# Russian military's use of Lignostone **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 23, 2004, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762 "2004-09-23T21:50:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/21 "2004-09-25T01:07:31Z")
> [@wolfstu](#): > > I don’t think Magnesium features heavily in aircraft construction, because of its flammability. Raw magnesium doesn’t feature heavily in any kind of manufacturing- like you pointed out, it likes to catch fire. It either has to be alloyed, or, in some cases, a ceramic (or at any rate non-magnesium) coating will be used to separate it from oxygen. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/22 "2004-09-25T03:39:05Z")
> [@Really Not All That Bright](#): > > Raw magnesium doesn’t feature heavily in any kind of manufacturing- like you pointed out, it likes to catch fire. > > It either has to be alloyed, or, in some cases, a ceramic (or at any rate non-magnesium) coating will be used to separate it from oxygen. Even the alloys can be flammable and much research is being done to try and find an easy to make alloy with no danger of combusting. A “wooden” tank is no more bizarre than the idea of building aircraft carriers out of ice, [which the Allies seriously considered during WW II.](http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/7/floatingisland.php) > [@](#): > > Pyke’s logical conclusion was to build a behemoth: the H.M.S Habbakuk, he called it. Constructed from 40-foot blocks of ice, his Habbakuk would be 2,000 feet long, 300 feet wide, with walls 40 feet thick. Its interior would easily accommodate 200 Spitfires. And > [@](#): > > For a man who had had ice thrown into his bath, Winston Churchill was surprisingly receptive to the idea. After reading the formal War Cabinet report on the Habbakuk project, Churchill shot back a memo stamped “Most Secret” the next day, on 7 December 1942. “I attach the greatest importance to the prompt examination of these ideas,” he wrote. “The advantages of a floating island or islands, even if only used as refueling depots for aircraft, are so dazzling that they do not need at the moment to be discussed.” ---
**Author:** ![JEFourie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@JEFourie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JEFourie)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2015, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/23 "2015-06-17T13:15:40Z")
Wood-plastic of the future [moderator note - copyrighted article removed, please restrict copying and pasting to the guidelines of fair use] For more info: > **[Ian Tee: secret agent](https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2012/10/ian-tee-secret-agent/)** > > How might classic Bond stories be reinterpreted in the near future, with some modern cutting-edge technologies incorporated into old plots? Here's one possible outcome complete with a glossary of the tech featured... ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2015, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/24 "2015-06-17T13:24:43Z")
Zombie warning… Wood hardly works when facing a 155mm APCR round from a MBT. So, I doubt you’ll see much of it on tanks, as the OP suggests. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2015, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/25 "2015-06-17T17:28:29Z")
Well now I’m wondering 'bout stuff. If the artwork is good enough, it seems like you could build a reasonably convincing (from a distance) replica of a T-90 using Lignostone and good-sized flatbed truck rigged with crawler tracks for not a lot of rubles. If you mixed those in with even numbers of the real McCoy you could present a massive force capable of winning battles through intimidation alone. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2015, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/26 "2015-06-17T21:53:24Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > Well now I’m wondering 'bout stuff. If the artwork is good enough, it seems like you could build a reasonably convincing (from a distance) replica of a T-90 using Lignostone and good-sized flatbed truck rigged with crawler tracks for not a lot of rubles. If you mixed those in with even numbers of the real McCoy you could present a massive force capable of winning battles through intimidation alone. You got it, Decoys. Add a thermal heater for that infared signature and place them all around. I think the USAF and Navy, plus Nato killed alot of them in Serbia, back in the nineties. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Milton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6bbea6/32.png) [@Mr.Milton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Milton)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/27 "2015-06-18T11:57:42Z")
I never heard of “Lingostone” before, but it sounds a lot like what we used to call “phenolic” or “phenolic resin” (US military). AFAIK, it seemed to be tougher and more durable than plastic, and while I never served in the Russian army, it seemed they used something like that for some small parts (handles, knobs, grips; stuff like that) from the few examples of their materials I have seen in person. Assuming that it is (as it appears to be) some kind of plastic or epoxy impregnated stuff, it seems to me it’d make pretty crappy fuel for a fire. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Milton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6bbea6/32.png) [@Mr.Milton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Milton)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/28 "2015-06-18T12:06:51Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by wolfstu > I don’t think Magnesium features heavily in aircraft construction, because of its flammability. If Padeye is still around, maybe he can back me up on this: LTV used to be well-known (perhaps notorious) for using magnesium in aircraft structures. IIRC, the F7U, F8U (a.k.a. the F-8 Crusader), and the A-7 Corsair II had at least some magnesium in them. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/29 "2015-06-19T19:17:39Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Hijack: do fundamentalist Christians believe that the Bible contains references to the US of A? What is the Biblical code-name for America? I’m not at home at the moment and probably won’t be able to get at my copy of National Sunday Law til , appropriately enough, Sunday. That book identifies the Beast as the Papacy, and says one of the dragons described in Revelations is indeed the USA. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/30 "2015-06-19T20:22:24Z")
> [@Mr.Milton](#): > > If Padeye is still around … He’s been deceased for several years. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/31 "2015-06-20T14:50:35Z")
Maybe the tech has improved in the last 11 years, but it seems that this stuff is pretty useful. One company claims operating temperature range slightly in excess of boiling temp–which would certainly be sufficient for some military applications. [http://www.ckcomposites.com/files/documents/CK\_Wood\_Laminate\_Data\_Sheets.pdf](http://www.ckcomposites.com/files/documents/CK_Wood_Laminate_Data_Sheets.pdf) And another company makes it for bullet-proof applications. [http://www.roechling.com/en/high-performance-plastics/composites/laminated-densified-wood/ballistics.html](http://www.roechling.com/en/high-performance-plastics/composites/laminated-densified-wood/ballistics.html) * * * Secondly, a lot of the old posters in this thread were seriously deficient in their knowledge of the Bible. It has been common for a long time to view the “Gog and Magog” prophecy as referring to Russia. Here’s a link–surprisingly from a Muslim point of view–that goes into some of the history and the background for that view. [http://www.answering-christianity.com/gog\_magog\_bible\_quran.htm](http://www.answering-christianity.com/gog_magog_bible_quran.htm) And here is another, more detailed article. > **[Ezekiel Chapter 38, Gog Prince of Rosh](https://truthnet.org/Ezekiel/9-Ezekiel-38/Ezekiel-38-Gog.htm)** > > An examination of Ezekiel Chapter 38 and the meaning of Gog prince of Rosh, of the land of Magog is explained Ezekiel 39:2 says, in part, “and will cause thee to come up from the north parts.” There are only five nations to the north of Israel–Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia. Lebanon, Syria, and Ukraine can be ignored in this context–they are incapable of mounting such an invasion, and that is extremely unlikely to change. On the other hand, Turkey is close enough to be conceivable. Russia certainly had the lift capacity at one point, and very well might have again. And Moscow is quite close to being due north of Jerusalem. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/32 "2015-06-20T17:24:38Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > Maybe the tech has improved in the last 11 years, but it seems that this stuff is pretty useful. > > One company claims operating temperature range slightly in excess of boiling temp–which would certainly be sufficient for some military applications. > > [http://www.ckcomposites.com/files/documents/CK\_Wood\_Laminate\_Data\_Sheets.pdf](http://www.ckcomposites.com/files/documents/CK_Wood_Laminate_Data_Sheets.pdf) > > And another company makes it for bullet-proof applications. > > [http://www.roechling.com/en/high-performance-plastics/composites/laminated-densified-wood/ballistics.html](http://www.roechling.com/en/high-performance-plastics/composites/laminated-densified-wood/ballistics.html) > > * * * > > Secondly, a lot of the old posters in this thread were seriously deficient in their knowledge of the Bible. It has been common for a long time to view the “Gog and Magog” prophecy as referring to Russia. > > Here’s a link–surprisingly from a Muslim point of view–that goes into some of the history and the background for that view. > [http://www.answering-christianity.com/gog\_magog\_bible\_quran.htm](http://www.answering-christianity.com/gog_magog_bible_quran.htm) > > And here is another, more detailed article. > [Ezekiel Chapter 38, Gog Prince of Rosh](http://www.truthnet.org/Ezekiel/9-Ezekiel-38/Ezekiel-38-Gog.htm) > > Ezekiel 39:2 says, in part, “and will cause thee to come up from the north parts.” There are only five nations to the north of Israel–Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia. Lebanon, Syria, and Ukraine can be ignored in this context–they are incapable of mounting such an invasion, and that is extremely unlikely to change. On the other hand, Turkey is close enough to be conceivable. Russia certainly had the lift capacity at one point, and very well might have again. And Moscow is quite close to being due north of Jerusalem. Except it says “North”, not “Due North”. Plenty of countries are to the north of Israel, latitude-wise, including Canada and Japan. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/33 "2015-06-20T19:51:05Z")
I understand that everyone here loves showing off their massive knowledge of material technologies however faint the provocation… But shouldn’t somebody have said that when you hear a rumor about an actual object for 30 years, now 40 years, without a concrete example ever appearing, that rumor is nonsense, no matter what the subject of the rumor is? Conspiracy Theories are all identical is requiring that their adherents not be able to think. Bad facts aren’t as much an issue as bad thinking. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2015, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/34 "2015-06-20T22:44:41Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > Maybe the tech has improved in the last 11 years, but it seems that this stuff is pretty useful. > > One company claims operating temperature range slightly in excess of boiling temp–which would certainly be sufficient for some military applications. > > [http://www.ckcomposites.com/files/documents/CK\_Wood\_Laminate\_Data\_Sheets.pdf](http://www.ckcomposites.com/files/documents/CK_Wood_Laminate_Data_Sheets.pdf) > > And another company makes it for bullet-proof applications. > > [http://www.roechling.com/en/high-performance-plastics/composites/laminated-densified-wood/ballistics.html](http://www.roechling.com/en/high-performance-plastics/composites/laminated-densified-wood/ballistics.html) > > * * * > > Secondly, a lot of the old posters in this thread were seriously deficient in their knowledge of the Bible. It has been common for a long time to view the “Gog and Magog” prophecy as referring to Russia. > > Here’s a link–surprisingly from a Muslim point of view–that goes into some of the history and the background for that view. > [http://www.answering-christianity.com/gog\_magog\_bible\_quran.htm](http://www.answering-christianity.com/gog_magog_bible_quran.htm) > > And here is another, more detailed article. > [Ezekiel Chapter 38, Gog Prince of Rosh](http://www.truthnet.org/Ezekiel/9-Ezekiel-38/Ezekiel-38-Gog.htm) > > Ezekiel 39:2 says, in part, “and will cause thee to come up from the north parts.” There are only five nations to the north of Israel–Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia. Lebanon, Syria, and Ukraine can be ignored in this context–they are incapable of mounting such an invasion, and that is extremely unlikely to change. On the other hand, Turkey is close enough to be conceivable. Russia certainly had the lift capacity at one point, and very well might have again. And Moscow is quite close to being due north of Jerusalem. Knowledge of the Bile =/= equating Gog and Magog with Russia. That’s an interpretation of the Bible. The posters who are not aware of this view are only deficient in their knowledge of bizarre apocalyptic cults. ---
**Author:** ![Ageranger361](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Ageranger361](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ageranger361)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/35 "2015-12-28T19:23:57Z")
I’m not saying the Lignostone will be the material used by the Jews to burn left behind from the Russians, but dismissing this guys question out of hand as bunk and bull simply because you can’t wrap your little minds around the possibility seems more “fundamentalist” to me than anything else. One doesn’t have to look hard in defense and weapon tech to find materials that are strong and still capable of being burned as a fuel. One such weapon platform that comes to mind is a Glock pistol. Sure it has a steel barrel and slide, but the remainder is almost entirely composite, a material which will readily burn. Another “unfathomable” material which has remarkable strength to weight ratio and still capable of being burned as a fuel is carbon, such as that of a carbon fiber composite or other material. Add to that the nano-tubes technology and you’ve got a material capable of building a space elevator with, something we’ve been talking about in the last few years here. Here’s an article regarding the use of ground up wood plasticized into bullet resistant materials: [Ian Tee: secret agent | E&T Magazine](http://eandt.theiet.org/magazine/2012/09/military-branches.cfm) It seems there may be more DOPE than STRAIGHT in this thread. It also seems like any time someone mentions fundamental Christians as a source of information more effort is spent discounting the claims based on emotion and scoff rather than the possibility or impossibility factually with SCIENTIFIC arguments. I was deployed to Afghanistan 2010-2011 a believe me we left a lot of garbage capable of being burned behind, and most of it was leftover portions of weapons systems or packaging from them. Ever seen a military vehicle destroyed in war? I have, first hand, and believe me A LOT of it burned, including the occupants. Why are so many ready to dismiss this question out of hand without consideration? Could it be a defensive reflex at the thought of there being a God? Prophesy has been increasingly revealed and to date has been 100% accurate once fulfilled. Call that what you will, but to me, ignoring it as bunk without even consideration for a moment seems like another biblical prophesy unfolding, delusion. The next step would seem to be derision. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/36 "2015-12-28T19:33:54Z")
Let me get this straight, we’re talkin bout Russians building weapons that will burn so they can do what it sez in the Bible? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/37 "2015-12-28T20:12:26Z")
> [@Ageranger361](#): > > Why are so many ready to dismiss this question out of hand without consideration? Could it be a defensive reflex at the thought of there being a God? Prophesy has been increasingly revealed and to date has been 100% accurate once fulfilled. Call that what you will, but to me, ignoring it as bunk without even consideration for a moment seems like another biblical prophesy unfolding, delusion. The next step would seem to be derision. You’ve got it sewn up quite tight. Anyone who expresses skepticism is automatically disqualified as delusional. Your position is immune to debate and unassailable by reason. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/38 "2015-12-28T20:24:53Z")
> [@Ageranger361](#): > > Here’s an article regarding the use of ground up wood plasticized into bullet resistant materials: [http://eandt.theiet.org/magazine/2012/09/military-branches.cfm](http://eandt.theiet.org/magazine/2012/09/military-branches.cfm) The last person to revive this thread linked to the same article from 2012, eight years after this thread was started. > [@JEFourie](#): > > For more info: > > [http://eandt.theiet.org/magazine/2012/09/military-branches.cfm](http://eandt.theiet.org/magazine/2012/09/military-branches.cfm) And I like this statement; once an event occurs, you can find a Biblical passage that appears to predict that event. > [@Ageranger361](#): > > Why are so many ready to dismiss this question out of hand without consideration? Could it be a defensive reflex at the thought of there being a God? Prophesy has been increasingly revealed and to date has been 100% accurate once fulfilled. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/39 "2015-12-28T20:48:45Z")
Any fool can predict the past. ---
**Author:** ![Ageranger361](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Ageranger361](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ageranger361)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762/40 "2015-12-29T00:17:35Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > You’ve got it sewn up quite tight. Anyone who expresses skepticism is automatically disqualified as delusional. > > Your position is immune to debate and unassailable by reason. Healthy skepticism is the starting point of forming a logical argument, but that’s completely different than Reductio ad absurdum, which is what is taking place here. That’s a cop-out from arguing with facts and the open presentation of theory. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-militarys-use-of-lignostone/265762.md?page=3)