EOC 10-inch 45-calibre naval gun

The EOC 10-inch 45 calibre gun were various similar 10-inch naval guns designed and manufactured by Elswick Ordnance Company to equip ships they built and/or armed for several countries before World War I.

EOC 10 inch 45-calibre naval gun
Forward 10-inch turret of HMS Swiftsure
Type	Naval gun
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
In service	1904–45
Used by	Italy  Empire of Japan  United Kingdom
Wars	World War I World War II
Production history
Designer	Elswick Ordnance Company
Specifications
Mass	34.5 tons
Barrel length	37 ft 6 in (11.430 m) (45 cal)
Shell	500 pounds (227 kg)
Calibre	10 inches (254 mm)
Elevation	-5° to +25°[1]
Muzzle velocity	UK : 2,625 ft/s (800 m/s)[2] Italy: 850 m/s (2,800 ft/s)[3]
Maximum firing range	UK : 18,850 yd (17,240 m)[4] Italy : 25,000 m (27,000 yd)[3] @ 25°[5]

History

Italian service

Elswick supplied later, more powerful "Pattern W" models of its 10-inch 45-calibre guns for the San Giorgio-class armoured cruisers. In Italian service these were known as the Cannone da 254/45 A Modello 1906.^[6]

Japanese service

The Katori-class battleship Kashima had a secondary armament of four single-gun turrets positioned on each side of the ships superstructure. In Japanese service these guns were known as 10-inch/45 Type 41 naval guns.

UK service

Elswick supplied 5 of their 10-inch 45-calibre guns for use on the battleship Constitución that they were building for Chile. Britain took the ship over in 1903 as HMS Swiftsure, and the guns were designated BL 10 inch Mk VI in UK service. These guns fired a 500-pound (227 kg) projectile using 146 pounds 12 ounces (66.6 kg) of cordite MD propellant.^[7]

See also

• List of naval guns

Weapons of comparable role, performance and era

• Vickers 10-inch /45 naval gun : Vickers equivalent

Notes

1. Campbell, Naval Weapons of WWII, p.324.
2. "The Dreadnought Project". dreadnoughtproject.org. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
3. "Gun Model: IT 10in 25cm 45cal Model 1906 1907". Retrieved 8 July 2023.
4. UK mountings limited to 13.5°
5. DiGiulian
6. Friedman, p. 238
7. Treatise on Ammunition 10th edition 1915

References

• Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.
• Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.

External links

• Tony DiGiulian, British 10"/45 (25.4 cm) Marks VI and VII
• Tony DiGiulian, Italy 10"/45 (25.4 cm) Model 1908