Special
  • 1/350 French Navy Quad 380mm/45 (14.96") Model 1935 x3 (Alsace Class)
  • 1/350 French Navy Quad 380mm/45 (14.96") Model 1935 x3 (Alsace Class)
  • 1/350 French Navy Quad 380mm/45 (14.96") Model 1935 x3 (Alsace Class)
  • 1/350 French Navy Quad 380mm/45 (14.96") Model 1935 x3 (Alsace Class)
MM0400P

1/350 French Navy Quad 380mm/45 (14.96") Model 1935 x3 (Alsace Class)

  • $63.20

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

1/350 French Navy Quad 380mm/45 (14.96") Model 1935 x3 (Alsace Class). Modelled using dimensions from ship builders plans and many reference photographs. These were the proposed main weapons for the Alsace Class Battleships.

  • Contains x3 Quad Mounts
  • Details include: Rivets & Hex Nuts, 46ft Rangefinder in each Turret, Armour Join Lines, Venting, Access Hatches and Ladders to Turret Roof
  • Barrels are printed separately and can be angled up to a maximum of 35º


HISTORICAL DATA

The last battleship guns developed by France, these weapons had a challenging war history.

Richelieu fired only six shots from each of her guns during abbreviated gunnery trials on 13-14 June 1940 before she had to flee to Africa to escape the advancing Germans. At the time of her escape, she carried 296 APC rounds, but only 198 quarter charges, and her ammunition handling equipment was in poor condition.

During the first day of the British attack on the French Fleet at Dakar in September 1940, Richelieu returned fire from Turret II—while the crew of Turret I had been moved ashore to man coast defense batteries—but both starboard guns of this turret failed at the first salvo. The inner gun No. 7 shattered, and the outer gun No. 8 bulged with the rifling gashed for 8 meters (26 feet). Guns No. 5 and No. 6 remained operational for the rest of the day, but on the following day, the gunnery crew was switched to Turret I. The rounds fired from Turret I used propellant charges producing less pressure than those used the previous day, which prevented further premature detonation, but also reduced the range significantly, causing fire control issues. Richelieu fired a total of 24 rounds over the two days, but failed to score any hits. Shortly after the battle, the French attempted to clear guns No. 5 and No. 6 by firing, but No. 5 failed in the same manner as No. 8, sticking at a 15-degree angle in the recoil position. Gun No. 6 was cleared by hosing down the charges and removing the shell through the breech.

The cause of these problems was traced to a defective shell design. The original APC projectiles had four cavities in the base designed to hold toxic war gas cartridges. These cavities were protected by a base cap, which broke under the pressure of firing. Splinters from the broken base cap damaged the gas cavities and detonated the burster charge. After this, a new base cap was created and the gas cavities were filled with cement.

Sister-ship Jean Bart had only her Turret I guns installed when France fell in May 1940. Of the four guns intended for Turret II, two were dockside at St. Nazaire as France collapsed. One was loaded onto the cargo ship Mécanicien Principal Lestin, but the second failed to load onto the ship due to a crane malfunction. The cargo ship sailed for North Africa, but was sunk by German aircraft off the Gironde shortly after leaving harbor. The second gun was reportedly mutilated on the dock before being captured by the Germans. The third and fourth guns were captured during their transit to St. Nazaire and were still at the Ruelle gun factory.

Postwar, additional guns were built, mostly used to arm Jean Bart.

These weapons were mounted in quad turrets, which were essentially dual-twin arrangements. This configuration was chosen for weight considerations, as it required less turret and protective belt armor, which was important under Treaty limitations. However, this also meant that a single hit could destroy half of the main armament. The guns were sleeved, but the relative motion between the guns in each pair was limited. The French were reportedly dissatisfied with the all-forward arrangement, and the design for the last ship in the class, Gascogne, returned to a more traditional fore-aft arrangement.

A total of 21 guns were built between 1936 and 1940, with an additional 9 built post-war. All of the post-war guns were scrapped, but the pre-war guns have fared better. One gun from Richelieu is on display at the military harbor of Brest, near Recouvrance Bridge. A second gun is on display at Gâvres, a third at Ecole Navale Lanvéoc Poulmic, and a fourth at Ruelle. A fifth gun was removed from Richelieu during her scrapping, and later used by the Italian Navy in the 1960s to test high-velocity projectiles. This gun is now on display at the Naval Arsenal in La Spezia. 

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