Twin 3"/50 Mk 22 on HMS Victorious

[donnyjie]

HMS Victorious had armed with 4 new Twin 3-inch AA gun turrets after her reconstruction in 1958. Many sources state that they were Mk 22s from the US Navy, but those on Victorious seemed to have a unique shape. Does anyone have information about the turrets (a fire control radar on the top-right maybe?) or close-up photos?

 

[TomS]

IWM has some other images:

NEW NAVAL STRIKE AIRCRAFT IN HMS VICTORIOUS. JUNE 1959, ON BOARD HMS VICTORIOUS, DURING LANDING TRIALS FOR THE BLACKBURN NA-39, A TWIN-ENGINED AIRCRAFT THAT CAN BE USED ATTACKS ON SHORE TARGETS OR SHIPS CARRYING CONVENTIONAL OR NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

The Blackburn NA-39 (XK 489) just over the flight deck of HMS VICTORIOUS.

www.iwm.org.uk

TRIALS OF NA-39, FLEET AIR ARM'S LATEST AIRCRAFT. FEBRUARY 1960, ON BOARD HMS VICTORIOUS, IN THE CHANNEL. CATAPULT AND DECK LANDING TRIALS OF THE BLACKBURN NA-39.

The Blackburn NA-39 (XK 523) piloted by Lieut Cdr Derek Whitehead, AFC, RN, Chief Test Pilot of Blackburns.

www.iwm.org.uk

This looks to be an open-backed gun shield, quite possibly with metal armor plates, definitely not the standard aluminum and fiberglass enclosure.

 

[alexi]

USA 3"/50 (7.62 cm) Marks 27, 33 and 34 - NavWeaps

www.navweaps.com

 

[Jemiba]

In Ross Watton's "The Aircraft Carrier Victorious", the 3in guns are referred to as Mk 22 on Mk 33 mountings.
"... The British version of the Mk 33 had the same carriage as the US version, but was provided with an enclosed shield." (drawings from the mentioned book)

 

[TomS]

Right. The US nomenclature is complicated. The gun has one Mark number, the whole mount has another. And there are examples of Mk 33 mounts with and without the fiberglass gun shield.

 

[Tzoli]

Right. The US nomenclature is complicated. The gun has one Mark number, the whole mount has another. And there are examples of Mk 33 mounts with and without the fiberglass gun shield.

Indeed and its add to complexity that there were two 3"/50 Mark 22 guns.
The first one being a modified Mark 10 (of 1914 vintage) with different chromium bores and barrels likely from 1943.
While the 3"/50 RF Mark 22 was from 1945 (or 1941) which was used post war and intended to replace the 40mm Bofors guns. Three mountings were designed:
Single open Mark 34 and an unknown (if ever recieved such mark number) fully enclosed mounting (Open mountings was used on both on the Bronstein and Claud Jones class Frigates stern, while the forward mounting on ghe Claud Jones and Asheville classes had fully enclosed ones) Mark 27 open twin mounting though never seen this variant and the open Mark 33 used on many post WW2 ships like the Worcester and Des Moines classes and CIP upgraded vessels. While most foreign equipped vessels had a fully enclosed turret like the Canadian escorts and Spanish ships.

 

[donnyjie]

TomS, Jemiba, I think I have got what I want. Many thanks to you all.