Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:24:57-4:25:56

The 4.5-inch Mark 5 offered a strong dual-purpose baseline

The gun could elevate to 80 degrees, fire up to 16 rounds per minute, and reach aircraft around 41,000 feet while serving surface targets at long range.

4.5-inch GunsAnti-Aircraft WarfareDual Purpose GunsNaval GunneryRoyal Navy
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Question

Which British 4.5-inch weapon best supports the proposed interwar dual-purpose standard?

Short answer

The Mark 5 gun, especially in the Mark 6 turret, offered high elevation, a fast rate of fire, and useful air and surface reach.

Notes

The Royal Navy's 4.5-inch Mark 5 was a sound basis for dual-purpose work. The weapon could elevate to about 80 degrees and reach a nominal rate near 16 rounds per minute. Its anti-aircraft ceiling was roughly 41,000 feet and its surface range approached 19 kilometers. Later use in the Mark 6 turret, as on ships such as Vampire, made the combination especially useful. Those specifications support standardizing British ships around this caliber.