The Mess - Military Forum Off Topic Thread!

tac foley

All Russian-built MBTs from mid-70's - T-64, T-72 and so on, with the separate ammunition rather than the earlier fixed ammunition, have autoloaders. This reduction in crew numbers meant that the could build MBTs that were literally 3/4 the size of Western MBTs but with bigger guns - 125mm. They STILL have bigger main guns than any western tank - 120mm.

This tank was a T-55 firing fixed ammunition [a large steel case containing the propellant with the projectile inserted in the end]. just like a big rifle cartridge.

Dropping it CAN cause the commotion you saw.

Tsk tsk.

tac

Stovepipe

Hi there
I thought rounds like that were made live by the act of firing, ie, the concussion arms the fuse and impact sets it off.

regards
Stovepipe

tac foley

Stovepipe wrote: »

Hi there
I thought rounds like that were made live by the act of firing, ie, the concussion arms the fuse and impact sets it off.

regards
Stovepipe

Ah, yes, fuze initiation by set-back. True. On the other paw, the ammunition may have been made in the 50's and poorly stored.

However, look at the train of events - a series of rapidly-fired shots from a fifty-year old tank manned, possibly, by amateurs, followed at the right time to be a fumbled reload. Time it and you'll see what I mean.

On the other paw, please come up with a better suggestion.

tac

Explosions in the Sky

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH11nOwn01E

Hey guys found this on youtube, its the passing out parade of the DFTC recruits last year, enjoy

Stovepipe

@tacfoley, the round might have been knocked or dropped onto it's primer or it could have been a misfire that went off as it was being unloaded.

regards
Stovepipe

alanmcqueen

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16515680

Gotta love the at-ready skiing into firing position at the end;)

Manic Moran

Stovepipe wrote: »

@tacfoley, the round might have been knocked or dropped onto it's primer or it could have been a misfire that went off as it was being unloaded.

regards
Stovepipe

This is all assuming that the individual who was visible standing outside the hatch (and who engaged in the aerobatics) was not the loader, and I'm not sure he wasn't. If he's fecking around with the ready rack or the breech, he won't be standing up so high in the turret.

tac foley

Manic Moran wrote: »

This is all assuming that the individual who was visible standing outside the hatch (and who engaged in the aerobatics) was not the loader, and I'm not sure he wasn't. If he's fecking around with the ready rack or the breech, he won't be standing up so high in the turret.

The loader in the T-55 operates left-handed loading and stands on right-hand side of, and slightly to the rear of, the gun breechblock, with his feet on the turret cage floor. His head is around 1.5 feet lower than the acrobat - head about level with his ankles, in fact, as the acrobat is on the TC's dicky-seat, pretending to be the TC.

Anybody else in the tank when that went off, whatever it was [and yes, I've seen a breech obturator give way with APDS up the spout] would need to be taken out with a 1" pallette knife.

tac

Manic Moran

tac foley wrote: »

Manic Moran wrote: »

This is all assuming that the individual who was visible standing outside the hatch (and who engaged in the aerobatics) was not the loader, and I'm not sure he wasn't. If he's fecking around with the ready rack or the breech, he won't be standing up so high in the turret.

The loader in the T-55 operates left-handed loading and stands on right-hand side of, and slightly to the rear of, the gun breechblock, with his feet on the turret cage floor. His head is around 1.5 feet lower than the acrobat - head about level with his ankles, in fact, as the acrobat is on the TC's dicky-seat, pretending to be the TC.

Anybody else in the tank when that went off, whatever it was [and yes, I've seen a breech obturator give way with APDS up the spout] would need to be taken out with a 1" pallette knife.

tac

Hence the problem. For most of the video, the gentleman visible is in the loader's hatch: not only is he on the right side of the turret, but you also see him chucking shell casings over the side. It is unlikely, given the sequence of events and the layout on the TC's side that the chap jettisoned was the TC.

Given that it is also unlikely that a loader in the process of loading would be ejected by an explosion, there are two likely possibilities: either the loader was not messing around with the breech or ammunition at the time, or there were two individuals on the loader's side of the turret. If the latter, which is questionable simply due to lack of space, anything goes, but if the former, a dropped round is unlikely. The two best guesses, I think, are a hangfire round which was pulled from the breech early and finally detonated when the loader was standing up, or, quite simply, whatever they were shooting at shot back.

My money's on a hangfire extracted too quickly.

NTM

Manic Moran

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/2-americans-being-honored-by-germany-for-helping-catch-terrorist-suspect-in-frankfurt-shooting/2012/01/16/gIQARMWt2P_story.html

Germany has awarded its highest civil honor to two Americans for chasing after the guy who shot two airmen at Frankfurt.

I was unaware of the shooter's motivation before reading that article. Idiot.

NTM

Donny5

The Article wrote:

Uka gave a teary confession as his Frankfurt state court trial opened in August, saying that the night before the attack he had seen a video on Facebook that purported to show American soldiers raping a teenage Muslim girl. It turned out to be a scene from the 2007 Brian De Palma anti-war film “Redacted,” taken out of context.

You weren't kidding; what a nutcase.

L.Jenkins

Just looking at the DF website. Would appear that contact information for RDF units has disappeared. Am interested in moving to a unit in Galway, Medics or Transport, since I'm moving down in a week or two. Anyone know if I'm missing the required link on the website or anyone know of relavent contact info as I may not get many opportunities to go to renmore to check it out.

discus

Strange moment... Signed into a computer on my base, and find that another boardsie has left himself signed in...

PABLOMAKIAVELI

tac foley

You've been hacked.

Change EVERYTHING.

Now.

tac

Manic Moran

Currently poncing around Australia. No Kangaroos yet, but they take their commemoration of their military quite seriously.

goldie fish

The Kangaroos do?

Manic Moran

Very much so. Dis them, and they go talk to their friends, the drop bears.

On the airplane again tomorrow afternoon. Next stop, Dublin for a few days.

helimachoptor

What are you up to these days Manic apart for Oz and Dublin, any re-deployments coming up?

Manic Moran

helimachoptor wrote: »

What are you up to these days Manic apart for Oz and Dublin, any re-deployments coming up?

No, the deployment schedule for reservists is starting to wind down. Nothing looming.

Manic Moran

Since I first put on a uniform in 1997, I have always been in a line unit. The one partial exception was when I was doubled into the Squadron Ops slot in Afghanistan, but was still able to get out and about from time to time.

My next assignment is at Joint Force Headquarters, as from from the other end of the line as it's possible to be. Not quite sure what to make of it, but at least it means less time in deserts.

NTM

helimachoptor

Just in the airport coming back from honeymoon, met a 1st LT in the marines, had a very long talk with his most recent deployment to Afghanistan

helimachoptor

Manic Moran wrote: »

Since I first put on a uniform in 1997, I have always been in a line unit. The one partial exception was when I was doubled into the Squadron Ops slot in Afghanistan, but was still able to get out and about from time to time.

My next assignment is at Joint Force Headquarters, as from from the other end of the line as it's possible to be. Not quite sure what to make of it, but at least it means less time in deserts.

NTM

Where you headed to?

tac foley

MM - You have my sympathy.

I'm very happy to relate that I never once served in the MoD or at any level of command which involved ME making the coffee.

Not once.

I always made sure that when they were looking for seat-polishers to write Power-point exercises for the upper echelons that I was always somewhere else doing something that nobody else was doing, nor wanted to.

Worked for me.

tac

murph226

Hi lads sorry didn't know where to post this , I have 23 An Cosantoir mags here that I was going to throw out if anyone is interested in them.

All in very good nick, shame to bin them, might be handy for somebody collecting them.

8x2009

9x2008

4x2007

1x2006

1x2002

PM me if you want them, not going to hang onto them for long before they get binned.

discus

Boot run. Not very far, not very hard... but in issued boots. I might as well have run in high heels, I'm that much of a bitch. Blisters and hotspots galore.

discus

Some 7 months later, and my feet are blisterproof. But my hip is ****ed, ive had two hernias repaired and my toenails still haven't grown fully back.
Not a great trade off.

tac foley

In case anybody ever wondered where all the old Wehrmacht drill instructors ended up, well, now we know............

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLlfzeRCn6k

As a former soldier who most emphatically NEVER took part in any parade except my passing-out parade, THIS is VERY impressive. I offer the opinion that they are just edging better than the British Army in this respect - the lines of marching troops are almost double the length of those in the annual Trooping the Colour parade, and as straight as a die.

tac

iceage

Had to post this here as well,

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

LOL! even funnier is the guys behind him nodding!

discus

Some of the beauties of being an unmarried, childless squaddie:

2 sirloin steaks every night.
Battery Bar in the same block as my flat.

Life is good right now.

helimachoptor

go to picture 6, can anyone explain why he's there?
http://www.independent.ie/photos/irish-defence-forces-troops-send-christmas-wishes-home-from-syria-29855812.html