Battle Factory

The 1911 PISTOL: At the Cabot factory in Pennsylvania, USA, a block of steel will be transformed by innovation and artistry into the ultimate update of an American classic. An iconic side arm- and a formidable weapon - since its creation in 1911, the semi-automatic pistol has been an icon and the stuff of legend. But the most incredible 1911 story comes from World War 2. When his B-24 bomber was shot out of the skies over India, Lt Owen J Baggot bailed out - only to become a floating target. A Japanese Zero fighter plane was headed straight for him, machine guns drawn. At the last moment, Baggot raised his holstered 1911 and fired 4 shots into the cockpit. The Zero went into a nosedive. One man took on the most notorious Japanese fighter in the sky with nothing but his 1911 sidearm. And he won. The FIRETRUCK: In times of war, fire fighters can’t rely on conventional water supplies. During the London Blitz, thousands of camouflage water tanks were hidden throughout the city and pumps were installed under the bridge to siphon water out of the Thames. When this aluminum tank is finished, it’ll hold a thousand gallons. That’s enough water for a small swimming pool, or to put out a good-sized blaze. And it’ll be sitting on the back of a mobile fire truck. Because when you can’t connect to a hydrant or pumping station, you’ve got to take your water with you. The GHILLIE SUIT: To do his job and stay alive, a sniper needs to keep the target in range and stay out of sight. A sniper may position himself as far as two kilometers away from his target. And like a chameleon, he needs to blend into his background. And for that, he’ll need a Ghillie Suit. During Basic Training, snipers spend over a hundred hours of their own time hand making their Ghillie Suit with thousands of strands of material looped into the uniform’s fine-netted outer shell. It’s part of their right of passage. The ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLE: In 2007 in Afghanistan the CV90

The SNIPER RIFLE: In 2009 in Afghanistan a British soldier aimed his AW338 Accuracy International rifle and hit a target from 2.4 kilometers away. It took 3 seconds to travel the length of 20 city blocks and was the longest confirmed sniper kill in recorded history. It only takes 48 hours to turn a block of metal into the most accurate weapon on earth: In a warzone, police stand off, or hostage taking, the sniper is often the only solution to a bad situation. And, if a target is caught in the crosshairs - he’ll never know what hit him. The ZEPPELIN: When a series of aluminum struts are joined together, they’ll make up the shell of an airship that’s never been seen in the sky before. This is the first of its kind, a 21st Century take on the Zeppelin airship that has been part of flying tradition since the 1900’s. If this scale model gets off the ground, it will give the company the real world results it needs to take production to the next level—a fleet of “lighter-than-air” air craft that will be able to land anywhere on earth, and unload enough military force to protect a city. Or enough humanitarian aid to feed one. The KA-BAR KNIFE: The Ka-Bar fighting and utility knife first saw action in 1942 when it was issued to the US Marine Corps during World War 2. Originally intended for hand-to-hand combat and basic needs, soldiers soon found that they were using the knife to defuse land mines, dig foxholes, as bayonets on rifles, and to open ammunition containers. The knife is made up of a leather-crafted handle and a razor sharp blade of tempered steel. For 70 years, it’s been a favourite combat and utility weapon for service men and women. The DRAGON EGGS: These colourful plastic eggs may look harmless – but they’re actually little time bombs that can set a forest floor ablaze in under a minute. Dragon Eggs are mini-missiles that are launched from a gas-powered cannon. Each egg is fuelled with crystals of a chemical that on its own

The PARAJET: Since implementing the Parajet, flying cops of the Palm Bay Police Department have been able to spot stolen vehicles and locate marijuana grow fields from the sky. As lightweight aluminum is cut and tooled, it will become the frame of a personal flying machine. Used by military operatives, drug enforcement agents, and first responders – it gets you in and out fast, whether you are carrying a camera or a gun. So whether the mission is bringing back intel, getting a beat on contraband, or locating a victim in harsh terrain, the Parajet turns the well-trained pilot into a spy in the sky. The HOVERCRAFT: When PVC panels are filled with air, they’ll transform a boat into a hovercraft. The hovercraft is a hybrid vehicle, propelled by air that can float on water, land, ice, or sand, which makes it the perfect vehicle for troop carriers, amphibious assault, and search and rescue. When an F-16 went down in Utah’s Great Salt Lake mudflats, hovercrafts raced to the scene over land, mud and water, and were able to reach the pilot in time to carry him to safety and recover sensitive cargo at the crash site. With its wide skirt and low center of gravity, the hovercraft is almost un-sinkable. Even at top speeds of 100 kilometers an hour. Part boat, part airship, all terrain, the hovercraft is mission ready, no matter where that mission takes it. The CAMO JACKET: The Canadian Military’s Department of Defense camouflage print, called “CADPAT,” is the latest in combat wear. It takes 54 individual pieces of rugged textile to form the camo jacket. The modern camo jacket not only also camouflages the wearer during the day but also at night - by masking his infrared signature. A classified formula in the dye makes the jacket almost undetectable to night vision scopes, and it will be worn from basic training to the combat zone. It’s made to look good while not being seen. The PORTABLE MILITARY SHELTER: When the Canadian Department of Defense need

The COLT C7 ASSAULT RIFLE: What starts off as a seven-pound bar of solid steel will soon deliver a bullet with deadly accuracy when it becomes the barrel of a Colt C7 assault rifle. In the Gulf War, Rwanda, and Afghanistan, the Colt C7 has served as the standard issued weapon to soldiers around the world – but it’s the incredible story of UN Peacekeepers in Bosnia that put it in the spotlight. The BOMB SUIT: When pieces of hard plastic and bulletproof fabric are molded and stitched together in this Andover, UK factory, they’ll make a suit of armour that’s tailor-made for the most dangerous job in the world. During a tour of duty in Afghanistan, Staff Sargent Karl “Badger” Ley’s steady hands and a cool head have racked up the record for dismantling twice as many IED’s as anybody else. Wearing his bomb suit he has diffused 149 bombs, 42 of them in one village alone. The MORTAR: The Mortar can trace its roots back to the Stokes Mortar first used in the trenches of World War 1. A series of forged steel tubes are honed, milled and assembled to become portable missile launchers. This lightweight muzzle-loading artillery fires explosives that can arc over enemy barricades and land in trenches or bunkers. The modern day M252 Mortar assembles in seconds, can be transported over any terrain, and drops 15 rounds per minute with a range of almost 6 kilometers. The ZODIAC HURRICANE: In 2009’s Operation Atalanta in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia, an EU Navy ship lured pirates out to sea by posing as a merchant vessel that was vulnerable to attack. When the pirates got close the ship turned about and launched a coordinated attack of high speed Zodiacs and helicopters to take down the pirate ship and bring the raiders to justice. Pieces of lightweight aluminum are welded together to form this nine-meter structure, and a sharp edge wedge of steel is built to cut through and rise above just about anything the ocean can throw at it. From

The SWISS ARMY KNIFE: An iconic knife that’s been an integral part of military culture for more than a hundred years, the Swiss Army Knife has been put in service around the world – and even in space. In a factory in the Swiss Alps, a machine exerting 40 tons of force punches the blades from strips of steel forged with chrome – a legendary blend which ensures a clean cut and a tool that’ll last a lifetime. In 1995 during his first mission into space, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield used his standard issue Swiss Army knife to dock the space shuttle Atlantis to the Russian Space Station Mir. The SUB-MACHINE GUN: The Scorpion Evo 3 is a lightweight, compact submachine gun designed to be easily maneuvered in constrained spaces. Its operator can fire in single shots, semi-automatic three-round bursts, or unleash a torrent of fully automatic fire. This precision weapon requires a careful eye and steady hand in its manufacturing – each Scorpion is assembled by an expert and measured to the millimeter for a perfect gun with deadly accuracy. Sub-machine guns played a key part in the successful rescue op mounted by Britain’s Special Air Service during the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege in London. The BODY ARMOUR: Fenix body armour’s revolutionary design concept was developed in direct response to today’s soldiers needs, pulling from the experiences of special units operators in Iraq and Afghanistan within the last 10 years. Using a modern PVC suspension system that keeps the weight of its tough armoured vest off the shoulders of the wearer, this life-saver offers a soldier maximum protection with maximum range of motion. When Royal Marine Matthew Croucher hit a trip wire tied to a grenade during a patrol in Afghanistan in 2008 Croucher threw his backpack onto the grenade and dove onto it hoping his sacrifice would save the rest of his team. While the explosion tore up his gear, his body armour absorbed enough of the impact to save every member of his un

The COMBAT BOOTS: For the soldier, the army boot is more than protective footwear. From the parade ground to the battlefield, the boot is a symbol of discipline and determination that marches the soldier right through his military career. The trench boot took its first steps during World War 1 in the cold wet mud of Europe’s Western Front where trench foot was rife. The Danner RAT – or Rugged All Terrain Boot - is designed for trudging through muddy swamps or treading the burning desert sand. At their Oregon, USA facility, every pair of boots are dunked in water and flexed 100 times, then have their steel toes tested with a massive force impact before they can be deemed tough enough to be worn by the military’s bravest. The PRECISION AERIAL DELIVERY SYSTEM: The MMIST Sherpa is a revolutionary technology that is changing the way that humanitarian aid and military supplies are transported. While the military had been dropping bombs out of the sky since World War 1, it was only in World War 2 that they began using their planes to airdrop supplies to soldiers; however, these airdrops were hit and miss. Packages often landed kilometers away from their targets. Today that issue has been solved with GPS-guided Precision Aerial Delivery Systems such as The Sherpa. Capable of steering itself through the air over long distances, the Sherpa can autonomously transport provisions and supplies for a precisely targeted landing within a hundred meters of the intended drop zone. And the parafoil is what makes the Sherpa fly. It’s made from double layers of super strong parachute material called ripstop nylon; which prevents tearing at high speeds and low temperatures. The Sherpa delivers airborne aid that can make the difference between help and being hopelessly stranded. And not only can they fly, they can get there on their own. The PISTOL: Bits of steel and spring and coated plastic will pack into a pistol that’s one of the most popular and widely copied side a

The F-16: Brainpower and firepower transform 8,000 kilograms of computer-controlled machinery into a legendary dogfighter with the best fight and flight record in the sky. The Lockheed Martin F-16, known as “the Fighting Falcon,” is equally effective in air-to-air combat and air-to-ground attack. And at Mach 2, if you hear the F-16 coming, it’s already too late. Since its initial production in the 1970’s, over 4,500 F-16’s have been produced for 28 different nations. For 40 years, the sky scrapper has proven to be the best fighter in and beyond its weight class. In 2011, F-16 pilot Major John Caldwell spotted a small unit of US and Coalition Special Forces being ambushed by almost 100 Afghan insurgents. Caldwell swooped in and laid down strafing fire with his aircraft’s 20-millimeter gun before dropping a satellite-guided bomb on the attackers, neutralizing the ambush. For his heroic actions, Caldwell was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross. The SWORD: In a London, UK workshop that is one of the last where cavalry swords are hand crafted individually, using artisanal techniques that are centuries old, a chunk of carbon steel will be honed and hammered into a military icon that’s as old as war itself. Handed down through generations or seized as a spoil of war, the sword is more than a weapon. It’s a gleaming symbol of rank, courage, and honor. Today, every British solider who achieves the rank of officer has the privilege of wearing a sword. While the cavalry sword was obsolete by World War 2, one eccentric soldier, British Lieutenant Col. John Churchill, maintained that any officer going into battle without his sword was improperly dressed. Known for charging into battle wielding his sword, his exploits earned him the nickname “Mad Jack.” The SIMULATED AMMUNITION: In close quarter combat, panic, fear, and blind aggression are inevitable. And the closer the soldier can get to the real thing, the more effective the training will be. Righ

The CAMO MAKEUP: Developed from solidified vegetable oil, this military grade compound is a long way from department store concealer: it’s sweat proof, infrared resistant, and stays on in the drenching downpour. Applied to a soldier’s face, these globs of colour could paint him right out of the picture, and maybe save his life. Soldiers, especially Special Ops and snipers, wear camouflage uniforms to blend into the background. Camo paint completes their covert coverage, so they can get to their target before they become one. In the days before the D-Day invasion of Normandy, a legendary paratrooper unit used camo paint not as camouflage, but to strike fear into the hearts of the enemy. Shaving their heads down to Mohawks and covered their faces in war paint, they earned the nickname “The Filthy 13” when they refused to wash their uniforms until victory was theirs. The MACHINE GUN: Steel barrels and metal plates will be machined in a Nevada, USA factory into a small arms weapon that’s been the US Military’s go-to big gun for almost 100 years. The M2 Machine Gun is a 50-caliber belt fed air-cooled heavy machine gun that’s considered one of the most effective and destructive weapons of all time, and that has been in production longer than any other machine gun. In January 1945 in the north of France the M2 lived up to its’ full potential. An American Infantry Company led by Lieutenant Audie Murphy was attacked by a German tank unit. Murphy got behind his M2 Machine Gun to take on an entire German tank platoon. After an hour, the brave soldier and his machine gun held off 6 advancing heavy tanks; foiling the counter-attack and securing the American’s key position. The AMPHIBIOUS MILITARY ATV: Once 8 wheels are locked on to a lightweight waterproof frame, this vehicle won’t just roll - it’ll swim. The Argo Amphibious ATV is a nimble personnel carrier that can handle rocky roads or muddy swamps; plunging into rushing rivers and paddling thr

The 105 MM CANNON: A battle tank is only as effective as its gun, and for the Stryker vehicle, that’s the M68 105mm cannon. A tube of forged steel will be hammered into the one of the most powerful and famous cannons in modern warfare – a mighty weapon which played a large role in the liberation of Kuwait from Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War, among countless other military stages. The PARACHUTE: The idea of a parachute is simple: a canopy traps a large volume of air, creating enough resistance to dramatically reduce your terminal velocity. So, you can jump out of a plane and land softly on the ground. But at the Spekon factory in Germany, stitching several sheets of lightweight material together can create an air-resistant canopy that can drop a fighting force out of the sky and turn the tides of war. On a single day in March 1945, 16,000 British and American infantry were dropped onto the Eastern banks of the Rhine as part of Operation Varsity. Securing strategic towns and bridges they played a pivotal role in the Allied Victory. The SACRIFICE MEDAL: The thousand-ounce bars of pure silver bullion used to manufacture this prestigious honour are worth $30,000 apiece. But some of Canada’s bravest have paid a much higher price. The Sacrifice Medal was created in 2008 and is manufactured at the Royal Canadian Mint in Canada’s capital city, Ottawa. Today, it’s been awarded to 780 Canadians wounded or killed in the service of their country. In Afghanistan in 2007, a deadly IED blast wounded a young soldier named Simon Mailloux. As a result, his left leg had to be amputated. 2 years later, Simon was awarded the Sacrifice Medal and became the first Canadian amputee to be returned to active duty. The YELLOW JACKET STRETCHER: In search and rescue, getting the victims swiftly and safely to medical attention is critical. But sometimes a traditional stretcher, which consists of 2 poles and a piece of canvas, does more harm than good. Now the Yellow Jacket

The JAWS OF LIFE: A series of handcrafted, precision-cut pieces will come together to create a first response tool capable of chewing through metal like a can opener. At the scene of an accident, a natural disaster, or in the combat zone, the Jaws of Life can cut through just about anything to gain access to a victim – and pluck them from the jaws of death. On September 12, 2001, one day after the tragic attacks on the Trade Center in New York, two marines sifted through the rubble at Ground Zero and they heard cries for help. Using the Jaws of Life, rescuers were able to cut through concrete and metal girders and reach two Port Authority cops who were buried 30 feet under the concourse and pull them out alive. The M1 ABRAMS TANK: This tank is in for an overhaul at the US Army Anniston Depot in Alabama, USA. And it’s going to take 1600 man-hours, several months, and 1 million dollars to get this battle tank back into fighting form. It’s worth every penny. The M1 Abrams Battle Tank is the US Military’s top gun. Since it rolled onto the battlefield in 1991 it’s been the toughest, fastest, smartest fighting machine on the ground. After 5 – 10 years of service, these 8 million dollar tanks get battle wary. And kitted with current technology and innovative add-ons, these rebuilt M1’s will be better than new. On February 24, 1991, at the height of the Gulf War, US tanks and armored vehicles raced east from Saudi Arabia into Iraq in a daring flank maneuver later nicknamed the “Hail Mary.” In what has been dubbed the last great Tank Battle of the 20th Century, US forces, spearheaded by the M1 Abrams, engaged with Saddam’s tanks. The outcome was an overwhelming US victory. The WATCH: This military watch doesn’t just glow in the dark. Made in Switzerland, the Traser H3’s hands and indicators are charged by a chemical reaction that will glow day and night, 24/7 for at least 10 years. While they look like simple glass tubes, an innovative radio

The AMPHIBIOUS ARMOURED VEHICLE: In June 2007, a squadron of Vikings filled with British Marine Commandos were returning to base in Helmand Province, Afghanistan when they suddenly found themselves under heavy fire. They had driven into a massive Taliban ambush – and their only hope was the Viking. When a steel plated hull is fitted with controls on the inside and tracks on the outside, it’ll become the Viking BVS10 –an armoured amphibious personnel carrier that can get troops in and out of any combat zone, even if it has to go through snow, sand, or water to get there. The Viking’s unique design allows this 1-and-a-half ton vehicle to glide through the water instead of sinking like a stone. And it can keep up to a dozen passengers protected. Even under fire. The BOMB ROBOT: In the manhunt following the Boston Bombing - when the killer was finally found, it was a robot which pulled back the canvas tarp to find him hiding in the bottom of a boat. After a piece of aluminum is welded and wired, it will become a robotic arm that can punch through walls, look for suspicious objects, and carry deadly explosives safely beyond the blast zone. Employed by military and police security forces, the robot can go where people shouldn’t: to seek out and extract explosive devices for safe detonation. The LIFE RAFT: In October of 2011 a search and rescue team of three was parachuted into arctic waters to rescue men trapped in the ice. When their plane had to return to a base on account of weather, the rescue team became the victims. After 5 hours in the icy water, 2 out of 3 survived because of their personal life rafts. It takes days for rolls of watertight fabric to be cut, sewn, and fused together to make a life raft. The single person life raft is designed to be stowed in the cockpit of fighter planes. If the pilot ejects over open water, the life raft goes with him. And in the event of an emergency bail out, it’ll be ready to deploy in 7 seconds flat. 7 se

The HELMET: On October 3rd 1993, a squad of US Special Forces repelled out of two Black Hawk helicopters onto the streets of Mogadishu, Somalia in an attempt to seize two enemy lieutenants. The Special Forces ops on this mission were willing to risk injury or worse, rather than wear the uncomfortable army issue helmets that blocked their vision and messed with the communication system. So instead they wore hockey helmets to the firefight. US casualties were high. A plan was put into effect to design a helmet the soldiers could wear that would protect them in situations like the Mogadishu standoff. When a series of delicate snowflake shaped sheets of Aramid are pressed together, they’ll form a piece of headgear that’s comfortable enough to wear to war, and tough enough to take a bullet. Up until the mid-90’s, helmets hadn’t evolved that far from the steel doughboy helmets of World War 1. A helmet had to be developed that offered the same comfort as a hockey helmet, with the ballistic protection and utility of combat gear. The Special Operations Delta helmet has answered that call. The ZIPPO: These ribbons of solid brass will get pressed into service as an icon that’s known by its look, its sound, and its name. The Zippo. From World War 2 through Vietnam, Zippos have played their part in the war effort - lighting fuses, hammering nails, and heating rations in a helmet. There’s even a legend that a Zippo sitting in a shirt pocket saved a GI’s life by stopping a Vietcong bullet. The FUEL BLADDER: In war, fuel becomes a target. How that fuel gets to the frontline can make the difference between winning a battle and losing lives. Now there’s a portable filling station that can gas up a tank in minutes and take a bullet without spilling a drop. When it’s cut and welded, military-grade nylon will make one tough plastic bag, able to carry 125,000 litres of gasoline. The SIMULATED IED: Landmines and IEDs, or Improvised Explosive Devices, are as

The RUGGED CASE: Polyethylene is measured and molded, heated and cooled to create a rugged and air-droppable case that’s tougher than the rest. Stronger, lighter, and more durable than their wooden predecessors, these keep out wind, rain, sand, and humidity to ensure that valuable supplies arrive intact. The UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE: The ING Responder is an unmanned aerial vehicle that can be used in hot or cold weather and remain stable in winds up to 60 kilometers an hour. The CNC-machined aluminum two-way drive system on the drone – propeller blades at the core and tail of the Responder - ensures precision steering and blur-free images. The lightweight Responder offers a fast-moving, highly accurate, and stealthy pair of eyes in the sky. Surveillance Drones were first used extensively during the Vietnam War. In February 1991 during the Gulf War, an unarmed drone made history when Saddam’s troops started surrendering to the drone’s tiny camera. It was the first time in history that people surrendered to a robot. The MILITARY SURVIVAL SHELTER: When a soldier has to stay safe and out of sight, building a viable survival shelter in any environment can be a matter of life or death. A soldier will look for a build-site with natural camouflage where he can create a bedding made up of tree bark and fir tree branches, under an A-frame secured together with cedar branch ends. Until a rescue happens, it’s up to the soldier to keep himself warm, dry, and hidden. And that means using whatever he’s got in the smartest way possible. On June 2, 1995, fighter pilot Scott O’Grady was shot down over Bosnia, forcing him to parachute into hostile and desolate forest. Without food or water, O’Grady knew he had to keep out of sight and rely on his survival training until help arrived. The ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER: Over the course of two weeks, including more than 100 man-hours of welding, a stock truck is turned into a fearsome armoured vehicle capable of

The GRENADE LAUNCHER: In World War 1, the original grenade launchers were the infantrymen themselves. They both lit and lobbed the mini bombs from the trenches. They could throw the grenade 15 meters fairly accurately but then would have to duck for cover to avoid the shrapnel from the explosion. Today’s version, made in Illinois, USA, has both range and precision. The M203 Grenade Launcher is a single shot launcher designed to attach under a rifle barrel. Using the latest technology, harmless bits of plastic and a block of aluminum will be melted, molded, and cut to create a snap-on weapon that increases the firepower in a soldier’s hands by a long shot. The FLIGHT SIMULATOR: Prior to the advent of the flight simulator, learning to be a fighter pilot was actually more dangerous than flying combat missions. The first flight simulator, the Link Trainer, was invented in the 1920s by Edward Link. Despite initial rejection by the United States government, following a series of costly aircraft crashes in the mid-1930s, the United States decided to purchase the Link Trainer. By the time World War 2 broke out there were 10,000 Flight Simulators in service. Today, the difference between a simulated and real cockpit is virtually indistinguishable. And the sophisticated flight programs can throw any dangerous scenario imaginable at the trainee – extreme weather, equipment failure, emergency landings, and combat scenarios. It takes 2 years and millions of parts to create this structure, but by the time its pilots climb into the real cockpit they won’t be winging it. Because once you’ve flown a simulator, you’re ready to take off in the real thing. The RATION PACKS: 100 years ago, dinner in the trenches of World War 1 wasn’t very appetizing. Due to short supplies of staples and poor preservation, British troops subsisted on thin soups flavoured with mystery meat, canned corned beef, and bread substitute made from dried turnips. Tins of sugary tea masked