40 cm/45 Type 94
| 40 cm/45 Type 94 | |
|---|---|
| File:Yamato battleship under construction.jpg Yamato under construction. | |
| Type | Naval gun |
| Place of origin | Japan |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1940-1945 |
| Used by | Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Wars | World War II |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 147.3 tonnes |
| Length | OA 21.13 m |
| | |
| Shell | separate charges and shell |
| Calibre | 460 mm |
| Elevation | +45/-5 degrees. 10°/s |
| Traverse | 300°, 2°/s |
| Rate of fire | 2 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 780 m/s |
| Maximum range | 42,000 m at 45° elevation |
The Japanese 40 cm/45 Type 94 naval guns were the largest calibre guns ever mounted on any warship. They were actually 46 cm (18.1 in) guns, but were designated 40 cm in an effort to hide their true size.
The built-up guns were mounted as the main armament of the Yamato class battleships that were in service with the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. The turrets were mounted in weighed 2,510 tons each, which is about the same tonnage as an average sized destroyer of the era.
The Japanese guns were of a slightly larger caliber than three British 18 inch naval guns built during World War I, although the shells were not as heavy. Britain had later designed the N3 battleship with 18-inch guns but none were built, leaving no Allied naval guns to compare with the Type 94. Unlike other very large guns they could fire special anti-aircraft shells called "Sanshiki" (Beehive).
- Type 94 armour piercing shell - 46 cm.JPG
A Type 94 armour piercing shell at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo.
- 46 cm Shell as fired by the battleship Yamato.jpg
High explosive shell
See also
| 40x40px | Wikimedia Commons has media related to 40 cm/45 Type 94 naval gun. |
References
- Scottish History - Mons Meg reportedly mounted at sea
- Nihon Kaigun
- [1]
- PIECES LOURDES : 240 et plus, le.fantasque.free.fr
