Global Information20 ITK 40 VKT information
| 20 ItK 40 VKT | |
|---|---|
 20 ItK 40 VKT | |
| Type | Light anti-aircraft gun |
| Place of origin | Finland |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1943–1988 |
| Wars | Continuation War Lapland War |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Aimo Lahti |
| Designed | 1940 |
| Manufacturer | VKT (Valtion Kivääritehdas) |
| Unit cost | FIM 244,420 |
| Produced | 1943–1944 |
| No. built | 174[1] |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 652 kg (1,437 lb) (firing position) 778 kg (1,715 lb) (transport) |
| Length | 425 cm (13 ft 11 in) |
| Barrel length | 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in) |
| Width | 1.35 m (4 ft 5 in) |
| Shell | 20×138B |
| Barrels | 2 |
| Elevation | −10° to +90° |
| Traverse | 360° |
| Rate of fire | 2×700/minute (cyclic max, adjustable) 2×250/minute (practical) |
| Muzzle velocity | 830–850 m/s (2,273–2,788 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 1,200 m (3,900 ft) |
| Maximum firing range | 2,200 m (7,200 ft) |
| Feed system | 20 round magazines |
| Sights | M/Strömberg (original) m/55 pendulum ring sight (after 1955) |
The 20 ItK 40 VKT or 20 mm dual anti-aircraft cannon model 1940 manufactured by VKT was a Finnish light anti-aircraft gun designed by the Finnish gunsmith Aimo Lahti. As the only multi-barrel 20 mm anti-aircraft gun, the 20 ItK 40 VKT was the most effective 20 mm air defence weapon used by the Finnish Army during World War II. A total of 174 guns were built, used in training until the 1970s and kept in reserve until 1988. The gun received the nickname Vekotin (gadget) from Finnish soldiers. The nickname was reached by adding to the abbreviation of manufacturer, VKT.[1][2]
- ^ a b Vehviläinen, Raimo; Lappi, Ahti; Palokangas, Markku (2005), Itsenäisen Suomen ilmatorjuntatykit 1917-2000, Helsinki: Sotamuseo, pp. 164–166, ISBN 952-91-8449-2
- ^ FINNISH ARMY 1918 - 1945: ANTIAIRCRAFT GUNS PART 1, retrieved 6 September 2009