Guns of Fort Nelson, Royal Armouries

Описание: Royal Armouries

In 1979, after years of neglect and vandalism, it was sold to Hampshire County Council[5] for £50,000. The Council, with assistance of volunteers from the Palmerston Forts Society, restored it at a cost of £3–4 million, and it opened to the public in 1994, becoming part of the Royal Armouries in 1995. It houses their collection of artillery, including:

The 'Boxted Bombard', an English wrought iron cannon from around 1450, which was powerful enough to fire a 60 kg granite ball
The 'Dardanelles Gun', an Ottoman bronze cannon from 1464 which was powerful enough to fire stone balls with a diameter of 63 cm[6]
French field guns captured at the Battle of Waterloo
Fortress guns from India and China.
Parts of the famous Iraqi 'Project Babylon' Gulf War-era supergun.
One of the two Mallet's Mortars.[7]
Several SBBL 32 pounders
The fort covers around 19 acres (77,000 m2) and is open all year round, with no charges except for some special events. Live firing demonstrations are held every day, costumed guides, video presentations, and visitors are able to explore the tunnels that run below the fort connecting the magazines with gun emplacements. There are displays demonstrating the living and working conditions of the soldiers who defended the fort, and views over Portsmouth, the Solent, Hayling Island and Gosport, with the Isle of Wight beyond.

The Artillery Hall is dominated by the imposing 18-inch Howitzer – the Railway Gun, British 1918.

The barrel, weighing 85 tons, was designed to throw a shell of 1.12 tons, to a range of 13 miles. It is currently on loan to the Royal Armouries from the Royal Artillery Historical Trust.

The Artillery Hall also houses some of the finest early bronze guns to the heavy guns of the 18th and 19th Century.

Some of the main weapons of the First World War, Second World War and Cold War are also on show – including the 18-pounder Quick-Firing Field Gun which served the British Army in the First World War and the Gun/Howitzer N-45, which was designed by Gerald Bull for the Iraqi Army.

Sightseeing with Jas

Please like and subscribe, help out an old codger

Was Jason New Look