The Bofors 57 mm m/54 (57 mm luftvärnsautomatkanon m/54 or 57 mm lvakan m/54) was a wheeled[3] automatic anti-aircraft gun for land based use produced by Bofors and developed from the similar Bofors 57 mm m/50 naval artillery gun. The gun was developed in the 1950s and fielded by both the Belgian and Swedish military.
| Bofors 57 mm M54 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Type | Anti-aircraft gun | ||||||
| Place of origin | Sweden | ||||||
| Service history | |||||||
| Used by | Sweden & Belgium | ||||||
| Production history | |||||||
| Designer | Bofors | ||||||
| Specifications | |||||||
| Mass | 8.1 t (8.0 long tons; 8.9 short tons) | ||||||
| Barrel length | 3.42 m (11 ft 3 in) L/60 | ||||||
| Shell weight | 2.6 kg (5.7 lb) | ||||||
| Caliber | 57 mm (2.2 in) | ||||||
| Elevation | +90 ° to –5 ° | ||||||
| Traverse | 360 ° | ||||||
| Rate of fire | 120 rounds/min | ||||||
| Muzzle velocity | 820 m/s (2,700 ft/s) | ||||||
| Effective firing range | 4,000 m (4,400 yd) against aircraft | ||||||
| Maximum firing range | 14,500 m (15,900 yd) horizontal | ||||||
| References | Brassey's[1] & Jane's[2] | ||||||
The m/54 fired a 2.67 kg (5.9 lb) high explosive projectile at a muzzle velocity of 880 m/s (2,900 ft/s) and a rate of fire of 160 rounds per minute. Weighing in at 8.1 t (8.0 long tons; 8.9 short tons), the m/54 had an effective range of 4,000 m (13,000 ft).[4] The ballistics of the m/54 at practical air defense altitudes were not particularly superior to those of the Bofors 40 mm AA gun, resulting in relatively few sales of the m/54.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Blunt, Brian; Hewish, Mark; Hogg, Ian V.; Taylor, Tolley (1981). Bidwell, Shelford; Buchanan-Brown, John (eds.). Brassey's Artillery of the World (2nd ed.). Oxford: Brassey's Publishers Ltd. p. 195. ISBN 0-08-027035-2.
- ^ Pretty, R. T.; Archer, D. H. R., eds. (1974). Jane's Weapons Systems 1973-74 (5th ed.). London: Jane's Yearbooks. p. 415. ISBN 0-354-00118-3.
- ^ Jane's p. 560.
- ^ www.quarry.nildram.co.uk Archived December 28, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ www.tfd.chalmers.se
- Christopher Foss (Ed.), Jane's Armour and Artillery 1981-82, London: Jane's Publishing Co. Ltd., 1981.