M_A_Rozon

Both Nicely done. Thanks.

I would keep the 5-inch guns for a couple of reasons: 1) not all fire support missions need the 16-inch battery; 2) for reasons of self-defence against a variety of threats to the ship the 5-inch guns are the appropriate weapons. Had the ships stayed in service long enough to have received this refit, I can see 1 or 2 RAM launchers being fitted when the system became available.

On a Russian Language forum I found pictures of one modelmaker's rendition of Project 83 completed post-war with the 8-inch main battery. I'll see if I can figure out how to post them.

Here is a place to start: http://bastion-karpenko.ru/83/ It is in Russian but reasonably easy to deal with using free on-line translators (you might have to use two as all of the words are not translated, depending on which ones you use). My own opinion is that the only triple 180-mm turret that would have been usable was the same one used by project 26 and 26-bis, which had the great misfortune of being designed with all three guns on one slide and being very tight. The use of the MK-5 turret with its 3 x 152-mm guns was more likely. Bigger Guns, MORE POWER!

Books: "Destroyer Captain" by Hara Tameichi "Shattered Sword" by Parshall and Tully "The Cruel Sea" by Nicholas Monserrat Cold War but good reads, anyway: "The Bedford Incident" by Mark Rascovich The series "Frigate", Carrier", "Submarine" by John Wingate. "Red Storm Rising" by Tom Clancy Movies: "Tora, Tora, Tora" "The Cruel Sea" "The Caine Mutiny" "Das Boot" "Operation Petticoat" (because it is funny as hell and it's set in WW2)! "The Final Countdown" (Big soft spot, too, and it does indeed have Zeros!)

I finally almost figured out how to register for the forum! Horrendously Loud Cheer! Bigger Guns, MORE POWER! Enough of that! I need a rest! Will sort through my old posts later for future use!