Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 5:12:34-5:13:50

Twin versus triple battleship turrets

Four twin turrets spread the risk of losing a mounting, while triples provide more guns forward and three rounds for ranging.

BattleshipsGun TurretsNaval GunneryShip Design
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Question

What are the tradeoffs of four twin 16.1-inch turrets compared with triple mountings?

Short answer

Four twins lose one quarter of the battery when a turret is disabled; triples offer greater forward firepower and a three-round ranging salvo.

Notes

The proposed battlecruiser carries four twin 16.1-inch, 50-calibre mountings. Losing one turret would remove a quarter of that battery, compared with a third in a three-turret arrangement. The corresponding disadvantage is less firepower directly ahead. Triple mountings also offer three shots for judging the range from a single turret. These firing and damage-distribution tradeoffs leave the rest of the ship's design open.