PDA

View Full Version : Australian Cruisers in the Battle of the Coral Sea


maxs75
09-02-2011, 10:51
Hello,
I'd like to know the anti-aircraft weapons carried by Australian cruisers at the time of the battle of Coral sea in May 1942.
They sustained air attacks, so it is important to know their defense against airplanes.

Lundstom's "Black shoe carrier Admiral" says on note page 551:
Chicago: 8 5"/25, 4x4 1.1", 8x 0.5" guns (while other US CAs had 12x20 instead of MGs).
Austalia: 4x2 4", 2x4 2pdr, 8x 0.5" guns (I guess 2x4)
Hobart: 4x2 4", 2x4 2pdr, 12x 0.5" guns (I guess 3x4)

Anyway I believe that Hobart received the quad 2pdr only later (refit at Sydney in october 1942), and Australia did not have the quads, but only singles and octuples.
Any photo of them during that timeframe?

Australia had 4 twin 4" HA guns, and some pom-pom.
Whitley in "Cruisers of WWII" says 4 singles.
When did she get the 2 octuple mounts?
I believe that she also had 2 quad 0.5" MG, but no 20mm Oerlikon.

Light cruiser Hobart had 4 twin 4" HA guns, and probably no pom-pom.
I believe that she also had 3 quad 0.5" MG, but no 20mm Oerlikon.

Canberra (not involved in battle) had 8 single 4" guns (instead of 4 twins), and she had 2 octuple pom-pom. Some sources says that they were fitted in early 1941 while others during the refit in Sydney in 1942.
I believe that she also had 2 quad 0.5" MG, and possibly had 5 single 20mm Oerlikon.

Thank you in advance for any answers.
Max

patroclus
09-02-2011, 20:30
Are you sure that the CANBERRA had eight single 4" H.A.?

bbragg2
10-02-2011, 07:32
Jane's Fighting Ships 1943-44 lists Australia as having:

8 x 8 inch, 50 cal
8 x 4 inch AA
4 x 3 pdr
4 x 2 pdr pom poms
4 Machine, 8 Lewis.

The publication HMAS AUSTRALIA 1928-1955 lists the ship as having six Oerlikons fitted in Oct 42.

maxs75
10-02-2011, 07:37
"County class cruisers" by Raven and Roberts says:

CANBERRA
as of 1939 - 4x1 4 in., 4x1 2pdr, 2x4 0.5 in.
by early 1941 - 8x1 4 in. 2x8 2pdr, 2x4 0.5 in.

Also Whitley in Cruisers of WW2 says 8 singles.
It seems that other County class cruisers had 8 single 4" instead of 4 twins.

Anyway I'm not able to see if they were really there:
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/g10000/g13454a.jpg
and
https://kearns.fogbugz.com/default.asp?ahoy.2.1085.4
says that only 4 were fitted.


Max