GHQ Models Forums

I want to make markers for ship under fire with a "water column" showing the size of the firing guns but I have problems finding data on the "big guns""

Uo to now I have found the following sizes (from Italian Navy)
203mm (8") 48m high (lasting 6,5 seconds) that is 2cm in 1/2400
152mm (6") 33m 5 1,4cm
120mm 26m 4,5 1cm

I miss the 12", 14", 15", 16" and 18". Not necesarily all of them but just to have an idea as I suppo they are quite imponent.

Any help?

TAMMY,

You're going to make markers that are only 1 cm tall? That sounds very ambitious. Love to see them when you're done.

Paul

Tammy - From what I've read on Naval Fire Control, it was very difficult for spotters to tell the difference between large caliber shell splashes. That's why 'the plan' was for ships to fight in line and fire at their opposite numbers . (It worked in the 1700's). It's also why dreadnought type battleships dispensed with the various intermediate caliber guns. Mk 1 human eyeball being the only spotting device.
Make your large caliber shell splashes about 2 cm high, and let the players keep track.

The French and the Japanese Navies (at least) developed colored dies to put in the shells so ships could mark their own shots. Apochryphal story: During an interwar combined exercise with the Royal Navy and the French Navy, the French asked their British counterparts what color their splashes would be. "Color"? asked the British.
"Ah, you shalll use white", was the French reply. Well, it could be true.
Groundlber

Please note that these markers are for scenic only and have just the function to show that a ship is under fire. There will be a colour code to identify the firing ship but only if there are many ships firing to many targets.

The different sizes are from the point of view of the target not of the firer. A 15" shell will rise a column quite bigger than an 8" and the target will be quite able to see the difference.