Tag: howitzer

Categories
Japanese

150 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer

Japanese 150 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer

This weapon is the 38 year type (1905) 15 cm howitzer mounted on a medium tank chassis. The chassis resembles that of the Medium Tank Model 2597 (1937), Special, described on page 8.1. The armor is riveted in the characteristic Japanese fashion, and on the chassis is of the same thickness as on the corresponding tank chassis, with a maximum of approximately one inch. On the superstructure, the gun shield has one-inch frontal armor and one-half-inch side armor.

The vehicle uses the standard V12, air-cooled, diesel engine, and the type 97 medium tank suspension, consisting of six dual rubber-tired bogie wheels on each side. The weapon mounted on this vehicle is the type 38 (1905) 15 cm howitzer, a very short weapon. It has an interrupted screw breechblock opening to the right, and uses a percussion primer. The rifling is 58 inches long and has increasing right hand twist. The maximum range of the field howitzer is reported as 6,500 yards. The maximum elevation is 30 degrees.

A self-propelled vehicle mounting a gun of 75 mm or 105 mm caliber, employing the same chassis and with a superstructure somewhat resembling the present vehicle has been reported.

SPECIFICATIONS

Weight         15 tons
Length 18 ft.
Width 7 ft., 6 ins.
Height (overall) 93 ins.
Height of chassis 47 ins.
Height of shield 61 ins.
Ground clearance 14 ins.
Tread centers 6 ft., 7 ins.
Ground contact (approx.) 160 ins.
Width of track 13 ins.
Pitch of track 5 1/8 ins.
Track links 96
Fording depth 39 ins.
Theoretical radius of action:
   Roads 100 miles
   Cross country
Speed:
   Roads 25 m.p.h.
   Cross country
Armor: gun shield
   Front plate 1 in.
   Sides 1/2 in.
Armament 15 cm Howitzer, Model 38 (1905)
Ammunition (Rds).
Engine V12, air-cooled, diesel
Transmission 4 speeds forward; 1 reverse (high and low range)
Steering clutch brake
Crew probably 5

Japanese: p. 8.2 (August 1, 1945)

Categories
Japanese

300 mm Short Howitzer, Type 7

Japanese 300 mm Short Howitzer, Type 7

This howitzer was captured on Luzon. The emplacement, circular in shape and measuring 33 feet in diameter and 8 feet in depth, was camouflaged by a house on rails which was rolled back when the guns were to be fired. A small garden of banana trees was planted around the emplacement to add to the effect.

The howitzer tube is believed to be a built-up type. The liner is rifled with a uniform right hand twist, calculated to be one turn in 9.4 calibers. Two air flasks are mounted on the carriage for blowing out the tube after firing. Two equilibrators are mounted below the tube. The breech mechanism is an interrupted screw type having 8 segments of 20 threads. A percussion hammer firing mechanism is operated by a lanyard. A short cartridge case is used for obturation.

The upper carriage is a rectangular steel frame approximately 18 feet, 9 inches long, and 4 feet, 8 inches wide, fixed to a baseplate. The lower carriage is a truncated steel cone embedded in concrete approximately 6 to 8 feet under the ground. The upper carriage baseplate rests on a rail above a worm wheel, fixed to the lower carriage which engages a spur rack fitted to the base of the upper carriage.

The traversing handwheel is mounted in a horizontal position engaging a vertical shaft which terminates in the worm gear. The elevating handwheels, one on either side of the tube, are mounted on the carriage in a vertical position. A direct shaft from the elevating handwheel terminates in a spur gear which engages the elevating arc.

A panoramic sight is mounted on the right side of the gun.

SPECIFICATIONS

Caliber     305 mm (12 ins. approx.)
Weight (firing position)
Length of tube and breech16 ft., 6 ins.
Length of carriage base18 ft., 9 ins.
Width of carriage base4 ft., 8 ins.
Length (firing position)
Height (firing position)
Width (overall)
Length of bore
No. of lands72
Width of grooves
Depth of grooves
Width of lands
Muzzle velocity (shell)
Max. range (horizontal)—Trans. document13,000 yds.
Max. range (vertical)
Rate of fire
Traverse360°
Elevation, scale reading70°
Depression, scale reading3°
Length of recoil, scale reading420 mm
Ammunition
Wt. of projectile—Trans. document970 lbs.

Japanese: p. 116.3 (August 1, 1945)

Categories
German

10.5 cm Geb. H. 40: Mountain Howitzer

10.5 cm Geb. H. 40: Mountain Howitzer

The 10.5 cm Geb. H. 40, introduced into the German Army in 1942, is the companion piece to the 7.5 cm Geb. G. 36 described on page 118. Its design is basically the same as that of the 10.5 cm le. F. H. 18 (M). The weapon can be split into nine loads for transport.

The barrel, of monobloc construction, is fitted with a double baffle muzzle brake with wide side flanges; the breech mechanism is of the horizontal sliding block type. A hydraulic buffer is built into the cradle on which the barrel slides in recoil, and a hydro-pneumatic recuperator is mounted above the barrel.

The split trail carriage has trails of riveted box construction which are fitted with large detachable spades. It is mounted on wheels of cast light alloy with detachable rims and solid rubber tires. The wheels are mounted on stub axles fitted to the trail legs and remain parallel to the legs when they are opened. Internal expanding brakes, adjusted by a handwheel from the front, are fitted to both wheels. The traversing and elevating handwheels are located on the left and right sides of the carriage respectively.

There are two range drum scales: one in mils ranging from 0 to 1,250; the other in meters ranging from 0 to 1,500 for hollow charge ammunition and from 1,500 to 9,675 for high explosive shells, both with charge 6 in the lower register.

SPECIFICATIONS

Caliber         105 mm (4.14 ins.)
Weight (traveling position)
Weight (firing position) 3,660 lb.
Length of piece 10 ft., 4 ins.
Length (firing position) 18 ft., 6 ins.
Height (traveling position)
Height (firing position) 4 ft., 11 ins.
Width (overall) 4 ft., 6 ins.
Width of trail spread
Length of bore 9 ft., 5 ins.
No. of grooves 32
Width of grooves
Depth of grooves
Width of lands
Muzzle velocity 1,870 f/s
Max. range (horizontal) 13,807 yds. (Chg. 7)
Max. range (vertical)
Rate of fire
Traverse 25°, 20′ left and right
Elevation 70°
Depression -4°, 47′
Length of recoil (variable) 19.7 ins. to 49.2 ins.
Ammunition 10.5 cm F.H. Gr. Al. (32 lb.)*
10.5 cm F.H. Gr. 38 Al.
10.5 cm F.H. Gr. Buntrauch (32 lb.)
10.5 cm 39 rot HL/A and HL/B (25.8 lb.)–Chg. 6 only.
10.5 cm 39 rot AL/C

*A star shell is also reported to be fired with Charge 6.

German: p. 108.2