Bofors Light Anti-Aircraft Gun

The 40mm Bofors Light Anti-Aircraft (40mm LAA) gun is a Swedish design in Canadian service 1941-1959.  The 40mm LAA replaced obsolete guns remaining from the First World War pressed into service 1939-41. 

Two-thirds of the LAA in the 1st Canadian Army was composed of 40mm LAA in the towed variant on display here or the truck-mounted self-propelled variant.   The towed variant of the 40mm LAA also formed half of the air defences in Canada 1941-45.

The 40mm LAA remained in service as a defence against Soviet bombers until 1959.  Several guns removed from the HMCS Bonaventure were put back into Artillery service to defend Canadian airfields in Germany 1970-1987. 

WEIGHT OF PROJECTILE: 2 Pounds

RANGE: 10,800 yards, 5,000 feet effective ceiling

DETACHMENT: Gun and towing vehicle or gun mounted on the truck bed (self-propelled variant) and 7 Gunners.