B17 Bomber The Mission - Animation

Humour - HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY ? (written by kids)

1. HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY? (written by kids) -

You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.
-- Alan, age 10

No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with.
-- Kristen, age 10

2. WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?

Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.
-- Camille, age 10

3. HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?

You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
-- Derrick, age 8

4. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?

Both don't want any more kids. -- Lori, age 8

5. WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?

Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
-- Lynnette, age 8 > (isn't she a treasure)

On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
-- Martin, age 10

6. WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE ?

When they're rich.
-- Pam, age 7

The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that.
-- Curt, age 7

The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.
- - Howard, age 8

7. IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED ?

It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.
-- Anita, age 9 (bless you child )

8. HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED ?

There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there ?
-- Kelvin, age 8

And the #1 Favorite is.......

9. HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK ?

Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck.
-- Ricky, age 10    WOW! This kid is going to be husband.

Tank Museum - Veteran Podcasts

Veteran Podcasts
Go to this link and you will hear snippets from a series of personal accounts given by former British servicemen who fought in tanks during World War Two and after. These accounts were recorded by The Tank Museum curatorial staff, and represent a fraction of the unique stories and accounts held on tape in The Tank Museum Archives.
Comment: Well worth a listen.
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Truck - Rust Hole

I can share with you I'm doing some bodywork restoration on the CCKW at the moment and recently had it home to work on.  I focused on rubbing down and then re-painting the cargo body, and generally everything went well, apart from the discovery of this corrosion hole at the back :(
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My current thinking is to fill it for the moment, and then get it welded up properly along with some other planned work later in the year.
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After the paint had dried we took it out for a short drive into York where we parked up for a picnic lunch in the cool spring sunshine.
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Managed to sneak a photo in in front of Cliffords Tower.
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Peiper und die Leibstandarte Dezember 1944 - Mai 1945

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Comment:  Some great footage of vehicles in action here.
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Picture Of The Week - No 27 - 'Oopss'

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Comment:  Someone's got some explaining to do...
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WW2 20mm Bolt Action Game

Had a very entertaining 20mm game using the Bolt Action rules at the club last night.  I was on the British side with John and Steve against Andy, Simon and Mick (the Krauts).  The scenario was that an important Allied General had crash-landed in no-mans land and both sides were racing to secure the crash site.
It was one of those nights when the dice gods had decided that I was but a pawn to play with and torture at their leisure. The number of low dice I rolled,  especially 1's was quite amazing.  My team blamed me for losing faith with the dice early on, and because of this said I was the architect of my own bad luck !  Well bollocks to them is what I say, because my bad die rolling spread to them as well ! LOL
Just to get a flavour of what happened, my Air Liaison called in an Air-strike on a juicy target, but because I rolled a 1 it was a rookie pilot who swung by misidentified the target and then went and shot up my team-mates Steve's troops instead !  I then called in an Artillery barrage, but because I rolled a 1 it fell short on top of the observer !!  Fortunately he survived, so I called another in, but again I rolled a one so it landed off table, and so it went on ! LOL  Good fun game though :)
Here's some photos (none of the vehicles or figs are mine).
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WW1 memories: my grandfather's story

The Imperial War Museum (in the UK) wants us all to share stories of relatives who fought in the First World War. Toby Helm looks through the letters, diaries and photographs of his own grandfather and uncovers a harrowing and haunting picture of life on the frontline.  Link
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Why the so-called 'Dark Ages' were just as civilised as the savage Roman Empire

This is a link to a brilliant article about the Darkages and the Romans written by Dominic Selwood.  Definitely worth a read:  Link
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B29 kee bird crash

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Comment: Worth a watch if your interested in aircraft.
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WW2 - Lancaster on Bombing Raid in 1944 - Colour Film

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Comment:  Worth a watch :)
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Documentary film T-34

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Comment:  This is worth watching for tank fans.
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Film - When Trumpets Fade

The full film about the WW2 Battle of the Hurtgen forest can be viewed on U-Tube: Link

Huge Tank Graveyard In The Ukraine

Perhaps they should have held on to them. Hundreds of rusting tanks abandoned in secret Ukrainian depot unveiled as Russia's armoured vehicles line its streets.  There are more than 400 abandoned tanks at the plant in a secret, heavily guarded depot in the town of Kharkiv. The depot is in the Slobozhanshchyna region of eastern Ukraine - just 20 miles from the border with Russia. Photographer Pavel Itkin, 18, was able to sneak into the heavily monitored site without being spotted by guards He spent two hours walking around the barely-used repair centre taking photographs of old tanks and engines.
Read more: Link
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10mm M36 Jackson Tank Destroyer

Work continues to get some paint on my 10mm US army.  Here's a couple of M36 Jackson Tank Destroyer from Pendraken Miniatures that been receiving some attention.
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Picture Of The Week - No 26 - How To Disable An Elefant

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Comment:  A fascinating picture produced in WW2 by the Russian army showing how to disable a German Elefant heavy tank destroyer.
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Humour

A Husband takes his  wife to play her first game of golf. Of course, the wife promptly hacked her first shot right through the window of the biggest house adjacent to the course.
 
  The husband cringed, 'I warned you to be careful! Now we'll have to go up there, find the owner, apologise and see how much your lousy drive is going to cost us.'
 
  So the couple walked up to the house and knocked on the door. A warm voice said, 'Come on in.'

  When they opened the door they saw the damage that was done: glass was all over the place, and a broken antique bottle was lying on its side near the pieces of window glass.
 
  A man reclining on the couch asked, 'Are you the people that broke my window?'
 
  'Uh...yeah!  We're sure sorry about that,' the husband replied.
 
  'Oh, no apology is necessary. Actually I want to thank you.. You see, I'm a genie, and I've been trapped in that bottle for a thousand years.   Now that you've released me, I'm allowed to grant three wishes. I'll give you each one wish, but if you don't mind, I'll keep the last one for my self.'
 
  Wow, that's great!' the husband said. He pondered a moment and blurted out, 'I'd like a million dollars a year for the rest of my life.'
 
  'No problem,' said the genie 'You've got it, it's the least I can do.. And I'll guarantee you a long, healthy life!'
 
  'And now you, young lady, what do you want?' the genie asked.
     
 'I'd like to own a gorgeous home in every country in the world complete with servants,' she said.
 
  'Consider it done,' the genie said. 'And your homes will always be safe from fire, burglary and natural disasters!'

   'And now,' the couple asked in unison, 'what's your wish, genie?'

'Well, since I've been trapped in that bottle, and haven't been with a woman in more than a thousand years, my wish is to have sex with your wife.'
 
  The husband looked at his wife and said, 'Gee, honey, you know we both now have a fortune, and all those houses. What do you think?'
 
  She mulled it over for a few moments and said, 'You know, you're right. Considering our good fortune, I guess I wouldn't mind, but what about you, honey?'
 
  You know I love you sweetheart,' said the husband. I'd do the same for you!'
   
 So the genie and the woman went upstairs where they spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying each other.
 
   The genie was insatiable.   After about three hours of non-stop sex, the genie rolled over and looked directly into her eyes and asked, How old are you and your husband?'
 
  'Why, we're both 35,' she responded breathlessly.

     
 'No kidding?'  he said.  'Thirty-five years old and you both still believe in genies?'

Tiger Tank 131 "Hand Crank Engine Start Up"

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Comment:  None  of your newfangled electric starts here !
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Picture Of The Week - No 25 - Stug

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Commentary: 105mm SP Howitzer Sturmhaubitz 42 lurking in a building on the Italian front - Jan 1944.
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Humour - 'Dear Mum'

Dear Mum Letter…

A mother passing by her son's bedroom was astonished to see the bed was nicely made, and everything was picked up.

Then, she saw an envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow. It was addressed, 'Mum'.  With the worst premonition, she opened the envelope and read the letter, with trembling hands…

'Dear, Mum.

It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend, because I wanted to avoid a scene with Dad and you. I've been finding real passion with Stacy, and she is so nice, but I knew you would not approve of her, because of all her piercings, tattoos, her tight Motorcycle clothes, and because she is so much older than I am. But it's not only the passion, Mum. She's pregnant. Stacy said that we will be very happy. She owns a trailer in the woods, and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter.  We share a dream of having many more children. Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone. We'll be growing it for ourselves, and trading it with the other people in the commune, for all the cocaine and ecstasy we want. In the meantime, we'll pray that science will find a cure for AIDS, so Stacy can get better.  She sure deserves it!! Don't worry Mum, I'm 15, and I know how to take care of myself. Someday, I'm sure we'll be back to visit, so you can get to know your many grandchildren.

Love, your son, Nicholas.

PS: Mum, none of the above is true. I'm over at Jason's house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than the school report that's on my desk.

I love you!

Call me when it is safe to come home…!!

Picture Of The Week - No 24 - Typhoons At Falaise

Multiplayer Like You've Never Seen Before

This looks incredibly cool :)   Link to the full article.
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4000 Point Flames of War Game

Enthused with Flames of War my gaming crowd started on a FoW games two weeks back   4 players per side, I took my cleaning living god fearing Americans along with Chris and Theo, and our stiff upper lip Brit ally John against the unwashed Nazi scum in the shape of Andy, Steve, Simon and Mick.  The random scenario we rolled up was Breakthrough.  As my Yank unit always attacks, unsurprisingly  the Allies were the attacker.  Good placing by the Germans prevented an Allied breakout from the town with Brit armour and a determined Infantry assault by Theo was stopped dead by a combination of Infantry and AA guns used in the ground role.  Turn 5 saw a breakout by American & Brit armour to the north however, wiping out a small Tiger and a Panther platoon.  My two Veteran TD platoons came on as reinforcements and after seizing one of the objectives rapidly has to retreat in the face of lots of German Infantry loaded with Panzerfausts.
Here's a selection of photos taken with my Samsumg IIIS phone.
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Hetzer reinforcements on their way to hassle the US Tank Destroyers.
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My first M18 TD unit contesting the objective.  Latterly forced back, a lucky German 120mm barrage took two of them out in one hit.
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Mick's German paras, beautifully presented.
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Johns armour in the town waiting to break out.
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John's British artillery - 25pdrs, very nicely based.
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Andy Baxters Panthers waiting it out in a wooded area.  All were subsequently KO'd by a massed Sherman attack.
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Johns Armour moving again in the town.  The Fireflys both destroyed the 2 x German Tigers that were bothering us for the first half of the game.
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Theo's infantry in the wood trying unsuccessfully to take the hill.
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Brit amour out of the town starts to flank German tanks.  The German infantry behind them were unable to mass sufficiently to launch an attack, and were subsequently wiped out by Brit artillery and tanks.
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The 2nd German Panther platoon belonging to Steve keeping my M18s from getting near the objective. Worked for a while until they are overwhelmed by Shermans and my remaining TD platoon last night  Final result a victory for the Allies.

Fancy Buying A Tiger 1 (replica) ?

Just seen this advisement on Milweb Link

"Tiger 1
Well known, UK based, Tiger 1 replica is now up for sale.
Built on a T55 tank chassis. 
Completely manufactured from steel. 
Runs and drives well, full power traverse and hand elevation. 
Gas firing 88 mm replica main Gun. 
Recent new steering brakes and clutch. 
Ready to go. 
Export worldwide no problem.
Highly campaigned in the Re-enactment world and ultimately one of the best replicas around. 
Be ‘KING OF THE BATTLEFIELD’ !
POA"
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Stunning Ride in a RAF Typhoon

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U.S Marines make big bang detonating IEDs Afghanistan

Post by War Documentaries.

Crazy emergency braking with a Leopard 2 tank in the Netherlands

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Comment:  You have to be totally nuts in my humble opinion to risk this stunt !  LOL
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Picture Of The Week - No 23 - Sci-Fi Art

Humour - PARAPROSDOKIANS

PARAPROSDOKIANS (Winston Churchill loved them) are figures of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently humorous.

1.   Where there's a will, I want to be in it.
2.   The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on my list.
3.   Since light travels faster than sound, some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
4.   If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.
5.   We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.
6.   War does not determine who is right - only who is left...
7.   Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
8.   They begin the evening news with 'Good Evening,' then proceed to tell you why it isn't.
9.   To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.
10. Buses stop in bus stations.   Trains stop in train stations.  On my desk is a work station.
11. I thought I wanted a career. Turns out I just wanted paychecks.
12. In filling out an application, where it says, 'In case of emergency, notify:' I put 'DOCTOR.'
13. I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.
14. Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.
15. Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.
16. A clear conscience is the sign of a fuzzy memory.
17. You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.
18. Money can't buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with.
19. There's a fine line between cuddling and holding someone down so they can't get away.
20. I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not so sure.
21. You're never too old to learn something stupid.
22. To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.
23. Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.
24. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
25. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.
26.. Where there's a will, there are relatives.

Schwimmwagen

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Comment: I really want one of these WW2 German Schwimmwagen !!   What an awesome little vehicle.
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Lions and donkeys: 10 big myths about World War One debunked

Much of what we think we know about the 1914-18 conflict is wrong, writes historian Dan Snow.

No war in history attracts more controversy and myth than World War One.

For the soldiers who fought it was in some ways better than previous conflicts, and in some ways worse.

By setting it apart as uniquely awful we are blinding ourselves to the reality of not just WW1 but war in general. We are also in danger of belittling the experience of soldiers and civilians caught up in countless other appalling conflicts throughout history and the present day.

Read the full article here.  Link

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Truck Is 70 Years Old This Month

As best I can make out, my CCKW 352 truck is 70 years old this month.  Took it out for a short spin this afternoon, and snapped a couple of photos in the weak winters sun.
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Flames Of War In 10mm - Breaking News...Victory At Last !

Further to my posting on 20th Dec I have news !!!  Key massive drum roll !!!   After 4 straight losses in a row with my M18 Tank Destroyer Company (TD) unit I had my first victory !  Playing the 'Hold The Line' Mission against my friend Chris with my unit as the attacker I took on his Russian Tank T34/85 Company.  The game was over by the end of turn 3 with 8 of his T34/85 knocked out for the loss of one M18, a truck and a few Infantry.  Chris had below average rolls I felt on a couple of critical points, but feel I'm now starting to get the feel for how to use my unit, especially in these attacking scenarios where really aggressive use of Recc and TD Security teams is required.
Here's a couple of pictures of the unit in action on the 20th Dec and also laid out for review on my computer desk.
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1500 point Task Force A unit - Turning Tide book.
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In an effort to get to grips with the rules I've started typing up all the elements in Italics into a work document. Quite a laborious undertaking, but myself I find this method as good way of remembering and understanding the rules.  I did the same with Warhammer Ancient Battles (WAB) as well. When complete I integrate all the errata and additional guidance given by Battlefront, along with any club 'house rules' we are using.

So that I'm not constrained to just using a TD unit, I've been and spent £60 with Magister Militum and purchased a 20 x M4A3 Shermans - a mixture of 75mm, 76mm and four M4A3E8 'Easy Eights' along with a couple of M10s.  Currently in the middle of painting them up them up to a base standard, acceptable for use on the tabletop.  For me this entails assembling the vehicles, cleaning the flash off, priming grey, then applying a coat of Vallejo USA Olive Drab 889.
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Over the coming weeks I'll then apply a top coat of Vallejo Brown Violet 887, dry-brushing, tracks, aerials, decals etc etc.  I'm now understanding why my friends have over the last few years been telling that 10mm is the best scale to game FoW in.  It's a satisfying blend of the visual detail that can be accommodated in 15mm (but without the 'tank park' look) with some of the game scale that 6mm provides.  Price and reduced storage are also huge advantages, on the former for instance a typically 10mm tank only costs £2.25 so a substantial unit can be collected without busting the bank.
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Picture Of The Week - No 22 - B17 Battle Damage

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Comment:  It is just astonishing that this B17 was able to make it back to base after suffering this much battle damage.
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