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Bofors 37mm anti tank gun


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alan turner

Found some views in RAWHS colln

 

 

Hi, Alan

 

The Photos marked 37mm gun Mk2 are US M3/A1.

 

the 37mm Bofors -Mk1 in British service was used in the Western Desert and were a batch of guns being supplied to Sudan and were taken over by the British in 1940, probably others were obtained by various commercial routes, they were primarily a Portee weapon as the lightness made them vulnerable to damage during towing- probably meant for towing by horse/mule and man handled rather than truck towing.

 

Built in Sweden and used by Sweden Denmark Poland and the UK some captured weapons used by Germans as Pak 157(d) and possibly pak 36(p)

 

Weight 855lb firing a 1.6lb shell, muzzle velocity 850m/s from a L/45 calibre barrel

 

The wheels on the first photo don't look correct for British service-although they could be original style used for horse/mule use -possibly in Sweden.

Steve

Edited by steveo578
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Hi thier,

 

The top three pics are of the 37 Bofors, nice wee gun and as stated portee'd in the desert early on. Do a trawl on Morris Portee on google and it chucks up a couple of piccs if you dig thro them. Also do a search for the 37 mm bofors as some shots from various museums are live on the web.

 

Seen some nice pics of em on the back of the 15Cwt, most of em in the early counter scheme. I would love to have that combo to take to a show but i am not sure if thier are any survivors at all.

 

I could forgive the danish wheels if it were mine!!!!!

 

Regards

Tim

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  • 4 weeks later...

My Bofors is the English version on the data plate it says QF MK1 37MM if I remember right

I have started to strip it down and one side of the suspension is sitting down as if it is not

connected to the spring system the other side moved up and down ok anybody ever pulled

one of these to pieces and got any info on this will post a picture about what I mean

Commander

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  • 3 weeks later...

Stripped the offending suspension down and sorted out the problem

a nut had come off inside the assembly still looking for a parts book

to buy or just copy it is damn dificult trying to sort things out from old

photos I can find on the net it is the model made in Poland in 1939

Commander

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So your gun is Wz36 re-badged as a QF Mk1 -I wonder how it got out of Poland? The plot thickens.

 

Steve

 

I was rubbing it down today and found the original Polish stampings on it

I will copy them down and post on here it seems very well made to me

Commander

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I have just picked up a QF 37mm Bofors dated 1939

in pieces lots of bits missing from this gun

does anybody have any pictures of this weapon

C

Which parts from the gun and carriage do you have missing ? There were quite a few of these guns disposed of by the finns and most now seem to have disapeared.

Is your gun ex-Finnish stock.

 

 

 

 

Rob .....................rnixartillery.

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Which parts from the gun and carriage do you have missing ? There were quite a few of these guns disposed of by the finns and most now seem to have disapeared.

Is your gun ex-Finnish stock.

 

 

 

 

Rob .....................rnixartillery.

 

Hi Rob, this had a British data plate on which I have taken off to clean off the rust and crap

the original numbers are Nr 3070 Z 1939r

Commander

Edited by commander
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It could be the British order for Sudan field force, as with early 40mmm Bofors AA guns they were partly perhaps wholy supplied from guns made by the Polish State Arsnel at Strrachowice both weapons would be licenced built to normal Swedish high standards- it is rather bazaar that the Poles trying to rebuild there forces were expected to supply weapons for Swedish orders. Britain also received licenced built MAVAG 40mm Bofors AA guns from Hungary.

 

There is also a rumour that Wz36 guns were supplied to Spanish Republican forces during the Civil war- normally thought to be 40 mm Bofors AA as both types share the same Wz36 designation it is possible that it was the 37mm A/T gun

Edited by steveo578
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  • 3 years later...

This is a lovely gun, great to see it being restored. I've been looking for one to go on the back of my Long Range Desert Group Chevrolet WA - they had them on fixed mounts, one per patrol, in the early days: see pic. I almost got one imported from Sweden, but it fell through, so, I'm having to make do with a replica until I can find a real one! :-X Here's my truck at Beltring a couple of years back. Peter S.

BoforsWA1.jpg

LRDG Bofors 1.JPG

LRDG Bofors 2.JPG

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  • 1 month later...

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