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The Polsten was a Polish development of the 20 mm Oerlikon gun. The Polsten was designed to be simpler and much cheaper to build than the Oerlikon, without reducing effectiveness.
Polsten
A Canadian towed anti-aircraft mounting featuring three Polsten cannons.
When Nazi Germanyinvaded Poland in 1939, the Polish design team escaped to the U.K. and resumed work together with Czech and British designers. The need for the Polsten was apparently mooted in June 1941. It went into service in March 1944 alongside the Oerlikon. Both the Oerlikon and the Polsten used similar 60 round drum magazines, although the Polsten could also use a simpler box magazine with 30 rounds. It remained in service into the 1950s.
Useedit
Compared to the Oerlikon's 250 parts, the Polsten had only 119, but it matched the Oerlikon's effectiveness and reliability. The simpler design of the Polsten cannon made its production much cheaper. The cost of one Oerlikon cannon was about £350, while the cost of the Polsten was between £60 and £70. In January 1944, the 21st Army Group decided that only 20 mm Polsten guns would be used as a standard light anti-aircraft gun in place of the Oerlikon to simplify supply. It was used by the anti-aircraft platoons of some British infantry battalions during the Western European campaign of 1944-45. It equipped airborne units in the anti-aircraft role, and was employed in Operation Market Garden. The gun was placed on a wheeled mounting that could be towed behind a jeep.
The Polsten gun was used on armoured vehicles equipped with anti-aircraft guns that were based on the Cromwell/Centaur tank and for the Skink anti-aircraft tank.
The Polsten was also mounted on British LVTs and on early models of the Centurion tank, not coaxially with the main gun but in an independent mount on the left hand side of the turret. Various double, triple and quadruple mounts were developed. John Inglis Limited of Toronto, Ontario, in Canada produced many thousands of guns and some 500 quadruple mountings that saw limited service at the end of the war. These multiple mounts were both trailered and truck-mounted. Polsten Guns, magazines and ammunition boxes were also made in Australia by Holden's Woodville and Beverley plants during World War II. They were used by the Australian Army onshore and on small boats. Several prototype gun mountings were also developed but did not see service.
Etymologyedit
The origin of the name is not entirely clear. Some sources suggest Poland and the "Sten Company" to give Pol-sten, though the Sten gun was not made by a Sten Company. Official (United Kingdom) sources indicate the name to have been a compound based on Poland and the Royal Small Arms FactoryEnfield in the same manner as the Bren gun (Brno + Enfield) or Sten (Shephard, Turpin + Enfield); also to reflect the gun design being mostly Polish (and the magazine mostly Czech) and the 8 Polish engineers in the design department. The "Sten" ending may also have linked in with the idea of the gun as a cheaper and quicker to produce weapon just like that gun was.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 20 mm Polsten.
Anti-Aircraft: Polsten 20mm Quad
April 10, 2024
polsten, this, article, relies, largely, entirely, single, source, relevant, discussion, found, talk, page, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, citations, additional, sources, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, june, 2023, p. This article relies largely or entirely on a single source Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources Find sources 20 mm Polsten news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2023 The Polsten was a Polish development of the 20 mm Oerlikon gun The Polsten was designed to be simpler and much cheaper to build than the Oerlikon without reducing effectiveness PolstenA Canadian towed anti aircraft mounting featuring three Polsten cannons TypeAutocannonPlace of originPolandUnited KingdomService historyIn service1944 1950sProduction historyDesigned1939 1941 ManufacturerJohn InglisUnit cost 60 70SpecificationsMass57 kg 126 lb Length2 1 m 6 ft 11 in Barrel length1 45 m 4 ft 9 in barrel Calibre20 mm 0 78 in ActionAPI blowbackRate of fire450 rpmMuzzle velocity830 m s 2 700 ft s Effective firing range1 000 m 3 281 ft Maximum firing range2 000 m 6 562 ft Feed system60 round drum magazine or 30 round box magazine Contents 1 Development 2 Use 3 Etymology 4 Operators 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 External linksDevelopment editWhen Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939 the Polish design team escaped to the U K and resumed work together with Czech and British designers The need for the Polsten was apparently mooted in June 1941 It went into service in March 1944 alongside the Oerlikon Both the Oerlikon and the Polsten used similar 60 round drum magazines although the Polsten could also use a simpler box magazine with 30 rounds It remained in service into the 1950s Use editCompared to the Oerlikon s 250 parts the Polsten had only 119 but it matched the Oerlikon s effectiveness and reliability The simpler design of the Polsten cannon made its production much cheaper The cost of one Oerlikon cannon was about 350 while the cost of the Polsten was between 60 and 70 In January 1944 the 21st Army Group decided that only 20 mm Polsten guns would be used as a standard light anti aircraft gun in place of the Oerlikon to simplify supply It was used by the anti aircraft platoons of some British infantry battalions during the Western European campaign of 1944 45 It equipped airborne units in the anti aircraft role and was employed in Operation Market Garden The gun was placed on a wheeled mounting that could be towed behind a jeep The Polsten gun was used on armoured vehicles equipped with anti aircraft guns that were based on the Cromwell Centaur tank and for the Skink anti aircraft tank The Polsten was also mounted on British LVTs and on early models of the Centurion tank not coaxially with the main gun but in an independent mount on the left hand side of the turret Various double triple and quadruple mounts were developed John Inglis Limited of Toronto Ontario in Canada produced many thousands of guns and some 500 quadruple mountings that saw limited service at the end of the war These multiple mounts were both trailered and truck mounted Polsten Guns magazines and ammunition boxes were also made in Australia by Holden s Woodville and Beverley plants during World War II They were used by the Australian Army onshore and on small boats Several prototype gun mountings were also developed but did not see service Etymology editThe origin of the name is not entirely clear Some sources suggest Poland and the Sten Company to give Pol sten though the Sten gun was not made by a Sten Company Official United Kingdom sources indicate the name to have been a compound based on Poland and the Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield in the same manner as the Bren gun Brno Enfield or Sten Shephard Turpin Enfield also to reflect the gun design being mostly Polish and the magazine mostly Czech and the 8 Polish engineers in the design department The Sten ending may also have linked in with the idea of the gun as a cheaper and quicker to produce weapon just like that gun was Operators editFormer operators nbsp Australia nbsp Canada nbsp Poland nbsp United States nbsp United KingdomSee also editList of autocannon List of API blowback firearms Becker Type M2 20 mm cannon Polski Sten the actual Polish derivate of the Sten gun Type 99 cannonNotes editReferences editPostan M M Hay D Scott J D 1964 Hancock K ed Design and Development of Weapons Studies in Government and Industrial Organisation History of the Second World War United Kingdom Civil Series London HMSO amp Longmans Green amp Co ISBN 978 0 11630 089 8 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to 20 mm Polsten Airborne Polsten gun Anti Aircraft Polsten 20mm Quad Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 20 mm Polsten amp oldid 1193481114, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
