Posted on 09/18/2002 12:37:57 AM PDT by Snow Bunny
Edited on 09/18/2002 5:20:52 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
The Snark, originally designated as the B-62, was an interim-type, air breathing intercontinental weapon produced during the period when intercontinental ballistic missiles were still being perfected. It carried a nuclear warhead and was launched from a mobile platform by two booster rocket engines. These propelled the Snark to flying speed in four seconds, at which time they were jettisoned and the missile continued in flight, powered by its internal jet engine. The missile and its ground support equipment could be lifted by an aircraft, such as the C-124, and could be set up and ready for launch soon after arrival at a site.
The Snark's flight path was controlled by internal celestial guidance. When the missile arrived over its target, the nose section containing the warhead separated from the fuselage and fell in a trajectory onto the target. The rest of the Snark, now useless, was destroyed on impact with the ground.
The first Snark operational unit was activated by the Strategic Air Command in 1958 at Presque Isle AFB, Maine. With the availability of large numbers of ballistic missiles in the early 1960s, the Snark became obsolete and was removed from service. No Snark was ever used in actual combat.
Snark in flight:
Warhead delivery test sequence. The tail (engine) section breaks away, the warhead continues on ballistic flight path:
And if it were for real, pic #4 would be somewhat spectacular.
B-26 'Marauders' of the Ninth Air Force return from an attack on enemy positions in Northern France. Pictured is "Yankee Guerrilla" of the 386th. BG.
Martin B-26 Marauder bombers attack a German railway depot in late 1944.
During this B-26 Marauder's last mission the aircraft was shot up and fell out of formation. Looking like easy prey she was jumped by Luftwaffe fighters, but tail gunner Bill Norris shot down three Fw190s and damaged a fourth.
LOL!
B Company of the 2nd Battalion had failed in its attempt to improvise a crossing of the river from its position at the pontoon bridge, and so Lt-Colonel Frost ordered them to return and reinforce his positions at the north end of Arnhem Bridge. After fighting its way through enemy opposition, B Company arrived safely, although their No.4 Platoon in the rear had become cut off and were forced to take refuge in a house, where they held out against German attacks for the next 24 hours until their ammunition ran out and they were forced to surrender.
Frost had also asked for C Company, who were further in the rear, to come to the Bridge, but German resistance was strong by this time and they were surrounded in the narrow streets of Arnhem and had no option but to surrender.
When the fires on the Bridge finally died down, Frost considered sending more men across to capture the other end, but it became apparent that the southern approaches were now too well defended by German infantry and armoured cars. Although it was now impossible for his small force to capture all of the Bridge, he believed that it was still effectively under his control while he held the northern end. By dawn it became clear at that Frost's force was completely surrounded. Nevertheless he remained confident that he could hold out until the rest of the Division arrived, and at this stage he had no reason to suspect that this wouldn't happen within a matter of hours.
A steady supply of reinforcements had arrived during the night. The 2nd Battalion at the Bridge now amounted to about 340 men. The 1st Para Brigade HQ, less Brigadier Lathbury, brought a further 110. With these had come 105 Royal Engineers, and an Anti-Tank Battery and RASC platoon, each consisting of 40 men. Finally, C Company of the 3rd Battalion, amounting to 45, had successfully managed to thread their way through the German defences and took up various positions around the Bridge. These, together with several other small parties, including 8 men from the Reconnaissance Squadron and their commander Major Gough, brought the total defence to a very respectable 740 men.
Engineers from A Troop of the 1st Para Squadron, under the command of Captain Eric Mackay, initially took up positions in a library (27), but had only been there for a few moments when German infantry attacked their position. This was repulsed, but Mackay concluded that the building was very vulnerable to attack, and so withdrew his men into the neighbouring school house (26). This was the only organised German action against Frost's defence on Sunday night.
Early Monday morning saw several probing attacks by German tanks and infantry, but these were all beaten back. Later in the morning, lookouts on the roofs of buildings cried out that armoured cars were on the Bridge and approaching. The initial reaction was that a forward group of XXX Corps' Guards Division had made an early appearance, but these hopes were soon dashed when the vehicles were identified as German. These were men from the Reconnaissance Squadron of the German 9th SS Panzer Division. What their exact intention was remains a mystery, but they either wished to challenge the defenders or race through them into Arnhem in order to oppose the rest of the 1st Airborne Division.
Whatever their mission was it was an absolute disaster. The Airborne men held their fire until the last moment, whereupon they pounded the vehicles with PIAT bombs and Anti-Tank shells. Supporting German infantry were met with heavy gunfire and were unable to advance any further than half way across the Bridge. Other German units were brought in as reinforcements, but they made very little progress. The fighting lasted for two hours before the heavily mauled Germans withdrew to safety. The Bridge was littered with German dead and burning wreckage, including the Commander of the elite unit who attempted the crossing, Hauptsturmfuhrer Viktor Graebner - a brave and well decorated soldier - who was also killed during this action.
The remainder of Monday saw various attacks on the eastern side of the perimeter all directed towards buildings occupied by men of the 1st Para Brigade's Defence Platoon and of the 3rd Battalion. These were all repulsed with several tanks destroyed; although the defenders had to abandon a few of the positions they held (20, 21, and 23).
www.extraplan.demon.co.uk
Specification:Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II
Type:single-seat close air support and battelfield interdection aircraft
Powerplant:two 4112-kg (9,065-lb) dry thrust General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofans
Performance:maximum speed 381 kt (706 km/h; 439 mph) at sea level; cruising speed 336 kt (623 km/h; 387 mph) at 5,000 ft (1525 m); combat radius 402 km (250 miles) for a 2-hour loiter with 18 Mk 82 bombs plus 750 rounds of cannon ammunition
Armament:one internal GAU-8A 30-mm cannon with 1,174 rounds; twin AIM-9L installation and one ALQ-184 or ALQ-131 ECM pod for self-defence, and up to 12 LAU-68 rocket pods for marking targets; maximum theoretical ordanance of 7258 kg (16,000 lb)
Air Force ROTC has a long history of tradition and honor that dates back to the turn of the last century. Established with the passage of the National Defense Act of 1916, it is the largest and oldest source of commissioned officers for the Air Force.
The first Air ROTC units were established between 1920 and 1923 at the University of California at Berkeley, Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Illinois, the University of Washington, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College. After World War II, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, chief of staff of the War Department, signed General Order No. 124, establishing Air ROTC units at 77 colleges and universities throughout the nation.
The Air Force ROTC Vitalization Act of 1964 authorized a new two-year Senior Program, scholarships and a Junior Program. An experimental program to commission women through Air Force ROTC was first conducted from 1956 to 1960. Women were again enrolled in the Senior Program, starting in 1969, and in the Junior Program four years later. Eligible Air Force enlisted men and women pursuing a college degree who are interested in becoming commissioned officers are given that opportunity through competition in the Air Force ROTC Airman Scholarship and Commissioning Program, established in 1973. In 1978, Air Training Command, with headquarters at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, assumed responsibility for the Air Force ROTC programs.
On July 1, 1993, Air Training Command merged with Air University to form Air Education and Training Command. Air University became a direct reporting unit under Air Education and Training Command and Air Force ROTC realigned under Air University. In February 1997, in an effort to reduce duplication of effort and streamline administrative and reporting procedures within Air University, Air Force ROTC and Officer Training School realigned under the newly created umbrella organization, Air Force Officer Accession and Training Schools. This restructuring placed oversight for three-quarters of Air Force officer production under one command, the AFOATS commander, a brigadier general.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.