The Hotchkiss 25mm Flak (French Mitrailleuse de 25 mm contre-Aéroplanes) was developed by the French company Hotchkiss anti-aircraft gun. Was the weapon used in World War II of France, Japan, and other armed forces. With the exception of the producer and the caliber, Hotchkiss has 25-mm Flak, but nothing with the Hotchkiss 25mm - an ordinary anti-tank gun, especially the cartridge.
Development
After the First World War, France formulated the need for an anti-aircraft gun. Hotchkiss put this before the 25-mm machine gun, which was rejected due to a low cadence. Thus, the design was released for export. As the situation became more tense in 1938, the French military reactivated the Hotchkiss design because the favored ‘Schneider 37-mm automatic cannon’ was not yet available.
Hotchkiss, however, had already signed a contract with Romania on the purchase of the Hotchkiss 25mm Flak. The weapons were not delivered, and instead, armed forces. The original tripod turned out to be too unstable, and so a new program has been developed in a triangular shape with two wheels.
With this mount, the weapon was placed into mass production. In May 1940, with the attack of the Wehrmacht in France, only a few hundred had been introduced. Together with about two hundred 20-mm Oerlikon machine cannons, France possessed too few modern anti-aircraft guns to the detriment of the French armed forces during the war.
Exports
- Romania finally got a boatload of flak in 1943 after France surrendered in 1940.
- Japan bought a license to build the weapons. The Flak was introduced under the designation Type-96 on most Japanese warships during the Second World War.
Versions
- Mitrailleuse en contre-Aéroplanes 25 mm modèle 1938
- First draft with original tripod intended for Romania
- Mitrailleuse en contre-Aéroplanes 25 mm modèle 1939
- Heavier and sturdier mount
- Mitrailleuse en contre-Aéroplanes 25 mm modèle 1940
- Variant with a higher cadence for installation on ships and fixed air defense
- Mitrailleuse de 25 mm modèle 1940 contre-Aéroplanes jumelée
- Twin cannon version for fixed installation
Technical specifications
- Type - single barrel machine gun
- Function - gas operated
- Caliber - 25 × 163 mm
- Rate of fire - 220 rounds per minute
- Muzzle velocity - 900 m/s
- Total weight - 115 kg
- Pipe length - 1,500 mm