| Canon de 37 mm Modèle 1925 | |
| Origin: | France |
| Type: | Anti-aircraft gun |
| Is Ranged: | yes |
| Is Explosive: | yes |
| Is Artillery: | yes |
| Used By: | France |
| Wars: | World War II |
| Design Date: | 1925 |
| Production Date: | 1925 |
| Variants: | Modèle 1933 |
| Weight: | 300sp=usNaNsp=us |
| Length: | 2sp=usNaNsp=us |
| Part Length: | 1.8sp=usNaNsp=us (50-caliber) |
| Cartridge: | 37 × 278 mm |
| Cartridge Weight: | 0.72sp=usNaNsp=us |
| Caliber: | 37mm |
| Action: | Semi-automatic |
| Rate: | 15-21 rpm |
| Velocity: | 810sp=usNaNsp=us |
| Range: | 5400sp=usNaNsp=us at +45° |
| Max Range: | 7000sp=usNaNsp=us at +45° |
| Elevation: | −15° to +80° |
| Traverse: | 360° |
The Canon de 37 mm Modèle 1925 was a widely used family of French anti-aircraft guns used by the French Navy during World War II.
The Modèle 1925 was a single gun mount while the later Modèle 1933 was a twin mount. Both were hand-loaded, semi-automatic guns with a low rate of fire compared to their clip-fed contemporaries. A combination of low rate of fire, low projectile weight and small numbers of guns per ship led to a reputation of it being a poor anti-aircraft weapon.[1]
Ship classes that carried Modèle 1925 & Modèle 1933 include:
| Country | Gun Model | RPM | Projectile Weight | Weight of fire | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon de 37 mm Modèle 1925 | 15-21 | 0.72sp=usNaNsp=us[2] | NaNsp=usNaNsp=us | ||
| 3.7 cm SK C/30 | 30 | 0.74sp=usNaNsp=us[3] | 22.2sp=usNaNsp=us | ||
| Cannone-Mitragliera da 37/54 (Breda) | 60-120 | 0.82sp=usNaNsp=us[4] | NaNsp=usNaNsp=us | ||
| 37 mm Gun M1 | 120 | 0.87sp=usNaNsp=us | 104.4sp=usNaNsp=us | ||
| 3.7 cm Flak 18/36/37/43 | 150 | 0.64sp=usNaNsp=us[5] | 96sp=usNaNsp=us | ||
| 37 mm automatic air defense gun M1939 (61-K) | 80[6] | 0.73sp=usNaNsp=us[7] | 58.4sp=usNaNsp=us | ||
| QF 2-pounder naval gun | 115 | 0.91sp=usNaNsp=us[8] | 104.6sp=usNaNsp=us | ||
| Bofors 40 mm gun | 120 | 0.9sp=usNaNsp=us[9] | 108sp=usNaNsp=us |
Ships of the Free French Navy refitted in the United States during World War II had these guns replaced by 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Oerlikon guns. Ships of the Vichy French Navy continued to carry the Canon de 37 mm Modèle 1925 until the remnants of that force were captured or scuttled during 1942. Ships salvaged by the Germans and Italians also replaced this gun with their equivalents.