8-inch M1888
Encyclopedia
The 8-inch Gun M1888MIA1 Barbette carriage M1918 on railway car M1918MI was a U.S. Army coast artillery gun, used during World War I
, and World War II
.
gun mounted on a barbette
carriage. At the start of World War I
, the United States
and its allies needed a medium range heavy artillery piece that could be transported easily. The quick solution was to take the existing coast artillery guns and mount them on a drop bed rail car. This was done with a number of different weapons, like the 10", and 12" guns, as well as mortars.
Henry B. Plant Museum
, Tampa, FL (gun formerly at Battery Bowyer, Fort Morgan
, AL)
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
The M1888 8-inch gun was a coastal artilleryCoastal artillery
Coastal artillery is the branch of armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications....
gun mounted on a barbette
Barbette
A barbette is a protective circular armour feature around a cannon or heavy artillery gun. The name comes from the French phrase en barbette referring to the practice of firing a field gun over a parapet rather than through an opening . The former gives better angles of fire but less protection...
carriage. At the start of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and its allies needed a medium range heavy artillery piece that could be transported easily. The quick solution was to take the existing coast artillery guns and mount them on a drop bed rail car. This was done with a number of different weapons, like the 10", and 12" guns, as well as mortars.
Variations
- M1888 Rifle 8" 278.5" 32,218 lb
- M1888MI Rifle 8" 278.5" 32,218 lb
- M1888MII Rifle 8" 278.5" 33,200 lb
- MkVI-M3A2 Rifle 8" 369.12" 42,000 lb
Sighting and fire control equipment
The following sighting equipment was used with the gun.- M1 fire adjustment board
- M1A1 Range correction board
- M3 Spotting board
- M1912 Clinometer
- M1 Percentage corrector
- M1A1 Height finder, or M2A1
- M8 Helium filling kit
- M1 Gunners quadrant
- M1818 Aiming rule
- M1 prediction scale
- Bore site
- Firing table, 8-G-2
- M1923 Telescope
- M1922 Panoramic telescope
Surviving examples
- One 8-inch Gun M1888MIA1 (#32 WatervlietWatervliet ArsenalThe Watervliet Arsenal is an arsenal of the United States Army located in Watervliet, New York, on the west bank of the Hudson River. It is the oldest continuously active arsenal in the United States, and today produces much of the artillery for the army, as well as gun tubes for cannons, mortars,...
) on Barbette Carriage M1918MI (#9 Morgan Eng.)
Henry B. Plant Museum
Henry B. Plant Museum
The Henry B. Plant Museum is located in the south wing of Plant Hall on the University of Tampa’s campus, at 401 West Kennedy Boulevard. The museum focuses on the turn of the century Victorian lifestyle of the old Tampa Bay Hotel’s guests...
, Tampa, FL (gun formerly at Battery Bowyer, Fort Morgan
Fort Morgan
Fort Morgan can apply to any one of several places in the United States:*Fort Morgan , a fort at the mouth of Mobile Bay*Fort Morgan, Alabama, a nearby community...
, AL)
- Bottomside, Fort MillsFort MillsFort Mills was the location of US Major General George F. Moore's headquarters for the Philippine Department's Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays. This was one of the locations at which, under the National Defense Act of 1935, coastal artillery training was conducted.-References:*McGovern,...
, Corregidor Island, Philippines (gun thought to be formerly at Bty RJ-43, Fort Mills)
External links
- http://andy_bennett.home.mindspring.com/8-inchrailway.html
- http://corregidor.org/chs_bogart/bogart3a.htm
- http://www.militarymuseum.org/BtyDuncan.html
- http://www.airdefenseartillery.com/online/2010/Coast%20Artillery%20Journal/Extract/CA%201942/Nov-Dec%201942.pdf
- film of gun firing http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675042770_railway-coast-defense-guns_Fort-Story_loading-shells_firing-guns