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As casting superseded the wrought iron built-up system of ordnance construction around 1520, Gunners demanded cast guns in similar calibres, including examples capable of handling the huge stone shot still in vogue for siege operations. As the technique of casting iron was still in its infancy in western countries, heavy pieces were cast in bronze or similar alloys, eg latten, a type of brass. Some very interesting pieces resulted.
While besieging Constantinople in 1451 the Turks actually cast a number of guns on the spot! They were about 17 feet (5.18 metres) long, of 25 inches (63.5 cm) calibre, and threw stone shot of about 676 lbs (306.6 kg). They remained serviceable for almost 400 years - to the chagrin of the Royal Navy, ships of which suffered significant damage as well as several casualties in 1807 while attempting to force the Dardanelles where some of the guns had been mounted. Another great piece, Mukh-el-Maidan (master of the Plain) cast at Ahmednuggar, India, in 1548 by a Turk, was of 28.5-inch (72.39-cm) calibre and fired a 1000-lb (455-kg) shot with an 80-lb (36-kg) charge of powder. Last fired during the 18th century, legend records that all pregnant women in the vicinity miscarried! The largest gun ever made (until 1944) was the Tsar Pushka, the Great Gun of Moscow, cast in 1586. Of 36-inch (91.4-cm) calibre, it would have fired a shot of around 2400 lbs (1091 kg), although there is no record of its ever having been fired.
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WL Ruffell Issue 85 March 1995 |
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