So we all know that "gunpowder", what we call "black powder" was developed quite a long time ago in China, probably centuries before it appeared (or was imported) to Europe. The Chinese developed rockets, and used rocket motors containing black powder to launch spears at the enemy, as well as using fireworks in general to frighten opposing forces, their horses, etc. (Not to mention using firecrackers to frighten evil spirits on certain holidays.)
Now for our interests, this idea carried over into Europe, when at the beginning of the 19th century, The British Army had rockets employed against them at Mysore, India. A fellow named William Congreve thought they could be made more useful and more effective, and went about developing them.
So by The War of 1812..., Congreve Rockets were employed both by land and by Naval Forces of the British Empire, and in our National Anthem, the "Rocket's Red Glare" documents the account of Francis Scot Key's eye witnessing of the rocket attack on Ft. McHenry in Baltimore Harbor, by the British. (btw The rockets were also used during a raid on the town of Havre de Grace, Maryland, and set the town ablaze.)
The problem with the things is they didn't always fly so straight, or well, AND they could occasionally burst after being lit, while still in the launching stand.
In case folks wondered about the idea, and was it ever resurrected with modern improvements, it was, though perhaps too much improved.
The United States Army during the Cold War, developed the Davey Crocket Rocket. It was a "man portable" rocket, though was probably better when mounted on a jeep, or on a 2½ ton truck. Now the interesting thing about the Davey Crocket Rocket...it was Atomic That's Right! It had one of the smallest, operational (if not THE smallest) Atomic [fission] warhead in the United States inventory with a yield of from 10 to 20 tons of TNT. It was deployed in South Korea in case the cease fire failed, and was also deployed in Germany. 2100 of the things were built. It was withdrawn in 1971.
The problem with this thing, though, would not be just on the receiving end...., as the range vs. the effective radius you'd probably want to be on one side of a mountain range, and lob it over to the other side. It was deployed to the Fulda Gap region of Germany during The Cold War.
So this just shows you how far, given enough time, a black powder idea can go, and they even named it after a hero from the flintlock era of America!
LD
Now for our interests, this idea carried over into Europe, when at the beginning of the 19th century, The British Army had rockets employed against them at Mysore, India. A fellow named William Congreve thought they could be made more useful and more effective, and went about developing them.
So by The War of 1812..., Congreve Rockets were employed both by land and by Naval Forces of the British Empire, and in our National Anthem, the "Rocket's Red Glare" documents the account of Francis Scot Key's eye witnessing of the rocket attack on Ft. McHenry in Baltimore Harbor, by the British. (btw The rockets were also used during a raid on the town of Havre de Grace, Maryland, and set the town ablaze.)
The problem with the things is they didn't always fly so straight, or well, AND they could occasionally burst after being lit, while still in the launching stand.
In case folks wondered about the idea, and was it ever resurrected with modern improvements, it was, though perhaps too much improved.
The United States Army during the Cold War, developed the Davey Crocket Rocket. It was a "man portable" rocket, though was probably better when mounted on a jeep, or on a 2½ ton truck. Now the interesting thing about the Davey Crocket Rocket...it was Atomic That's Right! It had one of the smallest, operational (if not THE smallest) Atomic [fission] warhead in the United States inventory with a yield of from 10 to 20 tons of TNT.
It was deployed in South Korea in case the cease fire failed, and was also deployed in Germany. 2100 of the things were built. It was withdrawn in 1971.The problem with this thing, though, would not be just on the receiving end...., as the range vs. the effective radius you'd probably want to be on one side of a mountain range, and lob it over to the other side. It was deployed to the Fulda Gap region of Germany during The Cold War.
So this just shows you how far, given enough time, a black powder idea can go, and they even named it after a hero from the flintlock era of America!
LD
