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Plate 038 · Naval Gun · World War II
16-inch/50 Mark 7
"Iowa's Main Battery"
The 16-inch guns of the Iowa-class battleships — last fired in anger in 1991.
Moving Image
Footage
Curator Ryan Szimanski walks through the firing sequence of the 16-inch/50 Mark 7.
How To Fire The American Navy's Largest Gun
Battleship New Jersey via YouTube
Historical Record
Provenance & Service
Designed for the Iowa-class fast battleships, the 16-inch/50 Mark 7 fired the 'super-heavy' 1,225 kg Mk 8 AP shell over 38 km. Nine guns in three triple turrets equipped each ship. They saw service in WWII, Korea, off Vietnam, and finally at the start of Operation Desert Storm — where USS Wisconsin and Missouri shelled Iraqi positions in 1991.