13-in/35 Mark 1 Gun (US)
| 13-in/35 Gun (US) | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| First Year In Service: | 1895 |
| Total Built: | 34 |
| Last Year In Service: | 1920 |
| Specifications | |
| Calibre: | 13-in/35 |
| Gun Weight: | 128,000 lbs |
| Weight (with breech): | 129,900 lbs |
| Length Overall: | 479.10 inches / 36.8 Calibres |
| Bore Length: | 460.60 inches / 35.4 Calibres |
| Length of Rifling: | 370.57 inches / 28.5 Calibres |
| Diameter Over Chamber: | 49.0 Inches |
| Chamber Volume: | 14,725 cubic inches |
| Maximum Pressure: | 16 tons/square inch |
| Rifling: | Twist: 0 to 1/25 Depth: 0.05 inches |
| Shell: | 1,130 lbs |
| Charge: | 180 lbs smokeless powder |
| Muzzle Velocity: | 2,000 feet/second |
History
The first 13-in/35 gun was completed in July of 1895 and was installed on the U.S.S. Indiana. Eventually the gun was installed in eight different battleships.[1]
The last of the battleships with the 13-in/35 gun was decommissioned in 1920.
Characteristics
| Ballistic Characteristics [2] | |
| Penetration: | 25 inches at the muzzle 20 inches at 2,500 yards |
| Danger Space: | 1,000 yards at 1,000 yards 215 yards at 2,500 yards |
| Maximum Elevation (all mounts): | 15 degrees |
| Maximum Range: | 12,100 yards |
| Firing Cycle (all mounts): | 320 seconds |
Gun Construction [3]
Mark 1
The 13-in/35 Mark 1 gun was constructed of a tube, jacket, seven hoops, and two locking rings. The gun was fastened to the slide by three integral strap bands.
Mark 1 Mod 1
The Mark 1 Mod 1 gun was a rebuilt Mark 1 gun with new gun-steel parts and a slightly different sized chamber.
Mark 1 Mod 2
This was a Mark 1 gun with a nickel-steel liner.
Mark 2
The 13-in/35 Mark 2 gun was constructed of a tube, jacket, eight hoops, one locking hoop, and two locking straps.
Mark 2 Mod 1
The Mark 2 Mod 1 gun was a rebuilt Mark 2 gun with new gun-steel parts and a slightly different sized chamber.
Mark 2 Mod 2
This was a Mark 2 gun with a nickel-steel liner.
Mark 2 Mod 3
This was a Mark 2 gun with an new enlarged chamber.
Ammunition [4]
| Mark | Type | Length | Ogive | Weight | Burst Charge |
| Mark 3 | AP | 43.58 inches | 3 crh | 1,130 lbs | 22.11 ibs |
| Mark 5 | AP | 42.22 inches | NA | NA | 36.12 ibs |
| Mark 9 | AP | 46.05 inches | NA | NA | 27.75 ibs |
| Mark 9 Mod 2 | AP | 46.477 inches | 7 crh | NA | 27.75 ibs |
Gun Mounts [5]
Mark 2 Gun Mount
The Mark 2 gun mount was installed aboard the U.S.S. Indiana, the U.S.S. Massachusetts, and the U.S.S. Oregon. These turrets were of circular construction with the U.S.S. Oregon using a hydraulic turning gear while the remaining two ships used steam turning gears.
The guns were loaded using an open hoist and a five-throw hydro-pneumatic rammer.
| Maximum Elevation: | 15 degrees |
| Maximum Depression: | 5 degrees |
| Loading Elevation: | 10 degrees (all bearings) |
| Revolving Weight: | 440 tons |
Mark 3 Gun Mount
The Mark 3 gun mount was a round turret with a non-revolving sub-turret for a pair of 8-in/35 guns mounted on its roof. This arrangement proved unsatisfactory for a variety of reasons, from issues with ammunition supply to the dissimilar times of flight and drift characteristics for the two gun types, making no single training entirely correct for both calibers. These mounts were installed aboard the U.S.S. Kearsarge and the U.S.S. Kentucky. These turrets used an electric turning gear.
The guns were loaded by chain-driven telescopic rammers. The cage of the hoist contained the shell at its bottom. The first half-charge rested on the powder tray with the second half-charge above it.
| Maximum Elevation: | 15 degrees |
| Maximum Depression: | 5 degrees |
| Loading Elevation: | 2 degrees (all bearings) |
| Revolving Weight: | 712 tons |
Mark 4 Gun Mount
The Mark 4 gun mount was a was similar to the Mark 2 mount but with a slanted face plate. These mounts were installed aboard the U.S.S. Illinois, the U.S.S. Alabama, and the U.S.S. Wisconsin. The upper pair of recoil and runout cylinders were shorter than the lower pair due to the slant of the face plate.
| Maximum Elevation: | 15 degrees |
| Maximum Depression: | 5 degrees |
| Loading Elevation: | 2 degrees (all bearings) |
| Revolving Weight: | 503 tons |
Ships Utilizing the 13-in/35 Gun [6]
| Ship | Gun | Mount |
| U.S.S. Indiana | Mark 1 | Mark 2 |
| U.S.S. Massachusetts | Mark 1 | Mark 2 |
| U.S.S. Oregon | Mark 1 | Mark 2 |
| U.S.S. Kearsarge | Mark 2 | Mark 3 |
| U.S.S. Kentucky | Mark 2 | Mark 3 |
| U.S.S. Illinois | Mark 2 | Mark 4 |
| U.S.S. Alabama | Mark 2 | Mark 4 |
| U.S.S. Wisconsin | Mark 2 | Mark 4 |
See Also
Footnotes
Bibliography
