Think I found my next project!

[Don Krag]

While screwing around on-line avoiding doing my real job....I ran across this one on youtube:

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=A6FrlB8Q-xo

It's a really nice video of a medieval cannon being fired by a German group. I'm guessing it's a breechblock, but it's hard to see in the video. I really like the size of it, though. I think something like this in a 1.25-1.5" cal would be great.

Of course, this assumes I finish up the two "in works" projects I have going right now! I think my wife would kill me if I started another one!

It turns out there's a deep hole machinery shop the next little town over. Every time I drive by and see the products being loaded outside I drool! I figure I'll stop in one day and see if they ever have any "drops" they'd let go at a discount, or maybe something out of tolerance for somebody else, that would fit my needs!

[KABAR2]

Now you know your going to get Richard all excited with this don't you 

[thelionspaw]

You've got that right KABAR. I've seen that video before. I built mine about 25 years ago. I was the first kid on the block. Well not exactly a "kid". Most of you turkeys are young enough to be my kid.

Don: If you are interested, I have posted details that will help you build one like mine. It's quite a few pages back and I think I titled it, "15th c. breechblock cannon". Search that and let me know if you need any help.

Mine is 2.5 but I have the steel tube sitting here to make a removeable 1.75 insert out of it.

Come to think of it; it never got a RAMBO. Maybe I'll do that some day.

Richard

[thelionspaw]

Don: it's on page 11 and titled, "15th c. Wrought Iron Breechblock 2 pdr". Gofuhvit!

rc

[Don Krag]

Outstanding job on that one! I don't know how I missed that post the first time around.

I have a scaled down similar version in progress, but strictly muzzleloading, not breechloading. Everytime I see the guys doing the complete build on youtube I get inspired. I've been wanting something in the 48"-60" barrel but ~1.5" (falcon, falconette?). That one just kind of struck a chord with me. Eventually I'd like to do the Maximillian Alsace piece I posted way back (~60" x 1.8", muzzleloading).

[thelionspaw]

Don,
Where is your post for the "Alsace"? I'd like to see it.  We're sitting here under what's building up to about 9" of falling snow and I'd like to poke about.

Richard a.k.a. "Nanook of the North"

[Don Krag]

Here ya go:
http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,108471.msg1098318556.html#msg1098318556

I sent some inquiries to museums in Austria and Switzerland trying to find out who actually has this piece, but never had a reply.

[thelionspaw]

Sorry if this is garbled but I'm still learning computers. DD has been a great help.

The piece you have in mind, seems to me to be in the class of a TARASNICE or palisade gun even though this illustrates one on a trestle in the 15th c..  A "tarasnice on wheels" is in the Tocnik castle inventory. Some are cast in bronze and 133 cm long (over 4') and 45mm (1.5"). My guess would be that you are in the range of 1.5 to 1.75 caliber and 4&1/2 to 5 feet long barrel with 28" wheels.

Narrow single trails were hardly uncommon in the 15th c.. The thicker are for houFnice.

The hole on the trail may either be for an elevation post like the Mary Rose or to receive a limber pin (doubtful but possible?).

Sometimes we have to think out of the box. I was associated with a group that would not deviate from what they observed in a 16th c. painting for clothing; as if everyone always wore the the bedspreads and drapes and never went casual. Let's face it: people were painted in their finast and only the finast could afford to be painted in their finast. So! Now we come to cannons. (Boomer says, "It's about time").

Barrels wether bronze or iron were valuable and recycled into the fashion of the time. Your cannon as someone noted, may not be on an original carriage, to which I will add, may not have originally had trunions; may once have had a different stock. Because we have never seen exact examples, doesn't mean variations did not exist. You can't tell me with any authority, that the Duke of Paduca never had a barrel painted blue.

I am an advocate of recycling and independant thought.

Richard "The Beatnik"

[thelionspaw]

Narrow trails.

[thelionspaw]

The one above, somehow buried the text that reads, "narrow trails".

This illustrates a possibility for the hole in the trail.

 

[Don Krag]

Since the hole looked square to me, I was guessing it was used as an elevation post-hole, possibly doubling as a limber connection. The caption in the book commented that the carraige was most likely built at a later date, but had no other information. I was hoping to find the museum that had this one and get more information. Based on the dimensions that were given in the book, I was estimating 58" long and about 30" on the wheels. I don't have the book handy, but I seem to recall either 1.7" or 1.9" cal being listed. I was going to go for 1.72"...US standard golfball.

What book is the plate 15 pic from?

[thelionspaw]

So we are on the same page so-to-speak with our guesstimates.

The oversized book is  "Medieval Costume Armour And Weapons". Written in Czechoslovakia over 60 years ago but I have a first edition from London. It covers Bohemia from 1350-1450 and is heavily into the Hussite War period.

Illustrated: Eduard Wagner; Text: Zoroslava Drobna & Jan Durdik; Translation: Jean Layton.

I believe Dover Books has reprinted it in a smaller format.

rc