El gran canó de Rinella / Rinella's huge gun
IN ENGLISH BELOW THE LINE
Entre les moltes fortificacions que cobreixen l'illa de Malta i el seu gran port en particular, destaca una de relativament petita però amb una singularitat: el canó d'avancarrega més gran del món. En efecte, tot el Fort Rinella fou construit entorn aquesta peça d'artilleria massiva.
El canó en questió és un Armstrong 100-ton Gun, un dels dos que queden al món (l'altre és a Gibraltar), la historia dels quals és peculiar. Aquesta bestia pesava 103 tones i tenia un calibre de 450mm. Es carregava per davant i emprava encara polvora negra; disparava un projectil de 910 quilos a 6 quilometres.
D'aquest tipus de canó s'en fabricaren només 15, el 1877. De fet, la comanda inicial de 8 fou per a la marina italiana, que els montà als cuirassats Duilio i Dandolo. Però aleshores el govern britanic va temer que es fessin servir per envair, precisament, Malta. Aleshores es decidí enviar-ne dos a Malta i dos més a Gibraltar, per a montar en bateries de costa. A Malta es construiren precisament Fort Rinella a l'est i Fort Cambridge a l'oest de La Valetta.
Els forts serviren entre 1884 i 1906, en que quedaren obsolets. Mai foren usats en combat. Nomes dispararen en exercicis, però aleshores sembla que el retruny es podia sentir des de Sicilia i tot!
Un cop fora de servei, fou convertit en magatzem militar fins que als anys 90 del s. XX es restaurà i obrí com a museu. Fins hi tot s'hi pot disparar un fusell Martini-Henry de l'època (només en fogueig).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Rinella
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKmi0PN7LxM&t=253s
===============================
Among the many fortifications that cover the island of Malta and its large port in particular, one stands out, a relatively small but with a singularity: the largest muzzle-loading cannon in the world. In fact, the entire Fort Rinella was built around this massive artillery piece.
The cannon in question is an Armstrong 100-ton Gun, one of two remaining in the world (the other is in Gibraltar), whose history is peculiar. This beast weighed 103 tons and had a caliber of 450mm. It was front-loaded and also used black powder; it fired a 910-kilogram projectile at 6 kilometers.
Only 15 of this type of cannon were manufactured, in 1877 in Britain. In fact, the initial order for 8 was for the Italian navy, which mounted them on the battleships Duilio and Dandolo. But at the time the British government feared that they would be used to invade, precisely, Malta. It was then decided to send two to Malta and two more to Gibraltar, to be mounted in coastal batteries. In Malta, Fort Rinella was built to the east and Fort Cambridge to the west of Valletta.
The forts were in service between 1884 and 1906, when they became obsolete. They were never used in combat. They were only fired in exercises, but back then the sound could be heard all the way to Sicily!
Once out of service, it was converted into a military warehouse until the 1990s when it was restored and opened as a museum. You can even shoot a Martini-Henry rifle from the time (only blank fire).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Rinella
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKmi0PN7LxM&t=253s
How it worked:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyItmfUO3WA&t=581s
The gun firing a (huge) blank:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=twxlvkoR0nM
El gran canó de Rinella / Rinella's huge gun
IN ENGLISH BELOW THE LINE
Entre les moltes fortificacions que cobreixen l'illa de Malta i el seu gran port en particular, destaca una de relativament petita però amb una singularitat: el canó d'avancarrega més gran del món. En efecte, tot el Fort Rinella fou construit entorn aquesta peça d'artilleria massiva.
El canó en questió és un Armstrong 100-ton Gun, un dels dos que queden al món (l'altre és a Gibraltar), la historia dels quals és peculiar. Aquesta bestia pesava 103 tones i tenia un calibre de 450mm. Es carregava per davant i emprava encara polvora negra; disparava un projectil de 910 quilos a 6 quilometres.
D'aquest tipus de canó s'en fabricaren només 15, el 1877. De fet, la comanda inicial de 8 fou per a la marina italiana, que els montà als cuirassats Duilio i Dandolo. Però aleshores el govern britanic va temer que es fessin servir per envair, precisament, Malta. Aleshores es decidí enviar-ne dos a Malta i dos més a Gibraltar, per a montar en bateries de costa. A Malta es construiren precisament Fort Rinella a l'est i Fort Cambridge a l'oest de La Valetta.
Els forts serviren entre 1884 i 1906, en que quedaren obsolets. Mai foren usats en combat. Nomes dispararen en exercicis, però aleshores sembla que el retruny es podia sentir des de Sicilia i tot!
Un cop fora de servei, fou convertit en magatzem militar fins que als anys 90 del s. XX es restaurà i obrí com a museu. Fins hi tot s'hi pot disparar un fusell Martini-Henry de l'època (només en fogueig).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Rinella
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKmi0PN7LxM&t=253s
===============================
Among the many fortifications that cover the island of Malta and its large port in particular, one stands out, a relatively small but with a singularity: the largest muzzle-loading cannon in the world. In fact, the entire Fort Rinella was built around this massive artillery piece.
The cannon in question is an Armstrong 100-ton Gun, one of two remaining in the world (the other is in Gibraltar), whose history is peculiar. This beast weighed 103 tons and had a caliber of 450mm. It was front-loaded and also used black powder; it fired a 910-kilogram projectile at 6 kilometers.
Only 15 of this type of cannon were manufactured, in 1877 in Britain. In fact, the initial order for 8 was for the Italian navy, which mounted them on the battleships Duilio and Dandolo. But at the time the British government feared that they would be used to invade, precisely, Malta. It was then decided to send two to Malta and two more to Gibraltar, to be mounted in coastal batteries. In Malta, Fort Rinella was built to the east and Fort Cambridge to the west of Valletta.
The forts were in service between 1884 and 1906, when they became obsolete. They were never used in combat. They were only fired in exercises, but back then the sound could be heard all the way to Sicily!
Once out of service, it was converted into a military warehouse until the 1990s when it was restored and opened as a museum. You can even shoot a Martini-Henry rifle from the time (only blank fire).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Rinella
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKmi0PN7LxM&t=253s
How it worked:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyItmfUO3WA&t=581s
The gun firing a (huge) blank:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=twxlvkoR0nM