SpyTHINK 052 & RetroWarTHINK 018: PLAY DIRTY--A STUDY in WHEELTARDED, Bureaucratic STUPIDITY
SpyTHINK 051: Legendary Combat Veteran & Actor Sir Michael Caine Calls on Everyone to do National Service as a "REALITY CHECK" to Build Moral, Stoical Character:
https://jamesbondisreal.blogspot.com/2021/03/spythink-051-legendary-combat-veteran.html
THE most important scene in Caine's "Play Dirty" is the WARNING that large, overloaded, high ground-pressure wheeled trucks (LAV1-2s, LAV-III Strykers, JLTVs) favored by lazy, inept, centralized over-controlling bureaucrats that are road/trail DEATH TRAPS when confronted by enemies more mobile & armored protected in low ground-pressure, tracked tanks.
This clip is soooo important, we post it in several places so WOKETARDS and MILTARDs don't censure it:
FUCKYOUTUBE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rO7QH4268k
Here on Blogger:
On BITCHUTE:
https://www.bitchute.com/video/k4nycTF2J9bL/
On combatreform.org:
www.combatreform.org/007playdirtyambushwheeledretards.mp4
Wheels vs. Tracks
www.combatreform.org/WHEELSVSTRACKS
The sad reality is that EGOTISM drives military malpractice--instead of FUNCTIONAL best practices. The "special" feces people think they are superior-to-thou the conventional Soldier and wrongly lump tracked tanks with THEIR TRIBE instead of looking at weaponry/equipment GENERICALLY from a kinetic, laws-of-physics, F = M x A perspective and accordingly does WHAT'S BEST for a given situation. The moron korps tops the list of hubris-stupid with their bloated, heavy wheeled crapmonster they are wasting $$$millions of tax dollars on to re-live the Wake island DEFEAT as quasi-coastal defense troops.
WW2 pressures for cross-country maneuver unpredictable to the enemy lying in wait in ambushes led to the light tracked, low ground pressure, M29 Weasel's combat success by the 1st SSF "Devil's Brigade" and General Gavin's Paratroopers at the snow-covered Battle of the Bulge read On to Berlin for details. I have a personally-autographed copy by LTG Gavin of this book!
It was worked out to parachute drop (paradrop) the Weasels for Pyke's Norwegian Force from under RAF bombers
combatreform.org/reconinforce.htm
...and 800x French Commandos and their light gun-jeeps were paradropped into Normandy with great success for D-Day. A jeep could be made EVERY 2x minutes! Now why couldn't it be TRACKED with a bullet-proof body?
http://www.combatreform.org/groundvehiclephotos.htm
Commander Ian Fleming's 30 Assault Unit (AU) "Red Indians" used gunshielded 4x4 gun jeeps which can by high RPM traverse cross-country--IF they don't get too heavy from weaponry, equipment and armor.
https://www.slideshare.net/1st_TSG_Airborne/operation-james-bond-story-boards-v30
Operation JAMES BOND Story Boards v3.0
1. Ian Fleming Goes to America; the OSS,Camp-X, 30 Assault Unit & Nazi Escapes
2. Commander Ian Fleming Flies to New York with Admiral Godfrey
3. Commander Fleming Writes 78-Page Memo Outlining to Colonel Donovan How to Create OSS…Receives .38 Revolver for “Special Services”
4. 1941 British Commandos
5. Commander Fleming Learns How to Become a Commando at Camp-X
6. Captain William Fairbairn
7. Commander Fleming Lays a Limpet Mine on a Ship During Exercise
8. Commander Fleming Hesitates in the Kill House
9. Commander Fleming helps Spy on Japanese Consulate Building...“The British Security Coordination office was located on New York City's famous 5 th Avenue directly across from St. Patrick's Cathedral. One of Fleming's real operations concerned the Japanese Consulate General office, located one floor below Stephenson's office. It was here a Japanese cipher expert transmitted code to Tokyo. Though the cipher expert was not assassinated (ala Bonds first kill referenced in Casino Royale) Fleming did recruit a team of safe crackers to open a safe so he could photograph code books and make impressions of keys."
[4] http://voices.yahoo.com/where-did-ian-flemings-license-kill-idea-come-from-1557059.html
10. Commander Fleming Creates 30 Assault Unit Intelligence-Gathering Commandos
11. Commander Ian Fleming
12. Lt Barbara Brabenov
13. 30 Assault Unit Discovers V-1 and V-2 Launch Sites, That are Bombed Out-of-Action by RAF
14. 1945 British Commandos
15. Commander Fleming and Christopher Creighton Bust Martin Bormann from Berlin
Books Describing Operations JAMES BOND and WINNIE-THE-POOH …and a Book Describing the Bormann/Hitler Escape by Other Means...
16. OPJB Team Parachutes into Lake Near Berlin Lt. Cmdr Christopher Creighton
17. OPJB Team Moves by Kayak to Berlin HQs Surrounded by Approaching Russian Armies
18. OPJB Team Kayaks Bormann Out To Safety
19. Reichsfuhrer Bormann
20. Fleming Called Away from OPJB : Did He Fly Hitler to Spain for OPWTP?
21. 30 AU Captures German Navy Headquarters and All Their Records...
https://www.combatreform.org/redindians.htm
https://www.bitchute.com/video/dpjqHBdHPLck/
https://www.bitchute.com/video/VHyLy39MWEHX/
The Delta Force/CAG and U.S. Navy SEAL Chenoweth Fast Attack Vehicles (FAVs) suffered from mobility loss from overloading and are no longer in active service by them.
https://www.militaryissue.com/US-Delta-Force-Vehicle-1_35-Kit/productinfo/108932/
Armored Gun Jeeps vs. Light Tracked Tanks 101
The 1960s "Rat Patrol" TV show mentality that rightly infuriates the British who actually created the gun jeep raiding and reconning behind enemy lines is bread & butter to U.S. and other NATO allied SOF units exhibiting a stubborn and dangerous ego-driven bias against light tanks causing constant disasters like the infamous "Blackhawk Down!" (BHD) debacle in Somalia in 1993 and constant deaths/maimings in decades of futility in Afghanistan/Iraq.
BHD
https://www.bitchute.com/video/Fz630w7GLxJP/
British Army Wheeled STUPIDITY: Work with LESS & Get Destroyed
www.thesun.co.uk/news/14368579/new-special-forces-unit-sas/
There is no denying that small 1/4 ton CARGO CAPACITY (not the vehicle weight) 4x4 drive jeeps are handy to transport TO the battlefield...
BY AIR
BY SEA
War Factories -The Secret History of WW II Part 3 |Americans Outproduced Everyone Else In WW2 |
...but once THERE what have you got? you and 500 pounds of stuff....
An unarmored, easy-to-kill "technical" to use the DoD buzzword of disparagement when our enemies are WHEEL STUPID...they can't call them WHAT THEY ARE GENERICALLY? aka TRUCKS-with-GUNs aka "gun-trucks"? Too much "transparency" and "accuracy" for MILwoketards?
When WE do gun-trucks, it's smart "Rat Patrol" or a sexy buzzword like "Humvee", "Stryker", "JLTV" or moron korps "MAV". LYING about objective, physical, kinetic REALITY isn't going to make it go away as the "Play Dirty" clip demonstrates. Remember the 4x "special" Soldiers killed in Africa trying to use civilian SUVs in combat? Here's a realistic clip from "The Bridge at Remagen" when a jeep is driven foolishly up a road not cleared of German mines and ambushers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v93LrAfuCWY
www.combatreform.org/WHEELSVSTRACKS
Don't make excuses for dumb Amerikan wheeltards--the USMIL has known that wheeled trucks are NOT cross-country mobile and accordingly fashioned a LINEAR war CONOPS where they act as SUPPLY TRANSPORTS along roads BEHIND the lines where they should be safe. The HE artillery landing on the "All Quiet on the Western Front" troops in trucks in supposedly "safe", "rear" areas shows otherwise--watch the movie based on the book written by actual WW1 veteran Remarque. This is yet another visual warning being ignored.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhC4ESwuPPI
Look at all the wheeled CRAPOLA the USMIL uses...including all the rubber-tired-landing gear aircraft that also need "roads" to operate from aka runways which means obvious, bloated forward operating air bases where EVERYTHING there can be easily Destroyed-On-The-Ground (D.O.T.G.)
PATHETIC.
It's no surprise I got acid reflux from my DECADES of USMIL service!
Gun TRACKS--Not Gun TRUCKS
The functionally clever--but evil--German Army turned captured TRACKED, ARMORED Bren Light Machine gun aka Universal Carriers against us and IMPROVED on them by adding recoilless HE warhead weapons on them (see pics above)--why didn't our Bren gun carriers Hamilcar glider airlanded into Arnhem not have similar Direct Fire (DF) Weapons like 2.36" Bazookas or 75mm pack howitzers that could have destroyed the panzers that over-ran the British 1st Airborne Division heroically led by men like Zeno (more on him later).
Arnhem: the Germans Had TANKS
German turretless, tracked, armored STUG light tanks blocking the routes to Arnhem bridge...
Meanwhile, the British tried--and failed--to get UNarmored gun jeeps landed from gliders to the bridge--armored gunTRACKS beat UNarmored gunTRUCKS in the "rock, paper, scissors" of war.
Getting warmer...TRACKED, armored (albeit open-topped) Carrier TOWING a 57mm AT Gun: the Germans would have--and did--mounted the gun ON the tankette: Why do the Western Allies have a MENTAL BLOCK against this to the Present day? We put 75mms on HALF-TRACKS too big for Hamilcar gliders--why not on Universal Carriers that could RO-RO from those gliders?
Yet, the 1st British Airborne Division were offered 6th Airborne Division's light, tracked tanks & combat-experienced crews by Hamilcar glider...so there IS NO EXCUSE for General Browning's incompetence. Bren carriers could have had some sort of projected HE firepower--even American 2.36" bazookas or Tetrarch light tanks with 40mm or 76.2mm guns to punch their way in to hold Arnhem bridge in force.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o44BvtQxOV4
...in 20/20 hindsight it's amazing we won WW2!--or did we?
combatreform.org/black_sun.htmRather than build around strength--LIGHT TANKS--the weak military ego wants to default to weak wheeled trucks and WISH to not be detected when smart foes will flood entire grid squares with Terrain Firepower Saturation (TFS) which will explode and set fire to air-filled rubber tires, ooops tyres in U.K.speak...
So much for experience being the best teacher!
Wiser, more adult SOF leaders like the German's Colonel Otto Skorzeny, our Delta Force/CAG in Panama, Gulf Wars 1&2 lead by General David Grange (Air-Mech-Strike: Asymmetric Maneuver Warfare for the 21st Century) and Colonel Peter Blaber (The Mission, the Men and Me) didn't hesitate to use tracked tanks in Airborne/special operations.
www.combatreform.org/lighttanks.htm
According to Oleg Balashov, who was second in command of the assault group, the group was led by two elite units of Alpha and Vympel (15–20 each). The Alpha group targeted Amin, and the Vympel group had the task of collecting factual evidence that Amin was collaborating with the United States. Both groups were brought to Afghanistan secretly and blended with Muslim Battalions to make an impression that the operation was carried out by local units, whereas in reality nearly all work was done by Alpha and Vympel.[20]
Before the operation, Balashov surveyed the area under the guise of a bodyguard of a Soviet diplomat. His unit knew that they were going to a death zone and felt uncomfortable about it – about 80% of them were wounded shortly after they left their vehicles, yet they continued the assault. As Balashov expected, Amin's troops targeted the first and last vehicle in the convoy of six. He placed his team of five men in the front BMP and, when the BMP got immobilized by fire from Amin's troops, ordered them to abandon the BMP and run to the palace. All five were quickly wounded by intensive fire from the guards, but were saved by bulletproof vests and helmets.[20]
This account generally agrees with that of Aleksandr Lyakhovskiy, Soviet war historian and former director of the USSR Defense Ministry in Afghanistan, who gives more details and accentuates the ferocity and professionalism on both the attacking and defending sides.[21]
Let's take a closer look at the gun-jeep mentality...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_Dirty
Michael Caine as Capt. Douglas – Royal Engineers
Nigel Davenport as Capt. Cyril Leech – serving 15 years in prison for sinking his tramp steamer for the insurance
Nigel Green as Col. Masters
Based loosely on Vladimir 'Popski' Peniakoff
Harry Andrews as Brigadier Blore
At the time when the film is based, Lt. Col. Shan Hackett was C.O. Special Forces HQ
Patrick Jordan as Major Alan Watkins – Guards Commando Unit
Daniel Pilon as Capt. Attwood – Blore's adjutant
Bernard Archard as Col. Homerton
Aly Ben Ayed as Sadok
Takis Emmanouel as Kostas Manou
Vivian Pickles as a German Nurse
Stanley Caine as a German Officer. Stanley was the younger brother of Michael Caine.
During the North African Campaign in the Second World War, Captain Douglas (Michael Caine) is a British Petroleum employee seconded to the Royal Engineers to oversee incoming fuel supplies for the British Eighth Army. Colonel Masters (Nigel Green) commands a special raiding unit composed of convicted criminals, and after a string of failures he is told by his commander, Brigadier Blore (Harry Andrews), that he must have a regular officer to lead a dangerous last-chance mission to destroy an Afrika Korps fuel depot, otherwise his unit will be disbanded. Despite Douglas's objections, he is chosen for his knowledge of oil pipelines and infrastructure. Douglas is then introduced to Cyril Leech (Nigel Davenport), a convicted criminal rescued from prison to lead Masters' operations in the field.
The next day, Douglas and Leech are provided with small, armed jeeps and lead six other men out into the desert disguised as an Italian Army patrol. They endure a long and arduous trek across the desert: encountering hostile tribesmen, sandstorms and a booby-trapped oasis, among other dangers. Unknown to Masters, Blore has sent a regular army raiding party in large, overloaded wheeled trucks with the same objective 2 days behind Masters, but they are wiped out in a German tracked armored vehicle ambush.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rO7QH4268k
While Leech and his men are often insubordinate towards Douglas's command, they eventually reach their objective, only to discover that the depot is fake.
According to Andre DeToth, Lotte Colin did hardly any of the screenplay despite being credited. She was Saltzman's mother-in-law.[10]
A novelization was published by Pan Books. The author used the pen name Zeno.
NOTE the stupidly mislead, 1st Airborne Division REFUSED the offer of glider-airlanded Tetrarch light tanks by the smarter 6th Airborne Division weeks earlier on D-Day...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tSDMa5napw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WftY4JUHMo
http://ww2f.com/threads/out-of-print-ww2-novels.13180/
Hi guys, just a small collection of out of print, perhaps forgotten, novels of World War 2 written by British authors
The Cauldron by Zeno (1968)
Taken from the author's own experiences, The Cauldron is a graphic, intense and violent novel that traces the story of the 50 or so men of a British Pathfinder Platoon as they take part in the battle of Arnhem in 1944. The book begins on a peaceful, sunlight airfield in England at the start of the battle and ends nine days later at its conclusion.
This book received critical acclaim and was hailed as one of the greatest books to come out of the Second World War, however it does contain some similarities to Sven Hassel. The Cauldron though does contain strong passages and good, strong characters, but as the men of the platoon find themselves trapped in Arnhem and come face-to-face with the grim realities of the frontline, it never is a case of if death does come, but how it comes.
The Cauldron won the Arthur Koestler prize for prison literature.
The Four Sergeants by Zeno (1977)
A hand-picked platoon are detailed to drop behind enemy lines and blow up a bridge to cut off a formidable German force. Equally graphic and bloody as The Cauldron, and again taken from the experiences of the author, but The Four Sergeants is also a testament to the bravery of the Austrian, German and other Europeans who served in the 1st Airborne Division and with the author under false names. All of these were Jews.
Zeno, whose real name was Gerald Theodore La Marque, was a veteran of the 1st Airborne Division and wrote around 5 books, nearly all of which he wrote whilst serving a 10 year prison stretch for homicide in London. His other books are Grab, Play Dirty (filmed) and Life.
https://www.facebook.com/382455878610537/posts/the-cauldron-by-zeno-is-not-an-easy-book-to-find-i-finally-now-have-a-copy-which/889574457898674/
The Arnhem Boys
October 26, 2018 ·
The Cauldron, by Zeno, is not an easy book to find, I finally now have a copy, which arrived this week. I have managed to find some background behind the author.
Zeno was the "pen name" of Gerald Lamarque who has also used the name "Kenneth Sidney Allerton". Lamarque adopted the name Allerton in 1940 on "jumping ship" in Ireland. He made his way to Belfast and enlisted in the army. 'Val' as he was more familiarly known to his friends in the 21st Ind Co is reputed to have been serving with an Irish Regiment when war was declared. He returned to his native England as soon as possible and enlisted in the Buffs.
A first-class Soldier and NCO, he very soon reached the rank of Sergeant and volunteered for the Parachute Regiment. In 1943 he was selected for the 21st Independent Parachute Company in that rank and was posted to No.2 Platoon as Platoon Sergeant, subsequently serving with the Company in N. Africa, Italy and Holland. Back in the U.K. on 12th April 1944, No.2 Platoon took part in exercise 'Tony' with the 1st Parachute Brigade. Val was caught up under the aircraft and was eventually rescued after hanging for 45 minutes by one leg. For most of the time it appeared likely that he would either have to take his chance on landing still hanging from the aircraft or have his strop cut over the sea and risk being picked up alive.
He was eventually hauled back into the aircraft after much buffeting and pain, but was his usual ebullient self within minutes of being rescued. Shortly after landing and being passed OK by the Medical Officer, when asked by the OC if he would be prepared to continue jumping, he offered to go up again there and then! Such was the measure of the man - it was little wonder that the men in his Platoon looked up to him. He wrote the story of this incident and the Daily Mirror accepted it for publication, but D-Day intervened and it never actually appeared in print in this paper.
Val was still with the Company at Arnhem, where he fought with distinction, often taking complete charge of the Platoon and ignoring enemy fire to look after his 'lads'. He suffered a slight wound in his foot, which he laughed off after makeshift surgery and dressing.
Much to his Platoon's disgust, he was commissioned in the field shortly after the Company's return to the U.K. and was posted to 3rd Parachute Battalion. He was demobilized in the rank of Major after peacetime overseas service. Nothing was heard of Val after the War until his best friend in the 21st, Sergeant Joe Smith of No.3 Platoon, probably the only person who knew he was serving under an assumed name, read in the newspaper that Gerald Lamarque was serving a life sentence for murder at Wormwood Scrubs Prison. In 1959, Lamarque had killed his former girlfriend's boss who was sexually pestering her. Immediately after this deed, he had given himself up to the police. He pleaded guilty and was quite prepared to accept capital punishment. Hanging was abolished, however, before he came to trial and he was sentenced to life imprisonment. In prison he started to write and submitted the story he had written for the Daily Mirror for entry in the Arthur Koestler Awards Competition.
Originally placed second, his story was awarded first prize when it was discovered that the winner has already had his entry published in America. The story was published in an annual anthology of stories called Winter's Tales. Thus encouraged, Val settled down to write The Cauldron, which was widely acclaimed on publication. He followed this with another book Life, an account of his years spent in prison which became required reading by students of Sociology and may still be recommended reading for this subject.
He was released after 9 years for his good behaviour. He continued as "Zeno", writing Grab, The Four Sergeants (which again utilised his experiences with the Company) and the book of the film 'Play Dirty'. Gerald Lamarque or Kenneth Sidney "Val" Allerton/Zeno died on 28th October 1978.
This information was found on www.arrse.co.uk
Photo of Kenneth Allerton is from Vol. 2 Operation MARKET-GARDEN Then and Now
ZC
In October 1942, Vladimir Peniakoff-nicknamed Popski-formed his own elite fighting force in the North African desert. Over the next year, this "private army" carried out a series of daring and truly spectacular raids behind German lines: they freed prisoners, destroyed installations, and spread alarm. An enthralling first-person account, filled with danger and thrills.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popski%27s_Private_Army
Popski's Private Army
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This article includes a list of general references, but it remains largely unverified because it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (February 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
British Troops
No. 1 Demolition Squadron, PPA
Popski.jpg
Vladimir Peniakoff
Active 10 December 1942–14 September 1945
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
Role Reconnaissance
Raiding
Counter-demolition
Size 80 men
Part of Eighth Army
Nickname(s) "Popski's Private Army"
Engagements Second World War
Commanders
Notable
commanders Vladimir Peniakoff
Insignia
Identification
symbol Astrolabe
No. 1 Demolition Squadron cap badge Ppa-go.jpg
Popski's Private Army, officially No. 1 Demolition Squadron, PPA, was a unit of British Special Forces set up in Cairo in October 1942 by Major Vladimir Peniakoff. Popski's Private Army was one of several raiding units formed in the Western Desert during the Second World War. The squadron also served in Italy, and was disbanded in September 1945.
No. 1 Demolition Squadron was formed specifically to attack Field-Marshal Rommel's fuel supplies, in support of General Montgomery’s offensive at El Alamein,[1] at the suggestion of Lieutenant-Colonel John Hackett. The unit became operational on 10 December 1942 as an 8th Army Special Forces unit. After the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) and the Special Air Service (SAS), PPA was the last and smallest of the three main irregular raiding, reconnaissance and intelligence units formed during the North African Campaign.
Actor, cousin and golf companion of Commander Ian Fleming, James Bond creator for MI6-SIS, Christopher Lee stated he was attached as liaison officer to this unit during the Second World War.[2]
VIDEO: Captain Christopher Lee on his WW2 adventures in Popski's Private Army:
https://www.bitchute.com/video/ykYt4lA4Nukb/
_____________________________________
Contents
1 Background
2 Formation, and initial actions
3 Italy
4 See also
5 Notes
6 Select bibliography
7 Articles
8 External links
Background
When the Second World War broke out, the 42-year-old Peniakoff applied to serve in the Royal Air Force, and the Royal Navy, but was rejected. He was accepted by the British Army, and assigned to garrison duties as an Arabic-speaking junior officer in the Libyan Arab Force (LAF). Not satisfied, Popski left his post and formed the Libyan Arab Force Commando (LAFC), a small group of British and Libyan Soldiers who operated behind the lines in the Jebel Akhdar area of Cyrenaica.[3]
On his return to Cairo in the middle of 1942, Peniakoff was invited to join a Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) raid in the area he had just left. In doing so, he learned much about their procedures, but also lost his left little finger to an Italian bullet. He was awarded the Military Cross (MC) for his previous intelligence reporting and petrol dump raiding while leading the LAFC for three months behind enemy lines, and for the operation with the LRDG. While he was away, the LAFC was disbanded. He was given the nickname Popski, from a Daily Mirror cartoon character,[4] by Captain Bill Kennedy Shaw (the LRDG's Intelligence Officer) because his signallers had problems with "Peniakoff".
Formation, and initial actions
Shortly after this No. 1 Demolition Squadron was formed, the smallest independent unit of the British Army at 23 men all-ranks.[1] The original officers of the unit were three friends who had served together in the Libyan Arab Force: Popski, Robert Park Yunnie and Jean Caneri.
Man standing at the rear of a jeep which is heavily loaded with fuel cans and armed with twin guns at the front
Vladimir Peniakoff with his jeep during the raid on Barce.
Lieutenant Colonel John Hackett, who co-ordinated British raiding operations,[5] asked Peniakoff to give the new unit a cover name, but vacillated. The unit's name ultimately came from Hackett's exasperation at Popski's delay: "You had better find a name quick or we shall call you Popski's Private Army"—"I'll take it". PPA was unusual in that all officer recruits reverted to lieutenant on joining, and other ranks reverted to private. The unit was run quite informally: there was no saluting and no drill, officers and men messed together, every man was expected to know what to do and get on with it, and there was only one punishment for failure of any kind: to be immediately returned to unit. It was also efficient, having an unusually small headquarters.
Events proceeded rapidly; the Germans and Italians were expelled from Egypt and Libya shortly after PPA became active. A joint LRDG-PPA patrol discovered the gap in the mountains that let Bernard Montgomery launch an outflanking move around Erwin Rommel's defense at the Mareth Line. The PPA was also among the first elements of Eighth Army (moving west) to link up with the British First Army and American II Corps (advancing east) in Tunisia in early 1943. Many PPA raiding and reconnaissance operations were carried out around the time of the Battle of Kasserine Pass, including taking the surrender of 600 Italians.
The summer of 1943 was spent in Algeria and Tunisia recruiting and training new volunteers from the LRDG, SAS, Commandos and Royal Armoured Corps for the fight in Italy, bringing the unit's size up to about 35 all ranks, with two fighting patrols and a small HQ. For a short while PPA experimented with using 1st Airborne Division's gliders to deliver them and their jeeps behind the Axis lines in Sicily, but their part in that operation was cancelled at the last minute.
Italy
In September 1943 an advance patrol of PPA sailed to Taranto on board the USS Boise[6] and headed inland, where they discovered the hitherto unknown weakness of the German 1st Parachute Division opposing 1st Airborne. As a result of this success, Popski was allowed to increase the size of PPA to 80 all ranks; throughout the Italian Campaign about 100 men were actually deployed at any one time.
Three fighting patrols, each of 18 men in six jeeps, and one Tactical HQ patrol of four jeeps were formed and given great autonomy. Each jeep was armed with .50in [12.7mm Browning .50 cal HMGs] and .30in [medium] machine guns, giving the patrols immense firepower for their size. The men trained hard for amphibious, mountain and parachute operations, demolition and counter-demolition, reconnaissance and intelligence gathering.
They were deployed in many roles, often clandestine, and for several months even operated as regular front line troops, holding a sector of the Allied front line, badly depleted after the withdrawal of forces for the D-Day landings in Normandy, nipping around in their jeeps to fool the Germans into believing that they were opposed by much larger units.
Several operations used DUKWs [amphibious transport trucks] or small landing craft called RCLs (manned by 7 Royal Engineers who became known as "Popski’s Private Navy") to sail up the Adriatic and get behind the German front line, escorted by the Royal Navy’s Coastal Forces.
Throughout the bitter winter weather and fighting of 1944 and 1945 PPA undertook their operations ahead of regular forces, in support of British, Canadian, Indian and Polish armoured, infantry and commando units. They located targets for the Allied Air Force, chased Germans out of rear-areas, saved bridges, captured many prisoners and guns, and accepted the surrender of the entire German garrison at Chioggia.
At various times PPA worked alongside other secret units such as the LRDG, SAS, No. 1 Special Force (SOE), Phantom, ‘A’ Force and Office of Strategic Services. Along the way they adopted many strays, including Russian, Italian and German POWs, Italian regulars and partisans, both royalist and communist.
Popski was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in November 1944, during joint operations (such as “Porterforce”) with the 27th Lancers and Italian partisans of the 28th Garibaldi Brigade, to liberate Ravenna. Shortly afterwards he lost his left hand to a German rifle-grenade.
At the end of the war Popski’s Private Army sailed some of their jeeps on RCLs to Venice, where they drove around St. Mark's Square, the only wheeled vehicles ever to have been there. The unit was disbanded four months later on 14 September 1945, after hunting for Himmler, [EDITOR: sounds like Captain Christopher Lee's mission] disarming Italian partisans and discouraging Josip Broz Tito’s partisans from encroaching on Austrian and Italian territory.
By this time PPA personnel had gained between them a DSO, a Distinguished Conduct Medal, 6 MCs, 10 MMs, and 14 Mentions in Despatches; King George VI had personally requested an account of the unit’s exploits.
See also
Private army
Notes
Peniakoff, 1950. p. 204.
"Christopher Lee talks Special Forces and receives an incredible gift"
Peniakoff, 1950. p. 46.
Peniakoff, 1950. p. 94.
Rankin, Nicholas (7 October 2011). Ian Fleming's Commandos: The Story of the Legendary 30 Assault Unit. Oxford University Press. p. 162. ISBN 978-0199361113.
Morison, Samuel Eliot (1944). History of United States Naval Operations in World War II.: Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, January 1943-June 1944. Little, Brown. pp. 235–236. ISBN 9780252070396. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
This text is adapted from the "PPA Story" on two plaques at the PPA Memorial in the Allied Special Forces Grove at the National Memorial Arboretum.
Select bibliography
This list includes the first edition of each of 'the big five' books on PPA, starting with Popski's own bestseller. Since the early editions are hard to find, a recent edition is also listed for each book: where these have been retitled, the changed title is listed.
Lieutenant-Colonel Vladimir Peniakoff DSO MC
Peniakoff, Vladimir (1950). Private Army. Jonathan Cape.
--- Private Army. Jonathan Cape. 2nd Edition, foreword by General Sir John Hackett, minor revisions, 1951.
--- Popski's Private Army. Cassell Military Paperbacks, 2004. ISBN 0-304-36143-7.
Translated into Swedish (1951), German (1951), Italian (1951), French (1953), Hebrew (1954), Spanish (1955), Serbo-Croat (1957).
Captain Robert Park Yunnie MC, Popski's second-in-command, leader of "B" patrol
Yunnie, Park (1959). Warriors on Wheels. Hutchinson.
--- Fighting with Popski's Private Army. Greenhill Books, 2002. ISBN 1-85367-500-8.
Corporal Ben Owen, Yunnie's gunner
Owen, Ben (1993). With Popski's Private Army. Janus Publishing.
--- Astrolabe Publishing, 2006. Available from the Friends of Popski's Private Army.
Lieutenant-Colonel John Willett, friend of Popski, intelligence officer in 8th Army
Willett, John (1954). Popski, a life of Vladimir Peniakoff. MacGibbon and Kee.
Signalman Les White, signaller in "S" Patrol.
White, Les (2004). From the Workhouse to Vienna. Cassell Military Paperbacks. ISBN 0-304-36143-7.
Captain John Campbell, leader of "S" Patrol.
Rayment, Sean (2013). Tales from the Special Forces Club. Collins. ISBN 978-0-00745-253-8.
Articles
Silvio Tasselli, Popski's Private Army (P.P.A.) - Rivista Storica n. 9 - Novembre 1994 (Italian)
External links
Friends of PPA online part of the PPA Memorial, Official Register of PPA Personnel, PPA Roll of Honour, PPA Awards, PPA War Establishments and other information.
PPA Preservation Society personnel database, photos and information.
Popski's Private Army a comprehensive synopsis of the PPA story, by Allen Parfitt.
BBC News story about the 2007 discovery in the desert of a bag lost by an LRDG despatch rider (incorrectly thought to be a PPA despatch rider) during the war.
books about PPA listing the 5 major books in all their editions, and details of unpublished books.
[EDITOR: the TV show "Rat Patrol" stole the British Popski, SAS, LRDG gun jeep idea presenting it as an American unit that did not do actual daring deeds. Filmed in Spain ironically where the more faithful-to-reality, "Play Dirty" was filmed earlier]
ModelVISION!
https://www.warlordgames.com/new-bolt-action-french-sas-jeeps/
https://store.warlordgames.com/products/french-sas-armoured-jeep.html
info@warlordgames.com
Dropped from Short Stirling Halifax bombers which had been converted to ferry paratroopers to their jump zones, 800x men of the Free French SAS landed behind enemy lines just before midnight on 5th June 1944.
These brave Frenchmen were tasked to link up with the French resistance to stop reinforcing the Allies’ Normandy beach head. By means of blowing fuel and ammunitions dumps, cutting lines of communications and sabotaging rail and road networks, they prevent nine out of 10 German armoured divisions from stemming the tide of Allied troops pouring ashore.
The battalion was to later be sent to help the American forces to cause disruption and chaos where needed and were involved in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium.
https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Vintage-FRENCH-AIRBORNE-JEEP-PATCH-1-RHP-REGIMENT-HUSSARS-PARACHUTE-SQUADRON-4/154253217341?hash=item23ea354e3d:g:ICMAAOSwE3RfzW6C
Vintage FRENCH AIRBORNE JEEP PATCH 1 RHP REGIMENT HUSSARS PARACHUTE SQUADRON 4
Condition: Used
Offer ends in:01d 20h 14m
U.S. $13.45
Approximately EUR 11.31
U.S. $14.95
save US $1.50 (-10 %*)
Hard Velcro ParaJeep Patch: Attaches Anywhere there is Soft Velcro! Like my Yaris-Martin Dashboard!
https://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=4812
SAS Jeep (Europe) (BR414)
with three resin SAS Jeeps, three sets of crew with Twin [Vickers K] MGs, .50 Cal and AA MGs.
Part of the invasion of Germany included Operation ARCHWAY, the largest and boldest Special Air Service operation to date, involving two full squadrons with a total of 75 jeeps.
This product is no longer currently available for sale...
Designed by Evan Allen
Painted by Aaron Mathie
"The mobility of the SAS Jeep is rated as Jeep. On roads it can move 24"/60cm, when travelling cross country 16"/40cm and only 4"/10cm through rough terrain, so its important to keep these Jeeps on roads or cross country so that you can take advantage of their speed, one of their best assets."
After crossing the Rhine in LVTs, [EDITOR: tracked armored amphibious tanks] they raced ahead to support the Paratroopers of Operation VARSITY, then came under the command of the Inns of Court Regiment and served as the eyes and ears of the 11th Armoured Division in Germany.
Recon-In-Force ModelVISION!
We've been fighting the USMIL mental block against Air-Mech for decades....when the 82nd Airborne had their M551 Sheridan light tanks taken away from them and not replaced as promised has resulted in multiple deaths and maimings in Afghanistan/Iraq due to a lack of hard-hitting, armor-mobile fire support. We are still waiting for the MPF decision to be made and get on with it!
www.combatreform.org/lighttanks.htm
Another Amerikan tanker mental stupidity is sacrificing 46% of their armor and armament potential of a given vehicle design by insisting on turrets--a low-profile, hard-to-hit, turret-less, Amerikanski STUG light tank with a 76.2mm or 90mm gun could have been created using the M22 Locust chassis--plenty of firepower to kill German Tiger & Panther heavy tanks as proven in heavier M18 Hellcat and Super Hellcats light tanks--had someone thought of it. The most combat successful tanks of all time were the many German modified light tanks that were turretless.
Example of turret weakness being fixed by practical German STUG-like fixed, turretless mounting: captured British Mark VIC tanks turned into mini-STUGs!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10.5_cm_leFH_16_Gesch%C3%BCtzwagen_Mk_VI_736_(e)
More ModelVISION! to Open Minds to the Rescue!
Correcting the Aircraft + tank problem visually with models is a transport plane in scale.
We've made many 1:72 scale aircraft + tank connections but the vehicles are fit-in-your-hand, HOT WHEELS size...unfortunately, they may be the only Air-Mech option to mix & match for some combinations.
C-54 Skymaster + M22 Locust Light Tank
The oft-discussed Berlin Airlift mainstay, C-54 flown by legends like aviation author Ernest Gann re: Fate is the Hunter and Star Trek creator, Gene Roddenberry (see the John Wayne movie, "The High & the Mighty") carrying the M22 Locust light tank in 2x pieces and somehow assembled together is easily done with the available Revell 1:72 kit and 3D printed M22 Locusts in the same scale. There IS a 1:48 scale C-54 vacuform kit by RCM that is nearly impossible to find that could interface with 1:56 scale BOLT ACTION 28mm M22s.
https://www.oldmodelkits.com/index.php?detail=28230&erl=RCM-1-48-Douglas-DC-4-C-54
More examination of the M22 to follow airlifted by C-130s--both of which can be obtained in larger 1:48 scale models.
https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/looking-for-kits-c-46-and-c-54.45779/
http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/152538.aspx
http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/pics/m22locust.html
C-97 + 2x M22 Locust or 2x M56 Scorpion Light Tanks
The C-97 in 1:72 scale is available; so far no 1:48 scale models out there.
A good diorama would be a C-97 offloading 2x M22 Locust light tanks at a South Korean air strip for Task Force SMITH.
C-119 + M24 Chaffee Light Tank
Above is a pic of a M22 Locust loading into a C-82 predecessor to the C-119 Flying Box Car.
The ugly truth is the 24th Infantry Division occupying Japan after WW2's end was goofing off chasing Japanese women and failed to have hydraulic fluid for their 75mm gun equipped M24 Chaffee light tanks so they didn't take them to South Korea resulting in them being over-run by NORK T34/85 medium tanks.
1:72 scale C-119 models are available and tiny 1:72 scale M24s, too. A diorama of a C-119 with a M24 rolling off its nose ramp in South Korea, 1950 would be instructive to this similarly lazy, can't-do but now nihilist hedonist generation distracted by selfphones.
www.combatreform.org/lighttanks.htm
TB-3 Bomber + T-37 light tank Under-Slung or Towing ANT-60 AeroTank Glider
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-72-Soviet-T-37-amphibious-tank/124283314615
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_A-40
Instead of loading light tanks onto gliders, as other nations had done, Soviet airborne forces had strapped T-27 tankettes underneath heavy bombers and landed them on airfields. In the 1930s, there were experimental efforts to parachute tanks or simply drop them into water. During the 1940 occupation of Bessarabia, light tanks may have been dropped from a few meters up by TB-3 bombers, which, as long as the gearbox was in neutral, would allow them to roll to a stop.
The biggest problem with air-dropping vehicles is if their crews are dropped separately, and may be delayed or prevented from bringing them into action. Today's Russian Airborne VDV has specially cushioned seats in their BMD family of light tanks with which drivers are inside them when dropped. Gliders allow crews to arrive at the drop/landing zone along with their vehicles. They also minimize exposure of the valuable towing aircraft, which need not appear over the battlefield. So the Soviet Air Force ordered Oleg Antonov to design a glider for landing tanks.
Antonov was more ambitious. Instead of building a glider, he added a detachable cradle to a T-60 light tank bearing large wood and fabric biplane wings and a twin tail. Such a tank could glide into the battlefield, drop its wings, and be ready to fight within minutes.
One T-60 was converted into a glider in 1942, intended to be towed by a Petlyakov Pe-8 or a Tupolev TB-3. The tank was lightened for air use by removing its armament, ammunition and headlights, and leaving a very limited amount of fuel. Even with these modifications, the TB-3 bomber had to ditch the glider during its only flight, on September 2, 1942, to avoid crashing, due to the T-60's extreme drag (although the tank reportedly glided smoothly). The A-40 was piloted by the famous Soviet experimental glider pilot Sergei Anokhin. The T-60 landed in a field near the airport, and after dropping the glider wings and tail, the driver returned it to its base. Due to the lack of a sufficiently-powerful aircraft to tow it at the required 160 km/h (99 mph), the project was abandoned.[1]
The Russian B-17 equivalent!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petlyakov_Pe-8
Development of the Pe-8 began in July 1934, when the Soviet Air Forces (VVS) issued requirements for an aircraft to replace the obsolete and cumbersome Tupolev TB-3 heavy bomber. These requirements specified a bomber that could carry 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) of bombs 4,500 km (2,800 mi) at a speed greater than 440 km/h (270 mph) at an altitude of 10,000 metres (32,808 ft), figures that were twice the range, speed and service ceiling of the TB-3.[1]
Hamilcar Glider + Tetrarch light tank
Does 1:72 Scale AirMech Dioramas Convince?
I have a 1:72 scale, propfan, C-130J Hercules with tiny HOT WHEELS size M113 Gavins and Wiesel 1s & 2s coming off from it, but the aircraft dominates the eye. Take a peek at the larger A400 with a pair of Gavin light tanks off-loading or a singular Puma medium tank inside.
The patches on the diorama sides have hard Velcro to attach to S2P3 polo shirts, too:
https://jamesbondisreal.blogspot.com/2021/03/tactismart-045-sparks-patch-power-polo.html
h
Therefore, its no surprise 1:35 scale seems the largest and most dominant scale to show ground vehicles--but there are currently no humongous 1:35 scale realistic model transport aircraft for them.
For example, you can buy a 1:35 scale M8 Buford AGS light tank--but there's no C-130 Hercules or C-17 Globemaster III in the correct scale to go along with it in a diorama. We use a semi-realistic, Processed Plastics AC-130 toy meticulously painted in USAF sky gray and decals to show Air-Mech-Strike with a M8 Buford AGS, M113 Gavins and Wiesel 2 light tanks.
The Processed Plastics C-130 and AC-130s are short wing-span around 1:35ish in scale. Original manufacturer intentions was to interface with kid's toy army figures--like the awesome MARX battleground sets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VA6PwvvS04
One realistic, available candidate is the 1:48 scale C-130J Hercules by Italieri only 2 to 8 points off from BOLT ACTION 1:56ish "28mm" scale... A paper version is also available as is an Antonov AN-22 and AN-225....
Paper
Plastic
https://www.hobbylinc.com/italeri-hercules-c-130j-cs-plastic-model-airplane-kit-1:48-scale-552746
Tetrarch Light Tanks
17-pounders (76.2mm) guns WERE fitted to Tetrarch light tanks and available to 1st Airborne had they said YES when offered them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_Tank_Mk_VII_Tetrarch#Production
QUOTE:
A number of tanks had their 2-pounder [40mm] guns replaced with a 76.2-millimetre (3.00 in) infantry support howitzer; these tanks were then designated as Tetrarch 1 CS (Close Support). Additionally, Little John adaptors were added to those Tetrarchs which still possessed their 2-pounders to increase their muzzle velocity and armour penetration.[5]
****
During WW2, the U.S. Airborne could have--and should have--obtained British Hamilcar gliders to airland deliver either Tetrarch light tanks with 76.2mm and/or 40mm with Little John Adapters...
1:56 scale Tetrarch Light Tanks
M22 Locust Light Tanks
...and later American M22 Locust light tanks when available.
The turret excuse was it would be DETACHED and carried inside with the chassis underneath the 4-engined, C-54 transport plane via Streamlined External Loading (SEL) like the Russians carried light tanks under TB-3 bombers. Since the American Airborne unwisely didn't have Hamilcar heavy gliders to crash airland their M22 Locust light tanks PLAN A was to airland deliver them using C-54s that need smooth runways--not cow pastures--to land/TO.
http://www.tankarchives.ca/2016/03/light-tank-m22-steel-locust.html
QUOTE:
On May 22nd, 1941, specifications for the T9 Airborne Tank were developed. This vehicle would weigh 7.5 tons (sans crew), its length was 3.5 meters, width 2.13 meters, and height 1.68 meters. The armament, either a 37 or 57mm gun, would be housed in a rotating turret and equipped with a gyroscopic stabilizer. The crew was 2-3 people. Remember the small dimensions of the vehicle and armament, which had to be in a turret.
The M22’s speed would also serve as it’s protection. The tank was not designed to fight it out against heavy enemy armor, merely supply its accompanying airborne infantry with light armored [moving shield and fire] support. As such, armor on the vehicle was only 12.5 mm (0.49 in) at its thickest...its armor able to be penetrated by .50 caliber [12.7mm heavy machine gun or AT rifle] rounds.
****
Again, again, had the light tank been TURRET-LESS it could have had a BIGGER 57mm to 90mm gun with massive HE and AT effects. The U.S. ARMY tanktards are at fault for demanding a turret--this mental block stupidity persists to the current day. Ironic, that turrets are unwanted in aircraft and considered "bad" when they are actually good UNDERNEATH them for ground strafing like the OV-10D NOGS--but are actually BAD on tracked tanks adding fatal height and complexity when the BEST combat successful tanks were turretless.
www.combatreform.org/killerbees3.htm
After their starring role in British 6th Airborne use crossing the Rhine river for Operation VARSITY in 1945;
http://www.tankarchives.ca/2016/03/light-tank-m22-steel-locust.html
"The 7th Is Made Up Of Phantoms"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHtmB5Yc8cY
What is it with the U.S. ARMY's "Gun, Motor Carriage" (GMC) and Airborne trooper's anti-tank mental blocks against mounting adequate German heavy tank-killing, 57mm or 75mm or 76.2mm or 90mm big guns on FIXED mounts--and not 46% inefficient turrets--to light tanks that can actually get to battlefields? Remember tankless, Task Force SMITH over-run by NORK T34/85 medium tanks in Korea in 1950?
However, once you have the giant C-130, you can visually demonstrate other post-WW2 Air-Mech options to the present-day using BOLT ACTION-scale tanks:
FIG MINIS
https://www.ebay.com/itm/193720219903
WARLORD GAMES
https://store.warlordgames.com/search?type=product&q=tanks
https://store.warlordgames.com/collections/armoured-cars-recce-vehicles
M3/5 Stuart Light Tanks
https://store.warlordgames.com/products/m5a1-stuart?_pos=129&_sid=ca5c3d98f&_ss=r
https://store.warlordgames.com/products/m5-stuart?_pos=63&_sid=4ae513cda&_ss=r
https://store.warlordgames.com/products/m5-stuart-1?_pos=285&_sid=55017bd21&_ss=r
Still used in Central America; the early versions with drivers operating 2x 7.62mm (.30 cal) hull medium machine guns is still a good idea:
www.combatreform.org/thunderrun.htm
https://youtu.be/e3vO9z-faG0?t=473
Military Recon/Recce work needs to be done in LIGHT TANKS--not unarmored dune buggies:
The Anglo-American military bureaucracies have a MENTAL BLOCK that stops them from mounting cannon on tracked tanks unless they are in lazy man's TURRETS squandering 46% of vehicle payload potential all because they don't want to have to move the tank to point towards the enemy. Subsequently, German tanks OUT-GUNNED Anglo-American tanks all throughout WW2 because they mounted them turretless onto anything tracked & armored that moved--getting BIG GUNS on LIGHT LITTLE TANKS. MAGA? Even in 1945, the USMIL was partially FUBAR. 90mm AA guns could have been fixed-mounted to M3/5 Stuarts (AmeroSTUGs) long before the open-turret, M18 Super Hellcat--COMBAT OVERMATCHING German Panther & Tiger HEAVY tanks.
The Anglo-Amerikan military bureaucracy hasn't improved since 1945.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/lFTF09T7SRen/
M8 Scott 75mm Howitzer Light Tanks
https://www.shapeways.com/product/BVRYQ9CSB/m8-scott-long-gun-1-56?optionId=174883031&li=marketplace
https://store.warlordgames.com/products/m8-scott-gmc?_pos=478&_sid=12c8470d7&_ss=r
It was developed on the chassis of the then-new Light Tank M5 (Stuart VI). The test vehicle had the standard M5 turret removed, and replaced with an open-topped turret.
Armament consisted of a new open-topped turret armed with a 75mm M2 howitzer, later a 75mm M3 howitzer, which were reworks of the M1A1 pack howitzer. It carried 46 rounds of 75mm ammunition; types of ammunition carried were Smoke M89 and H.E. (high explosive) M48. The only other armament was Browning .50-caliber heavy machine gun for local area, and anti-aircraft defense; 400 rounds of .50-caliber were stowed on board.
The M8 saw action in the Italian Campaign, the Western Front, and in the Pacific Theater of Operations during the war.
M24 Chaffee Light Tanks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYPu3YzF174
The opening scene of M24 light tanks racing to the bridge is AWESOME and really took place!
M50 Ontos Light tanks with 6x 106mm RRs
M113 Gavins Light Tanks possible 106mm RR & TOW ATGM
ACAVs
https://www.empressminiatures.com/m113vn1-2075-p.asp
http://parkfieldminiatures.freeservers.com/28MM%20MILITARY%20VEHICLES.html
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=457505
https://sarissa-precision.com/products/m113-apc-28mm
Vanilla
https://www.etsy.com/listing/816353148/m-113-armored-personnel-carrier-28mm
https://www.eurekaminuk.com/products/m113-apc-28mm
...with MG turret
https://www.shapeways.com/product/QTVQKV5EL/m113as4-apc-1-56?optionId=168431727&li=marketplace
https://www.shapeways.com/product/TEUB2YH67/m113a1-t-50-1-56?optionId=187588689&li=shops
...with TOW ATGM
https://www.empressminiatures.com/m113-apc-879-p.asp
https://www.shapeways.com/product/ZL63SXQGP/nm142-tow-1-56?optionId=106811448&li=marketplace
Mortars
https://www.shapeways.com/product/GK7PYS8SG/m106-a1-mortar-closed-1-56?optionId=103333616&li=shops
https://www.shapeways.com/shops/giorgio-s-shop?li=pb
20mm Vulcans
https://www.shapeways.com/product/2ZW5KZ5EB/m163-a1-vulcan-late-1-56?optionId=104399829&li=shops
60mm HVG
https://www.shapeways.com/product/YHM8V57A8/nm135-lav-no-skirts-1-56?optionId=106665249&li=shops
Mini-Gavins
https://www.shapeways.com/product/7VPE97MEQ/m113-c-r-early-1-56?optionId=181397571&li=shops
https://www.shapeways.com/product/PZ9JWMPJT/m113-c-r-late-1-56?optionId=181727923&li=shops
M551 Sheridan Light Tanks
https://brigadegames.3dcartstores.com/CB-MOD43_M551_Sheridan
https://www.shapeways.com/product/AQUXAWW5R/mv05a-m551-sheridan-aarv-28mm
Bv206
https://www.shapeways.com/product/3NNAYH82W/bandvagn-bv-206-1-56?optionId=197090245&li=shops
https://www.shapeways.com/product/6DBZD55NU/bandvagn-bv-202-1-56?optionId=196947419&li=shops
Air-Mech From the Sea...
With the likely loss of sea superiority of the current TIN CAN U.S. Navy, the entire Gator Navy of bloated absurd amphibious carriers without ski jumps to safely and maximally efficiently operate jump jets are untenable to survive in PDM-dominated combats. The IJN idea of converting very fast, small, armed destroyers into transports of say smaller LACV-30 hovercraft that can deliver M113 Gavin or AmphiGavin light tanks flying over sea mines is a possibility--as are fast LSTs derived from the Australian SLVs.
Parting Thoughts: Bigger Guns and Missiles are Better Firepower "Icing" on Bad Wheeled "Cake"
Notice IF you actual read Popski's book that they went to the 2, 000 meter range-reach, Browning M2 .50 caliber HMG to get safer stand-off engagements with greater destructive tracer (CE) and ball (KE) punch. Today, he would add High Explosive (HE) Rafous rounds making his Ma Deuces defacto automatic cannon for even greater destructive firepower to pre-detonate car/truck suicide bombs from safe stand-offs.
combatreform.org/highexplosives.htm
It must be remembered the failure of glider-airlanded gun jeeps at Arnhem did not reach the bridge to hold both its sides because unarmoured (ha) they could not advance in the face of enemy fire like light tanks could have--if they were taken as offered to the fight. At the very least, combat experience made at least the guns shielded...
Modern GMTA Incarnations....
Russian Containerized ParaBikes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbZ8V8MkulE
Indian Army 50th Parachute Airborne Brigade Folding Bicycle Operational & Tactical Mobility Attached to Individual Paras
https://1sttac.blogspot.com/2021/05/battletalk-03-post-ww2-airborne.html
War futurist, Philip West writes:
Some links for you. I would be surprised if you do not have at least some of them already. The section about the handcarts being intended for motorized infantry is interesting. MC1942 carts seem to have been standard issue to [WW2/Cold War-era] USMC machine gun sections and 81mm mortar sections.
Bit of trivia. One of the configurations planned for Swingfire ATGW was "golfswing". This was a single missile with a golf-trolley type device for moving it. Given the bulk and mass of many shoulder-launched munitions (SLM) limits the number of rounds a team can move, this might be worth dusting off. Also useful for Javelin ATGWs and other systems that exceed the criteria of man-portable (14kg/ 31lbs).
Yeah, that image is in fact "Infantry Swingfire"--not Golfswing. See page 24 of
https://www.shorlandsite.com/images/LandRoversMissilesElliott.pdf
The only image I have found of golfswing. Appears to be larger than a golf trolley, so this may be a Beeswing variant
https://africart.wordpress.com/02-research/
Note dual support for the bike wheels...
http://www.90thidpg.us//Reference/Manuals/ORD%209%20SNL%20A-42%20single.pdf
http://www.theliberator.be/handcart.htm
"A general misconception is that this was an Airborne item and only used by paratroops. In fact, the Cart was a standard Ordnance item used by every branch of the U.S. Army to haul ammunition and equipment."
"Two carts could be transported in the back of the 2 1/2 Ton Trucks on the floor of the bed between the rows of seated troops.
These carts were originally designed for motorized units. They are to be carried (loaded) in the trucks until the [wheeled, bloated, high ground pressure] trucks can no longer proceed. The carts are then detrucked and the movement completed by hand.
This cart is able to carry a much greater load than any other developed and yet its total weight is less. It is strong enough to carry an emergency pay load of 400 pounds, which means that the ammunition crew arrives at the gun with 400 pounds of ammunition and 80 pounds of cart, and not 300 pounds of cart and 200 pounds of ammunition."
http://www.handcartz.com/Handcartmodellist.html
https://handcartz.smugmug.com/HAND-CART-GALLERYS
https://handcartz.smugmug.com/CARTS/MARINE-CORPS-CARTS/i-KRbGpKx
Narrow trollies like this could be towed by ebike.
Personally, I would keep it simple as possible. I can easily imagine a Javelin or stack of Charlie G rounds on one of these. May need better wheels. With three wheel version: possible rear wheel could act as spare to replace one of the main wheels if they are damaged?
"It will crumble and compress unevenly. Insulating foam isn't springy or durable, it's just a quick and dirty way to temp fix stuff like wheelbarrow tires. It's a ghetto junk fix but it works OK for ghetto junk.
I'm not a bicycle guy so no idea if these are any good--but G.I. use requires ruggedness over weight."
During Operation ENDURING FREEDOM I was with a 82nd Airborne "Delta" Weapons Company with TOW ATGMs for very expensive ($4, 000 a shot) AT and shock action from flimsy, unarmored Humvee trucks. Sadly, missiles don't store well so when we did our annual live-fire shoot, over 90% malfunctioned...ugggh...I'd hate to have to clean all the TOW missile duds at that Fort Bragg, NC live-fire range!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BxrSVW6IRA
https://www.bitchute.com/video/Gt1vGdeVsaXB/
Somehow the 101st were able to get enough TOWs to fire to murder Saddam's two sons in Iraq.
Efforts to do more than just armoring trucks like half-tracking their rear wheels and both them and their front tires airless TWEELs or Bridgestone WHATEVERs...could & should be done since the U.S. ARMY has 250, 000x trucks begging to be road kill, funeral pyres. . Particular HIMARS which sits atop the FMTV chassis....
HIMARS Fix Needed: Airless Rear Tires with BAND TRACKS over them
https://gov.goodyear.com/docs/military/mvt_sell_sheet.pdf FMTV: 395/85/R20 tires
Light Mech Hopium for the Future?
In addition, there is a remote, joint Special Forces (about 150 U.S. SF Soldiers, and some Jordanian Special Forces, as well) and CIA forward-operating base at At-Tanf, Syria, 18 miles west of the Jordanian border, along Route M2, surrounded and supported by Syrian rebels from the Revolutionary Commando Army (RCA), currently safeguarded by 200 U.S. Army infantry troops with M2A2 Bradley fighting vehicles from the 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team (“Old Hickory”), North Carolina National Guard, based in Clinton, North Carolina, about 38 miles east of Fort Bragg.
****
While its great to finally see some partnership between the 30th Infantry Brigade (M) and U.S. Army "White" Special Forces since they are both in or near Fort Bragg, NC--having the "Old Hickory" Soldiers ad hoc operate their light M113A3 Gavins and medium M2 Bradley tanks still leaves SOF TTPE3 unchanged from its wheeledtarded "Rat Patrol" stupidity and the Gavins are not being fully utilized by parachute airdrop as I proposed in 1995 in ARMOR magazine:
www.combatreform.org/contingencym113a3gavins.htm
Having SOMEONE ELSE DO THEIR TANK OPERATION DIRTY WORK enables snobs to refer to the latter as "mech pussies" because they don't jump themselves and their tanks out of airplanes--WHEN THEY CAN AND DAMN WELL SHOULD. Concocting a slight so one can look down on someone artificially is beyond snobbery it's passive-aggressive hatred that's intolerable in any moral, competent profession--of course, the USMIL bureaucracy is none of those things and only tolerates the unusual "special" units grudgingly forced on them by circumstances.
Those "circumstances" are now the 720 degree Non-Linear Battlefield (720 NLB) covered in all sorts of surveillance whereupon precision direct weapons can score direct hits and/or entire map grid squares can be Terrain Firepower Saturated (TFS) as befell the hapless Ukrainians at the Debaltseve debacle in 2015. Air-filled rubber tire, wheeled trucks--even if quasi-armored--cannot withstand mere small arms and Molotov cocktail fires--much less LTG Gavin's ballistic missiles and traditional Russian massed rocket barrages. Successful maneuver forces will have to be evasive--avoid predictable roads/trails by cross-country mobility and be stealthy by multi-spectral camouflage.
Perhaps the scene from "Play Dirty" can change narrow military minds today--and into the future so the men Zeno lead who died did not do so in vain?
https://www.combatreform.org/2LTMichaelSparksUSMCR.htm
Airborne!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkRaE3UEags
http://www.combatreform.org/LieutenantMichaelSparksUSAR.htm
Commander Ian Fleming RNVR 1939-51 wrote the James Bond 007 books/movies for the Information Research Division IRD) of MI6-SIS who he worked for as a Master Spy under journalistic cover from 1933-39 and 1945-1964 when he was murdered (as concluded by legendary investigative reporter, Jim Marrs to me) to prevent him publicly condemning the Warren Commission white wash of the CIA's group ambush murder of his friend, President John F. Kennedy.
GOOD NEWS! the U.S. ARMY has retired Stryker-MGS Wheeled Road-Bound Death Traps! Lies that they were NOT DESIGNED to not be landmine-vulnerable CRAP. When will the rest of the Stryker wheeledturds be scrapped? https://www.defensenews.com/land/2021/05/12/us-army-scraps-stryker-mobile-gun-systems-in-favor-of-new-lethality-upgrades/
ReplyDeleteCommander Fleming's Cousin CPT Christopher Lee Special Forces: SOE, Popski's Private Army Gun-Jeeps & Yugoslave Partisan Advisor to Marshall Tito https://www.bitchute.com/video/ykYt4lA4Nukb/
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