How the Bazooka Got Its Name

[KG Erwin]

This is a good trivia question, but I'll give it away. A popular 1930s radio comedian named Bob Burns invented a strange musical instrument he called the bazooka. Here is what it looked like:



When the first 2.36 in AT-rocket launcher M1 was adopted in 1942, some unknown person dubbed this new weapon "the bazooka", and the name stuck. (I got this info from R. Lee Ermey's book "Mail Call", which was derived from his popular History Channel series).

There's some great info in this book, and it highlights some of the equipment in the SPWaW database.

Here's a question for you: what was the fastest (in road speed) AFV (NOT counting armoured cars) deployed by any side in WWII?

[DuckofTindalos]

I'm going to go with either the BT-5 or BT-7 on that one.

[KG Erwin]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

I'm going to go with either the BT-5 or BT-7 on that one.

Nope. The answer will surprise you--it certainly shocked the hell out of me.

[Warrior]

ORIGINAL: KG Erwin

ORIGINAL: Terminus

I'm going to go with either the BT-5 or BT-7 on that one.

Nope. The answer will surprise you--it certainly shocked the hell out of me.

Quit jerking around and tell us.

[DuckofTindalos]

Yeah, stop being a tease, and share your wisdom![:)]

[KG Erwin]

ORIGINAL: Warrior

ORIGINAL: KG Erwin

ORIGINAL: Terminus

I'm going to go with either the BT-5 or BT-7 on that one.

Nope. The answer will surprise you--it certainly shocked the hell out of me.

Quit jerking around and tell us.

OK, Steve. Check out the US Army's unit 42--the M18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer--game speed 46, and available in May 1944. A rebuilt M18 was capable of doing nearly 60 mph on the road--this was a restoration, NOT a souped-up post-war modification. To me, that's damn-near incredible. The trade-off was the Hellcat's very thin armor-- it was meant to "shoot and scoot". You guys may want to look at this AFV a little closer for PBEM games. [;)]

[DuckofTindalos]

Exactly. I mean, obviously 60 mph (almost 100 kph) is impressive, it does have the little problem of being vulnerable to HE artillery rounds or mortars.

I still cringe when I read a description from the battle of Normandy of a British soldier who had to bury his friends; they had been the crew on an M-10 who'd taken a mortar round right in the crew compartment. He had to scrape their remains off with an entrenching tool!

[KG Erwin]

Well, Terminus, it's like every other weapon in the game--you try to maximize its advantages while minimizing the risks.

This thread is intended to highlight some of the more unusual characteristics, quirks and stories behind the weapons. If you guys have info to offer, just for curiousity's sake, then I'd love to hear it.

Another bit of trivia--what's the longest-serving weapon in the American arsenal, and still used today? This should be easy.

[DuckofTindalos]

I definitely didn't want to malign the M-18; many a time my US forces have been saved by TD's, Hellcat's or otherwise...[:D]

As for your other question, that has to be old Slab-Sides: the Colt M1911.

[KG Erwin]

The correct answer is the Browning .50 cal M2-HB ("Heavy-Barrel") machine gun, the "Ma Deuce", which has been essentially unmodified in its nearly 75(!) years of use in the US military. It's had multiple uses, as anti-personnel and anti-aircraft, while being mounted on a number of different platforms, from airplanes to ships to tanks to LVTs to halftracks to jeeps to Humvees to tripod-mounts for infantry. The .50 Cal is indeed an American classic for its versatility and firepower.

[Goblin]

I would agree with Terminus. The 1911 is still in service with some guard units, and has been with the US for over 90 years.



Goblin

[Riun T]

Seeing you both on the same thread at the same time Gunny,Goblin what time is it there right now Its a quirk of mine from weeks in the bush to do the math and put the horizon in my mental picture of the time exchange and relitive darkness of other zones I'm in comunication with at the time Its 8:15 here in saskatchewan . RTI noticed the time on the blue line at the top but it has no zone identifyer.

[RUPD3658]

How about the longest serving airframe?

I too am a big Mail Call fan much to the dismay of my wife. For some reason R. Lee doesn't appeal to her. [:(]

[DuckofTindalos]

Longest serving airframe would be either the B-52 or the C-130.

[RUPD3658]

B-52 it is. It may not be your father's airforce but you might be flying your grandfather's plane.

Entered service in 1955 and is expected to serve until 2040. For once it is nice to see the taxpayers getting their money's worth out of something. Granted, few parts on the current B-52s are original but that is another story.

[KG Erwin]

There's another point to be made here-- American products, whether it be the Colt .45 or the Ma Deuce or the B52 frame, were built to last. They are all rugged, and have withstood the test of time.

Only one nation issued a semi-automatic rifle as standard equipment to its troops-- it was the United States, with the M1 Garand Rifle.

Now, before I get pegged as a flag-waving American supremacist, let me note that we did produce some clunkers in WWII.

The best example (and I'm gonna get flamed for this) is our main battle tank, the Sherman. It did indeed deserve its reputation as the "Ronson" in the European theater, BUT, we all know it was a decisive factor in the Pacific. Nevertheless, we probably had the worst MBT of all the major powers in WWII. (forgive me, Jess, but it's the truth)[:(]

[Randy]

I read somewhere that even though the Sherman was not a great tank, it was still continued because they could ship more mediums to Europe than a few heavies. I think we built something like 40,000 M4s.

[DuckofTindalos]

Actually, before we rag too much on the Sherman, it was a fine piece of machinery when it was introduced to combat in 1942. The problem was that it was outmatched by 1944.

[VikingNo2]

It was a very good tank for what it was designed for the problem is the enemy rarely follows your designes LOL

[Destroyer]

Just so you know the M1911 is no longer widely used, it has been replaced by the M9 9mm pistol. But there is talk of the Army going back to a new version of the M1911, they state its stopping power cannot be beat.