Drill with the SKS

[ehrentitle]

Impressive, however this type of fancy drill has been conducted by the US Army's "Old Guard" 3rd Infantry since the late 1940s, albet without the goose stepping and saber. I've seen them conduct much more dangerous drills, including an entire rank of soldiers tossing rifles with a bayonets from the first row of the formation to the last.

The U.S. Army Drill Team performs a variety of intricate maneuvers that have extremely high risk factors. One such maneuver is dubbed the "daring front-to-rear overhead rifle toss” and is deserving of such a glorified title. During this dangerous routine, four members of the Drill Team alternately toss their spinning, 10-pound rifles from the front rank to the back, often as high as 15 feet into the air and 15 feet to the rear. Then four Soldiers in the back rank catch the revolving weapons one-handed in a true demonstration of courage and concentration. In most cases, revolution of the rifle ends as the bayonet arcs just past the Soldier's right ear, and the weapon is caught directly over the Soldiers head with his/her arm fully extended. http://www.army.mil/info/organizatio...cplt/usadt.htm

[Viktor]

Impressive, however this type of fancy drill has been conducted by the US Army's "Old Guard" 3rd Infantry since the late 1940s, albet without the goose stepping and saber. I've seen them conduct much more dangerous drills, including an entire rank of soldiers tossing rifles with a bayonets from the first row of the formation to the last.

The U.S. Army Drill Team performs a variety of intricate maneuvers that have extremely high risk factors. One such maneuver is dubbed the "daring front-to-rear overhead rifle toss” and is deserving of such a glorified title. During this dangerous routine, four members of the Drill Team alternately toss their spinning, 10-pound rifles from the front rank to the back, often as high as 15 feet into the air and 15 feet to the rear. Then four Soldiers in the back rank catch the revolving weapons one-handed in a true demonstration of courage and concentration. In most cases, revolution of the rifle ends as the bayonet arcs just past the Soldier's right ear, and the weapon is caught directly over the Soldiers head with his/her arm fully extended. http://www.army.mil/info/organizatio...cplt/usadt.htm

Yes, skilled it is and good drill ..... but Genosse , of little use in the control of a body of men as they manouver to give fire on the field of battle.... each country has its gag, some are better than others....

[Kartofelpreußer]

Yes, skilled it is and good drill ..... but Genosse , of little use in the control of a body of men as they manouver to give fire on the field of battle.... each country has its gag, some are better than others....

Your point is well taken... these rifle drills have become such overstylized showpieces that it's hard to remember they had their roots in a very practical, if now completely obsolete, combat doctrine.

Following some of the links from the Russian youtube video Matteo put up, it's interesting noting the different styles each country has. My least favorite was the Royal Canadian Army-- apart from poor drill, they look silly strutting around in their ornate uniforms carrying modern assault rifles, when from the looks of them they should be toting Martinis or the like. At least the Russians, Americans, and in their time the East Germans, had the good taste to carry the most traditional, wood stocked rifle that was practicable. Couldn't the Canadians get hold of some SMLEs?

[iannima]

sorry... a mistake...