When we think of Disney, we think of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.Back in the WWII era, Disney did their part to help Uncle Sam by making instructional films on how to use the Boys anti-tank rifle.
Posted on 02/05/2018 5:55:36 AM PST by w1n1
When we think of Disney, we think of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.
Back in the WWII era, Disney did their part to help Uncle Sam by making instructional films on how to use the Boys anti-tank rifle.
This vintage video from VDMA Youtube goes over the instructions of the .55-caliber rifle, known as the Boys Anti-Tank rifle. This was used to stop or slow down an armored vehicle.
This big Boy .55-caliber is an accurate bolt action.
Weighs in at 36 pounds,
magazines weighs 2lbs 7 oz (5 rounds)
The maximum range is 300 yard and can penetrate light to medium armor.
Maximum effective range for good penetration is at 100 yards. Troops were trained to shoot at armor with 0 to 20 degrees in angle, this gives the bullet a chance to successfully penetrate.
At greater angles such as 45 degrees, the chance of armor penetration is reduced, the bullet may ricochet.
Other targets to disable a tank and armor vehicle were:
-The seams (joints), junction points of the turret and hull.
-The tracks, if disabled it renders the armor vehicle movements.
This is a historic find, like having that Army Field Manual from long ago. See the full Disney Boys Anti-Tank gun film here.
Yes. That was WALT Disney. The current management is no where near Walts patriotism.
Did you know first Mickey Mouse cartoons were not done by Disney films.
Warner Bros also did a bunch of legit training cartoons. Most have probably been lost, but there were a number of “Private Snafu” shorts included in one of their Collections sets.
Because “Disney Films” as such did not exist.
The first appearance of Mickey (and Minnie) Mouse was the silent short “Plane Crazy”, made by Disney Brothers Studio in 1928 and shown to a test audience, but did not get a distributor.
The first-to-be-released Mickey Mouse film (which also included Minnie) was produced by Walt Disney Studios and distributed by Celebrity Productions Cinephone in 1928. It was the first sound-on-film animated picture. Following the success of “Steamboat Willie”, “Plane Crazy” was given a soundtrack and distributed by Celebrity Productions in 1929.
Back in the mid 50’s you could buy an anti tank gun for $99.95 via a Men’s magazine add. It would not be my weapon of choice against a tank.
Nowadays the Leftards of Disney management will want to be making training films for ANTIFA.
300 yards Max range and obviously no ear plugs needed!
Raider Marines armed with the .55 Boys were credited with destroying a Kawanishi H6K "Emily" four-engine transport loaded with reinforcing Japanese troops and an Aichi E13A recon plane at Makin atoll.
... Back in the mid 50’s you could buy an anti tank gun for $99.95 via a Men’s magazine add. It would not be my weapon of choice against a tank. ...
In the 50s I actually owned a ray gun toy. I don’t remember if it was Buck Rogers or Flash Gordon or what, but it would never be allowed today. The trigger operated a squirt gun like mechanism that also had a flint and a steel wheel. If you didn’t fill the fuel tank, sparks would shoot out for a few inches, and if you filled the tank with the recommended lighter fluid, then a 6 to 8 foot stream of fire would come out. It was basically a flame thrower for kids.
Some kids got the best toys.
Somebody would probably get time in the slam if caught with one now in Kaulifornia.
Walt also did the design for the AVG “Flying Tigers” logo.
Google: Ub Iwerks.
Ub Iwerks and Mickey mouse.
FRiends don't let FRiends Google!
Thanks, I needed that.
Duck duck go it.
Thanks, I needed that.
Duck duck go it.
Good stuff.
Highly recommend the Internet Archive (archive.org)—they have a number of Disney produced patriotic-themed cartoons and training films from WW-2.
Ah yes... the fella who worked side-by-side with Disney from 1919 to 1929, and after eleven years on his own came back and continued to work for Disney on animations, special effects, and Disneyland attraction design well into the 1960s? That guy?
Yeah, he’s credited with improving on Disney’s initial slightly pointy-eared “Mortimer Mouse” and for doing a lot of the animations in concert with Les Clark, Wilfred Jackson (both on “Steamboat Willie”), Ralph Wright, George Stallings, Bill Peet, and many others...
Including my personal favorite Vlad Tytla, who animated Chernobog in “Fantasia” (oddly, Tytla worked from photo references for whom the live subject was the above-mentioned Wilfred Jackson).
All of the above under the direction of Walt Disney Studios.
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