155-MM. HOWITZER CARRIAGE, MODEL OF 1918 (SCHNEIDER). TRAVELING POSITION.
155-MM. HOWITZER CARRIAGE, MODEL OF 1918 (SCHNEIDER). RIGHT SIDE VIEW.
CHAPTER XI
THE 155 HOWITZER, MODEL 1918
THE HOWITZER.
| Weights and Dimensions. | ||
| Material | Alloy steel. | |
| Weight (including breech mechanism) | 1,248 kg.—2,745 lbs. | |
| Caliber | 155-mm.—6.1 inch. | |
| Total length | 2,332-mm.—91.8 inch. | |
| Length of bore | 2,177-mm.—85.7 inch. | |
| Length of rifled portion of bore | 737-mm.—68.4 inch. | |
| Rifling | ||
| Number of grooves | 48. | |
| Width of grooves | 7.145-mm.—0.2813 inch. | |
| Depth of grooves | 1-mm.—0.03937 inch. | |
| Width of lands | 3-mm.—0.1181 inch. | |
| Twist, right hand, uniform, one turn in 25.586 cal. | ||
| Powder chamber: | ||
| Diameter | 158.75-mm.—6.25 inch. | |
| Length | 339.85-mm.—13.38 inch. | |
| Volume | 6,965.75 cu. in.—425 cu. in. | |
| Obturation | Pad. | |
| Firing mechanism | Percussion. | |
General Description.
The 155-mm howitzer, Model of 1918 (Schneider) is of the hydro-pneumatic long recoil type, which may be used for direct fire, but was specially designed for siege fire. On account of its high trajectory it is able to direct shells on targets inaccessible to standard 6-inch howitzers of limited elevation.
This howitzer has given satisfactory results in service and has proven to be more superior than guns of similar caliber. It has a muzzle velocity of 1,480 foot-seconds and attains a maximum range of 12,600 yards, the projectile weighing about 95 pounds.
A maximum rate of fire of four or five rounds per minute may be attained, but heating as well as difficulty of preparing and transporting the ammunition by the gun crew renders such rate impossible for more than a few minutes. However, the normal rate of fire is two per minute and may be loaded at any degree of elevation.