BL 12 inch naval gun Mk VIII

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Ordnance BL 12 inch gun Mk VIII
300px
Crewmen of HMS Goliath photographed before guns
Type Naval gun
Place of origin United Kingdom
Service history
In service 1895 - 1910s
Used by Royal Navy
Wars World War I
Production history
Designer Woolwich Arsenal
Manufacturer Vickers
Variants Mk VIII, VIIIe, VIIIv[1]
Specifications
Weight 46 tons barrel & breech[2]
Barrel length 425.2 inches (10,800 mm) (35.43 calibres)[2]

Shell 850 pounds (390 kg)[2]
Calibre 12-inch (304.8 mm)
Muzzle velocity 2,367 feet per second (721 m/s)[3]
Effective range 10,000 yards (9,100 m)[2]

The BL 12 inch naval gun Mk VIII was one of the first large British naval guns designed for the higher pressures generated by the new cordite propellant, and Britain's first large wire-wound gun. It represented a major advance compared to previous British guns.

Naval service

The gun was installed on the Majestic class battleships from 1895 and Canopus class from 1899.

During World War I guns removed from the obsolete Majestic class were mounted in Lord Clive class monitors for shore bombardment.

Land service

From 1921 to 1926 two guns from the decommissioned HMS Illustrious were in service in the Tyne Turrets for coast defence, north and south of the mouth of the River Tyne in the northeast of England.

See also

Notes

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References

External links

Template:VictorianEraBritishNavalWeapons

Template:GreatWarBritishNavalWeaponsru:12" морское орудие Mark VIII
  1. Mk VIII was the original Naval design; Mk VIIIe and VIIIv were reserve guns manufactured in 1906 by Elswick Ordnance and Vickers respectively. Hogg & Thurston 1972, page 190. These incorporated changes to correct a steel choke problem (DiGiulian)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Text Book of Gunnery 1902, Table XII Page 336
  3. 850 lb shell, with 174 lb cordite propellant. Text Book of Gunnery 1902, Table XII page 336