Big gun Barrel Re-lining (Yamato)
Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 5:34 am
It seems to me that there is another 'fact' quickily evolving across the net. This 'fact' being that Yamato and Musashi's guns were rarely used due to concerns with Barrel life. I am seeing posts suggesting a barrel lifes of between 75-100 rounds and that the Japanese didnt have the facitlities in place to replace the Barrels.
I feel that this is rubbish. Japan had quite a number of BBs and would have to have the facilties to replace BB barrels. But am I right in thinking that the barrels don't have to be replaced? Are they not simply relined? Basically, from the limited information available, the Barrels are simply removed and put through the last part of the manufacturing process which invloves the installation of the rifled barrel liner.
Especially concerning the Yamato's, there were already 9 or more barrels ready for replacing (Shinano's). But from what I have read the whole procedure from barrel removal to re-installation wouldn't have taken more than a month. I have read that the guns couldnt be removed due to the weight and others saying that the process would have taken 6 months to a year (for Yamato's). This seems to me that it will eventually become fact that the Japanese were reluctant to fire the guns because they couldnt replace the barrels by just being repeated on the net over and over again.
On another note, does anybody have any imformation on any of the Iowa's barrels being replaced. People are touting how much gunnery practise the Iowa's undertook but I can find no evidence of them having their barrels relined. They would have needed to be replaced at least once with all this shell expenditure.
I feel that this is rubbish. Japan had quite a number of BBs and would have to have the facilties to replace BB barrels. But am I right in thinking that the barrels don't have to be replaced? Are they not simply relined? Basically, from the limited information available, the Barrels are simply removed and put through the last part of the manufacturing process which invloves the installation of the rifled barrel liner.
Especially concerning the Yamato's, there were already 9 or more barrels ready for replacing (Shinano's). But from what I have read the whole procedure from barrel removal to re-installation wouldn't have taken more than a month. I have read that the guns couldnt be removed due to the weight and others saying that the process would have taken 6 months to a year (for Yamato's). This seems to me that it will eventually become fact that the Japanese were reluctant to fire the guns because they couldnt replace the barrels by just being repeated on the net over and over again.
On another note, does anybody have any imformation on any of the Iowa's barrels being replaced. People are touting how much gunnery practise the Iowa's undertook but I can find no evidence of them having their barrels relined. They would have needed to be replaced at least once with all this shell expenditure.