We've just begun to study this piece so we don't know a great deal about it other than what we can see and measure.
Weight: 50 lbs.
Materials: Cast iron barrel, possibly wrought iron or steel carriage
Estimate of scaling factor: 1/10
Barrel:
Bore diameter: 1.5 in.
Bore length: 15.5 inches, muzzle face to rear of hemispherical ? chamber
Barrel length overall 18.0 in.
Trunnion dia: 1.25 in.
Muzzle dia: 2.5 in.
Breech dia: 4.8 in.
Length over trunnions: 5.9 in.
Cascabel diameter: 1.2 in.
Carriage:
Carriage width, extreme, at rear: 6.4 in.
Carriage body width: 5.25 in
Carriage length less wheels: 9.62 in.
Axle length: 7.62 in.
Comments: This may be a US Navy scale model, however it is devoid of any markings except small "match marks" put on by craftsmen to indicate where one part joins another. Most official Navy models we've seen bear markings similar to the full-scale pieces they represent. The workmanship and precision with which this piece was executed are typical of surviving US Navy official models we've seen in the USNA Museum collection.
Design features: The model is different from any full-sized US Navy 15-inch gun in that the model has two vents and two associated sets of percussion lock "ears." As far as we know, no US Navy 15-inch muzzle-loading gun was equipped with two sets of vent "ears" and two vents. This could mean the item was built to show a proposed design that was never built in the form of a full-sized weapon.
The bore diameter of the model scales exactly to the 15-inch bores of full-sized weapons. The bore length of the model is slightly longer than the 1/10 the length of the "regulation" 1862 pattern USN 15-inch gun (total bore length from drawing is 146 inches.)
Condition; The model may have had a percussion lock hammer at one time, which is now missing. The toggle bar is missing from the top of the elevating screw.
Information requested: We would greatly appreciate any documentation regarding the use of scale models of cannons in the US Army or Navy.
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