Monday, March 31, 2014

T38 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage

The T38 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage was produced as an alternative to the T19 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage in case the heavy 105mm howitzer couldn't be carried on the M3 half-track chassis.

T19 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage

The T19 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage was an expedient design that mounted a standard 105mm howitzer on the chassis of an M3 half-track.

T3 75mm Howitzer Motor Carriage

The T3 75mm Howitzer Motor Carriage was an early attempt to produce self-propelled artillery by mounting an howitzer on the chassis of the M1 Combat Car (later the M1 Light Tank).

Friday, March 28, 2014

USS Chicago (CA-29)

USS Chicago (CA-29) was a Northampton class heavy cruiser that had a somewhat unlucky war, being badly damaged by Japanese torpedoes twice during the fighting off Guadalcanal, returning from repairs after the first attack on time to be sunk by the second.

USS Louisville (CA-28)

USS Louisville (CA-28) was a Northampton class heavy cruiser that fought at Guadalcanal, in the Aleutians, the invasion of the Marshall Islands, the Pelau Islands, the battle of Leyte Gulf and the invasion of Okinawa.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

463rd Bombardment Group

The 463rd Bombardment Group was a B-17 unit that served with the Fifteenth Air Force in Italy, taking part in the strategic bombing campaign as well as supporting the ground troops in Italy and the south of France.

462nd Bombardment Group

The 462nd Bombardment Group was a very heavy bombardment group group that took part in the early B-29 campaign operating from bases in India and China before moving to Tinian to join the direct assault on Japan.

461st Bombardment Group

The 461st Bombardment Group was a B-24 group that served with the Fifteenth Air Force in Italy, taking part in the strategic bombing campaign and supporting the fighting in the south of France and southern Italy.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Sir Humphrey Neville of Brancepeth (c.1439-1469)

Sir Humphrey Neville of Brancepeth (c.1439-1469) was member of the Lancastrian branch of the Neville family, and was one of the northern noblemen who refused to accept the Yorkist victory after the battle of Towton and continued to resist Edward IV until he was captured and executed in 1469.

Richard Neville, fifth earl of Salisbury (1400-1460)

Richard Neville, fifth earl of Salisbury (1400-1460), was an important northern landowner who became a key support of Richard, duke of York, early in the Wars in the Roses, but who was killing after the battle of Wakefield and was overshadowed by his more famous son, Warwick the Kingmaker.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Action at Inkovo (8 August 1812)

The action at Inkovo (8 August 1812) was a minor Russian victory during a short-lived Russian offensive that came soon after the main Russian armies had united at Smolensk.

Battle of Vitebsk (28 July 1812)

The battle of Vitebsk (28 July 1812) was one of Napoleon's great missed chances during his invasion of Russia of 1812. By delaying his attack for a day he missed an opportunity to fight a major battle against Barclay de Tolly's 1st Western Army and allowed the Russians to slip away.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Battle of Ostrovno (25-26 July 1812)

The battle of Ostrovno (25-26 July 1812) was a rearguard action fought between Ostermann-Tolstoy's rearguard of Barclay de Tolly's 1st Western Army and Murat's advance guard of the Grande Armée. The Russians were eventually forced to retreat into Vitebsk, but they held up the French for two days.

Battle of Mogilev or Mohilev (23 July 1812)

The battle of Mogilev or Mohilev (23 July 1812) was the first significant fighting during Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812 and was a minor French victory that prevented General Bagration's Second Western Army from moving north to join with Barclay de Tolly's First Western Army.

Friday, March 21, 2014

Owen Tudor (c.1400-1461)

Owen Tudor (c.1400-1461) was a member of an ancient Welsh princely family, related to Owain Glyn Dwr. His secret marriage to Catherine of Valois, Henry V's widow, brought him to national prominence and he became the founder of the house of Tudor.

George Neville, archbishop of York, 1432-1476

George Neville, archbishop of York, 1432-1476, was a brother of Richard Neville, earl of Warwick, and played a part in both the establishment of the Yorkist dynasty in 1460-61 and his brother's revolts in 1469-71.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

M6 37mm gun motor carriage

The M6 37mm gun motor carriage was the one of the first, and the cheapest, tank destroyers to see service with the US Army during the Second World War.

M4 37mm gun motor carriage

The M4 37mm gun motor carriage was the original designation for the M6 37mm gun motor carriage (Fargo).

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Battle of Stoke (16 June 1487)

The battle of Stoke (16 June 1487) was the last battle of the Wars of the Roses and saw Henry VII defeat the pretender Lambert Simnel and his allies.

Battle of Bosworth Field (22 August 1485)

The battle of Bosworth Field (22 August 1485) was the final  major battle of the Wars of the Roses, and saw the Lancastrian claimant to the throne, Henry Tudor, defeat and kill Richard III, the last of the Yorkist monarchs.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

460th Bombardment Group

The 460th Bombardment Group was a B-24 unit that served with the Fifteenth Air Force in Italy, taking part in the strategic bombing offensive and supporting the ground troops in Italy and the south of France.

459th Bombardment Group

The 459th Bombardment Group was a B-24 group that served with the Fifteenth Air Force in Italy, taking part in the strategic bombing campaign and supporting the ground troops in Italy and the south of France.

458th Bombardment Group

The 458th Bombardment Group was a B-24 unit that served with the Eighth Air Force, taking part in the strategic bombing campaign as well D-Day and the Normandy campaign, the battle of the Bulge and the crossing of the Rhine.

Monday, March 17, 2014

If Rome Hadn't Fallen, Timothy Venning.

If Rome Hadn't Fallen, Timothy Venning.

Counter-factual history that looks at how the fall of the Western Roman Empire might have been avoided and what the long term consequences of that might have been. Combines some interesting credible thoughts with wilder speculation including Roman colonies in the Americans. A fun read for those who enjoy counter-factual history
[read full review]

Heroes and Landmarks of British Aviation, Richard Edwards and Peter J Edwards.

Heroes and Landmarks of British Aviation, Richard Edwards and Peter J Edwards.

 Looks at the careers and long term impact of the life of a series of crucial pioneers of British aviation, from the birth of powered flight to the Jet age. Combines biographies of the key figures with a history of the companies they founded and key milestones they helped achieve.
[read full review]

Images of War: The Soviet-Afghan War, Anthony Tucker-Jones.

Images of War: The Soviet-Afghan War, Anthony Tucker-Jones.

 A photographic history of the disastrous Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, a conflict that lasted for most of the 1980s and drained the Soviet economy and military as well as leaving Afghanistan devastated and vulnerable to the Taliban takeover after a prolonged civil war.
[read full review]

Friday, March 14, 2014

T41 Howitzer Motor Carriage

The T41 Howitzer Motor Carriage was the first attempt to mount a 75mm howitzer on the chassis of the M5 Stuart light tank.

Stuart Light Tank

The Stuart Light Tank was the British designation for the American M3 and M5 Light Tanks, the first tank to be received in large numbers after the start of Lend-Lease and an important addition to the British armoured forces in North Africa in 1941-42.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Sir William Parr (1434-1483)

Sir William Parr (1434-1483) was originally a member of the Neville affinity, but switched sides during Warwick's second revolt against Edward IV and was rewarded richly for his decision.

Edmund Beaufort, fourth duke of Somerset (1439-1471)

Edmund Beaufort, fourth duke of Somerset (1439-1471) was a key Lancastrian leader during their period in exile after Edward IV's victory in the first phase of the Wars of the Roses, and was executed after defeat at the battle of Tewkesbury had ended the short-lived Lancastrian revival of 1470-71.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

456th Bombardment Group

The 456th Bombardment Group was a B-24 group that served with the Fifteenth Air Force in Italy, taking part in the strategic bombing campaign as well as supporting the troops in Italy and the south of France.

455th Bombardment Group

The 455th Bombardment Group was a B-24 group that served with the Fifteenth Air Force in Italy, taking part in the strategic bombing campaign and supporting the fighting in Italy and the south of France.

454th Bombardment Group

The 454th Bombardment Group was a B-24 group that fought with the Fifteenth Air Force in Italy, taking part in the strategic bombing campaign and supporting the group troops fighting in Italy and the south of France.

Monday, March 10, 2014

USS Chester (CA-27)

USS Chester (CA-27) was a Northampton class heavy cruiser that fought at the Coral Sea, the invasion of the Marshall Islands, the Aleutians, the battle of Leyte Gulf and the invasion of Iwo Jima, winning eleven battle stars for her wartime service.

USS Northampton (CA-26)

USS Northampton (CA-26) was the nameship of the Northampton class of heavy cruisers. She fought in the Pacific early in the Second World War but was sunk at the battle of Tassafaronga on 30 November 1942.

Friday, March 07, 2014

T8 Reconnaissance Vehicle

The T8 Reconnaissance Vehicle was a conversion of the M5 light tank designed to produce a reconnaissance vehicle.

M8 75mm Howitzer Motor Carriage

The M8 75mm Howitzer Motor Carriage was a successful attempt to mount a howitzer in the chassis of an M5 light tank, and was used in combat from late in 1943 until the end of the Second World War.

Thursday, March 06, 2014

Wednesday, March 05, 2014

Battle of Tewkesbury (4 May 1471)

The battle of Tewkesbury (4 May 1471) was a Yorkist victory that saw the death of the Lancastrian heir, Prince Edward, and ended any realistic chances that the Lancastrians could overthrow Edward IV.

Battle of Barnet, 14 April 1471

The battle of Barnet, 14 April 1471, was the first of two victories that re-established Edward IV on the throne after he was briefly deposed late in 1470. The battle ended with the death of Richard Neville, earl of Warwick, the 'kingmaker', the man whose ambitions had caused the renewal of the Wars of the Roses after half a decade of peace.

Tuesday, March 04, 2014

The Battle of Hastings 1066 - The Uncomfortable Truth, John Grehan and Martin Mace.

The Battle of Hastings 1066 - The Uncomfortable Truth, John Grehan and Martin Mace.

A well argued book that suggests an alternative location for the Battle of Hastings, about a mile north of the generally accepted location. Includes a detailed examination of the early sources, the alternative battlefields and the historical discussion of the battle.
[read full review]

Long Journey with Mr Jefferson - The Life of Dumas Malone, William G. Hyland Jr.

Long Journey with Mr Jefferson - The Life of Dumas Malone, William G. Hyland Jr.

 A biography of a biographer who wrote a magisterial six volume biography of Thomas Jefferson, finishing the last volume late in life when almost totally blind. This is an interesting biography of an impressive figure, although perhaps of interest to a rather limited audience - other historians or those with an interest in Jefferson.
[read full review]

Leyte 1944 - The Soldiers' Battle, Nathan N. Prefer.

Leyte 1944 - The Soldiers' Battle, Nathan N. Prefer.

A very detailed account of the land battle on Leyte, where the Japanese decided to make their main defensive stand in the Philippines and where the American victory ensured that the Japanese would be unable to hold on to the rest of the Philippines. This will stand as the definitive account of this little known but crucial battle in the Pacific War.
 [read full review]