Quote:
Originally Posted by swaghauler
An added "what if" is... "What if the Captain had taken the Gun manufacturer's advice?" The Navy was told that those Dahlgrens were made with a newer process and could withstand loading a "double charge" of powder to push the projectile faster. The Navy erred on the side of caution and never "double charged" the cannon during firing. A higher velocity shot might have penetrated the CSS Virginia's hull.
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Don't forget the so-called "Fuzzy Wuzzy Fallacy" (there's a story behind that name; if you want to know, let me know). A double charge would not have led to twice the velocity, speed, penetration, etc. -- It would have given the double charge sqroot2 times the firepower. (Works for most military firepower calculations as well.)
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War is the absence of reason. But then, life often demands unreasonable responses. -
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