4.5-inch Gun M1

Last updated
4.5 inch Gun M1 on Carriage M1
4.5GunM1FortSillLeftRear.jpg
4.5 inch Gun M1 at the U.S. Army Field Artillery Museum, Ft. Sill, Oklahoma
Type Field gun
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service1942–1945
Used byUnited States
WarsWWII
Production history
Designed1939–1941
ProducedSeptember 1942–February 1944
No. built426
Specifications
Mass5,654 kg (12,465 lbs)
Length8.15 m (27 ft)
Barrel  lengthBore: 4.756 m (15 ft 7 in) L/41.6
Overall: 4.918 m (16 ft 2 in) L/43
Width2.4 m (7 ft 10 in)
Height2.12 m (6 ft 11 in)

Shell separate-loading bagged charge
Caliber 114 mm / 4.5 inch
Breech interrupted screw
Recoil hydro-pneumatic
Carriage split trail
Elevation 0° to +65°
Traverse 53°
Rate of fire Burst: 4 rounds per minute
Sustained: 1 round per minute
Muzzle velocity 693 m/s (2,274 ft/s)
Maximum firing range19,317 m (21,125 yds)
Sightspanoramic, M12

The 4.5 inch Gun M1 was a field gun developed in the United States in the beginning of World War II. It shared the same carriage with the 155mm Howitzer M1 and fired the same ammunition as the British BL 4.5 inch Medium Field Gun. The weapon was used by the US Army in Northwest Europe late in the war for corps support; with the end of hostilities it was declared obsolete.

Field gun class of artillery gun mounted on a mobile carriage for maneuver in the field of battle

A field gun is a field artillery piece. Originally the term referred to smaller guns that could accompany a field army on the march, that when in combat could be moved about the battlefield in response to changing circumstances, as opposed to guns installed in a fort, or to siege cannons and mortars which are too large to be moved quickly, and would be used only in a prolonged siege. They were also famously used in the battle of Concord, and colonists sometimes stole them from the British.

World War II 1939–1945, between Axis and Allies

World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The vast majority of the world's countries—including all the great powers—eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. A state of total war emerged, directly involving more than 100 million people from more than 30 countries. The major participants threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history, marked by 70 to 85 million fatalities, most of whom were civilians in the Soviet Union and China. It included massacres, the genocide of the Holocaust, strategic bombing, premeditated death from starvation and disease, and the only use of nuclear weapons in war.

M114 155 mm howitzer 1942 United States 155 mm howitzer

The M114 155 mm howitzer is a towed howitzer developed and used by the United States Army. It was first produced in 1942 as a medium artillery piece under the designation of 155 mm Howitzer M1. It saw service with the US Army during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, before being replaced by the M198 howitzer.

Contents

Development and production

In 1920 the US Army Ordnance started to work on a new medium field gun. Since the US Army had already employed the 4.7 inch Gun M1906 during World War I, this caliber was also selected for the new weapon. The development resulted in 4.7 inch Gun M1922E on Carriage M1921E. Due to lack of funding, the design never reached production. [1] [2]

In 1939 the program was restarted; the renewed design, designated 4.7 inch Gun T3, was ready by early 1940; it utilized the same carriage as the concurrently developed 155 mm howitzer. At this stage, the army decided to change the weapon to use the British 4.5 inch ammunition. The modified gun was standardized in April 1941 as 4.5 inch Gun M1 on Carriage M1. [1] [2]

The production started in September 1942 and continued until February 1944. [2]

Production of M1 [3] [4]
Year194219431944Total
Produced, pcs.4134540426

Description

The M1 was very similar in construction and appearance to the 155mm Howitzer M1. The only significant difference was its tube of 4.5 inch (114 mm) caliber. The tube had uniform right hand twist, with one turn in 32 calibers. [5] The unbalanced weight of the barrel was supported by two equilibrator springs. The breach was of interrupted screw type; the recoil system hydro-pneumatic, variable length. The carriage was of split trail type, unsprung and had wheels with pneumatic tires. In firing position, the weapon was supported by a retractable pedestal. The gun was equipped with M12 panoramic sight. [6]

Gun barrel firearm component which guides the projectile during acceleration

A gun barrel is a crucial part of gun-type ranged weapons such as small firearms, artillery pieces and air guns. It is the straight shooting tube, usually made of rigid high-strength metal, through which a contained rapid expansion of high-pressure gas(es) is introduced behind a projectile in order to propel it out of the front end (muzzle) at a high velocity. The hollow interior of the barrel is called the bore, and the diameter of the bore is called its caliber, usually measured in inches or millimetres.

Interrupted screw Mechanical device used to effect a closure using a partial rotation

An interrupted screw or interrupted thread is a mechanical device typically used in the breech of artillery guns. It is believed to have been invented in 1845. The system has also been used to close other applications, including the joint between helmet (bonnet) and breastplate (corselet) of standard diving suit helmets, and the locks of diving chambers.

Hydraulic recoil mechanism

A hydraulic recoil mechanism is a way of limiting the effects of recoil and adding to the accuracy and firepower of an artillery piece.

Service

155 mm Howitzer M1 (left) and 4.5 inch Gun M1 (right) at the U.S. Army Field Artillery Museum, Ft. Sill, OK. Note the similarity between the two pieces. US4.5inchGunM1RightRear.jpg
155 mm Howitzer M1 (left) and 4.5 inch Gun M1 (right) at the U.S. Army Field Artillery Museum, Ft. Sill, OK. Note the similarity between the two pieces.

The M1 equipped 17 [7] field artillery battalions in Northwest Europe, where it was employed for corps support. M5 High Speed Tractor was assigned as prime mover. The weapon was declared obsolete in September 1945. [1] [2]

Western Front (World War II) military theatre of World War II encompassing Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Germany

The Western Front was a military theatre of World War II encompassing Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Germany. World War II military engagements in Southern Europe and elsewhere are generally considered under separate headings. The Western Front was marked by two phases of large-scale combat operations. The first phase saw the capitulation of the Netherlands, Belgium, and France during May and June 1940 after their defeat in the Low Countries and the northern half of France, and continued into an air war between Germany and Britain that climaxed with the Battle of Britain. The second phase consisted of large-scale ground combat, which began in June 1944 with the Allied landings in Normandy and continued until the defeat of Germany in May 1945.

Corps military unit size designation

Corps is a term used for several different kinds of organisation. A military innovation by Napoleon, the formation was first named as such in 1805.

M5 Tractor World War II era artillery tractor

The M5 13 ton High-Speed Tractor was a World War II era artillery tractor that was used by the US Army from 1942 to tow field and medium artillery.

US Army field artillery battalions armed with the 4.5-inch gun included at least: 172nd, 176th, 199th, 211th, 259th, 770th through 775th, 777th, 935th, 939th, 941st, and 959th. [8]

The gun had good range, nearly five km longer than its 155 mm howitzer sibling and longer than the 155 mm Gun M1918MI. It was out-ranged by another 155 mm gun, the 155 mm Gun M1, but the latter was nearly three times heavier.

On the other side, the 4.5 inch gun was criticized for insufficient power of its high-explosive shell. The shell was produced from low grade ("19 ton") steel, which necessitated thick walls. As a result, it carried only about two kg of TNT or substitute, in fact less than the 105 mm high-explosive shell. Additionally, it was felt that having a small number of guns of atypical caliber unnecessarily complicated logistics. [1] [2]

Variants

External image
Searchtool.svg 4.5 inch GMC T16.

The weapon was experimentally mounted on a lengthened chassis of the M5 light tank, in mount M1. The resulting vehicle received the designation 4.5in Gun Motor Carriage T16. A single prototype was built. [9]

Ammunition

The M1 utilized separate loading, bagged charge ammunition. Only high explosive projectile was available. [10]

The projectile could be fired with propelling charge M7 (normal) at reduced velocity or with propelling charge M8 (super) to achieve full velocity. The dummy propelling charge M6 simulated the M8 charge. [11] The velocity and range data in the table below is for the M8 charge.

Available ammunition. [5] [10] [12]
TypeModelProjectile weight, kgFillerMuzzle velocity, m/sRange, m
HE HE M65 Shell24.9 TNT, 2.04 kg or
Amatol 50/50, 1.85 kg or
Trimonite, 2.10 kg
69319,317
DummyDummy M8 Projectile--
 
Propelling charges [11]
ModelWeight, complete, kgComponents
M7 (normal)2.95Single section
M8 (super)5.08Base charge and increment
M6 (dummy)5.40Base charge and increment
 
Concrete penetration, mm [5]
Ammunition \ Distance, m09144,5729,144
HE M65 Shell (meet angle 0°)1,1581,067640366
Different methods of measurement were used in different countries / periods. Therefore, direct comparison is often impossible.

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Hogg - Allied Artillery of World War II, p 50-51.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Zaloga - US Field Artillery of World War II, p 18-19.
  3. Zaloga - US Field Artillery of World War II, p 9.
  4. 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
  5. 1 2 3 Hunnicutt - Stuart: A History of the American Light Tank, p 506.
  6. Technical Manual TM 9-2005 volume 3, Infantry and Cavalry Accompanying Weapons, p 59-62.
  7. Anderson - US Army in World War II.
  8. Stanton, Shelby L. (1991). World War II Order of Battle. Galahad Books. pp. 393–424. ISBN   0-88365-775-9.
  9. Hunnicutt - Stuart: A History of the American Light Tank, p 337-338.
  10. 1 2 Technical Manual TM 9-1904, Ammunition Inspection Guide, p 486-490.
  11. 1 2 Technical Manual TM 9-1901, Artillery Ammunition, p 300-304.
  12. Technical Manual TM 9-1901, Artillery Ammunition, p 183-184.

Related Research Articles

M7 Priest American self-propelled artillery vehicle

The 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 was an American self-propelled artillery vehicle produced during World War II. It was given the official service name 105 mm Self Propelled Gun, Priest by the British Army, due to the pulpit-like machine gun ring, and following on from the Bishop and the contemporary Deacon self-propelled guns.

90 mm Gun M1/M2/M3

The 90–mm Gun M1/M2/M3 is an American heavy anti-aircraft and anti-tank gun, playing a role similar to the German 8.8cm Flak 18. It had a 3.5 in (90 mm) diameter bore, and a 15 ft (4.6 m) barrel, giving it a 50 caliber length. It was capable of firing a 3.5 in × 23.6 in shell 62,474 ft (19,042 m) horizontally, or a maximum altitude of 43,500 ft (13,300 m), the M1 can pierce 9 inches (228.6mm) of armor at 1,000 yards with APFSDS ammunition.

M10 tank destroyer 1942 US tank destroyer

The M10 tank destroyer was an American tank destroyer of World War II. After US entry into World War II and the formation of the Tank Destroyer Force, a suitable vehicle was needed to equip the new battalions. By November 1941, the Army requested a vehicle with a gun in a fully rotating turret after other interim models were criticized for being too poorly designed. The prototype of the M10 was conceived in early 1942, being delivered in April of that year. After appropriate changes to the hull and turret were made, the modified version was selected for production in June 1942 as the 3-inch Gun Motor Carriage M10. It mounted a 3-inch Gun M7 in a rotating turret on a modified M4A2 Sherman tank chassis. An alternate model, the M10A1, which used the chassis of an M4A3 Sherman tank, was also produced. Production of the two models ran from September 1942 to December 1943 and October 1942 to November 1943, respectively.

M3 half-track US military vehicle

The M3 half-track was an American armored personnel carrier half-track widely used by the Allies during World War II and in the Cold War. Derived from the M2 half-track car, the M3 was extensively produced, with about 15,000 standard M3s and more than 38,000 variant units manufactured.

M115 howitzer 1940s United States 203 mm howitzer

The M115 203 mm howitzer, also known as the M115 8 inch howitzer, was a towed howitzer developed and used by the United States Army.

M101 howitzer 1941 United States 105 mm field howitzer

The 105 mm M101A1 howitzer was an artillery piece developed and used by the United States. It was the standard U.S. light field howitzer in World War II and saw action in both the European and Pacific theaters. Entering production in 1941, it quickly gained a reputation for accuracy and a powerful punch. The M101A1 fired 105 mm high explosive (HE) semi-fixed ammunition and had a range of 12,330 yards (11,270 m), making it suitable for supporting infantry.

37 mm Gun M3 antitank gun of the United States Army

The 37 mm Gun M3 is the first dedicated anti-tank gun fielded by United States forces in numbers. Introduced in 1940, it became the standard anti-tank gun of the U.S. infantry with its size enabling it to be pulled by a jeep. However, the continuing improvement of German tanks quickly rendered the 37 mm ineffective and, by 1943, it was being gradually replaced in the European and Mediterranean theaters by the more powerful British-developed 57 mm Gun M1. In the Pacific, where the Japanese tank threat was less significant, the M3 remained in service until the end of the war.

3-inch gun M1918 United States 3-inch anti-aircraft gun

The 3-inch gun M1918 was a United States 3-inch anti-aircraft gun that entered service in 1918 and served until it was largely superseded by the 3-inch anti-aircraft gun M3 in 1930, though the M1918 remained with some National Guard units until early in World War II. The M3 was subsequently replaced by the M1 90mm AA gun early in World War II, primarily during 1942. The M3 3" gun was later adapted for the anti-tank role, serving as the main armament of the M10 tank destroyer during World War II.

M40 Gun Motor Carriage American self-propelled gun

The 155 mm Gun Motor Carriage M40 was an American self-propelled artillery vehicle built on a widened and lengthened Medium Tank M4A3 chassis, but with a Continental engine and with HVSS, which was introduced at the end of the Second World War.

76 mm gun M1 1940s 76 mm tank gun of American origin

The 76 mm gun M1 was an American World War II–era tank gun developed by the U.S Ordnance Department in 1942 to supplement the 75 mm gun on the basic Medium tank M4. It was also used to arm the M18 Hellcat tank destroyer.

M3 howitzer

The 105 mm Howitzer M3 was a U.S. light howitzer designed for use by airborne troops. The gun utilized the barrel of the 105 mm Howitzer M2, shortened and fitted to a slightly modified split trail carriage of the 75 mm pack howitzer.

155 mm Gun M1 United States 155 mm field gun series

The 155 mm Gun M1 was a 155 millimeter caliber field gun developed and used by the United States military. Nicknamed "Long Tom", it was produced in M1 and M2 variants, later known as the M59. Developed to replace the Canon de 155mm GPF, the gun was deployed as a heavy field weapon during World War II and the Korean War, and also classed as secondary armament for seacoast defense. The gun could fire a 45.36 kg (100 lb) shell to a maximum range of 22 km (13.7 mi), with an estimated accuracy life of 1,500 rounds.

3-inch Gun M5

The 3 inch Gun M5 was an anti-tank gun developed in the United States during World War II. The gun combined a 3-inch (76.2 mm) barrel of the anti-aircraft gun T9 and elements of the 105 mm howitzer M2. The M5 was issued exclusively to the US Army tank destroyer battalions starting in 1943. It saw combat in the Italian Campaign and in the Northwest Europe campaign.

240 mm howitzer M1 1940s United States 240 mm field howitzer

The 240 mm Howitzer M1, popularly nicknamed the "Black Dragon", was a towed howitzer used by the United States Army. The 240 mm M1 was designed to replace the World War I era 240 mm Howitzer M1918 which was based on a 1911 French design and was outdated by World War II. The project to replace the M1918 began in 1941. The 240 mm howitzer was the most powerful weapon deployed by US field artillery units during World War II, able to fire a 360 lb (160 kg) high explosive projectile 25,225 yards (23 km). It was the largest field piece used by the US Army during the war except for naval ordnance adapted into railway guns. The weapon addressed the requirement for super heavy field artillery capable of attacking heavily reinforced targets like those likely to be found along the Siegfried Line.

16"/50 caliber M1919 gun

The 16 inch Gun M1919 (406 mm) was a large coastal artillery piece installed to defend the United States' major seaports between 1920 and 1946. It was operated by the United States Army Coast Artillery Corps. Only a small number were produced and only seven were mounted; in 1922 and 1940 the US Navy surplussed a number of their own 16-inch/50 guns, which were mated to modified M1919 carriages and filled the need for additional weapons.

8-inch Gun M1

The 8-inch Gun M1 was a 203 mm towed heavy gun developed in the United States. At 32,584 m (35,635 yd), it had the longest range of any US Army field artillery weapon in World War II. It was also used in small numbers by the British Army.

M116 howitzer 1920s 75 mm pack howitzer

The 75mm Pack Howitzer M1 was an artillery piece used by the United States. It was designed in the 1920s to meet a need for a howitzer that could be moved across difficult terrain. The gun and carriage was designed so that it could be broken down into several pieces to be carried by pack animals. The gun saw combat in World War II with the United States Army, with US Marine Corps, and was also supplied to foreign forces.

T48 Gun Motor Carriage A 57 mm gun motor carriage produced by the U.S. in World War II.

The T48 57 mm Gun Motor Carriage was a self-propelled anti-tank gun produced by the Diamond T company in 1943 for the United States. The design incorporated a 57 mm gun M1, a US production of the British Ordnance QF 6 pounder, mounted on an M3 Half-track.

T19 Howitzer Motor Carriage

The T19 Howitzer Motor Carriage (HMC), was a 105 mm (4.1 in) howitzer mounted on a M3 Half-track chassis. It saw service during World War II with the U.S. Army. Its secondary armament consisted of an air-cooled .50 in (13 mm) M2 machine gun for local defense. It was produced by Diamond T between January 1942 and April 1942.

References