#miitary

After the Soviet invasion of Poland in September 1939, the Soviet Union captured several PZL.37 Łoś bombers. These aircraft were subjected to evaluation by the Soviet Air Force’s Research Institute (NII VVS). The exact number of Łoś bombers tested by the Soviet Union is not definitively documented, but at least two aircraft were captured.

The Soviet evaluation of the PZL.37 Łoś commenced on 13 October 1939. By that time, the aircraft had accumulated 97.8 flight hours, completed 519 landings, and its Bristol Pegasus XII engines had been operated for 134 hours. Due to the aircraft’s extensive use, it was considered to be in a state of significant wear, and mechanical issues, particularly with the engine group, were frequently encountered. To enhance crew safety, the take-off weight was reduced to 6,516 kg from the normal 8,570 kg.

The Soviet evaluation of the PZL.37 Łoś concluded in December 1939. Following this assessment, the aircraft was reportedly stored, and probably scrapped soon after.

The year-old robotics firm Foundation thinks its competitors are alarmingly pacifist, leaving money and American exceptionalism on the table.

So far, many humanoid companies have forgone military contracts. Humanoid startup Figure AI, reportedly in talks to raise $1.5 billion, published a “master plan” in 2022 in which it swore it would not “place humanoids in military or defense applications.” And when Tesla needed parts from China for its Optimus humanoids, Elon Musk had to assure the Chinese government that the components would not be used “for military purposes.” 

Foundation is taking the opposite tack. LeBlanc said the company has already inked $10 million in defense contracts, including with the U.S. Air Force to use its robots for refueling and maintenance. The company is preparing to ramp up production, deciding between three states to build a factory, including in Ohio — which has thrown incentives at startups that set up shop in the state. 

Men’s Look

The T92 Howitzer Motor Carriage.

When it became apparent that the 240mm Howitzer M1 was difficult to use due to it’s weight and size, designers looked to the M12 GMC (seen below) for a solution. After suggesting use the Heavy Tank T26E3 chassis (which was formally named "Heavy Tank M26 Pershing" in March 1945) in a similar configuration of the M12 GMC, the outcome was the T92 HMC. 

After a small amount of modification to the T26E3 chassis, including the chassis needed to be lengthened with addition of an extra road wheel, to give seven each, while the drive sprocket being moved to the front. The vehicle featured torsion bar suspension, a Ford GAF 8 cylinder engine delivering 470 horsepower. The vehicle was protected by 25mm of front armor and had a top speed of 15 mph. With a fire rate of one round a minute, it was rather slow but powerful impact due to the size of the gun. Each vehicle was to be served by eight crew members including a commander, a driver, a co-driver, and five gun crew. It was given the designation T29 in March of 1945. 

With the T92′s armament being the 240mm Howitzer M1, another design (Designated T93) was built and used the 8-inch gun M1 (203mm). Other than the armament, there was little to no difference between the T92 and T93. 

The trials of the T92 and T93 showed that they would be useful in Operation Downfall, the planned invasion of the Japanese mainland. Due to combat experiences, special fuses for the shells were developed so they could be used against concrete. The T92s and T93s were being readied for sending to the Pacific War but the Japanese surrender occurred on 14 August 1945.

A limited production run ("limited procurement") of four pilot vehicles was ordered in March 1945, and the first was finished in July of that year, only five would be built in total. Two T93 were completed by September. All contracts were terminated with the end of the hostilities.

As an added bonus, here is an example of how large the 240mm Howitzer M1 was:

Stop Forcing Our Military To Die For The Rich Man’s Profit!