The 50-caliberMle 1929 was a lengthened version of the Modèle 1927. It used the semi-automatic action of the older gun as well as its horizontal sliding-block breech. It had an autofretted monobloc barrel as well. It weighed 4,275 kilograms (9,425 lb).[1]
Mountings
Modèle 1929
The Mle 1929 gun was used in single, hand-worked and trained, center-pivot mountings that weighed approximately 11.7 tonnes (11.5 long tons; 12.9 short tons) that were fitted with a 5 millimetres (0.20 in) thick gun shield. The mount could depress -10° and elevate to +30°, which gave it a maximum range of 20,000 metres (22,000 yd).[1] Ammunition was brought up to the handling room by hoist from the magazines. From there the shells were transferred to the "guttering" (gouttières) which encircled the mount and allowed the shells to line up with the gun's breech regardless of the gun's angle of bearing. Powder cartridges were fed into similar center-line chutes.[2] The gun had a nominal firing cycle of 4 or 5 seconds with its automatic spring rammer, but the dredger hoists transporting the shells and cartridge cases slowed the rate of fire down to 7 rounds per minute. This gun was only used on the large destroyers (contre-torpilleurs) of the Le Fantasque class.[3]
The Mle 1934 gun was installed in twin-gun, electrically powered Modèle 1934 base-ring "pseudo-turrets" that weighed 34.6 tonnes (34.1 long tons; 38.1 short tons) that were fitted with a 10 millimetres (0.39 in) thick, open-backed gunhouse. These were mounted on the large destroyers (contre-torpilleurs) of the Mogador class. The guns were housed in separate cradles that could be coupled together and could elevate to a maximum of 30° and depress 10°. The underpowered electric motors gave a maximum training speed of 10° per second and a maximum elevating speed of 14° per second. They were initially installed within the mountings, but were moved to the outer sides of the turrets to free up room.[3]
The pusher-type ammunition hoists ran up a fixed shaft in the center of the mount. The shells and their powder charges were transferred to a tipping drum that was rotated to match the bearing angle of the guns and then loaded. This system was adapted from that used for the fixed 130 mm (5.1 in) ammunition used in the Le Hardi-class destroyers. Unfortunately it was not well suited for separate-loading ammunition. Each gun had its own separate shell and powder hoist, for a total of four hoists. The tipping drum had four matching separate trays to move the ammunition to the gun. Each shell was power-rammed, but the propellant charges had to be hand-rammed. Theoretically the guns could be loaded at any angle, but the power rammer was so weak that it could not ram shells at angles above 10°. This problem, coupled with the "poor quality of manufacture of the guns, the unsatisfactory profile of the breech, resulted in a firing cycle of only 3–4 rounds per minute during the early trials with jams and failures frequent", rather than the planned 10 rounds per minute. A further problem was that there were only two loaders assigned to the gun crew; they tired quickly during prolonged firing.[4]
Gunnery trials were conducted when Volta was on her sea trials in mid-1939 and were "an unmitigated disaster" for the reasons given above. Some fixes were identified, notably modifications to the breech, installation of split loading trays and reinforcement of the catapult rammers, but they had to wait until the ships' next refit to be implemented. But even these modifications were only stop gaps and an entirely new loading system was deemed necessary, but since this was expected to take 10–12 months to develop the current system would have to be used. Both Volta and Mogador were refitted in January 1940 and had their turrets modified, although loading still could not be done at angles higher than 10°. The surrender of France in June 1940 ended any work on a new loading system.[5] Five-round ready racks for each gun were added to the sides of the turrets during the refit to compensate for any problems with the loading systems.[3]
Ammunition
The Mle 29 and Mle 34 primarily used two different shells, each propelled by 12.09 kilograms (26.7 lb) of BM 11 in a separate brass cartridge case.[3] Beginning in January 1940 OPFK shells with dye markers were carried. These were intended to allow each ship to distinguish between its shell-bursts and those of other ships by use of coloured dyes. An illumination shell was also used, but details are unknown.[6]
Campbell, John (2002). Naval Weapons of World War Two. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN0-87021-459-4.
Jordan, John (2007). The Contre-Torpilleurs of the Mogador Class. Warship 2007. London: Conway. pp. 45–60. ISBN978-1-84486-041-8.
External links
PIECES MOYENNES : 120 à 239
January 06, 2023
canon, modèle, 1929, medium, calibre, naval, french, navy, used, during, world, used, large, destroyers, contre, torpilleurs, fantasque, mogador, classes, 1929, guns, seen, triomphant, 1940typenaval, gunplace, originfranceservice, historyin, service1934, 54use. The Canon de 138 mm Modele 1929 was a medium calibre naval gun of the French Navy used during World War II It was used on the large destroyers contre torpilleurs of the Le Fantasque and Mogador classes Canon de 138 mm Modele 1929Mle 1929 guns seen on Le Triomphant 1940TypeNaval gunPlace of originFranceService historyIn service1934 54Used byFranceWarsWorld War IISpecificationsMass4 275 kilograms 9 425 lb Mle 19294 650 kilograms 10 250 lb Mle 1934Length7 28 metres 23 9 ft Barrel lengthabout 6 927 metres 22 73 ft Shell130x900 mm R separate loading cased chargeShell weight40 6 kilograms 90 lb Caliber138 6 millimetres 5 46 in Breechsemi automatic horizontal sliding blockElevation 10 to 30 Traverseapproximately 300 Rate of firedepended on mountMuzzle velocity800 metres per second 2 600 ft s Maximum firing range20 000 metres 22 000 yd Contents 1 Description 1 1 Mountings 1 1 1 Modele 1929 1 1 2 Modele 1934 1 2 Ammunition 2 Notes 3 References 4 External linksDescription EditThe 50 caliber Mle 1929 was a lengthened version of the Modele 1927 It used the semi automatic action of the older gun as well as its horizontal sliding block breech It had an autofretted monobloc barrel as well It weighed 4 275 kilograms 9 425 lb 1 Mountings Edit Modele 1929 Edit The Mle 1929 gun was used in single hand worked and trained center pivot mountings that weighed approximately 11 7 tonnes 11 5 long tons 12 9 short tons that were fitted with a 5 millimetres 0 20 in thick gun shield The mount could depress 10 and elevate to 30 which gave it a maximum range of 20 000 metres 22 000 yd 1 Ammunition was brought up to the handling room by hoist from the magazines From there the shells were transferred to the guttering gouttieres which encircled the mount and allowed the shells to line up with the gun s breech regardless of the gun s angle of bearing Powder cartridges were fed into similar center line chutes 2 The gun had a nominal firing cycle of 4 or 5 seconds with its automatic spring rammer but the dredger hoists transporting the shells and cartridge cases slowed the rate of fire down to 7 rounds per minute This gun was only used on the large destroyers contre torpilleurs of the Le Fantasque class 3 Modele 1934 Edit Twin mounted Mle 1934 guns seen on Mogador 1940 The Mle 1934 gun was installed in twin gun electrically powered Modele 1934 base ring pseudo turrets that weighed 34 6 tonnes 34 1 long tons 38 1 short tons that were fitted with a 10 millimetres 0 39 in thick open backed gunhouse These were mounted on the large destroyers contre torpilleurs of the Mogador class The guns were housed in separate cradles that could be coupled together and could elevate to a maximum of 30 and depress 10 The underpowered electric motors gave a maximum training speed of 10 per second and a maximum elevating speed of 14 per second They were initially installed within the mountings but were moved to the outer sides of the turrets to free up room 3 The pusher type ammunition hoists ran up a fixed shaft in the center of the mount The shells and their powder charges were transferred to a tipping drum that was rotated to match the bearing angle of the guns and then loaded This system was adapted from that used for the fixed 130 mm 5 1 in ammunition used in the Le Hardi class destroyers Unfortunately it was not well suited for separate loading ammunition Each gun had its own separate shell and powder hoist for a total of four hoists The tipping drum had four matching separate trays to move the ammunition to the gun Each shell was power rammed but the propellant charges had to be hand rammed Theoretically the guns could be loaded at any angle but the power rammer was so weak that it could not ram shells at angles above 10 This problem coupled with the poor quality of manufacture of the guns the unsatisfactory profile of the breech resulted in a firing cycle of only 3 4 rounds per minute during the early trials with jams and failures frequent rather than the planned 10 rounds per minute A further problem was that there were only two loaders assigned to the gun crew they tired quickly during prolonged firing 4 Gunnery trials were conducted when Volta was on her sea trials in mid 1939 and were an unmitigated disaster for the reasons given above Some fixes were identified notably modifications to the breech installation of split loading trays and reinforcement of the catapult rammers but they had to wait until the ships next refit to be implemented But even these modifications were only stop gaps and an entirely new loading system was deemed necessary but since this was expected to take 10 12 months to develop the current system would have to be used Both Volta and Mogador were refitted in January 1940 and had their turrets modified although loading still could not be done at angles higher than 10 The surrender of France in June 1940 ended any work on a new loading system 5 Five round ready racks for each gun were added to the sides of the turrets during the refit to compensate for any problems with the loading systems 3 Ammunition Edit The Mle 29 and Mle 34 primarily used two different shells each propelled by 12 09 kilograms 26 7 lb of BM 11 in a separate brass cartridge case 3 Beginning in January 1940 OPFK shells with dye markers were carried These were intended to allow each ship to distinguish between its shell bursts and those of other ships by use of coloured dyes An illumination shell was also used but details are unknown 6 Shell name Weight Filling Weight Muzzle velocityOEA Modele 1932 high explosive 40 6 kg 90 lb 4 1 kg 9 0 lb 840 m s 2 800 ft s OPF Modele 1924 semi armour piercing 40 6 kg 90 lb 2 4 kg 5 3 lb 800 m s 2 600 ft s Notes Edit a b Campbell p 296 Jordan p 47 a b c d French 138 6 mm 45 5 46 Models 1929 and 1934 and Model 1934 R1938 25 September 2015 Retrieved 5 December 2015 Jordan p 51 Jordan p 55 Jordan pp 55 56References EditCampbell John 2002 Naval Weapons of World War Two London Conway Maritime Press ISBN 0 87021 459 4 Jordan John 2007 TheContre Torpilleursof the Mogador Class Warship 2007 London Conway pp 45 60 ISBN 978 1 84486 041 8 External links EditPIECES MOYENNES 120 a 239 French 138 6 mm 45 5 46 Model 1929 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Canon de 138 mm Modele 1929 amp oldid 1116189768, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
