Author Topic: Shooter2's European Invasion (Read 3207 times)

shooter2 · « **Reply #30 on:** October 13, 2011, 10:30:27 PM »

G'day all,
After considerable delay I am finally ready to continue the chronicles of my cannon tour of Europe. Sue is on the mend and no longer needs me in the role of Quasimodo carrying everything, she does occasionally give me water. Before I resume I want to address the matter of the Dragon Model in the Tower. As A.Roads has pointed out, correctly, I used the wrong terminology when describing the construction items used. I cannot account for it. Whereas I said 'genuine' I was thinking metal or cast parts. I can only plead tiredness and jet lag. However I do not wish to change my stated opinions of the staff and displays at the Tower. They were ignorant, rude and antagonistic to me and my partner during my time there. I have no wish to return. It was not just the cannon displays even the crown jewels were poorly displayed in my opinion.

I also feel that my photos have started to meander without direction or theme. Starting with the next entry I will try and be more disciplined. Owing to a number of requests I will resume with an overview of the mortars at Fort Nelson.
Shooter2

British Land Service 13 inch cast iron mortar, weight about 1.8 tons.

Bristish Sea Service 13 inch mortar, this weighs over 5 ton without the Oak carriage. The carriage was rebuilt in 1955 using the original ironwork.

8 inch Land Service, weight about half a ton.

Bronze 13 inch cast in 1726, bed is not original.

Cast Iron 8 inch Land Service. The bed is heavier than the mortar 11 cwt versus 8 cwt.

Cast Iron 13 Inch Sea Service, the mortar and original wrought iron bed are listed at over 10 tons combined.

KABAR2 · « **Reply #31 on:** October 14, 2011, 06:16:26 AM »

Is it just me or am I the only one seeing red "X" on many posts these days?

Zulu · « **Reply #32 on:** October 14, 2011, 06:51:03 AM »

Quote from: KABAR2 on October 14, 2011, 06:16:26 AM

Is it just me or am I the only one seeing red "X" on many posts these days?

,

KABAR
No red X's here.
Zulu

KABAR2 · « **Reply #33 on:** October 14, 2011, 07:35:53 AM »

It's at my end it seems the internet filter they are using no longer allows the photo's from photobucket to show up so I will be missing some nice artillery from this point on.......

Edit.... since I posted this message the photo's came through...... something is really funky here.....

A.Roads · « **Reply #34 on:** October 14, 2011, 01:39:06 PM »

Hi Shooter2 we must have almost crossed paths at the TOWER, perhaps missing by a few days - I was there with my family on 21st - so they had two nutty cannon enthusiasts from Australia dragging their semi-tolerant partners from piece to piece. In contrast to your experience though we found any staff we engaged with were polite & helpful. I didn't see the crown jewels as I was more interested in the militaria items but my wife liked their presentation.
I didn't get to Fort Nelson & Portsmouth this time round but I have been there a few times & its certainly my favourite area in the UK for plentiful forts, guns, ships & museums. I did get to Paris & their Musee De Armee - did you go there? Lots of guns, not much info, but a worthwile museum to visit.
Adrian

shooter2 · « **Reply #35 on:** October 14, 2011, 05:22:06 PM »

Adrian,
Missed by a week or so. I was there Sunday 11 Sept. The next day we went to Portsmouth and saw Woolwich on 14 Sept. The Musee d Armee is on the agenda and the photos will be forthcoming.
I liked Woolwich, compact but with good representation of a wide variety of weapons. It was just a pity I had to cut the visit short to look after the one armed partner whose patience had worn out.
Shooter2

shooter2 · « **Reply #36 on:** October 14, 2011, 05:26:47 PM »

I should also point out to anyone who wishes it, I usually took a series of walk around photos of each Mortar or Gun that I visited, when it was possible and I would be happy to PM anyone with what I have on a specific example if you request it. I have already met a couple of these requests and it is not a problem for me. The more we share info the better in my opinion.
Shooter2

Starr 2011 · « **Reply #37 on:** October 15, 2011, 01:06:13 PM »

Shooter2 has generously sent me some additional pictures of the 2¾ inch Blakely mountain gun at Fort Nelson in England. It is a beautiful little gun (I have to say that!).

You can see them here on the Captain Blakely website, along with photos of the same gun taken in 1865.

http://captainblakely.org/BlakelyGun477.aspx

I had to share. Thanks Shooter2

Starr

shooter2 · « **Reply #38 on:** October 18, 2011, 09:18:06 PM »

Continuing with Fort Nelson after a few issues with uploading photos thru my server.

Iron Garrison Carriage Blomefield Pattern

24pdr Carronade on Iron Carriage

Small Howitzer on cast carriage

shooter2 · « **Reply #39 on:** October 18, 2011, 10:01:09 PM »

Here are some overviews of Fort Nelson.

Looking over the parade ground where the majorityof outside displays are kept.

Items waiting for restoration with 2 Russian Licornes and a 25pdr. The Artillery Hall is in the background

The interior of the Artillery Hall

shooter2 · « **Reply #40 on:** October 22, 2011, 02:34:51 PM »

Moving On! After Postsmouth we travelled back to London and on the day we went to Woolwich Firepower Museum we stopped by the National Maritime Musuem at Greenwich. Not much there in the way of ordnance, actually none were on display there. I did find one interesting statue though that is cannon related.

This is a statue of Sir William Peel (Captain Royal Navy by age 25 and one the first winners of the Victoria Cross during the Crimea) he was the third son of Prime Minister Robert Peel the founder of the British Police Service. Note the mortar included as part of the support.

The weather vane at the Woolwich Firepower Museum

A ten barrelled German volley gun

shooter2 · « **Reply #41 on:** October 22, 2011, 02:47:28 PM »

The next few posts are interesting ordnance I saw at the Firepower Museum.

A seven barrelled French Gun captured by the Royal Artillery. Its twin is in the Musee De Armee in Paris (seen later).

A panel of scale models showing the relative sizes of British Ordnance from the 6.3 inch Howitzer to the 17.75 inch 100 Ton Gun. I have been inspired by this panel to commence my own series of models including carriages/platforms of British Victorian Ordnance in 1/16th scale. This project should keep my busy for the forseeable future.

Armstrong Rifled Breech Loader 12 pounder

Whitworth Rifle from 1862. Whitworths were never adopted officially by Royal Artillery but this one was used in action.

shooter2 · « **Reply #42 on:** October 22, 2011, 03:30:15 PM »

Some more Woolwich Displays.

One inch Calibre Gatling Gun

The Wolf, this gun was made in engineering workshops during the Seige of Mafeking during the Boer War. The wheels are from a Threshing Machine. It was used in action and was named after the nickname of Sir Baden-Powell who was the commander there.

2.5 inch Rifled Muzzle Loader mountain gun, one of Kiplings Screw Guns.

7 pounder RML mountain gun from 1870, 150 pound barrel version.

The Bunny Gun, one quarter scale guns in a battery of six, apparently used at the siege of Lucknow.

shooter2 · « **Reply #43 on:** October 22, 2011, 09:41:12 PM »

Lets now cross the English Channel and go to Paris. We shall concentrate on Napoleons Tomb and the Army Museum attached thereto.

The information sheets were necessarily in French and my abilities with languages other than English and Sh#t are limited. Luckily I befriended an Asian man who was showing interest in the same guns that I was and was fluent in French. Thru his good graces I learnt a lot more about the exhibits than I would have otherwise.

For example there was a story attached to the Battle of Waterloo that I had not heard before. It appears the French came closer to victory than anyone appreciated at the time. Following a major cavalry charge by Marshall Ney (described by Napoleon as the bravest of the brave) the english gunners retreated into the infantry squares to wait out the assault. They were unable to take the guns with them. Normal practice was for the Cavalry troops to spike the guns with copper nails. It seems the French troopers assigned the task of carrying the bags of nails had been killed during the assault and being French and Cavalry no one deigned to get off their horses and attempt to carry the guns back to the french lines. The French were unable to break the squares and had to retreat leaving the guns behind which were then used to great effect during the afternoon of the battle. Imagine the result if Wellington had been deprived of his Artillery arm during he attack of the Old Guard? So, for want of a bag of nails Napoleon was finally and absolutely defeated. A good story and as I said, one I had not heard before.

On to the displays. First up a Militirasse. Sorry about the spelling.

An unmounted mortar with unusual trunnion reinforcements.

One of the many tubes on displays in the central courtyard.

shooter2 · « **Reply #44 on:** October 22, 2011, 10:00:20 PM »

Continuing with the Musee'de Armee. I should also mention L'Invalides is still attached to the musuem and there are still injured and retired soldiers residing there. We were asked to maintain a certain decorum when walking past these areas.

A bilingual board describing the various eras and artillery systems of France.

A view of the Courtyard showing the collection of Gribeauval system tubes.

A multi barrelled bronze gun similar to but not exactly alike one in the Woolwich Museum.

A wheel lock Grenade Launcher

shooter2 · « **Reply #45 on:** October 22, 2011, 10:13:22 PM »

Bronze 9 pounder damaged during Waterloo

Closeup of muzzle

View of Mortars cast in piece with the base.

shooter2 · « **Reply #46 on:** October 23, 2011, 08:13:57 PM »

There were more than a few interesting Chinese and oriental guns at Fort Nelson and the Tower. Not so many at Firepower. I will post a few for you in the coming days.

shooter2

shooter2 · « **Reply #47 on:** October 23, 2011, 09:06:55 PM »

As per request, Chinese and Oriental guns I saw in Britain.

A Burmese piece at Fort Nelson

Both tubes Chinese, the closer is ornate and the farther one plain with multiple rings.

A view of the oriental weapons in the courtyard

This huge chinese gun was found at the Tower of London, it was captured during the Second China War about 1856. Bore approximately 10 inches.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #48 on:** October 24, 2011, 01:44:33 AM »

shooter2,
Thanks for starting this thread, and sharing your photos; this has been a treat.

Are you positive that the middle barrel (feline-head muzzle) seen in the second photo on reply no. 48 is Chinese, and not Indian?

Do you have more pics of the ¼ scale "Bunny Gun" shown on reply no. 42?

DaveSB · « **Reply #49 on:** October 24, 2011, 05:36:45 AM »

wow, these pics are amazing. Thanks for posting!

shooter2 · « **Reply #50 on:** October 24, 2011, 09:33:40 PM »

Got me again. I am leaning on the other chinese cannon to get the shot. The Tiger cannon is of course Indian/Sikh. There have been a couple of requests for more photos of the Bunny Gun and the 7 barrelled Gun, here goes.

Bunny Gun side view

Seven barrelled gun Front View

Seven barrelled gun Back View

Info card on seven Barrelled Gun

shooter2 · « **Reply #51 on:** October 24, 2011, 09:56:42 PM »

Just to finish off the Musee De Armee a couple of views of the Bronze Guns that formed the Triumphal Battery mounted out the front. These guns were tradionally fired after a French military victory. They have not been used since Napoleon's time I would venture.

Oh yeah, in the background is some old tower of metal construction.