View source for Breda 20/65 mod.35

{{Short description|Italian light anti-aircraft gun}}
{{Redirect|Breda Model 35|the Italian hand grenade by the same name|Breda Mod. 35}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox weapon
| name               = {{big|Breda 20/65 mod.35}}<br>''Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/65 modello 35''
| image              = Breda 20-65 anti-aircraft gun in Beijing (no background).png
| image_size         = 300
| caption            = A 20/65 Breda anti-aircraft gun in Beijing. This example lacks the usual predictor sight and muzzle booster.
| origin             = Italy
| type               = Light anti-aircraft gun <br /> Light anti-tank gun
<!-- Type selection -->| is_ranged          = yes
| is_artillery       = yes
<!-- Service history -->| service            = 1935–ca 1985
| used_by            = See [[#Users|Users]]
| wars               = [[Second Sino-Japanese War]], [[Spanish Civil War]], [[World War II]], [[Ecuadorian–Peruvian War]]
<!-- Production history -->| designer           = 
| design_date        = 1932
| manufacturer       = [[Breda Meccanica Bresciana]]
| unit_cost          = 
| production_date    = 
| number             = unknown, 1088 as of June 1940<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.quartermastersection.com/italian/artillery/777/2065Mod35 | title=CANNONE-MITRAGLIERE DA 20/65 MODELLO 35 - Quartermaster Section }}</ref>
| variants           = <!-- General specifications -->
| spec_label         = 
| weight             = {{convert|330|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| length             = {{convert|3.34|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| part_length        = {{convert|1.87|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| width              = 
| height             = 
| diameter           = 
| crew               = 3–6
<!-- Ranged weapon specifications -->| cartridge          = [[20×138mmB]]
| caliber            = {{convert|20|mm|in|abbr=on}}
| barrels            = 1
| action             = [[Gas-operated reloading|Gas-operated]]
| rate               = 240 rounds per minute
| velocity           = {{convert|840|m/s|ft/s|abbr=on}}
| range              = {{convert|1,500|m|ft|abbr=on}} (against aerial targets)
| max_range          = {{convert|5.5|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| feed               = 12 round strip
| sights             = Telescopic predictor sight
<!-- Artillery specifications -->| breech             = 
| recoil             = 
| carriage           = 
| elevation          = -10 degrees to +80
| traverse           = 360 degrees
}}
[[File:Cannone Mitragliera da 20mm mod.35.jpg|thumb|A surviving 20/65 Breda]]
The '''Breda 20/65 mod.35''' (''"Breda [[20 mm]] [[barrel length|L/65]] model 1935"''),<ref name="Carlbom 314">{{cite book |last1=Carlbom |first1=Lars |title=Svenska jagare : fyrtio legendariska fartyg med detaljerade ritningar |year=2014 |publisher=Fischer & Co. |isbn=9789186597788 |page=314 |language=sv }}</ref><ref name="italie1935-45 20/65">{{cite web |title=Canon mitrailleur Breda de 20/65 mod.35 |url=http://www.italie1935-45.com/regio-esercito/materiels/item/257 |website=italie1935-45.com |access-date=2022-06-07}}</ref> also simply known as '''20&nbsp;mm Breda'''<ref name="africaaxisandallied">{{Cite web |title=Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/65 modello 35 (Breda) |url=http://africaaxisandallied.blogspot.com/2015/03/cannone-mitragliera-da-2065-modello-35.html |url-status=live |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=africaaxisandallied.blogspot.com|date=13 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823160736/http://africaaxisandallied.blogspot.com:80/2015/03/cannone-mitragliera-da-2065-modello-35.html |archive-date=23 August 2017 }}</ref> or '''Breda Model 35''',<ref name="awm breda mod35">{{cite web |title=This captured Italian Breda Model 35 20mm cannon was manned by Australians of No 8 Battery, 3rd ... |url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C4983 |website=awm.gov.au |publisher=[[Australian War Memorial]] |access-date=2022-06-07 }}</ref> among other variations,<ref name="italie1935-45 20/65"/> was an Italian {{convert|20|mm|in|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} [[anti-aircraft gun]] produced by the [[Breda Meccanica Bresciana|Società Italiana Ernesto Breda of Brescia]] company during the [[1930s]] and early [[1940s]]. It saw heavy usage during the [[Spanish Civil War]] and [[World War II]], among other conflicts. It was designed in 1932 and adopted by the Italian armed forces in 1935,<ref name="italie1935-45 20/65"/> becoming one of two major [[20 mm caliber]] anti-aircraft guns used by Italy during World War II, along with the [[Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/77 (Scotti)|Scotti-Isotta Fraschini 20/70]] (Scotti 20&nbsp;mm), both of which fired the  [[Switzerland|Swiss]] [[20x138mmB]] "Solothurn Long" cartridge.

The [[Royal Italian Army]] designated the gun '''Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/65''' ({{small|[[Literal translation|lit.]]}} "Cannon-Machinegun 20/65"),<ref name="italie1935-45 20/65"/> and the mount '''modello 35''' (model 1935), or '''mod.35''' for short.<ref name="italie1935-45 20/65"/><ref name="africaaxisandallied"/> Later, a '''mod.39''' (1939) and a '''mod.40''' (1940) system were introduced, featuring the same gun but in new mounts.<ref name="africaaxisandallied"/><ref name="NavWeaps 20/65">{{cite web |title=20 mm/65 Models 1935, 1939 and 1940 (Breda) |url=http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNIT_20mm-65.php |website=navweaps.com |publisher=NavWeaps |access-date=2022-06-07}}</ref> The ''"20/65"'' part of the name refers to the [[caliber]] and [[barrel length]] of the gun ([[20 mm]] [[barrel length|L/65]]).

== Design ==
Designed for use against aircraft and ground targets, it was effective against light tanks; its armour-piercing round could penetrate 30 millimeters of armour at 500 meters. It had a two-wheeled trailer, but due to its structural weakness that limited the towing speed to 20&nbsp;km/h, the weapon was usually transported on a truck bed.
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150" style="text-align:left">
File:Breda 20-65 Mod. 1935 trainato da un mulo.jpg|Breda 20/65 mod 35 on its two-wheeled trailer drawn by a mule
</gallery>

== Naval version ==
This gun was widely employed by the [[Regia Marina]] as a [[Deck (ship)|deck]]-mounted anti-aircraft weapon in most Italian warships, in both single and twin mountings; considered a fairly efficient weapon, in the widespread Model 1935 twin mounting, it shared with the similar [[Cannone-Mitragliera da 37/54 (Breda)|Cannone-Mitragliera da 37/54]] the operating systems and therefore its flaws, namely high vibrations and the requirement for a strong supporting structure. Of the two single mountings (Model 1939 and 1940), the latter (widely used on small units like [[corvette]]s, and [[MAS (boat)|MAS]]), partly corrected these faults and had a better sight; however, overall the Breda 20&nbsp;mm was considered somewhat inferior to the [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]] (used by the Regia Marina from 1941). All the mountings had an elevation of −10 to +90 degrees.<ref>Campbell, p. 346</ref><ref>Bagnasco, p. 85-7</ref> The 1935 twin mounting fitted the guns next to each other with the left gun (in direction of aim) placed on a level above the right gun so as to clear the horizontal ammunition feeding port.

In 1940 the [[Swedish Navy]] received a number of Breda 20/65 naval guns as part of their purchase of two [[Spica-class torpedo boat]]s, in Sweden becoming [[HSwMS Romulus (27)]] & [[HSwMS Remus (28)]] in the "Romulus-class". In Swedish service the guns were designated '20&nbsp;mm automatkanon m/38' (20&nbsp;mm autocannon m/38), or '20&nbsp;mm akan m/38' for short. The guns primarily used the Italian naval twin-mount and shared ammunition commonality with the Swedish army's '20&nbsp;mm akan m/39' ([[2 cm Flak 30]]) anti air guns purchased around the same time.<ref name="AMREG 47 F">{{Cite book|title=AMREG, Ammunitionsregister, Flottan, 1947 års utgåva|publisher=[[Royal Swedish Naval Materiel Administration]] (KMF)|year=1947|location=Stockholm, Sweden|language=Swedish}}</ref>
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150" style="text-align:left">
File:20 mm akan m38.png|Swedish 20&nbsp;mm akan m/38 (20/65 Breda in naval twin-mount) on the Italian built [[HSwMS Remus (28)]]
File:AA gun on HMS Romulus.jpg|Swedish torpedo boat [[HSwMS Romulus (27)]] with 20&nbsp;mm akan m/38
File:20 mm akan m38 firing refined.png|20&nbsp;mm akan m/38 during a firing exercise
</gallery>

== Use ==
In addition to use as an [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft gun]], the Model 35 was mounted as the main armament in several vehicles.  It was initially fitted in four [[Panzer I]]s converted during the [[Spanish Civil War]], by the [[Spain under Franco|Nationalists]], in an effort to improve their fighting capability against the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[T-26]]s fielded by the [[Second Spanish Republic|Republican]] forces. Later the gun was fitted to [[Fiat L6/40]] [[light tank]]s and the [[AB 41]] [[Armored car (military)|armoured car]]s.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="150" style="text-align:left">
File:AS42-1.gif|An [[SPA-Viberti AS.42|AS.42]] of the Italian [[Auto-Saharan Company]] mounted with a Breda 20/65 M35
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-005-0018-06, Jugoslawien, Polizeieinsatz mit Spähpanzer (cropped).jpg|A Breda 20/65 M35 mounted as the main armament on an Italian [[AB 41]] armored car
File:Fiat-Ansaldo L6 40.jpg|[[Fiat L6/40]] [[light tank]] armed with a Breda 20/65 in its turret
</gallery>

After the [[Winter War]] had begun, Finland bought 88 Breda guns from Italy, the last arriving during the [[Interim Peace]] in June 1940. Five of the Finnish Bredas were lost in action during the [[Continuation War]]. In addition, the four Italian-built [[Jymy class motor torpedo boat]]s operated by the [[Finnish Navy]] each had one 20&nbsp;mm Breda cannon on the rear deck. The [[Finnish Defence Forces]] used the 20 ItK/35 Breda, as the gun was officially known in that service, as a training weapon for anti-aircraft crews for several decades after the end of World War II. In 1985 there were still 76 guns remaining in the inventory, but all of these were discarded later during that decade.

[[File:May 1942, a Free French anti-aircraft crew are using a captured Italian Breda 20mm. anti-aircraft gun.jpg|thumb|Free French anti-aircraft crew using a captured Italian Breda 20/65 anti-aircraft gun, May 1942. The predictor sight and a 12-round ammunition strip can be seen in this image.]]
In North Africa, the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces captured many Breda Model 35s during [[Operation Compass]], enabling the Australian 2/3 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.antiaircraft.org.au/about-us/on-target/on-target |title=Rae, CJE, Harris, AL & Bryant, RK 1987, ''On target: the story of the 2/3 Australian Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment from formation on 18th July 1940 until disbandment on 14 July 1943 and the subsequent service of 7th Battery, 8th Battery, and 9th Battery, until the end of World War II'', 2/3rd Australian Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment Association, Melbourne |access-date=2 October 2011 |archive-date=22 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122033423/http://www.antiaircraft.org.au/about-us/on-target/on-target |url-status=dead }}</ref> parts of the 4th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (which had a total of 42 Bredas in its Light Anti-Aircraft batteries during the [[Siege of Tobruk]]) and one battery of 106th ([[Lancashire Hussars]]) Regiment, RHA to be equipped with them.

Captured Bredas were used by the [[Long Range Desert Group]] and [[Royal Australian Navy]] and [[Royal Navy]] vessels including [[HMAS Vendetta (D69)|HMAS ''Vendetta'']], [[HMAS Perth (D29)|HMAS ''Perth'']]<ref>[http://www.awm.gov.au/search/index.asp] [[Australian War Memorial]] photograph collection, ID Numbers P00219.015 and P01915.015.</ref> and [[HMS Ladybird (1916)|HMS ''Ladybird'']], and at least one [[Marmon-Herrington Armoured Car|Marmon-Herrington Mk II]] armoured car.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205203541 |title=The British Army in North Africa 1941: E 2872 (photograph) |work=[[Imperial War Museum]] Collection Search |access-date=2 July 2012}}</ref>

During the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]] (World War 2 in China), [[Chinese Nationalist Army]] soldiers used the Breda Model 35 during the [[Battle of Xinkou]], shooting down 3 Japanese planes. The Breda Model 35 was not only used in the anti-aircraft role but was also used to destroy Japanese tanks and armored vehicles.

The [[Ecuadorian Army]] bought some Breda guns before the [[Ecuadorian–Peruvian War]] but lost 9 of them during the war.<ref>{{cite book|title=Latin American Wars 1900–1941: "Banana Wars," Border Wars & Revolutions|series=Men-at-Arms 519|publisher=Osprey Publishing|first= Philip |last=Jowett|date= 28 Jun 2018|isbn=9781472826282 |pages=40, 42|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8LJeDwAAQBAJ}}</ref>

The [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia]] bought 120 Breda guns in 1939 and they were delivered before [[invasion of Yugoslavia]].<ref>Nebojša Đokić and Branko Nadoveza: NABAVKA NAORUŽANjA IZ INOSTRANSTVAZA POTREBE VOJSKE I MORNARICE KRALjEVINE SHS/JUGOSLAVIJE, NABAVKE IZ POLjSKE, SAD, ČEHOSLOVAČKE I ITALIJE p.159</ref>

== Users ==
[[File:Australian Breda Model 35.jpg|thumb|Anti-aircraft gunner of 8th Battery, Australian 2/3 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment with a Breda Model 35 gun at Derna, Libya, March 1941]]
*{{Flag|Australia}}
*{{flag|Costa Rica}}
*{{Flag|Dominican Republic}}
*{{Flag|Ecuador}}
*{{Flag|Finland}} – designation: '''20 ItK/35, Breda'''<ref>[http://www.jaegerplatoon.net/AA_GUNS1.htm FINNISH ARMY 1918 – 1945: ANTIAIRCRAFT GUNS PART 1<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
*{{Flag|Kingdom of Italy}}<ref name="africaaxisandallied"/>
*{{Flag|Kingdom of Yugoslavia}}
*{{Flag|Nazi Germany}} - Designations: '''2&nbsp;cm MG 282 (i) ''' and '''2&nbsp;cm Breda (i)'''<ref name="africaaxisandallied"/>
*{{Flag|Republic of China}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.btinternet.com/~ian.a.paterson/equipartillery.htm |title=Some were captured during the war and pressed into service |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913121658/http://www.btinternet.com/~ian.a.paterson/equipartillery.htm |archive-date=13 September 2007 }}</ref> (among various other warring Chinese military factions – see [[Chinese Civil War]])<ref name="africaaxisandallied"/>
*{{Flag|Slovak Republic (1939–1945)}}<ref name="africaaxisandallied"/>
*{{Flag|Sweden}} - designation: '''20&nbsp;mm akan m/38'''<ref name="AMREG 47 F"/>
*{{Flag|United Kingdom}}<ref name="africaaxisandallied"/>

== See also ==
*[[Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/77 (Scotti)]]

== References ==
=== Notes ===
{{reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
* {{cite book|last1=Bagnasco|first1=Erminio|title=Le armi delle navi italiane nella Seconda Guerra Mondiale|date=1978|publisher=Ermanno Albertelli Editore|location=Parma|isbn=8887372403}}
* {{cite book|last1=Campbell|first1=John|title=Naval weapons of World War Two|date=1985|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Md.|isbn=0870214594}}
* Pitkänen, Mika & Simpanen, Timo. 20&nbsp;mm Suomessa – Aseet ja ampumatarvikkeet ennen vuotta 1945 <br> 20&nbsp;mm in Finland – Weapons and Ammunition prior to 1945. Apali, 2007. {{ISBN|978-952-5026-59-7}}
* [[Jon Latimer|Latimer, Jon]]. Operation Compass 1940: Wavell's whirlwind offensive. Praeger, 2004. {{ISBN|0-275-98286-6}}
* [[Jon Latimer|Latimer, Jon]]. Tobruk 1941: Rommel's opening move. Praeger, 2004. {{ISBN|0-275-98287-4}}
* https://web.archive.org/web/20071117013208/http://www.italie1935-45.com/RE/photoscopes/photoscopebreda20-65.html
* {{cite book|title=The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II|author=Chris Bishop}}

== External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline|Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/65 modello 35}}

{{WWIIItalianGuns}}

[[Category:20 mm artillery]]
[[Category:Anti-aircraft guns of Italy]]
[[Category:Breda weapons]]
[[Category:Military equipment introduced in the 1930s]]
[[Category:World War II anti-aircraft guns]]
[[Category:World War II artillery of Italy]]