British 5.25" AA Guns

[O-1Driver]

Guys,

Check out these links for reference to these large guns that were used as shore AA batteries and also on ships. The guns fired an 80lb shell!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QF_5.25_inch_Mark_I_naval_gun

http://www.wwiiequipment.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88:525q-anti-aircraft-gun&catid=41:anti-aircraft&Itemid=58

It would be nice if we could get models of these shore installations built, we have the gun, shell and effects to arm them.

Best Regards

O-1

[flashgordon]

I have Colin Dobinsons 'AA Command'.

Over an after dinner brandy in March 1941, head of AA Command Major General Sir Frederick Pile, secured a promise from his 2 dozen senior naval officer guests for 6 twin 5.25" twin guns in exchange for 300 Bofors. In the event only 3 were delivered but were the first of 200 such weapons AA Command received before late 1945. Sent to the London IAZ they were emplaced at Primrose Hill (ZE14), Wimbledon (ZE19) and Coldharbour Farm (ZE27) and were proofed and ready to fire by early 1942. In the event London was not to be bombed again in earnest before the winter of 1944-45. It would be the spring of 1943 before more 5.25" guns were added to the AA inventory.
The new 5.25" guns were singles and again initially assigned to London IAZ with 4 at each of 4 sites - ZE21 (Hackney Marshes), ZS4 (Bostall Heath), ZS14 (Dulwich) and ZW10 (Wormwood Scrubbs). By June 1943 24 more were allocated to 5 more London IAZ sites ZE4 (Buckhurst Hill), Zs21 (Crayford), ZS26 (Thornet Wood), ZS17 (Mitcham Common), ZW13 (Mill Hill) and the Thames and Medway GDA at TN19 (Ayletts). This provided an outer ring of high altitude HAA guns although only the first 4 sites were completed by the end of 1943. By mid April 1944 the latter 6 were under construction plus 2 more in Thames & Medway TS2 & TS20, 4 on the Humber (H2, H4, H20 & H26); 2 at Portsmouth (P5 & P12) 2 on the Isle of Wight (IW6 & IW13) and 2 at Plymouth (H7 & H13). 26 more sites (including Harwich, Liverpool & Dover) were identified for 100 more weapons. In reality, due to labour shortages and the far more elaborate gun pit required for this fully enclosed & shielded powered gun on a heavily engineered roller race, of the 112 insitu by VE day only 48 were declared operational. Most were built alongside existing 3.7" or 4.5" gun pits which were either left in situ or demolished as the 2 were not worked simultaneously. This allowed the re-use of the domestic and technical buildings and reduced the demand for additional land. The sheer power of the 5.25" was demonstrated when the first weapons were fired and blew the command post doors off their hinges. New posts had therefore had to be built at 1/3rd of the sites.

The book gives grid references for the gun sites plus emplacement & typical layout designs. Early design type was constructed in poured concrete. Due to the labour shortages concrete blocks were substituted for the mass concrete work above the concrete raft from September 1944.

[O-1Driver]

Gordon,

That is some great information, I loved the part where the gun blew the doors off the hinges.

I have read that the guns were effective to a height of 55,600 feet. The air explosion was very large from the 80 lb projectile. I also read that the gun was also installed at Malta and that the British Navy used the 5.25 as an AA gun on their large ships.

The US Navy ,made extensive use of their 5" guns aboard ships and also in the Pacific as a land based AA weapon. We will be adding this gun to PTO with some ships equipped with it.

Steve