December 15, 200520 yr New question, with two parts ... What leader once made a thought provoking comment about Afghanistan and boiling water ? And, in what way was an American M1 Abrams main battle tank responsible for his demise ? The only "leader" whose demise (I note that you did not say "death") was brought about by the Abrams, that I can think of at least, would be Michael Dukakis. The widely circulated phot op picture of Dukakis sitting in the M1 rang false with the public, and in the minds of many pundits, dealt a mortal blow to his election prospects. But if it is Dukakis, I've yet to find the boiling water-Afghanistan connection. The Sovs were deep into Afghanistan at the time, and very much looking for a way out. So a campaign speech might well have been the context for the remark, but I've yet to find it. Then again, I could be all wet and you might be referring to someone else entirely ;-)
December 16, 200520 yr Author I had forgotten about the image of Dukakis sitting in the tank .. thanks for reminding me. Here's a link to the pic: http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0309/lm10.html That said, however, Michael Dukakis is not the leader I am looking for in this trivia. Innovative answer, though.
December 17, 200520 yr I had forgotten about the image of Dukakis sitting in the tank .. thanks for reminding me. Here's a link to the pic: http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0309/lm10.html That said, however, Michael Dukakis is not the leader I am looking for in this trivia. Innovative answer, though. The net never cease to amaze... You pasted the very link I was looking at, a picture which still tickles my own political funnybone, even now almost 20 years after the fact. Information is now amazingly accessible. But alas, not all information is easy to find. While I learned there have been very few battle casualties in the Abrams, furthering my belief that your use of "demise" signifies something other than physical death, I am unable to nail this trivia question down. Saddam's demise could be said to have been at the hands of the M1, inasmuch as it spearheaded the actual invasion that spelled the end of his regime. But the Afghan boiling water remark again eludes me, so I have to cry uncle and bow my head in shame, having failed in my assigned task
December 18, 200520 yr Author No shame. Its a bit of an obscure question, which seems to be the only way to beat Google these days. Here's the answer: President Zia-ul-Haq, of Pakistan In December 1979, President Zia is reported to have said to Lt Gen Akhtar Abdul Rahman Khan (then Pakistan's chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) : ‘The water in Afghanistan must boil at the right temperature.' Both men perished in the crash of a Pakistani Air Force C-130 on August 17, 1988 (as did a number of other generals and staff). They had been returning from attending a demonstration of the M1 Abrams main battle tank, which the USA was trying to sell to Pakistan. The demo was not an event that they would ordinarily have attended, but they had been persuaded to go because their presence was "diplomatically desirable". Here's more on President Zia: http://www.storyofpakistan.com/person.asp?perid=P020&Pg=1
January 26, 200620 yr Author New trivia question ... The AGM-45 Shrike is to the SA-2 Guideline as the Kh-28M is to … ?
January 26, 200620 yr Going to take a quick guess here... Knowing that the KH-28 was introduced in 1971, and is an anti-radar missile, I'm going to say that the answer you are looking for is the original Hawk SAM.
January 26, 200620 yr Author Well done, Akula. That was quick. The AGM-45 Shrike was the first dedicated air-surface anti-radiation missile used by the US armed forces, intended to counter the then new Soviet S-75 SAM (NATO SA-2 Guideline) by homing on the SA-2's SNR-75 (NATO Fan Song) guidance radar. The Kh-28 (NATO AS-9 Kyle) and its Filin targeting system was initially suitable only for engaging the Nike Hercules/Thunderbird systems. Although the Filin was able to detect the HAWK SAM system, it was outside the capabilities of the missile's seeker. Eventually the Kh-28M missile received a new seeker able to deal with the HAWK's MPQ-33 and later MPQ-39 target illumination radars, and also the MPQ-34 low level acquisition radar.
February 23, 200620 yr Author New trivia question ... What European air force flying unit is considerably older than its parent air force, and has the propeller of a WWI bomber hanging on the wall of its crew briefing room ? For extra points, identify the type of WWI bomber aircraft.
March 10, 200620 yr Author No takers, huh. Too hard ? Ok, here's the answer ... 721 Squadron, of the Royal Danish Air Force, is the country's oldest flying unit, established in 1926. It is 28 years older than the RDAF itself. The Squadron has hung a propeller from a WWI era Hansa Brandenburg torpedo bomber on the wall of its crew briefing room. This is the squadron that flies patrols out to the Faroe Islands and Greenland. And a new question ... This highly decorated American pilot and lawyer, a veteran of multiple conflicts, survived being a POW for nearly six years. He also – quite remarkably - survived calling his wife the "Viking". Who is he ?
March 23, 200620 yr Author Still too hard ? You guys are getting slack ... To recap the question: This highly decorated American pilot and lawyer, a veteran of multiple conflicts, survived being a POW for nearly six years. He also – quite remarkably - survived calling his wife the "Viking". Who is he ? The answer ... Bud Day. He served honourably in both Vietnam and Korea, and has nearly 70 military decorations, including the Medal of Honor, the Air Force Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal and the Silver Star. He wrote a couple of books, "Return with Honor" and "Duty, Honor, Country". His wife, Doris Sorensen, is Norwegian (hence the "Viking" moniker). He still practises law in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
March 23, 200620 yr Author New trivia question ... A well trained and formidable military force is launching an operation involving an initial strike by Storms, Lightnings and Vultures, followed up by an assault using Vipers, Pythons and Serpents. The objective will finally be seized by troops using Rhinoceros, Albatross, and Night Owl units. What platforms are in play here ?
April 10, 200620 yr Author Here's the answer, the "interpreted" version ... The "well trained and formidable military force" is the Israel Defence Force. The operation involves an initial strike by F-16I Suefa (Storm), F-16C/D Barak (Lightning) and A-4 Ahit (Vulture) attack aircraft, followed up by an assault using AH-1 Zefa (Viper), AH-64A Peten (Python) and AH-64D Sharaf (Serpent) attack helicopters. The objective will finally be seized by troops using C-130 Karnaf (Rhinoceros) airlifters, and CH-53 (Albatross), and UH-60 Yanshuf (Night Owl) helicopters. Trivia is now going to be laying low for a while.
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