Hi all,

The debut here in New York of the USS New York today, built with steel from the World Trade Center, made me wonder if there was any sort of Great War equivalent, i.e., known metals/materials being used against the 'enemy' from whence they came?

Just curious...

-Daniel

I think most of the Great War scrap metal in the UK was dropped on the Germans during the 1940's

I think you are right on in that assessment, but what about during the same conflict? For example, the Germans destroy some building/vessel in say 1914, and some part of it is used in a weapon/delivery system later in the same war?

-Daniel

Although I have no hard facts I'm sure that the wreckage from downed Zeppelins was later re-used,

Jon

The pig iron ballast from the Kaisers yacht kept one of the Sheffield steel works going for years making Armour plate.

ah the good ole Bessemer. I remember seeing a peice of Vickers (Sheffield) Armour Plate c1909 at Kelham Island

Jon

I am certain the Germans melted down what they could as they moved through Belgium, especially what they could salvage from the forts around Liege. Of course there are a few stories of Germans capturing tanks later in the war and turning them on their former owners.

Andy

What about metal from the Koenig at al, scuppered at Scapa Flow, being used as part of the Lunar program and finding its way to the moon?

Maybe if we hadn't given most of the metal to China, more of it than 7000 tons could've gone into the ship.

More than a few stories - most German tanks in action in WW1 were beute panzers - captured and restored British Mk IVs

Indeed - steel from German warships scuttled at Scapa Flow was used in the space programme because it was free of the background radiation found virtually everywhere since 1945.

All the Victoria Crosses issued are made from recycled metal!