Aviation Naval Warfare Land Systems Small Arms By Flag By Year By Tag

Ordnance BL 12-inch Gun Mk IX

1915 WORLD WAR 1

History of the Ordnance BL 12 Inch Gun Mk IX

Many of the major players in the First World War (1914-1918) deployed some form of railroad artillery - among them France, England, and Germany, among others. Railguns were among the heaviest artillery pieces observed in the conflict, providing extremely long-range indirect fire support for ground attacks. In some cases (such as the German "Paris Gun") they also created a degree of psychological fear in the recipient, especially in civilian areas where large shells could land without warning in busy centres. The first work on railroad artillery was an experiment by France in 1914, but it was only a matter of time before other great powers saw the value of these large artillery pieces.

By the end of the war, the designs available proved to be more focused on the role than those originally in service.

The British Army eventually launched its own railgun program, producing the "BL 12" Railgun. The system packed unused 12-inch Mk IX guns (originally forged by the Woolwich Arsenal in 1906) and found a new home on railroad cars.

There are two different brands of carriages, the Mk 1 and the Mk 2. The Mk 1 is made by Vickers and the Mk 2 is made by the Elswick Ordnance Company. A total of four BL 12-inch railroad guns were produced.

The Mk 1 carriage model was delivered in 1915, by which time the initial liquid war had ceased.

These guns fired an 850-pound high-explosive (HE) round filled with Amatol from a 40-foot-long 304.8 mm caliber barrel. The tube is breech loaded and features a Welin screw design.

The initial recoil was handled by a hydraulic spring design, though with so much force that the rest of the recoil action just rolled the car back some distance along the track (Elswick cars use locking brakes to reduce this effect. ). The attachment to the barrel allows the barrel to be raised from a span of 0 to 30 degrees, but lateral movement to the left or right is strictly limited. The projectiles are fired at an initial velocity of 2,610 feet per second and have a maximum range of 32,700 yards.

Rail artillery is ultimately limited by the range of the existing rail network, and the real lack of traversal of artillery elements reduces their tactical usefulness. Due to their size, these forces do not easily move quickly on the front lines and require significant planning, materiel and manpower to deploy successfully. The sheer force at work can also lead to shortened barrel life due to breakage. Fortunately for the Allies, Western Europe had a very mature and modern rail network, which benefited rail guns such as the BL 12" rail gun.

The four-man team fought until the end of the war in November 1918, the last example going back Don't give up until back to 1930.