Scorpion-launching naval bombards and a flying-machine drive
Crescent-bladed 'scorpions' fired from bombards and packed on ships to cut rigging, beside a flying-machine propulsion mechanism
A page of naval ordnance is anchored at the upper left by a propulsion mechanism for the flying machine with its drums and wings. The rest of the sheet develops the 'scorpion': a crescent-bladed missile shot from bombards mounted on ship-resistant timber stands, shown singly and in a double-bladed version 'good against ships.' A long low vessel bristling with rows of these crescent blades is a 'ship of scorpions' meant to cut the ropes of great ships, its blades four braccia apart and a foot wide, with a pivoted small bombard for throwing scorpions drawn at lower right.
On this page
Bombards firing crescent 'scorpions' at ships
A bombard on a stand of ship-resistant timber launches a crescent-bladed 'scorpion.' A double-scorpion version is drawn so the cut cannot fail, noted as good against ships. A pivoted small bombard at lower right throws the scorpions.
Ship of scorpions for cutting rigging
A long vessel is packed with rows of crescent blades to cut the ropes of the great ships. Four braccia span from one horn of the blades to the other, each crescent a foot wide at its broadest and a finger thick at the back.
Flying-machine propulsion mechanism
At the upper left stands a propulsion mechanism for the flying machine, drawn with drums and outspread wings. The block is titled but carries no accompanying description in the text.