Ordnance QF 2-Pounder (Pom-Pom)

History

The 2-pounder, officially named the QF 2-pounder (QF means "quick fire"), commonly known as the pom-pom, was a British 40mm automatic cannon used by the Royal Navy as an anti-aircraft gun. The name comes from the sound the original model made while firing.

This QF 2-pounder differs from the Ordnance QF 2-pounder used by the British Army as anti-tank and tank guns, although both have a 2-pound (0.91 kg), 40 mm (1.6 in) projectile.

The first gun known as the pom-pom was the 37mm Nordenfelt Maxim or "QF 1-pounder", introduced during the Second Boer War, and was the smallest gun of that war. It accurately fired 1 pound (0.45 kg) shells at a distance of 3,000 yards (2,700 m). The barrel is water-cooled, and the shells are conveyed by a 25-round fabric belt.

This "autocannon" fires explosive rounds (smokeless ammunition) at a rate of 450 rounds per minute. The Boers used them against the British, who saw their usefulness and bought the guns from Vickers, who bought Maxim-Nordenfelt in 1897.

During World War I, it was used against aircraft in trenches on the Western Front.

Specification

Basics

Years in Service

1915

Origins

UK

Crew

5

Production

15,000

Manufacturer

Vickers-Armstrong - UK

Carrier

Empire of Japan; Empire of Russia; Kingdom of Italy; Netherlands; Thailand; United Kingdom

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

8.5 feet

2.6m

Weight

882 lbs

400 kg

Power and Performance

Engine:

No.

Area

2.5 km

(4.0 km)

Weapon

1, 2 or 4 x 40mm barrel.

AMMOTION

14 round steel chain belt.

Variants

QF 2-pounder (pom-pom) - Base Series Name QF 1-pounderQF 1st 5-pounderQF 2-pounder Mk. IIQF 2-pounder Mk. VIII