Rich
Members-
Posts
3,611 -
Joined
-
Last visited
About Rich
- Birthday 07/18/1955
Profile Information
-
Gender
Male
-
Interests
WW II, Current Defense Issues, Military History in General
Recent Profile Visitors
865 profile views
Rich's Achievements
Crew (2/3)
0
Reputation
-
I forgot to mention, the Miranda's also built Tucker's Tiger...it too used the AAC Baldwin 37mm.
-
The Mirandas were a pair of Mexican-Amercian brothers who got into arms dealing in the 1920s and 1930s. They were called in front of the Nye Committee and eventually were convicted of illegally selling arms in South America through their company, American Armament Corporation (AAC). They also were vigorous self-promoters and acquirers of arms patents...that is why AAC's 37mm aircraft cannon was simply the retooled Brewster gun and the gins for the M-H tanks were variations of the MacClean (Maklen)/Poole/Driggs guns. They were instrumental in the M-H deal with the Netherlands East Indies and built the gins for the tanks at their subsidiary "ordnance" manufacturer, which originally built elevators. During the war they also "helped" tank Brewster Aircraft...after serving a year in the Federal pen for their arms-selling conviction, and generally created havoc wherever they went...especially with lazy historians who confuse their self-promotion for actual production. For example, despite what many Wiki entries and books might tell you, the Ordnance series of 37mm AA, Aircraft, Antitank, and Tank cannon owe zero to AAC and are all Browning/Colt and Rheinmetall derivatives. I first have to finish the editing and find someone who'll publish the damned thing. It turned out like Topsy, it just growed. and is now 750 pages of text in Word PLUS 450-odd photos. Stackpole has right of first refusal and I doubt they will want to do a two-volume version, which is probably what it will have to turn out to be. I'll keep you up to date.
-
The M-H tanks and the involvement of the Miranda Brothers - the "Merchants of Death", no relation to Carmen - is fascinating in a train-wreck sort of way. I decided to do an extended excursis on them in For Purpose of Service Test and when I re-read it it is more bizarrely funny than the first time.
-
Yep, what Manic said. There is only one clear error of fact I found reading it, otherwise it is just the normal memory isn't an accurate record errors, so for example some of the timing and events of the "Duel at Cologne" are not exactly correct to the record, but that is understandable because of Clarence's POV. Otherwise, it is slightly "purple", but not jingoistic, so a pretty good balance.
-
Jesus Christ on a Crutch. We're fucked.
-
18 Injured In Fire Aboard Ship At Naval Base San Diego
Rich replied to MiloMorai's topic in General Naval and Air
It is part and parcel of the growing US national crisis of irresponsibility. Everyone wants their "rights", but no one is willing to accept the responsibilities that go along with those rights. I know a lot of kids, many adults, and most politicians that need a refresher course is in high school civics...and that applies to most denizens of both sides of the political spectrum. -
Yep. DESRON 27, 29, 30, and 31 were all organized primarily with the flush deckers as Eastern Seaboard and Atlantic convoy escorts. As DE became available in the specialized CORTRONs they shifted more and more to short-range seaboard escort.
-
US Atlantic Fleet Destroyers as of 1 December 1943 consisted of: DesRon 7 - Capt. J. P. Clay DesDiv 13 - F. D. Giambattista PLUNKETT (DD-431) (F) - Cmdr. E. J. Burke NIBLACK (DD-424) - Lt. Cmdr. R. R. Conner BENSON (DD-421) - Cmdr. R. J. Woodman GLEAVES (DD-423) - Cmdr. B. L. Burnette MAYO (DD-422) - Cmdr. A. D. Kaplan DesDiv 14 - Cmdr. W. R. Headden MADISON (DD-425) (F) - Cmdr. J. W. Hager LANSDALE (DD-426) - V. Havard, Jr. HILARY P JONES (DD-427) - Lt. Cmdr. F. M. Stiesberg CHARLES F HUGHES (DD-428) - Cmdr. "JC" G. Wilson DesRon 8 - DesDiv 16 - WAINWRIGHT (DD-419) (F) - Cmdr. W. W. Strobehn MAYRANT (DD-402) - Cmdr. O. A. Scherini TRIPPE (DD-403) - Cmdr. R. C. Williams RHIND (DD-404) (temp assigned to DesDiv 33) - Lt. Cmdr. O. W. Spahr, Jr. DesRon 9 - H. C. Robison DesDiv 17 - MOFFETT (DD-362) (F) - Lt. Cmdr. G. H. Richards, Jr. WINSLOW (DD-359) - Lt. Cmdr. W. T. Samuels DesDiv 18 - DAVIS (DD-395) (F) - Cmdr. W. A. Dunn JOUETT (DD-396) - Cmdr. J. C. Farham, Jr. SOMERS (DD-381) - Cmdr. W. C. Hughes, Jr. DesRon 10 - T. L. Lewis DesDiv 19 - ELLYSON (DD-454) (F) - Cmdr. E. W. Longton HAMBLETON (DD-455) - Cmdr. H. A. Renken RODMAN (DD-456) - Cmdr. J. F. Foley EMMONS (DD-457) - Cmdr. E. B. Billingsley MACOMB (DD-458) - Cmdr. J. C. South DesDiv 20 - Cmdr. C. M. Jensen FORREST (DD-461) (F) - Cmdr. K. P. Letts FITCH (DD-462) - Cmdr. K. C. Walpole CORRY (DD-463) - Cmdr. L. Ensey HOBSON (DD-464) - Lt. Cmdr. K. Loveland DesDiv 21 - Cmdr. G. C. Wright LIVERMORE (DD-429) (F) - Cmdr. H. E. Seidel, jr. EBERLE (DD-430) - Lt. Cmdr. C. B. Smiley KEARNY (DD-432) - Cmdr. L. Williamson ERICSON (DD-440) - Lt. Cmdr. B. H. Meyer DesRon 13 -Capt. H. Sanders DesDiv 25 - WOOLSEY (DD-437) (F) - Cmdr. H. R. Wier LUDLOW (DD-438) - Cmdr. L. W. Creighton EDISON (DD-439) - Cmdr. H. A. Pearce DesDiv 26 - Capt. V. Huber WILKES (DD-441) (F) - Cmdr. F. Wolsieffer SWANSON (DD-443) (temp F) - Cmdr. E. L. Robertson, Jr. NICHOLSON (DD-442) - Cmdr. W. W. Vanous ROE (DD-418) - Cmdr. F. S. Stitch DesRon 15 - DesDiv 29 - same as DesRon DAVISON (DD-618) (F) - Cmdr. J. D. Collett MERVINE (DD-489) - Lt. Cmdr. R. R. Frakes QUICK (DD-490) (temp assigned to DesDiv 34) - Cmdr. P. W. Cann TILLMAN (DD-641) - Cmdr. C. S. Hutchings DesDiv 30 - Cmdr. R. B. Nickerson COWIE (DD-632) (F) - Cmdr. R. C. Johnson KNIGHT (DD-633) - Cmdr. J. C. Ford DORAN (DD-634) - Lt. Cmdr. N. E. Smith EARLE (DD-635) - Cmdr. G. O. Hobbs DesRon 16 - Capt. C. J. Cater DesDiv 31 - PARKER (DD-604) (F) - Cmdr. J. W. Bays LAUB (DD-613) - Lt. Cmdr. A. G.Hay KENDRICK (DD-612) - Cmdr. A. M. Boyd MacKENZIE (DD-614) - Cmdr. B. N. Rittenhouse, Jr. McLANAHAN (DD-615) - Lt. Cmdr. N. C. Johnson DesDiv 32 - Cmdr. J. C. Sowell BOYLE (DD-600) (F) - B. P. Field CHAMPLIN (DD-601) - Cmdr. C. L. Melson NIELDS (DD-616) - Cmdr. A. R. Heckey ORDRONAUX (DD-617) - R. Brodie, Jr. DesRon 17 - Capt. A. C. Murdaugh DesDiv 33 - NELSON (DD-623) (F) - Lt. Cmdr. T. D. McGrath MURPHY (DD-603) - Lt. W. M. Klee GLENNON (DD-620) - Cmdr. C. A. Johnson JEFFERS (DD-621) - Cmdr. L. W. Nilon DesDiv 34 - BUTLER (DD-636) (F) - Cmdr. M. D. Matthews GHERARDI (DD-637) - Cmdr. J. W. Schmidt HERNDON (DD-638) - Cmdr. G. A. Moore SHUBRICK (DD-639) - Lt. Cmdr. J. V. Smith DesRon 18 - W. K. Mendenhall, Jr. DesDiv 35 - FRANKFORD (DD-497) (F) - Cmdr. T. J. Thornhill CARMICK (DD-493) - Cmdr. R. O. Beer DOYLE (DD-494) - Cmdr. C. E. Boyd ENIDCOTT (DD-495) - Cmdr. W. S. Heald McCOOK (DD-496) - Cmdr. S. C. Anderson DesDiv 36 - Cmdr. W. J. Marshall BALDWIN (DD-624) - Lt. Cmdr. E. S. Powell, Jr. HARDING (DD-625) - G. G. Palmer SATTERLEE (DD-626) - Lt. Cmdr. J. F. Witherow THOMPSON (DD-627) - Cmdr. L. A. Ellis DesRon 19 - DesDiv 37 - STEVENSON (DD-645) (F) - F. E. Wilson STOCKTON (DD-646) - Cmdr. R. E. Braddy, Jr. THORN (DD-647) - Cmdr. E. Brumby TURNER (DD-648) - Cmdr. H. S. Wygant, Jr. DesDiv 38 - HOBBY (DD-610) (F) - Cmdr. G. W. Pressy GILLESPIE (DD-609) - Cmdr. J. S. Fahy KALK (DD-611) - Lt. Cmdr. H. D. Fuller WELLES (DD-628) - Cmdr. D. M. Coffee DesRon 27 - Capt. G. L. Menocal DesDiv 53 - DECATUR (DD-341) (F) - Cmdr. J. B. Williams BADGER (DD-126) - Cmdr. R. A. Wolverton BABBITT (DD-128) - Cmdr. S. F. Quarles LEARY (DD-158) - Cmdr. J. M. Kyes SCHENCK (DD-159) - Lt. Cmdr. E. W. Logsden DesRon 29 - DesDiv 57 - WHIPPLE (DD-217) (F) - Lt. Cmdr. S. E. Woodard, USNR ALDEN (DD-211) - Lt. W. Herkness, 2nd JOHN D EDWARDS (DD-216) - Lt. Cmdr. G. Hutchinson JOHN D FORD (DD-228) - Lt. Cmdr. J. S. Slaughter DesDiv 58 - BULMER (DD-222) (F) - Lt. Cmdr. G. T. Baker PARROTT (DD-218) - J. N. Hughes BARKER (DD-213) - Lt. Cmdr. R. G. Tolbert PAUL JONES (DD-230) - Lt. Cmdr. C. P. Unmacht DesRon 30 - Capt. G. L. Menocal DesDiv 60 - DALLAS (DD-199) (F) - Cmdr. A. C. Roessler ELLIS (DD-154) - Cmdr. C. W. Musgrave BERNADOU (DD-153) - Lt. Cmdr. B. L. E. Talman COLE (DD-155) - Lt. Cmdr. B. Chipman DUPONT (DD-152) - Cmdr. J. G. Marshall DesDiv 61 - C. J. Whiting GREER (DD-145) (F) - Lt. M.D. Cooper, Jr., USNR TARBELL (DD-142) - Lt. Cmdr. H. M. Payne, USNR UPSHUR (DD-144) - Cmdr. E. B. Ellsworth LEA (DD-118) - Cmdr. D. I. Thomas DesRon 31 - Capt. G. W. Johnson? DesDiv 62 - not same as DesRon MacLEISH (DD-220) (F) - Lt. Cmdr. R. P. Winkle, USNR BAINBRIDGE (DD-246) - H. C. Transue DesDiv 63 - McCORMICK (DD-223) (F) - Lt. Cmdr. F. A. Brock BROOME (DD-210) - Lt. C. S. Arthur SIMPSON (DD-221) - Lt. Cmdr. L. W. Sedgwick, USNR DesDiv 66 - BRECKINRIDGE (DD-148) (F) - Lt. Cmdr. F. R. Arnold BARNEY (DD-149) - Lt. H. D. Sprenger, USNR BLAKELEY (DD-150) - R. J. Brooke BIDDLE (DD-151) - Lt. R. H. Hopkins, USNR
-
That no follow on US tank had wet stowage would seem to affirm the proposition that the wet stowage was of little or no benefit. Yep.
-
The idea was that if the cartridge case was penetrated, the water would prevent the ignition...the propellant oxidizer still needs an ignition source. Tests seemed to indicate it would work, although postwar tests seemed to indicate it did not Except that made no difference, since the real benefit of the design was not the water, but the location of the racks in the floor of the tank. Basically, the RAC noticed early on that the higher the ammo was stored in the tank, the more likely it would be struck by a penetrating round and ignited. Removing the ammo from sponson and turret basic racks and relocating them to the hull floor is probably what made the difference.Ready racks in the turret were also armored and the number of rounds reduced.
-
For most of the time post-war, gasoline was blamed for the M4's apparent flammability. Ammo was comparatively recent, in popular perceprtion In "popular", i.e. uninformed, opinion only. The British knew the cause was propellant by late 1941. The Americans were told the same and the Ordnance Department confirmed it in a series of tests in 1942 and 1943. The test findings were the direct cause for the development of wet stowage.
-
Should Rommel Have Waited In April 1941?
Rich replied to Andreas's topic in King Sargent Military History Forum
Or 22 June 1941, depending on how you want to look at it...- 163 replies
-
- desert war
- rommel
-
(and 3 more)
Tagged with:
-
Should Rommel Have Waited In April 1941?
Rich replied to Andreas's topic in King Sargent Military History Forum
I don't think it is correct. As I said, RAF did not treat Africa as a priority front as long as they viewed England was threatened and Axis held the air superiority even when outnumbered. Although in the end, Luftwaffe aircraft losses in Africa were of course serious - as noted, they couldn't evacuate very much - but it was not in same level as in Eastern Front or defence of the Reich. LW aircraft losses in Tunisian campaign can be contrasted to over 400 aircraft they lost in Battle of Kursk in four weeks, or 300+ which were lost in Big Week over just 6 days. Actually, it is correct, but as I said, it was after your waypoint of summer 1942. Note that even then, the "split" is actually 692 "east" and 577 "west", with 109 aircraft doing double duty supporting German forces in Karelia and the far north, as well as defending Norway against perfidious Albion. At this point the Luftwaffe was still functioning reasonably well, but the fall and winter of 1942 and spring of 1943 was when it all began to go south. The Stalingrad and Tunisian airlifts wrecked the Transportgruppen and again disrupted the training programs in Germany, just as the Norwegian-French campaign in spring 1940, the Crete campaign in 1941, and the winter and spring Russian campaign in 1942 did. By summer 1943 the downward spiral was well in motion. Compare the commitments then to July 1942. Next, look at the losses by front over time. If I get a chance sometime this week I'll try to get into the Maxwell documents and draw up a clear picture, but for now: Luftwaffe allocation to the "East" (front line aircraft, main combat categories only/1E Ftr/2E Ftr): 8 November 1941 - 63%/50%/69% 10 December 1942 - 49%/38%/49% 20 December 1943 - 37%/27%/6% 10 February 1944 (last of document series) - 34%/21%/5% Losses All Types to All Causes (West/Med/East): 1 June-30 November 1941 - 702/233/2353 = 28% lost in the West and Med 1 December 1941-30 November 1942 - 1312/1945/4338 = 43% lost in the West and Med 1 December 1942-30 November 1943 - 3385/3858/4598 = 61% lost in the West and Med- 163 replies
-
- desert war
- rommel
-
(and 3 more)
Tagged with: