EVENT DESCRIPTION
Heavy gun mountings dominated the design of battleships, on account of their size, weight, and cost. In the 1890s, British gun mounting industry developed rapidly with new gun technologies and the rise of the two major ordnance companies, Armstrong’s and Vickers. These two companies which merged in 1927 produced nearly all the heavy gun mountings for the Royal Navy and for worldwide export. The design, manufacture, economics and performance of gun mountings from 12 inch to 18 inch calibre are discussed and illustrated
SPEAKER/PRESENTER
Dr Ian L Buxton MBE BSc PhD FRINA, retired Reader in Marine Transport, Newcastle University
Ian Buxton graduated in naval architecture from Glasgow University, and served his apprenticeship at the Denny shipyard on the River Clyde. Much of his professional work was associated with computer aided design and maritime economics. He held the position of Reader in Marine Transport in the Department of Marine Technology at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne from 1974 to2002. He set up and managed the Marine Technology Special Collection at Newcastle University, an archive of shipbuilding and related material and its associated British Shipbuilding Database of 82,000 British built ships.
He is currently a Vice President of the World Ship Society, with a lifelong interest in maritime history and writing on ships, shipbuilding and shipbreaking. Naval books include ‘Big Gun Monitors’, ‘The Battleship Builders’ and ‘Battleship Duke of York’. His latest book ‘British Naval Gun Mountings’ will be published in 2024.
LOCATION
The Royal Institution of Naval Architects,
8-9 Northumberland Street, London, WC2N 5DA
This is a free event, all are welcome.