Deploy the Gun

The Milita have been called out for exercises.  These are Imex, and Eagle Games figures, some with head swaps.

The artillery unit has only one gun and enough crewmen so that some can handle supplies or provide infantry cover.

The men wear kepis and the officer wears a floppy hat.

The steam tractor team.
 

Militia Gun

The people of the United States have a right to keep and bear arms in our Constitution.

Until the 1930s that essentially allowed almost anyone to own almost any kind of weapons they wanted.

Local militias often had all sorts of weapons, including artillery.  This militia unit has one gun and one steam powered towing tractor.

Artillery development was very fast in the 1890s and sales were good.

Local militia units, and even National Guard units had all sorts of uniforms, even those that were rather retro for the American Civil War and American Revolution. 

My artillery usually gets a store of supplies as an ammo dump.  This one is mounted on a sheet of plastic and flocked with Woodland Scenics grass.
 

The Artillery Fires

Everyone fires their gun at the monster.

The artillery commander takes careful observations.

Militiamen move up around the Addams house.

 A clear shot!

Bang, bang, bang.  Three rounds in three seconds!  The creature falls on it's back.

Three quick hits!

The men blow their bugle and wave their helmets in celebration, the monster is defeated.
 

Troops Open Fire

Even the chief of police has arrived and takes a shot at the beastie with his revolver.

 A few blasts of 12 gauge buck speak authoritatively from the muzzle of a shotgun.

He seems to notice that!

What will he do?  Will he charge?

Just now the State Militia opens fire with their high powered rifles!

The range it not far and most of the rounds fired find a home.

Now the monster has moved forward and is within the arc of fire of the cannon!
 

Halloween 1898

The monster is not yet in a good position  to fire the artillery at yet!

The story so far, a giant lizard is approaching the city.  The city police have responded, an automobile from the Army and a battery of artillery from the City Militia is set up and ready.

The local town militia have started arriving and move between the buildings to get the monster in a cross fire.

The police are holding the line.

Men from the State Militia have also shown up!

A small group of people from the neighborhood have refused to evacuate and are watching the goings on.

Some men with rifles take on the monster!
 

Army Automobile Arrives

An Army automobile arrives, leading a City Militia Artillery gun.

The cops fire a few tentative rounds.

The soldier arrives in his automobile.

The monster has stopped his advance in the face of the revolver fire and the noise of the automobile.

The steam tractor drops off the 75mm gun and the well drilled militia prepare to fire their piece.

The pride of the city is their steam powered tractor artillery battery.

It's only one gun, but muzzle loading and as fast firing as a 4 gun battery of muzzle loaders!
 

October 31, 1898

Who called the cops?

Police van and an officer respond to a phone call of a disturbance.

The disturbance looks around the corner!

More cops show up and talk to the neighbors.

They move to confront the beast, revolvers at the ready.

He seems unimpressed!
 

Two Mountain Guns

Here is another version of the Atlantic Maxim gun converted to a mountain gun.

Barrel bored out for more realism.

Airfix USAAF MP for size.

Note some differences in the carriage, the newer gun is mounted a little higher up.

This is part of my project to clean up some of the spares box and make a few interesting items out of the bits whenever possible.
 

Maxim Cannon

I took one of the 12 pounder Napoleon guns from the Eagle Games cannon and mounted it on the Atlantic Maxim gun carriage.  I drilled out the barrel so it looks a little better.

It makes for an interesting little mountain guns.

Until at least WWII National Guard units and even local militia units and private citizens purchased their own artillery to supplement whatever the Federal Government had or provided to them.

This does not represent any specific gun.

Perhaps it was manufactured locally by local craftsmen to support their state or local militia.

There has been an American tradition of local arms makers all over the nation, even today.  Airfix USAAF MP for size.