History of Naval Guns

World War II

Contents

 

I.
Introduction 1
II.
Small Arms 5
 
a.
Definition and Procurement Summary 5
 
b.
Procedure for Small Arms Procurement 6
 
c.
Problems 10
   
1.
Spare Parts 11
   
2.
Supply and Repair 12
   
3.
Caliber .38 Special Ammunition Assembled with Unjacketed Bullets 15
   
4.
Belted Ammunition 19
   
5.
Packaging 19
III.
Caliber .50 AA Machine Gun 21
 
a.
Development 21
 
b.
Procurement 25
IV.
1.1" AA Machine Gun 29
 
a.
Early History 29
 
b.
Production 34
   
1.
Guns and Mounts 34
   
1.
Power Drives 38
 
c.
Distribution and Dispositions 42
V.
20mm Antiaircraft Gun 45
 
a.
Introduction 45
 
b.
Background and Adoption of 20mm 47
   
1.
Early British Activities 47
   
2.
Reason for Selection of Oerlikon Over the Hispano-Suiza 53
 
c.
Production Program 57
   
1.
Preliminary Contract Negotiations 57
   
2.
Increasing Requirements 64
   
3.
Mounts 68
   
4.
Cutbacks and Terminations 77
   
5.
Costs 81
   
6.
Speeding Production 84
 
d.
Distribution 95
 
e.
Future of the 20mm Gun 98
VI..
40mm Bofors Gun 102
 
a.
Introduction 102
 
b.
Adoption of Gun by the U.S. Navy 103
   
1.
Critical Antiaircraft Situation 103
   
2.
Purchase of a 20mm Bofors Gun 107
   
3.
Testing Period 112
   
4.
Negotiations of Contract for Manufacturing Rights 117
 
c.
Production Program 127
   
1.
Early Design Problems 127
   
2.
Overall Performance Program 130
   
  (a) Initial Procurement Plans, 1941 130
   
  (b) Development of the Procurement Pattern 132
   
3.
Associated Equipment 139
   
(a) Power Drives 139
   
(b) Fire Control 147
   
(c) Ammunition 149
   
4.
Requirements 153
   
5.
Special Problems 159
   
(a) Continuing Design Problems 139
   
(b) Balancing Production 161
   
(c) York Safe and Lock Company 163
   
(d) Machine Tools, Materials, and Priorities 166
 
c.
Use and Performance 171
   
1.
General Characteristics 171
   
2.
Distribution 174
   
3.
Antiaircraft Performance 178
   
4.
Maintenance and Performing Problems 180
   
5.
Possibilities with Blind Firing Directors 182
VII.
3" Guns 184
 
a.
Introduction 184
 
b.
Dual Purpose Mounts 188
   
1.
Single Mount Mark 24 188
   
2.
Single Mount Mark 22 189
 
c.
Twin Mount Mark 27 191
 
d.
Production Program 192
   
1.
Schedule of Requirements 192
   
2.
Assemblies 193
   
3.
Mounts 195
   
4.
Power Drives 197
   
5.
Associated 3"/50 Equipment 198
VIII.
4"/50 Mount Mark 12 Mods 200
 
a.
Introduction 200
 
b.
History and Characteristics 200
 
c.
Procurement 201
 
d.
Procurement 43
IX.
5" Guns 203
 
a.
Introduction 203
   
1.
5"/38 Guns 203
   
(a) 5"/38 Base Ring Mounts 204
   
(b) 5"/38 Pedestal Mounts Mark 24 and Mod 2 205
   
(c) 5"/38 Twin Mounts Mark 28 Mods, Mark 29 Mods, Mark 32 Mods, and Mark 38 Mods 205
   
2.
5"/25 Guns 206
   
3.
5"/54 Guns 206
 
b.
History of 5"/38 207
   
1.
Prewar Development of 5"/38; The Mark 37 Merchant Mount 207
   
(a) Inauguration of Program to Arm Merchant Vessels 207
   
(b) Selection of 5"/38, Extensively Modified, for Merchant Arming Program 208
   
2.
Status of 5"/38 Program at Beginning of War 211
   
(a) 5"/38 Caliber Single Mounts (Base Ring Type) for DD's and Auxiliaries 211
   
(b) 5"/38 Gun and Single Pedestal Mount Assembly 213
   
(c) 5"/38 Twin Gun and Mount Assembly 214
   
3.
Production Program During the War 216
   
(a) 5"/38 Merchant Mount Mark 37 220
   
(b) 5"/38 Pedestal Mounts 222
   
(c) 5"/38 Caliber Single Mount Mark 30 (Base Ring Type) 228
   
(d) 5"/38 Twin Gun Mount Assembly 228
 
c.
History of 5"/25 232
   
1.
Development 232
   
2.
Production Program 232
 
d.
History of 5"/54 Mount 236
   
1.
Development 236
   
2.
Production Program 241
X.
6"/47 Gun 241
 
a.
Introduction 241
 
b.
History of 6"/47 Dual Purpose Twin Mount 241
 
c.
Plans for Proposed 6"/47 Twin Turret 249
 
d.
6"/47 Triple Turret Production Program 250
XI.
8"/55 Gun 253
 
a.
Introduction 253
 
b.
History of 8"/55 Caliber Turret for CA-139 Class Cruiser 253
 
c.
Production Program for CA 68-75 and 122 Class Cruiser 271
XII.
12"/50 Gun 273
 
a.
Introduction 273
 
b.
History of 12"/50 Three-Gun Turret 273
XIII.
16" Guns 282
 
a.
Introduction 282
 
b.
Development in 16" Guns 282
 
c.
Production Program 286

First Chapter (I)


Transcribed and formatted by Thomas Wildenberg, HyperWar Foundation