Whose Name We Share

113 Quick Fire 3.7in Mobile Heavy Anti Air Gun The 103 rd AA Battery manned these, during the years following World War II after the RAA reorganisation. This followed the DRA minute of 1954 and as such the 103 rd AA Battery never used these in hatred, but they did prove their worth in World War II as they were the primary anti air gun in the British Forces. Designed by Vickers, 10,000 of the guns would be produced for the war until they were replaced by guided missiles in 1957. Until then the gun came in two primary variants, both mobile and static. A static variant could up the ammunition power, giving increased performance. Many different types were made throughout the war. The range on a 3.7in HAA gun could still knock a Qantas airliner out of the sky at 30,000ft and with a rate of fire at 20 rounds per minute its not something you could see yourself avoiding once you wandered into its sights. Armed with a 94mm shell this platform would eviscerate aircraft with a zooming muzzle velocity of 814m/s. The high rate of fire is owed to the development of the Machine Fuse Setter No. 11 in 1942, which further assisted the use of mechanical timed fuses. Originally the gun fired igniferous fuses, as in burning powder analogous to a dynamite stick, but these were famously difficult to set for. The development of variable timed fuses only further enhanced the gun’s capabilities. A model kit of the 3.7in HAA Gun and mobile conversion kit as seen on ccuratearmour.com credit: Accurate Armour