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« Skepticism undermined by an insufficient knowledge of history | Main | The 60th Meeting of the Skeptics' Circle: Reality in danger »

Giant Nazi robots!

Category: Entertainment/cultureHistoryMoviesWorld War II
Posted on: May 9, 2007 2:22 PM, by Orac

Since today seems to be World War II history day on the old blog, I just can't resist posting this little gem for geeks:

A full resolution version can be found here.

Of course, the nitpicker geek in me can't help but point out that, not only is the Swastika on the left arm of the robot reversed, but I'm really quite sure that the Nazis didn't have giant robots to use to attack U.S. Naval bases in the Pacific.

OK, OK, back to medicine tomorrow.

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Comments

1

I don't know why they don't just do the obvious thing, and train the cannons of the warships on it. There's no way that it'd be able to withstand that. They'd also probably would have spotted that thing long before it reached the base.

And of course, we all know that it'd be the Japanese who'd build the giant robots first.

Posted by: Will | May 9, 2007 4:26 PM

2

Well, clearly the Germans were using Japanese Mecha technology. The Japanese agreed the germans should launch it because it just didn't make any sense to have a giant robot cross the Atlantic.

Posted by: archgoon | May 9, 2007 8:36 PM

3

I dunno, the presence of P-51s indicate that it may not have been the Pacific. Maybe it was attacking one of the Moroccan ports the US was staging from during/after Operation Torch.

I agree about the ship cannons. Even 40mm AA guns would be more effective than the .50 cals the P-51s were packing. Or, come on guys, think outside the box and ditch your tanks right on the thing. ;)

Then again, judging by the page Orac linked, the full video extends quite a bit longer and shows that the Allies may have a response waiting after all...

Posted by: Joshua | May 9, 2007 9:06 PM

4

Delightfully absurd. The animator clearly is an Indiana Jones fanatic...he even snuck the Ark in as an easter egg.

Posted by: rrt | May 9, 2007 9:36 PM

5

I'm going to check out the rest now. I'm fully expecting a giant Uncle Sam to come to the rescue.

Posted by: archgoon | May 9, 2007 10:01 PM

7

A few bazookas to the knees and I doubt it would be quite so enthusiastic. Not to mention that I doubt its armour would stand up to a barrage from M10 tank hunters. Perhaps that why they sent it agaisnt a naval base, the army would take it to the cleaners :)

Personally I really doubt humaniod battle robots would be a good idea, too many weak spots. Now a cybertank on the other hand ...

Posted by: James | May 10, 2007 1:18 AM

8

Umm, speaking of nitpicking geeks--
The world actually rotates in the opposite direction from that. You won't find it out from MSNBC (I think it was their news that had the same sort of spinning world for many weeks before anyone called them on it) -- but, like, counter-clockwise as seen from the North. You know, the same direction that the Nazi version of the swastika will rotate when you turn on the steam.

Posted by: Porlock Junior | May 10, 2007 4:03 AM

9

Was it over when the Germans attacked Pearl Harbor? With giant robots? Hell no!

Posted by: Duke York | May 10, 2007 6:12 AM

10

Giant Uncle Sam robot? naaah

A giant Babe Ruth robot, with a Louisville Slugger lathed out of a sequoia*.

Won't der Fuehrer be surprised when the giant nazi robot's head comes flying out of the sky to crash in the middle of Unterdemlindenstrasse?

fusilier
James 2:24

*Yes, I know, redwood splinters like crazy, but where are you gonna find a second-growth ash tree 1500 feet tall?

Posted by: fusilier | May 10, 2007 10:20 AM

11

Awesome!

Posted by: Justin Moretti | May 10, 2007 12:01 PM

12

Another small nit: in 1943, the P-51 Mustangs shown valiantly attacking the robot didn't yet have bubble canopies. This was pointed out by my son Adam, who is something of an airplane freak.

Posted by: zilch | May 12, 2007 2:51 AM

13

Cool computer graphics. Why would the NAZI's give their robot such a giant tung? And no Goose stepping with the robot in the traditional military parade?

Posted by: Uncle Dave | May 12, 2007 6:39 PM

14

"It's a machine. How surprised could it possibly be?"

Always an overly rational thinker in the group that has difficulty with metaphor...

Posted by: Uncle Dave | May 12, 2007 6:48 PM

15

"It's a machine. How surprised could it possibly be?"
Hey- I'm a machine, and I'm surprised all the time...

Posted by: zilch | May 14, 2007 6:06 AM




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