Cannon 102/45

Cannone da 102/45 S.A. Mod. 1917
Cannone da 102/45 S.A. Mod. 1917
	A Cannone da 102/45 S.A. Mod. 1917 at the range.
Type	Naval gun ; Coastal artillery
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
In service	1917-1945
Used by	Italy; Spain
Wars	World War I ; Spanish Civil War ; World War II
Production history
Manufacturer	Ansaldo
Produced	1917-1919
Variants	Schneider-Armstrong; Mod. 1917-1919
Specifications
Mass	2,350 kilograms (5,180 lb)
Length	4.79 meters (15 ft 9 in)
Barrel length	4.57 meters (15 ft 0 in)
Shell	102x749,5 R
Shell weight	13.75 kilograms (30.3 lb)
Caliber	102 millimeters (4.0 in); 45 Caliber
Breech	Rotating vertical breech block
Elevation	-10°/+30°
Traverse	-360°
Rate of fire	7 rpm
Muzzle velocity	850 m/s (2,800 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	Horizontal: 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) at +30°

Last updated November 01, 2025

The Cannone da 102/45 S.A. Mod. 1917^[1] was a naval gun of the Italian Navy in World War I and World War II, which was later modified for shore based coastal artillery roles.

History

During World War I the United Kingdom delivered a QF 4 inch Mk V naval gun, serial No.974 to Italy to act as a template for licensed production by the Ansaldo Company.^[2]

The Mark V was constructed of a tapered inner A tube, A tube, taper wound wire, full-length jacket and breech ring.^[3]

The 102/45 differs from the original British gun mainly by the breech block: while the Mark V had an horizontal slyding breech block^[4] the 102/45 had a Schneider type vertical rotating breech block.^[5]^[6] The gun used fixed quick-fire ammunition. The production at Ansaldo run from 1917 to 1919.^[7]

There were two models produced: Schneider-Armstrong Mod. 1917^[8] in single mount and Schneider-Armstrong Mod. 1917-1919^[8] in twin mount.

While the single Schneider-Armstrong Mod. 1917 proved to be satisfactory the twin Schneider-Armstrong Mod. 1917-1919 was not and its use was limited to the Curtatone-class.^[2]

In the mid '20s the gun was replaced as the standard gun of the new destroyer classes by the 120/45, installed starting with the Sella-class.^[9]

In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, the former scouts Alessandro Poerio (renamed Huesca) and Guglielmo Pepe (renamed Teruel) were handed over to the Nationalists complete with their single S.A. Mod. 1917 guns. During service with the Spanish Navy the 102/45s were fitted with new shields.^[10]

In 1942 the Spanish Navy decided to disarm the two worn-out units and re-use their artillery: two 102/45 guns were assigned to arm the destroyer Velasco and another four to two coastal batteries.^[11]

Interesting facts

The muzzle velocities of the 102/45 are higher than the Mk V 719 m/s (2,360 ft/s) implying greater working pressure.^[12] What effect this had on barrel life and accuracy is unknown.
The rates of fire for the 102/45 (7 rpm) and Mk V (8-10 rpm) are different.^[13]

Types


Mounts	Model	Weight	Elevation	Naval Classes
Single Mount	Schneider-Armstrong Mod. 1917^[8]	4,600 kg	-10°/+30°	Generali-class, Palestro-class, La Masa class, Giuseppe Sirtori (since 1920), Mirabello-class (since 1920), Alessandro Poerio class (since 1918).
Twin Mount	Schneider-Armstrong Mod. 1917-1919^[8]	10,194 kg	-10°/+30°	Curtatone-class.

Notes

↑ Ministero della Marina 1929, p. 286.
1 2 Campbell 1985, p. 339.
↑ DiGiulian, Tony. "Italy 102 mm/45 (4") S-A Models 1917 and 1919 and S-C Model 1917 - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2017-03-05.
↑ Campbell 1985, p. 58.
↑ Ministero della Marina 1929, pp. 286, 287.
↑ M.V.S.N. 1943, pp. 326, 362.
↑ Castronovo 1997, p. 86.
1 2 3 4 Ministero della Marina 1927.
↑ Fioravanzo 1971, pp. 25, 215.
↑ Mortera Pérez 2006, pp. 223, 224.
↑ Mortera Pérez 2006, p. 225.
↑ M., Campbell, N. J. (2002-01-01). Naval weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. pp. 241–242. ISBN 0870214594. OCLC 51995246.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
↑ Fraccaroli, Aldo (1974). Italian Warships of World War II. London: Ian Allan Publishing. p. 189.

Bibliography

Ministero della Marina (1929). Manuale del cannoniere. Roma.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Ministero della Marina (1927). tavola: Cannone da 102/45 S.A. 1917 su affusto normale, a culla ed a piedistallo - tavola: Cannone da 102/45 S.A. 1917-1919 su affusto a culla binata ed a piattaforma. Roma.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
M.V.S.N. (1943). Nozioni di cultura tecnica e militare per l'ufficiale della MILMART. Roma.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Castronovo, Valerio (1997). Storia dell'Ansaldo Vol.4- L'Ansaldo e la Grande Guerra, 1915-1918. Roma: Laterza.
Fioravanzo, Giuseppe (1971). I cacciatorpediniere italiani 1900-1971. Roma: USMM.
Mortera Pérez, Artemio (2006). La artilleria naval en la guerra civil española, 1936/39.
Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
Fraccaroli, Aldo (1974). Italian Warships of World War II. London, England: Ian Allan Publishing. OCLC 834485650.
Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.

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[FOOTNOTEMinistero_della_Marina1929286-1] Ministero della Marina 1929, p. 286.

[FOOTNOTECampbell1985339-2] 1 2 Campbell 1985, p. 339.

[3] DiGiulian, Tony. "Italy 102 mm/45 (4") S-A Models 1917 and 1919 and S-C Model 1917 - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2017-03-05.

[FOOTNOTECampbell198558-4] Campbell 1985, p. 58.

[FOOTNOTEMinistero_della_Marina1929286,_287-5] Ministero della Marina 1929, pp. 286, 287.

[FOOTNOTEM.V.S.N.1943326,_362-6] M.V.S.N. 1943, pp. 326, 362.

[FOOTNOTECastronovo199786-7] Castronovo 1997, p. 86.

[FOOTNOTEMinistero_della_Marina1927-8] 1 2 3 4 Ministero della Marina 1927.

[FOOTNOTEFioravanzo197125,_215-9] Fioravanzo 1971, pp. 25, 215.

[FOOTNOTEMortera_Pérez2006223,_224-10] Mortera Pérez 2006, pp. 223, 224.

[FOOTNOTEMortera_Pérez2006225-11] Mortera Pérez 2006, p. 225.

[12] M., Campbell, N. J. (2002-01-01). Naval weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. pp. 241–242. ISBN 0870214594. OCLC 51995246.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[13] Fraccaroli, Aldo (1974). Italian Warships of World War II. London: Ian Allan Publishing. p. 189.

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v t e Italian artillery of World War I
Anti-aircraft guns	Cannone da 76/45 S 1911 Cannone da 75/27 A.V.
Field, Medium and Heavy guns	Cannone da 75/27 modello 06 Cannone da 75/27 modello 12 Cannone da 75/27 modello 11 8 cm FK M. 5 Obice da 100/17 modello 14 Obice da 105/14 Cannone da 105/28 Cannone da 105/32 Obice da 149/12 Obice da 149/13 Cannone da 149/23 Cannone da 149/35 A Cannone da 152/45
Mortars	Bombarda da 58 A Bombarda da 58 B 15 cm Mörser M1881 Bombarda da 240 mm
Infantry and Mountain guns	Cannon 37F Cannone da 65/17 modello 13 Cannone da 76/17 S modello 12 Cannone da 70/15
Naval and coastal defense guns	Cannon 76/40 Model 1916 Cannone da 76/45 S 1911 Cannon 102/35 Model 1914 Cannon 102/45 Cannon 152/32 Model 1887 Cannone da 190/45 EOC 8 inch 45 calibre EOC 10 inch 40 caliber EOC 10-inch 45-calibre Obice da 280 305 mm /46 Model 1909 100-ton gun BL 13.5-inch Mk I – IV naval gun Cannone navale da 381/40
Railroad artillery	Cannone da 381/40 AVS
Superheavy and Siege artillery	Mortaio da 210/8 D.S. Mortaio da 210/9 modello 14 Mortaio da 260/9 Modello 16 Obice da 280 Obice da 305/17

v t e Italian artillery of World War II
Tank guns	Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/65 Cannone da 37/40 Cannone da 47/32 Cannone da 47/40 Cannone da 75/34
Anti-tank guns	Solothurn S-18/1000 Cannone da 47/32 Obice da 75/18 modello 35 Cannone da 75/46 C.A. modello 34 Cannone da 90/53 Cannone da 105/25
Infantry and Mountain guns	Cannone da 37/10 modello 15 Cannone da 47/32 Cannone da 65/17 modello 13 Cannone da 70/15 Obice da 75/18 modello 34
Field guns	Cannone da 75/27 modello 06 modello 12 Cannone da 75/27 modello 11 Obice da 75/18 modello 35 Cannone da 75/32 modello 37 Cannone da 76/17 S modello 12 Obice da 100/17 modello 14 Obice da 105/14
Medium guns	Cannone da 105/28 Cannone da 105/32 Obice da 149/12 Obice da 149/13
Heavy guns	Cannone da 149/28 Cannone da 149/35 A Cannone da 149/40 modello 35 Obice da 149/19 modello 37 Cannone da 152/37 Cannone da 152/45 Obice da 210/22
Superheavy and Siege artillery	Mortaio da 210/8 D.S. Mortaio da 260/9 Modello 16 Obice da 280 Mortaio da 305/10 Obice da 305/17 Obice da 380/15 Obice da 420/12
Railroad artillery	Cannone navale da 381/40
Anti-aircraft guns	Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/65 Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/70 Cannone-Mitragliera da 37/54 Cannone da 75/27 A.V. Cannone da 75/27 C.K. Cannone da 75/46 C.A. modello 34 modello 40 Cannone da 75/49 Cannone da 90/53 Cannone da 102/35

Cannone da 102/45 S.A. Mod. 1917
A Cannone da 102/45 S.A. Mod. 1917 at the range.
Type	Naval gun Coastal artillery
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
In service	1917-1945
Used by	Italy Spain
Wars	World War I Spanish Civil War World War II
Production history
Manufacturer	Ansaldo
Produced	1917-1919
Variants	Schneider-Armstrong Mod. 1917-1919
Specifications
Mass	2,350 kilograms (5,180 lb)
Length	4.79 meters (15 ft 9 in)
Barrel length	4.57 meters (15 ft 0 in)

Shell	102x749,5 R
Shell weight	13.75 kilograms (30.3 lb)
Caliber	102 millimeters (4.0 in) 45 Caliber
Breech	Rotating vertical breech block
Elevation	-10°/+30°
Traverse	-360°
Rate of fire	7 rpm
Muzzle velocity	850 m/s (2,800 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	Horizontal: 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) at +30°