Au-Yeong Soong-Kong

Apr 20

Bell OH-58 Kiowa: An Ode to the US Army’s Sprightly Scout Helicopter

In the age of spear and sword, light cavalry forayed ahead of the infantry and heavy cavalry to bring tidings on the enemy’s whereabouts to the commander. Without radios or line of sight in complex terrain, mounted scouts were essential for detecting a hostile approach to a marching army’s flanks…

War

18 min read

Bell OH-58 Kiowa: An Ode to the US Army’s Sprightly Scout Helicopter

Oct 10, 2021

Release the Scud: The Story of the Soviet Union’s Infamous Ballistic Missile

Named for their rapid downwards plunge after a rocket boosted journey beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, ballistic missiles inspire a pants soaking dread exceeding the terror of manned aircraft and conventional artillery. Their flight behaviour makes them much harder to shoot down than airplanes; retaliation is hindered by their launchers being…

History

16 min read

Release the Scud: The Story of the Soviet Union’s Infamous Ballistic Missile

May 12, 2021

From Hand Rails to Eight Wheels: the BTR-60 Armoured Personnel Carrier and its Successors

If you were to casually peep through any book about the Eastern Front in World War 2, dozens of photos of Soviet soldiers clinging to the handrails of T-34 tanks racing to the front line will adorn the pages. A dangerous practice forced on the Red Army by the inability…

War

16 min read

From Hand Rails to Eight Wheels: the BTR-60 Armoured Personnel Carrier and its Successors

Jan 24, 2021

The Soviet PT-76 May Be a Tank, But They All FLOAT.

Throughout the history of warfare, rivers and lakes have impeded an army’s mobility. This is particularly problematic for tanks which are heavier than most military vehicles. When existing bridges capable of supporting tanks are destroyed or too heavily defended to be worth the risk of assaulting directly, alternative water crossing…

History

16 min read

The PT-76 May Be a Tank, But They All FLOAT

Sep 17, 2020

Mil Mi-8 ‘Hip’: A Helicopter that should be as Famous as the UH-1 Huey

A Biography of the World’s Second Most Produced Helicopter Although tougher to master and less graceful in bearing than fixed wing airplanes, helicopters comfortably hold their own in the public perception and popular culture. The Bell H-13 Sioux scout won recognition as an aerial ambulance in the Korean War drama…

Military

20 min read

Mil Mi-8 ‘Hip’: a Helicopter that should be as Famous as the UH-1 Huey

Jun 5, 2020

Meet Bardak, the BRDM and BRDM-2 armoured scout car from the Soviet Union

A nimble reconnaissance asset and carrier of the Soviets’ first generation guided missiles If you were to ask the average Joe or Jane Public what first comes to mind when naming a reconnaissance platform or method, ‘drones’, ‘special forces’, ‘spy satellites’ and ‘recon team’ will dominate the answers. More knowledgeable…

History

17 min read

Meet Bardak, the BRDM and BRDM-2 armoured scout car from the Soviet Union

Mar 15, 2020

Endlessly Adaptable, the MT-LB has been the Soviet and Russian Army’s All Terrain Pack Horse and Squire for 50 Years

Exploring the Career of the MT-LB multipurpose artillery tractor and the MT-LBu command utility vehicle. Located 185 km (115 miles) south of Murmansk, Apatity (population 55200) does not usually stand out as a tourist destination for non-Russian travellers. Along with a Geological Museum and scientific institutes dedicated to studying the…

History

15 min read

Endlessly Adaptable, the MT-LB has been the Soviet and Russian Army’s All Terrain Pack Horse and…

Nov 4, 2019

The Vought F-8 Crusader Was The US Navy’s Last Traditional Dogfighting Jet

Marketed as ‘Last of the Gunfighters’ and nicknamed the ‘Gator’ by ship deck crews, the Vought F-8 Crusader (F8U before 1962) was the US Navy’s first supersonic, carrier based fighter*. Taking advantage of a ‘coke bottle’ fuselage profile typical of late 1950s jet fighters, the Crusader outperformed the US Air…

History

15 min read

The Vought F-8 Crusader Was The US Navy’s Last Traditional Dogfighter

Sep 9, 2019

We Need to Talk About the PK Machine Gun

Kalashnikov’s Machine Gun Almost Matches the AK Rifle in Global Reach and Emulation The PK family of general purpose machine guns have been an enduring presence in armed violence around the world and have been copied in diverse forms. Beginning its career in the Soviet Army in 1961, PKs are…

History

10 min read

We Need to Talk About the PK Machine Gun

Aug 6, 2019

At the Dawn of the Jet Age, the F-84 Thunderjet was a Rumbling Presence

Designed by Republic Aviation Corporation engineer Alex Kartveli — progenitor of the P-47 Thunderbolt — the F-84 Thunderjet became the US Air Force’s second operational jet fighter but the first to enter service after World War 2. Overshadowed by the debonair F-86 Sabre during the Korean War and dubbed The…

Aircraft

11 min read

At the Dawn of the Jet Age, the F-84 Thunderjet was a Rumbling Presence