Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 27:53-28:42

When could the British 15-inch/50 gun be ready?

The gun project might produce hardware around 1919, but installing it and learning to operate the complete system would still push practical maturity into the 1920s.

15-inch GunsNaval GunneryNaval TechnologyRoyal NavyShip Design
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Question

Would the British 15-inch/50-calibre gun have been ready before the early 1920s?

Short answer

The hardware might have been ready around 1919, but fitting and working up the complete shipboard system would probably extend into the 1920s.

Notes

The 15-inch/50 project had been under consideration long before postwar capital-ship studies made it visible. Manufacturing and mounting a gun would still precede proving a reliable turret and learning to use the weapon aboard ship. A 1919 hardware date is therefore plausible, while operational maturity would come later. This distinction keeps alternate designs from treating every advanced drawing-board weapon as immediately deployable.