Canon de 155 L modele 1916 Saint-Chamond

Canon de 155 L modele 1916 Saint-Chamond
A 155 L mle 1916 at the Italian War Museum in Rovereto.
Type Heavy artillery
Coastal Artillery
Place of origin  France
Service history
In service 1916-1945
Used by  France
 Kingdom of Italy
 Nazi Germany
Wars World War I
World War II
Production history
Designer St Chamond
Designed 1916
Manufacturer St Chamond
Produced 1916
No. built 152?
Variants Canon de 145 L modele 1916 Saint-Chamond
Specifications
Weight Travel: 14,000 kg (31,000 lb)
Action: 13,150 kg (28,990 lb)
Barrel length 7.3 m (23 ft 11 in) 47.5 caliber[1]

Shell Separate loading charge and projectile
Shell weight 43 kg (95 lb)
Caliber 155 mm (6.1 in)
Breech Interrupted screw
Recoil Hydro spring
Carriage Box trail
Elevation 0° to +38°
Traverse[1]
Rate of fire 3 shots every two minutes
Muzzle velocity 790 m/s (2,600 ft/s)
Maximum firing range 21.3 km (13.2 mi)[1]

Canon de 155 L modele 1916 Saint-Chamond was a French heavy artillery piece designed and produced during the First World War. A number were still on hand during the Second World War in French, Italian and German service.

History

A 155 L mle 1916 at the Italian War Museum in Rovereto.

As the First World War settled into Trench Warfare on the Western Front the light field guns that the combatants went to war with were beginning to show their limitations when facing an enemy who was now dug into prepared positions. Indirect fire, interdiction and counter-battery fire emphasized the importance of long range heavy artillery.

In order to address the French Army's lack of long range heavy artillery a number of surplus Canon de 138 mm Modèle 1893 and Canon de 138 mm Modèle 1910[2] Naval Guns were converted to land use by the French company St Chamond. This was accomplished by boring the barrels out to 145 mm (5.7 in) and placing them on simple single-axle box trail carriages. The result of this conversion was known as the Canon de 145 L modele 1916 Saint-Chamond or L 16 St Ch for short.[1]

As barrels became worn they were sent back to the manufacturer to be re-bored to use standard 155 mm (6.1 in) ammunition and re-designated as the Canon de 155 L modele 1916 Saint-Chamond. These new guns continued to use the same carriages as the 145 mm guns and had similar performance with a heavier 43 kg (95 lb) projectile. After the First World War an unknown quantity were sold to Italy where they were known as the Cannone da 155/45 PB. The 152 guns remaining in french service were placed in static positions in the coastal artillery role. The Germans gave French guns the designation 15.5 cm K 420(f), while Italian guns were given the designation 15.5 cm Kanone 420(i).[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Chamberlain, Peter (1975). Heavy artillery. Gander, Terry,. New York: Arco. p. 13. ISBN 0668038985. OCLC 2143869.
  2. "Canon de 145/155 Saint Chamond modèle 1916 | clausuchronia". clausuchronia.wordpress.com (in French). Retrieved 2017-10-17.


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