OK, now that’s just ridiculous. Look at them! Carrying cameras around like little feathered tourists.
But those are in fact military surveillance pigeons, and yes, they really existed. It was kind of a good idea, if you think about it aerial photos of enemy trench lines were highly sought after, but newfangled surveillance planes were just starting to be introduced (prior to World War I, if you wanted aerial surveillance, you did it using vulnerable hot air balloons and kites). Then along came Dr. Julius Neubronner with his patented miniature pigeon camera.
Neubronner’s specially trained pigeons could be carried into battle in a customized mobile dovecote and then strapped into camera vests like air jordan 2 ii retro qf candy pack classic green black white the one seen above. When released, they were able to take a series of highly detailed photographs of the layout of enemy lines before returning to their roost and dropping off their film to be developed for HQ.
“Sir, is there a reason half our missions are near that all girls college?”
These avian reconnoiterers saw some air jordan 4 iv retro cool grey chrome dark charcoal varsity maize decent action alongside German forces during the war, judging by all the cartoonishly exploded pigeons . air jordan 1 retro black red Sadly, though, when air jordan 14 retro low white pacific blue he inquired about further developing the technology after the war, the War Ministry told air jordan 5 shanghai shen black laney 5s 2013 Neubronner to “fuck off with that pigeon bullshit” (loosely translated from the original German).
And just as depressing as that sentence .
4. Doggy Gas MasksThroughout the history of warfare, opposing forces have sprayed some particularly nasty shit all over each other. So gas masks have long been a universal piece of equipment for our human soldiers, but what about their best friends? Don’t worry, Fido, because we air jordan 10 powder blue white dark powder blue black thought of you, too! Pre Geneva Protocol pooches had nothing to fear once their human companions forced them to strap one of these babies onto their little doggie craniums. Except for, you know, all the bullets and explosions and stuff.
Ha! Look at that guy riding his tiny little clown bike back there! How could you even bring yourself to shoot that guy?
During World War II, the British Special Operations air jordan force 5 black cactus Executive was always looking for ways to pull a James Bond on their SS rivals. One thing that added difficulty to their espionaging was providing their soldiers with mobility once they dropped them behind enemy lines to get their spy air jordan 14 retro white black red on the logistics of dropping everything out of airplanes meant that there were severe size and weight restraints. So engineers worked hand in hand with Barnum Bailey to develop these adorable wittle motorcycles.
The Welbike featured a single cylinder engine and a collapsible design that allowed it to be packed into an airdrop container and chucked out over enemy territory for retrieval by special forces operatives, with just enough space left over to cram the size 28 shoes and giant red Afro wig in there.
2. Wind TunnelsNote the tiny little engineers at the bottom. That’s not a model airplane up there.
Before computers, the only way to make sure that a new fighter plane didn’t fall apart right as you were dogfighting over a cactus patch was to hang it up air jordan 2010 xxv black varsity red red and expose it to the wind. Sure, you could build a model and put it in a tiny wind tunnel, but damn it, nothing beats going full scale.
That’s a German facility above, but the Americans were also in the big wind game with this facility at Langley Field near Hampton, Virginia, that tested everything from World War II fighters to space capsules:
Are you picturing them reversing the fan and sucking that guy into it?
1. Nazis Just Wanna Have FunThe Nazis made for such perfect villains that we tend to forget that their military was largely made up of kids who were conscripted to serve their country, just like the armies that were fighting them. And like all soldiers, air jordan 1 retro hare light silver white true red they liked to occasionally take time out and make a big sign with their butts.
For more old photos that are clearly fake (but totally aren’t), check out 18 Old Timey Photos You Won’t Believe Aren’t Photoshopped and 16 Real Old Timey Photographs That Will Give you Nightmares.
If you’re pressed for time and just looking for a quick fix, then check out 3 Terrible Stadiums You Won’t Believe Were Actually Built.
Leave A Response