8"/55RF Mark 16 Naval Rifles & Pilot Turret

 military, gun, United States Navy

The ultimate evolution of the World War One-era Mark 9 8"/55 caliber gun system, these Mark 16 8"/55 caliber guns were designed from the outset to be fully automatic weapons, capable of a sustained rate of fire three times greater than the preceding Mark 15 rifles of a late 1930's design. Evaluated and proofed in this twin-turret "pilot" or prototype gun mount, the guns and their ammunition handling and loading systems were extensively evaluated by Dahlgren personnel during the Second World War before being approved for use aboard the new Des Moines Class of Heavy Cruisers grouped in three triple-gun mounted turrets. Once fielded in the three-ship strong Des Moines Class, the guns and their systems demonstrated their ability to sustain firing rates up to 12 shots per minute per barrel, which when paired with the specifically-designed Mark 21 Mod 1-5 "Super Heavy" Armor Piercing shells made the ships easily the most powerful Heavy Cruisers ever fielded by the US Navy.

Removed from operational US Navy use in June of 1975 with the decommissioning of the USS Newport News (CA-148), the 8"/55 Mark 16's in this mount were kept active as part of the exploration of munitions and loading systems which eventually led to the development and fielding of the experimental 8"/55 Mark 71 Major Caliber Lightweight Gun (MCLWG) and its advanced ammunition. With the termination of the MCLWG program in 1978, the twin rifles and turret house continued to see sporadic use testing various 8" munitions through the 1980's and into the 1990's.

www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_8-55_mk16.htm