Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 47:21-48:05

Why German destroyer guns were weak dual-purpose weapons

German five-inch guns were primarily surface weapons whose theoretical anti-aircraft role was limited by exposed, manually worked mountings.

4.7-inch Guns5-inch GunsAnti-Aircraft WarfareDestroyersKriegsmarineNaval Gunnery
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Question

Did German destroyer guns have the same limited dual-purpose character as the secondary batteries of German capital ships?

Short answer

To an extent. The guns had a theoretical dual-purpose role, but they were less capable than the British 4.7-inch system and sat in manual rather than automatic mountings.

Notes

The main German destroyer gun was designed chiefly for surface combat. Its nominal dual-purpose capability did not make it an efficient high-angle anti-aircraft system. The comparison with the British 4.7-inch weapon is unfavorable, and a viewer's comparison with a modern automatic five-inch gun is rejected. The German pieces sat in exposed gun shields and depended on manual handling. Calibre alone therefore says little about practical rate of fire or air-defense value at sea.