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Heavy siege howitzer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Ordnance BL 12-inch howitzer was a scaled-up version of the successful BL 9.2-inch siege howitzer.
BL 12-inch howitzer | |
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![]() 12-inch howitzer Mk IV manned by Newfoundland troops training in the UK, 1942 | |
Type | Heavy siege howitzer |
Place of origin | United Kingdom |
Service history | |
In service | 1916–1945 |
Used by | UK and Commonwealth |
Wars | World War I, World War II |
Production history | |
Designer | Vickers |
Manufacturer | Vickers |
No. built | 14 (Mk II); 43 (Mk IV) |
Variants | Mk II, Mk IV[note 1] |
Specifications | |
Barrel length | 160 in (4.1 m) (Mk II) 207.6 in (5.27 m) (Mk IV)[1] |
Shell | HE 750 lb (340 kg) |
Calibre | 12 inches (304.8 mm) |
Recoil | Variable hydropneumatic |
Carriage | siege carriage |
Maximum firing range | 11,340 yd (10.37 km) (Mk II) 14,350 yd (13.12 km) (Mk IV)[1] |
Following the success of their BL 9.2-inch howitzer, Vickers designed an almost identical version scaled up to a calibre of 12 inches, the Mk II entering service on the Western Front in August 1916.[2] Eight complete equipments are reported as arriving in August 1916 and being in action in France shortly afterwards.
It was similar but unrelated to the BL 12-inch railway howitzers Mk I, III and V produced by the Elswick Ordnance Company at the same time.
The Mk IV was a more powerful version with longer barrel produced from 1917.
Later models were used for British home defence in World War II.
As with other large-calibre weapons, it was operated by the Royal Garrison Artillery in World War I.
The 12-inch was dismantled and transported in six loads mounted on traction engine wheels. It was then reassembled on its static siege mounting on top of a steel holdfast, with 22 tons of earth in a box sitting on the front of the holdfast in front of the gun, to counteract the kick of firing.
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