Q&A ยท 11:38-13:48

Could Edinburgh-class cruisers carry 9.2-inch guns?

A twin 9.2-inch mounting appears physically possible and would restore a useful range and hitting-power advantage over 6-inch cruisers.

Question

Could an Edinburgh-class cruiser be modified to carry twin 9.2-inch guns?

Short answer

Probably, though the turret would be cramped; 9.2 inches also made more doctrinal sense than 8 inches in British assessments.

Notes

The hull had enough beam for a twin heavy-gun turret, although turret depth and internal arrangement would be tight. British thinking favored 9.2 inches over 8 inches because the latter offered too little additional reach and explosive effect over rapid-firing 6-inch guns. A 9.2-inch cruiser would regain a meaningful zone in which it could hit a 6-inch opponent without reply.