The Greatest Toy Story Ever!

During World War II the Frank Curran Company of Downers Grove supplied hand grenades for the US Army. When the war was over, rather than discard the remaining grenade parts, through a stroke of entrepreneurial genius, the remaining pieces were turned into a child's toy. The Curran Company created the Howie Cannon. The barrel of the cannon was once a hand grenade detonator. The trailing leg was once the "Spoon". Where the axle passed through was once where the grenade pin would have been.

The toy came in a least 2 styles of boxes and came with wooden artillery shells. The shells are dropped down the barrel. The spring loaded crank at the end of the barrel is turned. When it reaches the drop in the cam the powerful spring shoots out the shell. I have used steel brads as shells and there is a real danger of putting ones eye out.
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