2 Pounder Anti-Aircraft Gun (Pom Pom) Print
Written by David Boyd   
Thursday, 01 January 2009 14:42

The 2 Pounder Anti-Aircraft Gun

2 Pounder Anti-Aircraft Gun

In 1937 it was decided to adopt the Naval 2 Pounder Anti-Aircraft gun for land use, this was at the same time as when the Bofors was also adapted. It soon became clear that the Bofors was a far more effective weapon and so only very few were used, these were used positioned near ports and naval installations. When production of Bofors reached sufficient numbers these guns were replaced and sent to the navy for ship use.

Ground weapons came in both single and duel mountings, naval versions also had quad and eight gun mounting.

2 Pounder Anti-Aircraft Gun Data

Weight of gun and breech 125lb
Total length 96"
Length of bore 62"
Rifling 12 grooves, 1/30
Elevation -10, +80 degrees
Traverse 360 degrees
Weight in Action 16,688lb
Rate of fire  60
Projectile weight 2lb
Muzzle velocity 2,275fps
Max horizontal range 7,500 yards
Max Ceiling 16,000 feet

Production of 2 Pounder Anti-Aircraft guns by year (UK only)

  Pre-War Sep-Oct 1939 1940 1941
2pdr AA Guns 30 105 213 -
Single Mounting 6 84 57 1
Dual Mounting 3 7 31 19
HE 3,000 152,324 167,278 -

Sources - British & American Artillery of WWII, AVIA 22 456 - 514