Cannone da 47/32

Böhler
Industry	Arms manufacturing
Founded	1930s
Headquarters	Austria

Overview

The Cannone da 47/32 mod. 1935 was an artillery weapon employed by Italy throughout World War II. This gun was initially developed by the Austrian company Böhler and subsequently manufactured under license within Italy. It functioned in dual roles, serving as both an infantry gun and an anti-tank weapon, proving capable of engaging light and medium armored vehicles effectively.

History

File:47mm 47-32 anti tank gun cfb borden 2.jpg

Rear perspective of a 47/32 M35 at CFB Borden

File:Autoblinda-AB-41-haugh-4.jpg

AB 41 equipped with the 47/32

The gun was initially developed and produced by the Austrian company Böhler. During the 1930s, Italy acquired several units from Böhler and subsequently began licensed production, further refining the design. The Cannone da 47/32 M35 served as the primary weapon for the M13/40 and M14/41 medium tanks, was tested on the AB 41 armored car (as shown in the image), and equipped the 47/32 self-propelled gun.

Two main variants of the 47/32 were produced: the initial model featured semi-pneumatic disk wheels, while the later version introduced in 1939—designated 47/32 mod. 39—boasted an enhanced barrel and suspension system, with some batches incorporating light-alloy wheels fitted with semi-pneumatic tires. The gun was towed using the Fiat-OCI 708 CM tractor and the L3 tankette, though these towing methods were eventually discontinued due to frequent failures at the axle spindles and shanks. Soldiers often nicknamed the 47/32 "elefantino" (meaning little elephant) because of its distinctive shape.

Primarily designed as an anti-tank weapon, the 47/32 also fulfilled a close support role. In 1940, its armor-piercing abilities were comparable to contemporary weapons such as the British 2-pounder, German PaK 36, and Soviet 45 mm gun. It surpassed the French 25 mm gun in penetration and offered a High Explosive shell option, unlike the British 2-pounder. However, it suffered from drawbacks including difficulty being towed by trucks and lacking a protective gun shield. Due to Italy’s failure to develop or mass-produce a more powerful anti-tank gun, by 1942 the 47/32 remained in frontline service despite its ineffectiveness against increasingly heavily armored tanks.

For integration into the M15/42 tank, the gun was modified with a longer L/40 barrel and an expanded ammunition chamber. This combination of increased propellant volume and barrel length significantly improved its armor penetration performance.

Service with other nations

Both the original Böhler models and those produced under license found use in numerous armies including Austria, China, the Netherlands, Finland, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, the Soviet Union (captured ex-Latvian guns), and Switzerland. In 1941, Romania acquired a total of 820 pieces—545 manufactured in Austria and 275 produced in Italy. Although Germany was not an initial operator, it captured many guns during its annexation of Austria (designated 4.7 cm Pak 35/36(ö)), occupation of the Netherlands (4.7 cm PaK 187(h)), and invasion of the Soviet Union (4.7 cm PaK 196(r)), subsequently incorporating them into their arsenal. Some captured units were supplied to Italian forces; following Italy’s surrender, these along with Italian-made versions (4.7 cm PaK 177(i)) were reclaimed by German forces and redistributed to both German units and those of the Axis-aligned Italian Social Republic (RSI), or transferred to Croatian forces.

The British also utilized several captured guns, including those transported from North Africa to Malaya for operational use.

Characteristics

File:47mm 47-32 anti tank gun cfb borden 3.jpg

Bore Diameter: 47 mm (1.9 in)
Barrel Length: 1.68 metres (5 feet 6 inches)
Bore Length: 1.525 m (5.00 ft)
Rifling Length: 1.33 metres (4 feet 4 inches)
Transport Weight: 315 kg (694 lb)
Combat Weight: 277 kg (611 lb)
Elevation Range: from -15° up to +56°
Traverse Range: 62°
Muzzle Speed: 630 m/s (2,067 ft/s) with AP rounds; 250 m/s (820 ft/s) with HE rounds [L/40 Model: 829 m/s for AP and 310 m/s for HE]
Effective Range: 7,000 m (23,000 ft) using HE shells
Projectile Mass: 1.44 kg (3.2 lb) for AP; 2.37 kg (5.2 lb) for HE
Armor Penetration with AP (L/32): 58 mm (2.3 in) at 100 m (110 yd); 43 mm (1.7 in) at 500 m (550 yd)
Armor Penetration with AP (L/40 Variant used on Medium tank M15/42): 70 mm at 100 m, 50 mm at 500 m, 38 mm at 1000 m, 25 mm at 1500 m, and 20 mm at 2000 m
HEAT Shell Penetration: capable of penetrating 55 mm of armor at a perpendicular impact

Users

References

Sources

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External links

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