BL 8 inch Howitzer Mk I-V
| BL 8 inch Howitzer Mk I-V | |
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| General Information | |
| Military designation: | BL 8 inch howitzer |
| Manufacturer designation: | BL 8 inch howitzer |
| Manufacturer country: |
 United Kingdom
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| Developer / Manufacturer: | Major ML Wilkinson, RGA |
| Development year: | 1915 |
| Start of production: | 1915 |
| Number of pieces: | 91 |
| Model variants: | Mk I-V |
| Weapon Category: | howitzer |
| Technical specifications | |
| Pipe length: | 2.997-3.169 m |
| Caliber : |
8 inch (203 mm) |
| Elevation range: | -5-45 degrees |
| Furnishing | |
| Charging principle: | Breech loader |
The BL 8 inch Howitzer Mk I – V was a British howitzer during the First World War . It represented an improvised solution to the problem of the British Army's lack of heavy field artillery at the beginning of the war. For the howitzer, shortened and reamed tubes of various 6-inch marine guns were used.
Except for the caliber, it has nothing in common with the Vickers 8-inch howitzer, which it was replaced by in use.
history
At the beginning of the First World War, the British troops fighting in France lacked heavy artillery. This problem became particularly evident after the transition to trench warfare. Since the corresponding types could neither be developed nor manufactured at short notice, it was decided to convert the numerous older ship or coastal artillery guns of the 6 inch caliber. Pipes from the BL 6 inch gun Mk IV and VI and the QF 6 inch / 40 naval gun were used .
construction
The pipe construction was retained, but the pipe was shortened and drilled to a caliber of 8 inches. The gun had a barrel brake . The two cylinders of this pipe brake were above the pipe. Nevertheless, the wheels of the mount had to be fixed during use to prevent the gun from jumping.
The versions Mk I – V were converted from different guns. The mounts and limbs used differed in details. Shooting performance, projectiles used and propellant charges were the same for all versions.
- 12 BLC Mk I / IV were added to 8-inch howitzer Mk I converted
- 6 BL Mk IV and VI were added to 8-inch howitzer Mk II converted
- 6 BL MK IV and VI, respectively , with different Lafettierungen were to 8-inch howitzer Mk III converted
- 8 BLC Mk I / VI converted for the Mk IV MOUNTINGS were 8-inch howitzer Mk IV converted
- 63 QF 6 inch / 40 naval guns were converted to 8-inch Howitzer Mk Vs
These howitzers were 4–5 tons heavier than the following Vickers (Mk VI – VIII) types. They typically fired 200 pound HE shells.
commitment
The gun was used from 1915. They were used by the siege batteries of the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA). Chain tractors were used as traction means . The high weight and the short range of fire limited the possible uses of these weapons. The improvised nature of the design led to failures such as premature explosion and unreliability in use. Field maintenance was also difficult. In addition, there were problems with the mass production of the grenades in 1915 and at the beginning of 1916:
"The 8-inch fuses failed so often that the battlefield was littered with unexploded 8-inch shells."
"The 8-inch projectiles failed so often that the battlefield was littered with unexploded shells."
Regardless of this, this weapon was generally seen as a success, also because of the lack of alternatives:
“They were monstrous things and extremely heavy, but the machinery of the guns was very simple and that's why they did so extremely well and didn't give nearly as much trouble as some of the more complicated guns that came to appear later on. One was the very first to be made and it was marked, 'Eight-inch Howitzer No. 1 Mark I 'so we called that gun,' The Original '. It was marvelously accurate. "
“They were monstrous things and very heavy, but the guns were very simple to build, and that's why they worked so extremely well and didn't cause nearly as many problems as the more complicated guns that came out later. One of the howitzers was the first to be made. She was known as the eight-inch Howitzer No. 1 Mark I , and that's why we called the cannons "The Original". She was wonderfully precise "
The versions Mk I – IV were no longer repaired from 1917 and slowly disappeared from the armament.
literature
- Dale Clarke, British Artillery 1914-1919. Heavy artillery. Osprey Publishing, Oxford UK, 2005, ISBN 1-84176-788-3
- General Sir Martin Farndale, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. Western Front 1914-18. London: Royal Artillery Institution, 1986 ISBN 1-870114-00-0
- Per Finsted, Om den engelske 8-tommers haubits 1915–1940 (in Danish)
- IV Hogg & LF Thurston, British Artillery Weapons & Ammunition 1914–1918 . London: Ian Allan, 1972.
- Peter Hart, The Somme . London: Cassell Military Paperbacks, 2006 . ISBN 978-0-304-36735-1
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Clarke, page 34. Major Wilkinson suggested reaming and shortening the barrel of naval guns.
- ↑ National Archives MUN5 / 373/9227: Mk I 12 Mar. – 15. Jul .; Mk II May 6; Mk III May 6 – Jun .; Mk IV Oct 8; Mk V Dec 4th 1916.
- ↑ Hogg & Thurston 1972, p. 153
- ↑ Since a conversion into the metric system results in "crooked" values, some of which no longer harmonize with the names of the guns and ammunition, the original units of measurement are used in the text for masses and weights. A conversion of 200 lb would give 90.7184 kg.
- ↑ Farndale 1986, p. 135
- ↑ Transcript of an interview. IWM Sound: MS Cleeve, AC 7310, Reel 2. Quoted from Peter Hart: "The Somme", p. 82.