The following intelligence report on the Skoda 75/49 AA/AT used by the Italian Army in WWII was published in Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 34, September 23, 1943. [DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from the U.S. War Department publication Tactical and Technical Trends. As with all wartime intelligence information, data may be incomplete or inaccurate. No attempt has been made to update or correct the text. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.]

AXIS USE OF SKODA AA/AT GUN Detailed information is now available concerning the Skoda 75/49 AA/AT gun which has appeared recently in the Italian army. This gun may be designated "75/50" by the Italians. Characteristics of the weapon are: Muzzle velocity       2,690 fs Maximum horizontal range 16,150 yds Maximum vertical range 10,000 yds Practical rate of fire 20 rpm Weight in action 2.76 tons Weight in draught 4.13 tons Elevation 0° to +85° Traverse 360° Weight of complete round 25.7 1b Weight of shell 13.9 lb For transport, the equipment is carried on 2 two-wheeled bogies at the front and rear respectively. There is a superstructure with a seat on the rear bogie to permit a crew member to operate the bogie brake. The bogies are detachable and two hinged platform legs can be swung outward at right angles to the central member to form the platform. There is a levelling jack at the end of each leg and at each end of the main girder. The piece is fitted with a muzzle brake. The breech block is of the vertical sliding type, opening downward. It closes automatically after a round has been fed into the chamber. The buffer and recuperator are slung under the piece. Documents give the elevation as 85° although examination of the numbering on the elevation arc suggests that this is graduated in sub-divisions of 20 mils and divisions of 80 mils up to 1,280 mils (71° 53'). The piece is elevated on two toothed arcs between the trunnions, compensation being by two cylinders housing springs attached to the cradle by wire cables. Receiver dials are fitted. A leaf and blade open sight is integral with the piece. A Czech ZRz dial sight is fitted, the horizontal graticuling being in 5 mil divisions up to 20 mils on either side of the single vertical graticule. Magnification is low, and in a captured piece optical quality was bad. There is an electric graticule illuminator for night firing. This sight is protected by a grid when a tarpaulin or camouflage net is covering the equipment. Three men are required to lay the gun. The gunner for direction and the No. 1 roughly for elevation. These men sit on the right and left, respectively, of the piece, facing the line of fire. The No. 2 man, who faces the gunner, completes the accurate elevation of the piece, sighting through an eyepiece on the other side of the telescope.

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