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BL 4-inch Mk IX naval gun

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Ordnance BL 4-inch Mk IX gun
HMCS Calgary gun shield badge WWII MC-2166.jpg
On Flower-class corvette HMCS Calgary in World War II
TypeNaval gun
Service history
In service1917–1945
Used by Royal Navy
Canada Royal Canadian Navy

Free FranceFree French Navy
GreeceHellenic Navy
IndiaRoyal Indian Navy
NetherlandsNetherlands Navy
New ZealandRoyal New Zealand Navy
NorwayNorwegian Navy

Union of South AfricaSouth African Navy
WarsWorld War I
World War II
Production history
No. built2,382[1]
Specifications
Mass2 tons barrel & breech[2]
Barrel length180 inches (4.572 m) bore (45 calibres)

Shell31 pounds (14.1 kg)
Calibre4 inches (101.6 mm)
BreechWelin interrupted screw
Elevation-10 degrees to +30 degrees[3]
Rate of fire10-12 rpm[3]
Muzzle velocity800 metres per second (2,600 ft/s)[2]
Maximum firing range12,660 metres (13,850 yd)[2]

The BL 4-inch Mk IX naval gun[note 1] was a British medium-velocity naval gun introduced in 1917 as secondary armament on the Renown-class battlecruisers and Glorious-class "large light cruisers", but which served most notably as the main armament on Flower-class corvettes throughout World War II.

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Renown-class battlecruiser

Renown-class battlecruiser

The Renown class consisted of two battlecruisers built during the First World War for the Royal Navy. They were originally laid down as improved versions of the Revenge-class battleships, but their construction was suspended on the outbreak of war on the grounds they would not be ready in a timely manner. Admiral Lord Fisher, upon becoming First Sea Lord, gained approval to restart their construction as battlecruisers that could be built and enter service quickly. The Director of Naval Construction (DNC), Eustace Tennyson-D'Eyncourt, quickly produced an entirely new design to meet Admiral Lord Fisher's requirements and the builders agreed to deliver the ships in 15 months. They did not quite meet that ambitious goal, but they were delivered a few months after the Battle of Jutland in 1916. They were the world's fastest capital ships upon their commissioning.

Flower-class corvette

Flower-class corvette

The Flower-class corvette was a British class of 294 corvettes used during World War II by the Allied navies particularly as anti-submarine convoy escorts in the Battle of the Atlantic. Royal Navy ships of this class were named after flowers.

World War II

World War II

World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The vast majority of the world's countries, including all of the great powers, fought as part of two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. Many participants threw their economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind this total war, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. Aircraft played a major role, enabling the strategic bombing of population centres and the delivery of the only two nuclear weapons ever used in war.

History

World War I

Original aft triple mounts on HMS Repulse c. 1916–1917
Original aft triple mounts on HMS Repulse c. 1916–1917

The gun was based on the barrel of the QF 4-inch Mk V and the breech mechanism of the BL 4-inch Mk VIII[4] and was first introduced in World War I on capital ships as secondary armament in triple-gun mountings, intended to provide rapid concentrated fire. This turned out to be unworkable in practice. Jane's Fighting Ships of 1919 commented, "4-inch triples are clumsy and not liked. They are not mounted in one sleeve; have separate breech mechanism, a gun crew of 23 to each triple".[5] Guns were thereafter used in single-gun mountings, typically on smaller ships as the main armament.

World War II

Coast defence gun and crew at Fort Crosby near Liverpool, UK, August 1940
Coast defence gun and crew at Fort Crosby near Liverpool, UK, August 1940
Cleaning the breech on transport St Essylt, Suez 1942
Cleaning the breech on transport St Essylt, Suez 1942

In World War II the gun was employed on many small warships such as Flower-class corvettes and minesweepers, primarily for action against surfaced submarines.

This was the last BL 4 inch gun in British service: all subsequent guns have used charges in metal cartridges "QF". It was succeeded on new small warships built in World War II by the QF 4-inch Mk XIX gun which fired a slightly heavier shell at much lower velocity and had a high-angle mounting which added anti-aircraft capability.

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HMS Repulse (1916)

HMS Repulse (1916)

HMS Repulse was one of two Renown-class battlecruisers built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. Originally laid down as an improved version of the Revenge-class battleship, her construction was suspended on the outbreak of war because she would not be ready in time. Admiral Lord Fisher, upon becoming First Sea Lord, gained approval for her to resume construction as a battlecruiser that could be built and enter service quickly. The Director of Naval Construction (DNC), Eustace Tennyson-d'Eyncourt, quickly produced an entirely new design to meet Admiral Lord Fisher's requirements and the builders agreed to deliver the ship in 15 months. They did not quite meet that ambitious goal, but the ship was delivered a few months after the Battle of Jutland in 1916. Repulse and her sister ship Renown, were the world's fastest capital ships upon completion.

BL 4-inch Mk VIII naval gun

BL 4-inch Mk VIII naval gun

The BL 4-inch Mark VIII naval gun was a British medium-velocity wire-wound 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.

Capital ship

Capital ship

The capital ships of a navy are its most important warships; they are generally the larger ships when compared to other warships in their respective fleet. A capital ship is generally a leading or a primary ship in a naval fleet.

Jane's Fighting Ships

Jane's Fighting Ships

Jane's Fighting Ships by Janes Information Services is an annual reference book of information on all the world's warships arranged by nation, including information on ships' names, dimensions, armaments, silhouettes and photographs, etc. Each edition describes and illustrates warships of different national naval and paramilitary forces, providing data on their characteristics. The first issue was illustrated with Jane's own ink sketches--photos began to appear with the third volume in 1900. The present title was adopted in 1905.

World War II

World War II

World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The vast majority of the world's countries, including all of the great powers, fought as part of two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. Many participants threw their economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind this total war, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. Aircraft played a major role, enabling the strategic bombing of population centres and the delivery of the only two nuclear weapons ever used in war.

Flower-class corvette

Flower-class corvette

The Flower-class corvette was a British class of 294 corvettes used during World War II by the Allied navies particularly as anti-submarine convoy escorts in the Battle of the Atlantic. Royal Navy ships of this class were named after flowers.

Corvette

Corvette

A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the sloop-of-war.

Minesweeper

Minesweeper

A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping.

QF 4-inch naval gun Mk XIX

QF 4-inch naval gun Mk XIX

The QF 4-inch Mk XIX gun was a British low-velocity 4-inch 40-calibre naval gun used to arm small warships such as Bathurst and Castle-class corvette and some River-class frigate in World War II, mainly against submarines.

Surviving examples

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HMCS Sackville (K181)

HMCS Sackville (K181)

HMCS Sackville is a Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Canadian Navy and later served as a civilian research vessel. She is now a museum ship located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and the last surviving Flower-class corvette.

Flower-class corvette

Flower-class corvette

The Flower-class corvette was a British class of 294 corvettes used during World War II by the Allied navies particularly as anti-submarine convoy escorts in the Battle of the Atlantic. Royal Navy ships of this class were named after flowers.

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. Halifax is one of Canada's fastest growing municipalities, and as of 2022, it is estimated that the CMA population of Halifax was 480,582, with 348,634 people in its urban area. The regional municipality consists of four former municipalities that were amalgamated in 1996: Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, and Halifax County.

Kingston upon Hull

Kingston upon Hull

Kingston upon Hull, usually abbreviated to Hull, is a port city and unitary authority in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It lies upon the River Hull at its confluence with the Humber Estuary, 25 miles (40 km) inland from the North Sea and 37 miles (60 km) south-east of York, the historic county town. With a population of 267,014 (2021), it is the fourth-largest city in the Yorkshire and the Humber region after Leeds, Sheffield and Bradford.

Source: "BL 4-inch Mk IX naval gun", Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, (2022, August 14th), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BL_4-inch_Mk_IX_naval_gun.

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Notes
  1. ^ Mk IX = Mark 9. Britain used Roman numerals to denote Marks (models) of ordnance until after World War II. Mark IX indicates this was the ninth model of BL 4-inch gun.
References
  1. ^ Campbell, Naval Weapons of WWII, pp.42-43.
  2. ^ a b c http://navalhistory.flixco.info/H/77826x53535/8330/a0.htm
  3. ^ a b Campbell, Naval Weapons of WWII, p.38.
  4. ^ DiGiulian
  5. ^ "Jane's Fighting Ships 1919, page 62". Archived from the original on 6 October 2008. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
Bibliography
External links

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