Canon de 274 modèle 1887/1893

The Canon de 274 modèle 1887/1893 were a family of French naval guns developed in the years before World War I that armed a variety of warships of the French Navy. Guns salvaged from scrapped ships found a second life as coastal artillery and railway artillery during World War I and World War II.

Canon de 274 modèle 1887/1893
A side view of the French battleship Jauréguiberry showing the single gun turrets amidships.
TypeNaval gun
Coastal artillery
Railway artillery
Place of originFrance
Service history
In service1894-1945
Used by France
 Nazi Germany
WarsWorld War I
World War II
Production history
Designed1887
Produced1894
Specifications
Mass35.4–37.6 t (34.8–37.0 long tons; 39.0–41.4 short tons)
Barrel length12.3 m (40 ft 4 in) L/45[1]
ShellSeparate loading bagged charge and projectile
Shell weight216–255 kg (476–562 lb)
Caliber274 mm (10.8 in)
BreechInterrupted screw
Elevation-10° to +25°
Traverse-160° to +160°[2]
Rate of fire3 rpm
Muzzle velocity780–815 m/s (2,560–2,670 ft/s)
Maximum firing range24–27 km (15–17 mi) at +25°[1]

Design

The mle 1887/1893 guns were typical built-up guns of the period with several layers of steel reinforcing hoops. The guns used an interrupted screw breech and fired separate loading bagged charges and projectiles. The two designs were similar in construction and performance, the main difference between the two models being their weight 37.6 tonnes for the 1887 and 35.4 tonnes for the 1893. The later Canon de 274 modèle 1893/1896, despite being shorter, used a larger propellant charge which gave them higher muzzle velocity and range.

Mle 1887/1893 guns armed pre-dreadnought battleships and ironclads of the French Navy built or refit between 1887-1902.[1]

Pre-dreadnought Battleships

  • Charles Martel - The secondary armament of this ship consisted of two mle 1887s mounted in single gun turrets on lateral sponsons amidships.[3]
  • Carnot - The secondary armament of this ship consisted of two mle 1887s mounted in single gun turrets on lateral sponsons amidships.[4]
  • Jauréguiberry - The secondary armament of this ship consisted of two mle 1887s mounted in single gun turrets on lateral sponsons amidships.[5]
  • Masséna - The secondary armament of this ship consisted of two mle 1893s mounted in single gun turrets on lateral sponsons amidships.[6]
  • Bouvet - The secondary armament of this ship consisted of two mle 1893s mounted in single gun turrets on lateral sponsons amidships.[7]

Ironclads

  • Courbet - This ironclad received three mle 1893s in single mounts during a refit in the 1890s.[8]

Railway guns

A number of mle 1887/1893 naval guns were converted to railway guns under the designation Canon de 274 modèle 87/93 Glissement and saw action during both the First and Second World Wars.

Ammunition

Ammunition was of separate loading type with a bagged charge and projectile. The charge weighed 67.5 kg (149 lb).

The guns were able to fire:

  • The battleship Charles Martel.
  • The battleship Carnot.
  • The battleship Jauréguiberry.
  • The battleship Masséna.
  • The battleship Bouvet.
  • A Canon de 274 modèle 87/93 captured by U.S. troops near Rentwertshausen 10 April 1945.

Bibliography
  • Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.
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References
  1. Friedman, Norman (2011-01-01). Naval weapons of World War One. Seaforth. ISBN 9781848321007. OCLC 786178793.
  2. DiGiulian, Tony. "France 274 mm/45 (10.8") Model 1887/1893 - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2018-09-05.
  3. "Charles Martel battleship (1897) - French Navy (France)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2018-09-05.
  4. "Carnot battleship (1897) - French Navy (France)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2018-09-05.
  5. "JAURÉGUIBERRY battleship (1897) - French Navy (France)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2018-09-05.
  6. "MASSÉNA battleship (1898) - French Navy (France)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2018-09-05.
  7. "BOUVET battleship (1898) - French Navy (France)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2018-09-05.
  8. "COURBET central battery ships (1882 - 1886) - French Navy (France)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2018-09-05.
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