Minimum range of howitzers.

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David W
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Minimum range of howitzers.

#1

Post by David W » 31 Dec 2004, 20:04

Did any country's artillery(that served in the N.African theatre) guns or howitzers have a MINIMUM range? Whether due to depression of barrel, or type of ammunition used?
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Andy H
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#2

Post by Andy H » 31 Dec 2004, 21:28

All weapons have minimum ranges depending on the elevation givin to the barrel.

Then there is minimun effective range's ,which are usually best applied to heavier pieces of ordnance.

Andy H
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David W
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#3

Post by David W » 31 Dec 2004, 21:44

Regarding the elevation of the barrel: I was refering to it's minimum angle of depression. I believe some howitzers could not get near horizontal.

Minimum effective ranges of heavy ordnance would be useful.


Cheers Dave. & a happy New Year to you! :D
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Andy H
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#4

Post by Andy H » 31 Dec 2004, 21:52

Hi Dave

Given the vast range of German Artillery pieces are there any in particular that yoy want?

Regards & best wishes for 2005

Andy H
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Polynikes
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#5

Post by Polynikes » 31 Dec 2004, 23:55

Being low velocity artillery, howitzers can't be used too readily in a direct fire role.

The terms "gun" and "howitzer" are rather redundent by WWII though - most being regarded as "gun-howitzers". The British 25lb gun was really a useful indirect artillery piece but was used on occasion in the Western desert as an anti-tank gun.
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David W
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#6

Post by David W » 01 Jan 2005, 03:36

Will post details of guns on which info is required in the morning.
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David W
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#7

Post by David W » 01 Jan 2005, 14:13

O.K. As promised........

German:
10.5cm le/FH.
15.0cm S/FH18.
10.0cm K17.
15.0cm S/IG33.(sfl).
21.0cm MRS 18.
17.0cm K18.
15.5cm K419(f).

Italian:
149mm L/40.
149mm L/28.
100mm L17.
105mm L/28.
149mm L/23.
149mm L/35a).
152mm L/25.
152mm L/37.

British:
3.7" Howitzer.
4.5" Howitzer.
4.5" Gun.
60Pdr.
5.5" Gun.
6" Howitzer(26cwt)
7.2" Gun.

(Polynikes; I deliberately quoted guns & howitzers seperately, due to the large numbers of WWI vintage guns used in the early stages of the campaign, especially by the Italians) :)


Cheers! Dave :D
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Andy H
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#8

Post by Andy H » 02 Jan 2005, 23:17

German:
10.5cm le/FH.
15.0cm S/FH18.
10.0cm K17.
15.0cm S/IG33.(sfl).
21.0cm MRS 18.
17.0cm K18.
15.5cm K419(f).
Well for the
10.5cm le FH16 the elevation is -10 to +40
10.5cm le FH18 the elevation is -6.30 to +40.30
10.5cm le FH18/39 the elevation is -5 to +45
10.5cm le FH18/42 the elevation is -5 to +45
10.5cm le FH18/43 the elevation is -5 to +45
10.5cm le FH43 the elevation is -5 to +75
15.0cm s FH18 the elevation is -3 to +45
15.0cm s IG33 the elevation is 0 to +73 though some state +4-+75
17.0cm K18 the elevation is 0 to +50
21.0cm MRS 18 the elevation is 0 to +70
10.0cm K17 the elevation is -2 to +45

Nothing stated about the last weapon, sorry
Source German Artillery of WW2 by Ian V Hogg

Andy H
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Harri
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#9

Post by Harri » 03 Jan 2005, 01:13

Polynikes wrote:The terms "gun" and "howitzer" are rather redundent by WWII though - most being regarded as "gun-howitzers".
That is true. It would be clearer to use terms "cannon", "howitzer" and "gun-howitzer" because the word "gun" does not specify gun type accurately. I think we can say all modern howitzers with long barrel used after WW I are/were multi-purpose gun-howitzers.
Polynikes wrote:The British 25lb gun was really a useful indirect artillery piece but was used on occasion in the Western desert as an anti-tank gun.
Yes. All gun-howitzers are more or less suitable for AT role and direct firing. This capability is although related to the gun sights. It is also possible to aim the target through the barrel but it is a very slow way to act.
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David W
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#10

Post by David W » 03 Jan 2005, 01:41

Andy H.
|As all the depression figures you quote are 0 degrees or less, would it be safe to assume "no minimum range", given the use of the appropriate ammunition type & fuse type?
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#11

Post by Polynikes » 03 Jan 2005, 05:21

David W

British:
3.7" Howitzer.
4.5" Howitzer.
4.5" Gun.
60Pdr.
5.5" Gun.
6" Howitzer(26cwt)
7.2" Gun.

I deliberately quoted guns & howitzers seperately, due to the large numbers of WWI vintage guns used in the early stages of the campaign.

Dave, I assume you're referring to the 3.7" AA gun - a direct equivalent of the German 88mm?

Don't forget the 25lb gun (really a gun-howitzer) and the 105mm US gun-howitzer as used in the M7 Priest.
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David W
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#12

Post by David W » 03 Jan 2005, 09:48

No Polynikes, the 3.7" Howitzer was not the same weapon as the 3.7" A/A gun.

I had not forgotten the 25pdr & Priest. I did not inlude them because I already new of their specifications.

Cheers Dave.
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#13

Post by dragos » 03 Jan 2005, 11:39

David W wrote:Andy H.
|As all the depression figures you quote are 0 degrees or less, would it be safe to assume "no minimum range", given the use of the appropriate ammunition type & fuse type?
The negative elevation angles are used for downhill aiming for example. There is no theoretical minimum range for these guns.
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David W
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#14

Post by David W » 03 Jan 2005, 14:56

Dragos. That is exactly what I wanted to know. Thank you.


Now if we can get some info on the British & Italian guns the original question will be answered in full.

Cheers Dave.
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David Lehmann
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#15

Post by David Lehmann » 03 Jan 2005, 15:52

David W wrote: 15.5cm K419(f).
Hello,

Sorry, I am jumping in the discussion :) I see you lack info on a French gun and I think I could be of some help on this point :

Canon de 155 mm GPF L/38 (Grande Puissance FILLIOUX)
Type : field gun
Crew : 10 men
Caliber : 155mm
Weight in action : 11200 kg
Elevation : 0° to +36°
Traverse : 60°
Ready to fire in 30 minutes
Rate of fire : 2 rpm
HE Shell
Maximum range : 18600 m
Projectile weight : 43 kg
V° : 735 m/s

Canon de 155 mm GPFT L/38 Grande Puissance FILLIOUX – Touzard carriage)
Type : field gun
Crew : 10 men
Caliber : 155mm
Weight in action : 12200 kg
Elevation : 0° to +39°
Traverse : 60°
Rate of fire : 2 rpm
HE Shell
Maximum range : 21000 m
Projectile weight : 43 - 45 kg
V° : 735 m/s

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 the gun used to design the 155mm GMC M12 self-propelled gun. The Germans used it under the name 15.5cm K418/419(f).
The Original 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 (Touzard carriage = version with 4 pneumatics) was one of the more modern French gun in 1940 with the 105mm L Schneider Mle1936. This gun was towed at 25 km/h by the Laffly S35T truck. The Germans, for example in the Afrika Korps, also used the GPFT.

Regards,

David
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