US Cavalry Scout

The famous Cavalry Scouts of the United States Army first came to the notice of the general public through newspaper accounts of their daring exploits during the raids into Mexico against the bandit forces of Pancho Villa in 1911.

Although lightly armed and poorly protected, the Scouts would dart back and forth across the battlefield harrying enemy troops and targeting the exposed engine blocks at the rear of the slow and bulky Mexican mechanical walkers. The Scouts' cavalier attitude to danger became something of a calling card with recruits expected to display almost foolhardy bravery in battle.

This picture shows one of the earliest models of the Cavalry Scout's "Apache". It's maximum altitude was limited to only two feet above the ground, but it boasted a top speed of nearly 30knots and was highly maneuverable. The Apache was to go on to become a mainstay of the Cavalry Scouts for nearly three decades, although later incarnations bore little resemblance to their bulkier forebears.

Interested readers are invited to view further images of the Apache here.

US Air Cavalry P2 Thunderbolt

The P2 Thunderbolt first roared into service with the United States Air Cavalry in 1906. The first aircraft to successfully employ the newly-developed steamjet turbine, the Thunderbolt was capable of astonishing speed.

The P2 was nicknamed "The Monster" amongst Air Cavalry pilots, at first because of the number of test pilots who lost their lives during its development, but latterly because of its fearsome reputation in battle.

Initially the Thunderbolt was seen as a classic fighter, but its heavy armament and high speed also made it perfectly suited as a ground attack aircraft. "Bringing the thunder" was soon to become military slang for devastating strafing runs against ground targets.

The P2 became an American military icon during the twenty years it was in service, appearing regularly in Air Cavalry recruitment materials such as the poster displayed above. When President Roosevelt summed up his foreign policy agenda with the phrase "Speak softly and carry a big stick", many believed the stick he was referring to was the Thunderbolt.

Interested readers are invited to view more images of this famous aircraft here.

"Blue Cat" Flying Boat

This image shows one of the "Blue Cats" Cruz Catalina Flying Boats of the Floridian Independent Fleet's Air Arm in action during the suppression of the Cuban Uprising in 1899.

Upon Florida's seccession from the United States in 1887 following the disputed Presidential election, there was brief period of territory-wide anarchy. This came to an abrupt halt as the commanders of the former state militia took control of the cities and towns, imposing a harsh regime of law and order. Over time, these military groups formed themselves into formidable mercenary forces; notably the Floridian Independent Fleet and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

At first the authorities in Washington were keen to re-establish control over the rogue peninsula, but the mercenary groups soon became an indespensible (and plausibly-deniable) instrument of American foreign policy. Commisioned to deal with a rising tide of Bolshevism amongst the governments of Central and South America, the mercenary forces proved themselves utterly ruthless and determined.

Further images of this versatile and effective attack craft can be viewed here.

Toenjes Firefighting Apparatus

The men of the 6th Brigade of the Woodbury Fire Department were lucky to count amongst their number one Willhelm Thomas Toenjes.

The son of an engineer, Toenjes was an inveterate tinkerer from an early age, even dismantling the family automobile one rainy afternoon aged only seven. Upon joining the Fire Department in 1868, he became keen to apply his skills to his new profession and a number of innovations from the Toenjes family workshop were tested in various emergencies.

The most successful of Willhelm's developments (and without doubt the most famous) was the Firefighting Apparatus, pictured above. This mechanised perambulator, featuring a large reservoir of water attached to a steam compression cell, allowed firefighters to tackle blazes in buildings of up to three stories in height.

The many lives saved in Woodbury by Toenjes and his colleagues using the Apparatus soon brought the attention of the national press. A campaign was launched by the New York Times, demanding that all Fire Departments in the United States be equiped with Toenjes' invention.

Soon the Apparatus became a common sight across America, with adapted versions of the equipment seeing use with other emergency services (including, surprisingly, the Coast Guard).

Interested readers are invited to view further photographic images of the Firefighting Apparatus with Willhelm Thomas Toenjes at the controls.

The American Zephyr

The "American Zephyr" motorised bicycle gained early notoriety through its adoption by the rakish young men of New York high society in the 1860's. Although originally designed for "efficacious conveyance" through rough countryside, the Zephyr's stylish lines and raw power quickly saw it become the preferred mode of transport for eligible bachelors looking to project an attitude of youthful rebellion.

Motorised bicycling became something of a sport for these young bucks, with illegal races regularly held on the deserted streets of Manhattan in the small hours after midnight. The New York Times was to write with dismay of "the interrupted sleep experienced by residents of Broadway as boorish young men engage in noisy transits of the thoroughfare astride these mechanical contraptions". So great did the nuisance become that the newly-formed New York Police Department was forced to introduce a late-night police patrol.

Initially the patrolmen were mounted upon horses, but the noise of the bicycles proved too much for the poor beasts, often startling them into panicked bolting. Embarassed by the poor press its products were receiving, the Davis & Harleyson company donated three Zephyr-model bicycles to the Department in an attempt to level the playing-field.

This development saw the birth of what was to become known as a "Police Chase"; ever-after a staple of the more action-oriented cinematographs. The chases and subsequent arrests saw a number of the heirs of prominent New York families brought before the Courts for "the reckless endangerment of life and property through the inprudent operation of a vehicle". With a handful of embarassing convictions, the fad for illegal street racing died away amongst the idle rich, but the Zephyr's rebellious image was cemented in place and an American icon was born.

The interested reader is invited to view further photographic images of the Zephyr here.

B17 Walking Fortress of the US 7th Cavalry

In 1845 the seccession from Mexico of the territory of Texas, and its subsequent annexation by the United States, was to spark a bitter conflict. The war was to rage throughout California and northern Mexican territory for months, with neither side gaining the upper hand. However, the Battle of Monterrey was to see the tide begin to turn decisively in favour of US forces.

Initially unable to penetrate the walls of the numerous Mexican fortifications around the town, US commanders, increasingly-desperate to secure a morale-boosting victory, were to bring the newly-developed B17 "Walking Fortress" into the fray. Although untested and ponderous, the B17 was to prove practically unstoppable. Armed with chain-driven ripsaws and Gatling Cannons, they were to breach the walls with relative ease, inflicting horrific casualties on the Mexican defenders and creating a terrifying reputation.

Further photographs of this fearsome engine of war, many in colour, may be viewed here.