Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 42:45-43:28

Interwar research into autoloading capital-ship guns

Britain, the United States, and Japan all examined heavy-gun autoloading, and a British 1920-era paper may help explain interest in the 14-inch calibre.

AutoloadersImperial Japanese NavyInterwar PeriodNaval GunneryRoyal NavyUS Navy
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Question

Did navies study autoloading main armament for capital ships before the Second World War?

Short answer

Yes. Britain, the United States, and Japan examined it, including a British paper from about 1920.

Notes

The U.S. Navy and Royal Navy both investigated autoloading for capital ships, while Japan had also considered it. A British paper from about 1920 discussed the subject. One possible interpretation is that British interest in 14-inch guns reflected confidence that this calibre could be automated when a 16-inch or larger system could not. A reliable autoloader would change the value of the gun by sustaining a much higher rate of fire.