QF 14 pounder Maxim-Nordenfelt naval gun

Infobox Weapon
name=Ordnance QF 14 pounder


caption=On HMVS Cerberus circa. 1900. Note fixed-round cartridge with shell standing at gunner's feet in background.
Photo courtesy of the Friends of the Cerberus at http://www.cerberus.com.au
origin=UK
type= Naval gun
is_ranged=yes
is_bladed=
is_explosive=
is_artillery=yes
is_vehicle=
is_UK=yes
service=1894-19??
used_by=Various countries
Victorian Naval Forces
Royal Navy
wars=World War I
designer=
design_date=189?
manufacturer=Maxim-Nordenfelt
production_date=
number=
variants=
weight=
length=
part_length=convert|138|in|m|sigfig=4(46 calibres) [Additions to Victorian Naval Forces Manual, 1895]
width=
height=
crew=
cartridge=separate QF convert|14|lb|kg|sigfig=3 or convert|12.5|lb|kg|sigfig=3
caliber=convert|3|in|mm|sigfig=3|sing=on
action=
rate=
velocity=
range=
max_range=convert|8000|yd|m|sigfig=3 (14 lb shell)
feed=
sights=
breech=
recoil=
carriage=
elevation=
traverse=The QF 14 pounder 18 cwt gun was a 3-inch high-velocity naval gun used to equip warships for defence against torpedo boats. It was produced for export by Maxim-Nordenfelt in competition with the Elswick QF 12-pounder 12 cwt and QF 12-pounder 18 cwt guns.

ervice

The gun equipped ships built in Britain for various foreign navies including Chile.

Victorian Navy service

2 guns were mounted on HMVS Cerberus in 1897. In 1900 they were removed, mounted on field carriages and went to China with the Victorian Naval Contingent to confront the Boxer Rebellion. These 2 guns were non-standard and fired QF fixed rounds (i.e. the cartridge was loaded with shell attached) unlike the standard guns which fired separate ammunition (i.e. shell and cartridge loaded as separate items). They were therefor left behind in China in favour of the standard QF 12-pounder. [ [http://www.cerberus.com.au/armament.html HMVS Cerberus armament] ]

In Victorian naval service in the 1890s the gun is reported as firing a shell weighing 14 lbs to a range of 8,000 yards with a muzzle velocity of 2100 ft/second, using a 6.5 lb black powder charge. [ [http://www.cerberus.com.au/manuals_printing.html From additions to 1890 Manual for Victorian naval forces circa. 1895. HMVS Cerberus website] ]

Royal Navy service

The Royal Navy did not adopt the gun, but acquired several in 1903 by default when the British government bought the battleships Constitucion and Libertad under construction for Chile, due to fears that they would eventually be acquired by Russia. They each carried 14 of the guns and went on to serve as HMS Swiftsure and HMS Triumph respectively. In British service the guns fired the same 3-inch 12.5 lb shell as QF 12-pounder guns.

British ammunition

In British service the guns fired the same 3-inch 12.5 lb shell as QF 12-pounder guns.

See also

* List of artillery#Naval_guns

Notes

References

External links