Author Topic: Malamute's adventures on the Isle of Wight (Read 6432 times)

Malamute · « **on:** June 21, 2009, 05:15:43 PM »

Whilst on a recent motoring holiday around the Isle of Wight I stumbled upon the Old Battery at the Needles.
Originally built as a fort during the 1850's and manned with heavy guns its purpose was to defend the Solent and Portsmouth from invasion and seabourne attacks.
Mostly the fort is in ruins today, but still has several of the huge guns in situ and a tunnel leading to a searchlight that looks out over the Needles.
Below are a couple of photographs of the guns and some very nice pictures showing the fort in action during the Victorian era.

The Needles:

Map showing the Fort:

Guns

Fire!

Our correspondent bravely scans the horizon for signs of an imminent Prussin invasiaon.

An interesting scratch building project and a nice game objective. Now who can we convince to cast up some suitable artillerymen...calling John Lowen

JollyBob · « **Reply #1 on:** June 21, 2009, 05:30:48 PM »

Those dastardly Prussians can't escape the eagle eyes of Lance-Private Malamute!

What do you mean, they're already bombing London...?

I really like those illustrations - do you know who the artist is? I can't quite make out the signature, but they really remind me of someone's work and I can't think who it is. Possibly a comic book artist?

duhamel · « **Reply #2 on:** June 21, 2009, 07:09:06 PM »

It adorned me to be a good idea. You plan to make the fort with pieces of ordnance?
The only trick(thing) which hampers(bothers) me a little, it is the orientation of pieces of ordnance on the photo, because it seems to me that they are aimed(held up) at the English coast(rib) unless declaring the war to queen Victoria, the Prussian are of the other one quoted(esteemed)

Sterling Moose · « **Reply #3 on:** June 21, 2009, 07:18:00 PM »

Lovely! Must have been a slow rate of fire if each shell had to be filled in the laboratory immediately before use.

Thunderchicken · « **Reply #4 on:** June 21, 2009, 09:06:27 PM »

We're gonna need a bigger table.

As it's VSF maybe an AA platform would be in order to ward off the nefs, just to make the whole thing even bigger.

Oh and dont forget the rivets.

Gluteus Maximus · « **Reply #5 on:** June 21, 2009, 09:33:57 PM »

Great set of photos! Well, apart from the last one, which is rather unsettling for some reason

If I can find my pics of Rinella Battery in Malta, I'll try and get them scanned in and post them. Sadly they are from the olden days before digital camera jiggery-pokery was invented, so it will take some work

Hopefully they will be well received, because it is one impressive monster of a gun!

I'm sure Vanvlak will back me up on that

Geudens · « **Reply #6 on:** June 22, 2009, 02:36:06 AM »

Quote from: JollyBob on June 21, 2009, 05:30:48 PM

Those dastardly Prussians can't escape the eagle eyes of Lance-Private Malamute!

Nice pics, but isn't the one sporting this Malamute character actually taken from a Bond-movie?

Rudi

Svennn · « **Reply #7 on:** June 22, 2009, 09:20:43 AM »

Quote from: Malamute on June 21, 2009, 05:15:43 PM

I am so glad you like my little lair Mr. Bond. When I was shown around the place by Miles Residential I was taken not only by the plethora of period features but also the location, the location, the location!

Vanvlak · « **Reply #8 on:** June 22, 2009, 09:28:27 AM »

Quote from: Gluteus Maximus on June 21, 2009, 09:33:57 PM

Great set of photos! Well, apart from the last one, which is rather unsettling for some reason

If I can find my pics of Rinella Battery in Malta, I'll try and get them scanned in and post them. Sadly they are from the olden days before digital camera jiggery-pokery was invented, so it will take some work

Hopefully they will be well received, because it is one impressive monster of a gun!

I'm sure Vanvlak will back me up on that

There you go:

Thunderchicken · « **Reply #9 on:** June 22, 2009, 10:12:22 AM »

Quote from: Vanvlak on June 22, 2009, 09:28:27 AM

Quote from: Gluteus Maximus on June 21, 2009, 09:33:57 PM
Great set of photos! Well, apart from the last one, which is rather unsettling for some reason

If I can find my pics of Rinella Battery in Malta, I'll try and get them scanned in and post them. Sadly they are from the olden days before digital camera jiggery-pokery was invented, so it will take some work

Hopefully they will be well received, because it is one impressive monster of a gun!

I'm sure Vanvlak will back me up on that

There you go:

I'm sure I can see a midget flying out of that thing when it goes off.

That's a monster of a gun.

Vanvlak · « **Reply #10 on:** June 22, 2009, 10:39:06 AM »

And they still fire it on occasion to clear out the cobwebs....

More on the same:
http://www.wirtartna.org/od_menu/FortRinella/tabid/257/Default.aspx

Needles - I'd seen those from the air only - spectacular at low level. Is the fort in the Needles themselves or on Wight (sorry, I'm a bit slow today). It's the same period as our own Rinella.

Skrapwelder · « **Reply #11 on:** June 22, 2009, 12:41:38 PM »

I particularly like the last photo. He has that: "What do you mean its not a laser?" look on his face. Perhaps a caption contest is in order.

Gluteus Maximus · « **Reply #12 on:** June 22, 2009, 07:08:32 PM »

Thanks Vanvlak!

I never got to see it working when I visited. That clip is fantastic

Vanvlak · « **Reply #13 on:** June 22, 2009, 07:26:05 PM »

Quote from: Gluteus Maximus on June 22, 2009, 07:08:32 PM

Thanks Vanvlak!

I never got to see it working when I visited. That clip is fantastic

Seeing it is hardly likely - as far as I know they fired it twice; they have to limit the number of times they fire the monster as it really is an OLD beastie. Even I didn't see it, and I live here. But on tours they have a firing squad lined up, and they also fire a smaller cannon. Those tours are really well worth the money.
By the way, in the clip someone is saying - in Maltese - yes, we hit it!

Hauptgefreiter · « **Reply #14 on:** June 22, 2009, 07:45:32 PM »

Quote from: Thunderchicken on June 22, 2009, 10:12:22 AM

That's a monster of a gun.

I apologize, but I can't resist. Do you think it can beat this?

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Author Topic: Malamute's adventures on the Isle of Wight (Read 6432 times)

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