Obusier de 155 mm C modèle 1881
Howitzer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Howitzer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Obusier de 155 mm C modèle 1881 - was a French howitzer designed by Colonel Charles Ragon de Bange and employed by the French army during the First World War.
| Obusier de 155 mm C modèle 1881 | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) A battery of mle 1881's near the Argonne forest in 1915. | |
| Type | Howitzer Siege gun |
| Place of origin | France |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1881-1918 |
| Wars | World War I |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Colonel Charles Ragon de Bange |
| Designed | 1880 |
| Produced | 1881 |
| No. built | 240 |
| Variants | See variants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | Travel: 2,490 kg (5,490 lb) Combat: 2,155 kg (4,751 lb) |
| Length | 3.78 m (12 ft 5 in) |
| Barrel length | 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) L/15.5 |
| Shell | Separate loading bagged charges and projectiles |
| Shell weight | 40–43.7 kg (88–96 lb) |
| Caliber | 155 mm (6.1 in) |
| Breech | de Bange |
| Recoil | See variants |
| Carriage | Box trail |
| Elevation | -17° to +60° |
| Traverse | See variants |
| Rate of fire | 1 round every 2 minutes |
| Muzzle velocity | 303 m/s (990 ft/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 6.8 km (4.2 mi) |
The Obusier de 155 mm C mle 1881 was one of a series of heavy artillery pieces designed by Colonel Charles Ragon de Bange. On 11 May 1874 three de Bange heavy cannons (120 mm, 155 mm, 240 mm) and two mortars (220 mm, 270 mm) were ordered by the French Army. The mle 1881 was advanced for its time due to being built completely of steel instead of a steel liner and cast iron reinforcing hoops of the previous Canon de 240 mm C mle 1870-87.[1]
Unlike the earlier Canon de 155 mm L modèle 1877, the mle 1881 was designed for short range high angle fire instead of long-range low angle fire. The mle 1881 used a distinctive looking gooseneck shaped box trail, was a breech loaded howitzer with a steel barrel and a de Bange obturator which used separate loading bagged charges and projectiles. The mle 1881 was originally built without a recoil mechanism and in order to traverse the carriage needed to be levered into position before and after each shot limiting the rate of fire. For transport, the mle 1881 could be fitted with a set of removable wooden spoked wheels with steel rims at the front of the carriage. The tail of the carriage was then hooked to a limber and caisson for horse towing. Site preparation included creating a 5.3 m (17 ft) firing platform made of wooden beams which took 2.5 hours to build.[1]
Although the majority of combatants had heavy field artillery prior to the outbreak of the First World War, none had adequate numbers of heavy guns in service, nor had they foreseen the growing importance of heavy artillery once the Western Front stagnated and trench warfare set in. Fortresses, armories, coastal fortifications, and museums were scoured for heavy artillery and sent to the front. Suitable field and rail carriages were built for these guns in an effort to give their forces the heavy field artillery needed to overcome trenches and hardened concrete fortifications.[2]
At the outbreak of the First World War, it is estimated there were 237 mle 1881's available.[3] The mle 1881 was classified as a siege et de place (stationary siege gun) and was assigned to régiments d'artillerie à pied (fortress artillery regiments) for the defense of fortifications. Although designed to be a stationary howitzer for use in fortifications its light weight and removable wheels meant it was often used as a field howitzer.[3] Although the mle 1881 was short ranged it had a reputation for accuracy and its high angle fire meant it could be fired from concealed positions to reduce crew exposure.[4]
The mle 1881 used separate loading bagged charges and projectiles. The charges were in cloth bags and the weight of propellant could be varied from .6–2.8 kg (1 lb 5 oz – 6 lb 3 oz) to vary range and velocity.[3]
| Type | Name | Projectile | Yield | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Explosive | Obus ordinaires | 40 kg (88 lb) | 1.4–2.1 kg (3 lb 1 oz – 4 lb 10 oz) Black Powder or Melinite |
|
| Obus allongés Mle 1890 | 43 kg (95 lb) | 10.3 kg (23 lb) Melinite | ||
| Obus de 4½ calibres | 43.7 kg (96 lb) | 12 kg (26 lb) | ||
| Armor Piercing | Obus de rupture | ? | ? | |
| Shrapnel | Obus à balles | 40.59 kg (89 lb 8 oz) | 450 g (16 oz) + 270 pellets | 26.1 g (0.92 oz) lead pellets |
| Grapeshot | Obus à mitraille | 40.5 kg (89 lb) | 550 g (1 lb 3 oz) + 416 pellets | 25 g (0.88 oz) lead pellets |
| Boites à mitraille | 39.6 kg (87 lb) | 429 pellets | 65 g (2.3 oz) lead pellets | |
| Incendiary | Projectiles incendiairies | ? | 800 g (1 lb 12 oz) Melinite + 30 incendiary cylinders |
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