Naval Anti-Aircraft Guns and Gunnery. Norman Friedman
HMCS Nootka fires her Boffin, 1951. (RCN)
Copyright © Norman Friedman 2013
First published in Great Britain in 2013 by
Seaforth Publishing
An imprint of Pen & Sword Books Ltd
47 Church Street, Barnsley
South Yorkshire S70 2AS
Email [email protected]
The right of Norman Friedman to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Published and distributed in the United States of America and Canada by
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21402-5034
This edition is authorized for sale only in the United States of America, its territories and possessions and Canada.
First Naval Institute Press eBook edition published in 2015.
ISBN 978-1-61251-957-9 (eBook)
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP data record for this book is available from the British Library
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means: electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission in writing of both the copyright owner and the above publisher.
Typeset and designed by Ian Hughes, Mousemat Design Limited
CONTENTS
ABBREVIATIONS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1 AN EVOLVING THREAT
CHAPTER 2 MAKING ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE EFFECTIVE
CHAPTER 3 BEGINNINGS
CHAPTER 4 THE INTER-WAR ROYAL NAVY
CHAPTER 5 THE INTER-WAR US NAVY
CHAPTER 6 THE INTER-WAR IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY
CHAPTER 7 OTHER EUROPEAN NAVIES BETWEEN THE WARS
CHAPTER 8 THE ROYAL NAVY AT WAR
CHAPTER 9 THE US NAVY AT WAR
CHAPTER 10 AXIS NAVIES AT WAR
CHAPTER 11 POST-WAR DEVELOPMENTS
NOTES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX: GUN DATA
INDEX
AA = anti-aircraft
ABU = Auto-Barrage Unit
ACNS(W) = Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Weapons)
ADO = Air Defence Officer
ADP = Air Defence Position
ADR = Aircraft Direction Room
AFCB = Admiralty Fire Control Box
AFCC = Admiralty Fire Control Clock
AFCT = Admiralty Fire Control Table
AGE = Admiralty Gunnery Establishment
AIO = Action Information Organisation
API = advanced primer ignition
APV = average projectile velocity
ARL = Admiralty Research Laboratory
ASV = Air to Surface Vessel (radar)
ATEWA = Automatic Target Evaluator and Weapon Assigner
AUTOCOFAS = Automatic Control Officer’s Forward Area Sight
AW = aircraft warning
BD = between decks (mounting)
BT = Biplane Tail
BuAer = Bureau of Aeronautics (US)
BuOrd = Bureau of Ordnance (US)
BUSTER = Bofors Universal Stabilised Tachymetric Electric Radar
CAFO = Confidential Admiralty Fleet Order
CAP = Combat Air Patrol
CDS = Comprehensive Display System
CEP = Circular Error Probable
CMB = Coastal Motor Boat
CNO = Chief of Naval Operations
CO = commanding officer
COFAS = Control Officer’s Forward Area Sight
ComAirPac = Commander Air Forces Pacific
CR = close-range
CRBF(D) = Close Range Blind Fire (Director)
CRH = calibre radius head
CRS = close-range system
D of A = Director of Artillery (Army)
DA = direct action (fuse/gun)
DAMS = Defensively Armed Merchant Ships
DCB = distance-controlled boat
DCG = Drum Control Gear
DCT = director control tower
DEMS = Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships
DGD = Director of Gunnery and AA Warfare
DNC = Director of Naval Construction
DNO = Director of Naval Ordnance
DRC = Defence Requirements Committee (British)
DTSD = Director, Training and Staff Duties Division
EMV = Elswick-Metro-Vickers
FAM = Fast Aerial Mine
FKC = fuse keeping clock
FPS = Flyplane Predictor System
FTP = Fleet Training Publication
FY = financial year
GDR = Gun Direction Room
GDS = Gun Direction System
GRU = Gyro Rate Unit
GRUB = Gyro Rate Unit Box
GRUDOU = Gyro Rate Unit Deflection Oil Unit
GUNAR = Gun and Radar
HA = high-angle
HACP = High Angle Control Position
HACS = High Angle Control System
HACT = High Angle Calculating Table
HADES = High Angle Director Eyeshooting Sights
HADFAS = High Angle Director Forward Area Sight
HADT = High-Angle Director Tower
HAT