Then there was a sliced view of a large anti-aircraft (flack) shell along with a nice description on how the timer worked which allowed the shell to travel to a pre-determined altitude before detonating. When the gun fires, the sudden acceleration causes the time detonator to ignite the gunpowder in the top ring. It burns round the ring until it reaches a port leading down to the bottom time ring. This in turn ignites and burns around in the opposite direction until it reaches a port leading to the fuzz's magazine. which exploded, detonating the shell. When the bottom time ring is rotated, it changes the position of the connecting port and the distance from the start of the lower ring's power train to the magazine. This determines the time it took for the fuse to function. Laura even got into the act when she picked up a Redeye and simulated firing it through the building. The Redeye is a short-ranged, man-portable, shoulder fired, infrared-homing missile system for use by the front line troops. The missile is sealed in a launch tube and cannot be removed except by firing. The system requires no support crew or equipment in the forward area. The Redeye gunner had to visually acquire and identify his target. He then tracked it through a open sight while activating the missile guidance system. A buzzer sounded when the missile had acquired the target and was ready to fire. When the missile has been fired the launch tube is discarded. This was the forerunner of the Stinger missile. We found two little points of trivia for those who delight in fascinating others with small bits of obscure knowledge on subjects long forgotten. The Oozlefinch is the legendary mascot of Coast Artillerymen Antiaircraft Artillery and today's Air Defense Artillerymen, The Oozlefinch is a bird of obscure origins and is the only such creature known to exist. His eyes are large, all seeing, unshaded by lids or eyebrows, and rather seriously bloodshot. He is therefore forced to fly backwards to protect his powers of observation. He may have one feather or no feathers. Since no one has actually seen him he is represented in a variety of ways. Since 1956 he has had a missile tucked under one leg. In 1905 the Oozlefinch, represented by a small figurine, became a bar mascot in the Fort Monrow, Va. Officer's Club. This was incorporated in the coat of arms of the Gridiron Club, a small group of Officers there. In World War I, it was adopted, in insignia painted on the cars of the Railway Artillery Reserve in France. At about this time, it was made part of the distinctive unit insignia of the 43rd Air Defense Artillery and still appears on that unit's colors. When World War II began it appeared in various publications urging the purchase of bonds and other promotions activities. Finally there was the origin of Saint Barbara of the Artillerymen. According to legend, Saint Barbara was the extremely beautiful daughter of a wealthy heathen named Dioscorous who lived near Nicomedia in Asia Minor. Because of her beauty and fearful that she be demanded in marriage and taken away from him, he jealously shut her up in a tower to protect her from the outside world. Shortly before embarking on a journey he commissioned a sumptuous bathhouse to be built for her, approving the design before he departed. Barbara had heard of the teachings of Christ and while her father was gone she spent much of her time in contemplation. From the windows of the tower she looked out upon the plants, the trees and the animals and the people. She decided that all those must be part of a master plan and that the idols of wood and stone worshipped by her parents must be condemned as false. Gradually she came to accept the Christian faith. When her father returned he was infuriated when Barbara acknowledged that she was a Christian. He dragged her before the prefect of the province, who decreed that she be tortured and put to death by beheading. Dioscorous himself carried out the death sentence. On his way home he was struck by lighting and his body was consumed. Saint Barbara lived and died about the year 300 A.D. She was venerated as early as the seventh century. The legend of the lighting bolt that struck her persecutor caused her to be regarded as the Patron Saint in the time of danger, from thunderstorms, fire and sudden death. When gun power made its appearance in the Western world, Saint Barbara was invoked for aid against accidents resulting from explosions and since some of the earlier artillery pieces often blew up instead of firing their projectiles, Saint Barbara became the Patroness of the Artillerymen. It turned out to be an interesting afternoon filled with almost lost secrets of a life long passed. And thus we passed out of El Paso heading for yet another adventure in some other part of North America.

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