Bofors 40mm light anti-aircraft gun, towed and self-propelled versions
This is the Mark One version of the 40mm Bofors Gun - the classic light anti-aircraft weapon of the Second World War, as used by LAA regiments.
This example is in the Royal Artillery Museum of the Rotunda in Woolwich - the town in South East London, England, that is the home of the Royal Artillery. On
the battlefield, the Bofors was dug into a protective pit (picture, inset) and operated by two gunlayers, who controlled the elevation and traversing of the barrel with hand cranks linked to hydraulic gears. A third man fed the 40mm shells in clips of four into the auto-loader mechanism - they could be fired at the rate of 120 per minute, rather like a giant machine gun.
As the war progressed, the gun - built under licence from the Swedish armaments firm of Bofors - was improved and adapted into various versions for different roles. As well as the towed model, LAA regiments used self-propelled versions, with the gun mounted on the chassis of Morris C9B four-wheel drive lorries - as in the example seen below.
This is an absolutely magnificent example of the now-rare SP Bofors, painstakingly restored to its wartime condition. It can be seen at Firepower, the new museum of the Royal Artillery at the old Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, which has replaced the Rotunda museum. This gun is one of hundreds on display at this world-class exhibition centre, which is a must for all those interested in military affairs. See Links section of this site for connection to Firepower website.  
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