Tag Archives: aircraft

World War Two Weapons still in use: M101 vs ZiS-3!

Great Patriotic War/World War Two: 1941 to 1945.

U.S. World War Two era M101 105-millimeter (105mm) ‘howitzer’ (short gun tube [barrel] artillery) still in use by Philippines.

I edited together several videos via U.S. Marine Corps, recorded during the October 2019 KAMANDAG wargame. KAMANDAG is an acronym for the Filipino phrase Kaagapay Ng Mga Mandirigma Ng Dagat, which translates to Cooperation of Warriors of the Sea:

The United States’ military still uses the M101 for ceremonies.

New Jersey Army National Guard’s M101 howitzer during Memorial Day celebrations.

U.S. Marine Corps M101 during change of command ceremony on Camp  Lejeune, North Carolina.

Both the U.S. M101 and Soviet ZiS-3 were used by various countries during the Cold War (approximately 1947 to 1991).

The ZiS-3 (76-мм дивизионная пушка обр. 1942 г. [ЗиС-3]) is considered to be a ‘divisional/regimental’ or ‘field’ gun for use by front line troops, due to its relatively small projectile and short range (compared to larger artillery).

Some ‘official’ sources say the ZiS-3 was in combat use by militaries around the world until 1990 (end of the Cold War).  However, the above photo shows a Serb ZiS-3, supposedly used during the war in the former Yugoslavia, being inspected by U.S. Soldiers in Zvornik, Serbia, in 1996.

The ZiS-3 (aka M1942) was so good that the invading Germans captured them for their own use against the Soviets!

The WW2 (Great Patriotic War) era Soviet 76.2mm artillery gun is still being used by Serbia for ceremonial purposes.  I edited this from several Serbian Armed Forces videos, recorded from the 14FEB2025 Serbian Statehood Day, and the 11NOV2024 Armistice Day (Veterans Day in the United States), ceremonies:

More artillery:

Utah joins Red Coats to pound Michigan!

2S1, from Cold War to Ukrainian Border Crisis!

2S3 Akatsiya (2C3 Акация), Cold War to Ukraine Border Crisis!

African Lion

Battle Tanks:  T-34-85, FROM PATRIOTIC WAR (WW2) TO COLD WAR AND BEYOND?

Syrian Collapse: North Dakota B-52s and Idaho F-15Es over Syria, Truman strike group arrives!

On the 16th of December 2024, Pentagon officials announced that airstrikes had been launched against religious extremists in Syria.

F/A-18F Super Hornet, Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11, launches from Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75).

Pentagon officials also announced that the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) arrived on a non-disclosed station in the U.S. Central Command (CentCom) ‘area of responsibility’, on 14DEC2024.

Idaho’s 389th Fighter Squadron ‘Thunderbolts’ F-15E somewhere over the Middle East.

Idaho’s Mountain Home Air Force Base (AFB) 389th Fighter Squadron ‘Thunderbolts’ F-15E Strike Eagles are currently patrolling the Central Command area of responsibility (Middle East).

Idaho’s 389th Fighter Squadron ‘Thunderbolts’ F-15E somewhere over the Middle East.

B-52H somewhere over the Middle East.

Video by Technical Sergeant Philip Bryant, recorded 08DEC2024 (Middle East time, 07DEC2024 U.S. time), showing launch of North Dakota’s Minot AFB 23rd Bomb Squadron B-52H Stratofortresses (MT tail code, red stripe on tail) from a non-disclosed location in the “CentCom area of responsibility”:

Syrian Collapse: U.S. Bradley IFVs on hi-alert after prisoner release!

Idaho F-15E Strike Eagles, 2023: Bold Tigers invade Japan?

Iran offering military aircraft overhauling & rebuilding service

When the United States sells military aircraft to other countries, the deal normally requires that the aircraft undergo major overhaul/rebuild by U.S. companies.  Iran is now offering the same service, for U.S., Russian and Chinese built military aircraft.

The Iran Iraq War of the 1980s, along with increased U.S. sanctions, forced Iran to learn how to rebuild their U.S. made war planes.  There are indications that Iran has even built “new” F-14s to replace those lost in the Iran Iraq War.  Iran soon learned how to overhaul Russian and Chinese aircraft during the 1990s.

Iranian air force officials say they will now offer their overhaul/rebuild know how to other countries: “We are able to overhaul the planes of our neighboring countries for them.  We do have this capability as well.”-Hamidreza Goudini, Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force

Iranian military leaders say the U.S. sanctions are actually good for Iran, because it forced Iran’s industries, military and civilian, to develop much faster than they would have without any sanctions.  As a result Iran is a truly independent nation.