| Cannone-Mitragliera Da 20/77 (Scotti) |
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The Italian army had two standard 20mm anti-aircraft weapons during World War II. One was the Breda and the other was
the Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/77 (Scotti) that was first designed in 1932 and produced by the Swiss Oerlikon company
that used a 60 round drum that was eventually discarded in favor of 12 round trays for the ammunition. Compared to
the Breda the Scotti was a far simpler weapon. It resembled the Oerlikon in some respects but used a different mechanism.
The Scotti was easier to manufacture than the Breda, and despite the use of a longer barrel, the Scotti’s overall
performance was inferior to the Breda. The same ammunition type appears to have been used, but the lower maximum
effective ceiling shows that a different propellant charge was being used. To balance this, against targets at low
altitudes the rate of fire was slightly higher and, for the benefit of the crew, the Scotti was a lighter weapon
than the Breda.
The Scotti appears to have been used in smaller numbers than the Breda, but was used by many other nations, such as
China and many of the South American countries. After 1942 the ease of fabrication of the Scotti led to an increase
in production totals, but the type never seriously challenged the number of Bredas in service. Before 1943 many Scottis
were used by German troops in North Africa as the 2-cm Scotti (i), and once the Italians surrendered the Scotti became
an established part of the German inventory. It was used by the Germans operating against the Yugoslav partisans.
Two versions of the Scotti were produced. One was a semi-mobile version that could be carried on trucks and dismounted
for use. Once off the trucks the Scotti could be manhandled into position on its two wheel carriage, although in
action the gun rested on a flat tripod mounting. The other version was static on a pedestal mounting that was used
mainly in defense of the Italian homeland. A number of these were taken over by the British troops for local defense
of coastal artillery positions. After 1945 the Scotti was used for a number of years by the reconstituted Italian
army.
Specifications
| Caliber |
20mm |
| Length of Piece |
60.6in (1.54m) |
| Firing Weight |
502lbs (227.5kg) |
| Maximum Ceiling |
7,005ft (2,135m) |
| Elevation |
–10º to +85º |
| Traverse |
360 degrees |
| Muzzle Velocity |
2,723ft/sec (830m/s) |
| Rate of Fire |
cyclic: 250 rpm |
| Shell Weight |
.276lbs (.125kg) |
Information courtesy JDG
Source:
Chris Bishop (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Barnes & Noble, 1998.
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