Canon de 155 mm Modèle 1920

The Canon de 155 mm Modèle 1920 was a medium-caliber naval gun used as the primary armament on a number of French cruisers during World War II.

Canon de 155 mm Modèle 1920
Type	Naval gun
Place of origin	France
Service history
In service	1920–1966
Used by	France
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designed	1920
Specifications
Mass	8.87 tonnes (9.78 short tons; 8.73 long tons)
Barrel length	8.87 meters (29.1 ft) 50 caliber
Shell	separate-loading, bagged charge
Shell weight	56.5 kilograms (125 lb)[1]
Caliber	155 millimeters (6.1 in)[2]
Breech	Welin interrupted-screw breech
Elevation	-5° to +40°
Traverse	Model 1921: -140° to +140°[3]
Rate of fire	3-5 rpm[4]
Muzzle velocity	850 meters per second (2,800 ft/s)[5]
Maximum firing range	26,100 meters (28,500 yd) at 40°[6]

Description

The Canon de 155 mm Modèle 1920 was built with a liner, autofretted A tube, two part jacket and breech ring. There was a short collar at the breech end of the liner which screwed into the A tube and a Welin breech block which opened upwards. Useful life expectancy was 700 effective full charges (EFC) per barrel. These guns were carried both in twin turrets aboard cruisers and in single casemates aboard aircraft carriers. The twin turrets were slightly unusual in that each gun had its own cradle and they could be elevated or depressed independently.^[7]

Ammunition

Ammunition was of separate loading type with two powder charges and a projectile.

The gun was able to fire:

• Semi Armour-Piercing - 56.5 kg (125 lb)
• High Explosive Base Fuzed - 59 kg (130 lb)
• High Explosive Nose Fuzed - 56.5 kg (125 lb)
• Illumination - Unknown^[8]

Naval Service

Ship classes that carried the Canon de 155 mm Modèle 1920 include:

• Aircraft carrier Béarn
• Cruiser Jeanne d'Arc
• Duguay-Trouin-class cruisers