Gun elevation and super charges

Guns, torpedoes, mines, bombs, missiles, ammunition, fire control, radars, and electronic warfare.
paul.mercer
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Gun elevation and super charges

Post by paul.mercer »

Gentlemen,
I had a look at the RN 15" gun on Google and it stated that supercharges were never used on ships with guns that could elevate beyond 20 degrees except for shore batteries, this would limit them to the old 'R' class and unrebuilt' QE' class ships. Why was this?
dunmunro
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Location: Langley BC Canada

Re: Gun elevation and super charges

Post by dunmunro »

paul.mercer wrote: Tue Feb 08, 2022 10:09 am Gentlemen,
I had a look at the RN 15" gun on Google and it stated that supercharges were never used on ships with guns that could elevate beyond 20 degrees except for shore batteries, this would limit them to the old 'R' class and unrebuilt' QE' class ships. Why was this?
The 30deg elevation ships also had the newer streamlined shells and could range to the limits of optical FC, so there was really no reason to fit them with supercharges. However, Vanguard's guns (and radar FC) were supercharge capable but since she commissioned in peacetime, she never carried them, AFAIK.
paul.mercer
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Re: Gun elevation and super charges

Post by paul.mercer »

Thanks for the info, I see that Rodney had a 40 degree elevation for her 16" so I wonder what sort of range she was capable of achieving - I believe she did quite a lot of shore bombardment after 'D' day
dunmunro
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Location: Langley BC Canada

Re: Gun elevation and super charges

Post by dunmunro »

paul.mercer wrote: Wed Feb 09, 2022 10:33 am Thanks for the info, I see that Rodney had a 40 degree elevation for her 16" so I wonder what sort of range she was capable of achieving - I believe she did quite a lot of shore bombardment after 'D' day
From Naval weapons of WW2:
Max range (APC) 39,780 yd /40° 36,375 /m/40°

The above figures are for guns with Mk II rifling. Mk I rifling was 586.964in (14,908.9mm) long and
had 96 grooves, 0.124 x 0.349in (3.15 x 8. 865mm), with lands 0.1745in (4.432mm). MV was 2586f(/s
(788m1s) and range 39,090yd (35,745m). Guns Nos 3,4 and 24 had chambers of the same volume
but 118.5in (3009.9mm) long, and the length of the Mk I rifling was 592.4in (15,0¢47mm).

With the later type of HE shell, ranges were 41,690yd (38,7 20m) with Mk II rifling and 40,890yd
(37,390m) with Mk I.
Thorsten Wahl
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Re: Gun elevation and super charges

Post by Thorsten Wahl »

Rather old theme.
I think if elevation was increased they must strenghtening the gun foundation.
I suspect ~50 t additional weight per gun.
Meine Herren, es kann ein siebenjähriger, es kann ein dreißigjähriger Krieg werden – und wehe dem, der zuerst die Lunte in das Pulverfaß schleudert!
Thorsten Wahl
Senior Member
Posts: 919
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2009 4:17 pm

Re: Gun elevation and super charges

Post by Thorsten Wahl »

DP
Meine Herren, es kann ein siebenjähriger, es kann ein dreißigjähriger Krieg werden – und wehe dem, der zuerst die Lunte in das Pulverfaß schleudert!
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