Does anyone know anything about this Italian AA gun from 1951? Including images of it, if they exist? All I've found are a reference in Italian Wikipedia's page on the Cannone da 90/53 to an Italian article from Nicola Pignato and a pdf from Scribd. The first time I've heard about this gun is from what Wargaming did with it with one of their fantasy Italian tanks.
From "Un pezzo da 90", Nicola Pignato, Storia Militare n.201, June 2010, pag. 13-14 (maybe the same article you have, without images of the 90/74):
English translation (google):
During the conflict, even a fortress version and a type with an extended barrel of 90-170 and equipped with a muzzle brake were studied. However, it was only in the post-war period (1951) that the 90/74 C.A. cannon could be built, on a field carriage included in a program to improve our best weapons from the Second World War, of which there was still sufficient availability. It was a transformation, for high-altitude action, of the 90/53 cannon by replacing the gun barrel with the aim of increasing ballistic performance, reaching an initial velocity (V0) of 1,050 m/sec without modifications to the projectile.
With this b.d.f., the use of a muzzle brake was planned, the efficiency of which, calculated to be in the order of 20-25% of the recoil energy, together with the greater recoiling mass, allowed the use of the same elastic organs; from tests carried out, the balancing of the oscillating mass was possible with the pre-existing hydropneumatic balancer, appropriately increasing the air pressure.
In this way, a horizon range of over 20,000 meters and a maximum ordinate of over 15,000 were achieved. Furthermore, a notable reduction in the trajectory duration was obtained at the same distance (for example, at a distance on the site of 10,000 meters the duration went from about 27" to 20").
The 90/74 retained all the main characteristics of the 90/53 except for the greater weight of about 150 kg due to the lengthening of the b.d.f. of about 1.90 m.
Of this complex, the Arsenal of Naples built an experimental battery on 3 pieces mounted on a field carriage.
This was followed by the creation, by OTO Melara, of the self-loading complex (30 rounds per minute with any inclination) for transport, returning however to the 53 calibers, but also equipped with a muzzle brake, although of a different type. The advent of the surface-to-air missile caused these artillery units to be gradually and definitively abandoned.
Thanks for the article! Seems like someone has to go directly to the archives of the Naples Arsenal to find out if there's blueprints or photos of the prototypes.
Thanks for the article! Seems like someone has to go directly to the archives of the Naples Arsenal to find out if there's blueprints or photos of the prototypes.
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