Q&A · 22:23-23:05

Why the 4.5-inch mount arrived late

A seemingly small balancing problem in an upper-deck mount demanded testing time that wartime priorities made scarce.

Naval Gunnery Royal Navy Weapons Testing

Question

What kept the Royal Navy 4.5-inch gun from working earlier?

Short answer

The upper-deck mount had balancing and mechanism problems that needed extensive testing, and wartime priorities limited time for that development work.

Notes

The delay lay in the upper-deck mount rather than the gun's basic capability. Balancing and mechanism problems required range testing and iterative work. Wartime demands for proving existing barrels competed directly with establishing new test arrangements.