Ever heard of a cannononball .. ovoid?

[fernando]

Originally Posted by kronckew

... heated shot was as noted used against wooden ships ...

Oh yes, it also was:

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

Originally Posted by kronckew

... most fortresses had ovens for heating shot ...

Some of them shooting at ships:

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM3J37


The largest famous use of hot shot has been performed by the British, during the Gibraltar siege in 1782, against French and Spanish floating artillery:

http://www.clis.com/friends/HotShot.htm

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[fernando]

Translating an extract of the " History of the first seizure happened in the Rio de Janeiro, in 21st of September of 1711", by Ricardo Bonalume Neto; in which a daring French privateer, René Duguay-Trouin, practiced the first seizure of the Rio de Janeiro, in great style. He captured the whole city and demanded a high ransom.

... Forts are made from stone and they do not set fire if atacked with spherical bullets of iron, shot from cannons with a 2 kilometres reach. However wooden ships, with canvas sails and carrying gunpowder, are highly flammable; and the defender can get hold of a mighty weapon: bullets that can be heated in furnaces and shot still red-hot. The greatest enemy of the attacker is the fire, therefore the fleet must avoid to be exchanging shots with the forts ...
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