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Marketplace => Latest on the Market => Topic started by: minerva on 12 October 2014, 08:07:37

Title: R.N. 3 pounder saluting guns
Post by: minerva on 12 October 2014, 08:07:37
These saluting guns - standard equipment on all R.N. ships - used for ceremonial entering harbour .
These guns are now available in 1/96 scale and 1/72 scale at Shapeways. Modelled by Mark Hawkins.
a welcome addition, as these guns have never been produced before by any maker.
Mark also produces the pre war / early war multipule Vickers machine gun mount, found on many
destroyers.
Title: Re: R.N. 3 pounder saluting guns
Post by: paul swainson on 13 October 2014, 16:48:09
On my ship the saluting guns (four) are 3 ponders not the same as those used today.
Title: Re: R.N. 3 pounder saluting guns
Post by: minerva on 13 October 2014, 19:08:00
They should be the standard 3 pounders
which are a cut down version of the 1915 patt. 3 pounder.
Same breech, shorter barrel and lower mounting.
 what is your reference ?
Title: Re: R.N. 3 pounder saluting guns
Post by: paul swainson on 13 October 2014, 20:26:01
The reference book is Anatomy of ships HMS Victorious, John Lambert drawings for the period 1930 to 1945. The small gun on the angle frame bolted to the deck is I believe a 2 pounder used in the late 60's, which I saw on most ship when living in Malta GC from 1959 to 1963.  The base of the gun on the drawings for 1939/1940 was round stand as per the attached drawing.  Also the same type that is used in Honk Kong for the noon day gun. Please correct me if the information is wrong.
Title: Re: R.N. 3 pounder saluting guns
Post by: minerva on 14 October 2014, 06:40:48
At Explosion we fire both guns regularly.
They are both 3 pounders ( I have 16 cartridges in my garage,
 as I hold the explosives licence for the RN museum)
Belfast is fitted with ONE of the 3 pounders (we know it as the 1915 pattern - a close range weapon)
 each side of the aft superstructure forward of X turret.
However it is impossible to fire a gun salute using one gun. The navy use at least three in a line.
This is incase of a misfire and alowing for re loads. The salutes are all timed so the interval is important.
The "modern saluting gun" as you call it , is portable and can be ranged port or starboard as required.
Whereas the 1915 patt. cannot. it takes a fork lift to move it.  I am not sure when the
"modern" saluting came into use but firing a salute with the one 1915 pattern is almost impossible.
Unless anyone else knows differently.
Title: Re: R.N. 3 pounder saluting guns
Post by: Troy Tempest on 16 October 2014, 14:33:11
From the plans HMS Zulu (Type 81) had four mounting 'pads' for saluting guns.
I was going to scratch build, now thanks to Shapeways (and Minerva [my Wasp is in the post!]) I no longer have to
Does anyone know how many would have ben carried on Zulu?
Would it have been four (one for each mounting plate) or perhaps just two and they were mounted per side as appropriate?
Incidentally I have just had a lovely reply back from 'Explosion' regarding a query about the Simple Tachymetric Director
Title: Re: R.N. 3 pounder saluting guns
Post by: Troy Tempest on 18 October 2014, 17:09:45
I seem to have found an answer to my question on a Forum on Ships Nostalgia. A contributor comments that of four guns three would fire the salute (as Minerva states) and the remaining fourth gun would be held in reserve in case of misfire.
So in order to make Zulu look good I shall either fit all four or none.
Sadly the only photo I have found shows only a view of the two Port side guns and you can't tell if the Starboard ones are there or not
Original photo MD Thomas
Title: Re: R.N. 3 pounder saluting guns
Post by: minerva on 19 October 2014, 15:56:11
Hi Troy,
 The all guns would have been mounted. However as my photo shows
they are only firing from one side. When not in position the guns would be stowed away.
I have attached a photo of HMS Minerva firing a 21 gun salute for Prince Philip's birthday by
the Prince of Wales, who was deputy gunnery offficer at the time.
They are only using two guns. Supreme confidence in overcoming a misfire I feel !
As I cannot see any other guns mounted on the stbd side to use as a back up.
(sadly the up loading limitations of this forum do not allow a decent representation of this picture)
Title: Re: R.N. 3 pounder saluting guns
Post by: Troy Tempest on 19 October 2014, 16:25:14
Great to see
An order for four coming up, if they are as good as his Wasp then they will be quite superb