EOC 4-inch 50 caliber

The EOC 4-inch 50 caliber was a British naval gun designed by the Elswick Ordnance Company for export customers in the years before World War I that armed warships of the Republic of China and the Greek Navy. These ships served in both World War I and later World War II.

EOC 4-inch 50 caliber
Type	Naval gun
Place of origin	Great Britain
Service history
Used by	Republic of China Greece
Wars	Balkan Wars World War I Greco-Turkish War World War II
Production history
Designer	Elswick Ordnance Company
Designed	1911
Manufacturer	Armstrong Whitworth
Produced	1911
Specifications
Mass	4,816 lb (2,185 kg)
Barrel length	16.7 ft (5.1 m) 50 caliber
Shell	Fixed QF ammunition 57.7 lb (26.2 kg)
Shell weight	31 lb (14 kg)
Calibre	4 inches (100 mm)
Breech	Horizontal sliding wedge breech
Rate of fire	10-12 rpm
Muzzle velocity	3,000 ft/s (910 m/s)[1]

History

The EOC 4-inch 50 caliber began life as a design produced by the parent company of Elswick, Armstrong Whitworth for export customers called the Pattern P. These guns did not serve aboard ships of the Royal Navy.^[1]

Construction

The EOC 4-inch 50 caliber was constructed of an A tube and wire wound with a protective outer jacket. It also had a horizontal sliding-wedge breech and fired fixed quick fire ammunition.^[1]

Naval use

EOC 4-inch 50 caliber guns armed coastal defense ships, destroyers and protected cruisers.

Coastal defense ships

• Yongfeng class - Two of the four ships of this class Yongjian and Yongji were armed with a single bow mounted EOC 4-inch gun. While Yongfeng and Yongxiang were similar in configuration they carried a single bow mounted Krupp 10.5 cm SK L/40 gun instead.

Destroyers

• Aetos class - The four ships of this class had a primary armament of four EOC 4-inch guns. One was bow mounted, one was amidships and two were at the stern.

Protected cruisers

• Chao Ho class - Two ships of this class Chao Ho and Ying Swei had a secondary armament of four shielded EOC 4-inch guns on sponsons amidships. The third ship of the class named Elli was sold to Greece before completion and had a different armament scheme.

References

• Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.