M53
Overview
30mm M53
30mm M53 towed anti-aircraft gun.
Source: Alf van Beem -
© Public domain
Romania
Description
Introduction
The M53 is a towed anti-aircraft gun of Czechoslovak origin. It was developed after World War 2 and fulfills the same role as the Soviet ZU-23. The main difference is that the M53 is a larger system with more powerful armament.
Design
The M53 is based on a four wheel carriage that is supported by four jacks. The two 30mm autocannon are fitted to a turntable. The gun is operated by a single operator and two men standing next to the weapon supply the ammunition. The guns on the M53 are fed by 10 round clips.
Firepower
The armament consists of two 30mm autocannon that fire large and powerful 30x210mm HEI or API rounds. Each gun is fed by 10 round clips. It has a cyclic rate of fire of 450 to 500 rpm. The effective range is 3 km versus aerial targets and 2 km versus light armored vehicles.
Users
The M53 was acquired by Czechoslovakia and sold to several nations, mostly in eastern Europe. The M53/59 is a self-propelled variant and was exported in larger numbers.
Details
Media
30mm M53
Light truck towing a 30mm M53 towed anti-aircraft gun.
Source: Adam Hauner
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
30mm M53
Light truck towing a 30mm M53 towed anti-aircraft gun.
Source: Adam Hauner
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
M53
M53 30mm anti-aircraft gun towed by M53/59.
Source: www.pragav3s.predseda.com
Copyright: copyright lies with original owner
Related articles
M53/59
The armament of the M53 was also used on the M53/59 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun. This version uses 50 round box magazines.
Tun antiaerian md. 80
Western Cold War sources often mix up the Romanian md 80 and Czechoslovak M53. Both systems are 30mm twin barrel autocannon on a four wheel chassis.