Ordnance QF 2 pounder Anti-Tank Gun

Country	United Kingdom
Type	Anti-Tank Gun
Caliber	40.000 mm
Barrel Length	2,080 mm
Weight	814.000 kg
Ammunition Weight	2.04 kg
Rate of Fire	22 rounds/min
Range	914 m
Muzzle Velocity	792 m/s

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

The British Ordnance QF 2 pounder guns were produced by Vickers, initially serving as a tank gun in the early 1930s. In 1934, British Director of Artillery gave Vickers the contract to further develop the design into that of an anti-tank gun, largely for the purpose of standardization of ammunition. Upon acceptance, the first 2 pounder gun was produced by the Woolwich Arsenal in 1936. The unique three-leg carriages upon which they were mounted allowed them to have a very useful 360-degree traverse, but they were heavier than guns of similar size of that period. They saw action during the German invasion of France, in North Africa, and in British Malaya. At France, after the Dunkerque evacuation, almost all of the surviving 2 pounder guns were left behind and captured by German forces, which pressed them into service under the designation 4.0 cm Pak 192 (e) or 4.0 cm Pak 154 (b), with those formerly of British Army noted with "e" and Belgian Army with "b". Starting in mid-1942, Ordnance QF 2 pounder guns began to be replaced by guns with better armor penetration capabilities, and were gradually transferred to Home Guard units stationed in Britain or to forces fighting the Japanese, as Japanese tanks were typically not as well armored. Throughout the war, improved ammunition and later the Littlejohn adaptors were developed to enhance the guns' armor penetration capability. Interestingly, high explosive rounds were never developed for this weapon, thus limiting the anti-personnel effectiveness of the 2 pounder guns; as the Littlejohn adaptors were equipped to these guns, the possibility of high explosive ammunition was ruled out altogether. After the war, all Ordnance QF 2 pounder guns were retired from service in Dec 1945.

Source: Wikipedia

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