MetaFilter posts tagged with wwii and military

wartime paratrooper dummies and decoys

madamjujujive — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 14:04:06 -0800

Burlap paradummies called Ruperts were dropped during D-Day, later depicted in the film The Longest Day. But prior to D-Day, both the British and the Germans had used straw-filled decoys in various locations. Later in the war, the U.S. tested "Oscar" but found him lacking, adopting instead the PD Dummy. Learn more at the decoy paratrooper dummy site and at this encyclopedia entry for Ruperts. Also: Declassified OSS Film of WWII Decoy Paratrooper 1943 Photo of a PD Pack in a museum And just for amusement, the G.I. Joe Paratrooper Hang-Time Contest Results

Insignia of Armed Forces in WW2

adamdschneider — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:10:30 -0800

The Armed Forces of World War II, a flash presentation of rank insignia. The creator implies that it's a work in progress, but what I've clicked through seems pretty complete to me. Bonus Babylon 5 link on the left.

Nellis AFB Air Show.

saladin — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 07:16:13 -0800

Wednesday morning plane pr0n.

Over 3,400 Annoying Gimmicks

breezeway — Fri, 25 Mar 2005 09:47:17 -0800

Consolidated B-24 Liberator nose art archive. S i g n s of the z o d i a c, dirty jokes, self-fulfilling prophecies, and stumpers . (Some questionable content [NSFW-ish] and site design)

Mayday! Mayday!

headspace — Fri, 10 Sep 2004 04:15:04 -0800

The Pacific Wrecks Database is an impressive collection of information about lost and found WWII wrecks in the Pacific. The site is a little hard to navigate (I suggest using the past news archives and the direct links in the description slug on the first page, rather than the drop-down menu,) but the content is worth the trouble. Essays from veterans, discovery tales, photographs, maps, and more await.

German Helmets

starscream — Tue, 15 Jun 2004 18:40:35 -0800

The Online Reference Guide to World War II German Helmets 1933-1945.

Doozer — Fri, 25 Oct 2002 03:35:54 -0800

Almost sixty years after the end of the Second World War, the battlefields of Western Europe, Scandanavia, Russia and the Pacific continue to reveal poignant relics of the men who fought and died. These links may be of interest to anyone with even a passing interest in military history.

johnnyboy — Thu, 09 May 2002 05:07:30 -0800

the grave of the unknown rapist. does the brutality of war result in man sinking to the depths of depravity