Panzerbüchse 39: The German ‘Tank Hunting Rifle’ That Saw Action In Poland and the USSR
The Panzerbüchse 39 (PzB 39) was an anti-tank rifle operated by Wehrmacht during the Second World War. The PzB 39 saw use during the invasion…
Typhoon-Class: The Last of the Famous Soviet Ballistic Missile Submarines Retired In 2023
The Typhoon-class – also known as Project 941 Akula – were six Soviet nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. The largest ever constructed, they served with the…
Dassault Rafale: The French ‘Burst of Fire’ That’s Seen Service Across the Middle East
The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine multi-role fighter. Developed in the 1980s and ’90s, the fighter was the product of disagreements with allied nations…
A Gloster Meteor Once Deflected A V-1 Flying Bomb With Its Wing
The V-1 flying bomb was an early cruise missile developed by Germany as part of its V-weapons (Vergeltungswaffen) program. Starting on June 13, 1944, V-1s…
HMS Centurion (1911): The British Dreadnought That Saw Action At Jutland and Was Purposefully Sunk After D-Day
The HMS Centurion (1911) was the second of four King George V-class dreadnought battleships. She served with the Royal Navy between 1913-44, seeing action throughout…
Mk 47 Striker: The US Military’s Modern Automatic Grenade Launcher
The Mk 47 or Striker 40 – often called the Mk 47 Striker – is an American 40 mm advanced automatic grenade launcher. It was…
Ryan FR-1 Fireball: The US Navy’s First Jet-Engine Fighter Was Also the Worst Aircraft of World War II
The Ryan FR-1 Fireball was an American fighter designed by Ryan Aeronautical for the US Navy during the Second World War. It was a mixed-power…
Sturmpistole: The German Handheld Grenade Launcher That Failed to Match More Powerful Anti-Tank Weaponry
The Sturmpistole was a multi-purpose weapon developed for the German Army during World War II. A modified flare gun, it was capable of firing a…
The M18 Recoilless Rifle Obliterated Enemy Machine Gun Nests In Korea
The M18 is a 57 mm shoulder-fired, anti-tank recoilless rifle the US Army equipped troops with during the Second World War and in Korea. The…
Bell X-1: America’s Experimental Rocket-Powered Aircraft That First Broke the Sound Barrier
The Bell X-1 was a rocket-powered aircraft designed by Bell for a supersonic joint research project between the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and…
National Emergency Command Post Afloat: The ‘Floating White Houses’ for Times of Nuclear War
During the 1960s, America’s Continuity of Operations plans included the National Emergency Command Post Afloat (NECPA). It was one of three parts – airborne, ground…
No. 1426 Flight RAF Flew German Aircraft Decked Out In Royal Air Force Insignia
In September 1942, Rachel and Eddie Jones were enjoying the warm weather at their home near Romsey, England. Rachel had formed a keen interest in…