Madsen 20 mm anti-aircraft cannon

Madsen 20 mm anti-aircraft cannon
Madsen 20 mm cannon
20 mm Madsen.jpg
Madsen 20 mm cannon
Type Autocannon
Place of origin  Denmark
Service history
Used by  Denmark
 Finland
 Ireland
Specifications
Weight 55 kilograms (120 lb)
Length 2,500 millimetres (98 in)
Barrel length 1,200 millimetres (47 in)

Cartridge 20 x 120 mm
Caliber 20mm
Rate of fire 350 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity 790 metres per second (2,600 ft/s)
Effective range 500 metres (550 yd)
Maximum range 1,800 metres (2,000 yd)
Feed system Drum magazine


20x120mm Madsen
Type Autocannon
Place of origin  Denmark
Production history
Manufacturer Kynoch
Specifications
Rim diameter 28.9mm[1]

20 mm AA Machine Cannon M/38 was produced by the Danish company Dansk Industri Syndikat (Danish Industry Syndicate) - maybe better known under the abbreviation DISA - in Herlev near Copenhagen and was used by the military of Denmark in different types of mounting. This cannon was originally constructed by Colonel V. H. O. Madsen and was therefore widely known as the 20 mm Madsen Cannon. A version with a necked-out 23 mm round was also produced, generally known as the 23 mm Madsen.

The mountings were also produced by DISA in the following types:

  • Field Mount
  • AA Defence Mount
  • Sidecar mounting with the Danish motorcycle Nimbus
  • Maritime mount

This type of machine cannon was a very well functioning weapon,[citation needed] which was exported by DISA to several countries.

20 mm machine cannon in side-car mounting was without doubt the weapons system that made the most remarkable contribution[citation needed] to the defence when Germany attacked Denmark in Operation Weserübung on the 9 April 1940.

References

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