from a 12 gauge to a Ma Duece .50

[Rockstar]

I was given my call by the xo when I got my crow and became a glorified SN. I made the lanyard too, thanks to Mr. Ashley and a little imagination. We welcomed many dignataries, admirals and called all hands to chow.

[Buddahaid]

I made mine.

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^ Now that's (both) KEWL! I wear my little yellow whistle on a less stellar lanyard to summon the crew to lunch aboard the Wooly Bully...alright i'm lyin': it's for when fallen overboard; got to swim for it and the radio (antenna seen sticking out of the vest CH-16=C.G.!) fails....a-la Kate Winslet as Rose in Titanic. It's not that I don't trust the captain....

[Catfish]

Be honest, Kate W. could have rescued DiCaprio, there was enough space on that plank.
Women ..

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Originally Posted by Catfish

Be honest, Kate W. could have rescued DiCaprio, there was enough space on that plank.
Women ..

The contentious subject concerns the ending of James Cameron’s 1998 movie Titanic, in which Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) sinks to an icy death in the ocean while his sweetheart Rose (Winslet) clings to a door bobbing on the waves. Some fans have long claimed that there was room on that wooden raft for two. The charge is that Rose effectively sent him to his death – and turned him into a Jacksicle. With five simple words, Winslet has now confirmed those fears. “He could have actually fitted,” she told the talkshow host Jimmy Kimmel. The prosecution rests.

The film was designed as a tear-jerker...so we viewers wouldn't be ...BOARD My favorite version??!!

[August]

Something that has always intrigued me about the Titanics sinking is why nobody used the 2.5 hours to build some rafts. There was plenty of wood aboard. Me I'd be ripping off some door frames and lashing them to deck chairs. No shortage of either yet they seem to have been ignored.

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Originally Posted by August

Something that has always intrigued me about the Titanics sinking is why nobody used the 2.5 hours to build some rafts. There was plenty of wood aboard. Me I'd be ripping off some door frames and lashing them to deck chairs. No shortage of either yet they seem to have been ignored.

Yeah, and there WERE some survivalists who built rafts from deck chairs, doors, and anything else they could find. Chief Baker Joughin threw 50 deck chairs overboard to be used as life rafts, and there is little doubt many of them were used by swimmers. But did it help in saving lives? No. Not at all. The water was 30°F, nobody lasts in there for over an hour, even on a raft they get frosted by small waves and the icy air. The 4 people who were pulled out of the water by lifeboat 14 may consider themselves VERY lucky.

The lifeboats were calculated on the weight of 1178 people in total, and there was the theoretical possibility to 'overload' them until there were about 1400 people in the lifeboats. This still left 800 men depending on wooden rafts for their survival.

You did get it right about the launching of the lifeboats. Captain Smith ordered to abandon ship about midnight, and Senator Smith carried out a test with Olympic's lifeboats as part of the US Inquiry. He concluded that the 16 non-collapsible lifeboats could have been perepared, loaded (not overloaded) and launched within an hour. Calculate 10 minutes overall to 'overload' the boats with additional passengers and crew and another 30 minutes to lower all collapsibles, it would be 1:40 A.M. when all 20 lifeboats were gone in the ideal scenario.

The problem is, there are many obstructions to this ideal scenario. The passengers were scattered throughout a 400 m³ ship and stewards would need time to collect them all to the boat deck, eating valuable minutes. And what about 'women and children first'? It would make women and children even more reluctant to board tiny, creepy lifeboats, leaving their beloved ones behind on the largest ship ever built and considered unsinkable. Many women refused to board the first lifeboats, and even more valuable minutes were eaten.

With all life jackets been confiscated from women and children who entered the lifeboats, one could install those life jackets underneath rafts to give them more floating capacity. If Jack & Rose carried this out on their raft, they both could have made it out alive. Jamie and Adam tested this in the Mythbusters episode about the Titanic film, and they told Cameron that life jackets underneath rafts could have saved additional lives. But they also said the film got the hypothermia part right: if you didn't board a lifeboat and failed to find a raft, you're doomed. So each of those 800 men would need a raft to survive. I'm not talking about 800 rafts, I'm talking about enough rafts to save 800 men.

So what would be the situation?

• 800 men who had been busy escorting their beloved ones into lifeboats and did not have any time yet to focus on their own survival. They now completely depended on wooden rafts, enforced with life jackets.
• 3000 life jackets to enforce the rafts.
• 4 officers (Smith, Wilde, Murdoch and Moody) who had been busy with launching lifeboats up until now and did not have any time yet to focus on the men. The other officers manned lifeboats.
• 11 seamen who didn't man lifeboats.
• 40 minutes until the ship foundered in the ideal scenario, even less in a more realistic scenario.

• Interesting but futile the chill would have killed the 'rafters' as surly as just being in the water with a donned buoyancy device- The particular case of 'collapsible A' illustrates the point as it was essentially a big raft

  Titanic collapsible lifeboat A. This collapsible boat was never launched as such from the Titanic. After boat C had been lowered from the starboard side, the crew tried to fasten boat A to the davits, but there simply was no more time. The boat was washed over the side of the ship and the canvas sides had not been put up, so it was soon awash with icy sea water. People started climbing into it from the water (and there may have been some in it when it was washed away as well) and some people said that it was full of people within a rather short period of time. According to some survivors, it turned turtle and the people in it were thrown out of it, but many scrambled back. Finally, it drifted away from the wreckage area and fewer people came near it. When the last swimmer arrived, there may have been about 30 people standing in the frail craft with water up to their knees. In the extremely cold water, people started dying and Richard Williams, who had seen his father disappear when they were swimming in the water and the funnel fell near them, estimated there were eleven who finally were rescued. Olaus Abelseth believed ten or twelve were saved including two Swedes. William Mellor also thought there were ten or twelve saved (out of 30 or 40 original survivors on the boat). Third class passenger August Wennerström (listed Andersson) estimated twelve survivors. He noticed a Swedish man holding on to his wife, who was in the sea and did not have the strength to get into the boat. The wife grew numb and drifted away and the husband died in the craft (according to Wennerström, he died on the Carpathia). Their wedding ring was left in the boat, however. After hours of suffering, the ten or twelve survivors were rescued by boat 14 who spied them and took them in.

  http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org...urvivors-list/

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A search for German U boat Valve names lead to this: http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WTGER_WWII.php The Type Zaukong T-11 designed to subvert the allied 'Foxer' was actually deployed on the U-534, currently on display in England. Some sources say it was not deployed. Of the 16 torpedoes salvaged from the wreck in 1993, five were TXI's-three in the aft section. Four of those were picked for parts and blown up, while the remaining torpedo was restored and is currently on display alongside the U-boat in the United Kingdom.

The allies had a great deal of intelligence about the Zaunkonig – even before it had entered service. Thus as soon as they had confirmation that an acoustic torpedo was being used, they introduced the Foxer, an anti-acoustic torpedo device. This noise maker was towed behind warships to decoy the acoustic sensors of the torpedo. While designed to lure the acoustic torpedo away, it made such a loud noise that it broadcasted the convoy’s location for miles away, attracting U-boats which would have otherwise not have heard the convoy. In addition, it also interfered with the escort’s sensors and sonar, making it of dubious value in its role.

Realizing what was happening, the Germans introduced the second generation of acoustic torpedoes which were more accurately tuned to a ship’s propeller noise. The T XI (G7es) Zaunkonig II also had an improved range and sensitivity, enabling targets moving at 9 knots to be tracked. The Zaunkonig II could also be launched from up to depths of 50 meters (164 feet), compared to 15 meters (49 feet) for Zaunkonig I. As these later versions of acoustic torpedoes were deployed, the allies continued to improve the Foxer.

The commander of U 534, Herbert Nollau, obviously informed of a cease fire prior to the patrol he was sunk on, also had served aboard the U-505 now in Chicago... both are now preserved. He committed suicide in 1968 without revealing why he had left port in U-534 and ordered his crew to fire on Allied aircraft (downing one liberator) after the ceasefire in 1945. https://www.flickr.com/photos/captainmartini/16378888652/in/pool-693496@N20/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/60790501@N04/14649894917/in/pool-693496@N20/ <shows a 'deployed' Zaunkonig XI (245 cool photos of U534)

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/konabish/6497548649/ <to enlarge) All four Iowa-class battleships steaming together (1954). Ship closest to the camera is USS Iowa (BB-61). The others are (from near to far): USS Wisconsin (BB-64), USS Missouri (BB-63) and USS New Jersey (BB-62). This was the only occasion that all four Iowa Class BB's were steaming in formation. Arguably; two years later...the most powerful surface armada the world ever saw.

The final type of ammunition developed for the Iowa class were Katie" shells. These shells were born from the concept of nuclear deterrence that had begun to shape the United States armed forces as the Cold War began. To compete with the Air Force and Army, which had developed nuclear bombs and nuclear shells for use on the battlefield, the US Navy began a top-secret program to develop Mk. 23 nuclear naval shells with an estimated yield of 15 to 20 kilotons.These shells were designed to be launched from the best seaborne artillery platform available, which at the time were the four ships of the Iowa class. The shells entered development around 1953, and were reportedly ready by 1956; however, it is not known whether they were ever actually deployed on the Iowa-class battleships because the US Navy does not confirm or deny the presence of nuclear weapons aboard its ships. In 1991 the US unilaterally withdrew its nuclear artillery shells from service, and Russia responded in kind in 1992. The US removed around 1,300 nuclear shells from Europe and reportedly dismantled its last shells by 2003.This in theory would give each Iowa class Battleship capable of delivering 135-180 kilotons worth of explosives in one salvo. An unique capability that would have proved decisive in any conflict on sea or on land. The nuclear tests with the Mk-9 (11in Army shell) had the shell detonated as an aerial burst. The nuclear tests at the ABLE detonation showed an air burst detonation did little structural damage to battleships. It is unknown if the Mk-23 was designed to detonate on impact or under water which would most likely cause an explosion much like the BAKER nuclear test that caused considerably more damaged to the test fleet. Even with a single air burst detonation a Mk 23, it would have damaged or destroyed much of the enemy battleship fragile equipment it would need to fight if they survived the explosion. Thus leaving for any of the Iowa's easy pickings with their conventional 16in shells.

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http://amp.rokket.biz/docs/vii_modifications.pdf @ ivanov.ruslan: thanks for this site; this is the really good stuff 'diehards' gotta have at ! Likewise Catfish: magnificent post: http://www.tvre.org/en/aiming-with-the-periscope http://militaryhistory.x10.mx/shippictures/warshippictures/articles/Type%20VII%20cutaway.jpg http://www.uboatarchive.net/U-570/U-570GeneralPlanDavidTaylorHR.htm @ Mr Baker THANKS: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?p=2431601#post2431601

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http://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/mare-island-transition-stirs-memories-for-napa-man/article_3d2f9c44-11e6-5eca-8d8d-5fcfb2b7abd1.html Where I sail frequently: The Napa River's a little calmer than the Bay! Five of the top scoring seven submarines of WWII were built at Mare Island <USS Wahoo SS 238-launched & off off Mare Island Where I've the privilege of sailing (key to enlarge to show bridges and Mare Island to my port side>-not the same Carquinez Bridge span (the one to the left of Wahoo is the 1927 span) replaced by the 1958 cantilever and then the 2003 Zampa's suspension bridge: I-80's horrific transit to the south Bay area. The bridge is named for Al Zampa, an iron worker who worked on the 1927 span and the Golden Gate Bridge He is most notable for being one of the first people to survive falling off the Golden Gate Bridge. He was a charter member of the Half Way to Hell Club, whose members are the men who fell from the Golden Gate Bridge and were saved by the nets. What a way to get a bridge named after U!

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> THINGS TO PONDER WHEN 'ASEA' < I SHOULD FLY THE 'J' FLAG ALL THE TIME WITH 150% JIB SEEN FULLY UNFURLED IN FOTO-USUALLY IT'S TOO WINDY AND IS USUALLY ONLY AT 100%...ie not past the STEEL WIRE MAST-STAYS TO PREVENT WEAR FROM TACKING IN 15 MPH+ WINDS...

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Catfish

Be honest, Kate W. could have rescued DiCaprio, there was enough space on that plank.
Women ..

plot synopsis: Rich girl lets poor boy drown.

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^MEN ARE LIKE FISH THE SEA; THERE'LL BE ANOTHER ALONG SHORTLY...

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Originally Posted by WSJ

The U.S. government has developed a specially designed, secret missile for pinpoint airstrikes that kill terrorist leaders with no explosion, drastically reducing damage and minimizing the chances of civilian casualties, multiple current and former U.S. officials said. Both the Central Intelligence Agency and the Pentagon have used the weapon while closely guarding its existence. A modified version of the well-known Hellfire missile, the weapon carries an inert warhead. Instead of exploding, it is designed to plunge more than 100 pounds of metal through the tops of cars and buildings to kill its target without harming individuals and property close by.
To the targeted person, it is as if a speeding anvil fell from the sky, the officials said. But this variant of the Hellfire missile, designated as the R9X, also comes equipped with a different kind of payload: a halo of six long blades that are stowed inside and then deploy through the skin of the missile seconds before impact to ensure that it shreds anything in its tracks.
Details about the secret weapon and its deployment were confirmed by more than a dozen current and former U.S. officials. Its development and use haven’t been previously disclosed, though its existence has been the subject of speculation.
The R9X is known colloquially to the small community of individuals who are familiar with its use as “the flying Ginsu,” for the blades that can cut through buildings or car roofs and kill the target. The nickname is a reference to the popular knives sold on TV infomercials in the late 1970s and early 1980s that showed them cutting through both tree branches and tomatoes. The weapon has also been referred to as the Ninja bomb.

Hellfire R9X missile Blades kill the targeted person, while the absence of an exploding warhead avoids unintended casualties. Stowed and deployed weapon: six blades deploy at last SECOND

The missile was born of an emphasis, under former President Obama, on avoiding civilian deaths in long U.S. campaign of airstrikes in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Yemen and other locales. Aside from humanitarian and legal considerations, civilian casualties can undermine popular and allied support for U.S. strategic goals.
But there was another reason for the weapon, officials said: Increasingly, terrorist fighters were adapting to U.S. airstrikes, hiding among groups of women and children to put themselves out of reach.
The weapon was under development as early as 2011. A missile with similar capabilities was considered as a “Plan B” to kill al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, that year, according to several of the officials.
In the end, officials opted to target bin Laden using select special-operations force fighters who confronted and killed bin Laden.
The weapon is used infrequently, employed only in specific circumstances, particularly when a senior terrorist leader has been pinpointed but other weapons would risk killing innocent bystanders, the officials said. Conventional Hellfire variants are more typically used against groups of targeted individuals or against a so-called high-value target who is convening with other militants.
But when a lone individual is targeted, the R9X is a sought-after weapon. The Defense Department has used it only about a half-dozen times, officials said, including in operations in Libya, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Somalia.
The Wall Street Journal was able to confirm two specific strikes in which it was used, one by the Defense Department and one by the CIA.
In January 2019, Jamal al-Badawi, accused of being behind the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000 in a Yemeni port, killing 17 American sailors, was killed by an R9X fired by the Pentagon. The Pentagon has acknowledged the strike, which occurred in Yemen, though not the specific munition involved.
In February 2017, Ahmad Hasan Abu Khayr al-Masri, an Egyptian national who served as al Qaeda’s No. 2, was killed in Syria’s Idlib Province by an R9X fired by a U.S. aircraft operated by the CIA. The CIA doesn’t acknowledge airstrikes it carries out.

The aftermath of such operations has prompted speculation about a possible new weapon among those who were there or viewed photos. The strikes bore no resemblance to the damage normally wrought by U.S. airstrikes.
A Hellfire, which is a little more than five feet long and weighs just over 100 pounds, typically leaves behind mangled, burned-out shells of vehicles, surrounded by debris and scorch marks over a large radius.
The R9X leaves no such signature. Photographs of the aftermath of the strike on Mr. Masri show an oblong hole torn into the roof of the car in which he was riding. There are no burn marks suggesting an explosion. The windshield of the Kia sedan is cracked, but the car’s windshield wipers are still in place.

"WHAT A MARVELOUS MODERN AGE WE LIVE IN"('LUCKY JACK AUBREY) MEETS "THE POSTMAN ONLY RINGS... ONCE">