This medium-range AA gun was being developed by Ansaldo and Terni during World War II with some prototypes being completed, but it did not enter general service use. The loading equipment was electrically powered and included dual loading trays and a pantograph linkage rammer. The rammer design proved troublesome and was finally abandoned in favor of slower, but more reliable hand loading. The program was cancelled in the summer of 1943 and all work was halted with the Italian Armistice.
Construction was barrel, long jacket and sliding breech block. The barrel was originally to be 56 calibers, then increased to 62 and finally to 64 calibers.
| Designation | 65 mm/64 Model 1939 |
|---|---|
| Ship Class Used On | Aquila, Capitani Romani and Etna classes (planned) |
| Date of Design | 1939 |
| Date In Service | Did not enter service |
| Gun Weight | 278 lbs. (126 kg) |
| Gun Length oa | N/A |
| Bore Length | about 164 in (4.160 m) |
| Rifling Length | N/A |
| Grooves | N/A |
| Lands | N/A |
| Twist | N/A |
| Rate Of Fire | Hand loading: about 20 rounds per minute |
| Type | Fixed |
|---|---|
| Weight of Complete Round | N/A |
| Projectile Types and Weights | HE: 9 lbs. (4.08 kg) |
| Bursting Charge | N/A |
| Projectile Length | N/A |
| Propellant Charge | N/A |
| Muzzle Velocity | 2,790 fps (850 mps) |
| Working Pressure | N/A |
| Approximate Barrel Life | N/A |
| Ammunition stowage per gun | N/A |
| Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|
| 45 degrees | 8,200 yards (7,500 m) effective |
| AA Ceiling | about 16,400 feet (5,000 m) effective |
| Designation | Single Mount: Model 1939 |
|---|---|
| Weight | N/A |
| Elevation | -10 / +80 degrees |
| Elevation Rate | Manual operation, only |
| Train | about +120 / -120 degrees |
| Train Rate | Manual operation, only |
| Gun recoil | N/A |
"Capitani Romani" articles by Elio Andò in "Warship Volume II"
"Naval Weapons of World War Two" by John Campbell
"Italian Warships of World War II" by Aldo Fraccaroli
31 January 2008 - Benchmark
25 October 2009 - Updated page links to Museo Tecnico Navale della Spezia
26 May 2012 - Updated to latest template
23 September 2012 - Added picture of Museum gun
23 June 2023 - Converted to HTML 5 format, corrected typographical error