I srongly recommend the June and July issues of the American Legion Magazine
The June issue has a detailed article on the Panama Canal, where railroads were important in its construction and remain important in its operation.
I think a detailed railroad-focus article would be a natural for Trains and this ALM article would be one reference.
The July issue had a good article on the American Freedom Train, including Alco's part in it. but with good emphasis on the Marine Guards.
The June (? -- I'll check) issue of The American Organist (American Guild of Organists) and the July issue of The Tracker (Organ Historical Society) have obituaries for James Weaver, who had retired a year ago from his position for many years as the OHS's Executive Director, in addition to his church job. That he was a devoted railfan and used Amtrak whenever possible was mentioned.
I have to agree with David Klepper: Many of our fellow posters around here have a pretty eclectic range of interests. Witness the reoccuring thread(s) on Warbirds, that seems to comeback into discussions, to just point out one specific. And another that seems to coe back from time to time is " Artillery pieces and some of the History from WWI and WWII. Odd, yes, but they do have railway components that can be intersting to some. [Hat-tip to Flintlock76 ! ]
Just recently, I watched a movie presentation of post WWII and the role plaid by what could have been called " The Hagenah Air Force " [ I thought several timesabout PMing Dave K, but diden't(?) ] It was on Pluto's (TV) Military Channel.. {narration was via peronal interviews with some of the 'volunteers' who were veterans from not only the US and other nations, who brought their experetise to the battle for the formation ofr Israel. Their air force was formed by purchases of used, surplus aircraft of WWII vintage {some C-46s, C-47, a 'Constalation'C-69), and 4 or 5 Fighter aircraft [ Messerschmitt Bf 109s- purchased in Checkoslovakia, without engines!] Not to mention 3 B-17s from USAAF. It was quite a story that told of how they evaded personal sanctions form (USA and Britain) , and flew circuitous routes to get the aircraft and munitions to Israel. It is a bit of History that I am certain not too many students of History, outside of Israel have ever heard.
History has a funny way of poping up in strange places. Found this following linked article while searching for something completely different!
From Auto Trader:"Car News :"General Motors Once Built Locomotives — Really Good Ones"By Aaron Gold February 8, 2017
Linked @ https://www.autotrader.com/car-news/general-motors-once-built-locomotives-really-good-ones-261607
I have mentioned that Ages 6 - 22 I was a model railroader, but left my HO stuff at MIT's Tech Model RR Club and did not return to that aspect of the . railfan hobby. Maybe someday I will.
Ages 32 - 35 I entered Massachusetts Autocross races with my souped up and decambered and Koni-shocked Corvair Monza and subscribed to Road and Track. At 88-1/2 have no plans to return to that hobby. Didn't win any prizes, but my coworker and auto-expert at Bolt Beranek and Newman always said that I did the courses in great shape and obviously got the best performance from the machinery I had.
Several years back Air Classics magazine had an article on those Messerschmitt Bf109's used by the Israeli Air Force. They were post-war rebuilds from Czechoslovakia, however the Czechs didn't have any of the correct engines for the type, so they substituted Heinkel bomber engines.
The Israeli pilots (or any foreign volunteer pilots who flew them) HATED the things! Underpowered and heavy on the controls the pilots called them "Mules!"
Some managed to shoot down enemy aircraft, but they were retired as soon as Spitfires and P-51 Mustangs were obtained.
I believe several of those Messerschmitts are preserved in Israeli museums.
Flintlock76 Several years back Air Classics magazine had an article on those Messerschmitt Bf109's used by the Israeli Air Force. They were post-war rebuilds from Czechoslovakia, however the Czechs didn't have any of the correct engines for the type, so they substituted Heinkel bomber engines. The Israeli pilots (or any foreign volunteer pilots who flew them) HATED the things! Underpowered and heavy on the controls the pilots called them "Mules!" Some managed to shoot down enemy aircraft, but they were retired as soon as Spitfires and P-51 Mustangs were obtained. I believe several of those Messerschmitts are preserved in Israeli museums.
Flintlock76 : The movie is titled "On a Wing and a Prayer"(2015). The story is the 1st hand telling of of the 1948 Arab-Isreali War.
The information re: the movie is at the following link @ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4651960/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ov_pl
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4651960/ The movie is avail at Amazon Prime for viewing.
Here is a brief c&p from the linked site:FTL :".... This documentary features first-hand accounts of daring escapes and heart-pounding action. Dvir[Movie's Director] secured exclusive interviews with [Al]Schwimmer and key members of his team, such as chief pilot Sam Lewis and Christian radio operator Eddie Styrak. Styrak, Lewis and the rest of Schwimmer's recruits thought they were done fighting after WWII ended in 1945. Yet Schwimmer convinced them to put their lives and U.S. citizenships on the line to give the Jewish state a fighting chance in the 1948 Arab-Israel War. Vowing to "push the Jews into the sea," the Arab League anticipated weak opposition, since Israel had a sparsely armed military, a wingless air force and no allies. Even the United States joined the worldwide embargo that threatened to strangle Israel as soon as it took its first breat..."
OH! According to the movie : Those BF1089's on their first flight were sent to intercept the Egyptian Army, just a few miles short of Tel Aviv. The Egyptians were arrayed in a culumn[ almost single file] The 4 Messerschmitt Bf109s...Straffed and almost completely destroyed the Egyptian Army equipment and sent some 14,000 troops headed back to Egypt... The Messerschmitts might have been thought of as 'Mules' but they had a heck of a kick!
Thanks Sam! I'll check it out!
Good to know those "Mules" weren't total trash! Ironic, isn't it? The Israeli's using Adolf's equipment and founding a nation with it? I remember handling some German 98 Mauser rifles used by the Israelis that still had the Nazi proof and acceptance marks on them! The Israelis never bothered to grind them off! I'm sure they appreciated the irony as well.
"Hitler tried to kill us all, he failed, now we're using his stuff to fight with!"
Gotta love it!
I'm reminded of something. Recently I've been reading articles on line that go something like this:
"My Uncle Joe was a WW2 veteran who fought in Europe. He died recently and we were going through his stuff and OMG! We found a NAZI FLAG! What do we dooooooooooo..."
The first thought that goes through my head is "Snowflake! Don't you know a 'scalp' when you see one?"
"Take it out in the backyard and burn it it bothers you that much. You're not going to catch the 'Hitler Virus' from it at any rate."
The parallels have become more distasteful as time has passed.
Whoops! Pardon me folks, I got a few things wrong.
The proper designation for those Israeli Messerschmitts is the Avia S-199, Avia was the Czech company that built them. It was Czech Air Force pilots who called them "Mules," the Israeli's called them "Knives."
Here's the whole story from "Air and Space" magazine for those interested.
http://www.airspacemag.com/airspacemag/czech-knife-180972958/
By the way, the Czech Air Force operated ME-262 jets for a while after the war until the Russians equipped them with MiGs.
Thanks!
You're welcome David! Good story, wasn't it?
The September issue of the American Legion Magazine has several positive letters concerning the July issue article on the American Freedom Train. An excellent angle photo with the Alco PA, B & W, top of letters page.
I was visiting a private classic car collection in Gloversville, New York a few years ago. In the collection was a 1939 Horch convertible which is similar to a Mercedes 540K, if you familiar with those and Horch is one of the precursors to Audi. It was black, unrestored and a sinister looking thing and apparently belonged to one of the NSDAP agencies. We were told by the guy showing us around that they found a pistol in the car and it had a swastika on it. Who knew?
The commonly available photo in both the letters colimn and the article:
The July American Legion Magazine article can be read at
www.legion.org/magazine/249282/freedom-train
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