Brexit, for once some facts.

Danidl

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Indeed. About that time I even bought a new portable radio that only had a pair of OC72 germanium transistors in the output stage. The RF side was handled by valves with an Everready 67.5 volt battery supplying the HT. Like a PP3 on steroids!

I built crystal set radios with OC72 s as amplifiers back in those days.
 
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oldgroaner

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Indeed. About that time I even bought a new portable radio that only had a pair of OC72 germanium transistors in the output stage. The RF side was handled by valves with an Everready 67.5 volt battery supplying the HT. Like a PP3 on steroids!

It would also like my valve portable radio have had a larger 1.5 or 3 volt LT battery for the Cathode heater elements, and this one always ran out first due to the relatively heavy current drain
 
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flecc

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It would also like my valve portable radio have had a larger 1.5 or 3 volt LT battery for the Cathode heater elements, and this one always ran out first due to the relatively heavy current drain
Yes it had two C batteries for that, called U11 back in those days of course. The 67.5 volt sat along the base of the radio and the C's at the end.
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oyster

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Anyone with even one brain cell will have been wondering if and when this would happen:

Key bridge linking Crimea to Russia hit by huge explosion
Images show burning train carriages and collapsed road sections on the Kerch bridge, a key supply route for Russian troops opened by Vladimir Putin in 2018
 

oyster

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flecc

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love it! a mate of johnson`s. figures.........
Trouble is it figured so long ago yet so few noticed.

When he first became London Mayor in 2008 and appointed four of his buddies to senior posts, all had to be sacked very quickly. Two were criminals with records making them totally unsuited to their posts and the others fouled up very soon.
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flecc

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Anyone with even one brain cell will have been wondering if and when this would happen:

Key bridge linking Crimea to Russia hit by huge explosion
Images show burning train carriages and collapsed road sections on the Kerch bridge, a key supply route for Russian troops opened by Vladimir Putin in 2018
Yes I've been staggered that Ukraine didn't attack this immediately on the start of the conflict. You may remember that when we first started this discussion I posted a photo and map of it showing how vulnerable it is.

Here's the link to that post from 22nd February, TWO DAYS BEFORE Russia invaded on the 24th.

Ukraine's ineptitude then has cost them very dear. Having that rail & road bridge allowed Russia to build up the huge Crimean force that invaded from there, quickly taking the whole distance to Mariupol eastwards and Kherson westwards.

Without that early advantage Russia would still be struggling to get beyond Mariupol from Donetz.
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oldgroaner

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Anyone with even one brain cell will have been wondering if and when this would happen:

Key bridge linking Crimea to Russia hit by huge explosion
Images show burning train carriages and collapsed road sections on the Kerch bridge, a key supply route for Russian troops opened by Vladimir Putin in 2018
But b a curious twist of fate ( a likely story! :D ) the roadway back to Russia remains open.
Lucky that ..
 
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oyster

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Yes I've been staggered that Ukraine didn't attack this immediately on the start of the conflict. You may remember that when we first started this discussion I posted a photo and map of it showing how vulnerable it is.

Here's the link to that post from 22nd February, TWO DAYS BEFORE Russia invaded on the 24th.

Ukraine's ineptitude then has cost them very dear. Having that rail & road bridge allowed Russia to build up the huge Crimean force that invaded from there, quickly taking the whole distance to Mariupol eastwards and Kherson westwards.

Without that early advantage Russia would still be struggling to get beyond Mariupol from Donetz.
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It was obviously a very significant target. But there is lots we don't know. Like how many times previously they might have tried. And just what it was that enabled them to succeed this time.

For example, were some guards deliberately not properly inspecting the wagons when the train was approaching the bridge? Might have needed the right combination of staff on duty at the same time.
 
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Danidl

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Yes I've been staggered that Ukraine didn't attack this immediately on the start of the conflict. You may remember that when we first started this discussion I posted a photo and map of it showing how vulnerable it is.

Here's the link to that post from 22nd February, TWO DAYS BEFORE Russia invaded on the 24th.

Ukraine's ineptitude then has cost them very dear. Having that rail & road bridge allowed Russia to build up the huge Crimean force that invaded from there, quickly taking the whole distance to Mariupol eastwards and Kherson westwards.

Without that early advantage Russia would still be struggling to get beyond Mariupol from Donetz.
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"When you are up to your ass in crocodiles ,its hard to remember you came to drain the swamp"... That is where Ukraine was . Up to now, They hadn't the equipment or the territory to do this action. They were struggling for survival up to a month ago. .and certainly they were when Mariupol was in play. Remember that the Crimean Black Sea fleet has moved down the coast of Russia, so patrols will inevitably have been curtailed.
With a little more progress, towards coastal areas, the entire bridge will be susceptible to long range precision artillery. ..Indeed may even have been yesterday . This fact will not be lost on Russian leaning Crimeans and Russian army in Kerson, who will have great difficulty in being supplied
 
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flecc

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It was obviously a very significant target. But there is lots we don't know. Like how many times previously they might have tried. And just what it was that enabled them to succeed this time.
As ever the simple answer is the right one, the Ukrainians were inept in three ways in the south. Firstly by thinking Russia would open the attack there through Donbass and putting all their eggs in that basket, Russia didn't.

Secondly by thinking an attack from Crimea would be too difficult for the Russians.

Third by not realising Russia would also be targetting the Kherson direction to try to totally seal off Ukraine from the sea.

If you read through my long post I linked to just above, you'll see just how accurate my predictions were back then, before Russia even invaded.
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flecc

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"When you are up to your ass in crocodiles ,its hard to remember you came to drain the swamp"... That is where Ukraine was . Up to now, They hadn't the equipment or the territory to do this action.
Excuses, excuses. Read my reply to Oyster just above showing the other aspects of Ukraines ineptitude in the South.

Yes, Russia made a complete mess of invading the North. I know it hurts you to admit it, but the roles were reversed in the South with Russia getting it very right. Ukraine in contrast messed up completely there by having their prepared defence at Donetz facing the wrong way and caught completely by surprise by the rapidity of the attack from the rear.
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oyster

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As ever the simple answer is the right one, the Ukrainians were inept in three ways in the south. Firstly by thinking Russia would open the attack there through Donbass and putting all their eggs in that basket, Russia didn't.

Secondly by thinking an attack from Crimea would be too difficult for the Russians.

Third by not realising Russia would also be targetting the Kherson direction to try to totally seal off Ukraine from the sea.

If you read through my long post I linked to just above, you'll see just how accurate my predictions were back then, before Russia even invaded.
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flecc

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So it wasn't a colossal failure if it deterred the Ukrainians from taking it out early enough to prevent Russia's southern success!

Of course propaganda doesn't physically defend anything, there is no such thing as a bridge that is attack proof, especially one as long and vulnerable as that Russian rail-road link. Which of course is why I highlighted that even before the war started.

The road is still operational and they can still supply by Donbass land and Azov Sea anyway, even without the Russians quickly patching the rail link.
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