Pre 1950s Ship`s Distress Rockets by Brock`s, Pain`s, Wessex & Schermuly

In the images below can be seen some very rare example of pre 1950`s ship's distress rockets., an one line carrying rocket. Finding inert/dummy or dead fired examples of these in the 21st century is very rare. This handful here, and on the other site are the only ones I have ever come across, and I have been looking since 1980!!

By and large the photos speak for themselves. Ignition often being achieved by a match like striker which was often taped to the rocket during storage. Then this was undone and struck on the striker pad on the rocket's base - thus igniting the rocket, all as the ship was sinking???? This can't have been easy and neither can firing some of the rockets that must have had a stick about 5 feet long or so.

If any of you have any examples of these, artworks or photos of, or any technical manuals of, I would like to hear from you.

The yellow rocket on this site - or rather the tube, as it was empty when I acquired it, needs an inert rocket to fill it???...when used was designed to be ignited, then thrown overboard, where it would float and bob about, until the delay burnt through and fired the rocket, hopefully,  - UP!! Also on the next page are some inert examples of firing tubes or "quills." These were designed to fire Victorian artillery pieces and were later used in an adapted form to fire ship's rockets from special launching tubes. These firing tubes, also known as "friction tubes" were also made out of a copper tube....but this is another subject. There are some of these copper tubes on the other site.

I would love to give a more detailed explanation of these interesting devices, but time does not permit. I have had these images for ages and felt  they would never be put up, so I just put up the pics and hope you enjoy them. You can always ask me about the details.

more images like this can be seen HERE

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