Camouflage.

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Thanks in this instance to Pete through Colonel Craig USMC.

Most interesting photographs from the era of the Second World War [WW2]. An American defense plant, an aircraft factory, camouflaged in such a manner to represent a semi-rural or rural sub-division.

Pylons holding aloft camouflage netting. An ENTIRE FACTORY disguised in this manner. Vital wartime installation subject to enemy air attack [??], protected in a way possible ONLY during wartime. The Lockheed plant, Burbank California, vital to the war effort, proper measures being taken to safeguard this facility.

"During World War II the Army Corps of Engineers needed to hide the Lockheed Burbank Aircraft Plant to protect it from a possible Japanese air attack. They covered it with camouflage netting to make it look like a rural subdivision from the air."

The photographs speak for themselves:

Before:

And After:

Very impressive indeed! It must have been a laborious, time-consuming, and expensive process just to camouflage that entire factory to begin with, not to mention continual maintenance?

And this wartime measure was necessary? Such a degree of camouflage to a civilian facility of great importance was warranted?

In particular, at least during the early stages of the war in the Pacific theatre, California and the entire American west coast for that matter was susceptible to Japanese air attack?

I am thinking here of a massed air attack by the Kido Butai. The Mobile Air Arm of the Japanese Navy. The same naval task force that sunk the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor could have acted in a concerted manner against the Lockheed plant and other facilities in California vital to the war effort?

"The Imperial Japanese Navy . . . at the beginning of World War II contained the world's largest carrier fleet. At the centre, was the 1st Air Fleet . . . which was a grouping of naval aircraft and aircraft carriers"

This is debatable! A Japanese naval carrier task force massed off the coast of California during WW2 attacking targets inland was a possibility. At least, during 1942, until the climactic Battle of Midway, a massive and destructive enemy air attack on the west coast of the U.S. could have occurred.

Japanese sea-plane attack was also a maybe. The Japanese did have submarines possessing a capability to launch sea-planes [only one per sub] at discrete targets. Drop a minimum bomb load on vital targets, such as the Panama Canal. Such attacks never did materialize during the war. Whatever damage a single lone attacking aircraft could accomplish would have been minimal at best?

American military planners in the case of the Lockheed plant were obviously thinking possibilities and not intentions. Such a massive effort at camouflage was warranted, at least in the minds of the Pentagon brass!

coolbert.

Shturmovik.

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Further info regarding Soviet/Russian post-World War Two [WW2] ground attack aircraft.

Armored warplanes designed specifically to attack ground targets, drop bombs, strafe with cannon fire, all in tactical support of the ground forces. A killing machine with a lot of firepower, also able to take a lot of punishment while in furtherance of the mission.

In this case, the Il-102. Two-seater military combat aircraft, again, as with the Il-40, having the rear-ward facing tail gunner firing a remotely-operated cannon in defense of the warplane. For whatever reason, even many years after the end of WW2, the Ilyushin design bureau feeling the incorporation of the tail-gunner being an important factor for a ground attack airplane.

"The Ilyushin Il-102 was an experimental jet powered ground-attack aircraft designed by Ilyushin. This aircraft was never chosen for production . . . only a few development prototypes were built"

The Il-102 based upon an original concept from THIRTY YEARS EARLIER!

"The Il-102 first prototype flew on 25 September 1982"

"in 1967, the Soviet Air Forces drew up a specification for a jet powered . . . armoured ground attack aircraft . . . Ilyushin proposed a modified version of their Il-40 of 1953 under the designation Il-42 . . . [which] was a two seat aircraft with a remotely controlled rear gun turret. The design was rejected by the Soviet Air Forces."

The Su-25 being the Soviet/Russian aircraft of choice. A single-seater aircraft NOT having the rear gunner firing the rearward mounted tail gun. The Su-25, NATO reporting name "Frogfoot", seeing extensive combat during the Soviet incursion into Afghan.

We have to take special note of that remotely-fired rear-ward facing cannon as found on the Il-102. A double-barreled cannon having some interesting features.




"The Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23 (??-23) is a twin-barreled 23 mm automatic cannon developed in the Soviet Union, primarily for military aircraft use."

"The GSh-23 works on the Gast Gun principle developed by German engineer Karl Gast of the Vorwerk company in 1916. It is a twin-barreled weapon in which the firing action of one barrel operates the mechanism of the other"

"it had the unusual ability to fire infrared flares and chaff rounds, allowing it to function as both a weapon and a dispenser of anti-missile countermeasures."

Sure! The pilot is so busy with those targets in front of him, he does not have the mental or physical wherewithal to deploy chaff, infra-red countermeasure flares, etc., and do so effectively.

Allow the rear gunner to do that.

coolbert.

Blue Sky 2010.

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Thanks to the DEBKAfile, some interesting headlines that allude to preparations for - - an Israeli air strike against Iranian nuclear facilities, if and when the "go" order is given.

"Six Israeli airmen and a Romanian captain die in helicopter crash during joint exercise over Romanian mountains"

"Bodies of seven Israeli airmen, one Romanian captain found at Israeli helicopter crash site in Romania"

Israeli airmen, far from home, training for hazardous missions, involving low-level flying in mountainous terrain, aircrews training to bomb highly-protected facilities, presumably those "facilities" of a nuclear nature.

In this particular instance, Israeli and Romanian airmen losing their lives in a crash.

"Israel has been conducting joint air force exercises with NATO members Romania, Bulgaria and Greece, using big American Air Force bases in the first two countries . . . They also serve for practicing long-distance flights, an essential element in a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities."

Iranian nuclear facilities hidden in caves, located high in mountainous terrain, inaccessible and almost impossible to attack.

"in the last couple of years [Iran] has been blasting deep tunnels beneath mountain peaks more than 2,000 meters high for housing nuclear facilities"

"The drill in Romania took place at roughly the same altitude and in similar terrain that a US or Israeli air attack would expect to encounter in Iran."

High-risk air attacks being deemed necessary for which intensive training is required! The Carpathian mountains of central Europe being the ideal training ground for such a mission or missions.

Israeli has not given up on the military option to the perceived Iranian threat. Allowing the Iranian to develop and field nuclear weapons is not an option for the Israeli? Surely this crash and the tragic deaths of the Israeli airmen indicate that the military option is alive and well!

coolbert.

Brawny.

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Here is the Il-40.

Dedicated Soviet era ground attack aircraft. Successor to the proven winners of World War Two [WW2] fame, the Il-2 and Il-10.

Combat aircraft, specificially designed from the get-go as having a dedicated ground attack mission, supporting the Red Army, strafing, firing cannon, dropping bombs.

"The Ilyushin Il-40 (NATO reporting name: "Brawny") was a two-seat Soviet jet-engined armored ground-attack aircraft."

An two-seat armored aircraft, designed to dish-out punishment [six 23 mm cannon] having a robustness of construction making the warplane relatively impervious to enemy ground fire [AAA].

AND - - as with the propeller driven Il-2 and Il-10 - - having a rear-tail gunner, remotely operating a rearward-firing 23 mm cannon! The design bureau of Ilyushin still maintaining the old ways - - the incorporation of a second crew member, dedicated to aircraft defense being seen as a MUST! All other airforces of the world seeing the tail-gunner as an outdated anachronism - - but NOT the Soviets!!

The Il-40 never being deployed - - existing only in prototype versions!

Those SIX 23 mm cannon as originally carried by the Il-40 having a significant defect. "Combustion gasses" from the guns firing causing flameout [engine stall or shutdown] or "hiccups"!! Those two jet engines not receiving the necessary amount of "fresh air" to function properly.

"The first prototype flew in 1953 and was very successful except when it fired its guns, as their combustion gasses would disturb the airflow into the engines and cause them to flameout or hiccup."

Interestingly enough, in the early 1970's, the first prototypes of the American A-10 Thunderbolt ["Warthog"] ground attack aircraft ALSO encountered the same exact problem. Engine shut-down occurring as a result of the main gun [30 mm GAU-8] firing. A one second burst of the GAU-8 "burning" about twenty-five pounds of "gunpowder", placing into the atmosphere an engine clogging amount of noxious gasses.

The Soviets twenty years ahead of the U.S. in this category!! Unintended jet engine flameout as the result of too much firepower.

coolbert.

Kumagai.

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"what life is so hard as that of a soldier?" - Kumagai.

Here another person, a warrior most chivalrous, deemed by Bert to be worthy of inclusion into the list of "Worthies" in emulation of the "Nine" worthies. A Japanese warrior true to his samurai code, all the while possessing and displaying on the battlefield what the Japanese of ancient times called aware'! 

Pity, sympathy - ALAS!

* Kumagai Naozane.

"Kumagai no Jiro Naozane . . . was a famous soldier who served the Genji (Minamoto) Clan during the Heian period of Japanese history. Kumagai is particularly known for his exploits during the Genpei War, specifically for killing the young warrior Taira no Atsumori at the battle of Ichi-no-tani in 1184"

I quote here in entirety from the wiki entry, my own words NOT able to do justice:

"Atsumori and Ichi-no-tani"

"During the battle of Ichi-no-Tani, Atsumori and Kumagai met on the beach at Suma, as the main Genji force approached and the Heike fled to their ships. As it is told in the Heike Monogotari, Kumagai caught up with Atsumori, who was fleeing on horseback. Kumagai managed to throw Atsumori from his horse and ripped off the helmet of the prone Atsumori. It was then that Kumagai realized that he had caught a young prince, based on the fine makeup and robes. Atsumori then tells Kumagai to take his head, but Kumagai hesitates because Atsumori reminded him of his own son, roughly the same age. Kumagai wished to spare Atsumori's life, due to his kind nature, but saw that his fellow Genji soldiers were approaching. Tearfully he promises to recite prayers to Atsumori, and cuts off his head."

"The Noh play Atsumori describes Atsumori's death as follows":

"Overwhelmed by compassion, Naozane could not find a place to strike. His senses reeled, his wits forsook him, and he was scarcely conscious of his surroundings. But matters could not go on like that forever: in tears, he took the head."

"Because Atsumori's name was not familiar to him, Kumagai then knew that Atsumori had never been in a battle before. After taking the time to look through Atsumori's belongings, he found a certain flute, known as the 'Saeda' (little twig). Discovering that the flute was given to Taira no Tadamori by Emperor Toba, and later passed down to Atsumori, he reportedly felt even more sadness and regret for his actions. The night before the battle, while Kumagai was in his tent, he had heard someone playing the flute with skill outside the enemy camp, and he now realized that that flute player may have been Atsumori."

Kumagai - - without fault, killing his vanquished enemy - - Kumagai true to his code of military valor and chivalry - - all the while regretting what he had to do. Kumagai - - knowing full well this being the fate of the warrior/soldier obeying his calling!

Kumagai - - subsequently giving up the samurai way of life, renouncing the secular life for the spiritual - - becoming a Buddhist monk, devoting himself to religious purposes!!

Aware'!

coolbert.

Size!

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Size matters!

Again, from the book "Dreadnought" by Massie, some particulars and considerations regarding the all-big gun configuration of the HMS Dreadnought as advocated by Admiral "Jacky" Fisher:

"Some of the reasons for uniform big-gun armament were obvious. Uniform big-gun armament meant that a ship would have to stock only a single caliber of ammunition . . . There was a more important reason . . . accurate fire control. An enemy ship moving fast ten thousand yards away is a difficult target to hit . . . the problem was a little easier if one used salvo firing - - firing a number of similar -caliber shells simultaneously at the target. If the splashes of the shells striking the water are behind the target, the guns should be lowered slightly; if in front, they should be raised; if before the target, they should be trained back a a bit; if behind, they should be trained forward. This salvo firing continues until finally the huge columns of water straddle the target . . . It was impossible to use guns of different caliber for this purpose; different-size shells would have to be fired at different angles of gun-barrel elevation, at different velocities, and on different trajectories . . . [and] no one could tell which splash was a product of which gun."

A problem much exacerbated during combat. Multiple ships firing at multiple targets with multiple calibers of guns and having to try and observe multiple and more or less simultaneous splashes [geysers of water] from each shell, created a chaotic and impossible situation for the gunnery officer and fire control command.

Different! Different! Different!

Chaos!!

coolbert.

Practice?

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Practice makes perfect?

Here from the book "Dreadnought" by Massie, a description of how the gunnery training exercises of the period pre-Dreadnought and Dreadnought were conducted.

"In peacetime, the system worked. Firing practice usually involved stationary targets, positioned at ranges no greater than two thousand yards. Under these conditions, the gunlayers, peering down their barrels, could see where their shells were falling, make corrections and - - to the delight of senior officers and astounded spectators - - pulverize the target. Sir Percy Scott [a senior British admiral of the period and an authority on naval gunnery] considered this a dangerous exercise in fantasy. In wartime, he argued, individual gunlayers in the turrets would face not only the concussive blast of the guns, billowing heavy smoke, and spray resulting from high speed, but the fact that the target would be shooting back. At ranges four and five times greater than in peacetime, the individual gunlayer at turret level could not even see where his shells were landing."

There was a solution to this problem of gunners [gunlayers] NOT being able to even see the target, much less determine the accuracy of their fire. Called Director Firing:

"A single master gunlayer, posted high in the conning tower or on the foremast would aim and fire simultaneously all the heavy guns on the ship . . . with an excellent line of vision to the target, he and his assistant could observe the geysers [splashes] as their own shells struck the sea near the enemy. They could calculate what adjustments were required, electrically trasmsit their orders to the guns, and then, when all was ready, press a key to fire all the guns at once"

OF THE THIRTY-SIX DREADNOUGHTS [BATTLESHIPS] AVAILABLE TO JELLICOE AT JUTLAND [1916], ONLY TWO HAD SUCH A CENTRALIZED FIRE CONTROL!!

The problem had a solution and the solution had a problem!!

coolbert.