One ugly mortar

[Max Caliber]

Here are pictures I took yesterday at Fort Barrancas, which is near the National Museum of Naval Aviation at Pensacola Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Fl. This is a 13 inch French mortar, barrel and base cast in one piece and probably dates from around 1800. The scale card is 6X6 inches.

Max

[Santa Dave]

was that for a "bomb ketch"? It seems awfully large for that. but the step on the base would go over the main support beam alright. Do you know? Do THEY know?
Santa Dave
And YES ,it is ugly! But anchored out in the harbor it would scare the heck out of the garrison!

[Artilleryman]

This appears to be an eprouvette which were used to test powder.  There are some eprouvettes at the Washington Navy Yard.  They have 5.65 inch bores and fired a 24 lb shot.  It was found that this wasn't a reliable way to test powderand their use was discontinued prior to the Civil War.   I am guessing that the one above having a 13 inch bore may have been a stone mortar.  Having crewed on a 13 inch seacoast mortar firing 200 lb shells  which caused the 17,000 lb mortar and bed to move on the platform, I can't see this one being used with regular shells.  It would be interesting to have more information about it.

[Cannonmaker]

I visited Fort Barrancas just under two years ago,  I could not figure out just what that was for.  Testing powder make sense.  It did not look as to take recoil too well.

 With all the brickwork into the fort, the ally ways and rifle slots,  would be a costly battle to breach the fort.  The guns overlooking the bay were interesting as most all guns are.

Not to get off topic,  The Naval Aviation Museum is well worth the time spent.

Rick

[Max Caliber]

I think this type mortar was designed to be used in a permanent emplacement to fire at a predetermined point, such as a harbor entrance. This design is not uncommon in Europe but apparently was never made in the U.S. This model must have been popular since this one is number 76.

Max