http://www.eugeneleeslover.com/US-NAVY-GUNS/40_mm_Bofors_History.pdf
What if the telegram had been clearer?
What impact does this have on USN and US Army equipment?
What impact does this have on US exports and lend-lease to the allies?
Any likely changes to the course of the war?
It amazes me that Chrysler were told that only 1,000 of these guns would be needed. They eventually ran out 60,000 guns and 120,000 barrels. Let us suppose that the initial orders are for 3,195 for the army and 1,000 to export to the British. Plant initially for 60 guns a month might be realistic. In two years 1440 guns would have been made. All the British order (wartime priority) and a 440 gun start on the army order. IOTL only about 150 guns were issued as Lend-Lease to Britain.
This miscommunication held back procurement of the bofors 40mm by the US for two years. Two years spent developing and manufacturing the order for 3,195 inferior 37mm domestic AA guns for the US Army at 40 guns a month (480 guns and counting).Lack of punctuation in the cablegram •• failure to mention the word "dollars" except toward the end of message, and the belief of the
recipient that the sender's method of writing 10,000 was 10 1000
caused the error in reading the cablegram which was as follows:
"referring conference 26/4 Ordnance Department Commander Bostroem
Stop 40 mm pilot gun and ammunition can be sent about 15/6 costs
of freight to be paid by Bofors stop FOB price New York City 500
rounds of high explosive tracer shells 10 1000 tracer drill shells
8 1000 drill shells 6 100 armour piercing tracer shells 12 100
ditto uncharged 12 dollars a piece stop please cable confirmation."
Consequently, the quantities of shell were read, respectively, as
500, 10,000, 8,000, 600, and 1,200, or a total of 20,300 shell at
a common cost of twelve dollars each,
What if the telegram had been clearer?
1700 rounds for a total cost of $21,400. Rather than the perceived cost of $243, 600. The test goes ahead, the license to manufacture guns and ammo for both services is bought for $600,000 and production starts two years earlier.referring conference 26/4 Ordnance Department Commander Bostroem Stop 40 mm pilot gun and ammunition can be sent about 15/6 costs of freight to be paid by Bofors stop FOB price New York City 500
rounds of high explosive tracer shells 10 dollars stop 1000 tracer drill shells 8 dollars stop 1000 drill shells 6 dollars stop 100 armour piercing tracer shells 12 dollars stop 100 ditto uncharged 12 dollars a piece stop please cable confirmation
What impact does this have on USN and US Army equipment?
What impact does this have on US exports and lend-lease to the allies?
Any likely changes to the course of the war?
It amazes me that Chrysler were told that only 1,000 of these guns would be needed. They eventually ran out 60,000 guns and 120,000 barrels. Let us suppose that the initial orders are for 3,195 for the army and 1,000 to export to the British. Plant initially for 60 guns a month might be realistic. In two years 1440 guns would have been made. All the British order (wartime priority) and a 440 gun start on the army order. IOTL only about 150 guns were issued as Lend-Lease to Britain.
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