Machinery & Gear | War History

The USS Laffey (DD-724) Was Known As ‘The Ship That Would Not Die’

USS Laffey (DD-724) at sea

A number of US Navy vessels are named for veterans who served their country gallantly and with valor. That being said, few live up to…

AVS-36: The Worst Rifle Ever Developed By the Soviet Union

Four Red Army soldiers running through the snow + AVS-36

While the Soviet Union may have been adept at producing tanks, the same can’t really be said about its handheld weaponry. The interwar period and…

The Republic XF-84H Thunderscreech Was So Loud It Made Ground Crews Sick

Republic XF-84H Thunderscreech taking off

The US Air Force has developed a number of experimental aircraft over the decades, but none was as interesting as the Republic XF-84H Thunderscreech. A…

Gewehr 43: The German Semi-Automatic Rifle Inspired By the Soviet SVT-40

East German soldiers marching together while armed with Gewehr 43s

When the Germans launched Operation Barbarossa, they weren’t prepared for a number of things. While the weather is often the aspect most historians point to,…

Brazilian Navy’s Plans to Scuttle Asbestos-Ridden Aircraft Carrier Draws Ire from Environmentalists

NAe São Paulo at sea

The decommissioned Clemenceau-class aircraft carrier NAe São Paulo is causing headaches for the Brazilian Navy. Following her sale to a Turkish company in 2021, the…

PBRs: The US Navy’s Small and Nimble Watercraft In Vietnam

Still from 'Apocalypse Now'

The Patrol Boat, River – commonly known as PBR – was a nimble, speedy riverboat commissioned by the US Navy, for use during the Vietnam…

The German V-1 ‘Buzz Bomb’ Was Developed to Terrorize the British Public

V-1 "buzz bomb" on display

Vengeance weapon one (V-1), the “buzz bomb,” the “doodlebug” or the “Fi 103” – whatever name you call it by, this impressive World War II-era…

HMS Victory: The World’s Oldest Warship Still In Commission

Illustration of the HMS Victory at sea

At well over 200 years old, the HMS Victory is undeniably one of the most famous ships in the world. Serving as the flagship for Lord…

Pave Low: Converting Search and Rescue Helicopters for Use In Special Ops

Sikorsky MH-53 Pave Low in flight

Sikorsky MH-53 Pave Lows had the ability to perform both search and rescue and special operations missions. “Pave” stands for “Precision Avionics Vectoring Equipment,” the…

F16 vs F18: Comparing the F-16 & F-18 Top Speed, Firepower & Designs

General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet in flight

General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon vs McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet – which one would win in an aerial battle? These two aircraft are among the…

7 Facts About the USS Constitution, the US Navy’s Oldest Warship

USS Constitution sailing through Boston Harbor

Typically docked at the end of Boston’s Freedom Trail, the USS Constitution is among the most famous warships in the world. She entered service in…

The US Air Force Panicked When Its Top-Secret Stealth Fighter Crashed Into the California Wilderness

Aerial view of Sequoia National Forest + Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk

In July 1986, a Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk crashed in Sequoia National Forest – not that the US Air Force wanted anyone to know. As the…