Gun elevation, plunging fire, and the final action against Bismarck

The Radetzky discussion expands into why maximum gun elevation changes both range and armour effects. A mounting that can load and fire at higher angles can deliver steeper trajectories, increasing the threat to deck armour rather than only the belt. An aside on the King George V class notes that weight limits reduced a planned twelve 14-inch guns to ten and argues that nine 16-inch guns in triple turrets would have simplified the mounting arrangement. In the final action against Bismarck, King George V is presented as firing from farther off for plunging effect while Rodney closed to attack particular parts of the ship more directly. The comparison shows that one engagement can reward different fire solutions and that turret machinery constrains which solution is available. It also explains why the Radetzkys' 20-degree limit mattered beyond a simple range statistic.