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40 mm Bofors L/60 and L/70 designations and variants.

blockhaj

Active Member
So im trying to make a complete list of all 40 mm bofors variants and their respective designations all around the world. I havent found any similar thread anywhere on the internet.

Now my plan is to update this OP when new info is found or posted for future researchers to find. All info is wellcomed even if its common knowledge for most.

Variants and designations of the 40 mm l/60 per nation (as of 26/08-2018)

{{USA}}
:40 mm/56 Mark 1 - no info
:40 mm/56 Mark 2 - no info
:40 mm/56 M1 - no info


{{Great brittain}}
:40 mm OQF Mark I - no info
:40 mm OQF Mark II - no info
:40 mm OQF Mark III - no info
:40 mm OQF Mark IV - no info
:40 mm OQF Mark V - no info
:40 mm OQF Mark VI - no info
:40 mm OQF Mark VII - no info
:40 mm OQF Mark VIII - no info
:40 mm OQF Mark IX - no info
:40 mm OQF Mark X - no info
:40 mm OQF Mark XI - no info
:40 mm OQF Mark NI - no info
:40 mm OQF Mark NI/I - no info

{{France}}
:40 mm Bofors Mle 38 - export purchased original model.
:Canon de 40 Bofors (US) - US 40 mm/56 M1 models sent to France from 1943 onward.
:40 AA 39/52 - Upgraded version
:40 AA 39/55 - Upgraded version

{{Sweden}}
:40 mm lvakan m/36 – Single barreled original model
:40 mm lvakan m/40 – Double barreled version with synchronized fire mechanism to double the fire rate.
:40 mm lvakan m/36-43 – Double barreled version for the lvkv m/43 spaag.


{{Finland}}
:40 ItK/38 – Finnish license built version.


{{Romania}}
:Bofors 36M 40 mm-es légvédelmi gépágyú – Romanian license built version. Unsure of designation. It might just be 40 mm 36M?


{{Nazi germany}}
:4 cm/56 Flak 28 – Germen designation of captured french variant.


{{Japan}}
:4 cm/60 Type 5 – Japanese pirate copy. Barrel length was lengthened from original L/56 to 60.

{{Austria}}
:Unknown designation and not known if license built or export purchased.

{{Belgium}}
:Unknown designation and not known if license built or export purchased.

{{Czechoslovakia}}
:Unknown designation and not known if license built or export purchased.

{{Denmark}}
:40 mm L/60 Luftværnskanon M/45 E - not known if license built or export purchased.

{{Greece}}
:Unknown designation and not known if license built or export purchased.

{{Hungary}}
:Unknown designation and not known if license built or export purchased.

{{The Netherlands}}
:Kanon 40 L60 Mk. - not known if license built or export purchased.

{{Norway}}
:Unknown designation and not known if license built or export purchased.

{{Poland}}
:40 mm Armata Prezeciwitnicza WZ 36 - not known if license built or export purchased.

{{Portugal}}
:Unknown designation and not known if license built or export purchased.

Variants and designations of the 40 mm l/70 per nation (as of 26/08-2018)

{{USA}}
:M266 - at least license built by Waterveliet Arsenal. Used on the M247 sgt york SPAAG.

{{France}}
:40 mm mle51 t1 - No info except that one was used on the AMX-13 DCA 40 prototype.

{{Sweden}}
:40 mm lvakan m/48 – Single barreled original model.
:'Akan 40mm L/70Ba – Single barreled model for use on the Strf 90A & Strf 90B (CV90) IFV.
:'Akan 40mm L/70Bb – Single barreled model for use on the Lvkv 90 (CV90) SPAAG.
:'Akan 40mm L/70Bc – Single barreled model for use on the Strf 90C (CV90) IFV.

{{The Netherlands}}
:Kanon 40 L70 Mk.I - not known if license built or export purchased.

Note that i have not included all nations that used these weapons. I started with the biggies that i know of but i want to expand it to even the smallest of nations.
 
Last edited:
Download a version PDF of TM 43-0001-28 U.S. Manual. It has all the Sgt. York rounds and the L/60 AP-T Army round.
 
The polish designation is "40 mm Armata Prezeciwitnicza WZ 36".
The danish designation is "40mm L/60 Luftværnskanon M/45 E".
The dutch designation is "Kanon 40 L60 Mk." and "Kanon 40 L70 Mk.I"
 
The polish designation is "40 mm Armata Prezeciwitnicza WZ 36".
The danish designation is "40mm L/60 Luftværnskanon M/45 E".
The dutch designation is "Kanon 40 L60 Mk." and "Kanon 40 L70 Mk.I"
Thank you. Do u have any type of sources?
 
German book about german and captured weapons, danish documents about ammunition and dutch documentation about weapons
 
Czechoslovakia:
The book Československé dělostřelecké zbraně (Czechoslovak artillery weapons) by Vladimír Karlický, Prague 1975 says:
"...there was no guarantee that the development of new weapon, technically extremely difficult, will be short and successful. There was no other way but to speedily purchase in summer of 1938 in Sweden eight guns with ammunition, as well as the licence for further manufacture in Czechoslovakia. 4 cm automatic AA cannons d/60 system Bofors were undoubtedly to the best weapons of its kind in the world and were used in many armies. Guns could be delivered during the year 1939 and the start of production could not even be determined in 1938. After Munich the contracts were cancelled."

Bob
 
Czechoslovakia:
The book Československé dělostřelecké zbraně (Czechoslovak artillery weapons) by Vladimír Karlický, Prague 1975 says:
"...there was no guarantee that the development of new weapon, technically extremely difficult, will be short and successful. There was no other way but to speedily purchase in summer of 1938 in Sweden eight guns with ammunition, as well as the licence for further manufacture in Czechoslovakia. 4 cm automatic AA cannons d/60 system Bofors were undoubtedly to the best weapons of its kind in the world and were used in many armies. Guns could be delivered during the year 1939 and the start of production could not even be determined in 1938. After Munich the contracts were cancelled."

Bob
So whats 4 cm automatic AA cannons d/60 in czech? Also y does it say d/60 instead of l/60?
 
No the 40 mm were not used in the pre WW2 Czechoslovak army.
There is a lot of 40 mm ammunition scattered around Czech Republic from war time, mainly of Hungarian and German manufacture.

d - délka - length in czech language. Sorry I did not translate it to english.

There were some guns brought by 1st. Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade to Czechoslovakia after the war.
I am looking for further info.

Bob
 
No the 40 mm were not used in the pre WW2 Czechoslovak army.
There is a lot of 40 mm ammunition scattered around Czech Republic from war time, mainly of Hungarian and German manufacture.

d - délka - length in czech language. Sorry I did not translate it to english.

There were some guns brought by 1st. Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade to Czechoslovakia after the war.
I am looking for further info.

Bob
Thanks for clarifying. Il add it to the list with english translation for now until u find more info.
 
Sorry to revive this thread but there are some topics that need more explanation.

In the list of Czechoslovak manuals found here:
http://www.vuapraha.cz/sites/defaul...ch_vojenskych_predpisu_po_roce_1945_1.dil.pdf
under No. 291 (page 32) a Training manual for the "40 mm protiletadlový kanón B". B means British NOT Bofors and can be found on other weapons of British origin.
6 weapons were brought to Czechoslovakia in May 1945 by the 1st. Armoured Brigade (Czechoslovak unit formed in Great Britain).
Ammunition manufacture plans from 1946 onward do not mention any 40 mm ammunition. Some blueprints were prepared by Skoda Factory in 1948.
There is also no evidence that there were German Flak 28 weapons used by the Czechoslovak army after 1945.

The exact wording used by Mr. Karlicky when describing the pre-war contracts is "4cm automatický PL kanón d/60 soustavy Bofors" it is a description rather than designation.
There is no evidence that there was a single gun delivered before March 15th 1939.

I also think that the designation You have under Romania is actually Hungarian.

Bob
 
Some data about the Dutch pre WW2 40L60 guns:
Army - Kanon van 4 tl (tl = tegen luchtdoelen) build in licence by Starachowice Poland
KNIL - Kanon van 4 ld (ld = luchtdoel)
Navy - Mitrailleur van 40 mm No. 3 dubbel (twin mounting)
- Mitrailleur van 40 mm No. 4 dubbel (twin mounting)
- Mitrailleur van 40 mm No. 5
- Mitrailleur van 40 mm No. 6.
 
Polish:
"40 mm armata przeciwlotnicza wz.36"
" -//- -//- wz.38" (gun carriage "Semi-stationary")

and bought in Sweden for ships two barrel types:
wz.36 [L/60] and L/43 for submarines.

export with ammo: (orders / without details)
to ES, 1938: 24 pcs wz.36 (official to Peru)
to UK, 1938: 80 pcs wz.36
to FR, 1938: 20 000 pcs ammo 40 mm
to NL, 1938: 48 pcs (same guns)
to NL, 1939: 40 pcs wz.36
to UK, 1939: 150 pcs wz.36 (not finish / war)
 
Sorry to revive this thread but there are some topics that need more explanation.

In the list of Czechoslovak manuals found here:
http://www.vuapraha.cz/sites/defaul...ch_vojenskych_predpisu_po_roce_1945_1.dil.pdf
under No. 291 (page 32) a Training manual for the "40 mm protiletadlový kanón B". B means British NOT Bofors and can be found on other weapons of British origin.
6 weapons were brought to Czechoslovakia in May 1945 by the 1st. Armoured Brigade (Czechoslovak unit formed in Great Britain).
Ammunition manufacture plans from 1946 onward do not mention any 40 mm ammunition. Some blueprints were prepared by Skoda Factory in 1948.
There is also no evidence that there were German Flak 28 weapons used by the Czechoslovak army after 1945.

The exact wording used by Mr. Karlicky when describing the pre-war contracts is "4cm automatický PL kanón d/60 soustavy Bofors" it is a description rather than designation.
There is no evidence that there was a single gun delivered before March 15th 1939.

I also think that the designation You have under Romania is actually Hungarian.

Bob
Thank you for this claification? I also realised that i fudged up with the hungarian designation :D
Also its nice that people still care but id like for new information to be posted in the new thread i made as i cant update the op anymore so its basically stuck like that forever.
 
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