From: watt-alan@net.yale.edu (Alan Watt)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: fun things to shoot at
Date: 11 Nov 92 15:49:44 GMT
Organization: Yale University, Computing & Information Systems


In article <1992Nov9.145449.14643@eua.ericsson.se>, euabin@eua.ericsson.se (Bjarne Nordberg) writes:
|> Reading many elaborate suggestions, with great amusement,
|> regarding this, I did not see anyone suggest two harmless, but
|> fun targets: Ice blocks, and clay pigeons. Mold the ice in
|> used milk/drink canisters. Nice effects - no mess to clean up!
|> Clay pigeons make some debris, but is normally tolerated
|> at a shooting range...


This post prompted me to dig out an amusing anecdote from Churchill's
History of the Second World War.  Bottom line: if you want to shoot
milk containers filled with ice, make sure you don't mix any sawdust
into the water before it freezes!

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[ Regarding planning for cross-channel invasion ]

	There was another associated problem on which my mind dwelt,
	namely, the maintenance of fighting air superiority over the
	battle area.  If we could create a floating airfield, we could
	refuel our fighter aircraft within striking distance of the
	landing-points, and thus multiply our air-power on the spot at
	the decisive moment.  Among the numerous devices discussed
	during this busy voyage was one called "Habakkuk."  This
	project was conceived by a  Mr. Pyke on Mountbatten's Staff.
	His idea was to form a structure of ice, large enough to serve
	as a runway for aircraft.  It would be of ship-like
	construction, displacing a million tons, self-propelled at slow
	speed, with its own anti-aircraft defence, with workshops and
	repair facilities, and with a surprisingly small refrigerating
	plant for preserving its own existence.  It had been found
	that by adding a proportion of wood pulp in various forms to
	ordinary sea ice the mixture lost the brittle qualities
	associated with ice and became extremely tough.  This
	substance, called "Pykrete," after its inventor, seemed to
	offer great possibilites not only for our needs in Northwest
	Europe, but also elsewhere.  It was found that as ice melted
	the fibrous content quickly formed a furry outer surface which
	acted as an insulator and greatly retarded the melting
	process.  Much development work was eventually done on this
	side, particularly in Canada, but for various reaons it never
	had any success.

			*      *      *      *      *

	The [Allied Combined Chiefs of] Staff discussion upon the share
	we were to have in the major assault upon Japan became heated
	and led to an amusing incident.  Each of the joint Staffs had
	behind them a considerable group of twelve to twenty high Staff
	officers, a quivering audience, silent, with gleaming eyes.
	Presently the Chairman said, "I think we had better discuss
	this without our Staffs being present,"  upon which the group
	of high Staff officers filed out into a waiting-room.  The
	quarrel was duly settled, as usual, and Mountbatten, whose
	position as Chief of Combined Operations gave him a seat on the
	British Chiefs of Staff Committee, seized this opportunity to
	ask the Chairman if he might give a demonstration of the
	special mixture of ice which his scientists had found.  This
	was called Pykrete.[2] On receiving permission, one of his
	Staff wheeled in on a large dumb-waiter two blocks of ice about
	three feet high, one common or garden ice, the other Pykrete.
	He invited the strongest man present to chip each block of ice
	in half with a special chopper he had brought.  All presnet
	voted General [U.S. Army Air Corps commander "Hap"] Arnold
	into the job of "strong man." He took off his coat, rolled up
	his sleeves, and swung the chopper, splitting the ordinary ice
	with one blow.  He turned round, smiling, and, clasping his
	hands, seized the chopper again, and advanced upon the block of
	Pykrete.  He swung the chopper, and as he brought it down let
	go with a cry of pain, for the Pykrete had suffered little
	damage and his elbows had been badly jarred.

	Mountbatten then capped matter by drawing a pistol from his
	pocket to demonstrate the strength of Pykrete against gunfire.
	He first fired at the ordinary ice, which was shattered.  He
	then fired at the Pykrete, which was so strong that the bullet
	ricocheted, narrowly missing [British Chief of the Air Staff
	Sir Charles] Portal.

	The waiting officers outside, who had been worried enough by
	the sound of the blows and the scream of pain from General
	Arnold, were horrifed at the revolver shots, one of them crying
	out, "My God!  They've now started shooting!"

	-----------------------------------------------------------------
	[2] The special substance for use in the Habakkuk project and
	    named after its inventor, Mr. Pyke.

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[From "Closing the Ring", volume V of "The Second World War", Sir
Winston S. Churchill]

Actually, my father-in-law tells me the wood pulp/ice mixture was used
to build barges during WWI, used by the U.S. to get supplies to Europe.
If so, it seems strange Churchill would not have known of it.

Remember, these were not just any ordinary joes from the gun club, but
the combined Allied Chiefs of Staff, plus the British Prime Minister!
-- 
  Alan S. Watt
  Yale University			Computing and Information Systems
  Box 2112 Yale Station			(203) 432-6602
  New Haven, CT  06520-2112		Watt-Alan@Yale.Edu