WesWorld

Repository for information pertaining to the subject.

General

In 1920 the first small quantity of war-surplus British-designed Stokes mortars were acquired for testing and trials by the Ejército; while acceptable enough funding issues prevented the acquisition of additional examples at that time. The appearance of the French Brandt Modele 27 prompted further trials and extended negotiations were entered into with the manufacturer, leading to the issue of a license for the successor Modele 31. The weapon was taken into Peruvian service as the Mortero de Infantería Modelo 1931. During the Andean conflict some numbers of Brandt mortars were obtained in Europe from other sources to supplement local production.

The combat experience of the Andean War led the Ejército to seek a weapon capable of bridging the gap between rifle grenades and the 81mm mortar. Trials conducted in 1937-38 led to the adoption of the Polish-designed Granatnik wz. 36 grenade launcher as the Lanzagranada de Infantería Modelo 1938, and a license to produce this weapon locally by the Fabrica de Armas y Municiones del Ejército was obtained; the first deliveries from FAME were made late in 1939.

Details

Lanzagranada de Infantería Modelo 1938

Weight: 8 kg
Barrel Length: 64 cm
Crew: 2
Caliber: 46mm
Rate of fire: 15 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity: 30 – 110 meters/second
Effective firing range: 100 – 800 meters

Mortero de Infantería Modelo 1931

Weight: 56 kg
Barrel length: 1.26 meters
Crew: 3
Caliber: 81mm
Rate of fire: 18 rounds per minute
Effective firing range: 1,000 – 1,900 meters

General

Prior to the Andean War the Ejército del Perú was particularly lacking in antitank weaponry of all types, a deficiency that would not be remedied until after the close of hostilities. In the interim, such weapons as the French Canon d'Infanterie de 37 modèle 1916 TRP and the Driggs Ordnance Model 1915 37mm trench gun were purchased in Europe and in North America and pressed into service with limited success.

Following the conclusion of hostilities the Ejército sought to replace these interim weapons with once more suited to modern warfare. Extensive trials were held between 1936 and 1938, leading to the decision (driven in part by finances) to adopt two different weapons – an antitank rifle for issue to the Infantería de Montana and the Infantería de Selva and a light-weight, towed antitank gun for issue to the Infantería Motorizado and the Caballería Blindado.

The first requirement was met by the Solothurn S-18/100, a man-portable 20mm gun capable of attacking light armored vehicles or employment as an anti-materiel weapon. In Peruvian service it is designated Fusil antitanque Modelo 1938. The second requirement was fulfilled through purchase of the Nordish Bofors Model 1936, its commercial antitank gun and one well appreciated for its time. The Ejército designates it Cañón antitanque Modelo 1936.

Due to continuing financial difficulties fewer than three hundred examples of the Fusil antitanque Modelo 1938 were acquired from the Swiss factory, while deliveries from Bofors of the Cañón antitanque Modelo 1936 comprised:

18 guns delivered in October 1938
24 guns delivered in October 1939
20 guns delivered in June 1940, and
22 guns delivered in June 1941

Further procurement ceased due to advances in tank design which rendered the Modelo 1936 obsolescent as a first-line antitank weapon.

Details

Fusil antitanque Modelo 1938

Weight – 45 kg (empty)
Length: 176 cm
Barrel length: 93 cm
Caliber 20mm (cartridge 20×138mm Solothurn Long)
Action: Semiautomatic, recoil-action
Muzzle velocity: 850 meters/second
Magazine: 10 rounds

Cañón antitanque Modelo 1936

Weight in action: 375 kg
Length: 304 cm
Width: 109 cm
Height: 103 cm
Barrel length: 174 cm
Caliber: 37mm
Muzzle velocity: 810 meters/second
Traverse: 26 degrees
Elevation: -10 degrees, +25 degrees
Maximum range: 7,400 meters (indirect), 4,500 meters (direct)