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Originally Posted by fearn
Could be, Fernando.
You know how this is going to end, right? Someone's going to have to make a modern cannonball of that particular shape and fire it, just to see if it will fly.
Volunteers?
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Thatīs what i call a brilliant idea
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Say, you know english better than me; have a look to these extracts:
... The interior of the furnace is lined with fire brick and contains a set of sloping iron rails to hold rows of cannonballs. Rows of iron rods pass through the furnace from one side to the other and are fitted on each end with bolts and "star" braces to support the weight of the shot rails and roof. Cold cannonballs are placed in the furnace and allowed to roll down the inclined rails in rows. The first halls are directly over the firebox at the low end and are heated "cherry red." As they are removed, the next balls roll down into their place and are likewise heated ...
Couldn't the balls prior to the one being heated, start deforming while waiting for their turn, getting the cylindrical shape due to their rolling on the rails ... this assuming that, if the ball being heated reaches "cherry red" temperature, the next ones in the queue must already be half way to it.
... does the cool air tend to reduce the temperature of the cannonball as it flies through the air to the target after it is fired? No. In fact the air friction caused by the cannonball speeding through the air adds to the temperature ...
Something i wouldn't guess!
... The cannonball can even be made to ricochet upon the surface of the water several times without losing enough heat to ignite wood ...
A bit off topic, but this reminds me that, such ricochet method was also used with cold balls, right after portholes were invented and naval artillery could be placed inside the ships decks at sea level. This system brought remarkable advantages for the Portuguese, in naval battles during the discoveries period.
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