They don't make them like they used to!!

Pond, James Pond · November 10, 2011, 01:53 AM

Don't know if this is the right section.

Just saw a news report on the BBC of a historical excavation team who dug up a WW2 Spitfire plane. It crashed at 350mph! Apparently, most of the plane was intact courtesy of landing in an Irish peat bog. Amongst the salvage, some of the 8 Browning MGs.

Most staggering is that after a clean up, this 70 year old piece of hardware still fired!! Would a modern day firearm fare as well?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15660438

If you watch, be patient with the initial 30 second ad. Report comes afterwards.

DrLaw · November 10, 2011, 07:59 AM

Bill Mauldin in the book he wrote, UP FRONT, tells how the American soldiers would drop things all over, but God help the Limey who left anything behind or lost his rifle.

So immediately, I noticed that one of those test firing soldiers were policing up the brass right afterward.

Nice to know that some things never change, or that another John Browning designed device is even able to work after being buried for 70 years.

The Doc is out now.

darkroommike · November 10, 2011, 08:02 AM

Our local airplane museum is currently restoring a P-40 that had crashed in a Florida swamp, my inside guy said that the parts of the plane below the water were in very good condition, swamp water (and bog I suppose) is still water with very little oxygen and pH is high enough that corrosion is reduced.

Double Naught Spy · November 10, 2011, 09:22 AM

Right, the bog is a great place to preserve things (other than bone which dissolves). Notice that the ammo wasn't corroded and that the gun wasn't rusty and still had paint in good shape.

This isn't a testament to the manufacturing of the gun as much as to the preservative condition of the bog.

So yeah, a modern day firearm would likely do as well.

m.p.driver · November 10, 2011, 10:31 AM

Several year ago they found a T34 tank that had been captured by the Germans,then sank in a bog somewhere in one of the ex-soviet block countries.The weapons were fireable and once the engine and tranny were drained and cleaned the thing turned over and ran.
Or check out the story of Kiwi Bird,a B-29 that sat on a glacier for 50 years and was put back in flying condition while on the ice.Unfortunately it caught on fire while taxing for takeoff and went up in flames.

HeroHog · November 10, 2011, 04:14 PM

A old friend of mine was one of the crew on that plane recovery mission! VRJR, Vernon Rich Jr., a guy who used to race BMWs in the local SCCA Red River Region in Shreveport, LA!

It was so sad watching that beautiful bird go down in flames after all that work...

James K · November 10, 2011, 10:37 PM

Years ago, a DC-3 came down in the water in the Gulf of Mexico, not far from the Mexican shore. Everyone got off, expecting it to sink, but it didn't. After a week, they managed to crank the wheels down and towed it up on the beach. After letting it drain, blow drying the engines, and replacing the batteries, they started it up and took off.

Jim

saands · November 10, 2011, 10:43 PM

I think that they still do make firearms as good as they used to ... at least some of them.

But airplanes like a DC-3 ... maybe the C-130 comes close, but nothing else could compare

Skadoosh · November 16, 2011, 05:17 PM

Its a darn shame that "The machine guns will now be made safe..." which likely means permanently.

Gunplummer · November 17, 2011, 07:18 AM

I was in Germany in the 80's and WWII guns and ammo were popping up on the docks in the Netherlands. Seems there was a battle over a bridge in Germany and it was taken and re-taken by both sides. As it was retaken they threw the guns and ammo over the side. The cold mountain water preserved the guns.

Te Anau · November 17, 2011, 03:27 PM

Super cool!

Cartophilis · November 23, 2011, 02:53 PM

Man, theres no telling whats beneath our feet...........

JetTroop · November 25, 2011, 06:48 PM

As someone who lives right by the REAL Springfield Armory, its pretty sad that one of the best Armorys in the World at one time was closed down over 40 years ago. Some of the rifles they built there were amongst the best ever built! It's sad that we've gotten away from well-built, handcrafted weapons that were actually works of art, rather than just "implements".

So, yes, I'm not surprised that those guns worked, as they were built with pride by american workers back when we built things to last....

November 10, 2011, 01:53 AM	#1
Pond, James Pond Senior Member Join Date: July 12, 2011 Location: Top of the Baltic stack Posts: 6,079	They don't make them like they used to!! Don't know if this is the right section. Just saw a news report on the BBC of a historical excavation team who dug up a WW2 Spitfire plane. It crashed at 350mph! Apparently, most of the plane was intact courtesy of landing in an Irish peat bog. Amongst the salvage, some of the 8 Browning MGs. Most staggering is that after a clean up, this 70 year old piece of hardware still fired!! Would a modern day firearm fare as well? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15660438 If you watch, be patient with the initial 30 second ad. Report comes afterwards. __________________ When the right to effective self-defence is denied, that right to self-defence which remains is essentially symbolic. Freedom: Please enjoy responsibly.

November 10, 2011, 07:59 AM	#2
DrLaw Senior Member Join Date: June 3, 2007 Location: Wild Western Illinois Posts: 559	Bill Mauldin in the book he wrote, UP FRONT, tells how the American soldiers would drop things all over, but God help the Limey who left anything behind or lost his rifle. So immediately, I noticed that one of those test firing soldiers were policing up the brass right afterward. Nice to know that some things never change, or that another John Browning designed device is even able to work after being buried for 70 years. The Doc is out now. __________________ General McAuliffe said it best "Nuts."

November 10, 2011, 09:22 AM	#4
Double Naught Spy Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX Posts: 12,717	Right, the bog is a great place to preserve things (other than bone which dissolves). Notice that the ammo wasn't corroded and that the gun wasn't rusty and still had paint in good shape. This isn't a testament to the manufacturing of the gun as much as to the preservative condition of the bog. So yeah, a modern day firearm would likely do as well. __________________ "If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011 My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

November 10, 2011, 04:14 PM	#6
HeroHog Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2008 Location: Shreveport, LA Posts: 486	A old friend of mine was one of the crew on that plane recovery mission! VRJR, Vernon Rich Jr., a guy who used to race BMWs in the local SCCA Red River Region in Shreveport, LA! It was so sad watching that beautiful bird go down in flames after all that work... __________________ Speedy AKA: Hero Hog, Dr. Speed, "That fat, old, balding, Grey-bearded gimpy guy" *I don't have NEAR enough ammo on hand. `Nuff said.*

November 17, 2011, 03:27 PM	#11
Te Anau Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2004 Location: Somewhere south of the No Posts: 3,824	Super cool! __________________ "Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it." --American author Mark Twain (1835-1910)

November 10, 2011, 08:02 AM	#3
darkroommike Senior Member Join Date: August 27, 2011 Location: western Iowa Posts: 205	Our local airplane museum is currently restoring a P-40 that had crashed in a Florida swamp, my inside guy said that the parts of the plane below the water were in very good condition, swamp water (and bog I suppose) is still water with very little oxygen and pH is high enough that corrosion is reduced.

November 10, 2011, 10:31 AM	#5
m.p.driver Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 552	Several year ago they found a T34 tank that had been captured by the Germans,then sank in a bog somewhere in one of the ex-soviet block countries.The weapons were fireable and once the engine and tranny were drained and cleaned the thing turned over and ran. Or check out the story of Kiwi Bird,a B-29 that sat on a glacier for 50 years and was put back in flying condition while on the ice.Unfortunately it caught on fire while taxing for takeoff and went up in flames.

November 10, 2011, 10:37 PM	#7
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Years ago, a DC-3 came down in the water in the Gulf of Mexico, not far from the Mexican shore. Everyone got off, expecting it to sink, but it didn't. After a week, they managed to crank the wheels down and towed it up on the beach. After letting it drain, blow drying the engines, and replacing the batteries, they started it up and took off. Jim

November 10, 2011, 10:43 PM	#8
saands Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 1999 Posts: 1,573	I think that they still do make firearms as good as they used to ... at least some of them. But airplanes like a DC-3 ... maybe the C-130 comes close, but nothing else could compare

November 16, 2011, 05:17 PM	#9
Skadoosh Senior Member Join Date: December 13, 2010 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,016	Its a darn shame that "The machine guns will now be made safe..." which likely means permanently.

November 17, 2011, 07:18 AM	#10
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	I was in Germany in the 80's and WWII guns and ammo were popping up on the docks in the Netherlands. Seems there was a battle over a bridge in Germany and it was taken and re-taken by both sides. As it was retaken they threw the guns and ammo over the side. The cold mountain water preserved the guns.

November 23, 2011, 02:53 PM	#12
Cartophilis Junior Member Join Date: February 19, 2007 Location: TN Posts: 2	Man, theres no telling whats beneath our feet...........

November 25, 2011, 06:48 PM	#13
JetTroop Junior Member Join Date: November 25, 2011 Location: Right next to the REAL Springfield Armory in MA Posts: 14	Well.... As someone who lives right by the REAL Springfield Armory, its pretty sad that one of the best Armorys in the World at one time was closed down over 40 years ago. Some of the rifles they built there were amongst the best ever built! It's sad that we've gotten away from well-built, handcrafted weapons that were actually works of art, rather than just "implements". So, yes, I'm not surprised that those guns worked, as they were built with pride by american workers back when we built things to last.... __________________ When asked by a reporter what he felt when shooting Taliban insurgents, a Marine Scout Sniper replied with a shrug..."recoil".