The Google-friendly History Question Thread.

[leo-rcc]

Fuel loader?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Now for something marginally more difficult: What was probably the most dangerous job in the Soviet Air Force in WW II?

Ramming enemy bombers with your own airplane would be my pick.

[Don't Panic]

Which other company was involved in making the M1 Carbine besides General Motors and Winchester?

According to wiki, quite a few:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1_carbine

...
A total of 6 million M1 carbines of various models were manufactured, making it the most produced small arm in American military history. Despite being designed by Winchester, the great majority of these were made by other companies. The largest producer was the Inland division of General Motors, but many others were made by contractors as diverse as IBM, the Underwood typewriter company, and the Rock-Ola jukebox company. Irwin-Pedersen models were the fewest produced, at a little over 4,000. Many carbines were refurbished at several arsenals after the war, with many parts interchanged from original maker carbines. True untouched war production carbines, therefore, are the most desireable for collectors.[

IBM was the one I knew, I didn't bother to look up if there were any others. Sorry.

No problem.

Now for something marginally more difficult: What was probably the most dangerous job in the Soviet Air Force in WW II?

I'll take a guess at prop turner before resorting to google, I doubt the early soviet planes had electric starters.

[Geoff]

My home town saw one of the final battles of the English Civil war. Whose side were "we" on, who won, and what's the monument called that was erected to commemorate the battle?

[klr]

...
Now for something marginally more difficult: What was probably the most dangerous job in the Soviet Air Force in WW II?

I'll take a guess at prop turner before resorting to google, I doubt the early soviet planes had electric starters.

Nope, it was a combat role. A clue: There are persistent rumours that this role was frequently given to political and other prisoners.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

...
Now for something marginally more difficult: What was probably the most dangerous job in the Soviet Air Force in WW II?

I'll take a guess at prop turner before resorting to google, I doubt the early soviet planes had electric starters.

Nope, it was a combat role. A clue: There are persistent rumours that this role was frequently given to political and other prisoners.

Rear gunner on the tank busters?

[klr]

...
Now for something marginally more difficult: What was probably the most dangerous job in the Soviet Air Force in WW II?

I'll take a guess at prop turner before resorting to google, I doubt the early soviet planes had electric starters.

Nope, it was a combat role. A clue: There are persistent rumours that this role was frequently given to political and other prisoners.

Rear gunner on the tank busters?

Bravo:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilyushin_Il-2

Il-2 Rear gunners: a deliberate sacrifice?

In his book Inside the Soviet Army, Viktor Suvorov alleges the lack of protection for Il-2 rear gunners was part of a deliberate policy. Suvorov claims from 1942 on, all Soviet airfields had attached penal companies of air gunners. Such companies were made up of prisoners who were considered to be "enemies of socialism" or "enemies of the people." The air gunners were not provided with either armour protection, or allegedly, parachutes and were reliant entirely on their machine guns to ensure their own survival. The death rate among the air gunners was exceptionally high. According to Suvorov, prisoners who survived could theoretically clear their sentences after nine missions. The prisoners, however, were always transferred to mine clearing or other units for "medical reasons" before this could happen.

Many Il-2 pilots and rear gunners do not remember seeing or hearing about any prisoner crews, and German propaganda may have broadcast this claim as well. In recent years documents from the Soviet archives have come to light indicating the Soviet Air Force did in fact use "penal squadrons" in some situations,[19] but although they may have been considered expendable, there is no evidence that they would have been deliberately sacrificed.

The rear gunner was in fact provided with armor protection from the start, but this was only 6 mm thick, and protected the gunner only from behind and was not effective against rounds more powerful than rifle-calibre machine guns.[20] It moreover excluded field modification made to single-seater Il-2s, in which a hole was cut in the fuselage panelling behind the cockpit for a gunner, sitting on a canvas sling with an improvised turret for a Degtyarev machine gun – so desperate was the need for rear protection.

I have read elsewhere that the combat mortality ratio for Il-2 crew members ran 7:1 against the rear gunner.

You can set the next question, or we can revert to Geoff's English Civil War poser above.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

You can set the next question, or we can revert to Geoff's English Civil War poser above.

Geoff's is a good one, ACW is one of my faves so I won't horn in on it.

[klr]

My home town saw one of the final battles of the English Civil war. Whose side were "we" on, who won, and what's the monument called that was erected to commemorate the battle?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Wigan_Lane

I'm guessing Wigan was on the side of the Roundheads, to judge by the narrative. The Roundheads won the battle.

I presume this is the memorial:

http://www.wigan.gov.uk/News/Archive/Ju ... morial.htm

[Geoff]

My home town saw one of the final battles of the English Civil war. Whose side were "we" on, who won, and what's the monument called that was erected to commemorate the battle?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Wigan_Lane

I'm guessing Wigan was on the side of the Roundheads, to judge by the narrative. The Roundheads won the battle.

I presume this is the memorial:

http://www.wigan.gov.uk/News/Archive/Ju ... morial.htm

Almost well done, but we were on the Royalist side!

Our coat of arms, given by Charles II, has the motto "Ancient and Loyal" as a result of our sympathies. It's also the badge of the greatest Rugby League team in the world...



Your turn!

[klr]

My home town saw one of the final battles of the English Civil war. Whose side were "we" on, who won, and what's the monument called that was erected to commemorate the battle?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Wigan_Lane

I'm guessing Wigan was on the side of the Roundheads, to judge by the narrative. The Roundheads won the battle.

I presume this is the memorial:

http://www.wigan.gov.uk/News/Archive/Ju ... morial.htm

Almost well done, but we were on the Royalist side!

Our coat of arms, given by Charles II, has the motto "Ancient and Loyal" as a result of our sympathies. It's also the badge of the greatest Rugby League team in the world...



Your turn!

I guess 2 out of 3 ain't bad (and this is one time I am not going to post a music video to accompanianment.

Give me a while to think up a question: Roma and Arsenal are in extra-time as well, so this might take a while.

[klr]

Righteyo. The Gunners go through on a penalty shoot-out. All four English teams through to the QF's of the Champions League. Messrs. Blatter and Platini will not be amused.

Back to the question. Source The Quote time:

Here I am, here I remain

Who, where and when in military history said this? Note that the original language may not be English ...

[Geoff]

Righteyo. The Gunners go through on a penalty shoot-out. All four English teams through to the QF's of the Champions League. Messrs. Blatter and Platini will not be amused.

Back to the question. Source The Quote time:

Here I am, here I remain

Who, where and when in military history said this? Note that the original language may not be English ...

Duke Leto Atreides, on Arrakis!

[Geoff]

Or alternatively:

Field Marshal MacMahon during the siege of Sebastopol in 1855

[klr]

Righteyo. The Gunners go through on a penalty shoot-out. All four English teams through to the QF's of the Champions League. Messrs. Blatter and Platini will not be amused.

Back to the question. Source The Quote time:

Here I am, here I remain

Who, where and when in military history said this? Note that the original language may not be English ...

Duke Leto Atreides, on Arrakis!

I should give it you for supreme lateral thinking (... and IIRC he would have been speaking Galach as well, not English).

But no. The translation - for it was indeed not English - is also given as Here I am, here I stay. I'll leave the question open for another while.

EDIT:

Or alternatively:

Field Marshal MacMahon during the siege of Sebastopol in 1855

Indeed! Next question is yours.