Japanese aircraft sometimes circled a naval force just beyond the range they expected from the 5-inch/38. A cruiser with 5.25-inch guns could watch that repeated track and time a salvo to burst where the aircraft would arrive. The extra range created an opportunity against aircraft following an apparently safe orbit. Whether the particular ships involved had proximity fuzes remains uncertain. A predictable flight path also allowed timed salvos to burst as aircraft reached the selected area.
Notable Point · 1:07:52-1:09:26
Catching aircraft orbiting beyond 5-inch gun range
Longer-ranged 5.25-inch guns could catch Japanese aircraft orbiting outside the familiar reach of the 5-inch/38.