SNCASE SE. 100 fighter - photo

[Toolmaker51]

24 hours later; picture of that plane bugging me. Was immediately reminded of something, yet puzzled me what it was.
Just went to garage for screws, puzzle solved!

The dogs love 'em. Fun to chase, tasty protein snack.
Quite the bustle opening the door.
Lol

[Moby Duck]

France didn’t “fall”, they “capitulated” and joined the other side. That is why it was necessary for the allies to sink the French fleet in North Africa and France.

[ranald]

When it comes to engineering, the French imitate no one, and no one imitates the French.

Sounds like SAAB , the only manufacturer who designed the body around the engineering and not vice versa. They nearly went broke as vehicles were so good they hardly sold spares then GM bought em out. End of story.

[neilbourjaily]

Sounds like SAAB , the only manufacturer who designed the body around the engineering and not vice versa. They nearly went broke as vehicles were so good they hardly sold spares then GM bought em out. End of story.

SAAB. After unloading his Hillman (the one with the flags that would pop from the door post to signal left or right turns), my father started driving SAABs, specifically the 96. 1 quart of oil into the gas tank with every tank of gas, cleaned extra sparkplugs in the glove box to replace the one(s) that fouled, 4-on-the-column, and seatbelts. One of his proudest days was acquiring a brand new GT 850, oil-injected meant no more quart per tank. To move it out one had to rev the engine (if you let off the gas, it'd go Rrring-ding-ding-ding...down to idle- a riot to hear!) and then it'd burn rubber. Of course, when a 16 year old kid is allowed to drive it and wants to show off to his friends that a SAAB is fast (really) and lets off the clutch to abruptly, the rubber joints between the axle and the wheels don't respond well having over 70k miles at the time. That lead, eventually, to extracting the engine and transaxle to get to the joints and replace them. I don't recall how long it took to get the parts and do the job, which took place over a weekend. Another time, earlier, that same kid had gone to the one of the locks on the C&O canal to hangout with buddies and left the radio going. Dead battery. Free-wheeling. Dang. Recall! On the floorboard high and right from the gas pedal was a handle, which when pulled, disengaged the freewheeling, that is it engaged the wheels to the transaxle. Relief. Pop drove that car for years and did all his own work on it.
My poor old-man, to have had a kid like me.

[olderdan]

Was the intent to crash German ME 109s by inducing paroxysms of uncontrollable laughter in the pilots?

On inducing laughter as a strategy I think this would qualify. Romney and Dymchurch miniature railway armoured in 1940 to protect the channel from invasion. I can just imagine German troops rolling around the beach in helpless laughter. All joking aside it does display the determination of a country to defend itself by any means. Post war as a youngster I had many rides on that train, still running today with many beautiful locos.

[Toolmaker51]

On inducing laughter as a strategy I think this would qualify. Romney and Dymchurch miniature railway armoured in 1940 to protect the channel from invasion. I can just imagine German troops rolling around the beach in helpless laughter. All joking aside it does display the determination of a country to defend itself by any means. Post war as a youngster I had many rides on that train, still running today with many beautiful locos.

There is no substitute for resolve.

Armored railroad trains?
Manned armored railroad trains?
Armed, manned, armored railroad trains?
Tiny, armed, manned, armored railroad trains?

That might have been dialog of the meeting, with Axis on the horizon.

Doesn't sound so desperate to me, with a long coastline, limited technology and immediate need. Especially along higher elevation coastlines. A lot of range in what are certain to be Boyes antitank rifles.
Tiny moving targets are pretty good defense mechanism. Better say, than mis-located Axis batteries.
Always interesting, when tactics turn out to be just strategy.

[ranald]

SAAB. After unloading his Hillman (the one with the flags that would pop from the door post to signal left or right turns), my father started driving SAABs, specifically the 96. 1 quart of oil into the gas tank with every tank of gas, cleaned extra sparkplugs in the glove box to replace the one(s) that fouled, 4-on-the-column, and seatbelts. One of his proudest days was acquiring a brand new GT 850, oil-injected meant no more quart per tank. To move it out one had to rev the engine (if you let off the gas, it'd go Rrring-ding-ding-ding...down to idle- a riot to hear!) and then it'd burn rubber. Of course, when a 16 year old kid is allowed to drive it and wants to show off to his friends that a SAAB is fast (really) and lets off the clutch to abruptly, the rubber joints between the axle and the wheels don't respond well having over 70k miles at the time. That lead, eventually, to extracting the engine and transaxle to get to the joints and replace them. I don't recall how long it took to get the parts and do the job, which took place over a weekend. Another time, earlier, that same kid had gone to the one of the locks on the C&O canal to hangout with buddies and left the radio going. Dead battery. Free-wheeling. Dang. Recall! On the floorboard high and right from the gas pedal was a handle, which when pulled, disengaged the freewheeling, that is it engaged the wheels to the transaxle. Relief. Pop drove that car for years and did all his own work on it.
My poor old-man, to have had a kid like me.

Very entertaining. How did our parents cope? Karma bit me on the buttocks.LOL.

[ranald]

Post 15 & 16. Off course the trops would be scared pale knowing or thinking that "that is a decoy, where.....?" They could have called it "Rob Roy".

[mklotz]

For pure comic debilitation of the German troops, nothing could rival The Great Panjandrum. Nevil Shute was involved in its development though I doubt he would ever admit the fact.

For those unfamiliar with the device, there's a wonderful article in Wikipedia. The short, video version is here...

[ranald]

Another chuckle in one morning!