Schneider-Canet 120mm field howitzer M. 1915

 

 

 

 

French designation :

Obusier de 120 mm modèle Schneider

Serbian designation :

120 мм. пољски хаубица М. 1915 Шнаjдер

Belgian designation :

Canon court 120 Schneider C.S.

Schneider designation :

Obusier de campagne à tir rapide de 120mm, type 120

Calibre :

120mm L/13

Weight :

440 kg

410 kg

Weight of the carriage :

980 kg

 

Weight in action :

1450 kg

1416 kg

Weight of the limber :

820 kg

812 kg

Weight in marching order :

2250 kg

2228 kg

Weight of the wagon limber :

781 kg

Weight of the wagon body :

1300 kg

1304 kg

Weight of the ammo wagon :

2100 kg

2085 kg

Length of the whole howitzer :

4.7 m

Barrel length :

1740 m

Number of barrel grooves :

36

Rifling

twist :

uniform

angle of twist :

12°

Height of line of fire :

1160 mm

Shield thickness :

3.5 mm

Ammunition

 

Battering charge :

1st charge : 205 g of powder BMS

2nd charge : 250 g of powder BMS

3rd charge : 305 g of powder BMS

4th charge : 390 g of powder BMS

5th charge : 505 g of powder BMS

6th charge : 735 g of powder BMS

H.E. shell

metal :

steel

weight :

18.7 kg – charge: 2.6 kg of Trotyl

H.E. shell

metal :

steely cast iron

weight :

18.825 kg – charge: 1.95 kg of Trotyl

H.E.shell

metal :

steely cast iron

weight :

19.3 kg – charge: 1.925 kg of Trotyl

Elevation :

+ 43° / - 3°

Traversing angle :

5°

Wheels :

height :

1330 mm

track :

1524 mm

Transport :

drawn by six horses

Ammunition :

limber – 10 shells, wagon body – 25 shells

Remarks :

Quick firing field howitzer, with hydro-pneumatic recoil system, swinging block breech mechanism, equipped with panorama telescope, and fitted for an independent line of sight.

At the beginning of the First World War, the French government requisitioned batteries of 120mm howitzers that had been ordered by a foreign state. They were subsequently used by the Belgian, French, and Serbian Armies. However, the circumstances surrounding their origin and their use are not entirely clear: I have tried to reconstruct it here.

Data regarding the weight of this howitzer vary depending on the source. The figures listed first come from the French Ministry of Armament and War Production (Reinségnement sur les matériels d’artillerie de tous les calibres, p. 113), while those listed second (in italics) come from Schneider (Matériels d’artillerie mis en service sur les fronts alliée 1914-1917).

 

 

 

Howitzers Schneider

of the I/103e R.H.L.

Howitzers Schneider

of the III/103e R.H.L.

 

More pictures from Beograd Military Museum