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Scale: 1/200


Set includes 3 mounts (turrets) with barrels.

 

Notice: the design has been updated to include solid trunnions for easier barrel alignment based on customer feedback.  Renderings of these mounts show the discontinued design with open, hollow trunnions.

Recommended for:

  • Digital Navy 1/200 scale USS Black DD-666
  • Digital Navy 1/200 scale USS Caperton DD-650
  • Halinski 1/200 scale USS Heerman DD-532
  • Modelik 1/200 scale USS Leutze DD-481
  • Progresswerk Nürnberg 1/200 scale Z1 Zerstörer (Fletcher klasse / klasse 119)


Among naval historians, the USNavy 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 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 because of 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 Mk.30 single mounts normally fitted 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


© Model Monkey LLC. This 3D-printed product 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

1/200 Fletcher class, etc., 5"/38 cal. Mk.30 "Single Knuckle" Mounts, early

SKU: 200-5in38 single knuckle early-3
$22.00Price
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