M114 (howitzer)
| M114 (howitzer) | |
|---|---|
|
|
|
| General Information | |
| Military designation: | M114 |
| Manufacturer designation: | 155 mm Howitzer M1 |
| Manufacturer country: |
 United States
|
| Developer / Manufacturer: | Rock Island Arsenal |
| Development year: | 1934 |
| Start of production: | 1941 |
| Number of pieces: | over 6,000 |
| Model variants: | M114A1, M114A2, M114F |
| Weapon Category: | Field howitzer |
| Team: | 11 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Overall length: | 7.31 m (ready to drive) |
| Pipe length: | 3.62 m |
| Caliber : |
155 mm |
| Caliber length : | L / 23 |
| Weight ready for use: | 5,760 kg |
| Cadence : | 2-4 rounds / min |
| Elevation range: | −2 ° to 63 degrees |
| Side straightening area: | ± 24.5 ° |
| Furnishing | |
| Closure Type : | Screw lock |
| Charging principle: | manually |
| Ammunition supply: | manually |
The M114 was a medium 155mm howitzer used by the US Army , development of which began in the 1930s.
technology
The M114 consisted of two main components - the spring stabilized gun barrel with the breech and the sighting device as well as the mount . Between the two components was the hydropneumatic barrel return , which dampened the recoil of the gun. The wheels were folded up in the firing position, the gun then rested on a massive base. The supports of the expanding carriage were collapsible and functioned as a drawbar .
The barrel, which can be pivoted 25 ° to the left and 24 ° to the right, was loaded from behind. The elevation range ranged from −2 ° to + 63 °. The gun crew consisted of eleven men. Despite its weight of almost six tons, the M114 was still air-transportable , which gave it a mobility advantage over the heavy, self-propelled howitzers, as it could be moved to places that were not accessible by roads.
history
Development of the M114 began in 1934 when the Army was looking for a new 155mm howitzer. In April 1941, the design of the weapon, still known as the M1, was accepted and production started in 1942. About 6,000 guns had been produced by the end of World War II . The gun was used in the Korean War as well as in the Vietnam War. In Vietnam, the advantage of air transport was particularly evident , since the impenetrable jungle was almost impassable for self-propelled guns. The bullet weight, which is four times the weight of the M101 howitzer, and the three-kilometer range also proved to be advantageous .
From 1982 the M114 was replaced by the new M198 gun , the retired specimens were sold to other countries and some are still in use today. Users (in addition to the United States ) include Argentina , Ethiopia , Bosnia and Herzegovina , Brazil , Chile , Denmark , Germany , El Salvador , Greece , Iran , Iraq , Israel , Italy , Yemen , Jordan , Cambodia , Laos , Lebanon , Libya , Morocco , the Netherlands , Norway , Pakistan , Peru , the Philippines , Portugal , Saudi Arabia , Senegal , Serbia , Somalia , Spain , South Korea , Sudan , Taiwan , Thailand , Tunisia , Turkey , Uruguay and Vietnam .
Web links
- M114 at globalsecurity.org (Eng.)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Detailed description ( Memento from December 30, 2008 in the Internet Archive )