View source for Vickers Model 1931

{{Infobox Weapon
|name=Vickers Model 1931
|image=
|caption=
|origin={{UK}}
|type=[[anti-aircraft gun]]
<!-- Type selection -->
|is_ranged=
|is_bladed=
|is_explosive=yes
|is_artillery=yes
|is_vehicle=
|is_UK=
<!-- Service history -->
|service=1937-1950?
|used_by={{UK}}<br />{{flag|Nazi Germany}}<br />{{flag|Netherlands}}<br />{{flag|Finland}}<br />{{flag|Lithuania}}<br />{{flag|Belgium}}<br />{{flag|Denmark}}<br />{{flag|Soviet Union}}<br />{{flagicon|Romania}} [[Kingdom of Romania|Romania]]<br />{{flag|Turkey}}
|wars=[[World War II]]
<!-- Production history -->
|designer=[[Vickers]]
|design_date=
|manufacturer=[[Vickers]]
|production_date=1931-39?
|number=
|variants=
<!-- General specifications -->
|weight={{convert|2825|kg|lb}}
|length=
|part_length={{convert|3.225|m|ft}} L/43
|width=
|height=
|crew=
<!-- Ranged weapon specifications -->
|cartridge=
|cartridge_weight={{convert|6.5|kg|lb}} ([[HE]])
|caliber={{convert|75|mm|in}}
|action=
|rate=12 rpm
|velocity={{convert|750|m/s|ft/s}}
|range={{convert|5000|m|ft|abbr=on}} slant range
|max_range={{convert|10000|m|ft}} vertical ceiling
|feed=
|sights=
<!-- Artillery specifications -->
|breech=
|recoil=
|carriage=cruciform
|elevation=0° to +90°
|traverse=360°
<!-- Explosive specifications -->
|diameter=
|filling=
|filling_weight=
|detonation=
|yield=
}}

The '''Vickers Model 1931''' was a British [[anti-aircraft]] gun used during the [[Second World War]]. The design was rejected by the British and Vickers exported the gun world-wide during the 1930s. [[Kingdom of Romania|Romania]] bought a license for 100 in 1936, although hundred more were built during the war.<ref>Axworthy, p. 30</ref> Denmark also bought a license. Belgium, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Turkey and China bought numbers of guns directly from Vickers. Finland bought a dozen to help reduce balance of payment problems with the British in 1936. The Finnish guns were chambered in their standard {{convert|76.2|mm|in}} caliber.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jaegerplatoon.net/AA_GUNS3.htm|title=ANTIAIRCRAFT GUNS PART 3: Heavy Guns|date=23 September 2007|accessdate=2009-05-22}}</ref> Those weapons captured after the German conquest of Europe were taken into [[Wehrmacht]] service as the ''7.5&nbsp;cm Flak M 35(h)'' or ''7.5&nbsp;cm Flak (d)''. Similarly the Soviet Union used those guns it captured from Lithuania. Supposedly it saw limited British service with Home Defense "barrage units" 1940—43.<ref>Gander and Chamberlain, p. 163</ref>

The cruciform carriage had two pneumatic or solid rubber wheels that were removable. Two legs locked together for transport and the barrel was secured to them. The other two legs folded in half and were elevated almost vertically into the air (see the Romanian reference to see exactly how it looked).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldwar2.ro/arme/?article=336|title=75mm Vickers antiaircraft gun model 1936/39|accessdate=2009-05-22}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book|last=Axworthy|first=Mark|coauthors=Scafes, Cornel; Craciunoiu, Cristian|title=Third Axis, Fourth Ally: Romanian Armed Forces in the European War, 1941-1945|publisher=Arms and Armour|location=London|date=1995|isbn=1-85409-267-7}}
* {{cite book|last=Gander|first=Terry|coauthors=Chamberlain, Peter|title=Weapons of the Third Reich: An Encyclopedic Survey of All Small Arms, Artillery and Special Weapons of the German Land Forces 1939-1945|publisher=Doubleday|location=New York|date=1979|isbn=0-385-15090-3}}

==External links==
* [http://www.jaegerplatoon.net/AA_GUNS3.htm the Vickers in Finnish service]
* [http://www.worldwar2.ro/arme/?article=336 the Vickers in Romanian service]

[[Category:Anti-aircraft guns]]
[[Category:World War II anti-aircraft guns]]
[[Category:World War II British guns]]
[[Category:75 mm artillery]]
[[Category:2Fix]]