USN WWII light AA fire coordination

[Hummer Mole]

Gents, looking some pretty specific info I've been unable to find anywhere else. I'm doing some research on US Navy Carrier Task Force air defense during the Pacific campaign and need some info on how US Navy ships directed coordinated their light AA guns. I have a lot of info on the 5"/38 and Mk37 Director, and have done some research into the Mk51 director for the 40mm Bofors gun. From what I've been able to determine, most of the 40mm guns used the Mk51 director. I've seen reports that 20mm Oerlikons were sometimes also slaved to the Mk51 director, although I've yet to see a 20mm mount with the drive and control gear necessary for automatic director control. My main question is what type of coordination was used for the manual 20mm and .50 caliber mounts? In some wartime pictures of the light gun batteries, I've seen pics of guys with headphones standing behind a group of single mount gunners. I can only guess they're talking on one of the battle interphone circuits to the CIC to get the general direction of approaching aircraft, or get targeting priority. Anybody have any more specific information or vectors in the right direction?

Thanks,

GLENN

[Tony Williams]

I don't have a source to point to towards (although you will find people who know the answer on the Warships1 forum here: http://p216.ezboard.com/bwarships1discussionboards ) but I've always understand that the small-calibre AA (20mm and under) was manually aimed by the gunner. Their effective range was so short there would be no problem in seeing the targets.

Powered mountings for this class of gun were rare in WW2 (they're not that common now) but one exception was the Italian navy, which had twin-20mm mountings which were not only powered but stabilised - very advanced!

Tony Williams
Homepage: http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk