The Scrapboard

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The Scrapboard
Est'd 30-6-01

Changes last made to this page 19th April 2011

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By the Author of the Scrapboard:-

Attack, Avoid, Survive: Essential Principles of Self Defence

Available in Handy A5 and US Trade Formats.
A5 Edition.

US Trade Edition.

Video

Webpage

        Some ideas and works in progress.
     Many of these articles are just rough drafts or thinking out loud, so don't expect too much of them. They are in no particular order in the hope that the reader may diversify their interests.
Best way to view this page is to keep the History mode of your browser on so you know where you have been, and keep an eye on the "Updated" and "Added" comments -I don't always put new stuff at the bottom, I will sometimes place them with a related article.
     Some of these articles have previously been published in G2mil. The versions here are of a slightly different format and may have been updated.

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IF by Rudyard Kipling

Important Articles

Take the HMMWV out of Iraq

Strategy in Counter-Guerilla Warfare

Understanding the Roles of Military Vehicles

Airpower and Strategy.

Learning Leadership, Courage and Decision Making

SA-80

The Power of Nightmares

Adam Curtis

Re-introducing the Combat Smock Added 30-1-02 Updated 19-11-04
Improving the terminal effects of 5.56mm weapons Added 4-11-02 Updated 22-5-07

        Why is it one of the most useful AFVs ever is unnamed? Vote to name the M113.

Why Magazines are not Clips. Don't look silly getting it wrong! Added 5-11-01

     An introduction to the military ideas here. A description of a possible Future Infantry Battalion.
        And a description of a future Soldier.
        An introduction to some of the vehicles mentioned. Updated 19-1-05
        Improving Individual and Team firepower Added 29-5-02 Updated 4-11-02

"You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you"

Leon Trotsky

The Tactical Reading Guide

Ralph's Wrinkles

Bikes and other light vehicles. Updated 9-11-05
Better protected logistic trucks Updated 8-6-07
Designated marksman rifles Updated 17-10-05
Arming the OP team Updated 17-10-05
Re-examinng the 7mm Intermediate round. Modified 5-7-01
Design features for future Assault rifles Added 5-7-01 Updated 5-1-07
The M2030 Assault rifle round. Updated 31-10-05
A new sight graticle for assault rifles and LMGs Added 5-7-01 Updated 16-3-10
Shooting without Sights:- Quick-Kill and Fairbairn-Applegate methods. Added 9-7-01Updated 7-5-02
Some thoughts on the GPMG and the HOSE Updated 20-7-03
Three shot grenade launchers. Updated 7-10-05
Bringing the M1 carbine into the 21st century as the ideal police weapon Updated 28-9-06
The Buzzard and other Coin aircraft Updated 9-5-04
Compact Machine Pistols Updated 16-5-07

Solving the SA-80 problem Added 5-3-02

Some Humour. Peace Activist Etiquette

I'm intending to add more stuff on Travel and "real survival". These will have to do for the moment
Some observations and tips following my trip to Crete. Added 13-9-01
In praise of the Boonie hat! Added 13-9-01
Things I learnt in Iceland Added 25-6-02

The Extended Survival Kit article Added 30-1-02

A quick and simple way to make good Knife Sheaths Added 27-11-01

An idea to improve cooking pots, The Cupcake Billy Added 22-10-01
Some ideas on Camping Stoves Added 12-11-01 Updated 10-11-04

The Cocktail I invented, The Charlotte Kill -is the world ready for this? Possibly the most lethal thing on these pages.

Some articles on Martial arts
A Quick guide to Spear and Pole fighting Added 22-10-01
"Hand and Toes; Same Side goes" A quick guide to basic Karate. Added 22-10-01
Whips, Chains and Scarves, your flexible friends Added 11-4-02
The Tri-sai Added 11-4-02 Updated 6-5-05

This Taiji is here because most things in life boil down to getting the correct balance.

Future C-130 transports and Gunships Updated 9-5-04
Rations and water Updated 14-12-03
Mobile phones for squaddies Updated 24-11-04
Indirect Airborne Rocket Artillery (iARA) Updated 15-2-06
Smoke laying machine gun pods and other Smoke ideas Updated 28-11-04
Light Carriages for street fighters
Suitcase and Lurker Missiles Updated 7-3-06
SMGs in the 21st century -the solution to intercommunity warfare? Updated 11-11-05
Bernies' Bangalore Updated 19-4-11
Bayonets

War is an all-out, EXTREME ACTIVITY---a struggle--- not to be taken lightly

Mike Sparks

Horten Flying Wing should fly again Updated 9-5-04
Inert bombs Updated 29-3-11
Dim bombs
Rotary close air support
Aerial mines Updated 19-4-2011
Some ideas on .25 pistols Added 2-7-01 Updated 11-12-02
Home defence shotguns and assault pistols Updated 18-7-01
Some ideas on FMJ pistol rounds Added 2-7-01 Updated 19-7-02

The solutions to big problems need to begin at grass roots' level.

Combat Handgun ideas Updated 16-1-03
Adjusted Pistol grips Added 2-7-01
Large calibre bullpup assault rifles Added 2-7-01
Pop-up mounts for 106mm recoilless rifles Added 2-7-01 Updated 26-6-07
Duplex police ammo Added 2-7-01
Four barrelled 22 shotgun alternative Updated 13-7-01
Bring back the Bren carrier Updated 17-4-07
Escort and Patrol companies Updated 19-11-04
Compact Missile and Gun Armed vehicle killer Updated 3-1-05

Tactical roles for SRAM Missile Added 3-7-01
Military uses for small ekranoplans Added 3-7-01 Updated 19-11-02
Some thoughts on the Robocobra Added 3-7-01
Some ideas for tank roofs and APCs too Added 3-7-01
Infantry fighting vehicle armament. Updated 15-2-06
Some ideas on camouflage Updated 24-2-06
Further ideas on camouflage Added 18-4-02 Updated 14-12-06

A Spear point is little use without a shaft to move it and a body behind it

New Rifle for the Marines? Added 3-7-01 Updated 23-3-05
Cheap air defence solution for small units. Updated 8-4-02
Why don't ground vehicles have electronic IFF? Added 4-7-01 Updated 17-5-05
Putting "Straight legs" in M113s Added 4-7-01 Updated 24-11-04
Urban combat units Updated 17-5-05
Large calibre CIWS Added 5-7-01 Updated 7-1-04

Craft for Riverine warfare Added 6-7-01 Updated 19-10-06
Pocket Corvettes Added 6-7-01 Updated 18-10-06
Top attack helicopters Added 9-7-01
What are helicopters for? Added 9-7-01 Updated 18-12-03
Bombs behind! Updated 19-4-11
Where are the medium bombers? Added 9-7-01 Updated 18-6-09
Improvements to the AR-7 Added 10-7-01
The .45 Springfield magnum. Added 11-7-01 Updated 16-1-03

Double barreled Hunting pistols. Updated 6-2-03
.22 Self Defence rounds. Updated 4-1-02

Terminal ballistics Updated 27-7-04
At times the "Firearms Tactical" site that several links in this article connect to seems to go down. You can still view these pages if you break up the URLs and do a search for them on Google. For example, access www.firearmstactical.com/wound.html by a search on "firearmstactical" and "wound" and use the Cache facility.

Lighter Self Propelled artillery. Added 12-9-01 Updated 3-4-02
Medium and Lighter Multiple Rocket launchers.Added 10-12-01 Updated 28-11-04

     Some ideas on Infantry weapons that were previously published in G2mil.
As Carlton Meyer, editor of G2mil, remarks:-

      "Western armies have ignored new infantry weapons for quite some time. Other armies may prove more inventive and deliver nasty surprises in the future."

RPG2000. Added 13-9-01 Updated 19-1-05
Ideas on Grenades, Trip mines and Flare guns. Updated 5-15-07
Improved grenade launchers. Added 13-9-01 Updated 10-9-10
Improving the OICW. Added 13-9-01 Updated 28-3-03
Commando and Special Operations Mortars. Added 13-9-01 Updated 15-2-06

A Follow up to the above articles. Thoughts on Soft-launch vehicle weapons, Explosive Foam, Adhesive Smoke, ManDets and Mini-Claymores. Added 28-2-02 Updated 14-3-02

Some personal views on the idea of Brigade Combat Teams. Added 13-9-01
Hard cast plastic grenades. Updated 10-12-01
Gun Jeeps need to consider Firepower, Mobility and Protection. Added 13-9-01 Updated 9-11-05
Autogyros, Microlights and Pegasus Air Cavalry. Added 25-9-01

TANKITAS
        "Read your Tankita article. Of all your suggestions and ideas to date, this is the most useful weapon I've seen. I hope someone who can make it happen sees it. Tankita is no MBT, but it gives light and medium/airmobile and /or quick reaction forces some real options besides just TOW mounted HUMMERS. I can't really express how highly I think of the concept."

Tankitas and STOATs. Updated 17-5-05
Latest discussion on Tankitas Updated 17-5-05

The Stablemate of the Tankitas:-
Assault Gun-mortars. Added 18-10-01 Updated 11-12-02

“Team carrier” vehicles. Added 18-10-01 Updated 5-5-04
Some thoughts on Anti-Material Rifles. Updated 3-15
My article on Infantry guns, previously published in G2mil but now updated a little. Added 30-10-01 Updated 3-11-05
Handguns and Ammo for Rangers. Added 1-11-01
Some Older Ideas, the Also-rans.- Slopes, Fifteen-Five Machine Guns and Cheap Infantry Tanks. Added 16-11-01
Infantry Applications for Robots Added 16-11-01 Updated 19-4-11

A new, simpler US army rank system Added 27-11-01
Better Webgear and Logpacks Updated 18-1-04

Special Forces What are they for, what do they need? Added 3-12-01 Updated 8-6-07
African Rapid Deployment Force -some comments Added 4-12-01
A safer, lighter, more versitile and cheaper cold weather combat dress system. Updated 11-12-01
Future Auxiliary vehicles Updated 24-6-09
Breech Loaded Vehicle Grenade Launchers and Anti-Ambush Weapons Added 11-12-01 Updated 13-12-04
Silencers for Machine Guns and AMRs -no, not a typo or a joke! Added 13-12-01
One Hole Rifles Updated 18-1-05
The .22 Survival Pistol. Added 4-1-02
Bertelsen Aeromobile-Aeroduct Transport System Added 21-12-01

Jump Jet engine improvements Added 7-1-02 Updated 4-11-02
New Avenger cannon ammo Updated 20-7-03
Military Shotguns and Ammo Updated 22-3-10
S³ Warships Added 7-1-02 Updated 3-4-03

The Land Ironclads by H.G Wells