Did We Inadvertently Help The Japanese in WW2 ?

As mentioned in my post about the World War 1 centenary, there was a huge loss of life during that conflict.
Most people know that the British and the Americans fought the Germans and some know that the Russians fought the Germans. I guess that not many people know that the Russians lost almost as many soldiers as the Germans in that war and each country had almost twice the number of losses suffered by the British Army.

What very few people know, including myself until very recently is that the Japanese fought on the side of the Allies. The Japanese are believed to have had around 1200 casualties, principally fighting the Germans in the far east.

Japan had signed an alliance with Great Britain in 1902. When war broke out, the British asked Japan for help with the German naval squadron based in the far east. Their concern was that the German Navy would be able to disrupt trade and lever the war effort. At that time, Germany had various colonies in the Asian Pacific rim and Japan saw an opportunity.

Japan entered the war on August 23rd 1914 and a few months later, worked with the Royal Navy to seize the German naval base at Tsingtao in China. Japan was also able to seize the German controlled islands in the Pacific which gave them Japanese naval bases at Yap, Ponape and Jaluit and eventually allowed them to build their own base in Truk. In fact, the British agreed that the Japanese could take all the German colonies north of the equator.

Truk became the main Japanese naval base and for the first two years of World War 2 was considered an unassailable fortress. Yap became an island stronghold with around 6000 men and Jaluit had over 2000 men stationed there.

US naval forces eventually had to take Truk as part of their westward advance in a reverse Pearl Harbor attack and lost 25 aircraft in the process. The Japanese suffered huge losses and the media at the time referred to the attack as retribution for Pearl.

It just shows you governments need to be careful who they assist today because they might well be the enemy of tomorrow !!

Love and War

Take Your Hits - You Swine

I've often heard Airsoft players talking about what is fair in the game.

Virtually every skirmish I go to, somebody gets out of their pram about hit-taking.

"He is isn't taking his hits, Mr.Marshall, it's not fair".

"Take your hits, you xxxxxx xxxx"

Airsoft is largely an honesty game.

If we don't take our hits, it takes the fun out of the game. You can spend ages lying in wait or stalking the opposition, only to shoot them fair and square and have them shrug it off. Unlike real bullets, its hard to prove it. Its your word against theirs, unless a Marshall has seen them do it or has tested them by shooting the person himself.

Different sites handle it differently - from a cold indifference where its largely swept under the forest floor to a zero tolerance where cheaters are sent home at lunchtime for not taking hits.

At the end of the day, what does it matter if you get hit. Its only a game and you can usually re spawn back into the game in 5 minutes. Admittedly, on some occasions, the shooter is in error - their shots fall short and the opponent wasn't hit. Also, some players on the receiving end get hit at long range and the BB doesn't impact through thick clothing. I remember an occasion playing in heavy rain, where rain drops falling on me from tall trees made me think I was being hit, every few seconds. Sometimes, the worst offenders are those playing a skirmish for the first and last time - just an opportunistic fun game for that day only as a birthday or stag treat. We're not coming back, who cares ?

For those of us who are serious and serial players, its between us and our consciences. If we don't take our hits, how would we feel if those we shoot, did the same to us ??

However, there are other inequalities in Airsoft. How many hardened and experienced players do you hear talk about upgrades ? how much is spent on getting that sniper rifle more accurate and harder hitting ?
Is it therefore fair for a sniper with a £1000+ upgraded state of the art sniper rifle to be pitched against the rental player with a worn rental AEG using ironsights ?

Is it fair for a player using high capacity flash magazines that have 300-400 BBs in them and don't need winding to compete against a realism enthusiast using low cap magazines with only 30 BBs inside ?

Is it fair that players operating in a team and moving strategically are put up against individuals operating without fire support ?

Is it fair that magnified sights are pitched against x1 red dot sights or just guns with the basic ironsights ?

Well its their choice, I hear you shout.

To some extent, that is true, although it can also be a matter of how much disposable income the player has to spend on their Airsoft hobby.

Most Airsoft skirmishes operate with common safety rules but are largely freestyle when it comes to players being allowed any level of technology or weaponry within certain muzzle velocity limits.

Of course, wouldn't it be boring and restrictive if Airsoft were organised into classes based on what weapons and technology assistance you had and varied handicaps were applied to create a level playing field. Probably totally impractical to manage too.

Of course, you could argue that those really seeking realism and total fairness should fight in battles where everybody has the same weapon types. Can you imagine a battle where every player fights with a standard stock Garand M1 rifle - no spray and pray there !!

This post is a little tongue in cheek, designed to get people thinking.

The next time you encounter people not taking hits, remember:

All's fair in love and war....

World War 1 Centenary

You probably haven't heard much about it yet, but you will.

28th June 2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the event which started the Great War.

On that date in 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife was shot by a 20 year old Bosnian Serb called Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo. He used an FN 1910 pistol.

The Austro-Hungarians issued an ultimatum to Serbia which resulted in the first shots being fired one month later.

The Russians mobilised in support of Serbia and Germany invaded Belgium and Luxembourg. Great Britain was forced into the war in defence of Belgium on August 4th.

The war, said to be the war to end all wars, raged for over 4 years and at its end, the death toll was estimated to be as high as 65 million people.

In 2014, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is leading plans to build a commemoration fitting of this significant milestone in world history, working alongside partners including the Imperial War Museum, Heritage Lottery Fund and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission .

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged £5m funding that will help conserve, repair and protect First World War memorials and burial sites across the UK and overseas where British and Commonwealth servicemen and women are buried. He said at a visit to Flanders last month:

"Next year’s centenary of the start of the First World War will be a time for the whole nation to reflect on the events that saw so many young people of that generation make the ultimate sacrifice. Nearly all of us in Britain have some family connection with that conflict, and it is the many millions of small, personal stories that resonate as loudly for us as the big, world-changing battles and campaigns.
As part of that, it is absolutely right that we help communities up and down the country to ensure that their local war memorials are a fitting tribute to the fallen and increase people’s understanding of what happened. We simply should not tolerate damaged war graves in our country. Our memorials and cemeteries must be places of respect and education. This funding will help make it happen, and I am proud to be able to announce it today.

More planned events will unfurl as we move through 2014, but a Facebook page has already been set up:


First World War Centenary on Facebook

From Humble Beginnings

Some of today's biggest arms manufacturers started from very humble beginnings, often producing some very diverse products in their early days.

Of course, some well known names like the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield, which produced the Bren and legendary Lee Enfield .303 rifle flowered and wilted.

The RSAF dates back to 1816. Government owned, it was built in Enfield in the UK to take advantage of the water power from the local River Lee to drive its machines, not to mention easy water transportation to the Woolwich Arsenal via the Thames and a close proximity to the gunpowder factory in adjacent Waltham Abbey. Its fortune waxed and waned as wars came and went although the site employed 2400 people in its peak.

After the Second World War, activity at Enfield started to wane again. The RSAF was eventually sold to a private company in 1984 and it was closed in 1988 by BAE, the last owner.

One of their final weapons was the SA80 (or L85) rifle. Now the site has been developed for housing with only a nod to its earlier purpose, mirrored in the name of the streets. Ironically, the gunpowder factory site which is vast, still exists as a museum and an Airsoft group use some of the land.


The Belgian company FN Herstal were founded in 1889 and the name was derived from the original name, Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre and the fact that the factory was at Herstal.

In addition to rifles, they also built cars for about 30 years at the start of the 20th century and only stopped manufacturing motorcycles in 1965.

Beretta of Italy have been family owned since 1526 and may be the oldest armaments company still in existence ?

Apparently, they still have the original documents for the sale of muskets to the the authorities in Venice in that year.

Remington's father was a farming blacksmith in New York state who branched out into gun barrel production in 1816 and never looked back.

Samuel Colt's father was a textiles factory owner. It was said that Samuel got the idea for his revolver whilst observing a ships wheel being turned on his passage to Calcutta. He dabbled with many new technology ideas during his life including the galvanic cell, electric detonators and underwater telegraph cables.

The famous Browning Armaments company sold fishing rods as well as firearms when they started in business.

The origins of SIG Sauer lie with the manufacture of Swiss railway rolling stock (dating back to 1853).

Even the new arrivals on the firearms scene didn't always start in the gun business. Gaston Glock, the Austrian engineer who pioneered the pistol of the same name, didn't get involved with guns until he was 52 years old. He made his fortune in plastic curtain rods.

Perhaps gun makers are made not born.

The Rifle That Doesn't Know Left From Right

The Beretta ARX160 Assault Rifle is part of a new breed of automatic weapon.

Developed in 2008, it is part of the Soldato Futuro program and is the result of joint collaboration between the Italian Army and and Italian company Beretta. Beretta are famous for their type 92 pistol and their tactical shotguns.

Umarex are now selling an Airsoft AEG version of the weapon, which is made for them by S&T Arnament.

The real steel version is still quite new to the arms arena but is slowly gaining ground outside the Italian military. The ARX160 has some interesting features which set it apart from the other kids on the block.

Weighing just over 3Kg, this largely polymer rifle has dual ejection ports, which means the user can determine which side the spent cartridges are ejected from. Similarly, the charging handle can be operated on either side. Together with an ambidextrous magazine release and fire selector, the ARX160 is ideal for either left or right hand shooters, as the standard rifle can be adapted in less than a minute by the user.

In addition, barrels can be swapped by the user in a similar time frame which makes it possible to quickly switch between the shorter 12" barrel for close combat and the longer 16" barrel for more open engagements.

The rifle needs minimal lubrication and can be stripped down without special tools. There are no retaining pins to fall out or get lost.

The iron sights are spring loaded so flip down when not needed or to avoid damage when struck and the stock is retractable and can be swung to one side for CQB work.

Available in 5.56 x 45mm or 7.62 x 39mm NATO calibres, the ARX160 comes with four mounting rails and a wide range of accessory and mission options including the underslung Beretta GLX160 Grenade Launcher, a bayonet and what Beretta call their Tricompensator. This is a suppressor-looking device which is attached to its own barrel section and is fitted when needed just like a new barrel. As the name suggests, it has three purposes - that of suppressor, muzzle brake and flash hider.

The Umarex Airsoft version is officially licensed by Beretta so it has the trades and is available in black only.
It is currently being offered by eHobby Asia in the longer barrel version (which takes 14mm CCW attachments) at USD 325. Lets hope it makes it to the UK retailers.

The Airsoft version

Demonstration of the real thing on You Tube

The SCAR - a Marmite Rifle ?

The FN Herstal SCAR has been with us for about five years. Originally developed to take advantage of a US requirement to replace their M4 and older M16 rifles, it found itself in a shoot-off with two other manufacturers.

The US eventually purchased a quantity of what they call the MK16, the 5.56mm version of the SCAR. In a slightly baffling set of events, the deliveries were eventually halted and the MK16's replaced. The authorities suggested the order cancellation was a funding issue.

However, the American forces have since continued with the Mk17 which is the 7.62mm SCAR variant and there is even talk of a mod kit which allows the MK17 to handle both calibre's of ammunition.

The SSR or MK20 Sniper Support Rifle is a derivative of the Mk17 and is capable of a sub-minute angular accuracy out to and beyond 1,000 yards. The Real Steel SSR features an extended receiver rail for mounting in-line night vision and thermal devices with standard/sniper optics. It also has an enhanced adjustment-free trigger that is rugged enough for field use but precise enough for long-range target engagement.

The cosmetics of the SCAR seem to make it something of a Marmite rifle amongst Airsofters - you either love it or hate it.
Often an initial weapons choice for "softing" is based on looks or perceptions and the appearance of the SCAR could be considered to be an acquired taste.

A number of manufacturers produce a SCAR replica and these include varied offerings from G&G, Umarex/VFC, WE, D-Boys, Tokyo Marui and CA.

As you can see above, VFC also produce a replica of the SSR.

Certainly the ergonomic benefits of the SCAR make it a winner in my book. I particularly like the side mounted charging handle as opposed to the rear mounted one on the M4. While VFC have added reality by designing their weapon to strip down like real steel, all makers offer the elephantine SCAR signature stock with its extendability and adjustable cheek rest. Some models also provide the facility to switch the charging handle to the opposite side, just like the real thing.
It's interesting that some like the G&G allow the stock to be swung to the side and locked into position, which is added reality.

Despite the bitter-sweet tale with US SOCOM, FN have sold their rifle to the military users of a number of other nations which includes the French and Belgian special forces, the Chilean Marines, the Peruvian and New Zealand armies and even the German Police in the back yard of messrs Heckler and Koch.

From an Airsofting perspective, it must be said that the SCAR poses a viable combat assault rifle alternative for those players who like M4 and HK416 loadouts.


Now its just a question of choosing which Airsoft maker ??

Who said "softing" was easy..........

The Pink Riot

Plethora of Pink Airsoft Guns - photo courtesy of Deskpoper.com 

Girls have played Airsoft for years.
In the far east where Airsoft started, they even air Animé movies about it.
In Japan, a TV channel broadcast Stella Women's Academy, an animated movie about a schoolgirl who joins her school Airsoft club.
Stella and her classmates are cute wide-eyed animé girls who play in pink jackets and pleated skirts.

So Airsoft is officially cool and an increasing number of female players are regulars at UK Airsoft sites.

Why ?

Do girls play for the same reasons as the boys ?

Its a difficult question and one can easily drift into sexism in trying to answer it. I can only reply from my personal observations and opinions.

There are some really good female players out there and why shouldn't they be. Many of the successful female players I've seen pose a smaller silhouette than the guys they shoot with, they are more agile and often quite ruthless when it comes to winning - I've seen situations when a guy will momentarily hesitate to shoot a girl player at short range, running some fairer sex stuff in his head and she just lights him up.

In my own experience, I've seen few women over the age of thirty playing unless they are there with spouses or boyfriends. Teams of girls in the 18-25 age group seem quite popular, but they seem to be focussed differently. While the guys are dressing like a US Navy SEAL in the latest CAM and high tech head gear or skirmishing rigged out as a Russian WW2 sniper, the girl teams seem to tone down the military associations and go more for the matching team look. Perhaps girls see Airsoft more as a competitive team sport rather than a chance to play war ??

Pink and purple airsoft weapons seem to be gaining in popularity and my local retailer was telling me recently how they are selling pink M4 variants like hot cakes.

Personally, I am grateful for those ladies who fight with pink guns and their hair and faces uncovered - it gives me a chance to see something of the other team in the dark recesses of the local woodland site. Their desire for chic apparel and looking good out on the battlefield often means that pink guns, shiny faces and trailing blonde hair often helps my old eyes discern them from the foliage. Mind you, I've still been rinsed by a few, which probably says more about my playing skills than them.

For the final opinion, I asked my wife why she thought that there weren't so many mature women playing Airsoft.

She said it was because men have bugger all else to do on a Sunday and women are always busy having to do something more important.

Fair enough...

Courtesy of Gainax Company