The Naval Museum Armory

An exhibition at the Naval Museum in Gdynia displaying original pieces of naval weaponry used in the 20th century.

Most of the exhibits were dismantled from the decks of ships serving in the Polish Navy. Among the ship's artillery relics are true rarities, such as a double 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft cannon from the submarine Sęp (an identical copy was on the sister vessel Orzeł), the most famous anti-aircraft cannon of World War II - a 20 mm Oerlikon from the equipment of ORP Blyskawica or a double 13.2 mm Hotchkiss HMG excavated from the wreck of Gryf, bombed on Hel in September 1939. A poignant complement to that drama is a shred of a flag with a fragment of an eagle, salvaged from the sunken ORP Gryf, brass letters comprising the ship's name dismantled from the wreck, and the original lifebelt.

Underwater weapons are represented by torpedoes of several types - from the unique German design from the turn of the 19th/20th century. One of the most valuable exhibits is the French SM 5 naval mine, used by Polish submarines during the September campaign. The Kriegsmarine minesweeper "M 85" sank on an identical one in October 1939. Among the weapons used for anti-submarine warfare, the British-made Thornycroft depth bomb thrower draws attention. The destroyer ORP Blyskawica was armed with throwers of this type. The second copy is still on board the ship.

A unique exhibit, of world rank, is the German bombotorpedo of the BT (Bomben-Torpedo) 1000 RS series. The idea to develop this offensive aerial weapon originated from an attempt to combine the advantages of bombs and aerial torpedoes. The only known version of these supported by a rocket engine was the BT 1000 RS. Anti-aircraft guns, depth bomb throwers, Type 08/39 and JAM mines came from ships operated in the post-war years. Naval aviation armament from this period is represented by cannons, guided and unguided missiles. The largest weapon on display is the P 21 anti-ship missile from the armament of Tarantul-class corvettes. These were the primary strike ships of the Polish fleet for many years. All of them have already been withdrawn from service, and elements of their equipment have filled the museum's collections.