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SgtMunro
Soldier of the King
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
September 23 2002
Status: offline
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 Posted - December 20 2003 : 10:23:13 AM
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Since there is already a thread covering the war rocket and its use during the 19th century, this thread is dedicated to other special weapons that were deployed only during this period. The Victorian Era was a time of experimentation in both technology and doctrine of warfare on both land and sea. There were many developments that would give an accurate prediction of things to come, like the man made hell of the World War I Battlefield or the demise of the battleship right after achieving its zenith in 1906 with the HMS Dreadnought...
Your Most Humble Servant,
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Serjeant-Major Duncan Munro
Capt. Thos. Graham's Coy.
42nd Royal Highland Regiment of Foote
(The Black Sheep of the Black Watch)
"Nemo Me Impune Lacessit"
-Or-
"Recruit locally, fight globally." |
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SgtMunro
Soldier of the King
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
September 23 2002
Status: offline
Donating Member |
Posted - December 20 2003 : 10:27:35 AM
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One weapon I would like to chat about in this thread is the Pneumatic Dynamite Gun. This was a weapon which was deployed, in limited numbers, with both the U.S. Army as a field gun and the U.S. Navy on board of the unique warship USS Vesuvius. Any thoughts on this?
Your Most Humble Servant,
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Serjeant-Major Duncan Munro
Capt. Thos. Graham's Coy.
42nd Royal Highland Regiment of Foote
(The Black Sheep of the Black Watch)
"Nemo Me Impune Lacessit"
-Or-
"Recruit locally, fight globally." |
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SgtMunro
Soldier of the King
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
September 23 2002
Status: offline
Donating Member |
Posted - January 14 2004 : 01:30:16 AM
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The below article is taken from 'The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine' volume #36 (1889)
We mean the dynamite gun. As is well known, many attempts in years past have been made to throw shells charged with dynamite from guns fired with gunpowder; but, due to ''the terrific shock of discharge, the shells generally burst in the guns, and were more dangerous to those firing than to those fired at. Mr. Mefford of Ohio, in I883, devised his first pneumatic gun, in which he used compressed air as the propelling power. The use of compressed air is of great advantage, the pressure being low, and diminishing so slowly as to be, for practical purposes, constant; and by automatic arrangements it can be cut off as the projectile leaves the bore, so that there is no waste. Again, the pressure is kept entirely under control by means of valves, and a constant muzzle velocity is obtained. Also, instead of heating the gun, the use of compressed air actually cools it. The gun first made was 2 inches in diameter; this was followed by one 4 inches in diameter, and then by the one represented in the illustration-8 inches in diameter. The experiments have been conducted under the supervision of Captain C. L. Zalinski, 5th United States Artillery, and they attained a degree of perfection that astonished the world. The gun may be briefly clescribed as follows: The barrel consists of four lengths of wrought-iron tubing 5/8 of an inch thick and lined with 1/8-inch seamless brass tubing. This barrel is supported on an iron truss, which in turn rests on a carriage which is supported by two hollow cast-iron pillars. The pillars rest on a platform, which is pivoted at the front in a manner similar to that of heavy guns. To the rear of the gun, protected by a wall, are placed a boiler-engine and air pumps for keeping the reservoirs full. The traversing and leveling are controlled by pneumatic cylinders worked by means of valve-levers. The air reservoir consists of eight wrought-iron tubes 12 1/2 inches diameter, and with a total capacity of 137 cubic feet. They are arranged in two tiers on each side of the platform. On the gun are two sights resting in V's on the left trunnion, and on the same side is the firing-lever, so that the same person can aim and fire the gun. A pressure-gauge, showing the air pressure at any time, is also in such a position that the person firing can see it, and thus, by changing the air pressure, can correct any shot desired. The projectile has a brassbody 3 feet 4 inches long, and a conical point of wrought iron 12 inches long, and a tail made of pine wood. This is inserted in the breech, which is opened and closed by a flat disk opening inwards, and sealed by a felt wad.
The gun, on account of the uniformity of pressure of air on the projectile, can be fired with great accuracy up to two thousand yards, and, as has been demonstrated time and time again, with perfect safety. The shells are charged with from fifty to sixty pounds of gelatine or gelatinous dynamite, and in experiments made September 20, 1887, proved that within given ranges the shell was perfectly under control. So perfect are the automatic arrangements, that to fire anv number of shots within a given time the reservoir does not have to be entirely recharged. The instant the projectile leaves the tube the air is cut off, and the pressure on the gauge is hardly diminished. One of the most important features of the shell is the electric fuse-the invention of Captain Zalinski. In each shell there are two batteries-one a wet one, kept charged, and the other a dry one, which is put in action by moisture. These two are on one circuit, arranged in series, part of which is composed of fine platinum wire surrounded by gunpowder, and the end of which is in a capsule, while the other end is surrounded by fulminate of mercury, which, when detonated, explodes a small tube of dynamite, and this then explodes the main charge. The wet battery explodes the she |
Serjeant-Major Duncan Munro
Capt. Thos. Graham's Coy.
42nd Royal Highland Regiment of Foote
(The Black Sheep of the Black Watch)
"Nemo Me Impune Lacessit"
-Or-
"Recruit locally, fight globally." |
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Other Victorian Era "Wonder Weapons"
