Congreve Rocket #78. rocketmantan.deviantart.com. Maquette en papier Paper model kit Kartonmodellbausatz

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1 Congreve Rocket #78 Maquette en papier Paper model kit Kartonmodellbausatz Despite the (relatively) recent public fear of rocket bombardment, rocket artillery has been around for centuries, gunpowder having been first discovered in China. It was Tipu Sultan of Mysore, however, who in the 18th century was able to successfully weaponize rockets. Inspired by these metal wonders, Sir William Congreve came up with his own device, which was aptly dubbed the "Congreve Rocket". The rockets were simple solid-fuel black powder devices with interchangeable warheads. They ranged in size from small 6-pounders to massive 100-pound devices. A guidepole strapped to the side of the motor provided some flight stability and, under ideal conditions, had a maximum range of two miles. Eventually, the side-mounted pole proved to be too inaccurate, and so a centered screw-in pole was devised. The rocket would be mounted onto a large A-frame (or a small mortarlauncher-like thing for smaller models) for launch. A flintlock mechanism attached to a lanyard provided ignition.

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages should correspond to those in the pdf. If they are not, you may be a victim of Software Piracy. THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER... 3 THE WAR OF America's First War... 4 Motor Parts... 5 Carcass/Warhead parts Erebus Launch Port... 18

3 THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER September 13, 1814, nineteen British vessels are lined up along the shore. One of them, the HMS Erebus, floats about among the fleet. Down below, under the muffled crack of mortars and cannon, crewmen bring up a strange device from the ship's stores. It's a long, cumbersome thing, a thin, whispy wooden rod with a pointed tube of metal strapped to the very end. Through careful maneuvering this device is set up along a slanted wooden ramp that reaches almost to the orlop deck. Poking its shiny black head out of a scuttle cut into the ship's side, the weapon lies in wait as a brass flintlock mechanism is affixed to the touchhole. The officer in charge of the battery waits as the weapon's brethren are readied as well. The order is given, and all at once, the three men manning the lanyards give the strings a firm yank. The hammers click loudly in succession, the flashpans giving a nice spark and puff of smoke. Then, suddenly, one of the rockets sputters to life, a jet of smoke and red flame shooting out its rear. The rocket shudders for a second, as if nervous about its coming performance, but quickly musters its courage and leaps proudly from the launch ramp and into the night sky. Inspired, the rocket's two bretheren follow suit in less than a second. Smoky, billowing tendrils of red flame shoot from the sides of the Erebus as the rockets hurtle towards the enemy, seeming as if Satan himself were reaching his claws out from the bay. Soon after, a series of three successive explosions rock the fort over by the shore, indistinguishable from the countless other blasts that the Navy has brought upon the battlements. This is the Battle of Baltimore, particularly, the bombardment of Fort McHenry. Five bomb vessels and the rocket ship HMS Erebus were the main bombardiers, flinging their explosive payloads out of range of the American cannons. These ships provided the "Rockets' Red Glare and the Bombs Bursting in air" over the Fort. Lawyer Francis Scott Key was aboard one of the marauding ships, the HMS Tonnant, an 80-gun Ship of the Line. From there, he witnessed the entire battle. The seige lasted for 25 hours, and ended with the failure of Vice Admiral Alexander Cochrane's land assault on the Fort. During the entire battle, the fort's garrison flag remained flying. This flag, dubbed "The Star-Spangled Banner" inspired Key to later describe his experience in the patriotic poem "Defence of Fort McHenry". In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued an executive order making the first stanza of the song the National Anthem of the United States of America. HMS Erebus, the ship that provided the "Rockets' Red Glare", was a sloop that had been converted to fire rockets. She was originally built as a fire ship in 1807, a spiritual predecessor to the torpedo. In 1814, scuttles were cut into her sides to accomodate 32-pounder Congreve Rockets. The ship was 33.15m from stem to stern, and had a beam of 9,04m. Along with her complement of rockets, she also carried pounder carronades, 8 18-pounders, and 2 nine-pounders. She was broken up in 1819.

4 THE WAR OF America's First War June 18, 2012 marks the Bicentennial of the War of This was, for all intents and purposes, the United States' first ever war - an opportunity for the fledgling nation to prove itself in times of struggle. The new nation faced off one of the greatest military powers in the world, its navy, consisting mostly of frigates, facing off against Britain's battle-hardened ships of the line. There was no one reason for the war - by the first decade of the nineteenth century, it seemed that Britain was doing everything it could to screw the States over. In 1806 Napoleon Bonaparte had set up his Continental Blockade in a bid to cripple British trade. In response, Britain issued the Orders in Council in 1807, which ordered the Navy to blockade all French and Allied ports. In the eyes of the Americans, Britain was infringing on the country's right to trade. Britain had expanded its fleet of warships. However, it could not find the manpower to sail them. Thus, they turned to impressing "American" British-born soldiers, whom they still considered to be subjects of the crown. Meanwhile, the American Indians were preparing to wage war on the colonials as well, and with Britain's backing, they just might get it. On June 1, 1812, James Madison gave Congress a description of American grievances against Great Britain. Congress then convened for four days before voting 79 to 49 for a declaration of War, Senate agreeing 19 to 13. The war officially began on June 18, when President Madison signed the measure into law. America had declared its first war, now it was time for the adolescent nation to prove itself. However, neither side was prepared for the conflict. Britain was currently absorbed in the Napoleonic and Peninsular wars, while the US had an army of ragtag troops - weekend soldiers that numbered fewer than 12,000 men. Nonetheless General William Hull led an invasion force of about 1,000 untrained men across the Detroit river on July 12. They surrendered in August. America achieved one of its first major victories in September 1813, when nine US Navy vessels wrested control of Lake Erie from the British. Tecumseh, leader of the harassing Native American tribes, was killed that same year, throwing the natives into disarray. The British continued to harass the coast off the Atlantic, the small gunboats employed there having almost no effect on the marauding navy. One famous shore bombadment was at Chesapeake Bay, which included the famous "Burning of Washington". However, the Americans had managed to hone their seagoing skills and were able to send privateers to engage the British. When Napoleon was exiled to Elba in 1814, Britain was now fully able to concentrate its forces on the United States. However, the once-disorganized militia had learned how to fight. Britain launched an invasion on New York with its most senior soldiers, but the American fleet was able to push back the British at the Battle of Plattsburgh. By now, the major causes of the war were almost nonexistent, and either side found no reason to continue fighting. The two countries signed the Treaty of Ghent on December 24, 1814, ending the war. America had survived its baptism of fire. Meanwhile, the British Army was preparing to invade Louisiana in a final bid to win the war...

5 ROCKET MOTOR Instructions Guidepole Belt Propellant bore Bulkhead Bulkhead Motor 4 Motor 3 Motor 2 Motor 1 Endcap *All parts (save for motor 4 and the bulkheads, come in halves. they fold along the long side of the paper and should be connected together in that manner. Fold each strip (each made of two pieces) in this manner around the guidepole and motor

6 PRINT THIS PAGE ANYWHERE FROM 2-15 TIMES* Guide Pole *If you're really going to print this 15 times, you might as well get a 4 meter long wooden pole 48mm in diameter.

7 PRINT THIS PAGE TWICE Guide pole belt halves (link two together for each belt)

8 PRINT THIS PAGE TWICE Guide Pole mounting belt here Guide Pole mounting belt here Rocket Motor 3 (half)

9 PRINT THIS PAGE TWICE Guide Pole mounting belt here Rocket Motor 2 (half)

10 Rocket Motor 1 (half) Rocket Exhaust (part 4)

11 Rocket Motor 1 (half) Rocket Motor endcap

12 Motor Bulkheads Propellant Bore (make sure printed side is INWARDS)

13 32pr CARCASS Instructions *Warhead is meant to be removable and should be slid onto the motor Cap Bulkhead Warhead Sheath Warhead 1 Ballistic Cap *All parts (save for motor 4 and the bulkheads, come in halves. they fold along the long side of the paper and should be connected together in that manner.

14 32 pr Rocket Congreve A.D.1814 Warhead Sheath Halves (Optional) Print double sided for interior detail

15 Warhead part 1

16 Warhead cap Warhead bulkhead

17 Warhead Ballistic Cap

18 HMS EREBUS HULL SEGMENT Instructions Launch port ass'y Inboard Scuttle Ouboard Scuttle Launch Table side (left side shown) Scuttle Sides (part 2 shown in this elevation)

19 Ship Scuttle 1 (outboard)

20 Outboard Ship Scuttle 2 Inboard

21 Launch table here Ship Scuttle 4 (inboard)

22 Inboard Ship Scuttle 3 Outboard

23 Ship Scuttle 5 (top & bottom)

24 PRINT THIS PAGE TWICE Launch Port (connect all four for a square frame, printed side facing inwards)

25 Launch Table 1 (left, right) Launch Table 2 (read [inboard]) Launch Table 3 (goes on inboard side of scuttle) Inboard scuttle here

26 Launch Table top

27 Launch Table bottom