The Nartov Battery GunInvented in 1754, this weird device was the creation of Alexei Konstantinovich

The Nartov Battery GunInvented in 1754, this weird device was the creation of Alexei Konstantinovich Nartov, an engineer working for the Russian Academy of Sciences.  Forty four 3 pound cannons were arranged in a circle on a cart.  The cart had a special gear system where as the wheels turned, so did the turntable mechanism of the cannon.  When armed, the forwardmost  gun would fire, and as the cart was wheeled forward, the next loaded cannon would turn into position and fire.  The purpose of this contraption was to break up enemy columns.  As Russian soldiers advanced upon the enemy, the device would continously fire solid cannon balls, grapeshot, or large grenades.  While ingenious, the device was too large and heavy for practical use, and did not see much combat.Nartov’s Battery is currently on display at the Russian Museum Artillery, Engineer, and Signal Corps, St. Petersburg, Russia. -- source link

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