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Rail Gun by John Batchelor/ Ian Hogg w dust jacket
Rail Gun by John Batchelor/ Ian Hogg
Hard Cover dust jacket (has damage)
61 Pages
Copyright 1973
CONTENTS
Page 1 The beginning
Page 6 American Railway Guns
Page 14 French Railway Guns
Page 26 British Railway Guns
Page 44 German Railway Guns
This initial appearance of the railway gun is of particular interest, since it introduces not only the weapon but two features which became more important in later years and which are usually attributed to European inventors-firstly, the 'dual recoil' system-albeit in a primitive form-and secondly, the use of curved track to aim the weapon. This latter feature is so firmly believed to be of French origin that the length of curved track is almost always referred to by the French term 'Epi'.
This Federal innovation was shortly copied by the Confederate Army, notably by General Brent who mounted a number of various pieces on flatcars, shielded by railroad ties and sheet iron, and employed them on numerous occasions.
With the Civil War over, the railway artillery idea lapsed for awhile. Although the Franco-German border area was reasonably well-served by railway lines, and both participants in the War of 1870 used railways for troop movement and supply, there is no record of any attempt to put guns on the track. The next appearance of the rail gun was in Egypt in 1882 when, after the landings of the British Navy at Alexandria, it seems that Captain Scott, that indefatigable extemporiser of artillery, armored, wagons, and used the guns in a protective role to accompany troop trains.
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