brunnels Posted April 5 #1 Posted April 5 I'm currently reading the book "Post Captain", by Patrick O'Brian. When describing the sloop Polychrest, they often describe that it was built around an experimental weapon that is from what I can gather some form of a rocket. I know rockets had been around for a few hundred years by this point, but I'm having trouble visualizing what this weapon would look like on a Sloop, and how the boat would need to be designed around it. Are there any real world examples of a weapon remotely similar used on a ship of the time that I could reference, or was this just a purely fictional weapon that O'Brian came up with? Canute and thibaultron 2 Quote Current Build HMS Sphinx, Vanguard Models 1:64 Scale Finished Builds: HMS Beagle
Gregory Posted April 5 #2 Posted April 5 Here is the WIKI take on it. Sloop Polychrest thibaultron, brunnels and Canute 3 Quote “Indecision may or may not be my problem.” ― Jimmy Buffett Current builds: Rattlesnake On Hold: HMS Resolution ( AKA Ferrett ) In the Gallery: Yacht Mary, Gretel, French Cannon
mtaylor Posted April 5 #3 Posted April 5 Hmm... secret weapon type rockets... a variation of the Congrieve? The timing would fit per Wikipedia. thibaultron, Canute and brunnels 3 Quote Mark "The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me Current Build: Past Builds: La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD Triton Cross-Section NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64 Non-Ship Model: On hold, maybe forever: CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)
brunnels Posted April 5 Author #4 Posted April 5 26 minutes ago, mtaylor said: Hmm... secret weapon type rockets... a variation of the Congrieve? The timing would fit per Wikipedia. Good suggestion, did a bit of googling on the Congreve rockets and it does show several pictures of their use on boats and ships on the Wikipedia page. Interesting how it looks like they were basically inserted into the hull of the ship like a bottle rocket. I think this really helps, I was just trying to visualize how a ship would be designed for a rocket. In my mind I was picturing a large emplacement in the deck sort of like a Bomb Vessel, but now I see some pictures I can better understand they probably used a simple rail system off the side of the ship. mtaylor, Canute, CiscoH and 2 others 5 Quote Current Build HMS Sphinx, Vanguard Models 1:64 Scale Finished Builds: HMS Beagle
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