8"/55 caliber gun
| 8"/55 caliber naval gun | |
|---|---|
| File:Damages New Orleans Tassafaronga.jpg New Orleans B turret following a Japanese torpedo-initiated explosion of the forward magazine during the Battle of Tassafaronga. | |
| Type | Naval gun |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1925 - 1975 |
| Used by |  United States
|
| Wars | World War II Korean War Vietnam War |
| Production history | |
| Variants | Mk 9, Mk 12, Mk 14, Mk 15, Mk 16 |
| Specifications | |
| Barrel length | 440 inches (11 m) bore (55 calibers) |
| | |
| Shell | 260 pounds (120 kg)[1] |
| Caliber | 200 millimeters (8 in) |
| Muzzle velocity | 853 meters per second (2,800 ft/s)[1] |
| Maximum range | 29,130 meters (31,860 yd)[1] |
Contents
Mark 9
These built-up guns weighed about 30 tons including a liner, tube, jacket, and five hoops. A down-swing Welin breech block was closed by compressed air from the gas ejector system. Loading with two silk bags each containing 45-pounds (20 kg) of smokeless powder gave a 260-pound (120 kg) projectile a velocity of 2800 feet per second (850 m/s).[1] Range was 18 miles (29 kilometers) at the maximum elevation of 41 degrees.[1]
Mark 12
These simplified built-up guns eliminated hoops to reduce weight to 17 tons. The breech mechanism was similar and loading two silk bags each containing 43-pounds (20 kg) of smokeless powder gave a 335-pound (152 kg) projectile a velocity of 2500 feet per second (760 m/s).[1] Each gun could fire about four rounds per minute. Range was 17 miles (27 kilometers) at the maximum elevation of 41 degrees.[1]
Mark 14
These guns were similar to Mark 9 with a smaller chamber and rifling twist increased from 1 in 35 to 1 in 25 in a chromium-plated bore.
Mark 15
These guns were similar to Mark 12 with the smaller chamber of the Mark 14 gun. Useful life expectancy was 715 effective full charges (EFC) per liner.
Mark 16
These self-loading guns with lined monobloc construction and vertical sliding breech blocks weighed about 20 tons. Semi-fixed ammunition (projectile and powder case handled separately) with 78 pounds (35 kg) of smokeless powder gave a 335-pound (152 kg) projectile a velocity of 2500 feet per second (760 m/s).[1] Each gun could fire about ten rounds per minute. Useful life expectancy was 780 EFC per liner. Range was 17 miles (27 kilometers) at the maximum elevation of 41 degrees.[1] This gun was modified for the experimental Major Caliber Lightweight Gun.
Ships mounting 8"/55 caliber guns
| Ship | Gun Installation[1] |
|---|---|
| USS Lexington (CV-2) | Mk 9 guns in four 190-ton twin turrets |
| USS Saratoga (CV-3) | Mk 9 guns in four 190-ton twin turrets |
| USS Pensacola (CA-24) | Mk 9 (later Mk 14) guns in two 190-ton twin turrets and two 250-ton triple turrets |
| USS Salt Lake City (CA-25) | Mk 9 (later Mk 14) guns in two 190-ton twin turrets and two 250-ton triple turrets |
| USS Northampton (CA-26) | Mk 9 (later Mk 14) guns in three 250-ton triple turrets |
| USS Chester (CA-27) | Mk 9 (later Mk 14) guns in three 250-ton triple turrets |
| USS Louisville (CA-28) | Mk 9 (later Mk 14) guns in three 250-ton triple turrets |
| USS Chicago (CA-29) | Mk 9 guns in three 250-ton triple turrets |
| USS Houston (CA-30) | Mk 9 guns in three 250-ton triple turrets |
| USS Augusta (CA-31) | Mk 9 (later Mk 14) guns in three 250-ton triple turrets |
| USS New Orleans (CA-32) | Mk 9 (later Mk 14) guns in three 294-ton triple turrets |
| USS Portland (CA-33) | Mk 9 (later Mk 14) guns in three 250-ton triple turrets |
| USS Astoria (CA-34) | Mk 9 guns in three 294-ton triple turrets |
| USS Indianapolis (CA-35) | Mk 9 (later Mk 14) guns in three 250-ton triple turrets |
| USS Minneapolis (CA-36) | Mk 9 (later Mk 15) guns in three 294-ton triple turrets |
| USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37) | Mk 12 guns in three 250-ton triple turrets |
| USS San Francisco (CA-38) | Mk 12 guns in three 250-ton triple turrets |
| USS Quincy (CA-39) | Mk 12 guns in three 250-ton triple turrets |
| USS Vincennes (CA-44) | Mk 12 guns in three 250-ton triple turrets |
| USS Wichita (CA-45) | Mk 12 guns in three 314-ton triple turrets |
| USS Baltimore (CA-68) | Mk 12 guns in three 300-ton triple turrets |
| USS Boston (CA-69) | Mk 15 guns in three 300-ton triple turrets |
| USS Canberra (CA-70) | Mk 15 guns in three 300-ton triple turrets |
| USS Quincy (CA-71) | Mk 15 guns in three 300-ton triple turrets |
| USS Pittsburgh (CA-72) | Mk 15 guns in three 300-ton triple turrets |
| USS Saint Paul (CA-73) | Mk 15 guns in three 300-ton triple turrets |
| USS Columbus (CA-74) | Mk 15 guns in three 300-ton triple turrets |
| USS Helena (CA-75) | Mk 15 guns in three 300-ton triple turrets |
| USS Oregon City (CA-122) | Mk 15 guns in three 300-ton triple turrets |
| USS Albany (CA-123) | Mk 15 guns in three 300-ton triple turrets |
| USS Rochester (CA-124) | Mk 15 guns in three 300-ton triple turrets |
| USS Bremerton (CA-130) | Mk 15 guns in three 300-ton triple turrets |
| USS Fall River (CA-131) | Mk 15 guns in three 300-ton triple turrets |
| USS Macon (CA-132) | Mk 15 guns in three 300-ton triple turrets |
| USS Toledo (CA-133) | Mk 15 guns in three 300-ton triple turrets |
| USS Des Moines (CA-134) | Mk 16 guns in three 450-ton triple turrets |
| USS Los Angeles (CA-135) | Mk 15 guns in three 300-ton triple turrets |
| USS Chicago (CA-136) | Mk 15 guns in three 300-ton triple turrets |
| USS Salem (CA-139) | Mk 16 guns in three 450-ton triple turrets |
| USS Newport News (CA-148) | Mk 16 guns in three 450-ton triple turrets |
See also
- 203mm/50 Modèle 1924 gun French equivalent
- 20.3 cm SK C/34 Naval gun German equivalent
- 203 mm /53 Italian naval gun Italian equivalent
- 20 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval gun Japanese equivalent
- BL 8 inch Mk VIII naval gun UK equivalent
- 8"/55 caliber Mark 71 gun
References
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