120 mm 50 caliber Pattern 1905

The 120 mm 50 caliber Pattern 1905 was a Russian naval gun developed by Vickers for export in the years before World War I that armed a variety of warships of the Imperial Russian Navy. Guns salvaged from scrapped ships found a second life as coastal artillery, railway artillery and aboard river monitors during the Russian Civil War.[2] It was estimated that there were 110 guns in the Soviet Navy's inventory in 1941. Of these, 39 were in the Baltic Fleet, 20 in the Black sea Fleet, 24 in the Amur Flotilla, 11 in the Pacific Fleet and 6 in the Pinsk flotilla in World War II.[1]

120 mm 50 caliber Pattern 1905
An open twin-mount Pattern 1905 in Finnish service.
TypeNaval gun
Coastal artillery
Railway artillery
Place of originGreat Britain
Service history
In service1905-1950's
Used byRussian Empire
Soviet Union
Finland
WarsWorld War I
Russian Civil War
Winter War
World War II
Production history
DesignerVickers
Designed1905
ManufacturerVickers
Obukhov State Plant
Produced1905
No. built210
Specifications
Mass3.1 t (3.4 short tons)
Length6 m (19 ft 8 in) 50 caliber
Barrel length5.8 m (19 ft 0 in)
ShellFixed QF ammunition
Shell weight20.4–29 kg (45–64 lb)
Calibre120 mm (4.7 in)
ElevationSingle mount: -10° to +20°
Twin mount: -3° to +27°[1]
Traverse360°
Rate of fire6-7 rpm
Muzzle velocity792 m/s (2,600 ft/s)
Maximum firing range13.7 km (8.5 mi) at +20°[2]

History

The Pattern 1905 began life as a Vickers design produced in Great Britain for export customers. The Pattern 1905 was also produced under license at the Obukhov State Plant in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Construction

The Pattern 1905 was a built-up gun which consisted of an A tube, three layers of reinforcing tubes, a jacket and a breech piece which screwed onto the jacket.[2] Once Obhukov started production the Vickers guns were referred to as model 1 guns, while those manufactured by Obukhov were referred to as model 2 guns.[3] By 1918 it was estimated that 180 guns had been completed with another 20 partially complete. A few more were finished between 1921-24 from existing stocks.[1]

The Pattern 1905 guns armed armored cruisers, dreadnought battleships, gunboats, icebreakers and river monitors of the Imperial Russian Navy and Soviet Navy built or refit between 1905-1924.

Armored cruisers

Dreadnought battleships
  • Gangut-class battleships - The four ships of this class had an anti-torpedo boat armament of sixteen Pattern 1905 guns in casemates amidships.

Gunboats
  • Kars-class gunboats - The two ships of this class were built with a primary armament of two Pattern 1905 guns on open mounts.
  • Gilyak-class gunboats - The four ships of this class were built with a primary armament of two Pattern 1905 guns on open mounts.

Icebreakers
  • Three Finnish Icebreakers the Sampo, Tarmo and Voima were briefly armed with Pattern 1905 guns in open twin-mounts. The guns were found to be too heavy and their recoil forces were too strong for the ships and were removed.[3]

River monitors
  • Tayfun-class river monitors - The eight ships of this class were built with a secondary armament of four Pattern 1905 guns in two twin-turrets amidships.

Ammunition

Ammunition was of Fixed QF type and weighed between 20.4–29 kg (45–64 lb).

The gun was able to fire:

  • The Armored Cruiser Rurik in 1917.
    The Armored Cruiser Rurik in 1917.
  • A view of the casemated Pattern 1905 guns amidships aboard the battleship Gangut.
    A view of the casemated Pattern 1905 guns amidships aboard the battleship Gangut.
  • A view of the open twin-mount Pattern 1905 guns aboard the Finnish icebreaker Voima.
    A view of the open twin-mount Pattern 1905 guns aboard the Finnish icebreaker Voima.
  • The gunboat Gilyak.
    The gunboat Gilyak.
  • The gunboat Shkval of the Amur Flotilla.
    The gunboat Shkval of the Amur Flotilla.
  • A single shielded Pattern 1905 gun in Finnish service.
    A single shielded Pattern 1905 gun in Finnish service.

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

Notes
  1. DiGiulian, Tony. "Russia / USSR 120 mm/50 (4.7") Pattern 1905 - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2017-07-29.
  2. Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval weapons of World War One. S. Yorkshire: Seaforth Pub. ISBN 9781848321007. OCLC 751804655.
  3. "FINNISH ARMY 1918 - 1945: HEAVY COASTAL GUNS". www.jaegerplatoon.net. Retrieved 2017-07-29.
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