|
Post by fortman on Oct 29, 2011 22:56:40 GMT 8
Hi All,
Something that has intrigued me about the fixed batteries of the Manila Bay forts is that Forts Hughes, Frank and Drum have 14 inch guns while the biggest caliber on Corregidor is 12 inch. Why is this? Surely there was enough real estate on Corregidor to accommodate the bigger guns? I can only think that when Fort Mills was under construction only 12 inchers were available "off the shelf" while the 14 inch guns were still being proved. Any views on this?
Fortman
|
|
|
Post by okla on Oct 30, 2011 8:15:22 GMT 8
Hey Fort....I had never realized this about the larger caliber stuff on the Bay Forts, but I betcha your view is correct. I can't think of any other option. Probably when the bigger stuff became available, with Corregidor already being "armed" the new, larger pieces were enplaced on the lightly armed, smaller islands. Methinks, you are on the money with your theory. Cheers. Postscript....I betcha, 'ole reliable Battery Boy can clear this up in a mili-second. I don't pretend to have a clue on the technical angle of Corregidor fortifications.
|
|
|
Post by fots2 on Oct 30, 2011 14:30:09 GMT 8
Hi fortman,
I do not remember where but I did read that 16-inch guns were planned for Corregidor at one time. It may have been the Washington Naval Treaty or the Depression or both that derailed the upgrades. Batteryboy or others would know for sure.
|
|
|
Post by fortman on Sept 28, 2016 18:27:53 GMT 8
Hi All,
I note that in the Battery Tables the gun of Battery RJ43 is shown as being mounted on a disappearing carriage. This is surely incorrect? In addition, the range of the 8 inch gun is given as 24000 yards. Is this correct? Any views on this?
Regards,
fortman
|
|
|
Post by batteryboy on Sept 28, 2016 20:05:10 GMT 8
Reason why Fort Mills (Corregidor) could not upgrade their weapons to anything larger than 12-inch was because of the Washington Naval treaty of 1922 that prevented even overseas re-armament or improvement of existing defense installations. Fort Hughes (Caballo), Fort Frank (Carabao) and Fort Drum (El Fraile) main armaments were built with 14-inch guns on the on-set and way before the Naval Treaty.
There is a plan to convert La Monja Island into an ala Fort Drum set up but this time armed with two (2) 16 inch guns on a single turret. The plan was devised and a layout was out in 1919 but its execution was also shelved due to the treaty.
|
|
|
Post by batteryboy on Sept 28, 2016 20:13:11 GMT 8
Fortman, Battery RJ-43 was mounted in a barbette carriage modified for railway use. It was bolted in a concrete emplacement in the vicinity of road junction no. 43 (hence the name RJ-43). It list the range up to 24,000 yards because its carriage allowed the gun to elevate further thus giving it a longer range. The 8-inch gun was part of the In Land Sea defense project. Seven were sent to the Philippines but only two were mounted. The original emplacement was at Saysain Point in Bagac Bataan. Two guns made there way there but there was a problem with one of the emplacements. One gun was mounted while the other one was sent to Fort Mills and became RJ-43. Here is an article I wrote about the 8-inch gun at Saysain point and it also mentioned Battery RJ-43. shellwings.wordpress.com/2016/02/05/the-big-one-at-bataan/ Cheers, B-boy
|
|
|
Post by fortman on Sept 29, 2016 12:45:35 GMT 8
Thanks B-boy. Your article on the Saysain Point guns is very interesting. I was right about the RJ43 gun being incorrectly given in the Battery Tables as mounted on a disappearing carriage. What about a correction EXO!
Regards,
Fortman
|
|