Ah, the A-10…
Dec 072014
Nov 272014
EXCALIBUR
They’re working on compact lightweight electrical (as opposed to chemical) laser weapons specifically for use on aircraft. One goal it to mount such a weapon to a drone to provide defense against missiles. A phased array system, similar to the PHASAR system from the SDI days, is hoped to be capable of providing up to 100 kilowatts of weapons grade deathray.
Nov 242014
The Norwegian vessel KNM Trondheim welcomes an incoming anti-ship missile.
[youtube 4F0nUJ0MHHk]
Nov 142014
Pentagon Studies Reveal Major Nuclear Problems
The high point: apparently it takes a special wrench to tighten the (presumably explosive) bolts that hold warheads onto the Minuteman ICBM. That’s not the problem. The problem is that there was only *one* of these wrenches, and the technicians FedExed this single wrench from site to site as needed.
That’s greeeeeeeaaaaaaaat.
Nov 132014
I suspect this might void the warranty…
I haven’t been able to find the specific story behind ths, but clearly it’s an example of what can happen when you repeatedly fire a revolver with a jammed bullet. From the background it seems likely that this is now a display piece at a shooting range; guns that have been destroyed in various and entertaining ways are often used as decorations in such places.
Oct 312014
I’ve written a short and illustrated piece on how the Dyna Soar can illustrate the possible capabilities of the X-37B over at War Is Boring:
Wondering What the U.S. Air Force’s Secretive Spaceplane Can Do? History Offers Clues
I am contemplating expanding this considerably for a separate release. It’d be a little different from the usual sort of thing I do, since the X-37B is a real flying vehicle, not just an unbuilt project.
Oct 292014
The first five issues of US Bomber Projects are now available as ebooks at Amazon. The links below not only take you to the Amazon listings, if you then buy something (*anything*, so fee free to splurge on laptops and cars and jewelry and such), I get a small commission.
I would appreciate feedback… everything from constructive criticism to reviews posted over at Amazon.
UPDATE: It seems at least some people can’t see the Amazon link-box thingies posted below. So… two alternatives.
1) Type “US Bomber Projects” in the Amazon search box you should see at the upper right, just above the “Tip Jar.”
2) TRY THIS
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If you dowloaded an early version of USBO01, it seems that you *can* download the latest version without re-buying it.
Oct 292014
Date & source uncertain. Artistic depiction of the sort of stuff the F-16 could haul about.
Oct 262014
A year ago, “Solid Concepts,” a rapid prototyping firm, revealed that they had 3D printed a fully-functional .45 caliber 1911 pistol. They have now unveiled a 10mm 1911, with a whole lot more artistry. A year ago I understood that they weren’t planning on putting their version of the 1911 into production, but a month later they made 100 and put a price tag of $11,900 on each of them.
The new pistol is called “Reason,” is seriously arted-up and has the preamble to the Declaration of Independence “printed” onto the front of the grip. It has a rail on the underside for a laser or light, and the barrel appears to be threaded for a suppressor. It looks fairly snazzy, but I’m not sure about the ergonomics of that trigger…
Solid Concepts 3D Prints Another Metal Gun, ‘Reason’, a 10mm Auto 1911
Oct 242014
Turns out that the pinhead up in Ottawa used a Winchester Model 1894 lever action 30-30. Unsurprisingly, a whole lot of the press had a hard time understanding just what that is.