Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1932 and 1935

Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1932 and 1935
Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1932 and 1935
Type	Naval gun; Dual-purpose gun
Place of origin	France
Service history
In service	World War II
Used by	France
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designed	1932–1935
Specifications
Mass	3.7 metric tons
Barrel length	5.89 meters (19.3 ft) 45 caliber
Shell	Fixed QF ammunition
Shell weight	53 kilograms (117 lb)
Caliber	130 millimeters (5.1 in)
Breech	M1932: Vertical sliding breech block; M1935: Horizontal sliding breech block
Elevation	Dual-purpose mounts:; -10° to +75°; Low-angle mounts:; -10° to +35°
Traverse	Dual-purpose mounts: Lateral Quads: 175°; Lateral Twins: 171°; Centerline Quad: -150°; to +150°; Low-angle mounts: -150° to +150°
Rate of fire	10 rpm
Muzzle velocity	800 meters per second (2,600 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	20,870 meters (22,820 yd) at 45°<

The Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1932 and 1935 were medium-caliber naval guns used as the primary armament on a number of French Navy destroyers and as dual-purpose secondary armament on battleships during World War II.

Description

The Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1932 and 1935 were built with an autofretted barrel and a breech ring. A vertical sliding breech block was used for the M1932 in dual-purpose mountings, a horizontal one was used for the M1935 in low-angle mountings. Useful life expectancy was 900 effective full charges (EFC) per barrel. These guns were carried in dual-purpose double or quadruple turrets aboard battleships and low-angle double turrets on destroyers. The dual-purpose quadruple turrets had cast steel cradles with two M1932 guns per cradle and the two pairs of guns could be elevated or depressed independently. The dual-purpose double turrets were basically one half of a quadruple turret with two M1932 guns on a single cradle. The low-angle double turrets used on destroyers had a separate cradle for each M1935 gun and they could be elevated or depressed independently. All three turret types had mechanical problems with their ammunition handling and the heavy weight of their shells strained crews and slowed their rate of fire.^[1]

Ammunition

Ammunition was of Fixed QF type.

The gun was able to fire:

Semi Armour-Piercing - 32 kg (71 lb)
High Explosive - 29.5 kg (65 lb)
Illumination - Unknown^[2]

Naval service

Ship classes that carried the Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1932 and 1935 guns include:

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Campbell, Naval Weapons of WWII, p.300.
^ ^a ^b The 130 mm/45 (5.1") Models 1932 and 1935 at Naval Weapons.Com

References

Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.

External links

http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNFR_51-45_m1932.php

[Campbell-1] Campbell, Naval Weapons of WWII, p.300.

[NW-2] The 130 mm/45 (5.1") Models 1932 and 1935 at Naval Weapons.Com

[1]

[2]

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