Wikipedia

Canon de 37 mm Modèle 1925

The Canon de 37 mm Modèle 1925 was a widely used family of French anti-aircraft guns used by the French Navy during World War II.

Canon de 37 mm Modèle 1925
Canon de 37 modèle 1925 on the French destroyer L'Indomptable in 1936.
TypeAnti-aircraft gun
Place of originFrance
Service history
Used byFrance
WarsWorld War II
Production history
Designed1925
Produced1925
VariantsModèle 1933
Specifications
Mass300 kg (660 lb)
Length2 m (6 ft 7 in)
Barrel length1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) (50-caliber)
Shell37 × 278 mm
Shell weight.72 kg (1.6 lb)
Caliber37 millimeters (1.5 in)
ActionSemi-automatic
Elevation−15° to +80°
Traverse360°
Rate of fire15-21 rpm
Muzzle velocity810 m/s (2,700 ft/s)
Effective firing range5,400 m (5,900 yd) at +45°
Maximum firing range7,000 m (7,700 yd) at +45°[1]

Design and construction

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The Modèle 1925 was a single gun mount while the later Modèle 1933 was a twin mount. Both were hand-loaded, semi-automatic guns with a low rate of fire compared to their clip-fed contemporaries. A combination of low rate of fire, low projectile weight and small numbers of guns per ship led to a reputation of it being a poor anti-aircraft weapon.[2]

Ship classes that carried Modèle 1925 & Modèle 1933 include:

Comparison of anti-aircraft guns

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Country Gun Model RPM Projectile Weight Weight of fire
  France Canon de 37 mm Modèle 1925 15-21 .72 kg (1.6 lb)[1] 10.8–15.12 kg (23.8–33.3 lb)
  Nazi Germany 3.7 cm SK C/30 30 .74 kg (1.6 lb)[3] 22.2 kg (49 lb)
  Italy Cannone-Mitragliera da 37/54 (Breda) 60-120 .82 kg (1.8 lb)[4] 49.2–98.4 kg (108–217 lb)
  United States 37 mm Gun M1 120 .87 kg (1.9 lb) 104.4 kg (230 lb)
  Nazi Germany 3.7 cm Flak 18/36/37/43 150 .64 kg (1.4 lb)[5] 96 kg (212 lb)
  Soviet Union 37 mm automatic air defense gun M1939 (61-K) 80[6] .73 kg (1.6 lb)[7] 58.4 kg (129 lb)
  United Kingdom QF 2-pounder naval gun 115 .91 kg (2.0 lb)[8] 104.6 kg (231 lb)
  Sweden Bofors 40 mm gun 120 .9 kg (2.0 lb)[9] 108 kg (238 lb)

Career

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Ships of the Free French Navy refitted in the United States during World War II had these guns replaced by 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Oerlikon guns.[2] Ships of the Vichy French Navy continued to carry the Canon de 37 mm Modèle 1925 until the remnants of that force were captured or scuttled during 1942. Ships salvaged by the Germans and Italians also replaced this gun with their equivalents.

References

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  1. ^ a b DiGiulian, Tony. "France 37 mm/50 (1.46") Model 1925 and CAIL Model 1933 - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2017-06-07.
  2. ^ a b Campbell, John (1985). Naval weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0870214594. OCLC 13085151.
  3. ^ DiGiulian, Tony. "Germany 3.7 cm/83 SK C/30 - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2017-06-07.
  4. ^ DiGiulian, Tony. "Italy 37 mm/54 (1.5") Models 1932, 1938 and 1939 - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2017-06-07.
  5. ^ DiGiulian, Tony. "Germany 3.7 cm/57 (1.5") Flak M43 - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2017-06-07.
  6. ^ Foss, Christopher (1977). Jane's pocket book of towed artillery. New York: Collier. p. 27. ISBN 0020806000. OCLC 911907988.
  7. ^ DiGiulian, Tony. "Russia / USSR 37 mm/67 (1.5") 70-K - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2017-06-07.
  8. ^ DiGiulian, Tony. "United Kingdom / Britain 2-pdr QF Mark VIII - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2017-06-07.
  9. ^ DiGiulian, Tony. "USA Bofors 40 mm/60 Model 1936 - NavWeaps". www.navweaps.com. Retrieved 2017-06-07.

Bibliography

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  • Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
  • Jordan, John & Moulin, Jean (2015). French Destroyers: Torpilleurs d'Escadre & Contre-Torpilleurs 1922–1956. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-198-4.
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