dave
Brigadier General
Posts: 1,679
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Post by dave on Feb 22, 2017 2:30:15 GMT
Gentlemen Standing on the rear deck area of the USS Alabama by a single 20 mm Oerlikon cannon with a small splinter shield is a very exposed position. The 2 quad 40 mm Bofors cannons in the 2 tubs at the very stern required very brave young sailors to serve them. I would much have preferred serving in the one of the 16" turrets!! Regards Dave
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Post by yanmacca on Feb 22, 2017 10:15:54 GMT
Dave, the 20mm Oerlikon was a better light AA Gun then the 25mm Japanese weapon, this was a copy of a French weapon designed by Hotchkiss.
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Post by yanmacca on Feb 22, 2017 15:03:42 GMT
Chuck, those 5in (127mm) guns would be able to knock an aircraft out of the sky just with a near miss.
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dave
Brigadier General
Posts: 1,679
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Post by dave on Feb 26, 2017 2:54:31 GMT
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Post by quincannon on Feb 26, 2017 3:47:17 GMT
Ian: Sorry I missed you post.
The 5"/38 Cal gun had a variety of ammunition available. The game changer was the proximity fuse which would go off when the fuse detected the proximity of an aircraft. So it was not exactly a near miss, but rather catching the aircraft within the cone of shrapnel cause by the detonation.
Same type of thing was used in air bursting conventional artillery. The projectile explodes as it approaches the ground creating a bursting effect above ground at a preset height. It is devastating to troops caught in the open.
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Post by yanmacca on Feb 26, 2017 12:16:52 GMT
The US Army were experts at these types of fuses, as General Patton wrote "The new shell with the funny fuse is devastating, I'm glad you all thought of it first."
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Post by BrevetorCoffin on Feb 26, 2017 17:52:18 GMT
Dave, the 20mm Oerlikon was a better light AA Gun then the 25mm Japanese weapon, this was a copy of a French weapon designed by Hotchkiss. The 25mm was a miserably poor design, badly hampered by the 15 round magazine that had to constantlybe reloaded. Almost useless in combat.
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Post by BrevetorCoffin on Feb 26, 2017 17:53:26 GMT
Ian: Sorry I missed you post. The 5"/38 Cal gun had a variety of ammunition available. The game changer was the proximity fuse which would go off when the fuse detected the proximity of an aircraft. So it was not exactly a near miss, but rather catching the aircraft within the cone of shrapnel cause by the detonation. Same type of thing was used in air bursting conventional artillery. The projectile explodes as it approaches the ground creating a bursting effect above ground at a preset height. It is devastating to troops caught in the open. Weren't the Germans especially adept at this using theit 88's
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Post by yanmacca on Feb 26, 2017 19:51:22 GMT
David the 88mm was capable of firing nineteen different rounds, most of these were HE with the usual clock work time fuses which were used not only for exploding near aircraft but to produce air bursts over enemy ground positions.
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Post by quincannon on Feb 26, 2017 23:11:53 GMT
Probably the most feared weapon of World War II. Everyone you interview that was engaged in ground combat with the Germans has a boat load of 88 stories.
Ian I do not recall the details, about a different mount, but I think it was essentially the same 88mm weapon that the Germans used on their U Boats. Verify if you have the info please.
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dave
Brigadier General
Posts: 1,679
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Post by dave on Feb 26, 2017 23:40:50 GMT
QC Perhaps this web site might be of assistance. Regards Dave
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Post by quincannon on Feb 27, 2017 0:43:22 GMT
Dave: Suppose you put up a web site but it does not show.
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Post by BrevetorCoffin on Feb 27, 2017 1:34:39 GMT
Probably the most feared weapon of World War II. Everyone you interview that was engaged in ground combat with the Germans has a boat load of 88 stories. Ian I do not recall the details, about a different mount, but I think it was essentially the same 88mm weapon that the Germans used on their U Boats. Verify if you have the info please. I think it is the same 88's. Type VII's used the 88, Type IX's a 105 mm cannon.
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dave
Brigadier General
Posts: 1,679
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Post by dave on Feb 27, 2017 1:36:54 GMT
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Post by BrevetorCoffin on Feb 27, 2017 1:36:55 GMT
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