All you can find Vickers 15": 2011

All you can find Vickers 15"....
This blog has been started with the only purpose to create a common place to share documents, links, pictures, videos, anything related to the fantastic Vickers-Armstrong coastal defense canons bought from the Spanish Goverment right a few years before the Spanish Civil War (Jul'36).

@picture from Jose Maria Patricio
see picture @ www.pbase.com/josemariapatricio

Above picture was taken in Castillitos (Nov'11), my good friend John Pace (viewer's right) and myself (left). We both own and have write access to this blog.

@picture taken from Vickers Photographic Archives (manufacturer's workshop)

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Section Cut....
There is not too many details but will give us an idea of how many manpower and where was required to operate this guy.

Vickers 15" stories section cut

@picture taken from www.foro.todoavante.es

From this drawing I still have to understand which is the purpose for the guys working with the little hoist behind the canon.

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Petter-Vickers, the engine.....
When I last visited Castillitos (Western 15" Vickers Coastal Defense protecting Cartagena's harbor) I could see one room with a very old two cylinder engine next to a big tank. Here's the picture.

There was no nameplate, no vendor information at all, so I looked for similar pictures taken at the other locations in Spain where these 15" units are installed. Finally I found a text talking about Petter engines......the rest was easy.
Here you have the starting procedure for the Vickers-Petter 2-cylinder engine.

This link will take you to the video.

http://www.mongeese.co.uk/videos/prickwillow-engine-museum-run-day-26-oct-2008/vickers-petter-2-cylinder-2-stroke-engine/

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The crane nowadays at a roundabout in Cartagena....
John look at this picture, this will explain many things.... ¡¡¡¡ :-)

@picture taken from www.foro.todoavante.es

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A little bit of history..why's & how's.

Alfonso XIII (King) and Primo de Rivera (Dictator)

Spanish Navy was pointed as responsible of the popularly known as "desastre del 98". Coastal defense power was in clear disadvantage when compared to the up to dated WWI warship's long-range canons. So, there was the need.

In 1926, king Alfonso XIII from Spanish embassy in London, ordered a Royal Decree approved by the dictatorship government of Primo de Rivera, the coastal defense upgrade at the three following locations (Cartagena, El Ferrol and Menorca).

That upgrade consisted of:
18 Vickers 381/45,
52 Vickers 152/50,
and 48 Anti-aircraft 105/45

Vickers 381/45 (NOTE: see the guy standing)