New insight into air resistance and projectile trajectories that informed military ballistics
This edition presents Francis Bashforth’s revised account of the experiments using the Bashforth chronograph to measure how air resistance affects projectile motion.
It explains the development of reliable resistance laws for spherical and elongated projectiles across a wide speed range, and shows how these findings feed into accurate trajectory calculations.
With careful recalculation and alignment of coefficients, the work provides comprehensive tables suited to both English and French measures. It discusses the practical limits of certain laws at high speeds and elevations, and it explains the drift factors that influence long-range firing. The text also references how these results compare with other key methods in ballistics, offering context for practitioners and students alike.
- Revised coefficients of air resistance for spherical and ogival projectiles
- General and range tables to calculate trajectories under various conditions
- Discussion of wind, drift, and elevation effects on long-range shots
- Explanation of methodology and experimental foundations for ballistic calculations
Ideal for readers with an interest in the science and history of ballistics, artillery research, and advanced trajectory computation.