Audible Book: All Hands Down - USS Scorpion

I decided to go for a quicker and lighter Audible book (in length, though not necessary in topic), but keeping to the naval theme, this time more modern (Cold War), albeit in 1968 - the unofficial hypothesis of the loss of the USS Scorpion, to alleged Soviet action. Which is an attention grabbing headline if ever there was one. Allegedly the attack on the USS Scorpion was in retaliation to the earlier loss of K-129 near Hawaii in mysterious circumstances, the Soviet Sub being the later focus of the CIA backed Glomar Explorer expedition to recover [part] of it (see below, "All Hands Down" gave a very good picture of what it was like to serve on a US nuclear submarine and the lifestyle of the "dolphin" families had to endure - and you really did feel that the US Navy let the families down afterwards):  

Whether true or not is conjecture, though a compelling case was made, particularly with relevance to US serviceman turning traitor (John Anthony Walker) and passing on communication code cipher secrets to the Soviets and the capture of US communication equipment in North Korea (USS Pueblo). There was a huge window of opportunity for the Soviets to electronically eaves drop on US Naval Operations, with the US blissfully unaware that their communications were deeply compromised. What is also clear, was the the sixties and early seventies were a tense time of frequent Cold War Superpower confrontations, many of which had the potential to spark a general East-West war. From the Cuban missile crisis, the ongoing Berlin tensions, the Kennedy assassination, the ongoing Vietnam War and while general bipolar mistrust of the period. 

It is amazing the world survived in retrospect.

Xmas Presents: Naval Aviation and an Osprey Submarine Game

From underneath the Xmas tree I was given these little crackers. Two Blood Red Skies (BRS) Midway expansion packs (IJN and USN carrier naval/carrier-based bombers) plus a surprise modelling project in "large scale" 1/48 of the marvellous Royal Navy Sea Harrier. I must confess that I hummed and hared about asking for the Midway expansion packs, but the Devastators have such a soft spot in my heart and I cannot easily see them in 1/144 - the alternative wargaming scale IMHO. I justified the BRS packs as going from a "complete game in a box" to a "complete campaign in three boxes" which was good value for money (see below, one resin project and one traditional plastic project - sharp eyes will also note the Pacific war Vallejo colours in the background [USN Pale Blue and IJN Ivory White]): 

From flying above the waves to swimming beneath the (Cold War) waves! A game from the Osprey stable but written by a former RN Submarine Commander. Also an excuse for a few 1/3000 Navwar modern miniature perhaps (see below, note in the design notes it is very much a "game" rather than a "simulation"  but based upon "the principles"):  

Fun to be had in 2022 with these, but my first (January) 2022 project is cracking on with some British 15mm Malburians! 

Holiday Reading ("A Tale of Three Books")

The Alpha:

The summer holiday allowed me to read a book that I have on the shelf for far too long a time. The trials and tribulations of the BEF have always fascinated me. The totality of the defeat suffered in 1940 by Britain and France defies common sense logic. Having "more of things" sometimes means being capable of doing far, far less. The reasons why were touched on in Hugh Sebag-Montefiore's excellent book, but the essence was that the Allied armies command structure were designed to fight the previous war and operationally could not react to the changing pace of WWII combat (see below):

The Omega: 

Having taken only one book away with me I was rather pleased with myself to "pick up another" after I, in all fairness, unexpectedly finished the first one. I had always wanted, but never managed to get round to getting a copy of "The Longest Day" by Cornelius Ryan. A classic read (see below):

The armies that came back to France in 1944 were a very different kind of beast to the ones defeated so comprehensively in 1940. Their new capabilities in command structure, as well as their sheer quantity, showed in a steely determination in "getting things done". By contrast the 'well-oiled' German machine was a thing of the past. The striking major Allied advantage seemed to the air with the significant footnote that the Germans did not think it possible "logistics and shipping wise" to do so quickly what the D-Day planners achieved.

Onto the Cold War:

On the last day of holiday another 'read' was found to be required and one turned up in a bargain book shop (see below):

Thirty years later, the passage of time allows more secrets of the 1982 Falklands War to seep into the public domain, placed in the context of the Cold War "Warsaw Pact versus NATO" submarine activities. A good contextual read of politics, The Royal Navy and submarine operations.