Vickers 14 inch/45 gun
The Vickers 14-inch 45-calibre gun was designed and built by Vickers and initially installed on the battlecruiser which it was building for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Guns similar to this Vickers design were also later built in Japan to arm Kongōs sister ships and subsequent Japanese-constructed "super-dreadnoughts" which were all built in Japan. Japanese-built versions of the guns were designated 14-inch 41st Year Type, and from 1917 when the Navy went metric they were redesignated 36 cm 41st Year Type.
Vickers 14 inch/45 gun

Photo #: NH 111709 in Naval History and Heritage Command · Public domain
- Name
- Vickers 14-inch 45-calibre naval gun 14"41st Year Type 14" 43rd Year Type 36 cm 41st Year Type
- Field
- naval artillery · rifled breech loader
- Region
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
The Vickers 14-inch 45-calibre gun was designed and built by Vickers and initially installed on the battlecruiser which it was building for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Guns similar to this Vickers design were also later built in Japan to arm Kongōs sister ships and subsequent Japanese-constructed "super-dreadnoughts" which were all built in Japan. Japanese-built versions of the guns were designated 14-inch 41st Year Type, and from 1917 when the Navy went metric they were redesignated 36 cm 41st Year Type.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
No house-authored Note is published until its assertions and sources pass the VALÉORINE evidence contract. The documentary article remains available in full while that enrichment is being consolidated.
Documentary enrichment in progress · no unsupported statement published
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Vickers 14 inch/45 gun. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Evidence Panel
not yet certified
- Identity
- resolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
Authority files
wikidata · Q7925313
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Vickers 14-inch 45-calibre naval gun 14"41st Year Type 14" 43rd Year Type 36 cm 41st Year Type • Type — Naval gun • Is Ranged — yes • Is Artillery — yes • Is Uk — yes • Service — 1913–1945 • Used By — Imperial Japanese Navy • Wars — World War I, World War II • Designer — Vickers • Design Date — 1910 • Manufacturer — Vickers Kure Arsenal Japan Steel Works • Number — 100 • Weight — 86000 kg • Length — 54 ft • Part Length — 52 ft (45 calibres) • Caliber — 14 in • Cartridge — 673.5 kg • Rate — 2 rpm • Velocity — 775 m/s • Max Range — 35450 m • Elevation — -3° to +43°
History
History
The original design for the Kongō class featured 12-inch (304.8 mm) 50-caliber guns. Cdr Katô Hirohasu of the Imperial Japanese Navy pushed for the adoption of the new 14-inch gun that was currently under development. After trials of the new gun, which were witnessed by both the Japanese Navy and Royal Navy, the Japanese made the decision on 29 Nov 1911 to use the new gun in Kongō despite her keel having already been laid down on 17 January 1911, and the resulting need to quickly make a large number of alterations to the design, so as to not prolong the construction. This gun armed the following Japanese warships: • s, launched 1912–1913: • Kongō • Hiei • Kirishima • Haruna • battleships, launched 1915: • Fusō • Yamashiro • battleship s, launched 1916–1917: • Ise • Hyūga
Weapons of comparable role, performance and era
Weapons of comparable role, performance and era
• 14-inch/45-caliber gun US equivalent • 340mm/45 Modèle 1912 gun French equivalent • EOC 14-inch 45-calibre naval gun Elswick Ordnance (Britain) equivalent • BL 14-inch Mk VII naval gun more modern British equivalent

Japanese Battleship Fuso. View of port side of midships section apparently taken prior to 1930-1935 refit.
Photo #: NH 90771 in Naval History and Heritage Command

Japanese Battleship Fuso. View of after 14 inch guns.
Photo #: NH 73078 in Naval History and Heritage Command
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Naval History via Flix. Gun Model: JPN 14in 36cm 45cal 41st Type.
- 2.Campbell, John. Naval Weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. 184. 1985. 0870214594.
- 3.Lengerer, Hans. The Battlecruisers of the Kongō Class. Conway. 142–161. 2012. 978-1-84486-156-9.
Bibliography printed in the source article · 2
- Campbell, John. Naval Weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. 1985. 0-87021-459-4.
- Tony DiGiulian, Japan 14"/45 (35.6 cm) Vickers Mark "A" - 14"/45 (35.6 cm) 43rd Year Type - 14"/45 (35.6 cm) 41st Year Type - 36 cm/45 (14") 41st Year Type
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority record
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Militaria
6,095 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Vetterli rifleTerminology
- veuglaireTerminology
- VHS assault rifleTerminology
- Vickers 10 inch/45 Mk VI,VII gunTerminology
- Vickers KTerminology
- Vickers Model 1931Terminology
- Vickers STerminology
- Vickers-BerthierTerminology
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own an object connected with Vickers 14 inch/45 gun?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.