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By the 15th century, cannons had been used in battle for over a hundred years, and Leonardo himself drew designs for several. However, fifteenth century firearms were slow and cumbersome.
This catapult was designed to be loaded quickly, and could be left armed in case of surprise attacks. Leonardo envisioned rows of catapults fired simultaneously by men striking firing pins with hammers.
Leonardo also designed projectiles for his catapults. These had two tail fins for stability, and were filled with gunpowder, which would explode on landing.
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BBC History