Brewster Buffalo Mk. I, No. 453 Squadron RAAF

Source: SDASM Archives

     The Brewster Buffalo's history which started in 1937 when the prototype first flew to when the last Buffalo in Finnish service was stood down in 1948 is filled with praise as well as criticism. The Brewster XF2A-1 prototype first flew on December 2, 1937 and on December 8, 1939, VF-3 operating on the USS Saratoga received 10 F2A-1 fighters and in so doing, became the U.S. Navy's first monoplane fighter to enter service. The F2A-1 and later F2A-2 models were generally liked by naval aviators who while not finding the plane fast, liked its turn and roll ability thanks to its low wing loading. However, it was soon becoming clear the F2A's brief time in service was coming to an end as the design was eclipsed. This was even more clear when the F2A-3 model appeared which had additional fuel tankage, armor for the pilot, and larger ammunition capacity for the four 12.7mm M2 Browning machine-guns. This added weight ruined the handling characteristics of the previous models and reduced the speed and climb rate. The inability of the F2A airframe to take a larger engine made it impossible to compensate for the added weight. By December 1940, the F2A made way for the Grumman F4F Wildcat and numerous F2A aircraft were handed over to U.S. Marine Corps to equip several squadrons, the most notable being VMF-221 (the “Fighting Falcons”) who flew the F2A-3 during the Battle of Midway. Other U.S. Navy F2A aircraft were relegated to training units.

     The British got involved with the Brewster Buffalo when a batch of 32 Brewster B-339 (the export designation for de-navalized F2A-2) aircraft that had been allocated to ship to Belgium instead were diverted to England following the fall of Belgium to the Germans. The British found the B-339 wanting. Evaluation reports listed poor speed, weak armament, inferior high altitude performance, lack of pilot protection, engine faults, maintenance difficulty, and poor cockpit controls layout as flaws. At the same time, the reports praised the handling, cockpit size, and the visibility afforded the pilot. Nevertheless, the B-339 was deemed unfit for combat in the Western Theater but the desperate need for any combat capable aircraft to outfit British and British Commonwealth squadrons in the Pacific and Asian Theaters saw the British order 170 Brewster B-339E aircraft as the Brewster Buffalo Mk.I. These  aircraft were modified by adding armor, installing the British Mk.III reflector gun sight, adding a gun camera, and many other modifications. The result, much like the issues with the F2A-3, saw performance suffer from the added weight. Buffalo Mk.I planes were issued to two Royal Air Force (RAF) and two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) squadrons along with one Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) squadron. The photograph depicts one of these Buffalo Mk.I planes.

     Buffalo Mk.I W8202 was issued to No. 453 Squadron RAAF which was raised on May 23, 1941 and deployed to Singapore in August of that same year where it operated from RAF Sembawang. Once the crated aircraft were reassembled, issues soon arose. The addition of the armor plating disturbed the center of gravity which affected handling, especially in dives. The heat in the area of operations limited the Buffalo's ceiling and was a cause of oil seal failure in the engine which had the consequence of spraying oil across the canopy, blocking the pilot's view. Another constant headache was the inability of the M2 Browning weapons to fire due to issues with the solenoid firing mechanism. In some cases, the wing mounted guns were replaced with Browning .303 Mk. II weapons in order to at least attain some reliability. In service, some of the additions to the Buffalo were removed, to include the armor, bullet resistant canopy glass, gun camera, and anything else deemed unnecessary so as to lighten the aircraft. In addition, it was not uncommon for sorties to be conducted on half the petrol to further reduce the fighting weight. The problems were compounded by poor construction of the Buffaloes, lack of spare parts, and poorly trained maintenance personnel. Despite the many problems, some of the pilots appreciated the robustness of the Buffalo and its ability to withstand damage. 

     Returning to W8202, it was assigned to Pilot Officer F. Leigh “Curly” Bowes of A Flight, No. 453 Squadron. On August 27, 1941, Bowes took his Buffalo up on a flight for the first time. Unfortunately, upon returning to RAF Sembawang, he forgot to lower the landing gear and made a belly landing. Thankfully, W8202 wasn't severely damaged and it was sent to RAF Seletar in Singapore to be repaired and returned to service. Bowes suffered no injuries outside of, perhaps, a bruised ego. The Buffalo was able to compare favorably to the Nakajima Ki-27 fighter (codenamed “Nate”) but soon, the Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (“Peregrine Falcon”; codenamed “Oscar”) appeared which outclassed the Buffalo. No. 453 Squadron drew its first blood on December 13, 1941 in the skies over Malaya when it tangled with Kawasaki Ki-48 light bombers (codenamed “Lily”) from the 75th. Sentai and Mitsubishi Ki-51 dive bombers (codenamed “Sonia”) from the 71st. Chutai along with escorting Ki-27 fighters. In the melee, two Ki-48s, one Ki-27, and three Ki-51s were downed with one Ki-48 being probable but at the cost of two Buffalo pilots. The unit had its largest aerial battle on December 22, 1941 when fourteen Buffaloes tangled with eighteen Ki-43 fighters from the 64th. Sentai. The Buffaloes claimed one Ki-43 confirmed and two Ki-43s as probable but at a loss of five Buffaloes with three pilots being killed. By now, the unit only had three functional Buffaloes and so the squadron was merged with No. 21 Squadron RAAF which was equally as depleted in terms of aircraft. No.21 Squadron RAAF had been formed on April 21, 1936 and had been deployed to Singapore in August 1940. Originally operating from RAF Seletar, it moved to RAF Sembawang where it fought alongside No. 453 Squadron. With the new unit, 21RAAF/453 Squadron, W8202 was now the mount of Sgt. Grant T. Harrison. Harrison was with No. 21 Squadron RAAF from the start. The end for W8202 came on January 12, 1942. 21RAAF/453 Squadron has been scrambled to strike Kuantan but thick cloud cover over the target area forced the unit to return. On the return flight, in heavy turbulence, a Buffalo flown by Flight Officer R.H. “Dainty” Wallace collided with Harrison flying W8202, shearing off the canopy and bending the propeller. With no power, Harrison was able to glide into a crash landing among trees near the Mersing River. Uninjured, Harrison made for the coast and after six days, was found by an Australian Army patrol. W8202 was never recovered.

     Harrison would not score any kills while flying the Buffalo though Bowes was credited with a probable kill of a Ki-48 on January 15, 1942. As for W8202, the wreck was discovered in 1962 and was in a relatively good state with each gun still loaded with 400 rounds of ammunition, the hydraulic system still had pressure, and the pilot oxygen bottle was still full. No. 390 Maintenance Unit of the RAF that was based at RAF Seletar, went to the wreck and removed the guns and ammunition. To this day, the wreck remains where it had crashed and the exact location has been kept secret to prevent the wreck from being looted. Other users of the Buffalo included the Netherlands and as already noted, the Finnish. It was in the hands of the Finnish that the Brewster really shined. Nicknamed, among others, the “Lentävä Kaljapullo” (“Flying Beer Bottle”), Finnish pilots flying the B-239E (the export designation of the de-navalised F2A-1) racked up impressive scores against all types of Soviet aircraft. One unit, Lentolaivue 24, shot down 477 Soviet aircraft between 1941 and 1945 while only losing 19 B-239E aircraft, a kill ratio of 26 to 1. This was even in the face of improved Soviet fighters and more experienced pilots. The last B-239E fighters, five in all, were stood down on September 14, 1948 and put into storage. Sadly, all five were scrapped in 1953.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The AirTronic PSRL-1 with OGi-7MA HE-FRAG Grenade

Source: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

     A soldier of the 4th. Assault Battalion, 92nd. Assault Brigade “Ivan Sirko” on the firing range with a PSRL-1 (Precision Shoulder-fired Rocket Launcher). The profile of the Soviet RPG-7 is clear to see and in fact, the PSRL-1 is a direct (and unlicensed) modification of the RPG-7 developed and made in the United States by the AirTronic USA company. The PSRL-1 originally appeared in 2009 under the designation RPG-7USA and the first customer was Peru that obtained the weapon for the country's special forces in 2013. This was followed by the Philippine Armed Forces the following year. The Ukrainian Army became a purchaser in 2017, a year after the RPG-7USA was redesignated as the PSRL-1. The PSRL-1 is mainly targeted to the export market, specifically allied countries to the United States looking to upgrade from the RPG-7.

     The PSRL-1 has the same weight, 14 pounds, of the RPG-7 but is a fraction shorter at 3 feet (compared to 3.1 feet of the RPG-7). Construction uses a combination of 4140 and 4150 ordnance grade steel. Both are chromium-molybdenum steel alloys with the barrel being 4150 steel as it has a higher heat resistance, is wear resistant, has a high tensile strength, and has a higher carbon content. The other components use 4140 steel mainly due to its cost-effectiveness in CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining of the parts. The rear of the barrel retains the wrap to protect the firer's shoulder from the heat. Another difference is a more conventional pistol grip on the PSRL-1 rather than the completely vertical grip of the RPG-7. Like the RPG-7, the PSRL-1 has a danger zone at the rear of the weapon of between 15 to 20 meters and this is created by the back blast when a rocket is launched.

     The most notable difference from the RPG-7 is the abundance of Picatinny rails for mounting various optics and other accessories. The PSRL-1 ships with two standard sights. The first is a AirTronic PSRL 3.5x24mm optical sight which is superior to the RPG-7's standard 2.7x13mm PGO-7 sight. The second standard sight is shown in use here, the flip-up BUIS (Backup Iron Sights). As an optional accessory, AirTronic USA offers a EOTech 552 holographic weapon sight which has a 65 MOA (Minute of Angle) ring with a 1 MOA dot. The EOTech 552 can be used with 3rd. and 4th. generation night vision via a toggle switch that turns the sight into infrared brightness levels that can be picked up by night vision goggles.

     The PSRL-1 boasts a longer range than the RPG-7 but only if using the 93mm SR-H1 HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) rocket designed specifically for the PSRL-1. Capable of penetrating 500mm of rolled homogeneous armor (RHA), the SR-H1 can achieve that at an effective range of 500 meters to a maximum range of 800 meters. By comparison, the 93mm PG-7VL HEAT rocket used by the RPG-7 can also defeat 500mm of RHA but only at 250 meters.

     Of course, what makes the PSRL-1 attractive to export customers looking to update from the RPG-7 is that the PSRL-1 can use any rocket designed for the RPG-7 and that is the case here. The rocket the soldier is using is the Bulgarian produced 40mm OGi-7MA High-Explosive Fragmentation (HE-FRAG) rocket which is used against infantry, soft-skin vehicles, lightly armored vehicles, and hasty field fortifications. The OGi-7MA can be identified by the orange nose cap. The direct fire range is 180 meters but the rocket can go as far as 1,000 meters before the solid fuel is expended. The OGi-7 warhead contains over 1,250 fragments with a lethal radius of over 22 meters. The rocket is equipped with a CP-71 propellant charge and is normally fitted with a AF72 impact fuze. The AF72 ensures that any hit, even a glancing strike (that would normally ricochet), will detonate the warhead. If need be, the rocket can also use the AF76 fuze.

     Besides the countries mentioned above, Turkey became a customer in 2022 when the PSRL-1 was purchased to equip units within the Turkish Navy special forces. As a note, Turkish Land Forces utilize the RPG-7 with the Turkish company MKEK producing various rockets for the weapon. These, of course, can also be used with the PSRL-1.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The PG-7VT Tandem-Charge HEAT Grenade

Source: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

     A previous posting discussed the ubiquitous RPG-7 to include how it works and one of the numerous rockets that it can use, the 70mm PUI-7 practice rocket. To view that post, point your browser here:

https://photosofmilitaryhistory.blogspot.com/2025/07/russo-ukrainian-war-rpg-7.html

     The rocket shown here, in the hands of a soldier of the 43rd. Mechanized Brigade, is the most lethal to any tank on the battlefields of the Russo-Ukrainian War. The Bulgarian produced 93mm PG-7VT is a very long rocket as clearly evidenced here, having a total length of 3.7 feet long with a weight of 7 pounds. The cause of the rocket's length it what gives it its lethality: a tandem-charge warhead.

     At the very front of the rocket is a smaller, 40mm HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) warhead. Within this small warhead is a OKFOL explosive shaped charge with a piezoelectric crystal equipped VP-22 fuze. This type of fuze is often used with HEAT munitions due to its robustness and simplicity. When the warhead strikes the target, the crystal undergoes mechanical stress which in turn causes crystal deformity which then releases an electric charge. This discharge then triggers the detonator on the explosive charge.

     In the case of the PG-7VT, the small warhead will strike explosive reactive armor (ERA) which is commonly found on Soviet-era and Russian tanks. Examples include Kontakt-1, Kontakt-5, and Relikt. All three types of ERA can be seen on Russian and Ukrainian tanks and in the case of Western tanks being utilized by the Ukrainian Army, many have been fitted with Kontakt-1 (the most common) and Kontakt-5 blocks. Upon hitting a ERA block, the warhead's impact will cause the explosive within the block to detonate, creating a blast traveling outwards, away from the tank. With HEAT munitions, the outward pressure wave of the block's detonation deforms the plasma jet formed by the shaped charge to the point that the tank's armor itself will not be penetrated by the warhead.

     Except, in the case of the PG-7VT, there is a 93mm HEAT warhead coming right behind the small one. With the ERA cleared away by the first charge, the larger OKFOL filled warhead can detonate against the tank's actual armor. The second charge also uses the same fuze type as the first but adds IIF (Impact, Inertia, Fired). IIF combines impact and inertial resistance to trigger the warhead and this feature is a safety measure from accidental detonation. Capable of penetrating a minimum of 500mm of rolled homogeneous armor (RHA), the PG-7VT can defeat just about every tank it would meet on the Russo-Ukrainian War's combat zones. About the only tanks that could survive, from a frontal hit, is the M1A1 Abrams and FV4034 Challenger II which the Ukrainian Army fields. The Russian Army's latest tank, the T-14 Armata, is also capable of shrugging off the PG-7VT but to date, not a single T-14 has ever been deployed to Ukraine. If the PG-7VT is fired at a tank without ERA or hits a location not protected by ERA, the penetration is no less than 500mm of RHA.

     It should be noted that this tank killing capability comes at a cost. The maximum effective range of the PG-7VT is a minuscule 300 meters with the optimal range being no more than 220 meters. In open terrain (which a good bit of Ukraine's battlefields are), effecting a hit against enemy armor means getting suicidally close. If firing from a trench in the defense, it means letting enemy armor get uncomfortably close. However, if the combat is in built up urban areas (such as in villages, towns, or small cities), the opportunity to get close enough to enemy tanks without being spotted are far higher and effecting escape after firing (as the backblast will betray the firer's location) is also higher. This is one reason tank troops do not like entering urban areas without infantry support.

     The PG-7VT can also be used against targets other than tanks. If firing at a building composed of bricks or construction masonry, the rocket can drill through around 65 inches of block. If used against reinforced concrete, penetration drops to 49 inches. If used against improvised trench works consisting of logs, sandbags, and dirt fortifications, the PG-7VT can make short work of such defenses with a penetration of 10 feet.

Remnants of War: Stridsvagn 74 (Range Target)

Source: Michael Westlund

     The remains of a Swedish Stridsvagn 74 (Strv 74) alongside a gravel road on the Kosta Firing Range located within a Swedish military reservation. 

     The Strv 74 was, in a sense, a legacy tank as well as an attempt to modernize and compete with post-WW2 tank developments. The chassis of the Strv 74 was more or less a rebuilt version of the Stridsvagn m/42 chassis, a tank developed in 1941 and remained in service with the Swedish army (after acceptance) from 1943 to 1945. The turret, however, was new and featured a potent high-velocity 75mm gun paired with a fire-control system. At the same time as the Strv 74 was being developed, Sweden purchased 80 British Centurion Mk. 3 and 160 Centurion Mk.5 tanks in the 1950s, putting them in service as the Stridsvagn 81. Later, in 1958, the Swedish added another 110 Centurion Mk.10 tanks to their armored force as the Stridsvagn 101. Thus, the Strv 74 was seen only as an indigenously produced tank to supplement the purchased Centurion tanks rather than be the de-facto tank used by the Swedish. In all, 225 Strv 74 tanks were built, entering service in 1958 and being retired in 1984. Some Strv 74 turrets were used as static gun emplacements, the last of which were torn down in the early 2000s. 

     Even the casual observer would note the large profile of the turret in comparison to the chassis and Strv 74 crews nicknamed the tank "Sanslös" (meaning “Senseless”) as the tank would violently shake and rock if the gun was fired with the turret in the 3 o’clock or 9 o’clock position. 

     The upside down sign leaning against the hull reads “Spärrat Område: Blindgångare LIVSFARA!” which translates (more or less) as “Restricted Area: Unexploded Ordnance DANGER!”

Russo-Ukrainian War: The RPG-7

Source: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

     Of all the anti-tank weapons currently in use in the world, only one can claim to be the most widely deployed. That weapon is the RPG-7. Standing for Ruchnoy Protivotankovy Granatomyot, meaning Hand-Held Antitank Grenade Launcher, the RPG-7 can be found in the arsenals of some 40 countries and in the hands of irregular forces, militants, and private military contractors (PMCs). It is believed well over 9 million RPG-7 weapons (of all types and variants) have been built. None of the successors to the RPG-7 have come close to its production numbers and so on military arms markets, there are plenty of RPG-7 models to be had as well as large stockpiles of rocket ammunition. As such, for countries aiding Ukraine militarily, supplying the RPG-7 and ammunition is inexpensive and requires little training by Ukrainian soldiers as many of them are already familiar with the weapon. The RPG-7 is the successor to the RPG-2, the latter first entering service in 1954 and the RPG-7 appearing in the hands of Soviet soldiers starting in 1961.

     The RPG-7 shown here in the hands of a soldier belonging to the 25th. Airborne Brigade “Sicheslav” has a weight of 14 pounds (unloaded) and a length of 3.1 feet without the rocket. The RPG-7 is primarily made of steel while the back portion of the launcher has wooden furniture added to protect the firer's shoulder from the heat generated in the launch tube by the rocket upon firing. Typically, the RPG-7 is equipped with a PGO-7 optical sight (with 2.7x magnification) but here, the soldier is using only the iron sights. Using the iron sights, which have no adjustment for wind or target lead, means the effective range is limited to between 200 meters to at most 500 meters.

     The RPG-7 is not a single-shot weapon and can be reloaded. While some early anti-tank weapons were electrically fired (using batteries as the power source), the RPG-7 uses a primer system. This eliminates the need for batteries and thus there is no risk of running out of power, rendering the weapon useless. As such, directly behind the front grip/trigger assembly is a single-action hammer which, when the firer pulls the trigger, releases the hammer to strike upwards onto the firing pin which then sets off the primer contained in the rocket.

     Speaking of rockets, the one seen in use here is a 70mm PUI-7 practice rocket which provides a much reduced training cost in comparison to using combat munitions. The PUI-7 has no warhead and it also does not have the rocket motor and so the nozzles, seen forward of the front sight, are closed off. It does, however, have the booster charge attached to the rear of the rocket. It is this charge that propels the rocket out of the launch tube. In a combat munition, once the rocket reaches around 5 meters distance from the launcher, the rocket motor would take over and propel the warhead towards the target and, in some cases, impart stabilizing spin while in flight. The latter occurs if the rocket doesn't utilize pop-out stabilizing fins.

     Within the PUI-7's booster charge is a 7.62x39mm tracer rifle cartridge and primer and the PUI-7 also comes with a safety cap on the tip of the warhead. On a combat RPG-7 rocket, this cap protects the impact fuze from accidental detonation. With the PUI-7 rocket, the cap is still used despite having no fuze in order to train the operator in proper procedures for readying the rocket for use. The firing process is exactly the same as with any other rocket and upon pulling the trigger, the firing pin strikes the primer and launches the PUI-7 down range. The tracer element assists in watching the flight of the rocket and the maximum range is 400 meters.

Remnants of War: Type 96 15cm Howitzers, 4th. Artillery Regiment, 35th. Brigade

Source: A.A. Image

     On August 7, 1942, the 1st. Marine Division, 2nd. Marine Division, the 23rd. Infantry Division (the “American Division”), the 25th. Infantry Division, and other U.S. Forces commenced landings on the island of Guadalcanal. It was the opening salvo by the Allies who were now going on the offensive against the Japanese in the Pacific Theater. The Battle of Guadalcanal, code-named Operation Watchtower, raged for over 6 months, finally ending with an Allied victory on February 9, 1943. The Japanese forces who had been stationed on Guadalcanal since May 1942 were overwhelmed by the initial landings and subsequent battles. The Japanese high command had not expected such an attack and after the shock of it wore off, set about plans to land forces on Guadalcanal and evict the Allied forces from the island. Between August 18, 1942 through November 5, 1942, the Japanese thrust the 2nd. Infantry Division (nicknamed Isamu Heidan, the “Courageous Division”), the remains of the 38th. Infantry Division (nicknamed Numa Heidan, the “Swamp Division”), and elements of the 38th. Brigade onto the island in an effort to defeat Allied forces. In the end, it was all for naught. On February 7, 1943, the Japanese evacuated what forces they could, 10,200 in all, and left Guadalcanal in Allied hands for good. The Japanese lost 19,200 dead of which 8,500 were from combat with the rest dying from malnutrition and disease. The Allies also paid a heavy price with 7,100 dead with another 7,789 wounded.

     Today, the jungles of Guadalcanal remain littered with the debris of war. Some of it is vandalized or stolen by treasure seekers. But, some of the remains of the campaign have been collected together and preserved at the Vilu War Museum. Situated on grounds an hour away and west of the city of Honiara on Guadalcanal, the museum is difficult to find as there is little in the way of signage or promotion to direct visitors to it. Scattered about the property are relics of the conflict, located and brought to the land in the 1950s and 1960s by the current owner's father-in-law. Among the open air displays are these two Type 96 150mm howitzers.

     Development of the Type 96 began in 1920 as a replacement for the Type 4 150mm howitzer that had been in service since 1915. However, the new howitzer was not completed in prototype form until 1934 and even then, changes to the design would not see it put into production until 1937. A total of 440 examples were built and it never did replace the Type 4 which was still in service with the Imperial Japanese Army and would remain so until the end of the war. According to U.S. Intelligence sources (namely from the October 1944 dated manual TM-E 30-480), the Type 96 was considered an excellent gun in design, construction, and effectiveness. The Type 96 was able to fire an 80lb. high-explosive projectile out to a range of 6.2 miles and a good crew could maintain a rate of fire of six to eight rounds per minute. The Type 96 had a maximum elevation of 75 degrees, which was much higher than contemporary howitzers in the same caliber. This elevation, however, could only be achieved if a pit was dug beneath the breech to allow for loading. Without the pit, the maximum elevation was 45 degrees. The Type 96 used the same ammunition as the Type 4 which simplified logistics in regards to supply. The museum's Type 96 examples are devoid of the rubber shod, wooden wheels and the breech locks are missing. This may have been done by the Japanese prior to evacuating the island and thus rendering the guns useless or they may have been removed as a means to demilitarize the guns by Allied forces.

     It is difficult to guess to what unit these guns belonged but it is possible to make an educated guess. The 2nd. Infantry Division included the 2nd. Artillery Regiment. However, the artillery regiments of infantry divisions did not utilize heavy guns like the Type 96. Instead, they were often equipped with 75mm guns, such as the Type 95. The 38th. Infantry Division included the 38th. Mountain Gun Regiment but artillery units such as these, by this time, were equipped with the Type 94 or Type 41 75mm mountain gun. This, then, leaves the 4th. Artillery Regiment which was under the 35th. Brigade. While the 35th. Brigade also had the 10th. Mountain Gun Battalion and the 20th. Mountain Gun Battalion, neither was equipped with the Type 96 and so only the 4th. Artillery Regiment is left. The IJA utilized several non-divisional forces and included in these was the medium artillery regiment. Unlike regular divisional artillery regiments, often, these independent artillery regiments only contained two battalions rather than three. Such medium artillery regiments were equipped with twenty-four Type 96 howitzers. If the guns did indeed belong to the 2nd. Division, this would assume that the 2nd. Artillery Regiment was a mixed field artillery regiment in which one of the three battalions was a medium artillery battalion equipped with seven Type 96 guns. The only other option was that the 2nd. Division was considered a “strengthened division” which meant that the unit's artillery assets would be increased to include a medium artillery battalion but there is no documentation that I found which says when the 2nd. Division deployed to Guadalcanal, it was a strengthened division.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The Snipex Alligator 14.5mm Anti-Matériel Rifle

Source: Reddit

     One of the biggest, if not the biggest, anti-matériel rifle in service with the Ukrainian Army is shown here: the Snipex Alligator. A product of XADO Holding Ltd. out of Kharkiv in Ukraine, the Alligator first entered limited production starting in 2020 and the rifle was accepted for service with the Ukrainian Army the following year. Given its size, it has appeared on several occasions in social media imagery since the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War in February 2022.

     The standard Alligator (without the suppressor seen used in the photograph) has a length of 6.5 feet and a weight of 55 pounds. It is chambered for the 14.5x114mm round which has been around since 1941 and remains the standard Russian heavy machine-gun cartridge to this day. As such, ammunition availability is quite high with many countries (including several former Soviet Bloc countries) keeping the round in production.

     The Alligator is a bolt-action weapon and uses a 5-round box magazine. The 14.5x114mm round has a length of 6.1 inches and the ammunition made for the Alligator is a 1,000-grain bullet which leaves the barrel at a muzzle velocity of 3,215 feet per second. This enables the Alligator to penetrate 10mm of armor out to a range just shy of 1 mile (.93 of a mile). The maximum effective range of the Alligator is 1.2 miles while the overall maximum range is 4.3 miles. Although 10mm seems paltry, it is more than enough to inflict damage to lightly armored vehicles, soft-skinned vehicles, and unarmored equipment. Likewise, the Alligator can be used in the sniper role against infantry targets. The Alligator can use older 14.5x114mm ammunition such as the steel core, full-metal jacket B-32 API (Armor-Piercing Incendiary) round (which is 988-grain) which can penetrate 32mm of armor but only at a range of .3 of a mile. Another older, yet common, cartridge is the 921-grain MDZ HEI (High-Explosive Incendiary) round.

     Given the weight of the Alligator, it comes with a carry handle (seen behind the bipod) to ease transport in the field. The polymer buttstock has three adjustable pieces that the operator can utilize to provide for comfort and assist stabilization. The first is a cheek rest on the top of the buttstock while the second piece is recoil pad for the shoulder. On the bottom of the buttstock is a monopod which can help support the rifle and take some of the weight off the operator. The barrel is of the floating-type for accuracy and recoil reduction while the chamber and bore is chrome-lined which helps in extraction of a spent round. The foldable bipod has four adjustment settings. Further recoil reduction comes from a damper within the buttstock and a 4-port muzzle brake.

     Atop the Alligator is a picatinny rail with a gradient range up to 50 minute of arc (MOA) for mounting scopes and other optics and here, the operator is using the standard Snipex Jove rifle scope used by the Ukrainian Army on their Alligator rifles. The scope has a 50mm tube, between 6x to 24x magnification, and a 56mm objective lens. The reticle is on the first focal plane (FFP) with a windage range of 12 mil. The Jove scope is optimized for long- and very long range shooting and is built to withstand the rigors of the battlefield and the jolting forces of the Alligator when fired.

Avia B.534: Pre-War Fighter Excellence

Source: Author's collection

     The Avia B.534 is considered by some to be the most important Czechoslovakian aircraft built during the 1930s and was certainly the most well known to many nations of the time. It was also the most prolific in terms of production numbers with 566 of all B.534 types being constructed. The man behind the B.534 was František Novotný and throughout 1932, he designed the B.34/2 with the first prototype taking to the air on May 25, 1933. The aircraft, now designated the B.534-I, was turned over for testing and on September 10, 1933, the public got to see the new fighter at an exhibition. The second prototype was completed in late September 1933 and featured a fully enclosed cockpit. Extensive testing was carried out through the first half of 1934 with April 14, 1934 standing out when test pilot Václav Kočí flew the second prototype to a Czech national speed record of 227.2mph. The Czech Air Force (Vzdušné Síly) finally put in an order for the B.534 on July 14, 1934 with an initial purchase of 34 aircraft with first deliveries occurring in October 1935. The most numerous version in service was the B.534-IV, with 253 being built, and that is the aircraft shown here.

     The B.534-IV was powered by a Hispano-Suiza HS 12Ydrs 12-cylinder, liquid-cooled V engine developing 850 horsepower which gave the aircraft a top speed of 245mph at 14,435 feet and a climb rate of 2,953 feet per minute. The B.534-IV had a wingspan of 30.1 feet, a length of 26.1 feet, height of 10.2 feet, and a wing area of 253.61 square feet. Armament consisted of four 7.92x57mm Kulomet vz. 30 machine-guns fitted in the forward fuselage with 250 to 300 rounds of ammunition per gun. If need be, six 22 pound bombs or four 44 pound bombs can be carried on underwing racks. The loaded weight of the B.534-IV was 4,674 pounds and with full tanks, the fighter had a range of 360 miles. At the time the B.354-IV entered service, it was superior to many of the fighters fielded by the British, U.S., and the Soviet Union. In fact, even in 1937, the B.534 stood up well against many fighters, only being truly bested by the Messerschmitt Bf 109B.

     The aircraft in the photograph belonged to the Slovak Air Force (Slovenské Vzdušné Zbrane) which came into existence when the Slovak State (Slovenský Štát) began on March 14, 1939 following its declaration of independence from Czechoslovakia. A client state of Germany, Slovak forces participated in the German invasion of Poland, the only other Axis country to do so. Slovak units under Field Army Bernolák (Slovenská Poľná Armádna Skupina "Bernolák") fought in Poland from September 1 through September 16, 1939, subordinated to the German 14. Armee under Heeresgruppe Süd (Army Group South). The Slovaks were victorious in seizing territory in a disputed region along the Poland-Slovakia border. Later, in 1941, the Slovak Expeditionary Army Group and later the Pilfousek Brigade fought in Russia, being attached to the German 17. Armee. However, the Slovak forces lacked command structure, had logistical problems, and were short on motorized transports and despite seeing some frontline combat, were usually relegated to rear-area security operations. Involved in the Russian campaign were three Slovak Air Force squadrons. The B.534-IV aircraft used by the Slovak Air Force had been former Czech Air Force planes but by mid-1942, the fighter was long eclipsed by superior designs and was removed from front-line service and distributed to training units.

     The B.534-IV seen here has a German Balkenkreuz painted on the fuselage, no doubt to aid in identification and prevent friendly fire incidents. The emblem on the tail rudder was that of the Slovak Air Force and consisted of a double cross on a field within a circle. In this case, the cross is blue on a red field within a white circle. Some aircraft had a red cross on a blue field. This emblem was repeated on the top of the wings and on the bottom of the lower wings. In addition, some B.534-IV aircraft added the German Balkenkreuz beside the Slovak emblems. Later, Slovak Air Force aircraft used their own version of the Balkenkreuz that consisted of a blue cross with white borders with a red circle in the center. The overall color was a dark green with whitish-gray undersides.

     The Slovak Air Force ceased to be when the Slovak State came to an end on April 4, 1945 when Slovakia fell to the Russians during the Bratislava–Brno Offensive and both Slovakia and Moravia were returned to Czechoslovakia. Other users of the B.534-IV during the war was Bulgaria which operated some 48 to 78 aircraft (which they called the “Dogan“, or Hunting Hawk), Germany (mostly as training aircraft and glider tugs), and Romania (which used several as glider tugs). 

     Today, no complete B.534 exists in the world. A replica B.534-IV is on display at the Prague Aviation Museum in Kbely, Czechoslovakia while another replica, a cannon-armed Bk.534 variant, is on display at the Slovak Technical Museum at Košice International Airport, Slovakia. Both replicas incorporate some original parts but the majority of the components had to be fabricated. There is also a airworthy replica, though not to scale (it is 30% smaller than the actual B.534) that was built by Stanislav Fiala starting in 2002. The first flight took place in 2009 but following testing, needed modifications which made Ultralight certification difficult. It was not until October 2012 was the replica certified and it carries the code OK-QAB-1. Power comes from a Walter Mikron III engine with the frame being chrome-molybdenum tubing with wooden wings and tail surfaces. The plane is painted in the colors of the 1. Letecky Pluk (1st. Air Regiment), either the 32. Letka or 34. Letka (32nd. or 34th. Squadron), of the Czech Air Force.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The M240 240mm Heavy Mortar

Source: Reddit

     A soldier of the 3rd. Assault Brigade poses next to one of the unit's handful of colossal M240 240mm heavy mortars. The M240 mortars in use by Ukraine had been in storage until an unknown number were withdrawn, refurbished, and put back into service. Today, the M240 is the largest mortar in operational service in the world. Sometimes classified as a siege mortar, the M240 is designed to bombard fortified positions and the initial design commenced in 1944, being a scaled up version of the PM-43 160mm heavy mortar. Prototypes of the M240 were tested into 1950 and once accepted for service, production started in 1951 with units receiving the M240 commencing in 1953. In total, 329 examples of the M240 were built when production ended in 1958.

     With a combat weight of 4.6 tons and a barrel length alone of 17.6 feet, the M240 requires a maximum crew of 11 to operate effectively. A tow vehicle (usually a MT-LB tracked prime mover or a Ural 373 series 6x6 truck) moves the M240 about as well as carries the crew. Between one to two additional vehicles normally accompany the mortar with one containing ammunition while the other carries equipment and apparatus to assist in emplacing the M240 into a chosen firing position. The maximum tow speed is 25 miles per hour.

     The barrel is of the smooth-bore type and uses a breech-block. The 2-wheel carriage permits a total traverse of 18 degrees and the barrel can be elevated to a minimum of 45 degrees to a maximum of 65 degrees. Both traverse and elevation is manually controlled using gears situated on the left side of the barrel. Sighting is done using older MP-46 or MP-46M panoramic sights or by using a K-1 collimator sight. The carriage is equipped with a recoil assembly, used to reduce firing vibration and be the bridge between the barrel and the mount.

     Loading the M240 is no simple process. As the mortar is a breech loader and cannot be loaded while the barrel is elevated, the barrel is brought down to a horizontal position. The standard 3OF-864 HE (High-Explosive) bomb has a total weight of 290 pounds of which 75 pounds accounts for the explosive in the bomb's warhead. The bomb is brought to the M240 using a 2-wheeled trolley and once near the breech, long-handled tongs are used to pick up the bomb with two men on either side of the projectile providing the lift. A fifth man stands behind the bomb, making sure the bomb's fins are steady and not damaged. Once the bomb is pushed into the barrel, the breech is closed and the M240's barrel returned to battery. A well trained crew can manage a rate of fire of 1 round per minute.

     The M240 is capable of lobbing the 3OF-864 bomb out to a maximum range of 6 miles. A RAP (Rocket Assisted Projectile) version of the 3OF-864 (designated the 3F2 Gagara), fitted with 3M15 rocket motors, can extend that range out to 12 miles. However, even with the RAP bomb, the M240 is within counterbattery range of guns such as the 122mm D-30 howitzer, BM-21 Grad MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System), and drones such as the ZALA Lancet loitering munition as well as other FPV drones. Bringing the M240 into action takes up to 25 minutes from the halt and with apparatus to assist with the set up. The M240 can only fire from firm ground and if the ground is too hard, explosive charges are used to blow a pit into the ground for the base plate to settle into. While preparing to fire may go unnoticed, after the first bomb is fired, detection may only be a matter of time. It takes up to 15 minutes to return the M240 to traveling condition and this makes “shoot and scoot” tactics of very limited value. This issue is the main reason the Soviet Union developed the 2S4 Tyulpan (“Tulip”) which is a tracked, self-propelled mounting of the 240mm 2B8 mortar (a modified M240) that entered service starting in 1975.

     Other than the common 3OF-864 ammunition, it is believed the Ukrainians also have some stockpiles of the 3F2 Gagara bombs and a more limited availability of the 1K113 Smelchak (“Daredevil”) semi-active, laser-guided mortar bomb. The latter is composed of a 3F5 240mm HE projectile, a optoelectronic correction head, four adjustable fins, and six solid-fuel rocket motors. In order to effectively utilize the 3F5 bomb, it requires soldiers on the ground equipped with either a 1D15 or 1D20 laser rangefinder/designator. The 1D15 has a maximum range of 3 miles while the 1D20 has a 4 mile maximum range. The 1K113 itself has a maximum range of 5.7 miles.

     Doctrine in using the 1K113 as designed involves aiming the M240 towards the designated target and firing a standard round. The observation team, already in place (and usually no more than 5 miles from the target), reports the impact and calls back adjustments to the firing unit. After the gunner makes the corrections, the 1K113 is then loaded and fired. The soldier manning the 1D15 or 1D20 unit aims the designator at the target where it receives a radio signal from the M240 firing position regarding the bomb's trajectory. As the bomb nears the target, the designator switches to targeting mode, “painting” the target with laser pulses which the bomb's correction head picks up via reflection. Around .5 of a mile from impact, the rocket motors are utilized to make any corrections to the flight path to ensure successful impact. The usual deviation from the aim point is no more than 1.8 meters.

     As of July 28, 2025, the Russians have lost a total of sixty-one 2S4 Tyulpan (10% of the total production run) while the Ukrainians have not lost any of their M240 towed mortars.

M102 105mm Howitzer: Battle for Quảng Trị

Source: The Associated Press

     On March 30, 1972, the Chiến dịch Xuân Hè 1972 (1972 Spring - Summer Offensive), better known as the Easter Offensive, was launched by the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) supported by Việt Cộng forces. In the attack, the PAVN took the city of Quảng Trị as well as Quảng Trị Province along with a portion of Thừa Thiên Province. The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), while initially thrown back, dug in along the My Chanh River north of Huế and halted the PAVN advance with the assistance of U.S. air support. On June 14, 1972, I Corps commander Lieutenant-General Ngô Quang Trưởng commenced planning to retake Quảng Trị Province with a combined U.S. and ARVN mission called Operation Lam Son 72.

     On June 27, 1972, the U.S. 9th. Marine Amphibious Brigade launched a feint assault along the Cua Việt River but on the ground, RVN Marine and RVN Airborne forces met stiff resistance from PAVN troops as they moved northwest of the Thạch Hãn River. To assist, on June 28, U.S. Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 164 (HMM-164; the “Death Riders”) and HMM-165 (the “White Knights”) airlifted the 1st. and 4th. RVN Marine Battalions behind PAVN positions. After further fighting, both the Marine and Airborne forces reached the outskirts of Quảng Trị on July 7. The defenders within the city were not the cream of the PAVN crop and instead, were relatively untrained replacement soldiers and militiamen. This was because the PAVN 304th. Division and 308th. Division had pulled their more experienced fighters out of Quảng Trị to protect them from U.S. air power. Despite this, PAVN forces in the city had artillery support, terrain advantage, and had well prepared positions to the point that ARVN attacks against the city met with stiff resistance. On July 11, U.S. Air Force Boeing B-52 bombers bombarded the city and in an effort to cut off the PAVN supply line, HMM-164 and HMM-165 were again called in to drop the RVN 1st. Marine Division north of the city. It was costly as three helicopters were downed with another 25 receiving various amounts of damage from viscous anti-aircraft fire. After three days of brutal combat against the PAVN 48th. Regiment of the 320th. Division (the Đồng Bằng Division or Delta Division), the regiment was forced to retreat. By July 20, the Marines had consolidated their positions while the RVN Airborne forces continued to penetrate into Quảng Trị. Two days later, the 5th. Marine Battalion was airlifted by HMM-164 to interdict PAVN supply lines near the Cua Việt River and combined with two additional Marine battalions, including tanks, managed to defeat PAVN forces in the area after two days of fighting. By July 27, it was the RVN Marines assaulting the city after relieving the diminished RVN Airborne troops and for weeks, combat raged in bitter house-to-house fighting. On September 9, 1972, the 147th. Marine Brigade and the 258th. Marine Brigade pushed on the heavily defended city center which finally fell on September 15. The brutal combat cost ARVN forces 3,658 dead with 20 U.S. servicemen killed while it is estimated PAVN losses were at least 10,000 killed. In support of the RVN troops, the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy (flying from five aircraft carriers) flew 5,461 close air support sorties while the U.S. Air Force launched 2,054 B-52 bomber sorties.

     The Associated Press photograph shown here was taken on July 10, 1972 and shows a RVN Airborne artilleryman manning a U.S. built M102 105mm howitzer. The location was a firebase situated near La Vang which was 3 miles south of Quảng Trị. The M102 was a lightweight (1.5 tons) howitzer whose design commenced in 1962 with the first examples entering service in 1966 to replace the World War Two era M101A1 howitzers. The gun used a box trail that had a platform beneath the gun that when in place and the wheels raised, allowed the gun to be traversed a full 360 degrees. Gun depression was a maximum of 5 degrees with a maximum elevation of 75 degrees. Recoil was via a hydro-pneumatic system and the gun used a vertical sliding-wedge breech. The standard high-explosive shell weighed 33lbs. and with the maximum powder charge, the range was 7.1 miles. With a rocket-assisted shell, the range was increased to 9.4 miles. Today, the M102 is no longer used by the U.S. Army, having been replaced by the M119 though it still exists in some U.S. National Guard inventories. It is also still used by the U.S. Marine Corps but usually only for ceremonial duties. The U.S. Air Force continues to use the M102 in the Lockheed AC-130J Ghostrider gunship. Outside of the U.S., a handful of operators still use the M102 with the largest user being Jordan that maintains 50 guns on inventory.

Remnants of War: Type 89B Otsu I-Go, 38th. Independent Mixed Brigade

Source: Justin Taylan

     The Type 89B Otsu I-Go medium tank in the photograph had sat in the jungle in the vicinity of Tarlena which is located on the northwest coast of the island of Bougainville since 1945. The tank was one of four such tanks that had been shipped from Japan via Truk then Rabaul. At Rabaul, the tanks were loaded aboard the Japanese freighter Bunsan Maru when, on September 1943, the ship arrived at Tarlena and unloaded its cargo. The tanks had been assigned to the 4th. South Sea Garrison which had been formed in Wakayama, Japan back on June 26, 1943.

     The Type 89 was, by 1943, long obsolete. The design of the tank had begun back in 1927. Japan's first indigenous tank design, the Type 87 Chi-I, was dismissed as being too heavy and too under-powered and so the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) issued specifications for a new tank which had to weigh no more than 9 tons. The design was heavily inspired by the Vickers Medium C tank, a single example of which the Japanese had purchased from Britain in March 1927 for study. In April 1928, the design for the new tank was completed and construction began on a prototype. Completed sometime in 1929, the tank was given the designation Type 89 and after evaluation, it was approved for production. This was problematic as the IJA's Sagami Arsenal was incapable of mass production and so the IJA had to contract out to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Mitsubishi constructed a new factory solely to build the Type 89 and by 1931, production had commenced. By now, the Type 89 weighed in at a little over 12 tons and so the Type 89 was reclassified from a light tank to a medium tank. In 1934, a new model of the Type 89 was put into production. The main change was removing the water-cooled 100hp 6-cylinder Daimler gasoline engine and replacing it with an air-cooled 120hp Mitsubishi A6120VD diesel engine. It also simplified the frontal armor arrangement and reshaped the turret. The new model was given the Type 89B Otsu designation while the previous make was called the Type 89A Kō. For armor, the Type 89 had a maximum of 17mm of frontal armor down to a minimum of 6mm. For weapons, it used the Type 90 57mm gun, a hull mounted Type 91 6.5mm machine-gun and another Type 91 fitted to the back of the turret. The Type 89 had a maximum speed of 16mph and had a four man crew. All told, 113 of the Type 89A tanks were built and 291 of the Type 89B.

     The Type 89 was the main tank of IJA armored forces for many years and against the Chinese who lacked anti-tank capability, the Type 89 was proof against small arms fire and the 57mm gun was adequate enough. Still, the IJA was attuned enough to know the Type 89 was reaching the end of its usefulness and by 1942, the Type 89 was being withdrawn from front-line service, having been replaced with the Type 97 Chi-Ha. Still, despite being obsolete and ineffective against most Allied medium tanks as the Type 90 gun could only penetrate a paltry 20mm of armor at 500 meters, the Type 89 was still to see combat until the very end in August 1945.

     When the battle to take Bougainville Island commenced on November 1, 1943 with the U.S. landings at Torokina, the 4th. South Sea Garrison carefully hid the Type 89 tanks to protect them from U.S. air power. The fight for Bougainville slogged on for months and months, finally ending on August 21, 1945. By November 1944, Australian combat forces under the II Corps relieved U.S. forces and continued the fighting for the island. Earlier, the Type 89 tanks were turned over to the 38th. Independent Mixed Brigade. This unit was formed in June 1944 from what was left of the IJA's 17th. Division (code named the Getsu-heidan or Moon Division), specifically, the former headquarters of the 17th. Division and the 81st. Infantry Regiment. To bolster the brigade's armored capability, the four Type 89s were turned over to the new unit. The 38th. Independent Mixed Brigade's main battle with the Australians took place during the Battle of Pearl Ridge where the brigade took on the 25th. Infantry Battalion between December 30 and December 31, 1944. Led by General Kesao Kijima, Japanese forces were unable to dislodge the Australians from their positions and while casualties were quite light (10 Australian men killed with 34 Japanese killed in action), the Japanese loss was a blow to the brigade's morale and for the Australians, it was the start of a renewed push for further offensive action against what remained of Japanese forces. What was left of the 38th. Independent Mixed Brigade ended up at Numa Numa Mission on the east coast of Bougainville where it would eventually surrender in August 1945.

     Returning to the tank in the photograph, it was abandoned near one of the plantations that dotted the Bougainville landscape and would not move again until the 1980s. The tank was on the property of one Oscar Bond and the Kieta Lions Club desired to purchase the tank to restore and place it in the Kieta Memorial Park. Bond was receptive to the purchase, accepting a pig as payment (as a side note, pigs were and are still considered a status symbol in some of the cultures in New Guinea which includes Bougainville). Bond, however, wanted to keep the gun barrel of the tank. The tank was transported by a man named Bob Strong to Kieta Memorial Park where it was set on two concrete pads. The tank was cleaned and given a tan paint scheme with Japanese flags on the hull sides. A fabricated gun barrel was fitted to the tank to replace the one kept by Mr. Bond. The tank is incomplete and is missing the upper track fenders, the machine-guns (replica machine-guns were not added), the exhaust screen cover, the cover for the hull machine-gunner's square vision port, return rollers, the cupola hatch, and the engine. The tank can still be seen at the park which is located in Kieta along Aropa-Arawa Road. 

     The photograph depicts the tank as it appears today, having been left to deteriorate, and losing all of its initial luster when first put on display. It is clear no attempt has been made to return the tank to its original restoration condition and preserve it as best possible, let alone maintain the park which looks fairly overgrown.

Waifus with Raifus: The Rheinmetall-Borsig 30mm Maschinenkanone 108 Automatic Cannon

Artwork: Noriyasu Yamauchi

     The Rheinmetall-Borsig Maschinenkanone 108 (MK 108) 30mm automatic cannon first appeared in 1940, created by Rheinmetall-Borsig as a company endeavor. In 1942, the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM; Reich Aviation Ministry) issued a requirement for a heavy cannon for aircraft which could engage Allied bombers and cripple or even destroy a bomber with minimal ammunition usage. Rheinmetall-Borsig dusted off the MK 108 and presented it to the RLM who, satisfied the cannon met the requirements, accepted the MK 108 for acquisition with the cannon entering operational service in mid-1943. The first aircraft to be equipped with it was the Messerschmitt Bf 110G-2 heavy fighter and the Bf 109G-6/U4.

     The MK 108, by itself, had a weight of 128 pounds with a barrel length of just under 2 feet (23 inches). The action utilized the principle of Advanced Primer Ignition (API) blowback. As is sometimes said of German engineering, this action required exceptional and precision construction and assembly to ensure smooth operation. API blowback works by igniting the primer within the round while the bolt is still moving forward and before the round is fully chambered. The rearward force of the detonating primer both slows the bolt's forward motion to prevent it from slamming into the breech while leaving enough momentum to send the bolt rearward to repeat the cycle. Such an action allowed the MK 108 to have a lighter bolt amd have a low recoil. 

     The MK 108 had a cyclic rate of fire of 650 rounds per minute with a muzzle velocity of 1,640 feet per second. This was rather low in comparison to other aircraft cannons and created a dangerously short effective range of 200 to 300 meters to ensure hits. While the MK 108 had a far longer maximum range, the round suffered from rapid drop which made accuracy at range poor. Testing showed that at 1,000 meters the round drop was as much as 135 feet from the aim point. However, the MK 108 was never designed to engage fighters (though, a single hit to a fighter could cause significant damage) but the much larger target profiles of bombers.

     The caliber of the MK 108 was 30x90RB. RB stands for Rebated which means the rim of the round has a smaller diameter than the base of the round. The main benefit of a rebated round is that it can be easily converted into differing ammunition without having to change the weapon's action mechanism. While the MK 108 had several ammunition types, the most common used in combat was the 30X90RB Minengeschoß (Mine-Shell) round. A thin-walled, steel cased round, it packed 85 grams of PETN (Pentaerythritol Tetraniotrate) explosive into the nose. Allied bomber crews were able to easily hear the MK 108's distinctive sound when it fired, nicknaming the weapon the “pneumatic hammer.”

     While the MK 108 had some success when equipping propeller driven aircraft, when the MK 108 was installed in turbojet aircraft, the short effective range made scoring hits a very dangerous affair for pilots. The Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighters' speed was much higher than Allied bombers and so a successful engagement against bombers from the front or rear (an attack profile to minimize the number of defensive machine-guns that can take the aircraft under fire) was very difficult. With only 360 rounds to feed four MK 108 cannons, Me 262 pilots eventually developed an attack profile in which they flew above the bomber stream and once a target was selected, the pilot would put the Me 262 into a shallow dive which used the plane's speed to avoid escort fighters. Then, the pilot would continue the dive behind and below the bomber then pull up, bleeding off speed. This put the Me 262 around 1,000 meters from the rear of the bomber with the pilot opening fire at 500 meters then pulling away to avoid a collision at 200 meters. The rocket fighter, the Messerschmitt Me 163, had an even higher speed and pilots attacking bombers had between 2-3 seconds to execute an attack before having to pull away. 

     The lack of range saw the Me 262 equipped with 55mm R4M unguided rockets on underwing racks, 12 per wing. On approach, and outside of the bomber's heavy machine-gun range, the pilot would unleash the rockets which would create a spread pattern. Just one or two hits from a R4M was enough to down a bomber.

Russo-Ukrainian War: Training with Airsoft

Source: Sky News Ukraine

     Two Ukrainian soldiers photographed during training sometime in July 2025. The wire mesh goggles and mask worn by the soldier in the foreground might look very familiar to people who participate in airsoft games. Airsoft, which first started in Japan in the 1970s, is now played around the world and it consists of teams competing against each other with the sides utilizing airsoft weapons which fire 6mm spherical pellets. The Ukrainian Army, as far back as 2023, began using airsoft firearms to conduct training. Specifically, they are using AEG airsoft weapons.

     AEG, standing for Automatic Electric Gun, is the most common type of powered airsoft weapon. Based on airsoft spring guns (the cheapest type of airsoft weapon...requiring the firer to cock the weapon after each shot), the AEG uses a rechargeable battery pack to power an electric motor which handles the task of charging the weapon. As such, many AEG weapons are selective fire, permitting the operator to shoot single shot, 3-round burst fire, or conduct fully automatic fire. The typical AEG has a muzzle velocity of between 300 to 390 feet per second with an average range of around 200 feet. Getting struck by a 6mm pellet is said to feel like getting a sharp pinch.

     So, why use airsoft? It offers a number of advantages with the most obvious being safety and the prevention of serious injury. As the Ukrainian Army is at a disadvantage in regards to manpower versus the Russian Federation, airsoft reduces the chances of death or critical injury if the training is being conducted with small arms ammunition (even blanks can be deadly). Given that many AEG airsoft guns are externally replicas of genuine assault rifles, it provides the recruit or soldier with practical experience in handling the weapon. Likewise, AEG weapons are relatively inexpensive compared to their real counterparts and the cost of 6mm ammunition is far cheaper than small arms cartridges.

     Another obvious advantage is it permits realistic combat training that encompasses the broad spectrum of battlefield tactics across various terrain and situations. OPFOR (Opposition Forces) can be utilized to engage soldiers in combat simulations without much risk of harm during firefights which makes such “live fire” training far more real where there is no mistaking being struck and thus trainees can experience what it is to take “casualties” and how to deal with such situations. Also, airsoft training is more economical in comparison to using MILES (Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System) equipment which is expensive, cumbersome for infantrymen to wear the required sensors in addition to their regular combat loads, and requires lasers to be fitted to weapons. This, in addition to the time needed to maintain MILES gear and replacement cost for damaged lasers and sensors.

     Airsoft, while providing limited benefit to marksmanship, is no replacement for training with actual battle rifles on shooting ranges with live ammunition...all under the guidance of instructors who can assist the soldier within the relative safety of a controlled environment.

     The AEG rifles shown in the photograph are replicas of the Colt M4A1 CQBR (Close Quarter Battle Receiver) using SOPMOD (Special Operations Peculiar Modification) accessories, notably the Knight's Armament Company rail interface system (NSN: 1005-01-416-1089) as the rifle's forearm. What make the AEGs are cannot be told with any certainty but Specna Arms is a possible candidate, if only by the design of the magazine.