The Guns of Cartagena (lots of pics)

[_Dave_]

Whilst on my travels around Spain I visited the big guns at Cartagena (Cabo Tinoso), which is a now abandoned military base that you can wander around as much as you like.

Its a huge place, with barracks, ammo rooms, radio office etc, well worth a visit.

The drive up there is a bit interesting though as its set on top of a mountain, the base is disguised as a medieval fort to fool any invaders!!

Boy are they big!





















A few links:
www.mazarron.com/Leisure/Senda/guns.htm
www.mazarron.com/Leisure/Artillery/



>> Edited by _Dave_ on Saturday 18th February 13:39

[tog]

_Dave_ said:

www.mazarron.com/Leisure/Artillery/

I like the way that link looks - the thought of heavy artillery as a leisure activity

[choc]

looks fun, a real life game of battleships!

[m1spw]

How the hell do you move one of those? and how big are the shells they fire???

They're bloody huge!

[ZR1cliff]

I love the way they have built a look out into the rock on the second photo down.

[_Dave_]

m1spw said:

How the hell do you move one of those? and how big are the shells they fire??? They're bloody huge!

Shells weigh approx 875kg and the guns have a range of 35km!



they used 8hp diesel generators to supply the power to move them, underneath the guns the fort is a maze of open tunnels where you can see all the workings (if you take a torch, which I didn't, bloody spooky in there!)



>> Edited by _Dave_ on Saturday 18th February 13:32

[m1spw]

Whats the square thing in the 6th picture down?

[_Dave_]

m1spw said:

Whats the square thing in the 6th picture down?

Its what they used to bring the shells up for the smaller guns, still about 3m x 1.5m though! there's an ammo room underneath with all the racks for the shells still in place, will try and find a piccy

[_Dave_]

This is the bottom of the loader:



And one more of the officers quarters, some view!!

[rich 36]

..... me.

The force needed to hurl a projectile, that big, that far.

Pretty incredible achievement

[jimbeaux]

WWII battleship (used through the 1st Gulf War)during firing exercise. 16" guns fire 2000lb shells a 30 mile average....serious guns for being ship-based. The Japs and Germans had a few even larger.

www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/ships/battleships/iowa/ia-1984guns.jpg

www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/ships/battleships/iowa/bb61-ia.html

[rich 36]

Well i'm not terribly interested in the whole
ordnance type thing really.

but I have to say

flippine eck'



>> Edited by rich 36 on Saturday 18th February 17:06