The Great Panjandrum

  • Thread starter Ivan Seeking
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In summary, a concept was developed for a war weapon called the Great Panjandrum, which consisted of two large wheels with explosives and rockets attached to propel it onto a beach. However, during a test run, the weapon went off course and caused chaos, leading to the realization that proper testing should have been done beforehand. The conversation also included some comical and dark humor about the unpredictability of human nature.
  • #1
Ivan Seeking
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An interesting if not comical bit of war history.

...Then one day an Air Force officer, a Group Captain Finch-Noyes, came from Combined Operations with a rough sketch of what was to become the Great Panjandrum. It was a bold concept: two 10-ft wheels with 1 ft-wide steel treads joined by a wide drum.The centre section would be packed with 4000 lbs of high explosive and round the circumference of each wheel there would be a number of cordite rockets which would propel the whole thing at 60 mph off a landing craft, through the surf and, indifferent to obstacles and mines, up the beach to the wall. There the wheels would collapse and the explosive would be detonated. Within a month the prototype had been constructed in great secrecy at Leytonstone in north-east London. With equal secrecy it was transported under cover of darkness to Appledore.

...It hit a line of small craters in the sand and began to turn to starboard, careering towards Klemantaski, who, viewing events through a telescopic lens, misjudged the distance and continued filming. Hearing the approaching roar he looked up from his viewfinder to see Panjandrum, shedding live rockets in all directions, heading straight for him. As he ran for his life, he glimpsed the assembled admirals and generals diving for cover behind the pebble ridge into barbed-wire entanglements...[continued]
http://johnfowles.org.uk/nevilshute/thesecretwar/
 
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  • #2
Well, there is a lot to be said for adequately testing a concept - particularly separate components - before testing a system! :rofl:

Perhaps they should have mounted the wheels on something immovable first to see if the rockets and the resulting angular momentum would provide a stable trajectory. :rolleyes:

But then again - “To a Mouse,” by Robert Burns: “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft a-gley.”
 
  • #3
That's hilarious, thanks Ivan!
 
  • #4
Astronuc said:
“To a Mouse,” by Robert Burns: “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft a-gley.”

As I always say (being blatantly plageristic), 'The best laid plans, and vice versa, never work out.' :devil:
One of my favourite street-fighting weapons that I invented several decades ago luckily falls into the 'unused' category. It was a chainsaw blade attached to the end of a VW torsion bar with a Heim joint. Simple whiplash stroke to wrap it around someone's neck, and give it a pull... (Well, those of you who somehow think that I'm a nice guy despite my name are overdue for a reality check. :tongue:)
 
  • #5
I very nearly spat coffee all over my monitor :rofl:
 
  • #6
Humans

Leave a bunch of em in a room with a button marked "DO NOT PUSH" and you would have to run to get a stop watch in time.

Learn from others mistakes. Who has time to make them all yourself.
 

1. What is "The Great Panjandrum"?

"The Great Panjandrum" refers to a fictional, highly explosive and uncontrollable rocket weapon created by the British during World War II.

2. Why was "The Great Panjandrum" created?

The weapon was originally designed as a way to breach German defenses during the D-Day landings in 1944. However, it was ultimately deemed too dangerous and impractical to use in battle.

3. Is there any truth to the story of "The Great Panjandrum"?

While the weapon itself is fictional, the story of its creation and potential use during World War II is based on real events. It was a part of a plan known as "Project Habakkuk" which aimed to create a large, unsinkable aircraft carrier made of ice and wood pulp.

4. Has anyone tried to recreate "The Great Panjandrum"?

Yes, in 2009, a team of engineers in the UK attempted to recreate a working model of "The Great Panjandrum" for a television series. However, their version was significantly smaller and less powerful than the original concept.

5. Is "The Great Panjandrum" still a classified weapon?

No, the plans and details of "The Great Panjandrum" have been declassified and are now publicly available. However, it was never actually built or tested, so it remains only a theoretical weapon.

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