Re: What nation are you from?

----- Original Message -----
From: <laserlight@quixnet.net>
To: <gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu>
Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2002 9:23 PM
Subject: RE: What nation are you from?

>
> >In response to KHR's fine submission that featured Gurkhas not
> needing retrorockets....
>
>    The version I heard had the Gurkha sergeant talk it over with his
men,
> then come back to his officer.  "We'll go, sir, but we must insist on
three
> conditions.  The plane we jump from must be flying as slow as
possible; it
> must be over soft ground; and it must fly at 100 feet when we jump."
>    The officer said "Can't do it, old boy.  If you're at 100 feet,
your
> parachutes won't have time to open."
>    The Gurkha said "Parachutes?"

Maintaining their reputation for insanity and wierdness, in the early
'30s
the USSR actually tried jumping without parachutes- TB-3 going _very_
low
and _very_ slow, and leaping into deep snowdrifts.  They also tried
dropping
T-37 scout tanks in the same way.  The tanks were knackered, but the men
mostly survived- the trouble is that deep enough snow is unlikely to be
where you want a desant, so it wasn't kept up.

"Za slavoi Krasnii Armii, Budyonovtsi! Vperyod!"

Rob Paul