Japanese aircraft could exploit familiarity with the reach of the American 5-inch/38 by circling outside its range while watching for targets. British 5.25-inch guns on light cruisers and capital ships could reach farther and fire into that circling area. Some British-built cruisers could produce a similar surprise with their 8-inch guns. The 5-inch/38 remained an effective weapon, but tactics developed around its limits were less reliable against a mixed formation. Even relatively few guns with a different reach could complicate an attack planned around the dominant standard.
Notable Point · 38:18-39:38
How British gun ranges disrupted Japanese air tactics
Aircraft accustomed to the 5-inch/38 could encounter longer-ranged British fire, making familiar circling tactics unsafe.