EOC 8 inch 45 caliber

The EOC 8 inch 45 caliber were a family of related 8 inch (203 mm) 45 caliber naval guns designed by the Elswick Ordnance Company and manufactured by Armstrong for export customers before World War I. In addition to being produced in the United Kingdom licensed variants were produced in Italy and in Japan.^[1] Users of this family of gun included the navies of Argentina, Chile, China, Italy, Japan and Spain. This family of guns saw action in the Spanish-American War, Boxer Rebellion, Russo-Japanese War, Italo-Turkish War, World War I and World War II. In addition to its naval role it was later used as Coastal artillery and Siege artillery after the ships it served on were decommissioned.^[2]

History

The EOC 8 inch 45 caliber family of guns originated in 1894 from the Elswick Ordnance Company Pattern Q gun which was first produced for export in 1895. In addition to the Pattern Q there were S, U and W Pattern guns produced for export. Earlier Patterns A through P, R and T were shorter 35 or 40 caliber guns. While the Pattern Q, S, U and W were all 8 inch 45 caliber guns.^[1] The weights and dimensions of each Pattern of gun were similar and their ammunition, bagged charges and their ballistic performance were also similar.^[2][3]

Construction

The Armstrong Pattern Q was the first wire wound 8 inch EOC gun. I was constructed of an inner A tube, wire wound for 10.5 ft (3.2 m), with a jacket shrunk over the wire. It had a single-motion breech mechanism of cylindrical-conical style with five threaded and five smooth sectors.^[1]

Naval Service

The Japanese 20.3 cm/45 Type 41 naval gun was based on the Pattern S guns from Armstrong first installed on the Takasago in 1898 with licensed production beginning in 1902. Existing S, U and W Pattern guns were later classified as Type 41 naval guns in Japanese service.^[1] Type 41 guns were employed as Coastal Artillery during World War II after the ships they armed were decommissioned and disarmed.^[3] Pattern S guns also armed protected cruisers of Argentine Navy and Chinese Navy.

Pattern S:

• Buenos Aires - This protected cruiser was completed in 1896 by Armstrong in Newcastle upon Tyne for the Argentinian Navy. The primary armament was two Pattern S guns mounted on single, shielded, pedestal mounts fore and aft.^[4]
• Hai Chi-class - The two protected cruisers of the Hai Chi-class were completed in 1899 by Armstrong for the Chinese Navy. The primary armament of the class were two Pattern S guns mounted on single, shielded, pedestal mounts fore and aft.^[5]
• Kasagi-class - The two protected cruisers of the Kasagi-class were built in the United States for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Kasagi was built by William Cramp and Sons in Philadelphia and completed in 1898, while Chitose was built by the Union Iron Works in San Francisco and completed in 1899. The primary armament of the class were two Pattern S guns mounted on single, shielded, pedestal mounts fore and aft.^[6]
• Takasago - This protected cruiser was completed in 1898 by Armstrong for the Imperial Japanese Navy. The primary armament was two Pattern S guns mounted on single, shielded, pedestal mounts fore and aft.^[7]

Pattern U guns from Armstrong armed both Japanese and Chilean protected and armored cruisers.^[1]

Pattern U:

• Asama-class - The two armored cruisers of the Asama-class were completed in 1899 by Armstrong for the Imperial Japanese Navy. The primary armament of the class were four Pattern U guns mounted in twin gun turrets fore and aft.^[8]
• Azuma - This armored cruiser was completed in 1900 by Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire, Saint-Nazaire, France for the Imperial Japanese Navy. The primary armament was four Pattern U guns mounted in twin gun turrets fore and aft.^[9]
• Chacabuco - This protected cruiser was the sister ship of Takasago and completed in 1902 by Armstrong for the Chilean Navy. The primary armament was two Pattern U guns mounted on single, shielded, pedestal mounts fore and aft.^[10]
• Izumo-class - The two armored cruisers of the Izumo-class were completed in 1900-1901 by Armstrong for the Imperial Japanese Navy. The primary armament of the class were four Pattern U guns mounted in twin gun turrets fore and aft.^[11]
• Yakumo - This armored cruiser was completed in 1900 by AG Vulcan Stettin, Stettin, Germany for the Imperial Japanese Navy. The primary armament was four Pattern U guns mounted in twin gun turrets fore and aft.^[12]

The Italian Cannone da 203/45 Modello 1897 was based on the Pattern W gun from Armstrong and licensed production began in 1897 at the Armstrong factory in Pozzuoli, Italy. The Modello 1897 guns armed ships built in Italy for the Argentinian Navy, Italian Navy, Imperial Japanese Navy and the Spanish Navy.^[1] Modello 1897 guns were later employed by the Italian Army as Siege Artillery during World War I and as Coastal Artillery during World War II after the ships they armed were decommissioned and disarmed.^[2]

Pattern W:

• Giuseppe Garibaldi-class
  • One of the four Garibaldi-class armored cruisers built for the Argentinian Navy, the ARA San Martín had four Pattern W guns as primary armament mounted in twin gun turrets fore and aft.^[13]
  • The three Garibaldi-class armored cruisers built for the Italian Navy had a primary armament of one Armstrong Pattern R 10 inch gun in a single turret fore and two Pattern W guns mounted in twin gun turrets aft.^[14]
  • There were two Kasuga-class armored cruisers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Kasuga had a primary armament of one Armstrong Pattern R 10 inch gun in a single turret fore and two Pattern W guns mounted in a twin gun turret aft. The Nisshin had a primary armament of four Pattern W guns mounted in twin turrets fore and aft.^[15]
  • The single Garibaldi-class armored cruiser built for the Spanish Navy, the Cristóbal Colón was designed to have a primary armament of one Armstrong Pattern R 10 inch gun in a single turret fore and two Pattern W guns mounted in a twin gun turret aft. However the 10 inch gun was found to be defective and was not installed.
• Iwami - This ship originally the Oryol of the Imperial Russian Navy was a war prize from the Russo-Japanese war. In 1907 the ships original secondary armament of twelve, six inch guns, mounted in twin turrets, amidships were replaced by six, single gun, shielded, pedestal mounted, Pattern W guns.^[16]
• Regina Elena-class - The four semi-dreadnought battleships of this class had a secondary armament of twelve Pattern W guns, in three twin gun turrets per side, amidships.^[17]
• Regina Margherita-class - The two pre-dreadnought battleships of this class had a secondary armament of four Pattern W guns mounted in casemates amidships in the ships superstructure.^[18]

Notes

References

• Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7. 
• Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1984). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships: 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5. 

External links

• http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNIT_8-45_EOC.php
• http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNJAP_8-45_EOC.php
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/argentina/arg_cr_buenos_aires.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/argentina/arg_cr_garibaldi.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/chile/chi_cr_chacabuco.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/china/ch_cr_hai_chi.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/italy/it_cr_giuseppe_garibaldi.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/italy/it_bb_regina_elena.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/italy/it_bb_regina_margherita.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/japan/jap_cr_adzuma.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/japan/jap_cr_asama.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/japan/jap_cr_chitose.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/japan/jap_bb_iwami.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/japan/jap_cr_izumo.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/japan/jap_cr_kasuga.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/japan/jap_cr_takasago.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/japan/jap_cr_yakumo.htm