BL 4-inch Mk IX Naval Gun on:
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The BL 4-inch Mk IX naval gunMk 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. was a British medium-velocity naval gun introduced in 1917 as secondary armament on the battlecruisers and "large light cruisers", but which served most notably as the main armament on s throughout
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 and was first introduced in World War I on
In
British 4"/45 (10.2 cm) BL Marks IX and X
*
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
.
History
World War I
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 and was first introduced in World War I on 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.
Strategic im ...
s 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
''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. Ea ...
'' 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". Guns were thereafter used in single-gun mountings, typically on smaller ships as the main armament.
World War II
In World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
the gun was employed on many small warships such as s and 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.
History
The earliest known usage of ...
s, 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.
Surviving examples
* On board , the last surviving , atHalifax, Nova Scotia
Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348 ...
, Canada
* A gun at the entrance to the marina in Hull, UK
* A gun at Port Isaac, Cornwall, UK
* Leith Harbour In South Georgia
See also
*List of naval guns
List of Naval Guns by country of origin in decreasing caliber size
List of naval guns by caliber size, all countries
Naval anti-aircraft guns
See also
* List of artillery
* List of the largest cannon by caliber
*Glossary of British ordnanc ...
Notes
References
Bibliography
* Tony DiGiulianBritish 4"/45 (10.2 cm) BL Marks IX and X
*
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:BL 04-inch Mk 09 gun Naval guns of the United Kingdom World War I naval weapons of the United Kingdom World War II naval weapons of the United Kingdom 100 mm artillery