2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 19, 2006 4:05:09 GMT -5
Okay WW2 airsoft troopers Lets see how well you know subjects and terms from the KING of Battle. (Artillery!)
FO TOT VT Round WhiskeyPapa Redleg FDC A long Tom
Who said: "I don't need to tell you gentlemen who won the war, you know the artillery did!"
What is a caisson and why do we want them to keep rolling along?
How many guns are in a WW2 battery?
What are the three ways a WW2 Infantryman or FO used to call for fire?
What battle introduced radar activated artillery rounds to land warfare with devastating effects for the enemy? Highly, highly, secret at the time.
Why is it poor RTO procedures to say REPEAT your last transmission if you're having trouble hearing the other party?
What is a short round?
What does "SHOT OUT" mean?
Whats the difference between a Howitzer and a cannon?
What was a screaming meamie?
What is a sheaf pattern? When would it be used?
How close is danger close?
Some of these are easier then others. Good luck!
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Post by mauser98k on Mar 19, 2006 17:03:44 GMT -5
Why is it poor RTO procedures to say REPEAT your last transmission if you're having trouble hearing the other party? Because of radio interceptions?
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Post by spitfire740 on Mar 19, 2006 18:29:54 GMT -5
Wow, those are hard. I believe Screaming Meamie is a type of German artillery with like 5 barrels and the Allies nicknamed it 'Screaming Meamie' becuase it made a screeching noise as the rounds came out. (In CoD Big red One, an objective is destroy a bunch of screaming meamies. thats how I know what they are)
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Post by mauser98k on Mar 19, 2006 18:33:51 GMT -5
Ahh thank you!
Screaming meamies:Nebelwerfer cannon
Long tom: Naval gun?
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 19, 2006 20:33:34 GMT -5
You are right the screaming meamies were multi tube, highly portable ROCKET launch tubes that were extremely intimidating as they made a horrid sound as they came into their target. Not highly accurate and in the grand scheme of things not as lethal as conventional artillery or mortars but a very vivid memory to all European combat vets.
I was told that my last few quizes were too easy so.... I stepped it up a bit!
Keep your answers coming!
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Post by Reece on Mar 19, 2006 20:56:40 GMT -5
Most of these are guesses so...
FO-Field Officer
Caisson-a carriage kinda thing used to carry artillary
4 guns in a battery
Howitzer usually fires at a high angle and is below 30 caliber
And I know I should know what a Long Tom is!
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Nimlas
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Post by Nimlas on Mar 19, 2006 21:10:13 GMT -5
I beleive danger close in somethin like 15 or 25 meters? Improbably wrong but eh, what can you do.
Long Tom-I think it's a very large American arty. peice mounted on a trailer similar to an 88 carriage?
Red Leg- Well I'm just guessed but it's some kind of artilery personel?
FO-Forward observer(I think)
Maybe 'SHOT OUT' means barrage?
Jack~
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 19, 2006 21:11:15 GMT -5
Reece I always know I can count on you for some answers that are at least partially right! A caisson carries artillery ammunition! And a howitzer fires at a higher angle then a cannon just as you said but 30 Cal would be an eensy weensie howitzer. typically gun qualifying as howitzers were smaller then many cannons but went all the way up to 155mm guns. I'm looking for a definition of an FO relative to artillery. Four is a common guess for the number of guns in an artillery battery but it is wrong.
Thanks for your efforts. Keep the responses coming.
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Post by mauser98k on Mar 19, 2006 21:32:50 GMT -5
Is it 6?
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Post by Reece on Mar 19, 2006 21:48:17 GMT -5
30 caliber in an artillery piece means that the barrel length is less than 30 times as long as the diameter of the bore ,not the size of the shell. I meant that most howitzers were less than 30 calibers.
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Post by howitzer on Mar 19, 2006 22:25:23 GMT -5
Hello all! I'm a new member who loves WWII Airsoft and I am trying to raise up enough money to purchase my first gun. But, enough of that, lets test my knowledge!
My answers (in no particular order):
Long Tom: 155mm heavy gun that could fire a 95lb projectile upwards of 15 miles with high accuracy.
Redleg: A Fire Support Base
Wiskey Papa: Part of the call sign of Naval Ship Bisbee; full call sign: November - Zulu - Whiskey - Papa
FDC: Fire Direction Center
Batteries: 3-6 weapons
TOT: Time On Target
FO: Forward Observer
Shot Out: I think it was a radio signal from the battery to the FO that his shells are in flight.
Short round: An artillery round which falls short of its target.
A sheaf is the planes of fire of a group of weapons. I don't know when it's most effective.
Danger close: About 70 meters
Howitzer: An artillery cannon that is capable of both high angle and low angle fire
Caisson: Already been answered
Screaming Meamie: Already been answered
Poor RTO procedures: Well, the only reason I can think up, is that the enemy might be listening in on your radio waves if they can find the right frequency.
Battle: No idea.
Quote: No idea either.
Three ways: Argh! Again, no.
VT round: Variable-Time round. I think it had a radar triggered fuse, though I'm not sure on that one.
I hope I have mostly correct answers.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 19, 2006 23:35:09 GMT -5
Nimlas, Reece and brand new member, Howitzer really helped us out here. A Redleg is an artilleryman. (Good job Jack) Reece got me on the 30 Calibre explanation of artillery ratings (I'm an old Infantryman!)
Howitzer is clearly a former or current artilleryman as his answers are very complete and almost all correct. (that or he googled the questions!) WW2 batteries consisted of 6 guns. (In the ideal) Whiskey Papa may very well be correct as stated but I'm looking for the WW2 artillery significance. Your definition of Sheaf is correct, Howitzer The plane of impact from a group of guns was generally used when targeting a column of vehicles or a trail. They could actually arrange the impacts so the landed in accordance to the request. US artillery units had this down to an art form (perhaps the best in the world)
Short rounds were generaly not a good thing as almost always artillery is firing from your rear! Danger close depends on the size of the weapons firing but certainly anything inside of 100 meters was danger Close. (It's when you discover that adrenalin is brown) I'll give you the 70 meters.
VT was a radar triggered fuse. (proximity Round cariably timed) When the round got a pre set distance from the ground it exploded. (Usually 30 feet up) It was originally designed for AA artillery causing the round to go off when it got close to the aircraft. Very effective in the Pacific. Someone got the idea that it could be used in land warfare to cause air bursts. I'm still looking for the European battle when it was introduced with extremely lethal effects.
Who gave the wonderful and surprising compliment to the Artillery? And probably the hardest question. What are the three means to call for indirect fire used in WW2 Howitzer knew it once and it's making him crazy.
You guys are doing great!
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Post by howitzer on Mar 20, 2006 13:52:56 GMT -5
Nah, I just read alot of books. I have a couple on artillery that are pretty interesting and have alot of the things you asked in them. The only one I did google was the Bisbee answer, when I saw the words "Whiskey Papa" I thought of the Bisbee (My grandfather served in the Navy for three wars and he knows alot about Naval ships (and he told my brother and I all about it) but he couldn't remember the full call sign) so I googled the complete call sign.
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savoy6
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Post by savoy6 on Mar 20, 2006 17:43:13 GMT -5
FO-forward observer... caisson-originaly the limber towed between the horse team and the cannon that carried ammunition and supplies for the gun. WP-white phosphorous round used for marking TOT-the technique of varing firing time of differing batteries so that all round land on a specific time.very effective technique when combined with airbursting VT shells.
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silencer
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Post by silencer on Mar 20, 2006 19:29:07 GMT -5
"WP-white phosphorous round used for marking"-savoy
"Thats like hunting squirells with White Phosphorous"-We were soldiers
By the way I don't think white phosphorous is used just for marking.
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Post by mauser98k on Mar 20, 2006 19:59:38 GMT -5
Oh yea, forgot cooking!
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savoy6
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Post by savoy6 on Mar 21, 2006 17:08:15 GMT -5
under most conditions WP is used as a marking round....perhaps 2nd Batt can correct me on that ...now,the WP grenades ..thats another story.they make a very nasty bunker clearer.oh and mauser,...you don't use Wp for cooking,though C4 works pretty well....
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Post by mauser98k on Mar 21, 2006 22:54:04 GMT -5
Now That's stuff you don't see every day in martha stuart living!
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Post by mauser98k on Mar 21, 2006 22:55:45 GMT -5
Is a sheaf pattern a bombardment pattern that would make enemies go in the direction in which it started so they would get hit again and just make them go in circles?
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2nd Bat
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 23, 2006 5:41:20 GMT -5
No to the sheaf question. Again it was designed to create an impact pattern appropriate to a target. (Column of trucks for instance) WP (Whiskey Papa) was White Phospherous and while it had the potential to create devastating burns was designed for marking impacts so you could adjust your "Fire for effect" High Explosive or VT Rounds upon the enemy. Savoys sixes description of TOT (Time on Target) is precise and correct
I'm still looking for the Battle where VT rounds were introduced (Information only recently released) Who complimented the Artillery so passionately, Why is REPEAT such a restricted word in proper RTO procedures? "Say again last transmission." and finally what are the three means for an FO (Forward Observer) or commander on site to call for fire?
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2nd Bat
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 24, 2006 22:27:38 GMT -5
I guess I'll have to clean up the last few questions. In WW2 it was decided that the word REPEAT would be restricted exclusively to a request for continuation of indirect fire when transmitting on a radio. Because parts or intermittent transmissions can find their way onto the wrong net and tragic results could occure you were never to say the word REPEAT. Hence if you didn't understand a transmission you're supposed to say either "say again last transmission" or "Say again slowly you are broken and garbled." This tradition continues to this day and is still proper RTO procedures.
The battle that introduced VT (proximity Rounds) was the battle of the bulge although there are rumors (unsubstantiated) that they were tried at Anzio . Patton praised the Artillery by stating directly to them that "I don't have to tell you who won the war. You know the artillery did." Powerful praise from a horse cavalryman who earned his reputations with the Armor Corp.
Finally the three ways an FO or unit commander would call for fire are: Most common: By Polar Coordinates (usually 8 digit which would put the location within 10 meters.) "Fire mission, troops in the open, coordinates 20151988 I say again Fire mission troops in the open grid coordinates 20151988. 2nd means was shift from a known point. "Fire mission parked armor Reference Point Lion, Right 200 meters add 400 Will adjust. 3rd and least popular way: Compass Heading and range from an established Observation Post. Kings Rook Five this is Checkmate, Fire Mission, enemy mortar position 38 Degrees north, 800 meters to my position in the hedgerow south end of orchard. least popular as it potentially could indicate your position and was most difficult to calculate for the Fire Direction Center (FDC)
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tk7263
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Post by tk7263 on Apr 8, 2007 17:40:32 GMT -5
During the Civil War Artillery men had red cheverons and red stripes on their trousers hence the term redlegs
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2nd Bat
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Post by 2nd Bat on Apr 9, 2007 19:25:16 GMT -5
Correct. Red has traditionally been the color that designated artillery going back to Napoleanic days. Appropriate since it has taditionally been the greatest casualty producer on the battlefield (Short of injury and disease) since the civil war. In the civil war rifles produced the largets percentage of combat causalties (Previously for about 2 millenium it was the sword, arrows and bayonets)
An old thread but probably not a bad one to revisit.
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Post by Ripper on Apr 23, 2007 15:45:43 GMT -5
Throughtout my military carreer (80's-90's), 'repeat' was still reserved for use only when talking directly to the arty. If they were on target with the first salvo's, the term repeat was all they needed to hear to send another battery worth of hurt on the exact same coordinates.
We would also reply to a 'shot out' command with our own 'request splash'. The battery would reply 'splash' with 10 seconds left of flight time till impact. That gives you time to hug the earth a little closer if you are danger close, or to be ready to call in corrections if the rounds are off target.
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2nd Bat
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Post by 2nd Bat on Apr 30, 2007 19:24:50 GMT -5
A good field unit would let the battery know that the rounds had hit with a transmission that filled them in with results. "Request splash" (If generated from the observer unit as indicated was to get a read on when the rounds were due to hit) If they didn't hit you knew something was terribly wrong (Where did they go if not here?) If generated from the artillery battery it was an almost insulting transmission that suggested "Hey dudes let us know what happned already" Todays army transmits "Shot out" letting the field unit know: rounds are in the mail and since the transmission ends with "Over" requires a reply. The simple reply is "Splash out" which indicates they just hit. Better of course is to include information about the results. "Splash, two trucks destroyed multiple enemy KIA, Infantry scattered, good shooting, OUT"
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Post by Ripper on May 1, 2007 13:11:59 GMT -5
My carreer ended 10 years ago. We were lucky to even be able to talk to our own HQ, much less the battery back then. ;D
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2nd Bat
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Post by 2nd Bat on May 1, 2007 20:17:20 GMT -5
In WW2 as often as not if a unit was talking to an artillery unit it was doing so by field phone. Radios were not as prevalent or effective as they are now. In Vietnam the Infantry even down to platoon level often talked to supporting artillery and even close air support.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Jun 18, 2007 23:25:46 GMT -5
There were many occassions in WW2 where an individual on a field phone or radio would call in artillery in an almost conversational way as they often weren't trained forward observers. There is an wonderful anecdotal example in the excellent book Clay Pigeons of St Lo.
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Post by jedburgh on Aug 20, 2007 8:10:32 GMT -5
If you say repeat, you will get a SECOND BARRAGE on top of where you put the FIRST. Not a good thing should you have advanced to the area.
FO is a Forward Observer
Long Tom is a 155, so called for the extremely lengthy barrel.
ToT is the time it will take a round to travel from your gun to the target
A Redleg is an artilleryman, the expression comes from the Civil War where artillerymen wore red stripes on their pants, infantry had gold, sharpshooters wore green, etc.
Caissons are ammo carriers, so you keep them rolling to supply the guns.
A short round is one that is dropping into YOUR position or into ground YOUR men are advancing into; friendly fire.
When did "Danger Close" first get used? 'Nam I think. I don't recall it in my WW 2 studies. When a unit calls for a barrage and adds the suffix "Danger Close', it means they want the artillery as close as possible i.e. right on top of their own position.
WP is Willy Pete or White Phosporous, Greek Fire if you will. It sticks to everything, including wounds and will burn right through you. Nasty shiznit.
Artillerymen use 'shot out' like tankers use 'on the way', don't they?
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Aug 26, 2007 14:00:07 GMT -5
Yes to all except TOT and the origin of redleg which goes back to Napolean. All of your answers and more have been covered in the thread so while I'm glad to see your willingness to play the questions have all been answered. Good job for the most part on the quiz. To fillin your misues go back and study the entire thread where you'll see all the questions eventually answered.
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