@ Blue Monkey, I have always loved the steampunk genre so I have a lot of pics and some I have come up with descriptions of.
Here are some more. maybe the Aerial Torpedo can be the new cruise missile. The Aphid, Dauntless and Reliant are from GDW's Space: 1889 series of rpg's and games.
Rutt's Patented Aerial Torpedo:
Colonel Rutts' Patented Aerial Torpedo is a finned projectile filled with dynamite, held aloft by means of liftwood vanes, and powered after launch by a propellor driven by a small flywheel. It also trails a cable with a small grapnel to snag vessels over which it passes.
Wittscombe's Aerial Conyeyor:
Inventor James Bartleby Wittscombe conducted many experiments designed to build a personal aerial conveyor. Using liftwood blades to provide lift and human muscle power to provide motive power his innovative designs herald a true revolution in personal transport.
Albionese Aerial Battery
The escalating arms race in Aerial and Æther Flyers amongst the Europan Powers raised fears amongst civilians that towns and cities could be targeted by indicriminate bombing attacks. To counter this threat, and also to wrest back some control of Aerial weapons from the Royal Navy, the Albionese Army developed a series of Aerial Batteries designed to provide defense for military and civilian targets.
The aerial batteries were the subject of much controversy. Concerns were raised that the lack of railings on this craft increased the danger to the crew. The army response was that railings would impede the firing arcs of the aerial battery weaponary and the crew are equipped with magnetic boots.
Further concern was raised about the recoil from the main gun potentially causing a fatal loss of trim to the aerial battery. This was of greater concern to the army and research was begun into the possibility of retro-fitting a Lightning Cannon to the Aerial Battery, as shown below.
There was also much argument by the navy that the Aerial Batteries are in fact a form of Aerial Flyer and should therefore be under Naval control. The army response is that while these batteries use Liftwood to allow them to ascend; they have no motive power and as such are not vessels. The Arguments continue.
H.M.A.S. Aphid Class Aerial Gunboat:
The Aphid class was the first and is the smallest armored aerial gunboat in Albionese service, and it is also the most common, there being currently a total of 10 in service and ten more in production at Syrtis Major. Each of these vessels carries a crew of 15 and has an endurance of 20 days steaming. They are each armed extremely well for their diminutive size, with a 4-inch gun, two Hotchkiss 1-pounder rotating cannons, and two five-barrel Nordenfelts.
The Aphid was built in 1881 for the Syrtis Major station. The Aphid is 90 feet long, 30 feet wide and measures 160 tons. Her triple expansion steam engine delivers 250 horsepower to a single wood air screw. It also powers a small dynamo which provides electricity for search and signaling lights. Louver slats of Meepsorian liftwood in the hull, controlled by a complicated arrangement of trim levers, can lift the ship to a high altitude. Though lightly armored, the Aphid class gunboats are well armed, mounting a four-inch quick-firing gun on the foredeck and two one-pound Hotchkiss rotating cannon on the wings. The normal complement is 15 men.
Specifications: Aphid class aerial gunboat: built by Royal Navy Shipyard, Syrtis Major, Mars
Aphid class aerial gunboat: built by Royal Navy Shipyard, Syrtis Major, Mars
Engine: triple expansion steam engine with 250 horsepower, imported from Terra
Length: 90 feet Beam: 22 feet, overall width (including gun wings and rudders) is 30 feet
Height: 19 feet, 8 inches (not counting the mast)
Weight 160 tons
Maximum speed at sea level: 100 knots
Ceiling: 10,500 feet
Range: 1,000 miles
Endurance: 20 Days
Armament: 1 four-inch quick-firing gun, 2 one-pound Hotchkiss rotating cannon
Crew: 15 (three officers and twelve enlisted).
H.M.A.S. Dauntless Class Aerial Gunboat:
The sleek lines of the Dauntless make it one of the most attractive of all the aerial vessels currently in service, but its performance is disappointing when compared to its cost, and no further examples of this class are planned. The principal difficulty with the vessel is that its forward gun is mounted low behind the hull armor to give it greater protection at no additional weight. The practical result is that the forward four-inch gun does not have sufficient traverse to engage broadside targets. Despite the fact that the ship has two four-inch guns, it can only engage a target with one of them at a time.
The first two vessels of this class were built with conventional boilers. The third vessel, H.M.A.S. Danger was built with forced draught boilers. The weight savings has allowd the placement of two more Nordenfelt rotating cannons sighted to fire to the broadside, although for some reason this modification was not carried out until recently. The technical specifications below are for the original design.
Specifications: Dauntless class aerial gunboat: built by Royal Navy Shipyard, Syrtis Major, Mars
Dauntless class aerial gunboat: built by Royal Navy Shipyard, Syrtis Major, Mars
Engine: triple expansion steam engine with 500 horsepower, imported from Terra
Length: 135 feet Beam: 24 feet, overall width (including gun wings and rudders) is 35 feet
Height: 20 feet, 8 inches (not counting the mast)
Weight 315tons
Maximum speed at sea level: 100 knots
Ceiling: 10,500 feet
Range: 1,000 miles
Endurance: 20 Days
Armament: 1 four-inch, long, forward fixed under armor, 1 four-inch long, sterntower, 2 three-pounder Hotchkiss rotating cannons, wing mounts, 2 Nordenfelt, broadside
Crew: 35 (four officers, twenty enlisted. one marine officer and ten marines).
H.M.A.S. Reliant Aerial Protected Cruiser:
The Reliant was built in 1883 for the Syrtis Major station. Reliant is 220 feet long, 82 feet wide and measures 800 tons. Her two triple expansion steam engines deliver 750 horsepower to twin wood air screws. It also powers a small dynamo which provides electricity for search and signaling lights. Louver slats of Meepsorian liftwood in the hull, controlled by a complicated arrangement of trim levers, can lift the ship to a high altitude. Reliant was for many years the most powerful aerial gunboat in existence. It is well armed, mounting two six-inch guns in wing sponsons, a four-inch long gun on a stern tower, two six-pound Hotchkiss rotating cannon on the bow, eight Nordenfelt machineguns, and eight Hale Rocket Batteries. The normal complement is 51 men.
Specifications: Reliant class aerial gunboat: built by Royal Navy Shipyard, Syrtis Major, Mars
Engine: two triple expansion steam engines with 375 horsepower each, imported from Terra
Length: 220 feet
Beam: 64 feet, overall width (including gun sponsons) is 82 feet 6 inches
Height: 56 feet, 6 inches (not counting the mast)
Weight: 800 tons
Airspeed: 28 knots
Ceiling: 10,500 feet
Endurance: 20 days
Armament: 2 six-inch guns in wing sponsons, 1 four-inch long gun on a stern tower, 2 six-pound Hotchkiss rotating cannon on the bow, 8 Nordenfelt machineguns, and 8 Hale Rocket Batteries
Crew: 51 (four officers, 35 enlisted, 12 marines).