I will try in here to make a compilation of the the naval cannons, field howitzers and others used in the conflict.
Off course if somebody can help…
L118 Light Gun
Weight: 1858 kg
Length: 8.8 m
Width: 1.78 m
Height: 2.13 m
Ammunition (105 mm): HE, HESH (Now obsolete in British service), WP, Smoke, Illuminating, Target Marking
Elevation: Between -100 to 1250 mils (Using the elevation hand wheel)
Traverse: 6400 mils on its platform (By rotating the tracks) and 100 mils left or right (Using the traversing hand wheel)
Maximum Range (HE): 17.2 km
Anti Tank Range: 800 m
Muzzle Velocity (max): 709 m/s
Shell Weight (HE): 15.1 kg
Rate of Fire: 6 rounds per minute
Prior to the mid-1970’s, the British Army used the 105 mm OTO Melara Mod 56 as its light artillery weapon. This was originally designed for Italian Alpini, and was light enough to be lifted by Wessex helicopters or towed by Land Rovers. However, it lacked range (making it vulnerable to counter-battery fire) and was not entirely popular.
Its replacement was designed during the early 1970’s, based on the ordnance of the Abbot self-propelled gun. It was heavier than its predecessor, but new, more capable helicopters such as the Puma, were entering service, and these could carry the new weapon. However, a new vehicle, the Land Rover 101 Forward Control (Land Rover, One Ton) was designed as its prime mover in the field. Since the end of the 1990’s, the British Army have been using Pinzgauer ATVs as their gun tractors.
It first entered service with the British Army in 1975. In 1982, it saw intense use in the Falklands War. Five batteries (30 guns) were deployed to the Falkland Islands. During the final phases of the battles around Port Stanley, these guns were firing up to 400 rounds per gun per day, mostly at “Charge Super” i.e. the most powerful propellant charge for which they were designed. They were a major factor in the British victory.
At present, the British Army deploys the Light Gun with 29 Commando Regiment RA, 7 (Para) Regt. RHA and 40 (Field) Regt. RA. These support Marine Commando, Air Assault or Light formations.
Three regiments of the Territorial Army (100 Regt. RA(V), 103 (Lancastrian Artillery Volunteers) Regt. RA(V) and 105 Regt. RA(V)) are also equipped with the Light Gun. 104 Regt. RA(V) and other units use the Light Gun for ceremonial purposes.
Those Officer Training Corps with “Gun Troops” train with the L118.
(Information taken from the Light Gun Wiki page and confirmed on the MOD official Army site.}
All British ships at the time (destroyers and frigates anyway - our carriers don’t have heavy guns) carried the Vickers 4.5’’ (114mm) Mk 8 Mod 0 gun in their turrets. I’m struggling to find any decent technical data for this weapon but it can apparently fire up to 25 rounds a minute to a range of over 12 miles.
Thanks BDL I will provide some pics of the 4,5 " and his ammo later.
Nice piece.
Here some shots of the Vickers Mk-8 in the argentine destroyer “Hercules”.
Note the case eyection chute in the right low corner.
More info:
Of course the old 4.5in on HMS Arrow jammed when it was supposed to be supporting 2PARA and their assault on Goose Green!!! Not quite the 25 rds per minute.
Very true, no chance to bring down a Exocet with this gun despite some sources. :roll:
Why not, they used AAA in WW2 to shoot down V1s with radar. The gun is radar contoled with a computer aiming off with a proximity fuze. You only need to wing it ro knock it off course not blow it to bits.
But a 0,25 square meters frontal section missile coming to you at mach 1 and 4 meters above the sea…?
I should not say impossible but very unlikely. That why the CIWS cannons were created.
Oto Melara M-56 105 mm Howitzer.
The OTO Melara 105 mm Mod 56 began life in the 1950s to meet the requirement for a modern light weight howitzer that could be used by Italy’s world famous Alpini Brigades.
M-56 of the Argentine Army.
And the fact that it still remains in service with those same units a full half century after the howitzer’s introduction is testament to the gun’s quality.
Lowered gear forn AT use.
The Mod 56 has a number of unique characteristics for a weapon of its caliber, including the ability for its crew to manhandle the gun (due to its light weight, and the capability of being able to be used in the direct fire role. Being a pack howitzer it is designed to be broken down into 12 parts, each of which can be easily transported.[1] The capability of this weapon to be “knocked-down” allows the sections to be easily transported a number of ways, including by mule. This has made the gun rather popular with Mountain and Airborne troops in a number of countries. Over all, the Mod 56 has served in approximately 30 countries worldwide, of which a partial listing of the major operators is listed. In the Mlavinas this piece was used by the Argentine Army and the Marines Artilleire section, even reliable was periodically outranged by the L-30 105 mm british gun.
Weight:1 273 kg (2 806 lb)
Length14 calibre: 1.47 m (57.9 in)
Caliber105 mm
Elevation-7° to +65°
Traverse:56°
Muzzle velocity: 472 m/s .
Maximum range: 11 100 m (12 140 yd)
The CIWS and the 4 1/2 inch have two very different ways of killing missiles because they have two differing roles.
CIWS is a radar controlled stream of bullets that destroys missiles close in (a very much last ditch effort after other countermeasures have failed).
The 4 1/2 inch gun on the front is uses traditional “predictor” software in concert with a radar. Whilst a CIWS uses the radar return from the stream of bullets to guide in to the missile. The gun mount moves the barrel to a point where it thinks the missile will be hit.
The shell itself doesn’t have to hit the target, but explodes in a shot gun effect. Only one piece of shrapnel maybe needed to bring the missile down. This system engages the missiles slightly further out than the CIWS.
The shotgun effect is the same as most SAMs today.
Edit to add.
A few websites for your perusal.
The 105 pack is very good and used by the Kiwis in Vietnam. It was well regarded by the US as it could be broken down to small portable loads and moved by a small helli lift. Unfortunately due to its lightweight it could not produce the extended rates of fire that the Anzacs needed and were shot out very quickly. They refitted with US 105s, do not know the name.
Pack Howitzers were used prior to WW1 aswell. Which is where the term “pack” comes from. THey were broken down and attached to mules. Think of the Gun Run of the RN, for the way they come apart.
After the L5 Pack Howitzer, I think it was the M101A1 105mm Light Howitzer, a towed general purpose, light field gun. It often served in the direct support role, due to its light weight, dependability and its high rate of fire capability made it the ideal weapon for moving with the light infantry forces and responding quickly to fire missions with high volumes of close-in fire. (think of what the current fighting in Afghan requires). The M101A1 was almost virtually the same weapon used by US from World War II.
In 1966 the M102 was issued to units in Vietnam. The heli capabilities of the L5 allowed it to be slung under the UH-1 Iroqois or Huey.
From wiki
The 25 pounder Short Mark I, or Baby 25 pr, was an Australian pack gun version of the 25 pounder, first produced in 1943. This was a shortened version of the standard 25 pounder, mounted on the Carriage 25 pr Light, Mark 1. The Baby was intended for jungle combat and was used in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, during World War II. The gun could be towed by a light vehicle or broken down into 13 sections.
Mark I
Known officially as the Ordnance, Quick Firing 25 pounder Mark I, or QF 25 pdr Mk.I in short, these conversions of the 18 pdr first entered British service in the early 1930s. Often referred to as the 18/25 pdr, the majority of these were lost in the early Norwegian Campaign. Many of these were captured by the Germans, who liked them so much they built up entire artillery units based on them. These units were deployed in Normandy prior to D-Day, leading to somewhat ironic duels between 25 pdr units on either side.
1000 you do realise that Anthony Williams (ref yuor link) is Tony?
The shell itself doesn’t have to hit the target, but explodes in a shot gun effect. Only one piece of shrapnel maybe needed to bring the missile down. This system engages the missiles slightly further out than the CIWS.
I know, I know that is a 1944 technology I am familiar with that.
The CIWS was badly neede despite the 114mm gun, the losses of the Royal Navy should be much less whit that.
2nd of Foot, Sorry you’ll hav eto explaint hat one to me, I am a bit dim this morning.
NAVAL ARMAMENT: THE MCG PROBLEM
© Anthony G Williams
Revised 27 August 2005
The person who wrote the article you linked to (above) is Tony Williams.
Ah, got you. Didn’t know he was a member. I kept coming up with Tony Robinson of Baldrick fame.
Argentine Oto-Melara M-56 in action:
The rifling of this gun.
I see what he’s doing wrong there. He needs to use the laying equipment, not just look down the barral. 