6-inch field howitzer M-1908

6 inch Field Howitzer Model of 1908

M1908 at the U.S. Army Field Artillery Museum, Ft. Sill, OK
Type Heavy howitzer
Place of origin United States
Service history
In service 1908?-1925?
Used by United States
Wars World War I
Production history
Designer Bethlehem Steel
Number built 100+
Specifications
Weight 3906 kg (8,611 lbs)
Crew 9
Shell 120 pounds (54 kg), separate loading, bag charge with brass obturation case
Calibre 6 in (152.4 mm)
Breech interrupted screw
Recoil hydrospring
Elevation -5° to 40°
Traverse 6°
Muzzle velocity 900 feet per second (270 m/s)
Maximum firing range 6,700 yards (6,125 m) (40° max elevation)

The 6 inch Field Howitzer, Model of 1908 was the standard American heavy howitzer before World War I. Approximately one hundred of these weapons had been produced before 1917 and all were employed for training stateside. For combat use in France Canon de 155 C mle 1917 Schneider were purchased. All surviving weapons were retired during the 1920s.

It is unusual among American-designed field artillery weapons in that it has the recoil cylinder situated above the barrel. The 4.7-inch howitzer M1908/M1912 shared this feature.[1][2] The 75 mm Gun M1917 also had this, but is based on the British Ordnance QF 18-pounder.

Ammunition was either common steel shell with a base fuze or shrapnel with a combination time/percussion fuze.[3]

See also

Weapons of comparable role, performance and era

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ Photos of 4.7-inch howitzer M1912 preserved in Algoma, Wisconsin
  2. ↑ Schreier Jr., Konrad F., "U.S. Army Field Artillery Weapons 1866-1917", Military Collector & Historian, 1968, pp. 40-45
  3. ↑ Handbook 1917, pp. 22-23

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 6-inch field howitzer M1908.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, March 23, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.