France 37 mm/50 (1.46") Model 1925 and CAIL Model 1933 (original) (raw)
Both of these weapons were hand-loaded, semi-automatic guns with relatively low rates of fire and were not considered to be very potent AA weapons. When the battleship Richelieu and other French ships were refitted in the USA during World War II, these guns were replaced by 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Oerlikons.
Some sources denote these weapons as having barrel lengths of 60 calibers, but an official French design sketch shows that the Model 1925 had an overall length of 2.007 m (79.0") or only 54 calibers. An analysis of the picture below of the Model 1933 confirms an overall length of about 54 calibers.
A Note on Sources: Within the pages of "Battleship: Allied Battleships in World War II," the Model 1933 is listed as having three different muzzle velocities, three different values for the shell weight, two different maximum ranges and two different maximum elevations. Perhaps some of these are for different ammunition types, but, if so, there is no mention of it in the text. The data given below represents an attempt to rationalize these figures with those listed in "Naval Weapons of World War Two."
| Designation | 37 mm/50 (1.46") Model 192537 mm/50 (1.46") CAIL Model 1933 |
|---|---|
| Ship Class Used On | Many warships |
| Date Of Design | 1933 |
| Date In Service | 1936 |
| Gun Weight | 661 lbs. (300 kg) |
| Gun Length | 79.0 in (2.007 m) |
| Bore Length | 72.8 in (1.850 m) |
| Rifling Length | N/A |
| Grooves | N/A |
| Lands | N/A |
| Twist | N/A |
| Chamber Volume | N/A |
| Rate Of Fire 1 | Theoretical: 30 - 42 rounds per minutePractical: 15 -21 rounds per minute |
- ^One occasionally sees a figure of 85 rounds per minute for the M1933. This is actually the ROF for both guns in the twin mounting. The figures given above are believed to be more indicative of actual performance and are from "Naval Weapons of World War Two" and "French Battleships: 1922 - 1956."
| Type | Fixed |
|---|---|
| Weight of Complete Round | 6.2 lbs. (2.8 kg) |
| Projectile Types and Weights 1a 2a | HE Model 1925: 1.6 lbs. (0.725 kg)Incendiary Model 1924: 1.6 lbs. (0.725 kg) |
| Bursting Charge | N/A |
| Projectile Length | 6.1 in (15.6 cm)Complete Round: 16.1 in (40.8 cm) |
| Cartridge | 37 x 278 mm |
| Propellant Charge | 0.44 lbs. (0.2 kg) BM2 |
| Muzzle Velocity | 2,657 fps (810 mps) |
| Working Pressure | N/A |
| Approximate Barrel Life | N/A |
| Ammunition stowage per gun | Strasbourg: 1,000 roundsOthers: N/A |
- ^
Actual French DesignationsHE OEA Mle 1925 Incendiary OI Mle 1924 - ^OEA was for daytime use while OI was considered to be a night round.
Range with 1.598 lbs. (0.725 kg) HE
| Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|
| 45 degrees | 7,850 yards (7,175 m) |
| Effective Range | 5,470 yards (5,000 m) 1b |
- ^The effective range figure is from "French Battleships: 1922 - 1956" but it should be noted that this range was unlikely to be achieved in combat as the weapons were slow-firing and manually controlled.
| Designation | Model 1925: Single Mount CA/SMCA Mle 1925Model 1933: Twin Mount CAD Mle 1933 |
|---|---|
| Weight | N/A |
| Elevation | -15 / +80 degrees |
| Elevation Rate | N/A |
| Train | 360 degrees |
| Train Rate | N/A |
| Gun recoil | N/A |
Ships rarely mounted more than eight guns and apparently none had more than twelve.
"Naval Weapons of World War Two" by John Campbell
"Battleships: Allied Battleships in World War II" by W.H. Garzke, Jr. and R.O. Dulin, Jr.
"French Battleships: 1922 - 1956" by John Jordan and Robert Dumas
"French Cruisers: 1922 - 1956" by John Jordan and Jean Moulin
"Cruisers of World War Two" by M.J. Whitley Page History
29 August 2006 - Benchmark
28 November 2009 - Added information on projectiles
29 March 2013 - Added photograph of Foch
10 January 2016 - Minor updates
03 December 2021 - Converted to HTML 5 format