Machinery & Gear | War History

USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63): The Decorated Aircraft Carrier That was Sold to Scrap Dealers for One Cent

USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) at sea

In May 2022, the decommissioned supercarrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) arrived in Brownsville, Texas for scrapping. The iconic vessel served the US Navy for nearly…

Two Aircraft Carriers Were Stationed In the Great Lakes During WWII

USS Sable (XI-81) sailing through Lake Michigan

If there’s one thing aircraft carriers were known for during the Second World War, it was their role in changing the face of aerial combat.…

Have You Ever Wanted to Take a Ride in a German Tiger Tank? Now May Be Your Chance!

Tanks following Tiger 131 along a dirt track

If you’ve ever wanted to take a ride in a World War II-era German Tiger I tank, now may be your chance. The Tank Museum…

Snipex Alligator: The Ukrainian Sniper Rifle Capable of Penetrating Armored Vehicles

Snipex Alligator sitting in the middle of a snowy field

Written by Samantha Franco and Clare Fitzgerald The Snipex Alligator is a massive anti-material rifle (AMR) that’s manufactured by XADO-Holding, Ltd. Having only recently entered…

100 Years After She Sank, The Mystery of USS San Diego’s (ACR-6) Tragic End Was Finally Solved

Painting of the USS San Diego (ACR-6) sinking at sea

Shortly after 11:00 AM on July 19, 1918, the Pennsylvania-class armored cruiser USS San Diego (ACR-6) – formerly known as the USS California – was…

The Tank Museum Acquires Cold War-Era Charioteer

Charioteer parked outside a building

A new addition to the Tank Museum‘s collection, a Charioteer, arrived at the location last week. Recently acquired in Finland, the long-term plan is for…

The Japanese Battleship Kongō was Among the Most Heavily Armed When It was First Built

Kongō at sea

The Japanese battleship Kongō had some of the greatest nicknames in history; the Japanese translations for the vessel’s many names are “Indestructible Diamond,” “Indra’s Spear” and…

Road Workers Were Amazed By An Unexpected World War II-Era Discovery In Chartres

Crew using a mechanical digger to lift a mud-covered M5 Stuart from the ground

During the six years that made up the Second World War, the Allied and Axis nations deployed an astonishing number of troops and armaments across…

The Sabot Round Pierces Tanks and Liquifies Its Targets

Samantha Franco
Soldier placing a sabot round on the ground, beside a number of others

The sabot round is a form of ammunition used by tanks for armored warfare. The non-explosive anti-tank round surrounds a projectile and allows it to…

S-Mine: Nicknamed ‘Bouncing Betty,’ It Struck Fear Into Allied Soldiers

Samantha Franco
Soldier searching for landmines

The S-mine, originally named the Schrapnellmine, was a German bounding mine used extensively by Wehrmacht troops throughout the Second World War. When detonated, it thrust…

The USS Texas (BB-35) Was Intentionally Flooded During D-Day

USS Texas (BB-35) at sea

The USS Texas (BB-35) saw more combat action in her lifetime than most other US battleships, seeing service in both World War I and II,…

Relic Hunters Surprised By What They Discovered In WWII-Era ‘Swamp Ghost’ Bomber

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress in flight

While flying over Papua New Guinea in 1972, airmen from the Royal Australian Air Force spotted something strange in the swamplands below. The large object…