BL 4 inch naval gun Mk VIII
From Self-sufficiency
| Ordnance BL 4 inch gun Mk VIII | |
|---|---|
| File:HMS Defender 1911 4 inch gun .jpg Forward gun on HMS Defender | |
| Type | Naval gun |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1908 - 1945 |
| Used by |  United Kingdom Australia
|
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 2,912 pounds (1,320 kg) (barrel & breech)[1] |
| Barrel length | 159.2 inches (4.044 m) bore (40 calibres)[1] |
| | |
| Shell | 31 pounds (14.06 kg) Common pointed, Common lyddite[1] |
| Calibre | 4 inches (101.6 mm) |
| Breech | Welin, single-motion screw[1] |
| Muzzle velocity | 2,287 feet per second (697 m/s)[2] |
| Maximum range | 10,210 yards (9,340 m)[3] |
The BL 4-inch gun Mk VIII was a British medium-velocity naval gun introduced in 1908 as an anti-torpedo boat gun in smaller ships whose decks could not support the strain of the heavier and more powerful Mk VII gun[1].
Mk VIII History
File:4 inch gun HMAS Swan WWI AWM EN0387.jpeg Gun on HMAS Swan seen from above, circa. 1916 - 1917
The gun succeeded the QF 4 inch Mk III, whose 25-pound shell had been considered insufficiently powerful for its intended role. The BL Mk VIII fired a 31-pound shell. It armed the following warships :
- HMS Swift laid down 1905
- Tribal (F) class destroyers from Saracen (1908) onwards.
- Beagle (G) class destroyers of 1909
- Acorn (H) class destroyers of 1910
- Acheron (I) class destroyers of 1910
- River class destroyers (Australia) of 1910.
The gun was succeeded in its class from 1911 by the QF 4 inch Mk IV
In World War II many guns were used to arm merchant ships.
Mk XI submarine gun
A Mk XI variant was adapted to arm submarines :
- K class submarines laid down 1915
See also
- 12px Media related to BL 4 inch Mk VIII naval gun at Wikimedia Commons
- List of naval guns
Notes
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- HANDBOOK for the 4" Mark VII. and VIII. B.L. Guns 1913 (Corrected to September 1913.) ADMIRALTY Gunnery Branch, G.8652/13
- Tony DiGiulian, British 4"/40 (10.2 cm) BL Mark VIII and Mark XI
External links
Template:GreatWarBritishNavalWeapons
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