Please, excuse me for my English. 

Russian rockets in Sevastopol 1854-1855.
The rockets of Konstantinov system were used in the defense of Sevastopol. 
In 1842 the colonel K.I. Konstantinov(1818- 1871) a member of the Sea Scientific Committee was appointed Chief of the Rocket institution. By the way, Konstantinov was the illegitimate son of Grand Duke Constantin Pavlovich and the singer Clara Anna Lorens, that is he was a nephew of the Emperor Àlexzender III. 

In 1847-1850 years Konstantinov has created a rocket electroballistic pendulum on the basis of the device of cannon ballistic installation.  The Russian army had the following rockets of Konstantinov system : 2-inch (51 mm), 2,5-inch (64 mm) and 4-inch (102-mm). Depending on purpose and character of shooting the new names of rockets they  were called field or siege. The field rockets were armed with grenade and case-shot. 2-inch and 2,5-inch, and to siege 4-inch concerned to field rockets. In 1851 and 1852 the Rocket Institution let out about 2700 rockets per one year, in 1853 - 4000 rockets, in 1854 -10488, in 1855 - 5870 rockets. During this period rockets of Konstantinov system   were made only. In May, 1854 600 battle rockets of 2-inch calibre were sent to Sevastopol from the Petersburg Rocket Institution on inquiry Commander of the Southern Army Prince Menshicov. But they arrived in Sevastopol only on September 1 of the same year.10 rockets were fired at the enemy from the 4-th bastion. They didn't damage him seriously.  At the end of the defense of Sevastopol Pestich offered to set mounts for start of rockets in windows of the top floors of the buildings on the strategically important directions of attacks of the Allied Armies. One of them was located in the window of   3-storeied house near the sea hospital. The explosions of rockets took place directly in enemy trenches, there were heavy losses among  the in Allies.

The characteristics of Konstantinov's rockets (1854-1855) are not given  here. 
I am ready  to change this information for some information rockets of Britain and France in the Crimean war.
E-mail: fort@optima.com.ua

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