Instruction manuals for various Armstrong guns

[melliget]

I came across some items on the National Archives of Australia site that may be of interest: instruction manuals for various types of Armstrong guns (Sir W. G. Armstrong, Mitchell & Co. Elswick Works, Newcastle-on-Tyne). I believe they are circa WW1, possibly just after (perhaps someone can clarify). Some are naval guns, as indicated in the titles, but others appear to be land mounted. As well as the neatly handwritten instructions, which include range tables, there are also several very nice drawings at the end of each manual (it's probably easier to go to the end and then page back). Note the Enlarge option.

4.724 inch 120 m/m Quick firing Armstrong Gun and Automatic Centre Pivot Mounting

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=4039822

5 inch Rifled Breech Loading Armstrong Gun and the Elswick Hydro-Pneumatic Disappearing Carriage

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=4039824

6 inch Rifled Breech Loading Armstrong Gun and Automatic Centre Pivot Barbette Mounting

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=4039825

6 inch Rifled Breech Loading Armstrong Gun and Hydro-Pneumatic Disappearing Carriage

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=4039826

6 inch rifled breech loading Armstrong gun and naval carriage and slide

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=4039827

8 inch Rifled Breech Loading Armstrong Gun and Hydro-Pneumatic Disappearing Carriage

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=4039828

8 inch Rifled Breech Loading Armstrong Gun and Naval Carriage and Slide

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=4039829

9.2 inch Rifled Breech Loading Armstrong Gun and Automatic Barbette Centre Pivot Mounting

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=4039831

10 inch rifled breech loading Armstrong gun and automatic naval carriage and slide

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=4039832

These items are part of an interesting NAA series, A1194, which is entitled "Library Material".

regards,

Martin

[Old Tom]

Fascinating! I guess these are pre WW1.

Old Tom

[melliget]

Actually I think you are right, Tom, judging from this Wiki article:

http://en.wikipedia....trong_Whitworth

I guess it was possible some of these guns may have been used in the war, for example, where they had been installed within fortifications.

Martin

[RodB]

These documents appear to be mid-late 1880s, all these guns were obsolete by WWI. I think they are in Australian archives because they were all deployed here, before Federation, mainly in response to the "Russian scares" of the 1880s.

6 inch Rifled Breech Loading Armstrong Gun and Automatic Centre Pivot Barbette Mounting

6 inch Rifled Breech Loading Armstrong Gun and Hydro-Pneumatic Disappearing Carriage

: appears to show versions of what was termed 6-inch Mk V in British service. Was a coast-defence gun, many deployed in Australia & New Zealand.

6 inch rifled breech loading Armstrong gun and naval carriage and slide : appears to be what was Mk I aka 80-pounder in British service, came to Australia in colonial gunboats.

The 5-inch was used as a siege gun in the Boer War, replaced by the 4.7 in naval use late 1880s-early 1890s. Came to Australia on colonial gunboats, some were also used for coast defence.

The 4.7 inch gun shown was a cruiser gun in the 1890s, by the 1900s was obsolete and redeployed as field guns & for coast defence. I think Australian colonial navies replaced quite a few 5 & 6 inch guns with these.

The 8-inch gun shown appears to be what was known in British service as Mark VII. It was deployed in Australia and New Zealand as a coast-defence gun, and for a short time on some Victorian, Queensland and South Australian gunboats.

The 9.2-inch gun appears to be Mk I or Mk II (26 calibre). As far as I know, these were early coast defence guns, but not the model deployed in Australia - I think Australia got later Mk IV & Mk VI (30 calibre) guns.

The 10-inch - came to Australia as (2 I think) as ridiculously oversized naval guns, ended up in coast defence. They were shorter, lighter and fired a lighter shell than the standard Royal Navy 10-inch gun.