Machinery & Gear | War History

Snipex Alligator: The Ukrainian Sniper Rifle Capable of Penetrating Armored Vehicles

Snipex Alligator sitting in the middle of a snowy field

Written by Samantha Franco and Clare Fitzgerald The Snipex Alligator is a massive anti-material rifle (AMR) that’s manufactured by XADO-Holding, Ltd. Having only recently entered…

100 Years After She Sank, The Mystery of USS San Diego’s (ACR-6) Tragic End Was Finally Solved

Painting of the USS San Diego (ACR-6) sinking at sea

Shortly after 11:00 AM on July 19, 1918, the Pennsylvania-class armored cruiser USS San Diego (ACR-6) – formerly known as the USS California – was…

The Tank Museum Acquires Cold War-Era Charioteer

Charioteer parked outside a building

A new addition to the Tank Museum‘s collection, a Charioteer, arrived at the location last week. Recently acquired in Finland, the long-term plan is for…

The Japanese Battleship Kongō was Among the Most Heavily Armed When It was First Built

Kongō at sea

The Japanese battleship Kongō had some of the greatest nicknames in history; the Japanese translations for the vessel’s many names are “Indestructible Diamond,” “Indra’s Spear” and…

Road Workers Were Amazed By An Unexpected World War II-Era Discovery In Chartres

Crew using a mechanical digger to lift a mud-covered M5 Stuart from the ground

During the six years that made up the Second World War, the Allied and Axis nations deployed an astonishing number of troops and armaments across…

The Sabot Round Pierces Tanks and Liquifies Its Targets

Samantha Franco
Soldier placing a sabot round on the ground, beside a number of others

The sabot round is a form of ammunition used by tanks for armored warfare. The non-explosive anti-tank round surrounds a projectile and allows it to…

S-Mine: Nicknamed ‘Bouncing Betty,’ It Struck Fear Into Allied Soldiers

Samantha Franco
Soldier searching for landmines

The S-mine, originally named the Schrapnellmine, was a German bounding mine used extensively by Wehrmacht troops throughout the Second World War. When detonated, it thrust…

The USS Texas (BB-35) Was Intentionally Flooded During D-Day

USS Texas (BB-35) at sea

The USS Texas (BB-35) saw more combat action in her lifetime than most other US battleships, seeing service in both World War I and II,…

Relic Hunters Surprised By What They Discovered In WWII-Era ‘Swamp Ghost’ Bomber

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress in flight

While flying over Papua New Guinea in 1972, airmen from the Royal Australian Air Force spotted something strange in the swamplands below. The large object…

US Marine Corps Aviator William Rankin Survived a Fall from a Thunder Cloud

Todd Neikirk
Streak of lightning moving through clouds + Vought F-8A Crusader in flight

In times of crisis, pilots may have to parachute out of their aircraft due to damage or mechanical failure. For the most part, these descents…

A ‘Spooky’ Aircraft Known as Puff, the Magic Dragon – The Story of the Douglas AC-47

Douglas AC-47 Spooky in flight

“Puff, the Magic Dragon” wasn’t just a popular ’60s song by Peter, Paul and Mary, it was also the nickname for the Douglas AC-47 Spooky,…

Want Your Name in The Tank Museum’s M4 Sherman Guide? Now’s Your Chance!

Clare Fitzgerald
A copy of 'The Tank Museum Guide to the M4 Sherman Medium Tank' placed atop an M4 Sherman

The Tank Museum is known for its impressive tank guides, with its latest, The Tank Museum Guide to the Sherman M4 Medium Tank, slated for…