For centuries, Great Britain has played a central role in conflicts across the globe. Remarkably, it’s estimated that Britain has engaged in military actions against or in support of 82 percent of the world’s nations. Despite participating in numerous wars, the nation boasts an impressive track record, emerging victorious from the majority of its conflicts. Quite impressive for a country smaller than many U.S. states!
True to the saying, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog,” Britain’s dominance was driven by its heavy investments in technology. These investments spanned various fields, allowing the nation to excel in warfare on land, at sea, and in the air.
Here are some of the weapons and tools that allowed Britain to build an empire upon which the sun never sets.
The Dreadnought
In 1906 Britain commissioned the HMS Dreadnought, a revolutionary new type of battleship that was so advanced she metaphorically blew everything else out of the water the second she arrived. In fact, this ship was such a big deal that she spawned an entire generation of battleships named after her. Meanwhile, the now-obsolete ships that had come before her were classed as ‘pre-dreadnoughts.’ While she was full of new features, a few stand out in particular as defining moments in warship design.
She was the first capital ship to use steam turbines and the first battleship to carry a uniform main battery. She was exceptionally fast for her size and weight too. Although Dreadnought was a major naval leap forward that sparked a global arms race, she had a relatively unremarkable career. She rammed and sunk a submarine, but by the end of WWI she was obsolete herself.
The Brown Bess
As the British Empire reached the peak of its dominance in the 1800s, the Brown Bess was at its side. This .75 caliber musket, wielded by Britain’s iconic red-coated soldiers, played a central role in the empire’s expansion to its historic size. First introduced in 1722, it served as the standard-issue firearm for British infantry for more than a century, before being retired in the 1830s.
Throughout its service, the musket underwent numerous modifications and improvements. Its barrel length ranged from the original 46 inches to a shorter 26 inches for the cavalry carbine model. This smoothbore, muzzle-loading flintlock musket was straightforward to manufacture and was instrumental in securing many British victories. The Brown Bess saw action in famous battles during the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Napoleonic Wars.
Despite its importance, the musket had notable drawbacks, such as limited accuracy and short range, rendering it largely ineffective beyond 100 yards. To address these limitations, the British adjusted their tactics, employing large formations of soldiers who fired in synchronized volleys to increase the chances of hitting their targets.
The Spitfire
No list can discuss Britain’s technological prowess without mentioning the Supermarine Spitfire. Designed by R. J. Mitchell, this beautiful fighter aircraft first flew in 1934 and entered service in 1938. Paired with the gorgeous sounding V12 Merlin engine the Spitfire was a war-winning aircraft. Fast, maneuverable, and reliable, this dependable plane became a household name after its participation in the Battle of Britain.
Although the Spitfire was used in a huge variety of roles, its arch-nemesis was the German Bf 109. The two aircraft began on a relatively equal footing and were both upgraded as the war progressed. But by the war’s end, the later beefed-up Spitfires could still tango with even the newest propeller fighters, while the Bf 109 had become increasingly obsolete. The Spitfire was the only British fighter produced from start to finish of WWII.
The fighter truly won the hearts of the British people and has since become a symbol of Britain’s contribution to WWII.
Henry Shrapnel’s Shrapnel
Around the start of the 1800s artillery usually fired either solid shot, which was great against tough targets, gunpowder-filled shells which exploded on impact and canister rounds, a shell filled with iron balls that behaves like a large shotgun shell when fired. This last weapon was absolutely devastating against troops at close range but was less effective at longer ranges. During the Napoleonic Wars, the French learned to keep their distance to limit the use of these rounds.
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However, Henry Shrapnel created a shell with long-range and an effect similar to canister rounds. Like the canister rounds, they were filled with iron balls but were fused to detonate over the heads of the enemy. Artillery crews could change the length of the fuse to explode at just the right time. The deadly projectiles launched from exploding shells are named after Henry Shrapnel.
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