POTD: The Demro XF-7 Wasp – Thompson Looks, Kalashnikov Guts

Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have an American submachine gun that looks like a Thompson and thinks like a PPSh. Gerry Fox drew this up in 1974 in Meriden, Connecticut, after a fire ended Meriden Firearms and its M3 Grease Gun knockoff. He built it as the Fox Carbine under T...

By Sam.S •

Capt. Dale Dye: The Battle of Guadalcanal

“It was scary, you know? The damnedest thing…” The old Marine flicked at a bright yellow tie he was wearing. “We were ordered to take Atabrine to prevent malaria. Most of us did that but it tended to turn our eyes and skin a bright yellow. And then a rumor started that the stuff would Rea...

By Capt. Dale Dye, USMC (Ret) •

Grumman J2F Duck: From Bataan to Antarctica

On April 24, 1933, a legend was born when Grumman test pilot Paul Hovgard flew the prototype Grumman J2F “Duck,” designated XJF-1, on its first flight, taking off from the factory’s grass strip at Farmingdale, New York. The flight marked the debut of one of the most versatile amphibious...

By Friedrich Seiltgen •

Supercharging the Hellcat RDP

When launched, the Hellcat RDP came with enough upgrades to make it look like a custom pistol right from the factory. Nevertheless, the gun can be further accessorized to enhance its abilities as a self-defense pistol or as a fun shooter on the range. In this article, I introduce you to a number ...

By Will Dabbs, MD •

Curtiss SB2C Helldiver — The Big-Tailed Beast

In 1937, the Curtiss SBC Helldiver entered service, but even at that point, the carrier-based two-seat scout/dive bomber was on the verge of being obsolete. Interestingly, it was also the second aircraft produced by Curtiss-Wright to earn the designation “Helldiver” after the United States Ma...

By Peter Suciu •

USS Hornet (CV-12): Carrier that Stung Japan

The USS Hornet (CV-12) stands as one of the most storied aircraft carriers in United States naval history, playing a decisive role in World War II as part of the Essex-class fleet. From its origins as a replacement for the lost USS Hornet (CV-8) to its participa...

By Peter Suciu •