Hi all I’m trying to confirm the armament fit for HMS Enterprise, the second of the two Emerald class light cruisers, at the outbreak of war with Japan, 7th December 1941. She was completed with a prototype twin 6-inch (150 mm) turret in place of her two forward single mounts; and five single 6-inch mounts, one either side, just behind the second funnel, another centreline after the third funnel, and two superimposed aft. Four quad torpedo tubes, two either side, giving the class the biggest torpedo armament in the fleet. Three single HA 4-inch guns, for AA, one either side, stepped in further behind the pair of 6-inch guns, and a third set between the aft two 6-inch guns. How did that work I don’t know, presumably either the aft 4-inch gun could be used, or the aft superimposed 6-inch gun was worked? Sometime in the mid-1930s, she was given HACS Mk I for the 4-inch guns, and by the start of WW2 had 2 quad Vickers 0.5 machine gun mounts. In a refit in November 1941 in Colombo, she may have had the two 6-inch guns amidships removed and replaced by two quad 2 pdr pompom mounts. She didn’t have any radar suite until later in the war Regards Fatboy Coxy
According to Page 85 of Norman Friedman's British Cruisers - Two World Wars and After HMS Enterprise "Was modernised in 1943, the most obvious consequence being removal of half her torpedo tubes. She began the war with 7 x 6" guns (the twin mounting forward, two in the waist, one on the centreline admidships and two after), three single 4" AA guns and two single pompoms. She emerged from a large repair at Colombo (11 - 18 March 1941) with two 6" removed but one quad pompom added. By Oct 1942 she had 4 x 20mm Oerlikons. During her major refit on the Cylde the 2 x 6" were restored and all single pompoms and oerlikons removed second quad pompom was ainstalled along with 6 x twin 20mm Oerlikons. At the same time she was fitted with major radars (type 281, 272, 282, 284 and 285)". The two quad 0.5" Vickers AAMG mounts are mentioned on Page 203 as being proposed to be fitted before the war as part of the Admiralty's AA Committee recommendations but can't see anything to say that they actually were. Naval history site gives details of the Enterprise's armament changes but puts the removal of the 2 x 6" waist guns as taking place in November 1941 and that two quad pompoms were fitted at that time HMS Enterprise, British cruiser, WW2 so looks like her armament on 7 Dec 1941 would be 5 x 6", 3 x 4", 16 x 21"TT (4 x 4) plus up to 10 x 40mm pompom AA guns (2 x 1 and either 1 or 2 x 4). Hope that helps your quest.
Hi Kiwi REd One thank you for your reply, yes that's kind of what I thought, but I am a bit puzzled by the suggestion that the two 6-inch waist guns would be replaced by a single quad pompom. I'd suggest their are somewhat similar in size and weight, and assuming the 6-inch guns were fed by a magazine below, would expect the Quad to use that same arrangement, no doubt with some modification. Perhaps they only had one quad available, fitting it either port or starboard, and hoped to fit another later on the other side. Otherwise your looking at fitting a quad centreline, which would have a greater restriction of arcs of fire, and a more signification modification to provide a magazine below. Regards Fatboy Coxy
Removal of any weight on a ship that old would be a bonus. Wartime additions such as radar and extra crew needed compensating for.
