QF 4-inch naval gun Mk XIX

Ordnance QF 4 inch gun Mk XIX
Ordnance QF 4 inch gun Mk XIX
	Crew of HMAS Cowra at gun drill, Tarakan Island, June 1945
Type	Dual-purpose gun
Service history
In service	1939
Used by	Royal Navy ; Royal Canadian Navy ; Royal Australian Navy
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designed	1938
No. built	2,023
Specifications
Barrel length	160 inches (4.064 m) bore (40 calibres)
Shell	Fixed QF HE, Starshell
Shell weight	35 pounds (16 kg)
Calibre	4-inch (101.6 mm)
Breech	horizontal sliding-block
Elevation	-10° to +60°
Muzzle velocity	396 metres per second (1,300 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	8,870 metres (9,700 yd) at +40°

Last updated March 03, 2025

The QF 4-inch Mk XIX gun^{[note 1]} was a British low-velocity 4-inch 40-calibre naval gun used to arm small warships such as Bathurst and Castle-class corvette and some River-class frigate in World War II, mainly against submarines.^[3]

Description

It succeeded the higher-velocity World War I-era BL 4-inch Mk IX (typically deployed on Flower-class corvettes in the escort role). The Mk XIX fired fixed ammunition which was 38.5 inches (0.98 m) long and weighed 50 pounds (23 kg).^[3] The weight of the projectile was increased from 31 pounds (14 kg) for the Mk IX to 35 pounds (16 kg) for the Mk XIX. The high-angle mounting used for the XIX added some anti-aircraft capability and allowed it to fire starshells to illuminate the battle area at night.^[2]

Ammunition

Canadian gunners with fixed rounds
Starshell

Surviving examples

On HMAS Castlemaine at Williamstown, Victoria, Australia.
On the parade ground at the Irish Naval Service Base, Haulbowline, Co. Cork, Ireland

Notes

↑ Mk XIX = Mark 19. Britain used Roman numerals to denote Marks (models) of ordnance until after World War II. This was the nineteenth model of British QF 4-inch gun

References

1 2 "United Kingdom / Britain 4"/40 (10.2 cm) QF Mark XIX". NavWeaps. Tony DiGiulian. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
1 2 3 4 5 http://navalhistory.flixco.info/H/119171x53535/8330/a0.htm : quotes from John Campbell, "Naval Weapons Of World War Two", Annapolis : Naval Institute Press, 1985, ISBN 0-87021-459-4
1 2 DiGiulian

Bibliography

John Campbell, "Naval Weapons Of World War Two", Annapolis : Naval Institute Press, 1985, ISBN 0-87021-459-4

External links

Tony DiGiulian, Britain 4"/40 (10.2 cm) QF Mark XIX

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[3] Mk XIX = Mark 19. Britain used Roman numerals to denote Marks (models) of ordnance until after World War II. This was the nineteenth model of British QF 4-inch gun

[NavWeaps-1] 1 2 "United Kingdom / Britain 4"/40 (10.2 cm) QF Mark XIX". NavWeaps. Tony DiGiulian. Retrieved 4 June 2021.

[Campbell-2] 1 2 3 4 5 http://navalhistory.flixco.info/H/119171x53535/8330/a0.htm : quotes from John Campbell, "Naval Weapons Of World War Two", Annapolis : Naval Institute Press, 1985, ISBN 0-87021-459-4

[:0-4] 1 2 DiGiulian

[1]

[2]

[note 1]

[3]

v t e British Commonwealth naval weapons of the Second World War
Monitor guns	BL 15-inch
Capital ship main armament	BL 14-inch BL 15-inch BL 16-inch
Heavy cruiser main armament	BL 7.5-inch Mk VI BL 8-inch Mk VIII
Secondary armament and light cruiser main armament	QF 4-inch Mk V QF 4.5-inch QF 5.25-inch BL 5.5-inch BL 6-inch Mk XII BL 6-inch Mk XXII BL 6-inch Mk XXIII
Minesweeper, Sloop, Corvette, Frigate and Destroyer armament	QF 6-pounder 10 cwt QF 12-pounder 12 cwt Mk V QF 4-inch Mk IV BL 4-inch Mk IX QF 4-inch Mk XVI QF 4-inch Mk XIX QF 4.5-inch BL 4.7-inch Mk II QF 4.7-inch Mk IX & XII QF 4.7-inch Mk XI
Submarine guns	QF 12-pounder 12 cwt Mk V QF 3-inch 20 cwt QF 4-inch Mk XII & XXII
Anti-aircraft weapons	Unrotated projectile Holman Projector 20 mm Oerlikon QF 2-pounder "pom-pom" Mk VIII 40 mm Bofors QF 3-inch 20 cwt QF 4-inch Mk V QF 4-inch Mk XVI QF 4.5-inch QF 4.7-inch Mk VIII
Light weapons	.303 Lewis machine gun .50 Vickers Mk III machine gun QF 3-pounder Vickers
Torpedoes	21-inch Mk VII 21-inch Mk VIII 21-inch Mk X 21-inch Mk XI 24.5-inch Mk I
Anti-submarine weapons	Thornycroft depth charge thrower Hedgehog Squid
Small craft armament	Molins 6-pounder Vickers K machine gun 18-inch torpedo
Foreign-sourced weapons	20 mm Oerlikon 40 mm Bofors 3-inch 23 caliber gun (US) 3-inch 50 caliber gun (US) 4-inch 50 caliber Mark 9 gun (US) 5-inch 51 caliber Mark 8 gun (US) Y-gun depth charge projector (US) Mark 8 torpedo (US)

Ordnance QF 4 inch gun Mk XIX
Crew of HMAS Cowra at gun drill, Tarakan Island, June 1945
Type	Dual-purpose gun
Service history
In service	1939^[1]
Used by	Royal Navy Royal Canadian Navy Royal Australian Navy
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designed	1938^[1]
No. built	2,023^[2]
Specifications
Barrel length	160 inches (4.064 m) bore (40 calibres)

Shell	Fixed QF HE, Starshell
Shell weight	35 pounds (16 kg)
Calibre	4-inch (101.6 mm)
Breech	horizontal sliding-block
Elevation	-10° to +60°^[2]
Muzzle velocity	396 metres per second (1,300 ft/s)^[2]
Maximum firing range	8,870 metres (9,700 yd) at +40°^[2]