[MR] New Book: Da Vinci's Giant Crossbow

[Garth G. Groff]

Noble friends,

Just received at the UVA library: LEONARDO DA VINCI'S GIANT CROSSBOW by 
Matthew Landrus (ISBN 9783540689157; our call # T40 .L46 L36 2010). Wow! 
Talk about cool! Many of you have probably seen Da Vinci's drawings for 
his giant crossbow, which are often reproduced in books and magazines. 
Was it for real, or just the mad scribblings of a frustrated engineer 
looking for a job? The author, who assisted with the design on a 
near-full-scale replica for an ITN/PBS television program, certainly 
thinks Da Vinci was serious. He makes the case that the design is 
carefully based on Euclidian and Archamedian geometric principals, and 
was intended to be a working plan. The author also examines Da Vinci's 
design from a modern engineering standpoint, and from the techniques and 
materials of the time. Along the way he compares Da Vinci's work to 
contemporary crossbows and ballistas, as well as other seige machines. 
While technical, the text is well within the reach of a lay reader. The 
book is lavishly illustrated with many drawings, including geometric 
overlays on top of Da Vinci's original, as well as views of other 
Renaissance machines. Truly a fascinating book, and extremely useful for 
any Scadian seige weapon engineer.

Kind regards,


Lord Mungo Napier, Who Would Love to Make a Ballista