BL 4-inch Mk IX naval gun
Ordnance BL 4-inch Mk IX gun | |
---|---|
On Flower-class corvette HMCS Calgary in World War II | |
Type | Naval gun |
Service history | |
In service | 1916–1945 |
Used by | Royal Navy Royal Canadian Navy Free French Navy South African Navy |
Wars | World War I World War II |
Production history | |
No. built | 2,382[1] |
Specifications | |
Weight | 2 tons barrel & breech[2] |
Barrel length | 180 inches (4.572 m) bore (45 calibres) |
Shell | 31 pounds (14.1 kg) |
Calibre | 4 inches (101.6 mm) |
Breech | Welin interrupted screw |
Elevation | -10 degrees to +30 degrees[3] |
Rate of fire | 10-12 rpm[3] |
Muzzle velocity | 800 metres per second (2,600 ft/s)[2] |
Maximum firing range | 12,660 metres (13,850 yd)[2] |
The BL 4-inch Mk IX naval gun[note 1] was a British medium-velocity naval gun introduced in 1916 as secondary armament on the Renown-class battlecruisers and Glorious-class "large light cruisers", but which served most notably as the main armament on Flower-class corvettes throughout World War II.
Contents
1 History
1.1 World War I
1.2 World War II
2 Surviving examples
3 See also
4 Notes
5 References
6 Bibliography
7 External links
History
World War I
The gun was based on the barrel of the QF 4-inch Mk V and the breech mechanism of the BL 4-inch Mk VIII[4] and was first introduced in World War I on capital ships as secondary armament in triple-gun mountings, intended to provide rapid concentrated fire. This turned out to be unworkable in practice. Jane's Fighting Ships of 1919 commented, "4-inch triples are clumsy and not liked. They are not mounted in one sleeve; have separate breech mechanism, a gun crew of 23 to each triple".[5] Guns were thereafter used in single-gun mountings, typically on smaller ships as primary armament.
World War II
In World War II the gun was employed on many small warships such as Flower-class corvettes and minesweepers, primarily for action against surfaced submarines.
This was the last BL 4 inch gun in British service: all subsequent guns have used charges in metal cartridges "QF". It was succeeded on new small warships built in World War II by the QF 4-inch Mk XIX gun which fired a slightly heavier shell at much lower velocity and had a high-angle mounting which added anti-aircraft capability.
Surviving examples
- On board HMCS Sackville, the last surviving Flower-class corvette, at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
A gun at the entrance to the marina in Hull, UK
A gun at Port Isaac, Cornwall, UK
See also
- List of naval guns
Notes
^ Mk IX = Mark 9. Britain used Roman numerals to denote Marks (models) of ordnance until after World War II. Mark IX indicates this was the ninth model of BL 4-inch gun.
References
^ Campbell, Naval Weapons of WWII, p.42-43.
^ ab Campbell, Naval Weapons of WWII, p.38.
^ DiGiulian
^ Jane's Fighting Ships 1919, page 62
Bibliography
- Tony DiGiulian, British 4"/45 (10.2 cm) BL Marks IX and X
Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
External links
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