Fact vs.

Folklore; the 40mm “L-60” Bofors Gun

By CMSgt Bill Walter, USAF (Ret.)

The 40mm M2A1 gun currently used on the AC-130 machined steel and alloy parts. They also discovered the
Gunship has Swedish roots dating back to the 1930s. gun was built in the old world craftsman tradition of
Originally invented by Bofors Ordnance, Karlskoga, machining parts slightly oversized and using “file to fit
Sweden as the Model 1934, you could say the gun was at assembly” production techniques. Unfortunately,
truly in the right place at the right time at the beginning hand-fitted parts are very problematic for mass
of WWII. The outbreak of hostilities caught the United production manufacturing methods. The first US
States and Great Britain woefully unequipped with company contracted to build the naval version of the
Bofors gun was York Safe & Lock, York, Pennsylvania.
A contract was formally awarded in April of 1941 even
though work began months earlier using “acquired”
Dutch machine drawings. The first problem encountered
was conversion of the Dutch drawings to American
measurements which resulted in “uniquely dimensioned
parts” compared to the original Bofors gun. As
production began, many technical problems were
encountered resulting in slow progress and low
production quantities. The final gun produced by York
Safe & Lock was functionally identical, but
dimensionally unique in comparison with the original
Swedish gun. These guns served on US Navy ships
throughout WWII.

Coinciding with the Navy gun production effort, the US

Army ran a similar unlicensed 40mm gun acquisition
program for the Army version of the Bofors gun. To
meet projected demands, The Army decided to award a
contract to Chrysler Corporation. Chrysler was very
experienced in mass production methods in their
automotive assembly plants, but building guns differs
greatly from building automobiles. Their first problem
suitable air defense guns. Both countries needed followed the experience of York Safe & Lock. Chrysler
guns…many guns, and quickly. Trouble is there was dedicated a great deal of work to convert drawings
nothing “quick” about building the Bofors gun. A single acquired from Great Britain to American measurements.
gun took Bofors 450 man-hours to produce and they As the program progressed, Chrysler engineers decided
could only produce limited quantities of guns per month. simplification of the complex functional design was not
The US and Great Britain needed many thousands of possible. As such, Chrysler re-designed components and
guns. To meet heavy production demands, the US sought materials only enough to enable mass production within
a license to build the gun themselves, but was the capability of their production lines, tooling and
unsuccessful in establishing a contract with Bofors. foundry. Chrysler was confident they could meet
Undeterred and desperate for guns, the US decided to production goals but experienced extreme difficulties
produce unlicensed copies of the gun. After obtaining standing up a production line. It took Chrysler one year
metric drawings from the Dutch government, Navy to produce their first unique version of the Bofors gun.
engineers discovered the Swedish gun was a highly Within a few months of full production, Chrysler was
complex mechanical masterpiece of more than 1500 manufacturing a complete gun from start to finish in ten
man-hours. This was an amazing feat that would be 40mm Guns on the AC-130
difficult to do today even with modern machinery.
The L-60 40mm gun was first considered for AC-130
Eventually, Chrysler took the lead of all 40mm gun
use in 1969 during the Vietnam War. It was meant to
production and standardized both Army and Navy guns.
increase stand-off distance and improve overall combat
The demand for guns at the production height of WWII
effectiveness. Contrary to popular belief, the original
was so great it surpassed Chrysler’s capacity as well. To
AC-130A 40mm guns used in flight testing were Army
meet the wartime demand, Pontiac was awarded a
M1 guns not a Navy Mk-series guns pulled from ships.
contract to build 40mm guns. Pontiac built both M1 and
These guns were heavy and cumbersome, but they
M2 (dual) guns for the US Army. When it was all said
existed…and looked like they could fill a rapid combat
and done, production of all versions of the US 40mm
capabilities need. Mounting the 1000 lb. gun to an
gun exceeded 60,000 until production ceased in the
AC-130 was not easy. Aeronautical engineers designed
1950s. These guns served US and allied nations well
an incredibly robust gun mount from plate steel, placed a
into the early 1990s. Today, the AFSOC AC-130 fleet is
gun in it and ground tested the assembly. Blast
the sole remaining user of the gun in the entire DoD and
overpressure problems were encountered initially but
only one of a handful of users of the 40mm “L-60”
solved with extensive study and analysis. When ready
Bofors gun remaining in the world.

Differences of Navy and Army Guns

for production, engineers selected the M2A1 gun from

the US Army M42A1 “Duster” tracked anti-aircraft
system. Duster used “mirror imaged” guns bolted
together with left and right hand controls. The pair was
functionally identical but was loaded and operated from
opposite sides of the Duster turret. Mounting the two
guns bolted together was not practical or desirable for
AC-130 use, so right hand and left hand guns were
separated and modified for individual mounts. The first
Naval guns carried the traditional Navy “Mk” (Mark) M2A1 (modified) guns were installed on AC-130A
designation while Army guns carried the “M” (Model) Gunships under the “Surprise Package” program. These
designation. The principal differences between Navy guns served on AC-130A aircraft until aircraft retirement
and Army guns were the location of the trunions in the mid 1990s when all the left hand guns were
(elevation pivots), the barrel and the breech casing overhauled for use on the AC-130U. These original
design. Naval Mk-1 and Mk-2 guns used “water AC-130A guns, mostly manufactured in the 1950s,
jacketed” barrels and trunions near the center of gravity continue to serve AC-130U crews in Afghanistan today.
of the elevating mass. Trunions of all Army models and
the Naval Mk-5 (submarine/ patrol craft model) were
located well aft of the center of gravity to lower mount
profile and all guns were equipped with air-cooled
barrels.
Back to the Future? remove old paint and corrosion. Once cleaned and
inspected, the breech casings were modified and
During 2002, as Operation Enduring Freedom reached
machined in AFRL’s Model Shop to original AC-130
full swing, the Air Staff realized there were not enough
“Surprise Package” drawing specifications. Once all
AC-130 gunships to meet demands. In response, they
modifications were complete, the unpainted guns were
initiated what was called the “Plus Four” program to
taken to an AFRL range at Eglin for test firing. Using
rapidly build four additional AC-130U gunships. By
an original AC-130A gun mount and a firing rod
then, the once prolific M42A1 Duster system had long
borrowed from the “The First Lady” (AC-130A
since been retired. There were no guns available in the
53-3129) at the USAF Armament Museum. Both guns
supply system for the “Plus Four” program. It appeared
test fired perfectly in both single and rapid fire modes. A
all viable sources for guns were depleted. An attempt
subsequent trip to Nellis AFB netted three more guns.
was made to award a contract to produce newly
These were shipped, inspected and modified to the same
manufactured guns, but production and financial reality
standard as the first two.
of building a “unique-new-old-gun” was deemed
unrealistic and unaffordable. After testing was completed, the guns were
disassembled, re-inspected, painted flat black, re-
Recognizing the problem, several AC-130 gunners
assembled and turned into the supply system. Since
stepped forward to assist the old fashioned
these guns were manufactured by the same company at
way…scrounging. In the past, they had seen many
the same time that current AC-130 guns were originally
M42A1 Duster systems sitting on target ranges on Nellis
built, they are matching in all respects with the current
Air Force Base. The guns on the M42A1s appeared to be
fleet of guns. The entire project took about six months
in very good condition and “ripe for the picking”. With
to complete at a cost of $130K. The real cost of these
this bit of intelligence, staff officers from the HQ
guns if procured today exceeds $8.6M. A great level of
AFSOC Gunship Requirements Branch contacted Nellis
credit goes to the “out of the box” thinkers whose ideas
Range Operations personnel to arrange a visit to inspect
and hard-work filled a critical requirement for a fraction
the guns. After approval, several gun technicians and a
of projected cost, delivering guns at least four years
program analyst quickly arranged a trip to Nellis. The
sooner than planned.
guns were inspected, found to be in good condition and
two dual guns were successfully recovered.

40mm Gun Facts

The guns were then shipped to Eglin Air Force Base for Not a single 40mm gun used by the US was actually
detailed inspection and modifications. Air Force built by Bofors in Sweden.
Research Lab (AFRL) technicians disassembled and
inspected the guns and components inspected. They Commonly called the Bofors “L-60”, our gun is actually
found that with few exceptions, most parts were in an L-56 (caliber x 56 = barrel length).
serviceable condition. Critical parts were metal About the Author: Chief Walter served as AC-130H/U
particulate inspected and re-finished with a zinc Aerial Gunner for 26 years. He currently works at HQ
phosphate finish. Breech casings were water-blasted to AFSOC, Gunship Requirements, as a Program Analyst.