Decades before the A-10 Warthog, came the B-25 Strafers
quote:
Originally posted by sjtill:
Off topic: The latest issue of The American Rifleman has an article about a new ammunition company, First Breach, that has set up shop in the old Fairchild factory in Hagerstown.,,
I have not seen that article, but the company www site does say it's in the old Fairchild plant. I visited the air museum at the north end of the plant back in Feb and did not see any evidence of a small arms facility, but I wasn't looking either. There are numerous tenants in addition to the museum.
No, I do not know how much safety distance is required to manufacture small arms.
The old plant is on Showalter Road just east of I81, a few miles north of I70. It's in the SE corner of the airport complex. Both runways are close to the building.
Wonder if the wing mounted 50s and the 8 on the nose were all on the same trigger button. I wonder also who controlled the trigger button or buttons. One good burst on a strafing run with 10 plus 50s targeting a ship would be hell raining down.
September 27, 2025, 05:47 PM
sjtill
On topic:
I saw the thumbnail for this on YouTube, but ignored it, because YT is now full of "The Germans were shocked", "The Japanese were astonished" and the like clickbait.
Having watched the first video, I am mightily impressed; off to buy that novel about the B-25's, it's the kind of thing I like to use to retreat from today's divided, fractious and often disappointing society.
_________________________ “Remember, remember the fifth of November!"
September 27, 2025, 06:24 PM
SevenPlusOne
quote:
Originally posted by pbslinger: Wonder if the wing mounted 50s and the 8 on the nose were all on the same trigger button. I wonder also who controlled the trigger button or buttons. One good burst on a strafing run with 10 plus 50s targeting a ship would be hell raining down.
"Ninja kick the damn rabbit"
September 30, 2025, 03:14 PM
BOATTRASH1
The book I mentioned earlier, General Kenney Reports, was first published in 1949. As I mentioned it is basically a day-by day diary of the air war in the Southwest Pacific. It is organized into 27 chapters of mostly 2 months each chapter covering the period from July,1942 to September 1945. It has numerous maps included, drawn by General Kenney himself. It is 579 pages long and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in this campaign.
And another new, EXCELLANT book is HARVEST of the GRIM REAPERS, The illustrated history of the 3rd and 27th bombardement groups during WW II. This book is by Lawrence J. Hickey and Edward M. Rogers and is published by INTERNATIONAL HISTORICAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATES, Boulder, CO. This book covers prewar to December,1942. This is a hard cover, semi glossy paper book that is loaded with photographs. It was heavily researched. It is complete with 42 pages of a Glossary, Bibliography and Acknowledgements. An added bonus for me is 5 pictures of my dad in the book. It wasn't cheap. $80.00 for me when it came out in 2022.
One more good book is The Grim Reapers, The History of the 3rd Bomb Group 1918-1965. By Lawrence Cortesi. Published by Historical Aviation Album, 1985. Only 105 pages but still very good and again, loaded with photos.