Up Gunning - why was it so difficult?

[Adrian Barrell]

Steve, I have the service instuction book, workshop manual and the vehicle pamphlet though sadly not the armament pamphlet!

 

The instruction book does show the recoil indicator which is marker '12- cease firing-11'. I assume from this the recoil should be 11" with a do not exceed figure of 11 1/2".

[steveo578]

thanks Adrian- that's in keeping with many large British weapons 20pdr and 105mm is 290mm, I would imagine the 17pdr is similar looking at the recoil cylinders..

 

The armament pamphlets for Comet and Cromwell seem to be a bit rare.

[Adrian Barrell]

I've got the 75mm and 95 mm armament pamphlets for Cromwell and Churchill though I missed a Comet one on ebay a year or so ago.

[Adam Elsdon]

As described to us back in the day. Selection for Russian conscripts:

 

Tallest on the left, shortest on the right, in single rank SIZE.

 

From the right NUMBER

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 100,000 last man SIR!

 

(So now you have a single line of 100,000 conscripts with the dwarves in the low numbers and the giants in the thousands.)

 

Numbers 1 - 50,000, you are assigned to the infantry. Remainder stand fast. To your duties FALL OUT.

 

Numbers 50,001 - 75,000, you are assigned to armour. Ditto.

 

And so on. At the end of all this, the right people were selected who could fit into a BMP, then those who would fit into a T62. Choice? You wanted choice? Why do you think it's called conscription?

 

So yes, we were told that Russian (and presumably Soviet since they shared the technology) infantry battalions were selected by size.

 

I seem to remember been told about Russian T72 tank drivers been selected for their shortness, as the tanks were low and cramped inside, i think it was supposed to be a morale booster, as in they were little people you could give a good pounding, however i was always more concerned at the vast numbers of T72's that would of been pouring over the borders!