Author Topic: Replica, "City Class", Federal Gunboat, Cairo in Memphis, TN (Read 10163 times)

Cannoneer · « **Reply #90 on:** May 02, 2009, 03:14:35 AM »

Brokenpole,

It would be interesting to know where/how the museum acquired the Dahlgren boat howitzer that they have on display in the indoor section.

If you get a chance, would you check out what is written about the two sights (left side in the front, I think they're identified no.21) that are on display in the photos below. Are there any holes drilled in the larger heavy sight to attach it to a barrel - was the larger sight a front sight or was it placed on the middle of the barrel near the trunnions (and anything else the guide may know about these sights)?

Cannoneer · « **Reply #91 on:** May 02, 2009, 06:12:54 AM »

Brokenpole,

If you get back to the Cairo Museum would you also ask Sharon if she would be kind enough to try and get some pics of the tops of the barrels of the two 42-pounder bow guns (the port and broadside cannon).
I don't know how close you can get to those guns, I've never been to the museum, but if you could get some close-ups it would be appreciated. Thanks

brokenpole · « **Reply #92 on:** August 01, 2009, 11:31:35 AM »

Made it back over to the Cairo with the grandkids today. Sorry BoomJ, you can't get close enough to the guns to get picks of the tops of the barrels. I am going to take to the museum and see if they can either get us access or take some shots for us.

My granddaughter took a video and these were cap'd off there. This is a close as we could get to the aft guns but these are taken from the end with the hole in it.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #93 on:** August 03, 2009, 05:13:20 AM »

Brokenpole,

Thanks for trying.

cannonmn · « **Reply #94 on:** August 04, 2009, 11:17:11 PM »

Quote

was the larger sight a front sight or was it placed on the middle of the barrel near the trunnions (and anything else the guide may know about these sights)?

"nobody asked me" and I'm guessing here, but the larger of the two "sights" on the left, the shiny one with rounded top, looks like it might be a sight cover for the smaller one, or one like it. The CW naval guns often had dome-like lock protectors to keep rain and dirt off. Although I've never seen a real one, I'm guessing similar items to protect steel sights from exposure and corrosion may have been used. This would be particularly important in a salt-water environment, but could have been used in other places as well.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #95 on:** August 05, 2009, 04:56:56 AM »

Cannonmn,

I'm convinced that that is exactly what it is, a protective cover for a dispart sight, in fact I also think that it may be the cover for the sight that has been placed right in front of it in the display case. I have read about these (in more than a few sources now) brass/bronze covers for both the front sight, and larger ones that were used to protect the locks, and cover the vents of Federal naval guns of the era.
The funny thing is, I contacted the US Navy Museum in DC, and asked the curator about these protective covers, and was told that he wasn't familiar with them, but it was possible that the museum could have some of these items in storage (go figure). In any event, for what it's worth, I'm in agreement with your opinion.

You can see the lock cover on the Parrott in this period photo; I would love to find a CW pic that showed a gun with a covered front dispart sight.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #96 on:** September 21, 2009, 05:51:41 PM »

This pic of the CSS Teaser's aft gun was recently posted by Tracy & Mike, and this is the photo I was trying to find to show the protective bronze dispart sight cover being used on a cannon, but I couldn't recall where I'd first seen it.

PM Fourie · « **Reply #97 on:** September 21, 2009, 11:18:46 PM »

Hi every one
I would apreciate some feed back on the drawing attached of the 42 pdr that was on the Cairo. Please comment on the design (does it look like the 42 pdr's on the Cairo) overall proportion and the barrel design. I have done the drawings to scale of all the different parts and assemble them in these drawings to see what the assembled cannon would look like. Most of these drawings are done from pictures I found on the net. I would realy appreciate any comments as I would want to start building this baby soon and I want to reproduce as close as possible.

I can place all the drawings if some one ca to check the dimesions against actual sizes if at all possible.

Thanks Again
Pieter

Double D · « **Reply #98 on:** September 22, 2009, 03:04:01 AM »

Your drawing is similar to what I have. I have a set of drawings made by William Green in the early 1970's. Green made his drawings by taking his measurements directly from the recovered guns and carriages. The difference between your drawing and my drawings are subtle but they are different.

If you would like a complete copy of my drawings, drop me a PM and I will send them to you.

The drawing I have of the 42 PDR is the oen with the screw elevator and not a quion. We have verified witn NPS that at least three of the Cairo guns have screw elevators.

Double D · « **Reply #99 on:** March 08, 2011, 05:21:14 PM »

Bucket list check off today. I got to see the U.S.S. Cairo and the 42 PDR that I modeled. Pretty exciiting.

Notched muzzle swell front sight.

Different gun same notching. This appeared to be chiseled out.

RocklockI · « **Reply #100 on:** March 08, 2011, 07:33:59 PM »

DD are those pics of the 42lber ? Are you allowed to 'poke around and look all over the ship ?'

Did you see the stove that was recovered ?

Is it a 42lb with balls or with rifled projos ...... if that pic of rifling is not the 42lber ......Never Mind .

Gary

Double D · « **Reply #101 on:** March 09, 2011, 03:09:47 AM »

I confess Gary, my interest wasn't in the boat. I was only interested in the 42 PDR, so I had tunnel vision and didn't see much else. All the gun pictures above are of the port bow 42 PDR.

We slept in this morning until 7:30. We are going to spend another day here. We need to catch up on laundry and I want to to run back out to to the Cairo and I will look for the stove.

When recovered the port bow 42 PDR was loaded with "explosive shell loaded with shrapnel".

KABAR2 · « **Reply #102 on:** March 09, 2011, 06:51:19 AM »

DD,

So are you going to bore out and put a rifled liner in your cannon ?

Double D · « **Reply #103 on:** March 09, 2011, 09:49:39 AM »

Quote from: KABAR2 on March 09, 2011, 06:51:19 AM

DD,

So are you going to bore out and put a rifled liner in your cannon ?

The thought has crossed my mind...

Double D · « **Reply #104 on:** March 09, 2011, 10:37:55 AM »

Gary I went back thsi morning to take pictures of the Stove for you...it is not on display, sorry.

These pictures were taken in the museum.

Here are the sights for the 42 PDR.

Listed among the artifacts found on board the Cairo were these sighting tubes. I had to shoo through the plexiglas to get teh end details, my apologies for the poor quality.

Some lock recovered in the wreck.

A 42 PDR shell.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #105 on:** March 09, 2011, 11:25:31 AM »

DD,
Those are welcome close-up photos of the dispart sight, its protective cover, and the gun locks (I've got them saved for future reference already, Thanks).

Now, as for those wonderful sighting tubes; did you record anything that might have been on the ID cards describing them in any further detail?

Double D · « **Reply #106 on:** March 09, 2011, 03:55:20 PM »

Quote from: CannoneerX on March 09, 2011, 11:25:31 AM

DD,
Those are welcome close-up photos of the dispart sight, its protective cover, and the gun locks (I've got them saved for future reference already, Thanks).

Now, as for those wonderful sighting tubes; did you record anything that might have been on the ID cards describing them in any further detail?

Not much detail on the ID card, But Elizabeth Hoxie Joyner's book The U.S. S. Cairo identifies them as them as Direct Sighting bar.

Catalog number VICKC-1468
"A long hollow brass tube mounted on a long 4 sided wooden base. A brass tab at each end of tube has a screw through it to attachj tube to base. Also a brass strap is mounted over tube at center and screws down on each side. Tube has no markings on it. Wood is black, very hard. Tube is mounted on top. Top is narrow and flat. Side slanted. Three horizontal slots near bottom of base. Wider end has '32/226" cut into the wood. Opposite end has a pin sticking out. Bottom is slightly concave. Metal pin near one end. Measuring: Length of base: 26 3/4" (679mm): width of base; 1 5/8" (41.3)mm)-1 15/16" (33.3); length of tube: 22 1/2" (572mm) not excluding tabs. In complete but fair condition."

Catalog number VICKC-1469
"A long hollow brass tube mounted on a long 4 sided wooden base. A brass tab at each end of tube has a screw through it to attachj tube to base. Also a brass strap is mounted over tube at center and screws down on each side. Tube has two faint rings in brass at one end. Wood is black, very hard. Tube is mounted on top. Top is narrow and flat. Side slanted. Three horizontal slots near bottom of base. Wider end has '32/230" cut into the wood. Opposite end has a pin sticking out. Bottom is slightly concave. Metal pin near one end. Measuring: Length of base: 26 13/16" (681mm): width of base; 1 1/2" (38.1)mm)-1 7/8" (47.6); length of tube: 22 1/2" (572mm) not including tabs. In complete but fair condition."

Coincidentally the tube markings have a similar format to the markings on these trunnion of the 32 PDRs on board. They are all marked 32/1845...draw you own conclusions.

Zulu · « **Reply #107 on:** March 09, 2011, 05:08:44 PM »

Quote from: CannoneerX on March 09, 2011, 11:25:31 AM

DD,
Those are welcome close-up photos of the dispart sight, its protective cover, and the gun locks (I've got them saved for future reference already, Thanks).

Now, as for those wonderful sighting tubes; did you record anything that might have been on the ID cards describing them in any further detail?

CannoneerX?

??
What happened to Boom J?

Zulu

Cannoneer · « **Reply #108 on:** March 09, 2011, 08:30:33 PM »

Quote from: Zulu on March 09, 2011, 05:08:44 PM

CannoneerX???
What happened to Boom J?
Zulu

.........fava beans and a nice chianti.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #109 on:** March 09, 2011, 09:54:56 PM »

Quote from: Double D on March 09, 2011, 03:55:20 PM

Not much detail on the ID card, But Elizabeth Hoxie Joyner's book The U.S. S. Cairo identifies them as them as Direct Sighting bar.

Catalog number VICKC-1468
"A long hollow brass tube mounted on a long 4 sided wooden base. A brass tab at each end of tube has a screw through it to attachj tube to base. Also a brass strap is mounted over tube at center and screws down on each side. Tube has no markings on it. Wood is black, very hard. Tube is mounted on top. Top is narrow and flat. Side slanted. Three horizontal slots near bottom of base. Wider end has '32/226" cut into the wood. Opposite end has a pin sticking out. Bottom is slightly concave. Metal pin near one end. Measuring: Length of base: 26 3/4" (679mm): width of base; 1 5/8" (41.3)mm)-1 15/16" (33.3); length of tube: 22 1/2" (572mm) not excluding tabs. In complete but fair condition."

Catalog number VICKC-1469
"A long hollow brass tube mounted on a long 4 sided wooden base. A brass tab at each end of tube has a screw through it to attachj tube to base. Also a brass strap is mounted over tube at center and screws down on each side. Tube has two faint rings in brass at one end. Wood is black, very hard. Tube is mounted on top. Top is narrow and flat. Side slanted. Three horizontal slots near bottom of base. Wider end has '32/230" cut into the wood. Opposite end has a pin sticking out. Bottom is slightly concave. Metal pin near one end. Measuring: Length of base: 26 13/16" (681mm): width of base; 1 1/2" (38.1)mm)-1 7/8" (47.6); length of tube: 22 1/2" (572mm) not including tabs. In complete but fair condition."

Coincidentally the tube markings have a similar format to the markings on these trunnion of the 32 PDRs on board. They are all marked 32/1845...draw you own conclusions.

Thank you! Those "direct sighting bars" are extremely interesting; conjecturing that the slots in the wood bases are for straps, and the pins are meant to locate the bars along the "line of metal."

Double D · « **Reply #110 on:** March 29, 2011, 06:30:37 PM »

Additional pictures courtesy of Elizabeth Joiner, Museum Curator, Vicksburg National Military Park.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #111 on:** April 01, 2011, 12:29:10 AM »

I thank you and Elizabeth for more pics of the sights.

Double D · « **Reply #112 on:** April 01, 2011, 02:48:20 AM »

What is remarkable is these item all lay buried in the Mississippi mud for almost 100 years.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #113 on:** April 01, 2011, 09:26:06 AM »

It's interesting how being buried in silt/mud helps to protect many artifacts, even those found in a marine environment. I haven't seen them in person, but just by judging their condition from photos the iron guns recovered from the Cairo appear to be incredibly well preserved.