20 ITK 40 VKT
Encyclopedia
20 ItK 40 VKT or 20 mm dual anti-aircraft cannon model 1940 manufactured by VKT was a Finnish
light anti-aircraft gun designed by the Finnish gunsmith Aimo Lahti
. As the only multi-barrel 20 mm anti-aircraft gun 20 ItK 40 VKT was the most effective 20 mm air defence weapon used by the Finnish Army
during World War II
. A total of 174 guns were built, used in training until 1970s and kept in reserve until 1988. The gun received the nickname Vekotin (gadget) from Finnish soldiers. The nickname was reached by adding to the abbreviation of manufacturer, VKT.
converted from semi-automatic to full automatic fire and with the stock and barrel shroud
removed. A prototype L-39 anti-aircraft gun was completed just before Winter War
, but Lahti made some improvements to the design and the mass-production version was designated L-40. Airforce headquarters ordered a series of 50 guns from Valtion Kivääritehdas (VKT, State Rifle Factory) in January 1940 and a further 120 guns in June 1941. Production was delayed, however, and the first guns were finished only in 1943. Of the total number of 174 guns, 155 were produced in 1943 and 19 in 1944. The guns were distributed to units in small batches soon after they were completed.
cartridge used in 20 ItK 40 VKT was also used in the L-39 anti-tank rifle as well as the other 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, the 20 ITK 30 and 20 ITK 35, used by field army units. The gun sight, designed by Osmo Niskanen and manufactured by Strömberg company
, was not entirely satisfactory and was more complicated to use than the sight in the German
20 ITK 30. The gun trailer was also problematic, as it was rather frail and offered a ground clearance of only 20 cm. Thus the towing speed was limited to 30-40 km/h and the mobility of the gun was limited. Equipment used with the gun included spare magazines with a transport case, gun tarpaulin, a transport case for the gun sight and a toolkit.
and Lapland War
along with other 20 mm guns. At the end of the war 20 ItK 40 VKT was the most numerous field army 20 mm anti-aircraft gun (20 mm Madsen was more numerous, but used primarily by navy and coastal artillery or at the home front). The guns made through the war mostly intact. After the war 20 ItK 40 VKT was considered to be the only still satisfactory 20 mm anti-aircraft gun, although it was recommended to re-design the gun sight. The re-design was materialized in 1955 when a new m/55 pendulum ring sight was accepted to service. The same sight was also later used on 20 ITK 30. 20 ItK 40 VKT was used in training until 1970s and they were kept in storage as reserve weapons until 1988.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
light anti-aircraft gun designed by the Finnish gunsmith Aimo Lahti
Aimo Lahti
Aimo Johannes Lahti was a self-taught Finnish weapons designer. Out of the 50 weapons that he designed, the best known is the Suomi M-31 SMG. Other well-known weapon designs include the Lahti-Saloranta M/26 LMG, Lahti L-35 pistol and Lahti L-39 anti-tank rifle...
. As the only multi-barrel 20 mm anti-aircraft gun 20 ItK 40 VKT was the most effective 20 mm air defence weapon used by the Finnish Army
Finnish Army
The Finnish Army is the land forces branch of the Finnish Defence Forces.Today's Army is divided into six branches: the infantry , field artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, engineers, signals, and materiel troops.-History of the Finnish Army:Between 1809 and 1917 Finland was an autonomous part of...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. A total of 174 guns were built, used in training until 1970s and kept in reserve until 1988. The gun received the nickname Vekotin (gadget) from Finnish soldiers. The nickname was reached by adding to the abbreviation of manufacturer, VKT.
Background
20 ItK 40 VKT is dual anti-aircraft gun designed by Aimo Lahti. The gun barrels and mechanisms are based on the L-39 anti-tank rifleAnti-tank rifle
An anti-tank rifle is a rifle designed to penetrate the armour of vehicles, particularly tanks. The usefulness of rifles for this purpose ran from the introduction of tanks in World War I and until the Korean War...
converted from semi-automatic to full automatic fire and with the stock and barrel shroud
Barrel shroud
A barrel shroud is a covering attached to the barrel of a firearm, that partially or completely encircles the barrel which prevents operators from injuring themselves on a hot barrel. Slides, extensions of the stock that do not fully encircle the barrel, and the receiver of a firearm itself are...
removed. A prototype L-39 anti-aircraft gun was completed just before Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
, but Lahti made some improvements to the design and the mass-production version was designated L-40. Airforce headquarters ordered a series of 50 guns from Valtion Kivääritehdas (VKT, State Rifle Factory) in January 1940 and a further 120 guns in June 1941. Production was delayed, however, and the first guns were finished only in 1943. Of the total number of 174 guns, 155 were produced in 1943 and 19 in 1944. The guns were distributed to units in small batches soon after they were completed.
Design
Unlike the L-39 anti-tank rifle, weapons in the 20 ItK 40 VKT are designed for full-automatic fire and so do not suffer from the similar structural weaknesses as the full-automatic conversion L-39/44 anti-aircraft rifles. The rate of fire for the gun is adjustable, with a maximum cyclic rate of 2x700 rounds per minute, and a more commonly used rate of 2x360 rounds per minute. The gun is loaded from 20 round magazines, with an empty weight of 5.6 kg and 11-12 kg full, depending on the type of ammunition. The 20x138B Long Solothurn20x138mmB
The 20×138mmB cartridge was a type of ammunition used mainly for anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons during World War II. The designation means the caliber was 20 mm, the length of the cartridge case was 138 mm and B indicates it was a belted case...
cartridge used in 20 ItK 40 VKT was also used in the L-39 anti-tank rifle as well as the other 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, the 20 ITK 30 and 20 ITK 35, used by field army units. The gun sight, designed by Osmo Niskanen and manufactured by Strömberg company
Stromberg (company)
Stromberg or Oy Strömberg Ab, was a company founded by Gottfrid Strömberg in 1889 in Helsinki, Finland, and manufactured electromechanical products such as: generators, electric motors and small power plants. The company was founded initially as Gottfrid Strömbergin sähköyhtiö in Finnish, Gottfrid...
, was not entirely satisfactory and was more complicated to use than the sight in the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
20 ITK 30. The gun trailer was also problematic, as it was rather frail and offered a ground clearance of only 20 cm. Thus the towing speed was limited to 30-40 km/h and the mobility of the gun was limited. Equipment used with the gun included spare magazines with a transport case, gun tarpaulin, a transport case for the gun sight and a toolkit.
Service use
20 ItK 40 VKT was used by Finnish light anti-aircraft batteries in Continuation WarContinuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
and Lapland War
Lapland War
The Lapland War were the hostilities between Finland and Nazi Germany between September 1944 and April 1945, fought in Finland's northernmost Lapland Province. While the Finns saw this as a separate conflict much like the Continuation War, German forces considered their actions to be part of the...
along with other 20 mm guns. At the end of the war 20 ItK 40 VKT was the most numerous field army 20 mm anti-aircraft gun (20 mm Madsen was more numerous, but used primarily by navy and coastal artillery or at the home front). The guns made through the war mostly intact. After the war 20 ItK 40 VKT was considered to be the only still satisfactory 20 mm anti-aircraft gun, although it was recommended to re-design the gun sight. The re-design was materialized in 1955 when a new m/55 pendulum ring sight was accepted to service. The same sight was also later used on 20 ITK 30. 20 ItK 40 VKT was used in training until 1970s and they were kept in storage as reserve weapons until 1988.