Naval Firepower: Battleship Guns and Gunnery in the Dreadnought EraAn in-depth history of naval battleship firepower from before World War I to the end of World War II, by America’s leading naval analyst. For more than half a century, the big gun was the arbiter of naval power, but it was useless if it could not hit the target fast and hard enough to prevent the enemy doing the same. Because the naval gun platform was itself in motion, finding a “firing solution” was a significant problem exacerbated when gun sizes increased, fighting ranges lengthened, and seemingly minor issues like wind velocity had to be considered. To speed up the process and eliminate human error, navies sought a reliable mechanical calculation. This heavily illustrated book outlines for the first time in layman’s terms the complex subject of fire-control, as it dominated battleship and cruiser design from before World War I to the end of the dreadnought era. Covering the directors, range-finders, and electro-mechanical computers invented to solve the problems, author Norman Friedman explains not only how the technology shaped (and was shaped by) the tactics involved, but also analyzes their effectiveness in battle. His examination of the controversy surrounding Jutland and the relative merits of competing fire-control systems draws surprising conclusions. He also reassesses many other major gun actions, such as the battles between the Royal Navy and the Bismarck, and the U.S. Navy actions in the Solomons and at Surigao Strait. All major navies are covered, and the story concludes at the end of World War II with the impact of radar. |
Contents
11 | |
13 | |
14 | |
Shooting and Hitting | |
Tactics 190414 | |
The Surprises of War 191418 | |
The US Navy | |
The US Navy at | |
The Imperial Japanese Navy | |
The French Navy 13 The Italian Navy | |
The Russian and Soviet Navies | |
Propellants Guns Shells and Armour | |
Notes | |
Glossary | |
Other editions - View all
Naval Firepower: Battleship Guns and Gunnery in the Dreadnought Era Norman Friedman Limited preview - 2013 |
Naval Firepower: Battleship Guns and Gunnery in the Dreadnought Era Norman Friedman No preview available - 2008 |
Naval Firepower: Battleship Guns and Gunnery in the Dreadnought Era Rif Winfield,Norman Friedman No preview available - 2008 |
Common terms and phrases
Admiralty adopted AFCT angle anti-aircraft armour atop automatically Baby Ford Barr & Stroud battle battlecruisers battleships bearing rate British BuOrd calculated Commander conning tower corrections course and speed cross-level deck deflection designed destroyers developed device dial dreadnoughts Dreyer Table Dumaresq effect elevation enemy course feet/second fire-control system French German Grand Fleet gun range gunnery officer gyro heavy cruisers HMS Excellent Imperial Japanese navy installed Italian Japanese Jellicoe Jon Tetsuro Sumida Jutland later light cruisers long range manoeuvres mast metres modernised naval operator periscope plot plotter pointer Pollen practice pre-war radar range and bearing range clock range rate rangefinder rangefinder control Royal Navy Russian salvo secondary batteries shell ship’s ships showed sight splashes spotter spotting glass stable vertical synchro tactical target bearing torpedo transmitting station turret Type Vickers visible wartime World World War II yards