Author Topic: Daniel King Howitzer (Read 9502 times)

Powder keg · « **on:** December 11, 2005, 04:52:01 PM »

Hello,

Does anyone have a good line drawing or plans that are to scale for this barrel? Or know where I can get them? Also what type of carriages were used for this barrel? I've seen them on an old looking field carriage. I have been thinking about building one and am having a hard time finding much information on it. There is a picture in Roundshot and rammers, but it's not that good

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Wesley

Tropico · « **Reply #1 on:** December 11, 2005, 08:53:50 PM »

Photos sent Wes., I hope these help..., I been wanting the model #1 for a long time., but it looks like a model #2 could be more possible.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #2 on:** December 12, 2005, 12:33:43 AM »

You show good taste in cannons!

Here are a couple of pictures, small and large, no drawings:

http://www.cannonsonline.com/product_pgs/barrels/features/danielKing1_howitzer.htm

http://www.historicalimagebank.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album54&page=2

How close do the drawings need to be?

Do you have AutoCAD?

One can paste the larger picture in and build the line drawing from that.

Powder keg · « **Reply #3 on:** December 12, 2005, 01:45:25 AM »

Thanks for the picts Rich. I have most of the picts on the net. I guess I should have mentioned that :oops: I don't have autocad. Wouldn't know how to use it if i did. Sounds pretty handy though.

John N · « **Reply #4 on:** December 12, 2005, 02:04:39 AM »

Here's a picture of one that's been done up in high relief and engraving:

rifleshooter2 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 12, 2005, 02:38:47 PM »

We just scaled down a Howitzer carrage from Mullers Book on Artillery. For Our 2nd Model King Howitzer.
Andy
Legion Ville Historical Society

GGaskill · « **Reply #6 on:** December 12, 2005, 03:34:14 PM »

Although the barrel was small, remember that the carriage had to negotiate full size bumps, etc., in the road. I would think it would have been at least as large as a mountain howitzer carriage.

rifleshooter2 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 13, 2005, 03:03:21 AM »

General Wayne had the Legion break them down and transported on horse back for travel. The wheels and tube went on one horse and the rest of the carrage on the second horse.

Andy

rifleshooter2 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 13, 2005, 03:37:36 AM »

I have a great article on the King Howitzer from the "Military Historian and Collector Magazine Spring 1961" If anybody would like me to e-mail them a copy just let me know It's a large file so unless you have a fast service it will take a while to download. It's 7 pages with pictures. If you need I can send it via snail mail send me a note at rifleshooter2@comcast.net and I'll send it right out either way

Andy
Legion Ville Historical Society

John N · « **Reply #9 on:** December 14, 2005, 02:16:24 AM »

Andy,

Thanks for that great article. As you said, these howitzers were transported on horse back which allowed them to engage the enemy in places heavy guns could not:

Â“The heavy horse-drawn guns could not always be transported to the positions where they were in demand, further, the heavier guns had greater range than was actually needed in close wilderness fighting.Â”

I also found this passage about Daniel King very interesting:

Â“Â…on the ratification of the Constitution, King entered a float in the parade held in Philadelphia on July 4, 1788, in celebration of the event. On his float was built a small furnace which was in full blast throughout the procession, during which time Mr. King finished a 3-inch howitzer. At the end of the parade he mounted this gun and fired it along with the other artillery pieces on Union Green.Â”

opatriot · « **Reply #10 on:** December 14, 2005, 02:55:10 AM »

WOW !! NOW THATS AN INSPIREING KIND OF GUY !!......HE "STAYED THE COURSE" ......I JUST LOVE AMERICAN HISTORY ....GOING TO HAVE TO READ UP ON THIS FELLOW......

Powder keg · « **Reply #11 on:** December 14, 2005, 12:52:43 PM »

Hello, I contacted Don fron Antique Ordinance Publishers. He thinks he might have some info on the king Howitzer and carriage. He didn't know how complete it was though. I'll keep everyone posted. Later,

rifleshooter2 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 15, 2005, 10:51:42 AM »

Hey Powder Keg

I tried to send the article to you but you mail box was full. The files are very large it takes several e-mails to send it. If you like I can copy it and send it via snail mail. Just drop me a privite message with your address.

Andy
Legion Ville Historical Society

Powder keg · « **Reply #13 on:** December 15, 2005, 05:30:48 PM »

Andy,
I received the pages you sent. Still need 4, 5, and 6. Great read so far :grin:

I talked to Don today He found some stuff on the barrel and the carriage. He said he was going to go through it to see how complete it is and get back with me on Monday. I can hardly wait :grin:

John N,
That is a beautiful barrel! Is it part of your collection? What is the bore? Have you shot it much? What's the deal with the snake on top? Does it have anything to do with the saying "don't tread on me"?

Thanks for all the help Guys! Wesley

GGaskill · « **Reply #14 on:** December 15, 2005, 09:14:55 PM »

I have loaded Andy's scans of the Military Collector & Historian article on the King Howitzer on my web server at King Howitzer article. I am missing the second page at the moment (this will be corrected) so to keep the navigation working, I have put page 1 on the second page too. The scans are quite large and will load slowly even on DSL. I intend to rekey the text as ordinary text so only the actual images will be images, but that is a project that will take a while.

guardsgunner · « **Reply #15 on:** December 16, 2005, 01:40:34 AM »

GG
Thanks for posting the article. I would like to have a copy for my files.

An interesting construction method is mentioned. With the failure of the trunnions it states that the guns were hooped and repaired with IRON trunnions. The shape of the barrel would allow for an easy heat shrink job of the hoop.
At 16 or 17 " even the 9x20 size lathes are large enough by that method.
Wheels in the photos must be near 42'

rifleshooter2 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 16, 2005, 02:59:19 AM »

Somewhere I have some more data on the carriage dimensions I'm looking for it right now but I'm positive the wheels are 31 inches. Thats what we have on our carriage.

guardsgunner · « **Reply #17 on:** December 16, 2005, 04:23:43 AM »

I looked at the cmh site and there is a follow up artical with more info.Differnt author.
Given the weight of the piece it must have small wheels to be that light.

GGaskill · « **Reply #18 on:** December 16, 2005, 07:57:32 PM »

I have added the correct second page to the King Howitzer article at Typed King Howitzer article. Further I have ordered a couple more articles about the King Howitzers from the same source and will try to post them once they have been received.

Yet further, I have converted the first two pages into mostly text and they load much faster. If you note any typos or other errors, please advise via PM so I can correct them.

John N · « **Reply #19 on:** December 17, 2005, 06:44:14 AM »

Quote

Powder Keg wrote:

John N,
That is a beautiful barrel! Is it part of your collection? What is the bore? Have you shot it much? What's the deal with the snake on top? Does it have anything to do with the saying "don't tread on me"?

Wesley,

I purchased that barrel from Cannons Online. ItÂ’s the first one they made with high relief and engraving. They used it for years at events and demonstrations. It even won first place at an art fair. The owner was retiring it and made me an offer I couldnÂ’t refuse.

He primarily fired plain tennis balls due to range limitations but for distance filled them with sand or concrete.

The barrel is 15 5/8th inches long and weighs 38 pounds. Bore diameter is 2.75Â” and depth is just over 8Â”. It has a 4Â” deep, 1.25Â” diameter powder chamber and an angled vent. All interior surfaces are rounded.

I havenÂ’t fired it yet. IÂ’m saving up for a carriage.

The snake on top comes from a political cartoon:

Powder keg · « **Reply #20 on:** December 17, 2005, 06:56:15 AM »

Very Cool! Thanks for the info. Later,

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #21 on:** December 17, 2005, 07:02:39 AM »

John -

Could you take a picture of the barrel from some distance away (using a telephoto lense)? That would give me a better perspective (flatter with less distortion) for tracing the jpg image in AutoCAD.

Thanks,
Tim K

Double D · « **Reply #22 on:** December 17, 2005, 07:23:42 AM »

Cannonsonline.com has two version of the Daniel King Howitzer.

They offer a Carriage and ,1st Model Daniel King Howitzer or 2nd Model Daniel King Howitzer barrel.

The pictures of the barrels and carriage should help the builders here. In fact this looks like a simple gun to make to full scale on most home shop lathes.

John N. What is the major or largest diameter of the gun. What is the diameter of the barrel at the muzzle and chamber?

Powder keg · « **Reply #23 on:** December 17, 2005, 08:42:16 AM »

I to thought it would be a good barrel to make full scale. What is the barrel diameter at the trunnions? Could be machined out of steel and the bore would be good for Beer cans. Have the barrel Brass plated and it would look like a original. I've also been thinking of casting some 1/2 scale models for some practice.

Later

Double D · « **Reply #24 on:** December 17, 2005, 09:24:16 AM »

Quote from: Powder keg

...Have the barrel Brass plated and it would look like a original...

Bronze plated.

Medbill · « **Reply #25 on:** December 17, 2005, 12:41:48 PM »

Wes,

You are hell bent on emptying my bank account ain't ya? I better move to Id soon to save on the shipping!

Keep up the good work!!

Billy

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #26 on:** December 17, 2005, 02:17:58 PM »

Here's a 3d of it.

But it's only from one of the pictures from one of the links I posted, therefore distorted a bit and without knowledge of dimensions.

A good straight-on pix (from 6 to 10 feet away or more) and a reference dimension and the drawing will get done!

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guardsgunner · « **Reply #27 on:** December 17, 2005, 02:43:36 PM »

CW,
In the to the link to the 2nd model posted by DD, there is a straight on veiw. Trunnions are a bit off but if you can rotate it after it is drawn..........

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #28 on:** December 17, 2005, 02:56:16 PM »

Quote from: guardsgunner

CW,
In the to the link to the 2nd model posted by DD, there is a straight on veiw. Trunnions are a bit off but if you can rotate it after it is drawn..........

No better. It's taken from too close. The pix needs to be from quite some distance away (using telephoto). Otherwise you'll see straight lines distorted to curves - which our eyes accomodate quite well, but converting to a line drawing doesnt' work.

Powder keg · « **Reply #29 on:** December 17, 2005, 06:25:06 PM »

That is looking quite good cat! That Boat Howitzer I built I had to guesstimate some of the dims because the picture was taken so close.

Later, Wes