I visited the IWM in the UK last year and there was an exhibit proving
without doubt (the words on the info panel) that Saddam Hussein had weapons
of mass destruction.

Now being somewhat of a sceptic I was wondering what the gun/missile/nuclear
bomb makers on this forum would make of a smooth bore steel (highly
polished, maybe stainless) length of tube about 10' long with bolt up
flanges at each end. It had an internal diameter of about 5' (big cannon
ball!!) and a wall thickness of about 6".

I know its possible to align bolted together sections but within the
tolerances required for a smooth bore cannon??

Personally I'd seen something very similar in a refinery undergoing a refurb
a few years ago, so remain a sceptic.

"Roger" wrote in message
...
I visited the IWM in the UK last year and there was an exhibit proving
without doubt (the words on the info panel) that Saddam Hussein had weapons
of mass destruction.


He did try to build a super cannon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Bull

Best Regards
Tom.

On 13 Jan, 06:56, "Roger" wrote:
I visited the IWM in the UK last year and there was an exhibit proving
without doubt (the words on the info panel) that Saddam Hussein had weapons
of mass destruction.

No-one disagrees that he did - except that this was before the 1991
Gulf War, not after the main sanctions were put in place.

Now being somewhat of a sceptic I was wondering what the gun/missile/nuclear
bomb makers on this forum would make of a smooth bore steel (highly
polished, maybe stainless) length of tube about 10' long with bolt up
flanges at each end.

It was built in Sheffield and described for camouflage as being
"petrochemical equipment". There's a chunk at the Duxford museum (IWM
aircraft), not sure if you meant that one or if there's a piece at the
London IWM too?

I know its possible to align bolted together sections but within the
tolerances required for a smooth bore cannon??

Yes - if it's of the low pressure / multiple chambers design (Hitler's
V3) and fires a smoothbore projectile, such as a finned dart.

Personally I'd seen something very similar in a refinery undergoing a refurb
a few years ago, so remain a sceptic.

That was rather the point to its design looking as it did.


Interesting searches for the background to it would be "Gerald Bull",
Mossad, "Iraqi supergun", "Sheffield Forgemasters" and "Matrix
Churchill"

On Sat, 12 Jan 2008 23:28:07 -0800, "azotic" wrote:


"Roger" wrote in message
...
I visited the IWM in the UK last year and there was an exhibit proving
without doubt (the words on the info panel) that Saddam Hussein had weapons
of mass destruction.


He did try to build a super cannon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Bull

Best Regards
Tom.



He unfortunatley died of Mossa..er..lead poisoning.

Gunner

"Gunner" wrote in message
...
He unfortunatley died of Mossa..er..lead poisoning.


Not lead poisoning at all. He was his usual charming self when something
went snap...

On Sun, 13 Jan 2008 06:56:08 GMT, "Roger"
wrote:

I visited the IWM in the UK last year and there was an exhibit proving
without doubt (the words on the info panel) that Saddam Hussein had weapons
of mass destruction.

Now being somewhat of a sceptic I was wondering what the gun/missile/nuclear
bomb makers on this forum would make of a smooth bore steel (highly
polished, maybe stainless) length of tube about 10' long with bolt up
flanges at each end. It had an internal diameter of about 5' (big cannon
ball!!) and a wall thickness of about 6".

I know its possible to align bolted together sections but within the
tolerances required for a smooth bore cannon??

Personally I'd seen something very similar in a refinery undergoing a refurb
a few years ago, so remain a sceptic.

====================
And herein lies the problem. What exactly does WMD mean? This
is now used like the US "gun banners" use the term "assault
rifle." There is also the problem of hypocrisy in complaining
about Saddam's WMD after the US sold him the technology and many
of the parts.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...C1A9649582 60
http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/iraq/other/supergun.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Babylon


As far as the "super gun" goes, it appears that Israeli
intelligence was concerned enough to assassinate Gerald Bull who
heading up the project.
http://www.amazon.com/Bulls-Eye-Assa.../dp/0812920090

On Sun, 13 Jan 2008 06:36:34 -0800, "Roger Shoaf"
wrote:


"Gunner" wrote in message
.. .
He unfortunatley died of Mossa..er..lead poisoning.


Not lead poisoning at all. He was his usual charming self when something
went snap...

3 times as I recall

Gunner

"Roger Shoaf" wrote:


"Gunner" wrote in message
.. .
He unfortunatley died of Mossa..er..lead poisoning.


Not lead poisoning at all. He was his usual charming self when something
went snap...


Well the Mosad did try to warn him off a time or two.

Wes

F. George McDuffee wrote:

And herein lies the problem. What exactly does WMD mean? This
is now used like the US "gun banners" use the term "assault
rifle." There is also the problem of hypocrisy in complaining
about Saddam's WMD after the US sold him the technology and many
of the parts.


I tend to think the NEA is a weapon of mass destruction. As far as 'assault
rifles' I think NFA 27 ended that.

Wes

http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/babongun.htm

Andy Dingley wrote:
On 13 Jan, 06:56, "Roger" wrote:
I visited the IWM in the UK last year and there was an exhibit proving
without doubt (the words on the info panel) that Saddam Hussein had weapons
of mass destruction.

No-one disagrees that he did - except that this was before the 1991
Gulf War, not after the main sanctions were put in place.

Now being somewhat of a sceptic I was wondering what the gun/missile/nuclear
bomb makers on this forum would make of a smooth bore steel (highly
polished, maybe stainless) length of tube about 10' long with bolt up
flanges at each end.

It was built in Sheffield and described for camouflage as being
"petrochemical equipment". There's a chunk at the Duxford museum (IWM
aircraft), not sure if you meant that one or if there's a piece at the
London IWM too?

I know its possible to align bolted together sections but within the
tolerances required for a smooth bore cannon??

Yes - if it's of the low pressure / multiple chambers design (Hitler's
V3) and fires a smoothbore projectile, such as a finned dart.

Personally I'd seen something very similar in a refinery undergoing a refurb
a few years ago, so remain a sceptic.

That was rather the point to its design looking as it did.


Interesting searches for the background to it would be "Gerald Bull",
Mossad, "Iraqi supergun", "Sheffield Forgemasters" and "Matrix
Churchill"

Gunner wrote:


He unfortunatley died of Mossa..er..lead poisoning.

True in Brussels where Space research had their offices. I knew one
of his design engineers, who also worked on that project. Now based
in the States. The company I worked for at the time also had contract
engineers over there.

Wayne....

"Gunner" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 12 Jan 2008 23:28:07 -0800, "azotic" wrote:


"Roger" wrote in message
...
I visited the IWM in the UK last year and there was an exhibit proving
without doubt (the words on the info panel) that Saddam Hussein had
weapons
of mass destruction.


He did try to build a super cannon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Bull

Best Regards
Tom.



He unfortunatley died of Mossa..er..lead poisoning.

Gunner

In Belgium. So much for international law.

Don't you remember the German company shipping special large diameter
pipe sections - he was building a super gun under the design of an expert.

That was one of the target toys. It was aimed directly at Israel. It was
built in-place since it was so big. It was more pipeline looking but
was special in the fittings to be smooth. I want to say the expert was
an American there and got in a bit of a jam. The German company begged
off on the charges - don't know if they got busted or not.

It was on TV during the discovery of planes and stuff under sand...


Martin

Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/


Roger wrote:
I visited the IWM in the UK last year and there was an exhibit proving
without doubt (the words on the info panel) that Saddam Hussein had weapons
of mass destruction.

Now being somewhat of a sceptic I was wondering what the gun/missile/nuclear
bomb makers on this forum would make of a smooth bore steel (highly
polished, maybe stainless) length of tube about 10' long with bolt up
flanges at each end. It had an internal diameter of about 5' (big cannon
ball!!) and a wall thickness of about 6".

I know its possible to align bolted together sections but within the
tolerances required for a smooth bore cannon??

Personally I'd seen something very similar in a refinery undergoing a refurb
a few years ago, so remain a sceptic.

That says a lot.

Looks like what I recalled was either bad or cover story.
Steel from the UK. Thought it was German.

Martin
Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/


Louis Ohland wrote:
http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/babongun.htm

Andy Dingley wrote:
On 13 Jan, 06:56, "Roger" wrote:
I visited the IWM in the UK last year and there was an exhibit proving
without doubt (the words on the info panel) that Saddam Hussein had
weapons
of mass destruction.

No-one disagrees that he did - except that this was before the 1991
Gulf War, not after the main sanctions were put in place.

Now being somewhat of a sceptic I was wondering what the
gun/missile/nuclear
bomb makers on this forum would make of a smooth bore steel (highly
polished, maybe stainless) length of tube about 10' long with bolt up
flanges at each end.

It was built in Sheffield and described for camouflage as being
"petrochemical equipment". There's a chunk at the Duxford museum (IWM
aircraft), not sure if you meant that one or if there's a piece at the
London IWM too?

I know its possible to align bolted together sections but within the
tolerances required for a smooth bore cannon??

Yes - if it's of the low pressure / multiple chambers design (Hitler's
V3) and fires a smoothbore projectile, such as a finned dart.

Personally I'd seen something very similar in a refinery undergoing a
refurb
a few years ago, so remain a sceptic.

That was rather the point to its design looking as it did.


Interesting searches for the background to it would be "Gerald Bull",
Mossad, "Iraqi supergun", "Sheffield Forgemasters" and "Matrix
Churchill"

IIRC, they did sub-caliber experiments, firing 13 inch projectiles from
a 16" gun. 130 nautical mile range.

I believe Bull was also involved in HARP

http://www.astronautix.com/articles/abroject.htm

Martin H. Eastburn wrote:
That says a lot.
Looks like what I recalled was either bad or cover story.
Steel from the UK. Thought it was German.


Louis Ohland wrote:
http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/babongun.htm

Valier-Oberth Moon gun
In the 1920s members of the Verein fur Raumschiffahrt amused themselves
by redesigning Jules Verne?s Moon gun, the Columbiad. In 1926 rocket
pioneers Max Valier and Hermann Oberth designed a gun that would correct
Verne?s technical mistakes and be capable of firing a projectile to the
Moon. The projectile would be made be of tungsten steel, practically
solid, with a diameter of 1.2 m and a length of 7.2 m. Even using the
latest gun propellants, a barrel length of 900 m would be necessary. To
eliminate the compression of air in the barrel during acceleration, it
was proposed that the barrel itself be evacuated to a near-vacuum, with
a metal seal at the top of the barrel. Residual air would provide enough
pressure to blast this seal aside before the shell exited the gun. To
minimize drag losses in getting through the atmosphere, it was proposed
to put the mouth of the gun above most of Earth?s atmosphe it would
be drilled into a high mountain of at least 4,900 m altitude.

On 14 Jan, 03:37, Louis Ohland wrote:
IIRC, they did sub-caliber experiments, firing 13 inch projectiles from
a 16" gun. 130 nautical mile range.

Those were quite a different concept (search for "Project HARP").
Although it was a big gun aiming for sub-orbital capabilities, it was
fairly conventional in terms of design. The barrels were simply two
16" naval barrels, joined end to end. The propellant and chamber were
almost conventional, albeitt oversized. Funding was US/Canada military
joint. AFAIR, it was ostensibly run by a US university, but there were
some political complexities about them "borrowing" battleship armament
that took some legalistic paperwork.

Part of the concept was the use of a sabot. A large diameter
projectile was accelerate down the barrel, then a smaller diameter low-
drag projectile took flight. For this reason the barrels were vacuum
pumped before firing and sealed by a diaphram tompion across the
muzzzle.

Bull's intention was to reach orbit. Although they never really
approached this, they did apparently do useful and cost-effective
research in supersonic re-entry vehicle research, at less cost than
using rockets.

Roger wrote:
I visited the IWM in the UK last year and there was an exhibit proving
without doubt (the words on the info panel) that Saddam Hussein had weapons
of mass destruction.

Now being somewhat of a sceptic I was wondering what the gun/missile/nuclear
bomb makers on this forum would make of a smooth bore steel (highly
polished, maybe stainless) length of tube about 10' long with bolt up
flanges at each end. It had an internal diameter of about 5' (big cannon
ball!!) and a wall thickness of about 6".

For the record, I'm none of the above.

I know its possible to align bolted together sections but within the
tolerances required for a smooth bore cannon??

Ship prop shafts and couplings between steam
turbines and generators need bolted couplings,
most likely to similar levels of precision.