The case of the misleading source

The following text is an extract of a long and hepful e-mail from Rod MacArthur, of the Napoleon-Series Forum, about the British Rocket designs:

"... I can see that you have faithfully copied the illustrations in the Osprey "Artillery Equipments of the Napoleonic Wars" by Terence Wise. I believe however that these illustrations are not completely accurate when one compares them to the original description and pictures in Congreve's own book ... The Osprey does not make the construction of the rocket car clear, but the original description does. You have shown it as an open cart, whereas it was in fact a standard Desaguliers frame with two long boxes, one down each side (to carry rocket sticks) joined together by small additional boxes in the centre (where two gunners sat when mobile) to make an "H" shape. Each rocket car had two launcher troughs, one carried on top of each side box, which could be fired simultaneously as a volley. "

"...The launcher troughs have been portrayed in the Osprey as tubes, with a thickened middle, which is what you have modelled. I think this is however wrong. The description in Congreve's book is of open troughs (like a half pipe) and what Osprey have interpreted as a thickenened middle section on the original drawings is in fact the rocket head itself resting half way up the open trough, not sticking out of the end as in the Osprey illustration..."

A more accurate representation of the Congreve rockets I have found in Internet, seems to be the following picture (taken from a Total War mod). The shape of the carriage is clearly seen, although the way in which is used to aim the rocket is nor correct.

The funny thing here is that my first designs were based upon the Congreve original drawings, but after I discovered the Wise Osprey book and I changed my accurate design for the wrong one! ... so the moral of this history is:

Do not trust seconday sources however beautiful it looks

I'll try to make a correct design in time to re-fight Göhrde so, watch this thread!

British rockets (3)

I finished this little project related with the battle of Göhrde. See some pictures of the three Napoleon's Battles bases




For the full history, including the conversions, see the main web site.

British rockets (2)

The British Rocket Troops set was one of the first launched by HäT (8003). The set has four sprues with 5 enlisted men, one officier, one launcher, two spare rockets and one carriage each. The uniforms were identical to British Horse Artillery, so no problem here.
I have decided to build two Napoleon's Batles bases with, respectively, one normal HäT launcher and two men, and one rocket being fired from soil level with two men.
I have also built a composite base. One half (with identical dimensions than the first two bases) has a home-made heavy launcher (see the enclosed diagram) and two men. The other half is a detachable base, consisting of a carriage and a mounted Rocketer. The mounted man is a conversion made with the torso of one HäT rocketer and the legs of an old Esci 217 Scots Greys set, which also provided the horse.

I am very grateful to the members of the Napoleon-Series and ALKAID Forums (specially to Kevin and Ximo) by their helping pictures and suggestions.
Next time the pictures!
.

British Rocket

The solid-propellant rocket was invented by the Chinese in the early 13th century, and were still used at India, in the late XVIII century by the Indian princes. In 1792, the rockets were successfully used against the British forces in the Seringapatam. The first Bristish studies failed to produce a working weapon until the project was taken up by Colonel William Congreve (1772–1828), at the Royal Laboratory (Woolwich). By 1805 the British had introduced the first reasonably effective military rocket to European warfare.
The first British successful rockets were incendiary devices used against Boulogne (1806), Copennhagen (1807), Dantzig (1813) and in the War of 1812 in America. Those used by the field artillery came in 6, 9, 12 and 18 lbs, and were assigned to the Royal Horse Artillery, due to their deployment speed, in 1813. From the two troops serving initially, the 2nd troop of Rocket Artillery was sent to Germany and saw action at the Battle of Gordhe in 1813.
In that battle, the rockets contributed to the success of the small British contingent:
"... The square of French infantry on the left,…..were still firm; but there happened to be two or three of the Rocket Brigade in the field, and the first rocket fired, fell directly in the square, putting them in the greatest confusion; and while they were so, the German Hussars, who had been previously repulsed, charged them again, and influenced by feelings of revenge, cut among them, right and left, giving no quarter ...”

To know more
History of the Rocket 1804-1815
Congreve Rockets
Rocket
British Royal Horse Artillery
Napoleon-Series
Artillery Equipments of the Napoleonic Wars

French Pontoon

I have finished one of my delayed painting jobs: The Hät French pontoon (Ref. 8108). This box has not been commercialized, so I have painted a proof sprue that Harris, the owner of Hät (with the kind permission of Ms. Jones, naturally) sent to me some weeks ago. The sprue came to me along a light-ambulance sprue, so I don't know the sort of horse team that Hät will include in the final releasing.
During 1813, the crossing of rivers was a very important affaire, and the adequate deployment of these cumbersome items was of paramount importance.

Michael Crichton is dead

Michael Crichton has died at age 66 after "a private battle with cancer". After training as a doctor at Harvard and working as a fellow at the Jonas Salk Institute, Crichton became a bestselling author, then a successful screenwriter, award-winning movie director and TV producer.
Altough he is more known by the Jurassic Park saga, I'll remember here one of his first books, The Andromeda strain, which led me to the Science Fiction (along with Clarke's 2001 A Space Odissey). See the trailer of the cinematographic version filmed in 1971.



Its a sad year for all Fantasy and Science Fiction fans: A.C. Clarke, Gary Gygax, and now M. Crichton ...

Another look to Armand's job

I am presently in bed with a sligh influenzae, spending my time in internet and waiting for the virus to dissapear. Until then, please look at these new pictures from my friend Armand d'Arc. They show the Brunswick troops, ready to fight in the next battle of his fictional campaign. Note their characteristic shako plumes, all (until a total of 324!) were modelled by Armand.
The Brunswickers were not present at the battle of Göhrde (they were at Spain fighting in the Allied ranks against the Frech), but I'll hire their services to fight 'in lieu' of the Lutzow's Freicorps. After all, both corps were dressed in black!