Index

 
As extracted from Jane's Fighting Ships © for 1919
BRITISH NAVAL ORDNANCE, HEAVY, B.L.
Page 37

Capt. R,. V. WALLANG, R.G.A., retired)

NOTE.-All details are unofficial, but believed to be approximately correct. Particulars given, for reference purposes, of some older marks of guns, now dismounted from H.M. Ships

Designation, Calibre, ins. Mark Length Weight of piece without B.M. Weight of Projectile. M.V. M.E. Weight Of Charge Max. R.P.M. Remarks
   

cals.

tons cwts. qrs.

Ibs.

f. s.

f. t.

Ibs.

   

18

I

35 ?

150 0 0 ?

3,600 ?

?

?

?

?

Monitors and Furious originally mounted these pieces, but they have been removed.

15

"B"

45

96 0 00

1950

2500

84,500

450

1.2

Particulars doubtful. Mk. I also reported to be 42 cals. long.

15

1

45

96 0 00

1920

2655

84,070

428

1.2

 

13.5

V

45

74 18 1

1250

2 700

63,190

296

1.5

With tapered inner " A "tube, without forward step, weighs 1 cwt. more. Obsolete Marks : 1 ; II ; III ; IIIa, h, c, d, e, and f ; IV.

12

XI I

50

65 13 1

850

3010

53,400

307

2

 

12

XI I

50

65 13 1

850

3010

53,046

307

2

'Dreadnoughts and Battle Cruisers.

12

XI*

50

65 13 1

850

3010

53,046

307

2

 

12

X

45

56 16 1

850

2800

47,800

258

2

 

12

X *

45

56 12 1

850

2800

47,800

258

2

Mk. IX guns in " King Edward " class only :-Wt. of Charge, 254 Ibs.

12

IX

40

50 0 0

850

2650

39,200

246

2

Marks : VI, IV, V, Vw VIII. VIIIe, VIIIv IX, IXe, IXv, IXw, X, X*, XI, XI* and
                  XII have been introduced into the Naval Service.

10

VII

45

30 4 2

500

2850

26,945

146 2/3

3

Only mounted in " Triumph," now sunk.
 

VI

45

36 10 0

500

2800

27,181

1463

3

Only mounted on "Swiftsure." Mk. VI* land guns. Wt. given is that without "Ring Connecting hydraulic buffer."
 

VI*

45

36 10 0

500

2800

27,181

1463

3

                  A Mk. V pattern was sealed, but the gun was never made.

9.2

XI

50

28 0 0

380

3000

23,700

128112-

4

 
 

XI *

50

27 15 2

380

3000

22,930

1281

4

 
 

XV

46

27 19 0

380

2800

20,685

! 120

4

Only two Mk. Xv guns in the Service.
 

X

46

27 19 0

380

2800

20,685

120

4

There is one Mk. X/IX gun for Naval Service.
 

VIII

40

24 6 3

380

2347

14,520

66

4

"Terrible" only; two guns from " Powerful " mounted in R.G.A. Battery at Scapa Flow.
                  Twenty different Marks have been made and fourteen introduced in Naval Service.
I4 I 45 85 0 0 1400 2700 70,770 324 2 Elswick Ordnance Co., " Armstrong design. H.M.S. " Canada " only.
14 ? 45 70 6 0 1400 2600 65,700 ? ? Bethlehem guns. mounted in monitors only ("Abercrombie " class).

MEDIUM, B.L.

Designation, Calibre, ins. Mark Length Weight of piece without B.M. Weight of Projectile. M.V. M.E. Weight Of Charge Max. R.P.M. Remarks
7.5 III 50 15 9 3 200 3000 12,481 54 1/4 5 Monitors, removed from "Swiftsure," ' Mks lV and IV* were for "Triumph," sunk. New Mark in " Hawkins " and " Raleigh," of which no details available.

7.5

III* 50 15 9 3 200 3000 12,481 54 1/4 5
7.5 II** 50 14 16 2 200 2800 12,500 61 5  

7.5

V

50

14 16 2

200

2800

12,500

61

5

7.5 I 45 13 9 2 200 2600 9340 61 5 Devonshire " class only. Other Marks in Naval Service : I* and I** of 45 cal. 'L: II and II* of 50 cal./L.
6 XVIII 50 ? 100 ? ? ? 7 New ships.
6 XIV 50 ? 100 3100 `' 6665 ? 7 " Cleopatra " class.
6 XI* 50 8 8 2 100 3000 6240 32 1/12 7  

6

XI 50 8 8 2 100 3000 6240 32 1/12 7  
6 VIII 45 7 7 2 100 2750 5250 23 7 Mk. VIII left hand guns for " T " mounting in "County " class. :Many new Marks of 6 ill. introduced during the War, including a short Mk. XIX for L.S. (Travelling Carriage.)
6 VII 45 7 7 2 100 2750 5250 23 7
5.5 I 50 6 10 0 115 2870 6000 (?) ? 8 Woolwich Arsenal. Details doubtful. Mounted in "Furious" and "Hood," " Birkenhead " and " Chester " 5. 5 guns and mountings by Coventry Ordnance Co.
4.7 I 50 3 14 0 45 3000 2800 14 12 Woolwich Arsenal. Modified 4.7 inch Q.F. V (L.S.). New T.B.D's.

Also :-  
Q.F. 6 in., many marks quite obsolete but were mounted in D.A.M.S.,
and S.D.V. during the War.
Q.F.C. 6 in., many marks
Q.F. 4.7 in. Mk. V, Land Service only.  

Mk. IV, three-motion B.M., Mk. IV " B,". same, converted to single-motion
Mk. III, three-motion B.M., Mk. III " B " same, converted to single-motion
Mk. II    three-motion B.M., Mk. II "B"    same, converted to single-motion
Mk. I, three-motion B.M., Mk. I " B " same, converted to single-motion

Designation,
Calibre, ins.

Mark

Length.

Weight of piece
without B.M.

Weight
Projectile

M.V.

M.E.

Weight of
Charge.

Max. R. P. M.

Remarks

 

- -

cals.

tons Cwts. qrs.

Ibs.

f. s.

f. t.

Ibs.

   

4

IX

50

?

31

3000

1934

11 1/4

?

B. L .

4

VIII

50

2 2 0

31

3000

?

5 3/8

12

B. L.

4

VII

40

1 6 0

31

3000

?

9 15/16

12

B. L..

4

V

45

2 2 3 3/4

31

3000

1934

7 11/16

20

Semi-automatic; extensively used on AA mountings.

4

IV

40

1 3 0

31

2300

11:3 7

?

20

Semi-automatic; lighter model of Mk. V.
Obsolete Marks: I, II and III Q.F. and four mark, Q.F.C.

3

III

50

1 3 0

14 1/2

3050

992

5 3/4

30

Semi-automatic ; for A.A. mounting.

3

II

40

1 0 0

12 1/2

?

?

?

?

Q.F. ; for submarines

3

I

30

0 19 0

12 1/2?

?

?

?

25

Q.F. : for A.A.C. mountings.

Torpedoes.

No official details available. Various Marks of 21 inch, 18 inch and 14 inch torpedoes said to he in service; the first two with heaters, the third without. Also a specially light 14 inch mark for use by "Cuckoo " type Torpedo-dropping Seaplanes and C.M.B.

Mines.

No official figures available. Among the various Marks of mines produced during the War, the following are said to exist :

(a) Spherical types - with swinging-bar contact, either above or below mine ;
(b) " British Elia " type - may he the same as (a) just described ;
(c) Pear-shaped and spherical types with horn contacts ; reported to very like German mines ;
(d) Special types for laying by Destroyers, Submarines and C.M.B.

Aircraft Bombs.

There are only vague and unofficial references to these types : Experimental 3300 lb. type ; 1650 lb. type (with bursting charge of 1110 lbs. T.N.T.), 530 lb., 230 lb. (with A.P. nose ?), 112 lb. and 100 lb. Fuzes said to impact, delay action and special types for use against submarines

Depth Charges.

Only mark reported is 300 lb. type.

Searchlights.

36 inch, 24 inch, 20 inch (all controlled in latest ships). About 8 - 36 inch and 2 - 24 inch (Signalling) in Dreadnoughts and Battle Cruisers ; 4 - 36 inch in Light Cruisers; 1 - 24 inch or 20 inch in T.B.D. Twin 24 inch mountings were used in Iron Duke, King George, Orion, Colossus, Neptune, Lion and New Zealand Classes, but these are said to have been replaced by single 36 inch controlled S.L.

Paravanes (PVs.)

No official details available. Reported that there are about twenty marks, roughly divided into "M" "B" and "C" patterns. "M" type said to be "otter gear" of simple design for use by mercantile craft up to 18 kts. speed, keeping depth by ordinary form of hydrostatic valve. "B" type said to be for Battleships and older Cruisers up to 22 kts. speed; "C" pattern for Light Cruisers, &c., up to 28 kts. speed. Depth kept in these by hydrostatic valves, plus "mercury oscillators," the hydrostatic valve by itself being too sluggish to prevent the PVs. "porpoising" Length about 12 feet, breadth about 7 feet across spread of 'planes. Destroyers reported to use special type of PVs., viz., H.S.S.S. and H.S.M.S. PVs. towed in large ships by chains from skeg (or PV. plate) attached to forefoot, under stem; also by sliding bar shoes at stem. Destroyers and vessels of light draught can tow their PVs. from stern.

Also (for Anti-Submarine purposes) :-

11 inch howitzer mounted in some ships of " Devonshire " and " County Classes.".
200 lb. stick bomb howitzer in some Special Service Vessels.
Thornycroft Depth Charge Thrower in Destroyers. P-boats, some Sloops and Special Service Vessels.

Also :

Q.F., 12 pr. 12 cwt. Mk. I.
Q.F., 12 pr. 12 cwt. Mk. I I (war model) : mostly for merchantmen
Q.F., 12 pr. 18 cwt. Mk. I, for " G," " H " and " I " classes of T.B.D.
Q.F., 12 pr. 8 cwt. Mk. I (boat gun).
Q.F., 14 pr. Mk. I (H.M.S. " Swiftsure, " now removed).
Q.F., 6 pr.
Q.F., 3 pr.                                                 }have been Used as AA. runs.
Q.F., 3 pr. (semi-automatic, Vickers design) }Saluting guns in big ships.
Q.F., 2 1/4 pdr. (automatic) modified " pom-pom." for AA. work.
Q.F., 77 mm.- captured German field guns, adapted for use in some submarines.

Machine Guns :

.303 inch Vickers.
.303 inch Maxim.
.303 inch Lewis.

Rifles:-

.303 inch Lee-Enfield (Long),

Pistols:-

.45 inch Webley automatic (H.V.)

Source: As extracted from Jane's Fighting Ships for 1919 - Page 37

© Jane's Information Group

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