Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:00:01-1:00:21

Why heavy anti-aircraft shells used fragmentation

A question about apparent overkill explains that three- and five-inch anti-aircraft shells created fragmentation patterns rather than requiring direct hits.

Air DefenceAnti Aircraft WeaponsNaval Gunnery
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Question

Was a three- or five-inch shell excessive against an aircraft?

Short answer

A direct hit would be devastating, but the intended effect was usually a fragmentation burst near the aircraft rather than a direct strike.

Notes

A direct hit from a three- or five-inch shell would destroy an aircraft, but direct contact was not the normal requirement. The fuze burst the shell near the target and spread fragments through the surrounding air. That fragment field increased the chance of damaging a fast aircraft that was difficult to hit precisely. Larger dual-purpose guns could therefore defend a wider volume of air than a simple gun-to-target comparison suggests.