we bought our forever South African Dream home for our growing family. It was in the perfect location in the Johannesburg suburb where I...

The most numerous tank used by the U.S. and the Allies during World War II was the M4 Sherman. The British named the tank after the American Civil War

[Photo] M4 Sherman tank and men of the US 1st Marine Division on the beach of Cape Gloucester, New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago, 15 Dec 1943

Visit Cape Cod for an unforgettable adventure. Discover the best hotels, restaurants, and things to do with this highly curated Cape Cod travel guide.

M4 Sherman tank and men of the US 1st Marine Division on the beach of Cape Gloucester, New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago, 15 December 1943. http://wrhstol.com/2o9PS8V

The monumental four-month battle saw the Allies launch four assaults against the Gustav Line in Italy held by Axis forces as they sought the breakthrough to clear the path to Rome.

I met the most wonderful couple today, Honey and Robert, as I knocked on their front door to ask if I could take pictures of their Charles Dilbeck designed home. Honey is an interior designer and Robert is an attorney. They purchased the home from the original owners; added on a living area, master bedroom and bath. They just moved in three days ago and they invited me into the house...can you believe my good fortune to see this beautiful home inside and out. They have the original Dilbeck blueprints...home built in the 1920's. Charles Dilbeck is a famous architect starting his architecture practice in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Charles relocated to Dallas , Texas in 1933. For the next twenty-five plus years, he created many wonderful houses in the Dallas area, each saying, "I am a Dilbeck house." Here are some pictures of a true Dilbeck home; the only one in Sherman, Texas.

The M4 Sherman officially Medium Tank, M4, was the most widely used medium tank by the United States and Western Allies in World War II – English

The Union lays waste to Fayetteville in its push through the Carolinas. (Volume 5, Part Two)

Explore cape master’s 8,993 photos on Flickr!

Dramatically different times, places and circumstances separate Claude Cahun, the androgynous Surrealist who was imprisoned in Nazi-occupied Jersey for her role in the French Resistance, and the Turner Prize-winning contemporary artist Gillian Wearing, who in 2011 was awarded the OBE for services to the arts.

I'm sure readers know of Mary Shelley's famous novel 'Frankenstein'. Briefly, Dr. Victor Frankenstein assembles a monster in the form of a human being, using body parts from "the dissecting-room and the slaughter-house". Since then, the first part of his name has become a byword to describe anything that resembles a known thing, but uses parts from other things. For example, in the shooting world, a 'Franken-FAL' is a FAL rifle (like this one, for example) that looks as if it came from the factory as a complete unit, but has in reality been assembled by the owner (or an unscrupulous gunshop) using parts from different countries where it was made under license, some of them to Imperial measurements, others to metric measurements. Its conventional appearance belies the fact that it's a conglomeration of bits and pieces from many different sources. There's also a 'Franken-Ferrari', an authentic Ferrari body with a different engine in it (like this one) or a Ferrari engine in a different, non-Ferrari body. The term 'Franken-whatever' has been used in various fields. I use the term in this article to refer to the front-line combat aircraft of the South African Air Force during the 1980's and 1990's. They began life as various models of the Mirage fighter built by Dassault in France. However, they were upgraded to so great an extent, using parts and systems from other countries, that they became 'Franken-Mirages'; resembling their parent aircraft to a certain extent, but in reality very different planes. Furthermore, an effort was made to produce an indigenous South African fighter, which at first drew heavily on the design of the Mirages that were so well known in that country. I was involved with one aspect of that program. However, none of these projects are very well-known outside South Africa, and even within that country there's a great deal of misunderstanding and confusion about them. I'd like to clarify the situation. This article will provide background information on the South African Air Force (SAAF), and discuss the Cheetah fighter upgrade program in some depth. Weekend Wings #40, to be published next weekend, will discuss the Carver indigenous fighter aircraft program. Weekend Wings #41, to follow a week later, will describe South Africa's efforts to obtain more powerful engines for its fighters, and examine some of the weapons, electronic systems and other equipment developed by the South African armaments industry to support all these programs. The South African Air Force The SAAF is one of the oldest professional air arms in the world, its origins dating back to 1912. It was established as a separate armed service shortly after the First World War, only the second air force in the world to achieve this (Britain's Royal Air Force [RAF] was the first - by comparison, the USAF was only established as a separate armed service in 1947!) The SAAF served alongside the RAF, USAF and allied forces during World War II, growing to 35 operational squadrons, over 500 combat aircraft and some 45,000 South African personnel (almost half of them serving in the RAF and other organizations) by the end of the war. Martin B-26 Marauder of the SAAF during World War II During the Korean War (1950-53), the SAAF sent its 2 Squadron to fly with the the USAF's 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing, operating US-supplied F-51D Mustang and, later, F-86F Sabre fighter-bombers. (No, the F-51 isn't a misprint: the P-51 Mustang was re-designated the F-51 by the US Air Force in 1948.) SAAF F-51D Mustang in Korea. Note the contemporary 'leaping springbok' national insignia. 2 Squadron flew over 12,000 sorties in Korea, losing 74 Mustangs and 4 Sabres to enemy action and accidents, along with 34 pilots and 2 ground crew. More detailed accounts of its activities may be read here and here. It was awarded the US Presidential Unit Citation for its service in Korea. (One of the squadron's Mustang pilots, Dennis Earp, who was shot down and taken prisoner by North Korean forces, would rise to the rank of Lieutenant-General and command the SAAF during the hottest fighting of the Border War, from 1984-88.) During the late 1940's and early 1950's the SAAF bought a total of 77 Vampire jet fighters from Britain, including 27 two-seat trainer aircraft. However, they proved inferior to the Sabres its pilots had flown in combat in Korea. The Vampires were soon relegated to a support and advanced training role. A restored SAAF Vampire T Mk. 55 Based on its Korean experience, the SAAF bought 34 Canadair Sabre Mk. 6 aircraft (probably the ultimate development of the F-86 Sabre) in the mid-1950's to equip its front-line combat squadrons. SAAF Canadair Sabre Mk. 6 in 1950's color scheme During the 1960's, it was further expanded and modernized with several dozen French Dassault Mirage III fighter-bombers of five different sub-types (B/C/D/E/R), 16 British Blackburn Buccaneer S.50 maritime strike aircraft and 9 English Electric Canberra bombers. All of these aircraft types are shown in the photograph below. SAAF combat aircraft of the 1960's (click the image for a larger view). Front row (on left): Mirage IIICZ interceptors. Rear row (on right): from bottom, two Sabre Mk. 6's, a Buccaneer S.50, a Canberra, then more of the same types of aircraft. Top row (facing camera): two Canberras and a Mirage IIICZ. In the 1970's these were joined by 48 Dassault Mirage F1 aircraft, 16 interceptors (the F1CZ) and 32 strike aircraft (the F1AZ, a model designed to South Africa's requirements). SAAF Mirage F1CZ interceptors The license-manufactured Aermacchi MB.326 two-seat jet trainer aircraft (known locally as the Impala Mk. I) was also produced in a single-seat light strike version (dubbed the Impala Mk. II). 150 of the former and 100 of the latter were taken into service, making South Africa the world's largest operator of the type. The Mk. II's proved extremely effective in combat during the Border War, making many strikes against ground targets and shooting down at least six enemy helicopters (2 Mil Mi-17's and 4 Mi-24 gunships). SAAF Impala Mk I two-seat training aircraft SAAF Impala Mk II single-seat light strike aircraft A number of other types of aircraft were taken into service, too numerous to list here. None were front-line combat planes. From an aviation enthusiast's point of view, it's worth mentioning that for many years the SAAF was the world's largest operator of the Douglas C-47 transport (known as the 'Dakota' in South Africa), with about 50 in service right through the 1980's. SAAF C-47 'Dakota' I flew many thousands of miles aboard those C-47's, including one whose logbooks recorded that it had dropped US paratroopers during Operation Market Garden in 1944! The SAAF still has about 20 of the upgraded 'Turbodak' in service, with turboprop engines and an extended fuselage. There's even a specialized maritime patrol variant of this aircraft. SAAF 'Turbodak' The SAAF also operated many North American T-6 Texan training aircraft of various types, including Canadian-produced variants. They were known as the 'Harvard' in South African service. Some 550 were on strength at the end of World War II, although more than half were returned to the USA in terms of the 'Lend-Lease' program. A further 95 refurbished examples were bought from the USA during the 1950's. SAAF Harvard training aircraft(T-6 Texan) I've written more extensively about the T-6 in South African service here (with many more pictures). They were replaced by Pilatus PC-7 trainers during the 1990's. Most of the surviving Harvards were sold on the civilian market, producing a flood of interest from US warbird enthusiasts, who bought many of them. Some were reportedly still in the manufacturers' crates, having never been assembled! Needless to say, those particular examples were much sought after. Purchases of new combat aircraft from abroad for the SAAF became almost impossible after the imposition of a mandatory United Nations arms embargo in 1977, due to South Africa's racist apartheid policies. This led to serious problems during the 1980's, when South Africa's front-line Mirage fighter-bombers became outclassed in terms of speed, electronics and armament by variable-geometry aircraft such as the updated Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 and its derivative, the Mig-27, as well as Sukhoi Su-20/22's, that were being provided by the Soviet Union to Angola, with which South Africa was embroiled in a long-standing conflict over what was then South West Africa (today Namibia). For example, there were several incidents where Angolan MiG-23's flew reconnaissance missions over northern Namibia, flying too high and too fast for the SAAF's aircraft to intercept them. Angolan Air Force MiG-23UB Angolan Air Force Su-22 Furthermore, the Soviet Union supplied Angola and its surrogate Cuban forces in that country with one of the most extensive air defense systems in the world (indeed, some authorities claim it was the most extensive outside the Warsaw Pact, although I have my doubts about this). It included different models of air search and guidance radars, various models of surface-to-air missiles and cannon, and an integrated aircraft control and direction system to guide Angolan Air Force aircraft to intercept SAAF intruders. Notwithstanding these defenses, the SAAF did very well in the Angolan war. However, the distances involved, and the growing threat from more capable Soviet-supplied aircraft (often flown by Cuban or East German pilots, who were far more skilled and competent than those of the Angolan Air Force), meant that over time the SAAF's combat role became more and more limited compared to that of South Africa's ground forces. (As an aside, one of the unforeseen consequences of its massive arms shipments to Angola was that the Soviet Union inadvertently became one of the largest arms suppliers to South Africa and its UNITA allies. For example, the South African Defence Force [SADF] captured so many Soviet anti-aircraft guns during the course of the war [e.g. ZPU-1/2/4 14.5mm. heavy machine-guns, ZSU-23-2 23mm. cannon, etc.] that at one time no less than three of its AA units were equipped with them, and the RPG-7 became [and remains to this day] its standard-issue rocket-launcher. South African industry produced new and improved ammunition for these and other Soviet weapons. UNITA's tanks, artillery, trucks and other heavy equipment were all captured from Angolan and Cuban forces, and pressed into service against their former owners. Faced with the loss of air superiority over Angola, South Africa also developed innovative very-long-range artillery systems such as the world-famous G5 [towed] and G6 [self-propelled] 155mm. cannon, and copied [and improved upon] the Soviet BM-21 artillery rocket launcher to produce its Valkiri system. G6 155mm. self-propelled howitzer These artillery systems would prove vitally important in the 1987/88 campaigns in southern Angola, being able to take the place of tactical air support on many occasions. They were also widely exported. For example, Iraq bought 100 G5's, almost all of which were captured or destroyed during the First and Second Gulf Wars. Fortunately for Coalition and US forces, the Iraqis proved much less capable of using them effectively than did the SADF!) The SAAF was able to acquire a number of non-combat aircraft by various means, even after the arms embargo was enacted. For example, it had 7 C-130B Hercules and 9 C-160 Transall medium transport aircraft. It wanted more C-130's, but from the early 1970's the USA refused to sell any more of them to South Africa. However, Lockheed had produced several civilian models of the Hercules under the L-100 designation. A civilian airline, Safair, was quickly set up, and rapidly became the world's largest operator of L-100 Hercules variants. (At one time I think it had 17 of them on its books.) Needless to say, much of its business came from the SAAF! This can't possibly have been unknown to the US government (photographs exist of multiple Safair L-100's on military airbases in Namibia, and US satellites surely saw them there), but as far as I know, nothing was ever said about it - at least, not officially. Safair 'civilian' L-100 Hercules offloading troops and equipment The civilian-model Hercules weren't used to drop paratroops or supplies in combat zones (if any had been shot down, it would have been difficult to explain officially how civilian transports had become military casualties, and might have embarrassed the USA). On the other hand, they could (and did) take over much of the routine cargo and personnel transport work of the SAAF, thereby freeing its military C-130B's and C-160's for combat transport duties (at which they excelled, flying hundreds of missions into Angola during Operations Modular, Hooper and Packer in 1987/88 alone). Safair still exists today, and still has half a dozen L-100's on its books, among other aircraft. It's flown many missions for the United Nations in Africa, where the expertise of its military-trained pilots in rough-field operations is greatly appreciated. The SAAF had to acquire more modern combat aircraft and systems to respond to the threat posed by Soviet equipment. However, as noted above, the arms embargo made it extremely difficult to obtain them from abroad. (Aircraft can be readily identified by any observer with an interest in aviation, so it would have been very difficult to conceal the type [and hence the origin] of new aircraft for very long. This would inevitably have led to international pressure, if not retaliation, against the supplier nation.) South Africa did not, at that time, have the industrial and technological capability to design and build its own modern fighter aircraft, so initially the SAAF's only option was to upgrade its existing planes. (The arms embargo, and other international political and economic opposition, explains South Africa's paranoia about concealing the origin and type of its military equipment - a paranoia which continues in some official circles there to this day. The identity and quantity of armaments in service were concealed, details of their operations were not provided, and anyone asking what were deemed to be awkward questions - the sort of things that seem as natural as breathing to military and aviation enthusiasts in other countries - would probably face interrogation by utterly humorless security police. Those working in arms-related industries were relentlessly nagged about security. Foreign equipment, even if readily identifiable to the naked eye [e.g. South Africa's standard-issue assault rifle, the Israeli Galil, manufactured under license as the R4], was renamed and declared to be a native South African product. Even if an observer produced proof positive [such as photographs, technical descriptions, or foreign newspaper articles confirming the purchase] that it was not a local product, he could be imprisoned for contradicting the 'official line'. It was a ridiculous policy, but one had no choice but to observe it - or else!) Notwithstanding the arms embargo, technological assistance was available to South Africa from other countries. The country was too important a strategic partner in the Cold War to be left completely isolated by Western nations. (I can recall a South African military command center which, even at the height of the arms embargo, had an entire room filled wall-to-wall with communications terminals linked 24/7/365 to the armed forces of every NATO country, and a few others besides. Operational intelligence and information of mutual interest - including details of military technology - was exchanged on a routine basis. The politicians in those countries were probably never informed.) Almost anything could be had, for a price, from nations who needed South African raw materials, or wanted access to Soviet technology brought back from Angola. For example, South Africa was the first pro-Western nation to capture a complete SA-8 system, and the first SA-16 'Stingerski' man-portable ground-to-air missiles, as well as the first examples of the AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher. Soviet SA-8 radar vehicle at Rundu, in northern Namibia, after being captured by the SADF in Angola in October 1987 Foreign intelligence agencies were happy to offer sophisticated technology to South Africa in return for access to, or in exchange for, such captured equipment. In addition, companies in countries such as Israel and West Germany were actively (and very profitably) involved in assisting the South African defense industry to upgrade older equipment and develop new, modern replacements, such as tanks (the Olifant upgrade to the Centurion), armored cars (the Rooikat), missiles (the V3B and V3C air-to-air missiles, the ZT3 laser-guided anti-tank missile, and others), and precision-guided air-launched weapons. Some of these systems have been continuously developed, and have maintained leading positions in their fields to this day. Finally, a worldwide clandestine network was set up to smuggle designs, components and information to South Africa for use in its weapons programs. Elements of this network were occasionally exposed, leading to incidents such as the Coventry Four, but the network as a whole was never seriously inconvenienced. Three fighter aircraft programs were undertaken by South Africa to address the needs of the SAAF. The first was the 'Cheetah' modernization project, discussed below. A second, the Atlas 'Carver' (sometimes misspelt CAVA), sought to design a new-production fighter based on the technologies available to South Africa at the time. A third program, the 'Super Mirage F1', would seek to upgrade the SAAF's fighters with more modern engines and weapons. Finally, a number of projects were undertaken to develop technologies, systems and weapons for these aircraft. The latter programs will be discussed in Weekend Wings #40 and #41. The Cheetah program In the early 1980's, faced with modern Soviet aircraft and weapons in Angola and handicapped by the arms embargo, the SAAF had to act quickly to improve its capabilities. If it lost aircraft in combat it could not replace them, thanks to the embargo; therefore, it had to keep its combat planes as up-to-date as possible, to ensure they did not become so obsolescent that they risked being shot down in large numbers by more advanced enemy aircraft. Furthermore, it didn't have a large number of combat aircraft to spare. It had only about forty combat-ready 1970's-vintage Mirage F1's. If it took them out of service to upgrade them, it had nothing with which to replace them except even older, 1960's-vintage Mirage III's, which were shorter-ranged, had less powerful engines and obsolescent combat systems, and could carry less ordnance. That meant any upgrade would have to be applied first to the older Mirage III's, as they were the only aircraft that could be spared from combat operations for that purpose. Fortunately, this wasn't a bad choice at all. Two major aircraft programs had demonstrated what could be done by building on the foundation of the Mirage III. First, Dassault Aviation was by then producing the successor to the Mirage F1, the Mirage 2000, which returned to the delta-wing format of the Mirage III. Dassault Mirage 2000-5F of the French Air Force It had a considerably more powerful and more economical engine, greatly improved avionics and weapons systems, and a fly-by-wire control system, which together rendered it far superior to the Mirage III from which it stemmed. (It's generally accepted that the Mirage 2000 is roughly comparable, in terms of its overall capability, to contemporary models of the US F-16 Fighting Falcon or the Soviet MiG-29.) The SAAF reasoned that if Dassault could develop the Mirage III into a fully modern warplane, they could do likewise. This was aided by the fact that in the 1970's, South Africa had purchased a license to manufacture the Mirage III and F1, as well as the latter's Atar 09K-50 turbojet engine. All the necessary plans were thus on hand. Furthermore, Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), together with several other companies in that country's defense industry, had produced a series of Mirage derivatives. Israel had purchased Mirage III aircraft from France prior to the Six-Day War of 1967, and had ordered a further 50 Mirage 5's (a simplified version of the Mirage III). However, these were embargoed by France after the conflict. Undaunted, Israel stole the plans to the Mirage III from Switzerland, which was license-manufacturing the aircraft (a Swiss engineer, the late Alfred Frauenknecht, would later be sentenced to 4½ years imprisonment for his assistance to Israel in that regard). Israel used the stolen plans to develop its own fighters. The first of these was the Nesher, almost an exact copy of the Mirage 5 (indeed, it's so exact that some sources suggest IAI actually assembled Mirages, clandestinely supplied in kit form by France, rather than manufactured the Neshers itself; but this is unproven). A total of about 60 Neshers appear to have been made, most of which were sold to Argentina at the end of the 1970's under the name of Dagger (where they confronted British forces during the Falklands War). IAI went on to produce the Kfir, a considerably upgraded Mirage derivative with Israeli electronics and a US J79 turbojet engine (the same used on the F-4 Phantom II fighter-bomber, also operated by Israel). IAI Kfir, in US Navy colors under the designation F-21A, where it served as an adversary aircraft for Dissimilar Air Combat Training South Africa had very friendly ties with Israel, particularly in the military field. Indeed, I was informed by authoritative local sources that the so-called 'Vela incident' involved the test (with South African assistance) of an Israeli nuclear initiator device - i.e. a small, low-kiloton-range nuclear fission weapon, designed to ignite a much more powerful thermonuclear fusion weapon. Israeli-South African co-operation on this test was also alleged by convicted Soviet spy Dieter Gerhardt, who was certainly in a position to learn the facts of the matter. Furthermore, South African technological institutions such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and local defense companies such as Kentron (today Denel Dynamics), Reutech and others, were developing advanced radar and electro-optical detection and guidance systems. The latter companies in particular often collaborated with their Israeli counterparts (up to and including producing Israeli components and systems under license in South Africa). It would therefore be entirely feasible for the advanced combat systems of the Kfir to be 'transplanted' into the Mirage III's of the SAAF, including local assembly and partial production if necessary. Israel agreed to supply the necessary systems and components, and the go-ahead for the Cheetah project was given in the early 1980's. However, in order to provide at least a measure of diplomatic and political 'cover' for Israel, it was decided (as with so many South African weapons projects) to pretend that it was an entirely indigenous development. Despite all external similarities between the Israeli Kfir and the South African Cheetah, officials in South Africa would steadfastly deny that the two aircraft had anything in common. Of course, this didn't fool anyone with even the slightest degree of awareness for even a moment - which seemed to puzzle some of the officials concerned, who 'bought into' their own propaganda so completely that they regarded any dissenting voice as being guilty of high treason! The SAAF made available a two-seat Mirage IIID as the prototype airframe, which was sent to Israel for conversion. There it was stripped down completely and 'zero-houred' - in other words, all components subject to metal fatigue or stress were replaced, effectively returning the airframe to a brand-new condition. An extended nosecone was fitted, derived from the Kfir TC.2 model, to house advanced electronic systems, and small canard wings were fitted above the air intakes to improve low-speed handling and angle of attack. (The canards on the D and E model Cheetahs were smaller than those used on the later Cheetah C's, reportedly because it was too difficult to reinforce the fuselage frames in the engine intake area to accommodate the larger units. The Cheetah C's used the same full-size canards as the Kfir; but their airframes were supplied by Israel, as noted below. Presumably they weren't subject to the same limitations as the French-airframe-based Cheetah D's and E's.) Here's the only photograph I've been able to find of the Cheetah D prototype in Israel. It was probably taken in 1984/85. The conversion is still in progress - hence the incomplete paint job. Note the Israeli Air Force "Star of David" low-visibility roundel behind the canard wings on the air intake. The number on the tail doesn't correspond to any SAAF Cheetah, and is presumably a false serial number to deceive unwitting (and unwanted) observers. (Please excuse the weird watermark obscuring some of the details on the photograph. It was on the picture as sent to me by a contact in South Africa.) Given that the Cheetah prototype was converted in Israel, it's very interesting to note the proposed IAI Nammer aircraft of the late 1980's. Wikipedia says of it: The IAI Nammer ("Leopard", but frequently mistranslated "Tiger") was a fighter aircraft developed in Israel in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a modernised version of the Kfir for the export market. Although a prototype was built and flown, buyers were not forthcoming and development was ceased without any further examples being constructed. The avionics of the Nammer were to have taken advantage of the work undertaken for the cancelled Lavi project. As initially announced, the Nammer was to be an upgrade package for existing Mirage III and Mirage 5 airframes. Customers would be offered a choice of two configurations, one based around re-engining the aircraft with a General Electric F404, the other around retaining the Mirage's SNECMA Atar engine but integrating the Elta EL/M-2011 or EL/M-2032 fire-control radar. The first of these options maximised performance and range, the second maximised the aircraft's air-to-air targeting capabilities. As development progressed, the Nammer came to be advertised as a new-build aircraft with the EL/M-2032 an integral part of the package, and customers able to choose their preferred engine out of the F404 (or its Volvo derivative, the RM-12), the SNECMA M53, or the Pratt & Whitney PW1120. The design strongly resembled the Kfir C-7,but was easily distinguished by its longer nose and lack of a dorsal air scoop under the tail fin. There's more at the link. Wikipedia also provides this line drawing of the aircraft: I can't help but notice that, with the exception of the engine exhaust and a few related rear fuselage details, the line drawing above is virtually identical to the pictures of the Cheetah C and Kfir 2000 shown below. I also note that the translation of 'Nammer' (i.e. 'Leopard' or 'Tiger') is the name of a big cat . . . reminiscent of a 'Cheetah', perhaps? I'm willing to bet that Nammer and Cheetah were very closely related projects. (In fact, I wonder whether the 'sole prototype' of the Nammer might not have been the prototype SAAF Cheetah C (described below)? It would certainly have been a good cover story to disguise IAI's involvement with the latter program. I can't locate any photographs of the Nammer prototype online; but if any reader has access to some, I'd love to see them, in an attempt to clarify this possible link.) Details of the weapon and control systems fitted to the Cheetah have never been publicly revealed by the SAAF, but it can be safely assumed they were identical to those found on various models of the Kfir. IAI lists them as including, in the latest Kfir version: Pilot friendly advanced "Glass" Cockpit; Hands On Throttle And Stick (HOTAS) operation; Advanced multi-mode Fire Control Radar (FCR) with SAR; State-of-the-art weapons delivery, including Beyond Visual Range missiles; Digital Moving Map (DMM); Electronic Warfare (EW) Suite. I have observed such elements in SAAF Cheetah cockpits. I understand the radar used in the Cheetah D and E models (and in the Kfir C.7) was the simple Elta EL/M-2001B unit. I'm informed that the Cheetah C, the ultimate development of this project, used the much more advanced Elta EL/M-2032 . I don't know whether this was later retrofitted to the Cheetah D's, or whether they retained their less capable radar installation. Overall, the Cheetah C's electronic systems were probably on a par with those of the F-16C/D Block 30/32 fighter-bombers of the USAF, as originally equipped (with the exception of a datalink [e.g. Link 16], which was not fitted to any of the Cheetahs). The Israeli lineage of the Cheetah is clearly demonstrated by comparing the aircraft side-by-side. Here, for example, is the Cheetah D, the initial two-seat version of the aircraft. Here's a Kfir TC.2 of the Israeli Air Force. Note the identical extended and slightly downward-sloping nose cones, to house the electronics; the canard wings above the engine air intakes; and the strakes midway along the nose cone. Note, too, the curved objects (strakes? fairings?) running from the base of the nosecone down and back along the bottom of the fuselage. The Cheetah has an air refueling probe on the starboard side of the cockpit, which is absent from the Kfir TC.2, but an identical probe may be seen on other Kfir models, as shown below. The rear fuselage is different, of course, as the Cheetah uses a French Atar engine, while the Kfir uses a US turbojet; but from the engine forward, there's virtually no difference. The intermediate single-seat Cheetah E model is shown below: Here, for comparison, is the single-seat Kfir C.7: Note that both have small strakes at the tip of the nose cone, identical instrument probes beneath it, and an in-flight refueling probe that goes to the starboard air intake, rather than behind the cockpit, as in the later Cheetah C. The Cheetah E also incorporates the Kfir C.7's additional two weapons stations beneath the air intakes. I therefore consider the Cheetah E and the Kfir C.7 to be essentially identical from the engine forward. Here's the final iteration of the Cheetah, the 'C' model: and here's an IAI publicity photograph of their Kfir 2000 offering (link is to an Adobe Acrobat document in .PDF format): The refueling probes are different, but the noses of the two aircraft are, again, almost identical. (Note, too, their similarity to the IAI Nammer mentioned above.) Therefore, as far as its weapons and electronic systems are concerned, I consider the Cheetah C to be the functional equivalent of the Kfir 2000 (also known as the Kfir C.10: an interesting and very detailed analysis of this aircraft, which probably also applies almost word-for-word to the Cheetah C, may be found here). The SAAF's two-seat Mirage IIID variants were the first to be converted. This was probably for two reasons. First, and most pragmatically, the two-seat airframes could be most easily spared from operational duties. Second, they were probably urgently needed to replace the worn-out two-seat Buccaneer aircraft in the nuclear strike role (South Africa had six nuclear weapons, developed at the height of its political isolation and military struggle, which were dismantled in the early 1990's). The Buccaneers had not been updated with modern strike systems, which limited their usefulness; so the upgraded Cheetah D's would have been extremely welcome in this role. Sixteen two-seat Cheetah D's were produced, as well as 16 single-seat Cheetah E's, the latter mostly converted from Mirage IIIEZ airframes (although some were reportedly converted from airframes supplied by Israel, due to a shortage of suitable South African Mirages). All had been delivered by 1991. Finally, 38 Cheetah C's were produced under the auspices of 'Project Tunny'. We'll talk more about the background to that project in Weekend Wings #40, next week, as part of our discussion of the Carver program. The Cheetah C's were reportedly based on zero-houred Kfir airframes supplied by Israel, modified to accept the French Atar engine rather than the US J79. I think this must be correct, for two reasons: Most of the SAAF's Mirage III's had been delivered during the 1960's. Some had reached the end of their fatigue lives, and were thus unsuitable for conversion. Others had been lost in accidents, and the Cheetah E conversions had absorbed many of the remainder. The first sixteen Mirage III's supplied to the SAAF were 'C' model interceptors, with a shorter fuselage than subsequent models - too short to be converted into Cheetah C's, which have a longer fuselage. They could not have been lengthened without a reconstruction so extensive (and expensive) that it would have effectively meant producing a new airframe. Given these two facts, there would not have been enough usable single-seat Mirage III airframes left in the SAAF inventory to produce 38 Cheetah C's. I therefore believe the reports that say Israel supplied the fuselages for the latter. Apart from the prototype Cheetah D, most of the conversions were carried out in South Africa by Atlas Aircraft Corporation (today part of Denel Aviation), with Israeli technical assistance (which decreased as local industry gained experience and competence). The C models were delivered from 1993-1995, replacing the Cheetah E's, which were retired. Some of the two-seat Cheetah D's were retained in service as lead-in trainers for the C versions, and to provide a specialist strike function if required. A single experimental Cheetah R version was produced, using a Mirage IIIR2Z airframe, but no other reconnaissance versions were converted, and the Cheetah R did not enter squadron service, being retired soon afterwards. The reconnaissance function was taken over by Cheetah C's fitted with pod-mounted cameras. Vinten Vicon 18 Series 601 reconnaissance pod mounted beneath a Cheetah C Some of the Cheetah D aircraft had been converted from Mirage IIID2Z airframes, which had been delivered with Atar 09K-50 engines in the 1970's. Naturally, they retained these more powerful engines in their Cheetah guise. The remainder of the D's, and the Cheetah E models converted from Mirage IIIE's, retained their 1960's-vintage Atar 09C turbojet engine, as local production of the more powerful Atar 09K-50 (used in the Mirage F1) had proved economically unfeasible - South Africa's technological base was insufficiently advanced to manufacture all of the required components. In any event, due to changing circumstances (discussed below), the lower-powered Cheetah models would all be retired within a few years. Efforts were mounted to obtain additional 9K-50 engines to equip the Cheetah C models. The Mirage F1 was operated by a number of other countries, including Jordan, Iraq, Morocco and Qatar, all of whom also purchased armaments from South Africa. I understand that one or more of those nations made Atar 9K-50 engines available to South Africa in return for arms shipments. (I suspect the most likely candidate is Iraq. It bought over 80 Mirage F-1's from France, and, as mentioned above, obtained 100 G5 cannon from South Africa. Iraq was engaged in a war with Iran from 1980-1988. Since combat operations would naturally impose greatly increased wear on the engines of its aircraft, it could order large numbers of replacement engines without arousing suspicion. I have little doubt that some of these replacements were swapped for South African artillery and/or ammunition - probably at a very favorable 'rate of exchange', because South Africa needed the engines very badly.) The retirement of the SAAF's Mirage F1 fleet in the 1990's was partly (although by no means exclusively) caused by the need to transplant at least some of their engines into the Cheetah fleet. The surviving F1CZ interceptors were retired in 1992. Some of their engines went into the Cheetah C program. The Cheetah D and E versions (which had all entered service by 1992) took over from them until the Cheetah C's were ready. The last of the Mirage F1AZ's were retired in 1997, after all the Cheetah C's had entered service. If the Cheetah aircraft could be said to have a major weakness, it was their engines. The Atar 9C engines used by Mirage III's were rated at a maximum of 13,240 pounds static thrust with afterburner. The Atar 9K-50 engine of the Mirage F1 was rated at 15,873 pounds static thrust with afterburner, an increase in power of almost 20%. However, the core technology of both these engines was based on the German BMW 003 axial-flow turbojet developed during World War II. Technology that old simply couldn't keep pace with more modern developments. The Atar 9-series turbojet engines weren't nearly as powerful (or as economical) as the turbofan engines installed in more modern military aircraft such as the F-16 (later models of which use the General Electric F110, rated at up to 32,500 pounds static thrust with afterburner), or the MiG-29 (using two Klimov RD-33 turbofans, each rated at 18,285 pounds static thrust with afterburner - we'll hear more about this engine in Weekend Wings #41). However, such engines weren't available to South Africa at the time the Cheetah program was developed, so the SAAF had to make do with what it could get. The Cheetahs used an upgraded wing, offering improved aerodynamic qualities compared to that originally fitted to the Mirage III. The wing design from the Carver program was experimentally adapted to fit the Cheetahs as the Advanced Combat Wing, or ACW. The line drawing below shows how more advanced Cheetah wings evolved, from the initial production variant to a final design with missile stations on the wingtips. The ACW was flight-tested, but never entered service. (Purists please note: the drawings are not to scale, and are not precise. I'm afraid I don't have the space to post engineering blueprints!) The ACW had a fixed, drooped leading edge. An early iteration (Version 2 as shown above) had a simple notch in the leading edge at mid-span, while a later model (Version 3 above) had a much wider slot. This permitted underwing mounting of the SAAF's standard 500-liter (about 132 US gallon) drop tanks, which would otherwise have struck the lowered leading edge. Additional fuel tanks were incorporated into the drooped leading edge, which were claimed to improve the Cheetah's radius of action by almost 100 kilometers (just over 60 miles). The first ACW prototype was tested on the only Cheetah R, and a more evolved model was tested on a two-seat Cheetah D. The latter improved the Cheetah's sustained turn rate by 14%, and permitted maximum takeoff weight to be increased by well over half a ton. It also permitted angles of attack up to 33 degrees at low speeds, with much greater stability, at the expense of a reduction of approximately 5% in the aircraft's maximum supersonic speed. However, for budgetary reasons the SAAF declined to upgrade their Cheetahs with the ACW, and it was never put into production. I have more detailed drawings of the ACW designs, as well as photographs of the trial versions, but I won't reproduce them here for reasons of space. Here's a contemporary computer rendering of what a version of the ACW with wingtip launchrail might have looked like if installed on a Cheetah C. Official and unofficial South African sources claim that the Cheetahs were very successful, and popular with their pilots. Compared to the earlier Mirage III's and F1's, I'm sure this is true. Certainly, the Cheetah C's were an order of magnitude more capable than anything preceding them in the SAAF inventory. I think that in terms of their electronics and weapons systems, they could certainly have matched the 1980's-vintage MiG-23's and -27's, and Sukhoi Su-20/22's, that the SAAF encountered in Angola. However, due to the lower power of their engines, I don't believe they could have matched the Soviet aircraft in acceleration or top speed. Similarly, I don't believe claims from some South African sources that the Cheetah C was comparable in ACM performance to the US F-15 Eagle. I've had the opportunity to discuss those claims with some of the USAF personnel involved. Let's just say that their version of events differs from the South African perspective! I also note that visiting pilots from several foreign air forces, whilst praising the quality of SAAF pilots - who, at least during my time in that country, were world-class by anyone's standards - have nevertheless reported that the Cheetahs could not gain or maintain dominance over true fourth generation fighter aircraft. (See, for example, this account by a Russian pilot - scroll down the page to the relevant section.) SAAF Cheetah C flying over USS Forrest Sherman off Cape Town in 2007 (Click the image for a larger view) Overall, given its inherent limitations, I think the Cheetah program was a success, albeit at a very high price indeed. Including all research, development, tooling, purchase and production expenses, and averaging them across the 71 aircraft produced (16 D's, 16 E's, 38 C's and a single R - the latter not entering service), each Cheetah cost South Africa well over twice the price of a brand-new contemporary equivalent (e.g. the Mirage 2000) on the open market. However, in a sanctions environment, there was no alternative, so at the time, these costs were a necessary evil that had to be borne. The program updated obsolescent third-generation combat aircraft to fourth-generation standards as far as their weapons and electronic systems were concerned, and provided the SAAF with an aircraft capable of handling any regional threat at the time. Fortunately, with the end of the Angolan War in the late 1980's, the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990's, and the end of apartheid in 1994, no more sophisticated threats arose that would have required a more technologically advanced response. Here's a video clip of SAAF Cheetah C's (filmed from a two-seat Cheetah D) shortly before the type was retired from service. I apologize for the musical soundtrack . . . some people never know when to post a video 'as is' and leave out the crappy music! During the 1990's the SAAF found itself in a budgetary crisis. Not surprisingly, the first democratically-elected post-apartheid government prioritized restoring balance to political, economic and social structures warped by decades of institutionalized racial discrimination. Funding was directed largely to such efforts. Furthermore, the military threats facing the country had almost completely evaporated, compared to the days of the Border War and international sanctions, which had driven the Cheetah program from its inception. There was no longer a pressing need for combat aircraft, but a very great need to conserve the SAAF's much more restricted budget. The number of front-line aircraft was therefore slashed. Only one squadron was retained, operating 28 Cheetahs (a mixture of single-seat C's and two-seat D's, all powered by Atar 09K50 engines). The remainder of the Cheetah fleet was retired from SAAF service. A couple were used as development aircraft, but most were placed in storage. Some were later sold to other nations. The last Cheetahs were retired in 2008, and are presently being replaced by 26 Saab Gripen multi-role fighters. SAAF Saab Gripen fighter over Cape Town Sadly, these reductions in force and budgetary constraints caused major problems for the SAAF in retaining the services of its highly qualified and skilled pilots. Many of them saw no future for themselves in the new climate of politically correct restructuring, and resigned to pursue more lucrative opportunities elsewhere. Some became mercenary pilots of combat aircraft for other nations and/or organizations, where their superior flying skills and combat experience were greatly appreciated and well compensated. (One of them, reported by some sources to be a former SAAF Colonel, made international headlines at the turn of the century during the conflict in Sierra Leone.) The SAAF's budgetary and personnel problems have not abated with the advent of a new century. It was reported last year that the service had only 8 trained pilots for its Saab Gripen fighters, down from 30 pilots in 2005 and 20 in 2008. The SAAF is presently in the midst of a crisis as far as trained personnel are concerned . . . a very sad situation for a service that only two decades ago boasted pilots equal to, if not better than, those of most first-class air forces, including the USAF. I personally doubt whether the SAAF will ever regain the very high standards it had attained by the end of the Border War in the 1980's. Next week, in Weekend Wings #40, I'll examine the Atlas Carver project to develop an indigenous South African fighter aircraft. The following week, in Weekend Wings #41, I'll discuss efforts to re-engine the SAAF's Mirages and Cheetahs, and look at related weapons and systems developed by South Africa's armaments industry. All of them are very interesting from an aviation perspective. Some of the weapons systems in particular are now in the hands of powers who are not exactly well disposed towards the West. As such, they're of direct and immediate concern to the United States' armed forces, who may find themselves confronting them one day. Peter

SHERMANS EN EL PACIFICO Los marines, o leathernecks, fueron creados durante la revolución americana o guerra de la Independencia, como pequeña unidad de fusileros embarcados, siguiendo el modelo de las Royal Marines Británicos. El primer centro de reclutamiento para los Marines Continentales o Regular Marines estuvo en Tur-Tavern (Filadelfia). El propietario de estas tierras, el capitán Muller, fue el encargado de este centro en 1776; pero él y su compañía nunca participaron en acciones navales, su bautismo de fuego fue en la campaña de Princenton. En Septiembre de 1776, el Marine Comité del Congreso aprobó su uniforme: guerrera color verde oscuro con pecheras y puños blancos; en 1779, por falta de tela blanca, ésta se sustituyó por otra roja. Los oficiales portaban una charretera de plata en el hombro derecho. Los marines fueron disueltos al final de la guerra, para reorganizarse de nuevo en 1798. Varios estados contaron con compañías de marines, como Mary]and, Philadelfia. El cuerpo evolucioné lentamente hasta formar una formidable fuerza terrestre, demostrando su valía en los bosques de Belleau y en Neuse-Argonne (Francia) durante la Gran Guerra, actuando como unidad independiente. En el período de entre guerras estuvo a punto de ser disuelta definitivamente. El ejército reestructuro sus fuerzas armadas una vez licenciados sus excedentes de tropas; esto, unido a la crisis de 1929, hizo recortar todos los presupuestos de defensa en material, armamento y tropas. El Ejército de Tierra quiso controlar todas las fuerzas terrestres y la Marina no veía un lugar dentro de su estructura para una unidad estrictamente de tierra. Solo podía sobrevivir como unidad independiente, reorganizando su papel dentro de las fuerzas armadas. Afortunadamente, un cuadro de oficiales con visión de futuro sugirió la transformación del cuerpo en Unidad Anfibia, entrenada y equipada para atacar y defender cabezas de playa, basándose en la experiencia de los combates en Gallipoli (Turquía), durante la pasada guerra. La propuesta fue aceptada por el Secretario de Defensa (Ministro), pero a condición de desempeñar también otras funciones: proteger las instalaciones y bases navales, mandar destacamentos en los buques de la armada con la misión de control, vigilancia y seguridad de las naves y sus dotaciones, En la marina americana los marineros no hacen guardias de armas sino de servicios, según su especialidad. escolta personal del Presidente y de la Casa Blanca; en consulados y embajadas, en territorios extranjeros y como escolta a jefes de estado en visitas oficiales. El Cuerpo debía responsabilizarse del desarrollo de las tácticas, técnicas y todo lo necesario para la guerra anfibia, creando un equipo de estudios técnicos. En 1930, el Cuerpo de Marines empezó sus entrenamientos desembarcando desde lanchas ordinarias. En 1933 fue creado el Fleet Marine Force, formando parte integral de la flota, y sirviendo bajo el mando directo del comandante en jefe. PROTECCION ADICIONAL PARA LOS SHERMAN A partir del verano de 1944, los Marines Tank Bataliones (Mt. Bn.) y sus Sherman se tuvieron que enfrentar a tres nuevos enemigos: el anticarro de 47 mm tipo 1 que empezó a aparecer en gran número a partir de la campaña de Saipan (Las Marianas), en julio de 1944, con resultados mortales; los equipos anticarro suicidas banzai y las nuevas minas magnéticas anticarro, con tres imanes en su base unidas a rodamientos de bola, lo que les permitía fijarse a cualquier superficie metálica; cuando detonaba, proyectaba su carga dentro del carro, fundiendo sus paredes como si fueran de mantequilla. En Septiembre de 1939, en los inicios de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, los marines sólo tenían cerca de 18000 hombres; al finalizar la contienda contaban con 485.883, encuadrados en seis divisiones y cinco alas de cazas, desarrollando cantidad de material y vehículos especiales del que también se sirvió el ejército y resto de tropas aliadas. Por estas fechas estaba muy claro para todos que el blindaje de[ Sherman era muy pobre, pues cualquier proyectil perforante de calibre medio no tenía dificultad en perforarle. El Sherman fue diseñado originalmente en 1938 y su blindaje lo protegía de los anticarros de la época, cuando el anticarro estándar en la mayoría de los ejércitos era el 37 mm. Cuando entró en combate en 1942/43, esta pieza estaba totalmente superada por los anticarros de 50, 75 y 88mm, quedando su blindaje indefenso ante sus proyectiles. Cada batallón comenzó a añadir protección adicional a sus Sherman según su propia experiencia de combate, imaginación y medios. Centrándonos en las campañas de Iwo urna y Okinawa, veamos como protegieron sus carros cada batallón. MAQUETAS Las tres miniaturas representan a tres Sherman M4A3 de los batallones 4, 5 y 6 de marines en las campañas de Iwo Jima y Okinawa, copiadas de fotos del Tank Illustrated Nº19. US Marine Tonk fn World War Two, de Steuen Za Toga. Los carros son del kit de Tamilla. Los detallados en laton de Top Brass. DS301 Sherrnan Detall Set La ametralladora Browning 0,50 Cal. M.G.-M2MB, también de Top Brass código DS-303. Los diferentes tipos de eslabones son del Sherrnan Sparc Track. Links de Top-Brass. TKA.302 -3 Bar Cleat Pattern. TKA3O5 - Rubber Block Pattern. TKA - [LS Metal Chvron Pattern. Cada bolsa trae 20 eslabones de plástico con sus conectores en plomo. De Vertinden. El Shermon Update Kit, trae periscopios bases de antenas de varios tipos, pedestal para la 0.50 y ruedas del 2 tipo ‘solid spoked’ (sólidas con radios) y 3 tipo Dished (de plato). PASO 1 Siguiendo la hoja de montaje de Tamiya en el paso 1, detalle del tren de rodaje y medas fijándose en la tapa de la caja, el Sherman que trae es perfecto. Las medas del 2 y tipo tenían unos tomillos de puntos de engrase diametralmente opuestos, metidos en un rebaje: se hizo éste con una broca de 0,7 y en su interior se colocaron unos tornillos pequeños de Velínden. Al tren de aterrizaje [e faltaban una serie de taladros en [as puntas de engrase, en los rodillos principales y meda de retorno, en los brazos de las medas y en el cuerpo del tren, siete más, total 14 taladros. También le faltan 11 tomillos de varios tamaños. PASO 2 Se montó completo sólo para el Sherman del 4 Mt. Bn. los otros dos tienen equipo de vadeo y no se verán los tubos de escape; y el gancho de remolque 311 está colocado al revés. PASO 3 Se dio una mano de Putty muy gruesa para simular la acumulación de barro en los bajos de la barcaza y laterales. PASO 4 La pieza B-92 sólo va en el Sherman del 4 Mt. Bn.; en los otros molesta al equipo de vadeo. PASO 5 Los juegos de eslabones de repuesto se colocaron al terminar la fase de pintura: el juego derecho iba completo, el izquierdo sólo con el último; dentro se colocó el teléfono exterior (Verlinden Update Kit). Sobrar las piezas A-4, B-25 y B-39, ningún Sherman llevaba esta pieza. Las herramientas se dejan para el final, una vez se coloquen los detallados en latón. PASO 6 Los faros de los Sherman eran del tipo bayoneta de quita y pon; los marines no los llevaban puestos, los guardaban dentro. Los M4A3 deI 4 Mt. Bn. no llevaban la horquilla 8-34. hay que limar su base. PASO 7 Tapar con putty los agujeros de las protecciones de los faros delanteros y traseros, colocando en su lugar las piezas de latón. PASO 8 Forrar con papel tisú la ametralladora calibre 0,50 del Sherman 5 Mt. Bn., simulando la lona impermeable: hay que colocarla en la fijación de transporte, en la parte trasera de la torre. PASO 9 Marcar y taladrar con una broca de 0,2mm todas las escotillas, periscopios, ventiladores y cúpula del comandante, dejando para el final la colocación de los trocitos de hilo de cobre simulando los cabos para el carro del 5 Mt. Bn. Los Sherman de marines no tenían los ganchos de transporte para la Cal. 0.50 C-6. Montar y pegar todos los detallados de la torre. Ahora empieza la segunda parte, la que dicen que es la más interesante. Los eslabones del Sherman se unen por medio de conectores. Cada eslabón tiene cuatro pequeñas varillas en las que se fijan estos conectores. Cuando los eslabones están sueltos, o son principio y final de tramo de cadena, se ven. Empezamos a taladrar todos los eslabones con una broca de 0.5mm. y en estos taladros se meten puntas de alfiler de latón, cortándolas con la medida de un conector. Los tablones son tiras de balsa de 10mm.; en el Sherman del 4 Mt. Bn. están sujetos por gruesos tornillos, se separan las tablitas de la caja 2mm, 75mm: 35, el cemento es masilla Das Pronto, pero podía haber la, pasta de papel, etc. La rejilla de acero es de gasa muy fina endurecida con barniz; una vez seca y dura, se dibuja la forma cortándola y uniendo los bordes unos 5mm, dejándola en hueco. Para el trozo de la escotilla del jefe se puede usar como molde el diámetro de una rueda; para las es cotillas ovaladas del cargador, conductor y ametrallador, también pero aplastando ligeramente sus lados: para el periscopio el eje de la rueda tractora. Y una vez pintadas las zonas del carro a tapar por la rejilla, se pegan con barniz mate. El bidón de 25 galones (algo más de 100 litros), que lleva en su parte trasera, es de agua potable: empezaron a colocarlos en la campaña de Las Marianas, y es del modelo desechable utilizado por los M3A1. Se trata de un bidón de la caja de sastre, redondeándole los cantos; las correas, tiras de papel; la manguera, de goma hilo de cobre.. El equipo de vadeo es de cartulina de tarjetas de cajero automático. Se han dibujado como un recortable, pegándolas con gotas de cianocrilato: una capa de barniz y listo para montar y pintar. Los tres colores son de Humbrol en su nueva gama, el arena es el n9 187 aclarándolo algo con 103; el tierra roja n9 186, con algo de 74, y el olive drab, con algo de 80; las cadenas con el n 173. Las insignias, repintadas de cualquier hoja de calcas inglesas; el nombre COED-40 con letraset. El toque final se realiza con un baño de acuarela negra en varias concentraciones y pincel muy seco. Los metalizados se obtienen con una mina de grafito muy blanda. UNIDADES ACORAZADAS DE LOS MARINES Para el desembarco de Guadalcanal, en agosto de 1942, sólo pudieron mandarse seis M2A4 de la compañía A del 1 Mt.Bn. En Noviembre acompañando al 79 Rgt. marine llegó la compañía B 2 Mt.Bn. El cuerpo de Marines comenzó a recibir carros ligeros en 1941, La intención fue formar un batallón para cada división, pero esto no fue posible hasta 1944: en las primeras campañas sólo tuvieron pequeños destacamentos, como muchas compañías de M2A4, M3 y M3A1. Nominalmente estos batallones contaban con 72 carros, cuatro compañías A, B, C y D de tres pelotones y cinco carros cada uno, más planas de batallón y compañías con tres, con 18 carros por compañía y 895 hombres de total. Para 1943, el batallón de marines tenia 67 carros M3, pronto sustituidos por M3A1 y M5, en noviembre, los batallones recibieron 46 carros medios Sherman M4A2 y de 14 a 24 carros ligeros M3A1 lanzallamas SATAN Los carros ligeros M3. M3M y M5 con su cañón de 37mm, daban poca cobertura a las tropas y eran inadecuados contra búnkers y puntos fuertes bien protegidos. El Sherman, con su cañón de 75mm, demostró ser más efectivo y lentamente desplazó a la familia Stuart. Para la campaña de Iwo Jima, Febrero de 1945, los Mt. Bn. tenían 67 carros Sherman, de éstos 9 eran M4A3 con lanzallamas POA-CWS75FJI con sistema Ganadian Ronson en lugar del cañón de 75mm: el resto eran M4A2. PINTURAS DE CAMUFLAJE La Marina de la que nominalmente dependían los marines, demostró un compLeto desconocimiento del tema al destinarles colores de pintura totalmente inadecuados. Inicialmente, todos los vehículos terrestres, jeep, camiones, carros, artillería, etc., debían de ser repintados al llegar a sus unidades con el color Nº11 Forest Creen (verde bosque) 317. FS34079/30F4, un verde más oscuro y con un tinte ligeramente azulado que el olive drab Nº 9.319.FS-34087/4F4 con el que todos los vehículos salían pintados de fábrica. El verde bosque contrastaba demasiado contra las pálidas arenas de las playas y dunas en las fases críticas de las operaciones anfibias. Los vehículos anfibios. Duck. Amtrac, Alligator, jeeps anfibios, etc., se debían pintar en azul celeste, ideal cuando estaban dentro del agua, pero no cuando llegaban a las playas y muchas veces debían acompañar a las tropas tierra adentro. Por ello las tripulaciones de unos y otros vehículos trataban de minimizar estos contrastes tan fuertes dándoles manchas con la primera pintura que encontraban a mano. Y algunas unidades, por iniciativa propia, empezaron a repintar sus carros en arena total, incluyendo los cascos de rugby’ (cascos de carristas), pero tuvieron que repintarlas para entrar en combate. En Febrero de 1945. por fin las cosas cambiaron: todos los vehículos de los marines debían ser pintados en el color Nº3 Sand (arena) 306.FS- 30277/5C3, con manchas en el Nº Earth Red (tierra roja) 312. FS30117/7E6 y en Olive Drab 319. Pero la fatalidad perseguía a los marines. La pequeña isla de Iwo Jima de 8 x 4 km. (isla sulfurosa, en japonés) con forma de silla de montar, formada por rocas volcánicas cubiertas por una espesa capa de cenizas negras con reflejos metálicos tornasolados, y con una guarnición de 21.000 hombres entre marinos y soldados, les complicó la vida. La campaña, prevista para tres o cuatro días, duró treinta y ocho, costándoles 28.686 bajas entre muertos y heridos: esta fue la primera vez en toda la campaña del Pacífico en que las tropas americanas tuvieron más bajas que el enemigo. El contraste de las arenas negras contra la arena de los vehículos americanos era demasiado fuerte y ofrecían unos blancos perfectos para los nuevos cañones anticarro japoneses de 47 mm. Tipo 1. Entre éstos y las minas sembradas por toda la isla, algunos historiadores dicen que en las primeras 24 horas del día D, los marines perdieron el 50% de sus carros Sherman; otros opinan que el 60%. Esto obligó a que la 3 Div. Marine en reserva entrara en combate antes de acabar el día. 1 MT. BN Esta unidad participé en la campaña de Okinawa integrada en la 1era Div. Marine, formando parte del 3 Cuerpo Anfibio de Marines, en abril/junio 1945. En la parte frontal de las tres cajas colocaron tres ristras de eslabones de acero modelo T.54E1, con el diente guía hacia dentro, espaciándolas: la primera fila, por regla general con nueve eslabones, protegía al conductor; la segunda, con seis al centro, y la tercera fila con cuatro eslabones bajo la ametralladora cal. 0.30. Algunos carros colocaron ruedas en las aletas; los laterales de la caja los taparon con tres o cuatro tiras de reja de acero superpuestos colgando de tres ganchos, siendo las medidas de estas rejas a escala 1/35. 10 x 1.5 cm. Eran de acero y se empleaban para formar pistas de aterrizaje artificiales sobre terrenos blandos, como prados, arenales, etc. La hierba y la arena salían a través de la reja camuflándola de forma natural. Las escotillas del conductor y radio-operador las cubrieron con trozos de canaleta perforada PSP (Verlinden referencia P.S.P Plating Nº 388), espaciándola, para escala 1/35, unos 3 o 4mm: las laterales de las torres se cubrieron con tiras de eslabones T, 54E1, ocho por lado. Pintaron sus carros a tres colores arena/ tierra roja/ olive drab, con grandes manchas alargadas a lo ancho pintadas a brocha. Identificaron sus carros por medio de una combinación de letra de compañía y número de vehículo, pintándolos en blanco en la parte delantera de la torre, delante de las tiras de cadena y atrás de la torre. Carro conocido, C7. 3 MT. BN Formó parte de la 3ª Div. Marine en la campaña de Iwo Jima. Febrero/Marzo 1945, como reserva del y Cuerpo Anfibio de Marines. Sus Sherman eran viejos modelos del M4A2, con cajas antiguas con escotillas para el conductor y radio estrechas (resma de Verlinden M4A2). con la torreta con cúpula para el comandante (kit de Tamiya), sin ningún tipo de protección especial excepto las planchas soldadas a los lados de la caja protegiendo los armarios de munición. Pintaron estos carros en arena con manchas en tierra roja en bandas a lo ancho, a brocha. Identificaron sus carros con numeración correlativa, pintando los números blancos con formato cuadrado al frente de los escudos del cañón, lados parte trasera de la torre. En [os lados de las cajas. primero tenían el número de fabricación del carro las letras USMC en amarillo: detrás, el nombre empezando con la letra de compañía: encima, un pequeño elefante cargando trompa por de[ante y cara geométrica amarilla, triángulo, cuadrado, rombo, etc.: detrás de esta figura, el símbolo táctico divisionario. un rombo delineado en blanco con una cifra de tres dígitos con los números en código del regimiento, batallón y compañía. Esta fue la única unidad acorazada marine que portaba la estrella blanca como identificación de [a campaña de[ pacifico, con la excepci6n de los Stuar que operaron en Guadalcanal. Cada M4A2 tenía una estrella en el centro de cada lado de la caja, pero en formato con alas; al igual que [os cazas de sus compañeros de cuerpo. sobre el techo de las torres colocaron otra en sentido longitudinal al carro. Carro conocido: Destroyer-54 triángulo amarillo, símbolo táctico divisionario, rombo con número 634 blanco, número de serie 72814 USMC amarillo. 4 MT. BN Encuadron en las 4ª Div. Marine V Cuerpo Anfibio de Marines Iwo Jima. Esta unidad fue la primera que sufrió una carga japonesa con equipos suicidas Kamikaces, en la campaña de Las Marianas, julio de 1944. Cada grupo rodeaba a un carro y, mientras se distraía a la tripulación por delante, se colocaban las cargas explosivas en las partes más vulnerables, como los depósitos de carburante. radiador. motor; algunas veces trepaban al carro y colocaban las minas sobre las escotillas de la torre. Los explosivos normales que manejaban estos grupos eran minas de anticarro magnéticas, paquetes de TNT atados a cañas de bambú. botellas de gasolina o granadas de mano. El frontal de las cajas de estos Sherman estaban forrados con eslabones de goma plana sueltos, tapando parte de la barcaza. Algunas veces también colocaban ruedas. Cubrieron los laterales de las cajas con tablones de roble de 25mm, rellenando este hueco con cemento. Taparon la parte superior con reja de acero, originalmente empleada para construir pistas de aterrizaje sobre terrenos blandos como arenales o prados: sobre esta reja con espacio de 50mm, se colocaban varias capas de sacos terreros, hasta tres o cuatro: sobre todas las escotillas, protecciones de rejillas; los lados de las torres se cubrían con tiras de eslabones planos de goma con el diente guía hacia el exterior. Esta división se caracterizó por llevar a rajatabla una orden de alto mando referente al uso del símbolo táctico divisionario, en todos los vehículos, pero es que además lo estamparon en todo el equipo y material de la división, como las petacas de agua y combustible, cajas de municiones, sobre las ametralladoras Cal. 0.30 y 0,50, y en todas las prendas de la tropa, sobre todo en las fundas de los cascos en su parte frontal, en la espalda de las guerreras y en el culo de los pantalones, entre los bolsillos traseros, El símbolo táctico para esta división era una semicircunferencia amarilla con tres números en código indicando el regimiento, batallón y compañía; sobre las prendas de la tropa este código fue negro, estamparon además un nuevo número colocado sobre el código, indicando el rango, como sigue: 1 - Soldados de 1 tropa 2 - Cabos 3 - Sargentos 4 - Tenientes 5 - Capitanes 6 - Comandantes y grados superiores. Carros conocidos: Black Jack 21 Bronco 27 Boomerang 19 Comet 38 Coed 40 (lanzallamas) Cairo 41 Doris 53 (número amarillo) Esta unidad pintó sus vehículos en arena y olive drab con manchas onduladas a lo ancho del carro a brocha, incluyendo los eslabones y rejas. Como identificación llevaban grandes números correlativos y nombres con la inicial de la compañía en blanco. La situación de los números variaba según la compañía: la B ostentaba sus números sobre los eslabones de la torre: el resto de compañías, en los tablones laterales; el nombre sobre, el tablón superior, en la parte trasera sobre el equipo de badeo. Parece que los Sherman de la Comp. D sólo estaban pintados en arena. 5 MT. BN Formaba parte del 5 Div. Marine. V Cuerpo Anfibio Marine, Iwo Jima. Sus carros Sherman no llevaban protección alguna en su parte frontal; tenían tablones de roble de 25mm, con espacio en hueco de otros 25mm. Para evitar que los japoneses treparan, colocaron, en el borde superior de los tablones, tiras de chapa cortadas con forma de dientes de sierra afilados; en los lados de las torres, tiras de eslabones con los dientes guías hacia fuera. Para proteger las escotillas, periscopio y ventiladores en la caja y torre, soldaron clavos de punta de 10cm, de largo. Desde entonces, a estos carros se los conoció como «los erizos» de la 5 Mt. Bn. A mediados de la campaña de Iwo Jima, esta unidad sufrió varias cargas suicidas: pero con una táctica nueva más salvaje los japoneses se arrojaban entre las medas con cinturones de granadas y cargas en las manos: si fallaban les destrozaban las ruedas y cadenas. Las tripulaciones supervivientes de estas masacres inmediatamente empezaron a tapar los laterales con tablones fijados a los tres trenes de rodaje. Los canos fueron pintados en arena, tierra roja y olive drab pero de una forma muy peculiar: la parte superior de la caja y torre, con grandes manchas de tierra roja y olive Dra., sólo los laterales, frente y trasera de caja y torre en arena con pequeñas manchas en tierra y olive Dra todo a brocha. Esta unidad identificó a sus carros por medio de números correlativos encerrados en cuadrados blancos, situados debajo de la ametralladora de la caja, centrados en los lados de éstas y en la parte trasera de las torres. Algunos carros tenían nombre, como Davy Jones-61. Un buen número de carros de reemplazo, recibieron un tratamiento antiminas Nigh diferente. El Sherman M4A3 Nightmare II protegió las escotillas del conductor y radio operador con rejilla hexagonal fijada a una armadura metálica espaciada unos 10 cm, las tiras de cadenas en la torre eran del tipo ángulo de acero T.54E1 con el diente guía hacia dentro, con clavos sólo en las escotillas del jefe y artillero. 6. MT. BN Formaba parte esta unidad de la 6 Div. Marine recién creada, III Cuerpo Anfibio Marine operando en la campaña de Okinawa, abril/junio de 1945. Para proteger a sus carros esta unidad debió tomar por asalto algún almacén con material obsoleto, forrando así con eslabones de varios tipos cajas y torres. Cada tripulación fijó estos eslabones de forma diferente, según su gusto y capricho. Para dar protección a los lados de las barcazas, soldaron tiras de hierro entre los trenes de rodaje, algunas veces reforzadas con tablas. El sistema de identificación fue una copia del inglés: formas geométricas con el número de carro dentro, todo en blanco; debido a la saturación de eslabones, algunas tripulaciones cortaron cuadros de chapa, soldaron ésta a los eslabones y sobre ellas pintaron sus símbolos de identificación. Los carros fueron pintados en arena con grandes manchas onduladas de tierra roja a lo largo, eslabones en goma y metal natural muy oxidado. Como protección adicional, las tripulaciones de todos los batallones dieron a sus carros varias manos de pintura, echando tierra cuando ésta estaba aún fresca, haciendo rugosa su superficie, y así dificultaron la fijación de las minas magnéticas. Otra medida común fue la colocación de extensores, piezas de metal enchufadas al extremo exterior de los eslabones, alargando su longitud, reduciendo la presión del carro: aligeraban así su marcha sobre terrenos blandos como eran las arenas de estas islas.

Sherman Oaks rattan pendant light. Beautiful mid century modern interior design lighting store. 16 inches or 40 cm diameter width 20 inches or 50 cm height inches Made of sturdy rattan. Metal frame. Allow 4 weeks to weave. Shipped with Fedex with tracking number. Price is for one individual piece. Include: 1 piece of woven pendants. UL listed E26 27 bulb. 6 feet black adjustable hardwire or request for custom length, or white hardwire at the note space when checking out. Chains are not included. Ceiling cap. For more of earthy and organic decoration please watch youtube at https://youtu.be/JyF8YathFAg Rattan pendant lights are designed and handcraft with love. For wholesale discount, please convo us. Great for mid century modern interiors, coastal design. Also beautiful for modern farmhouse lighting.

The hand woven cape in this photo was made in the tzotzil Maya community of Zinacantan Chiapas Mexico. It probably dates from the 1980's or early 1990's. You can see many examples of more modern capes on this Flickr site which show how the clothing has evolved in this community. Seen at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington DC

Drosty Museum, Swellendam, Western Cape, South Africa

The Sherman M-50 and the Sherman M-51, both often referred abroad as the Super Sherman, were modified versions of the American M4 Sherman tank that served with the Israel Defense Forces – English

I met the most wonderful couple today, Honey and Robert, as I knocked on their front door to ask if I could take pictures of their Charles Dilbeck designed home. Honey is an interior designer and Robert is an attorney. They purchased the home from the original owners; added on a living area, master bedroom and bath. They just moved in three days ago and they invited me into the house...can you believe my good fortune to see this beautiful home inside and out. They have the original Dilbeck blueprints...home built in the 1920's. Charles Dilbeck is a famous architect starting his architecture practice in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Charles relocated to Dallas , Texas in 1933. For the next twenty-five plus years, he created many wonderful houses in the Dallas area, each saying, "I am a Dilbeck house." Here are some pictures of a true Dilbeck home; the only one in Sherman, Texas.

“The thing about living with a genius is that I get no credit whatsoever,” Rick Miller says with a laugh. “When people walk into our home, they say, ‘You’re so lucky to live with Oren,’ as if I have no taste.” Oren is Oren Sherman, an artist, a Rhode Island School of Design professor, and […]

This striking designer estate combines Cape Cod elegance with contemporary amenities.

Wilsons leather maxima 100% genuine rabbit fur knit cape. This poncho is one size fits all. Extremely soft. Cut so you just pull it over the head and put the V in front and back. Good condition.

The Sherman M-50 and the Sherman M-51, both often referred abroad as the Super Sherman, were modified versions of the American M4 Sherman tank that served with the Israel Defense Forces – English