Bows

Armed conflicts in the history of humanity from the ancient times to the 20th Century.
paul.mercer
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Bows

Post by paul.mercer »

Gentlemen,
here is a question far removed from naval affairs, guns etc.
Over the centuries there has been many types of Bow used in battle, probably the English Longbow being the most famous, but there were several nations around the world that used bows of a different construction, mainly with what i believe is called a re-curve, has there ever been any comparisons made with replica bows as to which one was the mst powerful and efficient?
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marcelo_malara
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Re: Bows

Post by marcelo_malara »

I remember seeing a reconstruction in Discovery many years ago. I think the re curved was described as the best one, with an iron pointed arrow it pierced a reconstructed chest armor of the era at close distance. In the same series, a trebuchet was reconstructed and tested. I was astonished by the precision of this weapon, modifying the position of a bolt with holds one of the extremes of the sling they pointed the weapon, once found the point they stroke once and again a small castle made of bricks.
paul.mercer
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Re: Bows

Post by paul.mercer »

Thanks for that,
I visited a medieval type show a few years ago where they were demonstrating jousting and longbows, one chat showed me his bow which was about 6 feet in length and had a 100 pound pull - I could only move it string a few inches, yet I believe that some of the old archers could pull up to about 180 pounds on a war bow such as used at Agincourt, I realise that this fellows grew up with these weapons and gradually built up to the full strength ones. but even so they must have been mighty strong men in those days. Imagine, 5000 men firing perhaps 10 arrows a minute at you - it must have felt like hail!
All the best, keep clear of this dammed virus,
Paul
Byron Angel
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Re: Bows

Post by Byron Angel »

paul.mercer wrote: Wed Apr 22, 2020 9:02 am Gentlemen,
here is a question far removed from naval affairs, guns etc.
Over the centuries there has been many types of Bow used in battle, probably the English Longbow being the most famous, but there were several nations around the world that used bows of a different construction, mainly with what i believe is called a re-curve, has there ever been any comparisons made with replica bows as to which one was the mst powerful and efficient?
The Asiatic re-curve bow - a complex construct of wood, animal horn and sinew - was an extremely powerful but handy weapon able to be used from horseback. It helped the Mongols conquer most of Eurasia and central Europe.

There is in fact a connection between this weapon and naval warfare: the Ottomans made very good use of archers armed with the re-curve bow aboard their naval galleys during the medieval and early Renaissance periods.

FWIW.

B
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OSCSSW
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Mongolian Bow VS English Longbow

Post by OSCSSW »

Well you asked for it so here it is. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Mongolian Bow VS English Longbow. Which bow is better? Both weapons dominated the battlefield in the 12th and 13th centuries (A.D) in their respective regions. Each bow has it’s own advantages and drawbacks. These bows evolved in very different geographical regions and were adapted for use in different ways. The Mongols shot their composite horsebows from horseback. These bows were made from a combination of materials, and were able to store and release energy much more efficiently than longbows. The English Longbow on the other hand is made from a single branch, typically from Yew. Manufacturing the longbow requires much less time, and the bows are less susceptible to damage from the elements. Let us examine and compare the advantages and drawbacks of both bows.

Construction and Materials
As mentioned, the Mongolian bow is made of a combination of wood, sinew and horn, layered and glued together with fish bladder glue. The Mongol bow is has more reflex, meaning that it is curved in the opposite direction when unstrung then when strung. The composite bow is more tense when strung compared to the longbow. The Longbow accelerates the arrow only at the beginning of the release, while the composite bow of the Mongols accelerates the projectile throughout the entire motion from full draw.

Because of the geometry of the bow, and the materials from which it is made, the Mongolian bow is more efficient that the Longbow. What does this mean? A Mongolian bow with a hundred (100) pound draw weight can shoot the same arrow as an English Longbow of the same draw weight farther and faster. The limbs of the Mongolian bow store and release energy more efficiently. They travel faster, and spring back to position quicker when the archer releases the string as compared to the longbow. The English Longbow requires more of the energy it has stored to overcome the inertia of it’s own limbs. The longbows of old were cut and carved from a single branch of the Yew tree.

A Mongolian bow is a cavalry weapon and an English Longbow is used on foot. One can draw a much heavier bow on foot compared to being mounted. Leveraging the use of their lower bodies, English archers drew very heavy bows, most averaging around 100 pounds. The English bowmen of the Hundred Year’s War fought with France, showered the French nights with heavy, armor piercing arrows. The Mongol’s arrows were intended to be used on more lightly armored adversaries. One main drawback of a Mongolian bow, compared to an English longbow, is that composite bows require much more time and labor to make.

Some composite bows remain in a jig, with their different layers bound together for several months or even years. A longbow can be cut and carved in a single day. Longbows are also not as delicate to maintain and are not as susceptible to the elements like the composite bows. A composite bow will loose it’s energy storing ability faster than a longbow if left strung for extended periods of time. The composite bows must be unstrung and left to relax in order to better maintain their effectiveness. Because the longbow does not use any glues and is made from a single piece of wood, it is not susceptible to humidity and moisture like the Mongolian bow.
"You see those battleships sitting there, and you think they float on the water, don't you?... You are wrong, they are carried to sea on the backs of those Chief Petty Officers!" Admiral William Halsey USN :wink:
Byron Angel
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Re: Bows

Post by Byron Angel »

Well done!

Byron
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