Gun History

The United States Navy’s 16 inch, 45 caliber Mark 6 naval gun improvement over the older 16 inch, 45 caliber gun used on the Colorado class battleships. This weapon was a simpler and lighter design with the major difference being the mountings for these guns were specifically designed to handle the 2,700 lbs. armor piercing Mark 8 projectile. This gun even held a slight advantage over the 16 inch, 50 caliber Mark 7 in terms of deck armor penetration due to its lower muzzle velocity.

During the Battle off Casablanca in November 1942, USS Massachusetts put two rounds of armor piercing shells through deck armor and temporarily silenced the only working turret of the French battleship Jean Bart with another. The same month in the Pacific Theater, the USS Washington sank the small Japanese battleship HIJMS Kirishima with at least nine direct AP hits.

Constructed of liner, a tube, jacket, three hoops, two locking rings, liner-locking ring, yoke ring and screw box liner. Some components were autofretted and used a Welin breech block which opened downwards. Typical of USN weapons, the bore was chromium plated. Mod 1 was similar except that there were tapped holes in the breech end for securing the hinge lug to the gun. Mod 2 had a set of adapter sleeves to allow it to be used for re-gunning the Colorado class, but it is doubtful if any of these guns were actually in service aboard those ships. About 120 guns of all mods were manufactured, with most being Mod 1.

Gun Characteristics

Designation-16"/45 (40.6 cm) Mark 6
Ship Class Used On-North Carolina and South Dakota classes
Date Of Design-1936
Date In Service-1941
Gun Weight192,310 lbs. (97,231 kg) (without breech)
Gun Length oal-736.0 in (18.694 m)
Bore Length-720.0 in (18.288 m)
Rifling Length-616.9 in (15.668 m)
Grooves-96
Twist-Twist varied in individual guns of Mod 0, with some having a uniform RH 1 in 25 and others having a twist of increasing RH 1 in 50 to 1 in 32 at the muzzle. Mod 1 and Mod 2 guns were all uniform RH 1 in 25 twist.
Chamber Volume ~ 23,195 in3 (380.1 dm3)
Rate Of Fire ~ 2 rounds per minute

Note: The bore was chromium plated for a distance of 625 inches from the muzzle

Inside the bag...

BMK’s 1/350 16"/45 (40.6cm/45) 9 piece Gun Barrels Version 3 comes to the modeler in a resealable, zip-lock style plastic bag. Once you open the bag, you will find nine expertly machined turned brass barrels (Alloy MS 58) and nine small brass rings with corresponding mounting holes that are designed to fit Trumpeter’s USS North Carolina and Alabama kits.

What makes these barrels different than the brass barrels in Version 1 and 2 is that these are made to replace the complete barrel part that are attached used to build a version that allows for the elevation of each barrel. With this set, there is no need to cut the barrel from the plastic ring.

Just discard the entire plastic barrel part, attach the brass barrel to the brass ring and proceed with the building of the turret as called out by the kit’s instructions. As with the barrels in the Versions 1 and 2 set, the ends are drilled out to a depth of about 3/16” to give the scale effect of a hollow barrel.