas (“light-lotta’s”) (63) and power plant users (“engine lottas’s”) (29).
Lotta trainers appointed by the Lotta Svärd Central Board were responsible for Lotta training and physical education. Otherwise, the training of floodlights was followed by the army model. In addition to searchlight training, the program included military and security training.

Shooting training was provided with miniature rifles and Terni (Carcano M91/38 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcano) rifles. Lotti's military training threatened to be interrupted when the leadership of Lotta Svärd refused to accept the arming of its members. However, the course participants gathered an address in favor of continuing their education. The management of Lotta Svärd and representatives of the Air Force reached an agreement on the matter, after which the training could continue. The special training ended in the final exam.

The general observation of the trainers was that the Lottas learned things better than the soldiers and took better care of the equipment and supplies.

Spotlight “Girl”

Of the specially trained course participants, 149 signed a service commitment. In it, they undertook to serve voluntarily in the position of headlight as long as the martial law required or for at least one year. The Lottie training unit was grouped on the terrain west of Helsinki on July 30, 1944, and the unit officially formed the 14th VH battery “Girl” on August 7, 1944. Accommodation in the terrain was initially military tents and later modest barracks. The unit was operated and under the responsibility of six German 150 cm searchlights (M / 42 AEG) and acoustic ranging devices (M / 42 RRH). They were high-tech, very expensive devices.

Lotat had learned to use searchlighs well. The problem was that the women did not have enough strength to move the equipment. There were no immediate communication links and the training did not include leadership training. Further leadership training was therefore provided to those elected as searchlight leaders.

During the training, the Lottas wore a Lotta uniforms, but while on duty and guard they used ersatz wool (Rayon) uniforms, landing boots, men’s coats and helmets. The small Italian Terni rifle had been given for personal defense, as the Lottas also had to guard their equipment around the clock. The Lottas prepared their own food. The diet was mostly pea soup.

The floodlight “Girl” received counter-warnings and alerts, but did not have to take any real action because there were no more air bombings in Helsinki. There were lighting exercises almost every night. After the ceasefire, the Lottas handed over control responsibilities to the men. The Lottas were relieved of their duties on 30 September 1944.

The closing ceremony of the floodlight was held on 1 October 1944. The commander of the Air Defense Regiment, Colonel Pekka Jokipaltio, was present at the event. The searchlight Lottas founded their own arms association “Daughters of the Regiment”. They were also invited to participate in the activities of the Air Fighters' Association.

Spotlight “In September 1944, the Leppä 5 Searchlight of the “Girl” had codename “Snake”. The floodlight was placed on the northwest side of Helsinki behind Malminkartano on the edge of the field at Kaarela House. Liisa Kaila was the group leader of “Snake”. The team leader had a rank of a sub-sergeant, albeit without insignia. In addition to the searchlight leader, the group included 14 Lottas: a searchlight deputy leader, two height adjusters, two lampholders, a side adjuster, two side look-outs, two engine-Lottas, a listener (for the acoustic detection system), high-listener, side-listener and “adjuster”. In the picture, the searchlight leader Kaila receives a report from the guarding air defence Lotta.

SlothfulCobra posted:

What was the process that damaged planes and tanks had to go through in the 20th century to get repaired and eventually put back into service? How much repairs could they make at a carrier, and did they ever have to send planes back to a more equipped station to get better repairs? Would tank repairs involve hauling it back to some kind of depot?

Greggster posted:

Would mortars be of any use as a more direct weapon in a pinch, or is there something to the physics of the mortar shells that requires them to fire in that high arc?

Greggster posted:

Would mortars be of any use as a more direct weapon in a pinch, or is there something to the physics of the mortar shells that requires them to fire in that high arc?

Panzeh posted:

The Chinese forces in ww2 liked to use US-supplied 60mm mortars at short ranges but they did this so that they could self-spot more than anything else.

Greggster posted:

Would mortars be of any use as a more direct weapon in a pinch, or is there something to the physics of the mortar shells that requires them to fire in that high arc?

StandardVC10 posted:

I might be misremembering a Forgotten Weapons video but I think the knee mortar could be used in direct fire?

Letmebefrank posted:

Lotta Svard

Jobbo_Fett posted:

Typically the mortar shell itself would be thrown in a pinch if its against a target that was within throwing distance. Fuzes are typically just impact, so you wouldn't have a specific time or delay to them. The bigger issue is if you can get the mortar to angle down low enough to be able to do so. As mentioned above, the Knee Mortar could do it, but that's also because its a rather small weapon and fires a smaller mortar round then, say, an 81mm. From a quick search, the mortars I looked at had an elevation around 40-45 degrees at their lowest, and while you can reduce distance by using few(er) ignition cartridges, there will still be limitations to the distance you can get out of them.

fish and chips and dip posted:

President of Chad Idriss Déby was killed when leading troops in battle against rebels in northern Chad.

https://www.theafricareport.com/81373/chad-president-idriss-deby-dies-says-national-radio/

My question is; who was the last head of state (king, president, dictator, whatever) of a recognized, sovereign territory who was killed in battle? The only I could find was El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed in 1976 from Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, a unrecognized state, or a bunch of medieval kings.

HannibalBarca posted:

Accidents can happen.

fish and chips and dip posted:

I'm still curious about which state leader was the last one killed in combat before this if anyone knows.

fish and chips and dip posted:

My question is; before Déby, who was the last head of state (king, president, dictator, whatever) of a recognized, sovereign territory who was killed in battle? The only I could find was El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed in 1976 from Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (unrecognized state) and a bunch of medieval kings.

fish and chips and dip posted:

President of Chad Idriss Déby was killed when leading troops in battle against rebels in northern Chad.

https://www.theafricareport.com/81373/chad-president-idriss-deby-dies-says-national-radio/

My question is; before Déby, who was the last head of state (king, president, dictator, whatever) of a recognized, sovereign territory who was killed in battle? The only I could find was El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed in 1976 from Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (unrecognized state) and a bunch of medieval kings.

Edited for clarity.

glynnenstein posted:

They're especially common for presidents in the first few hours after winning elections.

zoux posted:

Here's one, what's the stupidest way a head-of-state or monarch has died in combat

Cessna posted:

All kinds of Medieval kings died of dysentery while on campaign.