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Old 04-02-07, 03:14 PM   #22
WFGood
Electrician's Mate
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: high above the big blue
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doomgiver
heck that would be fun, but on the sub upgrade screen why is there two different deck guns for both the bow and stern
There were many different iterations of guns available for submarines as the war progressed. Some were purpose built for subs and others were modified from surface vessels.

The 3 inch 50 caliber Mk 21 (76mm) dual purpose cannon deck gun was standard issue on board many United States Navy Submarines, Destroyers and Destroyer Escorts (DE) during the early stages of World War II. By US Navy standards, it was generally considered to be a defensive weapon designed to be used against aircraft that were far away or very high up, although on a submarine it was primarily employed against enemy surface ships. Mounted on a pedestal either forward or aft of the conning tower, this weapon could fire a 13 lb high explosive projectile with a muzzle velocity of 2,700 feet per second and a maximum range of just over 16,000 yards with a ceiling of 21,500 feet. This gun could elevate to 85° and depress to 10°. Cartridges were packed four to a box, the weight of a full box being about 125 lbs with cartridges weighing approximately 32lbs each. The 3 inch 50 had a watertight tampion for the muzzle and a watertight cover for the breech with stainless steel mechanisms and bore. This weapon could be used with equally deadly effect against both surface and aerial targets.

The largest weapon carried aboard a US submarine was the 5 inch 25 caliber (MK40) cannon. Housed on a moveable mount, submarines located these weapons abaft of the cigarette deck.
This weapon was as efficient in laying down a barrage of anti-aircraft fire as it was in delivering salvos during shore or vessel bombardments. Semi-automatic and rapid firing, it allowed the crew to fire an average of 10 to 15 rounds per minute. This cannon was capable of sending a 54 pound projectile 18,000 yards and possessed a maximum aerial range of six miles.

The bit about the largest weapon is a little inaccurate, but I think it refers to regular fleet service. The Argonaut and Narwhal both had 6" guns.
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