Project Cyclops 1946-1986

[SigfanUSAF]

Project Cyclops was a highly secret major caliber gun project of the early '40s. Basically, BuShips wanted a single, large caliber & highly accurate gun capable of putting any capitol ship on the Axis side out of commission well beyond the range of the enemy guns. The end result was a 28"/36 caliber single turret.

The design began in 1942, but the actual prototype wasn't completed until 1946. The full turret assembly was first installed on a specifically designed barge with an unarmored barbette identical to the 37'3" standard of the Iowas- the intent was to replace #2 turrets on the Iowa, New Jersey, Missouri, Wisconsin & Kentucky. Ultimately the project was dropped, due to the late realization the days of the big gun were long over. However, in 1982 the project was re-opened under the Reagan administration. The one completed prototype had been sitting on her barge moored at a pier at the Philadelphia Navy yard since 1953. This turret replaced turret #2 on the USS Kentucky in 1983, and subsequently was involved (very successfully) in the bombardment of Lebanon alongside her half sister, the New Jersey. Due to the logistics of the unique 28" shells and the incredible heavy rate of wear on the barrel liner, the project was soon abandoned and Kentucky received her original #2 turret back in 1986.

To this day it remains the largest caliber weapon to have ever been fired from a naval ship.

Gentlemen, Project Cyclops ca 1984, with a Tamiya 1/350 16"/50 for comparison:

[PR19_Kit]

Yes, that's one SERIOUSLY big gun! 

[MiB]

GULP!

[Cliffy B]

VERY slick sir, me likey a lot!!!!  I love the armor texture on the turret.  How'd you do it?   

The only issue I have with it is the hatches in the sides of the turret.  Those things were too heavily armored to have hatches in them and the real turrets only had one small one on the underside at the rear.  I know you said the Barbette was unarmored but the turret would have to be armored to some extent.  That gun would be too much of a significant investment to not armor it at least against 155mm shore batteries.  Again, a small nitpick.  Now...where's the Kentucky to go along with the turret? 

[RussC]

Hmmmm, very interesting. It brings back some ideas of Gerald Buhl (Bull?) and the HARP project. Your big cannon could have been used to fire orbital and suborbital munitions, if fitted with an extended barrel. Such a gun could have been used as an antisatellite weapon, circa 1960's and even had some anti-missile uses, firing swarm rounds into oncoming ICBM's paths. This would have made the up-gunned BBHN the most sexy piece of mil-hardware of its age for the wonks at the Pentagon.   

[rickshaw]

Gerald Bull  and Project HARP (High Altitude Research Project).

My problem with putting such a huge gun on a ship would be recoil and accuracy.  It would have ranges far in excess of the optical and later radar ranging systems which would have been available in the 1940s, which have nullified many of the advantages of such a weapon.  The barbette (what most h'ignorant people call the "turret") would definitely have to be armoured at least to some degree, to protect the crew while such a huge weapon's muzzle blast would have played havoc with the ship's decking, boats and superstructure.   Its an interesting idea but for shore bombardment, multiple rocket systems would deliver a great weight on target, while guided missiles would have achieved better accuracy at longer ranges at sea.   If electronics hadn't been developed, such big guns might have been the consequence at sea.

[RussC]

Gerald Bull  and Project HARP (High Altitude Research Project).

My problem with putting such a huge gun on a ship would be recoil and accuracy.  It would have ranges far in excess of the optical and later radar ranging systems which would have been available in the 1940s, which have nullified many of the advantages of such a weapon.  The barbette (what most h'ignorant people call the "turret") would definitely have to be armoured at least to some degree, to protect the crew while such a huge weapon's muzzle blast would have played havoc with the ship's decking, boats and superstructure.   Its an interesting idea but for shore bombardment, multiple rocket systems would deliver a great weight on target, while guided missiles would have achieved better accuracy at longer ranges at sea.   If electronics hadn't been developed, such big guns might have been the consequence at sea.

Even the 16" weapons did that. A friend who was on the Iowa said that every time they went off, especially in salvo- the hallways, rooms and spaces rained dust, paint chips, cork insulation, and other dirts. It was especially bad in mess decks (cover your plate, we're shooting!) he said. It really troubled vacuum tube circuits and electrical connectors.

[SigfanUSAF]

My turret would be heavily armored, at least to the degree of the Iowas protection. I was picturing my access doors much like the door on the conning tower on the BBs. The barbettes would already be armored and in place on the Iowa class, thus this was built to fit in one on a barge for full scale mock up.

[NARSES2]

Lovely model but I must admit the recoil/back blast issues were giving me some pause for thought as well. Still what the heck we're in wiff world 

[ysi_maniac]

... Still what the heck we're in wiff world 

Yeah, who cares?

[Martin H]

Stuff the muzzle blast. I wouldnt want to be on any ship on the receiving end of an incoming round.

How about a ship mounted Dora tube as the Axis reply to that monster?

[scooter]

Stuff the muzzle blast. I wouldnt want to be on any ship on the receiving end of an incoming round.

How about a ship mounted Dora tube as the Axis reply to that monster?

So what's next?  Fitting both Yamato and Musashi with the Wave Motion Guns? 

[Martin H]

Stuff the muzzle blast. I wouldnt want to be on any ship on the receiving end of an incoming round.

How about a ship mounted Dora tube as the Axis reply to that monster?

So what's next?  Fitting both Yamato and Musashi with the Wave Motion Guns?  

Well both were ment to be rearmed with twin 20inch mounts. A broadside no one would want to be on the receiving end of.

[RussC]

Stuff the muzzle blast. I wouldnt want to be on any ship on the receiving end of an incoming round.

How about a ship mounted Dora tube as the Axis reply to that monster?

So what's next?  Fitting both Yamato and Musashi with the Wave Motion Guns? 

Actually that was done in the anime world, along with boosting Yamato into Space... 

[Joe C-P]

Real world - barrel whipping, recoil, and back blast damaging the ship would have rendered even the 20" essentially useless.

Whif - what the hey, if you can build it, just come up with a plausible explanation.