Author Topic: Artillery Games (Read 2550 times)

Double D · « **on:** January 11, 2006, 06:44:34 PM »

Every now and again on the History Channel they present Artillery Games

We have talked about this show several times in the past. I always seem to miss it when it's on. For Chrismas my lovelywife got me a DVD of the show.

IT"S AWESOME!

The best desription of it comes from the History Channel website:

Quote

At a remote military range in Northern Michigan, vintage artillery "gun-slingers" from across the U.S. gather for their annual showdown--a classic gunnery duel using authentic 18th-century weapons and technology. It's an awesome 21st-century display of vintage firepower. But the ultimate showdown is yet to come!

The vintage artillerymen will go "muzzle to muzzle" against a 21st-century artillery unit. The modern unit has the explosive firepower but the vintage team has the pinpoint accuracy needed to claim victory. Both sides have been practicing hard--firing high-explosive rounds at distant targets to prepare for our high-tech vs. low-tech showdown!

Captured on high-speed film, viewers watch cannonballs, bar-shot, chain-shot, grapeshot, and canister-shot rip through targets. Let the Artillery Games begin!

This is a must have DVD!!! No shortage smoke and fire and lots of cannon firing ideas.

I am going to add it to the resource list!

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #1 on:** January 12, 2006, 12:24:46 AM »

So, aside from the games others (above) play, what games do you like to play with artillary?

My favorite one is with two mortars - or a mortar and a cannon - at 100 yards.

One shoots directly (10 degree elevation) at the target and one shoots at the standard 45 degree elevation. Times of flight are much different, so ignition with fuses is a REAL game. The object is to fire the high-angle mortar, knowing the time of flight, wait 6 or 7 seconds and fire the low-angle mortar or cannon and have both rounds hit the target at the same time. (Really looked impressive at Ft Sill with 105mm howitzers!)

Double D · « **Reply #2 on:** January 12, 2006, 02:20:52 AM »

Lets see if I can remember:

Day one

Rifled guns at 1000 yards. Target is a 4' x 8'. Winner got all 15 rounds on target.

Smooth bore at 500 yards. Target 55 gal. drums stacked two and three wide.

Mortars. Shoot at the pole at 800 yards.

Day two

Top five rifled guns shoot 5 shots at a sheet of newpaper at 1000 yards. Winner got three rounds on target. But only won on the tie breaker.

Day three at a later date. Parrot Rifle Vs modern Canadian 105 MM field gun. Took the Canadians in demonstration with their laser aimed gun three shots hit a station wagon. Even then they didn't hit just go it with shrapnel.

Then the contest. 4'x 8' targets. The Parrot rifle won and the Canadian Army lost.

Least you think the I'm bashing the Canadians, they were handicapped by having to use a French artillery piece.

Other games were right out of R.Lee Ermy's Mail call. A company of watermelons taken on with cannister. A column of 55 gal drums engaged with a bolt from a Parrot rifle.

Lots of looks at loading techniques, implement use, projectile making.
Slow mo's of guns firing. Visits to Paulsen Bros shop.

This is a must have DVD/VHS

Artilleryman · « **Reply #3 on:** January 12, 2006, 04:56:21 AM »

It was even more fun doing it. There was a lot of shooting that we did that didn't make it into the final program.

Double D · « **Reply #4 on:** January 12, 2006, 06:43:39 AM »

Okay, Artilleryman with a comment like that, you must stand up and introduce yourself!! There are some illustrious indiviuals in the show...or is that notorius?

Welcome to our board! We welcome your knowledge and input.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #5 on:** January 12, 2006, 06:46:32 AM »

Quote from: Artilleryman

It was even more fun doing it. There was a lot of shooting that we did that didn't make it into the final program.

That's an 'artillery' comment if I've ever heard one - no brag, just fact.

Welcome to the board. We'd love to see some of your pictures!

Artilleryman · « **Reply #6 on:** January 12, 2006, 03:21:39 PM »

Thanks for the welcome. I would like to post some photos, but I don't think I can unless I have them on another website which I don't at this time.

I would like to mention that the Canadians were great hosts, and I learned a lot from them as they did from us. In all fairness to their shooting ability when they were shooting at the bullseye target it appeared that they were punching holes in it, and it wasn't until we went out to examine the targets that we found out that these were shrapnel holes. I don't think that they were used to firing at such a "close" range.

Double D · « **Reply #7 on:** January 12, 2006, 06:03:11 PM »

The John Wells Team and the Parrot rifle!!!!

Check your PM. You will find my email address, You can send me the pictures. I'll post them up on my photo hosting sight and send you the the URL to post.

How far was the car the Canadians blew up?

Artilleryman · « **Reply #8 on:** January 12, 2006, 06:16:28 PM »

The car was located on a rise about 1200 meters out.

I will send some photos tomorrow afternoon.

Powder keg · « **Reply #9 on:** January 12, 2006, 06:40:35 PM »

Welcome Artilleryman!!! Can't wait to see those pictures. Glad to have you aboard!

Later, Wes

Double D · « **Reply #10 on:** January 14, 2006, 05:15:28 AM »

Our esteemed Movie Star guest From Artillery Games is the Long Range Smooth Bore Champ. His handsome mug is seen in the show. (Okay so he is a ugly O.F. like the rest of us. But when your are sucking up to get a chance yank the lanyard, you say what needs said)

Artilleryman, tell us about the gun and tell us about making the show.

Cpt Ed · « **Reply #11 on:** January 14, 2006, 10:37:48 AM »

Artilleryman: Welcome to the board.

I see you are from SE Michigan, you must be a neighbor of Mr Artillery Matthew Switlik from Monroe?

At the NMLRA Cannon School, he was sharing with me the fun you all have at Camp Grayling and the involvement you had in the Artillery Games production. He has invited me to attend your next Long Range Camp Grayling shoot in July. I hope to make it and in a uniform I havent worn since the 1970s.

DD: You are mistaken, He is not an ugly OF but a GEEZER just like the rest of us.

Double D · « **Reply #12 on:** January 14, 2006, 11:04:02 AM »

I was just being polite. O.F. is the formal title for a GEEZER.

He has a neat picture of how some of the photos were taken for the show.

Artilleryman · « **Reply #13 on:** January 14, 2006, 11:23:42 AM »

Matt and I have been long time friends. I live about an hour and half drive north of him. I go to the Grayling Long Range Match every year. It is the only place that I can get to normally to shoot with full service charges. We have competed there with a 10 pdr Parrott, 12 pdr Iron Napoleon, 8 inch seige mortar, and 24 pdr coehorn.

Matt invited me to bring my Parrott to the Canadian shoot. We spent 2 1/2 days filming there. What you have to realize is that when you are dealing with a film crew you spend a lot of time setting up a shot and interviewing crew members.

The first thing that we did was to have the whole crew warned by the range officer that this was an artillery range that might have unexploded ordnance on it. We were shown examples of stuff that could be out there and then signed a statement that released them from liability. We were told not to pick up anything that we didn't drop on the ground. They also said that they regularly police the area and felt sure that there wouldn't be any problems. We we went down range we rode in their vehicles and we noticed that they were watching the path very carefully as they drove us out there.

Some of things that didn't make the program were shooting up cars with grape shot, bar shot, and solid shot. We put 10 pdr and 24 pdr rounds completely through a vehicle from end to end and the rounds kept on going. The bar shot was fired at the side of a van and caught it at the bottom. It wrapped around frame and floor and took it all the way to the other side of the van.

We fired into wooden walls made of 8 x 8 inch double layer beams with the 24 pounder. It went through both the first and second wall with solid shot. A round of bar shot embedded in the first wall and moved the whole structure.

A lot of the shots were filmed with high speed film. This helped us to determine what happened with one of the 24 pdr shots at the front end of a car. The action was to have both the 24 pdr and 10 pdr fire together at the car. We could all see exactly where the 10 pdr round went, but did not see any new holes made by the 24 pdr. We it was played back in slow motion it showed that the 10 pdr round arrived on target a split second before the 24 pdr and popped the hood open about 6 inches. The 24 pdr round went in through the opening and the hood closed. This had happened so fast that we didn't see it.

This is more typing than I am used to.

Grumpy_Old_Guy · « **Reply #14 on:** January 14, 2006, 01:09:47 PM »

Artilleryman, I'm not clear on the Canadian connection here. Was the shoot in Canada, or just had Canadians participating?

Artilleryman · « **Reply #15 on:** January 14, 2006, 02:23:29 PM »

The first part of the program was at Camp Grayling, Michigan were we hold an Annual Long Range Artillery Match. Gordon Laco, a Canadian, convinced the History Channel people to back a program on artillery competition as a way of showing the effectiveness of Civil War artillery. The second part of the program was to compare a 10 pdr Parrott to a modern 105 Howizter. This could not be accomplished at Grayling so he arrainged that part of the program to be held at the Shiloh Military Base (Canadian's Fort Sill) near Brandon, Manitoba.

Gordon Laco was the historical consultant for the movie Master & Commander, The Far Side of the World. He arrainged for Matt Switlik's 24 pdr howizter and my 12 pdr iron Napoleon to produce the sounds of artillery fire and projectiles in flight for that movie.

Double D · « **Reply #16 on:** January 14, 2006, 03:07:24 PM »

Wow, Norm you are a big time star!! Voice over for the the guns in Master and Commander. Next to Zulu, That movie is a favorite of mine. I have read all 20 of Aubrey Maturin Novels.

Ready!

Fire!!

Artilleryman · « **Reply #17 on:** January 14, 2006, 03:22:14 PM »

Where did you get the pics of our 12 pdr iron Napoleon and crew at Grayling?

Double D · « **Reply #18 on:** January 14, 2006, 04:15:35 PM »

Quote from: Artilleryman

Where did you get the pics of our 12 pdr iron Napoleon and crew at Grayling?

I am Moderator...I have mysterious skills and abilities!!!!! :grin: :grin:

Artilleryman · « **Reply #19 on:** January 14, 2006, 04:46:23 PM »

Notice the position of the gun to #4 before and after he pulls the lanyard. You can get some idea of the recoil of this gun.

Double D · « **Reply #20 on:** January 14, 2006, 05:03:22 PM »

Oops, I had them in the wrong order, fixed that.

That recoil is very impressive. In the slow motion shots the gun slides back a foot before the wheels start rolling. The guns at Ft. Shenandoah recoil some, but nothing compared to those guns shooting at Gamp Grayling.

That little gun Matt Switlik's daughter fire realy takes off!

Artilleryman · « **Reply #21 on:** January 15, 2006, 03:40:39 AM »

My first attempt to post a photo. If this works you are looking at a car being hit by a 24 pdr round during the filming for Artillery Games. This part of the filming didn't make the program. You can see the projectile in the air.

Powder keg · « **Reply #22 on:** January 15, 2006, 04:50:34 AM »

Great picrures! Don't stop? Keep'em coming. Thanks for sharing.

Later, Wes

Artilleryman · « **Reply #23 on:** January 15, 2006, 08:55:22 AM »

They lined up two sets of five 55 gallon plastic drums filled with water that had a red dye in it. On top of the drums they placed tennis balls. We shot them with solid shot from the Parrott. The rounds went through the drums and skipped once and cleared a ridge about 500 yards down range.

Powder keg · « **Reply #24 on:** January 15, 2006, 10:11:21 AM »

Very cool Norm!!!

Artilleryman · « **Reply #25 on:** January 15, 2006, 06:30:47 PM »

The effects of a 105mm round. It set fire to the rear tire. The vehicle had be drained of all of its fluids before being placed on the range.

Artilleryman · « **Reply #26 on:** January 15, 2006, 06:35:19 PM »

This photo shows the entry point of a 24pdr bar shot. This type of shot was normally used against the rigging of ships.

These two photos show how the bar shot wrapped around the metal as it traveled all the way to the other side of the van.

Artilleryman · « **Reply #27 on:** January 15, 2006, 06:43:09 PM »

We watched as our Parrott round blasted the water filled drums, turned to each other with exclamations. We turned back to see the water falling along with all of the tennis balls that had be placed on top of the water. I'am guessing but I think the balls may have gone 70 feet in the air if not further. This was one of the WOW LOOK AT THAT! moments.

Thanks goes to DD for making it possible for me to put these photos up.

Powder keg · « **Reply #28 on:** January 15, 2006, 06:46:58 PM »

That Bar shot sure did some damage!! Do you make them?

Artilleryman · « **Reply #29 on:** January 16, 2006, 02:35:07 AM »

Matt made his for the 24pdr and I made some for my 12pdr which we used for the sound recordings for the movie Master and Commander. We had some left over and Matt used some at this shoot to see what effect they would have on targets.