BL 12-inch Mk XI – XII naval gun

The BL 12-inch Mark XI and Mark XII gun^{[note 1]} were British breech loading (BL) naval guns of 50-calibres length mounted as primary armament on dreadnought battleships from 1910.

BL 12-inch Mk XI and Mk XII gun
Aft Mk XII guns of HMS Hercules
Type	Naval gun
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
In service	1910–1922
Wars	World War I
Production history
Designer	Vickers
Manufacturer	Vickers Armstrong Whitworth Coventry Ordnance Works William Beardmore and Company
Specifications
Barrel length	50 ft (15.24 m) bore (50 calibers)
Shell	850 lb (385.6 kg) Lyddite, Armour-piercing, Shrapnel[1]
Calibre	12 inches (304.8 mm)
Muzzle velocity	2,825 ft/s (861 m/s)[2]
Maximum firing range	19,380 m (21,190 yd)[3]

History

Vice-Admiral Doveton Sturdee in front of the Mk XII guns of a wing turret on HMS Hercules

In an effort to increase the armour-piercing capability and range of a 12-inch gun, the 50 calibres/600 inches Mk XI's barrel was 5 calibres/60 inches longer than the previous Mk X gun's 45 calibres. As a result, muzzle velocity increased from 2,700 feet per second (820 m/s) to 2,825 feet per second (861 m/s), but bore erosion, which led to short barrel life, and poor accuracy due to inconsistent cordite propellant burning, hampered the gun. The Mk XII derived from it suffered from the same problems.

Instead of attempting to improve their 12-inch gun, the British developed the 13.5-inch Mk V gun of 45-calibres, which could achieve greater range at lower muzzle velocities due to its larger shell.

Mk XI guns were mounted on:

• St. Vincent-class battleships laid down 1907, commissioned 1910
• HMS Neptune laid down 1909, commissioned 1911

Mk XII guns were mounted on:

• Colossus-class battleships laid down 1909, commissioned 1911

See also

• List of naval guns

Weapons of comparable role, performance and era

• Obukhovskii 12"/52 Pattern 1907 gun Russian equivalent
• 30.5 cm SK L/50 gun German equivalent
• Škoda 30.5 cm /45 K10 Austro-Hungarian equivalent

Notes

1. Britain used Roman numerals to denote Marks (models) of ordnance until after World War II. These were the eleventh and twelfth models of BL 12-inch guns.

References

1. 850 lb shells : Treatise on Ammunition, 1915
2. 2825 ft/second with 4 CRH 850 lb projectile : As quoted in Range Tables for His Majesty's Fleet, Vol. I., 1918 9.2-Inch Guns and Above April, 1918 2825 ft/second using 307 lb cordite MD size 45 propellant : Treatise on Ammunition, 1915
3. "Gun Model: BR 12in 50cal Mk XI XI* XII". Retrieved 8 June 2023.

Bibliography

• Tony DiGiulian, British 12"/50 (30.5 cm) Marks XI, XI* and XII