2400 lb mk.8 super heavy shell precursor?

[TacoMensch]

Hello, I remember reading somewhere that, among the options explored in developing what eventually became the mk.8, a 2400 lb option was also considered. I haven't been able to find the source and I was hoping someone here knew something about it.

Thanks

 

[cattalonX]

What caliber

 

[Colonial-Marine]

What caliber

US 16" naval gun. I think a few different shell options were considered and tested. Supposedly one was even heavier than the 2,700 lb Mark 8 but it was found to be unstable in flight.

 

[Tzoli]

Yes, a 2.900lbs shell but it had issues with length being too long and often broke in half on impact.

 

[BDF]

BuOrd looked at several AP projectile designs the mid to late 30s. They looked at a 20% and 40% overweight models. The 20% (4.5 caliber long) for the 16-inch caliber became the 2,700lb Mark 8. They also looked at the 3,050lb (5.0 caliber long) deign and manufactured some test projectiles but few records have survived (or hopefully they just haven’t been found).

It was hoped that this projectile could be fired from the 16-inch/56 Mark 4 but plate battery tests found that its obliquity performance against heavy armor was inferior to the 20% overweight projectile and thus it was obviously not adopted.

I am not aware of a 2,400lb projectile but I haven’t had my nose in the books in some time so there could be one that I am just not recalling.

 

[cattalonX]

US 16" naval gun. I think a few different shell options were considered and tested. Supposedly one was even heavier than the 2,700 lb Mark 8 but it was found to be unstable in flight.

2,400 lb isn't super heavy.

 

[Scott Kenny]

2,400 lb isn't super heavy.

It's more than 15% heavier than the early 16"/45 AP shells.

 

[TacoMensch]

BuOrd looked at several AP projectile designs the mid to late 30s. They looked at a 20% and 40% overweight models. The 20% (4.5 caliber long) for the 16-inch caliber became the 2,700lb Mark 8. They also looked at the 3,050lb (5.0 caliber long) deign and manufactured some test projectiles but few records have survived (or hopefully they just haven’t been found).

It was hoped that this projectile could be fired from the 16-inch/56 Mark 4 but plate battery tests found that its obliquity performance against heavy armor was inferior to the 20% overweight projectile and thus it was obviously not adopted.

I am not aware of a 2,400lb projectile but I haven’t had my nose in the books in some time so there could be one that I am just not recalling.

Do you have a source for this?

 

[TacoMensch]

Yes, a 2.900lbs shell but it had issues with length being too long and often broke in half on impact.

Do you have a source for this?