Much has been written about the use of tanks in battle. Little, however, has appeared about the gunnery systems that are at their core. This book describes and examines the main gun systems of medium and heavy tanks from first use in 1916 in World War I to those fielded in numbers to the end of World War II in 1945, including tanks of the interwar period. Specifically considered are guns of a caliber greater than 35 mm, which have been deployed in numbers greater than 100. The emphasis is on guns mounted in turrets on heavier tracked armored fighting vehicles (greater than 15 tonnes) which were considered tanks. There are, though, exceptions, in that the naval 6 pounder guns in First World War British tanks, as well as the 75 mm guns in French medium tanks of the same period (all turretless) are included.

The treatment of gun systems includes sighting and fire control equipment, gun laying equipment, mounts and the array of munitions fired, as well as the actual gun, including its, barrel, cradle, breech, firing mechanism, sights and recoil system. Related to this are issues of gun handling (loading and unloading), ammunition design and rates of fire. Also examined are the maximum impulse and energy generated by firing some of the munitions available that must be absorbed by the gun recoil system.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• About the Author
• Acknowledgements
• INTRODUCTION
  • Chapter 1 Introduction
  • Chapter 2 Components of Gun Systems
    • General
    • Gun Mounting
    • Cannon
    • Breech Systems
    • Recoil Mechanisms
    • Gun Laying Equipment
    • Sighting Equipment
    • Firing Controls
    • Conclusion
    • Bibliography
  • Chapter 3 Ammunition Aspects of Gun Launch
    • Introduction
    • Projectile
    • Complete Round
    • Fixed Rounds
    • Separated Rounds
    • Smoothbore Guns and Ammunition
    • Ignition Train
    • Primers
    • Igniters
    • Solid Propellants
    • Conclusion
    • Bibliography
  • Chapter 4 Ballistics Considerations
    • Introduction
    • Terminal Ballistics
    • Defeat of Armour
    • External Ballistics
    • Intermediate Ballistics
    • Internal Ballistics
    • Evolving Ammunition Design
    • Bibliography
  • Chapter 5 Recoil Management
    • Introduction
    • Recoil
    • Recoil Systems
    • Muzzle Brakes
    • Conclusion
    • Bibliography
• FIRST WORLD WAR (1915–1918)
  • Chapter 6 Introduction
  • Chapter 7 British Tank Guns
    • Introduction
    • 57 mm Hotchkiss 6-Pounder L/40
    • 57 mm Hotchkiss 6-Pounder L/23
    • Bibliography
  • Chapter 8 French Tank Guns
    • Introduction
    • 75 mm BS (Blockhaus Schneider) L/9.5
    • 75 mm 75 TR Mle 1915 L/28.5
    • 75 mm Canon de 75 Modèle 1897 L/34.5
    • Conclusion
    • Bibliography
• INTERWAR PERIOD (1919–1939)
  • Chapter 9 Interwar Period
  • Chapter 10 German Tank Guns
    • Introduction
    • 37 mm KwK35/36 L/46.5
    • 75 mm KwK37 L/24
    • Bibliography
  • Chapter 11 French Tank Guns
    • Introduction
    • 37 mm SA 18 L/21
    • 47 mm SA 34 L/30
    • 47 mm SA35 L/32
    • 75 mm ABS SA35 L/17
    • Bibliography
  • Chapter 12 British Tank Guns
    • Introduction
    • 47 mm Vickers Ordnance Quick Fire 3-Pounder L/32 and L/40 163
    • 40 mm Ordnance Quick Fire 2-Pounder L/50
    • Bibliography
  • Chapter 13 Soviet Tank Guns
    • Introduction
    • 37 mm B-3 L/42
    • 45 mm M1932 (20-K) L/46
    • 76.2 mm KT-28 L/16.5
    • 76.2 mm L-10 L/26
    • Bibliography
  • Chapter 14 Japanese Tank Guns
    • Introduction
    • 57 mm Type 90 L/14.9
    • 57 mm Type 97 L/18.4
    • Bibliography
  • Chapter 15 Italian Tank Guns
    • Introduction
    • 37 mm Vickers Terni L/40
    • Bibliography
  • Chapter 16 Czechoslovakian Tank Guns
    • Introduction
    • 37 mm ÚV vz.34 (KwK34(t)) L/40
    • Bibliography
• SECOND WORLD WAR (1939–1945)
  • Chapter 17 Introduction
  • Chapter 18 German Tank Guns
    • Introduction
    • 50 mm KwK38 L/42 and L/60
    • 75 mm KwK40 L/43 and L/48
    • 75 mm KwK42 L/70
    • 88 mm KwK36 L/56
    • 88 mm KwK43 L/71
    • Conclusion
    • Bibliography
  • Chapter 19 Czechoslovakian Tank Guns
    • Introduction
    • 37 mm Škoda ÚV vz. 38 (KwK38(t)) L/47.8
    • Bibliography
  • Chapter 20 Italian Tank Guns
    • Introduction
    • 47 mm Ansaldo L/32
    • Bibliography
  • Chapter 21 Japanese Tank Guns
    • Introduction
    • 47 mm Type 1 L/48
    • 75 mm Type 3 L/38
    • Bibliography
  • Chapter 22 Soviet Tank Guns
    • Introduction
    • 76.2 mm L-11 L/30.5
    • 76.2 mm F-32 L/31
    • 76.2 mm ZiS-5 L/41.5
    • 76.2 mm F-34 L/41.5
    • 85 mm D-5T L/51.6
    • 85 mm S-53 and ZiS-S-53 L/54.6
    • 122 mm D-25T L/43
    • Conclusion
    • Bibliography
  • Chapter 23 American Tank Guns
    • Introduction
    • 37 mm M5 L/50 and M6 L/53.5
    • 75 mm M2 L/31 and M3 L/40
    • 76 mm M1 L/52
    • Conclusion
    • Bibliography
  • Chapter 24 British Tank Guns
    • Introduction
    • 57 mm Ordnance QF 6-Pounder L/43 and L/50
    • 75 mm Ordnance QF 75 mm L/36.5
    • 76.2 mm Ordnance QF 17-Pounder L/55
    • 76.2 mm Ordnance QF 77 mm L/49
    • Conclusion
    • Bibliography
• CONCLUSION
  • Chapter 25 Conclusion
• Bibliography