BIG bombards and mortars in the UK

[Don Krag]

Whether or not you're into medieval artillery, you'll like this guy's pics:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=209172178

I sent him a message via myspace asking for the specs on the big ones, hopefully he'll end up here at the forums.

I showed my wife the big bombard going off.....she says "Don't even think about it, or at least not until you get me an embroidery machine first." She's at least quantified the bribery requirements now.

[m223]

Hi Don, all I could see was the little thumbnail picture, I don't have a my space account is there more to see if I did? The bombard looks pretty neat from what I could see of it. Embroidery machines can be little gold mines. Put your wife to work in the embroidery sweat shop, Take the profits of her labor and buy your bombard. :-)   Tracy    (Taking my advice could be hazardous to your health)

[Don Krag]

I'll yank some of the pics. They're pretty cool. About a 12" mortar a big pic of the bombard and a few other artillery pieces.


Edited:
Here ya go....





Here's one with some awesome Civil War artillery firing pics:
http://www.carpentersbattery.org/

[lance]

great pics Don, that's one big mortar................ also liked Carpenters Battery pics, i've seen them in action, their SCV camp is about an hour from me.

[Cat Whisperer]

WOW.

And I want one of those, and one of these, and one of those ....

[m223]

SWEET, Thanks for posting those incredible pics. I bet that big one rattles the windows. Tracy

[Don Krag]

I haven't got a reply back from the guy yet. From the pics, the bombard looks to be about 10-12" OD based on the guy leaning over lighting it. The mortar looks about 12-14" ID. Is it just me or does the bore look offset towards the bottom of the barrel? I'm really curious as to what the projectiles are and what kind of ballistics he gets out of them.

I'd absolutely love to show up at an AAA comp with something like that! ...that and custom embroidered flags, patches, shirts...from the family sweat shop.

[Max Caliber]

Don, The mortar bore does look like it is off center. Also, the picture of it being fired looks strange, like he used a small powder charge and a lot of wadding/filler of some type. The bombard picture is great but there appears to be an excess amount of smoke at the rear like something was leaking badly - I guess it could be from a vent that held a lot of powder though.

[Artilleryman]

The bombard may be a breechloading type, notice the planks at the rear that look like wedges.  If so the breechblock probably has a gas leak.  If it was from the vent all the smoke would be going straight up.  Notice the fellow standing in the smoke who fired the piece.  With that much leakage I am not sure that I would want to be the one firing it.

The mortar projectiles seem to be of different sizes.

[Don Krag]

I was thinking the same thing...he looked like he wasn't standing in the best spot for that type of bombard. Looking back a couple feet behind it, I wonder if that's not a breech section laying in the grass. According to his site, I think he said he has an 18" piece as well. The projectiles were probably set together for the pic. Hopefully I can get him to swing by the boards here!

[Cat Whisperer]

The second picture almost looks like there were more than one shootin' iron going off at the same time.