Heavy Metal

[Snotty]

But apparently our British cousins came up with a better gun for Sherman near end of war. Didnt know that...

Yes, that British 17 Pounder gun was a terrific anti-tank weapon, and it did make the Sherman a capable machine.

Israel used the Sherman up through 1973, and did some incredible modifications on them. If you have ever seen the movie "The Big Red One," the "Tiger" in it is an Israeli Sherman; the film was made in Israel. Check out some of the surviving ones in this link. Some cool stuff!

http://www.massimocorner.com/afv/Surviving_Israeli_Shermans.pdf

 

[amazinblue82]

Yes, that British 17 Pounder gun was a terrific anti-tank weapon, and it did make the Sherman a capable machine....Israel used the Sherman up through 1973, and did some incredible modifications on them.

those are ingenious mods on the Sherman...structure, armament, usage...neat!

 

[amazinblue82]

The submarines..how could I forget.

The Russians have the Typhoon-class (the fictional "Red October"). Biggest ever at 575 ft long, 75 ft wide, and 24,000 tons.

US' biggest is the Ohio-class subs. 17,000 tons, 560 ft long, 42 ft beam, nuclear powered, 60,000 shaft horse power, reported 12 knots on surface, 20 knots submerged, and bristling with destructive capability.

The USS Florida, SSGN-728

These subs...wonderful and terrifying machines. Obviously not the biggest boats ever made, but perhaps the most lethal (armament, stealth, range of operation, etc).

Great dramatic stories.. real events (the Kursk and Thresher sinkings, the Civil War-era H.L. Hunley development, loss, and recovery) and "Hollywood" treatments (Crimson Tide, Run Silent Run Deep, Das Boot) .. about subs too.

 

[commando1]

Das Boot.
I still get the cold, clammy, sweats watching that...

 

[Big_John]

Great dramatic stories.. real events (the Kursk and Thresher sinkings, the Civil War-era H.L. Hunley development, loss, and recovery) and "Hollywood" treatments (Crimson Tide, Run Silent Run Deep, Das Boot) .. about subs too.

My brother had a friend that was on the Thresher. He went through Navy basic training with him.

Speaking of my brother... His ship, the Spiegel Grove was the largest vessel ever sank (at the time) to become an artificial reef. It's in Key Largo.

 

[amazinblue82]

Das Boot.
I still get the cold, clammy, sweats watching that...

yeah me too.

its a gritty, "claustrophobic" piece...well acted and "realistic" to those who like (or were WWII submariners) the genre.

sure "just a movie" but still a bit unsettling as to what sub life was like for those guys no matter their flag.

in WWII the German U-Boat crews, three out of every four men were lost at sea in combat. The US lost one out of every five men in subs. The Japanese one out of every two men lost. still they signed up .. lined up .. to be submariners.

SPOILER ALERT (not much you can tell if you havent seen it, but heads-up in case you do wanna watch it). The Das Boot trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pzKyeIex2Y

 

[amazinblue82]

the Spiegel Grove was the largest vessel ever sank (at the time) to become an artificial reef. It's in Key Largo.

USS Spiegel Grove, Thomaston-class docking ship, LSD-32. 9,000 tons, 510 fit long, 84 ft wide

I know why they (whoever, wherever) sink 'em to make reefs, but doin' it on purpose doesn't seem quite "right" for a ship that did military service. Just my two cents - I dont know nuthin' about ship salvage economics.

Interesting story on its scuttling: sank too early and was sticking out of the water, then they worked on it and got it to lay down on the bottom on its side, then Hurricane Dennis stood it up on its keel 3 years later - which is how they wanted it oriented in the first place

Probably a cool wreck to dive if one is into that sort of thing ... plus artificial "reefs are good" in general I have read. Tourists, tide management, marine life/ecosystem preservation, etc.

Any of you folks who dive ever do this wreck? Others?

 

[Big_John]

I was on the Spiegel Grove once when we visited my brother in Norfolk. I was a kid at the time. He was 12 years older. It was a very cool experience for a 7 year old. I still remember a lot of it.

 

[amazinblue82]

You Florida members (and most any space "propeller-head" like me) know what this is yes? 6 millions lbs, and zips along at 2 mph. seriously fascinating piece of equipment.

Pictures below and you get the gist. Like locomotives, crawlers are diesel- (two ALCO V16 251C engines at 2.750 HP each) electric (four 1,300 HP generators), driving 16 traction motors. Made by Marion (gobbled up by Bucyrus, who then was acquired by Caterpillar),

I see how this works now. the crawler "transports" the launch vehicle AND the pad to the launch site. The loaded pad "separates" from the crawler, vehicle takes off, then crawler comes back and retrieves the empty pad.

http://www.airspacemag.com/videos/category/space-exploration/go-for-launch/?no-ist


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui-ehJlGM1Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKSC0J1ehFg

 

[Snotty]

those are ingenious mods on the Sherman...structure, armament, usage...neat!

There's a tank Museum in Israel I've always wanted to visit, but unfortunately, the three times I've been there no one else has wanted to go! They have several of the modified Shermans at it. The closest I got was in the parking lot, as my guide and Friend, Mishi Neubach, at least allowed time for that. Here are some pictures.

This is one of the up-gunned Shermans.


This is a original Sherman "75," not a good fighting vehicle. Due to it's vulnerability to catching fire the German's called it "the Tommy Cooker," and the Brits called it "the Ronson," after the popular lighter of the same name.


Another Sherman 75 with a British modified Centurion in the foreground. The Israeli Army used British armor for years.


Me standing in front of a Centurion in the Parking area. As you can see, it receives little respect from the visitors. Ha!


This is the museum taken from "Emmaus" about five miles away. Didn't know what I would get until looked at the pics - was on full telephoto.


Saw the "Merkavas" on the side of the road in the Galilee area. Israel's own creation, it's one of the finest ranks in the world.


Looking at studies of years of tank battles, Israel was concerned with operator's safety. Therefore, unlike most all other tanks in the world, the motor and transmission is in the front. If an anti-tank round hits the front it will have to pass through those to injure the crew. Ingenious!

 

[amazinblue82]

apparently the Tigers leaked fuel too. perhaps Allies were so afraid of them they didn't give them derisive nicknames? dunno what the German soldiers who fought in Tigers called them tho.

you sir are a tank "prodigy". nice context shots too. thanks :icon_thumright:

 

[amazinblue82]

Here's something you (or maybe just me) don't see everyday.... thought it was a trick photo till I saw the video. the "behind the scenes" stuff (ignore the advertising) was interesting too..

http://www.emc.com/microsites/lotus/redefine-records.htm

https://youtu.be/TVBcEg6klJI

 

[Snotty]

Pictures below and you get the gist. Like locomotives, crawlers are diesel- (two ALCO V16 251C engines at 2.750 HP each) electric (four 1,300 HP generators), driving 16 traction motors. Made by Marion (gobbled up by Bucyrus, who then was acquired by Caterpillar),

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui-ehJlGM1Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKSC0J1ehFg

I believe these tracks were used in the original Star Wars as the tracks of the Jawa "Crawler." I remember reading that years ago. We visited this place years back - amazing!

 

[Snotty]

apparently the Tigers leaked fuel too. perhaps Allies were so afraid of them they didn't give them derisive nicknames? dunno what the German soldiers who fought in Tigers called them tho.

you sir are a tank "prodigy". nice context shots too. thanks :icon_thumright:

Thank you. It's, like cars, a hobby interest of mine.

 

[amazinblue82]

Hmm...guess this thing has been around awhile.

Spectacle aside, i would like to understand how these trucks work. too bad nobody in the grandstand..would have though they'd be a bigger draw.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAkrzEqHHyA

http://wonderfulengineering.com/thi...y-3-jet-engines-and-can-speed-up-to-605-kmhr/

We all have that need for speed, that urge to go faster and faster! However, we believe this truck will quench your need. Known as Shockwave, this truck is capable of outrunning a bullet train (Japan) and is capable of generating 36,000 horsepower to attain a maximum speed that is close to 400 mph.

Moving on to the specs: three Pratt & Whitney J34-48 jet engines which previously belonged to Navy trainer jets known as T-2 Buckeye. A single jet engine is capable of 12,000 horsepower in afterburner which explains the 36,000 hp for Shockwave. The truck holds 190 gallons of fuel while it burns 180 of it per quarter mile race.




The Shockwave is essentially 4-ton Peterbilt Semi and employs three jet engines to cover a quarter mile within 6.5 seconds. The vehicle was originally built back in 1984 by Les Shockley and went through several modification by father and son, 64 years old Neal Darnell and Chris who is 31 years old.

The Shockwave currently holds the world record for the Fastest Jet-Powered Truck (full size) – 376mph. Neal describes the experience in a succinct way; ‘It’s an awesome experience. You won’t believe it until you see it.’

 

[polara71]

My dream as a kid and early teens was to be a truck driver. I went to many tractor races and events , I saw my share of jet powered trucks.......so so cool

 

[amazinblue82]

My dream as a kid and early teens was to be a truck driver. I went to many tractor races and events , I saw my share of jet powered trucks.......so so cool

The "button-down" company I started my career with had a luxury box at the old Pontiac Silverdome. As a "junior" staffer, the only events I could get tickets to the suite for were tractor pulls, pro wrestling, and roller derby..no Lions or Pistons games.

Of the choices, tractor pulls seemed cooler and frankly closer to my "non-wingtip" roots. So in my early 20's, in an unconventional way, was when I got hooked on tractor pulls...then I went to grad school late 80's and never got back into it. :icon_frown:

I was THERE for this event in 1983 -- up in the "sky" being served hors d'ouevers and using bad language and drinkin' beer. First time I saw "Bigfoot" btw.

Later I discovered it was much more fun being in the stands..obviously
:icon_super:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1i5OB4GaQA

 

[amazinblue82]

only seen this in movies...guess it really happens. these look "real" enough to me. not sure I would like to be as close as some of these though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VOlaQafkv4

 

[Tink]

I can't think of anything that can be a bigger in every way machine than a Saturn V rocket. Check out the wiki page for specs and photos. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_V

I wonder if we will ever invest as much again. Those payments for our help in WWII must have been coming in regular.

 

[amazinblue82]

I can't think of anything that can be a bigger in every way machine than a Saturn V rocket. Check out the wiki page for specs and photos. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_V

I wonder if we will ever invest as much again. Those payments for our help in WWII must have been coming in regular.

the problems those folks solved (political ones aside) to develop the launch vehicle systems to get us to the moon were astounding.

thanks to the various documentaries and even Hollywood pieces like "From the Earth to the Moon" series (worth "binging" on btw) we can see what it took to do it.

then all the technology the "space race" was responsible for developing that we use in everyday life...great things came out of the effort.

guess i dont see us (the world let alone the US) having the same collective passion for space exploration with humans "at the wheel." cost goes way up trying to send people somewhere so the unmanned missions predominate now.

so maybe that's money (saved from NOT putting men in space) better spent here on the ground..but we'll see what next couple of decades holds.