A prewar version of the non-deck-piercing 4.5-inch upper-deck mount is posed as a counterfactual improvement for Abdiel. This was the type of weapon later fitted to Daring-class destroyers. The fast minelayer already carried formidable twin 4-inch guns and strong anti-aircraft armament. Since aircraft were the principal pursuers able to catch her, the heavier mount might have strengthened an unusual combination of speed, minelaying capacity, and self-defence.
Notable Point · 26:57-27:40
Could a 4.5-inch mount have improved Abdiel?
The fast minelayer already carried formidable twin 4-inch guns, while an early non-deck-piercing 4.5-inch mount might have made her still more dangerous.