Recent content by freodhoric

I don't think a total reunification will happen. If we assume an Allied victory, I feel that camaraderie through shared hardship will lead most of the non-defeated countries to re-unify. The defeated won't have much choice. If we have an Axis victory, they split the losers up and move on...

You beat me to it. I will point out that Khaki Campbells were bred from Indian Runners in the late 1800s, which were in turn bred from Balis. The capabilities of modern breeds aren't necessarily indicative of those of heritage breeds. Goes double of White Leghorns. Given that chickens and...

It is sort of an inside joke, because it's mentioned so often here, yet had so very little potential. The aeliopile was much more like a tea kettle than a steam engine. It might have led to something useful in a few centuries.

I'm afraid that upon reviewing a diagram of Papin's second engine, My former understanding of its operation was in error. I had thought that the steam part was a closed system, operating a piston that pushed water out to do I don't know what. But now I see the valves that are doubtlessly there...

Kelly DeVries, in Medieval Military Technology, refers to a document from the reign of Edward II that describes the prominent bow types in England as the longbow, the elm bow, and the Turkish bow. Unfortunately, I am unsure about whether that document describes the Turkish bow as a composite bow...

This was proposed in 1908.

I think that Denis Papin's second steam engine was similar enough (not very, but there are some points) to a Stirling that he could have made the leap. Regenerator I'm less sure about, but if anyone could have done it, he could have, but only given years he didn't get. Looking at how...

Best I can figure out, the B36 was significantly more expensive than the B24 or B17. I don't really trust the figures I found, but I get 15/1 production and 9/1 payload leaving the B24s ahead 15/9. However, the high altitude business is a strong point. Also, something I hadn't considered, only...

Why waste your time when there are planes available that are cheaper, more suitable for the tasks at hand, and can use the existing runways?

I'll start with, very untrue. Many early cars were electric, up until electric starters came in, and I think electric trucks remained in use for local deliveries up until WW2 (that might have been in only in England, but almost certainly not USA), though with diminishing market share. Steam was...

Efficient way to break your shoulder, from what I've heard. Anyway, either puckles or breechloading swivel guns could be reloaded much faster than a volley gun and would not be put out of commision whilst reloading. Not to say that they wouldn't have similar roles, they might, but IMO volley...

The Puckle could have had more shots ready at a time, and shoot them faster, but once exhausted would take longer to reload. I speculate that given a couple of guys loading, one of the breechloaders could fire pretty much indefinitely, barring effects of heat build-up. From the pictures, it...

IMHO, it had potential. The problem I see is that it was more complicated than its competitors and thus, at the least, more expensive. I somehow doubt it had many reliability problems, but I can't rule out the possibility, especially with maritime use. I would like to know more about how the...

AFAIK, no Italian Jews were rounded up until after Italy surrendered. Further, they didn't even allow deportations from Italian occupied areas.

Something I feel I should point out, lead-acid batteries weren't invented until 1859, but non-rechargeable batteries were invented in 1800 (Voltaic pile), discounting the Baghdad battery of course. Speculating ignorantly here, but I wonder if something couldn't be worked out with Leyden jars...