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H, I, J, Class Alternative designs.
Since I had been involved with the design process for the A-1 then J-N class destroyers, doing drawings with alternative armaments was an interesting bit of work.
First was the 'H' class. The twin 4.5" was not ready at the time of the 'H' designs so an alternative armament of 3 twin 4" was substituted. This in fact proved not to be a drawback as the volume of fire of the 4" outweighed the lighter shell when compared with the later weapons. The new bridge structure also made a striking change from the earlier A-G class ships.
The 'I' class was designed to use the new twin turret based on the BD mounting used in the reconstruction of the Renown, Queen Elizabeth and others. Major change was the return to the bag and shell seperate, replacing the fixed ammunition of the earlier 4.5" and 4.7" HA weapons. The twin turret was a winner giving the crews protection not only from splinters but also from the harsh weather encountered in many areas of the world.
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The J class replaced the twin open 4.7" mounts with the twin 4.5" turret.
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