Chinese Inventions:Rockets
Simone Daniels and R're Lovett
http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/index.php?/topic/28442-ancient-chinese-multi-stage-rocket-fire-dragon/
The ancient Chinese multi-stage rockets were used both in land as well as naval warfare. The "Fire Dragon Out of Water" was a two-stage rocket and was mentioned in the chinese source Wubeizhi 《武备志》(1621)
It comprised of about a 1.65m long tube equipped with many rockets inside. The front was designed to look like a dragon head while the back was designed to look like the tail of the dragon. The two ends of the rear body of the fire dragon were equipped with two rockets. These rockets were linked by strings to the ignition on the inside. Then one uses a final string to ignite the 4 rockets at the lower portion of the fire dragon. The lower portion of the dragon body is the 1st stage rocket, while the inner body of the dragons were the 2nd stage rockets.
When "Fire Dragon out of water" were placed onto a warship and used for attacking enemy ships, one can ignite the 4 first-stage rockets at the lower portion of the dragon body. This act as forms of booster propeling the dragon body forward for a certain distance. After the combustion of the 1st stage rocket is depleted, it will automatically ignite the 2nd stage rockets on the inside body of the dragon.These 2nd stage rockets will be fired out of the dragon's mouth towards the enemy ship, creating explosion on the enemy ship. Each rocket has about 750 g of gunpowder. The weapon is about 5-10 kg and can traverse a cruise distance of 1.308-1.962 km
It comprised of about a 1.65m long tube equipped with many rockets inside. The front was designed to look like a dragon head while the back was designed to look like the tail of the dragon. The two ends of the rear body of the fire dragon were equipped with two rockets. These rockets were linked by strings to the ignition on the inside. Then one uses a final string to ignite the 4 rockets at the lower portion of the fire dragon. The lower portion of the dragon body is the 1st stage rocket, while the inner body of the dragons were the 2nd stage rockets.
When "Fire Dragon out of water" were placed onto a warship and used for attacking enemy ships, one can ignite the 4 first-stage rockets at the lower portion of the dragon body. This act as forms of booster propeling the dragon body forward for a certain distance. After the combustion of the 1st stage rocket is depleted, it will automatically ignite the 2nd stage rockets on the inside body of the dragon.These 2nd stage rockets will be fired out of the dragon's mouth towards the enemy ship, creating explosion on the enemy ship. Each rocket has about 750 g of gunpowder. The weapon is about 5-10 kg and can traverse a cruise distance of 1.308-1.962 km
http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/index.php?/topic/28442-ancient-chinese-multi-stage-rocket-fire-dragon/
This is a two-stage rocket. It is composed of two boosters, one explosion tube and a firing bamboo rod. The 3 parts were tied together using hemp ropes and used the fish glue to fix their locations.
The explosion tube was equipped with gunpowder explosives, while the explosives were comprised of fine sand. They were tied onto the front of the bamboo rod. The lower portion of the explosion tube was equipped with a rocket facing downwards, while the other end was tied with another rocket facing upwards (in opposite direction). They were connected to another by strings. The entire installation is about 231 cm (2.31 m). After they are constructed, they were put onto the bamboo rocket launcher. When installing two rockets, one booster must face up while the other must face down and the connection must be accurate. Otherwise, there would be undesirable consequence.
Ancient Chinese and Korean rocket technology demonstrated