Chris Littlechild

St Albans

I'm a freelance gaming/entertainment writer, editor and writer trainer. My life revolves around my family, friends, work, video games and movies.

Articles

What Is A Pocket Battleship And How Did Germany Use Them To Circumvent Naval Treaties?

5 days ago | slashgear.com | Chris Littlechild

"Pocket battleship" was the nickname given by the British to a very unique German weapon of war: the Panzerschiffe, or armored ship. Created as part of the nation's efforts to bolster its military in a critical period, and going on to serve in World War II, just three of them were made. This is unsurprising given the military regulations that the nation had been forced to adopt after the Central Powers' loss in the First World War.
The Reason Why The World-Renowned Lusitania Sank So Fast During World War 1 - SlashGear

5 days ago | slashgear.com | Chris Littlechild

The Lusitania and the RMS Titanic are two of the most majestic vessels the British have ever produced. Both tragically sank, causing enormous loss of life. What's particularly notable about the two awful events, though, is how long the vessels took to sink after becoming stricken. For Titanic, it was a harrowing 160 minutes after the collision that the ship finally slipped away, which is a stark contrast with Lusitania, which sank in a mere 18 minutes.
Why Does The Apache Military Helicopter Have Wire Cutters In The Front?

1 week ago | slashgear.com | Chris Littlechild

Helicopters have an inherent maneuverability advantage over airplanes, generally speaking. Helicopters can hover in place, and for quite some time if the conditions are suitable. While their rotors give them that freedom, they also present a very vulnerable point for the aircraft.
What Are The Big White Balls On Top Of Cruise Ships For?

1 week ago | slashgear.com | Chris Littlechild

Among cruise ship heavyweights like Royal Caribbean, vessels that share a class tend to be close in size, with similar layouts and facilities. Veteran cruisers would probably have a good idea of where everything is on a new ship just through this familiarity. Even so, there are some intriguing features they may not be able to explain, regardless of how many times they've seen them. Case in point: The large white spheres on top of the vessel.
Do Commercial Planes Ever Refuel In The Sky?

1 week ago | slashgear.com | Chris Littlechild

Commercial aircraft, in lots of ways, are the typically slower and more practical relatives of military aircraft. The U.S. Air Force's fighter jets, for instance, are often armed with an array of missiles that you certainly won't find on your average Boeing 747. The fact is, they're very different vehicles designed for very different purposes. AdvertisementYou might have witnessed the incredible ritual of military aircraft refueling while in flight.
Giant Centipede Robots Are Being Built For Farms: Here's The Reason

1 week ago | slashgear.com | Chris Littlechild

The world's biggest centipede, at potentially over 12 inches long, certainly earns the "giant" in Amazonian giant centipede. This particular species of minibeast has 42 legs, and while all centipede species are different in that regard, one thing they seemingly share in common is that they don't necessarily have the most practical design for a robot to be based on. Or so you might think.
Jeff Bezos Originally Wanted Amazon To Be Called Something Totally Different

1 week ago | slashgear.com | Chris Littlechild

If you use the word "Amazon" in conversation, most will assume — generally correctly — that you're talking about the e-commerce juggernaut. Neither the mighty lady warriors of Greek mythology nor the awe-inspiring river and rainforest get the attention they deserve in popular culture anymore. It's little wonder that it has become as lexicon-dominatingly well known as it has.
Why Do Coast Guard Ships Have Racing Stripes?

1 week ago | slashgear.com | Chris Littlechild

Racing stripes are some of the most iconic features of racing vehicles. Part of the idea behind this eye-catching feature is exactly that: To make it as clear as possible which vehicle is which. After all, without being able to easily tell who's in which position in certain situations, there could be all manner of cases of mistaken identity. It was partially to prevent exactly this eventuality that the Coast Guard adopted its own identifying racing stripes.
How Does Horsepower Affect Your Car's Acceleration?

2 weeks ago | slashgear.com | Chris Littlechild

When it comes to a vehicle's horsepower, you're not going to be looking for the highest in every situation. The important thing isn't to get carried away by how high the numbers go on a specs sheet or speedometer, but to understand what they'll mean for you and the vehicle you're driving. Horsepower has a considerable effect on many aspects of a vehicle, including acceleration.
What Makes India And Russia's BrahMos Missile So Deadly?

2 weeks ago | slashgear.com | Chris Littlechild

Humanity has a long history of developing ever more formidable weapons. Centuries ago, bows and slings were our deadliest weapons for unleashing damage at a distance. Today, we've advanced through a whole line of firearms, drones, and missiles; each of which can be optimized for deadliness in a range of different ways. Innovations in physics, chemistry, and engineering have given us weapons like the infamous Tsar Bomba, a Soviet weapon which is the biggest nuclear weapon to date.