"There are countless horrible things happening all over the world and horrible people prospering, but we must never allow them to disturb our equanimity or deflect us from our sacred duty to sabotage and annoy them whenever possible." -Auberon Waugh
When I was a kid(probably 10 or 11), a few friends and I made a tank and anti-tank gun out of old pram wheels, spare lumber, plywood, explosive fireworks, metal pipes (about the same diameter as the marbles and fireworks), marbles and tin cans. The plywood formed the sides of the tank and shield of the anti-tank gun. We put the metal pipes through holes in the plywood. To load the gun we put a marble in the pipe, then a lit firework and placed it in the pipe, then placed a tin can over the "breach" of the gun to seal it. These guns were quite powerful and could put a marble through a tin can at a few feet distance. We fired the "tank" and "anti-tank gun" at each other several times then we inspected for damage.
I can still remember the "*Zzzzzzzzzttttttttt THUNK*" as the marble sliced through the long grass and thudded into a tree behind us.
I believe I saw the "Johnny Seven OMA' as a child. I know I didn't own it, though.
For our impromptu ordinance, one of the neighbors had an line throwing cannon in a tennis court by his house. It was a muzzle loader, and the bore was exactly the same diameter as a tennis ball. A salute (firecracker) was lit, and thrown into the cannon. A tennis ball was promptly stuffed into the muzzle, and BANG!, off it flew, a couple hundred feet. Lots of fun.
The neighbor had visited some sort of marine salvage yard for the cannon, but he also brought back a pair of air intake funnels for a ship. They made neat forts, but amplified the sound of an exploding firecracker a whole bunch.
I remember these being advertised, and this commercial specifically, but they came along about the time I first started shooting my dad's 22, so toy guns sort of lost their appeal.
Although, I see they're selling on ebay for $300 to $500, so maybe I should have got one.
Twenty twos are swell, but your telling us that a toy with a grenade and anti-tank launcher held no allure? Did you stop playing war with your buddies, because Dad didn't let you play around with his rifle.
I don't understand why I don't remember this. It would have been on my list, although my family was trying to steer me towards more, uh, lady-like pursuits. But being the child of military parents and from a long line of warriors it was inevitable. I had dolls, but guns and swords were my thing.
Twenty twos are swell, but your telling us that a toy with a grenade and anti-tank launcher held no allure?
I was too old by that time. Toys of most kinds had lost their allure, and I was ready to move on to more adult toys. Well, that doesn't sound quite right...I mean I was growing up and leaving childhood attractions behind. Maybe part of being raised on a farm, you mature faster. Besides, I only had one kid my age who lived close enough to socialize with, and neither one of us was interested in playing war. If it had come along a few years earlier, I probably would have been drooling over it, just because it was complicated and neat. :)
Wow!
ReplyDeleteThat gun looks great.
When I was a kid(probably 10 or 11), a few friends and I made a tank and anti-tank gun out of old pram wheels, spare lumber, plywood, explosive fireworks, metal pipes (about the same diameter as the marbles and fireworks), marbles and tin cans.
The plywood formed the sides of the tank and shield of the anti-tank gun.
We put the metal pipes through holes in the plywood.
To load the gun we put a marble in the pipe, then a lit firework and placed it in the pipe, then placed a tin can over the "breach" of the gun to seal it.
These guns were quite powerful and could put a marble through a tin can at a few feet distance.
We fired the "tank" and "anti-tank gun" at each other several times then we inspected for damage.
I can still remember the "*Zzzzzzzzzttttttttt THUNK*" as the marble sliced through the long grass and thudded into a tree behind us.
Fun times.
Really got the adrenaline going.
I believe I saw the "Johnny Seven OMA' as a child. I know I didn't own it, though.
ReplyDeleteFor our impromptu ordinance, one of the neighbors had an line throwing cannon in a tennis court by his house. It was a muzzle loader, and the bore was exactly the same diameter as a tennis ball. A salute (firecracker) was lit, and thrown into the cannon. A tennis ball was promptly stuffed into the muzzle, and BANG!, off it flew, a couple hundred feet. Lots of fun.
The neighbor had visited some sort of marine salvage yard for the cannon, but he also brought back a pair of air intake funnels for a ship. They made neat forts, but amplified the sound of an exploding firecracker a whole bunch.
Good times, indeed!
I remember these being advertised, and this commercial specifically, but they came along about the time I first started shooting my dad's 22, so toy guns sort of lost their appeal.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, I see they're selling on ebay for $300 to $500, so maybe I should have got one.
Twenty twos are swell, but your telling us that a toy with a grenade and anti-tank launcher held no allure? Did you stop playing war with your buddies, because Dad didn't let you play around with his rifle.
DeleteI wish I still had my childhood toys.
I don't understand why I don't remember this. It would have been on my list, although my family was trying to steer me towards more, uh, lady-like pursuits. But being the child of military parents and from a long line of warriors it was inevitable. I had dolls, but guns and swords were my thing.
ReplyDeleteTwenty twos are swell, but your telling us that a toy with a grenade and anti-tank launcher held no allure?
ReplyDeleteI was too old by that time. Toys of most kinds had lost their allure, and I was ready to move on to more adult toys. Well, that doesn't sound quite right...I mean I was growing up and leaving childhood attractions behind. Maybe part of being raised on a farm, you mature faster. Besides, I only had one kid my age who lived close enough to socialize with, and neither one of us was interested in playing war. If it had come along a few years earlier, I probably would have been drooling over it, just because it was complicated and neat. :)