M115 howitzer explained

Is Artillery:yes
M115 203 mm howitzer
Origin:United States
Type:Howitzer
Design Date:1939
Production Date:1942–1945
Wars:World War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
Iran–Iraq War
Caliber:2030NaN0
Breech:Interrupted screw
Elevation:−2° to +65°
Traverse:+60°
Rate:3 rounds per 2 minutes (maximum for first 3 minutes),
1 round per 2 minutes (sustained)[1]
Velocity:587 m/s (1,926 ft/s)
Cartridge:Separate loading charge and projectile 90.7 kg (200 lb)
Range:16,800 m (18,373 yds)
22,860 m (25,000 yds) maximum
Recoil:Hydro-pneumatic
Carriage:Split trail
Weight:14,515 kg (31,780 lbs)
Length:Travel: 10.972abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Part Length:5.1m (16.7feet)[2] L/25
Width:Travel: 2.5m (08.2feet)
Height:Travel: 2.7m (08.9feet)
Crew:14
Number:1,006 [3]

The M115 203 mm howitzer, also known as the M115 8-inch howitzer, and originally the M1 8-inch howitzer was a towed heavy howitzer developed by the United States Army and used during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Post-WWII it was also adopted by a number of other nations in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

History

During World War I, licensed production of the British 8-inch howitzer Mark VI was undertaken by the Midvale Steel and Ordnance Company, located in the Nicetown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Both American and British-manufactured weapons were used by the American Expeditionary Force in France.[4] In 1940, the United States still had 475 Mark VII and Mark VIII 1/2 howitzers in storage, but there are no reports of the Mark VI or other marks being used during World War II.[5]

The original design of the M1 8-inch howitzer started in 1919, and resulted in the M1920 howitzer, but the program lapsed until resurrected in 1927. The T2 and T3 howitzers were prototypes of a partner piece for a new 155 mm gun.[6] The first publicity photographs of the M1-type 8-inch howitzer on its redesigned carriage appeared in 1931, but development was slowed by the Great Depression.[7] The T3 was standardized as the 8-inch howitzer M1 in 1940.

Like the British 8-inch howitzer of the First World War (and most other large artillery), the M1 uses a Welin screw for its breech. The carriage was the same as used for the US 155 mm gun and was also adopted by the British for their BL 7.2-inch howitzer. It consists of a split trail with equilibrator assemblies, elevating and traversing mechanisms, a two-axle bogie with eight tires, and a single-axle, single-wheel limber for towing. Four spades, carried on the trails, were used to emplace the weapon.

The M1 saw U.S. service in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. During World War II, the M1 was towed by the Mack 7⅓ ton 6×6 truck or the M4 tractor. 59 battalions were raised during the war, of which 39 saw combat service in Northwest Europe or Italy and three in the Pacific.

In the late 1950s, it was adopted in small numbers by several NATO armies, to fire the W33 (M422/M422A1 shell) and later the W79 nuclear artillery shell, under the NATO nuclear sharing concept, a role which ended when the smallest types of tactical nuclear weapons were removed from service and eliminated. It was also adopted as a field weapon by a number of nations in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia and saw service in the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis and the Croatian War of Independence. In 1962, the M1 was redesignated the M115 howitzer.

Operators

Former operators

Self-propelling mounts

Ammunition

The howitzer fired separate loading, bagged charge ammunition, with seven different propelling charges, from 1 (the smallest) to 7 (the largest).

+Projectiles[15] [16]
TypeModelWeightFillerMuzzle velocityRange
HEHE M106 Shell (charge M2)90.7kg (200lb)594m/s16926abbr=onNaNabbr=on
HEHE Mk 1A1 Shell (charge M1)90.7kg (200lb)408m/s10214abbr=onNaNabbr=on
DummyDummy Mk 1 Projectile———
NuclearM442 (W33) nuclear shell243lb—547.1m/s[17] 18000abbr=onNaNabbr=on
NuclearXM753 (W79) nuclear shell200lb—601m/s24000abbr=onNaNabbr=on, 30000abbr=onNaNabbr=on with rocket assist.[18]
+Propelling charges[19]
ModelWeight, completeComponents
M1 ("green bag")6.3abbr=onNaNabbr=onFive incremental charges (for charges 1 to 5)
M2 ("white bag")13.56abbr=onNaNabbr=onBase charge and two incremental charges (for charges 5 to 7)
M4 (dummy)13.04abbr=onNaNabbr=onBase charge and two incremental charges
+Concrete penetration[20]
Ammunition / Distance2743abbr=onNaNabbr=on4572abbr=onNaNabbr=on9144abbr=onNaNabbr=on13716abbr=onNaNabbr=on
HE M106 Shell (meet angle 0°)1432abbr=onNaNabbr=on1219abbr=onNaNabbr=on975abbr=onNaNabbr=on945abbr=onNaNabbr=on

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: M110 8 inch (203 mm) Self-Propelled Howitzer. YouTube. 14 January 2022. 9 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200609091020/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUs6q1VjauE&gl=US&hl=en. live.
  2. Book: Foss, Christopher. Jane's pocket book of towed artillery. 1977. Collier. 141. 0-02-080600-0. New York. 911907988.
  3. Official Munitions Production of the United States, by Months, July 1, 1940 – August 31, 1945 (War Production Board and Civilian Production Administration, 1 May 1947) p. 137
  4. http://carl.army.mil/wwIItms/TM9_2005_1942.pdf US Army manual TM 9-2005, December 1942
  5. Book: Zaloga, Steven. 2011. U.S. Field Artillery of World War II. Osprey Publishing . New Vanguard 131. 22–23.
  6. Book: Zaloga, Steven. 2011. U.S. Field Artillery of World War II. Osprey Publishing . New Vanguard 131. 23.
  7. https://books.google.com/books?id=CigDAAAAMBAJ&dq=Popular+Mechanics+1931+curtiss&pg=PA53 "First Mile A Minute Army", October 1931, Popular Science
  8. Book: Bak, Dongchan . Korean War: Weapons of the United Nations . Ministry of Defense Institute for Military History . March 2021 . 979-11-5598-079-8 . Republic of Korea . 108–110 . Korean.
  9. Xavier Palson, La guerre de demain : Est/Ouest, Les forces en présence, Taillandier, april 1984, 258 p., p. 116.
  10. Book: Kenji Jyoshima . Yusuke Tsuge . 陸自車両50年史 (50 Years of JGSDF's Vehicles) . Argonauts Publications . October 2007 . Tokyo, Japan . 123 . Japanese .
  11. Book: Wiener, Friedrich . The armies of the NATO nations: Organization, concept of war, weapons and equipment. Truppendienst Handbooks Volume 3. 1987. 499–500. Herold Publishers. Vienna.
  12. Hunnicutt - Sherman: A History of the American Medium Tank, pp. 353–355, 571.
  13. Hunnicutt - Pershing, A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series, p. 158.
  14. Hunnicutt - Pershing, A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series, p. 159.
  15. Technical Manual TM 9-1901, Artillery Ammunition, pp. 203–205.
  16. Web site: W33 . Global Security . 25 July 2018 . 25 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180725153306/https://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/systems/w33.htm . live .
  17. Henry E Hudgins . January 1977 . Aerodynamics, Dimensions, Inertial Properties and Performance of Artillery Projectiles . Picatinny Arsenal . 145 . 2021-12-24 . 2021-12-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211219101132/https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/b022223.pdf . live . .
  18. September 1990 . Sandia Weapon Review: Nuclear Weapon Characteristics Handbook . Sandia National Labs . 75 . SAND90-1238 . . 2022-01-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220112004633/https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/nnsa/NuclearWeaponsCharacteristicHandbook.pdf . live .
  19. Technical Manual TM 9-1901, Artillery Ammunition, p 301, 311.
  20. Hunnicutt - Sherman: A History of the American Medium Tank, p 571.

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