Sd.Kfz. 2 Kettenkrad: Germany’s Halftrack Motorcycle

The argument can be made that the Germans make the world’s best engineers. By way of evidence I would submit the StG44 assault rifle, the Me 262 jet fighter, and the Panther tank. While, in each case, the exigencies of around-the-clock bombing certainly took a toll on these revolutionary weapon...

By Will Dabbs, MD •

The Thompson Submachine Gun

Few firearms have had as colorful a history as that of the iconic “Tommy Gun.” It was developed for the trenches of the First World War. But, as it arrived too late, the Thompson submachine gun was marketed to civilians, and later was carried by Allied soldiers in World War II. It could be ar...

By Peter Suciu •

Polish PM-63 RAK Compact Machine Pistol

What we are discussing here today is a rare military and police firearm that dates back to a time when Poland was behind the Iron Curtain. As a result, it was rarely seen in the United States during the Cold War, yet it still managed to earn a level of infamy as it was a Read More The post Polish...

By Peter Suciu •

MG5 - Germany’s Modern Machine Gun

Previously, I wrote about the HK43 and how it eventually evolved into the MG4. From there, the design continued, leading to the HK121, better known today as the MG5. That’s where this picks up. The Heckler & Koch MG5 is Germany’s modern general-purpose machine gun, developed to re...

By Lynndon Schooler •

Fokker D.VIII Fighter: The Deadly Flying Razor

In the summer of 1918, a new fighter ascended in the German Air Combat Forces, or Luftstreitkräfte, boasting a level of performance that would outpace any of Anthony Fokkers’ famous designs. The Fokker E.V parasol monoplane, eventually known as the Fokker D.VIII, demonstrated tremendous combat...

By Tom Laemlein •

H&K SP5 vs Turkish MP5 Clones: Head-to-Head Shootout

Is the German-made original worth the price, or are the cheaper knock-offs a better deal? The post H&K SP5 vs Turkish MP5 Clones: Head-to-Head Shootout  appeared first on Outdoor Life.

By John B. Snow •

Berlin Candy Bomber in the Berlin Airlift

U.S. Air Force Colonel Gail Seymour Halvorsen was a transport pilot best known as the “Candy Bomber” or “Onkel Wiggly Wings,” who became famous for dropping candy to German children in Berlin during the Soviet Blockade of the city. Following Germany’s defeat in World War II, the vic...

By Friedrich Seiltgen •

Tallboy and Grand Slam: World War II Bunker Busters

By 1940, both England and Germany realized that the Kriegsmarine’s U-Boats were the key to the Battle of the Atlantic. Eliminating the German submarine threat was Britain’s top priority. Expanding the U-Boat fleet was Germany’s greatest hope to bring the British to their knees. In those dar...

By Tom Laemlein •

Karl-Gerät Mortar: Germany’s Tracked Giant

In the mid-1930s, Adolph Hitler cast his eye towards France and dreamed of revenge for the outcome of World War One. Standing in his way was the French Maginot Line, a collection of massive concrete strongpoints, casemates, armored turrets, and observation posts. Among the barbed wire, mine field...

By Tom Laemlein •

Dale Dye: Why Marines Are Called “Devil Dogs”

It’s one of the most memorable monikers for a fighting force around, and its legend stems from a brutal battle fought more than a century ago. The term was reportedly adapted from the German Teufel Hunden, and applied to American Marines following the Battle of Belleau Wood during World Wa...

By Capt. Dale Dye, USMC (Ret) •
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