3.7 cm/69 Flak M42[1]
A single 3.7 cm Flak M42U gun on the LM 42U mount.
TypeAnti-aircraft gun
Place of originNazi Germany
Service history
In service1943–1945
Used byKriegsmarine
WarsWorld War II
Production history
Designed1942
ManufacturerRheinmetal-Borsig
Produced1943–1945
Specifications (3.7 cm Flak M42)
Mass109 kg (240 lb)
Barrel length2.56 cm (1.01 in) bore (69 calibers)
Crew3–4
Shell37 × 249R
Shell weight635–700 g (1.400–1.543 lb)
Caliber37 mm (1.5 in)
ActionRecoil-operated
Breechsliding breech block
Elevation-10° to +90°
Traverse360°
Rate of fire250 rounds per minute (cyclic)
Muzzle velocity815–865 m/s (2,670–2,840 ft/s)
Effective firing range
  • 4,800 m (5,200 yd) at 85° elevation
  • 6,400 m (7,000 yd) at 45° elevation
Feed system5-round clips

The 3.7 cm Flak M42 was the marine version of the 3.7-centimetre (1.5 in) Flak 36/37 and used by the Kriegsmarine on surface ships and as the M42U on Type VII and Type IX U-boats. The 3.7 cm Flak M42U used several types of mounts and entered service in autumn 1943.[2]

3.7 cm Flak M42

The 3.7 cm Flak M42 was a longer caliber version of the Wehrmacht's 3.7 cm Flak 36, 69 caliber as opposed to 57 caliber. It replaced the older 3.7 cm SK C/30 that had been designed in 1930. The gun was loaded with a five-round ammunition clip, giving it a rate of fire of 250 rounds per minute, unlike the SK C/30 which was single-shot with a rate of 30 rounds per minute. The M42 was also about 134 kg (295 lb) lighter than the SK C/30 and had gun shields.[1][3]

LM 42U Mount

The LM 42U mount was developed specifically for the 3.7 cm Flak M42U. It was manned by a 3-man crew, with a fourth man operating as the loader.[4]

DLM 42U Mount

The twin mount was based on the LM 42U design, in which the 3.7 cm Flak M42U guns were mounted side by side.[5]

LM 43U Mount

The LM 43U mount was the final design of mount used on U-boats. It was a further improvement on the LM 42U. The LM 43U was only known to be installed on these U-boats (U-249, U-826, U-977, U-1023, U-1171, U-1305 and U-1306).[5]

References

  1. 1 2 DiGiulian 2016.
  2. ↑ Skwiot, p. 333
  3. ↑ DiGiulian 2017.
  4. ↑ Skwiot, p. 340
  5. 1 2 Skwiot, p. 342

Bibliography

  • Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
  • DiGiulian, Tony (30 November 2016). "Germany 3.7 cm/69 (1.5") Flak M42". NavWeaps. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  • DiGiulian, Tony (30 April 2017). "Germany 3.7 cm/83 SK C/30". NavWeaps. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  • Skwiot, Miroslaw (2011). German Naval Guns 1939–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-311-6.
  • Williams, Tony G. (2000). Rapid Fire: The Development of Automatic Cannon, Heavy Machine Guns and Their Ammunition for Armies, Navies and Air Forces. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-84037-122-6.

Further reading

  • Williams, Anthony G. (2022). Autocannon: A History of Automatic Cannon and Ammunition. Ramsbury, UK: The Crowood Press. ISBN 978-1-78500-920-4.
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