![]() However, three 14-inch/45 caliber guns formerly on Arizona and in the relining process at the time of Pearl Harbor were installed aboard Nevada in the fall of 1944 and were used in several shore bombardments in the Pacific. ĭue to the attack on Pearl Harbor, both Oklahoma and Arizona never fired their main batteries in anger. Throughout 19, Pennsylvania hit many different Pacific islands during their invasions, while New York, Texas and Nevada all took part in the invasion of Iwo Jima and the invasion of Okinawa in 1945. New York and Texas bombarded North Africa during landings in 1942, Pennsylvania took part in the Aleutian Islands Campaign and Texas and Nevada shelled Normandy during Operation Overlord in 1944. The guns on the two battleships of the New York-class, New York and Texas, the first ship of the Nevada-class, Nevada and the first ship of the Pennsylvania-class, Pennsylvania, saw service in World War II in the role of shore bombardment. Naval action United States Navy ġ4"/45 caliber guns aboard the battleship Nevada fire at Utah Beach during Operation Overlord in 1944. The New York-class did not have their turrets modernized because their shell hoists could not accommodate the longer AP and HC shells instead, a shorter version of shells with windshields were produced for them. These improvements enabled the guns to fire heavier 1,500 lb (680 kg) shells, and increasing the gun mount elevation to 30 degrees extended the range of the guns to 36,000 yd (33,000 m). All guns employed a Welin breech block and used a Smith- Asbury mechanism, and, in the case of the Mark 12, chromium plating was introduced to prolong barrel life. In the 1930s, the Mark 1, 2, 3, and 5 were upgraded to allow for increased charges and muzzle velocities, resulting in the Mark 8, 9, 10, and 12, respectively. Owing to the interchangeability of the guns, the battleships fitted with the 14-inch/45 caliber guns often had guns of various Marks installed on each turret. The Mark 3 added three hoop locking rings and contained a longer slide, while the Mark 5 had five hoops total. To compensate for the problem of gun drooping, four hoop-locking rings were added to the guns. Įach of the original Mark 1 built-up guns consisted of a tube without liner, jacket, eight hoops and a screw box liner. Each individual gun weighed 142,492 lb (64,633 kg) with the breech and measured 53 ft 6.5 in (16.32 m) in length. At a 15-degree angle, the guns could fire a shell out to 23,000 yd (21,000 m). Propellant charge was four silk bags of smokeless powder, each of which weighed 105 lb (48 kg). At the time of their introduction they were intended to fire 1,400 lb (640 kg) armor-piercing (AP) projectiles containing a bursting charge of explosive D. They entered service in 1914 aboard Texas and her sister ship New York shortly after. The design of the 14-inch/45 caliber dates to about 1910. ![]() ![]() The gun also saw service in the British Royal Navy, where it was designated the BL 14 inch gun Mk II. ![]() The 14-inch/45 caliber guns were installed as the primary armament aboard all of the United States Navy's New York-class, Nevada-class, and Pennsylvania-class battleships. They were the first 14-inch (356 mm) guns to be employed with the United States Navy. The 14"/45 caliber gun, (spoken "fourteen-inch-forty-five-caliber"), whose variations were known initially as the Mark 1, 2, 3, and 5, and, when upgraded in the 1930s, were redesignated as the Mark 8, 9, 10, and 12. Crewmen aboard USS Texas pause to have their picture taken on top of one of the twin 14"/45 caliber gun turrets, 1918.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |