Machinery & Gear | War History

M61 Vulcan: A Modern Take on the Civil War-Era Gatling Gun

Todd Neikirk
M61 Vulcan on display outside

There has long been a competition between countries over who can produce the best fighter jets. This was particularly fierce with the United States and…

USS Missouri (BB-63): American Battleship and Site of the Japanese Surrender

Crowd gathered beside a docked USS Missouri (BB-63)

The USS Missouri (BB-63) was a bit late to the party. Completed in January 1944, she was the last US battleship to enter the action…

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…

Bren Light Machine Gun: The British Weapon That Featured Heavily in North Africa

Todd Neikirk
British soldier aiming a Bren light machine gun

The early 20th century featured both massive wars and rapid advances in technology. Among the most prominent and effective weapons to emerge during this time…

MG-42: The German Machine Gun That Mowed Down Enemies On the Battlefield

Todd Neikirk
German soldier lying beside an MG-42

The Second World War was fought with a number of new technologies and weapons. In a conflict this intense, each nation was desperate to get…

U-111: Wreck of Famed WWI-Era German U-boat Discovered Off the Coast of Virginia

US Navy sailors manning the deck gun of the SM U-111

During the First World War, Allied vessels feared encountering a German U-boat while traveling across the Atlantic Ocean. It was common for them to be…

The Tragic Fate of the USS Grenadier (SS-210) and Her Crew

Memorial for the USS Grenadier (SS-210)

For over 70 years, nobody knew the fate of the USS Grenadier (SS-210). Struck by a Japanese aircraft, the submarine sank to the bottom of…

The Most Dangerous Military Aircraft to Ever Take to the Skies

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II in flight + Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II in flight

Since the First World War, aircraft have been key to winning major skirmishes. Not only do they provide fire support from the air, but they…

HMS Royal Oak (08): The Royal Navy Battleship That Fought Valiantly During the Battle of Jutland

HMS Royal Oak (08) at sea

Battleships were extremely important during the First World War, and the British Royal Navy had some of the most impressive vessels of the conflict. They…

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 Forrestal (CV-59) Disaster Forever Changed the Way US Navy Sailors Learn Damage Control

Firefighters trying to stop a fire on the deck of the USS Forrestal (CV-59)

The USS Forrestal (CV-59) served the US Navy for nearly four decades. During that time, she saw her fair share of combat, but no amount of…

USS Nevada (BB-36): The Battleship That Survived Pearl Harbor and An Atomic Bomb

USS Nevada (BB-36) at sea

The USS Nevada (BB-36) was the first of a class of two 27,500-ton battleships launched in 1914, rendering all first-generation vessels obsolete. She had a remarkable…