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JAP480X2(The 13th battleship Test Type L45)

JAP480X2(The 13th battleship Test Type L45)
The 48 cm / 45 5-year gun is an experimental gun developed by Japan in 1920. Warship 13 planned to carry this gun, but due to technical difficulties, the 46 cm 5-year gun was finally selected. Only one prototype gun was produced in Wu Haijun factory, which was also the largest caliber gun that Japan could produce at that time. This gun was scrapped in a test firing in 1920. Subsequently, after Japan signed the Washington Naval Treaty, the research and development plan of super large caliber artillery was suspended, but in November 1935, it was repaired to test the protective system to be used on Yamato class battleships. In December 1945, the gun was discovered by the U.S. occupying forces at the first test firing site and then demolished.
The Japanese used the fake model of "36 cm / 45 5-year style" to circumvent the treaty.
In 1941, Japan equipped the gun with type 91 armor piercing ammunition, and at least one live ammunition was found in the ammunition depot of the local test range. The failure to find firing information about the gun may mean that the plan was terminated before the war in the Pacific.
There is little detailed information about this gun, but it is obvious that its gun frame and sliding sleeve are improved from the British 15 inch MK I gun.