I have never commented in this thread and follow it daily. Just some random thoughts of how times have changed. Youth driving heavy farm machinery for harvesting the fruits of the earth and other hazards of progress.  In such irony to how many youths have died in the same area for differing visions of the world that may or may not have been their own. Caissons and tanks and jeeps and halftracks to combines and bailers.  Though the cacophony of battle and destruction only whisper like a half-forgotten nightmare in the pock marked walls in now vibrant and bustling villages, war has moved on....for now. 

Yes, part of the past few years "loosening" of standards to accommodate certain idiosyncrasies. (The aftermath of a particular incident & mindset in DC) 

37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team SSI U.S. Army National Guard soldiers assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment, Michigan Army National Guard, tactically maneuver through a system of trenches during Exercise Baltic Viking near Alūksne, Latvia, June 8, 2025. The infantryman practiced trench warfare operations and suppressing fire. The U.S. military conducts multinational training and exercises across Europe to increase lethality and strengthen partnerships with NATO allies and regional security partners. (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Rose Di Trolio)

Shhhhhhhhhh.........

" So I’m curious:.......   👉 What’s the loudest military aircraft you’ve ever heard in person? 👉 Where was it? Airshow? Flight line? Combat deployment?   Bonus points for anyone with a photo or story behind the moment."     Good thing most, of our stories and photos are common knowledge, from 30 plus years ago...... 🤣

. Hi everyone,   This has been a great thread and very interesting to follow with a lot of hard effort put into it.   sadly without wishing to throw a curve ball into the thread and not wishing to dismiss all the good and hard work that's been put into this thread.   Original photos can and sometimes have been manipulated and often do not show the correct colour of the material.  Here are three copies of the same image and shows the difference that can be produced using apps and photo-shop etc, now for me colourised photos may well have been produced by someone who has never seen or held a real cover in their life, the final shot I just darkened it down because I could, not because it's correct but by using the features on my laptop, and all our efforts to find the truth are hurt by this.    Please continue and enjoy this thread, it's fantastic to be sharing all this information.             regards lewis.     

I think this is WWII with a ripple weave. Like the look. S  

Hey Rooster!, Did you know that loose lips do more than sink ships? They can land someone in prison, food for thought...The Espionage Act of 1917, enacted just after the beginning of World War I, makes it illegal to obtain information, capture photographs or copy descriptions of any information relating to national defense, with the intent for that information to be used against the United States or for the gain of any foreign nation.

The only thing that "Sophie" collects, is information. Think.