Shell Altitude vs. Mortar Length
R. Dixon
Review by Clive Jennings-White
Ron Dixon has presented results on the correlation between the altitude achieved by a 3- inch (76-mm) shell and the length of the mortar from which it was fired. Provided that the mortar length was at least 18 inches (457 mm), there was no further gain in shell altitude with increasing mortar length. My own anecdotal observations are entirely in accord with Ron Dixon’s measurements, provided that a commercial Black Powder lift is used. However there may be more to the old pyrotechnists’ wives’ tale of increasing shell altitude with increasing mortar length than these measurements suggest.
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Ref: JPyro, Issue 12, 2000, pp68
(J12_68)
© Journal of Pyrotechnics and CarnDu Ltd
