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5 1 Ordnance 13 Pounder Field Gun The 13 pounder field gun was developed alongside the 18 pounder and was designed for use by the Royal Horse Artillery. It was intended as a rapid firing and highly mobile field gun that would accompany the Cavalry, which in the days before World War One were expected to be engaged in mobile open warfare. The gun was of similar design to the 18 pounder with the same pole trail, and had a short 3 inch calibre barrel that fired a 12.5 lb shell to a range of 5,900 yards. The first British artillery round fired in anger during World War One was fired by a 13 pounder of E Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery on the 22nd S P E C I F I C A T I O N : (Mk I) Calibre: 3 inches (76.2 mm) Shell Weight: 12.5 lbs (5.7 kg) Barrel Length: 72 inches (1.73 m) Muzzle Velocity: 1,675 ft per sec (511 m/sec) Elevation: -5° to +16° • Traverse: 4° Range: 5,900 yards (5,400 m) Weight: 1 tons (1,014 kg) • Gun Crew: 6 August 1914, while the guns most famous action followed soon after at the Battle of Le Cateau, ‘L’ Battery being awarded three Victoria Crosses following an action at Néry on September 1st during the retreat from Mons. After the fighting on the Western Front had settled down to trench warfare, the 13 pounder was found to be too light a weapon against prepared positions and was replaced by the 18 pounder, many then being modified with a high angle mount and used as an anti-aircraft gun. The 13 pounder is still used today by the King's Troop of the Royal Horse Artillery for ceremonial purposes. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 416 A R T I L L E R Y 60 Pounder Field Gun The 60 pounder field gun was a 5 inch heavy field gun designed to be towed by a team of horses or a mechanical vehicle. They began to enter service in 1905, but on the outbreak of war in 1914 only 41 guns had been produced. They proved to be superior to the QF 4.7 inch gun, which was then the standard heavy gun of the British artillery, and large numbers were ordered which gradually replaced the latter weapons in service. Between the wars they were modified with a new carriage and pneumatic tyred wheels and received a new sighting system. In 1940 nineteen guns were with the British Expeditionary Force S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Calibre: 5 inches (127 mm) Shell Weight: 60 lbs (27.22 kg) Barrel Length: 160 ins (4.01 m) Muzzle Velocity: 2,080 ft per sec (634 m/sec) Elevation: -5° to +21.5° • Traverse: 8° Maximum Range: 10,300 yards (9,420 m) Weight: 2.36 tons (1,370 kg) • Gun Crew: 10 in France, but had all been lost by the time of the withdrawal from Dunkirk, along with the majority of the rest of the B.E.F.s equipment. They were next used by South African forces in East Africa against the Italians, and then by an Australian battery during the defence of Tobruk. They were last used in the Western Desert, and in late 1941 around 130 were still on the inventory of British forces when they were withdrawn from service and replaced by the new 5.5 inch or 4.5 inch Mk II guns. They were then used for training purposes until 1944 when they were placed in storage before being scrapped. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 1,397 A R T I L L E R Y Ordnance 18 Pounder Field Gun Introduced into the British Army in 1905, the 18 pounder field gun was the most powerful field gun of any nation in 1914. The gun was horse drawn along with an ammunition limber, and would see extensive use with British and Empire forces as the backbone of divisional artillery units during the First World War. The gun fired an 18.5 lb high velocity shell to a maximum range of 6,500 yards, and for short bursts could fire up to 20 rounds a minute. The 18 pounder was progressively modernised during World War One, the Mk IV introducing a box tail that allowed 30° elevation which increased the gun’s range to over S P E C I F I C A T I O N : (Mk IV) Calibre: 3.3 inches (84 mm) Shell Weight: 18.5 lbs (8.4 kg) Barrel Length: 97 inches (2.5 m) Muzzle Velocity: 1,625 ft per sec (495 m/sec) Elevation: -5° to +30° • Traverse: 8° Range: 9,515 yards (8,700 m) Weight: 1.39 tons (1,412 kg) • Gun Crew: 6 10,000 yards. After the end of World War One the later marks were retained and progressively updated, most receiving a split-trail and pneumatic tyres so it could be towed by a tractor, and became the basis for the Ordnance QF 25 pounder of World War Two fame. On the outbreak of World War Two in 1939, many of the modernised 18 pounders were taken to France by the British Expeditionary Force, being mainly issued to Territorial units. During the fighting in 1940 many were used in small scale delaying actions, 216 guns being lost during the fighting before the B.E.F. was evacuated from Dunkirk. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 10,500 A R T I L L E R Y 4.5 inch Field Howitzer To compliment the 18 and 13 pounder field guns the Royal Artillery issued a specification for a weapon with a heavier punch and a trajectory which was more suited to indirect engagements. The winner was the Coventry Ordnance Works 4.5 inch Field Howitzer which began to enter service in 1909. The gun had a short 13 calibre barrel that could be elevated from -5° to +45°, and fired a 35 lb high explosive or shrapnel shell to a range of 7,300 yards. Recoil was controlled by a hydro-spring mechanism similar to those used on the QF 18 pounder, but this time the springs proved to be more robust. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Calibre: 4.5 inches (114 mm) Shell Weight: 35 lbs (15.88 kg) Barrel Length: 64 ins (1.6 m) Muzzle Velocity: 1,026 ft per sec (313 m/sec) Elevation: -5° to +45° • Traverse: 6° Range: 7,300 yards (6,675 m) Weight: 1.35 tons (1,370 kg) • Crew: 10 182 were in service on the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, with a further 3,177 being built by the end of 1918. After World War One they were progressively modernised, receiving pneumatic tyres and other improvements. In World War Two they equipped a few batteries of the B.E.F., 96 being lost during the battle for France in 1940. They were next used by British and Australian forces in the Western Desert in 1940 and 1941, and In the Far East by a few British and Australian batteries against invading Japanese forces. In 1943 they were withdrawn from service declared obsolete in 1944. Country of Origin: United Kingdom Number Built: 3,259 A R T I L L E R Y 9.2 inch Siege Howitzer The 9.2 inch siege howitzer was based on a naval gun and featured a variable recoil mechanism. The prototype weighed 14 tons and broke down into three loads for transportation. Assembly involved burying a holdfast to provide a secure platform for the weapon which was positioned on top. Another box containing 9 tons of earth further anchored the holdfast in position. Trials with the prototype began in 1913 and were successfully completed by mid 1914. On the outbreak of war the weapon was immediately placed into production, while the prototype was sent to France and first used in action on the S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Calibre: 9.3 inches (233 mm) Shell Weight: 290 lbs (131.5 kg) Barrel Length: 121½ ins (3.1 m) Muzzle Velocity: 1,187 ft/sec (362 m/sec) Elevation: 15° to 55° • Traverse: 30° Range: 10,060 yds (9,199 m) Weight: 14 tons • Crew: 12 31st October. Production guns began to enter service in early 1915, and in action proved to be accurate weapons, and were successfully used to demolish German fortifications. By the end of the First World War they had become the principal counter-battery weapon of British forces, equipping 39 batteries on the Western Front. Between the wars they were placed in storage, being recommissioned on the outbreak of World War Two in 1939. A few accompanied the B.E.F. in France where they were lost, while those in the U.K. were deployed along the South East coast as part of the anti-invasion defences. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 632 A R T I L L E R Y 15 inch Siege Howitzer The 15 inch Siege Howitzer was the heaviest gun deployed by the British Artillery during World War One. Design of the gun had begun in early 1914, and was essentially a scaled up version of the 9.2 inch Siege Howitzer. After the outbreak of the First World War, Winston Churchill, the First Lord of the Admiralty, heard of the project, and ordered the prototype to be sent to France for use by the Naval Brigade which was fighting on the Western Front. The gun required a crew of 60 and could fire a hefty 1,450 lb shell, its main drawback was its weight of 94 tons, requiring nine separate loads when being S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Calibre: 15 inches (381 mm) Shell Weight: 1,450 lbs (657.7 kg) Barrel Length: 121½ ins (3.1 m) Muzzle Velocity: 1,119 ft/sec (341 m/sec) Elevation: 15° to 55° • Traverse: 30° Range: 10,795 yards (9,871 m) Weight: 94 tons • Crew: 60 moved. A further eleven were built, of which at least ten were used on the Western Front. In 1916 they were handed over to the Army who were less than enthusiastic about them. Their main problem was they only had a maximum range of just over 6 miles. This could leave them open to counter battery fire, and was often considered a waste of time and labour in emplacing these guns unless they were used as part of a major artillery bombardment. The effect of the shells was devastating, and the guns were used in all the major battles involving British forces on the Western Front firing over 25,000 shells during the war. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 12 A R T I L L E R Y 6 inch Mk VII Field Gun After World War One descended into trench warfare in late 1914, the British army had such a shortage of field guns that it could barely defend its own lines. Guns were urgently needed, and any consideration for a counter offensive would have to wait for fresh troops and equipment. As an interim solution for a heavy gun, 6 inch naval weapons were converted for land use. These were mainly 6 inch Mk VII guns dating from 1899, these being taken from stores or decommissioned warships. They were converted for land use by mounting them on improvised field carriage, similar to a system used during the S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Calibre: 6 inches (152.4 mm) Shell Weight: 100 lbs (45.36 kg) Barrel Length: 269½ inches (6.85 m) Muzzle Velocity: 2,525 ft per sec (770 m/sec) Elevation: 0° to +22° • Traverse: 0° Range: 13,700 yards (12,530 m) Weight: 25 tons (25,401 kg) • Crew: 12 Boar War. Being a naval gun there was no recoil system, so an improvised system of ramps were fitted behind the wheels for the gun to run up and absorb the force when the gun was fired, in action this often required the gun to be relaid on target again. The improvised carriage also limited elevation, the maximum range of the gun being restricted to 11,000 yards. They were first sent to France in early 1915, and as the war progressed the carriage was progressively modified, allowing an increase in elevation and range. In total around 350 Mk VII guns were converted and supplied to the British army. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 350 A R T I L L E R Y 8 inch Howitzer Mk VI With the lack of heavy calibre guns for the British army in 1914, a design for a heavy howitzer was urgently needed. This resulted in the 8 inch howitzer Mk VI which entered service in March 1916, and although it proved to be a good design and could fire a 200 lb shell nearly seven miles, the recoil system was inadequate which required ramps behind the wheels to take up the excess energy. Further Mks followed which that improved on the range by increasing the elevation to 50°, and by the end of World War One they were widely used in the heavy batteries of the British Army. Between the wars most of S P E C I F I C A T I O N : (Mk IV) Calibre: 8 inches (203 mm) Shell Weight: 200 lbs (91 kg) Barrel Length: 117¾ ins (2.99 m) Muzzle Velocity: 1,300 ft per sec (440 m/sec) Elevation: -4° to +50° • Traverse: 8° Range: 10,745 yards (9,825 m) Weight: 8.74 tons (8,881 kg) • Gun Crew: 10 the guns were placed in storage, and in 1939 they were the only heavy gun available to the British Army. By then it was recognised that the howitzer had insufficient range, and as a stopgap measure it was decided to reline the barrels to a new calibre of 7.2 inch, and along with new ammunition a range of over 11 miles (19,500 yards )was achieved. The carriage was also modernised, receiving pneumatic wheels and other minor improvements. The modernised guns were first used towards the end of the North African campaign, and continued to serve with the Royal Artillery until the early 1960s. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 650+ A R T I L L E R Y 12 inch Railway Howitzer In 1915 Vickers proposed a 12 inch siege gun to the War Office as a heavy bombardment weapon, and after successful testing was accepted for production. The design and manufacture of the gun was carried out by the Elswick Ordnance Company and was based on their 9.2 inch siege howitzer that was already in service. Apart from the calibre, the only differences in design was the recoil and breech mechanism. The Mk I entered service in March 1916 and was mounted on a railway wagon, allowing it to be moved around on a railway network built behind the front lines. Modifications resulted in the Mk III which S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Calibre: 12 inches (305 mm) Shell Weight: 750 lbs (340 kg) Barrel Length: 207 inches (5.27 m) Muzzle Velocity: 1,468 ft/sec (447.5 m/sec) Elevation: 20º to 65º • Traverse: 360º Range: 14,350 yds (13,121 m) Weight: 76 tons • Gun Crew: 24 had a longer barrel and a heavier breech to balance the gun, while the Mk V had all round traverse capability for the first time, allowing the gun to fire at any angle. The 12 inch Mk II and Mk IV guns were static weapons which were similar but unrelated. The 12 inch Railway Howitzer was used extensively on the Western Front from 1916 onwards, firing over 250,000 rounds by the end of the war. In total 138 12 inch howitzers were built, 81 railway guns and 57 static siege guns. After World War One only the latest Mks were retained by the army and were used again during World War Two for coastal defence. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 81 A R T I L L E R Y A R M O U R E D P E R S O N N E L C A R R I E R 3.7 inch Pack Howitzer The 3.7 inch Pack Howitzer was designed before World War One as a replacement for the 2.75 inch mountain gun, a stop-gap weapon produced after the Boar War. Designed for use as pack artillery, the barrel was in two pieces that fitted together by a screw jack assembly. When disassembled the gun could be carried by mules in 8 loads and capable of being moved relatively easily in the most inaccessible of places. They did not enter service until 1917, but soon proved to be an effective weapon during the campaigns in Palestine and East Africa. After World War One these guns were used on the rugged S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Calibre: 3.7 inches (94 mm) Shell Weight: 20 lbs (9.1 kg) Barrel Length: 48¾ ins (1.624 m) Muzzle Velocity: 975 ft per sec (297 m/sec) Elevation: -5° to +40° • Traverse: 130° Range: 5,900 yards (5,395 m) Weight: 0.72 tons (730 kg) • Gun Crew: 9 North West Frontier of India, where they again proved to be an effective weapon. With the general mechanisation of the British army in the early 1930’s, the gun was modernised with a new carriage and pneumatic tyres. During World War Two the gun was to see limited use in Europe, mainly in Italy, but they were more widely used by Indian forces against the Japanese in Burma, and by New Zealand and Australian forces during the Guadalcanal and New Guinea campaigns. After the war the gun was withdrawn from British service, but many remained on strength with Commonwealth forces until at least 1960. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 800+ A R T I L L E R Y A R T I L L E R Y QF 3 inch 20 cwt Anti-Aircraft Gun By the end of World War One the QF 3 inch 20 cwt anti-aircraft gun was the standard British weapon used against German airships and bombers in the UK and the Western Front, as well as being common aboard British warships. The gun was based on a prewar Vickers naval 3 inch QF gun with modifications specified by the War Office in 1914. These included a vertical sliding breech block to allow semi-automatic operation. The early 12.5 lb shrapnel shell caused excessive barrel wear and was unstable in flight, but in 1916 a heavier 16 lb shell proved ballistically superior and better suited to a high explosive filling. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Calibre: 3 inches (76.2 mm) Shell Weight: 16 lbs (7.3 kg) Barrel Length: 136 ins (3.4 m) Muzzle Velocity: 2,500 ft per sec (760 m/sec) Elevation: -10° to +90° • Traverse: 360° Range: 22,000 ft (6,700 m) Weight: 2 tons (2,032 kg) • Gun Crew: 8 The first guns arrived on the Western Front in November 1916, and by the end of World War One 257 were deployed in the UK on static or lorry mountings, with a further 102 operating on the Western Front mounted on heavy lorries, typically the Peerless 4 Ton. By then they had also become the standard Anti-Aircraft weapon in the Royal Navy. From 1930 a new towed 4-wheeled sprung trailer platform was introduced to replace the old lorries still in use, together with new modern barrels and new sights. The guns were gradually superseded by the QF 3.7 inch AA gun from 1938 onwards. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 2,000+ 40 mm Bofors Anti-Aircraft Gun The 40 mm Bofors gun was one of the most effective anti-aircraft systems deployed during World War Two, and was used by most of the Allied forces as well as the Axis powers. A small number of these weapons still remain in service to this day, and it is believed they were last use in action during the Gulf War. The development of the gun goes back to the 1920s after the Swedish Navy purchased several 2 pounder Pom-Pom anti-aircraft guns from Vickers. In 1928 they approached the Swedish firm of Bofors to develop a replacement, with trials of the prototype commencing in mid November 1931. Similar to S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Calibre: 40 mm (1.57 ins) Barrel Length: 88½ ins (2.2 m) Shellweight: 1.96 lbs Elevation: -5° to +90° • Traverse: 360° Muzzle velocity: 2,8090 ft per second Maximum Ceiling: 23,622 ft Weight: 4,367 lbs (1,981 Kg) • Gun Crew: 4 the Vickers pom-pom, the 40 mm Bofors fired a two pound shell but had a higher muzzle velocity that made it a better AA weapon. The ammunition was packed in clips of four rounds that were fed by a chute on the top of the gun, production weapons being capable of firing up to 120 rounds a minute. Production commenced in the autumn of 1933 and orders soon came flooding in, while a number of foreign governments negotiated deals to produce the gun and its ammunition under licence. By 1940 the main production centres of the Bofors gun were the United Kingdom and the United States. Country of Origin: Sweden Number Built: 60,000+ A R T I L L E R Y 40 mm Bofors Anti-Aircraft Gun The 40 mm Bofors gun was one of the most effective anti-aircraft systems deployed during World War Two, and was used by most of the Allied forces as well as the Axis powers. A small number of these weapons still remain in service to this day, and it is believed they were last use in action during the Gulf War. The development of the gun goes back to the 1920s after the Swedish Navy purchased several 2 pounder Pom-Pom anti-aircraft guns from Vickers. In 1928 they approached the Swedish firm of Bofors to develop a replacement, with trials of the prototype commencing in mid November 1931. Similar to S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Calibre: 40 mm (1.57 ins) Barrel Length: 88½ ins (2.2 m) Shellweight: 1.96 lbs Elevation: -5° to +90° • Traverse: 360° Muzzle velocity: 2,8090 ft per second Maximum Ceiling: 23,622 ft Weight: 4,367 lbs (1,981 Kg) • Gun Crew: 4 the Vickers pom-pom, the 40 mm Bofors fired a two pound shell but had a higher muzzle velocity that made it a better AA weapon. The ammunition was packed in clips of four rounds that were fed by a chute on the top of the gun, production weapons being capable of firing up to 120 rounds a minute. Production commenced in the autumn of 1933 and orders soon came flooding in, while a number of foreign governments negotiated deals to produce the gun and its ammunition under licence. By 1940 the main production centres of the Bofors gun were the United Kingdom and the United States. Country of Origin: Sweden Number Built: 60,000+ A R T I L L E R Y 15 cm sIG 33 Heavy Infantry Gun The 15 cm sIG 33 (schweres Infanterie Geschütz 33) was the standard German heavy infantry gun used during the Second World War, and the largest infantry weapon deployed by any nation during the conflict. Of conventional design, the gun had its roots in the First World War, the early production models being horse drawn with wooden wheels. The wheels were soon replaced with a pressed steel type with solid rubber tyres and air brakes, allowing them to be towed by motor vehicles on metalled roads. In the late 1930s the gun was redesigned incorporating light alloys in an effort to save weight. This saved S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Calibre: 149.1 mm (5¾ ins) Barrel Length: 1.65 m (65 ins) Shell Weight: 29 kg (63 lbs) Muzzle Velocity: 240 m per sec (790 ft per sec) Elevation: -4° to +75° • Traverse: 11.5° Range: 4,700 m (5,100 yds) Weight: 1,800 kg (4,000 lb) • Crew: 10 about 150 kgs (330 lbs), but after the outbreak of war they returned to the original design as the Luftwaffe had a higher priority for light alloys. The gun fired a 29 kg shell to a range of 4,700 m, but during the Blitzkrieg Invasion of Poland it proved difficult keeping the gun up with the leading elements of the tank formations to provide support. To overcome this the easiest solution was to use a spare tank chassis to carry it into battle. They were first mounted on an obsolete Panzer I chassis and given a lightly armoured superstructure, but later used the chassis of more suitable tanks. Country of Origin: Germany Number Built: 4,600+ A R T I L L E R Y 25 Pounder Field Gun The 25 pounder field gun was one of the most famous of all British artillery pieces, and had its origins in the idea of a field gun that combined the attributes of both a gun and a howitzer. Design work began in the 1920s, but it was in the mid 1930s the go ahead was given to develop the new weapon which would replace the 18 pounder and 4.5 inch howitzer. The Ordnance QF 25 pounder Mk I was the first to enter service, and had the new gun barrel fitted to an updated 18 pounder carriage. The 25 pounder Mk II had a purpose built carriage and was the first true example of the gun-howitzer. The new S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Calibre: 3.45 inches (87.6 mm) Barrel Length: 97 ins (2.47 m) Shell Weight: 25 lbs (11.34 kg) Muzzle Velocity: Maximum 1,750 ft/sec (532 m/sec) Elevation: -5º to +45º Traverse: 4º (360º using the platform) Range: 13,400 yds (12,253 m) Weight: 1.6 tons • Crew: 6 carriage had a humped box trail which would sit on a circular firing table that enabled one man to make large changes in the direction of fire. The usual mode of transportion was behind a Quad artillery tractor, complete with an ammunition limber. The Mk II was first used in North Africa, and soon pressed into service in the anti-tank role. At first they did not have armour-piercing ammunition, but an AP round was later developed which required the gun to be fitted with a muzzle brake. The 25 pounder became the backbone of the Royal Artillery, providing direct and indirect fire support during World War Two. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 13,000+ A R T I L L E R Y 25 Pounder Field Gun The 25 pounder field gun was one of the most famous of all British artillery pieces, and had its origins in the idea of a field gun that combined the attributes of both a gun and a howitzer. Design work began in the 1920s, but it was in the mid 1930s the go ahead was given to develop the new weapon which would replace the 18 pounder and 4.5 inch howitzer. The Ordnance QF 25 pounder Mk I was the first to enter service, and had the new gun barrel fitted to an updated 18 pounder carriage. The 25 pounder Mk II had a purpose built carriage and was the first true example of the gun-howitzer. The new S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Calibre: 3.45 inches (87.6 mm) Shell Weight: 25 lbs (11.34 kg) Barrel Length: 97 ins (2.47 m) Muzzle Velocity: Maximum 1,750 ft/sec (532 m/sec) Elevation: -5º to +45º Traverse: 4º (360º using the platform) Range: 13,400 yds (12,253 m) Weight: 1.6 tons • Crew: 6 carriage had a humped box trail which would sit on a circular firing table that enabled one man to make large changes in the direction of fire. The usual mode of transportion was behind a Quad artillery tractor, complete with an ammunition limber. The Mk II was first used in North Africa, and soon pressed into service in the anti-tank role. At first they did not have armour-piercing ammunition, but an AP round was later developed which required the gun to be fitted with a muzzle brake. The 25 pounder became the backbone of the Royal Artillery, providing direct and indirect fire support during World War Two. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 13,000+ A R T I L L E R Y 6 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun Work on a new anti-tank gun to replace the British Army’s 2 pounder began in 1938. The gun would be a 57 mm weapon, this size being chosen as the Royal Navy had used this calibre since the 1890s and the manufacturing equipment was still available. The design was finalised in early 1940, but after the withdrawal from Dunkirk the new gun was put on hold while production concentrated on the 2 pounder to quickly replace losses. Production did begin in 1941 and they entered service in early 1942, and were first used in action during the battle of Gazala in North Africa in May. They made an immediate impact S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Calibre: 2.24 inches (57 mm) Shell Weight: 6 lbs (2.72 kg) Barrel Length: 100 inches (2.54 m) Muzzle Velocity: Maximum 2,900 ft/sec (883 m/sec) Elevation: -5º to +15º • Traverse: 90º Effective Range: 1,650 yards (1,510 m) Weight: 1.13 tons • Crew: 6 as the could penetrate the armour of any enemy tank then in service. An innovation of the North African campaign was the use of the portée anti-tank gun. The vast open spaces allowed fluidity on the battlefield and the chance to outflank the enemy. This required the rapid deployment of troops and weapons, and the portée was a truck that carried a gun on its flatbed which can be fired from that position or unloaded and used in the static role. After the Germans introduced the Tiger and Panther tanks the 6 pounder proved less ineffective and were soon replaced by the 17 pounder as the primary anti-tank gun. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 25,000+ A R T I L L E R Y
6 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun Portée
Work on a new anti-tank gun to replace the British Army’s 2 pounder began in 1938. The gun would be a 57 mm weapon, this size being chosen as the Royal Navy had used this calibre since the 1890s and the manufacturing equipment was still available. The design was finalised in early 1940, but after the withdrawal from Dunkirk the new gun was put on hold while production concentrated on the 2 pounder to quickly replace losses. Production did begin in 1941 and they entered service in early 1942, and were first used in action during the battle of Gazala in North Africa in May. They made an immediate impact
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Calibre:  2.24 inches (57 mm) Shell Weight: 6 lbs (2.72 kg) Barrel Length: 100 ins (2.54 m)  Muzzle Velocity: Maximum 2,900 ft/sec (883 m/sec) Elevation: -5º to +15º  •  Traverse: 90º Effective Range: 1,650 yds (1,510 m) Weight: 1.13 tons  •  Crew: 6
as the could penetrate the armour of any enemy tank then in service. An innovation of the North African campaign was the use of the portée anti-tank gun. The vast open spaces allowed fluidity on the battlefield and the chance to outflank the enemy. This required the rapid deployment of troops and weapons, and the portée was a truck that carried a gun on its flatbed which can be fired from that position or unloaded and used in the static role. After the Germans introduced the Tiger and Panther tanks the 6 pounder proved less ineffective and were soon replaced by the 17 pounder as the primary anti-tank gun.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 25,000+
A R T I L L E R Y
155 mm ‘Long Tom’ M1 Gun After the United States became involved in World War One they acquired a number of types of heavy artillery from France and the U.K. One was the French Canon de 155 M1917 Grande Puissance Filloux (G.P.F.) that fired a 95 lb shell to a maximum range of over 17,000 yds. One drawback was its weight of 13 tons which made it difficult to move around the battlefield. Between the wars an American board was convened to assess their artillery experience and the future needs for the U.S. Army, and they decided that the French 155 mm G.P.F. should be adopted as the standard heavy field piece, but developed so S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Calibre: 155 mm (6.1 inches) Shell Weight: 100 lbs (45 kg) Barrel Length: 22 ft 10 ins (6.97 m) Muzzle Velocity: Maximum 2,800 ft/sec (853 m/sec) Elevation: 1° to 63° • Traverse: 60º Range: 25,395 yards (14½ miles) (23,220 m) Weight: 13.7 tons • Gun Crew: 14 to achieve a range of 25,000 yards and fire a shell that did not exceed 100 lbs. Development was slow, and it was not until 1938 the M1 155 mm Gun was finally adopted. The gun soon acquired the nickname of ‘Long Tom’ and was first used in action by the Americans following their landings in North Africa in November 1942. The gun was also used with great effect during the Korean War by American forces, but were withdrawn in the mid 1950s when they began to deploy similar weapons on a motorised carriage, many guns then being supplied to friendly governments under a mutual aid programme. Country of Origin: USA Number Built: about 1,880+ A R T I L L E R Y 155 mm ‘Long Tom’ M1 Gun After the United States became involved in World War One they acquired a number of types of heavy artillery from France and the U.K. One was the French Canon de 155 M1917 Grande Puissance Filloux (G.P.F.) that fired a 95 lb shell to a maximum range of over 17,000 yds. One drawback was its weight of 13 tons which made it difficult to move around the battlefield. Between the wars an American board was convened to assess their artillery experience and the future needs for the U.S. Army, and they decided that the French 155 mm G.P.F. should be adopted as the standard heavy field piece, but developed so S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Calibre: 155 mm (6.1 inches) Shell Weight: 100 lbs (45 kg) Barrel Length: 22 ft 10 ins (6.97 m) Muzzle Velocity: Maximum 2,800 ft/sec (853 m/sec) Elevation: 1° to 63° • Traverse: 60º Range: 25,395 yards (14½ miles) (23,220 m) Weight: 13.7 tons • Gun Crew: 14 to achieve a range of 25,000 yards and fire a shell that did not exceed 100 lbs. Development was slow, and it was not until 1938 the M1 155 mm Gun was finally adopted. The gun soon acquired the nickname of ‘Long Tom’ and was first used in action by the Americans following their landings in North Africa in November 1942. The gun was also used with great effect during the Korean War by American forces, but were withdrawn in the mid 1950s when they began to deploy similar weapons on a motorised carriage, many guns then being supplied to friendly governments under a mutual aid programme. Country of Origin: USA Number Built: 1,880+ A R T I L L E R Y
Towed Rapier Missile System
The Rapier surface-to-air missile was developed in the 1960s for the British Army to replace their towed Bofors anti-aircraft guns. The system uses a manual optical guidance system, with guidance commands  being sent to the missile while in flight over a radio link. This results in a high level of accuracy, diminishing the need for a large warhead. They entered service in 1972 and eventually replaced the other anti-aircraft weapons in Army service. The original Rapier system took the form of a wheeled launcher with four missiles, an optical tracker unit, a generator and trailer of stores. The launcher consisted of a
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Launcher Unit: Weight 24 cwt, Length 13 ft 1 in, Width 5 ft 9 ins, Height 7 ft Armament: 4 x Rapier Missile launchers Missile Information: Weight 94 lbs, Warhead weight 3 lbs, Warhead type HE semi-armour-piercing, flight speed 2,130 ft per second, missile range, 23,000 ft, maximum altitude 10,000 ft Crew: 8
vertical cylindrical unit carrying two missiles on each side, with the surveillance radar dish and IFF system (Identification Friend or Foe)  under a radome on top. The guidance computer and radar electronics were at the bottom, and a parabolic antenna fitted to the front for sending guidance commands to the missiles. They were first used in a major engagement with the British Army during the Falklands conflict in 1982, and since then has been developed and upgraded to suite modern needs. The Rapier has enjoyed wide international sales, and remains one of the UK's primary air-defence weapon systems.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: Unknown
A N T I - A I R C R A F T   M I S S I L E   S Y S T E M
Towed Rapier Missile System
The Rapier surface-to-air missile was developed in the 1960s for the British Army to replace their towed Bofors anti-aircraft guns. The system uses a manual optical guidance system, with guidance commands  being sent to the missile while in flight over a radio link. This results in a high level of accuracy, diminishing the need for a large warhead. They entered service in 1972 and eventually replaced the other anti-aircraft weapons in Army service. The original Rapier system took the form of a wheeled launcher with four missiles, an optical tracker unit, a generator and trailer of stores. The launcher consisted of a
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Launcher Unit: Weight 24 cwt, Length 13 ft 1 in, Width 5 ft 9 ins, Height 7 ft Armament: 4 x Rapier Missile launchers Missile Information: Weight 94 lbs, Warhead weight 3 lbs, Warhead type HE semi-armour-piercing, flight speed 2,130 ft per second, missile range, 23,000 ft, maximum altitude 10,000 ft Crew: 8
vertical cylindrical unit carrying two missiles on each side, with the surveillance radar dish and IFF system (Identification Friend or Foe)  under a radome on top. The guidance computer and radar electronics were at the bottom, and a parabolic antenna fitted to the front for sending guidance commands to the missiles. They were first used in a major engagement with the British Army during the Falklands conflict in 1982, and since then has been developed and upgraded to suite modern needs. The Rapier has enjoyed wide international sales, and remains one of the UK's primary air-defence weapon systems.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: Unknown
A N T I - A I R C R A F T   M I S S I L E   S Y S T E M