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| Ordnance QF 17-pounder | |
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| Role | Anti-tank gun |
| Operators | United Kingdom |
| No. of positions | 1 |
| Position 1 | 77mm gun |
Ordnance QF 17-pounder is a British anti-tank gun.
Description
Succeeding the Ordnance QF 2-pounder and Ordnance QF 6-pounder, the Ordnance QF 17-pounder was one of the most effective Allied anti-tank guns in the war. With its special APDS rounds and its high velocity the 17-pdr was capable of destroying every contemporary German tank with ease. Its main drawback however was its large size and weight: Simply being to cumbersome for a towed gun, this limited the tactical worth of the gun to defensive tasks. To make more offensive use of the gun´s firepower, the 17-pdr was mounted on several armoured vehicles as self-propelled gun, such as the 17pdr SP Achilles and the Archer. It was also adapted as a tank gun, for example with the Sherman Firefly and the Comet I.
It is available deployed as a stationary weapon, or in tow by a Crusader Gun Tractor from 1943 onwards. The gun is fixed, but can slowly rotate 360 degrees.
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