Machinery & Gear | War History

The FGM-148 Javelin is Feared and Incredibly Deadly – But How Does it Work?

US cavalryman firing an FGM-148 Javelin while sitting on the ground

The FGM-148 Javelin is part of a line of systems designed to allow infantry to deal with armored targets. This formidable weapon came into service…

The Navy Used To Love Flying Boats For Their Versatility

US Navy - Seaplane

Prior to the end of the second world war, flying boats were an important tool for navies all around the world. The US Navy was…

The M42 Duster Played A Crucial Role in Vietnam

M42 Duster with soldiers on top and inside.

From 1966 until the end of the Vietnam War, the relatively small yet extremely deadly M42 Duster was brought out of retirement and used against…

The USS Scorpion Was Lost At Sea And Some Mysteries Still Remain About The Nuclear Submarine

USS Scorpion Submarine

In 1968 a US nuclear submarine suddenly disappeared in the Atlantic ocean, one of only two nuclear submarines to have been lost by the US.…

The BV 238 was the Heaviest Plane of WWII and an Example of Extreme German Engineering

For the first few decades after humanity conquered flight, flying boats consistently ranked among the largest aircraft in the world. In fact, the H-4 Hercules,…

Last Ditch Effort: German Tanks Were Disguised To Look Like American Tanks For The Battle of the Bulge

Operation Greif and the man who led it

Deception is a useful and commonly used military tactic. It can be used to confuse your enemy, feed them wrong information so they draw up…

Here’s Why The P-51 Mustang Saw Combat As A Dive Bomber

P-51 Mustang

The P-51 Mustang is usually near the top of most aviation enthusiasts’ favorite WWII aircraft list, as it combines sleek, muscular looks with excellent performance,…

The US Navy Maintains A Forest Solely for the USS Constitution

USS Constitution

In another display of the US military’s immense budget, the US Navy manages an entire forest just to use the wood for shipbuilding. The forest…

The Jaguar MBT: The Time China and America Collaborated On A Tank

T-59 MBT

Another weird tank to be developed during the Cold War was the Jaguar, a 1980s joint Chinese and American project that was intended to modernize…

The A-10 that landed without a canopy or landing gear is back flying after 3 years of repairs

A-10 Belly Landing

Remember the poor A-10 pilot whose canopy blew off after firing the aircraft’s 30 mm cannon? That was Major Brett DeVries from the Air National…

German Zeppelins Were Made with Cow Intestines And It Led To Sausage Restrictions During WWI

German Zeppelin and Cow Intestines

A rain of German bombs falling onto London may sound like a scene from the Blitz, but the city was also attacked by Germany during…

The P-38 Terrified Opponents And Dominated Aerial Reconnaissance During WWII

P-38 Lightning

During the war, if you needed a great fighter, fighter bomber, escort, reconnaissance aircraft, night fighter, and pathfinder, the P-38 Lightning was a go-to choice.…