Number of aa-guns in France 1940?

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SVaaka
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Number of aa-guns in France 1940?

#1

Post by SVaaka » 25 Jul 2015, 22:20

Does anyone have figures how many aa-guns there were is the use of french army in may 1940? Lists of batteries and so exist, but numbers of each manufactured and used gun are missing.

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Sheldrake
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Re: Number of aa-guns in France 1940?

#2

Post by Sheldrake » 26 Jul 2015, 01:23

Wikipedia lists
Anti-aircraft defences[edit]
In addition to 580 13 mm (0.5 in) machine guns assigned to civilian defence, the French Army had 1,152 25 mm (0.98 in) anti-aircraft guns, with 200 20 mm (0.79 in) auto-cannons in the process of delivery, and 688 75 mm (2.95 in) guns and 24 90 mm (3.54 in) guns, the latter having problems with barrel wear. There were also 40 First World War-vintage 105 mm (4.1 in) anti-aircraft guns available.[91] The BEF had 10 regiments of 3.7 in (94 mm) guns, then the most advanced heavy anti-aircraft weapon in the world, and seven and a half regiments of 40 mm (1.57 in) Bofors: with either three or four batteries per regiment, this represented roughly 300 heavy and 350 light AA guns.[92] The Belgians had two heavy anti-aircraft regiments and were in the process of introducing 40 mm (1.57 in) Bofors guns as equipment for divisional anti-aircraft troops. The Dutch had 84 75 mm (2.95 in), 39 elderly 60 mm (2.36 in), seven 100 mm (3.9 in), and 232 20 mm (0.79 in) and 40 mm (1.57 in) anti-aircraft guns, and several hundred First World War-vintage Spandau M.25 machine guns on anti-aircraft mountings.[75]
The details may not be quite right as the HAA regiments in the BEF were equipped a mix of 3" 20 cwt and 3.7" HAA guns.

What do you mean by AA Guns with the French army? Do you mean those defending France and its field forces as a whole? Or are you only interested in AA weapons which protected their field army as opposed to airfields, naval bases, supply depots or civilian industry and population centres?


SVaaka
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Re: Number of aa-guns in France 1940?

#3

Post by SVaaka » 26 Jul 2015, 10:30

HI...
I was only wondering the actual number of all existing aa-guns is use and manufactured in France. Though the french had rather impressive armamentindustury, the quality of aa-guns ( mostly old WW I vintage) was poor and number of manufactured new models really low - only figures I have so far seen are numbers of those captured by germans. All info is intresting. Also strange this that 13.2 mm, 25. mm and 40 mm guns were used to protect civilian targets not airbases or groundforces - where they would have been needed and would have been in better use.

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Manuferey
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Re: Number of aa-guns in France 1940?

#4

Post by Manuferey » 26 Jul 2015, 15:41

SVaaka wrote: and would have been in better use.
From the civilians' perspective, civilian targets, including cities, were forth protecting. :wink:

Emmanuel

SVaaka
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Re: Number of aa-guns in France 1940?

#5

Post by SVaaka » 26 Jul 2015, 16:02

Hi...
as far as I recall most civilian targets are attacked bt levelbombers, in case they are cities or indusrial areas. So there is no use toprotect them with 13,2mm , 20 mm, 25 mm or even with 40 mm guns - cause their ammo do not carry highenough. One problem during 1940 in France was Luftwaffe planes straffing french and british planes on ground....So some protection was certainly needed.

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Manuferey
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Re: Number of aa-guns in France 1940?

#6

Post by Manuferey » 26 Jul 2015, 22:21

SVaaka wrote:Hi...
as far as I recall most civilian targets are attacked bt levelbombers, in case they are cities or indusrial areas. So there is no use toprotect them with 13,2mm , 20 mm, 25 mm or even with 40 mm guns - cause their ammo do not carry highenough.
Good point ! :oops:

Emmanuel

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Loïc
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Re: Number of aa-guns in France 1940?

#7

Post by Loïc » 27 Jul 2015, 02:48

hello

40mm Bofors guns there were only 42 pieces, 9 batteries raised mainly for Paris

you have figures of the French Anti-Aircraft Artillery chapter 53 here
http://basart.artillerie.asso.fr/articl ... le=741#mat

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Loïc

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Sheldrake
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Re: Number of aa-guns in France 1940?

#8

Post by Sheldrake » 27 Jul 2015, 09:45

The other weakness was the lack of a radar based detection and control system such as that which protected Britain and Germany.

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