5"-38 caliber gun
The 5"/38 caliber gun was mounted on a very large number of U.S. Navy ships in the World War II era. It continued to be used into the 1970's, but has disappeared from service today. The barrel of a 5"/38 caliber gun has a five inch (127 mm) bore and a length 38 times the bore diameter, or 190 inches (15.83 ft. or 4.826 m) long.
Performance
The 5"/38 could project a 55 pound (25 kg) projectile for ranges up to 18,200 yards (16.6 km). It was known as a dual purpose gun, (often abbreviated "DP") because it was effective for both surface and antiaircraft use. In the antiaircraft role, it had a ceiling of 37,200 feet (11,300 m) at 85 degrees elevation.[1] Millions of rounds of ammunition were produced for these guns, with over 720,000 rounds still remaining in Navy storage depots in the mid-1980s. The load consisted of a powder charge in a brass or low-alloy steel casing and a separate projectile. Many types of projectile were available, including AA Common, semi-armor piercing, VT frag, VT non-frag, point- and base detonating HE, white phosphorus and illuminating star shell.
Gun mounts
There were several models of the 5"/38, differentiated by the word Mark (or its abbreviation MK) and a number. The 5"/38 MK 12 was a single-barrel open unit widely used on amphibious ships, auxiliaries, and merchant ships. The 5"/38 MK 30 was a single-barrel enclosed unit widely used on destroyers. The 5"/38 MK 38 was a dual enclosed unit specifically designed for newer destroyers. All of these models were also used on aircraft carriers, battleships, and other large combatants.
| Mark | Barrels | Design | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 1 | Open | Amphibious ships, Auxiliaries, Merchant Ships |
| 28 | 2 | Enclosed | Battleships |
| 30 | 1 | Enclosed | Destroyers |
| 32 | 2 | Enclosed | Cruisers |
| 38 | 2 | Enclosed | Destroyers |
Gun crews
Depending on the mount, a 5"/38 caliber gun could have a crew of up to 14 personnel, nine in the gun mount and 5 in the handling room. In US service, most gun crews were US Navy personnel. Even the civilian Merchant Marine ships had a small detachment of the Navy Armed Guard on board to operate the 5"/38 and other guns. One exception to this was on ships with a Marine Detachment, where the Marines manned one of the mounts, usually decorated with the Marine emblem.
Notes
- ↑ The 5 Inch. Retrieved on 2006-10-06.