Nudelman N-37

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	Weapon: Nudelman N-37 Type: Autocannon Country of Origin: USSR Year Adopted: 1946 Caliber: 37x155MM Action: Short Recoil Overall Length (mm): 2455.0 Overall Length (in): 96.65 Weight (kg): 103.00 Weight (pounds): 227.08 Effective Range (m): 2000 m Effective Range (yards): 2187.23

The Nudelman N-37 was a 37mm aircraft autocannon developed by the Soviet Union in the late 1940s as a powerful armament for jet fighters and interceptors. Designed by Alexander Nudelman as a successor to the NS-37, the N-37 was considerably lighter and more compact, making it better suited for mounting in faster, more modern aircraft. The weapon utilized a short recoil action and was fed by a belt system, firing high-explosive and armor-piercing rounds at a relatively low rate of fire (approximately 400 rounds per minute) but with tremendous destructive power.

Entering service around 1946, the N-37 was installed in numerous Soviet jet fighters including the MiG-15, MiG-17, and early MiG-19 models, as well as various bomber defensive installations. It was intended primarily for use against large targets such as enemy bombers, where its large-caliber shells could disable or destroy with just a few hits. While its slow rate of fire made it less suitable against agile fighters, its raw power and range made it an important part of Soviet air combat doctrine during the early Cold War.

Though eventually phased out in favor of smaller, faster-firing cannons like the NR-30 and GSh-23, the N-37 remained in service into the 1960s and was exported to many Soviet-aligned nations. Its legacy is marked by its role in Korea and early Cold War conflicts, where it demonstrated the brutal efficiency of heavy cannon fire against Western aircraft. The N-37 exemplifies the Soviet emphasis on firepower over rate of fire in their early post-war air-to-air weaponry.