Translate this Page
Welcome to Clash of Steel!
Featured battle : Erquelinnes
Part of The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
Date : 24 May 1794
The French took significant losses both in men and materials in this repeat attempt to get established north of the river Sambre. They were successfully repelled by an Austro-Dutch force under Count Kaunitz.
Featured image :
WE-177 Tactical Nuclear Weapon (Training round)
This WE-177 nuclear bomb training round (never armed with atomic material) is an example of part of Britain's nuclear deterrent from 1966 up the the 1980's. The WE-177 was designed to be delivered by Buccaneer, Vulcan and Tornado aircraft and was parachute-retarded to enable the deliverer to get beyond the minimum safe distance before it went off. There were 2 variants - the WE177a was a single stage 200 kiloton range variant (600lb weight, 112 inch length 16.5 inch diameter) and the WE177b (The two stage 400 kiloton range variant - 950lb weight 133 inch length 16.5 inch diameter). Each was capable of destroying a medium-sized city but were thankfully never used and the last remaining live examples were decommissioned at the Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, in 1998. On the placard accompanying this item in the museum it states that this is only one of 2 thought to exist. This is incorrect, however, as there are other examples at RAF Marham , RAF Honingtion the RAF Museum Duxford ( RAF Cosford may also have one). [Additional details and corrections supplied by a source within the RAF]
Gallery updated : 2022-04-04 08:33:43
Featured review :
Secret Flotillas Vol 1 - Clandestine Sea Operations to Brittany 1940-44
Richards, Sir Brook
A fascinating insight into small-boat operations between the British south coast and northern France. This volume covers Breton fishing boats as well as naval motor gun boats and the missions they ran to insert agents, collect/deliver intelligence and pick up down'ed aircrew smuggled to the coast by the resistance. Full of detailed references and anecdotes which begin to give some idea of how information was learned the hard way. Particularly relevant, as the author was himself involved.
Pen & Sword Military, 2012
Reviewed : 2013-04-29 12:06:21
