QF 12 pounder 18 cwt naval gun

Infobox Weapon
name=Ordnance QF 12 pounder 18 cwt


caption=2 guns mounted on roof of X turret, HMS Dreadnought
origin=UK
type= Naval gun
is_ranged=yes
is_bladed=
is_explosive=
is_artillery=yes
is_vehicle=
is_UK=yes
service=1894-19??
used_by=Royal Navy
wars=World War I
designer=
design_date=189?
manufacturer=
production_date=
number=
variants=
weight=Gun & breech : 2,016 lbs (914.44 kg)
length=
part_length=Bore : 150 inch (3.81 m) (50 calibres)
width=
height=
crew=
cartridge=separate QF 12.5 lb (5.66 kg)
caliber=convert|3|in|cm|2|adj=on
action=
rate=
velocity= 2,600 fps (792.48 m/s)
range=9,300 yards @ +20°
(8,504 m @ +20°)
max_range=
feed=
sights=
breech=
recoil=
carriage=
elevation=
traverse=The QF 12 pounder 18 cwt gun was a 3 inch high-velocity naval gun used to equip larger British warships for defence against torpedo boats. 18 cwt referred to the weight of gun and breech (18 x 112 lbs = 2,016 lbs), to differentiate the gun from others that also fired the "12 pound" (actually 12.5 lb) shell.

ervice

Royal Navy service

Land service

In World War I 4 guns were landed for service in the East Africa campaign, on 10 February 1916, and were used until September. They constituted the 9th Field Battery manned by Royal Marines. They were originally towed by oxen and later by Napier lorries. [Farndale 1988, Pages 316, 391. Farndale, quoting from the Official History, states they were from HMS Pegasus, but it did not carry these guns.]

Ammunition

The gun fired the same 12.5 lb 3-inch shells as the other British "QF 12 pounder" guns, but used its own larger separate cartridge case to accomodate a larger quantity of propellant. The original propellant was gunpowder, and cordite from the late 1890s onwards.

ee also

*List of artillery#Naval_guns

Notes

References

*General Sir Martin Farndale, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. The Forgotton Fronts and the Home Base, 1914-18. London: The Royal Artilley Institution, 1988.
*Tony DiGiulian, [http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNBR_3-50_mk1.htm British 12-pdr (3"/50 (7.62 cm)) 18cwt QF Mark I]

External links