Chapter 166 Attack of the Bofors Artillery

Bofors cannon!

If you want to evaluate the most widely used anti-aircraft gun in World War II, it is definitely the Swedish 40mm Bofors L/60 anti-aircraft gun. This anti-aircraft gun was widely used by the Allies and the Axis powers as a standard anti-aircraft weapon.

This has to start with the "Versailles Agreement" that shamed Germany. Since this treaty stipulated that Germany should not develop any new high-power destruction weapons, Krupp acquired some shares of Bofors and transferred some production technologies. , cooperated with Bofors to design and develop various new artillery in Sweden.

Unfortunately, there is a major difference in the design concepts of the two companies. The Swedish designers have been focusing on the development of light artillery, while the German designers are biased towards the development of heavy artillery.

This cooperation ended when Germany tore up the Treaty of Versailles.

After that, Krupp developed the Flak-36 88mm anti-aircraft gun that made great achievements for the German army in World War II, and Bofors, after absorbing various experiences of Krupp, developed the famous anti-aircraft gun. 40mm Bofors L/60 anti-aircraft gun.

This is actually a 56-caliber anti-aircraft gun, but it is used to be 60 times. Due to its excellent performance, it has won orders from various countries.

Historically, this anti-aircraft gun did not have much relationship with Germany. It was not until after World War II that Germany annexed Austria and began to gradually produce this anti-aircraft gun, but now, great changes have taken place in history.

The last time Cyric directed the bombing of warships by fighter jets, it also awakened the Navy. They knew how backward their existing 37mm hand-held fighters were!

The opinions given by Cyric must also be rectified! Therefore, the navy first looked at the equipment of other countries, and immediately fell in love with this 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun. After all, this kind of anti-aircraft gun was first designed for the navy ship.

Deutschland, the new battleships, etc. have all changed the 37mm hand-pulled machine to this 40mm anti-aircraft gun, and at the same time, the Army and Air Force are also interested.

As a result, Krupp had to put down its face, conducted a business exchange with Bofors, introduced the technology of this anti-aircraft gun, produced it in China, and shaped it as the Flak-28 40mm anti-aircraft gun.

And this Spanish Civil War is a test of this kind of anti-aircraft artillery!

When the fighter planes returned, Cyric had a keen premonition that the Soviets were going to retaliate, so they made quick arrangements here, all the planes were towed away, the tents were removed, the runway was covered with camouflage nets, and in In the south of the original base, these disguised anti-aircraft artillery positions were arranged.

From the sky, there is nothing here, no planes, no runways, just ordinary farmland, and now, when the camouflage net is torn apart, the antiaircraft artillery units of the Condor Legion finally start a fun and dripping battle!

"Boom, boom, boom!" The gunner stepped on the trigger, the muzzle continued to roar, and the 40mm anti-aircraft artillery shells flew out!

In the previous hand-pulled machine, every time a shell was fired, it had to be reloaded again. In terms of the continuity of no firepower, now, the Bofors anti-aircraft gun is already automated!

The rear of the gun of this kind of anti-aircraft gun is an upright wedge-type breech block, and the action of opening and closing the breech block can be automatically completed by the recoil of the gun, just like the transformation from the Mauser rifle to the MP36 submachine gun.

Except for the first shell, which must be manually loaded by the loader, all other shells are automatically loaded.

The feeding mechanism above the barrel has 3 rows of guide rails, each row can accommodate a magazine for 4 rounds. The magazines are automatically removed and only one round is pressed into the chamber at a time. After firing, the breech block is opened by recoil, the empty shell is thrown out, another shell enters the gun chamber, and the breech block is closed again, so as to realize automatic loading and firing over and over again.

The original hand-pulled machine could fire three to five shells in one minute, which is quite well-trained, but the current anti-aircraft gun can shoot at a maximum rate of 140 rounds per minute, even if it is limited by the reloading speed. The maximum rate of fire can also reach 80 rounds per minute.

Now, in each gun position, there are two gunners, two loaders and a commander, and the main gunner is constantly firing under the command of the commander.

The 40mm high-explosive tracer projectile flew out of the muzzle and flew towards the bombers that were climbing with their belly exposed!

Any kind of bomber is extremely cumbersome, especially when it is carrying a bomb, it is even more slow when it climbs. In the eyes of the anti-aircraft artillery on the ground, it is simply a living target!

A 40mm artillery shell penetrated directly into the stomach of the SB-2 bomber. With a bang, a large hole was blown up in the bomber's stomach. The bomber's fuselage also started with the explosion. Burn, fall.

This is just the beginning.

The pulled up bomber, even the navigator with the best sight, couldn't notice the anti-aircraft artillery, didn't find it, and couldn't destroy it.

So the bombers in front, one after the other, were hit!

"Boom!" An SB-2 bomber was hit by the engine on one side. After burning for two seconds, the wing on the side of the bomber fell off. The bomber rolled and fell from the air.

The bombers behind have long forgotten their mission, they fell into the trap of the Condor Legion, and they are being slaughtered! So, for them, the only option now is to drop the bomb immediately!

Only when the bombs are dropped will the fuselage become lighter and easier to escape.

However, only a few can escape!

The anti-aircraft artillery positions here are arranged in a semi-circular arc, a perfect formation, just facing these aircraft groups flying from the north. There are more than 30 anti-aircraft artillery pieces, and almost every one of them has enough firepower. fully exerted.

The whole artillery position was rumbling, and the anti-aircraft artillerymen felt incomparably exciting. This was their most enjoyable battle. At their doorstep, they ambushed the aircraft of the Republican Army!

The I-15 fleet behind were also dumbfounded.

The bombers in front were being shot down one by one by antiaircraft guns, and as the escort planes, they were helpless now.

Yes, there is nothing to do. The I-15 fighter jets are escorted this time. In their plan, they may encounter the interception of the fighter jets of the Condor Legion. At that time, no matter how many casualties they pay, they must also protect the bomber group.

But now, it is the anti-aircraft artillery on the ground that has abused the bomber!

The Iraqi-15 fighter, relying on two 7.62mm machine guns, went to attack the anti-aircraft artillery positions on the ground? No kidding, that would be suicide!