Type 63 anti-aircraft gun
| Type 63 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Antiaircraft Gun |
| Place of origin | China |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 32 tonnes (35.2 tons) |
| Length | 6.432 m (21 ft 1 in) |
| Width | 2.99 m (9 ft 10 in) |
| Height | 2.99 m (9 ft 10 in) |
| Crew | 4 |
| Armor | 18-45 mm (0.7-1.8 in) |
Main armament | twin 37 mm (1.45 in) anti-aircraft cannons |
| Engine | 12-cylinder turbocharged diesel 580hp |
| Suspension | Christie |
Description
Created to meet the requirement of a self propelled anti-aircraft gun, the Chinese took the chassis from a Soviet T-34 tank and added an open top turret with twin 37mm anti-aircraft guns. The guns were loaded manually with 5-round clips. The resulting vehicle, the Type 63, was severely limited weapon. It has no provision for radar control and had to be sighted and elevated manually. This rendered it of little use versus fast, low flying aircraft.
Service History
Despite its shortcomings it was supplied to the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. The People's Liberation Army made little use of it, only having small numbers available. However, even with its faults it served until the late 1980s
References
- Hogg, Ian (2000). Twentieth-Century Artillery. Friedman/Fairfax Publishers. ISBN 1-58663-299-X