| 37mm Gun M1A2 on Carriage M3 | |
|---|---|
 37mm antiaircraft gun in the Solomon Islands. | |
| Type | Anti-aircraft autocannon |
| Place of origin | USA |
| Service history | |
| Used by | USA |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Produced | 1939–? |
| No. built | 7,278 |
| Specifications | |
| Barrel length | bore: 2 m (6.56 ft) / 54 calibers |
|
| |
| Shell | 37×223mmSR |
| Caliber | 37 mm (1.45 in) |
| Breech | vertical block |
| Carriage | four-wheeled trailer |
| Traverse | 360° |
| Rate of fire | 120 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 792 m/s (2,598 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 3,200 m (3,499 yds) |
| Maximum firing range | 8,275 m (9,049 yds) |
The 37mm Gun M1 was an anti-aircraft autocannon developed in the United States. It was used by the US Army in World War II. In addition to the towed variant, the gun was mounted, with two M2 machine guns, on the M2/M3 half-track, resulting in the T28/T28E1/M15/M15A1 series of multiple gun motor carriages.
Components[]
Two gun units were coupled to the M5 gun director using the M1 remote control system. The system was powered by the M5 generating unit. If the remote system was inoperative the M5 sighting system was used.
M5 gun director 1944
Ammunition[]
The M1 utilized fixed ammunition. Projectiles were fitted with a 37×223mmSR cartridge case.
| Available ammunition | |||||
| Type | Model | Weight (round/projectile) | Filler | Muzzle velocity | Range horizontal/vertical[1] |
| APC-T | APC-T M59A1 Shot | 1.44/0.87 kg (3.17/1.91 lbs) |
- | 625 m/s (2,050 ft/s) |
5,290/3,660 m (17,355/12,007 ft) |
| HE-T | HE-T SD M54 Shell | 1.21/0.61 kg (2.66/1.34 lbs) |
792 m/s (2,598 ft/s) |
8,275/5,760 m (27,149/18,897 ft) | |
| Armor penetration table | ||||
| Ammunition / Distance | 457 m (499 yds) |
914 m (999 yds) |
1,371 m (1,499 yds) |
1,828 m (1,999 yds) |
| APC-T M59A1 Shot (homogeneous armor, meet angle 30°) | 23 mm (.90 in) |
18 mm (.70 in) |
15 mm (.59 in) |
13 mm (.51 in) |
| APC-T M59A1 Shot (face-hardened armor, meet angle 30°) | 25 mm (.98 in) |
18 mm (.70 in) |
15 mm (.59 in) |
13 mm (.51 in) |
| Different methods of armor penetration measurement were used in different countries / periods. Therefore, direct comparison is often impossible. | ||||
See also[]
- List of U.S. Army weapons by supply catalog designation
- Rangekeeper
- Gun Data Computer
- Fire-control system
- Kerrison Predictor
Notes[]
- ↑ Shell destroying tracer limited the range to about 3,200 m.
References[]
- Hogg, Ian V. (1998). Allied Artillery of World War Two. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire: Crowood Press. ISBN 1-86126-165-9.
- Hunnicutt, R. P. (2001). Half-Track: A History of American Semi-Tracked Vehicles. Novato, CA: Presidio Press. ISBN 0-89141-742-7.
- TM 9-2300 standard artillery and fire control material. dated 1944
- TM 9-235
- TM 9-1235
- SNL A-29
External links[]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 37mm Gun M1. |
- "US Army Gets A New Antiaircraft Gun", September 1940, Popular Science
- FM 4-112 Coast Artillery Field Manual: Antiaircraft Artillery gunnery, Fire Control, Position Finding, and Horizontal Fire, Antiaircraft Automatic Weapons (Case I Firing)
- History of the Americanization of the Bofors 40mm Automatic Antiaircraft Gun—some references to the 37mm
- 37mm Antiaircraft Automatic Gun—Antiaircraft.org
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The original article can be found at 37mm Gun M1 and the edit history here.