CUS Lawson (DD-1944)

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Based on the sucessful Huntington class destroyers, the Lawson class replaced the three twin semi-auto 4.5" turrets with two twin fully automatic turrets. This actually increased the amount of shells per minute that the ship could produce. 10 per minute from the semis to 20 per minute from the autos (60rpm from the Huntingtons 80rpm from the Lawsons). The forward magazine area was joined so that both prior magazine rooms could now feed the twin auto turret. The new aft turret required mounting further forward than the old semi turret to allow for the depth of handling rooms and rotation gear could be fitted. New handling rooms for the magazine of an enlarged size had to be fitted in aft. The aft quad 40mm of the Huntington was removed and replaced with a smaller twin mounting also moved further forward.

Whereas the Huntington class ships were made available through Lend Lease, the Lawsons were not. Not untill the late 1950's did the Lawson class ships start to be sold to overseas buyers. 80 of the class were ordered which was reduced to 60 before the first ship was even completed and a further twelve were cancelled at wars end, leaving a total of 48, 26 of which were completed post-war. The war built members of the class was completed with the twin 40mm as shown, while the post-war ships were completed with the twin 40mm fore and aft while the six side mounted twins were replaced with four twin 3" automatic mountings. The four single 20mm mountings forward were replaced with Hedgehog ahead firing mortars either side of the bridge.

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