Heavy Cannon fire Draws ever Closer, Pounding the Enemy

[Sourdough]

The cannon fire rocks my little cabin with each explosion. They are trying to pound the enemy off the high country and into the valley below. KABOOM, the sound terrorizes the farm animals, and I must admit that the blasts scare me also. They are changing there position now, they have moved closer, the cannon pounds and pounds the high country. They are now just across Turnagain Arm, closer they come, pounding and pounding.

The enemy has no chance to hold their claim on the high country.

Sometimes the helicopters set massive explosive charges where the cannons can not reach. The poor defenseless little snowflake never has long to live, in the high country, as they pound him off cornice and into the valley.

"For Whom does the Bell Toll" It tolls for thee, little snowflake, it tolls for thee.

[crashdive123]

Read the title to the thread and thought your were going to talk about the blueberry/moose cannon.

[Sourdough]

No...The DOT is doing avalanche control work.

[crashdive123]

Yeah, got that from the post. Was kind of looking forward to a moose cannon tale.

[HOP]

I thought they use the 106 recoilless rifle.

[Sourdough]

I thought they use the 106 recoilless rifle.


They have a cannon that they mount on fixed platforms along the Seward Hwy. The shells are about 24" long. it would take a real man to light that puppy off, with a shoulder fired weapon. What I really wonder about is the charges they set with the helicopter. Those babies rock my world.

[wareagle69]

see evryone is always blaming the poor little helpless snow flake well i say come to northern ontario my cold little freind we will welcome you and protect you

[HOP]

I saw a Discovery show where they were using a truck (platform) 106 to clear potential avalanches . The 90 MM recoilless is shoulder fired ,the recoilless rifle has a back blast a canon goes boom only on one end . Maybe it was a 105 I was thinking of which is a canon.

[Gray Wolf]

Tell them to ask Beo about the potato cannon!

[wareagle69]

I saw a Discovery show where they were using a truck (platform) 106 to clear potential avalanches . The 90 MM recoilless is shoulder fired ,the recoilless rifle has a back blast a canon goes boom only on one end . Maybe it was a 105 I was thinking of which is a canon.

two things to keep in mind hop
1- you saw it on tv
2 probably in different geographical locations and budgets they use different ways of clearing avalanche potentials maybe depends on mountain slopes or other factors on how they best way to set one off

[HOP]

Either piece puts a explosive charge to a specific area from a distance , both pieces of equipment are obtainable from the National Guard as well as ammo and used by trained personnel ( got to be able to set the charge for the distance and impact explosion.
that Potato canon has available attachments you can fire French fries or shoestring potatoes.

[crashdive123]

.....or mashed in the wetter climates.

[Sourdough]

What kind of charge do they place with the helicopter, and how do they set it off safely????

[HOP]

I don't know about the helicopter delivery but would guess they place it with some sort of an anchor to keep it from sliding and then remote the charge.

[crashdive123]

Hope - looks like they just toss the charges out the door. http://www.stormchaser.ca/Avalanche/Revelstoke/Revelstoke.html

[crashdive123]

Here's another source that says the same thing. Light the fuse and drop it. http://books.google.com/books?id=0Bpscs7Gqb8C&pg=PA290&lpg=PA290&dq=avalanche+control+helicopter&source=web&ots=vTvePk7mwa&sig=UbtegJFA5TgEAYcnCbInBXLDWgg&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result#PPA290,M1

[Sourdough]

Thanks, Crash.......

[HOP]

Good stuff, sounds like the Ava launcher would be the one to have it would make a heck of a potato canon. It does appear that the helicopter approach would be the best for the environment weather permitting. But it might still keep you up. I lived right next to Ft. Hood TX Airfield and we had artillery and choppers all night long sometimes.

[huntermj]

This is reminding me of the good old days of falling asleep to the smells of dirt and canvas and the sounds of artillery and choppers. Oh yea, good times.:rolleyes:

[Rick]

Light the fuse then drop it outside the chopper.....light the fuse then drop it outside the chopper.....light the fuse then drop it outside the chopper.

Seems like there's a right and a wrong sequence of events to this and plenty of chances for error. Of course, I get confused when I try to count higher than five, too. See? Five, three? Now I'm confused again.

[Sourdough]

They have been pounding the mountains around here for three hours. Yesterday the road was closed because of a natural avalanche. Winnie, you will know you got serious snow, when they start laying in the heavy artillery. 47*F above and raining.

[Winnie]

If they start that here, Sourdough, then I really am in deep doodoo. I live on the edge of the flattest part of Britain. They start throwing things that go bang round me, and I'd be a colourful addition to the snow!

[finallyME]

The cannon fire rocks my little cabin with each explosion. They are trying to pound the enemy off the high country and into the valley below. KABOOM, the sound terrorizes the farm animals, and I must admit that the blasts scare me also. They are changing there position now, they have moved closer, the cannon pounds and pounds the high country. They are now just across Turnagain Arm, closer they come, pounding and pounding.

The enemy has no chance to hold their claim on the high country.

Sometimes the helicopters set massive explosive charges where the cannons can not reach. The poor defenseless little snowflake never has long to live, in the high country, as they pound him off cornice and into the valley.

"For Whom does the Bell Toll" It tolls for thee, little snowflake, it tolls for thee.


It has been awhile since I read Hemingway's book. :art: