A cross-section diagram of a target illustrating the penetration of shot fired from a 110 ton BL gun, Royal Naval Exhibition, Chelsea

A cross-section diagram of a target illustrating the penetration of shot fired from a 110 ton breech-loading gun, Royal Naval Exhibition, Chelsea. This diagram is based on the shell fired by a110-ton gun of the battleship HMS 'Sanpareil' (1887) at Shoeburyness in March 1890. According to the Illustrated Handbook (page 60) the shell 'tore its way at the rate of 2,079ft per second through 20 inches of compound armour; 8 inches of iron fastened in a heavy wrought-iron frame[...]; 20ft of oak baulks; 5ft of granite blocks; 11ft of concrete; and 6ft of bricks; altogether, 44ft 4 inches of a [target] wall...' . The entry point part of the diagram is missing from the right of the image - see ALB1386.26 for this.

Object Details

ID: ALB1386.25
Type: Photographic print
Display location: Not on display
Date made: 1891
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Overall: 113 mm x 144 mm
Parts: Royal Naval Exhibition 1891 at Chelsea (Photograph album)