The Soviet recoil-operated 37mm anti aircraft gun is based on a Bofors design and closely resembles the 40mm guns used by both the British and United States forces during World War II. The 37mm obr 1939 was developed from the Swedish 25mm Bofors AA gun sold to Russia in the 1930s.
The design was a joint task by L. A. Loktev and M. N. Loginov in the Design Bureau of Artillery Plant No. 8 at Kaliningrad. The obr 1939 had certain similarities with the later 40mm Bofors L/60 AA gun like gravity clip feeding and a similar carriage.The obr 1939 was introduced in Autumn 1939. It has a rate of fire was 160 to 180rpm, its ammunition was fed in 5-round charger clips. The obr 1939 was recoil operated and air-cooled.Cartridge cases are brass with the projectile black. AP shells are able to penetrate 37mm/60°/500m or 28mm/90°/1500m. The AP shell has two pronounced grooves that help to control the compression of the shell on impact on hard armour.
Specifications
Role: Light Air Defence Gun
Year Adopted: 1939
Weight: 2,100 kg (in firing order)
Weapon Range: 6,700 meters (effective vertical)
3,000 meters (maximum vertical)
9,500 meters (maximum horizontal)
Crew: 8 men
Shell Weight: 0.76 kg (APHE shell)
Muzzle Velocity: 960 meters per second (HVAP shell)
Total Traverse: 360 degrees
Elevation: –5 to +85
In Flames Of War
With the Luftwaffe cruising the skies it always pays to have some Anti-Aircraft available to protect your less mobile units such as your artillery and anti-tank guns. An Anti-Aircraft company is your division’s protection from the Fascist crows! You can have two to six 37mm obr 1939 guns in the company, but at only 145 points in Festung Europa (page 139) why wouldn’t you use all six! These are extremely effective weapons, with a range of 24”/60cm, ROF 4, AT 6 and FP 4+, great for both destroying Nazi aircraft and ground targets.