Home Learning Hub: Ack Ack Attack!

The Bofors 40mm Automatic Gun M1, a Swedish design adopted by the US in WWII, fired a 4lb shell at high velocity (2700-2800 fps) with a rate of 120 rpm, expandable to 240 rpm post-war. Chrysler and Firestone produced tens of thousands for the war effort. Its robust design, featuring a vertical sliding breech and stable M2A1 carriage, led to its continued use, notably on AC-130 gunships.

This video from the Royal Armouries explores the British Home Guard, formed in 1940 during the real threat of German invasion. Drawing inspiration from their artillery collection at Fort Nelson and its historical role in anti-aircraft defense, the video introduces an enthusiastic recruit to the Local Defence Volunteers (LDV). The description highlights available Home Guard training manual eBooks for purchase, recreated from original museum archives, covering topics like 'House to House Fighting,' 'The Art of Prowling,' and 'Defence of Houses.' The Royal Armouries, the UK's national collection of arms and armour, invites viewers to subscribe for more content on arms and armor, behind-the-scenes insights, combat demonstrations, and expert interactions.

This video from American Rifleman Television focuses on the British Sten submachine carbine. It highlights the Sten's development during the Battle of Britain as a response to an urgent arms shortage. The description emphasizes its effectiveness despite being produced quickly with common tools and materials, noting its reliability and widespread use in occupied Europe during World War II. The Sten gun is presented as a testament to functional design achieved under challenging circumstances.

This video features Ian McCollum and Jonathan Ferguson in a 60-second challenge at the Royal Armouries to find three unique firearms: a Charlton Automatic Rifle, a Schwarzlose Model 1898 pistol, and an early SA80 prototype. They discuss unusual mechanical operations and limited historical impact, highlighting experimental designs like the Sterling 7.62mm prototype and the Mars .45 Automatic Pistol.

The Knight's Armament KS-1, designated L403A1 by the British Army, is a new AR-15 platform rifle adopted for specialized units like the Army Special Operations Brigade and Royal Marines. It features a 13.7-inch barrel, ambidextrous controls, and is equipped with a Vortex 1-10x LPVO and an Aimpoint ACRO P-2 for versatile engagement ranges. The rifle utilizes a KAC QDC/MCQ-PRT suppressor and is part of 'Project Hunter' to enhance interoperability with allied forces.

This video details the armor and weaponry of an 11th-century Norman knight, emphasizing the evolution of protective gear. It covers the padded undergarments, the mail hauberk constructed from thousands of iron rings, and the nasal helmet for head protection. The kite shield offered significant defense, while primary weapons included the lance and a one-handed sword.

This video explores a unique modernization attempt of the Martini-Henry rifle using Captain Harston's Patent Magazine. Jonathan Ferguson details the Mark IV rifle's features and the external magazine's mechanism, designed to convert the single-shot rifle into a five-round repeater. Despite its ingenuity, the system faced issues with reliability, high conversion costs, and was ultimately overshadowed by superior bolt-action designs like the Lee-Metford.