40mm guns | Forums

[vietvettwo]

I think it was fairly common for US subs to have one or more 40mm guns mounted along with a 5" gun.
I've posted before that being able to chew up a tug or fishing boat with the 20mm's made for an interesting diversion (plus it saved fish and cannon ammo).
Will we have 40mm's and will their heavier punch make them usable against larger surface craft?

[shoot-kill-win]

Taken from the U.S.S. Batfish website:
"40mm Gun:


Not originally fitted to submarines, the 40-mm was added to the arsenal when commanders argued that they needed something to fill the gap between the 20-mm and the deck gun for close-in attacks on small vessels. The single-barrel "wet" version used on submarines had seats for the aimer and trainer, who could elevate, depress, traverse, and aim the gun with hand controls. Besides its rarely used anti-aircraft role, the 40-mm was used for attacks on supply junks and other light craft that weren't considered adequate targets for torpedoes or the main gun. Later in the war, a 40-mm was usually installed on the cigarette deck at the aft end of the conning tower, where it replaced the original 20-mm mount."

My guess, and this is just a guess, that we will have 40mm guns in the game but not until later on about 43 or so i could be wrong with that year.

[Crosseye76]

It seems the 40mm was a fairly late addition to the Subs.

The USS Barb's page at Navsource online has a good series of shots. ( I love those Mare Island overhaul pics ! )

One in 29 Jan. 1944 Shows her still with 2 X 20mm mounts. The second, taken on 7 May 1945 shows her with a 40mm mounted forward. And it's circled, indicating it's one of the overhaul updates.


USS Barb


The same site has the USS Gato with the 40mm mount on 23 Nov. 1944. She still has 2 X 20mm in an earlier pic from August 1943.

USS Gato