12" No. #132 | Mortar | 1890

[PhotoRob]

Fort Desoto Park, FL

29,000 lbs. of Mortar had a way of saying 'don't misbehave' to shipping vessels back at the turn of the century...





These mortars controlled the main shipping lane into Tampa bay. A ship entering the bay had to pass between Fort Dade, on Egmont Key, and Fort De Soto. For that entire time, they were directly under the guns of the batteries on either side of them.

Fort De Soto has the only four 12-inch seacoast rifled mortars (model 1890 mounted on 1896 carriages) in the continental United States.

[Plumcrak]

Now that would leave a mark. Would like to see an angle from directly in front of barrel, what does that say ?
Nice shot.

[Otavio]

Robert, very nice capture and very well processed! You gave it an aspect of "old stuff", just like it deserves. Well done and thanks for sharing!

[PhotoRob]

Now that would leave a mark. Would like to see an angle from directly in front of barrel, what does that say ?
Nice shot.

Thanks Jon! Here's what I can make out from the higher quality original image:

12 IN. No.132 ORD. DEPT. U.S.A. Mod. 1890 Ml.
WT 15 TONS 29000 LBS

Watervliet ARSENAL 1901

[PhotoRob]

Robert, very nice capture and very well processed! You gave it an aspect of "old stuff", just like it deserves. Well done and thanks for sharing!

Thanks Otávio, I really appreciate the feedback. There's a fine line between a period look, and overcooked - glad you like the final result...

[Plumcrak]

Thanks for the info Robert. Great tone by the way.

[jeeperman]

I want one! I'll even let Jon look down the barrel. Nice image, Robert.

[PhotoRob]

I want one! I'll even let Jon look down the barrel. Nice image, Robert.

Thanks Paul, appreciate the feedback - next visit I'm going to try a pic right down the business end of that thing...may save you all the trouble of purchasing and shipping to IN...

[Bobobird]

Nice shot. I like these old cannons.

[PhotoRob]

Nice shot. I like these old cannons.

Thanks Bobo; Florida may be flat as an iron but it's not lacking in history, that's for sure.

Photography + Historical = Happy Hobby Photographer

[Plumcrak]

I'll even let Jon look down the barrel.

As long as I can verify that this beast of a barrel is empty, I would have no problem looking down it!
What would the shipping cost be to get it to Indiana??

[PhotoRob]

[ Side View ]



These mortars are much larger than the images give them credit - I'm hunting for an ok pic that helps provide some scale - they're just short of 12 feet from the muzzle to the breach and could launch an 800lb. projectile almost 7 miles...each mortar had a 12 man crew to manage it.

(Converted to mono in Silver FX, increased structure, bleached in Color FX Pro, retouched in Aperture to remove foliage and other non-essential distractions)

[PhotoRob]

This was taken inside the fort, looking out. Pretty dark on our side of the action, manipulated the contrast to help bring out details, stylized in Silver EFX and a bit in Aperture, wrenched into a better perspective with GIMP.



Do you think this crop works?

[fullbirdmusic]

Man, the tone and color on that first one really makes it pop. Great job - a very modern, but somehow still "old" look, if that's possible!

[PhotoRob]

Man, the tone and color on that first one really makes it pop. Great job - a very modern, but somehow still "old" look, if that's possible!

Thanks Wes, appreciate the feedback

[PhotoRob]

Mortar Pic #3, B Section:



(please click for a better view)