Saint-Mandrier Battery, Operation Dragoon, August 1944
Saint-Mandrier Battery, Operation Dragoon, August 1944
Some concluding remarks :
1) Saint-Mandrier Battery is the only battleship-type turret coastal battery to see heavy action against aerial bombing and naval gunfire. Battleship-type turret coastal battery combines large-caliber guns, heavy armor protection and small size.
2) Not only was a direct hit difficult to achieve, but the turrets were largely impervious to 14"/45 gunfire fired from 28,000 yards (10" penetration against side armor and 5" penetration against deck armor). Likewise, the 5-meter thick reinforced concrete foundations were largely immune to 14"/45 gunfire fired from 28,000 yards, i.e. an angle of fall of about 28-30 degrees.
3) Saint-Mandrier Battery was also the only coastal battery engaged with the same type of gun it had, i.e. the 340mm Model 1912. While I don't have the exact details of battleship Lorraine's gunfire, it's very likely that, much like USS Nevada, she fired at Saint-Mandrier from near maximum range of her 340mm guns, i.e. about 29,000 yards (26,600 meters), and there's no reason to believe that the 340mm Model 1924 AP shell would have done better than the 14" Mark-16 AP shell.
4) While I have no details on HMS Ramillies' gunfire, I suspect she also fired at Saint-Mandrier from near maximum range of her 15"/42 (i.e. 28,700 yards @ 20° QE using super charges or 26,000 yards @ 20° QE using standard charges). At such distances, the turrets would remain largely impervious to the 1,938-lb APC shell (10" penetration vs side armor and 4" penetration vs deck armor).
As controversial as this thread's title may sound (and it certainly seems to have been worded to this effect), the Saint-Mandrier Battery pretty well illustrates why such hard targets as coastal artillery have proven so resilient to battleship gunfire, during WW1, WW2 and after.
Saint-Mandrier Battery, Operation Dragoon, August 1944
Some concluding remarks :
1) Saint-Mandrier Battery is the only battleship-type turret coastal battery to see heavy action against aerial bombing and naval gunfire. Battleship-type turret coastal battery combines large-caliber guns, heavy armor protection and small size.
2) Not only was a direct hit difficult to achieve, but the turrets were largely impervious to 14"/45 gunfire fired from 28,000 yards (10" penetration against side armor and 5" penetration against deck armor). Likewise, the 5-meter thick reinforced concrete foundations were largely immune to 14"/45 gunfire fired from 28,000 yards, i.e. an angle of fall of about 28-30 degrees.
3) Saint-Mandrier Battery was also the only coastal battery engaged with the same type of gun it had, i.e. the 340mm Model 1912. While I don't have the exact details of battleship Lorraine's gunfire, it's very likely that, much like USS Nevada, she fired at Saint-Mandrier from near maximum range of her 340mm guns, i.e. about 29,000 yards (26,600 meters), and there's no reason to believe that the 340mm Model 1924 AP shell would have done better than the 14" Mark-16 AP shell.
4) While I have no details on HMS Ramillies' gunfire, I suspect she also fired at Saint-Mandrier from near maximum range of her 15"/42 (i.e. 28,700 yards @ 20° QE using super charges or 26,000 yards @ 20° QE using standard charges). At such distances, the turrets would remain largely impervious to the 1,938-lb APC shell (10" penetration vs side armor and 4" penetration vs deck armor).
As controversial as this thread's title may sound (and it certainly seems to have been worded to this effect), the Saint-Mandrier Battery pretty well illustrates why such hard targets as coastal artillery have proven so resilient to battleship gunfire, during WW1, WW2 and after.
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