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USS Enterprise CV-6
The Most Decorated Ship of the Second World War

Richard Mathsen generously contributed extensive research to this article.

Between 1941 and 1945, Enterprise's anti-aircraft armament changed considerably. Her defenses early in the war, while impressive on paper, were largely ineffective against determined attack. The 1.1" guns were deafening, literally. Until effective fire control radar and proximity-fused shells became available, the 5"/38 barrels' long reach could not be exploited. And the .50-caliber machine guns could do little more than spray small shells in the general direction of an attacking plane.

With the introduction of the Oerlikon 20mm machine guns in spring 1942, the situation began to change for the better. Though the Big E was severely damaged by air attacks in the fall - during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons and Santa Cruz - her action reports explicitly comment on the heavy toll of enemy planes taken by the 20mm batteries.

As effective as the Oerlikon was, however, its short range meant it couldn't be relied on to knock down an enemy plane before the attacker had released its ordnance. The Bofors 40mm - which replaced the old 1.1" mounts in late 1942 - and the 5"/38 had both the range and hitting power to drop enemy aircraft at greater distances. Enterprise retained her original complement of eight 5"/38 guns throughout her career, and by war's end she bristled with over fifty 40mm barrels.

Following are basic specifications for the anti-aircraft armament carried by Enterprise CV-6 during her career. A few explanatory notes:


Browning M2 .50-Caliber Machine Gun
Projectile Weight: 0.045 kg / 0.100 lb
Rate of Fire: 500 rounds/min
Effective Range: Unknown
Maximum Range: 6770 m / 7400 yds
Ceiling: 4570 m / 5000 yds at 90° elevation
Gunners aboard the Big E firing .50-caliber guns during the February 1942 Marshall Islands Raid.
Complement:
5/38-10/38 10/38-10/41 10/41-2/42 2/42-4/42 4/42-7/42 7/42-9/42 10/42-11/42 11/42-10/43 10/43-8/45 9/45-2/47
- 24 single 24+ single Varies Unknown - - - - -
 
Quad 1.1" 75-Caliber Cannon
Projectile Weight: 0.416 kg / 0.917 lb
Rate of Fire: 150 rounds/min
Rate of Train: 24°/sec elevation, 30°/sec train
Effective Range: Unknown
Maximum Range: 6770 m / 7400 yds at 40° elevation
Ceiling: 5760 m / 6300 yds at 90° elevation
A quad 1.1" anti-aircraft gun mount on Enterprise CV-6, in early 1942.
Complement:
5/38-10/38 10/38-10/41 10/41-2/42 2/42-4/42 4/42-7/42 7/42-9/42 10/42-11/42 11/42-10/43 10/43-8/45 9/45-2/47
- 4 quad 4 quad 4 quad 4 quad 5 quad 1 quad 1 quad - -
 
Oerlikon Single 20mm Machine Gun
Projectile Weight: 0.123 kg / 0.271 lb
Rate of Fire: 450 rounds/min
Effective Range: 914 m / 1000 yds
Maximum Range: 4390 m / 4800 yds at 35° elevation
Ceiling: 3050 m / 3300 yds at 90° elevation
New 20mm guns on Enterprise CV-6 fire at a towed target off Hawaii, March 1942.
Complement:
5/38-10/38 10/38-10/41 10/41-2/42 2/42-4/42 4/42-7/42 7/42-9/42 10/42-11/42 11/42-10/43 10/43-8/45 9/45-2/47
- - - Varies 32 single 40 single 44 single 46 single 50 single 16 twin
 
Bofors 40mm Cannon
Projectile Weight: 0.901 kg / 1.985 lb
Rate of Fire: 160 rounds/min
Rate of Train: 24°/sec elevation, 30°/sec train
Effective Range: 2700 m / 3000 yds
Maximum Range: 10,060 m / 11,000 yds at 42° elevation
Ceiling: 6950 m / 7600 yds at 90° elevation
Gunners man battle stations in 40mm anti-aircraft mounts, Enterprise CV-6, 13 November 1942.
Complement:
5/38-10/38 10/38-10/41 10/41-2/42 2/42-4/42 4/42-7/42 7/42-9/42 10/42-11/42 11/42-10/43 10/43-8/45 9/45-2/47
- - - - - - 4 quad 4 quad 8 twin / 6 quad 5 twin / 11 quad
 
5" 38-Caliber Dual-Purpose Gun
Projectile Weight: 24.5 kg / 54 lb
Rate of Fire: 15 rounds/min
Rate of Train: 18°/sec elevation, 34°/sec train
Effective Range: Unknown
Maximum Range: 16,640 m / 18,200 yds at 45° elevation
Ceiling: 11,340 m / 12,400 yds at 85° elevation
A 5" 38-caliber anti-aircraft gun mount on Enterprise CV-6, in early 1942.
Complement:
5/38-10/38 10/38-10/41 10/41-2/42 2/42-4/42 4/42-7/42 7/42-9/42 10/42-11/42 11/42-10/43 10/43-8/45 9/45-2/47
8 single 8 single 8 single 8 single 8 single 8 single 8 single 8 single 8 single 8 single

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