Comments by "Comm0ut" (@Comm0ut) on "Military History Visualized" channel.

@iangreenhalgh9280 Source for the Ukrainian diesel situation? Russian logistics vehicles have entertained arty and drone operators by burning throughout this war and Russian expedient commandeering of civilian vehicles is famously photogenic...
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Leopards can comfortably carry ATGW and MANPADS with locally welded (simple work) mounts. Training time could be intensified by 12 hour shifts and no days off, easy stuff when one is not doing other unrelated military tasks. I would MUCH rather have German mechanics preparing my vehicle then some of the neglected Russian junk I've seen on video. (I'm a career jet mech and more so the details are obvious and fun to pick out.) Tanks are simple enough any real mechanic can quickly learn to work on them given tools and tech data. Were I in Ukrainian Leopard unit I'd want to carry ATGW for their sensors as much as their firepower and would seek to add supply racks (more easy welding) for extended operations in Fabian defense as well as offensive ops.
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The idea that losses make tanks obsolete is as absurd as the idea losses make infantry obsolete.
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Rather sad fuel consumption as nothing about turbines makes them inherently thirsty at idle. Fuel consumption at idle and full power being the same indicates poor fuel management, perhaps due to inadequate fuel control design. (retired Bronco/Phantom/Falcon fixer here)
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@iangreenhalgh9280 Links to support your assertion re:diesel availability? Fuel in military operations benefits from rail but trucks can route around damage and pipeline is surprisingly easy to repair (examples of pipeline construction and repair abound on Youtube as pipe welders like to post their craftsmanship and gear).
2
Considering current events the idea of crippling a defensive force with purely "defensive" (weak, short range, comforting to your enemies so they don't take offense in either meaning of that word) buying that serious hardware was more than vindicated. So are drones and the crude 1990s versions were a necessary phase of development. The 103 design is outstanding and not wasting steel and expensive complex machinery to have a turret was a fine idea. A modern 103 could mount RWS with unobstructed traverse thanks to the hull design and that RWS could mount MANPADS for self-defense and ATGW/tactical UAS launchers. Being turret-free improves crew protection, reduces weight (permitting hard-kill APS without turret performance penalties which can be severe), and as the spectacular German StuG K/D ratio proved superbly effective at destroying offensive tanks. Track stabilization would be easy with modern sensors/hydraulic actuators which could be electronically slaved to the fire control system. A modern 103 successor could be a hybrid for stealth loiter and mount a small turbine (Capstone or aircraft ground power generator style and possibly mostly COTS parts) externally for charging (the use of a battery as an accumulator means the charging motor doesn't have to drive a mechanical transmission and can be much smaller in size than one which does.
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US rifle grenades of WWII pattern were used well into the Viet Nam war. A key flaw with those is they were not "bullet trap" grenades and required launcher blanks be manually loaded. That was avoidable as it's easy (and legal in the US) to machine a bullet trap base with a cup like the US rifle grenade adapters. You can only propel inert objects without an explosive handler license but the adapters are inert. Those will launch a dummy weight about 90 meters (we only made a few as no one could be interested in selling them though they throw smoke and other grenades MUCH further than a manual throw). We figured that because none of the features could be patented that's why it was of no interest, but the little 30mm grenades are not nearly as effective as thrown-size WP smokes. Any machinist with some sense can figure it out but I won't post plans because fools will hurt themselves. VOG rifle grenades are doing yeoman work dropped from drones in Ukraine.
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Effective enough that James Gavin had his troops collect captured units to use in preference to the feeble bazooka. Panzerfaust descendants are still killing NeoSoviet tanks in 2022 and of course the RPG family is spectacularly successful worldwide.
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Can anyone point me to tech pubs or video showing how the unusual pivoting tow chain system on new Namers is operated? It's quite different from a conventional tow cable and appears designed for rapid connection. Can it be used with both vehicle crews buttoned up? The adjustable height on the towed-vehicle mount could permit that if the towing vehicle hitch has/had internally operable height and latching controls (not hard, similar exist in the trucking world). Namer is the only unusual AFV towing arrangement like that I've ever seen and I'm a towing, construction and armor nerd.
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