Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 1,464 Posted June 6 (edited) Since there has been some interest here regarding both the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of D-Day and Old Ironsides, I thought some might find this story an interesting intersection of the two; play the video to see her fire off her forward two guns. She can make smoke! https://www.wcvb.com/article/uss-constitution-to-set-sail-to-commemorate-75th-anniversary-of-d-day/27771595 For some additional salutes: And for a view below decks while firing: LL Edited June 6 by Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 3 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Charlie Harley, #14153 965 Posted June 6 Loved the car alarms being set off with the cannon shots! 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pat Riot, SASS #13748 9,955 Posted June 6 43 minutes ago, Charlie Harley, #14153 said: Loved the car alarms being set off with the cannon shots! I was going to comment on that as well. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 1,464 Posted June 6 37 minutes ago, Charlie Harley, #14153 said: Loved the car alarms being set off with the cannon shots! And that's with just alternating shots from 2 x 24-pounder bow cannon, converted to 40 mm to fire rather small blanks for salutes; imagine broadsides from 30 x 24-pounders and 20 x 32-pounders with full powder and shot loads. LL 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pat Riot, SASS #13748 9,955 Posted June 6 1 minute ago, Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 said: And that's with just alternating shots from 2 x 24-pounder bow cannon, converted to 40 mm to fire rather small blanks for salutes; imagine broadsides from 30 x 24-pounders and 20 x 32-pounders with full powder and shot loads. LL That is what I was hoping for but I do understand why they used the “pop” gun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pat Riot, SASS #13748 9,955 Posted June 6 Thank you Loophole. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flatwater Monte 62 Posted June 6 35 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said: That is what I was hoping for but I do understand why they used the “pop” gun. 37 minutes ago, Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 said: And that's with just alternating shots from 2 x 24-pounder bow cannon, converted to 40 mm to fire rather small blanks for salutes; imagine broadsides from 30 x 24-pounders and 20 x 32-pounders with full powder and shot loads. LL When I was active in CW reenacting, we would head out to Fort Kearny to help with the Memorial Day Services. One part of those services was a 21 gun salute from 3 12 pound mountain howitzers and then a final salute from the 24 pound gun. The howitzers each used four ounces of FF black powder wrapped in paper and foil (think small baked potato) and the big 24 pound gun used a full pound of FF, wrapped similarly but more like a small coffee can size. Holy cow were all those guns loud and smokey! I can only imagine how much more oomph they would have had to been compressed with a cannon ball or shot! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Charlie Harley, #14153 965 Posted June 6 1 hour ago, Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 said: And that's with just alternating shots from 2 x 24-pounder bow cannon, converted to 40 mm to fire rather small blanks for salutes; imagine broadsides from 30 x 24-pounders and 20 x 32-pounders with full powder and shot loads. LL I have a friend who does Civil War artillery reenacting. (Look up Burroughs Battery in Blain, TN.) I’ve been around when they live fired the 12lb field pieces. I can’t fathom a shipboard gun doing a live fire. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 1,464 Posted June 6 2 minutes ago, Charlie Harley, #14153 said: I have a friend who does Civil War artillery reenacting. (Look up Burroughs Battery in Blain, TN.) I’ve been around when they live fired the 12lb field pieces. I can’t fathom a shipboard gun doing a live fire. When you take the tour of Constitution, and stand bent over on the low-headroom gun deck it's hard to imagine how anyone survived amid the smoke and noise and deadly barrage. LL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 1,464 Posted June 6 Here's a video of the full gun drill. That shot they show being "loaded" is not actually loaded, and the external view showing a gun being fired is not a full bore gun; it's one of the forward converted cannon used for salutes (40 mm). 1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Church Key, SASS # 33713 125 Posted June 6 I was on a special tour of the USS Constellation in Baltimore with a history class from Sheppard U when they fired their signal gun. It used 1/4 lb of BP. They originally used 1/2 lb, but we're causing cracked windows plus just scaring tourists. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Original Lumpy Gritz 4,928 Posted June 6 Makes you wonder just how many pounds of BP it could carry into battle. OLG Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pat Riot, SASS #13748 9,955 Posted June 6 3 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said: Makes you wonder just how many pounds of BP it could carry into battle. OLG According to this 11,500 pounds. Holy Cow! https://www.usstopekaclg8.org/MilitaryHumor/History/_HistoryOpening.htm Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Original Lumpy Gritz 4,928 Posted June 6 As long as it didn't interfere with the 79,400 gals of Rum. Or the 2,300 gals of wine......... Well cared for crew, for sure. OLG Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
