American Military-Past and Present

Site Issues 2005 Archive Room
#1

Thought i would start a topic on the American Military. Just a few pics of where we started and where we are now. Correct me if im wrong on any or please feel free to add more.

TANKS:

First American tank. Ford 3-Ton Tank M1918. No American tanks fought in WW1 that I know of.

Current American Tank: M1A2 Abrams

PLANES:

First American Military plane. Curtiss JN-4.

F/A-22 Raptor (Stealth Fighter)

SUBMARINES:

American Revolutionary War Submarine commonly known as the Turtle.

Ohio class SSBN.

STANDARD ISSUE RIFLE:

First standard issued American rifle was the 1803 Harpers Ferry.

Soon to be the standard issued American weapon. XM8

AIRCRAFT CARRIER:

CV-1 USS LANGLEY

CVN-73 USS George Washington

BATTLESHIPS:

USS CONSTITUTION. Actually considered a frigate but in my opinion these ships were the predesessors of the Modern Battleship.

The most recent battleship the USS Wisconsin BB-64. Made during WW2. The US Navy considers the battleship obsolete. However they have been used in modern conflicts.

HELICOPTERS:

Used at the very end of WW2 the R-4 Hoverfly was the first helicopter to be used by the military.

The Apache. This is one mean Helicopter.

ARTILLERY:

First type of American artillery. The AW12/8 Grasshopper

Modern mobile artillery…commonly know as the Paladin.

UNIFORMS

One of the first standard issued American uniforms.

As most of you have probably seen…the most recent American uniform.

Well I hope you find this interesting. Please feel free to add. Thanks

#2

COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE US ARMED FORCES:

First Commander-in-Chief. George Washington.

Present Commander-in-Chief. George W. Bush Jr. A.K.A Dubya :lol:

#3

great job!!! :slight_smile:

#4

:lol: Sir, Thanks a lot, sir !
Sir, can i add my opinion, sir ?
Helicopters are next mine passion and i would offer some correction about R6A as first military chopper.
So, Sicorsky made according contract with USA AF first R-4 Howerfly in december 1941.

By USA tradition first experimental variants was named as XR-4 (VS-316 (Voght-Sikorsky) or S-47 (!?) - internal names).
First examples got radial 7 cyl/165 Hp Warner R500-3 Super Scarab engine.
In january 1942 XR-4 firstly taked off. XR-4 achieved 130km/h and 600 m. After that army men got interest for such helicopter and in 20 april 1942 XR-4 was showed first time for army comission. They offered test R-4 in Wright Hill in Dayton. R-4 got ride from Brigeport to Dayton (about 1200 km) by air, with 16 stops
In 30 may 1942 (!) army after series of tests adopted R-4 officially.
In december 1942 Sikorsky subscribed contracts with USA AF and Coastal Guard for delivery 22 R-4 helycopters (all helicopters was purposed for testing and training).
During army’s tests Sikorsky modernised a bit R-4A to R-4C, helicopter got new Warner R550-1 180Hp engeene, with at 0.8 meter larger rotor and with large fuel tank.

Sikorsky made modification R-4C - YR4B (YR instead R meand something like non-serial) , that chopper can take onboard 2 x 45.5 or 1x 147 kg bomb…

In 1943 2 R-4A and 5 YR-4B was send in England, US Coastal Guard got 6 YR-4B.
After set of new tests USA and GB military ordered in January 1943 to Sikorsky 200 R-4B, but only 100 was built till end of WWII.
13 got US CG, 4 - US Navy, 38 US AF, 45 got Grat Britan and Canada (6 R-4B was formed in King’s Squad, they serve for GB King’s family).
In 03 january 1944 near New York US Navy ship “Turner” exploded. Many injured strongly needed blood plasma, but weather make airplanes useless. R-4B taked off from Floyd Beneth CG Base near Brooklin, loaded with blood plasma in hospital and after 14 minutes landed near “Turner”.
It was a first rescue operation in the World with helicopters usage…

R-4 tecnical data:
Rotor diameter: 38 ft.
Length: 33 ft. 7 3/4 in.
Height: 12 ft. 5 in.
Weight: 2,581 lbs. loaded
PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 75 mph.
Cruising speed: 65 mph.
Range: 230 miles
Service Ceiling: 8,000 ft.

According USAF site:
http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/air_power/ap23.htm
"The R-4 was first used in combat in May 1944. In a letter to a friend, Col. Philip G. Cochran, Commanding Officer (CO) of the 1st Air Commando Group, wrote “Today the ‘egg-beater’ went into action and the damn thing acted like it had good sense.”

First R-6 taked off in 15 october 1943 (this hely was a really modernised R-4, more powerfull and with real cockpit)
In 1944 US AF ordered some quantity of R-6, but Sikorsky United Aircrafts Co. wasn’t able to produce more helicopters (the already was in producing R-4 and R5). And finally n october 1944 Nash Kelvinator under Sikorsky license started make R-6.
Nash Kelvinator - famous refrigerators producer, but with helicopters, they have problems with quality. By this problems firts R-6 in US AF nicknamed “Kelvicopter” or “Cooler”. Totally 219 R-6 was produced in 1944-1945 by Nash-Kelvinator…

“Although primarily an observation and liaison helicopter, many R-6As also were equipped with capsules on each side of the fuselage to carry litters for medical evacuation. Bomb racks also could be installed and, if necessary, the R-6A could be equipped with floats for operation from water.”
http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/air_power/ap30.htm
SPECIFICATIONS
Main rotor diamater: 38 ft.
Length: 38 ft. 3 in.
Height: 11 ft. 7 in.
Weight: 2,900 lbs. max.
Engine: One Franklin O-405-9 of 235 hp.
PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 96 mph.
Cruising speed: 69 mph.
Range: 305 miles
Service ceiling: 13,200 ft.

It is mine opinion about what helicopter was first in combat use.

And about XM-8… something went wrong with it, i feel. After series of loud advertisings HK no more show XM-8 on they’s site… but there appear HK 416 assault rifle, pretty damn looks like modified Colt M-4.

And a lot gossips around it - all intrigued but nobady hawe seen it in reality… Someone sayd it hawe piston-based gas automatic, as if HK just put piston in gas-tube and make M-4 same with M18, someone talk about rollers in automatic, just like in G3… but receiver looks same with M-4…
Anybody, who hawe deals with CAR-15 tought once - that gun need gas piston instead of direct gas operated automatic, maybe HK done it finally ?

All sems as if HK treing make alternative programm - M-4 wold be not replaced but would be upgraded ? I gust guessing…

So, i typed enough… and i my opinions are discutable, i’m not an american, just trieng to be… and i can only argue about USA history and present by books and Internet information. :wink:

#5

Thanks Preatorian. I knew something in the R series was the first but wasnt sure which one. As you can see i edited my post.

Im not sure what they will do with the next standard rifle. I heard nothing but great news about the XM8. I was awesome what you could do with that. You could make it into just about anytype of firearm you wanted and rather quickly too. Guess we will just have to wait and see. Of course when it comes out (if it comes out) it wont be call the XM8. Probably just the M8.

The HK pic you have looks pretty mean. :twisted: :smiley:

#6

wow, USS Wisconsin really did fight in modern conflict

#7

XM8 looks really good - i downloaded pdf file from HK site about year ago, there was XM8 specifiactions. If judge by G-36 (and M18, predecussor of G-36) XM8 should be good weapon.
Yes, we have to wait and see.
I stake at upgraded M-4 :wink: 12 bottles of beer at your choise if i loose vs pack of Lucky Stricke without filters.

And again - thanks for interesting topic.

#8

[/quote]

Actually at the moment the USS Wisconsin is on decommissed reserve. Basically means that if a big war broke out it would be brought back to service right away. This is opposed to other ships that are too obsolete. Such as WW2 subs. They would just get people killed. They are permentantly decommissoned.

BTW if you are ever in Charleston South Carolina I suggest that you go and see the USS Yorktown. The Yorktown was sunk at the battle of midway but in 1943 the recommissioned the ship. This is the one that is in Charleston. A great way to look at WW2 Aircraft Carriers.

#9

Your on :smiley: :lol:

#10

This comes from a somewhat reliable source IMO

The five star general rank was created in the midst of World War II to address the fact that several American commanders found themselves in the delicate position of supervising Allied officers of higher rank. Initially, the new rank was to be called Field Marshal, after the British military, but this was nixed due to stern (and quite understandable) objections from General George C. Marshall.

When General of the Army Omar N. Bradley died in April of 1981, the five star ranking was consigned to history.
In all,

Four Army 5-star generals:
General George C. Marshall
General Douglas MacArthur
General Dwight D. Eisenhower
General Omar N. Bradley

Four Navy 5-star admirals:
Admiral William D. Leahy
Admiral Ernest J. King
Admiral Chester Nimitz
Admiral William F. “Bull” Halsey

Air Force 5-star general
General Henry Arnold

have held this rank…

This info comes from http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20020308.html

Who beats a five star general? A General of the Armies of the United States – the highest military rank of all time, hands down. To date, only George Washington and John J. Pershing have held this position.

All Presidents of the United States are Commander-in-Chief of the US armed forces.

Since WW2 there have been no 5 star generals/admirals and probably will not ever be again. IMO.

BTW if you are wondering about the marine corps there will never be a 5 star commander because the US marines fall under the Department of the Navy. Just as the US Navy falls under the dept of the navy. I think it is the same in the UK.???

#11

That XM8 gun looks pretty Sci-Fi :smiley:

#12

Yep. But I can’t say this about mobile artillery. Wich caliber it have? And what type of ammo it use? For first look it looks like Soviet self-propelled howitzer “Giatzint”, but “Giatzint” was developed along time ago, after ww2… I can’t believe the USA army can use such old weaponry. And how about mass shot systems? The lessons of BM-13 to Russia created now and mass shot system “Grad”. Exellent example of mobile artillery… Have USA army anything like this?

#13

I was just thinking of the most recent I knew of on that one. The Paladin is pretty good. Here is some info on are current artillery types.

PALADIN 155MM SELF PROPELLED HOWITZER

http://www.army-technology.com/projects/paladin/

MLRS MULTIPLE LAUNCH ROCKET SYSTEM

http://www.army-technology.com/projects/mlrs/

Top is normal look of the MLRS. Second group of them firing in Iraq.

HIMARS HIGH MOBILITY ARTILLERY ROCKET SYSTEM

http://www.army-technology.com/projects/himars/

This is a pretty good site BTW.

Here are some others still in service. (Although im sure they will be discontinued soon)

M198 155mm HOWITZER

M110A1 203mm

Here are just some of them. Who knows what they have in the works???

#14

America’s (Major) Wars.

AMERICAN REVOLUTION-WIN

Thank you Britain for bungeling your military operations so that we might have a country. :wink: Really not so much of a revolution as a change of government. :smiley: The French actually did well for the 6 months or so they were around.

WAR OF 1812-DRAW

President Madison thought it would be a good idea to declare war on Britain…Wrong. K so the dirty Brits made our White House a Black house. :frowning: But we got better. Interesting note. You can still see marks on the White House today from when it was burned.

MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR-WIN

We got Texas. Not sure if we should have won this war after some of the people that have come out of there. JK :slight_smile:

AMERICAN CIVIL WAR-WIN

Well i guess its a win depending on what side you were on. And how do we celebrate the win … by shooting the man who held it all together. Nice. :roll:

SPANISH AMERICAN WAR-WIN

Gained some islands and got friendly with the Phillipines. This was the first step in the US becoming a world power.

WORLD WAR 1-WIN

Late comers but we helped kick the hun back home.

WORLD WAR 2-WIN

I think the site says enough. Germans went crazy. We came later and helped shut them up. :slight_smile: Again. Made Japan friendly after a couple of bombs.

KOREAN WAR-WIN

Was a win because South Korea is still here today. It wasnt our (US Goverment’s) objective to take over North Korea. Although there were many for the idea. Actually this war is not over. There was no real peace treaty just an armistice.

VIETNAM WAR-LOSS

Although you could argue that we didnt really lose per se. But we didnt win thats for sure.

IRAQ 1-WIN

Kicked a dirty bastard out of Kuwait.

IRAQ 2-WIN

Find dirty bastard hiding in a whole in the middle of nowhere. Dubya sends his regards. :slight_smile:

So as the record stands at the moment we are 9 wins 1 loss and 1 draw.
Oh god theres that number again 9-1-1. Gulp.

#15

What the hell is the war of 1812???

#16

You missed Panama, Afhganistan, Somalia and Bay of Pigs but yes a fair few people all round

Not before mentioning the Balkans quite a few times with the UN in similair circumstances to the Korea type thing (Un backed not strictly a US force etc)

#17

Yea thats why I just listed the Major conflicts. If i were to list every conflict I fear there would not be enough room on the database. :smiley:

#18

Some refer to it as the 2nd War of American Independence.

Quick summary and more info from: http://www.multied.com/1812/Index.html

The War of 1812 is one of the forgotten wars of the United States. The war lasted for over two years, and while it ended much like it started; in stalemate; it was in fact a war that once and for all confirmed American Independence. The offensive actions of the United States failed in every attempt to capture Canada. On the other hand, the British army was successfully stopped when it attempted to capture Baltimore and New Orleans. There were a number of American naval victories in which American vessels proved themselves superior to similarly sized British vessels. These victories coming after victories in the Quasi War (an even more forgotten war) launched American naval traditions.

#19

Well, it seems to have worked reasonably well - the US hasn’t tried to “liberate” Canada since (one of the major reasons for starting the war of 1812 - “manifest destiny” showing through?), and the peace treaty signed was a return to the status quo ante. Incidentally, the attack on New Orleans happened some time afte the peace treaty was signed.

#20

The Manifest Destiny “Doctrine” came later. Most acredit it to President Andrew Jackson’s administration. At this point we were just worried about having a nation period.

Insofar as New Orleans…news didnt seem to travel to quickly in those days. :smiley: