Matchstick Firing Cannon (and More)

                                                   🇦🇺  HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY (26th)  🇦🇺

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MATCHSTICK FIRING CANNON

Regular visitors will be aware I'm hoping to stage a gunboat wargame as part of my fictitious war between the United States and the British Empire in c.1900. This game will be using matchstick firing cannon to indicate hits, and dice to determine the damage that has been done.

During the last century W. Britains began to manufacture matchstick firing die-cast guns. Arguably, the most common still found today is the 25pdr Gun Howitzer, which started production in the 1950s. I believe the code WB2026 was the original model, possibly painted in khaki green, later models were coded No.9705, with dark green paintwork. 

Not only are these 25pdr Gun Howitzers often seen in auctions and second-hand shops, but their firing mechanisms usually still work perfectly. What a credential to the quality of W. Britains Toys!

With several of these guns in my collection, it was vital some kind of assessment was made as to their game potential. Firstly, I needed to confirm that both guns were equal in their firing. Secondly, should I construct special ammunition? Thirdly, what was their range?

Without going 'overboard' (sorry), I decided to hold some performance tests. Here are the main points.

1. Pleased to report that my two 25pdr guns are equal in their firing.

2. A target vessel was placed twelve foot away, showing its side. It measured ten inches in length, and six inches high. 

3. Three types of ammunition were tested. The first comprised straight and strong matchsticks. The second had the matchstick heads covered in a white paper label, for additional weight. The third were shorter, made of bamboo, given a point, and painted red. The gun was to be fired at ground level.

4. The matchsticks averaged one hit out of every six. The other five fell short or drifted to the left. I noticed no major distinction in the labelled matchsticks, although slightly easier to find.

5. The pointed bamboo ammunition scored two hits out of every six. And those that missed travelled another three foot. (And you could barely see them fly!) I should also mention, this ammunition has the ability to permanently blind your opponent, I guess it all depends on how important it is that you win.

Conclusion. Well, I'm not quite sure there is one. The bamboo does offer slightly more skill in the firing. While the irregularity of the matchstick could prove both amusing and irritating. I welcome opinions. 

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RESTORING DRAUGHT HORSES 

While pleased to have abstained from auctions for four months, my collection still included a fair number of horse drawn vehicles that lacked horses to pull them. Something had to be done. 

When I spotted these, TO BUY NOW or OFFER, I took up the challenge. We agreed on £20 for the nine horses, which included delivery. OK, it's not quite a bargain, many also required paint stripping, and some needed repair work.....but their arrival has reduced a problem. 

Two of those below are smaller, but fine for my Ruritanian 50mm collection.

Repairing with metal rods and milliput.

The horses are W. Britains, Simon & Rovollet, and a couple of home cast or Benbros? There is also one horse with the words F.M.Co. ENGLAND, which is totally new to me. Joining these with others in my collection, I'm going to stick to my policy of basing a pair of horses with a metal wire loop between them. I can then link a team to any vehicle with a central shaft. Seven of the nine were paint stripped, two were good enough to just add some painted detail.

Here are the horses (Jan.22) repaired, painted and varnished. 

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OLD CARDBOARD GUNBOAT

I couldn't resist uploading a photo of this apparently American-made antique toy. It really is quite amazing how it has lasted! Now I must admit, I'm slightly tempted to reproduce it for the wargames table, using authentic materials (lol). But I don't see it being quite suitable for use in my damp English garden. 

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VISITING THE COLLECTABLES SHOP..... again

'Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans' (Allen Saunders).

My plan was to visit the local collectables shop (Jan.23) to find a pair of cheap wheels suitable for a plasticard project. I ended up choosing £19 worth of goodies, which the shop owner generously reduced to £14. 

The racing car just took my fancy, it cried out for restoration. It is a Dinky 1950s Cooper Bristol 233. Difficult to scale, I would suggest 1/38, although it is officially 1/43. Fair examples, in their original British racing green, can be picked up for about £12. The previous owner had repainted this toy in Italian red, I'm trying not to swear. Dinky actually did make a red Maserati as part of their range. 

(The photo below is from the excellent Vectis.co.uk website, no copyright infringement intended, no profit, and for purposes of education. It shows the two racing cars.)

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WW2 GERMAN ARMY CART or LIMBER (JAN.24)

This was a fun project.  I wanted to use up the plasticard that was left over from the transport ship I recently made (see previous post). I was also keen to utilise a particular draught horse (one of those mentioned above). 

 

The German army used IF8 handcarts for supplying ammunition in the field, but these were also available with attachments for a single horse, and used as limbers for very light artillery. OK, the PAK38 had their own two horse limbers, but I will make do! I doubt this model cost £1 to make, and £2 for the horse.

MGB

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REPLYING TO FRIENDS COMMENTING BELOW

Thanks Donnie. I normally post every seven to ten days, so sometimes there is a few subjects I would like to record on the blog. It has been a fairly quiet week, partly because of the weather, so I decided to clear a few hobby projects. I just couldn't resist the racing car, and it is presently being paint stripped. To be honest, the German cart is rather large in scale, but it does look nice on the gaming table and I like the idea my PAK guns have some kind of limber.

Hello Roger. It really is a shame your postage costs are so ridiculous, I guess it is to discourage imports. The W. Britains 25pdr is so user friendly, and a wonderful model for wargaming WW2, or just shooting matchsticks. (Did you keep your father's gift?) I used the Airfix mountain troops in snow smocks, painting them as camouflage smocks. Have also camouflaged some Afrika Korps tunics too, which look fine for late war uniforms.

 

Roger, just tell your son his soldiers (and gun) have been conscripted, doesn't he know there is a war on?

Hello Brad. I am pleased with the limber horses, hope to base some more of them today. Thank you for the useful information on the Deetail Confederates. As it happens, in my spares box is, I think, the later advancing figure! I just need to repair the foot plugs. My plan is to recruit a combined battalion of Britains Deetail and Britains Swoppet figures. (Quite a few Southern NG units continued to wear grey uniforms and kepis after the ACW. ) I envy you having a genuine, firing Fischer!

Hello MJT. Had to smile with 'Cardclad'. Reminded me of the action at Jutland. The British won the battle but suffered heavier losses than the Germans. But the latter surveyed their ships and a secret report showed that one third or more of the British hits failed to detonate. Had they used the ammunition adopted shortly after Jutland, the Germans would have suffered heavier casualties than the British. This report, plus the RN could suffer heavier losses because of its sheer size, convinced the German Naval Command not to risk another major naval battle during WW1. That gunboat is so 'Christmas' in its appearance. And I love that you can see the naval crew firing the guns..... wonderful stuff. 

Hello Quinn. Best wishes to you and yours on your National Day of founding. As you probably know, most Brits are very pro our Australian cousins. You just brought back a memory of childhood I had totally forgotten..... my school chums and I, in about 1970, had toy revolvers that could be loaded with a handful of dried peas. You could buy bags of additional ammunition from the hardware shop for a few pence. Mine automatically reloaded when fired... about a dozen shots, if it did not jam. Thank you for that wonderful memory, lol.  

Quinn, have just found this photo of one, and I remembered it was called a Sekiden.