Destroyer turret question

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Do anyone know why USN after Allen M. Sumner (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_M._Sumner_class_destroyer) and Gearing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gearing_class_destroyer) classes reverted from twin 5" turrets to single ones in Mitscher (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitscher_class_destroyer)and Forrest Sherman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forrest_Sherman_class_destroyer) classes? I would have thought that using twin turret would save weight and space for other systems. :hmmm:

[Tribesman]

Its a different gun, as its rate of fire was nearly tripled and its range nearly doubled was there any need to make a double mount when it is able to do as much or more in the single as the old double was.

Just a guess like.

[Sailor Steve]

The famous 5"/38 could fire up to 20 rounds per minute. When firing from a dual mount this could cause interference problems, and the firing rate for each individual gun had to be slower. The new 5"/54 was an auto-firing gun which could put out 40 rounds per minute on a good day, much faster than could ever be effective in long-range combat. For close-in work this made it much more effective than the older gun, even in a dual mount. A dual mount would be impractical for a true rapid-fire gun. They were suplemented with several 3" guns for AA work.

[CaptainHaplo]

Along with Steve's point above, one must consider the weight and space costs of a second gun. Add in the fact that "gun" battles are no longer the norm in surface warfare, it makes sense to recover the weight and space of the second gun if the first has the necessary increased efficiency.

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Thank you gentlemen! :salute:

I was wondering as Soviet Navy opted to design twin barrel 130mm naval cannon AK-130 (available as single barrel version). Navweaps.com gives it rate of fire 10 to 40 rounds per barrel.

Sovremenny class destroyers have two twin barrel turrets.

EDIT: Whoa! 1000 posts and Ace of the Deep. Here I come! :DL