Used for anti-torpedo boat batteries for capital ships. The stern guns on the Courbet and Bretagne classes were mounted too low, only 12 feet (3.6 m) above the waterline and were liable to be washed out in even light seas. The Bretagne class had these guns removed and the ports plated over. Some of these guns were then used on sloops and in coastal defense batteries.
Guns were of built-up construction with a screw breech and used separate ammunition.
Nomenclature note: These guns were often referred to as being 14 cm during the years immediately following World War I.
| Designation | 138.6 mm/55 (5.46") Model 1910 |
|---|---|
| Ship Class Used On | Courbet, Bretagne, Normandie, Lyon and Arras Classes |
| Date Of Design | 1910 |
| Date In Service | 1913 |
| Gun Weight | 11,680 lbs. (5,300 kg) |
| Gun Length oa | 309.2 in (7.854 m |
| Bore Length | 300.2 in (7.626 m) |
| Rifling Length | N/A |
| Grooves | 42 grooves at 5 degrees |
| Lands | N/A |
| Twist | Uniform RH 1 in 36 |
| Chamber Volume | N/A |
| Rate Of Fire | about 5 - 6 rounds per minute |
| Type | Separate |
|---|---|
| Projectile Types and Weights | SAP: 80.5 lbs. (36.5 kg)
HE: 69.4 lbs. (31.5 kg) |
| Bursting Charge | SAP: 5.9 lbs. (2.66 kg) melinite |
| Projectile Length | SAP: 27.8 in (70.7 cm)
HE: 23.11 in (58.72 cm) |
| Propellant Charge | 23 lbs. (10.4 kg) BM9
Cartridge: 52.07 lbs. (23.62 kg) |
| Muzzle Velocity | SAP: 2,923 fps (830 mps)
HE: 2,756 fps (840 mps) |
| Working Pressure | SAP: 15.9 tons/in2 (2,500 kg/cm2)
HE: 12.7 tons/in2 (2,000 kg/cm2) |
| Approximate Barrel Life | N/A |
| Ammunition stowage per gun | Courbet, Bretagne and Normandie: 275 rounds
Others: N/A, but probably the same as for Normandie |
The same size cartridge case was used in all 138.6 mm (5.46\") guns from the Model 1910 onwards, although the type and quantity of propellant was not always the same. Projectiles were different from those used in later 138.6 mm (5.46\") guns
| Elevation | 87.1 lbs. (39.5 kg) SAP | 69.4 lbs. (31.5 kg) HE |
|---|---|---|
| 14.5 degrees | 10,970 yards (12,000 m) | N/A |
| 25 degrees | 17,600 yards (16,100 m) | 16,500 yards (15,100 m) |
| Designation | Single Casemate Mounts: Courbet (22), Bretagne (22), Normandie (24) and Lyon (24) |
|---|---|
| Weight | N/A |
| Elevation | Courbet: Originally -7 / +15 degrees, later increased to -7 / +25 degrees
Bretagne: -10 / +15 |
| Rate of Elevation | Manual operation, only 1 |
| Train | About: +80 / -80 degrees |
| Rate of Train | Manual operation, only 1 |
| Gun Recoil | N/A |
| Loading Angle | N/A |
- The Courbet, Bretagne and Normandie classes had projectile and propellant hoists for each section consisting of two or three guns. These hoists could deliver 15 complete rounds per minute with electrical power or 3 complete rounds per minute when manually operated. Each section also had a ready storage of 9 complete rounds per gun.
- In service it was found that the forward four guns on the Bretagne class were washed out in anything but calm conditions and in 1918 they were removed and the casemates plated over. Refits during the 1930s removed the two after guns on each side, reducing the total to 14 guns.
"Battleships and Battlecruisers 1905 - 1970" by Siegfried Breyer
"Naval Weapons of World War Two" by John Campbell
"French Battleships of World War One" by John Jordan and Philippe Caresse
"Battleships of World War Two" by M.J. Whitley
16 May 2006 - Benchmark
28 March 2012 - Updated to latest template
06 April 2013 - Added sketch
04 August 2018 - Converted to HTML 5 format, added details on guns, ammunition and mountings
05 January 2019 - Reorganized notes