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The K-gun, standardized in 1942, replaced the Y-gun as the primary depth charge projector. The K-guns fired one depth charge at a time and could be mounted on the periphery of a ship's deck, thus freeing valuable centerline space. Four to eight K-guns were typically mounted per ship.
Until depth-finding sonar became available (the first was the Royal Navy's Q attachment in 1943), there was a "dead period" during the final moments before a depth-charge attack began when contact with the target would be lost. U-boat commanders became adept at sharp course changes and direction speed at these moments to break contact and escape.
During the ensuing period of conversion, the Coast Guard vessel was reconfigured as a patrol cutter. She now sported a main battery of a single-mount 5-inch gun, a hedgehog, a twin 40-millimeter mount, and two 20-millimeter guns, in addition to depth charge tracks and projectors and was reclassified once again as WPG-37.
A view from USCGC Spencer depth-charging U-175. Commissioned in 1937, she was first used as a search and rescue unit off Alaska's fishing grounds. When the United States entered World War II, the Coast Guard temporarily became part of the United States Navy. Spencer saw service in the Pacific War.
This weapon was a three-barrel 12-inch (305 mm) mortar with the mortars mounted in series but off-bore from each other in order to scatter the projectiles. The barrels were mounted in a frame that could be rotated through 90 degrees for loading. The projectiles weighed 390 pounds (177 kg) with a 207-pound (94 kg) minol charge.
The new submarine chaser carried out gunnery trials on the 30th, expending 25 rounds of 2-pounder ammunition, two 300-pound depth charges, one Y-gun impulse charge, seven Holman projector grenades, and two hand flares. She reached Digby the next day.
The Vickers K machine gun, known as the Vickers Gas Operated (Vickers G.O.) or Gun, Machine, Vickers G.O. .303-inch in British service, was a rapid-firing machine gun developed and manufactured for use in aircraft by Vickers-Armstrongs. The high rate of fire was needed for the short period of time when the gunner would be able to fire at an ...
Their main armament initially reflected their anti-submarine focus, with 12 depth charges, a single QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss gun forward, and one set of twin 0.303-in Lewis or GO machine guns (frequently increased in number by the crew); early boats often received a Holman projector amidships. A common upgrade to gun armament by 1942-43 in many ...