[SR-FB1] Fire Ship

[dr_spock]

May 616 Free Build #1

The stuff of wooden warship nightmares. Fire ships were used with great success in naval warfare throughout the centuries. One tactic is to send them into a fleet anchored in a bay. Grab some popcorn and enjoy the havoc that ensues.

Fire Ship by dr_spock_888, on Flickr

[TitusV]

Simple but very cool build!

[Tezclatipoca]

Good idea, even if I am not fan of this tactic... I read some sloops were thrown towards bigger ships full of gunpowder in order to sunk them rapidly. It's a pirate technique often used in that time ! But no loot...

It was mainly used against pirate chasing ships (mostly Spanish armed escort galleons were sunk by this technique to open a way for the Pirates to the silver transport ship)

[kurigan]

Neat MOC and a terrifying prospect. I do think your helmsman there is waiting a bit long to abandon ship though :)

[Captain Braunsfeld]

Would have been a very nice boat if it had not burnt down ...

[Bregir]

Nice depiction of a dreaded tactic in the age of sail. Perhaps you could have added something indicating how it would steer after the crew abondons her?

As far as I remember, the Spaniards used fireships in an attack on Gibraltar during the Napoleonic Era, in a rather large attack.

[blackdeathgr]

Nice build. In reality though, these ships used to be bigger (medium sloop-sized) so as to withstand some cannonballs. Such ships were also used extensively during the Greek Revolution in 1821, from experienced islanders against the way bigger and cumbersome Ottoman navy's ships. One such attack, costed the Ottoman navy its flagship and around 2000 sailors and troops

[Kai NRG]

Now I wonder whatever this might be for... Very nice shape and the sail is good too thought I would expect to see it go up in flames any minute now!

Most fire ships were probably slightly bigger than this (don't think a rowboat in flames would cause too much damage unless it lit the gunpowder room!), but a good concept here!

[dr_spock]

Simple but very cool build!

Thanks.

Good idea, even if I am not fan of this tactic... I read some sloops were thrown towards bigger ships full of gunpowder in order to sunk them rapidly. It's a pirate technique often used in that time ! But no loot...

It was mainly used against pirate chasing ships (mostly Spanish armed escort galleons were sunk by this technique to open a way for the Pirates to the silver transport ship)

Thanks. I believe those type of ships were called explosion ships or hellburners. The Japanese in World War II used EMBs--motor speedboats filled with explosives in the Pacific sea battles.

Neat MOC and a terrifying prospect. I do think your helmsman there is waiting a bit long to abandon ship though :)

Thanks. I think you could be right.

Would have been a very nice boat if it had not burnt down ...

There is always making a claim on fire insurance.

Nice depiction of a dreaded tactic in the age of sail. Perhaps you could have added something indicating how it would steer after the crew abondons her?

As far as I remember, the Spaniards used fireships in an attack on Gibraltar during the Napoleonic Era, in a rather large attack.

Thanks. Good idea, some rope on the craft for tying down the tiller. Fireships were also popular with the Dutch.

Now I wonder whatever this might be for... Very nice shape and the sail is good too thought I would expect to see it go up in flames any minute now!

Most fire ships were probably slightly bigger than this (don't think a rowboat in flames would cause too much damage unless it lit the gunpowder room!), but a good concept here!

Thanks. The Chinese used rafts with burning bales of hay or wood. Once the target ship caught fire, it can be challenging to put out the fire since there were no fire water hose or chemical foam extinguishers back then. Buckets of water can only do so much. Little out of control fire can grow into big fire.