203mm/55 Modèle 1931 gun

203mm/55 Modèle 1931
203mm/55 Modèle 1931
	Main guns of the Algérie
Type	Naval gun
Place of origin	France
Service history
Used by	France
Wars	Second World War
Production history
Designed	1931
Specifications
Mass	22 tonnes
Barrel length	11.3 metres (37 ft)
Shell	Separate charges and shell:; APC M1936: 134 kilograms (295 lb)
Caliber	203 millimetres (8.0 in)
Breech	Welin Breech Block
Rate of fire	4-5 RPM
Muzzle velocity	840 metres per second (2,800 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	31,000 metres (34,000 yd) at 45°

The 203mm/55 Modèle 1931 gun was a medium naval gun of the French Navy. It used the same ammunition as the 203mm/50 Modèle 1924 gun, and were very similar except for the longer bore. It is believed that the guns were built from tubes of the older 240mm/50 Modèle 1902 guns.^[1]

Although commonly described as being used as the main battery of the heavy cruiser Algérie, mounted in four twin turrets,^[1] Algérie in fact used the same 203mm/50 Modèle 1924 as the rest of the French heavy cruisers.^[2]

In fact as written in French Cruisers 1922 - 1956 these guns did not exist.^[3]^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. p. 292. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
^ Jordan, John; Moulin, Jean (2013). French Cruisers 1922 - 1956. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Seaforth Publishing. p. 114. ISBN 978-1-84832-133-5.
^ Jordan & Moulin, Chapter 5, Armament, Main Battery
^ McMurtrie Francis E., page 156

External links

Bibliography

Jordan, John & Moulin, Jean (2013). French Cruisers 1922–1956. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-133-5.
Whitley, M.J. (1995). Cruisers of World War Two – An International Encyclopedia. London, UK: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 1-85409-225-1.
McMurtrie, Francis E. (1940). Jane's Fighting Ships 1940. London, UK: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd.

[Campbell-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. p. 292. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.

[2] Jordan, John; Moulin, Jean (2013). French Cruisers 1922 - 1956. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Seaforth Publishing. p. 114. ISBN 978-1-84832-133-5.

[3] Jordan & Moulin, Chapter 5, Armament, Main Battery

[4] McMurtrie Francis E., page 156

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e French naval weapons of the Second World War
Battleship main armament	305 mm/45 Modèle 1906 330 mm/50 Modèle 1931 340 mm/45 Modèle 1912 380 mm/45 Modèle 1935
Cruiser main armament	138 mm/40 Modèle 1923 152 mm/55 Modèle 1930 155 mm/50 Modèle 1920 203 mm/50 Modèle 1924 203 mm/55 Modèle 1931
Destroyer and Aviso main armament	65 mm Modèle 1891 90 mm/50 Modèle 1926 100 mm/45 Modèle 1891 100 mm/45 Modèle 1933 130 mm/40 Modèle 1919 130 mm/40 Modèle 1924 130 mm/45 Modèle 1935 138 mm/45 Modèle 1893 138 mm/40 Modèle 1927 138 mm/55 Modèle 1910 138 mm/50 Modèle 1929
Secondary armament	57 mm/40 Modèle 1885 90 mm/50 Modèle 1926 100 mm/45 Modèle 1930 100 mm/55 Modèle 1945 130 mm/45 Modèle 1932 138 mm/55 Modèle 1910 152 mm/55 Modèle 1930
Submarine guns	75 mm/35 Modèle 1924 75 mm/35 Modèle 1927 100 mm/45 Modèle 1917 100 mm/45 Modèle 1925 100 mm/34 Modèle 1936 203 mm/50 Modèle 1924
Anti-aircraft weapons	7.5 mm/80 Modèle 1931 8 mm/50 Modèle 1914 13.2 mm/76 Modèle 1929 25 mm/60 Modèle 1938 25 mm/60 Modèle 1940 37 mm/50 Modèle 1925 37 mm/70 Modèle 1935 57 mm/40 Modèle 1902 75 mm/35 Modèle 1924 75 mm/35 Modèle 1927 90 mm/50 Modèle 1926 100 mm/34 Modèle 1933
Torpedoes	400 mm Modèle 1926V 550 mm Modèle 1919D 550 mm Modèle 1923DT 550 mm Modèle 1924M 550 mm Modèle 1924V