40 mm Bofors AA guns made in GB and US

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

The first of the later world famous 40 mm Bofors L/60 AA guns was delivered to the R Sw Navy in March 1932.

A number of states aquired rights for licence production. Austria (Staatsfabrik) 1935, Belgium (Fabrique Nationale) 1936, Czechoslovakia (Skoda) 1938, Finland (State factory) 1937, France 1937, Great Britain 1937, Hungary (Mavag) 1935, Norway (Kongsberg) 1937, Poland (Starachowice) 1935.

Great Britain ordered 509 guns from Bofors 1937-39 but all were not delivered before the outbreak of WW 2. At least 18 guns were placed under embargo by the Swedish Government in 1940.

Great Britain also bought guns from Belgium, Hungary and Poland because Bofors couldn´t deliver within the time limit desired.

USA did not have licence rights for export but did export (Lend-lease) nevertheless. The US Navy was negotiating for licence rights and bought one gun from Bofors which was shipped to US onboard s/s American Legion in August 1940.

Already before this gun arrived US Navy carried out tests in Trinidad. The aricraft towing the target was from USS Tuscaloosa , the Swedish made gun was onboard Hr (NL) Ms Van Kinsbergen , the fire-direction equipment Dutch-German and the trials carried out in British waters!

Anyhow the US Navy made contracts with York Safe & Lock Co, York, Pa, for producing the 40 mm Bofors. Production should start in Oct 1941 and in May 1942 reach 25 guns a month. This was however not enough.

Already in December 1940 US Army took up contacts with Chrysler Corp in Detroit. The Swedish Bofors gun delivered to US Navy in 1940 was taken over by US Army in April 1941.

Another two guns were bought from Great Britain and tested in Aberdeen in July 1941. After long negotiations US Army got an agreement with Bofors and also the blueprints - but in millimeters and not inches. One millimeter is 0,03937079 inch.

Anyhow Chrysler got orders for 300 guns a month - but that was not enough. Also Blaw-Knox Co in Martins Ferry, Ohio, took up production. Chrysler made approx 60.000 guns. Production increased to 1.500 guns a month.

Involved in US production of Bofors 40 mm guns as sub-contractors were also Webster Electric Co, Racine, Wisc, Ford Instruments Co (where?), Vickers Inc, Detroit, General Electric (where?), Northern Pump Co (where?) and Firestone Rubber Co, Akron.

So now my questions:
1) Were there more US factories making Bofors guns than Chrysler. Blaw-Knox and York Safe & Lock?
2) Wich factories in GB did make Bofors guns?
3) Were Bofors guns made in Australia and Canada?

Attached: First two US made Army Bofors guns. Guns made by Chrysler and mounts by Firestone.

For picture of a Swedish made Bofors gun see:

http://groups.msn.com/KNIL-history

Select album "Anti-Aircraft Artillery".

Stellan