Photos Military Inventions of WW2 and after

[BrassMonkey]

The ingenuity of the Military during WW2 has always amazed me. They say that necessity is the mother of all invention and no more so than during those times.

Here are some of my favourite military inventions from WW2 but if you have any others from any other time lets see them here.

These vehicles were invented by this fella and they called them "Hobarts Funnies"
Major General Sir Percy Cleghorn Stanley Hobart KBE, CB, DSO, MC
Here is some information about him on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Hobart


OPERATION OVERLORD (THE NORMANDY LANDINGS): D-DAY 6 JUNE 1944: PERSONALITIES. © IWM (H 20697)IWM Non Commercial Licence


ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLES. © IWM (MH 9563)IWM Non Commercial Licence

The Churchill Ark was a Churchill tank minus the turret the ramps extended at each end so that vehicles could drive up and over the Ark to pass any obstacles.


THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 1939-45. © IWM (H 37411)IWM Non Commercial Licence

Churchill AVRE and Bobbin was a tank that had a large roll of reinforced canvas attached, the tank would roll out the mat in front of itself to lay a path for other vehicles and troops.



Sherman Crab used to clear mines on the battlefield

 

[Smiffy]

Although a nasty bit of kit for our troops landing at Normandy
I think this was very ingenious
They called it Rommels Asparagus or Rommelspargel
The posts would be submerged at high tide and the mine at the top (Teller mine?) would exploded when it hit the bottom of the landing craft.

 

[John A Silkstone]

Welcome to the site BrassMonkey.

Silky

 

[Bombardier]

Yep welcome BM
A great first post thank you.

What about this improvised mortar of the Home guard during WW2

Image in Public Domain
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:British_Home_Guard_Improvised_Weapons.JPG

And
The Blacker Bombard

Image in Public Domain
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BlackerBombard_HomeGuard.jpg

 

[Firefox]

Wouldnt want to have used that improvised mortar of the Home Guard
I bet the target would have had to be damn close.

 

[BrassMonkey]

Welcome to the site BrassMonkey.Silky

Thanks John

 

[Bombardier]

Bat Bombs - experimental World War II weapon developed by the United States. The bomb consisted of a bomb-shaped casing with over a thousand compartments, each containing a hibernating Mexican Free-tailed Bat with a small timed incendiary bomb attached. Dropped from a bomber at dawn, the casings would deploy a parachute in mid-flight and open to release the bats which would then roost in eaves and attics in a 20-40 mile radius. The incendiaries would start fires in inaccessible places in the largely wood and paper construction of the Japanese cities that were the weapon's intended target.

Read More

Bat Bomb Cannister

Public Domain http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bat_Bomb_Canister.jpg

I think the US military were very optimistic about this weapon but cancelled it when they realised it would not be operational in time.

 

[Firefox]

Dont forget the Enigma Machine

And the humble yet ingenious Jerry Can

The cross design on the side helps strengthen the can, while allowing the contents to expand. There was also an air pocket under the handles. A cam lever release mechanism and short spout with an air-pipe to the air pocket allows smooth and accurate pouring on the contents.