By the beginning of hostilities in Europe, the main weapon of the British anti-tank units was the 2-pound 40-mm anti-tank gun.
2-pounder anti-tank gun in combat position
The prototype of the 2-pounder QF 2 pounder cannon was developed by Vickers-Armstrong in 1934. By its design, it was a fairly perfect weapon for its time. In battle, the two-pounder relied on a low base in the form of a tripod, due to which a horizontal aiming angle of 360 ° was ensured, and the wheels were lifted off the ground and fixed to the side of the gun barrel. After switching to a combat position, the gun could easily turn to any point, allowing firing at moving armored vehicles in any direction. The firm grip of the cruciform base increased the firing efficiency, since the gun did not "walk" after each shot, keeping its aiming. The accuracy of the fire was also very high thanks to the telescopic sight. The crew was protected by a high armor shield, on the back wall of which a box with shells was attached.
At the time of its appearance, the "two-pounder" was perhaps the best weapon in its class, surpassing the 37-mm German anti-tank gun 3, 7 cm Pak 35/36 in a number of parameters. At the same time, in comparison with many guns of that time, the design of the 2-pounder gun was quite complex, moreover, it was much heavier than other anti-tank guns, the mass of the gun in the combat position was equal to 814 kg. The rate of fire of the gun reached 22 rds / min.
Conceptually, the gun was different from those used in most European armies. There, anti-tank guns were to accompany the advancing infantry, and the 2-pounder guns were intended to be fired from a fixed defensive position.
In 1937, this gun was adopted by the Belgian, and in 1938 by the British army. According to the British classification, the gun was a quick-firing gun (hence the letters QF in the name - Quick Firing). It took some time to finalize the first samples to fully comply with army standards, in 1939, the Mk3 carriage version was finally approved for the gun.
For the first time, the anti-tank "two-pounder" was used by the Belgian army during attempts to counter the German invasion of the Netherlands and Belgium and subsequently by the British army during the French campaign.
A significant number of "two-pounders" (more than 500 units) were thrown by the British army in France during the evacuation from Dunkirk. The two-pound guns captured in Dunkirk were used by the Germans (including on the Eastern Front) under the designation 4, 0 cm Pak 192 (e).
The events of 1940 showed that the 2-pounder cannon was outdated. The 40mm anti-tank guns lacked the power to penetrate the 50mm armor of German tanks. Their shells were too light to cause significant damage to the tank's mechanisms, even if armor penetrated.
An armor-piercing 1, 08-kg projectile that left the gun barrel at a speed of 850 m / s (enhanced charge), at a distance of 457 m, penetrated 50-mm homogeneous armor. Armor-piercing shells with an enhanced charge were introduced when it became clear that standard shells with an initial velocity of 790 m / s, which had armor penetration at 457 meters 43 mm, were not effective enough.
For some unknown reason, the ammunition load of "two-pounders" as a rule did not include fragmentation shells that could allow these cannons to hit unarmored targets (despite the fact that such shells were produced in Great Britain for the needs of anti-aircraft artillery and the navy).
To increase the armor penetration of 40-mm anti-tank guns, the Lipljon adapter was developed, which is worn on the barrel and allows firing sub-caliber shells with a special “skirt”. The sub-caliber armor-piercing 0, 57-kg projectile Mk II in combination with the Lipljon extension adapter accelerated to 1143 m / s. However, the light sabot projectile was relatively effective only at “suicidal” close ranges.
Until 1942, British production capacity was insufficient to produce modern anti-tank guns. Therefore, the production of the 2-pounder QF 2 pounder guns continued, despite their hopeless obsolescence.
As a result, in the North African campaign of 1941-1942, the 2-pounder guns proved to be insufficiently effective against German tanks. In this campaign, the British began to mount them on off-road trucks to increase the mobility of the "two-pounders". Of course, such an improvised tank destroyer proved to be very vulnerable on the battlefield.
On the chassis of all-wheel drive trucks Morris were also installed 40-mm anti-aircraft guns "Bofors", licensed production of which was established in the UK.
40-mm SPAAG on the chassis of the Morris truck
During the hostilities in North Africa, in addition to their direct purpose, the British 40-mm ZSU provided fire support to the infantry and fought against German armored vehicles. In this role, they turned out to be much better than the "two-pounds". Which, however, is not surprising, the anti-aircraft gun had a longer barrel, the automatic gun was several times superior to the anti-tank gun in terms of rate of fire, and the presence of fragmentation shells in the ammunition set made it possible to keep the enemy infantry outside the effective range of rifle and machine gun fire.
The two-pound gun was used on British and Canadian tanks (including those supplied to the USSR during the Great Patriotic War under the Lend-Lease program). But due to the obvious weakness of the gun as a tank, it was not used for long. Unlike tanks on armored vehicles, the "two-pounder" was used throughout the war.
After 1942, the 2-pounder guns were removed from the anti-tank artillery units and transferred to the infantry for protection against tanks in close combat. These guns were used quite successfully in the Far East against weakly armored Japanese tanks, remaining in service until the end of hostilities.
In addition to the 40-mm "two-pounders", at the beginning of the war, British anti-tank artillery units had a number of 37-mm Bofors anti-tank guns.
In 1938, 250 guns were ordered in Sweden, of which no more than 100 were delivered before the start of the war. In Great Britain, the gun was designated Ordnance QF 37 mm Mk I.
The design of the gun was perfect enough for its time. The monoblock barrel, equipped with a semi-automatic horizontal wedge breech and a small muzzle brake, was mounted on a carriage with a sliding frame. The gun had suspension and metal wheels with rubber tires. The crew was protected by a bent shield cover 5 mm thick, and its lower part could be hinged. It was one of the best anti-tank weapons of the late 1930s, popular in various countries.
The 37-mm "Bofors" was almost as good as the 40-mm "two-pounder" in terms of armor penetration characteristics. Combat rate of fire reached 20 rds / min. At the same time, the weapon in the combat position weighed only 380 kg, i.e. more than half the size of the 2-pounder QF 2. The light weight and good mobility made the 37mm Swedish guns popular with British gunners. However, both guns became obsolete after the appearance of anti-cannon armor tanks.
Even before the outbreak of hostilities in 1938, realizing the weakness of 40mm anti-tank guns, the British military initiated the development of a new 57mm anti-tank gun. Work on the new anti-tank gun was completed in 1941, but due to a lack of production capacity, its massive entry into the troops was delayed. Deliveries began only in May 1942, the gun was named Ordnance QF 6-pounder 7 cwt (or simply "six-pounder").
The design of the 6-pounder gun was much simpler than that of the 2-pounder. The bifurcated bed provided a horizontal guidance angle of 90 °. There were two models in the 6-pounder cannon series: the Mk II and the Mk IV (the latter had a slightly longer barrel than 50 calibers, as opposed to 43 calibers in the Mk II). The bed structure of the Mk III was adapted to fit in amphibious gliders. The weight of the gun in the combat position of the Mk II modification was 1140 kg.
Mk II
At that time, the "six-pounder" easily dealt with any enemy tanks. An armor-piercing 57-mm projectile weighing 2, 85 kg at a distance of 500 m confidently pierced 76-mm armor at an angle of 60 °.
Mk IV
But the next year, the Germans acquired heavy tanks Pz. Kpfw. VI "Tiger" and PzKpfw V "Panther". Whose frontal armor was too tough for 57-mm guns. Already after the adoption of the weapon, the power of the "six-pounder" was increased by the introduction of improved types of armor-piercing ammunition (this significantly extended the service life of the gun). The first of these was an armor-piercing sub-caliber projectile with a metal-ceramic core. In 1944, it was followed by an armor-piercing sub-caliber projectile with a detachable pallet, which sharply increased the penetrating power of the gun. Also for the gun there was a high-explosive fragmentation projectile for hitting unarmored targets.
For the first time, 6-pounder cannons were used in North Africa, where they were highly appreciated. The 57 mm guns successfully combined good armor penetration, a low silhouette and relatively low weight. On the battlefield, she could be rolled by the forces of the gun crew, and army jeeps could be used as a tractor on solid ground. From the end of 1943, the guns began to be gradually withdrawn from artillery units and transferred to anti-tank infantry crews.
In total, from 1942 to 1945, more than 15,000 6-pounder guns were produced, 400 guns were delivered to the USSR. Comparing this anti-tank gun with the Soviet 57-mm ZiS-2 gun, it can be noted that the British gun was significantly inferior in terms of the most important indicator - armor penetration. It was harder and more difficult, had almost twice the worst metal utilization rate in production.
South Korean gun crew with 57-mm anti-tank gun Mk II, 1950
In the post-war period, the 6-pounder gun remained in service with the British army until the end of the 50s. It was widely supplied to the allies and participated in many local conflicts.
The apparent trend during the war to increase the armor protection of tanks led British military analysts to realize that 6-pounder guns would soon be unable to cope with the armor of new tanks. It was decided to begin development of the next generation of 3-inch (76.2 mm) anti-tank guns, firing at least 17 pounds (7.65 kg) projectiles.
The first samples of the 17-pounder cannon were ready in August 1942, but it took a long time to get the guns into production. In particular, there were difficulties with the production of the gun carriage. However, the need for a new powerful anti-tank gun was very acute, British intelligence became aware of the intention of the Germans to transfer heavy tanks Pz. Kpfw. VI "Tiger" to North Africa. To give the troops at least some heavy weapon to fight them, 100 cannons were transported to North Africa by air transport aircraft. There they were urgently installed on the beds from the field 25-pounder howitzers, forming a hybrid of the 17/25-pounder cannon. This artillery system became known as the 17/25-pounder, or Pheasant.
17/25-pounder
The gun turned out to be rather bulky for its caliber, but it successfully coped with the task. For firing, armor-piercing projectiles with a ballistic tip were used, which had an initial velocity of 884 m / s. At a range of 450 meters, the gun penetrated 148-mm armor at a 90 ° meeting angle. Well-trained crews could fire at least 10 rounds per minute. These "surrogate" guns continued to serve until 1943, when 17-pounder guns appeared, which were named Ordnance QF 17-pounder. The 17-pounder cannons that arrived had a low silhouette and were easy to maintain.
Ordnance QF 17-pounder 17-pounder anti-tank gun
The frame was bifurcated, with long legs and a double armored shield. The long barrel of the gun was equipped with a muzzle brake. The calculation consisted of 7 people. The combat weight of the gun reached 3000 kg. Since August 1944, new sub-caliber SVDS or APDS projectiles began to be included in the ammunition of the guns, albeit in limited quantities. The mass of such a projectile was 3, 588 kg, the mass of the tungsten core - 2, 495 kg. The projectile left the barrel at a speed of 1200 m / s and from a distance of 500 m pierced a 190-mm armor plate located at a right angle. The initial version of the high-explosive fragmentation projectile used in the "seventeen-pounder" turned out to be unsuccessful. Due to the powerful propellant charge in the sleeve, it was necessary to increase the thickness of the walls of the projectile, in order to avoid its destruction from loads when moving in the barrel bore when fired. As a result, the coefficient of filling the projectile with explosive was also small. Subsequently, a decrease in the propellant charge in a unitary shot with a high-explosive fragmentation projectile made it possible to make the walls of the projectile thinner and place more explosives in it.
As you know, disadvantages are a continuation of advantages. The 17-pound cannon was much heavier and more bulky than its 6-pounder predecessor. She required a special tractor for her transportation and could not be rolled by the forces of the crew on the battlefield. An artillery tractor based on the Crusader tank was used for towing on "soft" ground.
By 1945, the 17-pounder gun became the standard weapon of the royal artillery and anti-tank batteries, where it continued to serve until the 50s, many guns were transferred to the Allied armies.
"Seventeen-pounder" proved to be a very successful weapon for armament of tank destroyers and tanks. Initially, the gun was installed on the A30 Challenger cruiser fighter tanks produced in a small series. This tank was created on the lengthened chassis of the Cromwell tank in 1942 and, armed with the most powerful British anti-tank gun at the time, the QF 17 pounder, was intended to provide fire support and combat armored vehicles at long distances.
Tank "Challenger" A30
On the chassis of the tank "Valentine" in 1943, the PT ACS "Archer" (English Archer - Archer) was released. The Vickers designers mounted a 17-pounder gun with the barrel towards the stern. An open-top armored wheelhouse with an inclined installation of frontal plates was lined up around the habitable volume of the vehicle, and the long-barreled gun was directed backward. The result is a very successful compact tank destroyer with a low silhouette.
PT ACS "Archer"
The backward-facing cannon was not a disadvantage, since the Archer usually fired from a prepared position, which, if necessary, could immediately leave.
But the most famous vehicle where this weapon was used was the M4 Sherman Firefly tank. The 17-pounder gun was installed on the British Army Sherman M4A1 and M4A4 tanks.
A paratrooper of the US 101st Division examines the holes in the front plate of the knocked out British Sherman Firefly tank
During the rearmament of the tank, the gun and the mask were replaced, the radio station was removed to the outer box installed on the rear of the turret, the assistant driver was abandoned (in its place was part of the ammunition) and the course machine gun. In addition, due to the large length of the relatively thin barrel, the system for stowing the gun was changed, the Sherman Firefly turret in the stowed position turned 180 degrees, and the gun barrel was fixed on a bracket mounted on the roof of the engine compartment. A total of 699 tanks underwent alteration, which entered the British, Polish, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand units.
At the end of the war, to replace the 76.2 mm QF 17 pounder, a powerful 94 mm anti-tank gun with the ballistics of the 3.7-Inch QF AA anti-aircraft gun was developed. But given the fact that the new weapon was very heavy and expensive, and the war was nearing its end, preference was given to the 120-mm recoilless gun "BAT" (L1 BAT).
120 mm L1 BAT
Launched into production after the end of the war, "recoilless" resembled a conventional artillery gun with a lightweight wheeled carriage with a large shield cover, and had a rifled barrel with a bolt, into the rear end of which a nozzle was screwed. A tray is fixed on top of the nozzle for convenient loading. On the muzzle of the barrel there is a special device for towing the gun by a car or tracked tractor.
Shooting from the "BAT" was carried out by unitary loading shots with armor-piercing high-explosive tracer shells equipped with a plastic explosive with armor penetration of 250-300 mm. The shot length is about 1 m, the projectile weight is 12, 84 kg, the effective firing range at armored targets is 1000 m.
Unlike the Germans, the British practically did not use medium-caliber anti-aircraft guns to fight tanks, despite the fact that their powerful 94-mm 3.7-Inch QF AA cannon could destroy any German tank.
Apparently, the reason was the excessive weight of the gun and the considerable time required for deployment and redeployment.
The production volumes of anti-tank guns in Great Britain were several times less than in the USSR or Germany. British anti-tank guns played a prominent role during the North African campaign. In Europe, they were on the "catch", the main burden of the fight in ground units with a relatively small number of "Panzerwaffe" forces was carried by more mobile tank destroyers and tanks. Anti-tank guns, as a rule, were attached to infantry units, where, in addition to firing at armored vehicles, they provided fire support in the offensive.
The Ordnance QF 25 pounder 25-pounder howitzers very often fired at the tanks. This light 87.6 mm howitzer is rightfully ranked among the best weapons of the Second World War due to its high rate of fire, good mobility and excellent destructive qualities of its shells. Given that these guns were more numerous than the 6-pounder and 17-pounder guns, and the howitzer weighed half as much as the "seventeen-pounder", these guns had more chances to meet German armored vehicles on the battlefield.
25 pound howitzers in position
The gun was equipped with a periscopic sight to combat armored vehicles and other targets when firing direct fire. The gun ammunition included 20-pound (9, 1 kg) armor-piercing shells with an initial speed of 530 m / s. The rate of fire for direct fire was 8 rds / min.
Aviation became the main means of fighting German tanks after the Allied landings in Normandy. Having suffered serious losses in oncoming battles with German tanks: PzKpfw IV, Pz. Kpfw. VI "Tiger" and PzKpfw V "Panther" and self-propelled guns on their base, the British made the appropriate conclusions: the primary task was set before the aviation fighter-bomber squadrons - to destroy German tanks.
British pilots of Typhoon fighter-bombers widely used 60-pound 152-mm armor-piercing high-explosive rockets to combat armored vehicles. The warhead weighing 27.3 kg had an armor-piercing tip made of hardened steel and was capable of penetrating armor up to 200 mm thick at a distance of up to 1 km.
60-pound high-explosive armor-piercing missiles "60lb SAP No2 Mk. I" under the wing of a fighter
If a 60lb SAP # 2 Mk. I missile hit the frontal armor of a heavy tank, if it did not lead to its destruction, it did heavy damage and incapacitate the crew. It is assumed that the cause of the death of the most effective tank ace of the 3rd Reich, Michael Wittmann, together with his crew, was the hit in the aft part of his Tiger by a 60-pound missile from the Typhoon.
For the sake of fairness, it should be said that one should be critical of the statements of British pilots about hundreds of destroyed "Tigers". The actions of fighter-bombers on the transport lines of the Germans were much more effective. Possessing air supremacy, the Allies were able to paralyze the supply of fuel and ammunition, thus minimizing the combat effectiveness of German tank units.
