"All of Vlad's forces and all of Vlad's men, are out to put Humpty together again." (7 Viewers)

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I propose a new acronym: T4MF (Tip Toeing Through The Mine Field) for when current discourse drifts into forbidden territory.

Sorry....T4MF is already taken and it refers to Vladimir Putin.

It stands for That Tempestuous Tyrannical Totalitarian....I'll let you guess the rest.
 
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I was going to mention something about changing the glow plugs.
I flew a Be99 once that had a -27 PT6 (igniters) on one side and a -28 (glowplugs) on the other to an FAA checkride. The inspector busted me on the checkride because I failed to abort the start on #2 when there were no audible igniter snaps (a checklist item). I protested that #2 was a -28 with glowplugs and he pulled out his spec sheet which said the Be99 had -27s, so this plane was unairworthy and I was in violation for flying it. I said there was a commonly used Supplemental Type Certificate to use -28s in 99s, and we had a copy in the paperwork back at the office. "Rubbish! No such thing! I'm issuing a violation on you and calling your company to come get you. This plane is going out of here on a truck." At that point the FSDO Chief asked his chief airworthiness inspector, who said that yes, there was such an STC. So he reprimanded the ops inspector and sent us back out to fly the checkride. Needless to say, I didn't pass that checkride.
"I'm from the FAA, and I'm here to help."
 
And down here at the grassroots, most of us still give our neighbors the benefit of the doubt.

Exactly. My neighbors are a mixed pot. Lefties and righties, but all of us moderates. We all get along and enjoy each others companies, and have great discussions. The key though is fact that none of us are on the extreme of either side. It's those crackpots that are the loudest and ruin it for everyone.
 
The key though is fact that none of us are on the extreme of either side. It's those crackpots that are the loudest and ruin it for everyone.
Buffnut nailed it. It's a clickbait-driven radicalization process with no checks or balances.
Our only hope is that the outer reaches become so ludicrous as to be evident to all remaining sane people, even the Emperor's Wardrobe Ministry.
 
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Tesla & Twitter stuff.jpg
 
It ain't the fuel that might be a problem. Turbines are a bit different from diesels and I've read they require more maintenance. You got set up a service network. Logistics!
They require different maintenance. IIIRC, from when I worked at AVCO-Stratford, the MTOH for the AGT-1500 was about twenty times that of the diesel alternative, and the MTBR was about equal to the tank's planned peacetime service life.

The engine is also more multi-fuel than the diesel, demonstrating the ability to run on just about any liquid fuel short of unheated marine diesel, although 100/130 avgas left a lot of deposits in the hot end.
 
My point is that as a versatile support weapon the 105 equipped vehicles would offer mobility with more than just
AT capability. Support fire from a decent sized weapon which can cover terrain well under it's own steam is important
on the battlefield.

There are plenty of worthy targets besides tanks.
Agreed. And once the vehicle is paid for it's likely cheaper to kill BMPs and BTRs with a gun than with an expensive and harder to replace MANPATS. If (a hard if) 105mm L7 equipped AFVs are available the Ukrainians can save their NLAWs and Javelins for hardened targets like MBTs. In the anti-IFV role even an L7 equipped TAM will do nicely.

It's not the L7, but I wonder if Israel has a warehouse filled with 105mm armed Sherman M-51s.

i6pjm3kfdfu71.jpg
 
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I can buy the ability of the Gepard to shred soft vehicles and AFVs but I still say taking out a tank would require a lucky hit in a poorly defended area (e.g engine compartment, attacking from the rear).

Your statement about the A-10 isn't actually correct. Trials of A-10s going against MBTs showed that the results really weren't that great. The one thing the A-10 has going for it is that it pumps a lot of rounds downrange very quickly (muzzle velocity is well over twice that of the Gepard), which means an initial round that creates some damage may be followed by a second or third round that can at least disable the tank. I wouldn't bet on the Gepard, shooting just 40 rounds at less than half the muzzle velocity of the A-10, shredding any T-72 that's coming towards your position...again, from the rear is a different story, but against the main armour I just don't buy it.
If I'm not wrong, the Oerlikon GDF has a muzzle velocity of 1440 m/s when firing APDS rounds.
In contrast Gau-8 only manages about 1010 m/s for the API rounds (depleted uranium)

Regards
 
If I'm not wrong, the Oerlikon GDF has a muzzle velocity of 1440 m/s when firing APDS rounds.
In contrast Gau-8 only manages about 1010 m/s for the API rounds (depleted uranium)

Regards
If you're operating your mobile air defence guns within sight of the enemy's MBTs you're doing it wrong. I believe the Gepard will be used close behind the front lines in concealed positions to destroy Russian helicopters and strike aircraft. Any MBT close enough to see the Gepard had better already be dead or fighting for its life against NLAW/Javelin equipped Ukrainian infantry. On the Gepard, can it reliably down cruise missiles and land attack missiles?
 
Rheinmetall informed that they have stored only 23k rounds of 35mm ammunition. Single load of Gepard is 680 rounds... it is not even funny.... Rusted 40 years old Striela missiles and flak tanks without ammunition - could be better for Grmany just say "no"?
Nammo also produces 35 mm ammo compatible with the gepard oerlikons.

This one in particular is produced (at least) in the Nammo plant in Palencia (Spain)
 
The M1's AGT1500 (1500 HP) multi-fuel turbine accounts for about 40% of the platform's current operational maintenance. Although the original intent was to have a 2000 hr MTBO (the requirement was 2000 hr MTBO) the goal was never met (I think). Currently the MTBO is ~700 hrs. This is partly because of aging engines and associated systems, and partly because the M1 has been so heavily used - much more so than envisioned in the original requirements.

The Leopard II's MT883 (1500 HP) multi-fuel diesel met the originally requirement for 2000 hr MTBO, and has maintained that requirement in operations.

There is however, more routine maintenance required on the MT883. I have not been able to find out the difference in times required by levels of maintenance for the 2 engines, but it is probably more for the diesel.

Incidentally, the 'EuroPowerPack' (a variant of the MT883 diesel and Renk transmission) was fitted to a M1A2 in the late-1990s and completed trials satisfactorily. Fuel usage during the trials was ~50% compared to the turbine powered control model.
 
re "If I'm not wrong, the Oerlikon GDF has a muzzle velocity of 1440 m/s when firing APDS rounds.
In contrast Gau-8 only manages about 1010 m/s for the API rounds (depleted uranium)"

You have to add the forward velocity of the moving A-10 to the MV of the projectile when fired from a stationary platform. The A-10 attacks at a minimum of about 250 knots (preferably around 300 knots) so the effective MV of the GAU-8 round is ~1450 m/s.
 

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