BL 15-inch Mk I naval gun

BL 15-inch Mark I naval gun
As mounted on monitor HMS Terror, 1915
TypeNaval gun
Place of originUnited Kingdom
Service history
In service1915–1959
Used byUnited Kingdom
WarsWorld War I, World War II, Cold War
Production history
Designed1912
Produced1912–1918
No. built186
Specifications
Mass100 long tons (100 t)[1]
Length650.4 inches (16.52 m)[1]
Barrel length630 inches (16 m) L42

Shellseparate charges and shell
Shell weight1,938 pounds (879 kg)
Calibre15-inch (381.0 mm)
Recoil46 inches (1.2 m)[1]
Rate of fire2 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity2,450–2,640 feet per second (750–800 m/s), with supercharge
Maximum firing range33,550 yards (30,680 m) (Mk XVIIB or Mk XXII streamlined shell @ 30°)[2] HMS Vanguard – 37,870 yards (34,630 m) @ 30°, with supercharges.

The BL 15-inch Mark I succeeded the BL 13.5-inch Mk V naval gun. It was the first British 15-inch (380 mm) gun design and the most widely used and longest lasting of any British designs, and arguably the most successful heavy gun ever developed by the Royal Navy.[3] It was deployed on capital ships from 1915 until 1959 and was a key Royal Navy gun in both World Wars.

  1. ^ a b c Ian Buxton, p. 181
  2. ^ John Campbell, p. 25.
  3. ^ Raven and Roberts, p. 17