Hotchkiss 25mm anti aircraft

WEAPON / ROF / DAM / PEN / BLK / MAG / SS/BRST / RNG
AA / 3 / C:3 B:20 / 5c / - / 15 / 1/3 / 800m
AT / 3 / C:3 B:16 / 25c / - / 15 / 1/3 / 800m
Phosphorous / 3 / C:2 B:30 / -4c / - / 15 / 1/3 / 800m
ROUND / Caliber 25-163mm
MAG / 15 box
WEIGHT / 1.1 tons
PRICE
OTHER / Crew: 1 NCO 6 8 men

The Hotchkiss 25 mm anti-aircraft gun was a anti-aircraft autocannon designed by the French firm of Hotchkiss. It served in World War II with French, Japanese and other nations' forces. Other than the designer company and the calibre, this weapon is not related to the semi-automatic 25 mm Hotchkiss anti-tank gun, in particular, the cartridge used is different.

After World War I the French military expressed a need for an anti-aircraft autocannon. The Hotchkiss company submitted its 25 mm design, but it was rejected as being too slow-firing, so the weapon was proposed for export instead. In 1938, as the international situation was worsening, and the favoured Schneider 37 mm autocannon was still not ready for production, the French military decided to reconsider its refusal to Hotchkiss, who had just won a contract with Romania. The export guns were held in France and impressed into domestic service. The original tripod was found to be unstable, which lead to the development of a revised variant with a triangular base with a two-wheel carriage. This new variant was chosen for mass production, but at the time of the German attack in May 1940, only a few hundred of these guns were in service. With them and only approximately two hundred Oerlikons, the lack of modern light AA guns greatly hampered the French army in the campaign.

Variants

·  mitrailleuse de 25 mm contre-aéroplanes modèle 1938 the original tripod-mounted gun intended for Romania.

·  mitrailleuse de 25 mm contre-aéroplanes modèle 1939 heavier, more stable carriage.

·  mitrailleuse de 25 mm contre-aéroplanes modèle 1940 faster-firing variant on fixed mouting for naval and static defense use, cartwheel sights.

·  mitrailleuse de 25 mm contre-aéroplanes modèle 1940 jumelée ground-based twin variant.