Firing the Bofors.

Discussion in 'Weapons, Technology & Equipment' started by Owen, Mar 9, 2007.

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  1. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Just reading Ronie Gamble's book on his Dad's Coleraine Battery.
    http://coleraine-battery.tripod.com/

    One thing confusing me, maybe Ron Goldstein can answer as an ex-AA gunner.
    It's about who actually fires the gun.
    In Ronnie's book it says
    "When the Bofors was first introduced to the Battery, the No 3 (Elevation) fired the gun. This routine changed in order to conserve ammo and the barrel. No 4, the Gun Loader took over this task by firing the gun with the use of a foot pedal. That way a person who did not have a sighting picture of the target became responsible for firing the gun."


    Surely the best person to fire would be the one who could see the target?

    Please someone explain.
     
  2. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    One thing confusing me, maybe Ron Goldstein can answer as an ex-AA gunner. It's about who actually fires the gun.


    Owen
    Sorry mate.... during my service in the RA I was strictly a driver/wireless operator and, as such, never had contact with the guns.

    When my Regiment (The 49th LAA) was disbanded and I re-trained in the RAC then I became a loader/wireless operator and had occasion to fire the odd weapon.

    I'm sure there are many folk out there who will have the answer for you
     
  3. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Just reading in the book about "Umbrella barrages", when the gun is laid on fixed lines and then fired.
    I suppose the best person to fire it has to be the one reloading it.
     
  4. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Owen, It doesn't answer your question but this thread on "Maple Leaf Up" has some nice technical info and pictures on the loading mechanisms of Bofors guns.

    MLU FORUM - 40mm Bofors gun operation mechanism question

    In fact it's so technical that I think that I would probably need to be standing there with the parts to hand in order to fully understand it.:D
     
  5. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    More here: 40 mm Automatkanon m/36

    The gun is fired by means of foot pedals. On the original model there is one pedal at the pointers seat and one at the sight operators seat (but some costumers requested different arrangements of the firing mechanism). When the gun is set to automatic, it keeps firing as long as either of the two firing pedals are depressed and as long as ammunition is fed to the loading mechanism.
     
  6. machine shop tom

    machine shop tom Senior Member

    My dad was an AA gunner on a CVE in the Pacific. He was on a twin Bofors 40mm. He was first a loader and then a trainer (his words), which I take is the aimer. He never mentioned whether on not he was involved with the actual firing of the weapon. His mount was credited with shooting down a Kamikaze.

    tom
     
  7. handtohand22

    handtohand22 Senior Member

    Hello all.

    I have done a bit of research and came up with the following.

    A Battery veteran told me that the guns were fired by the loader operating a foot pedal, but only when ordered by the Gun Sgt. There were no other linkages to the firing mechanism other than the loaders foot pedal.

    The foot pedal was also a feature on the German 88's. A veteran recalls how he was accidentaly attacked by an Arab as he travelled in convoy through Tunisia.
    He looked down into a quarry as he was driving along and observed three Arabs walking around an abandoned 88. The gun went off and the Arabs ran for their lives.

    If that fails to clear up the query, I will have access to all the Bofors training manuals next month and I can check it out again.
     
  8. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Cheers Ronnie,
    That's answered that one.
    Still like to see some of those manuals though. :)
     
  9. MikB

    MikB Senior Member

    Just reading Ronie Gamble's book on his Dad's Coleraine Battery.
    http://coleraine-battery.tripod.com

    Surely the best person to fire would be the one who could see the target?

    Please someone explain.

    I don't know the detail of the Bofors, but from the quoted text it looks as if he thinks that your statement is obvious, and the idea of modding it so that the aimer didn't shoot seemed - well - a few rounds short of a full magazine...

    Regards,
    MikB
     
  10. Kyt

    Kyt Very Senior Member

  11. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

  12. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Indeed, can't say I have ever seen a Bren gun fitted to one firing at the same time !
     
  13. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Andy,

    I have never seen it before, but I have read of smaller calibre guns being used to lay on the target before letting loose with the canon.

    Nice footage.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  14. Derek Barton

    Derek Barton Senior Member

    Brens were often used fitted to artillery for training. A lot of anti-tank practice on the 25 pdr used this method as the ammo was cheaper and the practice could be carried out in places where safety considerations ruled out using the gun itself.

    I can only guess that the clip shows the Bren being fired before the 40mm as a safety check, making sure the gun is on the right target before letting loose with the main gun. I'm sure the pilot towing the drogue would sooner have a few rounds of .303 through his tail than a 40mm shell. Reports suggest that it was sometimes difficult to convince some gun crews that the aircraft was towing the target not pushing it.
     
  15. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    A training device for Bofors loaders. It looks like it is on the USS Massachusetts judging from the bridge in the background.

    upload_2023-10-17_6-47-3.png
     

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