We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2007 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html Sun, 03 Aug 2008 16:44:46 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification If the title of this post makes no sense - start here. You guys did pretty well. Chief Shaffer correctly id'd the Whatziss as a Colt M1895 "Potato-Digger" machine gun. He provided this link, too. Sanger came in and offered up the Czech Legion, again correct. While he offered up a pay train - he was close, if obliquely. This was one of the trains that held some of the Russian gold reserves the Czechs found themselves in possession of... Good work, fellas. The Czech Legion is an interesting story that I didn't know that much about. Rather than... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html Mon, 15 Jan 2007 07:14:12 -0600 The same reason aircraft like the Ford Tri-Motor and Junkers 52 used corrugated skin, stronger, yet lighter overall. One of the reasons you'll see holes in structural members is actually to provide points of stress relief, which makes them stronger without the weight. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55196 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55196 Thu, 18 Jan 2007 07:18:04 -0600 Thanks XCav. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55195 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55195 Thu, 18 Jan 2007 07:12:28 -0600 http://www.snipercountry.com/Articles/RealBenefitsBarrelFluting.asp The takeaway I had from the article (bear in mind I'm not a structural engineer and I would definitely check my comprehension) is basically that the metal strength is a quality of its thickness and the ridges turn the load-bearing aspect from the thickness of the material to the thickness/depth of the ridges - the same function as an I-beam where the strength is more related to the web between the top and bottom of the "I" and not the thickness of the steel making up the top and bottom.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55184 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55184 Wed, 17 Jan 2007 20:35:42 -0600 "Ry, the most common reason given for the fluting is strength." I would've thought that the simple smooth jacket had more strength. Bending metal does things to the metal. And odd surface shapes, may, cause odd force vectors. I'm surprised that it's the other way. Is there a short answer for why the flutting was stronger? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55126 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55126 Wed, 17 Jan 2007 02:39:38 -0600 snow cap" which was a much larger hole in the top of the jacket so the troops could pack the jacket with snow. Sanger - the Battle of Zborov in the Ukraine is a Czech Legion battle, and those guns are Legion guns - according to the picture source.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55089 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55089 Tue, 16 Jan 2007 05:42:09 -0600 This is an article about "The Plastic People of the Universe.".. "In January of 1990, just as the new democracy had begun, Frank Zappa flew to Prague at the invitation of Havel, one of his greatest fans. 5000 rock fans were waiting at the airport to witness the historic arrival of the famous American. A Prague film crew captured Zappa's arrival at the airport just as Shirley Temple Black, the former "good ship lollipop" girl, then the acting ambassador to Czech , was leaving. Mrs. Black was asked about her views on the distinguished Frank Zappa's visit. Czech citizens did not understand her horrified reaction to this question. Zappa met Havel at Prague Castle and presented the new president with several ideas on how to help Czechoslovakia move into the democratic age, such as cellular phones and tourism. Zappa was emotionally overcome upon meeting older fans of his who had endured beatings by the Secret Police for the sake of his music." Link I knew people who felt that way about him. It was very odd... 2) The term ROBOT was coined by a Czech writer named Karel C'apek (Chapek) in a 1920 play titled R.U.R. (Rossums Universal Robots). He also wrote War with the Newts a classic of Science Fiction. 3) Saint Wenceslas is the patron saint of the Czechs. Yes, that Good King Wenceslas, of "Feast of Steven" fame. Duke of Bohemia (907-935). There's lots more, but that's what I remember. Oh, and every time I asked a Czech why they didn't fight back in 1968, the answer was always, "we survived." I guess they did. ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55085 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55085 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 22:34:37 -0600 So, the ribbing on the waterjacket was to increase surface area for convection then? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55083 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55083 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 22:26:14 -0600 Battle of Zborov. 1917, Ukraine.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55079 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55079 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 20:12:33 -0600 these, but I can't make out much detail... The Officer behind the far left gun (in the saucer cap) looks Russian. The second gun from the left looks broken (in full battery). Siberia? ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55078 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55078 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 19:41:01 -0600 Wow! ^^^^^^^^^^^ buttons ^^^^^^^^^^^^ The Czechs really do have a pround history, w/ a lot to brag about, including one of the oldest universities in Europe, the oldest Jewish Cemetary in Europe, a bridge built with egg-yolks for cement (Karlovy Most, Charles' Bridge), and etc. The country was free from 1918 until Hitler was given it, and had an interesting time. The first President was Tomas Masaryk, who declared Czechoslovakia's independance from the steps of Independence Hall. The Czech flag is Red, White and Blue because our's is. Czechoslovakia was one of the few Warsaw pact countries that had a citizenship treaty with the US (Czechs who became Aericans were no longer deemed Czechs and could travel there without fear of being conscripted.) Lot of other stuff. I was not aware of all the Czech Legion stuff until I started looking for the photos, but I'd heard about them--about the same time I learned about the extent of American involvement (a land Army!!) in Siberia at the end of WWI... Now THAT is an interesting read! V/R http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55076 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55076 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:55:12 -0600 very cool post. a forgotten moment of warfare, captured in time and revealed by your post. thanks for that! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55074 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55074 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 14:11:06 -0600 oh, cool - we have a Sokolov mount. For Maxim! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55073 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/the_whatziss_of.html#comment-55073 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 13:47:12 -0600