Cannone da 90/53

The Cannone da 90/53 was an Italian designed cannon, and one of the most successful anti-aircraft guns to see service during World War II. It was used both in an anti-aircraft role and as an anti-tank gun. The designation "90/53" meant that the gun had a 90 mm caliber and a barrel 53 caliber-lengths long.

History

The Cannone da 90/53 was designed by Ansaldo, the first examples being produced in 1939. The original plan was for the gun to be manufactured in three variants:

• the modello 41P was for static emplacement; 1087 were ordered
• the modello 41C was to be towed; 660 were ordered
• 57 were ordered to be mounted on heavy trucks designated autocannoni da 90/53

However Italian industry was not up to producing these quantities and by the end of production in July 1943 only 539 guns had been delivered, including 48 converted for use on the Semovente 90/53 heavy tank destroyer.

After Italy surrendered, guns captured by Germany forces were designated 9-cm Flak 41(i) or 9-cm Flak 309/1(i). Some of these guns were used for the air defence of Germany while others were kept in Italy.

In comparison to the German 8.8 cm

Though often overshadowed by the more famous German 8.8 cm Flak 36, the Cannone da 90/53 was undoubtedly one of the finest anti-aircraft and anti-tank guns of World War II, possessing several advantages over its German counterpart.

• The 90/53 used a single-piece barrel instead if the two-piece barrel of the 8.8cm, simplifying production.
• The 90/53 fired a larger shell: 90mm 10.33kg compared to 88mm 9.2kg of the Flak 36 8.8cm.
• The 90/53 had a higher muzzle velocity of 840 m/s, compared to 790 m/s.
• The 90/53 had a longer range of 12,000 m against 10600 m, though the Flak 36 was rarely effective above 7,900 m.
• Though the 90/53 lacked the sophisticated fire control systems of the later 8.8cm models, in use these systems proved troublesome and unreliable, while the less sophisticated fire control system of the 90/53 was found to be highly reliable, though not as accurate.

Characteristics

• Caliber: 90 mm
• Length of barrel: 4.736 m
• Firing weight: travelling 8950 kg, firing 6240 kg
• Maximum effective ceiling: 12000 m
• Elevation: –0º to +85º
• Traverse: 360º
• Muzzle velocity: 830 m/s
• Rate of fire:20rpm
• Shell weight: 10.33 kg
• Users: Italy, Germany

See also

• Semovente 90/53, a tank destroyer employing the Cannone da 90/53
• Italian Army equipment in World War II
• the Cannone da 75/46 C.A. modello 34 was another contemporary Italian anti-aircraft gun
• the German 88 mm gun, a comparable weapon

References

• Artillery by Chris Chant, published by Amber Books, ISBN 1-84509-248-1