| Bofors 37 mm anti-tank gun | |
|---|---|
Polish wz.36 anti-tank gun. |
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| Type | Anti-tank gun |
| Place of origin | Sweden |
| Service history | |
| Used by | See Operators |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1934 |
| Manufacturer | Bofors |
| Produced | 1935 - |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 370 kg (816 lbs) |
| Length | 3.04 m (10 ft) |
| Barrel length | 45 calibers |
| Width | 1.09 m (3 ft 7 in) |
| Height | 1.03 m (3 ft 5 in) |
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| Shell | 37×249 mm. R |
| Caliber | 37 mm (1.45 in) |
| Breech | vertical block |
| Carriage | split trail |
| Elevation | -10° to 25° |
| Traverse | 50° |
| Rate of fire | 12 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 800-870 m/s (2,625-2,854 ft/s) |
| Effective range | 4,000 m (4,374 yds) |
| Maximum range | 6,500 m (7,108 yds) |
The Bofors 37 mm gun was an anti-tank gun designed by Swedish manufacturer Bofors in the early 1930s. Licensed copies were produced in a number of countries. The gun was used by some European armies during World War II, mainly at the early stage of the war.
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The gun was initially designed by Swedish manufacturer Bofors, mainly for export purposes. The first prototype was built in 1932; the development process continued until 1934. The Netherlands were the first to purchase the gun (order for 12 pieces was placed in 1935) and were followed by many other countries. Licensed copies were produced Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Poland.
The barrel was of monobloc type, with semi-automatic vertical sliding breech block and small muzzle brake. It was mounted on a split trail carriage which had suspension and metal wheels with rubber tires. To give the crew some protection from firearms and shell fragments, the gun was equipped with a 5 mm thick shield, with a folding lower plate.
The Bofors gun saw combat for the first time in Spanish Civil War, where it could easily pierce the armor of contemporary light tanks.
The Polish guns were actively used during the German and Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939. For example Wołyńska Cavalry Brigade equipped with the Bofors 37 mm antitank gun beat the German Panzer Divisions in one of the first battles of the invasion; the Battle of Mokra. At that time, the armored forces of the Wehrmacht consisted mainly of light Panzer I and Panzer II tanks, which were vulnerable to the Bofors gun. Early models of the Panzer III and Panzer IV could also be penetrated at ranges up to 500 m. After Poland was occupied, most of the guns fell into the hands of the German and Soviet armies. The weapon was proven obsolete by 1941 during the Operation Barbarossa.
Even though only one Bofors AT-gun was in action in the Invasion of Denmark, it damaged two tanks, and shoot the tracks of another tank, before its crew were either wounded or dead. A German tank destroyed and drove over the gun. The gun is now at the Tøjhusmuseet in Copenhagen.
During the Winter War, the Finnish guns were successfully used against Soviet tanks such as T-26, T-28 and BT. However in the Continuation War the gun was found to be ineffective against the T-34 and KV and was relegated to an infantry support role.
The gun was used to equip the British forces in North Africa, where it made up for the lack of the QF 2-pounder anti-tank guns after the Fall of France. It was often carried portee on the back of a vehicle.
Bofors guns were also employed in World War II by Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Yugoslavia and USSR, but there are no detailed reports of their use.
When it was introduced, the Bofors 37 mm anti-tank gun was an effective weapon, able to deal with contemporary tanks. Its performance, light weight and high rate of fire made it a popular anti-tank weapon in the pre-war Europe. However, introduction of better armored tanks early in World War II made the gun obsolete (as it made obsolete other similarly performing weapons such as the German PaK 36 and the US 37mm M3.