vintage everyday: World War II

Showing posts with label World War II. Show all posts

Monday, September 5, 2011

Hi Res Images From World War II

Gustav Gun - The Largest Gun Ever Built

Schwerer Gustav (English: Heavy Gustaf, or Great Gustaf) and Dora were the names of two massive World War II German 80 cm K (E) railway siege guns. They were developed in the late 1930s by Krupp for the express purpose of destroying heavy fortifications, specifically those in the French Maginot Line. They weighed nearly 1,350 tonnes, and could fire shells weighing seven tonnes to a range of 37 kilometers (23 miles). Designed in preparation for World War II, and intended for use against the deep forts of the Maginot Line, they were not ready for action when the Wehrmacht outflanked the line during the Battle of France. Gustav was used in the Soviet Union at the siege of Sevastopol during Operation Barbarossa. They were moved to Leningrad, and may have been intended for Warsaw. Gustav was captured by US troops and cut up, whilst Dora was destroyed near the end of the war to avoid capture by the Red Army.

The Second World War Motobikes

These motorcycles are from different countries and all date from World War II.

Douglas XTB2D Skypirate

The Douglas TB2D Skypirate (also known as the Devastator II) was a torpedo bomber intended for service with the United States Navy's Midway class aircraft carriers; they were too large for earlier decks. Two prototypes were completed, but the dedicated torpedo bomber was becoming an outdated concept and with the end of World War II, the type was no longer needed, resulting in the project's cancellation.