Cannone da 90/53
Cannone da 90/53 | |
---|---|
Anti-aircraft gun | |
Place of origin | Italy |
Service history | |
Used by | Italy, Germany, Yugoslavia, Croatia |
Wars | World War II Croatian War of Independence |
Production history | |
Designer | Ansaldo |
Designed | 1939 |
Manufacturer | Ansaldo |
Produced | 1 June 1939 - 31 July 1943 |
No. built | 539 |
Specifications (Cannone da 90/53) | |
Mass | 8,950 kg (19,730 lb) |
Length | 5.039 m (16 ft 6.4 in) |
Barrel length | 4.736 m (15 ft 6.5 in) L/53[1] |
Crew | 6 |
Shell | 90 x 679mm R |
Shell weight | 10.3 kg (23 lb) |
Caliber | 90 mm (3.54 in) |
Elevation | -2° to +85° |
Traverse | 360°[1] |
Rate of fire | 19 rounds per minute |
Muzzle velocity | 850 m/s (2,789 ft/s) |
Maximum firing range | 17.4 km (10.8 mi) horizontal 12 km (39,000 ft) ceiling[1] |
The Cannone da 90/53 was an Italian-designed cannon used both in an anti-aircraft role and as an anti-tank gun during World War II. It was one of the most successful anti-aircraft guns to see service during the conflict. The naval version of the gun was mounted on Italian battleships of the Littorio-class and the Andrea Doria-class.
The designation "90/53" meant that the gun had a 90 mm caliber and a barrel 53 caliber-lengths long.
History
In 1938, after a development period, the Ansaldo company produced a new heavy AA gun for the Regia Marina, to replace the obsolescent Škoda 10 cm K10 and K11 used for that role on Italian warships; initially 48 calibers long, it was eventually brought to 50 calibers.
The Cannone da 90/50 Ansaldo Model 1938 and OTO Model 1939 had an autofretted monobloc barrel with a screwed-on breech ring containing the horizontal
This system has been described as too advanced and ahead of its day, and, while ballistically the gun had good performance, the mountings proved delicate. In the Andrea Doria-class battleships the electrical RPC motors were removed in 1942 because of water damage; on the Littorio-class battleships, where the mountings were placed higher, the RPC was retained. Early rounds tended to be flawed and fragment into very small pieces, reducing their effectiveness, although improved rounds were issued during the war.[2][3]
After the war, the twelve 90/53 guns from the Italian battleship
Land version
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/An_Italian_90-53_gun_on_a_truck_mounting_joining_the_rows_of_derelict_Axis_vehicles_and_equipment_jettisoned_by_Rommel%27s_army.jpg/220px-An_Italian_90-53_gun_on_a_truck_mounting_joining_the_rows_of_derelict_Axis_vehicles_and_equipment_jettisoned_by_Rommel%27s_army.jpg)
The Cannone da 90/53, derived from the naval version,
- The Modello 41P was for static emplacement; 1,087 were ordered.
- The Modello 41C was to be towed; 660 were ordered.
- 57 were ordered to be mounted on heavy trucks designated autocannoni da 90/53.
Italian industry was not up to producing these quantities and by the end of production in July 1943 only 539 guns had been delivered, including 48 converted for use on the
Drawing upon the German experience with the comparable
After Italy surrendered, guns captured by Wehrmacht forces were designated 9-cm Flak 41(i) or 9-cm Flak 309/1(i). Some of these guns were used for the air defence of Germany, while others were kept in service in Italy.
Characteristics
- Calibre: 90 mm (3.54 in)
- Barrel length: 4.736m (15 ft 6.5 in)
- Travelling weight: 8,950 kg (19,731 lbs)
- Weight in action: 6,240 kg (13,757 lbs)
- Elevation: -2° to +85°
- Traverse: 360°
- Muzzle velocity: 830 m/s (2,723 ft/s)
- Maximum ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)
- Shell weight: 10.33 kg (22.77 lbs)
- Rate of fire: 19 RPM
See also
- Cannone da 75/46 C.A. modello 34
- Italian Army equipment in World War II
Weapons of comparable role, performance and era
- 8.8 cm Flak 18/36/37/41
- QF 3.7-inch AA gun
- 90 mm Gun M1/M2/M3
- 85 mm air defense gun M1939 (52-K)
- Type 99 88 mm AA gun
- Canon de 90 mm Modèle 1926
References
- ^ OCLC 2000222.
- ^ Campbell, p. 341-2
- ^ Bagnasco, p. 64-7
- ^ "Napadi JRV-a na Šibenik" (in Croatian). Retrieved 2 July 2018.
- ^ Marotti, Mario (18 September 2016). "Slabo poznata povijest 90mm topova sa Žirja". Šibenski portal. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
- ^ Bagnasco, p. 66-7
- ISBN 9781849087759.
- ISBN 978-88-6261-141-1.
Bibliography
- Bagnasco, Erminio (1978). Le armi delle navi italiane. Parma: Ermanno Albertelli Editore. ISBN 8887372403.
- Campbell, John (1985). Naval weapons of World War Two. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0870214594.
- Artillery by Chris Chant, published by Amber Books, ISBN 1-84509-248-1
External links
- "Italian naval 90 mm/50". NavWeaps.com.