EOC 4-inch 50 caliber

The EOC 4-inch 50 caliber was a British naval gun designed by the Elswick Ordnance Company for export customers in the years before World War I that armed warships of the Republic of China and the Greek Navy. These ships served in both World War I and later World War II.

EOC 4-inch 50 caliber
TypeNaval gun
Place of originGreat Britain
Service history
Used byRepublic of China
Greece
WarsBalkan Wars
World War I
Greco-Turkish War
World War II
Production history
DesignerElswick Ordnance Company
Designed1911
ManufacturerArmstrong Whitworth
Produced1911
Specifications
Mass4,816 lb (2,185 kg)
Barrel length16.7 ft (5.1 m) 50 caliber
ShellFixed QF ammunition
57.7 lb (26.2 kg)
Shell weight31 lb (14 kg)
Calibre4 inches (100 mm)
BreechHorizontal sliding wedge breech
Rate of fire10-12 rpm
Muzzle velocity3,000 ft/s (910 m/s)[1]

History

The EOC 4-inch 50 caliber began life as a design produced by the parent company of Elswick, Armstrong Whitworth for export customers called the Pattern P. These guns did not serve aboard ships of the Royal Navy.[1]

Construction

The EOC 4-inch 50 caliber was constructed of an A tube and wire wound with a protective outer jacket. It also had a horizontal sliding-wedge breech and fired fixed quick fire ammunition.[1]

EOC 4-inch 50 caliber guns armed coastal defense ships, destroyers and protected cruisers.

Coastal defense ships
  • Yongfeng class - Two of the four ships of this class Yongjian and Yongji were armed with a single bow mounted EOC 4-inch gun. While Yongfeng and Yongxiang were similar in configuration they carried a single bow mounted Krupp 10.5 cm SK L/40 gun instead.

Destroyers
  • Aetos class - The four ships of this class had a primary armament of four EOC 4-inch guns. One was bow mounted, one was amidships and two were at the stern.

Protected cruisers
  • Chao Ho class - Two ships of this class Chao Ho and Ying Swei had a secondary armament of four shielded EOC 4-inch guns on sponsons amidships. The third ship of the class named Elli was sold to Greece before completion and had a different armament scheme.

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

Notes
  1. Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval weapons of World War One. S. Yorkshire: Seaforth Pub. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7. OCLC 751804655.
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