1/200 Royal Navy 4.7"/40 (12cm) QF MKVIII (Early Version)

1/200 Scale Royal Navy 4.7"/40 (12cm) QF MKVIII (Early Version) as used by the Royal Navy and Allied Navies. This is a highly detailed part modelled using the John Lambertplans and many reference photographs.

• 1x Mount
• Highly detailed and accurate part, modelled from the John Lambert plans and photographic reference
• Details include: Training and Elevation Gear, Sighting Apparatus, Accurate Breech loading mechanism, Non-slip pattern on Footplates, Handrails, Rivets and Hex nuts
• Includes 1x separate 4.7" Shell
• Barrel is printed separately and can be elevated as desired

HISTORICAL DATA
The 4.7”/43 (12 cm) Mark VII was a fixed-ammunition AAA gun developed late in World War I. Only four guns were made and these did not enter service. Performance was said to similar to that of the 4.7”/40 (12 cm) QF Mark VIII. It had been planned to fit the “A” class Flotilla Leader HMS Codrington with these guns, but this was cancelled and she commissioned with an outfit of 4.7”/45 (12.7 cm) Mark IX guns.

The 4.7”/40 (12 cm) QF Mark VIII was originally developed as an AAA weapon for the “G3” and “N3” capital ships of 1920. When those ships were cancelled as a result of the Washington Naval Limitation Treaty, these weapons were then mounted on the Nelson class battleships and on converted carriers. This was the largest caliber fixed-ammunition gun ever to enter service in the Royal Navy, although the rounds for these guns were lighter and shorter than the fixed rounds developed for the later 4.5” (11 cm) guns.

The fixed round for this weapon weighed a total of 74 lbs. (33.6 kg). During service evaluation, it was found that this weapon could not maintain a high rate of fire - a necessity for an AA weapon - as the heavy round rapidly wore out the gun crews.

The Mark VII was constructed of a tapered inner A tube, A tube, full length wire, jacket and breech ring. Used a horizontal sliding breech mechanism that opened automatically after firing.

The Mark VIII was constructed of a tapered inner A tube, A tube, part length wire, jacket and breech ring. Used a horizontal sliding breech mechanism. Guns could be operated in either Quick Firing (QF) or Semi-Automatic (SA) mode. In QF mode, the breech was manually opened after firing by moving a lever which also ejected the spent casing. In SA mode, the breech would open automatically after firing and eject the spent casing. During loading, the breech mechanism would partially close when the cartridge case rim hit the ejectors and then fully close when the loading tray was raised.

The mountings were unusual for British guns in having a power rammer, which allowed faster firing at high elevations. The rammer was carried by the loading tray rocking arm. Rounds were laid in a loading tray which then was manually pushed over before the rammer could be operated and the breech closed. Springs were used for runout. A total of 84 guns were made.

The 4.7”/40 (12 cm) Mark X was a separate ammunition version of the 4.7” (12 cm) Mark VIII. Only one of these guns was ever built and it was used for a few years on the submarine HMS Perseus in a 50 degree CPXV mounting.

All British 4.7” guns have an actual bore diameter of 4.724” (12 cm).

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