In 1956, An Obsolete WW2 Drone Took on Two State-of-the-Art Manned Jet Fighters Over the US – And Won
In August 1956, a drone went rogue over Southern California, threatening cities, including Los Angeles. In its aftermath, over 1,000 acres were destroyed, forests and…
John Reginald Gorman – The Amazing Irish Kamikaze, Busting Tanks In WW2
In WWII, the Germans had a reputation for their formidable technology. What they did not consider, however, was the formidable Irish reputation for bullishness. John…
Four Combat Monsters – The Super-Heavy Tanks Of WWI
In a time when bigger was considered better, an unofficial term was coined to describe a category beyond the heavy tank. The super heavy tanks…
Leonardo’s War Machines – The Italian Genius May Have Deliberately Sabotaged His Own Designs
Born in the Tuscan town of Vinci on the 15th of April, 1452, Leonardo Da Vinci is perhaps best known as the painter of the…
The Ambitious Scotsman Who Used A Tiny, War-Scarred Brig To Capture A Huge 32-Gun Frigate
On March 28th, 1800, a Scottish aristocrat took command of the small Brig-Sloop HMS Speedy, based at Port Mahon. The Scotsman, Thomas Cochrane, was an…
The Beautiful American Ship USS Constitution Was Built In 1797 And Is Still Afloat Today
“Old Ironsides”, the USS Constitution, has been through it all and lived to tell about it – as her nickname suggests. Built of a study oak,…
When The Nuclear Submarine USS San Francisco Crashed Into An Undersea Mountain
Launched in 1979, the USS San Francisco is the third American ship, boat or submarine to carry a title featuring San Francisco in the name. In…
These Were The Last Two German U-boats To Surrender In WW2
Throughout the Second World War, U-boats played a critical role in Germany’s warfare strategy. This was especially so during the Battle of the Atlantic, which lasted…
When The Nuclear Submarine USS San Francisco Crashed Into An Undersea Mountain
Launched in 1979, the USS San Francisco is the third American ship, boat or submarine to carry a title featuring San Francisco in the name. In…
A Tragic Accident Onboard The USS Oriskany Cost Many Lives – Without An Enemy Ship In Sight
On the morning of the 26th of October, 1966 the USS Oriskany was stationed 50 miles off the north coast of Vietnam. A group of Skyhawk…
Mers-el-Kébir In WW2 – When The British Devastated The French Fleet With One Ten-Minute Hail Of Fire
Unable to stop the German advance in Europe, British soldiers fled through the Port of Dunkirk with French help. Weeks later, the British thanked their…
Galleys: The First Great Warships – They Dominated The Seas For Centuries
From the earliest days through to the 16th century, naval warfare was dominated by the galley. Galleys have been around so long their exact origin…