Useful

**CQMS** · 22-02-2010, 17:49

Do they need an FOO?

**Herrumph** · 22-02-2010, 19:03

Well we have been demanding a clear message to be sent to those uppity Argies

**mucus2** · 22-02-2010, 20:28

Do we have a FOB Trafalgar then?

Ideal if we do......

**Manley** · 22-02-2010, 20:49

Originally Posted by Blogg

"....the cannons are no longer in working order, modern pyrotechnics will be used to "fire" them on 7 March. "

Pah! Cannot even shoot blanks properly!

Er!, ahem!, I can.

**mark1234** · 22-02-2010, 20:56

Are they going to fire them on tyneside or at tyneside?

What type of ammo will they use to best rid the country of the northern menace?

A Newcastle United home game is the best time to strike.

**Wordsmith** · 22-02-2010, 21:02

Collingwood was a strong believer in gunnery training and the Navy's gunnery school (HMS Excellent) was named after his ship at the battle of Cape St Vincent in 1797.

The then Commodore Nelson was single-handedly taking on half a dozen ships in the Spanish van to stop them legging it for Cadiz. Collingwood came to his aid by sailing slap through the middle of the Spanish fleet and gave a right shoeing to anyone in his way. All four Spanish ships captured (including the two by Nelson) had been fired into by Collingwood first. Nelson recorded Collingwood as pouring in broadsides from ranges as close as 10 feet - shoeing indeed.

At Trafalgar, Collingwood led the lee column of the British fleet into action (Nelson leading the other). Royal Sovereign was under fire for 25 to 30 minutes but held her fire as Collingwood wanted his first broadside to tell. It was fired at a range of just a few yards straight through the stern of the Spanish flagship, killed or wounded 400 men and dismounted 15 or so of her cannon.

So - old weapon system it might be, but bloody lethal in the hands of someone like Collingwood.....

Wordsmith

**bluntslane** · 22-02-2010, 21:08

..........mmm, and straight after the test fire, harry maskered onto the "weaponless" type 45s.

**singha61** · 23-02-2010, 14:35

Get the MOD to go shopping here "Where planes go to die: Massive Â£22bn air force 'Boneyard' revealed in high resolution by Google Earth" http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...gle-Earth.html

**Dwarf** · 23-02-2010, 14:47

Originally Posted by vvaannmmaann

Originally Posted by Ursus.Maritimus

FFS - I thought this was going to degenerate into another "eee, SLR - that were a proper weapon, none of this bullpup nonsense"

Wait until the .303 crowd arrive!

Wait till the Gunners get hold of it and we get the 'eee, them were proper weapons, none of this breech-load nonsense.' :D

Collingwood, definitely one of Britain's lesser known heroes, like the firing at 10 feetfeet, nerves of steel and nails with it.