A curated archive of deeply researched World War II accounts, forgotten technology, and the raw humanity found beneath the surface level of history. Built for Mike Paynter.
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Clear FiltersOne of the most crucial elements of the D-Day invasion was the weather. The Allies relied heavily on a small group of converted trawlers and specialized weather ships positioned deep in the Atlantic. Even more obscure is the story of the U-boat weather stations: the Germans set up secret automated weather stations on the coast of Labrador in North America to feed them data, one of which was only rediscovered in 1977.
While the DD (Duplex Drive) swimming tanks and flail tanks are well known, many prototype "Hobart's Funnies" never saw action or failed completely on the beaches. The "Centipede," a tank designed to lay a carpet over soft sand, got hopelessly tangled in its own matting during trials. However, the handful of specialized armored vehicles that did land were absolutely critical in clearing the exits on Gold, Juno, and Sword beaches.