Schneider-Canet 150mm heavy howitzer M. 1897/05

 

 

 

 

 

Bulgarian designation :

150-мм нескорострелна гаубица Д-12

Schneider designation :

Obusier de 15 cm de campagne, type puissant sur affϋt ΰ frein hydropneumatique

Calibre :

150mm L/12

Weight of the barrel :

777 kg (before the modernization : 760 kg)

Weight of the breech-block :

55 kg

Weight of the carriage :

1050 kg

Weight in action :

1965 kg (before the modernization : 1810 kg)

Weight of the limber :

393 kg (empty) – 641 kg (loaded)

Weight in marching order :

2600 kg (before the modernization : 2466 kg)

Barrel length :

1800 m

Barrel grooves

number :

36

depth :

1.5 mm

angle of twist :

progressive, 3° to 6°

Height of the line of fire :

1150 mm

Battering charge :

825 g / 680 g / 450 g / 180 g of smokeless powder

Shell

weight :

40 kg – charge: 2.8 kg

max. range :

6500 m (increased to 7800 m)

Shrapnel

weight :

40 kg – 900 bullets x 20 g

max. range :

5480 m

Mine shell weight :

40 kg – charge : 8.785 kg Schneiderite

Muzzle velocity :

260 m/s (full charge)

230 m/s (4th charge)

200 m/s (3rd charge)

190 m/s (2nd charge)

140 m/s (1st charge)

Angle of descent :

range

1st charge

2nd charge

3rd charge

100 m

500 m

1000 m

1500 m

2000 m

2500 m

3000 m

3500 m

4000 m

5500 m

2° 12’

12° 19’

29° 23’

 

 

0° 32’

4° 31’

7° 27’

12° 05’

17° 06’

23° 23’

31° 18’

 

 

=

2° 11’

4° 17’

6° 42’

9° 41’

12° 52’

16° 20’

20° 20’

24° 44’

36° 38’

Elevation :

+ 45° / - 5°

Recoil :

510 mm / 535 mm

(before the modernization : 450 mm)

Height of the wheels :

1.27 m

Track :

1.30 m

Transport :

drawn by six horses

Ammunition :

gun limber - 5, wagon limber - 8, wagon body - 16

12 ammunition wagons for every battery

Remarks :

Heavy howitzer ΰ tir accιlιrι, i.e. howitzer modernized in 1904-05 (see H.BARBY, Brιgalnitsa, p. 309 – some sources speak of them as “not quick-firing” and others as “quick-firing” howitzer) with hydro-pneumatic recoil system, swinging block breech mechanism, equipped with panoramic telescope (description). It was fitted for an independent line of sight.

In 1897 twenty four howitzers were ordered. To make them more movable, major Kalin Najdenov designed a special field carriage. The innovative heavy howitzer that resulted from this conversion was presented to the Paris International Exhibition in 1900. Unfortunately the howitzers were delivered hastily and without appropriate test and soon showed major faults: after 4-5 shots the compressors broke down. In 1904 they were modernized on the basis of a Bulgarian project : the accessories were built in France, but they were assembled in the Sofia Arsenal.

I am not sure whether this howitzer had a shield. The original model had no shield, but the Austro-Hungarian Feldbuch Die Bulgarische Armee September 1915 says that it had “Schutzschilde”. It may have been added when the howitzer was upgraded in 1904 or later.

 

 

 

 

More pictures from Sofia Military History Museum