Stirling Warwolf Trebuchet - Table Top Model
As part of Tex's involvment in living history reinactment, he was determined to construct a scale model of the Stirling Warwolf trebuchet (much to Mum's grave concern). The real life version was comissioned by King Edward Longshanks to chastise Stirling Castle for their lack of loyalty. Originally designed by a French engineer, the treb stood 51 feet high with a counterweight firing mechanism of 18 tonnes.
Tex's intentions were to construct a 1:4 scale working model. Prior to undertaking this large scale project, he needed to design smaller versions to test the working mechanisms and feasibility of the project.
The following photos and video show the construction of the 'table top' model, the first small scale version of a 14th century treb that Tex built. It fired a golf ball projectile with a counterweight of approximately 10-15 kg in stones. The test fire resulted in a distance of 60 feet, which Tex found to be encouraging for the success of the larger model.
No postmen were injured in the making of this video, although I can't say as much for my old Suburu Fiori which copped a few golf balls during firing practice.
SJ
The expression on Tex's face in this series of photos is priceless - this was a dry firing and the momentum nearly threw the treb off the table.
Action shots