Max,
I really liked your mortar, especially the bed. I really like the idea of removing part of the bed and and being able to lower the barrel. I looked around and found the 5 1/2" "Royal" mortar very difficult to find pictures of. The following is what I did find:
I don't believe this is the correct barrel for this bed. I suspect it is the smaller 4 2/5 Coehorn. I'm not all that convinced it is an original bed considering there are no loops for transporting it.
However I do believe this is the correct barrel.
These were the only two picts I could find.
If you go to this site:
http://civilwarfortifications.com/index.htmlClick on the "Fortification Library", click on the first document:
Aide-Memoire to the Military Sciences. Framed From Contributions Of Officers Of The Different Services, And Edited By A Committee Of The Corps Of Royal Engineers In Dublin, 1845. Part A. B. C. Sketch Of The Art And Science Of War. Abattis - Contours. With Eighty-Nine Plates And Numerous Woodcuts. Volume I, Part I. London: John Weale, 1845. iv, 230 (1 - 230), Publisher's Catalogue. Plates and Illustrations in Text.
And look at the entry under "Artillery" there are two plates, the second illustrates what I believe is a 5 1/2" Royal mortar barrel. There are also some tables in the text with measurements.
Should you, or anyone else for that matter, come up with a better picture or better dimensions I would REALLY be interested in seeing them.
Thank you,
MikeR C