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 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:38:19 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Fox News Story here. And, of course, I can't open Yon's website, thanks to Fox readers swarming it. So, as of now, nothing to go with but this picture. First thing that pops to mind is the XM47 US riot control grenade - which are roughly that size. They're made out of rubber, and have a blow-out hole in them. When you throw them (don't hold on too long!) the plug blows out and the gas expels in a jet, causing the grenade to skitter around, building your CS cloud faster than the standard grenade. I used them a lot... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html Thu, 22 Feb 2007 12:48:59 -0600 It's pretty obvious that it's a Jedi Training Remote... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57070 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57070 Fri, 23 Feb 2007 14:35:21 -0600 Not being in a combat arms branch (ANC Officer), I don't know a lot about weaponry, but it seems to be to be too big to throw easily as it seems to be made of metal. This leads to the line of thought that it either needs to be placed or launched. If it is to be launched, where's the launcher? And also it doesn't seem too aerodynamic, I have a feeling it wouldn't be to accurate or fly too far. If it's to be placed (like a claymore, or an antitank mine) why isn't it flat? Aren't most of those things directional? It looks like something that Boris Baddenoff would light and throw at Rocky and Bullwinkle. Do you suppose it's just a mock up to confuse the US troops, or even more subtly, to undermine pulbic morale in the US by giving the impression that they (Ali Baba) have weapons that we haven't even seen before? VEry interesting. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57061 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57061 Fri, 23 Feb 2007 11:58:45 -0600 Not being in a combat arms branch (ANC Officer), I don't know a lot about weaponry, but it seems to be to be too big to throw easily as it seems to be made of metal. This leads to the line of thought that it either needs to be placed or launched. If it is to be launched, where's the launcher? And also it doesn't seem too aerodynamic, I have a feeling it wouldn't be to accurate or fly too far. If it's to be placed (like a claymore, or an antitank mine) why isn't it flat? Aren't most of those things directional? It looks like something that Boris Baddenoff would light and throw at Rocky and Bullwinkle. Do you suppose it's just a mock up to confuse the US troops, or even more subtly, to undermine pulbic morale in the US by giving the impression that they (Ali Baba) have weapons that we haven't even seen before? VEry interesting. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57060 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57060 Fri, 23 Feb 2007 11:58:24 -0600 No, Eagle, those are all too small, and have vanes to make them spin, etc. I'm leaning towards something South African, but I'm having trouble finding good sources. Off to the Combat Arms Research Library at the Fort to see what their Jane's collection might have to offer. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57057 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57057 Fri, 23 Feb 2007 09:49:42 -0600 here. Or as my EOD friends told me - you should not be playing with that...]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57053 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57053 Fri, 23 Feb 2007 09:35:22 -0600 That green-glowing thing in the first pic? PRECIOUSSSS, MY PRECIOUUSSS!!! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57041 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57041 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 21:53:31 -0600 http://www.iglou.com/btreasure/blown1.jpg This is a blown borman fuse. Note the square hole in the center, and the outer ring, then compare to the image of the whatziss. That site also has some similar images of bormans, case and shell, etc. makes ya go hmmmmmm....... Respects,]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57037 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57037 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 20:29:59 -0600 Guys, that fuse looks like a Borman variation I saw when I found a live CSA spherical case round in the museum where my wife was director. Did they find a 12 pounder Napoleon about as well? (BTW the AF EOD types that "disarmed" it didn't believe the bursting charge would still work...heh watching them trying to stomp out the fire in the hay meadow was quite amusing, I assumed a Gunner's Mate's smirk of superiority you might know) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57034 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57034 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 19:22:49 -0600 Spherical case is actually the *first* thing that popped into my head, too, AW1 Tim. Flagpole topper, though. That one didn't make it! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57033 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57033 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 18:32:58 -0600 Comrades, Except for the color, I'd say it was a 12lb spherical case, missing the borman fuse. If the color is actually vertigris, then I'd set it down real gentle and not let anyone use it for a sad iron. Could also be the top of a flag pole..... Just sayin....... Respects, http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57032 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57032 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 17:53:45 -0600 Hence, Ry, one of several reasons why they didn't proceed with the system. That said, the M16 flash suppressor is sized to fit standard NATO rifle grenades, but we choose not to use them (hence no sight for same), preferring the 40mm grenade launchers instead. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57030 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57030 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 17:01:54 -0600 with Greek history lessons down in the "300" post.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57029 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57029 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 16:57:48 -0600 Gawd. Look at the real complicated assembly for launching that thing. I can see why they moved to the underslung grenade set up. Why'd they move away from the simple system they used with the M-1? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57027 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57027 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 16:46:00 -0600 i'm one of the guilties who was slamming on the Yon site this morning from FOX, and i came away with the impression that this puppy is a wee bit bigger than the riot control grenades you pointed to. i was then thinking along the lines of that RAW thingie, but couldn't put my finger on the picture i had in my head. i'm definitely leaning towards that Brunswick since you posted that pic. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57026 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57026 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 16:45:14 -0600 It looks to me like something that's been pulled apart and put back together. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57022 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57022 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 16:14:49 -0600 I found that post, Steve. Good call. That said - this thing doesn't look like any cluster munition I'm familiar with - it's too large for those. Not saying it *isn't* a sub-munition for something, it just doesn't look like the ones I know or have references for. But then, my references for China, India, and others aren't all that complete, either. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57019 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57019 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 14:59:06 -0600 Cluster munition, eh? Hmmmm. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57018 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57018 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 14:55:02 -0600 very excited when he saw the soldier carrying it - the "drop that and we all die" kind of excited. Based on my memory of that entry it's about grapefruit sized, just in case that aids in any way. You might be able to Google up Yon's original entry and do an end run around the swarm. Oh, and I repeat: he's now a verb: Yon'd - to inflict a DDOS attack on yourself by asking a question a significant portion of the net finds interesting. ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57016 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57016 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 14:46:46 -0600 Darn, we haven't had the chance to send you guys 3 dozen emails about this. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/02/michael_yon_has.html#comment-57010 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 13:58:58 -0600