French weapons

Discussions on all aspects of France during the Inter-War era and Second World War.
WSchneck
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Posts: 53
Joined: 05 Apr 2005, 18:17
Location: Lake Ridge

#46

Post by WSchneck » 03 Jan 2007, 14:20

Mark,
My pleasure. Good luck and Happy New Year.

Bill

vincenzoforum
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Posts: 48
Joined: 21 Nov 2007, 20:23
Location: Lazio

#47

Post by vincenzoforum » 28 Nov 2007, 17:45

Some have a list of french field and heavy guns? in 1940


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Bronsky
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Joined: 11 Apr 2003, 10:28
Location: Paris

#48

Post by Bronsky » 29 Nov 2007, 18:13

David Lehmann, one of this forum's moderators, posted one such list in another forum a long time ago. I remember various corrections being added to it but I lost the file in a hard drive crash. The general idea is that it's a long list, though you can piece it together from various books.

vincenzoforum
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Posts: 48
Joined: 21 Nov 2007, 20:23
Location: Lazio

#49

Post by vincenzoforum » 29 Nov 2007, 19:23

i find this looking with google, but it's for start WWI
95 Lahitolle mle 1875
90 De Bange mle 1877
80 De Bange mle 1877
155L De Bange mle 1877
80M De Bange mle 1878
120L De Bange mle 1878
220 De Bange mle 1880 (mortier)
155C De Bange mle 1881
240L De Bange mle 1884
270 De Bange mle 1885 (mortier)
95 Lahitolle mle 1888
270 De Bange mle 1889 (mortier)
120C Baquet mle 1890
155C Baquet mle 1890
75 mle 1897
155C Rimailho mle 1904
65M mle 1906
75 Schneider mle 1912
155C De Bange/Filloux mle 1881/1912
105L Schneider mle 1913


p.s for french artillery i talk artillery in Armée de terre not build in France


(modified for update i've forgot 95 mle 88)

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David Lehmann
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Joined: 01 Apr 2002, 11:50
Location: France

#50

Post by David Lehmann » 01 Dec 2007, 00:15

Hello,

Probably not complete and not devoid of mistakes but I can try to give you a general idea of what was the French Artillery in 1940. Most of the information can be found in Stéphane Ferrard's books but also in Lee Sharp's volumes if you are interested in TO&Es or in books / magazines with articles more focused on the artillery.

Here is an approximate listing of all kinds of artillery pieces available in the French army in 1940:

Field artillery (75mm, 105mm C and 105mm L and 155mm C) mobilized in May 1940:
75mm Mle1897: 4,500
105mm C: 376 (144x Mle1934 Schneider and 232x Mle1935 Bourges)
105mm L (various models): 1,002
155mm C (various models): 1,827
65mm M Mle 1906 (mountain gun): 70
75mm M Mle 1928 (mountain gun): 156
105mm M Mle1928 (mountain gun): 24
75mm T Mle1915 (trench mortar): probably 21 (294 available)
TOTAL 1: 7,976 guns mobilized

Heavy artillery mobilized in May 1940:
120mm L Mle1878 and 1916: only few mobilized to reinforce fortified areas (600 available)
145/155mm L Mle1916: 68 (168 available)
150mm T Mle1917 Fabry (trench mortar): about 866, at least 360 during the Phoney War (1,159 available)
155mm L Mle1877: 743
155mm L Mle1877/14: 480
155mm L Mle1918: 120
155mm L Mle1917: 407 (535 available)
155mm GPF: 352 (449 available)
155mm GPFT: 24
194mm GPF (tracked SPA): 26 (49 available)
220mm C Mle1916 (heavy mortar): 376 (462 available)
220mm L Mle1917: 56 (68 available)
240mm LT Mle1916 (heavy trench mortar): 12 (410 available)
270mm M (coastal heavy mortar): 24 available, probably none mobilized
280mm C PF (heavy mortar): 100 (PF = plateforme = plateform) (109 available)
280mm C Ch (tracked SPA): 26 (Ch = chenille = tracked)
370mm M FILLOUX: 4 (12 available)
TOTAL 2: 3,720 guns mobilized

Rail road artillery mobilized in May 1940:
164mm: 4 (8 available)
194mm: 24 (32 available)
240mm: 16
274mm: 16
293mm: 5 available but not mobilized
305mm: 6
320mm: 16
340mm: 8 (10 available)
370mm: 13 available, none mobilized
400mm: 10
520mm: 1 available, not mobilized
TOTAL 3: 100 guns

TOTAL 1+2+3: 11,796 guns/howitzers/mortars mobilized

1) NON DIVISIONAL ARTILLERY:

• Artillery battery (75, 105, 155, 194, 220, 240, 280mm)
4x howitzers or guns

• Light artillery battalion
3x artillery battery (12) (75mm)

• Medium artillery battalion
3x artillery battery (12) (105mm)

• Heavy artillery battalion
3x artillery battery (12) (155mm and >)

• Light artillery regiment
3x light artillery battalion (75mm) (36)

• Medium artillery regiment
2x medium artillery battalion (105mm) (24)

• Heavy artillery regiment
2x heavy artillery battalion (155mm and >) (24)

• Independent Artillery Battalion
3x artillery battery (12)

2) DIVISIONAL ARTILLERY: different divisional artillery regiments

• Infantry Division (DI) (2 regiments) :

Artillery regiment (= "RAD" for régiment d'artillerie divisionnaire)
3x Light Artillery Battalion (75mm)
1x BDAC
1x BDAA

Heavy artillery regiment (= "RALD" for régiment d'artillerie lourde divisionnaire)
2x Heavy Artillery Battalion (155mm)

BDAA = Batterie Divisionaire Anti-Aérienne = AA divisional battery (with 6x 25mm AA guns)
BDAC = Batterie Divisionaire Anti-Char = AT divisional battery (with 8x 47mm Mle1937 or 75mm Mle1897/33 AT guns).

• Motorized Infantry Division (DIM) (2 regiments):

Light Artillery Regiment (= "RADm" for régiment d'artillerie divisionnaire motorisé)
3x Light artillery battalion (75mm)
1x BDAC
1x BDAA

Heavy Artillery Regiment (= "RALD" for régiment d'artillerie divisionnaire motorisé)
1x Medium artillery battalion (105mm)
1x Heavy artillery battalion (155mm)

• Light Cavalry Division (DLC) (1 regiment):
1x Light artillery battalion (75mm)
1x medium artillery battalion (105mm)
1x BDAC
1x BDAA

• Light Mechanized Division (DLM) (1 regiment):
2x Light artillery battalion (75mm)
1x medium artillery battalion (105mm)
1x BDAC
1x BDAA

• Armored Division (DCr) (1 brigade):
3x Light artillery battalion (75mm)
2x Medium artillery battalion (105mm)
1x BDAC
1x BDAA

Characteristics of several guns:

Canon de 75mm (L/34.5) Mle1897
Type : field gun
Crew : 1 NCO + 6 men
Caliber : 75x350R mm
Length : 4.45m
Barrel length : L/34.5 (L/29.7 rifling)
Width : 1.51m
Weight in action : 1140 kg
Weight in travel : 1970 kg
Elevation : -11° to +20°
Traverse : 6°
Ready to fire in 5 minutes
Rate of fire : 15-18 rpm (up to 28 rpm in very intense fire during a short time)
Maximum range : 9500 m (11100 m)
V° : 535-590 m/s (according to various shells)
Ammunition:
• Obus de rupture Mle1910M (6.400kg with 90g explosive) [APHE]
• Obus perforant AL (Allongé Lefèvre) Mle 1916 (7.445kg with 350g explosive) [APHE]
• Obus perforant AL (Allongé Lefèvre) Mle 1918 (7.320kg with 325g explosive) [APHE]
• Obus explosif Mle1900N (5.400kg with 775g explosive) [HE]
• Obus explosif Mle1915 (5.315kg with 740g explosive) [HE]
• Obus explosif Mle1917 (6.125kg with 675g explosive) [HE]
• Obus explosif Mle1918 (6.650kg with 435g explosive) [HE]
• Obus explosif FA Mle1929 AL (6.960kg with 363g explosive) [HE]
• Obus à balles "A" Mle1897 (7.240 kg with 261x12g hardened bullets) [canister]
• Obus à balles "M" Mle1897-1911 (7.400kg with 290x12g hardened bullets) [canister]
• Obus à balles "A" Mle1897/1917 (7.400kg with 113g explosive and 228 hardened bullets) [canister]
• Obus à balles Mle1926 (7.240kg) [canister]
• Boîte à mitraille Mle1913 (7.250kg) [shrapnel] - Efficient up to 300m against infantry
• Obus fumigène Mle1915 (5.315kg) [smoke - white phosphorous]
• Obus éclairant Mle1916 (5.315kg) [illuminating] - Time of illumination : 40 seconds
• Obus incendiaire Mle1916 type G à charge mélangée [mixed charge incendiary shell] This shell had an instant fuze and included 6 tarred incendiary charges, black powder and lead bullets. It was therefore a combined explosive, incendiary and anti-personal shell. The lead bullets were probably able to pierce oil, fuel etc. tanks before the incendiary charges ignite fire.
• Obus incendiaire Mle1916 type G à six feux [incendiary shell] This shell included 6 “thermite” incendiary charges burning during about 50 seconds, magnesium powder and black powder.

Mortier de 75mm T Mle1915
Type : trench mortar
Crew : 1 NCO + 4 men
Caliber : 75mm
Barrel length : 770mm
Weight in action : 234 kg
Weight in travel : 304 kg
Elevation : 0° to +80°
Traverse : 40°
Rate of fire : 4 rpm
HE Shell
Maximum range : 1700 m
Projectile weight : 5.3 kg
V° : 130 m/s

Canon de 105mm C (L/17) Mle1935 Bourges
Type : howitzer
Crew : 1 NCO + 6 men
Caliber : 105mm
Barrel length : 1760 mm
Weight in action : 1627 kg
Elevation : -5° to +45°
Traverse : 52°
Ready to fire in 5 minutes
Rate of fire : 15 rpm
HE Shell
Maximum range : 10500 m
Projectile weight : 15.6 kg
V° : 465 m/s


Canon de 105mm C (L/20) Mle1934 Schneider
Type : howitzer
Crew : 1 NCO + 6 men
Caliber : 105mm
Barrel length : 2090 mm
Weight in action : 1722 kg
Elevation : -7° to +38.7°
Traverse : 39.6°
Ready to fire in 5 minutes
Rate of fire : 15 rpm
HE Shell
Maximum range : 10500 m
Projectile weight : 15.6 kg
V° : 465 m/s

Canon de 105mm L (L/27) Mle1913 Schneider
Type : field gun
Crew : 1 NCO + 6 men
Caliber : 105 mm
Barrel length : L/27 (L/22.4 rifling)
Weight in action : 2350 kg
Elevation : -5° to +37°
Traverse : 6°
Ready to fire in 5 minutes
Rate of fire : 6-8 rpm
Ammunition
Maximum range : 11800 m (Mle1914 HE) - 12500 m (Mle1916 canister)
Projectile weight : 15.45kg with 1.85kg explosive (Mle1914 HE) - 16.915 kg with 461x12g hardened lead bullets (Mle1916 canister)
V° : 570 m/s (Mle1914 HE) - 555 m/s (Mle1916 canister)

Canon de 105mm L (L/41.5) Mle1936 Schneider
Type : field gun
Crew : 1 NCO + 6 men
Caliber : 105mm
Barrel length : 4369 mm (3087 mm rifling)
Weight in action : 4110 kg
Elevation : 0° to +43°
Traverse : 49°
Ready to fire in 3-5 minutes
Rate of fire : 5 rpm
HE Shell
Maximum range : 16400 m
Projectile weight : 15.7 kg
V° : 725 m/s

Mortier de 150mm T Mle1917 Fabry
Type : trench mortar
Caliber : 150mm
Length : 2100mm
Barrel length : 1240mm
Weight in action : 615 kg
Elevation : +42° to +72°
Traverse : 30°
Rate of fire : 2 rpm
HE Shell
Maximum range : 2000 m
Projectile weight : 17 kg (5.4 kg explosive)
V° : 156 m/s

Canon de 155mm C (L/15) Mle1917 Schneider
Type : howitzer
Crew : 1 NCO + 7 men
Caliber : 155mm
Barrel length : 2332 mm (1737 mm rifling)
Weight in action : 3300 kg
Elevation : 0° to +42°20'
Traverse : 6°
Ready to fire in 5 minutes
Rate of fire : 4 rpm
Maximum range : 11900 m
V° : 450 m/s
Ammunition:
• Obus FA Mle1915 (43.55kg with 4.8kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus allongé en acier Mle1914 (43kg with 10.2kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus à mitraille Mle1887 (40.80kg with 416x25g bullets and 288 splinters of 43g) [shrapnel]
• Obus à balles Mle1879-1915 (40.59kg with 270x26g hardened bullets) [canister]
It was a good gun, pretty light, firing a 43kg shell at a maximum range of some 11900m - there were five different types of shells for this gun, including HE, shrapnel and smoke shells. The soundness of the design was soon proved by the fact the Americans adapted it, to equip it's Expeditionary Army in Europe - their copies were called M1917 and M1918. It was still in both French and American service at the outset of the Second World War. It was also used by a number of other countries, including Finland (which employed the piece with good effect during the Winter War) and Poland. The last US M1918A3 version like the last French version of 1940 (only several of them in 1940) used a modernized carriage with pneumatics.

Canon de 155 mm C (L/17.8) Mle1915 Saint-Chamond
Type : howitzer
Crew : 1 NCO + 9 men
Caliber : 155mm
Weight in action : 2860 kg
Elevation : 0° to +40°
Traverse : 6°
Ready to fire in 2-5 minutes
Rate of fire : 3 rpm
Maximum range : 9300 m
V° : 370 m/s
Ammunition:
• Obus FA Mle1915 (43.55kg with 4.8kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus allongé en acier Mle1914 (43kg with 10.2kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus à mitraille Mle1887 (40.80kg with 416x25g bullets and 288 splinters of 43g) [shrapnel]
• Obus à balles Mle1879-1915 (40.59kg with 270x26g hardened bullets) [canister]

Canon de 145/155mm (L/48.5) Mle1916 Saint-Chamond
Type : field gun
Caliber : 145mm or 155mm
Weight in action : 12500 kg
Elevation : 0° to +42°30'
Traverse : 6°
Ready to fire in 3 hours
Rate of fire : 1.5 rpm
V° : 800 m/s
Maximum range : 18500 m
Ammunition:
• Obus à mitraille Mle1887 (40.8kg with 416 bullets and 288 splinters) [shrapnel]
• Obus en acier à balles Mle1879-1915 (40.59kg with 270 bullets) [canister]
• Obus en fonte Mle1877 (41kg with 2.41kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus allongé en acier Mle1914 (42.5kg with 10.4kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus FA Mle1915 (43.2kg with 4.65kg explosive) [HE]

Canon de 155mm L (L/29.8) Mle1917 Schneider
Type : field gun
Crew : 10 men
Caliber : 155mm
Weight in action : 8710 kg
Elevation : -5° to +42°
Traverse : 5°
Ready to fire in 20 minutes
Rate of fire : 3 rpm
Maximum range : 15900 m
V° : 665 m/s
Ammunition:
• Obus à mitraille Mle1887 (40.8kg with 416 bullets and 288 splinters) [shrapnel]
• Obus en acier à balles Mle1879-1915 (40.59kg with 270 bullets) [canister]
• Obus en fonte Mle1877 (41kg with 2.41kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus allongé en acier Mle1914 (42.5kg with 10.4kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus FA Mle1915 (43.2kg with 4.65kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus en acier Mle1915 BGP (43.1kg with 7.2kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus FA Mle1917 (44.85kg with 4.5kg explosive) [HE]

Canon de 155mm L (L/26) Mle1918 Schneider
Type : field gun
Caliber : 155mm
Weight in action : 5100 kg
Elevation : 1°15' to +43°35'
Traverse : 6°
Ready to fire in 20 minutes
Rate of fire : 2 rpm
Maximum range : 13600 m
V° : 561 m/s
Ammunition:
• Obus à mitraille Mle1887 (40.8kg with 416 bullets and 288 splinters) [shrapnel]
• Obus en acier à balles Mle1879-1915 (40.59kg with 270 bullets) [canister]
• Obus en fonte Mle1877 (41kg with 2.41kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus allongé en acier Mle1914 (42.5kg with 10.4kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus FA Mle1915 (43.2kg with 4.65kg explosive) [HE]
The 155mm L Mle1877 and Mle1877/1914 were seen as the best counter-battery guns during WW1 but they were getting old and had to be changed. The 155mm GPF would have been good but was mostly produced for the US troops. The 155mm L Mle1917 were too heavy and lacked mobility. The 155mm L Mle1918 was therefore made as an emergency solution by the French army late in WW1, only 4 produced for WW1 and 120 in service in 1940. It was the last developed gun still using the Mle1877/1914 De Bange barrel and it was mounted on the Schneider Mle1917 C carriage.

Canon de 155 mm GPF (L/38.2) (Grande Puissance FILLOUX)
Type : field gun
Crew : 10 men
Caliber : 155mm
Weight in action : 11200 kg
Elevation : 0° to +35°
Traverse : 60°
Ready to fire in 30 minutes
Rate of fire : 3-4 rpm
Maximum range : 16300 m (18600 m)
V° : 717 m/s
Ammunition:
• Obus en acier Mle1915 BGP (43.1kg with 7.2kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus FA Mle1917 (44.85kg with 4.5kg explosive) [HE]

Canon de 155 mm GPFT (L/38.2) (Grande Puissance FILLOUX – Touzard carriage)
Type : field gun
Crew : 10 men
Caliber : 155mm
Weight in action : 12200 kg
Elevation : 0° to +39°
Traverse : 60°
Rate of fire : 3-4 rpm
Maximum range : 16300 m (21000 m)
V° : 717 m/s
Ammunition
Obus en acier Mle1915 BGP (43.1kg with 7.2kg explosive) [HE]
Obus FA Mle1917 (44.85kg with 4.5kg explosive) [HE]

The 155mm GPF was rather slow to move generally about 8 km/h using Latil TAR or Latil TARH2 trucks in France in 1940. These guns were mostly present in the ALCA (artillerie lourde de corps d'armée = army corps heavy artillery) and in the general reserves with 352 guns mobilised in May 1940.
The 155mpm GPFT (T = Touzard carriage = version with 4 pneumatics) was on its side a modernized version, but only 60 155mm GPFT were in service in May 1940. This gun was towed at 25-30 km/h by the Laffly S35T truck.
The Germans used the 155mm GPF/GPFT under the name 15.5cm K418/419(f). The 155mm GPFT was e.g. used by the Deutsche Afrika Korps. One can note that in March 1944 there were still 22 15.5 cm K419(f) (=GPFT) in service in the German army.
As a sidenote, the 155mm GPF was adopted by the US Army as the 155mm M1917/1918 and it is the direct ancestor of the 155mm gun M1 'Long Tom'. It was also used to design the 155mm GMC M12 self-propelled gun.

Canon de 155mm L (L/55) Mle1932 Schneider
Type : field gun / coastal gun
Caliber : 155mm
Weight in action : 16600 kg
Elevation : -8° to +45°
Traverse : 360° with the plateform
Rate of fire : 4-5 rpm (elevation up to 25°) and 3-4 rpm (elevation 25° - 45°) thanks to a mechanical loading system
HE Shell
Maximum range : 26000 - 27500 m
Projectile weight : 50 kg (5.5kg explosive)
V° : 900 m/s
The Mle1932 155mm L Schneider gun was mainly used by the French Navy for its mobile batteries. When emplaced on the platform (which needed no peculiar preparation of the ground) it had a full 360° traverse. The strange shape of the wheels is to allow the easy 360° traverse, which would not have been possible with pneumatics. Only 16 guns (4 batteries of 4 guns) were in service in 1939/1940.
• Battery n°1 was mobilized in Sfax (Tunisia), moved to Gabès (Tunisia) in February 1940 and was sent back to Sfax (Tunisia) on 8 June 1940. It is transfered to Bône on 25 June 1940 and Nemours on 22 August 1940 (Algeria) where it was still deployed on 8 November 1942. This battery never left North-Africa.
• Battery n°2 (Capitaine de Corvette Hamelin and later Lieutenant de Vaisseau Brenot) was first in Toulon.
• Battery n°3 (Lieutenant de Vaisseau Jabet) was first in Bizerte (Tunisia).
• A 4th battery was in Senegal but no battery number is mentioned. This battery in Western Africa was in fact not mobile; it was a fixed coastal artillery battery with 4x 155mm Mle1932 Schneider emplaced at Yof, near Dakar. Another difference is that it belonged to the Army, not the Navy, and was manned by colonial artillery personnel. The Yof 155mm battery was replaced by one with 138mm Mle1924 guns (September 1941), and the 155mm guns relocated to Cap Manuel (also in the Dakar area), at which point the battery passed under Navy control.
Batteries n°2 and n°3 took part in the campaign of France. They were at Montebourg (France) in August 1939 and served together during the campaign. Only these two batteries got the Somua MCG 4 halftracks, 3 per gun for a tolal of 24 MCG4 halftracks (3 packs : 8600 kg with the barrel, 8000 kg with the carriage and 6000 kg with the plateform), and were really mobile batteries. They were sent in Belgium in May 1940 and battery n°3 was also used in the Netherlands to support the French troops landed in Walcheren against the Waffen-SS "Deutschland" regiment. The batteries n°2 and n°3 ended up at Dunkirk, where they proved to be very efficient in defending the allied pocket at 360°. Concerning the battery n°2 : 2 guns were destroyed at Gravelines on 24th May, 1 gun was destroyed on the road between Grande-Synthe and Petite-Synthe, the last gun is still firing on 2nd June and is finally scuttled. Concerning the battery n°3 : 2 guns were detached to the 2nd battery and were scuttled beginning June. The 2 other guns were near Vallières and were scuttled on 3rd June.

Canon de 194 mm GPF (L/33.5) (Grande Puissance FILLOUX) (tracked SPA)
Type : Tracked SPA (can easily fire at 360°)
Speed : 8-10 km/h (Panhard SUK4 M2 diesel engine, 120 hp + 4 electric engines)
Crew : - men
Caliber : 194mm
Weight in action : 29600 kg for each part (tractor 1 = gun, tractor 2 = generator/ammunition tractor/transporting the crew)
Elevation : 0° to +40°
Traverse : 360°
Rate of fire : 1 rpm
Maximum range : 20800 m
V° : 700-725 m/s
Ammunition:
• Obus en acier Mle1917 à culot court (80.865 kg with 8.2 kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus FA Mle1916 à profil D (83.5 kg with 8.2 kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus FA Mle1921 AGP (78.83 kg with 11.8 kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus en fonte aciérée Mle1920 FAGP (84.88 kg with 8 kg explosive) [HE]
The diesel engine of the ammunition tractor powered 4 electric engines (1 for each track). It was linked by an electric cable to the gun tractor. Both tractors could by such mean be separated by 200 meters, the length of the cable. On road, both tractors were coupled by a rigid bar and driven by a single man. The companion ammunition tractor carried 30 shells. On all terrain the tractors move generally independently but the gun tractor needs the cable to be powered.
In operation, the ammunition tractor is generally deployed on the side and on the back of the gun tractor with an angle of 90°. If needed, it moves then back and forth between the supply trucks on the road and the gun tractor to supply it in shells.
The 184e RALPC consists in 3 groups of 2 batteries each of such tracked SPA in 1940. Several of these self-propelled guns were captured and used by German forces as the 19.4cm Kanone 485(f) auf Selbstfahrlafette. There were for example 3 such guns in the Heer Artillerie Regiment 84 in 1942 (Army Group North in Russia).

Mortier de 220mm C (L/10.3) Mle1916
Type : heavy mortar/howitzer
Caliber : 220mm
Weight in action : 7792 kg
Elevation : 10° to +65°
Traverse : 6°6'
Ready to fire in 2 hours
Rate of fire : 2 rpm
Maximum range : 10800 m
V° : 415 m/s
Ammunition:
• Obus allongé en acier Mle1909 (98.4kg with 28.54kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus FA Mle1914 (101.65kg with 19.5kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus D en acier Mle1915 (100.5kg with 21kg explosive) [HE]

Canon de 220mm L (L/35) Mle1917 Schneider
Type : field gun
Caliber : 220mm
Weight in action : 23000 kg
Elevation : 0° to +37°
Traverse : 20°
Ready to fire in 6 hours
Rate of fire : 1 rpm
HE Shell
Maximum range : 22800 m
Projectile weight : 105.5 kg
V° : 770 m/s

Canon de 240mm (L/22.3) Mle1884/1917 Saint-Chamond
Type : field gun
Caliber : 240mm
Weight in action : 31000 kg
Elevation : 0° to +38°
Traverse : 10°
Ready to fire in 24hours
Rate of fire : 1-2 shell every 2 minutes
HE Shell
Maximum range : 18000 m
Projectile weight : 164 kg
V° : 640 m/s

Mortier de 240mm LT Mle1916
Type : heavy trench mortar/siege mortar
Caliber : 240mm
Barrel length : 2450mm
Weight in action : 3500 kg
Elevation : +45° to +75°
Traverse : 36°
Rate of fire : 1 shell every 6 minutes
HE Shell
Maximum range : 2150 m
Projectile weight : 83-89 kg (42.4 - 45 kg explosive)
V° : 145 m/s

Mortier de 280mm C (L/12) Mle1914 Schneider PF (on platform)
Type : heavy mortar/howitzer
Caliber : 280mm
Weight in action : 16220 kg
Elevation : +10° to +60°
Traverse : 20°
Ready to fire in 6-8 hours
Rate of fire : 1 rpm
Maximum range : 10950 m
V° : 418 m/s
Ammunition:
• Obus en acier Mle1914 (202.37kg with 60.5kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus FA Mle1915 (205kg with 36.3kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus en acier Mle1915 (275kg with 49.4kg explosive) [HE]
Used by the 6th battery of the 154e RAP (Régiment d'Artillerie de Position) against the Italian fort of Chaberton in the Alps.

Mortier de 280mm C (L/12) Mle1914 Schneider Ch (tracked SPA)
Type : Tracked SPA (can easily fire at 360°)
Speed : 5 km/h
Caliber : 280mm
Weight in action : 26000 kg with 30 shells (+ 29000 kg for the companion ammunition tractor)
Elevation : +10° to +60°
Traverse : 360°
Rate of fire : 2.5 rpm
Maximum range : 10950 m
V° : 418 m/s
Ammunition:
• Obus en acier Mle1914 (202.37kg with 60.5kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus FA Mle1915 (205kg with 36.3kg explosive) [HE]
• Obus en acier Mle1915 (275kg with 49.4kg explosive) [HE]
26 of these tracked SPA are available in French army in 1940.

Mortier de 370mm (L/8) FILLOUX
Type : heavy mortar/siege howitzer
Caliber : 370mm
Weight in action : 28615 kg
Elevation : -8° to +60°
Traverse : 44°60'
Ready to fire in 36 hours
Rate of fire : 1-2 shell every 5 minutes
HE Shell
Maximum range : 10500 m (7800 m)
Projectile weight : 375 kg (540 kg)
V° : 375 m/s

NOTE : Length of the barrel in caliber (L/xx)
Such a value can vary from one country to an other, which explains sometimes the discrepancies from one source to an other. The USA and the UK measure the length of the gun barrel from the mouth of the chamber to the end of the barrel (without the muzzle brake). That is the bore length = the rifling + the length of the chamber. Most continental European countries (France, Germany, Italy etc.) measure the length of the barrel from the rear of the breech to the muzzle, in that case the considered length is bigger and close to the overall length.

Regards,

David

vincenzoforum
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#51

Post by vincenzoforum » 01 Dec 2007, 01:32

For now many thanks, merci

for lenght in caliber i'm sure that italian and german used different standard

Au revoir

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#52

Post by vincenzoforum » 01 Dec 2007, 18:19

Some more info. s.v.p.
tranchée guns was in artillery unit on infantry? and if in infantry the men was infantrymen or artillerymen?
when you talk mobilized is mens the guns are in fighting artillery unit (not in deposits)? and if yes i think too large number of 75s (there were 125 rgmts with this guns???)
for 105L and 155C i know 105L13S and 105L36S, 155C De Bange (with various modified affuts), 155C Schneider and Sain Chamond WWI era, 155C Rimailho (if there were in 1940), there were some others?

Vincenzo

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David Lehmann
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#53

Post by David Lehmann » 01 Dec 2007, 19:46

Hello,

You are right about the high number of 75mm Mle1897 guns. The 4,500 figure includes all the available guns, not the mobilized ones. I guess it includes also both field guns, coastal guns, and 1897/33 AT guns.

Trench mortars like the 150mm T Mle1917 Fabry were in artillery units like e.g. the 391e RAT, which fought at Monthermé on the Meuse River (13-15 May 1940).

AFAIK the 155mm C Mle1904 TR Rimailho was not in service anymore. If you speak about pre-WW1, WW1 etc. there were guns that were not anymore used in 1940 indeed. A good source for that is "Les canon sde la Victoire 1914-1918 - tome 1: L'artillerie de campagne" by Pierre Touzin and François Vauvillier.

Regards,

David

vincenzoforum
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#54

Post by vincenzoforum » 03 Dec 2007, 20:14

I find that the 240L mle 1889 and mle 1917 were in service
source: http://alain.adam.perso.cegetel.net/Reg ... lerie.html
it's strange were in RALVF i thinked that mle 1889 was too old for a railgun

Dadis
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Interesting French origin firearms

#55

Post by Dadis » 25 Jun 2008, 06:36

Hi to all,

could someone provide more info about these guns?

Image

Image

I found info, that these arms are modifications of Ribeyrolle "machine pistol", but I am not shure.
And another one:

Image

In forum http://gk43forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5840 I found, that this rifle is Carabine Mitrailleuse Ribeyrolle 1918, but maybe somebody from forum members can confirm this information?
Also it would be very nice to know more about these arms - specifications, history of creation, principles of construction etc.
Thanks in advance.

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David Lehmann
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Re: FRENCH WEAPONS

#56

Post by David Lehmann » 29 Jun 2008, 10:25

Hello,

In 1917 the French Army adopts the Mle1917 semi-automatic rifle made by Ribeyrolles, Sutter and Chauchat (RSC), who already developed the 'Chauchat' Mle1915 LMG.

In 1918 they present what they already call a pistolet-mitrailleur (SMG). This weapon is the first photo in your post. It is developed for close protection for the French tank crews. They invented what the US will call 60 years later the "firing port weapon". The weapon is based on the RSC Mle1917 semi-automatic rifle mechanism. The first trails use a type Mannlicher-Berthier clip with 8 cartridges. The trials will continue until 1919 with a weapon using the same magazine as the Mle1915 LMG. The results are satisfactory but the SMG is too powerful for the intended self protection use. A mix of standard and tracer bullets was planned to be used to ease the aiming.

Chauchat-Ribeyrolles 1918 SMG characteristics:
Caliber: 8 mm
Ammo: 8 mm Lebel
Total length: 0.575 m
Barrel length: 0.340 m
Weight (empty): about 4 kg


The last photo shows the "fusil automatique Ribeyrolles 1918". It is not a SMG but rather the first real French assault rifle. The ammunition is an intermediary one with a shortened .351 Winchester Self Loading case mounting an armor piercing 8 mm Lebel bullet. It looks like a carbine; it includes a foldable bipod and receives the same bayonet as the Berthier Mle1907-15 rifle.

Ribeyrolles 1918 automatic rifle characteristics:
Caliber: 8 mm
Ammo: 8x32 SR
Total length: 1.090 m
Barrel length: 0.450 m
Weight (empty): 5.1 kg
Magazine: 25 rounds

The weapon is judged as too heavy for an individual weapon and the accuracy beyond 400 meters is not satisfactory for a collective weapon.

Regards,

David

Dadis
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Re: Interesting French origin firearms

#57

Post by Dadis » 29 Jun 2008, 13:26

Thanks David - very useful info indeed.
BTW, how to spell correctly - "Ribeyrolle" or "Ribeyrolles"?
And how about the official designation of Ribeyrolles rifle - is it "Carabine Mitrailleuse Ribeyrolles 1918" or "Fusil Automatique Ribeyrolles 1918"?
Thanks.

BR,

Dadis

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David Lehmann
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Re: FRENCH WEAPONS

#58

Post by David Lehmann » 29 Jun 2008, 14:27

Hello,

According to "Les pistolets-mitrailleurs français" by Jean Huon (Crépin-Leblond, 2007) the spelling is indeed "Ribeyrolles" and in the book the designation is "Fusil Automatique Ribeyrolles 1918".

Regards,

David

fetchsumcash
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Re: FRENCH WEAPONS

#59

Post by fetchsumcash » 16 Mar 2010, 03:45

looking up info on the SE mas 1935 smg prototype to the mas 38.How many were made and still out there?Same for the mas 38.

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audrew
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Re: FRENCH WEAPONS

#60

Post by audrew » 27 May 2010, 09:28

if someone has more information about these weapons, photographs, descriptions of books
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