List of broadsides of major World War II ships

This list of broadsides of major World War II ships ranks the total weight of projectiles that can be delivered in single broadsides by major vessels in service during World War II. Listed are the broadsides in pounds and kilograms (for a single main battery salvo), as well as the range to which it can be fired in yards and kilometres and the maximum rate of fire in salvos per minute.

Items are listed in order of broadside weight.

Country Vessel No. built Main gun: number and caliber Maximum range Maximumrate of fire (/min) (yd) (km) Japan 2 9 × 45 cal Type 94 45,960 42.0 2 USA 4 9 × 16" 50 cal Mark 7 42,345 38.7 2 USA 2 9 × 16" 45 cal Mark 6 36,900 33.7 2 USA South Dakota-class battleship 4 9 × 16" 45 cal Mark 6 36,900 33.7 2 UK 2 9 × BL 16-inch Mk I 39,780 36.4 2 USA 2 12 × 14" 50 cal Marks 7 & 11 36,300 33.2 2 USA 3 12 × 14" 50 cal Marks 7 & 11 36,300 33.2 2 USA 2 12 × 14" 45 cal Marks 8, 9, 10 & 12 36,000 33.0 2 Japan 2 8 × 16" 45 cal 3rd Year Type 42,000 38.4 2 USA 3 8 × 16" 45 cal Mark 5 35,000 32.0 2 Japan 2 12 × 14" 45 cal 41st Year Type 38,770 35.5 2 Japan 2 12 × 14" 45 cal 41st Year Type 38,770 35.5 2 Italy 3 9 × 15" 50 cal Ansaldo 1934 46,216 42.3 1.3 UK King George V-class battleship 5 10 × BL 14-inch Mk VII 38,560 35.3 2 Chile Battleship Almirante Latorre 1 10 × EOC 14 inch/45 naval gun 24,400 22.31 2 France 2 8 × 15" 45 cal Modèle 1935 45,600 41.7 2 UK Battleship HMS Vanguard (Launched during WW2 but commissioned shortly afterwards) 1 8 × BL 15-inch Mk I 33,550 30.7 2 UK 5 8 × BL 15-inch Mk I 33,550 30.7 2 UK 5 8 × BL 15-inch Mk I 33,550 30.7 2 UK Admiral-class battlecruiser (HMS Hood) 1 8 × BL 15-inch Mk I 30,180 27.6 2 USA 2 10 × 14" 45 cal Marks 8, 9, 10 & 12 36,000 33.0 2 USA 2 10 × 14" 45 cal Marks 8, 9, 10 & 12 23,000 21.0 2 Germany 2 8 × 15" 52 cal SK C/34 38,880 35.5 2.5 France 3 10 × 13.4" 45 cal M1912 29,090 26.6 2 USSR 4 12 × 12" 52 cal P1907 32,080 29.3 2-3 Japan 4 8 × 14" 45 cal 41st Year Type 38,770 35.5 2 UK 2 6 × BL 15-inch Mk I 33,550 30.7 2 Italy 2 10 × 12.6" 44 cal M1936 31,280 28.6 2 Italy 2 10 × 12.6" 44 cal M1934 31,280 28.6 2 Argentina 2 12 × 12" 50 cal Bethlehem 24,000 22.0 2-3 USA Battleship 1 12 × 12" 50 cal Mark 7 24,000 22.0 3 USA 2 9 × 12" 50 cal Mark 8 38,573 35.3 3 France 2 8 × 13" 50 cal M1931 45,600 41.7 2 France 2 10 (of 12) × 12" 45 cal M1910 25,150 23.0 2 Brazil 2 10 (of 12) × 12" 45 cal EOC 18,850 17.2 3 Turkey Battlecruiser Yavuz 1 10 × 11.1" 50 cal SK 23,730 21.7 3 Germany 2 9 × 11.1" 54.5 cal SK C/34 44,760 40.9 3 Germany 3 6 × 11.1" 52 cal SK C/28 39,890 36.5 2 UK 2 2 × BL 15-inch Mk I 32,500 29.7 2UK 2 2 × BL 15-inch Mk I 32,500 29.7 2 USA 5 of 7 s 5 9 × 8" 55 cal Marks 12 & 15 30,050 27.5 4 USA 12 9 × 8" 55 cal Marks 12 & 15 30,050 27.5 4 Japan 4 10 × 8" 20 cm/50 3rd Year Type GÔ2 32,150 29.4 4 Japan 4 10 × 8" 20 cm/50 3rd Year Type GÔ2 32,150 29.4 4 Japan 4 10 × 8" 20 cm/50 3rd Year Type GÔ2 32,150 29.4 4 USA 2 10 × 8" 55 cal Marks 9 & 14 31,860 29.1 4 Germany Battleship Schlesien 2 4 × 11.1" 28 cm SK L/40 28,040 25.6 2 France 7 8 × 8" 203mm/50 Modèle 1924 34,340 31.4 5 France 2 8 × 8" 203mm/50 Modèle 1924 34,340 31.4 5 USA 2 of 7 New Orleans-class cruisers 2 9 × 8" 55 cal Marks 9 & 14 31,860 29.1 4 Greece Cruiser Georgios Averof 1 4 × 9.2" 45 cal Mk X + 4 (of 8) × 7.5" Japan 2 8 × 8" 50 cal 3rd Year Type GÔ2 32,150 29.4 4 Italy 4 8 × 8" 203 mm /53 Ansaldo M1927 34,520 31.6 4 Italy Cruiser Bolzano 1 8 × 8" 203 mm /53 Ansaldo M1929 34,520 31.6 4 Germany 3 8 × 8" 20.3 cm SK C/34 36,680 33.5 5 Italy s 2 8 × 8" 203 mm /50 Model 1924 30,620 28.0 1.5 UK 13 8 × BL 8-inch Mk VIII 30,650 28.0 5 Italy Cruiser San Giorgio 1 4 × 10" 45 cal Model 1908 27,300 25.0 3 Finland Väinämöinen-class coastal defense ship 2 4 × 10" 33,140 30.3 3 USA 9 15 × 6" 47 cal Mark 16 26,118 23.9 8 USSR 6 9 × 7.1" 180mm/57 B-1-P Pattern 1932 41,000 37.5 6 Japan 2 6 × 8" 50 cal 3rd Year Type GÔ2 32,150 29.4 4 Japan 2 6 × 8" 50 cal 3rd Year Type GÔ2 32,150 29.4 4 USA 27 12 × 6" 47 cal Mark 16 26,118 23.9 8 UK 2 6 × BL 8-inch Mk VIII 30,650 27.9 5 UK Town-class cruiser 10 12 × BL 6-inch Mk XXIII 25,480 23.3 6 UK 11 12 × BL 6-inch Mk XXIII 25,400 23.2 6 Argentina 2 6 × 7.5" 52 cal 29,855 27.3 3 Italy Abruzzi subclass of s 2 10 × 6" 152 mm /55 M1934, M1936 28,150 25.7 4 France 10 9 × 55 cal 28,952 26.5 8 Argentina Coast defense ship General Belgrano 2 2 × 10" 40 cal 19.700 18.0 1.5 France 3 8 × 50 cal 28,540 26.1 4 Japan 2 4 × 45 cal 19,700 18.0 5 Japan 2 1 × EOC BL 10-inch + 2 × 8" 20.3 cm/45 Type 41 19,700 18.0 3 Japan Cruiser Yakumo (training duties only during WWII) 1 4 × 8" 45 cal 19,700 18.0 5 Japan Cruiser Azuma (training duties only during WWII) 1 4 × 8" 45 cal 19,700 18.0 5 Argentina 1 9 × 6" 50 cal 25,700 23.5 10 Germany Königsberg-class cruiser 3 9 × C/25 28,100 25.7 8 Germany 2 9 × 5.9" 15 cm SK C/25 28,100 25.7 8 UK Leander-class cruiser 8 8 × 6-inch Mk XXIII 25,480 23.3 6 USSR Cruiser Krasny Kavkaz 1 4 × 7.1" 57 cal 41,000 37.5 6 USA 10 4 × 6" 53 cal Mark 16& 3 × 6" 53 cal Mark 13 (per side) 25,300Mark 16 23.1Mark 16 5 Italy 3 of 4 subclasses of s 10 8 × 6" 152 mm /53 M1926 or M1929 24,716 22.6 4 (M1926) 8 (M1929) UK 11 10 × QF 5.25-inch Mk I 24,070 22.0 7 Denmark Herluf Trolle-class coastal defence ship 1 2 × 9.4" + 2 (of 4) × 5.9" USA s (first group) 4 14 (of 16) × 5" 38 cal Mark 12 17,392 15.9 15 - 22 Japan Cruiser Ōyodo 1 6 × 6.1" 15.5 cm/60 3rd Year Type 29,960 27.4 5 Netherlands 2 7 (of 10) × 5.9" 50 cal 23,200 21.2 7-8 Netherlands Cruiser De Ruyter 1 7 × 5.9" 50 cal 23,200 21.2 6 Argentina Independencia-class coastal defense ship 2 2 × 9.4" 35 cal 14,210 13.0 2 UK Arethusa-class cruiser 4 6 × BL 6-inch Mk XXIII 25,480 23.3 6 USA Oakland sub-class of s 4 12 × 5" 38 cal Mark 12 17,392 15.9 15 - 22 USSR Cruiser Krasni Krym 2 8 (of 15) × 5.1" 55 cal 20,690 19.2 6 Norway Coast defense ship Harald Haarfagre 4 2 × 8.2" Netherlands Cruiser Tromp 2 6 × 5.9" 50 cal 23,200 21.2 6 Denmark Coast defense ship Niels Juel 1 6 (of 10) × 5.9" Australia Light cruiser HMAS Adelaide 1 6 (of 8) × 6-inch Mk XII 21,500 19.6 5-7 Germany Cruiser Emden 1 6 (of 8) × 45 cal 24,360 21.95 8 Japan 4 6 × 50 cal 22,970 21.0 8 UK 8 6 × BL 6-inch Mk XII 21,500 19.6 5-7 UK 2 6 (of 7) × BL 6-inch Mark VII 18,750 17.1 5 Italy 3 8 × 5.3" 45 cal M1938 21,435 19.6 6 Japan 2 5 (of 8) × 6" 45 cal 16,185 14.8 5 Japan Cruiser Yūbari 1 6 × 5.5" 50 cal 19,140 17.5 8 Japan 3 6 (of 7) × 5.5" 50 cal 19,140 17.5 8 Japan 6 6 (of 7) × 5.5" 50 cal 19,140 17.5 8 Japan 5 6 (of 7) × 5.5" 50 cal 19,140 17.5 8 Japan Seaplane carrier Nisshin 1 6 × 5.5" 50 cal 19,140 17.5 8 UK 4 5 × BL 6-inch Mk XII 21,500 19.6 5-7