Author Topic: Dahlgren Boat Howitzers at old Fairfax, VA Court House  (Read 590 times)

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Offline Cannoneer

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Re: Dahlgren Boat Howitzers at old Fairfax, VA Court House
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2009, 04:44:25 AM »
Fine pics, with some good details of the carriage.
RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.

Offline KABAR2

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Re: Dahlgren Boat Howitzers at old Fairfax, VA Court House
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2009, 11:06:54 AM »
Someone went to a lot of trouble to restore and paint these,  it's a pity after polishing off all the green

that they didn't at least clear coat them to cut down on them turning green again. And no I don't agree with polishing

but since it was done at least protect them!
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Offline FTB1-SS

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Re: Dahlgren Boat Howitzers at old Fairfax, VA Court House
« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2009, 01:45:33 PM »
Great set of pictures, This is a project I would like to try in the future. How does one raise and lower the rear wheel on this Carriage? Looks like the axel pin has to be removed. Also, does any one here know if plans from Antique Ordnance Publishers --No. 55 Civil War 12 Pdr DAHLGREN Light Boat Howitzer on a Landing Carriage are for this carriage?

Offline shooter2

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Re: Dahlgren Boat Howitzers at old Fairfax, VA Court House
« Reply #4 on: October 23, 2009, 01:50:31 PM »
This is very inspirational.  I was recently given a set of wheels for an old farm machine of some kind that are close to the Dahlgren wheels as shown here.  I think with a bit of welding, creativity with scrap steel and the correct application of paint to some blue plastic agricultural pipe I also have lying around I would have the makings of a rather original yard decoration to go with my field gun letter box.

Thanks for showing us, its always useful to see something up close.

regards
Shooter2

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Offline cannonmn

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Re: Dahlgren Boat Howitzers at old Fairfax, VA Court House
« Reply #5 on: October 23, 2009, 02:09:26 PM »
Quote
12 Pdr DAHLGREN Light Boat Howitzer on a Landing Carriage are for this carriage?

The two shown are both 12 Pdr. Dahlgren Heavy boat howitzers with 750 lb. tube.  The heavy and light are quite similar, difference is primarily size.  The trail wheel on the heavy model is a bronze casting with a steel tire around the outside.  The light model trail wheel is only a bronze casting with no steel tire.  I say steel, but it could be wrought iron also.  I haven't studied them enough to be sure there are no other differences, but I can't see anything obvious.

Offline Cannoneer

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Re: Dahlgren Boat Howitzers at old Fairfax, VA Court House
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2009, 06:42:07 PM »
Your pics cleared up one thing for me: I always thought that the piece behind the trail wheels was a solid handle, (these two carriages show some bad corrosion on that part, one's almost gone) but I can see that they were hollow; I would guess to accept a trail spike.
RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.