You may be wondering why we’re covering a mobile device app inspired by and featuring the recent work of Sir Peter Blake, celebrated pop artist. Well, it all has to do with a bit of history in the application of camouflage.

This is an image of the USS West Mahomet, painted in Dazzle camouflage, which involves complex patterns of geometric shapes in contrasting colors, interrupting and intersecting each other. It was used by the British and United States principally during WWI, and was designed to make it difficult for enemy vessels to estimate a ship’s range, speed, and heading.

The Dazzle It app allows users to ‘Dazzle’ any image available on their phone, or taken by their camera, by putting it through any one of various filters. This new camouflage pattern can then be applied to a variety of virtual ships and other watercraft which displays as a 3D model. As you can see in the images, we decided to go a bit more contemporary, utilizing a MultiCam base and putting it through a ‘Kaleidoscope’ pattern.

We then applied this pattern to various ships, including the HMS President.

There’s even an augmented reality aspect of the app, which allows you to anchor the ship of your choosing to a live background. We found this to be a little wonky in practice, but that might have something to do with trying to place a camouflaged ship on a camouflage background.

The Dazzle It app is available through both iTunes and the Google Play store for free.

itunes.apple.com/us/app/dazzle-it/id1022780620

play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.uk.corporationpop.dazzleships

This article was originally published on Soldier Systems Daily.

Part of Company C, 1st Battalion, 317th Infantry Regiment, T/5 Louis J Archambeau was one of 89,000 allied causalities during The Battle of the Bulge. A camera of his was found 70 years later in a foxhole, containing photos from the days leading up to the battle.

The full story and more images can be found here: www.thetroubleshooters.com/80th/archambeau001

Thanks to Travis Getz for the tip!

Edit: Unfortunately, the link was taken down, as was the entire photo gallery. The reasoning is as follows:

UPDATE: I have removed the photos that were originally posted. Unfortunately, embarrassingly, and dishearteningly, at least two of the photos have been found in the National Archives and were not from Louis’s camera. Thus, I have removed the entire set. Thetroubleshooters.com has removed the photos as well. To clarify, Mark Anderson and Terry Janes were acting in good faith based on the information provided to them, and the camera was discovered by Mark Anderson at the coordinates provided below. He was not, however, present in the dark room in Echternach (where the film was supposedly developed), nor did he see the negatives or prints. Also, Terry Janes, historian at thetroubleshooters.com, has removed all suspect information from the source that provided the photos. From what I understand, two of the photos are from the US Army Signal Corps. Please accept my sincerest apologies.

Schmaltz Products, LLC has just released Schmacon, a smoked & cured glazed beef product when they claim makes a perfect bacon alternative for military foodservice located in countries where pork products aren’t available.

Sweet, Smokey Flavor and Crispness in a Versatile Beef Alternative to Bacon

(Chicago, IL) – Schmaltz Products, LLC announces the launch of Schmacon™, Smoked & Cured Glazed Beef Slices, an innovative alternative to pork bacon with smokey and sweet flavor and a meaty and crisp texture. Schmacon is whole muscle beef seasoned with a proprietary spice blend and cure recipe inspired by its Inventor Howard Bender’s deli roots. It fits right into the food trend landscape of unusual and adventuresome meats and unexpected blendings of flavors and textures.

“Schmacon is delicious and unlike anything else on the market,” says Howard Bender, CEO of Schmaltz Products LLC , who makes Schmacon. Bender is the Culinary Institute of America-trained chef and deli entrepreneur behind this unique product. “Beef factors heavily into deli menus, and seeing what was going on with bacon, I envisioned a beef product that could capture some of the same magic.”

Schmacon tastes indulgent, but in fact it is lower in fat, calories and sodium than traditional bacon. The carefully-trimmed beef that is used has little fat and a patent-pending process is responsible for the crispy finish that rivals that of pork bacon. It comes ready to crisp and serve and can be prepared in a variety of ways including the oven, microwave and stove-top. The result is an easy to prepare, delicious to eat, take on a traditional food favorite that provides an alternative for those who do not eat pork products or are watching their diet. And it’s a welcome, tasty option for people who simply love meat.

Schmacon can stand on its own or amplify the flavors of breakfast, burgers, sandwiches, salads and more with a smokey-sweet boost. “Food trends right now are all about contrasting flavors and textures like sweet and salty. And crispy is huge as well,” says Bender. “Schmacon makes it really easy to get that kind of flavor and texture layering. Of course it’s a winner on a plate of eggs as well.”

Schmacon is already getting enthusiastic response in the foodservice market as it makes its official debut at the National Restaurant Association Show on May 17-20, 2014, where it will receive an innovation award. Foodservice distribution giant, Sysco, has picked it up as have some major universities, restaurants and clubs. It is currently available through online retailer schmaltzonline.com and plans are in place for retail distribution before year’s end.