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Don't You Wish You Had One Of These


Chris Timson

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No, it doesn't work (so much for being an authentic replica)

It needs fixing, but it will work. I saw the programme on telly when they tried it out.

 

Chris

 

might be handy if you want to start a battle over the fence with a neighbour. lol!

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It could be the answer to the problem described in this thread :unsure:

Now I finally understand what seige engines were all about. The attacking force lobbed a few concertinas into the castle :o , and, within days, the defending force surrendered, unable to put up with the sound! :angry:

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It could be the answer to the problem described in this thread :unsure:

Now I finally understand what seige engines were all about. The attacking force lobbed a few concertinas into the castle :o , and, within days, the defending force surrendered, unable to put up with the sound! :angry:

 

so maybe my scarlatti is a roman concertina? ;) :P

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"The catapult was recreated by a team of experts, following all known records, as accurately as possible – and then successfully fired."

 

A pedant writes: I do wish that descriptions of pre-gunpowder-period missile-launchers didn't always refer to the things being "fired". Just watch any film or TV programme that has archery in it - you can guarantee that the captain of archers will yell "Fire!!!" as soon as the enemy come into range...

 

"Shoot" or "Loose", if you please...

 

<_<

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No, it doesn't work (so much for being an authentic replica)

 

I once saw a replica that did work!

It was in a local museum in a part of Bonn, Germany, which had exhibits of local life and culture - starting, of course, with the Roman frontier outpost that later grew to a city.

Their ballista was a small, more or less portable one. A sort of field artillery piece, I suppose. It was emplaced at an open window overlooking the garden, and the museum guide loaded it with a light plastic ball, and allowed my young son to loose (not fire!) the shot. So it was apparently used frequently.

It really did look very Roman in its technology, and didn't have those post-Industrial-Revolition steel components that you can see in the Ebay photos. They did try it out with fist-sized stones when it was completed, and I think the guide said something about a range of 100 metres.

 

Just as interesting in this museum was the recreation of a German working-class living-kitchen of the early 20th century. Furniture, cooking and washing utensils, dishes and cutlery - and, in a prominent position on a chair in the corner, a Konzertina! Probably a Carlsfelder. Not a replica - a real one! The guide let me try it out, and it still sounded OK.

Apparently there was a time when there were more Konzertina societies than football clubs in Germany, and the Konzertina was at the centre of working-class cultural life. Happy days!

 

Nice little museum, if you're ever in Bonn: "Heimatmuseum Bonn-Beuel", across the Rhine from the main city.

 

Cheers,

John

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On ebay here.

 

Chris

Hmm - there have been times in my life where I wished I'd had one :lol:

/Henrik

 

 

Looks a bit ropey to me! Loved the Q&A section at the bottom of the listing. A rather expensive way of getting rid of mother-in-law, though. :ph34r:

 

Chris

PS Just think how many nice Jeffries anglos you could buy for that sort of money.

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I think the main desirable Characteristic of these siege engines is the relative ease in which they can fit though your front door.

 

Knock knock....

Who's there ..... ?

 

Maybe if the siege engine had been branded "Jeffries", it could have been taken in as a latter day "Trojan Horse". :unsure:

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