Tag Archives: Quaker gun

Quaker Jake

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It wasn’t just the “combat con artists” of the Ghost Army that put excellent work into tactical deception. Check out this bad boy, some 80 years ago this week, a great mock-up of an Aichi E13A (Allied reporting name: “Jake”), or possibly a later E16 Paul.

Official period caption: Balikpapan “Operation July 1-31, 1945-A Japanese decoy seaplane on a seaplane ramp in Balikpapan Harbor. There were two of these planes made out of wood and palm mats. 5 July 1945.”

 (U.S. Air Force Number 63174AC)

You know, you just know, that some unit disassembled this thing and took it back to their camp until they went back home. Then, perhaps, it made it back to the States or Australia as unit cargo, only to go on to a second life in someone’s man cave.

Happy First Day of Fall!

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With the Autumnal equinox falling on the 23rd rather than the 22nd this year, you are already a day behind, gents.

Time to make sure the batteries in your smoke detectors/ NODs/red dots are changed out, your deer rifle is zeroed, you’ve got the last of the summer canning done, and you’re getting ready to plant those winter root veggies and kale.

Speaking of which, how about these scarecrows of the Emperor’s army, encountered on the push to Tokyo:

Japanese Scarecrow, Saipan, 29 June 1944. “Advancing Marine units on Saipan found many dummy positions left by the enemy similar to this wooden searchlight platform with a scarecrow manning it.” From the Photograph Collection (COLL/3948), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections.

Dummy Japanese gun crew. “To make Marines think the enemy was strong in one section on Cape Gloucester, the Japanese rigged up this scarecrow gun and crew.” Photographed by Howard, 15 January 1944. National Museum of the U.S. Navy. 127-GW-971-71518