naval anti-aircraft guns and gunnery

[steviecee]

Naval Anti-Aircraft Guns and Gunnery by Norman Friedman
Another of Friedman�s excellent works on naval technology; it focuses more on the gunnery aspect of anti-aircraft fire rather than on the guns. The guns are well covered but much of the book is about finding a way to enable the guns to target an aircraft moving in three dimensions and prevent it from striking the defending ships. The first method defenders used was to put up a barrage in front of an attack to discourage that attack. As speed and the number of attackers increased it became necessary to develop a method to predict where an aircraft would be so shells could be aimed at that point to hit that aircraft. To predict the path with any accuracy, some sort of director was needed and Friedman covers the development of the various directors used by the different navies in detail. All aspects of defense against air attack are covered, including CAP and its successes and limitations. The book covers the subject thoroughly
As usual with his books there are numerous photographs and drawings. I especially like the drawings of guns that were taken from the between wars armaments catalogues. There are extensive notes and an appendix covering gun data. I do recommend this book.
The chapters are:
1. An evolving threat
2. Making anti-aircraft fire effective
3. Beginnings
4. The interwar Royal Navy
5. The interwar US Navy
6. The interwar Japanese navy
7. Other European navies between the wars
8. The Royal Navy at war
9. The US Navy at war
10. Axis navies at war
11. Post war developments