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lapfog_1

(31,997 posts)

27. cannon balls were stored on the gun deck, usually on "brass monkeys"

Sun Nov 4, 2018, 03:07 PM

Nov 2018

a solid metal base with indentations to hold the first array of cannon balls, with more balls stacked on top pyramid fashion.

In certain cold weather conditions the difference in the metals used (brass for the holder, iron for the cannon balls) would cause the stack to fall as the metals contracted at different rates.

Hence the old Naval term... "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey".

True story.

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U.S. Navy's Costliest Carrier Was Delivered Without Elevators to Lift Bombs [View all] left-of-center2012 Nov 2018 OP

And somewhere, chief design architect Homer J. Simpson says, Downtown Hound Nov 2018 #1

"The buck stops with me." - Dirty Donny* (R) Achilleaze Nov 2018 #2

No worries. Eventually the technology will catch up with the advertisement dalton99a Nov 2018 #3

Huntington Ingalls needs to pay for this jpak Nov 2018 #4

Absolutely DeminPennswoods Nov 2018 #33

McDonalds should send their customers Turbineguy Nov 2018 #5

There's a sad irony that this ship is named after a guy who was often portrayed as bumbling... RockRaven Nov 2018 #6

yep left-of-center2012 Nov 2018 #7

Ford really preferred elevators dalton99a Nov 2018 #9

he pardoned nixon onethatcares Nov 2018 #44

EMALS is definitely the way to go. Adrahil Nov 2018 #8

Interesting info. Thanks for this Bfd Nov 2018 #12

How did they get the bombs down into the ship without elevators?? cranes or something? dameatball Nov 2018 #23

Probably doesn't have bombs yet until the elevators are fixed. Kaleva Nov 2018 #24

Maybe the bombs were on deck, and the crew just bull-dozed them into the elevator shaft. nt NCjack Nov 2018 #38

Maybe they sent them down a pneumatic tube like at the bank drive through! dameatball Nov 2018 #42

Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen ecstatic Nov 2018 #10

We're there elevators for cannon balls when the British Navy was considered the best in the world? Renew Deal Nov 2018 #11

Not sure of your point.... Adrahil Nov 2018 #19

I'm joking Renew Deal Nov 2018 #20

Okay... my apologies... Adrahil Nov 2018 #28

Precisely gratuitous Nov 2018 #21

Exactly Renew Deal Nov 2018 #46

Pivot! Pivot! Chellee Nov 2018 #47

cannon balls were stored on the gun deck, usually on "brass monkeys" lapfog_1 Nov 2018 #27

According to Johny Horton, the Battle of New Orleans....they used alligators for the cannonballs dameatball Nov 2018 #43

Love how we can afford this, area51 Nov 2018 #13

50 million worth of silk worm missles at one time sinks this Magenot device uponit7771 Nov 2018 #14

"i" n/t rzemanfl Nov 2018 #18

If we ever fight another WWII carrier war lapfog_1 Nov 2018 #29

+1, lol so true !!! Right now we're heavy invested in Maginot devices and Putin continues to hack... uponit7771 Nov 2018 #35

Shouldn't This Read, "US Taxpayer's Costliest Carrier Was Delivered without Elevators.."? jalan48 Nov 2018 #15

Named aptly Gerald R Ford MagickMuffin Nov 2018 #16

Probably figured it was all WiFi or Bluetooth...nt N_E_1 for Tennis Nov 2018 #17

They should spin this as a cost-saving measure: if you can't launch planes petronius Nov 2018 #22

Don't give the PR girls and boys any ideas lol... Volaris Nov 2018 #37

Rather the norm when a new class with cutting edge technologies is introduced. Kaleva Nov 2018 #25

Lowest bidder. rickford66 Nov 2018 #26

They better hurry the fuck up. There are defenseless brown people ALL OVER THIS PLANET that need to BamaRefugee Nov 2018 #30

"We have met the enemy and he is us" - rurallib Nov 2018 #31

Dumb shits Hotler Nov 2018 #32

Perhaps they can lift the bombs from below deck the same way they load food from the docks.. asiliveandbreathe Nov 2018 #34

Well that explains the air-to-air missiles in the freezer ThoughtCriminal Nov 2018 #40

I will share with most honorable son......too funny..... asiliveandbreathe Nov 2018 #41

lol Renew Deal Nov 2018 #45

hem AllaN01Bear Nov 2018 #36

Crew tired of carrying bombs up and down stairs. Sneederbunk Nov 2018 #39

Doesn't matter if the elevators don't work. hunter Nov 2018 #48