night witches

NIGHT WITCHES

I probably watch way too many YouTube video’s.  They are great for some things but by and large they are the “USA Today” version of books ( I can’t imagine any of you too young and missing the reference, but just in case, when that newspaper came out, short on text and long and graphs and pictures, it was derided by “real” fish-wraps for being a dumbed-down product ).  You can, usually, read more information in a shorter period of time.  Alas, this is where most of the condensed information is.  At least you can use it as a podcast or radio and do other tasks as you play the videos.

*

One guy I’m rather enamored with is “The History Guy” with his series “history that deserves to be remembered”.  I love history, as he does, and if you all had a history teacher like him you would love it too.  He takes rather obscure facts and weaves interesting tales.  For instance, did you know that in WWII there were fifteen thousand air force training deaths in the US?  I had no idea, until The History Guy.  That prompted me to look up other facts on the Internet.

*

The US built a quarter million aircraft for the war.  Granted, some were for the allies to use, but that is how good our industrial economy was.  You know how many aircraft we have in today’s air force?  Barely over five thousand ( now, obviously, you would have to add in the Army aircraft to the air force numbers, as back then we only had the Army Air Force-but this just illustrates how much of an industrial economy we are NOT ).  Between allied country use, some going to the Navy, etcetera, eighty thousand planes were in use by our air force.

*

We had two and a half million men JUST in the Army Air Force ( today’s number is 300,000 ).  We were throwing away planes and pilots just in training that would have depleted today’s service three times over.  A lot of pilots had plenty of stateside training, but then had as little as one hour behind the stick in their issued plane at the front ( models were constantly upgraded ).  But as fascinating as this cannon fodder tale is, I like the Soviet’s version better.  Again, from The History Guy.

*

“The Night Witches” were a female Soviet air force unit that used dumpy old fabric biplanes.  They got their name from the Germans, as when the engine was cut ( while running, they sounded like a sewing machine to ground troops ) and they coasted in to their target, the whistling reminded them of the tales of witches flying by on their broomsticks ( northern Europeans had wicked good fairy tales to scare the crap out of the little coneheads.  Brothers Grimm complete tales for only a buck on Kindle: https://amzn.to/2QBoaUO ).  The Soviet gals proudly adopted the moniker. 

*

Now, a biplane against modern aircraft would seem to be suicidal.  But the stall speed on the German planes was above the regular speed on the biplanes.  The Soviets planes were going so slow it was hard to fight them, IF they were used correctly.  Instead of trying to run during the day and get picked off like fish in a barrel, they only ran night missions.  At treetop level.  They would climb, cut the engine and them coast down to their target and drop their ( usually ) single bomb.  Then go back for another mission.  For most of the night. 

*

Now, I wasn’t fascinated by this because I enjoy aircraft.  I’ve always been fond of infantry action, history wise.  Boats and planes leave me cold.  And I understand perfectly how well the Soviets butchered history in favor of state propaganda.  The tale of the AK is an obvious one ( look at the SVT-38 and 40.  Those numbers denote the years of design. Kalashnikov was largely a living Soviet Hero myth ).  No, what got my attention was how, with proper tactics, primitive weapons were not only adequate, but in some cases superior to the modern ones ( hint, cough, semi’s verses bolts ).   

*

I’m sure the Soviet officers, cut from the same cloth as the American Yankee Blue Blood Ivy League Elite officers, always happy to send the unworthy deplorables to their deaths, at first tried to send out the biplanes during the day.  And no one cared that all the pilots died.  What they DID care about was there weren’t enough planes to be wasting on moronic tactics, which is how someone could have suggested night time flights and was actually listened to ( one of the head female pilots was pre-war famous and actually had Stalin’s ear ).

*

I don’t think Herr Officer Dumbass is an anomaly.  I think they are pretty universal.  And the ones directing troops in the field today might be good officers, they might care about their men, but they take orders from those mule member masticators way above their pay grade.  Who seemingly go out of their way to actually get the troops killed. And THOSE are the people you want to learn to fight from?  The people that decide it is more important to churn out much more crap than quality so our Socialist Brethren overseas get their planes, and 15,000 training deaths are just the price they are willing to take.

*

Which is probably why the Night Witches story is so interesting, also.  Theirs was a success story of being able to use actual tactics that worked, rather than tactics ordered by their incompetent leaders which characterized most of the rest of the fighting.  You are only given primitive equipment?  Use it to your advantage.  Less speed, less engine power, limited bomb capacity, limited ceiling?  Make them outperform the enemy by using them to your advantage.  So much wailing and gnashing of teeth over here, with the Gear Queer penis envy.

*

Oh, I want high capacity plastic poodle shooters!  I want to carry hundreds of rounds and bulletproof vests and tactical helmets to look as cool as our Blackwater Buddies!  If I don’t have it I shant ever be truly prepared!  Where are my MRE’s and FLIR scopes?  I can’t use a biplane to attack my countries invaders when they have all of the Big Boy Toys fighter aircraft!  But commies did it, didn’t they?  Sure, it was pure propaganda, female fighters and female snipers, the Proletariat Pussy Partisans against supposedly superior Teutonic forces, but it did show how it could be done.

*

The Polish Warsaw Uprising saw all the fighters dead in the end, but with a few crappy guns it only took balls and brains to at least make a go of freedom.  The Germans ended up needing to reduce the entire ghetto to rubble to “win”, against a few guys who started out with a revolver and a few “militarily obsolete” firearms.  They didn’t try to go toe to toe with superior forces, but changed tactically to reflect the weapons they had.  Just like the Night Witches.  Learn from history. 

( .Y. )

( today's related link here )

*
note: free movie, on Vudu ( free with just a few ads ).  "Michael Collins".  Yes, as with any Hollywood picture it is only marginally factual and All PC, All The Time.  What I love about the movie ( besides being inspirational ) is that it is one of the few even touching on how brutal and horrific revolution, rebellion and guerrilla war is.  So, ideas and cautions.  It is only available until the end of the month, so watch now.
*
note: holy holiday hilarity! This two minute clip is Predator Vs Santa and funny as all hell. here
*
note: free books.  Economic collapse in book one here.  Book two Russian invaders here.  Mega super deluxe earthquake here. I can't tell if its a EMP or a zombie here.  Anthology here.  Christmas zombies here.
*
note: JF, a VERY generous PayPal donation.  Thank you.
*

Please support Bison by buying through the Amazon ad graphics at the top of the page ( or from www.bisonbulk.blogspot.com ). Or PayPal www.paypal.me/jimd303 

*** Unless you are in extreme poverty, spend a buck a month here, by the above donation methods ( I get 4% of the Amazon sale, so you need to buy $25 worth for me to get my $1 ) or mail me some cash/check/money order or buy a book ( web site for free books, Amazon to pay just as a donation vehicle ).
*** My e-mail is: jimd303@reagan.com  My address is: James M Dakin, 181 W Bullion Rd #12, Elko NV 89801-4184 ***E-Mail me if you want your name added to the weekly e-newsletter subscriber list.

*** Pay your author-no one works for free.  I’m nice enough to publish for barely above Mere Book Money, so do your part.*** junk land under a grand *  Lord Bison* my bio & biblio*   my web site is www.bisonprepper.com *** Wal-Mart wheat***Amazon Author Page
* By the by, all my writing is copyrighted. For the obtuse out there