Canon antiaérène de 37 mm | |
|---|---|
| Pays | Union soviétique |
| Type | Canon de défense aérienne |
| Période | 1939-1945 |
| Construit | 20.000 |
Canon automatique de défense aérienne de 37 mm M1939 (61-K) (russe : 37-мм автоматишеская зенитная пушка образша 1939 года (61-К)) était un canon antiaérène soviétique de calibre 37 mm développé à la fin des années 1930 et utilisé pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale. La version terrestre a été remplacée en service soviétique par le ZSU-57-2 dans les années 1950. Des canons de ce type ont été utilisés avec succès dans tout le front de l’Est contre des bombardiers de plongée et d’autres cibles à basse et moyenne altitude. Il avait également une certaine utilité contre les cibles au sol légèrement blindées. Les équipages des canons 37 mm AD ont abattu 14 657 avions axis. La quantité moyenne de munitions de 37 mm pour abattre un avion ennemi était de 905 cartouches.
Source: 37mm M1939 sur Wiki
| Canon antiaérène de 37 mm Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Photographe | Verwolf Verwolf |
| Localisation | Inconnu |
| Photos | 16 |
Voir aussi :
The Bofors of the East
Lla 37mm Automatic Air Defense Gun M1939 (61-K) was the Soviet Union’s most prolific and successful light anti-aircraft weapon of World War II. Developed in the late 1930s under the leadership of Mikhail Loginov, it was heavily influenced by the Swedish Bofors 40mm design but adapted for Soviet manufacturing and the 37mm caliber. It filled the critical gap between heavy machine guns and large-caliber 85mm cannons, specializing in downing dive bombers and ground-attack aircraft. By the end of the war, 61-K crews were credited with destroying nearly 15,000 Axis aircraft.
| Attribute | Technical Specification (61-K) |
|---|---|
| Type | Automatic Anti-Aircraft Gun |
| Crew | 8 men |
| Production Years | 1939 – 1945 (USSR) |
| Ammunition | 37 × 252 mmSR (Clip-fed, 5 rounds) |
| Rate of Fire | 160–170 rpm (Cyclic) / 80 rpm (Practical) |
| Muzzle Velocity | 880 m/s (2,887 ft/s) |
| Effective Ceiling | 4,000 m (13,123 ft) |
| Horizontal Range | 8,500 m (Maximum ballistic range) |
Engineering: Ruggedness and Versatility
- The ZU-7 Carriage: The gun sat on a four-wheeled towed carriage with outriggers that could be deployed in under 30 seconds. This allowed the 61-K to be rapidly moved to protect advancing tank columns or critical river crossings.
- Short-Recoil Operation: The weapon used a short-recoil automatic system with a vertical sliding breech block. This design was famously reliable even in the extreme cold and mud of the Eastern Front.
- Dual-Purpose Capability: While primarily an AA gun, the 61-K was frequently used against ground targets. Its Armor-Piercing (AP) rounds could penetrate 37mm of armor at 500 meters, making it a nightmare for German light tanks and half-tracks.
- 5-Round Clips: Ammunition was fed into a hopper using 5-round clips. This allowed for a continuous « stream » of fire as long as the loaders could keep up, creating a literal wall of lead in the path of incoming Junkers or Stukas.
A Legacy Across Continents
- Lla « 70-K » Naval Variant: A single-barrel naval version was developed for Soviet warships, eventually replacing older semi-automatic guns. It became the primary short-range defense for the Soviet Navy during the war.
- ZSU-37 Self-Propelled Gun: Toward the end of the war, the 61-K was mounted on an open-topped SU-76 chassis, creating the ZSU-37—the Soviet Union’s first dedicated tracked anti-aircraft vehicle.
- Lla « Type 55 » and Global Reach: After WWII, the design was exported and licensed widely. China produced it as the Type 55 (single) and Type 65 (twin). It has seen action in nearly every major conflict of the 20th century, from the Korean War to the Vietnam War and beyond.
- Dien Bien Phu: During the 1954 battle, Viet Minh 37mm crews famously neutralized the French airstrip, preventing resupply and sealing the fate of the garrison—demonstrating how effective towed AA could be when hidden in jungle terrain.
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