40 cm/45 Type 94 naval gun

46 cm/45 Type 94

A Type 94 Naval Gun being calibrated on Yamato during construction
Type Naval gun
Place of origin Empire of Japan
Service history
In service 1940–1945
Used by Imperial Japanese Navy
Wars World War II
Specifications
Weight 147.3 tonnes
Length OA 21.13 m (69 ft 4 in) L/46
Diameter 46 cm (18 in)
Shell Separate charges and shell
Calibre 460 mm (18.1 in)
Elevation +45/-5 degrees. 10°/s
Traverse 300°, 2°/s
Rate of fire 1/3 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity 780 m/s (2,600 ft/s)
Effective firing range 25 km (16 mi)
Maximum firing range 42 km (26 mi) at 45° elevation

The Japanese "46 cm/45 Type 94 naval gun" (四五口径九四式四〇糎砲 Yonjūgo-kōkei kyūyon-shiki yonjussenchi-hō) was, with a caliber of 46 cm (18.1 in), the biggest naval gun used by battleships in World War II.

Description

The built-up guns were mounted as the main armament of the Yamato-class battleships that were in service with the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. When the turrets and the guns were mounted, each weighed 2,510 tons, which is about the same tonnage as an average sized destroyer of the era.

The Japanese guns were of a slightly larger bore than the three British 18 inch naval guns built during World War I, although the shells were not as heavy. Britain had later designed the N3-class battleship with 18-inch guns but none were built, leaving no Allied naval guns to compare with the Type 94. Unlike the very large guns of other navies they could fire special anti-aircraft shells (Sanshiki) referred to as "beehive".

See also

References

External links

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