Weapons of Mass Imperfection: 8 Historical Firearms That Proved Less Than Amazing

Weapons of Mass Imperfection: 8 Historical Firearms That Proved Less Than Amazing

Maria - June 17, 2016

3. The Bombard Cannon

Weapons of Mass Imperfection: 8 Historical Firearms That Proved Less Than Amazing

The Bombard was destructive, but was certainly hard to maneuver, as well as difficult to load.

This large-caliber cannon was a huge weapon of the Middle Ages, and it could fire off huge cannonballs, each carved out of solid stone. The early models were effective at penetrating the walls of castles, even as the stone cannonballs would generally crumble on impact.

But a single bombard weighed thousands of pounds alone, even without the cannonball. So transportation and aim of the weapon became a serious endeavor. Bombards were replaced over time with smaller cannons for better transportation, with projectiles that were faster and more accurate.

Advertisement