The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia: U.S. 3"/50 AA gun (original) (raw)
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U.S. 3”/50 Antiaircraft Gun
Naval Historical Center #NH 80138
| Bore | 3"76.2mm |
|---|---|
| Ammunition type | Fixed |
| Weight of projectile | 13 lbs5.9 kg |
| Velocity | 2700 feet per second823 meters per second |
| Maximum elevation | 85 degrees |
| Range | 14,590 yards13,340 meters |
| Altitude | 29,800 feet9080 meters |
The 3"/50 was the first antiaircraft gun adopted by the U.S. Navy, and the standard type battleships completed from 1915 on were allocated a battery of four, and later eight, guns. These guns were obsolescent by 1941, but continued to be employed in large numbers on smaller or older warships and on submarinessimply because they were available. They were produced in several models, but all were mounted in hand-driven semiautomatic mounts. Many were subsequently replaced with 5"/38s(if the platform was large enough) or various light automatic antiaircraft guns. A few of the older models had low-angle mounts and thus were not usable as antiaircraft guns.
References
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia © 2007, 2009, 2014 by Kent G. Budge. Index
