14 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval gun

The 14 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval gun was a Japanese low-angle weapon introduced during World War I.

14 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval gun
14 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval gun from the battleship Mutsu
Type	Naval gun Coast-defense gun
Place of origin	Japan
Service history
In service	1914–1945
Used by	Imperial Japanese Navy
Wars	World War I World War II
Specifications
Mass	5,600–5,700 kilograms (12,346–12,566 lb)
Barrel length	7.0 meters (23 ft 0 in) (bore length)
Shell	separate-loading, bagged charge
Shell weight	38 kilograms (84 lb)
Caliber	14 centimeters (5.5 in)
Breech	Welin breech block
Elevation	-7° to +35° depending on mount[1]
Rate of fire	About 6 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity	850–855 meters per second (2,790–2,810 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	19,750 meters (21,600 yd) at +35°[1]

History

It served as the secondary armament in a number of Japanese dreadnoughts and as the main armament in light cruisers and some auxiliary ships. It was also the most common Japanese coast-defense gun during World War II. "Third year type" refers to the Welin breech block on this gun. Breech-block design began in 1914, the third year of the Taishō period. This breech-block design was also used on Japanese 40 cm (16 inch), 20 cm (8 inch), 15.5 cm (6 inch), 12.7 cm (5 inch), and 12 cm (4.7 inch) naval guns.^[2]

This gun was not mounted aboard submarines. Submarine cruisers used the shorter-barreled 14 cm/40 11th Year Type naval gun.^[3]

Naval Use

• single casemate mounts
  • 20x1 Ise-class battleship (removed during conversion to hybrid carrier)
  • 20x1 Nagato-class battleship

• single pedestal mounts
  • 7x1 Sendai-class cruiser
  • 7x1 Nagara-class cruiser
  • 7x1 Kuma-class cruiser
  • 4x1 Tenryū-class cruiser
  • 2x1 light cruiser Yūbari (also had twin mounts)
  • 4x1 aircraft carrier Hōshō

• twin mounts
  • 3x2 seaplane carrier Nisshin
  • 2x2 Jingei-class submarine tender
  • 2x2 Katori-class cruiser
  • 2x2 minelayer Okinoshima
  • 2x2 light cruiser Yūbari (also had single mounts)

• (uncertain mount)
  • Akagi Maru-class armed merchantmen
  • Kongō Maru-class armed merchantmen
  • Ning Hai-class cruiser

See also

Weapons of comparable role, performance and era

• BL 5.5 inch Mark I naval gun : British equivalent
• Canon de 138 mm Modèle 1910 Naval gun : French equivalent

Gallery

• 
  A 3rd Year Type gun used for coastal defense.
• 
  A captured gun after the Battle of Enogai.
• 
  A turret mounted gun captured on Tarawa.
• 
  One of the three surviving Piti Guns on Guam.