Nathan
@natpax.bsky.social
Retired engineer. Mountaineer and rock climber, at modest grades. Interest in history, defence topics, modelling, wargaming, photography and cooking.
https://smallitalianwars.blogspot.com
https://midlandshipyard.blogspot.com
https://smallitalianwars.blogspot.com
https://midlandshipyard.blogspot.com
I built one of those, many years ago. At the time I was very pleased with the result and it is the only model aircraft that I kept but I don’t think it would be up to modern standards.
May 16, 2025 at 12:54 PM
I built one of those, many years ago. At the time I was very pleased with the result and it is the only model aircraft that I kept but I don’t think it would be up to modern standards.
I’m sorry, I just assumed the people calling for the RN to be used in the Chanel to intercept small boats, instead of Border force, had some sort of idea of what they should then do.
May 16, 2025 at 9:07 AM
I’m sorry, I just assumed the people calling for the RN to be used in the Chanel to intercept small boats, instead of Border force, had some sort of idea of what they should then do.
The border force can already identify and intercept small boat crossings. What would you have the RN do that border force can’t? I’m assuming you don’t want to murder these people at sea or use armed force (against France) to return them to French territory?
May 16, 2025 at 7:42 AM
The border force can already identify and intercept small boat crossings. What would you have the RN do that border force can’t? I’m assuming you don’t want to murder these people at sea or use armed force (against France) to return them to French territory?
Amazing thing to see, as you say, build a pond and wildlife arrives to fill it. Your dragonflies are much earlier than ours which normally only start emerging in late June or early July.
May 12, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Amazing thing to see, as you say, build a pond and wildlife arrives to fill it. Your dragonflies are much earlier than ours which normally only start emerging in late June or early July.
The painting looks excellent. Not so sure about the sculpting of Mrs Loring’s hands and arms - wouldn’t fancy my chances in an arm wrestling contest.
April 27, 2025 at 4:48 PM
The painting looks excellent. Not so sure about the sculpting of Mrs Loring’s hands and arms - wouldn’t fancy my chances in an arm wrestling contest.
Isn’t there a saying about armies preparing to fight the last war?
March 12, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Isn’t there a saying about armies preparing to fight the last war?
Yes but that is for topping up any usage. They don’t set off with empty fuel tanks, food stores and weapons magazines.
March 11, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Yes but that is for topping up any usage. They don’t set off with empty fuel tanks, food stores and weapons magazines.
Two padlocks I think. One for the captain, one for the 2ic.
March 9, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Two padlocks I think. One for the captain, one for the 2ic.
They go in for service about every 8 years, I read. And presumably they don’t stop working if they go a day over so you’d think there’d be time to sort out our own servicing processes. Agree no time like the present to start though that publicl might be a bit inflammatory.
March 9, 2025 at 2:59 PM
They go in for service about every 8 years, I read. And presumably they don’t stop working if they go a day over so you’d think there’d be time to sort out our own servicing processes. Agree no time like the present to start though that publicl might be a bit inflammatory.
68, I read. Not sure whether that is what remains now after test firings or the original buy.
March 9, 2025 at 2:56 PM
68, I read. Not sure whether that is what remains now after test firings or the original buy.
Even the USN regrets going for the Constellation. Looked like a low-risk choice with a great spec - not turned out that way.
February 27, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Even the USN regrets going for the Constellation. Looked like a low-risk choice with a great spec - not turned out that way.
He and his cult members have been parroting Russian propaganda for ages. No coincidence that so many of them are anti-vax, climate-change denying conspiracy theorists.
February 19, 2025 at 11:20 AM
He and his cult members have been parroting Russian propaganda for ages. No coincidence that so many of them are anti-vax, climate-change denying conspiracy theorists.
"Shell shock": 'cowering in the wreckage' was a description I heard on a US defence podcast at the weekend.
February 17, 2025 at 1:33 PM
"Shell shock": 'cowering in the wreckage' was a description I heard on a US defence podcast at the weekend.
Have you ever even been to the UK? The majority aren’t struggling to that degree and, for those that are, it isn’t because of the less than 0.2% of GDP we are spending on Ukraine to try to contain Russia’s aggression before it gets really expensive.
February 17, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Have you ever even been to the UK? The majority aren’t struggling to that degree and, for those that are, it isn’t because of the less than 0.2% of GDP we are spending on Ukraine to try to contain Russia’s aggression before it gets really expensive.
We also need to be in the Atlantic, Norwegian Sea and patrol the GIUK gap, for which aircraft carriers are essential. Whilst airfields can’t be sunk, you can predict exactly where they will be and the workshops, stores and aircraft shelters easily targeted.
February 17, 2025 at 6:48 AM
We also need to be in the Atlantic, Norwegian Sea and patrol the GIUK gap, for which aircraft carriers are essential. Whilst airfields can’t be sunk, you can predict exactly where they will be and the workshops, stores and aircraft shelters easily targeted.
Still in build (on dry land) and still hasn’t been formally named.
February 8, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Still in build (on dry land) and still hasn’t been formally named.
It isn’t 10 x any credible estimate. You really think Russian battlefield care is so much better than anyone else has ever achieved that 90% survive? I’d be surprised if they aren’t down at or below WW2 levels.
January 28, 2025 at 9:53 AM
It isn’t 10 x any credible estimate. You really think Russian battlefield care is so much better than anyone else has ever achieved that 90% survive? I’d be surprised if they aren’t down at or below WW2 levels.
It is a typo. That’s the estimate for losses/casualties - killed, injured (could even be the same person two or three times) and captured. Assessment from credible people I’ve heard is that it is fairly accurate - as much as can be in the circumstances.
January 26, 2025 at 9:01 AM
It is a typo. That’s the estimate for losses/casualties - killed, injured (could even be the same person two or three times) and captured. Assessment from credible people I’ve heard is that it is fairly accurate - as much as can be in the circumstances.
Surely that’s the estimate of casualties - killed, injured and captured. Killed would be a fraction of that.
January 26, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Surely that’s the estimate of casualties - killed, injured and captured. Killed would be a fraction of that.
Sudan would be a surprising choice for a Mediterranean naval base :-)
January 21, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Sudan would be a surprising choice for a Mediterranean naval base :-)
From the BBC he’s given a few pardons, including Anthony Fauci. In what sort of mad world does a US President have to take such measures to protect a public servant from persecution by his conspiracy-theorist successor, for doing his job according to the scientific consensus?
January 20, 2025 at 6:17 PM
From the BBC he’s given a few pardons, including Anthony Fauci. In what sort of mad world does a US President have to take such measures to protect a public servant from persecution by his conspiracy-theorist successor, for doing his job according to the scientific consensus?
There are lots of other F-35 users. I wonder what they do for MSD - do they all rely on the US-UK-Canada to supply updates?
January 17, 2025 at 7:47 AM
There are lots of other F-35 users. I wonder what they do for MSD - do they all rely on the US-UK-Canada to supply updates?
Unless some whistleblower comes forward, I think it is unlikely the US has a secret software veto on UK use because so many UK people have been involved in writing the software.
January 17, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Unless some whistleblower comes forward, I think it is unlikely the US has a secret software veto on UK use because so many UK people have been involved in writing the software.