Pop Quiz!

dd

This is a real photo from an old military parade circa 1917, showing what's probably the dumbest-looking military invention of all time. But what is it?<br />
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Ugly

Something to mask troop movements, like a smoke or fog machine?

dd

Ugly wrote on Feb 13 2009, 07&#58;14 PM:

Something to mask troop movements, like a smoke or fog machine?

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Nope. Any other ideas?

Huckleberry

.This was an invention of the late/great Dr. Woofer Stanley Phoobah that was originaly designed for Britans & the worlds largest pipe organ only to find out that it's extreem sub sonic base sound waves would bounce the front of autos or wagons off the ground and it's power was miss used here as a war weapon. This is where we get the sub-woofer of today!<br />
Or I may be totaly wrong and it's something from Dr Seuss & the Seussville parade.

dd

<img src='http://www.goodguysposse.org/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rofl.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':rofl:' /> <img src='http://www.goodguysposse.org/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rofl.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':rofl:' /> <img src='http://www.goodguysposse.org/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rofl.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':rofl:' /> <img src='http://www.goodguysposse.org/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rofl.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':rofl:' /> <img src='http://www.goodguysposse.org/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rofl.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':rofl:' /> <br />
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That's a good one, Huck! Although I think some of the teenagers have speakers in their cars about that big.<br />
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Here is a hint-<br />
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Ugly

An early form of an early warning system to listen for planes or troop movements?

dd

BRAVO UG!<br />
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Yes, they were used to listen for incoming aircraft. The principles of radar were demonstrated in 1904 but working units weren't around until the early 1940's. <br />
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Those big horns in the photo were funneled down to an earpiece and a soldier would listen for the sounds of distant aircraft. There must have been considerable amplification. So what would happen if a flock of honking geese flew past the horn? Probably blow your eardrums out. Obviously they didn't work very well or they would be more common in museums, etc.

Huckleberry

Very interesting photo and device Denny.

I M Portly

This the Massed Tuba Mortar (MTM) invented by the mad scientists at the I M Portly Agency. It was assembled in the hopes that old I M might finally acheive a clean match. Prototype blew up and was never resurrected. I M Portly. <img src='http://www.goodguysposse.org/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':rolleyes:' />

dd

I M Portly wrote on Feb 16 2009, 09&#58;11 AM:

This the Massed Tuba Mortar (MTM) invented by the mad scientists at the I M Portly Agency. It was assembled in the hopes that old I M might finally acheive a clean match. Prototype blew up and was never resurrected. I M Portly. <img src='http://www.goodguysposse.org/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':rolleyes:' />

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What was the load when it blew up? Inquiring minds want to know!

Santa Fe Jim

One's things for sure... the salesman who sold these puppies had to be the BEST salesman of ALL time!<br />
<br />
sfj

I M Portly

DD: The load was 46 pounds of FFG black powder and 12 5 gallon buckets of buckshot. My hiney is still sore! Portly. <img src='http://www.goodguysposse.org/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbdown.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':thumbdown:' />

dd

I M Portly wrote on Feb 25 2009, 09&#58;44 AM:

DD: The load was 46 pounds of FFG black powder and 12 5 gallon buckets of buckshot. My hiney is still sore! Portly. <img src='http://www.goodguysposse.org/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbdown.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':thumbdown:' />

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Maybe ffffg would take your hiney right off!