The QF 4-inch gun Mks I, II, III[note 2] were early British QF (quick-firing) naval guns originating in 1895. They all had barrels of 40 calibres length.
Ordnance QF 4-inch gun Mk I, II, III
Australian troops with gun on a transport ship, circa. November 1914
The gun was intended to be a more powerful alternative to the quick-firing 3-inch QF 12-pounder gun, and a faster-firing replacement for the BL 4-inch gun.
It was mounted on the following ships :
Pelorus-class third-class protected cruisers of 1896
Its 25-pound (11 kg) shell proved insufficiently powerful to make it much of an improvement on the 12-pounder. From 1907 onwards it was succeeded in its class on new warships by the BL 4 inch gun Mk VIII, which fired a 31-pound (14 kg) shell.
Coast Defence gunedit
From 1906 a number of Mk III guns were transferred from the Royal Navy for use as coast defence guns around the United Kingdom, and remained until 1939.[3]
In 1918 three guns were in service at Dover Garrison and eight at Forth Garrison.[4]
World War I land serviceedit
On 20 September 1914 the British cruiser HMS Pegasus was sunk by SMS Königsberg in Zanzibar harbour. Her 8 QF 4-inch Mk III guns were recovered and used ashore in the East African campaign. Some were used as coast defence guns at Zanzibar and Mombasa. Two guns, and from 11 February 1916, three guns, were used by 10th Heavy Battery manned by the Royal Marines, mounted on improvised field carriages and towed by Packard lorries, supported by six REO lorries carrying ammunition.[5]
A gun from HMS Pegasus used in the WWI land campaign stands outside Fort Jesus on Mombasa Island, Kenya, next to one of the 10.5-cm guns from SMS Königsberg.[6]
A gun from HMAS Protector is on display outside the Elizabeth and Salisbury Navy Club in Elizabeth, South Australia.
A gun was installed in 1918 on the island of Hirta in the St Kilda archipelago, northwest Scotland, after a German submarine attack there, by the German submarine SM U-90.
^Remaining ships were all scrapped or decommissioned following WWI, by 1921 at latest
^I.e. Mark 1, 2 and 3. Britain used Roman numerals to denote Marks (models) of ordnance until after World War 2. Hence this article describes the first three models of British QF 4-inch guns.
Referencesedit
^2300 ft/s with 25 lb (11 kg) projectile in 1902, using 3 lb 9 oz (1.6 kg) cordite Mk I size 15 propellant (Text Book of Gunnery 1902)
^Kevin Patience, Konigsberg: A German East African Raider
Bibliographyedit
Text Book of Gunnery, 1902. LONDON : PRINTED FOR HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE, BY HARRISON AND SONS, ST. MARTIN'S LANE Archived 12 July 2012 at archive.today
General Sir Martin Farndale, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery : Forgotten Fronts and the Home Base 1914-18. London:The Royal Artillery Institution, 1988
Hogg, I.V. and Thurston, L.F. (1972). British Artillery Weapons & Ammunition 1914-1918. Ian Allan, London. ISBN978-0-7110-0381-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to QF 4 inch naval gun Mk I - III.
Drill for 4 -inch Q.F. gun (land service). 1914 at State Library of Victoria
Gun drill for 4 inch Q.F. mark III gun (land service) 1924 at State Library of Victoria
Tony DiGiulian, British 4"/40 (10.2 cm) QF Marks I, II and III
Diagram of gun on garrison carriage at Victorian Forts and Artillery page
October 27, 2023
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The QF 4 inch gun Mks I II III note 2 were early British QF quick firing naval guns originating in 1895 They all had barrels of 40 calibres length Ordnance QF 4 inch gun Mk I II IIIAustralian troops with gun on a transport ship circa November 1914TypeNaval gunCoast defence gunPlace of originUnited KingdomService historyIn service1896 1920 note 1 Used byBritish EmpireWarsBoxer Rebellion World War IProduction historyDesigned1895SpecificationsMass2 912 pounds 1 321 kg barrel amp breechBarrel length160 inches 4 064 m bore 40 cal 165 35 inches 4 200 m totalShellSeparate loading QF 25 pounds 11 34 kg Common pointed or LydditeCalibre4 inch 101 6 mm BreechSingle motion screwMuzzle velocity2 300 feet per second 700 m s 1 Maximum firing range9 000 yards 8 200 m 2 This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources QF 4 inch naval gun Mk I III news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Contents 1 Naval service 2 Coast Defence gun 3 World War I land service 4 Surviving guns 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 Bibliography 9 External linksNaval service editThe gun was intended to be a more powerful alternative to the quick firing 3 inch QF 12 pounder gun and a faster firing replacement for the BL 4 inch gun It was mounted on the following ships Pelorus class third class protected cruisers of 1896 Condor class sloops of 1898 Cadmus class sloops of 1900 Topaze class third class cruisers launched in 1903 Invincible class battlecruisers of 1906Its 25 pound 11 kg shell proved insufficiently powerful to make it much of an improvement on the 12 pounder From 1907 onwards it was succeeded in its class on new warships by the BL 4 inch gun Mk VIII which fired a 31 pound 14 kg shell Coast Defence gun editFrom 1906 a number of Mk III guns were transferred from the Royal Navy for use as coast defence guns around the United Kingdom and remained until 1939 3 In 1918 three guns were in service at Dover Garrison and eight at Forth Garrison 4 World War I land service editOn 20 September 1914 the British cruiser HMS Pegasus was sunk by SMS Konigsberg in Zanzibar harbour Her 8 QF 4 inch Mk III guns were recovered and used ashore in the East African campaign Some were used as coast defence guns at Zanzibar and Mombasa Two guns and from 11 February 1916 three guns were used by 10th Heavy Battery manned by the Royal Marines mounted on improvised field carriages and towed by Packard lorries supported by six REO lorries carrying ammunition 5 Surviving guns edit nbsp The 4 inch QF gun on Hirta looking towards DunA gun from HMS Pegasus used in the WWI land campaign stands outside Fort Jesus on Mombasa Island Kenya next to one of the 10 5 cm guns from SMS Konigsberg 6 A gun from HMAS Protector is on display outside the Elizabeth and Salisbury Navy Club in Elizabeth South Australia A gun was installed in 1918 on the island of Hirta in the St Kilda archipelago northwest Scotland after a German submarine attack there by the German submarine SM U 90 See also editList of naval gunsNotes edit Remaining ships were all scrapped or decommissioned following WWI by 1921 at latest I e Mark 1 2 and 3 Britain used Roman numerals to denote Marks models of ordnance until after World War 2 Hence this article describes the first three models of British QF 4 inch guns References edit 2300 ft s with 25 lb 11 kg projectile in 1902 using 3 lb 9 oz 1 6 kg cordite Mk I size 15 propellant Text Book of Gunnery 1902 Text Book of Gunnery 1902 Table XII page 337 Hogg amp Thurston 1972 page 96 Farndale 1988 pages 398 404 Farndale 1988 page 316 Kevin Patience Konigsberg A German East African RaiderBibliography editText Book of Gunnery 1902 LONDON PRINTED FOR HIS MAJESTY S STATIONERY OFFICE BY HARRISON AND SONS ST MARTIN S LANE Archived 12 July 2012 at archive today General Sir Martin Farndale History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery Forgotten Fronts and the Home Base 1914 18 London The Royal Artillery Institution 1988 Hogg I V and Thurston L F 1972 British Artillery Weapons amp Ammunition 1914 1918 Ian Allan London ISBN 978 0 7110 0381 1 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to QF 4 inch naval gun Mk I III Drill for 4 inch Q F gun land service 1914 at State Library of Victoria Gun drill for 4 inch Q F mark III gun land service 1924 at State Library of Victoria Tony DiGiulian British 4 40 10 2 cm QF Marks I II and III Diagram of gun on garrison carriage at Victorian Forts and Artillery page Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title QF 4 inch naval gun Mk I III amp oldid 1175605636, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
