However Berry makes some assumptions... that both guns were firing, and both guns were able to fire at all times. This pesty conning tower gets in the way. He also makes the assumption that they were orderd to fire as fast as possable. Beery like making assumptions.
However the 6" gun is much different then the 4" and 5" guns. The 6" gun had a rate of fire of 6 RPM, this is would bring the 4" and 5" guns in that engagement to 21 seconds. This is still 2/3s of Beery's *real* boat mod.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Xelif
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Beery
The best info I have right now from a US sub is an engagement from USS Nautilus's logbook. It doesn't quite meet the criteria I've set (it involves too great a proportion of ready-use ammo) but I think it is useful:
"0703 M August 17, 1942, commenced firing on Ukiangong Point area on
Makin Island. Covered area by shifting sights in range and deflection.
0711 M Checked fire.
0716 M August 17, 1942, commenced firing on ship anchorage area of
Makin Island. Radio spotting circuit was jammed or ineffective. Covered
area as thoroughly as possible by shifting sights in range and deflection
as necessary.
0723 M Checked fire, a total of 65 rounds of ammunition
having been expended."
That's 65 rounds in 15 minutes from two guns. That's 28 seconds per round per gun where the gun was not being aimed properly and where rangefinding and proper adjustments in aim could not be done. Around 40 of those rounds (20 per gun and nearly 2/3rds of the ammo fired) would have come from the ready-use ammo stores by the guns, so a longer engagement would have resulted in a slower rate of fire. Also, the rate of fire stated here does not take into account preparing the gun to fire. Still, the rate of fire in this engagement confirms RFB's rate of fire. Nautilus' crewmen reload their guns three seconds slower than RFB crewmen reload their 5" gun. Far from showing that RFB's reload rate is too slow this indicates that RFB's reload rate is TOO FAST.
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There you go.
And if you're looking for the phrase "rapid fire", you aren't going to find it in a patrol log, I'd wager. Much more likely to find something indicating the crew was taking SLOWER than normal to fire, as I'm sure a skipper wanted the gun crew to fire as fast as possible by default, without being instructed. |