BL 15 inch Howitzer

Infobox Weapon
name=BL 15 inch Howitzer Mk I


caption=In action at Englebelmer Wood, Somme, 7 August 1916
origin= UK
type=heavy siege howitzer
is_ranged=
is_artillery=yes
is_UK=
service=1915 - 1918
used_by= UK and Commonwealth
wars=World War I
designer=Coventry Ordnance Works
design_date=1914
manufacturer=Coventry Ordnance Works
unit_cost=
production_date=
number=12
variants=Mk I
weight=
length=
part_length=
width=
height=
diameter=
crew=
cartridge=HE convert|1450|lb|kg|sigfig=5
caliber=convert|15|in|mm|sigfig=4
action=
rate=
velocity=
range=
max_range= convert|10795|yd|m
feed=
sights=
breech=
recoil=
carriage=siege carriage
elevation=
traverse=The Ordnance BL 15 inch howitzer was developed by the Coventry Ordnance Works late in 1914 in response to the success of its design of the 9.2 inch siege howitzer.

History

Combat use

The weapon was operated by Royal Marine Artillery detachments, with 1 gun per battery.

It operated successfully where it was needed to destroy deep fortifications on the Western Front, but was limited by its relatively short range compared to other modern siege howitzers. No further development occurred after the first batch, and instead Britain continued to develop and produce the 12 inch Howitzer and 12 inch Railway Howitzer.

ee also

*Škoda 380 mm Model 1916 howitzer
*List of artillery#Siege guns and howitzers

Notes and References

*Dale Clarke, [http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=S7883 British Artillery 1914-1919. Heavy Artillery. Osprey Publishing, Oxford UK, 2005]

urviving examples

External links

*Ken Musgrave, [http://www.landships.freeservers.com/new_pages/musgraves_plans.htm Diagram of 15 inch siege howitzer at Landships (scroll down page)]