BIG GUNS

Andi · 13th September 2013, 09:19 PM

Maybe not one of he largest in ever but uncertainly one of the most imressive at its times.

The Dardanelles Gun, a siege gun dating from soon after the fall of Constantinople in 1453. It is cast in bronze and was made in two parts: the barrel which holds the shot and the chamber which holds the charge. The two parts screw together gas tight. Overall length is 5.2 m and it weighs 16.8 tonnes. It fires a stone ball of about 300 kg some 1600 m. The rate of fire was very slow - about 15 rounds per day. Currently in the Royal Armouries at Fort Nelson, Portsmouth, England. A phantastic masterpiece of medieval engineering and metal casting.

http://www.royalarmouries.org/visit-...gle-object/196

VANDOO · 12th June 2016, 06:09 AM

WHILE SEARCHING FOR CAMEL GUNS I FOUND THESE SO INCLUDE THEM HERE. NOT TRULY BIG GUNS BUT I WOULD NOT WANT THEM SHOOTING AT ME.
#1. WW2 DESIGN FOR A RUSSIAN SUPER TANK
#2, & #3. FORTIFICATION UNIT FOR A GERMAN 50 MM. GUN.

Pukka Bundook · 16th June 2016, 02:52 PM

Andi,

The piece you show in post 15 above is a fantastic piece of engineering!!
How they cut the breech threads I do not know, but whoever did this work really knew his onions!

I think nowadays they would say it was impossible back then, but these craftsmen were brilliant. No other word for it!!

Thank you for posting.

Richard.

Shakethetrees · 16th June 2016, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pukka Bundook

Andi,

The piece you show in post 15 above is a fantastic piece of engineering!!
How they cut the breech threads I do not know, but whoever did this work really knew his onions!

I think nowadays they would say it was impossible back then, but these craftsmen were brilliant. No other word for it!!

Thank you for posting.

Richard.

We tend to forget that people were just as smart, clever, and creative in every era as we are today. When a problem arose they solved it.

Pukka Bundook · 16th June 2016, 07:52 PM

I agree entirely STT.

I have always been opposed to the "present overweening intellectual conceit", as Andrew Murray put it so well at the end of the 19th century!
I think if anything, people these days are getting thicker. :-)

Today we can push buttons, and often that's about it!
Gradfather said many years ago, holding out his hands, "In 20 years time, anyone that can use these will be at a premium".

I think he was right.
Years ago here, a chap had his big steam engine break the crank right at the throw;
Took it to the local welding shop in town, and the two brothers there forge -welded it back together. Took them a week.
When done, it was as right as it was before it broke and balanced perfectly.

Today they'd say That was impossible as well!!

And it stay'd fixed. didn't break again.
Please pardon OT. :-)

corrado26 · 17th June 2016, 11:46 AM

Here an interesting vdeo of the biggest cannon ever built
corrado26

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As3NzDQknVc

Hotspur · 17th June 2016, 08:49 PM

I would be remiss not to mention Gerald Bull, of the 20th century. I had first read of him in the 1960s when he suggested economical mortars using truck springs to hurl shells.

Later on. he was involved with Iran and the Babylon projuct, which while never finished would have been along the lines of the old rail guns. i had read about the Krupp guns in one of the histories of the company and had the impression the first targets were against the French and targeting Paris from Belgian held rails.

Cheers

GC

http://www.thewednesdayreport.com/twr/Gerry_Bull.htm

13th September 2013, 09:19 PM	#1
Andi Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Halstenbek, Germany Posts: 203	Maybe not one of he largest in ever but uncertainly one of the most imressive at its times. The Dardanelles Gun, a siege gun dating from soon after the fall of Constantinople in 1453. It is cast in bronze and was made in two parts: the barrel which holds the shot and the chamber which holds the charge. The two parts screw together gas tight. Overall length is 5.2 m and it weighs 16.8 tonnes. It fires a stone ball of about 300 kg some 1600 m. The rate of fire was very slow - about 15 rounds per day. Currently in the Royal Armouries at Fort Nelson, Portsmouth, England. A phantastic masterpiece of medieval engineering and metal casting. http://www.royalarmouries.org/visit-...gle-object/196 Attached Images

12th June 2016, 06:09 AM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	WHILE SEARCHING FOR CAMEL GUNS I FOUND THESE SO INCLUDE THEM HERE. NOT TRULY BIG GUNS BUT I WOULD NOT WANT THEM SHOOTING AT ME. #1. WW2 DESIGN FOR A RUSSIAN SUPER TANK #2, & #3. FORTIFICATION UNIT FOR A GERMAN 50 MM. GUN. Attached Images

16th June 2016, 02:52 PM	#3
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Andi, The piece you show in post 15 above is a fantastic piece of engineering!! How they cut the breech threads I do not know, but whoever did this work really knew his onions! I think nowadays they would say it was impossible back then, but these craftsmen were brilliant. No other word for it!! Thank you for posting. Richard.

16th June 2016, 07:52 PM	#5
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	I agree entirely STT. I have always been opposed to the "present overweening intellectual conceit", as Andrew Murray put it so well at the end of the 19th century! I think if anything, people these days are getting thicker. :-) Today we can push buttons, and often that's about it! Gradfather said many years ago, holding out his hands, "In 20 years time, anyone that can use these will be at a premium". I think he was right. Years ago here, a chap had his big steam engine break the crank right at the throw; Took it to the local welding shop in town, and the two brothers there forge -welded it back together. Took them a week. When done, it was as right as it was before it broke and balanced perfectly. Today they'd say That was impossible as well!! And it stay'd fixed. didn't break again. Please pardon OT. :-)

17th June 2016, 11:46 AM	#6
corrado26 Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Black Forest, Germany Posts: 1,231	Here an interesting vdeo of the biggest cannon ever built corrado26 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As3NzDQknVc

17th June 2016, 08:49 PM	#7
Hotspur Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Nipmuc USA Posts: 514	I would be remiss not to mention Gerald Bull, of the 20th century. I had first read of him in the 1960s when he suggested economical mortars using truck springs to hurl shells. Later on. he was involved with Iran and the Babylon projuct, which while never finished would have been along the lines of the old rail guns. i had read about the Krupp guns in one of the histories of the company and had the impression the first targets were against the French and targeting Paris from Belgian held rails. Cheers GC http://www.thewednesdayreport.com/twr/Gerry_Bull.htm