1/350 US Navy Triple 8"/55 (20.3 cm) Mounts x3 (USS Chicago)

1/350 US Navy Triple 8"/55 (20.3 cm) Mounts x3 (USS Chicago). Modelled from ship builders plans and many reference photographs. These were the main weapons on the USS Chicago.

• Contains x3 Triple Mounts (each mount is different, Turrets are numbered on Base)
  
• Details include: Rivets & Hex Nuts, Sighting Port Hatches, Periscope Tower, Rangefinder in each Turret with open Hatches, Armour Join Lines, Crew Handrails, Access Hatches and Ladders to Turret Roof
  
• Barrels are printed separately and can be angled as desired.
  

HISTORICAL DATA
This weapon was used on most US Treaty cruisers and the Lexington class carriers. None of these ships ever carried the “super-heavy” AP projectiles as their ammunition hoists could not accommodate the longer, heavier round.

As commissioned, the early cruisers had poor dispersion patterns, sometimes as large as 2,000 yards (1,830 m) for a full salvo. Some of these problems were due to the guns having a very high muzzle velocity and poor shot seating. Extensive testing to determine the cause of the problems was performed in 1933 at Manila Bay with the assistance of the Coast Artillery and the results sent to BuOrd. Corrections included reducing the muzzle velocity and relining the barrels.

These guns and mountings were removed from USS Lexington (CV-2) and USS Saratoga (CV-3) in 1942 and then reused as coastal artillery on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. It had been planned to rearm these carriers with 5”/38 (12.7 cm) guns, but only Sarratoga actually received her new guns as Lexington was sunk before the work could be carried out.

This series of 8” (20.3 cm) guns were very heavy when compared to most other 8” (20.3 cm) guns for reasons that are not readily apparent. Mark 9 was the original design and was used on ships built in the 1920s. This gun consisted of liner, A tube, jacket, five hoops, three locking rings and a screw box liner. The Mark 10, which was never built, was a lighter gun constructed of only three hoops. Mark 11 had only one hoop and was autofretted. The Mark 13 was the Mark 9 relined with a partially chrome-plated bore. The Mark 14 was a relined Mark 9 with a fully chrome-plated bore and a smaller chamber. The Mark 14 was used for most regunnings during World War II..

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