The Tribal class's original gun arrangement reflected prewar expectations about how long ships would have to engage dive-bombers. The Royal Navy had considered a 4-inch high-angle mounting. Air Ministry reports and exercise conditions encouraged greater confidence in the available engagement time than combat justified. Wartime changes replaced X mounting with a twin 4-inch high-angle gun and increased the number of close-range anti-aircraft weapons. Improving defence against aircraft therefore required a change to the original armament as well as additional light weapons.
Notable Point · 21:42-22:53
Why the Tribal class needed stronger anti-aircraft armament
Optimistic prewar estimates of engagement time against dive-bombers gave way to a high-angle gun mounting and more close-range anti-aircraft weapons.