Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:29:46-1:30:30

Anti-aircraft choices when reliability is reversed

Navies would select the weapons that worked, with Hispano-based 20 mm guns and the 40 mm Bofors suggested as alternatives.

1.1-inch Guns25 mm Guns40 mm Pom PomBofors 40 mmCounterfactual HistoryHispano CannonNaval Anti Aircraft GunsOerlikon 20 mm
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Question

What if the US 1.1-inch and the 25 mm anti-aircraft guns worked well, while the 20 mm Oerlikon and 40 mm pom-pom were unreliable?

Short answer

Navies would select the weapons that worked, with Hispano-based 20 mm guns and the 40 mm Bofors suggested as alternatives.

Notes

Procurement would follow effective weapons in the altered scenario. The Oerlikon was bought because it worked, so an unreliable version would create demand for another gun. A Hispano-based cannon is suggested as a possible 20 mm substitute. The 40 mm Bofors provides the proposed alternative to an unreliable pom-pom.