July 2013 - Argghhh!

The Launchers. There were essentially 5 types of V-B launchers in US service. To minimize the time between adoption, production, and issuance, the V-B launcher and grenades were adopted as-is. The only initial changes needed were the dimensional changes required to adapt to US rifle barrel/front sight profiles. When US production caught up there were 4 US- specific Marks of launcher adopted, though the Mark II was never manufactured. 1. The original was the French launcher . While US producers were...

...those tubes took some extra punching. Paratroopers from Alpha Battery, 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Regiment [actually 25th Infantry Division], fire artillery during the commissioning ceremony for the Navy's newest ship, the USS Anchorage at the Port of Anchorage, Alaska, May 4, 2013. The paratroopers provided a 19-gun salute with six 105mm howitzer cannons during the ceremony. U.S Army photo by Sgt. Eric-James Estrada...

The Castle's two Lebel rifles, and a rifle grenade. The rod-grenade is relatively rare, as it is made from a French F1 grenade. The French pretty much stopped using rodded grenades in 1915, opting instead for the Vivien-Bessiere cup discharger... which you just *happen* to see an example of attached to the Castle's Lebel Mle1886/M93 rifle. Above that, you see the Mle1886/M93/R35, the shortened form of the rifle, with the correct bayonet (Neffi can weigh in on how relatively rare those are...

Nota Bene: this is a long one, and I've chopped it up into four parts. Okay, as I have said before, people who are trying to kill you while you are trying to kill them suck. They’re supposed to just surrender, right? I mean, why can’t we all just get along – especially if you’ll do what I tell you! Anyway, once this whole blackpowder/gun thing got going, especially as the guns got better, people started doing things like hiding. And that sucks. Besides, they rarely come...

Right down to the cute little faux-jeep. M327 120mm Expeditionary Fire Support System .

...the have some neat kit. 07/17/2013 - U.S. Sailors and Marines conduct well deck operations July 17, 2013, during a combat rubber reconnaissance craft and landing craft, air cushion joint force exercise aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) while underway in the Coral Sea for Talisman Saber 2013. Talisman Saber is a combined biennial exercise between the U.S. and Australian militaries designed to enhance both nations’ ability to respond to regional contingencies...

This is the latest next-to-the-latest retired veteran to make his way to the Castle Argghhh! Home for Auld Soldiers. So, this was the question - who created him and with whom did he serve? From the base picture alone, a little judicious googling would have gotten you to Polish-made Kbk Wz 29. The front sight ears and front barrel band should have gotten you to that, as it did indeed for Sean. Slick was close, but no cigar. Which is what made the second picture the key discriminator. As Sean observed...