Bofors 75 mm Model 1929
| Bofors 75 mm and 80 mm guns | |
|---|---|
 Bofors '7,5 cm luftvärnskanon m/29' as part of Swedish coastal fortifications. | |
| Type | Anti-aircraft gun |
| Place of origin | Sweden |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1930–present |
| Used by | Argentina, China, Dutch East Indies, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Persia and Thailand |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Bofors AB, Krupp |
| Designed | 1930 |
| Manufacturer | Bofors AB |
| Produced | 1930 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 8 cm m/29: travelling 4,200 kg (9,300 lb), firing 3,300 kg (7,300 lb) |
| Length | 7.5 cm m/30: 590 cm (230 in) |
| Barrel length | 8 cm m/29:4 m (13 ft) |
| Crew | dependent on use |
| Shell weight | 8 kilograms (18 lb) |
| Caliber | 7.5 cm m/30: 75 millimetres (3.0 in) 8 cm m/29: 80 millimetres (3.1 in) |
| Elevation | +807-3° |
| Traverse | 360° |
| Muzzle velocity | 8 cm m/29: 750 metres per second (2,500 ft/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 8 cm m/29: 10,000 metres (11,000 yd) |
Bofors 75 mm and Bofors 80 mm were two closely-related designs of anti-aircraft and general-purpose artillery. Less well known than the 40 mm quick-firing AA gun, the gun was nevertheless adopted by armed forces of numerous countries during World War II, including Argentina, China, Dutch East Indies, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Persia and Thailand.[1] It was closely related to the 8.8 cm Flak 18/36/37/41, one of the best-known AA guns of World War II, which was partially based on it.[1]
Development history
World War I AA guns were often pieces of standard medium-calibre artillery modified for anti-aircraft fire. However, fast development of aerial warfare meant that a larger muzzle velocity was needed to target modern planes flying faster and at higher altitudes. Having lost the war, Germany had been forbidden from developing new weapons of most types by the Versailles treaty.[2] However, the Krupp company almost immediately started cooperation with the Swedish Bofors to develop a new AA gun.[2] A team of German experts was sent to Sweden and the development was funded secretly by the Reichswehr.[2]
The resulting 75 mm gun proved adequate to the Swedes, but extensive trials by the German army proved unsatisfactory and the Germans requested a heavier design.[2] The 75 mm was then modified to include a larger calibre barrel, which was further developed into the 8.8 cm Flak 18/36/37/41, one of the best-known AA guns of World War II.[2]
Nevertheless, despite the German unwillingness to buy the 75 mm variant, the Swedish company decided to start serial production anyway.[3] There were many notable differences between Krupp's design and the one eventually produced by the Swedish company, but both guns shared a similar layout and a cruciform firing platform, which allowed the gun to traverse full 360 degrees and fire in all directions.[1] The platform was lowered to the ground from two wheeled axles, which had to be removed before firing.[1]
The Swedish gun entered service in the Swedish Army under two distinct designations: luftvärnskanon m/29 and luftvärnskanon m/30, both produced either in 75 mm ("7,5 cm") and 80 mm ("8 cm") bore, depending on the order.[1]
In 1938 Persia bought 24 pieces of slightly modified Luftvärnskanon m/30-37 (also known as Luftvärnskanon m/37), intended for 6 batteries of 4 guns each. The outbreak of World War II prevented any further deliveries.[3] One of the largest batches of the gun were bought by Hungary (all in 80 mm variant), which successfully used it on the Eastern Front of World War II both in anti-aircraft and anti-tank role (under the designation of 8-cm 29M).[1][3] György Szebeny also designed a version of the 40M Nimród self-propelled AA gun armed with the 80 mm Bofors instead of the original 40 mm gun, but it never went into production.[4]
References
Citations
Bibliography
- Template:En icon Chris Bishop, ed. (2002). "8.8-cm Flak 18 and Flak 37". The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II. Sterling Publishing Company. p. 540. ISBN 9781586637620.
- Template:Pl icon Stefan Pataj (1976). Artyleria lądowa: 1871-1970. Warsaw: Wydawnictwa Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej. p. 497.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help); Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - Template:En icon Károly Németh (2014). "Hungarian Firepower: Nimród and Nimród 80mm tank destroyers". For the Record. Retrieved 2014-06-10.