By Friedrich Seiltgen<\/a><\/p>\n T<\/span>he M42 \u2014 known as the \u201cDuster\u201d \u2014 was a light armored air defense system that arguably became better known for its capabilities against the communist ground forces in the Vietnam War. Originally built for the U.S. Army between 1952 and 1960, a total of 3,700 M42s were built. The weapon system first saw use in the Korean War and served through the 1980s.<\/p>\n The M42 Duster was a spinoff of the M41 series light tank, the Walker Bulldog<\/a>, which replaced the M24 Chaffee light tank<\/a>. A 500 horsepower, air-cooled, Continental six-cylinder gas engine powered the M42 to a max speed of 45 mph and a range of 100 miles.<\/p>\n The Duster\u2019s hull was divided into three sections:<\/p>\n Designed for a six-man crew consisting of a driver, commander, gunner, sight setter and two ammo loaders, the Duster was usually manned by only four men. There was also an externally mounted .30 caliber M1919 Browning machine gun for vehicle defense.<\/p>\n The twin 40mm Bofors guns had a combined rate of fire of 240 rounds per minute, and each fed from a four-round clip with either armor piercing or high explosive warhead. With an ammo capacity of 336 rounds, the Duster had about 85 seconds of fire, with a maximum ground-to-ground range of 9,475 meters. The flash suppressors were changed from the standard conical design to a three-prong model for use with the Duster.<\/p>\n The turret of the M42 was designed to fit the M41 hull without modification and was capable of 360-degree rotation, either mechanically or hydraulically. The Bofors guns could be adjusted from -3 degrees to +85 degrees and could also be powered mechanically or hydraulically.<\/p>\n The Duster fire control system was controlled by the commander, who located the target. He would estimate the speed, direction, and angle, entering it into the sighting system. Then, the driver would position the turret and elevate the guns to center the target into the reflex sight, which computed the lead distance and tracked the target. Once a steady lock was on, the firing system was engaged, and the guns would fire until the target was destroyed or the commander ordered a cease-fire.<\/p>\n The Duster could also perform fire missions using data from artillery fire data centers and be on target faster than the artillery pieces. The Duster was also a great asset for nighttime missions using the infrared mode on the searchlight. With this search mode, the Dusters could search for the enemy without giving away their position. Once a target was found, the searchlight was switched over to light mode, and the target was engaged.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Bofors is an anti-aircraft gun designed in the mid-30s to fill the gap between small-caliber rapid-fire machine guns and large slow-firing cannons. The Bofors entered service in 1932, and by 1939, it was in service with 18 countries.<\/p>\n During WWII, the 40mm Bofors was used by a majority of military units. It was used heavily aboard U.S. Navy ships, such as the Iowa-class battleships<\/a>, for anti-aircraft duties as a dual- or quad-mount alongside the 20mm Oerlikon.<\/p>\n![\"M42](\"https:\/\/www.thearmorylife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/M42-Duster-at-MACV-SOG-base-in-Quang-Tri.jpg.webp)
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Twin Bofors 40mm L\/60 Guns<\/h2>\n
![\"Israeli](\"https:\/\/www.thearmorylife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Israeli-M42-Duster-in-Yad-la-Shiryon-Museum.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>In Effect<\/h2>\n
![\"M42](\"https:\/\/www.thearmorylife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/M42-Duster-tank-at-Khe-Sanh-April-1967.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>![\"US](\"https:\/\/www.thearmorylife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/US-Army-M42-during-demonstration-with-Australian-Centurion-tank-in-the-Vietnam-War.jpg.webp)
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![\"M42](\"https:\/\/www.thearmorylife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/M42-Duster-at-Camp-Blanding-Florida.jpg.webp)
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<\/p>\n![\"M42](\"https:\/\/www.thearmorylife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/M42-Duster-Bofors-40mm-guns.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>![\"American](\"https:\/\/www.thearmorylife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/American-M42-Duster-drives-through-Ba-Ria-Vietnam.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>![\"West](\"https:\/\/www.thearmorylife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/West-German-Flak-Panzer-M42-Duster-edited.jpg.webp)
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