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To: quantfive
I was watching Modern Marvels the other night and they just built the first ever GPS guided artillery gun/shells. No where to run, no where to hide.

Even with GPS guidance, you'll only get within a few meters of the target. Laser designation (with Copperhead guided projectile) works well if the antomospheric conditions are possible.

What's less appreciated is that in the old days, a really good 8" (203mm) howitzer crew, with a good tube, registered, good data on the met, powder, etc., a good FDC and first order survey, could reliably put a round in a target the size of a largish door. (Specifically, an inert round put through the door to the Blockhouse on Signal Mountain for all you Redlegs who've been to the Commanche County Cannon College) - I first heard about that from a guy who was there during WWII, but I saw demonstration batteries put 8" rounds on specific car/truck body wrecks out on the range in the mid-1970s.

147 posted on 08/01/2006 2:08:11 PM PDT by CatoRenasci (Ceterum Censeo Arabiam Esse Delendam -- Forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit)
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To: CatoRenasci
I agree with that assessment.
148 posted on 08/01/2006 2:13:25 PM PDT by garbageseeker (It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.ā€¯Samuel Clemmens)
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To: CatoRenasci

"What's less appreciated is that in the old days, a really good 8" (203mm) howitzer crew, with a good tube, registered, good data on the met, powder, etc., a good FDC and first order survey, could reliably put a round in a target the size of a largish door. (Specifically, an inert round put through the door to the Blockhouse on Signal Mountain for all you Redlegs who've been to the Commanche County Cannon College) - I first heard about that from a guy who was there during WWII, but I saw demonstration batteries put 8" rounds on specific car/truck body wrecks out on the range in the mid-1970s."

Amazing what they overcame when it was necessary. Of other interest in WWII was the fuses they designed for anti-aircraft to explode when it neared an enemy plane. They had to use radio waves and vacuum tubes.


157 posted on 08/02/2006 10:37:24 AM PDT by quantfive
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