Myths and misinformations in 21st century (1 Viewer)

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Well, leaving out the P-38 can opener.
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and the entrenching tool
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The M-1 rifle does present a good claim. :)

When looking at these statements it is well to remember not only how much was meant for public consumption or morale, but when the statement was made. A statement made in the Fall of 1942 might be different than a statement made in the spring of 1945.
 
Like the British spike bayonet was heartily disliked (if not hated) by British troops because, what ever it's pluses and minuses as a bayonet, it was useless for all the other non-combat tasks troops normally used bayonets for. Opening cans/boxes, making tent stakes, helping make kindling for fires and other odd jobs.
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Ah yes the old "Pigsticker"
 
Technology and the Air Force: A Retrospective Assessment

It seems that in the post-war era the idea that the Americans only learned about the benefits of swept wings after finding German research is also flawed.

I think Robert Jones wrote his first paper on swept wings in 1943. In any case, supersonic and transonic flight was an area of active research before WW2. Check out the 1935 Volta Conference. As an aside, Mussolini's government paid the US delegation's travel expenses.
 
When looking at these statements it is well to remember not only how much was meant for public consumption or morale, but when the statement was made. A statement made in the Fall of 1942 might be different than a statement made in the spring of 1945.

In researching the Martin B-26, I perused several volumes of the Martin Star, house organ for the Martin company during WW2. Lots of great quotes about the effectiveness of Martin products, Maryland, Baltimore, B-26 Marauder, PBM Mariner, JRM Mars. They were all, of course, the finest aerial weapons ever devised. Great propaganda, lousy source material. But I was able to associate names and faces of some of the Martin technicians assigned to the combat units.
 
Sales propaganda is always senational. I recall the Comvair R3Y Tradewinds was touted as the greatest aerial refueller ever devised, along with many other positive things ... but we never bought it. It set a world record for refuelling four F9F Cougars at the same time.

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wonder where they got the dark blue one? Ha!
 
Both English- and German-language Wikipedia state that German MK 101 cannon was 'too heavy', that was not the case. In many publications the weight of the empty gun is stated at 180 kg, however that was the weight of a gun + full 30-rd drum. Without ammo, bare gun was at ~140 kg,
 
probably a mix of weight, CoG change, hard recoil, rather low-powered engines
 
I'll toss one reason, just IMO: lack of requirement. Flak forces were outfitted with mix of 2 and 3.7cm, so there was no perceiced need for the 3 cm. Again IMO, dual MK 101 vs. quad 2cm offers almost twice the range, comparable with 3.7cm, without increase in need for manpower or transports (unlike the single-barreled 3.7cm); granted the RoF would've been lower, and throw weight comparable. Bigger throw weight than 3.7cm, much greater RoF.

As for low-ish powered engines - carrying two MK 101s by Ju 87B, let alone Ju 87D would not be any more of a problem than two 3.7cm carried by the Ju 87G.
 
US Navy colors

1943 = Combat aircraft were repainted with non-specular dark blue for top surfaces, with a lighter grayed blue for lower sides, and white undersides. Until war's end this was standard for all combat aircraft except carrier planes (see next). Some aircraft used specifically for night operations were painted an overall non-specular black, and gloss black for transferred USAAF aircraft.
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1944 = Overall gloss midnight blue was applied to carrier aircraft.
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1946 = Midnight blue became standard for most other aircraft. Lettering was in white, or yellow for reserve units. Target tugs had wings, fin and stabilizer painted chrome yellow with ailerons, rudder, elevator and cowling, as well as as a three-foot wide band on each wing, in bright red.
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1955 = Light gray ("gull gray") for tops and sides and white for undersides became standard for all USN combat aircraft up to now. A noticeably darker shade of gray was also used for some patrol and scouting aircraft and helicopters.
 
Good point. The M-1 Garand rifle was probably the best standard issue infantry weapon of the war. American tanks on the other hand couldn't hold that claim. They did have one advantage though, to take a quote from Stalin, "Quantity has a quality all its own." Some of the U.S. mortars, artillery, and machine guns used in WWII are still in inventory and used to this day. Then there's the Israeli use of the M-4 Sherman tank (upgraded in many ways) to defeat Arab army's with equipment that was regarded superior.
 
"The M-1 rifle is the best battlefield implement ever devised", because Patton said so. There are any number of other claims to that title, by no means all are weapons.
He did write that, but if you bother to read the rest of the letter he also claimed that American tanks, artillery, mortars and machine guns are "without equal on the battlefields of the world", more hyperbole which is, I would suggest, demonstrably untrue (to be polite).
Cheers
Steve
Good point. The M-1 Garand rifle was probably the best standard issue infantry weapon of the war. American tanks on the other hand couldn't hold that claim. They did have one advantage though, to take a quote from Stalin, "Quantity has a quality all its own." Some of the U.S. mortars, artillery, and machine guns used in WWII are still in inventory and used to this day. Then there's the Israeli use of the M-4 Sherman tank (upgraded in many ways) to defeat Arab army's with equipment that was regarded superior.
 

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