You Tube finds

[paulr]

I particularly liked Guns report to the Captain that the pilot got over excited and didn't report in the proper format

[fsn]

Well, one doesn't like to comment, but I fear the pilot may have been from ... Widnes.  They're awfully prone to emotional outbursts.

[d_Guy]

Once again demonstrating the quality of Mersey.

[FierceKitty]

Once again demonstrating the quality of Mersey.

I can't take the strain.

[Ithoriel]

Once upon a time there was a lady called Marcy.

Marcy had two great passions in her life, speciality teas and breeding koalas.

Learning of Kopi Luwak or civet coffee as it's also known, a coffee made with the faeces of civets fed on coffee beans, she decided to combine her passions and create a speciality tea.

To drink her tea you will need a teacup and saucer, milk, sugar and a teaspoon but not a tea strainer because ....

The Koala Tea of Marcy is not strained.

[fsn]

I think, Sir, that this is your coat. May I suggest you don it outside the establishment?

[Techno]

Well done, Nobby !

Don't worry about cleaning the next one.

Cheers - Phil

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

But the Mersey is well strained - got to get the Manc tea leaves out o it.

[Ben Waterhouse]

Well highlighted, fsn. Whilst the Javelin is a very capable system for knocking out armour (even helicopters at a pinch), at approx. $150,000 a missile, is a tad extravagant for knocking out most bunkers, etc.   At approx. $25,000 a tube and between $500 and $3,000(?) a shot, in my opinion, there's definitely a case for the British Army re-introducing the Carl Gustav, not to replace but to supplement the Javelin re-usable system and the NLAW [2014 prices]. Here is the latest version:-

Crickey, I used to fire (very infrequently) and lug about (much more frequently) the Charlie G.

[Westmarcher]

More and more armies appear to be favouring this type of artillery system over tracked systems mainly due to acquisition and ongoing maintenance costs. The loading process is fascinating. Hail Caesar! 

However, I still prefer the Swedish Archer artillery system (which is probably more expensive, methinks; otherwise the Danes may well be acquiring this instead).

[Westmarcher]

The Ferguson Rifle from the AWI. A development that didn't take off because of the expense.

[fsn]

... and, if I recall correctly, Ferguson died in the American Revoution? 

[toxicpixie]

It says so in the video. So yes

[d_Guy]

Since it was capable of being loaded in the prone position I wonder why it wasn't ultimately selected instead of the Baker rifle. Too delicate, too easily fouled?

[Westmarcher]

Apparently, the gun was not adopted because it was difficult and expensive to produce given the manufacturing technology of the era. Plus (according to Wikipedia), "they broke down easily in combat, especially in the wood of the stock around the lock mortise. The lock mechanism and breech were larger than the stock could withstand with rough use. All surviving military Fergusons feature a horseshoe-shaped iron repair under the lock to hold the stock together where it repeatedly broke around the weak, over-drilled out mortise." 

[fsn]

It says so in the video. So yes

Thought so. Was in work so couldn't watch the video, but first remember the story from Mil Mod, probably from 1975.

It's one of the "might have beens". If Ferguson had lived and had time to refine his design, what could have been?

[paulr]

I found this interesting overview of WWII in Europe and some parts of Africa, interesting to watch the ebb and flow

[fsn]

Probably a bit late for Techno but ...

Don't know anything about the sheep shearing but ...

In Viet Nam?

[Terry37]

I was not going to post this, but....why not! This is a pretty good, and humorous music video, and one of the cowboys in a brown hat, white shirt and black vest looks an awful lot like a certain wargamer I know in Middle Tennessee!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vF3F6IElRA&t=2s

Terry.....err, I mean HT Terry

[d_Guy]

Terry, I'm not sure people know you are using live rounds 

Also - exuberant about getting Federal, State, and County taxes paid, I have run off in high spirits, posting with abandon.

Found this a bit ago:
The Blackwatch escorting the crown from the castle down the Royal Mile to the Scottish Parliament. Looks to be battalion pipes and drums and a full rifle company. Particularly like it since the camera follows the whole way and they play pretty much the same march set my late pipeband played forty years ago (although our "regimental" was different). 20 minutes, but enjoyable to watch and hear: