The maximum angle of elevation allowed on most 16" turrets was 42 degrees. Any steeper than that would flatten the bearings on the roller path.
The 5-inchers on the other hand could elevate up to 85 degrees as they were A-A as well as shore bombardment. But a 5-inch hi-cap really doesn't do too much to volcanic rock which most of the islands are made of. Its porosity dampens shock very well.
16-inchers coming in at a high angle would have been very impressive. But the mathematics of ballistic trajectories will not allow it. As soon as that "bullet" leaves the muzzle, gravity takes over.
However, Wisconsin did do a "bang up job" (pun intended) on Japanese bunkers with 16-foot thick walls and a few decades later on Iraqi bunkers with 12-foot thick walls.
The 5-inchers on the other hand could elevate up to 85 degrees as they were A-A as well as shore bombardment. But a 5-inch hi-cap really doesn't do too much to volcanic rock which most of the islands are made of. Its porosity dampens shock very well.
16-inchers coming in at a high angle would have been very impressive. But the mathematics of ballistic trajectories will not allow it. As soon as that "bullet" leaves the muzzle, gravity takes over.
However, Wisconsin did do a "bang up job" (pun intended) on Japanese bunkers with 16-foot thick walls and a few decades later on Iraqi bunkers with 12-foot thick walls.
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