40 mm Bofors AA guns made in GB and US

[nuyt]

I thought the manuscript was from 1961, my mistake,
Nuyt

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

Could someone correct the terms I have translated.

(Gun Mk I on carriage Mk II or III modernized with 1944 "Stiffkey-Stick" sights and protective shields)

1. Barrel
2. Flash eliminator
3. Recoil housing
4. Recuperator
5. Elevation quadrant
6. Counterbalance
7. Firing pedal
8. Foot rest
9. Barrel clamp pillar (for transport)
10. Barrel clamp
11. Chassis
12. Jacks (4 pcs)
13. Wheels
14. Outriggers (left and right)
15. Gun platform
16. Towing hook
17. Case ejector chute (upper)
18. Case ejector chute (lower)
19. Seat for gunlayer
20. Predictor (target calculator)
21. Autoloader
22. Breech casing
23. Fire selector (secure - single shot - full auto)
24. Recoil spring
25. Trunnion
26. Sights
27. Armoured shield

[John McGillivray]

Hello Stellan,

I made a visit to the museum at the Longue Pointe depot in east end Montreal. They have a 40mm Bofors as part of their collection.

On the carriage there are the following markings on a data plate:

Plat 40mm AAM TGS Mk II
O.F.E.C. 1942
RECD No 10560

Engraved on the barrel just under the Royal Crest was the Following:

Q.F. 40mm Mk I
19 OFE/C 42
RIFLING Mk. I
BARREL No L/24667

John

[bubbaandshaff]

We keep this rare WWII Bofors gun on a shelf in the basement.

[bubbaandshaff]

From the other side.

[Bill Murray]

Regarding the photo of the Bofors in the Belgian Congo, it would seem that footwear (Boots-Combat MK1) were optional for the local forces.
Of the three feet that are visible in the photo, none are shod and I did use a magnifying glass.
And we think we have military budget problems.
As I know little about Bofors guns, I thought this was at least a reasonable contribution to the thread.
Cheers
Bill

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by Stellan Bojerud
Belgian Congo like the Netherlands East Indies bought their equipment independently from the motherland.

Here is a pic of a NEI Bofors (posted earlier in Canadian Chevrolet Maple Leaf 4x4 artillery tractors?), captioned as follows:

"Natives of the Netherlands East Indies have long been on the alert against the expected Japanese aggression. They have realized for ten years that the natural wealth of their islands would eventually mean a Japanese move for "unification," and air raid defenses such as these have long been ready for action. The crew is composed of members of the Royal Netherlands Indian (sic) Army. During action they wear steel helmets, rather than the bamboo hats shown here."


Source: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/fsahtml/fahome.html
Digital ID: fsa 8b13123 [/B]

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

Originally posted by John McGillivray
I made a visit to the museum at the Longue Pointe depot in east end Montreal.

Thank you John! Those numbers are of great help for me.

Stellan

Originally posted by Stellan Bojerud
Could someone correct the terms I have translated.

Stellan, I'll have a go since no one else has; even though you have asked, it is not considered polite to correct the English of a non-native speaker when the meaning is understood but the grammar and word usage is perhaps unusual or incorrect.

Having spent many months in Sweden some years ago, we again find everyone spoke good English, thereby absolving us of any effort to learn another.

I do not have any official Bofors reference works to hand but I think the names are quite common.


2. Flash hider - possibly flash eliminator, "hider" is more of an American term.

4. Recoil tube - difficult to see, is this the recuperator?

5. Elevation arch - elevation quadrant (gear).

6. Equalizer - counterbalance (?)

7. Pedal-trigger - trigger pedal/firing pedal

9. Barrel fix bar (for transport) - Barrel clamp pillar.

10. Barrel lock - barrel clamp

11. Carriage main body - chassis

17. Rail for disposal of empty cartridges (upper part) - case ejection chute (upper)

18. Rail for disposal of empty cartridges (lower part) - case ejection chute (lower)

19. Chair for gunlayer - seat

23. Switch (secure - single shot - full auto) - firing selector

25. Main gunmount - trunnion


R.

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

How to identify a 40 mm Bofors L/60 gun.

The Gun

It is only possible to see if a gun is of the air-cooled type or the water-cooled Navy type.

There are however three types of Army Bofors guns:

1) Made in Europe (except Great Britain)
2) Made in Great Britain and Commonwealth
3) Made in USA

Type 1 guns are handicraft made. Types 2 and 3 mass-production. In USA Chrysler managed to reduce production hours for making a gun with some 50%.

The only way to identify the gun itself is by finding the marks on various parts. Mainly on the left side of the breech.

The carriage

The carriages are of five main types

1) Rivetted short wheelbase. Jacks outside the wheels. Wheels still attached to carriage also when the gun is in battery position. Box shaped outriggers.

This type is found on:

a) Various European countries guns
b) British Mk I and Mk IA
c) US M 1 (British made - some 200 to USA from GB early 1942)

2) As above but welded. Only US carriage M 2 wich was standard during WW 2.

3) Welded long wheelbase. Jacks inside the wheels. Wheels removed when in battery position. GB carriage Mk II and Canadian Mk C 2. Round shaped outriggers.

The GB Mk III carriage is similar to Mk II but have only overrun brakes on front wheels.

4) Two wheel carriages for air transport. GB and US variants.

5) Self Propelled mounts on trucks and tanks.

Armoured protective shields were added to British carriages (both MK I and MK II) in 1944. US Army guns did not have shields during WW 2.

Of the Axis powers only Hungary added shields in 1944.

The Wheels

The wheels could by dimension and type of wheeldisc be divided in:

1) European type
2) British and Commonwealth type
3) US type

The Sights

There are several types of sights and those could help to identify nationality and time period.

1) Optical reflex mirror sights. By the British called "Polish" sights. These were attached to a predictor or target calculator attached to the right side of the breech.

The calculators were of three main types. Bofors, Goerz and Johasz-Gamma but the sights for these types looks basically the same.

2) Early pre-1943 GB "small spider-web" sights. The left sight (elevation)with cross-wires and the right (traverse) with three vertical wires. Called "Forward Area Sighting System".

3) GB 1943 "large spider-web" sights. Three crosswire rings for target speed 100 - 200 - 300 mph. Called "Cartwheel Foresight" or sometimes "Pancake sights". On the Australian version the right (traverse) sight is almoast rectangular.

4) The US standard "spider-web" sights are somewhat larger than the early GB type but smaller than the GB 1943 type.

5) GB 1944 Correctional Sight called "Stiffkey-Stick". This has a calculator attached above and somewhat right of the left (elevation) sight. This sight require a special sight operator in addition to the two gunlayers. The sight operator was standing on the platform between and behind the gunlayers.

6) US 1944 "Sight Computing" M 7 and M 7A1 is a US made "Stiffley-Stick" and operates in the same way.

7) The GB No 3 Predictor or "Kerrison-Predictor" is a box with two small binoculars. It was placed on a tripod (or post 1943 on a separate truck) and attached to the gun with an electrical cable. On the gun platform there were two electrical motors for laying the gun.

the Uniforms

Especially various headgears are helpful when it comes down to identify the nationality of a gun (but not where made).

So now it starts. You should be able to identify:
1) Carriage type
2) Wheels type
3) Sights type
4) Environment type
5) Nationality group

And these facts together gives an idea of where and when.
(Right answer could be found by the AWM number).

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

If You answered: MK I carriage, pre 1943 sights and GB/Commonwealth troops in the Middle East You are right.

Note "European" type of wheels. With a MK I carriage goes usually also a MK I or MK I* gun (MK I* has a slightly different autoloader - not possible to see on a picture).


Now this would be an easy one:

1) Carriage
2) Wheels
3) Sights

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

That last one was easy - or not?

Answer: US M 1 on M 2 carriage. (All US Army Bofors 40 mm guns are M 1). Note "American" type of wheels.

And now this one:

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

The last one should be a MK III on MK II carriage if it was British or a C Mk 1 on C Mk 2 carriage if it was Canadian.

But it is not. See Australian hats on the spectators. Australia 1943.

But what were these guns called in Australia? Mk ??



Next one:Added later: All Australian made guns (290 pcs) were Mk I*

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

Originally posted by FV623
Stellan, I'll have a go since no one else has; even though you have asked, it is not considered polite to correct the English of a non-native speaker when the meaning is understood but the grammar and word usage is perhaps unusual or incorrect.

R.

Thank you indeed!

I translated from a French description. Preparing a book on the Bofors guns I am eager to use the correct words when describing the gun.

I served on an exchange basis in a US National Guard Artillery Brigade in Colorado, but that was back in 1978 and I have forgotten the correct military expressions.

(In exchange we had an US lieutenant serving with "my" regiment, the 1st Guards Infantry in Stockholm).

Stellan

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

The last picture above shows the Australian type of sights.

Now the "Polish" reflex mirror sights. These look basically the same regardless of beeing made in Belgium, Finland, Hungary, Poland or Sweden.

In Great Britain these sights were only used on the first batches of imported Mk I guns.

I beleive that those sights were in GB later replaced by "spider-web" sights. This for facilitating training.

Note the mixed German WW 1 and WW 2 helmets. The soldier extreme right has a WW 1 German Cavalry helmet.

Finland 1941-44 war.

[Attilio]

I have seen in this forum several pics of Bofors gun portee.
Where it used in North Africa by Commonwhealth forces?

Thanks
Attilio

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

Photo 28th March 1940. The slightly different reflex mirror sight on this gun suggests to me that this is a m/35 Bofors FC sight.

So this gun could be one of the first batch bought by Britain from Sweden in May 1937.

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

Originally posted by Attilio
I have seen in this forum several pics of Bofors gun portee.
Where it used in North Africa by Commonwhealth forces?

Thanks
Attilio

I do not beleive Bofors gun portees were used in North Africa because they were mainly coming into service after medio 1944 and by then the war was over in North Africa.

Stellan

[Bill Murray]

Stellan:
Here is a Polish one for you I have not seen you post before.
From Illustrated London Daily News of about 1938 I think.
Bill

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

Thank you Bill!

The picture of these Polish Bofors guns was very helpful for my research.

Stellan

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

US M 19 Twin 40-mm Gun Motor Carriage. On T 24 light tank chassis. Production started August 1944. Totally 904 pcs made.

Who can provide a picture?

Stellan

[Bill Murray]

Stellan:
Bad scan but it is a start, still learning new scanner
Bill

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

Thank you for the M 19 Bill!

This is the British version of the airborne Bofors gun. The Canadian version you can see on top of page 1 of this thread.

The Canadian version was called "Bantam" carriage. Was Bantam the producer?

What were those guns and carriages called officialy? Mk ??

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

What type of tractor pulled the airportable Bofors? I have seen a photo of an airportable Ford 15-cwt which was presumably in a Hamilcar [can't remember] and I suppose they could have used MCC units but was the Bofors too heavy for a Jeep?

[Bill Murray]

Do you have this one Stellan?
Bill

[Gunner]

Hi Stellan:

"Bantam" is an anglicism for small and tough... comes from bantam rooster which is a miniature (and aggressive) breed of rooster.

The term was applied in WW I to battalions of smaller men.

Cheers, Mike

[Bill Murray]

Another, Stellan I have not seen on this site.
Bill

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

That was a very interesting picture. Bill!

Standing left is the sights-operator. Hidden behind him is gunlayer left - elevation + firing. Standing next to the sights-operator is the loader. Sitting right gunlayer - traversing. Standing right gun commander.

Late 1944 or 1945.

Thank you!

Stellan

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Morris-Commercial in batch S 4898826 to 4900855, to Contract V.4997, 'Carrier Predictor A.A. No. 3 S.P.M. and Carrier Predictor 40 mm S.P.M.'.

[John McGillivray]

Here is a photo of an American Bofors on Guadalcanal.