We here at the Skunkworks Iron Company are proud to present our newest vehicle, the A21 Caelo Mk. VIII
Desperate times call for desperate measures therefore this design isn't only cannibalized from 2 Vickers Medium Tank Mk. IIs but also largely based on 2 failed ventures of our own which allowed the design time to be cut down drastically.
The A21 is based on a modified hull of the A19 combined with the turret of the A20. The following modifications were done to the A19 hull: lowering the height, adding cheeks to the front and adding bigger sprocket and idler wheels due to the smaller and worse engines.
Finalized A21 Caelo Mk. VIII version
The specifications of the finalized design are as follows:
| Main armament | 1 x 1.85 inch OQF 3-pounder gun Mk. II |
|---|---|
| Secondary armament | 1 x coaxial 7.92 mm Besa machine gun Mk. I |
| Smoke discharger | 2 x 4 inch smoke dischargers |
| Rate of fire for the main weapon | 20 shots per minute |
| Amount of shells carried for the main weapon | 50 in the turret |
| Turret rotation acceleration speed | 18.52°/s² |
| Maximum turret rotation speed | 30.1°/s |
| Maximum gun elevation | 25° |
| Maximum gun depression | -12.61° |
| Gun elevation acceleration speed | 8.39°/s² |
| Maximum gun elevation speed | 9.09°/s |
| Engine | 2 x Armstrong Siddeley v8 |
| Maximum speed on road | 29.25 Mph (47.08 kmh) forwards and in reverse |
| Forward Acceleration | 16.5 seconds to reach 28 Mph and 27 seconds to reach top speed |
| Maximum climbing angle | 25° from a standstill and 30° with a run-up |
| Maximum fuel load | 250 l |
| Crew | 3 (commander, gunner/loader, driver) |
| Radio set | 1 x Wireless Set No. 19 in the rearbox of the turret |
| Weight | 7.5 tons |
| Height | 2 metres |
| Width | 1.81 metres |
| Length | 3.57 metres |
[Layout of t
... keep reading on reddit ➡Project ARMS (Armament Revitalization and Modernization of Systems)
The experience gained in Greece, and during the Second World War, have shown that machine guns, even the uprated M3 Browning, are simply insufficient for use in modern combat aircraft. Combined with further research and development work, it has been decided that the M39 autocannon will become the new primary weapon of USAF fighter aircraft. The conversion will be undertaken as aircraft are taken in for maintenance and inspection. Trials indicate that a 6-gun mounting can be substituted with 4 x M39 20mm cannons relatively simply, with 200 rounds per gun provided. Prioritized for this upgrade will be the existing front-line F-86F fleet, then F-84G squadrons, and finally earlier marks of F-86 that are currently being filtered down to reserve units. The F-84F currently under development will also receive the modifications before entering production, leaving the factory with said upgrades.
Next in priority will be retrofitting F-86As and F-86Es with the new guns, as well as the A-1CM gunsight-AN/APG-30 radar combination for improved fire control.
Project SPEED (Service Performance Enhancement and Engine Development
The United States is interested in cooperating with the British for further development of advanced jet engine technology. In particular we’d like to establish a full knowledge and data-sharing agreement for the following engine programs;
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Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire (already in service as Wright J65, but we want to stay up to date with the latest variants which produce more thrust)
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Rolls-Royce Avon
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Pratt & Whitney J57 (us to you)
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Allison J71 (us to you)
Project SPEED will look to re-engine the following aircraft to enhance their performance even further;
SPEED I
SPEED I will involve overhaul and modification of F-86F airframes to receive the J65 engine, as has been done with the FJ-3 Fury in US Navy service. With hopefully British help, we will install the latest ASSa.6 engine producing 8,300lbf of thrust, and with room for the more powerful ASSa.7 which is under development. The new aircraft, christened the F-86G, will also feature additional hardpoints, four instead of two, and additional internal fuel storage for longer range. It will come with the 6-3 wing as standard, though with leading-edge slats re-introduced for improved low-speed handling, as well as the all-flying powered tail. It will also be a beneficiary of the ARMS project, coming from
... keep reading on reddit ➡I don't want to step on anybody's toes here, but the amount of non-dad jokes here in this subreddit really annoys me. First of all, dad jokes CAN be NSFW, it clearly says so in the sub rules. Secondly, it doesn't automatically make it a dad joke if it's from a conversation between you and your child. Most importantly, the jokes that your CHILDREN tell YOU are not dad jokes. The point of a dad joke is that it's so cheesy only a dad who's trying to be funny would make such a joke. That's it. They are stupid plays on words, lame puns and so on. There has to be a clever pun or wordplay for it to be considered a dad joke.
Again, to all the fellow dads, I apologise if I'm sounding too harsh. But I just needed to get it off my chest.
HISTORY
The Folland Gnat can draw its roots back to the earlier Folland Fo.139 Midge, a private venture undertaken by W.E.W. Petter who concluded that the new small jet engines then being developed would make a lightweight fighter possible. His work began in 1951, but due to the cancellation of the Bristol Saturn turbojet's development, the prototype was instead fitted with an Armstrong Siddeley Viper turbojet instead. The Midge's first flight took place at Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, on the 11^(th) of August, 1954. Extensive flight testing (including a supersonic dive) demonstrated its ease of handling and simplicity of design. A total of 220 flights amassing 110 hours 33 minutes had been made before the Midge was destroyed in a fatal crash on the 26^(th) of September, 1955.
By the time of the Midge's destruction, the first Folland Fo.141 F.Mk.1 Gnat had already taken to the skies on the 18^(th) of July, 1955 at Boscombe Down, Wiltshire. The RAF conducted extensive testing with the Gnat in a variety of roles including ground attack, close air support, and bomber interception, but was ultimately not chosen for front-line service, instead opting to adopt the T.Mk.1 two-seat jet trainer variant into service. Despite this, the Gnat F.Mk.1 did see service abroad; two Gnats were exported to Yugoslavia for testing and evaluation with no additional orders, 13 Gnats were purchased by Finland which remained in service until 1972 (being replaced by the Saab 35 Draken), and, perhaps most famously, the Indian Air Force signed a contract with Folland Aircraft (for the airframe) and Bristol Aero-engines Ltd. (for the Orpheus engine that powered the aircraft) to license build the type until 1974.
In Indian service, the Gnat displayed it's exceptional performance in both the 1965 War and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. During the 1965 War, the Gnat was credited by many independent and Indian sources as having shot down seven Pakistani Canadair Sabres, widely considered the best dogfighter of its era, earning the Gnat the nickname "Sabre Slayer". The Gnat once again proved itself when during the Indo-Pakistani War they shot down two additional Pakistani Canadair Sabres and badly damaged an additional one.
During the Folland Gnat F.Mk.1's sixteen years of service with the IAF (Indian Air Force), they performed a variety of different roles including air defence, anti-shipping operations, ground attack, bomber/transport escort, and close air support. In 1972 it was conc
... keep reading on reddit ➡Do your worst!
I'm surprised it hasn't decade.
For context I'm a Refuse Driver (Garbage man) & today I was on food waste. After I'd tipped I was checking the wagon for any defects when I spotted a lone pea balanced on the lifts.
I said "hey look, an escaPEA"
No one near me but it didn't half make me laugh for a good hour or so!
Edit: I can't believe how much this has blown up. Thank you everyone I've had a blast reading through the replies 😂
It really does, I swear!
They’re on standbi
Pilot on me!!
Nothing, he was gladiator.
