37mm M1939 (61-K)

History

Since the aircraft became the focus of combat in World War I (1914-1918), war planners had to better assess and eliminate threats Ground based option. This eventually led to the development of some very effective solutions, such as automatic cannons.

In the following decades, as the final size of the caliber increased, including solutions developed for World War II (1939-1945), the 37mm form remained the preferred choice for small calibers and was used heavily.

In the 1930s, Soviet authorities began a search for a modern small-caliber anti-aircraft gun, which led to the Swedish 25mm Type 1933 anti-aircraft gun in Bofors. The weapon was extensively tested in the mid-century and found to work well. More interested in larger caliber weapons, Soviet engineers used this knowledge to develop their own 45mm caliber "49-K", but the same weapon was then redesigned into a more handheld battlefield form - usually the "61". -K".

Abbreviated as "Type 1939". Development of the new weapon took place in 1938 and was accepted in 1939 - just in time for the fighting in World War II.

At the time, the M1939 was contemporary with the Swedish Bofors 40mm, the German 3.7cm SK C/30, the American 37mm M1 gun and the British QF 2-pounder (Navy).

The gun proved its worth during conflicts, it was particularly effective against low-flying threats, and at long ranges against infantry and lightly armored vehicles. In practice, the overall system would require eight additional systems for maximum efficiency in guiding, aiming, firing, and reloading tasks. The gun is fed from a five-round clip, with a total of 200 rounds ready to be fired from the platform. Soviet gunners captured thousands of Axis-guided aircraft with the skilled use of these guns, which were originally mounted on ZU-7 frames with a four-wheel arrangement.

Due to the lack of energy, the guns were towed behind pack animals or moving vehicles when necessary.

The gun was also mounted on a specially designed open-air structure, mounted on the rear of the hull of a SU-76 Self-Propelled Gun (SPG), producing mobile anti-aircraft platforms for the Red Army during WWII - such is its versatility.

The success of the land-based model inevitably led to the development of the naval form starting with the "70K". These guns succeeded the older 45mm caliber 21-K series guns and became the main 37mm gun mounts on almost all Soviet warships during the war and beyond. While land-based artillery production ended in the war of 1945, naval artillery production continued until the mid-1950s.

By that time, the land-based model itself had replaced the aging AZP S-60 type in the Soviet army.

"V-11" (also known as "W-11") is a twin-gun version of the 70K, developed due to issues with barrel breakage/deformation when using a single barrel over the 100-round rating. Introduced in 1946, these guns were just as popular, although not in the same volume as the 70K.

37mm M1939 (61-K) Spec

Base

Years in Service

1939

Origins

Soviet Union

Crew

8

Production

20,000

Manufacturer

8th Artillery Factory - USSR / NORINCO - China

Operator

Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Angola; Bangladesh; Bulgaria; Cambodia; Cameroon; China; Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo; Egypt; Ethiopia; East Germany; Gabon; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau Shaw; Iraq; Israel; North Korea; Laos; Mali; Mauritania; Mongolia; Morocco; Mozambique; Nicaragua; North Korea; Pakistan; Russia; former Soviet Union; Romania; Serbia and Montenegro; Somalia; Sudan; Syria; Tanzania; Thailand; ; Tunisia; Uganda; Vietnam; Yemen; Yugoslavia; Zaire; Zambia; Zimbabwe

Roles

Air Defense/Airspace Denial

The base model or variants can be used to search, track and neutralize aerial elements at a distance.

Fire Support/Attack/Breakthrough

Support allied forces with direct/indirect fire, attacking forward positions and/or breaking through fortified areas of the battlefield.

Dimensions and Weight

Length

18. 0 feet

5.5m

width

5.9 feet

1.79m

Height

6.9ft

2.11m

Weight

4,630 lbs

2,100 kg

Tonnage

2. 3 tons

Power and Performance

Engine:

No. This is a towed gun.

Area

1,553. 4 km

(2,500.0 km)

Weapons

1, 2 or 4 x 37mm automatic cannons, depending on model.

AMMOTION

The 200 x 37mm projectile (typical) is fed in a 5-round clip.

VARIANTS

M1939 (Model 1939) - The name of the base series. 70K - Navy version with one cannon. V-11-M - Two-gun naval version. W-11 - Polish/East German designation of the V-11. 45 mm / 85 cal - Navy version with two or four guns.

ZSU-37 37mm gun mounted in an open-air pod mounted on the rear of the modified SU-76 SPG chassis for self-propelled air defense. Type 55 - NORINCO's Chinese Army variant. Type 63 - Chinese self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle on the chassis of the T-34 tank.

Type 65 - Chinese form with two cannons. Type 74 - Improved Chinese Type 65; increased rate of fire. Type 74SD - Chinese Type 74 with higher precision. Type 76 - A variant of the Chinese naval gun. Type 79-III - Modified Chinese Type 74 with electro-optical (EO) steering system; power assist control.

P793 - Chinese modification with two guns; increased RoF, muzzle velocity and accuracy.