20 ITK 40 VKT

20 ItK 40 VKT
20 ItK 40 VKT
Type	Light anti-aircraft gun
Place of origin	Finland
Service history
In service	1943–1988
Wars	Continuation War Lapland War
Production history
Designer	Aimo Lahti
Designed	1940
Manufacturer	VKT (Valtion Kivääritehdas)
Unit cost	FIM 244,420
Produced	1943–1944
No. built	174[1]
Specifications
Mass	652 kg (1,437 lb) (firing position) 778 kg (1,715 lb) (transport)
Length	425 cm (13 ft 11 in)
Barrel length	1.3 m (4 ft 3 in)
Width	1.35 m (4 ft 5 in)
Shell	20×138B
Barrels	2
Elevation	−10° to +90°
Traverse	360°
Rate of fire	2×700/minute (cyclic max, adjustable) 2×250/minute (practical)
Muzzle velocity	830–850 m/s (2,273–2,788 ft/s)
Effective firing range	1,200 m (3,900 ft)
Maximum firing range	2,200 m (7,200 ft)
Feed system	20 round magazines
Sights	M/Strömberg (original) m/55 pendulum ring sight (after 1955)

The 20 ItK 40 VKT or 20 mm dual anti-aircraft cannon model 1940 manufactured by VKT was a Finnish light anti-aircraft gun designed by the Finnish gunsmith Aimo Lahti. As the only multi-barrel 20 mm anti-aircraft gun, the 20 ItK 40 VKT was the most effective 20 mm air defence weapon used by the Finnish Army during World War II. A total of 174 guns were built, used in training until the 1970s and kept in reserve until 1988. The gun received the nickname Vekotin (gadget) from Finnish soldiers. The nickname was reached by adding to the abbreviation of manufacturer, VKT.^[1][2]