QF 3.7-inch AA gun: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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In 1928, the general characteristics for a new HAA gun were agreed, a bore of {{convert|3.7|in|mm}} firing {{convert|25|lb|kg|abbr=on}} shells with a ceiling of {{convert|28000|ft|m}}. Financial stringency led to no action being taken until the 1930s, when the specification was enhanced to a {{convert|28|lb|kg|abbr=on}} shell, {{convert|3000|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}} muzzle velocity, a {{convert|35000|ft|m}} ceiling, a towed road speed of {{convert|25|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, maximum weight of eight tons and an into action time of 15 minutes.

In 1934, [[Vickers Armstrong-Armstrongs]] produced a mock-up and proceeded to develop prototypes of the weapon, which was selected over a competitor by the state Design Department and passed acceptance tests in 1936.<ref name="PHS1964">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6rEMAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA284 | title=Design and Development of Weapons: Studies in Government and Industrial Organisation | isbn=9780116300898 | last1=Postan | first1=Michael Moïssey | last2=Hay | first2=Denys | last3=Scott | first3=John Dick | year=1964 | publisher=H.M. Stationery Office }}</ref><ref name = Rout50/><ref>Hogg, ''WWII'', p. 99.</ref> The weight specification was exceeded, the muzzle velocity not achieved and the mechanical time fuse, No. 206, was still some years from production. The igniferous No. 199 had to be used and its lesser running time limited the effective ceiling. GunThe productiongun startedpassed the trials by April of the following year,<ref name="PHS1964" /> and the gun production started later in the year.

[[File:MARIBYRNONG - DRAWING 3.7 inch ANTI AIRCRAFT GUN FROM FURNACE.jpg|thumb|A QF 3.7 inch gun barrel being drawn from a furnace in Australia in 1940]]

On 1 January 1938, the British air defences had only 180 anti-aircraft guns larger than 50&nbsp;mm and most of these were the older 3-inch guns. This number increased to 341 by the September 1938 ([[Munich Crisis]]), to 540 in September 1939 (declaration of war), and to 1,140 during the [[Battle of Britain]]. Production continued until 1945, averaging 228 guns per month throughout the period. Guns were also manufactured in Australia, at the [[Defence Explosive Factory Maribyrnong]].

Being a high-velocity gun, with a single charge and firing substantial quantities of ammunition, meant that barrel life could be short and by the end of 1940 there was a barrel shortage. Some of the substantial numbers of spare barrels required were produced in Canada.

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The other used a travelling platform (Mounting Mk II) with detachable wheels for guns to be used in static positions but which could be re-positioned. The mounting had a pedestal that was fixed to a solidly constructed, preferably concrete, platform on the ground. In 1944, it was found that a temporary platform built from [[Railroad tie|railway sleepers]] and rails was adequate for the static guns, making them considerably easier to re-deploy without the cost and delay of constructing new concrete platforms. These were known as ''Pile platforms'', after the head of Anti-Aircraft Command, General [[Frederick Alfred Pile]].<ref name = Dobinson436>Dobinson, p. 436.</ref>

In both cases, the saddle rotated 360° on the carriage or pedestal and provided elevation up to 80°. An [[AEC Matador]] was the normal gun tractor. There were six marks of ordnance (the barrel and breech assembly) and a few marks of carriage of both versions, some using letter suffixes. The carriage included the recoil system, laying arrangements, fuse setting and loading machinery. The Mk IIC mounting enabled fully automatic engagements, apart from putting shells into the feed to the machine fuze setter. [[File:The_British_Army_in_the_United_Kingdom_1939-45_H36058.jpg|thumb|A 3.7-inch anti-aircraft gun towed by an [[AEC Matador]] at [[Burrow Head]], Scotland, early 1944.]]

===Ammunition===

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===Mk VI===

Like the Mk IV this was based on the 4.5&nbsp;inch barrel design lined down to 3.7&nbsp;inches, and using the 4.5&nbsp;inch size cartridge. However, Colonel Probert changed the barrel to have gradual rifling: the rifling groove depth decreased to zero over the last five calibres of the barrel before the muzzle. This smoothed the two [[driving band]]s of a new design shell giving reduced air resistance and hence better ballistic performance, and causing far less barrel wear. The maximum ceiling for the gun was about {{convert|15240|m|ft|abbr=on}}. It was mounted on the Mounting Mk IIA and therefore deployed in static emplacements only. In service from 1944 to 1959.

As of 1949, erosive cordite propellant was not used with Mk 6 guns, but instead 17 lb and 2-6 oz of different single-base nitrocellulose propellant (as opposed to slightly over 7 lb 1 oz of cordite or around 8.5-9 lbs of single-base for Marks 1-3 guns).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stephentaylorhistorian.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/26-manuals-3338-anti-aircraft-ammunition.pdf |title=Anti-aircraft ammunition |website=stephentaylorhistorian|access-date=24 August 2023}}</ref>

==Performance==

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* {{BEL}}: 12

* {{flag|Canada|1921}}

* {{SRI}} 24<ref>{{cite book |title=Jane's Land-based Air Defence 1992-93 |publisher=[[Jane's Information Group]] |page=306 |url=https://ftp.idu.ac.id/wp-content/uploads/ebook/tdg/ADNVANCED%20MILITARY%20PLATFORM%20DESIGN/Janes%20Land-Based%20Air%20Defence%201992-93%20by%20Tony%20Cullen,%20Christopher%20F.%20Foss%20(z-lib.org).pdf}}</ref>

* {{SRI}}

* {{CYP}}

* {{IND}}

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* {{NEP}}: 45 still in service

* {{NZL}}: [[Royal New Zealand Artillery]]

*{{PAK}}<ref name = Singh19>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=atLHDgAAQBAJ&pg=PT19|title=Baptism Under Fire: Anti Aircraft Artillery in India Pakistan War 1965|first=Mandeep|last=Singh|date=5 June 2017|publisher=Vij Books India Private Limited|isbn=9789386457134 |via=Google Books}}</ref> Including 5th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment after Partition.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pakistan Army Air Defence |date=7 August 2021 |url=https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/pakistan-army-air-defence.719390/}}</ref>

*{{PAK}}<ref name = Singh19>[https://books.google.com/books?id=atLHDgAAQBAJ&pg=PT19 Singh, p. 19.]</ref>

* {{flag|Union of South Africa}}

* {{flag|Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia}}

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* {{cite book | last=Hogg | first=Ian V. | title=Allied artillery of World War One | publisher=Crowood | publication-place=Marlborough | date=1998 | isbn=1-86126-104-7 | oclc=40543410 | author-link=Ian V. Hogg}}

* {{cite book | last=Hogg | first=Ian V. | title=The guns: 1939/45 | publisher=Ballantine Books | publication-place = New York | date=1970 | isbn=0-01-906710-0 | oclc=75910}}

* {{cite book | lastlast1=Farndale | firstfirst1=Martin, Sir | last2=Hughes | first2=B. P. | title=History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery | publisher=Royal Artillery Institution | publication-place=Woolwich, London | date=1986 | isbn=1-870114-00-0 | oclc=21298417}}

* {{cite book | author=Mandeep Singh | title=Baptism under fire : anti aircraft artillery in India Pakistan war 1965 | publication-place=New Delhi (India) | date=2017 | isbn=978-93-86457-12-7 | oclc=987797193}}