Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:31:02-2:31:36

What automatic 5.25-inch guns could have changed

A reliable automatic 5.25-inch mounting could have greatly increased the anti-aircraft fire of Dido-class cruisers and King George V-class battleships, with Force Z as the most consequential counterfactual.

5.25-inch GunsAnti-Aircraft WarfareDido Class Light CruisersForce ZHMS Prince Of WalesKing George V Class Battleships (1939)Naval GunsRoyal Navy
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Question

How much difference would automatic 5.25-inch guns have made on Dido-class cruisers and King George V-class battleships during the Second World War?

Short answer

They could have roughly doubled heavy anti-aircraft fire, possibly altering the fate of Prince of Wales and Force Z if the mount worked reliably.

Notes

A working automatic 5.25-inch mounting is estimated to double the volume of heavy anti-aircraft fire. The extra shells from Prince of Wales could have disrupted the attacking aircraft enough to change the loss of Prince of Wales and Repulse. This remains a counterfactual: the answer explicitly depends on the mounting working and delivering the expected rate of fire.