WWII mystery barrels opened after 50 years ...

[Randy Haskin]

The video of Desert Storm strikes was impressive.

I'm sure the capabilities have greatly improved since then.

Even what you saw in Stormin' Norman's briefings were cherry-picked videos that were the most impressive looking hits. They didn't represent the average capability of the average airplane/average munition on any given day of the war. They were the best weapons of the time -- Paveway IIIs, mostly, along with Tomahawks and others. The vast majority of what was dropped was either dumb bombs or, if they were laser guided, they were Paveway IIs, which have a much larger CEP.

I've dropped a lot of LGBs and GPS-guided weapons, both in combat and in peacetime training, and although the CEPs are improving, they are still far from the precision that a lot of Americans seem to think is now standard.

[ZRX61]

OMG!! Norden bombsight cans contain Norden bombsights...what are the odds?

[CAPFlyer]

I was just wondered about your background, the internet if filled with weapons "experts" who have more opinions than direct knowledge.

Always been fascinated with military history and became especially enthralled with the F-15E back when Jane's F-15E Strike Eagle III came out many moons ago. Still one of the most impressive modifications made to an existing airframe in history. They took an aircraft that was one of the best in the world in A-A with a token A-G capability, put a second man in it, added a ton of weight, and yet kept most of the A-A capability while adding an nearly unparalleled A-G delivery capability that still hasn't fully been deployed (and probably never will).

Will never claim to be an expert. I have to go to 6 websites just to make sure I put down the right designation for a weapon sometimes. I'd much rather defer to other people who have direct knowledge or did much more serious research than I ever could.

[Richard W.]

OMG!! Norden bombsight cans contain Norden bombsights...what are the odds?

I don't see any writing on the cans in the pictures. Are those particular cans unique to Norden sights?

I've seen small arms packed for long term storage by the Army in OD cans similar to that, but the cans were bigger and had the contents listed on the exterior.

[ZRX61]

I don't see any writing on the cans in the pictures. Are those particular cans unique to Norden sights?

I've seen small arms packed for long term storage by the Army in OD cans similar to that, but the cans were bigger and had the contents listed on the exterior.

It's been my experience that the Army use a different container for just about everything, no matter how similar. I spent a hour or so at a salvage yard one time trying to find just two identical cans without success