FOR THE LITTLE ONES

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 189, 12 August 1933, Page 3 (Supplement)

FOR THE LITTLE ONES

BIG GUNS FOR GENERAL REDCOAT,

A REALISTIC MODEL CANNON. My Dear Little Friends, A field gun like the one shown in the picture would be just the thing for General Redcoat, of the Toy Soldier Brigade. You can imagine how he would send up a barrage of shells under which bis gallant followers could advance to the attack.

Surprising as it may seem, this splendid model field gun is made from materials that are easily obtained a'nout the house, and its construction is so simple that it should present no difficulties to n:y little readers. What is more, the model gun fires "shells" quite long distances, and the trigger is released by pulling a cord just like a real cannon.

Make the barrel first of ail by rolling up a strip of paper to make a tube three and a half inches long and thin enough to fit snugly into the hole of a cotton reel. A touch of glue will fix down the flap. Take a cotton reel and cut it in half across the stem. One of these sections will give you the shape of the armoured guard that protects the gunners from enemy fire. The barrel is thrust into the hole and is held tight with a little glue. The trailer is next made from a strip of wood about three and a half inches long. This is tacked firmly to the underneath part of the "armoured guard," a small V-shaped piece of wood being inserted to make it trail at the right angle. Another cotton reel is cut neatly in half to make the wheels. The holes are blocked up with two medicine bottle corks, and two very thin nails or brads are used for axles. By means of these nails the wheels are fixed on to the gun half an inch from the bottom of the "armoured guard."

* The firing is accomplished by means of a small, fiat piece of spring, which need not be more than an inch long. One end is tacked firmly to the trailer, immediately below the "breach" of the gun. An inch or so lower down a small staple or bent-over nail is driven into the trailer. The firing cord consists of a thread of crochet cotton in one end of wjiich there is a small loop that will not slip. To shsot the gun, this loop is slipped over the end of the spring, Whilst the free end of the cotton is led through the small staple or bent-over nail. When the cord is pulled the spring is drawn bach until the loop slips off, then it snaps forward, striking the "shell," and sending it from the barrel at a great speed. If the loop slips too readily from the spring, the end can be bent slightly to make it stay on more easily. • It will''be noticed that the barrel of the gun is thicker nearer the breach than it is at the muzzle. This effect is obtained by winding a strip of paper, three-quarters of an inch wide, round the real barrel and gumming it into position. A strong little model, this will give hours of amusement to those who are of playing with toy soldiers. Shells may be shaped out of small pieces of wood, or, if preferred, _ r ... wooden safety matches may be used "*** for ammunition. There is lots of fun Si) in store for those who make this toy, IVT/TJ(LA so collect the materials and set to VM work at once. ,