Longbows were very difficult to master because the force required to obtain an arrow through the improved armor of medieval Europe was very high by modern standards. Although the train weight of a typical English longbread is disputed, it was at least 81 pounds (360 Newtons) and possibly more than 130 lbf (600 N). It took a lot of practice to produce the fast and effective combat shot required. The skeletons of archers are noticeably affected, with enlarged left arms and often osteophytes on the left wrists, left shoulders and right fingers. [23] The preferred material for the production of the longbread was yew, although ash, elm and other woods were also used. Gerald of Wales speaks of the bows used by the Welsh of Gwent and says: “They are not made of horn, ash or yew, but of elm; ugly, unfinished, but surprisingly rigid weapons, large and strong, and just as operational for long or short shootouts. [14] Traditional long-arch construction involves drying the yew wood for 1-2 years and then slowly shaping the wood, with the whole process taking up to four years. The bow dove is shaped in such a way that it has a D-shaped cross-section. The outer “back” of the sapwood, approximately flat, follows the natural growth rings; Modern Bowyers often lighten the sapwood, while in Mary Rose`s arches, the back of the bow was the natural surface of the wood, only the bark is removed. The interior (“belly”) of the bow dove is made of rounded heartwood. Heartwood is resistant to compression and the outer sapwood performs better in terms of tension.

This combination in a single piece of wood (an auto-arch) forms a natural “laminate”, which actually resembles the construction of a composite arch. Long leaves last a long time when protected by a water-repellent coating traditionally made of “wax, resin and fine sebum”. The Longbow decided many medieval battles of the English and Welsh, the most important of which were the Battle of Crécy (1346) and the Battle of Agincourt (1415) during the Hundred Years War; These followed earlier successes, particularly at the Battle of Falkirk (1298) and the Battle of Halidon Hill (1333) during the Scottish Wars of Independence. They were less successful afterwards, as the archers had pierced their lines at the Battle of Verneuil (1424) and were defeated at the Battle of Patay (1429) when they were attacked before building their defenses, and with the Battle of Castillon (1453), which was decided by French artillery. Long arches should be less powerful, longer, or made of more elastic wood than an equivalent flat arch because of their narrow limbs and rounded cross-section (which does not distribute tension in the wood as evenly as the rectangular cross-section of a flat arch). In Europe, the latter approach was used, with yew being the wood of choice due to its high compressive strength, low weight and elasticity. Yew is the best used European wood that makes good self-long arches (other woods such as elms can make long arches, but require heat treatment of the abdomen and a wider belly/narrower back, while falling into the definition of a long arch) and has been the main wood used in European arches since the Neolithic period. More common and cheaper hardwoods, including elm, oak, hickory, ash, hazel and maple, are good for flat arches. From these woods, a narrow long bow with a high pulling weight can be made, but it is likely to take a permanent turn (known as a “set” or “track” of the rope) and is likely to be overtaken by an equivalent of yew.

[Original research?] [Citation needed] The longbow and its historical importance, resulting from its adoption by the Welsh, who fought alongside the English during the Hundred Years War, created a lasting legacy for the longbow, which gave its name to modern military equipment, including: longbeds were difficult to master, as the train`s weights often exceeded 65 kgf (143 lbf). It took a lot of practice to ensure the necessary rapid and effective firefighting. The skeletons of archers are recognizable, with enlarged left arms and often bony spurs on the left wrists, left shoulders and right fingers. Although long bows were much faster and more accurate than all black powder weapons, long archers were still difficult to make due to the years of practice required before a war longbed (examples of the Mary Rose usually have prints of more than 65 kgf (143 lbf)) could be used effectively. It took only fifteen minutes to train the average citizen in the use of a handgun, and the hardest thing to master was to keep your eyes open when the powder ignited. In addition, the longbow was a powerful weapon that could be placed in the hands of ordinary people – many nations (e.g. the French) simply did not trust their people enough to teach them how to use a weapon that could be turned against the nobility. The origins of the English longbow are disputed. Although it is difficult to assess the importance of military archery in the Anglo-Saxon War before the Norman Conquest, it is clear that archery played a prominent role under the Normans, as shown by the history of the Battle of Hastings. Their Anglo-Norman descendants also used military archery, as evidenced by their victory at the Battle of the Standard in 1138. The range of the medieval weapon is not exactly known, much of which depends on both the strength of the bow and the type of arrow.

It was thought that a flying arrow from a professional archer from the time of Edward III would reach 400 yd (370 m)[25], but the longest mark drawn in the 16th century on the London practice area of Finsbury Fields was 345 yd (315 m). [26] In 1542, Henry VIII. a minimum exercise range for adults with flying arrows of 220 yd (200 m); The areas below had to be fired with heavy arrows. [27] Modern experiences are largely consistent with these historical domains. A 150 lbf (667 N) Mary Rose longb replica was capable of firing a 1.89 oz (53.6 g) arrow of 359 yd (328 m) and a distance of 3.38 oz (95.9 g) of 273.3 yd (249.9 m). [28] In 2012, Joe Gibbs fired a 2.25 oz (64 g) paint boom of 292 yd (267 m) with a 170 lbf (760 N) yew bow. [29] The actual combat range of the archers was generally lower than that of the training ground, as sustained fire was tiring and the difficulties of the campaign weakened the strength of the soldiers. Barnabe Rich, writing thirty years after the sinking of the “Mary Rose”, estimated that if a thousand English archers were assembled, after only a week a hundred of them would be able to shoot more than two hundred steps (167 yd (153 m)), while two hundred of the others would not be able to shoot more than 180 steps. [30] In 2017, Hungarian master archer József Mónus set the new flight world record with a traditional English longbow with 451.47 yards (412.82 m). [31] [32] It has been suggested that yews were often planted in English cemeteries to have longbow wood readily available. [90] Although long bows are much faster and more accurate than the black powder weapons they replace, long archers have always taken a long time to train because years of practice were needed before a war longbow could be used effectively (the Mary Rose`s examples of longbows typically had prints of more than 143 lbf (637 N)).

At a time when war was usually seasonal and non-noble soldiers worked on farms for part of the year, the year-round training required for the effective use of the longbow was a challenge. A standing army was an expensive undertaking for a medieval ruler. The armies of continental Europe rarely formed a significant longbow corps. Because of their specialized training, English archers were sought after as mercenaries in other European countries, especially in Italian city-states and Spain. The White Company,[63] composed of armed men and archers and commanded by Sir John Hawkwood, was the best-known English free company of the 14th century. The powerful Hungarian king, Louis the Great, is an example of someone who used archers in his Italian campaigns. [Citation needed] There are records of the use of the longbow in action during World War II, when Jack Churchill was credited with a longbow murder in France in 1940. [72] The weapon was certainly considered for use by commandos during the war, but it is not known if it was used in action. [73] In August 2019, the blacksmith`s YouTube channel “Tod`s Workshop” in collaboration with historian Dr.

Tobias Capwell (curator of the Wallace Collection), Joe Gibbs (archer), Will Sherman (Fletcher) and Kevin Legg (gunsmith) conducted a practical test in which a replica of the 15th century plate armor (made from materials and techniques used to match the period) on a chain mail and a gambeson against a long arch 160 lbf (710 N).