Geoff Kidd, of British Columbia, Canada scratch-built a 1/6 scale M1857 12-pounder Napoleon gun which is now on display in the Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum. Along with the gun, Geoff also scratch-built and donated a 1/6 scale limber cart and accompanying caisson ammunition cart. The models were made with conventional tools and a Sherline 4000 lathe and milling machine. Interestingly, the materials consist almost entirely of reclaimed wood, steel, and brass that was salvaged from decommissioned coastal vessels.
The M1857 Napoleon gun was a bronze smoothbore muzzleloading field artillery piece that was incorporated into the United States Army in 1857, and used by both sides in the American Civil War. The gun was the American-manufactured version of the French “Canon obusier de 12,” which combined the functions of both field gun and howitzer. The gun was pulled behind a small two-wheeled cart called a limber, which was pulled by six horses arranged in pairs. The caisson ammunition cart would also be towed by another limber with six horses.
The 1/6 scale model Napoleon gun and accompanying transportation carts were built over a period of six years. Read more about Geoff Kidd and his impressive scratch-built scale models.