Scale: 1/100

Includes 1 mount (turret) with barrel.
 
Among naval historians, the US Navy 5"/38 caliber cannon is considered the best intermediate-caliber, dual purpose naval gun of World War II.  These three models represent the 5"/38 cal. Mk.30 Mod.60 single-gun mount fit to several classes of warships and Coast Guard cutters.

These "Lightweight" versions were known as "Single Knuckle" mounts during World War II, so named due to the single "bump" on the turret roof. Compared to the "late version", the early version, reproduced here, appeared sometime before 1944, had a different arrangement of stiffeners on the front of the gunhouse, differently positioned equipment box, differently shaped shell ejection chute, and fewer fasteners on access hatches. Three of these mounts are often seen on "round bridge" Fletcher class destroyers such as USS Fletcher DD-445 herself, and destroyers of the earlier Sims, Benson and Gleaves classes.  

Of the five 5-inch/38 cal. Mk.30 single mounts normally fit to a Fletcher class destroyer, for example, three "Single Knuckle" lightweight mounts were carried, all fit on top of deckhouses in superfiring positions, known there as "Mount 52", "Mount 53" and "Mount 54".  The other two mounts were "Double Knuckle" heavyweight Mod.41 mounts, available separately.  The two "double knuckle" mounts were fit to the main deck.

Features:
overall dimensions and details scaled from official US Navy O.P. 1112 drawings dated March, 1945 and measurements taken from a surviving Mod.60 mount aboard the museum ship USS Kidd DD-661
mount can be made rotatable and the gun can be positioned at any realistic elevation
an accurately shaped asymmetrical gunhouse (turret)
accurate, offset gun opening
forward face stiffeners
detailed turret bottom supporting structure with accurately placed bolt-head detail
rear vent
detailed gun captain access hatch, fit to the right side of the roof as they were during World War Two
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© Model Monkey LLC.  This 3D-printed item may not be copied or recast. 
 
Classes that carried this mount include:
Bagley
Benham
Benson
Buckley
Dunlap
Fletcher (early ships of the class)
Garcia
German destroyer class 119
Gridley
Secretary
Sims