U-Boat 96, and the film Das Boot
In 1981, a film was released which is still cited as one of Germany’s greatest cinematic triumphs. It followed the exploits of U-96, a German…
Mighty WW2 Warships – KMS Admiral Graf Spee in the Battle of the River Plate
On September 1, 1939, while German troops were rolling across the border into Poland, their Navy was sent to raid Allied shipping lanes, much as…
The Flaming Coffin, The German Heavy Dive Bomber The Luftwaffe Hated
The Heinkel He 177 Greif (Griffin) was an aircraft doomed from the start of its inception. Its design was intrinsically flawed, its engines frequently caught…
Images Of War – Two New Books From Michael Green – Review By Mark Barnes
We have in front of us two books by the American historian Michael Green in the Images of War series from Pen & Sword. If…
The E.A. Stevens: A Ship Ahead of its Time
The 19th century saw an incredible advance in ship designs, from full-rigged wooden ships to enormous iron and steam liners. Progress was achieved through experimentation,…
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,…
Surviving A Kamikaze Attack: A Story From USS Callaway During The War In The Pacific
January 7, 1945. USS Callaway (APA-35) was steaming towards Lingayen Gulf, in the Philippines, as one ship in a massive invasion fleet. Onboard she had…
The Mysterious Disappearance Of The French WW2 Submarine Surcouf
The mystery of how the record-breaking French submarine Surcouf sunk has been debated since the day it disappeared in the Pacific, near Tahiti. Were she…
The SK-105 Kürassier – Austrian Light Tank Capable of Climbing a 75% Slope
After WWII, the Austrian military went through a series of reforms to reconstitute itself as the armed wing of the newly formed Austrian state. It…
The Panhard EBR – French Postwar Armored Vehicle, Heavily Armed, Lightly Armored
The Panhard EBR was a French reconnaissance vehicle made in several different variants in the period between 1951 and 1963. Based on a design that…
Wartime Bomb Shelters – Saving Lives From Bombing Raids
Bomb shelters were unnecessary until the 20th century when warfare evolved to aircraft, and falling bombs became a threat. A bomb shelter is not intended…
Things Nearly Went Nuclear When the Chinese Stole a Soviet Tank
In 1900, Russia signed the Treaty of Beijing which gave them Outer Manchuria and other Chinese lands. When both countries became communist, their nagging border…