Fundamentals

In the 1990s, eight wooden spears were recovered from a mine in Schoningen in Germany. These were later to found to be the oldest human weapons ever discovered dating back over 4,00,000 years in the Palaeolithic era. Human race has indeed made quantum leaps in weaponry since then. Find out how you know about the weapons of war.
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Weapons of War
1. American comedian Bob Burns invented a musical instrument by modifying a piece of a gas pipe. The name of this crude trombone like instrument inspired a weapon of war. Which one?
2. Tanks, those solid all terrain armoured vehicles were first deployed during World War I. Why are Tanks called Tanks?
3. The AK-47 is favourite weapon of armies as well as insurgent groups. AK in AK-47 stands for Avtomat Kalashnikova (Automatic Kalashnikov) after the inventor Mikhail Kalashnikov. Why 47?
4. The Sidewinder is the most used heat seeking air to air missile by western forces. Why is it called Sidewinder?
5. The first successful machine gun was developed around mid 19th century. The first design of the machine gun is credited to a famous 15th century personality. Who?
6. The Houfnice was heavy artillery used during the Hussite wars in the 15th century. Which modern artillery takes its name from this medieval weapon? (Clue: one of India’s most effective and controversial weapon)
7. How do you better know a vehicle that goes by the official name of M998 and High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle?
8. The Stinger Missile is a light to carry and easy to operate weapon primarily used to shoot down aircraft. Which company manufactures it?

Anything Goes

1. Who is the only Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh and Member of Royal College of Surgeons of London, to captain England in sports? (Dr R. Ram, Hyderabad)
2. Which card in the deck of cards is connected to a comrade in arms of Joan of Arc? (U. Narasimha Murthy, Secunderabad)
3. Sir James Chadwick was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in the year 1925. Name the discovery for which this prize was awarded? (Abhijit Basak, Dum Dum)
4. Only one person has been conferred Nobel prize posthumously since its inception. Who? (Muhammed Arif, Mumbai)
5. Which is the only bird that can fly all day and not flap its wings? (Akhilashwin R., Jolarpet)
6. On December 3, 1992, Neil Papworth sent ‘Merry Christmas’ wishes. What was special about his wishes? (Deepjyoti Deka, Nalbari)
7. Which is the only African country to have Spanish as official language? (Sudipto Basak, Kolkata)
8. Name the great person who first conferred the title of “Mahatma” on M.K. Gandhi? (Prof. Suhas Patwardhan, Thane)

ANSWERS
Weapons of War
1. Bazooka. Bob Burns called this instrument Bazooka. During World War II, the US GIs thought their handheld anti-tank rocket launchers resembled a Bazooka and began calling it Bazooka
2. When Tanks were first deployed, they were code named water carriers to conceal their real identity and referred to as tanks (water tanks). The name has since stuck
3. 47 after 1947, the year when the AK-47 was introduced into service in the Red Army
4. After Sidewinder, the rattle snake uses infrared sensory organs to hunt warm-blooded prey
5. Leonardo da Vinci. da Vinci drew and designed an eight barrelled machine gun, the first of its kind
6. Howitzer as in Bofors Howitzer
7. Humvee, the US army vehicle made famous across the world during the Iraq war. Humvee is an acronym for High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV).
8. Raytheon

Anything Goes
1. W.G. Grace
2. Knave (Jack) of hearts is connected to La hire, the comrade in arms of Joan of Arc and also a member of King Charles VII's court
3. Discovery of Neutrons
4. Dag Hammerskjold, former UN General secretary for his endeavours for peace in Congo region. He was conferred Peace Prize posthumously in 1961, after he died in a plane crash
5. Albatross. Albatrosses have narrow long wings and use wind energy to fly
6. It was sent over SMS, the first ever SMS sent
7. Equatorial Guinea (formerly known as Spanish Guinea)
8. Rabindranath Tagore