Swedish anti-aircraft Bofors gun in the Poltava museum

This Bofors gun is preserving in the Poltava Long-Range Strategic Aviation Museum. It was one of the most popular medium-weight anti-aircraft systems during World War II, used by most of the western Allies as well as by the Axis powers. About 5500 Bofors guns were shipped to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease. These guns were used to protect Poltava airbase during the operation Frantic Joe (1944-1945) when a few hundred heavy bombers B-17 from 8^th and 15^th USAF based in Great Britain and Southern Italy were involved in the shuttle bombing operations after which they landed at three Soviet airfields in Ukraine including Poltava.

The Bofors 40 mm gun, often referred to simply as the Bofors gun, is an anti-aircraft/multi-purpose autocannon designed in the 1930s by the Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors. It was one of the most popular medium-weight anti-aircraft systems during World War II, used by most of the western Allies as well as by the Axis powers.