Hotchkiss 25 mm flak
| Hotchkiss 25 mm flak | |
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| General Information | |
| Military designation: | Mitrailleuse de 25 mm contre-aéroplanes |
| Manufacturer country: |
 France
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| Developer / Manufacturer: | Hotchkiss et Cie |
| Weapon Category: | Anti-aircraft gun |
| Technical specifications | |
| Pipe length: | 1.5 m |
| Caliber : |
25 × 163 mm |
| Cadence : | 220 rounds / min |
The Hotchkiss 25 mm FlaK (French Mitrailleuse de 25 mm contre-aéroplanes ) was an anti-aircraft gun developed by the French company Hotchkiss . The weapon was used by France , Japan and other armed forces during World War II . With the exception of the manufacturer and of the caliber the Hotchkiss 25mm Flak nothing has Hotchkiss 25-mm - anti-tank gun in common; specifically the cartridge is different.
development
After the First World War , France formulated the need for an anti-aircraft gun. Hotchkiss put to the 25 mm machine gun before, but due to low cadence was rejected. The draft was released for export. When the situation became more and more tense in 1938, the French military reactivated the Hotchkiss draft, as the favored 'Schneider 37mm automatic cannon' was not yet available. However, Hotchkiss had already signed a contract with Romania to purchase the Hotchkiss 25 mm flak. However, the weapons were not delivered and instead introduced into their own armed forces. The original tripod turned out to be too unstable, so a new triangle-shaped one with two wheels was developed. With this mount , the weapon was put into series production. In May 1940, when the Wehrmacht attacked France, only a few hundred had been introduced. Together with the approximately two hundred 20 mm Oerlikon automatic cannons, France had too few modern anti-aircraft cannons, to the detriment of the French armed forces during the war.
Exports
- Romania finally received a shipload of flak in 1943 after France capitulated in 1940.
- Japan bought a license to build the weapons. The FlaK was introduced under the designation Type 96 on most Japanese warships during World War II.
variants
Mitrailleuse de 25 mm contre-aéroplanes modèle 1938
- first draft with original tripod, intended for Romania
Mitrailleuse de 25 mm contre-aéroplanes modèle 1939
- heavier and more stable mount
Mitrailleuse de 25 mm contre-aéroplanes modèle 1940
- Variant with a higher rate for installation on ships and fixed anti-aircraft positions
Mitrailleuse de 25 mm contre-aéroplanes modèle 1940 jumelée
- Twin cannon, variant for permanent installation
Technical specifications
- Type: single barrel machine gun
- Function: gas pressure charger
- Caliber: 25 × 163 mm
- Rate of fire: 220 rounds per minute
- Muzzle velocity: 900 m / s
- Total weight: 115 kg
- Pipe length: 1,500 mm
See also
Web links
- Munitions de 25 mm Hotchkiss Modèle 1938 (French)
- 25 mm Hotchkiss Anti-Aircraft Gun. In: World War II Database. ww2db.com, accessed November 3, 2015 .
- WorldWar2.ro - 25mm Hotchkiss antiaircraft gun model 1939. In: worldwar2.ro. Retrieved November 3, 2015 .
- France Hotchkiss 25 mm CAMle 1938/1939 / 1940J. In: navweaps.com. Retrieved November 3, 2015 .