76 mm air defense gun M1931

76 mm air defense gun M1931
76 mm M1931 at Kempele, Finland.
TypeAnti-aircraft gun
Place of originSoviet Union
Service history
Used bySoviet Union
Finland
Nazi Germany
WarsWinter War
World War II
Production history
Produced1931–1938
Specifications
MassTravel: 4,820 kg (10,630 lb)
Combat: 3,650 kg (8,050 lb)
Barrel length4.1 m (13 ft 5 in) L/55
Crew10[1]
ShellFixed QF 76.2 × 558 mm. R[2]
Shell weight6.6 kg (14 lb 9 oz)
Caliber76.2 mm (3 in)
BreechSemi-automatic vertical sliding-wedge
RecoilHydro-pneumatic
CarriageTwo-wheeled carriage with collapsible cruciform outriggers
Elevation−2° to +82°
Traverse360°[1]
Rate of fire10–20 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity815 m/s (2,670 ft/s)
Maximum firing range9.3 km (31,000 ft) AA ceiling[1]

The 76 mm air defense gun M1931 (Russian: 76-мм зенитная пушка обр. 1931 г.) was an anti-aircraft gun used by the Soviet Union during the Winter War and the first stages of World War II.

History

Designed by German company Rheinmetall, the configuration of the air defense gun M1931 is similar to the design of the contemporary Vickers 3-inch anti-aircraft guns. The Soviet M1931 had a two-wheeled carriage with collapsible cruciform outriggers.[1]

The M1931 was replaced in production in 1938 by the 76 mm air defense gun M1938 which had a four-wheeled dual-axle carriage with two collapsible outriggers. The M1931 and M1938 had nearly identical performance and were gradually replaced by the more powerful 85 mm air defense gun M1939.[1]

A number of M1931 guns were captured by Finland during the Winter War and were employed by them as the 76 ItK/31 ss during World War II.[3] Likewise, M1931 guns captured by the Germans were given the designation 7.62 cm Flak M.31(r) and used until they were either worn out or their ammunition supply ran out. A few were rebored to fire German 8.8 cm ammunition and redesignated the 7.62/8.8 cm Flak M.31(r). However, the majority were scrapped in 1944.[1]

After the war, a number of Finnish guns were converted into light coastal guns (76 ItK 31 Rt, where "Rt" stands for "rannikkotykistö" = coastal artillery) by the addition of a scope site with manual lead mechanism for direct fire against moving surface targets. These guns were still in use as training guns of the coastal artillery into the 1980s.[4]

  • AA guns of the 268th Separate Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion during the defense of Nikolayev, August 1941
    AA guns of the 268th Separate Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion during the defense of Nikolayev, August 1941

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f Chamberlain, Peter; Gander, Terry (1975). Anti-aircraft guns. New York: Arco Pub. Co. p. 62. ISBN 0668038187. OCLC 2000222.
  2. ^ "77-77 MM CALIBRE CARTRIDGES". www.quarryhs.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2015-01-17. Retrieved 2017-09-13.
  3. ^ "FINNISH ARMY 1918 - 1945: ANTIAIRCRAFT GUNS PART 3". www.jaegerplatoon.net. Retrieved 2017-09-13.
  4. ^ Enqvist, Ove 1999, Itsenäisen Suomen rannikkotykit 1918-1998. Helsinki: Sotamuseo

References

  • Shunkov V. N. - The Weapons of the Red Army, Mn. Harvest, 1999 (Шунков В. Н. - Оружие Красной Армии. — Мн.: Харвест, 1999.) ISBN 985-433-469-4