Maxim Pom-Pom QF 1-pounder
Vickers, Sons & Maxim · Machine Gun · Discontinued · 1899
Also known as: Pom-Pom, QF 1-pounder, Maxim-Nordenfelt 37mm, 1-pounder Maxim
Overview
The QF 1-pounder 'Pom-Pom' was the world's first autocannon, Hiram Maxim's recoil-operated Maxim machine gun scaled up to fire belt-fed 37mm one-pound explosive shells at up to about 300 rounds per minute. Sold first under Maxim-Nordenfelt and then by Vickers, Sons & Maxim after the 1897 merger, it was used to deadly effect by the Boers against British troops in the Second Boer War, prompting Britain to rush its own guns to South Africa. It went on to serve as an infantry and early anti-aircraft weapon through World War I.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 186000 g (6561.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1850 mm (72.83") |
| Barrel Length | 1090 mm (42.91") |
| Action Type | Recoil Operated |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Magazine Capacity | 25 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Belt |
| Muzzle Velocity | 550 m/s (1804 fps) |
| Effective Range | 2740 m (2996 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 4110 m (4495 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 300 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
Calibers
- 37x94mmR (QF 1-pounder) · primary — also known as QF 1-pounder, 37mm 1-pounder
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Fabric Belt
- Features: Recoil Operated, Belt Fed, Water Cooled, Autocannon, Field Or Pedestal Mount
Service history
Operators
- British Army · adopted 1900 · as QF 1-pounder
- South African Republic · adopted 1899
- German Empire
Conflicts
- Second Boer War (1899-1902)
- World War I (1914-1918)
Production
Production years: 1890s-1918
No firm global total; ~50-57 shipped to British forces in South Africa, the first arriving for Paardeberg in Feb 1900
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: Hiram Maxim
Discontinued: 1918
Notes
Designed by Hiram Maxim in the late 1880s. Muzzle velocity quoted variously (~550 m/s common, ~367 m/s for reduced loadings); range cited from ~2,740 m practical to ~4,110 m. About 50-57 guns shipped to British forces in South Africa during the Boer War. German versions built by DWM.
Background
The gun earned its 'Pom-Pom' nickname from the distinctive 'pom... pom... pom' drumbeat of its slow automatic fire, a name coined by troops during the Second Boer War. It holds the distinction of being the world's first automatic cannon.