Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 35:43-36:03

Did fifteen-gun cruisers make the Town class feel underarmed?

The Town class traded three extra guns for a less cramped hull and remained a formidable wartime opponent.

6-inch GunsBrooklyn Class Light CruisersMogami Class CruisersTown Class Light Cruisers (1936)Warship Design
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Question

Did the Town class feel like less of a cruiser because the Brooklyn and Mogami classes carried fifteen six-inch guns?

Short answer

No. The Towns had fewer guns but more usable space and remained powerful wartime cruisers.

Notes

The Town class carried twelve six-inch guns against the fifteen fitted to American Brooklyn- and Japanese Mogami-class cruisers. The extra guns did not make the Towns feel inadequate. Their less crowded arrangement provided space for peacetime cruiser duties, while the twelve-gun battery remained formidable in war. Practical room and fighting capability both matter when comparing the number of barrels.