Strange SP gun

[Claudio_C]

Hello all
excuse me for my not good english
I found this photo on a russian forum. It is a Stuart with a 18pdr Mk.2 instead the turret. I think the photo is taken in North Afrika.


It's very strange. Someone know more on this?!?

Thanks in advance

Claudio

[Ironmachine]

There is a brief reference to this vehicle in British and American Tanks of WWII: The complete illustrated history of British, American and Commonwealth tanks, 1939-1945, by Chamberlain and Ellis:

Stuart 18lbs SP: Middle East forces improvisation on at least one vehicle, with obsolete 18pdr field gun, less wheels, mounted in place of turret.

The books has a different photo of the SP:

[Sheldrake]

I like it! Not sure I would want to be on the back when it fired though!

[Claudio_C]

Thanks a lot for these news! Anybody have additional info?

My only dubt is the gun ... is strange that a so old gun (from the armoured oil reservoir at end of recuperator it is recognised lik a 18 pdr Mk II on Mk.I carriage, a 1915 build... ) is still in service in 1941 - 1942 ... My opinion is that the gun isn't a 18pdr, but it is a 75mm M1917, the rebored american version of the 18pdr build in America at the end of WWI. Many of these guns are sell to Britain in the 1940... In my opinion is more logical build an AT SP with this gun... The logistic its very simple (the ammunitions are the same of the 75mm on the M3 Lee/Grant gun) and they have a good and powerful AP shot for this gun ...

What you thik about?!?

[Manuferey]

Could it actually be a fake/dummy SP gun designed to look like a German 15 cm sFH 13-1 (Sfl) auf Lorraine? Either a British contraption to misled the Germans or a German contraption to confuse the British?

Emmanuel

[OpanaPointer]

Worked on me.

[Claudio_C]

Hello
I would add some info that I found on Internet.
On the IWM site is write "It remains very similar to the 18 pounder, the main visible difference being a shorter barrel with straight muzzle". I investigate and Is clear that the UN gun had a shorter barrel with the two "rail" (I don't know if it's the correct name) that arrive since the muzzle.


On the 18pdr there is a little space between rails and muzzle...


From this discovery and examining better the two photo of the SP ... maybe the gun is a 18 pdr ...

What do you thik about?

[Alanmccoubrey]

Not really a "new discovery", this vehicle is mentioned in the 1969 book, "British and American Tanks of World War 2" by Chamberlain and Ellis. It is an 18 pounder who say only the one was so converted.