3.7 anti aircraft gun

[Les Freathy]

Heres a piece of artillery i would like to see more photos and info on, they were used in large numbers by both the Brits and Canadians so got to be something out there. I read somwhere they used them on one occasion as anti tank guns , i think in Italy unfortunatly they had no AP ammo the guns must have been unwieldy to use due to the weight and size for this role unlike the German88mm on its lighter trailer. An interesting snippet we have a vintage fair that travels the London and home counties areas that use the carriage of a 3.7 for the Octopus ride now this must be a real heavy lump to haul around, all my memories of travelling fairs with the Octopus used the much lighter ex military searchlight carriage
cheers
Les

[Brad Mills]

Les,

Here's a photo for you...


Gunners of the 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, pushing a 3.7-inch (9.84 cm) anti-aircraft gun through mud
February 1, 1945 , Place of publication: Dunkerque, France

[John McGillivray]

Here are some Canadian photos of the 3.7in AA Gun. Note that there was an AP shot for the 3.7in AA Gun. Also when in the horizontal firing position the 3.7in AA Gun had a lower profile than the German 8.8cm flak guns. However, because the British had such fine A/T guns like the 6 and 17 pdrs there was really no need to use their heavy AA guns on the A/T role. Because of their long range (18,800m) the 3.7in AA guns were often used in the field artillery role especially in the counter battery role.

[John McGillivray]

More photos;

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by BMills
Gunners of the 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, pushing a 3.7-inch (9.84 cm) anti-aircraft gun through mud, February 1, 1945

Nice picture, but ooooooo.... I'm a little suspicious about that one!

Call me cynical, but I'd almost say it's staged... first, look at the lads. The two closest to the camera look like they've just walked off parade, while the fellows in back are wearing FILTHY coveralls... should they ALL not be dressed accordingly?

Second, are we really to assume those few are going to PUSH a great honkin' gun like that through mud?? Naaaa.... it's just too pat! More like:

"Hey, you two men over there! Yeah, you two! Come over here!"

[the two saunter over, with suspicious looks on their faces and hands in their pockets]

"Yeah boss, whatcha want? [don't forget, they're Canadians]"

[the Lieutenant shuffles his feet nervously, looking a bit at a loss for words]

"Er, do you fellows want to be in the newspapers?"

[now the two look at each other as if they smell a rat]

"Uh, yeah, ok mebbe, whatawe gotta do?"

[big smile from the officer knowing he's avoided embarrassment in front of the photographer]

"Um, give those fellows by that gun a hand rolling it through the mud. This cameraman here will take your picture!"

[the two 'conscripts' look at each other, knowing this is impossible. The decide to have a bit of fun with the new Lieutenant]

"No way, boss, that f*cken thang ain't gonna move in this shit. An' we ain't pushin' it!"

[the officer, his resolve broken, hurries away mumbling to himself, defeated in yet another 'command' performance; the photographer steps in with a big grin on his face]

"Gottim good, byes, eh? hehehe... how about ya just pertend ta push the gun while I take yer pitcher, huh? It'll be a good'un, an' nobody's gonna know..."

"Shore 'nuf pal, yer awright! Got any smokes?"

And now you know the TRUE story...

[John McGillivray]

Could it be?

Looking back at the photos that I posted above it appears that the round being loaded into the gun is painted black. This would indicate that it is AP shot. The photos were taken on the test ranges in Valcartier in Feb. 1943.

[Tony Smith]

Originally posted by Les Freathy
Heres a piece of artillery i would like to see more photos and info on, they were used in large numbers by both the Brits and Canadians......
cheers
Les

Also used, and manufactured, by the Australians. 3.7in AA guns saw service in North Africa, New Guinea and numerous locations around the Aust mainland.

3.7in AA at Tobruk:

Another at Tobruk:

[Mark W. Tonner]

Source:
Photo No.: H 31848
Photographer: Hardy (Sgt) War Office official photographer
Title: THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 1939-45
Collection No.: 4700-37
Description: 3.7-inch guns of an anti-aircraft regiment on parade near Chelmsford in Essex, 13 August 1943.
Period: Second World War
Date: 13 August 1943
Access: Unrestricted
Colour / B&W: Black and white
Type: Official photograph

[Mark W. Tonner]

Source:
Photo No.: BU 5319
Photographer: Wilkes (Sgt) No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit
Title: THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-45
Collection No.: 4700-30
Description: 3.7-inch guns of 60th (City of London) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment fire a salvo to celebrate the Allied victory in Europe, 6 May 1945.
Period: Second World War
Date: 6 May 1945
Access: Unrestricted
Colour / B&W: Black and white
Type: Official photograph

[Mark W. Tonner]

Source:
Photo No.: GM 93
Photographer: Dallison G W (Lieut) War Office official photographer
Title: THE BRITISH ARMY ON GIBRALTAR 1941
Collection No.: 4700-36
Description: White Rock Battery showing a 3.7-inch mobile anti-aircraft gun, November 1941.
Period: Second World War
Date: November 1941
Access: Unrestricted
Colour / B&W: Black and white
Type: Official photograph

[Alex van de Wetering]

Stranded at the Beach near Courseulles, Normandy.

The picture is taken from a book about the REME beach groups in Normandy. Exact source to follow.


Alex

[Les Freathy]

AHA now thats bought out some interesting bits well done lads, that one on the target range must be fireing AP rounds with a gun that size and a target that close it must have gone straight through or blown it to bits. Yes sorry down under i forgot about the ones built there those photos sure show the gun muzzle flash an instant 4th July

[Les Freathy]

A few more shots from the IWM archives

1. 3.7 in Hyde Park London
   
2. ATS in training at Weybourne Norfolk
   
3. Burma 1944

[John McGillivray]

Originally posted by John McGillivray
Could it be?

Looking back at the photos that I posted above it appears that the round being loaded into the gun is painted black. This would indicate that it is AP shot. The photos were taken on the test ranges in Valcartier in Feb. 1943.

On looking closer the round appears to be a Flathead Solid Shot and not an AP Shot.

[Alex van de Wetering]

Here is another one from the IWM.

"Artillery of the 11th Armoured Divison in action"

IWM B 9227

[Les Freathy]

These two shots will interest you guys in Canada the first is in the production factory now where would that have been located and the second shows loading part crated 3.7s on to a ship bound for Russia. I wonder if you ever got paid for them
cheers
Les

[Mark W. Tonner]

a couple more:

Source: Australian War Memorial
ID Number: 026627
Maker: Fisher, Thomas
Place made: Papua New Guinea: Papua, Milne Bay Gili Gili
Date made: September 1942
Physical description: Black & white
Summary: A HEAVY 3.7 INCH ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN IN POSITION ON THE SHORES OF MILNE BAY NEAR GILI GILI, MANNED BY A CREW OF THE 2/6TH HEAVY ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTERY, ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ARTILLERY.
Copyright: clear

[Mark W. Tonner]

Source: Australian War Memorial
ID Number: 071754
Maker: Fraser, A L
Date made: 26 March 1944
Physical description: Black & white
Summary: LAE, NEW GUINEA, 1944-03-26. MEMBERS OF C TROOP, 2/6TH HEAVY ANTI-AIRCRAFT REGIMENT (COMPOSITE), OPERATING "MAHFEESH-TOJO". (FINISH TOJO); NO. 3, 3.7 INCH MOBILE GUN, MKIII DURING AN ALERT. LEFT TO RIGHT: VX43754 SERGEANT RIETZE; VX20421 GUNNER W. S. HUNTER; VX65504 GUNNER J. WATKINS; NX97806 GUNNER H. MOON; UNIDENTIFIED; VX112407 GUNNER A. HARDIE; VX47462 GUNNER D. MATHESON; SX17959 GUNNER J. WRIGHT.
Copyright: clear

[John McGillivray]

Two more photos of 3.7in guns belonging to 2nd Cdn HAA Regt.

[Les Freathy]

Cant believe its almost a year since we looked at this thread, this interesting photo shows a battery of static 3.7s during the flying bomb crisis. The original caption states somewhere in Kent but after a close study i would say that this is Hastings in East Sussex right down at the western end of the prominade where the open air swimming pool used to be
cheers
Les

[Treadhead]

Originally Posted by BMills

Gunners of the 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, pushing a 3.7-inch (9.84 cm)

Wouldn't that be 91.5mm (24.4mm x 3.75)

[Tony Smith]

The actual measurement is precisely 94mm, and 3.7 inch is just a close approximation.

[Lynn Eades]

Besides which 1.000 inch = 25.4 mm not 24.4mm

[Treadhead]

yeah, I realized that about an hour later & I was already off-line by then.
still trying to decide whether I'm getting dumber as I get older, or Wiser & just realizing that I was always dumb.
It's a tough one.

[RWDiesel]

Hello

Photo i took this summer while visiting the Royal Artillery Museum Firepower
Woolwich Arsenal London UK.


Cheers Ronald

[John McGillivray]

3.7in HAA Guns

http://images.google.com/hosted/life...%26start%3D160

[Neil Ashley]

For anyone interested there is a static mount version for sell on milweb at the moment.

[Tony Smith]

The one on Milweb is a Mobile 3.7", it's just that the axles have been removed and are not visible in the pic (compare with the first pics in this thread)

[Tony Smith]

The Mobile guns are easily identified by the stabilising outriggers, while the Static guns were secured by 16 hold-down bolts and did not require the outriggers:

[Mike Timoshyk]

http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-...AdIdZ100878017


don't know it is still available but it is still posted on KIJIJI ebay.

No connection to sell

Mike Timoshyk