240mm/50 Modèle 1902 gun

240mm/50 Modèle 1902 gun
240mm/50 Modèle 1902 gun
	Secondary guns of the Condorcet
Type	Naval gun; Coastal defense gun
Place of origin	France
Service history
Used by	France
Wars	First World War; Second World War
Production history
Designed	1902/1906
Produced	1910
Specifications
Mass	29.55 t (29.08 long tons)
Barrel length	12.508 m (41 ft) L/50
Shell	Separate loading bagged charges and projectiles
Shell weight	240 kg (530 lb)
Caliber	240 mm (9.4 in)
Breech	Manz interrupted screw
Recoil	Hydro-pneumatic
Elevation	Naval: +13°; Coastal: +45°
Traverse	-80° to +80°
Rate of fire	2 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity	800 m/s (2,600 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	Naval: 14,000 m (15,000 yd) at +13°; Coastal: 23,812 m (26,041 yd) at +45°
Filling	Picric acid

The 240mm/50 Modèle 1902 gun was a heavy naval gun and Coastal defense gun of the French Navy.

The type was used on the Danton-class battleships as secondary battery, mounted in six twin turrets.

The guns were later used as coastal artillery after the ships were broken up, and served during the Second World War, notably in the Battle of Dakar. One open-top twin gun turret is preserved at the battery Castel Gorée, where it has been installed after 1934 to the older coastal defence armoured turret.

Two further examples in single open barbettes are preserved near the Jesus Christ Statue at Vũng Tàu in reasonably good condition. These emplacements were part of a system of coastal fortifications constructed in French Indochina during the early 20th century.

Photo Gallery[edit]

Batterie du Castel at Gorée, Senegal

Bibliography[edit]

Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.
Jordan, John (2013). "The 'Semi-Dreadnoughts' of the Danton Class". In Jordan, John (ed.). Warship 2013. London: Conway. pp. 46–66. ISBN 978-1-84486-205-4.
Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.

References[edit]

^ DiGiulian, Tony. "France 24 cm/50 (9.45") Model 1902-1906 - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2018-09-03.
^ Campbell, Naval Weapons of WWII, p.290.

External links[edit]

[1] DiGiulian, Tony. "France 24 cm/50 (9.45") Model 1902-1906 - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2018-09-03.

[2] Campbell, Naval Weapons of WWII, p.290.

[1]

[2]

v t e French naval weapons of the First World War
Battleship primary armament	274 mm/40 Modèle 1893/1896 305 mm/45 Modèle 1887 305 mm/40 Modèle 1893/96 305 mm/45 Modèle 1906 340mm/28 Modèle 1881 340 mm/42 Modèle 1887 340 mm/45 Modèle 1912
Battleship secondary armament	47 mm/40 Modèle 1885 47 mm/50 Modèle 1902 57 mm/40 Modèle 1885 75 mm/62 Modèle 1908 75 mm/34 Modèle 1915/1916/1917 138 mm/55 Modèle 1910 164 mm/45 Modèle 1887 164 mm/45 Modèle 1893 194 mm/40 Modèle 1893-1896 240mm/50 Modèle 1902 274 mm/45 Modèle 1887/1893
Cruiser primary armament	164 mm/45 Modèle 1887 164 mm/45 Modèle 1893 194 mm/45 Modèle 1887 194 mm/40 Modèle 1893-1896 194 mm/50 Modèle 1902
Cruiser secondary armament	100 mm/45 Modèle 1891 138 mm/45 Modèle 1893 164 mm/45 Modèle 1887 164 mm/45 Modèle 1893
Destroyer and Aviso Primary armament	65 mm/50 Modèle 1891 100 mm/45 Modèle 1891 138 mm/45 Modèle 1893 138 mm/55 Modèle 1910
Anti-aircraft weapons	8 mm/50 Modèle 1914 57 mm/40 Modèle 1902