Canon de 138 mm Modèle 1927

Canon de 138 mm Modèle 1927
Canon de 138 mm Modèle 1927
	Scale model of the Canon de 138 mm Modèle 1927 gun on display at the Musée national de la Marine
Type	Naval gun
Place of origin	France
Service history
In service	1927—59
Used by	France
Wars	World War II
Specifications
Weight	4,100 kilograms (9,000 lb)
Barrel length	about 5.544 metres (18.19 ft)
Shell	separate-loading, cased charge
Shell weight	40.6 kilograms (90 lb)
Calibre	138.6 millimetres (5.46 in)
Breech	semi-automatic, horizontal sliding-block
Elevation	-10° to +28°
Traverse	approximately 300°
Rate of fire	8-10 rpm
Muzzle velocity	700 metres per second (2,300 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	16,600 metres (18,200 yd)

The Canon de 138 mm Modèle 1927 was a medium-calibre gun of the French Navy used during World War II. It was derived from a German World War I design. It was used on the minelaying cruiser Pluton, the destroyers of the Aigle and Vauquelin classes and the Bougainville-class sloops.

Description

The 40-calibre Mle 1927 was derived from the German World War I 15 cm L/45 UToF gun as mounted on the large torpedo boat SMS S113 received by France as war reparations. It copied the German gun's semi-automatic action and its horizontal sliding-block breech. It had an autofretted, monobloc barrel. It used 8.967 kilograms (19.77 lb) of powder to push a 40.6-kilogram (90 lb) shell to a muzzle velocity of 700 metres per second (2,300 ft/s).^[1]

Mounting

The Mle 1927 was used in single centre-pivot mountings that weighed approximately 13 tonnes (13 long tons; 14 short tons) that were fitted with a 3-millimetre (0.12 in) thick gun shield. The mount could depress -10° and elevate to +28° which gave it a maximum range of 16,600 metres (18,200 yd).^[1] The gun had a firing cycle of 4 or 5 seconds with its automatic spring rammer, but the dredger hoists transporting the shells and cartridge cases slowed the rate of fire down to 8-10 rounds per minute.^[2]

Notes

1 2 Campbell, p. 298
↑ "French 138.6 mm/40 (5.46") Model 1927". 22 July 2007. Retrieved 2009-06-25.

References

Campbell, John. Naval Weapons of World War Two. London: Conway Maritime Press, 2002 ISBN 0-87021-459-4

External links

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[c-1] 1 2 Campbell, p. 298

[2] "French 138.6 mm/40 (5.46") Model 1927". 22 July 2007. Retrieved 2009-06-25.

French naval weapons of the Second World War
Battleship main armament	305 mm/45 Modèle 1906 330 mm/50 Modèle 1931 340 mm/45 Modèle 1912 380 mm/45 Modèle 1935
Cruiser main armament	138 mm/40 Modèle 1923 152 mm/55 Modèle 1930 155 mm/50 Modèle 1920 203 mm/50 Modèle 1924 203 mm/55 Modèle 1931
Destroyer and Aviso main armament	90 mm/50 Modèle 1926 100 mm/45 Modèle 1891 100 mm/45 Modèle 1933 130 mm/40 Modèle 1919 130 mm/40 Modèle 1924 130 mm/45 Modèle 1935 138 mm/45 Modèle 1893 138 mm/40 Modèle 1927 138 mm/55 Modèle 1910 138 mm/50 Modèle 1929
Secondary armament	47 mm/40 Modèle 1885 90 mm/50 Modèle 1926 100 mm/45 Modèle 1930 100 mm/55 Modèle 1945 130 mm/45 Modèle 1932 138 mm/55 Modèle 1910 152 mm/55 Modèle 1930
Submarine guns	75 mm/35 Modèle 1924 75 mm/35 Modèle 1927 100 mm/45 Modèle 1917 100 mm/45 Modèle 1925 100 mm/34 Modèle 1936 203 mm/50 Modèle 1924
Anti-aircraft weapons	7.5 mm/80 Modèle 1931 8 mm/50 Modèle 1914 13.2 mm/76 Modèle 1929 25 mm/60 Modèle 1938 25 mm/60 Modèle 1940 37 mm/50 Modèle 1925 37 mm/70 Modèle 1935 47 mm/40 Modèle 1902 75 mm/35 Modèle 1924 75 mm/35 Modèle 1927 90 mm/50 Modèle 1926 100 mm/34 Modèle 1933
Torpedoes	400 mm Modèle 1926V 550 mm Modèle 1919D 550 mm Modèle 1923DT 550 mm Modèle 1924M 550 mm Modèle 1924V