US M2 90mm Anti Aircraft Gun

US M2 90mm Anti Aircraft Gun. . The US Army standardized the M1 90mm anti aircraft gun in 1940 and steadily improved its design in the first two years of the US involvement in world war two. By 1943, however it was determined that a more versatile weapon was needed. The M1 was a single-purpose weapon and could not be used in the anti-tank role. The M1A1 variant added the dual-purpose function, but still had to be dismounted from its travel bogeys and fully set up before it could be employed in either role. With the adoption of the M2 90mm gun in late 1943, these shortcomings were corrected. , The M2 90mm Anti aircraft gun was towed by the M4 high speed tractor and could be fired in both the anti aircraft and anti tank roles while still mounted on its wheels. This increased mobility gave heavy AAA units much better tactical flexibility, providing better medium and high altitude air defense for friendly forces on the ground. , The M2 remained in service from 1944 through 1954 when it and its larger cousin the M1 120mm Anti Aircraft gun were replaced by the MIM-3 Nike Ajax surface to air missile. , Caliber - 90 mm - 90 mm, Weight - 32,000 lb - 41,506 kg, Range - 34,000 ft vertical - 10,380 m vertical , 58,474 ft horizontal - 17,823m horizontal, Muzzle Velocity - 2,700 ft/sec - 823 m/sec, Elevation (- 5 to +80 degrees), Rate of Fire - 25 rounds per min