282.

This is coolber:

Further yet with blog entries, extracts with commentary from the Internet web site "Great Power War". Topics in all cases aviation . . . oddities and curiosities for want of a better term and description.

"The Coolest Experimental Planes of World War II"

"Flettner FI 282"

HELICOPTER WW2!

"Most people don’t associate the development of helicopters with World War II, but in fact, prior to the beginning of the war the German Luftwaffe experimented extensively with choppers, and the first accepted design was the open cockpit Flettner FI 282."

"One of the oddest features of the aircraft was its intermeshing rotors, which meant that the two main rotors angled away from each other though the arc of the blades crisscrossed. But they were very carefully synchronized so as not to collide with each other"

"The German air service envisioned using the new aircraft for observation and reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare, and other roles."

This particular image of the Flettner FI 282 shows the unique dual synchronized and angled-rotors, counter-rotating, no tail rotor required. One engine with two rotor shafts. Click on image to see an enlarged view.

A German 282 flown post-war [WW2] by an American pilot.Thanks to You Tube.

Flettner in the aftermath of the war continuing to design helicopters for USA concerns. Yet one more instance of Operation Paperclip?

coolbert.

BI-1

This is coolbert:

Continuing still more extracts with commentary from the Internet web site "Great Power War". Topics in all cases aviation . . . oddities and curiosities for want of a better term and description.

"The Coolest Experimental Planes of World War II"

"Soviet Bereznyak-Isayev BI-1"

ROCKET MAN!

Before there was the German Me-163 Komet there was the BI-1? Soviet WW2 era rocket-plane!

"Several major combatants in the war experimented with rocket-assisted or rocket-powered aircraft including the Soviet Union. The result was the Bereznyak-Isayev BI-1."

. . . .

"Stalin ordered engineers Alexander Bereznyak and Aleksei Isayev to get the plane ready as soon as possible. As such, it only took 35 days to build a functional prototype. Development continued into 1942 with rocket motor tests, but engineers discovered that the BI-1 could only stay aloft for 15 minutes after the pilot ignited the rocket on the ground, which was a major limitation."

Thanks to You Tube and amazingly so some Soviet film footage exists of a BI-1 take-off and landing. NO undercarriage but snow skids. Useful in the sense that any frozen river or lake could be used as an "air field". Also an expedient allowing for rapid development of a fly-able prototype. NO swept back wings! This plane had a solid or liquid fueled engine? Of this I am not sure.

"After a third prototype blew up during midair during a level flight, developers came to realize the rocket plane had another flaw: The frame, which was made of plywood and metal, could not handle what was near-supersonic flight speeds."

BI-1 NEVER A DONE DEAL! FLIMSY PROTOTYPES IN DANGER OF BREAKING APART [AND DID BREAK APART] IN MID-FLIGHT SO POWERFUL WAS THE PROPULSION SYSTEM. BUT THE CONCEPT OF THE ROCKET-PLANE TO A DEGREE SOUND?

coolbert.

Aircuda.

This is coolbert:

Continuing blog entries, extracts with commentary from the Internet web site "Great Power War". Topics in all cases aviation . . . oddities and curiosities for want of a better term and description.

"The Coolest Experimental Planes of World War II"

"Bell XFM Airacuda"

HEAVY!

"Designated as a 'heavy fighter' and/or a 'bomber destroyer,' the American-made Bell XFM Airacuda was the Bell Aircraft company’s first airplane design. First flown in 1937, the plane had a number of innovative features — and many design flaws. In all, 13 were produced in three slightly different versions and one fully operational squadron was actually formed."

"The plane was created to intercept enemy bombers at distances greater than ordinary single-seat fighters."

Heavy fighter planes of the era before the Second World War additionally their mission as envisioned also to ESCORT the bomber warplane to the target and provide support. In this regard the heavy fighter across the board the concept a failure. As described by an acknowledged aviation authority:

"The twin engine, heavy fighters could not turn with the smaller, more nimble fighters, and the big planes' weight and load made speed a problem as well. Not only could a small fighter plane catch up to an enemy heavy fighter, it could out turn it in a dog fight. If it was losing, it could turn away and outrun its opponent."

A five-man crew for this warplane. Pilot and co-pilot. A radio operator [could fire weapons for rearward defense] and a gunner each for operating the two 37 mm cannon. Could also function as a light bomber.

And once more according to and from an acknowledged aviation authority:

"But none of the [WW2] twin engine bomber destroyers and long range fighter escorts worked out well: The German Me-110, the English Bristol Beaufighter , and others all failed at their designed jobs. However, many worked out as specialized, heavily armed night fighters carrying radar to find their targets in an environment where speed and maneuverability meant less"

coolbert.

HMS Argus.

This is coolbert:

Here begins a series of blog entries, extracts with commentary from the Internet web site "Great Power War". Topics in all cases aviation, warplane design as of the era prior to and during the Second World War, aviation oddities and curiosities for want of a better description.

"The Coolest Experimental Planes of World War II"

"Birth of the aircraft carrier"

DAZZLE!

"Between World Wars I and II, fighter planes underwent a great deal of innovation. From the bi-planes and tri-planes in the 'Great War' to the high-speed monoplanes of the late 1920s and 1930s, the world powers made great strides in aviation."

"That included the development and introduction of the aircraft carrier, the first of which belonged to the British Royal Navy, the HMS Argus, the first flat-deck carrier which debuted in 1918. The U.S. would not follow suit until 1920."

HMS Argus the first flat-top aircraft carrier. The conventional design as has been since 1918. In this case not so much the vessel or the warplanes but the dazzle paint pattern. Confuse the range finder of an enemy warship, most especially so the very limited range finder of an attacking German submarine.

coolbert.

Wag.

This is coolbert:

“Of course the people don’t want war. But after all, it’s the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it’s always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it’s a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.”

— Herman Goering

An issue where there is no issue? Wag the dog Venezuelan style? And if no issue make an issue!

"Venezuela navy confronts Exxon oil ship in Guyana border dispute"

"GEORGETOWN/CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela’s navy 'intercepted' a ship exploring for oil on behalf of Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) in Guyanese waters over the weekend, Guyana’s foreign ministry said in a statement, while neighboring Venezuela said the incident occurred within its territory"

Devoted readers to the blog might want to read of the never-ending dispute Guayana Esequiba. An argument centuries old of border, land, Economic-Exclusion-Zone [EEZ].

Venezuela having at least to my understanding THE LARGEST KNOW PETROLEUM RESERVES IN THE WORLD! Guyana not possessing at least until now ANY KNOWN PETROLEUM RESERVES.

Traditionally and historically disputes over border delineation and the desire to control resources often a casus belli!

That presence of an AMERICAN SHIP OF EXPLORATION at the heart of the whole matter? President Maduro of Venezuela with social unrest in his nation rife, seeking the scapegoat, the hated Yanqui in this case. A deliberate and malicious provocation from the perspective of the Venezuelan the only worthy response some sort of military action and all to the advantage of Maduro?

Hold onto your hats everyone!

coolbert.

UXB Jesus.

This is coolbert:

It took only fifty years but it has been done. And all for the better.

UXB = UneXploded Bomb.

From the Israeli Internet web site Ynet:

"Mines finally cleared of Jesus baptism site"

"Israel's Defense Ministry clears landmines and unexploded ordnance littered around three churches in Qasr al-Yahud area, on the western bank of the Jordan River over 50 years after they were put there."

"Israeli and foreign engineers sounded the all-clear this week around three churches on the western bank of the Jordan River, near where Jesus is believed to have been baptized, after mines that had marooned the shrines for decades were cleared."

Area still not open to the public but presumably at some point will be.

Area as demined the hard and old fashioned way and not using animals to detect the mines? See previous blog entry regarding same.

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2015/08/hook-alice.html

coolbert.

Terminate!

This is coolbert:

Terminate with extreme prejudice!

As it was in Vietnam in 1969 as it is now in Afghan almost fifty years later?

From a variety of sources the killing of unlawful enemy combatants in captivity a hot button item:

1. "If a Green Beret Is a War Criminal, then So Is Obama"

2. "THE GREEN BERET AFFAIR 1969"

3. "Robert B. Rheault, Green Beret commander in Vietnam scandal, dies at 87" 

Additionally as it was for Robert Rheault in 1969 and Mathew Goldsteyn in 2018, so was it also for Breaker Morant in 1902!

Wars of the unconventional variety produce atrocity and tension for which the exigencies of combat often necessitate drastic measures, even if deemed illegal by the Laws of Land Warfare?

Terminate with extreme prejudice even unlawful enemy combatants forbidden? That is the question!

coolbert.