Big Bang Cannons: the Heavy Artillery of Vintage Toys

Invented in 1907 as an alternative to fireworks, Big Bang Cannons work by burning acetylene gas generated from the reaction of calcium carbide and water. Simple, reliable, and relatively safe, these unique toys have been in nearcontinuous production for nearly 120 years. Carbide Lamp Video: 0:00 Introduction 0:54 Origins of the Big Bang Cannon 1:29 Thomas Willson and the Discovery of Calcium Carbide 3:15 Advantages of Acetylene Gas 4:48 Development of the Big Bang Design 7:44 16 10FC Junior Filed Model: Design Overview 11:00 Firing a Big Bang Cannon 12:30 Later History of the Conestoga Company 13:40 Overview of Big Bang Cannon Models 19:10 Outro SOURCES: bang cannon