17lb QF (UK)
| Length | 420cm / 165in |
| Weight | 2,100kg / 4,629lb |
| Calibre | 76.4mm / 3in |
| Range | 10,149m / 33,300ft |
The 17-pounder Quick Fire gun came about after the standard six-pounder piece was found lacking against the modern armour of World War II. Issued from 1942, the new gun soon proved its worth and was almost as highly rated as the German 88mm.
By 1944 it had become a well-established anti-tank weapon with its good low profile enabling it to be easily concealed and difficult to spot for Axis tank crews. For the Allies this was one weapon that could face a Panzer VI Tiger on roughly equal grounds and it wasn’t long before the British mounted them onto the Sherman tank to create the Sherman Firefly.
This versatile gun was also fitted to the chassis of the Valentine tank in an unusual rear-facing format to create the Archer self propelled gun; a formidable tank killer.
