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/2007/08/hi_fires_18_aug.html Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:55:04 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite. You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place... *********************************** I've got an all-day Rotary gig today, so I'm just gonna toss this up here so's you guys can get to work on it. Since the Whatziss was a 3" mortar round, how about a pic of the Stokes round with a WWII-era 3" round - this particular one being Australian. That's a sight for... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/08/hi_fires_18_aug.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/08/hi_fires_18_aug.html Sat, 18 Aug 2007 23:41:54 -0600 Hum, that is perplexing. I looked at the pictures of a M301A2 and its close but not the same. The American rounds seem to be clearly marked. I don’t see any markings on the projectile found in OC CA. Some have speculated that being in Southern California; the van was stole for transport of narcotics and the thieves left behind some spare ammo. There have been reports of some pretty powerful stuff used by Mexican gangs south of the boarder. But, who knows. The article is so poorly written that the facts are not clear. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/08/hi_fires_18_aug.html#comment-63438 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/08/hi_fires_18_aug.html#comment-63438 Tue, 21 Aug 2007 13:55:08 -0600 I'd agree, Sean - except the fins don't match at all. They're too long. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/08/hi_fires_18_aug.html#comment-63399 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/08/hi_fires_18_aug.html#comment-63399 Mon, 20 Aug 2007 12:35:30 -0600 Looks to be very similar to a U.S.-made M301A2 Illumination Mortar sans nose fusing and propellant charge. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/08/hi_fires_18_aug.html#comment-63394 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/08/hi_fires_18_aug.html#comment-63394 Mon, 20 Aug 2007 09:50:08 -0600 John, can you tell if it is a US round or a foreign made round? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/08/hi_fires_18_aug.html#comment-63376 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/08/hi_fires_18_aug.html#comment-63376 Sun, 19 Aug 2007 15:31:57 -0600 1. Looks like it's a mortar round to me - not an RPG. That's a conventional blast/fragmentation round, RPGs usually are shaped charge weapons (thermobarics excepted). 2. That caption and picture don't match the article description - in that it looks to me in the pic like they're going to destroy it on the ground there, outside of the van, not inside of it. 3. They can't think it was *that* dangerous, or they wouldn't be handling it. 4. Can't tell too much more from the picture, really. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/08/hi_fires_18_aug.html#comment-63367 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/08/hi_fires_18_aug.html#comment-63367 Sun, 19 Aug 2007 09:22:07 -0600 EXPOSIVE SITUATION: Orange County Sheriff bomb squad member, deputy Keith Prinzing, left, examines a piece of military ordnance with an explosive expert from Camp Pendelton [And] See: UPI description of explosive projectile ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/08/hi_fires_18_aug.html#comment-63362 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/08/hi_fires_18_aug.html#comment-63362 Sat, 18 Aug 2007 20:29:36 -0600