Monday 13 February 2012

Naval Brigade Gatling Gun


Another abandoned project finally sees the light of day and jolly glad I am too.  I seem to talk myself out of attempting anything new, worried that I may not like the results.  In this case it was the lack of any real knowledge of Naval Brigade uniforms that initially derailed the project, but thanks to a bit of web based research these splendid 'Empress Miniatures' finally reached completion.    


 I have fond memories of the Gatling gun stealing many a scene in the old western movies of my youth, but it is not until relatively recently that I have given any real consideration to their destructive power on the battlefield, particularly when employed against an indigenous peoples armed with little more than spears.


The Gatling gun had multiple, rotating barrels turned by a hand crank, firing rounds without the need for links or a belt.   One of the key design features of the Gatling gun was its gravity feed reloading mechanism, which allowed a relatively unskilled operator to achieve the high rate of fire of two hundred rounds per minute. 


Two hundred rounds per minute is all well and good but sustaining this rate of fire in the heat of battle must have taken some considerable nerve; particularly when the drum needed changing or the blasted thing jammed!  Take a look at the video clip below to see just how difficult it must have been to maintain a serviceable unit in the field, especially with a Zulu Impi about to overrun your position!




19 comments:

  1. Thank you for the video clip. I have never seen one fired except in Hollywood films.

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  2. That is a lovely painted Naval Brigade crew there Michael and that is a great video too. Gosh I wouldn't like to rely on them to cover my position. Mind you Maxims where a different ball game.

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  3. Cracking job. OMG howe much smoke come off of it would these of been in a battery?

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    1. Unbelievable isn't it. You'd be hard pushed to see anything after a while!

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  4. That's a beauty, well painted and based!!!

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  5. You are knocking the workload out at the moment and all fantastic stuff.

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  6. Great job, Michael. I could h ave used one of these last Friday!

    The clip was interesting. It looks like a temperamental thing

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    1. I think that there might be one or two raised eyebrows if your Italian Voltiggiores wheeled out a Gatling gun mid turn. ;-)

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  7. Awesome work there Michael! Wonderful basing too.

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  8. Apologies but I got you mixed up with Rebel Barracks and forgot to put you on my new blogroll, a hundred apologies as I like it over here and the problem has been rectified, excellent work by the way.....

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    1. No need for apologies, glad to see you back; pull up a chair and I'll have my man toast you some crumpet! ;)

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    2. Don't skimp on the butter old boy...

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  9. Very interesting video. I think I never volonteer to be the gunner of that piece.

    Excellent painted figures and base!

    Greetings
    Peter
    http://peterscave.blogspot.com/

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  10. Michael you are really turning out some great pieces of work this is a real cracker.Well done!!!

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  11. Very nice set. Well done. Liked the video clip too.

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  12. Great looking figs and base as always!

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  13. Hmm...that video clearly explains all the rules that say you have to dice for a jam! How much ground could Zulus cover at full pelt while you were trying to change the drum!

    That's s lovely model and paint job. Nice to see that Empress included a sailor in a sennett hat. All the Perry figures have the normal hats, sadly.

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