6 inch 26 cwt howitzer

Infobox Weapon
is_artillery=yes
is_UK=yes
is_ranged=yes


caption= A 6 inch 26 cwt on World War II pneumatic tyres at Firepower - The Royal Artillery Museum.
name= BL 6 inch 26 cwt Howitzer
origin= UK
used_by=UK
NZ
flag|Italy
NED
wars=World War I
World War II
prod_date=1915 - ?
type= Medium howitzer
date= 1910s
service=1915 to 1945
caliber= convert|6|in|mm|sigfig=4|sing=on
part_length=convert|87.55|in|m
carriage=box trail
width=convert|6.8|ft
breech= Welin screw
elevation=0° - 45°
traverse=4° L & R
sights=calibrating (1930s) & reciprocating
rate=2 p/m max
velocity=1400 ft/s (430 m/s) max
cartridge= HE, smoke, illumination convert|100|lb|sigfig=4 ;
convert|86|lb|sigfig=4 streamlined (post-WWI)
ammo_wt=
range=
max_range=9,500 yd (8,700 m) convert|100|lb|abbr=on shell;
11,400 yd (10,400 m) convert|86|lb|abbr=on shell (post-WWI) [Clarke page 37 quotes 9,500 and convert|11400|yd|abbr=on; General Farndale page 129-130 quotes a range of convert|9800|yd|abbr=on for the WWI 2 c.r.h. shell, with a range of convert|12500|yd|abbr=on for the later 5/10 c.r.h. shell. The longer ranges were obtained with the 86 lb Mk 2D 5/10 c.r.h. shell with an augmenting ("Super") charge.]
recoil=hydro-pneumatic, variable
weight= 4.2 tonnes
length=21.6 ft (6.58 m)
crew=10
number=3,633 The Ordnance BL 6 inch 26cwt howitzer was a British howitzer used during World War I and World War II. The qualifier "26cwt" refers to the weight of the barrel and breech together which weighed convert|26|long cwt|t|lk=in.

History

World War I

It was developed to replace the obsolescent 6 inch 25 cwt and 6 inch 30 cwt howitzers which were outclassed by German artillery such as the 15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze 13. Design began in January 1915, the first proof-firing occurred on 30 July 1915 and it entered service in late 1915.Hogg & Thurston 1972, Page 126] Its combination of firepower, range and mobility (for its day) made it one of the British Empire's most important weapons in World War I.

It was originally towed by horses but from 1916 onwards was commonly towed by the "FWD" 4 wheel drive 3 ton lorry as heavy field artillery. The wooden spoked wheels could be fitted with "girdles" for work in mud or sand to prevent them sinking. Towards the end of the war solid rubber tyres were fitted over the iron tyres on the wheel rims, giving the rims a heavier appearance. It fired 22.4 million rounds on the Western Front. [Clarke 2005, page 37]

World War II

During the interwar period the carriage had its wooden spoked wheels replaced with modern steel wheels and pneumatic tyres. During the Second World War, its use was restricted after 1942 when the replacement BL 5.5 inch Medium Gun came into use. It was however reintroduced in Burma due to a number of premature detonations in convert|5.5|in|adj=on guns. It was declared obsolete with the end of the war in 1945.

Captured examples received the designation FH-412(e) in German use.

urviving examples

* [http://www.firepower.org.uk Royal Artillery Museum, Woolwich, London]
* [http://www.armymuseum.co.nz Army Memorial Museum, Waiouru, New Zealand]
* [http://www.northfort.org.au Royal Australian Artillery National Museum] , North Head, Sydney, Australia
* [http://www.museodellaguerra.it/eng/index_eng.html Museo della guerra (War Museum)] , Rovereto (Italy)
*South Africa : The Imperial Government presented 6 howitzers to the Union of South Africa after WWI and the six South African Heavy Artillery Memorials were designed, commissioned and paid for by the South African Heavy Artillery Association to honour their fallen Comrades-in-Arms : near the Union Buildings, Pretoria. These guns are being restored by the Johannesburg Branch of the Gunner's Association, contact Frank Louw [e-mail].
* National Museum of Military History, Saxonwold, Johannesburg, South Africa

ee also

*Canon de 155 C modèle 1917 Schneider
*15 cm sFH 13
*List of artillery#Towed howitzers and field guns

Notes

References

*Dale Clarke, [http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=S7883 British Artillery 1914-1919. Heavy Artillery. Osprey Publishing, Oxford UK, 2005]
*Nigel F Evans, [http://members.tripod.com/~nigelef/6inchsheet.htm British Artillery in World War 2. 6-Inch Howitzer]
*General Sir Martin Farndale, [http://www.naval-military-press.com/FMPro?-db=nmp%5fproducts.fp5&-format=nmpweb%2fdetail.htm&-lay=cgi&-sortfield=date&Co=NMP&search=History%20of%20the%20Royal%20Regiment%20of%20Artillery.%20Western%20Front%201914-18&-max=20&-recid=35933&-token.0=3668698&-find= History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. Western Front 1914-18. London: Royal Artillery Institution, 1986]
*I.V. Hogg & L.F. Thurston, British Artillery Weapons & Ammunition 1914-1918. London: Ian Allan, 1972.
*W L Ruffell, [http://riv.co.nz/rnza/hist/local/bl6in.htm BL 6-in 26-cwt howitzer]

External links