Lifting a 4.7-inch battery to 80 degrees would require serious engineering work. Britain possessed experienced gun makers, a substantial industrial base, and designers already familiar with the weapon family. Some unbuilt designs appear close to the required solution, although paper proposals cannot prove service performance. Once the 45-calibre mount demonstrated the concept, the Royal Navy might also demand high-angle performance from the more powerful 50-calibre weapon used by the L class. The 45-calibre gun remains the likely mass-production sweet spot, with the 50-calibre system as a formidable but less widely applicable follow-on.
Notable Point · 1:10:41-1:12:17
A feasible mount opens a 50-calibre follow-on
British industry could plausibly build the high-angle 45-calibre mount, and success might then push the heavier L-class 50-calibre weapon toward the same elevation.